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There is a lot of information out there about COVID-19 vaccines ranging from fertility to microchips.

What are the facts?
How can you know if what you’re reading about is real?

Join Amaal Tokars, Ed.D., assistant director at the Illinois Department of Public Health, and KCC’s biology faculty for their panel discussion about the science behind the vaccines, the truth about vaccine myths, and reasons why vaccinations can mount a defense against COVID-19. 

COVID-19 Vaccines – Myths vs. Facts
Thursday, Oct. 28
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Live Zoom webinar - Webinar details will be added here before the session.

Please email questions you would like the panelists to address to ebecvar@kcc.edu.

About the keynote presenter:
Amaal V.E. Tokars, Ed.D., is humbled to serve as the assistant director at the Illinois Department of Public Health. She has a Master of Science in the area of systems therapies in the clinical setting. Her doctoral work emphasized her love of organizational learning, social movement, and research methods; as well as a cognate in anthropology. Her graduate and doctoral work was completed at Northern Illinois University. She is also a graduate of the Navy Post Graduate School Executive Leaders Program in California. Work experience includes over 30 years in behavioral health and approximately 15 years in public health, clinical, policy, and research. Areas of particular passion include cultural equity, health ethics, systems change, international policy, and engaging in dialogue about the essentialities of a thriving civil society.

KCC’s Faculty Panelists
Jonathan Cohen, D.C., anatomy & physiology professor
Carrie Jones, Ph.D., anatomy & physiology professor
Kristen Larson, biology professor
Kenneth Mager, biology professor

Blue Man group is offering reduced-price tickets to KCC students, faculty and staff. 

Attached is the official Blue Man Invite.

The process to accept the offer:

• Tickets must be purchased at the box office on the day of the performance.
• Students and/or staff need to show their KCC ID and/or verification of employment at the college at the box office upon arrival.  
• There is a 2 ticket maximum for each college ID.
• There is no coupon code, just show the flyer at the door along with your KCC ID.

To see days available for shows, visit https://www.blueman.com/chicago/buy-tickets. 

The email to get in touch with the box office is tickets@blueman.com. They can assist with dates, any ticket issues, or any questions regarding ticket purchases as well.

KCC is celebrating National Transfer Student Week Oct. 18-22, 2021. 

National Transfer Student Week celebrates transfer students and the professionals who support them on their journeys. There are daily activities and things going on all week.

All week

• Students can download this handout, or go to Room D222 in Student Affairs for a copy. Decorate the shoe graphics with your transfer school’s name/colors. Turn it in to enter a drawing for a KCC swag bag. The drawing will be at noon on Friday.
• #TransferStudentWeek will be used to highlight the transfer shoes decorating contest and other activities.
• Visit www.kcc.edu/transfer for helpful transfer information, resources and FAQs (with answers!).

Alma Mater Monday - Oct. 18

• KCC students, staff and faculty are encouraged to show their "Transfer Pride" with school colors or apparel from their transfer school.

Transfer Talk Tuesday - Oct. 19

• Students are invited to take part in a Virtual/Zoom Latinx Resource Fair 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Click here to register for the event.
• All day, KCC students, grads and community members are invited to share their transfer story on social media.

Walk-up Wednesday - Oct. 20

• All students are invited to stop in the College Center to talk to a transfer advisor for helpful transfer info, to ask questions, or to set up and appt to schedule classes.

Transfer Pride & Trivia Thursday - Oct. 21

• Students are invited to join transfer advisors and Phi Theta Kappa honor society in the College Center for Transfer Trivia from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Correct answers earn free swag from area colleges and universities.
• Also from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., there will be a Historically Black Colleges and Universities Virtual Transfer Fair. This is a free event and open to all Illinois community college students. Click here to join the virtual transfer fair.
• All day, KCC students, staff and faculty are encouraged to show their "Transfer Pride" with school colors or apparel from their transfer school.

Finale Friday - Oct. 22

• The winner of the “These Transfer Shoes” decorating contest will be announced at noon on KCC social media accounts.

KCC's student success advisors and counselors have compiled these tips to help students during mid-terms and other times when stress and test-anxiety might crop up.

Symptoms of test anxiety
Test anxiety might look different from student to student. Here's a list of possible symptoms you might experience:

• Physical symptoms: Headache, nausea, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, and feeling faint. Test anxiety can also cause panic attacks, which are the abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort in which you may feel like you are unable to breathe or like you are having a heart attack.
• Emotional symptoms: Feelings of stress, fear, helplessness, and disappointment, negative thoughts (rumination about past poor performances, consequences of failure, feeling inadequate, helpless), mind going blank, and racing thoughts.
• Behavioral/cognitive symptoms: Difficulty concentrating, thinking negatively, comparing yourself to others, and procrastinating.

Causes of test anxiety

• Fear of failure. While the pressure of doing well on an exam can be motivating, it can be detrimental to your self worth if you associate the grade of the test with your value.
• Lack of preparation. Waiting until the last minute or not studying at all can leave you feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
• Poor test history. Not succeeding on the previous exam can make you anxious for the next exam. It is important to remember to stay in the present moment when taking an exam so you remain focused. Don’t dwell on the past.
• High pressure. If you need a certain grade to pass the class, it could increase your test anxiety.
• Perfectionism. Perfectionism is having extremely high-performance expectations for yourself. Research studies show that students who have high perfectionism and high self-criticism tend to have high test anxiety and do worse on exams. If you struggle with perfectionism, try to let it go. Make sure to take the time to recognize when you have worked hard and allow yourself to make mistakes.

Source: University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill

Tips for reducing test anxiety

• Download calming apps:
  • Calm 
  • Headspace
  • Insight Timer
• Practice breathing techniques such as 4,7,8 seen in video here
• Another technique to consider is 5,4,3,2,1: This can be done before, during and after the exam to help you stay calm and present while concentrating on the test information:

Try this calming technique

This calming technique will take you through your five senses to help remind you of the present. It can help you get through tough or stressful situations. 

• Take a deep belly breath to begin. 
• 5 - LOOK: Look around for 5 things that you can see, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, I see the computer, I see the cup, I see the picture frame. 
• 4 - FEEL: Pay attention to your body and think of 4 things that you can feel, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, I feel my feet warm in my socks, I feel the hair on the back of my neck, or I feel the pillow I am sitting on.
• 3 - LISTEN: Listen for 3 sounds. It could be the sound of traffic outside, the sound of typing or the sound of your tummy rumbling. Say the three things out loud.
• 2 - SMELL: Say two things you can smell. If you’re allowed to, it’s okay to move to another spot and sniff something. If you can’t smell anything at the moment or you can’t move, then name your 2 favorite smells.
• 1 - TASTE: Say one thing you can taste. It may be the toothpaste from brushing your teeth, or a mint from after lunch. If you can’t taste anything, then say your favorite thing to taste.
• Take another deep belly breath to end.

If you are experiencing anxiety and/or other mental health concerns, please contact Transformative Growth Counseling or phone 312-588-9437.

For a free mental health screening please click here.