The Grove, Cañada's New Student Center, Opens in August

Cañada students will have a new place to study, eat, and socialize on campus with the opening of The Grove in August.

The old cafeteria will be replaced with a modern gathering space featuring large open areas for relaxing, a dining court, Career Center and Student Lounge.

“The students have waited a long time for the opening of the new Student Center,” said Interim President James Keller.

The centerpiece of Building 5, the Grove is much more than a cafeteria. It brings together the Career Center and Student Lounge with the dining area to create a hub of activity and a true Student Center that Cañada has always lacked.

The interior of The Grove was designed by students in Professor Nancy Wolford's interior design classes. The finishes are highlighted by wood accents, large pendant lighting fixtures, soffits and angled wing walls, will soften the space, enhance the acoustics and take away the "old school" cafeteria feel. A large six-panel video wall will bring a modern, hip, feel to the space.

The Grove is also located adjacent to the Associated Students of Cañada College Office. It should lead to more students becoming aware of campus issues and activities.

“A lot of work has gone into the design of this building to give students a place that they can call their own,” Keller said. “Sarah Perkins, former President Tom Mohr, and Robin Richards have been instrumental in making sure that the design of the facility meets the needs of the students.”

For nearly two years, Cañada students have purchased food from a vending truck located near Building 9. They have not had a dry location to eat during the winter.

The Grove will also serve as a general gathering space and area for campus celebrations as well as educational programming.

Student Fees for Fall Semester Due by Aug. 1

Students who have any outstanding fee balances will be dropped from all fall classes at midnight for non-payment of outstanding fees.

On Wednesday, August 1, students who have any unpaid fees will be dropped from fall classes at midnight for non-payment of outstanding fees.

If you had previously paid your fees in full but then added classes, you must pay for these classes by midnight on August 1. You will only be dropped from the classes that you have added and not paid for.

Beginning 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.
 
If you need assistance in paying your fees you may:

·         enroll in an inexpensive payment plan via WebSMART by 11:00 p.m. on August 1.

·         complete the Board of Governors Fee Waiver via WebSMART24 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).

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 at (650) 306-3478.

Cañada College Receives $3.3 Million Federal Grant to Help Community College Students Earn Bachelor’s Degrees at the School’s University Center

The grant will help increase the number of high-need and Hispanic students earning bachelor's degrees by funding articulated pathways and academic support services.

The Center for International and University Studies (CIUS) at Cañada College has received a major funding boost from the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program that will make it easier for students at the college to earn bachelor’s degrees.

The college received word from U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer’s office that it will receive a five-year, $3.3 million grant. “This is a major grant that will literally transform the college and the Center for International and University Studies,” said Cañada’s Interim President, Jim Keller. “The grant will fund additional personnel needed to put into place clear pathways and support services for students who enter the college seeking bachelor’s degrees. It will make it much easier for students to transition successfully from their associate’s degree to the bachelor’s degree.”

The CIUS brings together two distinct programs at Cañada College: the University Center and International Student Programs. The University Center was established in 2001 as a new model to provide four-year college degree programs. Cañada is one of only a handful of community colleges in the state of California with a University Center which came into being through special state legislation sponsored by Lou Papan with the support of the San Mateo County Community College District. It is designed to extend higher learning to peninsula residents that cannot travel to participating universities.

The University Center offers bachelor’s degrees and professional certificates in an array of academic subjects including business administration, child and adolescent development, psychology, allied health, human services, and nursing. All courses are taught by faculty from partner universities including San Francisco State, Notre Dame de Namur, and National University.

The A2B (associate’s degree to bachelor’s degree) Program grant will fund a specialist assigned as a case manager to each Cañada student who completes 30 units towards the associate's degree and has expressed interest in ultimately completing the bachelor's degree. The A2B specialist works with academic advisors, the transfer counselor, and Learning Center staff to ensure that students have the information, education plan, and academic support they need to complete their associate's degree and move smoothly into and through a University Center bachelor's degree program.

The A2B specialist will also partner with the college's and partner universities' financial aid staff to create with the student a financial aid plan that clarifies how the student will pay for the higher tuition rates the universities charge.

The grant also supports:

• A part-time librarian to provide specialized library services in the evenings and weekends to students preparing for transfer to a bachelor's degree and to students who are completing a bachelor's degree through a University Center program.
• A distance education designer to design hybrid courses that combine classroom and online time, as well as online courses, so that University Center students can still work towards their bachelor's degree even when they are unable to attend classes on campus.
• Learning Center tutors to assist students in developing skills to succeed in upper-division coursework.
• A researcher to refine data collection strategies and to track student success after transfer to University Center programs.

“These positions are crucial to support the success of our students as they transition from community college to university academics,” said Lucy Carter, director for the CIUS.

With grant funds, Cañada will also develop a peer mentor program for University Center students and improve University Center infrastructure including the internal website for partner university faculty, the billing system for facilities-use fees, University Center outreach strategies for new programs, and cross-institution calendar coordination. Carter will oversee the A2B program, with a project director managing the day-to-day activities.

