Campus Will be Closed Dec. 22 through Jan. 1

Cañada College will be closed Saturday, Dec. 22 through Tuesday, Jan. 1 for the holiday season. Campus will reopen Jan. 2. Some departments will work under reduced hours or will remain closed until the first day of spring semester, Monday, Jan. 14. A complete list of hours for each department is noted in the chart below.

Cañada College Well Represented at Veterans Summit

The Faculty Association of the California Community Colleges hosted a two-day Veterans Summit Dec. 6-7 to raise awareness of veteran concerns and to share best practices and a group of Cañada faculty, staff, and students was in attendance. 

Educators, student veterans, service providers, and State representatives discussed strategies and resources to ensure the academic and personal success of those who served our country.  Nicolas Martin and Edith Flores, Cañada's VA designated counselor and certifying official, attended the Veterans Summit along with Director of Student Support & TRiO, Romeo O. Garcia.  The Veteran Resource and Opportunity Center (V-ROC) also welcomed a new Retention Specialist this Fall 2012, Steven Bradley, also a veteran, who actively participated in the Summit as well.



Cañada's V-ROC team

“It was great to see the commitment from the community colleges and the efforts to provide the environment necessary for veterans and other students to achieve success in their educational and personal goals,”  Bradley said.

Various workshops were offered such as Academic Counseling for Military and Veteran Students, Mental Health Issues (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries), Understanding Military Cultures, Women Veterans Issues, VA Benefits and Education Plans, and Best Practices in Veterans Resource Centers.  Several student veterans were in attendance and shared their perspective and inspiring testimonials via student panels, digital storytelling, and theater arts.

“The summit presenters did an excellent job of providing helpful and relevant information on how best to interact and be sensitive to veterans’ needs. The environment that veterans are accustomed to is very different than what they find at the community college.   Educators need to be sensitive and aware of the realities veterans experience; we want these highly deserving students to be successful, as we want for all students,” said Martin, “One part of the summit that was highly moving and memorable was a scene performed from the play 'The Bronze Star.' The actors were a mix of veterans and non-veterans; the insight they provided into what helped them re-adjust to civilian life was deeply impactful. One actor expressed how much the arts helped him overcome his alcoholism and mental health issues, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I learned that as educators, we need to get creative with how we can reach these veterans; the conventional methods may not always be best. What other areas of college could potentially help vets?”

There can potentially be a lot of complexity and nuance when working with veteran course selection and its correlation with VA benefits, for instance. Flores works diligently to ensure Student Education Plans are in alignment with benefit eligibility requirements.  There are about 150-200 Veterans at Cañada College, more than 55 of which are currently receiving benefits.  

“The Veterans Summit Conference was a very productive event," Flores said. "I was able to network with veteran coordinators from other community colleges and learn their work with student veterans. I was very impressed how we all have the same mission; support our veterans in any and all possible way to make them succeed in school and as well in life”.

Momentum has been ongoing at Cañada College to support veterans, especially since V-ROC opened in Spring 2011.  With the founding leadership of Margie Carrington and a Veterans Steering Committee of student veterans, key College program staff, and community members affiliated with local veteran service organizations, including Vietnam Veterans of America - San Mateo Chapter, American Legion Post 105, AmVETS, Disabled Veterans of America, and representatives from the Peninsula Vet Center, the V-ROC is becoming a centralized hub to connect with other veterans and campus and community resources.  Special thanks to community volunteers and members of Menlo Park Rotary Club, Mary Helen Armstrong and Mike McNitt, for being instrumental advocates for the V-ROC.  V-ROC is excited to reach out again to the Veterans Steering Committee to reconvene for future planning in early March 2013.

For more information regarding the Veteran Resource & Opportunity Center, please contact Romeo O. Garcia at garciar@smccd.edu.

Dr. Lawrence Buckley To Be Recommended as Cañada College President

Buckley will become the 10th president at the college

Chancellor Ron Galatolo will recommend to the College Trustees that Dr. Lawrence Buckley, Interim President of San Bernardino Valley College since January, 2012, be the 10^th president of Cañada College. If confirmed at the Board meeting of December 6, he will begin January 1.

