Learning English Led to a New Life for Redwood City’s Patricia Segura

After moving from Mexico five years ago, Patricia Segura knew she would have to master English to stay in the United States, find a job, and fulfill her goal of studying to become a nurse. But without command of the language, going to college seemed impossible.

“When I decided to stay in this country, I wanted to keep studying as I was doing in my country,” she said. “Learning English became a new short-term goal in my life. I wanted to study English in college but I had to start from the beginning.”

She began taking community-based English courses offered by Cañada College at Sequoia High School. Later she moved to John Gill Elementary School to take a course because her nephew was in the class. When she finished her course at John Gill, Segura’s professor helped her sign up for the first level of English as a Second Language at Cañada College.

“When I started at Cañada, my goal was to learn English to find a job,” she said. “Now I'm pursuing my goal of becoming a nurse. The more I learn the language the more secure I feel in achieving my future plans.”

As she mastered English, Segura became more confident. “I learned how to adapt to my new culture and become part of my new community.” She took a child development course at Cañada and that led to a job. “That really changed my life.”

Segura said her first bit of advice to anyone moving to the United States from another country is to learn English. “It’s not easy, especially if you work and study, but it’s not impossible. You can change the way you see the world and many new doors will open. The satisfaction of being part of the student community is very important.”

The Cañada College CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program is collaboration between the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD), the Redwood City School District (RCSD), and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program provides language and computer skills classes for the workforce. These ESL and computer classes, offered at seven different sites in the South San Mateo County community, serve as a bridge to on-campus academic and career programs. Upon completing the program, students receive the English for the Workforce Award.

For more information, please contact: Jenny Castello, ESL and CBET, Department Coordinator – castello@smccd.edu; Diana Espinoza-Osuna, ESL and CBET, Retention Specialist – espinozaosunad@smccd.edu; or the ESL and CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program- (650) 306-3388.

Learning English Was a Life-Changing Experience for Gladys Chanco

For Redwood City’s Gladys Chanco, enrolling in community-based English courses offered by Cañada College was a way to help her six-year-old daughter with her homework.

Chanco’s daughter was enrolled at Selby Lane Elementary School. “I learned about the English courses from a flyer that my daughter brought home. I needed to help my little daughter with her homework so I had to learn English. I remember going to class with her and feeling proud that I would be able to help her.”

Chanco passed the English as a Second Language 800 course and was so encouraged by her success that she began to set new goals. “My second target was to finish the first four levels of ESL and earn my ACE (Academic Command of English) Certificate. Today, I’m taking ESL 400 and I’m preparing for a course in accounting. I want to finish all of the ESL courses so that I can earn my associate degree in accounting.”

In addition to opening a door to a new career, having command of English made Chanco’s day-to-day life easier. “I passed the driver’s exam and got my license and now I’m able to drive myself around. I’m able to study for my citizenship exam next year. I’m also able to meet with my daughter’s teacher during parent-teacher conference without the need of a translator.”

Chanco said people who come to Redwood City without the ability to speak English should register for the community-based English courses offered by Cañada. “It’s never too late to start studying,” she said. “Studying English as a second language will open the door to many opportunities. It was the best decision I ever made in my life.”

The Cañada College CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program is a collaboration between the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD), the Redwood City School District (RCSD), and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program provides language and computer skills classes for the workforce. These ESL and computer classes, offered at seven different sites in the South San Mateo County community, serve as a bridge to on-campus academic and career programs. Upon completing the program, students receive the English for the Workforce Award.

For more information, please contact: Jenny Castello, ESL and CBET, Department Coordinator – castello@smccd.edu; Diana Espinoza-Osuna, ESL and CBET, Retention Specialist – espinozaosunad@smccd.edu; or the ESL and CBET/Off-Campus ESL Program- (650) 306-3388.

Spring Semester Registration Fees Are Due Jan. 6!

On Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, students who have any outstanding fee balances will be dropped from all classes at midnight for non-payment of outstanding fees.

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 7, students will be dropped at midnight the day following their registration for non-payment of fees.

If you need assistance in paying your fees, you are encouraged to:

 

• enroll in an inexpensive payment plan via WebSMART by 8:00 p.m. on January 6.
• 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).
• If you are an AB540 student and unbale to complete a FAFSA due to your citizenship status, complete the 2013-14 California Dream Act Application as soon as possible. A minimum of five business days processing time is required to ensure receipt of the Dream Application to prvent your drop for non-payment (school code required: 006973 Cañada).
• complete the Board of Governors Fee Waiver via WebSMART.
• Have fees paid by a third party (i.e. Dept. of Rehab, Scholarship, WIA, etc.).
• If you still need financial assistance after exhausting all options listed above, please contact the Vice President of Student Services.

Dance Motion VII Steps Out Dec. 13

The annual Cañada College fall semester student dance performance will be held Friday, Dec. 13th at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Theater. The performance is free and open to the public but donations are requested to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. This year’s performance is titled “Dance Motion VII”.

