Cañada College News

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

What's Happening at Cañada: Week of November 4, 2024

What's Happening at Cañada Header

Today is Election Day!

Remember to vote and make your voice heard. If you’re not registered, you can register and vote on the same day at polling locations using a provisional ballot. You can also drop off your completed ballot at our new Ballot Box on campus, located in Lot 4 by the Bookstore. Please click here if you are looking for your in-person voting location or additional Ballot Box drop-off locations.

Spring 2025 Registration

Priority registration for the Spring 2025 Semester started on October 30 and open enrollment begins November 13. Check your registration date with these easy steps:

Log in to your account using “mySMCCD OneLogin.”
Click on “WebSmart”
Click on “Student Services.”
Click on ‘Registration.”
Click on “Check here for the time and date you may begin registration.”
Select the term you’re seeking information about

Your registration date is affected by having a current Student Educational Plan (SEP). If you don’t have an updated plan, contact the Cañada Counseling Center.

Cañada Vice President of Student Services Forums

Cañada College is searching for a new permanent Vice President of Student Services. You can read the full announcement here. To ensure our campus hears from each finalist candidate, we will hold live in-person Forums November 12-15. Links to register for the in-person forums are below:

Date/Time	Finalist	Location	Forum Registration Link
Tuesday, November 12 from 2-3 p.m.	René Alvarez	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Wednesday, November 13 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.	Sam Morgan	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Thursday, November 14 from 2-3 p.m.	Lizette Bricker	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Friday, November 15 from 11 a.m. -12 p.m.	J.P. Schumacher	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Friday, November 15 from 2-3 p.m.	Luis Escobar	Building 13, Room 330	Register

While the forums will be conducted live in person, the questions for the candidates will be gathered in advance with the consultation of leadership from Student Senate, Classified Senate and Academic Senate. All forums will be recorded and available for viewing after the live events. These recordings will be shared in a follow up campus wide email which will also include forms for you to share your feedback. The feedback forms will be live after each forum. The deadline to submit all feedback forms will be Monday, November 25, 2024 at 5 p.m. Thank you in advance for your participation and feedback. We value your input.

November is Deadlines Month! Transfer Application Assistance

The COLTS-U Transfer Center is continuing to offer in-person and virtual transfer application workshops throughout the month of November. This year, the final deadlines for both the UC and CSU transfer applications for Fall 2025 admissions is on Monday, December 2. We encourage students to plan on submitting their applications BEFORE the Thanksgiving Holiday! Counselors and staff are ready to assist students working on applications in Building 9, Room 106 for extended drop-in hours leading up to the December deadline. For updated information on days and times, please visit: Transfer Center Workshop/Drop-in Schedule

SMCCCD Athletic Center's Fall Showcase

You're invited to a series of special Athletic Center Fall Showcase events on Saturday, November 16, at College of San Mateo's Athletic Center and Sunday, November 17, at Cañada College's Athletic Center . The two-day event highlights the top offerings of our Athletic Centers. All SMCCCD students, faculty, or staff who aren't members can participate in our unique programs or explore at leisure. Enjoy light snacks and refreshments! Please RSVP if you would like to attend one of these free events!

Upcoming Events

For a complete listing of events, visit the Events Calendar.

Through December 9

Cañada Art Gallery: “Bill Morales: Recent Works”

