WNC Notes & News Jan. 10

Multicultural festival invites vendors, exhibitors

Western Nevada College is looking for exhibitors for the annual Multicultural Festival at the Carson City campus, 11 a.m-4 p.m. Saturday, May 15.

The festival celebrates our community's diverse cultures through entertainment, food vendors, educational exhibits and children's activities. Exhibitors should include an educational component in their display, such as a participatory activity or demonstration to help festival-goers learn about cultures. There is no fee to participate. Applications are due by March 30. For information, call Ronnie Gibbs at 445-3276 or Rosalba Cadena-De Armas at 445-3335. For food vendors, call Christina Hillis at 445-3319.

WNC audition for

'Sound of Music'

The Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company will hold auditions for the Rodgers and Hammerstein masterwork, "The Sound of Music," at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Sarah Winnemucca Hall at the Carson City campus. The beloved musical will play two weekends at the Carson City Community Center, May 7-16. Rehearsals begin in February. Information: 445-4249.

College offers spring truck driver training courses

WNC continues to help students who are seeking new careers in truck driving, offering a series of non-credit truck driver training courses at the Carson City and Fallon campuses this spring. Courses are offered in cooperation with Advanced Truck School and prepare students for the DMV truck drive (CDL) test.

Courses are six days a week for four weeks, with new sessions beginning Feb. 1, March 1, April 5, May 3 and June 1. Cost is $1,800 and includes 85 hours of classroom instruction plus 100 hours of hands-on vehicle operation.

WNC continues to work closely with Job Connect and other agencies that may be able to assist eligible students with the cost of tuition, and also with Northern Nevada trucking companies to help graduates find jobs in the industry. Information: Ginny Dugan at WNC Fallon Campus, 775-423-5186, or dugan@wnc.edu.

New class combines computer technology, detective skills

WNC Carson City is offering a three-credit class this spring to help students learn the fundamentals of conducting a computer investigation. Computer Forensics will be offered 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays. IT administrators use computer forensics as a strategic part of organizational computer security. The class introduces setting up a forensics lab, conducting an investigation and subsequent digital analysis, and acquiring/reporting evidence. Cost: $205.50. Spring classes begin Monday, Jan. 25. Register online at www.wnc.edu/ webreg/. Information: 775-445-3000.

Observatory visitor wins commemorative coin

A Californian visiting family in Carson City won a commemorative coin signed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin in a drawing at the WNC Jack C. Davis Observatory. Tony Tyson is the proud owner of the coin and a four-inch Celestron GoTo telescope. The drawing, which took place during a stargazing party Dec. 26 in the observatory, was the culmination of a yearlong celebration commemorating the International Year of Astronomy. The observatory is open to the public Saturday evenings year round. The Western Nevada Astronomical Society hosts free stargazing activities beginning at dusk.

Faculty and staff assist Food for Thought

WNC employees raised $500 for the non-profit Carson City group that provides food for the weekends to children who are homeless. Many local children are able to eat weekday breakfast and lunch at school, but go without on the weekends and holidays. Food for Thought provides them with weekly backpacks containing healthy food that can be eaten without need of an oven or refrigerator. During the year, the charity will provide more than 100,000 meals to nearly 500 homeless children. Donation information: www.nvfoodforthought.org or 883-1011.

Getting personal with student e-mails

Beginning with the spring 2010 semester, WNC students will use their own selected e-mail addresses to communicate with the college. They will be asked to identify a personal contact e-mail address when they register for spring classes, which begin Monday, Jan. 25. In the past, the college issued e-mail addresses to students.

Current students will need to update their e-mail contact information in the college's Web-REG online registration system. E-mail accounts are available at no charge through a number of Web sites including Yahoo!, Google, Hotmail, or any internet provider. For information, call 445-3273.