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.

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.

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.”

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.

Cañada College, Sequoia Union High School District, to Host College Night

Cañada College, in partnership with the Sequoia Union High School District, will host its annual College Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23. The event will be held in the Cañada College gymnasium, Building 1, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City.

The event brings together representatives from approximately 80 universities and community colleges, both in-state and out-of-state, to help area high school students as they consider which college or university is best for them. Students will be informed on a wide variety of topics including freshman and transfer admission requirements, academic programs, cost of attendance, living expenses, distance, size and nature of the student body, and activities.
 
In addition, workshops will be provided on topics such as financial aid availability, overview of university requirements, and how to navigate the different college and university systems.

Parents and students are encouraged to attend. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit the Transfer Center or contact Soraya Sohrabi at (650) 306-3493.

16th Annual Arts & Olive Festival at Cañada College Oct. 6

The classic rock riffs of Santana, Styx, Heart, and Fleetwood Mac will echo through the olive orchards at the 16^th annual Arts & Olive Festival at Cañada College.

The festival will be held from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday, Oct. 6 on the college grounds, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City. Cañada is conveniently located off Highway 280 at the Farm Hill Blvd. exit. Parking and admission are free but a $5 donation is requested to help fund student scholarships at the school. Approximately $10,000 is raised annually through the festival to help community college students attend school.

This year’s festival entertainment includes Radar Love, a ‘70s and ‘80s cover band, and Chameleon, a Santana tribute band. A full list of entertainment can be found at www.olivefest.org.

The campus, which is part of the San Mateo County Community College District, is situated in a beautiful setting amongst hundreds of olive trees. The festival features Northern California olive growers offering samples of unique olive-related food products including cured olives, olive oil, flavored oils, and vinegars. Festival goers can also browse a variety of arts and crafts, enjoy wine and craft beer, and purchase food from local restaurants.

The festival also includes a free children’s area with face painting, storytelling, balloon animals, a marionette show and more.

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

Former Cañada College Student Rose Whitmore Receives Prestigious Literary Prize

Former Cañada College student and current Belmont resident Rose Whitmore has received the prestigious William Peden Prize, which recognizes the best piece of fiction published in The Missouri Review during the previous volume year.

Whitmore will receive a check for $1,000 and will read at the annual Peden Prize reception in Columbia, Missouri. “It’s such an honor to be recognized with this prize,” she said. Whitmore’s writing has appeared in Mason’s Road, Fourth Genre and the 2013 California Prose Directory, an anthology about the state of California. She has work forthcoming in the Mid-American Review and The Sun.

Whitmore’s Peden Prize-winning story is about a little girl who grows up in a cannery in Eureka. It is titled, The Queen of Pacific Tides. “I grew up commercially fishing smelt, a world that is both beautiful and imbued with the guts and sand and cold,” Whitmore said.

“There are many stories about young girls on the precipice of adolescence, digging in their heels against change, but ‘The Queen of Pacific Tides’ manages to surprise on every level,” says contest judge Tina May Hall. “The story is a gorgeous story all around and is one of those that will stay with you, will sneak into your dreams and perfume them in strange and wonderful ways.”

Whitmore’s path towards becoming an award-winning fiction writer began at Cañada after a pilgrimage across Spain in 2009. “I came home and decided I would take a step towards becoming a writer, something I always wanted to be – something the pilgrimage inspired me to act on.” She enrolled in a creative writing class taught by Professor Mike Nagler. “I loved Mike’s class, and somewhere about half way through I decided I wanted to pursue an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in creative writing. I used the two stories I wrote in his class for my application and was admitted to the University of New Hampshire that spring.”

The mere act of getting to Cañada and Nagler’s class was, at times, an adventure for Whitmore. Living in Berkeley and working in San Francisco, Whitmore would take MUNI to Caltrain, disembark at Redwood City, where she would jump on her scooter, which she parked at the train station, and ride up the hill to Cañada. “Round trip it took about an hour and a half,” she said. “I would leave my job in San Francisco, fleeing the fog and noise of the city just wanting to be in that class. I would arrive and the air would be warm, and the campus green, and everyone in my class very supportive. It was a great experience.”

Nagler said Whitmore was a valuable member of his class. “She offered enthusiastic critical analysis of her classmates’ efforts but she did it with great honesty that was gently and encouragingly given. Her insights helped the class to be better, and, for that, as well as her gifts as a writer, I valued greatly her membership in it.”