Dance instructor Ana Miladinova said she’s excited for this year’s performance because of the diversity in the dances. “We have jazz, modern, ballet, salsa, and hip-hop,” she said. “I also saw some students practicing by themselves and performing dances on Latin music which were very vibrant.”

Many of the students are taking Miladinova’s Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz and Salsa dance classes. She said some have performed before and some are beginners. “It is exciting to watch them practice,” she said. “It brings them happiness. Many students have been working for this since the beginning of the semester because they are passionate about dance. Their enthusiasm shows on the dance floor.”

Miladinova said the college developed a dance degree, which was recently approved by the state and some of the students intend to study dance at the college. “After completing the degree, they may transfer to a four year university or become future choreographers and dance teachers or performers,” she said.

Noel Chavez Hired as College Recruiter

Noel Chavez, a former Cañada College student and a Sequoia High School graduate, has been hired as Cañada's new college recruiter. He replaces Ariackna Alvarez who moved to Southern California in the summer.

Chavez is a 2004 graduate of Sequoia High School, where he received the Sequoia Awards Scholarship. He graduated from Cañada in 2008 with a degree in sociology and recently graduated from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont with a degree in human services with a concentration in academic counseling.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to return to Cañada," Chavez said. "Cañada has meant so much to me and was instrumental in my education."

While studying at Cañada, Chavez was actively involved in student government and worked as a campus ambassador where he recruited high school students from the Sequoia Union High School District. He received multiple scholarships and received the Cañada College President's Student Leadership Award at commencement.

For the past five years, Chavez has been working actively in the Redwood City, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto communities. He is a fellow in the San Francisco Foundation's Koshland Program where he focuses on mentoring and advocating for youth in the North Fair Oaks community.

As the college recruiter, Chavez will supervise a group of student ambassadors that will represent Cañada at various events and in the local high schools. He will also develop the school's recruiting activities in association with Cañada's strategic plan.

"I'm the perfect example of how Cañada can help our local students," Chavez said. "The support I received at the school helped me earn a college degree. That's a powerful message."

Women's Health Issues Explored in Spring Course

Studies have shown that women, as health care patients, have different needs and concerns as compared to men.  Women also experience different obstacles in their attempt to access health care in the U.S. and internationally.

A course offered at Cañada College this spring explores not only specific health concerns for women but also the issues and challenges that uniquely affect women as patients. 

HSCI 116: Women’s Health Issues will be offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:45 to 11. Class begins January 14.

The course covers a wide variety of topics including the basic anatomy and physiology of the female body, the unique nutritional needs of women throughout the life cycle, issues around fertility and reproduction, and the impact of women’s socioeconomic status on their ability to access healthcare and advocate for their needs.

"In more nitty-gritty terms, this course provides women with a rare opportunity to learn relevant information about their bodies and to become more informed patients," said Dani Behonick, assistant professor of Health Sciences and Biology at Cañada. Behonick will be teaching the course.

"Men who take the class have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the health of their partners and family members and to become informed allies and advocates for women’s health," Behonick said.  

"We get real in this class – favorite topics include a lecture-long tour through the ins and outs of the pelvic exam, explanations and demos of how several forms of contraception work and classwide discussions of why folks might opt for one method over another, a month-long project where all students (including the men) must track their basal body temperature each day and reflect on how effective they think this would be as a contraceptive/fertility method, and conversations on what 'normal' looks like for the female body," Behonick said.

Career, Technical Programs on Display Dec. 5 for High School Students

Approximately 200 students from five local high schools will descend on campus Thursday, Dec. 5 to learn about a variety of career and technical programs available at Cañada.

"We'll be hosting students from Capuchino, Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia and Woodside high schools," said Mallory Stevens, event organizer and assistant professor in the Business, Design & Workforce Division. "The presentations will focus on three programs: Multimedia Art, Fashion and Merchandising, and Computer Science."

Stevens said the program is designed to educate students about career and technical programs available at Cañada in addition to possible careeers available in those fields. Students will also receive a personalized tour of campus that focuses on the services available outside the classroom.

The high schools were invited based on the career and technical education pathways they offered. "We want to show students that they can go to college, study the subject they've enjoyed in high school, and prepare for a number of career paths."

For more information about the event, contact Stevens at stevensm@smccd.edu.

Spring Courses Focus on International Marketing and E-Commerce

Study the Global Business Environment and How to Manage an Online Business

 

Cañada College will offer two business courses this spring focused on managing a business over the Internet and successfully negotiating the global business environment.

Business 230 – International Marketing, will be offered online. The course outlines the major dimensions of the global business environment while providing a set of conceptual and analytical tools to successfully apply the “4 P’s” (product, price, place and promotion) to global marketing.

The three-unit course transfers to California State Universities but is also useful for anyone involved or interested in international business. “The course will review global economic, political-legal, and cultural environmental factors,” said Cañada College Professor Candice Nance. “Global market research and data sources are also explored.”

