Baseball Team Expected to Compete for Conference Title

 

There’s an old axiom in baseball, pitching and defense win championships. As the Colts enter the 2014 season, the team is strong defensively, has a powerful offense, but is still searching for the arms on the mound to propel them to the postseason.

“We’re solid on the mound, but we’re not overpowering,” said Head Coach Tony Lucca. “I believe this is one of the best defensive teams I’ve had at Cañada.”

The team began the season with a three-game sweep of Contra Costa College. Outfielder Kody Barden had four hits and scored five runs in the series while outfielder Maurice Fuller went 7-for-11. The Colts face Chabot College on Friday, Feb. 7 at 2 pm.

The Colts finished the 2013 season with a 16-19 overall record and 12-12 in the Coast Conference-Pacific Division. Lucca expects this year’s division to be extremely competitive. “Our league is tough and anyone can beat anyone on any given day. By the end of the season, I suspect you will see Cabrillo, Cañada, Ohlone and possibly Skyline in the mix to win the title.”

The Colts return their top four hitters from last season, including sophomore first baseman Dylan Cook. He hit .315 as a freshman and Lucca expects more power from Cook as he’s grown in the off season. “He’s probably our best player. He doesn’t strike out a lot and can provide the offense in the middle of our lineup.”

Cook is expected to bat third while sophomore Justin Gubser will hit fourth. He led the team in doubles in 2013 and finished with a .299 batting average. Kyle Zirbes returns to the top of the batting order and provides speed. Zirbes played for the Colts two years ago but redshirted last season.

On the mound, David Moody is the only returning pitcher to throw more than 50 innings last season. He finished with a 5-2 record. Lucca said Sam Alton, a sophomore redshirt who played for City College of San Francisco two years ago, has emerged at the top of the team’s rotation. “He throws 86 to 87 with a good changeup and slider. He keeps the ball down and moves it around the plate,” Lucca said.

Another pitcher that could emerge during the season is Tyler Rios. He’s a left-hander who will spot start and come out of the bullpen regularly.

“We have some quality hitters with power, speed, and the ability to run the bases,” Lucca said. “Our team chemistry is outstanding. I genuinely believe these kids enjoy playing the game together. I expect good things this season.”

STEM Speaker Series: How to Land a Tech Internship

The Spring STEM Speaker Series kicks off with a discussion on how to land a meaningful tech internship. It will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5 in Building 6, Room 102.

Held in both the fall and spring semesters, the STEM Speaker Series features professionals from various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields talking about their careers, research and educational paths, as well as providing advice for current and future college students. The event is free and open to the public.

In the opening lecture of the 2014 Spring STEM Speaker Series, Iris Gardner, manager of events and outreach at CODE2040, and Shola Oyedele, a student at Stanford, will discuss, "Landing a Tech Internship: How to Stand Out in a Crowd."
Gardner joined CODE2040 from the Student Outreach team at Google where she managed the Freshmen Engineering Practicum internship program for underrepresented students in Computer Science. She also worked in the Admissions Office of her alma mater, Pomona College, as well as the Career Development Office, and helped launch the inaugural year of Pomona’s $10 million campaign for paid summer internships. Iris has a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Politics from Pomona College and is originally from Denver, Colorado.

Oyedele is a senior studying Science, Technology & Society with a concentration in Computer Science at Stanford University. Although originally from Maryland, she spent the 2013 summer working at Docmunch, a tech company located in San Francisco, as a Front-End Developer. On campus, she holds leadership positions in her local chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and in Stanford’s Women in Computer Science Club. Shola enjoys staying active, and her main interests in tech are mobile computing, search, design, and innovation in developing countries.

For more information about upcoming speakers in the series, visit the Cañada College STEM Speaker Series website.

Paul Roscelli Named PTK Faculty Scholar for Eighth Time

Cañada College Professor Paul Roscelli has been named a Phi Theta Kappa Faculty Scholar for the eighth time in his career. He is one of 26 community college instructors selected from among nearly 3,000 chapter advisors to serve as Phi Theta Kappa’s 2014 Faculty Scholars.

The group will participate in the annual Faculty Scholar Conference in the British Virgin Islands, Jan. 29 through Feb. 2. During the Conference, the Scholars will prepare to serve as facilitators during Phi Theta Kappa’s Honors Institute, to be held June 16-21, at Washington University in St. Louis.

While attending the Honors Institute, these Phi Theta Kappa Faculty Scholars will lead groups of 15-20 honor students in seminar discussions of the issues presented by experts on the topic throughout the week. The Scholars will attend Part II of the Faculty Scholar Conference prior to the Honors Institute, June 14-16, at Washington University.