Nagler said Whitmore is a terrific example of the diverse student body served at community colleges. “She already had a degree when she decided to come back to school,” he said. “She was truly a lifelong learner.”

Whitmore grew up on the Peninsula and graduated from UC Berkeley. Her mother is a Cañada alum. “My childhood was filled with fishing and backpacking and trips to Baja,” she said. “I became a West Coast writer in a very North East place. I began to write about California and the Pacific, I always like to joke, to mentally escape the New England winter. But I do have New England to thank. The program at New Hampshire allowed me the freedom to see my version of the West Coast more clearly, to solidify my experiences and have space from them.”

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in May, Whitmore moved back to the Peninsula. She is currently living in Belmont, working on a novel, a collection of short stories, and an essay collection. She is also a copywriter for a company in San Diego.

Short Course on Sustainability and Home Energy Assessment Begins Sept. 5

 

Are you interested in making your home more energy efficient? A short course at Cañada College that begins Sept. 5 can help you do just that.

INTD 401, Sustainability and Home Energy Assessment teaches students how to use diagnostic tools including an infrared camera, blower door device, and moisture meters to perform energy assessments in existing residential structures. The course also explores marketing strategies for energy efficient homes.

The class begins Sept. 5 and runs through Oct. 24. It meets on Thursdays from 3:10 to 5:50 pm.

The course is taught by Elsa Torres, a professional designer who has created a series of courses at Cañada that focus on green design and sustainability in interior design.

“Understanding how to design the interiors of homes and offices to make them healthier and more energy efficient is not a trend,” she said. “This is the way we are going to live moving forward. Local governments have adopted regulations that require builders and designers to create healthier work and home environments. Our goal is to prepare students to succeed in this new reality.”

For more information, visit the green design program on the web or call (650) 306-3320.

State Chancellor Brice Harris Opening Day Speaker

Dr. Brice W. Harris, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, will speak at Cañada on Thursday, Aug. 15 as part of the San Mateo County Community College District's Opening Day activities.

Dr. Brice Harris

The topic of Harris’ presentation will be “Restoring Access and Improving Student Success:
The Dual Opportunities of California Community Colleges.” Harris has spent much of his career working to improve student success and access at community colleges. 

Harris has served as chancellor since 2012. Prior to being selected as the leader of the largest system of higher education in the nation, Harris served 16 years as chancellor of the Los Rios Community College District in the Sacramento region, president of Fresno City College and a faculty member and vice chancellor in the Kansas City, Mo., community college system.

While with Los Rios, he was instrumental in leading initiatives that improved student success. He also led the charge to expand access for thousands of students by overseeing the establishment of the district’s fourth college, Folsom Lake, and developing educational centers in Davis, Elk Grove, Natomas, Rancho Cordova and West Sacramento.

The district's Opening Day activities begin with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the Main Theater followed by a formal program from 9:15 to 11 a.m. that will include Harris' keynote address. A luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the upper quad.

Are you new to Cañada? Here's some simple advice

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 problems. 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 you want to park in is full. Student Lots are Lot 1, 7, 8, 10 and 6. Do not park in staff lots without the appropriate permit or you are sure to get a ticket. You'll need to buy a parking permit but campus security will not issue tickets in student lots through the first two weeks of the semester.

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF CAMPUS

• Know Where You Are Going - Because you have a plan, you'll 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, 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. The new Career Center is located in the Grove and the friendly staff can help you write a resume, prepare for a job interview, and search for jobs. There is also a spot in the Grove to just chill and play video games.
• 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. But, as a courtesy to staff, faculty, and students who don't smoke, please refrain from smoking on the rest of campus.
• 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 can be.

Attila Elteto Hired to Teach Astronomy, Physics

Attila Elteto has been hired as a new full-time faculty member in the Science & Technology Division. He will teach astronomy and physics.

Most recently, Elteto has been teaching astronomy at the University of Connecticut and Naugatuck Valley Community College. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Astronomy at Cornell University and earned a PhD in Astrophysical and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder. After deciding his real passion was in education, Elteto returned to school and earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of New Haven.

Elteto said he’s been passionate about teaching astronomy for over a decade, much of it in public outreach, but in recent years has also started teaching formal astronomy classes at the collegiate level.

“I am especially excited when I have some powerful tools I can use, because most of the public gets very excited and awed when they look through a telescope, even just a small one, or see the ‘sky’ rotate in a planetarium,” he said.