 

Nance said other topics covered in the class include foreign market selection, foreign market entry, supply chain management, international pricing, and global marketing of services.

Business 339 – E-Commerce, will be taught Mondays and Wednesday from 9:45 to 11 a.m. The three-unit class will also transfer to CSU schools. “We’ll explore the theory and practice of effectively conducting and managing business over the Internet,” Nance said.

 

Topics include the Internet’s impact on the economy, e-business models, business uses of the Internet, online business strategy, technology, and marketing.

Registration is currently open for both classes. Spring semester courses at Cañada College begin Jan. 13. For more information on either class, contact Nance at nancec@smccd.edu.

San Jose Artist Rachel Lazo Featured in Gallery Exhibit

The Art Department is proud to present "Heart’s Delight: Recent Paintings by Rachel Lazo" at the Cañada College Art Gallery, Building 9, Room 152.

The show runs from through December 12. Gallery hours are Mon. - Thur., 9am - 2pm.

Lazo’s recent body of work entitled “Heart’s Delight” explores the link between family and place. The rolling hills south of Gilroy, the fig tree in her back yard, and her uncle’s mowed lawn in suburban Los Angeles shape the activity and interaction of family members. At the core of these paintings is the idea that the natural world shapes our relationships and is an intrinsic part of who we are. Her color usage was inspired by the paintings and murals of Les Nabis, a group of French 19th Century decorative painters associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. Les Nabis were interested in creating paintings that would provide a respite from the chaos of modern-day life. Their paintings depicted figures in landscapes, and the images were stylized and abstracted to elicit a serene and contemplative state of mind. Maurice Denis and Édouard Vuillard, in particular, used tonalities of color with little value contrast to create a dream-like effect in their paintings. Exploring color interaction, composition, texture and pattern, Rachel’s paintings are meant to inspire contemplation of family, engagement in nature, and the unbridled happiness of childhood memories.

Lazo is full-time faculty at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose. She lives in San Jose with her husband and 4-year-old daughter, where her husband grows a vegetable garden and orchard, and where her daughter frolics for hours outdoors.

For more information contact Bill Morales, 306-3343, moralesw@smccd.edu.

Beating the Odds Peer Mentorship Program Helps First Generation Students Succeed

Alejandro Meza remembers what it was like first setting foot on the campus at Cañada College. He graduated from Woodside High School in 2009 and then served in the military before returning home with a desire to study engineering. But Meza was the first person in his family to attend college and he didn’t know how to start or proceed through the higher education system.

 

“My first experience in college was like being on a roller coaster,” he said. “I was totally committed to college and my parents were supportive from the first day but, like many students, I didn’t know how to navigate the college system.”
 

That’s when he learned about Cañada’s Beating the Odds Peer Mentorship Program and met Marija Stevanovic, his new peer mentor. “The program introduced me to other students, staff, and programs at the college,” he said. “By meeting with my mentor every so often, I understood how to organize my school schedule, access tutoring services in subject areas where I needed academic help, and become connected with the larger college community.”
 

Patricia Guevarra, the program services coordinator overseeing the program, said students participating in Beating the Odds learn about campus resources, tutoring, important deadlines, financial aid, student organizations and clubs, how to transfer to four-year colleges, and more. “Our primary focus is to increase retention and persistence rates while providing a positive and successful transition for first generation students,” she said. “We know that when students feel like they are part of the campus community they are more likely to succeed.”
 

Jesus Baca has been a peer mentor in the program since its inception. “Beating the Odds is a great way to start your Cañada College experience. It is a great way to socialize with other students and get help from peers who have been through similar struggles.”
 

Baca said the program helped him transform into a student leader. “It has helped me learn that I want to help people and that I want to be surrounded by students with similar interests. This is a great way to get know other students and become involved.”
 

Today, Meza has transitioned from a wide-eyed freshman with more questions than answers to a peer mentor helping other students in the program. “The best thing about Beating the Odds is working alongside a team of mentors,” he said. Peer mentors at Cañada have organized student success and academic workshops, cultural potlucks, turkey drawings, fun runs, and other events. “I am proud to be part of Beating the Odds and helping to organize events that benefit new students.”
 

Meza said the program has also helped him succeed in the classroom. He is on his way to earning an associate’s degree in engineering and plans to transfer to San Jose State University and participate in the school’s general engineering program. Eventually, Meza wants to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
 

“My involvement in Beating the Odds has helped me both academically and socially,” he said. “I became part of a community of students that want to succeed at Cañada College.”



Cañada College Student Part of NASA Program to Study Mars

Cañada College student Jessica Rose has more than just a passing interest in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) latest mission to Mars. The applied mathematics major wants to work with the space program someday and was recently accepted into a prestigious NASA online internship program.

“This is an amazing opportunity and I am so fortunate to have been chosen,” Rose said. “My dream is to one day work with the space program and it would be so exciting to work on a mission to Mars.”