“Dr. Buckley brings a wealth of leadership experience that will undoubtedly benefit Cañada College and the District as a whole,” said Ron Galatolo, Chancellor of the San Mateo County Community College District.

Prior to serving as Interim President at San Bernardino Valley College, Buckley was Vice President of Instruction for two years at the school. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President of Instruction at Fullerton College. He also served as the Dean of Visual, Performing & Communication Arts at Chaffey College and Dean of Instruction at Lake Tahoe Community College.

"I am delighted to join the Cañada College family and to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and students with such an exceptional commitment to academic excellence and success,” Buckley said.

Buckley’s career began as a history professor in the University of Hawaii system and he later became a tenured faculty member and department chair at Feather River College in Quincy, CA.

Buckley holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in history as well as a Ph.D. in history from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Fall Theater Production - EmergenciPhone! - Opens Nov. 20

EmergenciPhone! won a sold-out award in the 2012 San Francisco Fringe Festival, and was a hit with the Fringe audiences. Now the production moves to Cañada College in Redwood City. It was written and directed by Anna Budd, professor of Theater Arts at Cañada College.

Tickets are available at https://­app.­ticke­tturtle.­com/­index.­php?­ticketing=­ccta

Emma has just been attacked on the street, so she does what people in the year 2030 do – she calls for help using the EmergenciPhone, run by AmeriSecuriCorp Incorporated, America’s “favorite” private, for-profit police company.

She is transferred, put on hold, forced to take surveys, cajoled into upgrading her contract, she explains and re-explains her situation to a ridiculous range of characters, all while being stalked by her mysterious attacker.

George Orwell meets Comcast’s Customer Service meets Samuel Beckett in this hilarious and disturbing exploration of law enforcement in this futuristic “free” market!

Performances:

• Tuesday, Nov. 20: 11:30 am & 2:30 pm TWO Pay-What-You-Can Matinees! *
• Wednesday, Nov. 21: 1 pm A Pay-What-You-Can Matinee! *
• Saturday, Nov. 24: 8pm
• Sunday, Nov. 25: 8pm
• Tuesday, Nov. 27: 10 am & 1pm TWO Pay-What-You-Can Matinee! *
• Wednesday, Nov. 28: 2:30 pm A Pay-What-You-Can Matinee! *
• Saturday, Dec. 1: 8pm
• Sunday, Dec. 2: 8pm

* Get in for as little as $1! Seats are first come, first served, so get there early!

The Cast:

• Hayley Adams
• Andrew Barri
• James Bruzzone
• Luke Gurri
• Danni Horowitz  
• Ava Kies
• Breanna Manore
• Kevin Schiltz
• Ramya

Cañada Announces Three Finalists for Presidency

Open Forums Will be Held Tuesday, Nov. 13 to Introduce the Finalists to the Community

Three finalists for the position of President at Cañada College will be introduced to the community at an open forum on Tuesday, Nov. 13. The forum will be held on campus, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City, in Building 6, Rooms 101-102 from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

 
The Open Forums will begin promptly at 1 p.m. and there will be short 15-minute breaks between each candidate. Following a short introduction, finalists will ask for questions. The community is encouraged to attend the forums and bring questions.

The finalists include:

Dr. Lisa Curtin – 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Dr. Curtin is the Director of Government and Military Education at San Diego Community College District where she has served for nine years.  Previously she was a Commander in the United States Navy working as the Deputy Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Executive Director of Programs at the Naval Postgraduate School (University) in Monterey, CA.  In addition, she previously worked as the Dean of Students and Student Services and the National Security Affairs Program Manager (Interim) at the Naval Postgraduate School, as well as Director, Student Administrative Services at the Nuclear Power School in Charleston, South Carolina.  Earlier in her career, she was an Assistant Professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and an adjunct faculty member with Troy University.  Dr. Curtin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Old Dominion University, a Master’s degree in Counseling from Troy University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Virginia Tech.

Dr. Christopher Villa – 2:15 to 3:15 p.m.