Elteto said he was attracted to the job at Cañada because it emphasized the need for teaching astronomy labs. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to teach astronomy hands-on,” he said. “In addition, (Cañada College) President (Larry) Buckley assured me that the college is looking to expand its STEM disciplines in coming years, and he was excited to learn my interest in expanding on the astronomy curriculum, and possibly conducting astronomy outreach at the college.”

Buckley said Elteto’s approach to teaching will make him an asset to Cañada’s faculty. “Attila went back to school to earn a master’s degree to become a better teacher,” Buckley said. “He understands that students today learn differently than they did even 10 years ago. They are going to enjoy his classes.”

Elteto said that even at the 101 level, astronomy is an exciting way to draw students towards science. “Many students enter my classes thinking it may just be straight lectures with lots of pretty pictures,” he said. “Instead, my mission is to use the context of astronomy to teach student the skills and tools of science in general. I expect active participation from my students, and encourage peer-to-peer learning. By the end of the semester, I expect students to be able to formulate their own questions, use the tools they’ve learned to seek the answers for themselves, and present what they have learned in a thorough, professional manner.”

Outside of teaching, Elteto said he enjoys singing and is usually a member of a choir. He also enjoys hiking.

Cañada Professor Earns Best Paper Award at Engineering Conference

The presentation outlined a successful summer research internship at the school

In 2011, Professor Enriquez (fourth from left) was honored by President Obama for his mentoring activities.

Cañada College Professor Amelito Enriquez was honored last month at the American Society for Engineering Education Conference for his presentation detailing a partnership between the college, San Francisco State University, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center that provides internship opportunities for Cañada students

The paper, titled “Promoting Academic Excellence Among Underrepresented Community College Engineering Students through a Summer Research Internship Program,” received the Best Paper Award from the ASEE Two-Year College Division. The annual conference was held June 23-26 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The partnership between the two schools and NASA was developed through a three-year grant funded by the NASA Curriculum Improvements Partnership Award for the Integration of Research (CIPAIR) program. The 10-week summer internship provides opportunities for freshmen and sophomore students at Cañada to participate in engineering research under the supervision of SFSU faculty and a graduate student mentor. 

Research topics include performance-based earthquake engineering, circuit design for biomedical applications, embedded system design, and transistor reliability issues in nano-scale circuits. 

Enriquez said the program was developed to help improve student retention. “A recent report prepared by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, indicates that the United States needs to produce one million additional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals in the next decade to retain its historical preeminence in science and technology,” Enriquez said. “The report indicated that retaining students in the first two years of college is the most promising and cost-effective strategy to address this need.”

John Paulino, a former Aragon High School graduate, spent two summers in the internship program while studying at Cañada. He is now studying mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley and has been named a NASA Student Ambassador mentoring other engineering students.

“Being a NASA Student Ambassador connects me with a network of great professionals," he said. In addition, Paulino credits the ambassador program with connecting him to peers, preparing him to enter the STEM workforce, and allowing him to represent NASA toinsprie and engage future scientists and engineers. Paulino said it was all made possible through the 10-week internship program at Cañada.

Jesus Garcia spent his summer internship at SFSU learning how to conduct research and work with groups of researchers. "These are two very important skills for engineers," he said. "The internship also helped me become a better analyst, critical thinker, and problem solver. It's a perfect opportunity for students who have no previous experience to gain real-world knowledge in the field of engineering."

Garcia studied under SFSU Professor Cheng Chen, investigating a phenomenon called Soft Oxide Breakdown in the performance of integrated circuits. He later presented his findings at a regional ASEE conference. 

“In the first two years, the program has generated high quality research from participating students,” Enriquez said. He said post-program surveys indicate participating students strengthen their identity as engineers, increase their interest in research, and become more motivated to transfer to a four-year university, complete their bachelor's degree in engineering, a pursue a graduate degree.

Gregory Anderson Joins Cañada as the New Vice President of Instruction

Anderson comes to Cañada from De Anza College where he served as a dean

Dr. Gregory Anderson, formerly the Dean of Learning Resources at De Anza College in the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, has been hired as the new Vice President of Instruction at Cañada College.

“We are all simply thrilled that he has joined our team and I’m certain he will be a key player in Cañada’s continuing growth and development as one of the state’s premier academic and career training institutions,” said Cañada College President Larry Buckley.

Prior to becoming a dean at De Anza, Anderson served for five years as director of the college’s academic support programs. He also taught English as a Second Language courses, directed the campus Basic Skills Initiative, led grants, and served as immediate past president of the Academic Senate.

