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.

New PATH Program helps allied health students finish science prerequisites quicker

A new program designed to help allied health students complete their science prerequisites in less than 18 months is set to begin Aug. 20 at Cañada College.

The Preparation for Advanced Training in Healthcare (PATH) will accept two cohorts of 30 students. Students accepted into the program will be guaranteed admission into biology, chemistry, psychology, and math classes that are often impacted due to budget constraints. One cohort is designed for students who have completed Chemistry 410 (Chemistry for Health Sciences) and the second cohort is available for students who have not completed this chemistry requirement.

"This will help students who need the prerequisites to study nursing, radiologic technology, pharmacy, respiratory therapy and other allied health programs," said Vice President of Instruction Sarah Perkins. Students will also benefit from studying in a cohort. "We know there are many students around the Bay Area having a difficult time entering these fields because they can't access the lower-level science classes they need to apply. This program provides access."

The program is funded by a district wide grant awarded to the San Mateo Community College District from the Allied Health Career Advancement Academy (CAA). To apply, you must be eligible to enroll in English 100. Eligibility to enroll in Math 200 is highly recommended. The CAA offers preference for qualifying U.S. Veterans and their families.

For more information about the program or to fill out an application, go to our website. If you have questions email us at canadapath@smccd.edu or call Jeri at (650) 306-3304.

Commencement Ceremony set for May 26

Cañada College will recognize the academic achievement of more than 700 graduates at its annual commencement ceremony to be held on Saturday, May 26 at 10 a.m.

This year’s commencement speaker is former Cañada College President Thomas Mohr, who retired last year after serving as president for five years. During his tenure at Cañada, Mohr helped guide the college and the San Mateo County Community College District through an exhaustive strategic planning process. He worked to integrate the college with the local high schools and strengthen Cañada’s transfer programs. As part of this process, the school developed a successful Honors Transfer Program; strengthened its University Center by adding additional university partners; and added full-time faculty focused on transfer-level curriculum.

The college will honor Katya Kurganova as this year’s valedictorian. She is a Russian immigrant who learned English at Cañada and is graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA and has been accepted to UC Berkeley where she will business administration.

Oceanside’s Park’s Marty Martinez will be the ceremony’s student speaker. Marty is a biology major who has a passion for understanding the natural world and teaching it to others. He wants to pursue a career as a research professor. Marty is a first-generation college student. He is the founding president of the Science Outreach Club, a past member of Phi Theta Kappa, founding president of the EOPS Club, and received the biophotonics Winter Internship at UC Davis this past year.

The recipient of this year’s President’s Student Leadership Award is Tristan Sheldon. This award is given annually by the President to a graduating student who has displayed extraordinary leadership traits. The President chooses the recipient from nominees forwarded by the college faculty and staff. Tristan has been active in Phi Theta Kappa, Cañada’s honor society; student government; and he has represented students on many shared governance committees on campus.

For more information about this year’s Commencement Ceremony go to Commencement 2012.

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.”

Student Recognition Ceremony set for Friday, May 11

Cañada College will celebrate its best and brightest students - those arriving and those moving on - in a special recognition ceremony on Friday, May 11 in the gymnasium. The evening begins with light refreshments at 4:30 followed by the program and awards presentations at 5:15. The school will recognize the following student accomplishments and achievements:

·         Scholarship Recipients

·         Transfer Students

·         Honors Transfer Program scholars

·         Transferring MESA scholars

·         Tutors

The annual recognition ceremony is one of the largest events at the college as it heads towards Commencement on Saturday, May 26 at 10 a.m.

Cañada College's Inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Banquet celebrating 44 years of Cañada College athletics, was held Saturday, May 5, 2012.

Membership in the Athletic Hall of Fame is a tribute to those athletes, coaches, and other distinguished individuals, who deserve recognition for their outstanding accomplishments in athletics and for their support of the Cañada College Athletic program.

