Job hunting? Plan to attend these Career Center workshops

Are you job hunting? The Cañada College Career Center is offering a series of workshops this fall to prepare you to land the job of your dreams.

These workshops will help you develop resumes, cover letters, and hone your interview skills.

The Career Center's Resume Creation Workshop will teach you how to format your resume, lay it out, and develop strong content including action verbs and accomplish statements.

Of course, creating your resume is just the first step in your job hunt. Eventually you'll be called for an interview. Attending the Career Center's Interview Essentials Workshop will have you ready. Learn the purpose a job interview, different types of interviews, how to prepare and dress, and interviewing etiquette.

Finally, you can learn how to prepare a strong cover letter in the Career Center's Cover Letters Workshop. Learn the goal of a cover letter, research tips, how to format a cover letter, and how to develop strong content including action language.

The Cañada College Career Center is located in the Grove. At the Career Center, you'll find many job postings and internship announcements as well as computers to search some of the best job hunting websites around. Be sure to stop by frequently, as new features and services will be added throughout the fall.

Alicia Aguirre elected to NDNU Board of Trustees

ESL Professor Alicia Aguirre has been elected to the Notre Dame de Namur University Board of Trustees.

Aguirre has served as mayor of Redwood City since 2011. She was originally appointed to the Redwood City City Council in 2005 and was elected in 2005, 2007 and 2011.

She has served on the boards of numerous schools and organizations, including Service League of San Mateo County, Latino Community Council of Redwood City and Shelter Network, and was elected to the Redwood City School District.

Aguirre was inducted into the Redwood City San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame, and was honored as a Fulbright Exchange Professor. She has a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and has done doctoral studies at the Universidad Iberoamericana. She was selected as State of California 21st Assembly District's 2012 Woman of the Year.

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.

Nick Martin joins Cañada College as a counselor

Nick Martin has joined Cañada College as a full-time counselor at the college. He had been serving as an adjunct counselor at Berkeley City College and working as a counselor/instructor at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda.

"I'm excited to join the Student Services team at Cañada," Martin said. "What attracted me to Cañada was the college's extensive opportunities and degree programs, as well as its idyllic location on the Peninsula."

Martin said he looks forward to collaborating with counselors, administrators, faculty, and support staff to work on co-teaching projects, workshops, learning communities, success skills courses, and student orientation programs.

Martin is a native Northern Californian, growing up in Sonoma County. He attended Santa Rosa Junior College, where he first developed his passion for working with aspiring college students. He later earned his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco. He currently lives in Alameda.

Learn how to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at Cañada

Interested in completing your bachelor's degree?  Learn how you can earn a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in the evening from Notre Dame de Namur University through the University Center at Cañada College! Come to an Information Session:

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

5:30-6:30pm
Cañada College, Building 13, Room 110

Psychology classes for the Fall 2012 Semester include:

History and Systems of Psychology (September 6 - October 18)

Learn the overview of the field of psychology from a historical perspective.

Abnormal Psychology (November 1 - December 13)

This course focuses on introduction to mental disorders: classification, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Take your upper division NDNU courses for your major in the evening at Cañada College.  With personal attention, hands-on advising, highly qualified instructors and the ability to take NDNU and Cañada College classes at the same time, NDNU can help you finish your bachelor's in half the time.

No need to RSVP, just come and learn about this great opportunity!

Contact Johanna Riffel at 650-508-3524 or jriffel@ndnu.edu for any questions or concerns.

Meet Susan Mahoney, Earth/Environmental Science Instructor

Susan Mahoney is excited to join Cañada College as the new Earth/Environmental Science instructor.  She has held similar positions for the last 15 years, most recently at the Petaluma Campus of Santa Rosa Junior College. 

Susan Mahoney

Originally from Minnesota, Susan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Macalester College and a Master’s degree in Hydrogeology from UC Davis.  She has completed certificate courses in community college teaching and online teaching, as well as numerous hands-on courses in various renewable energy technologies.  Personally, and professionally, Susan is interested in water and energy conservation and efficiency.

In her free time, Susan enjoys hiking, camping, rock-climbing, gardening, reading, and traveling.  Admittedly though, most of her free time lately seems to be spent chasing around her toddler son. She and her family recently moved to San Carlos, and they love that they can now use their bikes to cruise around and run local errands.  They are also enjoying exploring local parks and hiking trails.