Before arriving in the Bay Area, Anderson held several positions at the University of Southern California, including the director of testing and assessment and senior lecturer at the university’s American Language Institute.

“I’m very excited to join Cañada,” Anderson said. “I’m eager to begin working with our faculty and staff to develop academic programs that serve the needs of our community.”

Anderson is multilingual and has lived around the world. While teaching in Lesotho as a Peace Corp. volunteer, he co-founded a night school for women. In Venezuela he worked in the petroleum industry and in Guatemala, he studied the history and cultures of indigenous people. He facilitated seminars on human rights while teaching English and training teachers at colleges and universities in Japan.

Anderson holds a master’s degree in teaching from the School for International Training and a doctorate in higher education from USC.

“My primary role is to support the mission of the college through our academic offerings,” Anderson said. “In doing so, I want to increase our ability to reach those who can most benefit from a community college education.”

Cañada College Parking Lots Offer a Spectacular View of Fourth of July Fireworks Shows

Campus will open at 6:30 p.m.



It has become a tradition for many Peninsula residents. Pack the family into the car and head to Cañada College on the Fourth of July for amazing views of local fireworks shows.

Parking Lot 7 on the Cañada College campus, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., in Redwood City, overlooks the San Francisco Bay and offers views of local fireworks shows up and down the Peninsula. "It's a fantastic view and I understand the community enjoys coming to the campus for this event," said Cañada College President Larry Buckley. "We're pleased to open the parking lot on the Fourth of July and participate in this tradition."



Cody the Colt

The college will also be an active participant in the Redwood City Fourth of July Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. Cañada will have a float and walking group in this year's parade with the theme "From Here, You Can Go Anywhere!" The float is being built by the Associated Students of Cañada College and Theater Manager Mike Walsh. It will commemorate Cañada's 45 anniversary and includes a destination pole pointing out the college goals along with some of the universities that Cañada students have transferred to in recent years. Riding on the float will be several students representing campus programs and Cody the Colt, the school mascot.

If you are planning to watch fireworks from the college, it’s important to remember that alcohol, barbecues, pets, and personal fireworks are not permitted on campus. Lot 7 will open at 6:30 p.m. Directions to the campus and a map can be found on the college website.

Alicia Karver Hired to Coach Volleyball at Cañada College

Karver was a member of the CSU San Bernardino team that finished second nationally in 2008-09.

Alicia Karver, a former assistant coach at Sierra College in Rocklin, has been hired to rebuild the Cañada College volleyball program.

Karver spent three seasons as the first assistant at Sierra, winning a Northern California championship during her tenure. She was also a successful college player, winning conference titles at San Joaquin Delta Community College in Stockton and winning two conference titles and finishing second in the nation at California State University San Bernardino.

Karver is a 2005 graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Stockton where she played four years earning first-team all-area three times.

Most recently, she’s been coaching Mercy High School in Burlingame, which finished 20-12 in 2012. That record was good for a three-way split of the West Bay Athletic League Skyline Division title.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity,” she said. “I enjoy coaching at the community college level. I played at a community college and I’ve coached at a community college so I know that’s where I want to be.”

Karver said she understands the situation many community college athletes face. “When I finished high school, I was burned out and I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said. “I had been playing high school and club volleyball for years. It wasn’t until I started playing at Delta that I fell in love with the game again.”

Once the volleyball season starts, Karver said she’ll be attending local high school matches to introduce them to the Cañada program. She’ll have her eye out for talent but, more importantly, she wants commitment. “I can teach them the skills,” she said. “I need athletes who are committed and excited to help build this program.”

She describes her coaching style as “tough but positive” and she’ll emphasize strength and conditioning in conjunction with the primary volleyball skills of serving and passing. Karver works as a strength and conditioning coach and earned her master’s in kinesiology from Sacramento State.

Karver is also interested in having an impact on her players beyond volleyball. “I want to help them transfer to universities,” she said. “My experience at Delta was instrumental in helping me earn a college degree.”

Cañada Begins Operating Under Summer Hours June 7

The college will be closed on Fridays through Aug. 2

Cañada College will begin operating under summer hours on Friday, June 7. During this time, the college will be closed on Fridays.

Student Services will be open Monday and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Library and Learning Center will be open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through July 25.

The college will resume normal business hours on Monday, Aug. 5. For more information, call (650) 306-3100.

Summer Session Begins June 17

Summer session at Cañada begins Monday, June 17. Class registration has begun and will continue through late registration, which concludes June 22. Students can register for classes at WebSCHEDULE.

