Monday, October 27, 2014

Free DACA Renewal Workshop for Students

Free DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Renewal Workshop for Students


Free transportation from campus!


Registration required by Nov. 3http://tinyurl.com/dacadreamers

When: Wednesday, November 5, 2014
             5:00pm - 7:00pm (Arrive at 4:30pm)

Where: Law Offices of Goodwin Proctor, LLP
             135 Commonwealth Dr, Menlo Park

Workshop Flyer: View Here 

More Info: (650) 306-3345, candreamers@gmail.com

On Wednesday, November 5th, eligible Cañada students will receive one-on-one assistance with DACA renewal applications at a free legal clinic organized by the Cañada Student DREAMers Club and Beating the Odds Peer Mentorship (BTO) Program, in collaboration with Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto and Goodwin Proctor, LLP. Goodwin Proctor is hosting the clinic at their Menlo Park offices and will also provide free shuttle transportation from campus. This unique opportunity for students reflects both the hard work being done by student leaders here on campus, and also the benefits that come from broader campus and community partnerships.

In order to qualify for DACA, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Under 31 years of age as of June 15, 2012.
  • Arrived to the United States before your sixteenth birthday.
  • Resided in the U.S. continuously, since June 15, 2007.
  • Physically present in the U.S. on June 15, 2012.
  • Currently enrolled in school, or have a certificate of completion from high school, or a GED certificate, or be honorably discharged from the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the U.S.
  • Not convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors, and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
  • In addition, applicants must be 15 years of age or older to be eligible for DACA (unless they are in removal proceedings or have a voluntary or forced departure order against them).

Friday, October 17, 2014

Cañada College Theatre Arts presents: Antigone by Sophocles

Cañada College Theatre Arts presents:
Antigone by Sophocles

Opens 10/22 and runs through 11/2. Use the box office to buy your tickets, or attend one of the donation-only matinees listed below.

• Wed 10/22 2:10 pm: a FREE Matinee!
• Thurs 10/30 11:10 am: a FREE Matinee!

• All shows in the Flex Theatre (building 3 room 129).

Tickets to all Cañada College Theatre Arts Department shows are sold right in front of the Flexible Theatre, Building 3, room 129. Tickets are available one hour before the scheduled show times, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can also buy tickets online at: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=ccta



Monday, September 29, 2014

A2B Evening Workshop Schedule


SF State/Sequoia Baccalaureate Nursing Program

SF State/Sequoia Baccalaureate Nursing Program:

Information Session at Cañada College
Monday, October 13th, 2014
12:30pm - 2:00pm
Building 18 - Room 205

Learn more about:

  • SF State BSN Nursing Program - Classes held at Cañada College
  • Application process, deadlines, and requirements
  • All are invited to attend!

4-Year College shouldn't be sole route to Middle Class - by Robert Reich

Article submitted by: Gloria Darafshi

This is a great article, written by Robert Reich of the San Francisco Chronicle, showcasing how your first 2 years in a community college can be a new gateway to the middle class and success. Students receive the same core education at the community college level, and can then transfer to finish their degree to another University.

"This month, millions of young people head to colleges and universities, aiming for a four-year liberal-arts degree. They assume that degree is the only gateway to the American middle class. It shouldn't be. For one thing, a four-year liberal-arts degree is hugely expensive. Too many young people graduate laden with debt that takes years, if not decades, to pay off.." 

Read the full article here...

Friday, August 29, 2014

17th Annual Arts & Olive Festival set for October 5th at Cañada College









Jose A. Garcia, Cañada College
Visual Communications Coordinator 
Phone: (650) 306-3211

Mallory Stevens, Coordinator Arts & Olive Festival
Phone: (650) 306-3109
E-mail: stevensm@smccd.edu

17th Annual Arts & Olive Festival set for October 5th at Cañada College

Redwood City, CA (Aug. 29, 2014) – The 17th Annual Arts & Olive Festival will be held on Sunday, October 5th, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cañada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd. Redwood City. Admission and parking are free but a $5 donation is requested to support the Cañada College Student Scholarship fund.