Fashion bloggers meet-up at Cañada

Bay Area fashion bloggers congregated at the college on Monday, Aug. 13 to share ideas about fashion and blogging.

Bloggers meet-up at Cañada

Special guest included Sara Alm, teacher and author of Fabulous Frocks; Wayne Wichern, teacher and owner of Wayne Wichern Millinery; Lynda Maynard, teacher and author of Couture Sewing Techniques; and Ronda Chaney, head of the Fashion Department at the college.

"It was a fabulous event with lots of sharing on fashion design along with blogging," said Chaney. "It was a great way to connect with former students and the bloggers were able meet each other and share ideas. In some cases, they had never met before."

"I am an alumnus of the Cañada College Fashion Department - having attended in the early 1980s," wrote Sharon a.k.a. Shams, author of the Communing with Fabric blog. "It's clear to me that Ronda has done amazing things with this department and that it is as good, if not better, as in "my" day."

Other bloggers in attendance included:

www.katyrenee.com/blog

www.jillybejoyful.blogspot.com

www.sunnygalstudio.blogspot.com

needlespinthorns.blogspot.com

sewwell.wordpress.com

cationdesigns.blogspot.com

www.waynewichernmillinery.com

Some simple advice for the start of school

So, you are preparing for your first day of the new semester and you want it to go as smooth as possible. We're here to help. If you take a few simple steps and do a little planning you'll have no problem. Let's get started.

·         Arrive Early - If you pull onto campus 10 minutes before class starts you're off to a bad start. Parking on a college campus is never easy. Give yourself at least 20 minutes. Remember, you're not going to have Rock Star parking next to your class. Be sure to review the parking map and have a contingency plan if the lot that is your first choice is full. Student Lots are Lot 1, Lot 7, Lot 8, Lot 10 and Lot 6. You'll eventually need to buy a parking permit but campus security will not issue tickets the first week of school.

·         Know Where You Are Going - Because you planned ahead, you have a great parking spot. But how do you get to your classes? Luckily, the Cañada campus is not that big. Review the campus map and your schedule of classes. Buildings at Cañada are numbered and each room in the building has its own number. On your schedule the class location will look like this - 3-113. The first number (3) is the building number and the second number (113) is the classroom within the building. If you can't find a class, ask one of the Campus Ambassadors. You can find them in the Information Booths on the quad or at the entrance to the Library off Parking Lot 1. You can also find help at the Welcome Center on the first floor of Building 9.

·         Get to Know Building 9 - All essential student services are located in this three-story building. On the first floor you'll find Admissions/Records, Counseling, Financial Aid, Student Activities, Public Safety/Parking, EOPS/CARE/CalWorks, and more. The Learning Center is on the second floor. Here you can use the computers, work with academic tutors, and study in groups. The Library is located on the top floor. Make a point to visit this building on your first day of class.

·         The Bookstore - It's college, so you're going to need books. Because you are a college student, you'll also need a soda, bag of chips and candy bar. You can get them all at the bookstore. It's located across from the Main Theater and Gymnasium. The first couple of weeks, the lines are long because everyone is buying books. If you can go in the mid-afternoon, the lines are shorter.

·         The Pony Espresso - Ok, it's not essential to know where the coffee shop is located, but you never know when you'll need a cup. The coffee kiosk is located in the Upper Quad near the entrance of Building 13. It's a favorite hangout for students and if you stand around long enough you'll probably find somebody you know.

·          The Grove – This is the new Student Center at Cañada. It’s a great place to meet friends, study, and grab a bite to eat.

·         Smoke-Free Campus - If you want to smoke you'll have to do it in designated parking lots because Cañada is a smoke-free campus. Feel free to light up in Lots 1, 7, 6, 8, 10 & 5.

·         Go to Class - This seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, every semester, there are students that don't show up for class. Because classes are crowded, if you don't show up, you could be dropped from the class. If you are on a wait list to get into a full class, it's even more important to show up on the first day to talk to the professor and see if you can add the class.