The college has added a number of new online courses this summer, including Human Biology, Computer Science, Introduction to Astronomy, English 100, and Physical Geography. Space is limited so students are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible.

Janet Stringer, Dean of Science and Technology and coordinator for distance learning, said the online courses are extremely popular with students returning home from four-year universities who need core requirements. "There is a growing demand for online courses, especially in the summer," she said. "Those classes have been filling quickly."

A new online course in US History that transfers to both UC and CSU schools has proven so popular it filled within days of opening.

For a complete list of summer classes, go to WebSCHEDULE. To register for summer classes, please visit our Admissions & Records Department on the first floor of Building 9.

The six-week summer session ends July 27 while the eight-week session ends Aug. 10. Final examinations for all summer classes will be held on the last meeting day of the class.

Redwood Symphony Presents "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

The Redwood Symphony presents "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" with a full cast and chorus in two special performances Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2 in the Cañada College Main Theater. Saturday's performance begins at 8 p.m. and Sunday's begins at 2 p.m.

Redwood Symphony Maestro Eric Kujawsky said Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics for the original 1979 musical thriller, could be one of the greatest composers of our time.

"I’ve long come to the conclusion that Mr. Sondheim could well be our greatest composer, up there with Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein, et al.," Kujawsky said. "The only reason that he is not, I’m convinced, is the snobbery that many serious musicians feel towards musical theatre."

Set in 19th century England, the musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years' transportation on trumped-up charges. When he finds out that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by the judge who transported him, he vows revenge on the judge and, later, the whole world. He teams up with a piemaker, Mrs. Lovett, and opens a barbershop in which he slits the throats of customers and has them baked into pies.

Tickets for both performances are $20 for adults and $10 for students. They can be purchased by visiting www.redwoodsymphony.org.

Judge Cruz Reynoso to Speak at Saturday's Commencement Ceremony

More than 200 graduates will participate in the school's 43rd Commencement Ceremony

Judge Cruz Reynoso

Cruz Reynoso, one of California’s preeminent civil rights lawyers and a former Associate Justice on the state’s Supreme Court, will be the featured speaker at the 43rd Commencement Ceremony for Cañada College.

The ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. in the upper quad. The campus is located at 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., in Redwood City. More than 200 graduates are expected to participate.

Elizabeth Elaina Mattingly is this year's valedictorian. She is one of three students in this class to earn a perfect 4.00 GPA. She is graduating with degrees in economics and business administration and will be transferring to a four-year school in the fall.

San Francisco's Doris Vargas will receive this year's President's Student Leadership Award. Vargas is a former member of the Lady Colts soccer team and has been active in Phi Theta Kappa, Cañada's award-winning honors club. She will be transferring to San Francisco State University in the fall.

This year's student speaker is Vimolruedee "Jojo" Kolby of Redwood City. Kolby emigrated from Thailand six years ago and enrolled at Cañada to learn English. She will be transferring to San Jose State University in the fall where she will major in business with a concentration in accounting.

The school will also honor four retiring faculty members: Chuck Iverson, professor of mathematics and computer science; Jacqueline Phillips, professor of ESL; Ronald Trugman, professor of business; and Nancy Wolford, professor of interior design.

Judge Reynoso was invited to speak at this year's commencement ceremony by Dr. Lawrence Buckley, the newly appointed president at Cañada. "We are honored to have Judge Cruz Reynoso as our commencement speaker," he said. "He is a man who has travelled a truly inspiring path, and whose personal values include a dedication to education and a commitment to serving others."

Judge Reynoso grew up in rural California in the 1930s and 1940s. The son of farm workers and one of 11 children, his personal story reflects the experience of many Mexican-American families from that era and it heavily influenced his professional decisions.

After exemplary academic success as a college and law school student in both the United States and Mexico, and three years of service in the Counterintelligence Corps of the United States Army, Judge Reynoso became the first Latino lawyer for the California Rural Legal Association (CRLA), a group of attorneys fighting labor abuses in California’s Central Valley.  In 1969, he began his service as the organization’s director.  During his leadership, Judge Reynoso lifted the CRLA to national prominence. Today, the CRLA provides free legal assistance to approximately 40,000 low-income, rural Californians.

Judge Reynoso was appointed an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeals in 1976, and was elevated to the position of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California in 1981. 

Judge Reynoso served on the US Congressional Select Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Policy, and in 1993, he was appointed by the United States Senate to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights where he continued to fight for the underrepresented. 

