Coyote Kickoff Helps First-Year Students Prepare for College

Coyote Kickoff is Chandler-Gilbert’s new student orientation for all new-to-college students.

What to Expect 
The tailored, two-hour orientations are intended to ease the transition into college. Benefits of attending Coyote Kickoff include:

• Learning about college resources and support
• Learning how to access and navigate the online student center
• Meeting with academic advisors and discussing degree requirements
• Meeting other new college students
• Registering for first semester courses with dedicated support
• Establishing payment arrangements to secure enrollment

Coyote Kickoff’s small-group format allows for a more personal, hands-on enrollment process where students can feel comfortable asking challenging questions. Due to these small groups, Coyote Kickoff sessions fill quickly. Please register for a session as far in advance as possible.

“Coyote Kickoff is one of the first steps students take in their college experience,” said Dr. Felicia Ramirez-Perez, CGCC Dean of Enrollment Services. “We know this is important to students and their parents, so we work hard to listen, learn and educate our students during this time to make their first student experience meaningful.”

Parent Resource 
Space limitations also prevent us from accommodating parents and guardians at Coyote Kickoff. Our Parents Resource Guide contains information about registration, financial aid and other resources available to parents and students.

Requirement
Students who have earned college credit through ACE, Dual Enrollment or Hoop of Learning programs and are now high school graduates are required to attend Coyote Kickoff. Student veterans using VA benefits are required to attend a separate veterans-only new student orientation. Transfer students are not required to attend.

Tips for Success

• Bring a state or federally-issued ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport, etc.). 
• Bring a copy of high school, GED transcript, or alternative reports. Here’s a guide for uploading those before your Kickoff.
• Develop a plan to pay tuition and fees. There are various options, including a payment plan. 
• Determine your placement for English, math and reading. Students using their high school GPA to determine placements can upload their transcripts here.

Available at Pecos & Williams Campuses
Coyote Kickoff sessions are held at our Pecos and Williams campuses. Students can register for Coyote Kickoff here. For more information, visit cgc.edu/kickoff or email Recruitment@cgc.edu.

Make Your Law Enforcement Career Happen

About the East Valley-based Law Enforcement Training Academy
Chandler-Gilbert’s Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) is a fully certified police academy located at our Williams campus. CGCC is home to one of just two LETA programs in the Maricopa County Community College District.

LETA is an intense, highly accountable and challenging training program certified by the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (AZ POST). The program meets Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 6 – 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. for 11 months.

The program is designed to develop skills in eight functional areas: introduction to law enforcement, law and legal matters, patrol procedures, traffic control, crime scene management, community and public relations, report writing and police proficiency. Graduates who pass the AZ POST comprehensive exam at the completion of the 11-month program will be eligible to be a certified peace officer in Arizona.

Respected East Valley Program with Benefits to Graduates
LETA is a part-time program, meeting for 17 hours per week during the evenings and weekends. This gives recruits the flexibility to attend the academy while keeping a full-time job, unlike other police academies that require a full-time commitment. LETA is open to those not currently affiliated with a police department, allowing non-sponsored recruits to enter the academy and be hired upon completion. LETA recruits benefit from the same, low-cost tuition ($85 per credit hour) as all CGCC students.

LETA is a widely known and respected program in the East Valley and across Arizona. Our relationships with local police departments provide LETA graduates with opportunities at top agencies. Our faculty consists of current and retired commanders and officers with more than 80 combined years of law enforcement experience. Students are consistently trained on current POST standards and real-world scenarios

“Law enforcement is a career where you can give back to the community you serve,” said Jon Terpay, Director of CGCC’s LETA. “It's made up of men and women who made a commitment to serve with honor and integrity. CGCC-LETA has a 97% hire rate with agencies all over the State of Arizona, and the average starting salary for law enforcement is more than $50,000 per year with a 25-year retirement. It’s a fast-paced, rewarding and noble career.”

Survival of the Fittest 
Not only do recruits need to excel in the classroom, but they must also have the ability to meet the physical demands of law enforcement. Program candidates should be able to run 1.5 miles in less than 15 minutes and complete a minimum of 25 push-ups and 30 sit-ups prior to entering the academy. Students must pass the Peace Officer’s Physical Aptitude Test prior to certification. This test includes five timed events: 6’ solid wall climb, 6’ chain-link fence climb, 99-yard obstacle course, body drag and 500-yard run.