“The Faculty Scholar Conference is recognized internationally as one of the finest professional development programs available for community college faculty members,” said Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director and CEO Dr. Rod Risley. “Intense training is provided by nationally recognized scholars to prepare the Faculty Scholars to serve as facilitators for the Honors Institute, which is attended by approximately 500 Phi Theta Kappa members and chapter advisors from around the world and praised as ‘the crown jewel of honors programming experiences.’ ”

Beta Zeta Nu is Cañada College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges. Over the past decade, the chapter has been honored as one of the premier chapters in the country. In 2013, it was recognized at the  honor society's international convention as one of the organization's most distinguished chapters and was named the Most Distinguished Chapter in the Nevada-California Region and the sixth most distinguished chapter out of 1300 chapters internationally.

The Cañada chapter also received the College Project Award for its organization of the Evening of Academic Excellence which annually recognizes the area's top high school scholars and received the Honors in Action Award for a study on academic integrity that several members presented at the annual Bay Honors Research Symposium.

The Cañada chapter was the only West Coast chapter to be named to the Top 10 in the Most Distinguished Chapter polling in 2013. It was the second consecutive year Beta Zeta Nu earned the honor.

Confidence Grows for Cañada Basketball Team

As the men’s basketball team prepares for its final seven games of the season, first year Head Coach Mike Reynoso has reason for optimism, despite the team’s 5-15 record. A roster that features nine freshmen is beginning to grow in confidence.

“We are making some strides, just trying to work hard every day and get better,” Reynoso said. “The two things we can control are our attitude and our effort. If we stay consistent with those two things we can win and compete against any team.”

Mike Reynoso

The Colts have shown they can score. They average 81.6 points per game, second in the rugged Coast-North Conference. Freshman guard Israel Hakim leads the league in scoring, averaging 20.9 points-per-game. Hakim played high school basketball at Palo Alto High School where the team won the De Anza League title three straight years and Hakim was named first-team all-league in his senior season.

“I chose to play at Cañada because I felt that Coach Reynoso had a lot of knowledge and skill to be a great coach,” Hakim said. “Also, after the first week of practice, I felt the team was a great group of guys.”

Hakim said the Colts have a high-powered offense with plenty of shooters. Forward Rohndell Goodwin is averaging 14.9 ppg and guard Kenny Hatch is averaging 11 ppg.

Reynoso said Goodwin and Hakim have helped the team stay positive despite the lack of wins. “Israel is an unbelievable athlete who has been great on the glass for us (averaging 5.8 rebounds per game) as well as a guy we can count on for 20 points a night.” Reynoso said Hakim has the ability to play Division I basketball. “If he commits himself to working on his ball handling and shoots the ball more consistently and at an intense level, he has a chance to get a scholarship.”

Hakim describes his role on the team as the “energy” guy. “A dunk can boost the team’s energy and get us going,” he said. “I want to get the team going. Our biggest strength as a team is our hustle.”

Reynoso said Goodwin has made a remarkable recovery from two ACL surgeries and is just starting to find his groove. “It takes mental toughness to come back from that type of injury and start to play free and aggressive again, but he’s getting there. Rohndell is a guy who can do a little bit of everything on the floor, handle the ball, shoot the three, and rebound.”

The Colts face Skyline College on Wednesday at 7 pm in the second game of a four-game home stand. Reynoso said the home crowd energizes the team. “It’s nice to play at home,” he said. “The support we get from the students and staff is great. Our guys really enjoy it and are fueled by the crowd.”

Hakim said the team enters the final seven games on its schedule with growing confidence. “At first we didn’t have a lot of confidence but now we realize what we’re capable of doing in games. That confidence has led to increased hustle in practice and in games and that’s big.”

New Exhibition, "64/72", Opens Feb. 4 in the College Art Gallery

The Cañada College Art Gallery presents “64/72”, a large scale vinyl mural installation by the artistic duo t.w.five, Brazilian artist, Paula Pereira, and Swedish artist, Pernilla Andersson. The exhibit runs from Tuesday, Feb. 4 throughThursday, March 6. There will be an artist’s reception open to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Exhibition and gallery events are free and open to the public.

While exploring their cultural sensibilities, t.w.five creates new ideas, thoughts and dialogues resulting in massively sized vinyl installations challenging the viewer to question his perception of reality.  Each vinyl art piece of a recognizable subject matter such as transportation, gadgets or text, is painstakingly cut and pieces layered onto vinyl boards or directly onto windows, walls, ceilings and floors. As expressed by the artist duo, “Our work most often investigates the experience of culture shock and the impact of technology on relationships by using images that appear very graphic from a distance but are abstract and complex up close.”  Paula Pereira and Pernilla Andersson have exhibited in galleries locally as well as internationally and occasionally in unexpected outdoor spaces.