He was a delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, served on President Obama’s Transition Team in 2008 as an advisor on human rights, and in 2000 was awarded America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then President, Bill Clinton.

Today, Judge Reynoso continues his advocacy for improving California’s communities by taking-up the cause of promoting increased access to higher education for the state’s young people. As an alum of a California Community College, he is an enthusiastic supporter of the mission and goals of the colleges, saying, “…at community colleges, there is always hope.”

Four Finalists Named for Vice President of Instruction Position

Two Open Forums Will be Held to Introduce the Candidates

 

 

Four veteran California community college administrators have been named finalists for the position of Vice President of Instruction at Cañada College.

 

Two open forums will be held to introduce the candidates to the campus community. The first is scheduled for Thursday, May 2 from 2:20 to 4:30 p.m. in Building 3, Room 142. The second will be held on Monday, May 6 at the same time and place.

 

The public is invited to attend both forums. Each will begin promptly at 2:30 p.m. so attendees are asked to arrive no later than 2:20 p.m. Following a short introduction, finalists will ask for questions. Please bring any questions you wish to ask.

 

Following is the schedule for both forums along with brief information about each finalist.

 

Dr. Barbara Illowsky - Open Forum on Thursday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Barbara Illowsky is a professor of mathematics at De Anza College in Cupertino. She is currently on reassignment and working in the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office in Sacramento where she serves as the Director of the Basic Skills Initiative and oversees Middle College High School grantees. Dr. Illowsky holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from State University of New York at Albany, a Master’s Degree in Statistics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D./Doctoral Degree in Education: Instructional Design for Online Learning from Capella University.
 

Linda Hayes – Open Forum on Thursday, May 2 at 3:30 p.m.

Linda Hayes is the Interim Vice President of Instruction at Cañada College where she has served since July 2012. Prior to this, and since 1998, she served at the Dean of Business, Workforce & Athletics at Cañada College.  Beginning in 1988, she served as faculty/coordinator for the Business Office/Technology Department at Cañada College.  In addition, since 1978, worked as Adjunct Faculty at Skyline College. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Secretarial Science, a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from University of San Francisco, and a Master’s Degree in Business Education from San Francisco State University.

Dr. Gregory Anderson – Open Forum on Monday, May 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Gregory Anderson is the Dean of Learning Resources at De Anza College in the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. He has been employed in the district since August 2005. Prior to this, he served as a full-time faculty member and program director at the University of Southern California. He has taught at the National University in La Jolla, Kyodou Gakuin Community College in Japan, RSNF-TINS in Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and served as a director/coordinator/faculty member at Kwansel Gakuin University in Japan. He was also a volunteer teacher in the United State Peace Corp. Dr. Anderson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communication and English from the University of Wisconsin, a Master’s Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the School for International Training, and a Ph.D./Doctoral in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Southern California.
 

Dr. Stacy Thompson – Open Forum on Monday, May 6 at 3:30 p.m.

Dr. Stacy Thompson is the Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences at Merritt College in the Peralta Community College District and has served in this position since July 2008. Prior to this, and since 1999, she served as faculty in the Child Development department. In 2004, she became Chair, Human Development at Merritt College. Dr. Thompson has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Lewis and Clark College, a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Mills College, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Mills College, and a Ph.D./Doctoral in Educational Leadership from Mills College.

Jane Rice Hired as Instructional Designer

Rice replaces Ricardo Flores who transferred to Skyline.

 

 

Jane Rice has been hired as the new instructional designer at Cañada College and she’s eager to work with faculty to help them develop online courses. Rice replaces Ricardo Flores, who transferred to Skyline College.

Rice began her career as a faculty member, teaching German Studies and Women’s Studies at both Penn State and the University of Arizona. She left her faculty position at the University of Arizona to move back to the Bay Area. She has worked as an instructional designer at the UC Berkeley Extension and San Jose City College as well as for a San Jose tech company producing tutorials.

“It’s important that faculty know I’m on campus and I’m here to help them,” she said. “I can help them design online courses from beginning to end or just offer technical assistance in a variety of areas. It really depends on what they need.”

Rice will be visiting division meetings to meet faculty members and offer assistance. “Having taught in the classroom, I understand the types of questions faculty members have when it comes to developing online courses.”

Rice said she will sit down with interested faculty, look at their student learning outcomes, and help them a design a course that meets their needs. “Developing a good online course is more than just offering the standard classroom lectures online. It’s important to think about what you want students to learn and then design interactive learning opportunities around those learning outcomes.”