Dr. Villa is currently the Vice President of Student Services at Fresno City College where he has served for the past three years.  He previously held the position of Vice President of Student Services at Long Beach City College. Earlier in his career, he was the Assistant Vice President of Student Access and Support Services at California State University, Northridge, and the Associate Dean of Student Services at the College of the Canyons.  He also served in administrative positions at University of Utah, San Jose State University, Cal Poly Pomona, and California State University, San Bernardino.  Dr. Villa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Utah.

Dr. Lawrence Buckley – 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Buckley has served as the Interim President of San Bernardino Valley College since January 2012.  Prior to being asked to serve as the Interim President, Dr. Buckley was San Bernardino Valley College’s Vice President of Instruction for two years.  Earlier in his career, Dr. Buckley served as Vice President of Instruction at Fullerton College.  He also served as the Dean of Visual, Performing & Communication Arts at Chaffey College and as Dean of Instruction at Lake Tahoe Community College.  His career began as a history professor in the University of Hawaii system, and he later became a tenured faculty member and department chair at Feather River College.  Dr. Buckley holds a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in History, as well as a Ph.D. in History, from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

 

Danielle Pelletier Leads Statewide Effort to Teach English in the Workplace

Danielle Pelletier, ESL instructor, has been named coordinator for the Teaching English in the Workplace for the California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL). Pelletier has been serving in her new role since last spring.

"The primary initiatives of the CATESOL Teaching English in the Workplace Interest Group is to make sure that there is representation for those California ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers who teach English in the workplace," Pelletier said. "This group is comprised of teachers who teach workers at all levels. This could mean teaching basic English to hotel employees or teaching presentation skills to an executive at a bio-pharmaceutical company."

As the coordinator, Pelletier's primary responsibilities are to recruit, maintain, and develop membership so the group has proper representation. She also works with the members to organize professional workshops in all parts of California. "The workshops are designed to help our members continue with professional development between CATESOL conferences."

Whereas most schools are cutting back on ESL teachers, companies throughout California are realizing the value of having their employees feel confident about speaking English and understanding the U.S. culture of business, Pelletier said. "The TEW (Teaching English in the Workforce) group is fortunate to be in a field that is continually growing and I feel fortunate to be coordinating this group," she said.

Pelletier has also been named President of English League, a Translations and Workforce Language Training company. The company started in 1995 in Boston and moved to the Bay Area in 2002. Pelletier has been with English League since 2000 as a Senior ESL Instructor and Program Director, teaching in companies such as Bose in Boston and Genentech in the Bay Area. "I'm happy to be at the helm- a new adventure for me - and will continue to provide our customized English classes to international professionals all over Silicon Valley and the Bay Area," she said. “It’s also exciting to be working with organizations in this global economy, providing translations services.  It’s a great new world!”

 

Renovation Begins on the Campus Tennis Courts

Cañada College is renovating its tennis courts, work that will continue through December.

The college is removing and replacing the tennis court parking lots, installing a modular restroom, security cameras, and parking lot lighting. The initial work will be begin with trenching from the campus road outside of the tennis courts uphill to tie into the sanitary sewer outside of the Cañada Vista Housing.

Students, staff, faculty, and visitors should expect the immediate closure of the right hand lane of traffic on the Campus Loop Road.

 

Beatles Tribute Band to Headline Arts & Olive Festival Sunday, Oct. 7

The annual Arts & Olive Festival, the largest student scholarship fundraiser at the college, will take place Sunday, Oct. 7 from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $5 with all proceeds going to the student scholarship fund while parking is free.

The Arts & Olive Festival at Cañada College began in 1998 as part of Cañada’s 30 year anniversary celebration to benefit student scholarships. The festival has since grown to be one of the largest scholarship fundraisers of the year providing much needed financial assistance to students. The celebration brings together more than 80 vendors consisting of some of the olive industry’s top experts to provide the community with olive education, olive and olive oil tasting, olive related products, and an abundance of quality art works and gifts.

