CAMPUS NEWS

Can an African American be Elected President of the United States?

Ron Takaki, professor of Ethnic Studies at U.C. Berkeley, will place the 2008 election within a historical context at a special lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 15

Can an African American be elected president of the United States? Will many voters, whose economic interests might benefit from the Democratic Party, vote against Barack Obama because he is black?

Those questions and others surrounding the complex role of race in the 2008 presidential election will be discussed by Ron Takaki, one of the nation’s preeminent scholars on diversity in the United States, at a special lecture to be held at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15 in the Main Theater. It is free and open to the public.

Takaki is a professor of Ethnic Studies at U.C. Berkeley. The Los Angeles Times has described Takaki as a “minority Everyman. He is a rare hybrid, a multicultural scholar.”

Takaki has lectured in Japan, Russia, Armenia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Austria, and South Africa. In 1997, he helped President Bill Clinton write his major speech on race, “One America in the 21st Century.”

“Dr. Takaki is one of the foremost scholars on the issue of race and we felt his lecture on race and its role in this important presidential election will have interest in our community,” said Cañada College President Tom Mohr. President Mohr’s office is the primary sponsor of the lecture.

For more than 34 years, Takaki has taught 20,000 students, and has written 12 books, which have influenced thousands more. His book, A Different Mirror, won the American Book Award, and has sold over a half million copies. It is considered the primary text for anyone interested in the history -- and the future -- of multicultural America.

Cañada College Receives $1.5 Million U.S. Department of Education Grant to Help Underrepresented Students With Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering

This is the second major federal grant received by the college in the last two months to help improve the performance of students in science, technology, math and engineering.

Cañada College has received a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help shorten the time students need to enroll in transferable level science classes.

This is the second major grant received by the college in the last two months. Cañada recently received a $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve the interest, persistence and performance of underrepresented students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The latest grant will provide Cañada with $765,000  for 2008-09 and $761,000 for 2009-10. The college will use the money to develop an intensive six-week summer program in math instruction designed to raise math placement levels for students pursuing science majors. Then, during the school year, a math lab will be made available to students featuring self-paced, accelerated math instruction, faculty-guided instruction, instructional aides, and tutors available for extended hours. Curriculum will also be developed to incorporate hands-on scientific experiments linked to math training so that students see the applications of mathematical concepts and use real-life examples while learning math.

Students will be introduced to career pathways and options to help sustain their interest in science and technology fields while participating in the accelerated math programs.

“We have a large number of students who enter the college wanting to pursue a science-related career but they lack the basic math skills needed to succeed in college-level science classes,” said Janet Stringer, Dean of the Science and Technology Division at the college.  “This project is designed to support students transferring to four-year institutions to pursue science, technology, engineering and math degrees.”

Cañada College President Tom Mohr said the latest grants provide strong support for students pursuing academic and career goals in the sciences but added the college is simply building on its reputation as a destination for students interested in these fields and the related field of allied health. “This is the fourth grant the college has received in the last year designed to help students with math, science and health-related fields,” he said.

Last spring, the college received a three-year grant worth $270,000 per year from the National Science Foundation to create “Chemistry: A Pipeline to 21st Century Careers.” This project will increase the recruitment, retention and academic success of students enrolled in chemistry classes, particularly minority students. It will strengthen the ties between the college and local high schools by providing opportunities to engage and motivate students to pursue careers in chemically related scientific fields. The college is working with Gene Connection of the San Mateo County Office of Education to administer the grant.

At the same time, the college also secured a $250,000 grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to build career pathways for high school students interested in allied health careers such as certified nursing assistant, phlebotomist and x-ray assistant. Students can also begin to fulfill academic requirements for medical assisting, emergency medical technician, pharmacy technician, radiological, surgical, and respiratory technologist, and nursing programs that are offered in the San Mateo County Community College District.

“Frankie Meets Jimmy” A Benefit Concert for Student Scholarships at Cañada College Features the Music of Jimmy Van Heusen as Sung by Frank Sinatra

The Stork Big Band and three Sinatra sing-alikes will perform at the concert to be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 in the Main Theater.