Student-to-student interaction and student-to-faculty interaction are essential to a good online learning environment, Rice said. This can be accomplished through a variety of ways, such as creating a group project for students to develop a Wiki on a given topic.

“Online learning has changed tremendously over the past 10 years,” she said. “Students expect feedback on questions within 24 hours, which is our policy at Cañada. Courses are designed to provide access to both students and faculty.”

Rice said she is developing a calendar of workshops including introductory workshops for faculty interested in designing their first online courses. The complete list of workshops will be listed on the campus calendar.

Campus to Conduct "Lockdown Drill" March 26

Cañada College will be conducting a "Lockdown Drill" at 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. The drill is designed to identify how the college can best provide for the safety of staff, faculty, and students.

This will be the third lockdown drill performed on campus. Each drill have provided useful information to help campus personnel improve emergency procedures. Comments received from each drill have been used to improve subsequent drills.

Here is the process that will be used for today's drills:

Notification: The loud speaker system will be used to notify the campus that there is a lockdown drill. The announcements will be made at 11:30 am and 7:00 pm.

Before the Drill: Faculty and staff will “lockdown” all areas during the drill. Students should listen for instructions from faculty and staff.

During the Drill: During the lockdown, staff and faculty will make sure to:             

• Lock, barricade, or block the doorway to secure the door(s) to classrooms or office areas
• Cover any/all windows (curtains, blinds, etc) and turn out the lights
• Remain quiet and calm
• A building captain or campus safety/facility staff member will be going through buildings to check if rooms are secure
• Unlock the area when the “all clear” signal is given through the loud speaker system

After the Drill: If you have feedback on what worked well and what did not, please send an email to joyd@smccd.edu. The Crisis Action Team will be debriefing the drill and would appreciate your feedback.

Middle College Student Jacqueline Kerns to Perform at PTK Convention

Kerns will perform a song from the musical “South Pacific”

Middle College student Jacqueline Kerns will take center stage at this year’s Phi Theta Kappa Convention in San Jose.

Kerns, a San Carlos resident, will open the program with “A Cockeyed Optimist”, a song from the musical “South Pacific”.

“It’s very exciting,” Kerns said. “The space is amazing. They hold rock concerts there.” Kerns will sing at the convention on April 6.

This year’s convention is being held April 4-6 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Phi Theta Kappa’s 95^th annual convention features more than 100 educational forums, detailed information on college completion resources, opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with students, advisors and alumni chapters from around the world, and award presentations.

Cañada’s PTK chapter is one of the strongest in the country. Paul Roscelli, a faculty advisor for the club, has been named a PTK Faculty Scholar seven times. Former Cañada President Thomas Mohr received the Shirley B. Golden Award of Distinction in 2009 which is bestowed on college presidents that show exceptional support for their chapters. Vice President of Instruction Linda Hayes was the recipient of the Distinguished College Administrator Award in 2012 and former VPI Sarah Perkins also received the award. The Cañada PTK chapter has been named a Five Star Chapter for 13 consecutive years.

Kerns will be unable to attend the entire PTK Convention because she’ll be at a National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. “It’s also being held in San Jose,” Kerns said. “I’m focusing on seven pieces for that competition.”

Kerns attended a private high school and later transferred to a public high school before enrolling at Cañada last spring as a concurrent enrollment student. “I really enjoy Middle College,” she said. Kerns said she has another year remaining at Middle College before she attends college. Her mother is a concert pianist and Kerns said her educational dream is to attend the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia but her goal is to attend a college with strong academics and music.

Two Interior Design Students Win Regional Honors

It is the 13th consecutive year students at the school have placed in the competition

Jennifer Roseborough (L) and Denise Sigillo with their design boards.

Denise Sigillo of Redwood City and Jennifer Roseborough of San Carlos both won honors for their designs at the recently held Interior Design Student Career Forum in San Francisco. This is the West Coast’s premier interior design student symposium, drawing up to 500 students from California, Nevada, and other states.

Roseborough earned Second Place honors in both the kitchen and bathroom design competitions. The Kitchen Design competition was sponsored by NKBA California Capital Chapter, and the Bathroom Design competition was sponsored by NKBA Northern California Chapter.

Sigillo won first place in the Residential Lighting Design Competition sponsored by the Northern California chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association.

“Both students, on their own initiative, worked over the winter break to complete and submit their entries,” said Nancy Wolford, Professor of Interior Design at Cañada. “They are both a credit to the program, typical of the quality of our students and the work they do. Needless to say, I am extremely proud of both of them.”