2012 Inductees:

Sam Nicolopulos, (posthumously), Head Coach, Wrestling — Highly respected by athletes, coaches and faculty alike, Sam was a leading force in the Physical Education Department at Cañada College. Sam’s coaching career spanned 53 years. For 39 years Sam was a Head Coach of football or wrestling starting at Carlmont High, San Carlos High and then Cañada College. In 1968, the year that Cañada College opened its doors, Sam was recruited from San Carlos High School and named the Head Football Coach at Cañada College. Football was never instated by the college and Sam was named the Head Coach of the wrestling program. Sam had numerous Wrestling State Champions and runners-up throughout his coaching career that spanned from 1968 to 1985. He is remembered fondly by his grapplers as a coach who cared for them both on and off the mat. He was the co-founder of the Fitness for Life Institute, at that time the largest and best known fitness program in the County. Sam led the fitness testing for the county Fire Departments as well as the Sheriff’s Department, held at Cañada College. He also served as the Division Dean and Athletic Director. A former colleague best sums-up Sam’s character: “He did not need to be asked to pitch in; he just saw problems and solved them expecting nothing in return.”
Family: wife Bette and sons Steve, the Head Football Coach at Woodside High School, and Craig, who resides in South Carolina.

Clifton Holland, Baseball — A former San Carlos High School standout, Clif was a baseball player for the Colts in 1971–1972 and was a first round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox in 1972. A left handed pitcher, he helped lead the Colts to a State Championship in 1971 and was named the State Tournament MVP. That same year, Clif was named to the All-American team. After playing at Cañada, he transferred to USC and helped lead the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA College World Series championships in 1973 and 1974. Clif was a 1st Round Draft Pick by the Chicago White Sox in 1972 and played four seasons with the AAA Portland Mavericks.
He currently resides with his wife, Laurie, in Oregon.

Lyman Ashley, Head Coach, Baseball — Lyman was the head baseball coach from 1969 to 1983 and won the State Baseball Championship in 1971 while earning the distinction of being the youngest Head Coach ever to win the State title. In 1975 and 1976, Coach Ashley was an Assistant Coach and Head Coach of the Kenai Peninsula Oilers of the Alaskan Summer Baseball League, the premier summer baseball league on the west coast made up of top Division I college baseball players. Coach Ashley is a member of the California Community College Baseball Hall of Fame. Aside from baseball, Lyman also coached the Cañada College Men’s Golf team from 1986 to 1999.
Lyman has three children - Karen, Brian and Chris.

Andy Lucchesi, Tennis — Andy, a right-handed tennis player out of Menlo Park, came to Cañada in 1975 and won the Tennis State Championship in both singles and doubles. Andy then went on to star at USC where he helped lead the Trojans in winning the NCAA Tennis Championship in 1976. Following the 1977 tennis season, Andy was named to the All-American team. In 1978, he then went on to play on the professional tennis circuit for two years in men’s singles play. His highlights in 1978, included participation in the U.S. Open and also playing in the SAP Open Tournament in San Francisco (now held in San Jose) where he fell to Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg in the first round. He finished his competitive playing career in doubles in 1986.
Off the court: Currently, Andy is a lead model for the Tommy Bahama Sportswear line.

Rich Anderson circa 1980s

Rich Anderson, Head Coach, Men’s Tennis — A native San Franciscan and Junior College product, Rich oversaw the Cañada Men’s Tennis program from 1971 to 1983. During that period his Colt teams won eleven Conference Titles, eight Nor-Cal Championships and eight State Championships. He was inducted into the California Community College Tennis Hall of Fame and the San Jose State Athletic Hall of Fame. His overall JC coaching record is 142-15. As a player, Rich was a JC State Champion out of CCSF, ranked #17 nationally at SJSU, and participated in mixed doubles at Wimbledon and singles at the U.S. Open. Throughout his playing career Rich has always been a ranked player in his age group. He is currently ranked in the top 10 nationally in the senior rankings. Coach Anderson left the tennis court for the classroom and taught Mathematics and Computer Science. In 2005, he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award from the California Community College Mathematics Council.
Married to Darcy and has two sons, Kevin and Jeff.