The annual celebration on the spectacular college campus overlooking the Santa Cruz Mountains mixes olives, olive oils, vinegars and food with local artists, musicians, dancers, and performers on two stages. A list of participating olive vendors and artists is available at www.olivefest.org. Get ready for the upcoming holiday season. There will be olive oil tastings, tapenades, olives, art vendors, arts & crafts vendors, jewelry, soaps, olive trees, olive theme items, etc. throughout the festival.

There will also be fantastic cooking demonstrations by Chef Steve Cortez and olive curing demonstrations by Don Landis. Food is available for purchase—GREAT food vendors including Sam's Chowder Mobile, Kawanis Club, & Chef Steve Cortez with a Mediterranean flair. Check out the Kids’ Corner which includes the Fratello Marionettes, face painting, balloon artist, arts & crafts, games, and storytelling.

Cañada College used to be known as the “Olive Orchard” many years ago, when cattle roamed across Sand Hill Road and the roundup cowboys brought them to this hilltop to chew grasses under the trees. When construction for the college began more than 35 years ago, the olive trees were carefully removed for protection, and planted temporarily off of the main site in a long trench. The trees were replanted in 1968, just in time for the college’s official opening, and have been thriving ever since. Some 350 olive trees can be counted today throughout the campus grounds.

For more information, visit www.olivefest.org.

###

Cañada College, situated in the heart of the Silicon Valley, offers outstanding programs in the sciences, business, multi-media, medical assisting, the arts, and technical training among others. With nearly 50 years of service providing enriching and life-changing opportunities for the residents of San Mateo County, Cañada College provides our community with a learning-centered environment. We ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to achieve their educational goals by providing lifelong learning and transfers to 4-year Universities. Home to numerous clubs, student organizations, and inter-collegiate athletic teams for men and women, Cañada College is committed to being a preeminent institution of learning. To share in the experience, please learn more about us on the Internet at canadacollege.edu, and follow us @Facebook.com/canadacollegeRWC. “From here, you can go anywhere.”

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Cañada College expands the Working Families Success Network strategy

                               


Jose A. Garcia, Cañada College 
Phone: (650) 306-3211

Lauren Lewis, Achieving the Dream
Phone: (917) 613-6419 (cell)


Achieving the Dream Announces the Selection of Cañada College for the National Community College Expansion of the Working Families Success Network Strategy

Cañada College commits to implementing the WFSN strategy to support more low-income students and their families achieve their academic and financial goals
Redwood City, CA (Aug. 28, 2014) –Achieving the Dream today announced a national community college expansion of the Working Families Success Network (WFSN) strategy. Cañada College is one of 16 community colleges in four states that will implement the strategy — used at over 100 sites in the nation to help low-income individuals and families achieve financial stability — to promote postsecondary completion for students whose economic challenges can thwart their academic and career goals.
The WFSN strategy involves intentionally integrating and sequencing three distinct but related services:


  1. Education and employment advancement—education, job readiness, training, and placement;
  2. Income and work supports—access to student financial aid, public benefits, tax credits, and free tax assistance; and
  3. Financial services and asset building—financial education and coaching linked to affordable products and services to help families build self-sufficiency, stabilize their finances, and become more economically competitive.
“This program provides us the opportunity to serve the comprehensive needs of our students, providing greater assurance of their academic success.” Larry Buckley – President of Cañada College

Cañada College was selected through a competitive application process that assessed the commitment to racial equity and poverty reduction as well as the college’s demonstrated ability to support student success using data-informed decision-making.

This effort is supported with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Lumina Foundation, MetLife Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

“Our goal is to support students who have already taken a big step toward their long-term financial success by addressing the short-term economic challenges that can get in their way,” said Rosa Maria Castañeda, a senior associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “This expansion builds on the momentum behind the Working Families Success Network strategy as well as the efforts of colleges across the country to find smarter ways to help low-income students cross the finish line.” 

