CAMPUS NEWS

Experienced Administrator at St. Louis Community College to Take Over as Vice President of Instruction at Cañada

Dr. Sarah Perkins received overwhelming support from the campus community following the open forum and she should join Cañada in July.

A community college teacher and administrator with nearly 30 years of experience has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next Vice President of Instruction at the college. Dr. Sarah Perkins is currently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Florissant Valley Campus at St. Louis Community College.

Perkins said she was initially attracted to Cañada because of the school’s thriving Phi Theta Kappa honors club. “I’m actively involved in the Phi Theta Kappa club at Florissant Valley and whenever I attend the national convention I always see Cañada as one of the standout chapters,” she said. “That really left a good impression on me.”

At Florissant Valley, Perkins is the direct supervisor for the Academic Deans, the Continuing Education and Community Engagement Dean, Library Manager, Center for Teaching and Learning and Media Services. She manages the school’s capital budget and is campus liaison to the district Technology Education Support Services Committee. She works on local and state-wide higher education policy and initiatives including curriculum alignment with high schools and colleges and universities and works with the president on strategic planning and strategic initiatives. Perkins played a key role in administering the development of a multi-disciplinary Plant and Life Science Center for the college district.

“Sarah Perkins is a good fit for Cañada College,” said President Tom Mohr. “She understands the culture at Cañada and is willing to work within that culture. She brings a wealth of experience working with the community to develop academic programs for her college. She’ll help Cañada College and our community.”

Vice President of Student Services Open Forum

Finalists will answer questions, share their vision for Cañada

The Search Committee for the Vice President of Student Services invites the campus community to attend open forums featuring the finalists on Thursday, April 30 from 1:30 to 3:45 p.m. in Building 3, Room 142. The search committee has forwarded the names of four finalists to President Mohr.  He is conducting interviews this week and will recommend the top candidates participate in the forums, which will be held at 1:30 and 2:45 p.m., with a short 15-minute break in between. Each candidate will have one hour.

The open forums are designed to give faculty, staff, students and the college’s community partners a chance to hear from the finalists and ask questions. The District Human Resources Department will be using color-coded response sheets for each of the finalists so the president can be informed of the thoughts of faculty, staff, students and community partners after they have had the opportunity to meet the finalists during the forums. Please come prepared with any questions that you would like to ask the finalists.

Beta Zeta Nu Honored at Phi Theta Kappa National Convention

President Mohr is honored with the Shirley P. Gordon Award and chapter earns "Most Distinguished Chapter" award

The Phi Theta Kappa national convention was held last month and Cañada College once again brought home a number of honors. President Mohr was named a recipient of the Shirley P. Gordon Award. This is an award that went to 20 administrators nationally who demonstrated exemplary support for their college chapter for at least three years.

Beta Zeta Nu was honored with a Most Distinguished Chapter award. This award is arguably the most representative of the chapter's overall success since it is earned only if the average score of a chapter's three hallmark essay entries places the chapter in the top 25 of all entering chapters. For BZN to have won this award means, effectively, that the chapters leadership, service and scholarship activities were such that it placed them in the top 1 percent of all chapters.

Individual honors were given to Jeremy Madrigal for Most Distinguished Member; Rene Rivera for Most Distinguished Officer; and Paul Roscelli for Most Distinguished Advisor.

Spring Theater Production: Every Good Boy Deserves Favor

Rarely produced play by Tom Stoppard features Redwood Symphony

Two men are held in a soviet mental hospital. One is a political prisoner, struggling for his integrity and for his release; the other, a schizophrenic, fights to control the orchestra he hears playing in his mind - an orchestra which actually shares the stage with the actors. Will they survive their “treatment”, and each other?

The Redwood Symphony Orchestra and Cañada College Theater Arts Department co-produce this powerful and rarely-produced play by Tom Stoppard, with music by Andre Previn. Performances (one weekend only!): Friday, May 1 at 8 pm; Saturday, May 2 at 8 pm; and Sunday, May 3 at 2 pm. Online tickets: $18 general admission: www.theatrebayarea.org/tix. A special free matinee will be held Thursday, April 30 at noon for all district faculty, students and staff.