Application Process
“One of our goals is to encourage a diverse group of applicants to enter LETA,” said Gabriela Rosu, Dean of Instruction at CGCC. “We believe police departments should represent the communities they serve to build trust and relationships with their constituents.”

Students can be sponsored by a law enforcement agency or enroll as a non-sponsored recruit. Sponsored recruits are required to undergo a background investigation by their respective agency. Non-sponsored students must complete a background investigation through the academy. Recruits must be at least 21-years-old at the completion of the program. Learn more about the application process here. You’ll also find FAQs here.

LETA applications are due on August 5. For more information and to request an application packet, visit cgc.edu/LETA.

CGCC Partners with Johns Hopkins University for Engineering Innovation

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) selected CGCC as a partner for the Baltimore-based university’s Engineering Innovation program. Engineering Innovation is a summer program for high school students with an aptitude in math and science and an interest in engineering. In the program, students learn to think and problem-solve like engineers and have the opportunity to earn JHU credit. CGCC is the only school in Arizona, and one of just 15 locations in the country, to host Engineering Innovation.

“We’re honored to partner with an institution as renowned as Johns Hopkins for Engineering Innovation,” said Dr. Greg Peterson, CGCC President. “This partnership emphasizes the quality of engineering and STEM programs at CGCC and our ability to leverage institutional relationships to provide the best opportunities for our local community and high school students.”

Engineering Innovation launched in 2006 with the goal of educating students about careers, internships and educational opportunities in engineering. Students complete lab activities in civil, chemical, electrical/computer, mechanical engineering and materials science. They also take quizzes, write a research paper, learn about engineering economics and present a response to a request for proposal.

“Engineering Innovation is excited to partner with Chandler-Gilbert Community College in bringing our pre-college engineering course to Arizona,” said Dr. Karen Borgsmiller, Director of Engineering Innovation. “We value this collaboration and our shared desire to inspire more youth to consider careers in engineering.”

Engineering Innovation is hosted at the CGCC Williams campus and taught by Angel Fuentes, Chair of the CGCC’s Physical Sciences and Engineering division. The inaugural program semester began on June 17 and culminated in a national graduation ceremony held across all commuter program locations, on July 18. Students meet four days a week and study curriculum developed by JHU.

“This is an incredible opportunity for high school students in our community and the entire Phoenix-area,” said Fuentes. “Participants work together to solve problems, develop necessary work skills for an engineer and grow academically from the knowledge they gain from a world-class research institution. Coupled with CGCC's highest engineering student transfer rate to the Arizona universities, these students are getting an opportunity of a lifetime and being productive about their future.”

For more information on Engineering Innovation, visit https://ei.jhu.edu/.

CGCC Students Honored at Maricopa Student Research Conference

At Chandler-Gilbert, we pride ourselves on experiential learning and student research opportunities. At most four-year universities, students may not have these hands-on research projects until their third or fourth year of school. However, experiential learning is part of every student’s experience at CGCC. Recently, two of our students exemplified these experiential learning and research principles at the Maricopa Student Research Conference. This event gives students the chance to present their original research in humanities and social behavioral sciences, occupational education, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in a conference setting.

Jeremy Mattas and Amber Toy both earned scholarships as a result of their research, highlighting the unique scholarship opportunities available to Maricopa Community Colleges students. Jeremy placed first in the Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences Oral Presentation category for his “Speculative Consequences of Transcendence and Immortality” presentation and received a $1,000 scholarship. Amber placed third in the S.T.E.M. Poster Session for her “Dying to Look Good” campaign and received a $500 scholarship.

Jeremy Mattas

Jeremy’s “Speculative Consequences of Transcendence and Immortality” presentation stemmed from his appreciation of life. He believes the lifespan of the average American is not enough time to accomplish everything they hope to achieve. Jeremy believes that advances in technology, partnered with making lifestyle changes, can extend our lifespans and improve our quality of life.

Amber Toy

Amber’s “Dying to Look Good” campaign focused on personal care products used by millions of people every day. She presented tips and apps to check the toxicology ratings of chemicals in soaps, shampoos and other personal care products. Her goal was to teach others how to shop clean by finding healthier alternatives.

Congratulations, Jeremy and Amber, and thank you to our student research faculty members, Sujatha Krishnaswamy, Crystal Theaker and Paul Wren.

To learn more about the Maricopa Student Research Conference, visit https://www.estrellamountain.edu/conferences/student-conference.