Through this work, Achieving the Dream seeks to demonstrate that embedding the WFSN strategy in community college culture and systems can be cost effective and improve student outcomes and financial stability. The goal is for the intentional integration and sequencing of services – which evidence suggests make a difference in whether a student thrives or languishes – to become the routine way colleges support low-income students and their families.

"Through the expansion of the WFSN strategy in community colleges, we expect to learn more about the power of bundling or coupling services needed by low-income students with family responsibilities,” said Carol Lincoln, Senior Vice President of Achieving the Dream.  "Colleges that have pioneered this strategy have seen increases of 10-15 percent in term-to-term retention.  Since financial challenges are the most frequently given reason students drop out, new solutions are needed for helping students persist and complete credentials. WFSN colleges will produce new lessons about the mix, intensity, and delivery of critical services that can help close achievement gaps and keep students on pathways to completion and careers."


The four state partner organizations and 16 colleges selected for the national community college expansion of the WFSN strategy are:

Arkansas Consortium
California Consortium
Virginia Consortium
Washington Consortium
Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges
California Community College Chancellor’s Office
Virginia Community College System
Washington Board of Community and Technical Colleges
College of the Ouachitas (Malvern, Ark.)
Cabrillo College
(Aptos, Calif.)
Danville Community College (Danville, Va.)
Big Bend Community College
(Moses Lake, Wash.)
East Arkansas Community College (Forrest City, Ark.)
Cañada College (Redwood City, Calif.)
Eastern Shore Community College (Melfa, Va.)
Clark Community College (Vancouver, Wash.)
North Arkansas Community College (Harrison, Ark.)
Porterville College (Porterville, Calif.)
Northern Virginia Community College (Springfield, Va.)
Highline Community College
(Des Moines, Wash.)
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (Helena, Ark.)
Skyline College
(San Bruno, Calif.)
Patrick Henry Community College (Martinsville, Va.)
Walla Walla Community College
(Walla Walla, Wash.)

For more information about the national community college expansion of the WFSN strategy, please visit www.achievingthedream.org/resources/initiatives/working-families-success-network.
For more information about the Working Families Success Network, please visit www.workingfamiliessuccess.org.  

###

Cañada College, situated in the heart of the Silicon Valley, offers outstanding programs in the sciences, business, multi-media, medical assisting, the arts, and technical training among others. With nearly 50 years of service providing enriching and life-changing opportunities for the residents of San Mateo County, Cañada College provides our community with a learning-centered environment. We ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to achieve their educational goals by providing lifelong learning and transfers to 4-year Universities. Home to numerous clubs, student organizations, and inter-collegiate athletic teams for men and women, Cañada College is committed to being a preeminent institution of learning. To share in the experience, please learn more about us on the Internet at canadacollege.edu, and follow us @Facebook.com/canadacollegeRWC. “From here, you can go anywhere.”

Achieving the Dream, Inc. is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to helping more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree. Evidence-based, student-centered, and built on the values of equity and excellence, Achieving the Dream is closing achievement gaps and accelerating student success nationwide by: 1) guiding evidence-based institutional improvement, 2) leading policy change, 3) generating knowledge, and 4) engaging the public. Conceived as an initiative in 2004 by Lumina Foundation and seven founding partner organizations, today, Achieving the Dream is leading the most comprehensive non-governmental reform network for student success in higher education history. With over 200 institutions, more than 100 coaches and advisors, and 15 state policy teams - working throughout 34 states and the District of Columbia – the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network helps nearly 4 million community college students have a better chance of realizing greater economic opportunity and achieving their dreams.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private philanthropy that creates a brighter future for the nation’s children by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow.

Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.

Lumina Foundation, an Indianapolis-based private foundation, is committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college—especially 21st century students: low-income students, students of color, first-generation students and adult learners.  Lumina’s goal is to increase the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025.  Lumina pursues this goal in three ways: by identifying and supporting effective practice, through public policy advocacy, and by using our communications and convening power to build public will for change.

