University Police Department Gives Back
Recently, University Police Department donated $400 to the TMCC Veterans Resource Center (VRC.) “We’re planning on buying new furniture with this generous donation,” said Felipe Gutierrez, Veterans Resource Center Program Coordinator. “I thought it was cool that they take the time to raise this money and to give it to organizations in need of this extra support.”
TMCC’s VRC supports veteran students by offering them support as well as a place to study. The donation will support this space that is vital to this student population’s ability to succeed in higher education, especially during the adjustment period that follows after military service. According to Lieutenant John Galicia, University Police Department plans on donating to VRCs at other NSHE institutions.
Since Fall 2021, University Police Department has been raising money through an internal fundraiser that gives officers an opportunity to dress more casually if they’re willing to “pay the price.” For $40 per month, each member of the department could exhibit slightly relaxed grooming standards, which for male officers included facial hair. Female officers could paint their nails or put streaks of color (like blue or pink) in their hair. Civilian department members could expand “casual Friday” to every day of the work week.
To date, the fundraiser has generated over $4,000. “Chief Renwick has allowed us to continue this through his retirement on July 1,” said Lieutenant John Galicia. “We plan on ending [this fundraiser] with a donation to support first-generation college students who are attending UNR.”
Yet, that is not the end of University Police Department’ generosity. Beginning in February 2021, University Police Department joined forces with other police and civilian agencies to help those who are homeless and currently living along the Truckee River corridor to find shelter either through assisted living facilities or in a local shelter.
“For a few months now, officers have been working with social workers, doctors, nurses, Health Plan of Nevada and several others to provide them with resources and to find them shelter,” said Galicia. “The big push is scheduled around the building of the new Cares Campus at the Governor’s Bowl, which is scheduled to open in mid-May.”
University Police Department has been integral in helping to provide connections to medical, mental health and other essential resources as well as shelter for some of our most vulnerable community members.
TMCC GAMT Students and Grads Win Big at 2021 ADDYs
Every year, students in the TMCC Graphic Arts and Media Technology program showcase their advanced skill sets and talent in graphic design in the annual ADDY Awards Ceremony, an event conducted by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) that highlights the outstanding work done in Northern Nevada by local advertising agencies, businesses, organizations, as well as students who are pursuing degrees in this profession.
Despite the pandemic—which did lessen the number of entries—students in TMCC’s 2-year associate degree program, 3-year advanced certificate program and the 3+1 bachelor’s degree program dominated the ceremony with an impressive five out of seven student awards.
Current TMCC students who received an award include:
- Sarah Jones, Gold in Illustration
- Sarah Jones, Gold in Logo Design
- Jacquline Stille, Gold in Apps: Mobile or Web-Based
- Jacquline Stille, Silver in Collateral Material—Magazine
- Jacquline Stille, Silver in Logo Design
TMCC Alumni Felix Danger, who graduated with an associate degree in Graphic Arts in 2019, and who continued his education at UNR’s BFA program was awarded a Gold for Sales Promotion- Packaging. Danger will be returning to TMCC in the Fall as a part-time instructor in the Graphic Arts and Media Technology program.
TMCC Visual Arts in the Community
TMCC Photography Professor Dean Burton’s exhibition Black Diamonds is currently on display at the Sierra Arts Foundation Gallery in downtown Reno. The inspiration for the diamond-shaped series of landscape images was a long time in the making and began from Burton’s Instagram. “Starting in 2018, I was posting one landscape a week, developing 6–9 images and posting them. That’s been fun, because people throughout—when they see that, I get a lot of comments,” he said.
The images themselves are “hybrid”: shot on film, developed in a darkroom setting, and then scanned to a digital format. Yet, what most viewers will notice first about Burton’s images are their unusual shape. The images are perfect squares turned on end, creating a diamond frame unique to Burton’s work. Yet, the discovery of the unusual shape was revolutionary for Burton’s landscape photography.
The shape holds significance for Burton who has worked on this series of images for over two years. For him, the association of difficulty and landscape are key to understanding the diamond shape. For those who frequent the outdoors, a black diamond sign often signifies that the slope ahead is only meant for experienced skiers and snowboarders. When framing landscape photography, the symbol’s meaning shifts, but only slightly.
“The first images [I took] were in the snow...and I think of it as the harder ski slope, so the title fits in. I’m happy with that. Basically, it comes down to black and white pictures in a diamond shape, but I hope people think more than just that.” The images include more than just snowy landscapes, however: covering scenes from Santa Cruz, the Black Rock Desert, Empire, Winnemucca Dry Lake, and Donner Summit to name a few, the images carry a distinct awareness of horizon, light, and lines.
Although Burton’s exhibition was delayed due to the COVID-19 shutdowns, this too speaks to a show that gestures to the permanence of landscape contrasted with the difficulty of capturing its essence due to unforeseen circumstances, whether that be a passing cloud or a worldwide pandemic. The 34 images included in the exhibition speak—albeit silently—of these many challenges.
“I’m motivated to make landscape photographs for many reasons,” said Dean Burton of this exhibition. “It’s a challenging genre that requires patience and persistence. It takes planning and preparation that is often upset by weather or natural disasters. It ultimately involves a certain amount of luck, or at least being in the right place at the right time.”
The exhibition, which runs from May 1 to May 29, is shown in the main gallery at Sierra Arts. An artists’ reception will be held in person at the gallery on Thursday, May 20, 6–8 p.m.
TMCC Winner in 2021 "Best of Reno" Awards
In Best of Reno 2021 awards sponsored by the Reno-Gazette Journal, TMCC was chosen as the winner of the "Best Public School." Runners up in that category included Reed High School and Reno High School. The award winners were announced on Sunday, May 16.