The grant also funds three University Center partner universities to provide advisors to work with the A2B specialist and with students to ensure the smooth transition from associate's degree to bachelor's degree and to articulate clear pathways from Cañada’s degree programs to the bachelor's degree programs offered on our campus. The three partner universities are: San Francisco State University, which will offer a new Bachelor of Arts in Digital Animation; National Hispanic University, which will offer a new Bachelor of Arts in Child Development; and Notre Dame de Namur University, which will expand its Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration and Human Services.

The college will receive $624,255 in the first year of the grant and between $646,000 and $714,000 for each of the final four years.

Need more practice with reading & writing? Improve Your English and Reading Skills with Word Jam

This free, week-long program helps students practice college reading and writing strategies.

Word Jam is a free, non-credit, one-week program aimed at providing additional support to current and in-coming Cañada College students in all levels of English, Reading, and ESL. It will be held Monday through Friday, Aug. 6-10 from 9 AM to 12 Noon in the Cañada College Learning Center.

 

Word Jam students work with Cañada faculty to practice college-level reading and writing strategies, learn the expectations of their specific English, Reading, or ESL courses, and become familiar with Cañada College resources. Past students in Word Jam have even boosted their Cañada College placement test scores!

“I participated in Word Jam, scored higher on the placement test, and I was able to skip the remedial classes and start in college-level English," said Christian Ayala, Cañada College student and Word Jam participant last year. "Word Jam taught me some new skills and helped me remember some of the rules I learned in high school.”

To enroll in Word Jam, participants must be a current Cañada College student or an in-coming student who has completed the Cañada College application and taken the Placement Test. To sign up for Word Jam, email Julie Wilson at wilsonj@smccd.edu. Include your: 1) name, 2) G-number, 3) contact information (phone & email), and 4) the results of your Cañada College Placement Test.

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. 

Looking for a Science Class? Think Environmental Science

Learn about environmental issues from a science perspective.

Are you looking for a science class that will transfer to a UC or CSU school? Are you interested in environmental issues? Cañada's Introduction to Environmental Science class will teach you about contemporary environmental issues related to resource use, pollution, and human population growth.

The class is an introduction to environmental issues from a scientific perspective, focusing on physical, chemical, and biological processes within the Earth system, the interaction between humans and these processes, and the role of science in finding sustainable solutions.

ENVS 115 meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:10 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.

Register Now For Fall Classes

Fall classes begin Monday, August 20.

Registration is underway for summer session and fall semester. Summer session begins Monday, June 18. Day and evening classes for fall semester begin August 20.

To apply to Cañada click here. To register for classes click here.

Cañada College to Honor More than 850 Graduates at Annual Commencement Ceremony

The ceremony will be held Saturday, May 26 at 10 a.m. in the upper quad.

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 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.

Esther Chan Will Head to UC San Diego in the Fall to Study Mechanical Engineering

The former Woodside High School graduate will pursue a career in sustainable energy.

When Esther Chan graduated from Woodside High School three years ago, she hadn’t settled on a college major. “I came to Cañada because I didn’t feel right going to a four-year school without a real sense of what I wanted to do.”

It’s safe to say Esther found her direction at Cañada. She met Amelito Enriquez, professor of engineering and mathematics, who set her on a course to study mechanical engineering. She also received the support of Cathy Lipe, the director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement Program. “I can’t imagine where I would be without them,” she said. “I am so appreciative of everything they have done for me. They are the best team any engineering student can have. You can tell that they really care about the students. I am going to miss them so much next fall.”

Esther is headed to UC San Diego where she eventually wants to earn a PhD. “I am very interested in the work being done in developing sustainable energy solutions and I would love to do research on sustainable energy as a career.”

Last fall, Esther was one of three Cañada students selected to present original research at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers conference in Anaheim. They were the only community college students chosen to present. It was Chan’s first time presenting at a conference. Her presentation was a summary of the research completed by a group of Cañada students who participated in a summer NASA internship.

"My group completed research on creating a data logger from a printed circuit board that records pressure and temperature changes due to magnets implanted inside a patient with a hollow chest condition. The magnets gradually pull the sternum outwards to realign with the ribcage, and the data logger is designed to monitor subtle changes within the patient in real time."

Esther said the opportunity to present her research at a national conference was made possible because of Cañada. “There is no better choice than Cañada,” she said. “You get a genuine sense of community from students who are motivated and friendly and receive a great education from professors who care about their students. It’s true, from here, you can go anywhere.”

Xenia Leon Hopes to Help Low-Income People Through Electrical Engineering

Leon will graduate from Cañada and transfer to Cal Poly this fall.

Xenia Leon originally thought she wanted to pursue a career in nursing to help low-income residents but now she plans to help people by applying herknowledge in electrical engineering to create better medical devices.

“As I started my studies in college, I found I didn’t have a passion for anatomy and physiology like I did math,” she said.

Xenia grew up in San Mateo and attended Hillsdale and Aragon high schools before eventually graduating from East Union High School in Mateca. “I always did well in math but when I arrived at Cañada I was convinced by Dr. E and Cathy to pursue a career in engineering.”

Dr. E is Amelito Enriquez, professor of engineering and mathematics, and Cathy Lipe is the director for the Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement program.

“I’m so happy I made the switch because I’ve found my passion.” Xenia said she wants to eventually pursue a master’s degree in bio-medical engineering. She believes she can pursue her dream of helping low-income people by using her education to better engineer medical devices. “That’s my ultimate goal,” she said. “I want to give back to the community.”