Rose is one of 53 students nationally to be accepted into NASA’s National Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) program where she will be learning about the Red Planet, past missions to Mars, and designing her own Mars mission complete with a rover.

Rose isn’t the first Cañada student to be chosen by NASA to study Mars. In 2012, Sagar Singh, Victor Vargas, and Omar Arriaga spent three days last May at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena making plans for the future exploration of Mars. They were among 90 community college students chosen to participate in the project. Their charge was to build the next generation of rover that would replace Curiosity, which is currently exploring Mars.

The NCAS is divided into two components. The first component is a series of online lessons that each student must complete. Those are currently underway. Following the lessons, a few students in the program will be chosen to visit either the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL., or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. They will be chosen based on their online lesson scores, applications, geographic locations, letters of recommendation, and other information collected.

“I’m honored to have been chosen for the first phase of the internship,” Rose said. “I can’t wait to find out what we will be doing at the on-site visits, if I am lucky enough to be selected.”

Rose began attending Cañada in spring, 2012. She graduated from high school in Montclair, NJ, in 1995 and moved to California with her husband, Brandon, in 2003. They came to the Bay Area in 2011.

“When I decided to go back to school, I visited Cañada’s campus and really fell in love with it,” she said. Rose joined Phi Theta Kappa, Cañada’s honors program, and has surrounded herself with students who have high goals and are willing to work hard.

“It’s been an amazing experience at Cañada,” Rose said. “I feel like the school has really prepared me for the future.”

Hopefully, someday, that future includes a mission to Mars.

Women's Golf Team Finishes Third at State Championships

For most teams, a third place finish at the California Community College Athletic Association Women's Golf State Championships would be phenomenal. But for the Cañada College Colts, it's difficult to hide the disappointment.

"It was disappointing to lose our first match of the season in the state championship," said Head Coach Rick Velasquez. "But the girls are in good spirits and proud of what they accomplished."

The tournament, which was played at Tracy Golf and Country Club on Monday and Tuesday, was won by Santa Barbara Community College. The Vaqueros, led by medalist Fanny Johansson, shot a two-day total 646. Fullerton College finished second at 650 while Cañada shot a 664.

The Colts were led by Sarah Rotter, who shot a 85-78 163. Kristi and Shannon Wong and Laura Arellano all shot 167 for Cañada.

"The team played well from tee to green, however, the putts that usually find the bottom of the hole wandered off in this tournament," Velasquez said.

Despite the disappointing finish, Velasquez said the Colts left their mark on the tournament. "Several college recruiters, the winning Santa Barbara coach, and several others commented on our team being a 'class act'. The team is proud to wear the Cañada golf apparel and represent our institution."

Typhoon Haiyan Relief Drive Nov. 19-21

Cañada College is organizing a relief drive for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan which ravaged the Philippines on Nov. 8.

According to the Weather Channel, Typhoon Haiyan is the most powerful storm to ever hit landfall. It slammed into the Philippines causing catastrophic damage.

According to the Philippine government, more than 4,000 people were killed by the storm and nearly 1,600 are still missing. The storm has displaced 3 million people and affected 9 million more. The United Nations relief services report an absence of food, water, shelter, and medicine in nearly ever corner of the country.

It's estimated that 4.9 million children have been affected by the storm. That includes 1.5 million children under the age of five who are at severe risk of malnutrition.

The students, faculty, staff, and administration at the college are partnering with the Save the Children Foundation to raise money for direct relief of the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 19, volunteers will be manning tables on the campus main quad where they will be sharing information about the effects of the typhoon, details about the Save the Children Foundation, and taking donations. Donations will be collected Nov. 19-21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Joan Rosario Tanaka at (650) 306-3204 or tanakaj@smccc.edu.

Women's Golf State Championship Tees Off at 10 am

The Cañada College women's golf team is seeking its first state championship when the 2013 Women's Golf State Championship tees off at Tracy Golf and Country Club today at 10 a.m.

The Colts enter the tournament as the state's only undefeated team. They won the Northern California championship last week by 44 strokes. Shannon Wong, who finished 13th at last year's state championship, shot an 11-over-par 155 to finish lead the pack at the NorCal championship. She was the only golfer to break par on eitherday, firing a 71 on the second and final day of the tournament.

Cañada, along with NorCal runner-up Modesto Junior College, will host the Southern California champions Santa Barbara City College and the SoCal runner-up Fullerton College. SBCC, like Cañada, won both rounds of the SoCal championship and won the tournament by a combined 15 strokes.

Santa Barbara City College is making its fourth trip to the state finals in eight years. They won it in 2006 and in 2008, and finished second in 2007. They are led by freshman Fanny Johansson, who shot a 151 (75-76) to place third in the SoCal individual championship. Teammates Vanessa Villa, and Saralisa Ortega tied for seventh to help power the Vaqueros to the SoCal title.

Cañada is making its second consecutive trip to the State Final Four. Last year, the Colts finished third to Irvine Valley and Glendale College. Kristi Wong, Sarah Rotter, and Laura Arellano will join Shannon Wong in competing for the state individual championship.