Art Gallery - Building 9, Room 152

Every Tuesday

Free Groceries – Weekly Food Distribution

11:00am - 1:00pm
Lot 6

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

SparkPoint Market

12:00pm - 4:00pm
Building 5, Room 222

Monday, November 4

Intern-Club Council (ICC) Meetings

4:00pm - 5:00pm
Building 1, Room 214

Tuesday, November 5

Presidential General Election

7:00am - 8:00pm

Arts & Crafts with Student Life

11:00am - 12:00pm
Club House, Building 5, Room 350

Ruck N’ Walk

12:00pm - 12:30pm
Building 9, Room 151

Wednesday, November 6

Donuts & Beats

9:00am - 10:30am
Club House, Building 5, Room 350

Understanding Stress and Finding Calm in Uncertain Times

11:30am - 12:30pm
Building 9, Room 123

The Lunch Breaks

11:30am - 1:00pm
Amphitheatre

Brothers Achieving Milestones (BAM): Counseling Support

1:00pm - 2:30pm
Building 13, Room 331

CSU Application Workshop

2:00pm - 3:00pm
Building 9, Room 206

Planning and Budgeting Council Meeting

2:10pm - 4:00pm
Building 13, Room 233

Thursday, November 7

Transfer Abroad to France, Webinar: November 7

9:00am - 10:00am
Online

Introduction to Microsoft Excel

11:00am - 12:00pm
Library Classroom 9-312

Dia de Muertos Celebration

12:00pm - 1:30pm
Cultural Center, Building 17 Room 107

UCPIQ (UC Personal Insight Questions) Workshop

1:00pm - 2:00pm
Building 9, Room 206

Satisfaction Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Workshop

1:00pm - 2:30pm
Building 9, Room 110

Student Senate Business Meetings

3:30pm - 5:30pm
Building 1, Room 214

Opening Reception Bill Morales

4:00pm - 7:00pm
Building 9, Room 152, Art Gallery

Dia de Muertos Casa Circulo Folkloric Dance Performance

6:00pm - 8:00pm
Building 3, Main Theatre

Friday, November 8

Financial Literacy Fridays - Building Your Credit

10:00am - 11:00am
Building 9, Room 123

Saturday, November 9

Declared Recess

All Day – No Classes & Offices Closed

Veteran’s Week Tailgate Kickoff

10:30am - 12:30pm
College of San Mateo, Parking Lot T

(Men’s Basketball) Reedley vs. Cañada

3:00pm - 6:00pm
Building 1 Gym

Sunday, November 10

Declared Recess

All Day – No Classes & Offices Closed

Monday, November 11

Last Day to Withdraw from Semester Length Classes

All Day

Veterans Day (Holiday)

All Day – No Classes & Offices Closed

Tuesday, November 12

Arts & Crafts with Student Life

11:00am - 12:00pm
Club House, Building 5, Room 350

Ruck N’ Walk

12:00pm - 12:30pm
Building 9, Room 151

Veteran’s Week: LGBTQIA+ in the Military

12:30pm - 1:30pm
Cultural Center, Building 17 Room 107

(Women’s Soccer) San Francisco vs. Cañada

12:30pm - 3:30pm
Colts Field

Scholarship Workshop

2:00pm - 3:30pm
Building 9, 2nd Floor (Writing Center)

(Men’s Soccer) Foothill vs. Cañada

3:00pm - 6:00pm
Colts Field

Wednesday, November 13

Open Enrollment for Spring Begins

All Day

UC Application Workshop

11:00am - 12:00pm
Building 9, Room 206

Veteran’s Week: Veteran Short Film Fest

12:30pm - 1:30pm
Building 9, Room 151

Financial Aid Workshops

2:00pm - 4:00pm
Building 9, Room 110

Districtwide Sustainability Committee

2:30pm - 4:00pm
Online

Finding sources using Library Databases!

5:30pm - 6:30pm

Thursday, November 14

CSU Application Workshop

11:00am - 12:00pm
Online

Summer 2025 in Rome Information Session

12:00pm - 1:00pm
Online

San Jose State University Representatives at Cañada College

12:00pm - 3:00pm
Building 9, Room 106

Veteran’s Week: Ruck N’ Walk

12:30pm - 1:00pm
Building 9, Room 151

Student Senate Business Meetings

3:30pm - 5:30pm
Building 1, Room 214

Friday, November 15

Financial Literacy Fridays - Budget Design & Tips

10:00am - 11:00am
Building 9, Room 123

(Men’s Soccer) Ohlone vs. Cañada

1:00pm - 4:00pm
Colts Field

(Women’s Soccer) Gavilan vs. Cañada

3:00pm - 6:00pm
Colts Field

(Men’s Basketball) Merritt vs. Cañada

5:30pm - 8:30pm
Building 1 Gym

Saturday, November 16

Finding sources using Library Databases!