MetLife Foundation was created in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since its founding through the end of 2013, MetLife Foundation has provided more than $600 million in grants and $70 million in program-related investments to organizations addressing issues that have a positive impact in their communities. Today, the Foundation is dedicated to advancing financial inclusion, committing $200 million over the next five years to help build a secure future for individuals and communities around the world.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.


The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Welcome Lale Yurtseven, New Business Instructor

Please welcome Lale Yurtseven, who will be joining our full-time Business faculty. Ms. Yurtseven will be teaching courses across the Business curriculum. Ms. Yurtseven is Turkish, grew up in Germany, and is multi-lingual, speaking English, German, and Turkish.

She holds an M.B.A. in International Management and a B.A. in International Relations from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She has been an adjunct faculty member, teaching Business, at both De Anza and West Valley Colleges for over eight years. She has also served as a grant manager promoting business and education collaboration throughout the California Community Colleges system.

She started an Entrepreneurship Center at West Valley College, where she counseled students and community members who are interested in starting a business. Prior to her experience in education, Ms. Yurtseven worked in management positions at both fortune 500 companies as well as startup companies. She also founded an information technology company, and continues to serve on its board to this day.

Monday, July 7, 2014

New SparkPoint Center

It has been said that many of our students are a “flat tire away from dropping out of college” as they have limited resources available to support themselves as they are pursuing their education. In the past, we have been unable to address these basic needs of our low-income students. The SparkPoint Center at Cañada College is being established to provide support services to give students the tools they need to remain in college.

To get the Center up and running, the college has received a “Working Families Success Network” three-year $100,000 grant administered by Achieving the Dream with funding from several foundations – Annie E. Casey, Kellogg, Bank of America and Lumina. The Working Families Success Network (WFSN) is a national initiative to advance a fresh approach to helping low-income families achieve financial stability. The network is made up of national and local foundations, community colleges, and community-based organizations.

The WFSN strategy, known by some as an integrated services approach, is helping community-based organizations and community colleges rethink how they serve working families through the bundling and sequencing of complementary services and supports in the three key areas:

Education and employment services: Services that provide students with the skills needed to enter and retain employment and advance in the career of their choice.

Work and income supports: Services that assist students in accessing public benefits and other income supports in order to increase family economic stability and encourage college retention and completion.

Financial and asset building services: Services that build the financial knowledge of students, increase their access to savings and wealth-retaining financial products and encourage the meeting of both short and long-term financial goals.

The key outcomes for participants in the SparkPoint Center include job placement and retention, increased family income, credit score improvement and increased completion rates for college degrees or training programs.

In addition, SparkPoint at Cañada College will be part of a regional United Way of the Bay Area network of financial education centers designed to serve individuals and families who are working to achieve financial self-sufficiency. This Center is modeled after the SparkPoint at Skyline College and will significantly improve our overall support provided to students.

A Steering Committee for the SparkPoint at Cañada College is meeting this summer to make plans to begin providing services in late fall 2014. We will keep the campus posted on the progress made in the development of the Center through regular reports in the Olive Hill Press.

Submitted by Dr. Robin Richards, PharmD

Degrees Submitted for Approval

As nearly everyone knows, SB 1440 mandated that the CSU and the community college systems develop transfer degrees (AA-T or AS-T) to facilitate transfer of students from the community colleges to the CSUs. Templates for each degree were developed by discipline faculty from both systems and then each community college was required to determine whether they have the courses to fit in the template. Each CSU has to determine whether they have a similar degree and how the student can complete the Bachelor’s degree in 60 semester units after transfer with the AA or AS-T. New templates are released for degree development in February and September.

The faculty at Cañada College has been diligently working to develop and get approval for the degrees for which we have the programs and courses. To date, we have submitted 20 degrees to the State Chancellor’s office for approval and (as of) July 1 have received approval for 17 of these. Some of these degrees were very straightforward and others required significant course updating and revision and/or development of new courses. Of the templates expected to be released in September, we should be able to develop 2-3 additional transfer degrees for our students.