Jim Zylker, Soccer — An intense competitor, Jim was a two time All-American at Cañada College and also an All- American at San Jose State. Jim helped lead the Colts to back-to-back Soccer State Championships in 1969 and 1970. During the 1969 season, he scored a school record 54 goals that still stands today. Jim also played for the U.S. Olympic Team in 1972 and 1976. He played in the NASL for the San Jose Earthquakes in 1974 and 1975 and was traded to the San Antonio Thunder where he finished his career in 1976.
Jim is married to Trisha and has three daughters; Rebecca, Angela, and Elizabeth. Jim came back to Cañada and was the Women’s Assistant Soccer Coach from 2001–2004. He and his daughter, Liz, helped lead the Lady Colts to two Coast Conference Championships and four State playoff appearances.

Silvano Vial, Head Coach, Men’s Soccer — “The Hay is in the Barn!” was a common catch phrase heard by fitness students of Coach Vial symbolizing a hard days’ work had ended. That could also be said for all the athletes that played for Coach Vial as his teams were known to be one of the most mentally and physically prepared teams in the state. Coach Vial was at the Men’s Soccer helm from 1969–1982 and led the Colts to back-to-back State Championships in 1969 and 1970. In 1971 the Colts were state finalists and then won the State Championship again in 1972. In all, Coach Vials’ teams won eight conference titles, five Northern California Championships and played in four State Championship games. Five of his former soccer players went on to represent the U.S.A.— two in the Olympics and three in the Pan American Games.
Before coaching soccer, Sil was an outstanding football player. A three sport star and Hall of Famer at Serra High School, Sil went on to play quarterback at the University of Idaho where he was elected team captain and led the Vandals in total yardage in 1960. Sil created and produced the Gym Tone fitness bar and was also the co-founder of the Fitness for Life Institute at Cañada College. His former students still take fitness classes at Cañada after 30 years. A fitness enthusiast, Sil still teaches fitness classes and is an avid cyclist.
Married to Maria and father of daughter, Erica, and sons Conrad, and Frederick.

Cañada College Upward Bound Student Named Gates Millennium Scholar

Redwood City’s Roberto Pablo Pimienta is one of 1,000 students nationwide that will receive the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship for 2012. More than 24,000 students applied. The scholarship will pay for Pimienta’s tuition, fees, books, and living expenses at Stanford University. It will also pay for fellowships for graduate school, mentoring services, leadership opportunities, and access to internships.

Pimienta is a senior at Sequoia High School in Redwood City and is a participant in the Cañada College TRiO Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound is a federally funded pre-college program designed to assist first-generation college students prepare for college. It consists of Saturday workshops at Cañada College and weekly tutoring. During the summer, students participate in a six-week program offering academic courses and activities on the Cañada College campus. It serves approximately 50 students from the East Palo Alto and North Fair Oaks areas.

“I initially learned about the Upward Bound Program because I saw my friends going there after school,” Pimienta said. “Joining the program was definitely one of the best decisions I made in my high school career.”

Pimienta joined Upward Bound in the second semester of his sophomore year. He said the Upward Bound Program became his platform for success in high school, both academically and emotionally. “With the help of Upward Bound, I have significantly improved my writing skills and learned more about my potential to be successful. I was able to learn how to prepare a competitive college application for some of the leading higher education institutions.”

Pimienta was accepted by Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He chose Stanford but hasn’t decided on a major. “I’m considering Chemistry and/or Biology,” he said. “I would also like to explore Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Environmental Science. I have plenty of time to explore my options.”

“Roberto is awesome!” said Upward Bound Program Director Rosalina Mira. “He is extremely dedicated and a hard worker. He is passionate about science. Upward Bound is like a second family to him. I have seen Roberto grow from when he started the program. He is more confident and he also volunteers and is involved in the greater community.”

Pimienta has focused his community service on supporting the local immigrant community. He has tutored English, taught English to senior citizens, and raised money for scholarships for undocumented students. His participation in the Sequoia High School Dream Club and the Immigrant Youth Action Team has helped raise awareness as to the challenges faced by immigrant youth.