This was the 13^th consecutive year a student from Cañada’s Interior Design Program has placed in the prestigious competition. “It’s a record no other college program in the state or region can claim,” Wolford said.

Roseborough said the competition is rigorous. She spent hours designing a bathroom and a kitchen for the competition. “I needed to prepare designs that met National Kitchen and Bathroom Association (NKBA) standards and met the specifications of the fictional client. It takes a lot of hours to go through the design process and produce the drawings for each project.”

Roseborough said the bathroom design featured a small San Francisco-style home but the client wanted a lot of storage and light. “The space limitations were very difficult to design around,” she said.

The kitchen design was more open-ended but she said designing for a larger space also presented challenges.

Sigillo was given a floor plan for a house and was required to design the lighting. “We could define our own style and mine was modern Scandinavian,” she said. “I incorporated that style into the lighting and decorative lamps that I chose.”

The entire lighting project had to adhere to strict California Title 24 guidelines regarding energy efficiency.

Both Sigillo and Roseborough enrolled in the Interior Design Program at Cañada to develop second careers. Sigillo worked in advertising while Roseborough was a dancer for the San Francisco Ballet.

“For me, it’s about stretching myself creatively,” Roseborough said. “The professors in the program encourage us to think differently and to grow.”

Sigillo said the competition forced her to think about how much time she could spend on the design and yet still earn a profit. “You have to learn time management,” she said. “If you are in business for yourself, and you want to earn a profit, you can’t spend all of your time on one client.”

Sigillo said she wants to work in a firm doing lighting design in the residential or small commercial markets when she graduates from Canada. She's even considering pursuing an Interior Design Master's Degree.

“I would like to own my own design business or work for a smaller firm,” Roseborough said. “The Interior Design Program at Cañada has given me the tools I need to succeed at a career in design.”

ASCC Election for Student Trustee Underway

The Associated Students of Cañada College is hosting an election to select a nominee from Cañada for the office of Student Trustee for the San Mateo County Community College District.

Election packets are available in the Center for Student Life and Leadership, Building 5, Room 354. The deadline to turn in the election packets is Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m. The election will be held March 25-26.

The winner of the election will be forwarded to the Student Trustee Appointment Panel on Saturday, April 13 at the District Office where they will go against the Skyline and CSM elected student trustee nominee for the final spot of District Student Trustee.

All interested students are encouraged to apply. The term of the District Student Trustee will be April 2013 through June 2014.

Minimum Qualifications to Run for Office

As stated in ASCC Constitution and Bylaws, SMCCCD Rules and Regulations and the California Education Code, in order hold the office of Student Trustee:

• Students must be currently enrolled in at least six (6) units of credit at Cañada College.
• Must have and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 while running for office and while serving their term in office, and must show they have completed 50% of their classes each semester.
• The Student Trustee must fulfill the requirements as outlined in District Rules & Regulations Section 1.05.
• Must complete the Election Candidate Eligibility Form, complete 100 Word Statement and attach Non-official transcript.
• Must collect fifty (50) signatures of currently enrolled students at Cañada College and attend an ASCC meeting.

Minimum Levels of Commitment

As outlined in Section 1.05 of District Rules and Regulations:

1. Attendance at the SMCCCD District Board of Trustee meetings. The Student Trustee shall study the documents that are presented to the Board of Trustees at regular meetings and study sessions and represent student interests on these matters before the Board. Regular meetings are usually at 6pm in the evening. Currently, they have been on Wednesday nights.
2. The Student Trustee shall call and attend one District Student Council meeting each month to review the upcoming Board of Trustees’ agenda and to discuss issues before the Board of Trustees.  In addition, the Student Trustee shall attend Student Council meetings at the Colleges at least once per semester.
3. Through the District Student Council, the Student Trustee shall keep the Student Council at each College informed about issues brought before the Board of Trustees and shall seek student input on these issues.

Benefits for Serving as the Student Trustee

Compensation: Currently, the Student Trustee earns a maximum of $281.50 per month for serving as Trustee and is eligible, at the Board’s discretion, for an additional $3,378 service award if s/he has fulfilled the duties of the position for a 12-month period. The district provides the elected Student Trustee with Dental, Life Insurance, Medical, Vision, Worker’s Compensation. The Student Trustee may claim mileage for attending board meetings and other official District business as authorized by the Board; the mileage allowance for 2013 is $0.565 per year.