11:00am - 12:00pm

Monday, November 18

Grand Canyon University Tabling

1:00pm - 3:00pm
The Grove (Building 5)

Intern-Club Council (ICC) Meetings

4:00pm - 5:00pm
Building 1, Room 214

APA Basics

5:00pm - 5:30pm
Library Classroom 9-312

Tuesday, November 19

Cañada Art Gallery Opening: “Bill Morales: Recent Works”

All Day
Building 9, Room 152, Art Gallery

Story Circle with Indigenous Students

1:00am - 2:00am
Cultural Center, Building 17, Room 107

International Wellness Fair

11:00am - 1:00pm
The Grove (Building 5)

Arts & Crafts with Student Life

11:00am - 12:00pm
Club House, Building 5, Room 350

Ruck N’ Walk

12:00pm - 12:30pm
Building 9, Room 151

AI and Library Research

12:10pm - 1:00pm
Library Classroom 9-312

Battle of the Bay International Trivia

1:30pm - 2:30pm
Club House, Building 5, Room 350

Scholarship Workshop

2:00pm - 3:30pm
Building 9, 2nd Floor (Writing Center)

Barcelona Fall 2025 Information Session #1

3:00pm - 4:00pm
Online

For disability-related accommodations, please email canvpss@smccd.edu or call (650) 306-3234.

Cañada Vice President of Student Services Finalist Candidates & Forums

Dear Cañada Community,

As you know, Cañada College is searching for a new permanent Vice President of Student Services. We are pleased to announce five finalists:

René Alvarez

Dr. René Alvarez is a seasoned higher education administrator with over 12 years of experience, currently serving as the Dean of Academic Success and Student Equity at San José City College. He has been instrumental in driving transformative student services initiatives that have significantly improved outcomes for underserved and disproportionately impacted students. His leadership, characterized by a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, has earned him multiple awards, including the 2024 ACCCA Award for Progress in Diversity, the SJECCD 2023 LGBTQ+ Inclusion Award, and the 2022 CAPED Administrator of the Year. His leadership extends to managing a $10 million budget, securing over $7 million in local, state, and federal grants.

Dr. Alvarez has served as faculty teaching courses on career development, and the intersection of race/ethnicity with the critical components of the criminal justice system. He is a published scholar on first-year experience instruction, trans student narratives, and at-risk student success. The Journal of Applied Research in Community Colleges will publish Dr. Alvarez's practice brief on operationalizing campus equity in Fall 2024. He has also presented on topics such as systemic racism, student equity, and academic resilience at conferences nationwide. Additionally, Dr. Alvarez is deeply committed to community service, currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Bill Wilson Center, a leading provider of social services in the Bay Area.

Dr. Alvarez credits his Cuban heritage and first-generation experiences for shaping his academic and professional journey. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Florida International University. He has also earned a Master of Education in Human Resource Studies from Colorado State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Career and Workforce Education from the University of South Florida.

Sam Morgan

Sam Morgan Sam Morgan earned his B.A. from Washington State University and his M. Ed. in School Counseling from Central Washington University. Sam brings an empathetic, solution-focused, and equity minded approach to leadership. He has 12 years of community college experience, with six of those years serving in the capacity of a Student Services Dean. Mr. Morgan has actively led various campus-wide initiatives: Strategic Enrollment Management, Drop for Non-Payment, Retention and Completion Interventions, Managing Fraudulent Enrollment, and Satisfying Accreditation Standards. Additionally, he has a history of building effective partnerships with the K-12 system, social service agencies, and non-profit organizations. Mutually beneficial services in the community have included admission application workshops, financial aid and college access presentations, culturally relevant programming, expanding dual enrollment, and community-based ESL instruction. Collaborators have included public libraries, Catholic Charities, Goodwill, community centers, and places of worship.

Sam currently serves as the Dean of Enrollment Services at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, CA. Outside of work, he enjoys running ultra-marathons, attending standup comedy shows, and traveling to visit family and friends.

