Faculty and staff in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department purchased books for the students in the Child Development Lab School. SBS faculty and staff will be reading to the children each day during the Week of the Young Child. Each child in the lab school will receive a copy of each book, giving them five new books for their home library.Isla Jiang, library technician, recently published a grown-up coloring book with hand-drawn illustrations.Professor of guitar John Kiefer completed his most recent composition: "machina" for clarinet, violin and cello. The piece was commissioned by the Texas New Music Ensemble and will be premiered this summer.

Faculty

Candice Ratley, assistant professor of biology and students from biology, microbiology and nutrition courses cleaned COM's section of beach this April 22 for Earth Day as part of the statewide Adopt-A-Beach cleanup day.

English professor Dalel Serda moderated a session titled "Approaches to Making Meaning with 'New' Media" at the College Composition and Communication Conference in Portland, Oregon, during spring break. The conference is rhetoric and composition's most important one, with over 3,000 presenters.

The COM Jazz Ensemble, directed by professor Sparky Koerner, participated in the GCIC Jazz Festival March 26 at the Kemah Boardwalk. Sparky’s Jazz Express performed at the Texas City Arts Festival April 8 at the Doyle Center.

Professors Gilchrist White and Stacey Burleson presented at the Community College Teachers of English conference in Hurst, Texas, March 3. They focused on using Wikis in combined internet and face-to-face English 1301 classes to enhance teamwork in writing.

English professor Beth Hammett recently presented "Visual Writing for Developmental Learners" at the National Association for Developmental Education March 3 in Oklahoma City. The format was interactive and replicated a developmental peer work-shopping classroom. Professor Hammett also received the Flipped Classroom Certification from Flipped Learning Global Initiative.

Bridget Walton of the Humanities Department attended the Achieving the Dream conference in San Francisco Feb. 21-24.

English professor Steve Remollino attended the annual Conference of College Teachers of English in Hurst, Texas, March 2-4 where professors and graduate students presented papers and panels in pop culture, literature and writing. 

Professor Julianne Duncan presented at the Texas EMS Educators Summit in Galveston April 21-22. She discussed “Flawed Exam Questions Develop Critical Thinking” and “Reducing Liability Ability in the Affective Domain." 

Professor James Heffel and the COM choirs had a guest appearance with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra. The groups performed “Schubert Mass in G” with the orchestra, and Heffel was the bass soloist in the work.

Staff

Kari Drake received an Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Award of Merit for her work supporting the COM PTK chapter.

Tige Cornelius received a Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Administrator Award for his work with the COM PTK chapter. 

Josh Hayes, director of adult education, was asked to represent Texas at the Coalition for Adult Basic Education Capitol Hill Day in Washington, D.C, by the Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education and Literacy Texas. Adult education advocates from around the nation will gather to educate members of Congress and their staff about adult education and workforce development.

About 70 staff, faculty and administrators attended the COM World Cafe to collaborate on ideas, strategies and new policies to improve the college.

Students

COM was elected to serve as the parliamentarian school for Region V of the Texas Junior College Student Government Association. As parliamentarian school, COM SGA will be charged with enforcing the provisions of Region V’s bylaws and constitution. Students will also work closely with other schools and plan two regional conventions. COM also had three students serve on high-profile SGA committees. The members have voted in new officers for the 2017-2018 year.

Phi Theta Kappa students helped host the GCIC Academic Symposium with professor Dalel Serda. 

In April COM's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa was awarded as a Top 100 Chapter. 

Duck & Cover A Cappella performed a program for the Texas City Lion’s Club.

Cosmetology students hosted Project Cinderella April 8 and 22. Project Cinderella is an organization that helps high school girls afford to go to prom. Dresses and accessories were donated and COM cosmetology staff and students provided free hairstyling, makeup and manicures to 16 girls. Also this April, the Salon hosted nine students from Devereux school for their prom and provided free hair styling. "Not only are the girls who come in thankful, but our students learn about giving back to the community, and how good people feel when they are treated to beauty services," said professor Jamie Hunsucker.