Anthropology
Art History
Business Administration
Communication Studies Philosophy
Computer Science
Early Childhood Education
Economics
Elementary Education (pending state approval)
English
Geography
History
Kinesiology
Mathematics
Physics
Political Science (pending state approval)
Psychology
Sociology
Studio Arts
Theatre Arts (pending state approval)

Submitted by Dr. Janet Stringer, MD, PhD

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Program Prioritization and Budget Allocation Update

Last week, Governor Brown signed a new $108 Billion State Budget that should be viewed as being generally favorable to the needs of California Community Colleges. While the Community College System budget still has not recovered to pre-economic crisis levels, the new State Budget contains substantial improvements meant to ensure that colleges can better serve our communities and students.

The largest portions of the State Community College Budget, funds for apportionment, have no real effect on Cañada College. We are part of a community supported college district, and as such, we rely on County-level funding rather than State-level funding. Among the benefits of being “Community Supported” is that the college actually receives greater per-student funding than if we relied on state funding for apportionment. Our County-based funding process is still tied to enrollment at each of the SMCCCD colleges, but the system affords us resources that would not otherwise be available if we were singularly tied to state enrollment funding.

Nevertheless, there are areas and programs in which the college is still very much dependent on state funding. These areas are generally in Student Services and Support. The new State Budget provides continued support for our many “categorical” service programs. Statewide, DSPS was funded $114,223,000; EOPS was funded $88,605,000; Economic Workforce Development was funded $50,000,000; Part Time Faculty Compensation budget was funded $24,907,000; and Part Time Faculty Office Hour budget was funded $3,500,000. Each of these budget lines has an actual, or potential, positive effect on Cañada’s bottom line. In addition, the State authorized new expenditures under the Student Success and Support Program of some $70,000,000.

This is all good news and comes in the wake of discussions the college community held in the last month of the Spring Semester in which we examined the effects of the loss of Measure G funding to college operations. This community supported parcel tax is set to end at the end of this month. The loss in operating funds to the college will be approximately $2.3 Million annually. In April and May, the members of the Planning and Budget Committee, along with some 40 campus faculty and staff representing Instructional and Student Services programs, met to examine options and make recommendations of what the college might do in terms of addressing the loss of Measure G funding, as well as to discuss use prioritization of additional funds, including “One-Time Funds” available through County funding mechanisms, and Grant funds. 

Those involved in the review process took a rather courageous course as they set aside their own interests in search of answers to how we can continue to best serve our students with fewer resources. The number one priority for the group was to preserve instruction as much as possible. Also at the top of the priority list were programs meant to improve student success. Several programs, some funded through Measure G, others funded with "One-Time-Funds" or General Fund resources, received less significant support from the group. While their importance was recognized, their urgency in promoting student success was considered measurably less. The prioritization list was forwarded to me, as President, for review and consideration in developing the final college expenditure plan for 2014-2015.

I have carefully considered the recommendations and understand the values behind them, and I share those values. It is important for us to redouble our commitment to the mission of serving this community in a manner that ensures it has the programs and services necessary to provide the transfer and workforce development tools for our students to meet their goals. So, it was with an eye to stretch and utilize every dollar available to us to meet the financial needs of our programs that guided me in developing the final expenditure plan.

Fortunately, our advanced, effective planning over the past few years has put us in a better position to address our financial challenges than we might otherwise have been. So, as we are about to close the books on fiscal 2013-2014, and now that we have a fuller understanding of our funding stream, given the Governor's Budget and the County's own financial assessment, I want to share with you some of the expenditure priorities I am employing for the new academic year. 