The Sun Kings, the Bay Area's top Beatles tribute band, will headline the main stage, playing two sets beginning at 2:30 p.m. The band has a repertoire of more than 150 Beatles songs and wins over fans with their driving energy, joy, and vitality that recall the earliest Beatles shows.

There are plenty of kids activities including a puppet show, face painting, and balloons. All kids activities are free and will be held in the bottom floor of Building 9 on the north side of the building. The schedule includes:

• Arts, Crafts & Face Painting - 10 am to 5 pm
• Aladdin Puppet Show by Fratello Marionettes - 12:30 to 1 pm
• Storytelling by Armando Ramirez of the Redwood City Library - 2 to 3 pm
• Aladdin Puppet Show by Fratello Marionettes - 3:30 to 4 pm

For more information, go to www.olivefest.org.

There will be a live olive curing demonstration by Don Landis at 1 p.m. in the North end of the Upper Plaza. He'll talk about the history of the olive in California and give a thorough description of how to de-bitter olives with no lye. All through the day, Don will be at a booth with Olive Oyl talking olives, sharing olives, cheese and crackers and olive tapenade. There will also be a discussion of the olive fruit fly, control products, and a description of how to battle the olive fruit fly. 


An interior design sale will be held in Building 13, room 17 from 10 a.m. to p.m. Fabric, accessories and showroom designer items will be available for sale at greatly reduced prices.

Music & Dance Entertainment, Outdoor Amphitheater

11:30 to   12:00 p.m. - Zambalita Middle Eastern Dance Company
http://www.zambalita.com/index.html

12:20 to   1:30 p.m. -  Terry Hiatt and the Big Science Band -  "gumbo fusion"
http://www.terryhiattguitars.com/

 1:40 to  2:10 p.m. - Samba Mundial Brazilian Dance Troupe
http://www.musicishealing.com/sambao/about.htm

2:30 to  5:00 p.m. – The Sun Kings (premiere Beatles tribute group; two sets!)
http://www.thesunkings.com/

 

Redwood Symphony Opens Its 28th Season Saturday

The Redwood Symphony will open its 28th season on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. in the Main Theater. A pre-concert lecture by Eric Kujawsky beings at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for adults ($25 at the door) and $10 for students. Everyone 17 and under are admitted free. Staff, faculty, and students at Cañada College are also admitted free.

The season begins with a little-known delight: Troka, a piece by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, created to accompany a children's puppet show. Listeners may well think of another composer: Carl Stallings, who wrote most of the music for the classic Looney Tunes.

Like Stallings, Revueltas wrote a zany score that borrows heavily from well-known works, replete with startling transitions and “wrong” notes. You’ll laugh when you hear it!

* The Serenade for Solo Violin, Strings, Harp and Percussion (after Plato's “Symposium“) is a five-movement concerto written by Leonard Bernstein in 1954. The Serenade is highly unusual in that the composer was inspired by Plato's Symposium, a dialogue of related statements in praise of love, each statement made by a distinguished speaker. The five speakers who inspired Bernstein's five movements are as follows, together with his musical markings:

1. Phaedrus: Pausanias -- marked lento and allegro
2. Aristophanes -- marked allegretto
3. Eryximachus, the doctor -- marked presto
4. Agathon -- marked adagio
5. Socrates -- marked molto tenuto and allegro molto vivace

Essentially a five-movement violin concerto, the Serenade showcases a huge percussion section and Bernstein’s characteristic propulsive rhythmic drive.

Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 needs no introduction; the composer’s final symphony is beloved all over the world for its moving themes and autumnal qualities. The third movement is famous for the only appearances of piccolo and triangle in a Brahms symphony, while the finale is a monumental set of variations on a repeating chord progression.

Power Outage Forces Classes to Move

Due to the power outage in Buildings 17 and 18, the following classes have been moved for today, Friday, Sept. 7.