Basic Skills Educators Gather at Cañada for Regional Workshop

Approximately 70 attendees from 28 colleges attend

Cañada College hosted a very successful regional workshop last week for basic skills educators to help exchange best practices and improve techniques for teaching basic skills students. "We had a large turnout and there were a lot of positive comments," said Anniqua Rana, workshop organizer and ESL professor at Cañada. Participants discussed programs such as First Year Experience, tutoring, cross-curricular education and other teaching methods designed to help basic skills students succeed. "Participants are generally pleased with the structure of the regional workshops and believe the time is well spent. They are taking new ideas back to their schools to implement."

Plans for Native Plant Garden Move Forward

Designers with the California Native Garden Foundation offer ideas

Plans are moving forward for establishing an area with native plants at Cañada College. Designers with the California Native Garden Foundation have put together some draft plans, based on input from faculty in the Biology Department. These plans were presented at a special meeting this week to discuss the issues surrounding the establishment of the native garden. The meeting informed people of the design for the native garden and presented opportunities for participants to become part of the stewardship team, which will maintain and promote the garden at Canada College and beyond. There will be opportunities to get involved that range from getting your hands dirty planting, pruning, and watering (initially), to tracking changes in wildlife and setting up plant markers and interpretive signage. For history and anthropology students, there are many native edibles and basket grasses that can be incorporated into the design - many of the plants have a rich cultural history.

B.A.M. Beauty Art Madness

Spring fashion show set for May 16

Students in the Fashion Show Production program will host "B.A.M. Beauty Art Madness" a new spring fashion show. It will be held Saturday, May 16 in the Main Theater. Seating begins at 7 p.m. and the doors close promptly at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Tickets are available online at http://smccd.edu/canadabookstore/tickets.

Dance Fusion

May 8 performance includes CSM Community Street Jam

Dance instructor Ana Miladinova is directing "Dance Fusion", this spring's dance performance. It will be held Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Theater. The performance is free but donations are gladly accepted. The production will feature special guests, Community Street Jam of College of San Mateo. For more information, call Ext. 3147 or e-mail miladinovaa@smccd.edu.

High School Film Festival Awards Ceremony

Local high school students will receive software and scholarships

Outstanding Bay Area high school film-makers will be honored at the 3rd Annual Spotlight High School Video Awards ceremony to be held on Monday, May 4th at the College of San Mateo Theater beginning at 7 p.m. The film-makers will receive production software and scholarships to the College of San Mateo in each of eight production categories. There will also be a grand “cash” prize for Best-of-Show. This year, 81 students submitted entries, representing 31 Bay Area high schools. Some contestants will also be invited to participate in Spotlight!, a television series about high school film-makers. Entry to the competition, as well as to the awards night is free. All faculty, staff  and students interested in film-making are invited to attend.

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FACES OF CAÑADA

Video Gaming Conference May 1

"Women in Gaming Conference" will help participants learn how to break into the video game industry.

Women interested in a career in the video game industry are encouraged to attend the Women in Gaming Conference at the college on May 1. The conference is sponsored by the Cañada College Multimedia Art Program and the Northern California New Media Center. The conference will be held in Building 3, Room 142 from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conference is free and open to both men and women.

The conference features career tips, how to break into the gaming world, surviving the culture, and ideas for both aspiring game artists and educators. Speakers are working women game artists and game developers who will share their insights, experiences, and pull back the curtain a bit on the industry! This is a valuable event for anybody interested in a career in the video game industry.

Participants who RSVP by April 29 will receive a free parking pass. To RSVP e-mail pounds@smccd.edu or for more information go to www.canadacollege.edu/multimedia.

ECE Graduation Reception May 14

Early Childhood Education and Child and Adolescent Development graduates will be honored

Cañada, Skyline and SFSU University Center students will be acknowledged for the certificates and degrees they will receive upon graduation. The event will be held on Thursday, May 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. on the outside lawn in front of Building 22. Everyone is invited to attend this special ceremony.