The fact is that our resources are a bit stronger than predicted two or three months ago. We are finishing the year with an Ending Fund Balance of well over $500,000. We have some $1.1 Million in unspent Measure G Reserves, we are receiving a "final payout" of Measure G funds of more than $200,000 at the end of this month, and local property tax receipts are greater than expected allowing the District to provide a substantial "backfill" to Measure G lost revenues of perhaps as much as $500,000. Thus, while I continue to believe it prudent to temper our spending, I am also conscious of not "over-reacting" with unnecessary reductions that might adversely affect student success.

Keeping within the priorities and values provided by the PBC, I am budgeting small reductions in instructional costs which will be realized by eliminating heavily under-enrolled sections; reducing operating costs in CIETL; defunding the Trustee's Project Fund; eliminating the Grants Development Office; employing small operational reductions in Library services; slightly reducing the funding of peer mentorship programs; eliminating some General Fund and Measure G funding in Workforce Development; shifting some counseling funds to resources available with the new Student Success and Support Program; shifting Veteran's Center funds permanently to the General Fund; and shifting some Measure G supported Financial Aid services to the General Fund.

In consultation with Chief Business Officer, Vickie Nunes, we estimate that these reductions and shifted resource allocations will result in a reduction of about $600,000 from funds currently tied to Measure G. These reductions, along with the resources we have identified to carry us through the coming year, and with further time to analyze and plan in 2014-2015, give me confidence that the college can survive the loss of Measure G funds with a robust budget that allows us to effectively serve our students. 

My thanks to everyone who participated in the expenditure prioritization process: Your patience, professionalism, and dedication, are what makes Cañada College such a special place.


Announcing the Colt Academy

A new program is being piloted this summer. The Community of Leadership and Transfer Success (COLTS) Academy is a 4-day student support program that begins on Monday, July 28 and ends on Thursday, July 31st. This summer program was created through a collaborative effort across many departments and student support programs. The steering committee consists of representatives from Counseling, ASCC, A2B, BTO, TRIO, STEM, Transfer Center, Career Center, EOPS/CalWORKS, Learning Center, and Outreach. We hope to also include faculty, the financial aid office, and the Welcome Center.

The purpose of the Academy is for students to:
1. Connect – meet fellow Cañada students, faculty, and staff.
2. Lead – learn their leadership style and how and when to apply it.
3. Succeed – walk away with a Transfer Success Portfolio equipped with tools and resources for college success.
We hope to serve 50 new students in this summer pilot; the target group will be first-time freshmen who have completed our Priority Enrollment Program (PEP). COLTS Academy will feature fun and interactive workshops, a powerful mix of peer leaders who will be the students’ mentors-for-the-day, free academic resources, and an amazing opportunity for students to get a head start on their academic career at Cañada College.

Some of the activities will include:
  • Exploring learning styles
  • The Growth Mindset (developing your brain like a muscle)
  • First-year survival (tips and tools on how to be academically prepared)
  • Transfer 101 (the fundamentals of understanding transfer)
  • Financial aid and budgeting
  • “Who you are matters” (exploring the student experience)
  • Career Exploration
  • How to get involved (with ASCC!)
  • And so much more! 
If you or your department would like to contribute or volunteer for COLTS Academy, please contact our steering committee at (650) 306-3111 or email iwillsucceed@my.smccd.edu.


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Cañada College Students in CSU Summer Arts Program

Two of our MART students have been accepted into the CSU Summer Arts program. Sharon Wong and Ace Del Rosario are the students, admitted via portfolio review, to the program.

The CSU Summer Arts animation series has been running for several years, and during the six-week program, students work with and are mentored by artists from studios such as Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Pixar, as well as CSU animation faculty. The students make professional and peer contacts, with the goal of producing a portfolio- or demo reel ready piece of work by the end of the program.

Summer Arts is a very competitive program, with students from all over California applying. That we had two accepted speaks volumes about the dedication and effort of our students and the quality of the work they produce.


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Sarahi Espinoza Honored at the White House

Cañada College Broadcast Journalism Major, Sarahi Espinoza, was named one of 10 DACA recipients of the Champions of Change award by the Obama administration.