The Stork Big Band, a 17-piece band from the Family Club in San Francisco, will belt out the hits of the great composer Jimmy Van Heusen accompanied by three Frank Sinatra sing-alikes at a special benefit concert for the Cañada College Student Scholarship Fund.

The concert will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Main Theater. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or by calling Maggie Souza at Ext. 3238.

Sinatra recorded more than 75 songs composed by Van Heusen. Van Heusen won four Oscars and an Emmy during his illustrious career. In his hefty catalog of more than 800 songs, at least 50 of them are undisputed standards, including "My Kind of Town," "Come Fly with Me," "Here's that Rainy Day," "Love and Marriage," "All the Way," and "Call Me Irresponsible."

“We’re very excited to have the opportunity to perform at Cañada for such a great cause,” said Robert Stiff, a member of The Stork Big Band and concert organizer. Stiff also served as a past president at the college. ‘I understand first-hand the types of challenges faced by our community college students so this is a very special concert for us.”

Current Cañada College President, Tom Mohr, said he was quick to jump at the chance to have The Stork Big Band play a benefit concert at the college.

“They are very popular in San Francisco and the entire Bay Area and we are fortunate to have them volunteer to perform a benefit concert to help our students,” he said.

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

Oct. 30 event gives high school students an opportunity to talk with college, university representatives.

Cañada College in partnership with the Sequoia Union High School District will host its annual College Night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 30. The event will be held at the Cañada College gymnasium, Building 1, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City.

The event brings together universities and community colleges from across the Bay Area and the nation 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, Cañada College, San Francisco State University, UC-Davis, and Menlo College will provide workshops on topics such as financial aid and navigation of the different college and university systems.

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

A Sweet Lecture for Chocolate Lovers

Chemist Howard Peters will discuss chocolate from a chemical point of view at a special lecture Oct. 22.

Howard Peters is obsessed with chocolate. Yes, he likes to eat chocolate, but this obsession is much deeper. Howard, a chemist, knows the history, biochemistry and biology of chocolate and he's coming to Cañada to give a special lecture as part of this year's National Chemistry Week celebration. Peters' lecture will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in Building 3, Room 148.

The lecture will cover the history of chocolate and its production from the Mayan, Olmec and Aztec cultures to the present. He'll discuss aspects of processing the cocoa bean and pod, fermenting, drying, roasting, conching, tempering, blending, and finishing. Peters will even discuss some of the health benefits of chocolate.

Cañada Hosting Statewide Basic Skills Coordinator Training

The Oct. 16-17 event will draw representatives from more than 50 colleges in the Northern Region.

Cañada will host the first two-day basic skills coordinators workshop as part of the BSI Phase III series of regional training meetings. The workshop will be held Oct. 16-17. The agenda includes the role of the basic skills coordinator, developing action plans in a shared governance format, staff development, buy-in from faculty and administration, linking to K-12 outcomes, and sharing of challenges and programs. Adjunct issues will be integral to the discussions. The workshop is being coordinated by Anniqua Rana.

Redwood Symphony Scares Up A Halloween Concert

Last year's inaugural Halloween Concert was so popular they are doing it again.

The Redwood Symphony will hold its second annual Halloween Concert on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Main Theater. The concert is free for staff, faculty and students.

From the spooky to the sassy, this concert is for the whole family. Back by popular demand: Narrator Todd Schurk with The Composer is Dead--which orchestra member will be found guilty? Also featured are The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Danse Macabre, and the theme from the Simpsons television show. For tickets and information go to the Redwood Symphony website.

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FACES OF CAÑADA

Frank Austin Joins the Learning Center

Former corporate attorney now helps tutor students

Frank Austin spent nearly 30 years as a corporate lawyer, has taken most of the math classes offered at Cañada and is working on becoming fluent in conversational Spanish. He’s also the newest instructional aid at the Learning Center and can help you with just about any academic-related question.

“I love working in an educational environment and I love working with students,” Frank said. “It’s like a dream come true for me.” Frank is no stranger to the Learning Center. He has worked as a student tutor since 2005 while taking classes at Cañada. “Tutoring has become my passion.”

