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IN THIS ISSUE Life Down Under Word Power Doggone Helpful Greetings from Costa Rica Taking Technology into Account(ing) Lucky Fall CurricuNet Chancellor's Column Development News Factoids Newsmakers Accomplishments
by faculty and staff… |
Factoids ($150,000 + $143,000) ÷ 3 San Diego Mesa College is one of only three California community colleges to be awarded two major grants to help more students pass beginning algebra. Statewide fewer than half the students who start this course pass it, a major stumbling block if they want to earn a degree or certificate or transfer to a university. A statewide consortium has developed the Pathways through Algebra Project to address the need to improve the mathematics skills of undergraduate students. Funded by grants for $150,000 from the National Science Foundation and $143,000 from the Lumina Foundation, the project will identify, adapt, pilot test, evaluate and disseminate programs and practices shown to increase student success. Mesa math professor Terrie Teegarden is one of three principle investigators for this project. WHOSE MOM IS THE BEST? That question that was posed to students in grades 4 through 12 by the San Diego Community College District and Time Warner Cable in the “San Diego’s 50 Best Moms” essay contest. Sons and daughters were asked to write a short essay on why theirs is the best mom. From more than 2,400 entries, the volunteer judges from our colleges selected the 50 best stories, with those mothers being honored at a special luncheon. The top essay writers in each school category (elementary, middle and high school) won an iMac computer and high-speed AOL internet service for themselves and a computer for their school. Part of a new community awareness campaign developed by District Advancement, this partnership with Time Warner Cable got the district name in front of San Diegans using a thousand promotional announcements on cable, radio and print ads and slides in movie theatres. Many thanks to the following volunteer judges from our faculty and staff: Nada Adjadj, district Student Services; Joan Thompson, Bernice Reyes and Cecelia Blanks from Miramar College; Mesa’s Donna Duchow; Audrey Breay from ECC; and Gwyn Enright, Farrell Foreman, Barry Hicks and Elinor Ovies from City College. DIAMOND DAYS The entire Miramar College campus was abuzz with activity at the Second Annual Diamond Days Career Expo on Wednesday, March 20. More than 500 students from area high schools arrived on buses at 9 a.m., joining thousands of college students and community visitors, to enjoy a job fair, industry partner exhibits, college tours, transfer fair, food court, craft vendors, entertainment and academic program presentations. About 150 employers, their representatives, and college business partners staffed displays and information booths. Music blaring from the 93.3 radio station van was popular as were the various campus “zone” displays. The “Fly Zone” featured displays from the FAA and North Island. “Diesel Zone” showcased Hawthorne Machinery Co. and Caterpillar Inc. Law enforcement, fire technology, lifeguard and EMT displays and information were provided in the “Safety Zones,” while the “Auto Zone” included sparkling, new vehicles and racing cars from Toyota/Lexus and DaimlerChrysler. The Associated Students scheduled multicultural entertainment throughout the day, including performances by Polynesian/hula, belly, Aztec and Filipino dancers. Live music filled the campus, too, with performances by student bands Annoyance, Full Circle Band and Void. Free ear plugs were provided to nearby office staff! Scheduled as part of Miramar’s Diamond Days Career Expo was a dynamic Evening with the Experts career-focused presentation, “Hot Jobs! Where Are They and How Can I Get One?” Author Lee Silber shared 10 simple things you can do right now to get a good job and get ahead in your career, followed by a presentation on the hot jobs of today and tomorrow in San Diego by Cheryl Mason, Employment Development Department, and Gary Moss with the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Coordination of Diamond Days was led by Geralyn Reyes, Mary Benard, Julianna Rodriguez, Sandi Trevisan, Greg Newhouse, Tracey Berry and Ray Quon. MORE THAN A PENNY SAVED It took more than a year, but enterprising Facilities Services staff members have saved the district more than $100,000 by installing in excess of 15,000 square feet of concrete themselves, rather than contracting out for the work. The Miramar College S-100 quad area is the largest project so far. When covered with asphalt, the quad area required major patching and repairing every year as a result of delivery trucks that drive over it on their way to the bookstore and cafeteria. Kurt Enyedi, buildings and grounds supervisor, had the idea to change to concrete and with the help of Tracy Berry, landscape supervisor, designed an area that would be both a roadway and a student quad area. The campus paid for the materials, and Facilities Services supplied the labor, transforming a bleak asphalt area into a beautiful landscaped quad with concrete walkways, exterior lights and new concrete roadway. Charlie Williams, Jay Anderson, Raul Tovar, Terry Basset and Armando Velazquez assisted. Facilities Services also installed a new concrete sidewalk around the soccer field at Mesa College, replacing the old, deteriorated asphalt walkway. In a partnership like the one at Miramar, the college bought the materials and Enyedi’s crew did the work, removing the old paving and pouring a new 600-foot-long walkway and truck access. Not just handy with ground-level work, the maintenance crew also installed new roofs over the Miramar bookstore and Mesa’s P-300 storage building, usually jobs assigned to outside contractors. Again, doing it themselves, the maintenance, buildings