Renowned Scientist to Lecture on Climate Change Nov. 19

Dr. Katharine Mach, co-director of science with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will discuss climate change as a challenge in managing risks at a special lecture hosted by the Cañada College Center for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

The lecture will be held Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 3:10 p.m. in Building 3, Room 148 on the Cañada campus, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City. It is free and open to the public.

A draft report from the IPCC was leaked on the Internet earlier this month. It describes a planet in peril as a result of the human-caused buildup of greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution, where glaciers are shrinking and plants and animals have shifted their ranges in response to rising temperatures. The future, according to the report, is grim. Climate change will disrupt not only the natural world but also society, posing risks to the world's economy and the food and water supply and contributing to violent conflict. The formal report is expected to be released in March.

The IPCC is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change. It was established by the United Nation's Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization in 1988 to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate changes and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.

The IPCC reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data or parameters. The organization has issued five major assessments of the science of climate change, each including a report on its effects. Hundreds of scientists from across the world collect and summarize thousands of peer-reviewed studies to come to a consensus every five or six years.

Mach, who earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and her Ph.D. from Stanford University, is currently researching the treatment of uncertainties in climate change assessments and decision making. Her past research involved marine biomechanics and ecophysiology, ecological consequences of wave-induced breakage in seaweeds, and the impacts of climate change for ocean ecosystems.

Colts Claim Second Straight NorCal Women's Golf Title

For the second straight year, the Cañada College women's golf team has won the Northern California Community College Championship.

On Tuesday, the Colts qualified four golfers for the California Community College Athletic Association Womens Golf State Championship to be held Nov. 18-19 at the Tracy Golf and Country Club. Cañada finshed third in last year's state championships held at Temucla Creek Inn Resort.

Cañada's Shannon Wong, who finished 13th at last year's state championship, shot an 11-over-par 155 to finish first at this year's Northern California championship. Wong was the only golfer to break par either day, firing a 71 on the second day of the tournament.

Kristi Wong and Sarah Rotter each shot a 162 for Cañada, as they finished the tournament tied for third. As a team, the Colts simply overwhelmed the competition, firing a tournament best 646. Modesto Junior College finished a distant second with a final score of 690.

Shannon Wong, Kristi Wong, Rotter and Laura Arellano will all represent Cañada at the state championship.

Starting and Growing a Sustainable Business

A new course at Cañada College can help budding entrepreneurs grow a sustainable business

 

Cañada College is offering a new course this spring to help budding entrepreneurs start and grow a sustainable business. Spring semester classes at the college begin Jan. 13. New students can begin registering for classes on Nov. 12. For information about registering for classes at Cañada, go to http://www.canadacollege.edu/admissions/apply.php. For additional information, call the Welcome Center at 650-306-3452.

Business 393 – Starting/Growing a Sustainable Business will meet every Wednesday from 6:10 to 9:15 pm, Jan. 15 through May 21. The class is taught by Chris Yalonis, a 25-year veteran of seven start-ups. Yalonis has also served as a strategy consultant and marketing advisor to more than 100 organizations large and small across the technology, consumer goods, and professional services sectors. He is the author of seven books on management, technology marketing and international relations, including the Guide to Writing a Business Plan and a new 24-week online course, Sustainable Innovation in Business, a master’s level program sponsored by the University of Vermont. “This class is designed for students who want to start a business while they are still in school and entrepreneurs who are in the beginning stages of starting a business,” Yalonis said. “It will also appeal to managers at existing businesses who want to embed sustainable practices in their current operations.”

Yalonis said community and business leaders who want to promote sustainability in their organizations and communities can also benefit from the concepts taught in the class.

Students will examine sustainable business success stories and lessons from successful start-ups in Silicon Valley and the North Bay. They will hear success stories from San Rafael’s Venture Greenhouse, a business accelerator and incubator for social and environmental entrepreneurs and a community resource for innovators and new ventures. “We’ve launched 20 new businesses in the past two years at Venture Greenhouse and they all have social and environmental missions,” Yalonis said.

The class is a perfect small business management compliment to the successful efficiency, trade and solar energy classes currently offered at Skyline College. “Great technicians, designers and installers/contractors need business skills to be successful,” he said. Students will learn:

• Increased awareness and understanding of the broad range of business environments, structures, and management/leadership concepts for small business.
• Create a business plan, capable of raising money and recruiting team members and partners.
• Develop critical thinking and decision-making skills to balance environmental, social and economic performance requirements.
• Self-assessment of personal values and embedding them into the business for social equity and justice, as well as environmental stewardship and responsibility.
• How to demonstrate the business case for sustainability, its meaning and performance metrics.
• Understanding profit and value creation using sustainable principles and practices
• Understand how to conduct a SWOT analysis as well as inexpensive market and competitive research techniques.
• Raised awareness of business structures, legal issues, ownership forms, regulations and tax implications related to small businesses.
• Work on a small team to analyze and critique an existing business on its business model and its use (or non use) of sustainable principles.
• Increased awareness of green business entrepreneurial opportunities in various sectors of business, review of cases across industries

For specific information about this course, please contact Yalonis at (415) 309-0331 or yalonisc@smccd.edu.