His newest project is tutoring statistics, which he took in 2006. To make sure he’s on top of the subject, he’s auditing Denise Hum’s statistics (Math 200) class at Cañada this semester. “I just want to make sure I’m giving good advice,” he said. In addition, he’s helping students with algebra, pre-algebra, English, writing, and English as a Second Language.

Frank’s office is in the Learning Center (second floor of Building 9) in Room 219A and he can be reached by e-mail at austinf@smccd.edu.

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

Marla Duran, Project Runway Designer, to Discuss Her Experience on the Popular TV Show as Part of This Year's Designer Sale

The 17th annual Designer Sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25.

Marla Duran, a contestant in the second season of the popular reality television series “Project Runway,” will talk about her experience on the show as part of the 17th annual Cañada College Designer Sale.

The annual Designer Sale benefits students in the school’s Fashion Design Program with scholarships. A $10 donation is requested. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. The designer sale features one-of-a-kind fashion pieces including clothing, hats, handbags, jewelry and more from more than 60 top professional designers around the U.S. Duran will speak during a special open house for the school’s Fashion Department to be held in Building 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Duran hails from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She appeared in the show’s second season (2006) and eliminated during the sixth episode. She has designed a kidswear line for Reebok Apparel; she wholesales women’s clothes under her own label, with many designs based on vintage-inspired prints; and she shows her work at Atelier at the Rhiga Royal in New York City.

“She has a fascinating story to tell,” said Ronda Chaney, professor of fashion design at Cañada College. “What viewers see on television is different than the reality faced by the designers on the show.”

Duran said her favorite part of the experience was being in the workroom and getting critiqued by famed designer Tim Gunn, an on-air mentor to contestants on the show. “The experience is so full, the viewers see a limited view that may be skewed by the producers.”

She said those critiques led her to approach her work in a different way. “I began working on new ideas, using more draping and pattern making and creating new ideas constantly.”

Duran auditioned for the show in New York City. “I stood in line with a lot of other hopefuls, and had an opportunity to appear before a panel of judges. I made it through a few cuts to become a contestant.”

In the end, she said, it’s television. “The emphasis is on drama, on the unrealistic environment of being together constantly…it’s almost like being hostages! Also, as far as the judging goes, it’s debatable whether contestants stayed on because of their personalities or their talent.”

Cañada College Theater Arts Presents: The Importance of Being Earnest

Oscar Wilde’s classic story brings witty dialogue and humor to Victorian era England.

Cañada College drama students will bring to life what many theater critics and scholars believe is the wittiest play in the English language when Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is performed this month.

Performances for the college’s fall semester production will be Oct. 16-18 at 8 p.m.; Oct. 24-25 at 8 p.m.; and Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. All performances will be in the Flex Theater. Tickets are $12 general admission and $8 for students and seniors. A special free showing for faculty, staff, and students will be held at 12:30 p.m., Oct. 23. Tickets can be purchased at the box office prior to each show or call (650) 306-3396 for reservations.

“This cast is exceptionally talented, playful, witty, and dedicated,” said Anna Budd, director and professor of theater arts at the college. “The actors have really embraced the spirit of Wilde’s play and the audience is going to really enjoy this interpretation.”  Three of the cast members, Kevin Mayer, Chelsea Hickson, and Phillip Raupach return to the Flex Theater after appearing in last year’s smash hit, The Three Musketeers and the Famous Female Duelist of France.

Kathryn Duggan, who plays Ms. Prism, won the Hillbarn Theatre 2007 Subscriber Choice Award for Favorite Performance by a Female Actor in a Play. Nancy Martin, who plays Lady Bracknell, is the drama instructor at Carlmont High, and has also performed at Hillsdale Community Theatre, and Broadway by the Bay.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a classic comedy of manners in which two flippant young men, in order to impress their respected beloveds, pretend that their names are “Ernest,” which both young ladies believe confers magical qualities on the possessor. Mayer will play John Worthing while Max Tachis plays Algernon Moncrieff. The part of Gwendolen Fairfax is played by Hickson and the part of Cecily Cardew is played by Corinne Cortez.

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.