Pimienta said he is finishing his International Baccalaureate Diploma at Sequoia and has taken additional math and science classes at Cañada College. He has also conducted research in three different departments at Stanford and participated in the summer engineering program at MIT.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program, established in 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential.

The annual spring dance performance will take place on Friday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Theater.

This is one of the more popular student performances of the year. Director Ana Miladinova will lead the students through a show that features jazz, salsa, ballroom, ballet and modern styles. This year's show is titled "Cañada Dance Motion IV".

The performance is open to the public and a $5 donation helps fund dance programs at the college. For more information, contact Miladinova at (650) 306-3147.

International Concert Pianist Richard Glazier to Perform at Cañada College

International concert pianist Richard Glazier will give a "concert and conversation" on the music of George Gershwin on Thursday, May 10, at 12:30 pm in the Cañada College Main Theater. The event is free and open to students, faculty, staff, administration, and the public.

Glazier is a favorite performer on KQED-TV and PBS stations throughout the United States and his television special "From Gershwin to Garland" has become a programming classic winning multiple awards including four Telly Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment, Documentary and Cultural Programming. He has performed in every state of the union, at the United Nations, the Smithsonian Institute, Carnegie Hall and was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award from his alma mater the Cleveland Institute of Music for his contributions to the American Popular Song. He also won several major international piano competitions including the Pro Musics International Award and the National Federation of Music Clubs' Grand Prize.

Glazier's greatest passion is his collection of memorabilia related to the Gershwins, their contemporaries and the Golden Era. He has spent a lifetime collecting autographed sheet music, concert programs, photographs, books, records and letters, as well as an extensive collection of original vintage movie posters. Richard Glazier has the distinction of being selected as a Steinway Artist and his appearance is made possible thanks to the support of Sherman Clay Pianos in Santa Clara. Sherman Clay Pianos is providing a new 7-foot Steinway for this concert; come hear the glories of a 9-foot grand at the Grand Piano Benefit Concert given by Richard Glazier and the Redwood Symphony, June 30, 2012 at 8 pm featuring the Gershwin Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra.

For further information, contact Dave Meckler at mecklerd@smccd.edu or 650 306-3439.

Info Session - Earn Your Bachelor's in Allied Health at Cañada

The San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) is partnering with National University to offer students an opportunity to complete a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree in Allied Health on the Cañada College campus. Graduates of this degree program are prepared to... assume supervisory, management, or educational positions in the healthcare field.

National University will offer, through a combination of hybrid and online classroom formats, the 17 upper division courses required for the degree. Each course will meet for 4.5 hours one day a week for 4 weeks at Cañada College, with additional online class time. The program will begin this summer, with the first cohort of 15 participants.

National University will provide SMCCCD students and alumni who participate in the program with a 10% tuition discount. Additionally, as a community college student, you may qualify for two National University scholarships. Please contact Caitlin Valdez, financial aid advisor for National University, for more information, at: 408-236-1125 or cvaldez@nu.edu.

To participate in the program you must be or have been enrolled at SMCCCD with a minimum GPA of 2.0. You should be close to earning or have earned an associate degree in Allied Health, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Health Sciences, Medical Assisting, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, or Surgical Technology.

To learn more about this wonderful opportunity to advance your career through a B.S. in Allied Health, please come to an information session on May 8, 2012 from 6 to 8 PM at Cañada College, Building 6, Room 112. Please contact Denise Cardoza, director of student services for National University, at 408-236-1105 or dcardoza@nu.edu to indicate your interest in attending this information session.

Cañada Student Turns Down $10,000 Scholarship to Pursue Dream of Studying Political Economy at UC Berkeley

A Redwood City community college student who lived in an upholstery shop when he was 15 is turning down a $10,000 scholarship to UC Santa Cruz to pursue his educational dream of studying at UC Berkeley.

