Sanders named March Student of the Month

Chantal Sanders wants to go to Disney World. Sure, a vacation to the Orlando, Fla., attraction would be nice, but Sanders has something else in mind: employment.

Sanders, a sophomore art major at Cowley County Community College, has
been selected as the March Student of the Month.

"I was very surprised," Sanders said. "I wasn’t expecting it. I was up for it in September, and I thought that was the end when I didn’t get
it. I’m honored."

Sanders, the daughter of Margaret and Donald Sanders of Arkansas City, has all of the qualities of a Student of the Month. She is a Student Ambassador (was named Student Ambassador of the Month for November 2001), is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, was vice president of the Jungle Club as a freshman, was Queen Alalah runner-up last fall, and has been nominated for the Outstanding Student of Arkansas City Award. She was among a group of Cowley students chosen to attend a leadership conference in Topeka earlier this year, and she holds a work-study job in the Admissions Office and part-time jobs off campus at Blockbuster Video and Graves Drug Store.

Ever since Sanders was a youngster, she has been interested in Disney animated films. Her interest helped her decide on art as a major at Cowley. Although she’s been accepted to attend Washburn University in
Topeka, Sanders desires the warmer climate of Orlando. "Watching Disney cartoons, I fantasized about their animations," said Sanders, who holds a 3.69 grade-point average. "I’ve always known that’s
what I wanted to do. I enjoy watching animation on TV and see how they make it.

"I really want to go to Florida, but nothing’s definite yet. I want to become an animator with Disney."
The University of Central Florida offers an animation major, which also attracted Sanders. Plus, she interviewed with the folks in the Disney College Program when they were in Stillwater, Okla., on March 4.
But out of Arkansas City High School, Sanders was pretty set on attending Cowley. It helped to get some last-minute advice from her older sister Laetitia.

"I was pretty set," Sanders said. "I wasn’t ready to leave home. My sister really talked me into coming here. Cowley has improved my art abilities, drawing and painting. It’s been a great start for me. The
teachers are really helpful. And I really like the ratio between teachers and the student."

Sanders said a Student of the Month is "a leader who sets a good example for everyone else. You have to have strong academics and get involved. You also have to be friendly to people."

Sanders said she has changed since high school.

"I’ve become more of a leader in college than I was in high school," Sanders said. "I’m a lot more outgoing and getting involved in things than I was in high school."

Sanders’ fondest memory is the Arkalalah festivities and everything that involved being a finalist for Queen Alalah. "That was one busy week, but I enjoyed it a lot," she said. "It was a great honor and a lot of fun."