81348 MATH 110 AA moved to Bldg. 3, Room 148

81349 MATH 110 AB moved to Bldg. 3, Room 148

92126 MATH 120 AA moved to Bldg. 13, Room 15

92992 MATH 120 AE moved to Bldg. 13, Room 15

90680 MATH 120 AB moved to Bldg. 13, Room 15

SFSU NURSING CLASS moved to Bldg. 13, Room 17

81373 MATH 200 APA moved to Bldg. 13, Room 111

90789 BIOL 250 AE moved to Bldg. 13, Room 116

81524-RADT 410 AAX moved to Bldg. 13, Room 117

89351-RADT 410 ABX moved to Bldg. 13, Room 117

Artistry in Fashion set for Sept. 29

The Cañada College Fashion Department hosts its annual “Artistry in Fashion” event on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This shopping extravaganza features 60 designers selling clothing, jewelry, and other fashions. Visitors can tour the Fashion Department’s Open House to view student projects from noon to 3:00 p.m. Pattern designer and author, Marsha McClintock, will present a fashion show in the auditorium at 1:30 p.m.

A $10 donation benefits student scholarships. On-site food vendors and free parking available. More information: www.ArtistryInFashion.com or call 650-306-3370. The college is located at 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., in Redwood City.

The Center for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning has a new blog

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning has a new blog. According to Anniqua Rana, one of three faculty coordinators for CEITL, the blog is designed to keep faculty up-to-date on the latest professional development opportunities.

CIETL is dedicated to innovation and excellence, initiated by the Vice President of Instruction (and validated and supported by the administration), as an institutionalized place for directed focus on issues of teaching and learning. The center is committed to the college’s core mission of helping students move successfully through their academic plan, including basic skills, transfer, and career/technical education courses. CIETL does this by piloting, evaluating, and supporting innovative teaching and learning practices that encourage collaboration and community building and increase the retention, success, and persistence rates of our students. CIETL promotes sharing of this scholarship of teaching and learning among faculty here and elsewhere.

Current blog entries include a description of the workshops offered this fall by the San Mateo County Genealogical Society; a review of the recently completed orientation sessions for new faculty hires; and a preview of upcoming instructional design and technology workshops.

Rolling Drops Begin Aug. 6

Beginning today, August 6 (two weeks before the start of the fall semester) students will be dropped at midnight the day following their registration for non-payment of any unpaid fees. This will continue until the start of the semester. If you had paid your fees in full by August 1, but then added classes, you must pay for these classes by midnight the day following your registration. You will only be dropped from the classes that you have added and not paid for.

 If you need assistance in paying your fees you may:

·         enroll in an inexpensive payment plan via WebSMART by 11:00 p.m.

·         complete the Board of Governors Fee Waiver via WebSMART 24 hours prior to the drop date and submit additional documents if required within that timeframe.  Check your student account on WebSmart to make sure the BOGW was automatically posted.

·        complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. A minimum of five (5) business days processing time is required to ensure receipt of the FAFSA to prevent your drop for non-payment (school code required: 006973 Cañada, 001181 CSM and 007713 Skyline).

Take any of the above actions to prevent being dropped from classes.

If you still need financial assistance after exhausting all options listed above, please contact the Vice President of Student Services.

Enrolling this Fall? Plan to Attend an Orientation and Academic Advising Session

New students are required to attend.

Are you planning to enroll at Cañada College this fall? If you are new to the college, remember, you must attend one of our orientations, complete assessment testing, and participate in an academic advising session.

The assessment will ensure you enroll in the appropriate level of English and math; and the orientation and advising session will provide you with information you need to be successful in college.

You will receive information and meet individually with a counselor to help you identify the classes you need to take during your first semester. New students must complete assessment and attend the orientation and advising session to become eligible to register for classes. You can do either of the following:

• Complete orientation first, followed by assessment, then register for an academic advising session; or
• Register for orientation and academic advising session AFTER you have completed the assessment.

You can register for the “Orientation and Assessment” in English through WebSMART using your student ID number and your PIN. Under Student Services, click on “Schedule Appointments”. You will then click on “Orientation and Assessment” where you will be directed to a third page where you can select and register for one of the sessions that best fits your schedule. Please note, space in each session is limited. If you receive a message that states the session date you selected is full, please select another session date.

For assistance, call (650) 306-3452. 