 

Sequoia Hospital, SFSU to Host Info Session on Nursing Program at Cañada

Sequoia Hospital and San Francisco State University will host an information session from 2 to 3 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 13, regarding their Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Cañada College. It will be held in Building 18, Room 205. The information session is free and open to anyone interested in pursuing a degree in nursing.

The program was founded in 2004 as a four-way partnership between the Sequoia Health Care District, Sequoia Hospital, Cañada College, and San Francisco State University. The program provides an additional 40 places each year for students interested in and qualified for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and helps address the nursing shortage in the San Francisco Bay Area and southern portion of San Mateo County.

All courses are taught by San Francisco State University faculty on the Cañada College campus. Sequoia Hospital provides most of the clinical placements for student in the program. In addition, the hospital supports students with various scholarship opportunities.

The program prepares students for entry level nursing positions in hospitals, community clinics, long term care, home care, and community health agencies. Graduates work as staff nurses in the following areas: maternity, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, gerontology, psychiatric/mental health, and public/community health nursing.

For more information, visit the Sequoia Hospital/SFSU Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Cañada College Fact Sheet.

For more information, visit the Sequoia Hospital/SFSU Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Cañada College Fact Sheet - See more at: http://www.canadacollege.edu/news/index.php?postID=5322149947229605581&id=5670366946617807975#sthash.y9kraTWE.dpuf

Wired for Success: Cañada Alum is Web Content Strategist at Wells Fargo

Courtney Caldwell arrived at Cañada College in the fall of 2007 eager to explore the field of digital media but not sure what career track to pursue.

“Cañada had the most flexible digital arts program as it offered classes in animation and video game art, fields that other campuses didn’t offer,” she said. “I wanted the flexibility and options to take classes in different digital art and multimedia fields so I could figure out my own career path. I ended up taking nearly every class in the program as they were all so interesting and challenging.”

Caldwell held a bachelor’s degree in Art and Art History from UC Berkeley before enrolling at Cañada. She had graduated from Aragon High School but didn’t have a lot of job-specific focus. Years later, she realized that she wanted to pursue a career in digital media. “It wasn’t until I got to Cañada that I found that focus,” she said.

Caldwell said the digital arts program at Cañada provided all of the tools necessary for her to succeed. “I had access to the latest software and hardware along with the expert instruction from people that had worked in the industry for years,” she said. “They knew the basics and kept up with the changes in web design techniques, technology, and best practices.”

The faculty was instrumental in her success, Caldwell said. “Every professor in the department had a huge impact on how I shaped my portfolio and my career because they were my guides to a new chapter in my life. They were very enthusiastic. That’s really important because it helps students keep their passion to improve their portfolios and maintain focus on their career goals.”

Cañada Multimedia Professor Paul Naas said Caldwell was the kind of student professors love to have in class: inquisitive, energetic, always asking questions, and wanting to go beyond the basics of the course. “She absolutely made the most of her time here,” he said. “Not only did she take nearly every class the department offered, but she was also a lab assistant, an art gallery assistant, a member of PTK (Honors), and even put together one of our annual art gallery shows.”

Naas said Caldwell is still active with the college, serving as a web design representative on the Multimedia Art & Technology Advisory Board.

While finishing her degree at Cañada, Caldwell was hired by Hotwire.com as a production artist and copywriter. She was later hired by Blue Shield of California to work with their User Experience Team and is now a web content strategist at Wells Fargo.

And what advice would she give students pursuing a career in digital arts or web content development? “Give it your all,” Caldwell said. “Investing in your career starts by taking your skills seriously and using the classroom as a place to build them. Use the resources available to you, including your teachers, counselors, and classmates. Don’t waste your time or your money in any class if you aren’t going to do your best to knock it out of the park. Remember, people in your class and on campus could become someone that can give you a job later, so you always have to do your best.”

Breaking Down the Programming Divide: Democratize Computing Lab

A group of entrepreneurs gathered on the Cañada campus in late October with a simple goal in mind: Demystify the world of computer coding and broaden and diversify the pool of software creators around the world.

It’s part of global effort that seeks to teach programming skills to designers, artists, women, people of color, scientists, health professionals, humanities majors, entrepreneurs – anyone who desires to add software to their creative problem solving arsenal. Kay O’Neill, Director for Workforce Development at Cañada, invited the Democratize Computing Lab Advisory Board to meet on campus. The quarterly meetings are led by about 30 entrepreneurs, and their respective organizations, including large tech companies such as Google and Facebook.

“Our goal is two-fold,” O’Neill said. “We want to empower people to thrive in today’s increasingly digital society, and to infuse the software development field with creative, big-picture thinkers. We want to open up the possibility for software creation to become part of a universal skill set just as literacy itself moved from a narrow elite to society at large over the course of modern history.”

