DREAM Center Kicks Off DREAM Hour

DREAM Center Kicks Off DREAM Hour

The DREAM Center has launched DREAM Hour, an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and administrators to engage in unscripted conversations about delicate topics that impact everyone’s lives. The company is good, conversations are relevant, tea and snacks are delicious and the time spent together is joyful. 

Students who have participated in the DREAM Hour have expressed:

“Everyone who goes to the DREAM hour are students or staff who want to have tea or snacks and take a rest together.  We know our lives are stressful because of the decisions made in politics that impact us.  We give ourselves an hour of our lives in a social gathering.  For an hour, we remind ourselves of what food we like, what makes us laugh, what amazing ideas we have, and what makes us great.  We share our greatness with each other, re-establishing our desire to live and overcome the obstacles in a world we care about.”  – Marvin Nieto-Cruz, DREAMers Student Club

“DREAM Hour is a time where we can come together as a community, decompress and just talk about how we’re feeling to keep us uplifted.  We check in to see how everyone’s feeling.  If we need help, we’re able to support each other with anything we need.  There’s no agenda.  That’s the great thing about it.” – Andres Aguilar, BTO Peer Mentor 

The BTO (Bridge to Opportunities) Peer Mentors have teamed up with the DREAMers Task Force and the Learning Center staff to support the DREAM Hour. The DREAM Hour takes place every Thursday in the DREAM Center (Building 9, Second Floor) from 12:30 – 2 p.m.

College Launches Pilot for Extended Study Hall

College Launches Pilot for Extended Study Hall

The District recently hosted a student survey to help assess interest and need for extended hours at campus locations. More than 1,000 students from across the District responded and of the students who responded, 93 percent indicated that they would use extended hours. 

On Monday, March 27, the College launched a pilot program and extended hours are offered to students in the Learning Center (Building 9, Room 206) Monday through Thursday from 9 p.m.-12 a.m. and Friday from 3-6 p.m. The building will remain closed on Sunday.

The pilot will be evaluated on actual student use and students will be asked to sign in using their G-number. At the end of the semester, the College will revisit the decision to extend the hours based on actual demand as demonstrated by use. 

Anna Camacho Chosen as SMCCCD Classified Employee of the Year

 

Anna Camacho Chosen as SMCCCD Classified Employee of the Year

 

Cañada’s own, Anna Camacho (STEM Project Director) was chosen by the Board of Trustees as SMCCCD Classified Employee of the Year. Having served as both an Assistant Project Director and a Project Director for a number of federally funded grant programs at Cañada College, Anna has provided leadership and support in developing a number of successful initiatives to increase student interest and awareness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and promote academic success of our students, especially those from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds.

Anna was instrumental in founding the STEM Center at Cañada College in 2012. Under her leadership, the STEM Center team successfully developed new grant proposals to support innovative student support programs. As a result, Cañada College was awarded a five-year, $4.35 million dollar US Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM and Articulation grant. Initiatives being developed for this new grant-funded program, under her leadership, include: Chemistry Jam, Difference-Education Intervention, expansion of the STEM Speaker Series, STEM Exploration Week, university transfer workshops, a professional development program for STEM faculty, and a STEM faculty community of practice.

In addition to her professional duties, Anna is also a founding member of Latinas in STEM2 to Achieve Success (LISTAS), an organization dedicated to increase the number of Latinas attaining a STEM education. She is also a consultant for Unite Here 2, a union that represents service workers, where she delivers workshops that impact knowledge on how to apply for college.  Additionally, Anna contributes to the education and research community by presenting and publishing the results of her work at national professional organizations including the American Society for Engineering Education, Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institution Educators, and the League for Innovation in the Community College.