College for Working Adults - Earn a Degree - Don't Quit Your Job! Classes Guaranteed.

Cañada College has expanded its current College for Working Adults program to allow students with up to 15 units of GE courses to transfer into one of our three cohorts. You may be able to graduate in less than three years while attending classes on Thursday nights and every other Saturday. Whether you are a new student or current student, contact our Project Coordinator, Jeri Eznekier (650 306-3304) to see which cohort is a good fit for you.

Students participating in the Cañada College for Working Adults will receive up to three Associate of Arts degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Social and Behavioral Science and/or Humanities or an Associate of Arts degree in Psychology. It prepares students for a variety of careers related to education, law, social work, business, and politics.

All 60 general education credits earned in this program are transferrable to public and private colleges and universities. Students will follow a predetermined plan of classes, eliminating guesswork about degree and transfer requirements.

The third cohort of 35 students will begin Fall 2012. Students enrolled in this College for Working Adults "learning community" will start and complete the program with the same group of students. This provides students a deeper understanding of the courses' subject matter while they build relationships and learn together inside and outside of the classroom. Many of our classes are also integrated to help link and reinforce learning.

Students will receive priority enrollment in College for Working Adult classes...NO WAITLISTS...EVER! They'll receive one-on-one academic advising/counseling from our designated CWA counselor to ensure they get started on the right track and stay on track throughout the program.

Students have been asking for such a program because they can't quit their jobs to attend school during the day and they can't take classes two or three nights a week because of family commitments.

To enroll in the College for Working Adults program, go to our website at http://canadacollege.net/CWA. Click the APPLY tab and complete the online application. If you have questions or need more information about the program, email canadacwa@smccd.edu or call Jeri at (650) 306-3304.

The program is funded through Measure G, the parcel tax passed by San Mateo County voters in 2010.

Lisa Torres fulfills dream of studying mechanical engineering at Cal

Following her graduation from Sequoia High School, Lisa Torres learned that she had not been accepted to her first two college choices – UC Berkeley and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. But after spending three years studying mechanical engineering at Cañada College, the San Carlos resident learned she will be accepted to Cal this fall.

“Community college can really make a difference and if you are an engineering, math, or science major, Cañada is the place to study,” said Torres. “The school was instrumental in helping me get admitted to Berkeley. I was also admitted to Cal Poly so Cañada gave me a second chance to attend my top two universities that I didn’t get into after high school.”

Torres was an excellent high school student who excelled in math and science classes and was accepted to UC Santa Cruz, CSU Northridge and San Diego State. Unfortunately, her parents could not afford to help pay her tuition and the cost to leave the area to attend college was prohibitive.

That’s when she heard Cañada College Professor Amelito Enriquez speak in one of her high school classes about the opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students at community colleges. “As soon as I heard Dr. E speak, I knew Cañada was a good fit for me. I attended the Summer Engineering Institute at San Francisco State University through Cañada and I received a scholarship. That made it even easier to decide to attend Cañada.”

Torres said the atmosphere at Cañada is centered on learning which has helped her succeed academically. “Students here have amazing access to the Learning Center, library, tutoring and their professors. They are given the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom and they want to transfer to good universities. That culture is motivating.”

As an active member of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) clubs at Cañada, Torres has attended national conferences. “All of my conference costs were paid for and I was exposed to opportunities I couldn’t get in a classroom,” she said.

As a member of Cañada’s MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) Program, Torres was eligible for conference reimbursement. MESA Coordinator Cathy Lipe called Torres a model student. “She has always been a joy to be around and she really loves learning,” Lipe said. “Lisa truly represents the type of student we have in MESA at Cañada.”

Her exposure to academic subjects outside of math, science, and engineering helped Torres determine her future career goal. “When I came to Cañada, computer engineering was my first love,” she said. “But then I took a history course from Professor (Michael) Stanford and he talked about the modernization of the Western World and the use of natural resources, especially coal, and how it hurt the environment. I wrote a research paper on the topic and it angered me and that’s when I decided to switch my major to mechanical engineering and focus on renewable energy. We can capture so much clean energy from other sources, especially the sun.”