Carlos Ortega, a student at Cañada College, lived in 12 different homes by the time he was a high school sophomore and eventually moved into an upholstery shop owned by his father's friend, fashioning a mattress out of pieces of foam remnants. He began stealing food, clothes, and car stereos to meet his basic needs but that lifestyle became dangerous so he dropped out of school his senior year to take on a full-time job.

"It's truly an honor and privilege to be offered this scholarship," Ortega said, "but I have been accepted to UC Berkeley, which is my first choice. It's been a dream of mine to study political economy and some of the world's foremost experts in the subject work at Berkeley. I know some people question turning down such a great opportunity but I'm excited to go to Cal."

Ortega is a member of Cañada's Phi Theta Kappa honor society chapter, serving as the group's Vice President of Finance. He has earned Dean's List academic honors the past five semesters and was chosen to present original research at this year's community college research symposium. Ortega is 26-years-old, returning to college only after he was able to save enough money to pay tuition.

He grew up in a poor, uneducated household and receives no financial support from his divorced parents. Turning down a $10,000 scholarship is a major decision. "The BOG fee waiver and Pell Grant have allowed me to work a little less and better concentrate on my studies at Cañada," he said. Still, Ortega estimates he works 30+ hours per week as a handyman and fine furniture mover to help make ends meet. "It is more difficult to succeed academically when you have to work a full-time job and study."

After leaving high school, Ortega began working for a fine furniture store as a mover. He quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became the warehouse manager, in charge of millions of dollars of merchandise. He was leading a six-man crew and was soon making logistical improvements in the warehouse operations to make it more efficient.

"I'm thankful for my time as manager and the invaluable skills I've learned from that powerful experience," he said. "Today, I use those skills while planning events and fundraisers with the honor society on campus. I am able to see potential problems in budgeting and logistics and prepare myself, and fellow members, to deal with such issues."

Interim President Jim Keller said Carlos is a student-leader committed to receiving a quality education. "He has had to overcome immense obstacles to an education which would have been far too daunting for most people in our society. He did this entirely on his own initiative, without family assistance or any of the usual support mechanisms of a functioning family."

Ortega said academically he was immediately drawn to economic theory, calculus, and the mathematical formality of economic analysis. "Examining global and local events and pressing issues unfolding around me, I realize that economic analysis is essential to prescribe solutions," he said. "I strive to dedicate my life to such a discipline that has the potential to positively affect societies on both the local and global level."

Ortega said he would like to eventually work for the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank. "I believe the next step toward achieving my goal is to study in a culturally diverse setting and challenging educational environment like UC Berkeley. I want to study under cutting-edge professors with different outlooks."

Before attending Cal, Ortega said he'll participate in Cañada's Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 26. "Cañada has given me a great opportunity," he said. "I'm excited to go through the graduation ceremony at the school."

Student Fashion Show Struts Into Main Theater May 12

You'll be left speechless as the fourth annual student-produced fashion show at Cañada College - La Mode - crosses the catwalk on Saturday, May 12 at 7 p.m.

Some of the most creative student designers in the Bay Area will have their works displayed by local models.

Seating begins at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $10 through the Cañada Bookstore. Children under 12 are $5.

The show is completely produced by Cañada students including lighting, music, props, sets, model recruitment, hair and make up, and promotions. Students will also have recycled/repurposed garments on display.

Cañada College Named One of California's Top 25 Community Colleges

In a special report on California's community colleges, Schools.com rated Cañada College as one of the state's Top 25.

In describing the school, the website said, "Cañada College proves that big things really can come in small packages. Not only is Cañada College one of the state's leading community colleges in terms of completion and transfer rates, but this relatively small campus is one of the few nationally to offer bachelor's degrees through its University Center."

Other schools on the list include Ohlone, City College of San Francisco, Las Positas, De Anza, Cuesta, Sierra, Santa Barbara, Foothill, Southwestern, Cabrillo, Golden West, Santa Ana, Cosumnes, Reedley, Siskiyous, San Diego, Irvine Valley, Pasadena, Chaffey, San Diego Mesa, Columbia, Monterey Peninsula and College of the Canyons.

The full story can be found on the Schools.com website.