Hopefully this guide can help you survive your first day of the new semester. Remember, if you have any questions ask somebody. You'll be surprised at how helpful the staff, faculty and your fellow students

Cañada to host Convocation Ceremony Aug. 29

A new tradition will start at Cañada College on Wednesday, Aug. 29 when the college hosts a Convocation Ceremony to welcome students to school.

"The Cañada Convocation is a gathering of faculty, staff, students and community members to celebrate and prepare for the academic year," said David Johnson, Dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division. "This event underscores our commitment to academic excellence and highlights the opportunities and resources Cañada affords to every student."

Convocation will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the Main Theater.

Johnson said bringing together students, staff, faculty and the community at one event to kick-off the new academic year helps formally welcome students to the company of scholars.

"It affirms the responsibility we have to educate and prepare our students and makes clear the expectations we have of them," he said.

Interim President Jim Keller said the ceremony will give the public a chance to interact with the college and learn more about Cañada's rich academic history and educational offerings.

"We want people to understand that Cañada is their college," he said.

The ceremony is open to everyone. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Maggie Souza at souza@smccd.edu or call (650) 306-3238.

Sustainability: People, Planet & Profits

Cañada is offering a new course in sustainability called "Sustainability: People, Planet & Profits."

The course is part of a growing number of Honors courses that are open to the entire student body. This course bring together faculty from across campus with expertise in biology, environmental science, economics, art history, English, and fashion and interior design. It will examine such issues as:

• Is zero waste possible?
• Is local food more sustainable than conventional agriculture?
• Can organic food feed the world?
• Is carbon neutral possible?
• How green is green fashion?
• Is green remodeling better than new green design?
• How should we heat our houses?

The course meets Monday and Wednesday from 12:45 to 2 p.m. The units are transferable to CSU.

A Moveable Feast - Honors Courses Are for Everyone!

Honors courses at Cañada College are for everyone! One of the most popular courses is the Honors Seminar - A Moveable Feast.


Art, theater and music set a four-course banquet for students interested in an interdisciplinary taste of intriguing, challenging arts experiences. In this seminar class, attendance, led by faculty, at art exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances is preceded by a preparatory lecture/demonstration, and is followed by reflection and discussion.

Events are chosen from the Bay Area's rich buffet of art museums, theater, opera and music. Students have the opportunity to do research (and perform, if they wish) in the field of art that stimulates their intellect and inspires their creative palate. Honors credit will also be earned for both ART 680CB and the approved, concurrently enrolled course, upon completion with a grade of A or B.

Here are some of the benefits students receive for enrolling in this class:

• Take advantage of the great art experiences in the Bay Area
• You don't need any arts background.  Two professors, one in Art History, one in Music  will thoroughly prepare you for your arts experiences
• Get out of the classroom!  Visits to museums and the opera, led by professors, provide a richer, more meaningful arts experience
• Tickets to the museums and opera are free!
• Honors courses enhance your resume and improve your chances of getting into the college of your choice
• Students in this course have a high success rate of being chosen to present their work at the Bay Area Honors Consortium at Stanford and UC Berkeley
• Interdisciplinary integrative courses have a greater degree of student success
• You do not have to be part of the Honors Program to enroll in this class

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.

Honors Courses are for Everyone!

Did you know that Honors courses at Cañada College are open to everyone? This Fall, several new Honors courses will be offered, including a new Western Civilization course:

"From Optimism to Anxiety and Back Again: European Literature and History from the Early Modern Era to the Post-War World"

To enroll, you must be eligible for English 101 but there are no prerequisites necessary. Why should you enroll in Honors Learning Community HIST 101/ENGL 110?

• Honors credit looks good on your transcript
• You will get a taste of the kind of holistic, integrated liberal arts education that you can expect at a four-year university
• Watching films, visiting museums, and attending concerts are all part of the curriculum
• Knowing the history will make the literature easier to understand; reading the literature will make the history come to life
• These high-level, demanding university-style courses will be challenging, but you will get the support you need to succeed
• You do not have to be a part of the Honors Program to enroll in these courses

This honors learning community will cover topics that reflect the emotional, psychological, and cultural impact of historical trends and revolutions on actual human beings from the 1500s to today. Reading works of literature that explore these topics will allow students to assess the human experience in a particular period, through marker points, and during paradigm shifts. The courses will also present literary theory in the context of the historical and cultural circumstances that bring theory and literature into being.