Lizette Bricker

Lizette Bricker Lizette Bricker (She/Her) has over 20 years of student services experience in K-12, community college and four-year university level. Most recently, her experience includes over 10 years in community college leadership and administration. She is currently serving as Vice President of Student Services at Ohlone College. Prior to Ohlone College, she served as Dean of Enrollment Services and Support Programs at College of San Mateo (CSM), and Acting Vice President of Student Services during the height of the pandemic. Prior to that Lizette’s other roles have included Interim Dean of Counseling and Program Supervisor for a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Title V grant at Cañada College. She also served as a High School Counselor at Desert Mirage High School, Adjunct Counselor for General Counseling, Disabled Student Program and Services, and EOPS at College of the Desert. She was also an English Adjunct Faculty, teaching English Composition, Writing and Literature both at College of the Desert and Brandman University. She began her career at CSU San Bernardino as a College Recruiter, and also worked for UC Riverside in their Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP).

She’s been actively involved with the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) as a team leader for their Mentor Program. Through the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI) at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, she was trained and participated as a Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Coach.

Lizette earned her BA from San Diego State University and her MA and MS from California State University, San Bernardino. She was born and raised in Indio, CA. Lizette is a proud Latinx, first-generation, community college transfer student. It was her participation in the EOPS program that was the foundation to realizing her educational goals, an experience that solidified her commitment to support programs and services at the community college level.

Lizette is a mother of two, Lucas and Sofia, and is married to her partner, Chris. She enjoys good food, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends. She also has a passion for traveling, reading, music, dancing Ballet Folklorico and listening to podcasts.

JP Bareng Schumacher

JP Bareng Schumacher JP Schumacher understands the power of California community colleges. When his family struggled financially, JP witnessed his mother’s return to higher education in her 40s via community college. Thanks to remarkable nursing and student services faculty and staff, JP’s mom graduated from the El Camino College registered nursing program. Their lives were forever positively changed. When he enrolled at El Camino, JP experienced how a community college can unlock powerful possibilities himself.

JP received his associate degree in psychology from El Camino College, Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from UCLA, and Master of Public Administration degree from University of La Verne. He possesses fourteen years of progressively responsible administration experience- four years within the UC system and a decade at California community colleges- with titles including coordinator, director, dean, and vice president.

Possessing considerable student services management breadth, most of JP’s experience has focused on increasing equitable college access and success for minoritized populations. This focus is reflected in his proudest accomplishments: creating a Mana program to support Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students, launching a Social Justice & Equity Center, and expanding DSPS services. JP recognizes those accomplishments were only possible through intentional collaboration with campus constituents and community members.

JP is honored and excited to be considered for Vice President of Student Services at Cañada College. As a queer, multiracial individual with a disability, JP personally understands the importance of racial equity, humanity, and justice within education. Informed by this understanding, his leadership approach is collaborative and student-centered. He looks forward to applying this approach and forming partnerships with faculty, classified professionals, students, administrators, and the community to support student success at Cañada.

When he’s not working, JP spends time with his husband and rambunctious Labrador, listens to Final Fantasy VII Lo-fi music while reading, and gets his daily 10,000 steps in. JP has a penchant for discussions on critical student development theory while eating maple donuts, believing the combination to be potent.

JP’s journey reflects the transformative power of community colleges. He remains committed to ensuring that power remains easily accessible to the communities the colleges serve.

Luis Escobar

Dr. Luis Escobar has more than 18 years of experience in higher education in a wide range of positions including Classified Professional, Counseling faculty, Dean of Counseling and most recently as Acting Vice President of Student Services. In July, 2023, Dr. Escobar was selected as Acting Vice President of Student Services at Skyline College. As Acting Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Escobar collaboratively developed and executed a comprehensive strategic plan for Student Services that advances the college’s educational mission and priories with strategic focus on 1) access to proactive student engagement data 2) Implementing Anti-Racist Education practices 3) focus on promoting a thriving learning and work environment and 4) fiscal stability across Student Services. The following are some of the examples of the progress that has been made in executing the strategic vision:

Designed and implemented Anti-Racist Forum as part of strategy to implement practices across Student Services
In collaboration with Student Services Dean leadership team led development of multi-year strategy to implement Tableau Data dashboards that will fundamentally change how we are able to proactively engage and support students that most need the support to scale.
Successfully consolidated Student Services budget needs and secured multi-year funding support to bridge the gap.