Espinosa was brought to the United States from Mexico by her parents when she was just four-years-old. She moved back and forth between Los Angeles and the Bay Area, living with relatives and friends. It was a difficult transition and her father eventually moved back to Mexico. When she turned 16, Espinosa’s mother left for Mexico, but Espinosa remained behind to live with her brother’s family and finish high school at North Hollywood High School. After graduating from high school in 2008, Espinosa moved back to the Bay Area to live with a sister in East Palo Alto. She worked as a babysitter and registered for classes at Foothill College as an AB540 student. That spring she learned that her dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Her mother was caring for him, but they did not have enough money to pay their bills. Espinosa dropped out of school and began babysitting full time to send money to her parents.

In 2011, her father passed away. At that point, she was determined to go back to school to earn her college degree. She learned about Redwood City's Cañada College from Educators for Faire Consideration (E4FC) and was told to contact Adriana Fernandez, a student at Cañada, who put her in touch with Margie Carrington and Trish Guerrara.

She applied for DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status in 2012. As one of 600,000 recipients, Espinoza became eligible to get a driver's license and a job. She now works for the Girl Scouts of Northern California and teaches in environmental science and technology programs.

After enrolling at Cañada College, Sarahi taught herself how to program so she could build a website (www.sarahi.tv) to educate other DACA recipients about scholarship opportunities. (DACA recipients are given a 2-year deportation deferment.) It was this website that got the attention of the White House.

ABC7 News broadcast live from the campus with a story on Sarahi.

Monday, June 9, 2014

English Instructor Doniella Maher

Doniella Maher, currently an adjunct in our English Department, will be joining the full time ranks in the fall. Doniella has taught for the past four years as an adjunct member of the faculty at Chabot College, City College of San Francisco, and Cañada College. Now she is thrilled to be joining Cañada as a fulltime tenure track faculty member.

Doniella grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. She completed half of her Bachelor’s degree coursework in Florence, earning an Italian Studies degree from CSU Sacramento. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Master's Degree in Comparative Literature. She also earned a Certificate to
Teach Post-Secondary Reading and Learning from CSU-Fullerton. Her scholarly emphasis and specialty area is contemporary Italian literature and critical theory, but her personal interests have led to an in-depth study of immigrant literature from all over the world. This study has led to a great desire to explore the unique stories in our own diverse classrooms.


Her love of history, art and the social sciences of led her to further pursue an understanding of the social context and artistic movements out of which literature emerges.

Third Annual Athletic Hall of Fame

The 3rd Annual Cañada College Hall of Fame Dinner was held on June 7, 2014 at the Elks Club in San Mateo.

Inductees Dennis Trixler (Men's Golf), Rocky Maguire (Men's Tennis), Frank Mangiola (Men's Soccer Coach), Sheryle Cattaneo Wienckowski (Women's Soccer), John DeFoe (Basketball), Roger Keilig (Baseball), and Eliezer "Polla" Garibay (Men's Soccer) were honored, along with
Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year Sarah Rotter (Women's Golf) and
Dylan Cook (Baseball). 

The highlight of the evening came when former Major League standout Moises Alou (Baseball) was honored with the Colts Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The evening served as a fundraiser for Cañada Athletics. 

Congratulations to Mike Garcia and the Hall of Fame Committee for a successful and memorable event!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Commencement 2014

The 2014 Commencement Ceremony was held on the main quad at Cañada College on Saturday morning, May 24th. A record 326 of over 850 students who received their Associate of Arts Degrees, Associate of Sciences Degrees, and Certificates this spring, participated in the Commencement Ceremony. A crowd of more than 1,200 family and friends joined faculty, staff, and administrators in the celebration. In addition, Chancellor Ron Galatolo and each member of the Board of Trustees were in attendance.