Engineering Contest Brings 180 High School Students to Campus

Students built projectile launchers and tested their skills in the cafeteria

The 15th Annual Cañada College Engineering Contest was a huge success last week as more than 180 high school students participated. The event is co-sponsored by the Cañada Science & Engineering Club, Society of Hispanic
Professional Engineers, and Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA). Students from Capuchino, Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Mills, Sequoia, and Woodside were involved in the competition. The objective of the contest was to design and build a mechanically powered device that launches a projectile and hits a target at a specified distance. All of the young engineers had to build  the device to exacting specifications. The device had to be powered mechanically. For example, rubber bands, springs, mouse traps, balloons, falling weights, etc., could be used. No chemical explosives, living creatures, remote control devices, pressurized gas or liquid tanks, or any electrical devices could be used. “The contest is a good way for high school students to learn about our engineering program,” said Amelito Enriquez, professor of math and engineering. Students from Carlmont High School were victorious.

What's Attitude Got to Do With It?

SLOAC Advisory Committee sponsors lunchtime forum

Have you been wondering about how to tackle that Student Learning Outcome that states “students will appreciate diverse cultures” or “improved self efficacy”?  How about “decrease in math phobia”? Why is it important to know student attitudes and perceptions, anyway?  How can a valid assessment be made of something based (in part) on emotions? Don’t miss this workshop by Ben Stefonik, a Cañada psychology professor and expert on attitudes, measurement, and the effects of attitude on learning. Ben's talk will be held on Friday, May 1 at 12:35 p.m. in 3-148.

Bring your lunch, your questions, and your own favorite method of gauging student outlook. Discussion will follow Ben’s presentation. Student Services staff and faculty alike are sure to come away with some new ideas for tackling tough assessment challenges. Participating teaching faculty will receive their own personal copy of Angelo and Cross’s Classroom Assessment Techniques, which is full of practical ideas for measuring students’ state of mind in the classroom. Examples from this useful reference will be discussed, so if you already have a copy, be sure to bring it to this session.

Cañada Scholarship Reception

The annual scholarship reception will be held Friday, May 8

The annual Scholarship Reception will be held Friday, May 8 in the cafeteria. The hors d'oeuvres reception will begin at 6 p.m. and the scholarships will be awarded at 7 p.m. The annual reception is a celebration of current Cañada students receiving scholarships at universities and colleges and high school students that are receiving scholarships to attend Cañada in the fall.

Allied Health Open House Draws High School, College Students

The district's allied health programs gave presentations to high school and college students

A large crowd of high school and college students convened at Cañada on Friday, April 24 to learn about allied health options in the San Mateo County Community College District. Programs from all three colleges were presented. The event was funded by the CTE Health Pathways Grant. More than 100 students participated in an introduction to the various allied health fields in addition to hands-on workshops around campus.

Employees Honored for 25 Years of Service

Three Cañada employees will be among those honored at district ceremony

Nonan Villanueva, Danny Glass, and Jozsef Veres will all be honored at the annual District-wide Service Awards Reception to be held Wednesday, April 29 at the Crystal Springs Golf Course. Nonan is a counselor for EOPS; Danny is the facilities manager for the college, and Jozsef is the chief engineer.

Editor's Note: If you have ideas for the Faces of Cañada section of the online newsletter, please contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340 or by e-mail at hoodr@smccd.edu.

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SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS

Working for Justice and Diversity

Newly elected ASCC President has lobbied in Washington, D.C.

Alma Núñez is a passionate advocate for community college students – not only at Cañada but nationally. Núñez, the newly elected ASCC president, recently returned from Washington D.C., where she lobbied Congress on behalf of her fellow students. She was among the few community college representatives participating in the United States Student Association Legal Conference. “California’s community college system is the largest publicly funded education system in the United States, maybe the world” she said. “We should be demanding more from our elected representatives and we need to be more visible.”

While she understands that many students are busy, she disagrees that students should only get involved in student government when they reach four-year schools: “Now is always the time to make a difference,” Núñez said. In addition to her work in student government, she serves on the Cañada Diversity Committee and mediated last year’s Inter-faith Dialogue.