Dr. Escobar’s experience includes work in administration, counseling, and teaching at high school, community colleges, and graduate programs. Dr. Escobar has a wide range and depth of experience regarding fiscal management, strategic planning, vision development, leading equity and anti-racist efforts, program evaluation, outreach, training and supervision, student life and leadership, and in advancing program development and innovation to scale. His work as an educator has been anchored in striving for educational equity and critical consciousness. In doing this work Dr. Escobar relies on a culture grounded in trust, innovation, respect, open and honest communication, and strategic planning to collectively strive for equitable student success outcomes.

Dr. Escobar was a first-generation college student that earned his Associate Degree from Contra Costa College, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Masters of Science in Counseling, and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University.

To ensure our campus hears from each finalist candidate, we will hold live in-person Forums November 12-15. Links to register for the in-person forums are below.

Date/Time	Finalist	Location	Forum Registration Link
Tuesday, November 12 from 2-3 p.m.	René Alvarez	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Wednesday, November 13 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.	Sam Morgan	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Thursday, November 14 from 2-3 p.m.	Lizette Bricker	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Friday, November 15 from 11 a.m. -12 p.m.	J.P. Schumacher	Building 13, Room 330	Register
Friday, November 15 from 2-3 p.m.	Luis Escobar	Building 13, Room 330	Register

All forums will be recorded and available for viewing after the live events. These recordings will be shared in a follow up campus wide email which will also include forms for you to share your feedback. The feedback forms will be live after each forum. The deadline to submit all feedback forms will be Monday, November 25, 2024 at 5 p.m.

Thank you in advance for your participation and feedback. We value your input.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

What's Happening at Cañada: Week of October 28, 2024

Your Voice, Your Future: Vote in the Upcoming Election!

The upcoming election is right around the corner and we have the power to shape the future of our community, our country and the world. Every vote counts and now is the time to make yours heard.

Here’s how you can get ready:

Do your research on the candidates and issues that matter to you
Find your polling place or plan to vote by mail
Make a plan to vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5) or earlier if you're voting by mail. You can drop your completed ballot off at the Ballot Box on campus, located in Lot 4 by the Bookstore.

Every vote matters. Click here for more information on ways to vote. Let’s show up and make an impact!

Spring 2025 Registration

Priority registration for the Spring 2025 Semester starts on October 30. Open enrollment begins November 13. Check your registration date with these easy steps:

Log in to your account using “mySMCCD OneLogin.”
Click on “WebSmart”
Click on “Student Services.”
Click on ‘Registration.”
Click on “Check here for the time and date you may begin registration.”
Select the term you’re seeking information about

Your registration date is affected by having a current Student Educational Plan (SEP). If you don’t have an updated plan, contact the Cañada Counseling Center.

Major Update for the SMCCCD General Scholarship Application

Effective November 1, students are no longer required to submit a letter of recommendation for the general SMCCCD scholarship application. With this, the application deadline has been extended to March 3, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. This change provides students with extra time to complete their applications and removes an additional obstacle in the submission process. While a letter of recommendation is not necessary for the general scholarship application, some donors may still request one for their specific scholarships. We encourage students to utilize office hours and actively participate in the community. If you have any questions regarding this update or the scholarship application, please contact the Financial Aid Services Department at canaid@smccd.edu.

Vending Commission - Application Due November 1, 2024

The Vending Commission application is officially open to all Cañada clubs, departments, organizations and programs. This monetary grant is worth up to $2,500 for experiences impacting our Cañada College community. All Vending Commission applications are due by Friday, November 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Learn more and apply here.