The Cañada College Art Gallery presents exhibitions to the public, focuses on an interdisciplinary interpretation of art and culture, and serves the public of San Mateo County, the college community, and beyond.

For more information, please contact the Cañada College Humanities and Social Sciences Department at (650)306-3336 or visit our website www.canadacollege.edu .

Do You Need Money for College? The Cañada College Scholarship Application is Now Open

The 2014-15 Cañada College Scholarship Application is now open. In order to apply for scholarships, students must have a college-issued "my.smcccd.edu" email address and be enrolled within the San Mateo County Community College District (Cañada College, College of San Mateo and Skyline College). Each year, Cañada College awards institutional scholarships to new, continuing, and transferring students. The scholarship awards are based on academic achievement, financial need and/or specific interests such as clubs, athletics, and service.

To apply, please see https://smccd.academicworks.com/opportunities. If you are a new applicant, click the Sign Up button to create your account. If a returning applicant, click Sign In to complete or update your scholarship application. The Application Deadline is February 13, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.

If you need assistance, please attend a Scholarship Application Workshop at Cañada College in the Financial Literacy Lab, Building 9-123.

Day	Time	Dates
Monday	12:00 pm – 1:00 pm	1/27/14 – 2/10/14
Wednesday	5:30 pm – 6:30 pm	1/22/14 – 2/12/14
Friday	10:00 am – 11:00 am	1/17/14 – 2/7/14

 

To submit a complete application by the deadline, you will need to include the following in your application:

1). Personal Statement: You will be able to type or copy and paste this directly into the application. An effective personal statement should contain enough information about you so the reader gets to “know” you. This may include any or all of the following:

• A brief personal history (where you grew up, if a recent immigrant, first to attend college, etc.).
• Your academic goals, transfer plans, and career plans.
• Your participation in community service, volunteerism, and extra-curricular activities (ASCC, clubs, sports, job, etc.).
• Awards, honors and achievements received (high GPA, Deans List, other scholarships or awards).
• Explanation of how the scholarship will help you meet your goals.
• Any financial need, obstacles or challenging circumstances you face or have overcome.
• Anything else you want to include for the scholarship review committee to know about you.

2). One Letter of Recommendation:  It is preferred that you request this from a current or former college instructor or staff member who knows you well enough to be able to provide a positive assessment of your qualities and attributes that they think make you deserving of a scholarship.  Recommenders will be emailed a secure link that allows them to write their recommendation directly into your scholarship application so PLEASE ASK THIS PERSON FIRST before entering their name and email address.  Please provide them at least a two-week lead time from the application deadline to write your recommendation.

3). Upload copies of all college transcripts (you can request unofficial SMCCCD transcripts through WebSMART).

Please check the Cañada Scholarship Website at http://www.canadacollege.edu/financialaid/scholarship.php for additional information and other scholarship opportunities. 

Cañada College Student Sets Skateboard World Record

The Bay Area has its share of world-class skateboarders but few have etched their name in the Guinness Book of World Records like Brendon Davis of Redwood City.

Davis, who is studying digital/electronic music at Cañada College, set the world record for longest stationary manual on a skateboard. In layman’s terms, Davis held a “wheelie” on the back two wheels of his skateboard for more than 19 minutes and 39 seconds. He smashed the previous record by a skateboarder from Iceland who held his wheelie for seven minutes and 59 seconds. Davis set the record at Society Skate Shop in San Carlos last May but just recently received his certificate from Guinness.

“I worked hard to train for a year to achieve my goal,” said Davis, who attended Carlmont High School for two years before graduating from Aurora Charter High School. “I never once doubted that I could do it.”

The manual skateboard trick is similar to a bicycle wheelie where the rider balances with the front or back wheels off the ground not allowing the tail or nose of the skateboard to touch the ground. The trick is one of many freestyle skateboarding tricks. Unlike other skateboarding tricks, the manual is performed in a stationary position.

The original record for a stationary manual was set by professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek during the 2007 filming of his reality television show Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory.

Davis said he was influenced by a close family friend and personal trainer named Curtis Suckut who passed away about 18 months ago. “When I was in middle school and just started to skateboard, Curtis introduced me to different balance techniques,” Davis said. “With his help, I became really good at balancing on two wheels on a skateboard. He felt that perfecting balance was a very important part of fitness and this had a huge impact on my life.”

