Profiles - About Alumni for June 2008

Featured Alum: Toni DeBolt Baker, attended 1978-81

Photo left: As a YC Cheerleader (bottom w/glasses).

Toni attended Yavapai College from 1978-1980 as an Education Major. Toni is currently working for Southern California Edison as a supervisor. She has four daughters, 1 stepson, 1 stepdaughter, 1 grandson, 1 granddaughter (one more on the way). She has been living in Southern California for 22 years now and loves it.

She enjoyed rooming with Lori, Cheryl and Heidi and being part of the Cheerleading program, and she still has a love for basketball. One professor – she can't remember his name, told her not to be a teacher but to get into the computer field, and that totally changed her future.

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Frederick Battenfield, 1973-1975; Journalism

Fred writes: “Currently Associate Professor of Sport Management at North Greenville University (Tigerville, SC). I earned a Ph.D. in sport management from Florida State University in 2004, a master's of sport administration from the U.S. Sports Academy in 1991 and a Bachelor of Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin in 1978. Worked three Olympic Games in the sport of volleyball; was a sports information director for 22 years at D I and D II schools and won 16 national publishing awards. I have published academic articles in the area of sport communications and marketing.

My sister Nancy (Moorhead), former YC physical education instructor and volleyball coach, tossed me a volleyball rule book one day and said, My sister Nancy (Moorhead), former YC physical education instructor and volleyball coach, tossed me a volleyball rule book one day during my freshman year, and said, "you're my referee." That was the beginning of a long association with volleyball where I became a national referee, played in four national tournaments, coached club volleyball and began the intercollegiate men's and women's programs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, among the many.

Bob Mikulewicz, the journalism instructor, launched me into the school paper, writing the recreation roundup for city Prescott Recreation Dept. in the Daily Courier, among other writing endeavors. His teaching launched me to Texas, where I graduated from one of the best journalism programs in the country and entered a long career in communications. Also, Dave Thayer, geology professor, still impacts my teaching career because he made learning rocks fun and instilled a thirst for creative thinking. Dave Brown, YC basketball coach, also taught me the basics of coaching that I utilized for many years.

People at my high school in Laredo, Texas thought I was nuts when I said I was going 1700 miles away to Yavapai. The best thing was that Willie Bean, another Texan, made me feel very welcome at YC. Maybe I was nuts, but I would do exactly the same thing today. YC gave me a solid academic foundation with its small classes and caring instructors. I actually remember more about my academic instructors at Yavapai than I do at The University of Texas. Although I haven't visited Prescott in many years, I still have a wonderful memory of the school on the hill where Teddy trained. Congrats on launching this Alumni Connection.”

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Reita Deane (Holloway), 1975-1984; Art Department

Reita shares with us the following story:

“I had the time of my life, taking all the art courses I could. Through the years in retirement, I still do stain glass, weaving, woodworking, pottery, cooking classes, etc. I had a great time at Yavapai College. I can't remember their names, but I didn't have a teacher I didn't like. I wish I could remember all my teachers...such a great time. We had great yearly art trips to California, with the Art Club, of which I was a member.

I was born and raised in Kansas, though I lived in Prescott for 35 years. I went there to work for a Doctor in 1954 and later married. I moved back to Kansas in 1987, 5 years after my husband died, to take care of my parents, until their deaths. I married my high school sweetheart, 21 years ago.

While in Prescott, my husband and I owned a service pharmacy for a number of years. I was a lab and x-ray tech for 18 years. I have 2 children, Jim Holloway is a pharmacist at desert Samaritan Hospital in Mesa, AZ, and has been there since 1980. My daughter Julie Holloway Weldon is married to United Airline pilot, a graduate of Emery Riddle, and they live in Omaha, Neb. I'm blessed with 4 grandchildren. Oldest just received his masters in filmmaking, UNC, Greensboro, North Carolina; the youngest is a junior in high school.

I'm 75, and going strong. I took up golf, since I retired, and keep active doing volunteer work with the VFW and the country club. I really miss Prescott, but can see how much it has grown. In 1954, the population was 10,500. I have the courier on my computer, so check it every day, to keep up.”

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Jana Whittington – Graduate, Class of 1991

I recently attended the Yavapai College Alumni Art Show with great enthusiasm, not only for the opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues, but also because YC has proven to be stellar college! When I first started at YC, the art department had just purchased two computers and an early version of a pixel image program. The enthusiasm of the faculty to grow with the available technology was exhilarating and contagious. The campus’ progress while attending YC was exceptional, but upon my return visit I see that the campus, and specifically the art department, still has a future focus approach to art education.

None of this would be possible without the great faculty and staff at the YC art department. The professional support, encouragement and motivation I received from the YC faculty and staff in the art department helped to consolidate and launch my academic and artistic endeavors to new career directions. The education and support that went beyond the YC classroom provided me with the experience and knowledge to pursue lifelong learning. My time at YC included opportunities for exhibition, funding to develop an online course when web course delivery was at its infancy, developing, experimenting and expanding on teaching and learning endeavors, and experiential employment.

Since my time at YC I have had the chance to explore academia in other universities, and also to participate in graphic and artistic national organizations. The education I received at YC has provided a solid foundation for my career since leaving YC. Recently I have had the opportunity to participate in the development of a new bachelors degree computer graphics program, as well as three undergraduate certificates in web, design and animation. The YC college-acquired skill of learning how to learn helped me when developing and teaching more than thirteen different courses over a five year growth period for the new degree. After visiting YC in Jan. 2008, I am confident that the quality which made my YC experiences so valuable still hold true and will provide a solid foundation of knowledge for its future graduates.

Since leaving YC, I have gone on to become an Associate Professor of Computer Graphics Technology at a regional campus of a large and well-known state university. During my career since leaving YC, I have taught a wide variety of courses in graphics, Art, and Humanities. Specifically, I have had the opportunity to teach digital video, digital audio, motion graphics, web design, multimedia production, drawing, painting, sculpture, art history and specialized humanities art history courses. My research and publication areas relate to computer graphics, critique and assessments, curriculum development and online delivery. I have also exhibited and juried international exhibitions. My time at YC has made it possible for me to continue my academic studies, and I am currently completing my PhD studies in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Instructional Design for Online Learning. I appreciate the opportunities YC gave me to continue lifelong learning and develop as an educator and an artist.

My current artistic endeavors include digital video art productions, which include movement and sound. I am also interested in global digital collaborations within the global artistic and educational community. My scholarly activities include research in to interactive multimedia learning theory, visualization and technologies.

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Chuck Weeks, attended 1971

I am married and between my wife and me, we have 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

I was meant to play music and I am so happy to still be doing so. I played and sang at Orientation in 1971.

My biggest influence at Yavapai College was my choir director, Jim Burns. He was the one who formed the YC Folk Group. I continued playing music in many rock, country, bluegrass, blues and jazz bands throughout my life. I started playing guitar in 1964, the year The Beatles hit America. I've been in many bands since. I started recording my songs for my current album in 2003. The album is called "Songs of Love & Other Stuff".

Photo caption: Sunrise Lions were entertained by the Yavapai College Folk Group recently. Tom Lyman (left), Melanie Ewart, Phyllis Walker and Chuck Weeks performed under the direction of Mr. Jim Burns, college choir director. (Courier Photo, Dec. '71)

Currently I work for a student loan guarantor agency in Northern California and I have been in the student loan industry for 13 years. This allows me to create, write, play and record my own music in my home studio.

This year I have placed my music on the web for download at the following sites:

• http://www.tunecore.com/music/chuckweeks
• http://www.myspace.com/chuckweeksmusic

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