Events, January – March 2020 | TELOS Student Organization

TSO Events
January – March, 2020

Reservations are required. See our Calendar of Events and Contact Us pages for information on event time, room number, and reservations. You have a reservation only after you get a confirmation reply. Please request a reservation before the last 24 hours. Please let us know as soon as possible, and before the last 48 hours, if you must cancel.

Get Your Writing Published
presented by Eric Stathers
Thursday, February 27, 2020

Over the years you have written bits and pieces of a memoir, family genealogy history, a collection of poems, or a novel. Now, how do you put it all together and get it into the hands of readers and your audience? How do you get it published on a limited budget?

Eric Stathers has self-published several books. He is the author, editor, and publisher.

The session will cover some of the ways that he has used to accomplish this. It is loaded with his practical ‘how-to painless self-publishing’ tips and ideas:

How to not break the bank to get the work into the hands of readers
Leveraging family records and international research resources
Earn more royalties than from a conventional publishing house
The ways to keep the copyright for your work

Eric has been writing memoirs of his family and his life experiences based on using the learning from the TELOS memoir and creative writing workshops. He has mastered the process of preparing a manuscript, getting a book published and making it available to readers on a limited budget.

Eric Stathers is a retired senior executive with experience in business software and consulting. Currently, Eric is the Managing Partner of Stathers & Associates LLC. Before establishing Stathers & Associates LLC, Eric served in management and consulting roles at Microsoft in Seattle, Oracle/PeopleSoft in Silicon Valley, several software startups, and as an environmental consultant in British Columbia. Eric has an M.B.A. and B.Sc. in Agriculture (Soil Science) from the University of British Columbia and is a graduate of the Stanford University Executive Management Program.

Eric is also the author of six self-published family history books that cover wide-ranging topics such as railroad wrecks, sailing clippers, steamships, horticultural nurseries, and fly fishing. They include: In the Ditch, My Story, Jaap & Emmy, Sailor Bill & Mary, Fly Fishing Tales, and the Stathers-Manten Family Genealogy. His books are available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format. You can find them on Amazon by searching for “Jacob Eric Stathers”.

Understanding the Opioid Crisis: Keeping our Community Safe
presented by Jerry Blackburn M.Ed., SUDP
Wednesday, March 4, 2020

This presentation serves to enhance our awareness of what has been termed the Opioid Crisis, looking at its genesis and what fuels it today. The conversation will regard the neurophysiology of substance use disorders, current overdose trends and community engagement strategies for change.

Jerry Blackburn is currently the Executive Director for the Influence the Choice Community Coalition in Issaquah, as well as a faculty member in the Substance Use Disorder Counseling Education Program at Bellevue College. In addition to his work, Jerry currently serves as a board member for The Garage, the Issaquah Teen Cafe. In 2005 he was honored by the Washington State Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse with the Richard Rivera Passionate Youth Professional Award and in 2017 the Issaquah Schools Foundation presented him with the Golden Apple Award in appreciation for his dedication to the health of young people.

Do more with Google Maps on your Trip
presented by Marc Ghanooni
Thursday, March 5, 2020

During this two-hour one-time interactive class, we will cover basic usage of Google Maps features on your phone for Traveling. Using Google Maps for traveling is an easy way to search locations and save your Itinerary ahead of time on your phone. We will cover how to search the best sights to see, pick the restaurants on your daily Itinerary, search for best routes including driving/walking/bus/train, and look for the best parking. We also learn how to save your parking location after arriving to a place for easy return to your car.

Please bring your smart phone with Google Maps App loaded. Most iPhone and Android phones are already loaded with Google Maps. Otherwise, you can get it from Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) — type Google Maps and Load it on your phone.

Marc Ghanooni worked at Boeing as an Engineer for 36 years before retiring in 2016. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Computer Programming, he started working at Boeing as a Software Engineer, then moved on to designing airplanes as a Structural Engineer and finally ended up in Customer Services. The last assignment (26 years) allowed him to travel the world (26 countries and 80 cities in total). He loves to travel, and has a passion to learn about other countries, their people, cultures, history, and languages. On his last two trips to Italy, he drove everywhere by using Google Maps’ special features on his Smart phone which he will share with you in this class.

Personal Bio: I am married and have 2 children. I enjoy all sports. I played soccer until I was 50 years old and coached both kids’ soccer teams in Bellevue. I enjoy reading, swimming, and listening to music from around the world.

TSO Council meeting Minutes

Mar 26, 2025 – 03:30 PM

Top of Form

Attending: Jerry Bunce, Bryan Leyton, Chris Steele, Laura Stanely,

Ted Watts, Phil Andrews, Chris Stoynov

Quick recap

The team discussed the TSO Student Organization’s activities and future plans. They also met with the new Director of Continuing Education, Esteban Maldonado. They discussed the use of BC Foundation funds for advertising and instructor recruitment. Lastly, the council considered disbanding and the need for someone to update the website with meeting minutes, as well as the usefulness of a storage booth on campus.

Next steps

Jerry to send a note to Esteban Maldonado asking for an update on Telos program status, course numbers, and future expectations.

Jerry to inquire with Esteban about the status of cross-advertising between Edmonds Creative Research Institute and Bellevue College Telos.

Jerry to visit Student Programs to find a computer science student to help update the TSO website.

TSO Council to make a decision about disbanding at the next meeting on May 28th.

Jerry to report back to the council on any feedback from Esteban Maldonado regarding Telos activities.

TSO Student Organization’s Activities and Plans

In the meeting, Jerry led the discussion about the TSO Student Organization’s activities and future plans. TELOS had 20 classes in the winter quarter, with 5 being canceled, and 325 registrations. However, there was a question about the organization’s impact and whether it should continue. The group also discussed the upcoming spring quarter, with 16 classes planned for spring quarter. Fewer classes and registrations expected in summer. The possibility of adding another session of the generative AI for daily life class was also discussed. But George Liu now has a full time job and is not teaching at this time.

As always thanks go to Donna for collecting and sharing the TELOS class and registration information.

Esteban’s Role and Program Updates

Jerry, Ted, and Phil discussed their meeting with Esteban Maldonado, the new Director of Continuing Education and IBIT. Esteban was described as honest, earnest, and interested in their work. Phil suggested asking Esteban for an update on the college’s pulse regarding their program in their next meeting. Ted emphasized the need for Esteban to focus on their mission and not just be a nice face. Jerry noted that Esteban took over Liz Hollerman’s responsibilities, including the IBIT program, and expressed satisfaction with Esteban’s support for their program. The team agreed to send a note to Esteban, asking about the decrease in course numbers and what they can expect in the future.

Advertising and Instructor Recruitment Discussion

The team discussed the use of funds for advertising and instructor recruitment. They considered donating remaining funds in the TSO Student account with Student Programs to the foundation for more advertising and instructor recruitment. The team also discussed the process of hiring instructors as contractors, which simplifies the hiring process. The treasurer’s report showed that no money had been spent since the last meeting, leaving around $5,000 in the TSO student account. The team also discussed the potential for cross-advertising between Edmonds Creative Research Institute and Bellevue College.

Council Considers Disbanding and Storage

The council discusses the possibility of disbanding and agrees to make a decision at their next meeting on May 28th. They consider holding a final general meeting if they decide to disband. Jerry mentions the need for someone to update the website with meeting minutes, suggesting they might recruit a student for this task. The group also discusses the storage booth they have on campus, questioning its usefulness and contents. No new business is brought up, and the meeting is adjourned.

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Events, January – March 2020

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TSO Council meeting minutes March 2025