and grounds, landscape and carpentry staff saved the district thousands of dollars while improving the look and safety of these areas. PART OF A TRIO Beginning this spring, Miramar College students can now access TRIO Student Support Services, a federally funded program budgeted to assist “first generation college” and low-income students with their transfer to four-year universities. Miramar’s grant was awarded in January, based on a proposal written by Julianna Rodriguez, dean of Student Affairs. TRIO students don’t receive financial support. Instead, new Miramar College TRIO director Alejandro Cuatok, three counselors and an assistant, will coordinate special counseling, tutoring services and access to office equipment for eligible students. RELAY FOR LIFE Miramar College accounting supervisor Jennifer Nickles is an inspiration to us all, both in overcoming her own personal battle with cancer and in using her experience to help others. Behind her leadership, more than 70 Miramar College faculty, staff and friends raised $3,235 for cancer research during the recent “Mira Mesa Relay For Life Walk for Cancer Cure.” Nickles speaks of the personally gratifying moments of that special weekend. “Not only did I have the opportunity to talk with many people from our campus whose lives have been impacted by this disease, but to many others in our community. It is always special to talk with other survivors and people currently undergoing treatment. We have a language of understanding like no one else has,” she said. “I was amazed at the reaction of the young doctor who does cancer research. While standing on stage during the opening ceremony with 60 survivors, he made an emotional connection between real people and his research. The one incident I will carry with me for a very long time is talking with a young boy, maybe 9 or 10 years old, who was frightened because his mother may have cancer. I shared with him that I had had cancer and that I was OK. The look in his eyes changed from fear to hope,” said Nickles. Nickles was joined by a team of dedicated Miramar family and friends who worked together to help make the Mira Mesa event a success. Lezlie Allen, Judy Harris, K.L. Alston, Greg Thompson, Tracey Berry, his wife and son, Scott Mitchnell, Glenn Miller, Bruce Hernandez all contributed to bringing Team Miramar to the track. On the track, more than 50 walkers spent from one to 24 hours walking for “the Cure.” As an additional fund-raiser, prior to the walk, Elaine Vega orchestrated a food auction that placed prized recipes on the auction block. Miramar “chefs” Berta Cuaron, Mary Benard, Pam Deegan, Peggy Manges, Bob Valdez, Marie Seymour, Kathy Fox, Diane Glow and Elaine Vega raised $260 for their yummy creations. REPEAT WINNERS For the second year in a row, Doug Welch’s manufacturing technology students at City College have won first prize in the WESTEC 2002 Manufacturing Trade Show Challenge, Community College Division. The winning entry was for a pneumatic drive system that a do-it-yourselfer could attach to a standard bicycle, transforming it into an environmentally friendly power cycle that can zip along at up to 4 miles an hour — with back-up pedal power left intact. Students in the manufacturing technology/automated equipment technician program used the most cost effective practices in modern manufacturing — computer-aided design, rapid prototyping and computer-aided manufacturing — to design the motor mount. “Few, if any, companies could have competed the project in the time that this team used to finish. Few of the four-year universities that competed in the contest have the lab technology found at City College,” said Welch. TECHNOLOGY AWARD The Instructional Resources and Technology Unit of the California Community Colleges, Chancellor’s Office has named SDCCD Online the recipient of the Technology Focus Award. The State Chancellor’s Office, along with the award committee, stated they were “extremely impressed with your project and its exemplary accomplishments.” Bob Garber, Miramar College vice president of Student Services, wrote the nomination, which focused not only on the accomplishments of implementing a full degree online program, but the intercollegiate team approach that was used. Miramar’s Pat Keir, Jessica Fender, Judy Baker and Mesa College’s Roger Gee accepted the award on behalf of the SDCCD Online team. TERROR, TRAUMA AND HEALING Dr. Carol Hacker, a nationally recognized expert on reactions to crisis and trauma, presented two workshops in late February to Miramar College faculty, staff and administrators dealing with personal and professional reactions to terrorism. Hacker serves on the board of the Association of Trauma Specialists, is the chair the Certification Board of Trauma Specialists, and was a counselor at Columbine High School. She currently serves on the crisis management team for the students, parents and employees of Columbine. Hacker discussed different reactions to crisis and trauma, and offered suggestions and information to help identify specific behaviors, warning signals and symptoms that precede major stress syndromes. Attendees also learned how to avoid burnout and “caregiver vulnerability.” Diana Fink, the PLACe Tutorial Center director, arranged for the presentations titled “Terror, Trauma and Healing.” VIRTUAL LIBRARIAN To address the needs of Saturday students, as well as online students, the Miramar College Library began an online library service this spring. Students are now able to access an online librarian Monday through Saturday. According to librarian Sandra Pesce, “By augmenting our library services with an online librarian, Miramar College is proactively meeing the demands of students in a manner that is reflective of the growing technological complexities of learning.”
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