Video Game Artist Draws Success at Zynga

As a student at Westmoor High School in Daly City, Truman Simpson avoided math and science classes whenever possible. Now, as a video game designer for Zynga, he understands math’s importance.

“I spent most of my time in English studies,” he said. But something happened to Simpson when he enrolled at Cañada College in 2010. “Suddenly, math and science were fun for me.”

Simpson said he chose Cañada to study Maya, a 3D computer graphics software system designed in close collaboration with Walt Disney Feature Animation that is the industry-standard for video game designers. “Cañada’s program fit my lifestyle,” he said. “I was originally only going to take a couple of night classes but the staff’s energy and enthusiasm made me want to take more.”

Simpson said the faculty created an environment that made the tools secondary to the skills being taught in the classroom. He said faculty members Paul Naas, Roger Royce, and Domenic Allen taught him about art, creativity, and engineering, which formed the foundation of his education. The math Simpson avoided in high school now became relevant. “We learned how to use the software but the underlying principles of how to apply our skills came from the teachers at Cañada.”

Allen said Truman was a great student whose enthusiasm was infectious. “He always contributed energy and talent to his classes. He continues to give back to the community by speaking to current students at Cañada and describing his experiences at Zynga. He is an example of the great caliber of students we have at Cañada.”

Simpson said his fellow classmates were also inspiring. “Everyone came from different backgrounds and brought a different set of life experiences and we were able to bounce ideas off of each other in class and in labs. I pushed even harder, as my work was reflection of all of us.”

The skills Simpson gained at Cañada eventually earned him a job at Zynga, one of the world’s largest developers of online social games. The company was founded in San Francisco in 2007. His job at Zynga is fast-paced and goal-oriented and Simpson said he’s often working with people he’s never met before but they share the common goal of creating something they believe in. “Cañada taught me how to succeed in this type of work environment.”

Naas said Simpson executed his assignments with flair. “On one animation assignment, he took into account where I’d be sitting during the critique and animated the character so it noticed me and reacted to my presence. The room exploded with laughter when they saw the character.”

Naas said Simpson has made an impression while at Zynga. “There are at least two characters in Zynga games that have Truman’s unique hairstyle!”

Simpson said he loves creating games and is honing his skills at feature game development and technical artistry at Zynga. He said students who want to learn the skills of game development at Cañada should enter each class with an open mind. “Learn all the time and from everyone in your classes,” he said. “Every person you meet can teach you something new. As Paul Naas is so keen on saying – you never know who’s sitting next to you.”

Glenn Tojoy: Fashioning a New Career on Savile Row

London’s Savile Row is famous for its traditional men’s bespoke tailoring where customers such as Prince Charles and actor Jude Law have suits custom made by hand. That’s also where you’ll find Glenn Tojoy, a graduate of Cañada’s Fashion Department.

Tojoy is studying at the prestigious Savile Row Academy where he is learning the art of bespoke tailoring. “The courses are designed to prepare us to become ready-to-work tailors,” he said. “We learn practical handcraft skills and other core training. The curriculum prepares us to work in cutting and tailoring rooms anywhere in the world and gives us the foundation we need to open our own business.”

Tojoy emigrated from the Philippines to San Mateo County 15 years ago. He enrolled at Cañada in 2010 with an interest in fashion design. “I chose Cañada because it offers a whole range of classes that are similar to the highly-marketed fashion institutes around the nation,” Tojoy said. “The difference is, Cañada is more affordable and the instructors are very experienced.”

Tojoy said Professor Ronda Chaney and the instructors and staff in Cañada’s Fashion Department understood and embraced his skill and creativity. He said they worked with him to improve his craftsmanship. “The improvement was dramatic,” he said. “I couldn’t have imagined how much I would learn and improve at Cañada.”

Chaney said the suits Tojoy made in tailoring classes were professionally constructed with an excellent fit. “He understood that such skills required many lab hours of making patterns and learning the steps to tailor the garment,” she said. “Glenn received several certificates in Cañada’s Fashion Department and was a delightful student.”

Cañada prepared Tojoy to work on Savile Row. “Expectations were high at Cañada. They taught us about what we should expect in a career in the fashion industry. It was a very hands-on experience.”

In 2012, Tojoy visited London to look at several training opportunities. Instructors at the Savile Row Academy were so impressed by his work at Cañada that they hand-selected him for their training program. “This is an excellent opportunity because I want to start my own business at some point,” Tojoy said.

Tojoy said Cañada College is an excellent place to begin a career in fashion. “The entire school is supportive. From the academic counselors, deans, employees in financial aid and even the janitors were a great support system. They want you to succeed.” While the support is there, Tojoy said students need to be focused on their work. “It’s not easy. They will push you but it only makes you better.”

Take a Survey, Win a $150 Amazon Gift Certificate!