After Suckut passed away, Davis made it a goal to achieve the longest stationary manual world record in his friend’s honor and share his story.

“On his resume, it will not only say he trained pro athletes and Olympians, he also trained a Guinness World Record holder,” Davis said. “Without his encouraging, high-octane spirit helping me through all the training and the record attempt, I would never have been able to accomplish this goal. I hope my story will inspire others around the world to follow their dreams.”

For more information about Davis and his quest for the record, view the film below by Jason Crouch.

ASCC Welcome Week Activities

The Associated Students of Cañada College will host a series of events in January designed to welcome both new and returning students to campus.

Below, you'll find a list of activities. We encourage students to take advantage of these great opportunities to learn more about Cañada and meet fellow students. To learn more, please visit the ASCC website. Welcome!

Cañada Debuts New Television Commercial, Ad Campaign

Cañada College has debuted a new 30-second television commercial that can be seen on Comcast networks throughout San Mateo County.

The video features Cañada College President Larry Buckley. It is currently running on Bravo, Comedy, FX, MTV, Nickelodeon, Oxygen, Spike, SYFY, TBS, TNT, the Cartoon Network, and USA.

It is part of a larger campaign that includes advertising on Pandora Internet Radio and 50,000 emails sent to southern San Mateo County residents.

"It was time to launch a comprehensive ad campaign to remind San Mateo County residents that Cañada is a special place," said Robert Hood, Director of Marketing. "President Buckley has been on campus for a year and brings a unique perspective. He was the perfect fit for the commercial."

The current ad campaign will run through Jan. 12.

 

Spring Semester: A Guide for New Students

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

• Arrive Early - If you pull onto campus 10 minutes before class starts you're off to a bad start. Parking on a college campus is never easy. Give yourself at least 20 minutes. Remember, you're not going to have Rock Star parking next to your class. Be sure to review the parking map and have a contingency plan. Student Lots are Lot 1, Lot 7, Lot 8, Lot 10 and Lot 6. You'll eventually need to buy a parking permit but campus security will not issue tickets the first week of school. If you are using public transportation, SamTrans Route 274 can bring you straight to Cañada from the Redwood City CalTrain station.
• Know Where You Are Going - Because you plan ahead, you have a great parking spot. But how do you get to your classes? Luckily, the Cañada campus is not that big. Review the campus map and your schedule of classes. Buildings at Cañada are numbered and each room in the building has its own number. On your schedule the class location will look something 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, Cashier’s Office, PublicSafety/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. The lines are shorter in the mid-afternoon.
• The PonyEspresso - 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 meet new friends or find somebody you know.
• The Grove – This is the Student Center at Cañada. It’s a great place to meet friends, study, and grab a bite to eat. There is a full cafeteria, a video game room, and Career Center. If you need a job, talk to Bob in the Career Center.
• Student Life & Leadership Office - Located adjacent to the Grove, the Student Life & Leadership Office coordinates student government, clubs, the game room, and a variety of events on campus. Look for announcements regarding Spirit Thursdays. They feature a variety of activities and free food!
• Smoke-Free Campus - If you want to smoke you'll have to do it in designated parking lots because Cañada is a smoke-free campus. Feel free to light up in Lots 1, 7, 6, 8, 10 & 5.
• Go to Class - This seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, every semester, there are students that don't show up for class. Because classes are crowded, if you don't show up, you can 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 are at Cañada College.

Math Jam to Receive Exemplary Program Award

The highly successful Math Jam program at Cañada College will receive the Exemplary Program Award from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges.

The award will be presented at the Jan. 14 Board of Governors meeting for California Community Colleges in Sacramento. Cañada will receive a $4,000 cash award.

Sponsored annually by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the Board of Governors established the Exemplary Program Award in 1991 to recognize outstanding community college programs.

The Academic Senate selects annual themes related to the award’s traditions and statewide trends. Recognizing the importance of assessment in placement, the theme for 2013-14 is “Assessment for Placement: Effective Practices, Alternatives, and Improving Outcomes.”  

Programs were judged based on their innovative strategies for implementing assessment, placing students, preparing students for placement exams, and scalability. Math Jam was designed as an intenstive math placement program.

Last January, the Math Jam program was honored with a J. Russell Kent Award from the San Mateo County School Boards Association. In October, it was named America’s top program at the Associate level at increasing Latino student success in college by Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate Latino student success in higher education.

"It's an honor to be part of a program recognized by the State Academic Senate with the 2014 Exemplary Program Award,” said Cañada College Mathematics and Engineering Professor, Amelito Enriquez, who helped establish the program.