The Burlingame High School graduate is also working to make student government a bigger presence at Cañada. “Students at Cañada have great ideas,” she said, “but student government is deaf without them. Something as simple as a suggestion box outside of the ASCC office would help.”

Cañada Computer Animation Students Win Statewide Honors

Chelsea Hiatt Farley and Lisa Roecks are honored at statewide awards presentation

Chelsea Hiatt Farley (pictured) and Lisa Roecks, 3D Animation students at Cañada College, have each won statewide awards at the 2009 Media Arts Award Competition sponsored by the Multimedia & Entertainment Initiative. The awards ceremony was held April 24. Hiatt Farley and Roecks both won merit awards in the Computer Animation category while Roecks also won the Illustration category.

“I’ve been at Cañada for two years and I love my classes,” Hiatt Farley said. “We are taught the same techniques that they use at major animation companies and we’re using the same software.”

Hiatt Farley is working towards a career in character animation for feature films and has applied for an internship at Pixar. “It’s a very competitive industry but Cañada does a great job of preparing students. It’s a real commitment and there is a lot of work that goes into it but if you dedicate yourself this program will prepare you to work in digital animation.”

The Multimedia & Entertainment Initiative, sponsor of the 2009 Media Arts Award Competition, is a statewide network of Community College educators working in strategic partnerships with industry and community organizations to identify and meet California's workforce and economic development needs. The Initiative is committed to creating environments in which students can achieve artistic excellence and develop technological expertise for careers in the communications, entertainment and interactive learning industries.

Robotics Team Prepares For Competition

Newly formed team will challenge De Anza College in June

A new robotics team that has grown rapidly this year is preparing for its first intercollegiate competition with an eye toward bigger and better things. Violeta Juarez Crow, 18, and Aldo Garcia, 19, helped start the Cañada College robotics team. Both are majoring in electrical engineering and computer science and they had no problem recruiting additional team members. They will be challenging De Anza College to a "friendly" competition in June to mark their progress.

“We currently have 10 team members and we get together every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the MESA (Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement) Center (Building 9, Second Floor) to work on the robot,” said Garcia. Juarez Crow and Garcia both graduated from Woodside High School in Redwood City before enrolling at Cañada this past fall. They take computer science, physics, calculus, and English classes and are part of the new Honors Program at the college. They are hoping to transfer to Stanford or UC Berkeley. “Classes are difficult and there is a lot of homework so working with the robotics team is a way to have fun,” Garcia said.

Juarez Crow said the June competition is a "friendly test match" and she said the team is hoping to enter additional competitions next year.  If you know students who might be interested in joining the Cañada College Robotics Team, more information is available at http://robotics.color-coders.com/forum/ or you can contact Garcia by e-mail at garciaaldo@smccd.edu.

Crossing Borders Students Visit UC Berkeley

Students were able to view a lecture in progress

On March 18, students in the Crossing Borders Program visited UC Berkeley. A current UC Berkeley student served as the tour guide and answered several questions for the visiting Cañada students.  Students were able to view a lecture in progress and were amazed at the size of the lecture room seating up to 550 students. "It was a wonderful opportunity for students who may not otherwise have had the resources to witness a UC school first hand," said Carla Stoner-Brito, a Cañada counselor who helped arrange the tour. Faculty in attendance were Salumeh Eslamieh, Kiran Malavade and Carla Stoner-Brito.

Root Beer Float Sale

Middle College students will be raising money May 4

Middle College students will be raising money to support the program by selling root beer floats on Monday, May 4 beginning at 10 a.m. The root beer floats will be sold near the Pony Espresso in front of Building 13. Students are raising money to support both the Middle College program and their annual graduation ceremony.

Editor's Note: If you have an idea for a student feature, contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340.

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Please see the EVENTS CALENDAR for the latest event listings.

Editor's Note: If you would like to submit an event to the Cañada Calendar of Events please contact Robert Hood at hoodr@smccd.edu.