How would you like to win a $150 Amazon gift card just in time for the holiday season? Cañada College wants to hear from you. We'd like to invite you to participate in a survey about how you use the media and spend your time. Your participation in the survey will help the college with our future communication efforts.

The college has hired Interact Communications to conduct the survey. It asks questions such as "what is your favorite radio station," and "what web sites do you visit". All responses are confidential. Your name will not be connected with your answers. If you decide to enter the drawing for a $150 Amazon gift card you will be directed to a different web site to leave your personal information.

We are surveying both students and the larger San Mateo County community. The online survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

If you are a current student and would like to help the college by participating in this survey please go to http://www.interactresearch.com/mp23/. Enter the password - college.

If you are a community member, go to http://wwwinteractresearch.com/mpc23/. Enter the password - college.

So far, we've had more than 250 students complete the survey and 150 community members. We thank you for taking the time to help us with this project.

Lexie Munevar Finds Support, Success, at Cañada College

Munevar struggled at Carlmont High but blossomed at Cañada

 

Sometimes, an average student can find success with a little support. That was certainly the case for Lexie Munevar, who did just enough to graduate from Carlmont High School in 2009, but found her academic footing at Cañada College thanks to Frank Austin.

“He was the first professor I connected with in my first semester at Cañada in the fall of 2010,” Munevar said. “I was a full time student, babysitting every day and enrolled in Math 200 – Elementary Statistics & Probability. My initial goal was to merely pass the class because I had heard how difficult it was and I didn’t have much time to dedicate to the course.”

Austin, who was working as a tutor in the Cañada College Learning Center, held a math workshop twice a week and Munevar began attending on Friday mornings. “It was the first time I had academic support outside the classroom,” she said. “He was the first person I felt I could go to for help.”

Working with Austin, Munevar began to understand statistics. “Frank was an amazing resource,” she said. “I not only passed the class but I received an ‘A’. at that point, I became optimistic about my studies.”

Austin remembers Munevar as a shy student who didn’t say much in the workshops but was always alert and had a ready smile. “I was very pleasantly surprised in later years as I watched her grow out of her shyness and become a student leader. I am very, very happy for her success and I’m sure that more successes await her.”

While her academics improved, Munevar was still missing the college experience. “My first two years at Cañada, I strictly attended class. I was not part of any groups, clubs, or organizations on campus. In the fall of 2012, I joined student government and was elected Commissioner of Publicity. I had no experience whatsoever in extracurricular activities but I was ready to experience it all and I got hooked!”

Munevar loved interacting and collaborating with her peers and the satisfaction she received organizing events for campus. This created a domino effect and she soon joined a number of groups, including the honor society. She was eventually hired as a mentor for Cañada’s Beating the Odds program, which pairs a current student with a new, first-generation, student to help boost the new student’s odds of success.

“These organizations gave me an opportunity to meet and work with my peers, staff, and faculty from the college,” she said. “It made me feel like a professional, productive and influential person – I was now beyond just being a student.”

She carried that confidence to UC Davis, where she is currently studying psychology. “At Cañada, I did a six month volunteer internship at Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center where I confirmed my interest in pursuing graduate school. I want to become an occupational therapist.”

Munevar said it doesn’t matter if you performed poorly in high school or if you don’t have support at home, you can succeed at Cañada. “Cañada is a community of people that genuinely care about you and your success. The campus is small enough that teachers, staff, and peers will recognize you. Once you become involved at Cañada, you will find people who will become your family. Once I got involved, I realized how crucial it is to have people that check-in to support you. It’s such an easy thing to do but it’s precisely what many of us need to keep moving forward and help us achieve our goals.”

Rally for Sustainability Celebrates Opening of EV Charging Stations

The San Mateo County Community College District will celebrate the installation of plug-in Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure at all three Colleges and the District Office. The Grand Opening begins on October 28th at 11:30a.m. at the Skyline College Auto Department where students, faculty, staff, and members of the community will participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony. The ceremony will acknowledge industry partners, as well as the Auto Technology program’s new curriculum focused on Electric Vehicles.

 
At 12:30p.m., the EV Rally will begin. EV owners past, present and future are encouraged to join the Rally by driving to College of San Mateo for a ribbon cutting of the charging station in DaVinci Lot (Lot 3) at 1:00 p.m. The EV Rally will reach the finish line in Parking Lot 4 at Cañada College at approximately 1:30 p.m. where the third and final ribbon cutting will take place and a number of EV’s will be on display. Come for all or some of the event to see the future of the sustainable transportation in San Mateo County. In 2012, the College District collaborated with Schneider Electric in a public/private partnership to install eleven Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at each of its campuses Chancellor’s Office.

The District received funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop and deploy alternative and renewable fuels and advanced transportation technologies to help attain the state’s climate change policies.  Furthermore, the District matched the funds of the CEC to achieve its goals for sustainability: improve the campus-wide system of alternative fuel infrastructure, support the use of electric vehicles, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, establish workforce training programs and offer opportunities for student learning.