The students were treated to an electric presentation by Commencement Speaker, Dr. Andrés Roemer, Consul General of Mexico. Dr. Roemer’s primary message was that the very purpose of education was to challenge convention and the status quo. Those who did, could change the world, while those who fear change, are generally those who see little value in education. Transforming perceptions of education is critical to making ours a better, more flourishing society.

Nikita Michelson Receives President’s Leadership Award

Nikita Michelson
A highlight of May 24th's Commencement Ceremony was the awarding of the 2014 President's Leadership Award to graduating Sophomore Nikita Michelson. The award is given annually to a student who shows extraordinary leadership traits. Shortly after moving to the Bay Area from Sweden in 2011, Nikita enrolled at Cañada and joined the Honors Transfer Program. She became an active member in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She oversaw two PTK campus-wide programs; one measuring academic honesty and the other examining student dietary change. Both projects received honors at the annual PTK International Convention. Nikita will be continuing her studies in Business Administration and Economics at UCLA in the fall.



Student Speaker Steven Jackson

Steven Jackson
This year's Commencement Student Speaker was Steven Jackson. Prior to coming to Cañada College, Steven worked for more than 13 years in the telecommunications industry throughout the Silicon Valley. When he was laid off from Hewlett Packard at the end of 2011, he enrolled at Cañada in the hope of eventually earning a degree in Business Administration. In accomplishing that goal, he is the first in his family to have graduated with a college degree.

Steven is an officer in the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, a member of the college's Beating The Odds program, a peer mentor for disenfranchised, first generation students, and a volunteer with the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto, a non-profit organization that provides furniture, food, and clothing to low-income families. Steven will be attending UC Berkeley in the spring, where he plans to major in Rhetoric with a minor in Economics. At Cañada College, he completed four separate degrees, including, Business Administration, an AS in Accounting, an AA in Economics, and an AA in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Class of 2014 Valedictorians

Left to right: Heidi Albrecht, Djedjiga Khettab, Tiffany Htwe, Melissa Gier, Marie Aude Alexander

Middle College High School Graduation

Our Middle College High School program graduated 35 high school seniors on Thursday, May 22, 2014. There were over 200 friends and family members in the audience of the Main Theater (in Building 3), all there to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2014. SMCCCD Chancellor Ron Galatolo, Sequoia Union High School District Superintendent, James Lianedies, and SMCCCD Trustees, Tom Mohr and Karen Schwartz, were among the attendees. While several of the graduates will be staying right here at Cañada to continue their studies, the majority of graduates will be moving on to such institutions as UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Willamette, University of Vermont, University of San Francisco, Menlo College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Redlands University, Northwestern, UMass-Amherst, and University of Oregon. Congratulations to our grads!

Maria Ayalla

MCH Featured Speaker Maria Ayalla

Middle College High School Graduate Maria Ayalla gave a moving and heartfelt address at the graduation ceremony. Following is the text of her speech:
From its nurturing guidance to its genuine care, Middle College extends far beyond the perimeters of an educational program. It stands alone, with a perpetual duty to encourage academic success in even the most disheartened of students, students like me. I began this program unaware and indifferent to the opportunities which lay before me upon graduation. As a product of parents who were never formally educated, I never considered myself capable of a higher education nor was I cognizant of how to even pursue one. Blinded by the misconceptions I had so meticulously cultivated about what my future held, I was certain that my life would be no different than what I knew. And yet, upon entering this program I was taught how to see again, how to pursue what always seemed intangible. For the first time in my educational career, I was greeted with open arms by teachers who embraced my individuality and my own personal story. In merely a year, not only was I able to come to terms with who (I) am as a dedicated and independent student, but I was able to acknowledge my own capacity for success. Encouraged by the support I felt, I earned unparalleled grades and rediscovered an intellectual side of myself I had suppressed for so many years. And today, as I stand before you all, as (I) prepare to commence my freshman year on a full tuition scholarship to UCLA, I acknowledge that I am forever indebted to Middle College, to my instructors, my professors, and to my fellow academic peers for caring for me and teaching me that it’s okay to succeed regardless of where you come from.

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