Enriquez led a team at the college that created the Math Jam program in 2009 to address the low level of math preparation of underrepresented students studying STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Initially it was designed as an intensive math placement preparation program but has since evolved into a campus-wide math success program, serving students in pre-algebra through advanced calculus.

“Math Jam has completely changed my view of my future,” said Joanna Peet, a biomedical engineering major. “When I came to Cañada, I wanted to get a personal training certificate and now, because of Math Jam and the love of math that it has given me, I want to become a biomedical engineer.”

The first Math Jam illustrated the power of the program. Nearly 94 percent of the students who took the math placement test a second time scored higher after completing the two-week program. More than 63 percent improved their scores enough to be placed into a higher math course. In 2010, the program had grown to 129 students with similar success rates.

Today, the college offers three, one-week, Math Jams offered in both the day and evening, serving more than 400 students.

“It has decreased the time from enrollment to transfer by allowing students the opportunity to retake the math placement test and, in 60 percent of cases, skip ahead to the next math level,” said Danni Redding Lapuz, project director for Math Jam. “It has increased retention and persistence rates for students and more students are achieving success in their math courses.”

Math Professor Denise Hum said the program has had a huge impact on how students perceive math at the college. “It definitely seems like it is cool to like math,” she said. “In terms of what it does for students in the classroom, it helps students who wouldn’t typically feel confident as math students, gain confidence and skills.”

The Cañada College STEM Center is currently accepting online applications for the Winter Math Jam program which begins Jan. 6. Apply at http://www.canadacollege.edu/stemcenter/mathjam.php.

Three Faculty Members Honored by International Organization

Three Cañada College faculty members have received the prestigious John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College. Professors Ronda Chaney, Sarah Harmon, and Doug Hirzel will be honored at the organization’s annual conference to be held March 2-5 in Anaheim.

President Dr. Larry Buckley said the school's faculty has a passion and dedication to teaching and learning. "Professors Hirzel, Chaney, and Harmon have brought innovations to their work this past year that have served our students and the college in ways in which the entire community has benefited."

In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League established the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Awards in 2012. The awards celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff.

Ronda Chaney

Chaney has been a professor of Fashion at Cañada College for many years and has been the coordinator of the program since 1991. She teaches Clothing Construction classes, Tailoring, Beginning and Advanced Pattern Making, and Introduction to the Fashion Industry.

Her enthusiasm for fashion has inspired many students to uniquely express their own creativity. She is co-author of the book, Make It Your Own and has written for various other publications, including Sewing Update, Serger Update, Sew News, F.I.T. Review, and Singer Sewing Books. She has appeared on the nationally syndicated television program, America Sews. Chaney is known throughout the United States as an inspiring lecturer and has presented at many national conferences for professional organizations.
"I'm honored to be one of the John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award recipients," she said. "Teaching has been one of my greatest joys in life. It has been my pleasure to share my passion for fashion designing through my career and observe the success of many students."

Sarah Harmon

Harmon teaches Spanish and Linguistics at the college, as well as other institutions around the Bay Area. She is an active member of the Modern Languages Association, being on the Committee for Community Colleges. She also is an active member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. She has published articles on historical romance linguistics and theories of language change.

Harmon is an organizing member of the Bay Honors Consortium, which organizes the annual Bay Honors Research Symposium for honors students in California community colleges, as well as an annual faculty round table. She is co-editor of Think You?!, the Proceedings of the Bay Honors Research Symposium. 



Hirzel teaches human anatomy and physiology courses to pre-allied health professionals at Cañada and currently serves as the Academic Senate Governing Council President. In his classes he uses analogies, examples and storytelling to make complex body processes more easily understandable and memorable. "I enjoy showing students how well-designed the human body is," he said. "I encourage students to become advocates for health-related issues and to use what they have learned in class to explain medical information to friends, family, and patients." Hirzel served as co-chair of Cañada's Accreditation Committee in 2013 and served as Standard III Co-Chair during the 2007 accreditation of the college.

"I am honored to receive this award," he said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity I have had to be accreditation co-chair and now to serve as Cañada College Academic Senate President."

 

Cañada College Vice President of Instruction, Gregory Anderson, said Hirzel and Harmon provided the college essential leadership in writing the self-evaluation for accreditation and for encouraging broad and deep engagement from across the college. "For many months leading up to the visit and then during the visit itself, they continually demonstrated that the success of this college depends on committed and dedicated faculty leadership," Anderson said. "The visiting team figured out what we already knew - that this college is a special place, where folks stand up and shoulder responsibility."