ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Cultural Connection
Filipina keeps heritage alive…

Life Down Under
Marine biologist dives into research…

Word Power
Professor inspired by how language can divide, unite

Doggone Helpful
Raising assistance dogs for disabled persons…

Acts of Valor; Model Officer
Two police officers honored for service…

Greetings from Costa Rica
Semester of study in Central America…

Taking Technology into Account(ing)
Using computers, Internet for study…

Lucky Fall
Learning specialist fell into job…

CurricuNet
Online curriculum tool saves time, paper…

Chancellor's Column
San Diego is leader in industry clusters…

Development News
Fund-raising activities…

Factoids
Miscellaneous tidbits of news…

Newsmakers Accomplishments by faculty and staff…

NewsMakers
Accomplishments by faculty and staff

CET instructor Eileen Schwartz was named Volunteer of the Year by the County of San Diego and honored at the April 23 Board of Supervisors meeting. Schwartz and her Flags Across the Nation project were featured in the February issue of WE.

Theresa Savarese, City College computer business technology instructor, has received her Microsoft Office 2000 Master Instructor certification.

Charles Kovach, City College adjunct professor in English, served as volunteer referee at the 25th Annual Special Olympics Southern California Floor Hockey Championship at the San Diego Convention Center Feb. 9-10, 2002.

Aileen Gum, English/ESOL instructor at City College, has been elected to the board of directors of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). With more than 14,000 members, this international education association promotes standards for ESL professional preparation, continuing education and student programs. It also develops programs and teaching materials, links groups worldwide to enhance communication among language specialists, and promotes advocacy to further the profession.

On Feb. 7-8, Pat Keir spent an exciting — and inspiring — overnight aboard the Navy aircraft carrier the USS Constellation. This experience included various firsts for the Miramar College president, including the “moderate lateral acceleration forces” experienced during both an arrested landing and catapult launch of a C-2 aircraft, standing on the deck of the carrier during training exercises day and night, eating in the ship’s mess, overnighting in Spartan quarters while jets landed and were catapulted overhead, spending 20 minutes in the steamy hot engine room, and sitting in the captain’s chair. “No one could walk (however shakily) away from such an experience without a deep regard for our nation’s military preparedness and the quality of its personnel,” said Keir.

San Diego CET older adult teachers of physical fitness presented workshops at the 20th Annual Southwest Dance, Movement and Acro-Sports Workshop in Palm Springs in May. Delores Crawford, Sharon Emerson, Tera Gardner, Charlene Schade and Jeffrey Wheat demonstrated a wide variety of movements for active seniors. Schade also co-presented a workshop on activities to enhance balance, flexibility, and strength training for the prevention of falls at the Council on Aging and Adult Development convention in San Diego this spring.

Attendees at the annual CAPED (California Association on Postsecondary Education and Disability) conference benefited from the expertise of CET DSPS (Disabled Students Programs and Services) faculty. Heike Kessler Heibert and Margaret Jones presented “Remembering Memory.” Marie Doerner and Brian Stockert presented information on unique programs for students with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary settings who require, not necessarily a special class, but support in their mainstream classes.

DSPS counselors Vince Ceccacci, Tammy Dowd, Julie Pludow and Christine Althaus brought eight promising students from campus to be interviewed by G.M. ‘Rav’ Nicholson, Disability Employment Program manager, from the Office of Disability and Employment Policy in Washington, D.C. Nicholson screens students to participate in the Workforce Recruitment Program, which refers qualified students with disabilities for employment in federal and private sector jobs throughout the United States.

Lou Murillo, president of District Advancement, is this year’s symposium chairman for the Network for California Community College Foundations. The annual symposium will be held in San Diego Oct. 2-4, 2002, with District Advancement staff facilitating. Also, Murillo was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Centro Cultural de la Raza Museum. The center is located in Balboa Park and provides Hispanic artistic opportunities to the community.

Felix Aquino, president of the district’s Centers for Education and Technology, was selected as an Outstanding Educator for 2001-2002 by the San Diego Industry and Education Council for his leadership in school-to-work programs.

As an adjunct professor at Miramar and City colleges and UCSD, DeeDee Coppedge has been teaching art in San Diego for more than a decade. This spring, Coppedge joined the contract ranks at Miramar College. She specializes in ceramics and sculpture, and hopes to add sculpture to Miramar’s course offerings as soon as possible.

Joan Lindgren presented “Translation, Community and an Authentic American Voice” at the First Annual Translation Studies Forum at San Diego State University in February. Lindgren teaches creative writing for older adults at North City and West City centers.

Bernard Sena, a buyer in the district Purchasing Department, has earned the Accredited Purchasing Practitioner designation from the Institute for Supply Management. To earn their APP, individuals must demonstrate professional capabilities by passing a rigorous examination and by having a combination of education and relevant work experience.

The Chinese “Year of the Horse” was kicked off in traditional fashion at Miramar College on Feb. 22 as the San Diego Dragon Dancers, led by Ray Quon, performed the Lion Dance for a full house of students, staff and community guests. Then, guests journeyed into the past and behind the walls of China’s “Forbidden City” with Miramar history professor Terry Truitt and art professor Joan Messenger, who appeared as a magnificently garbed Chinese courtesan.

Miramar’s own KL (aka Kevin Alston) hosted an evening of laughter and entertainment April 5 to help the Associated Students raise scholarship funds. Musical performances included “Legaci,” an all-girl group with a CD currently on the market, and “Sonic Tongue Click,” a local hip hop band bursting with energy. Three hot comedians from the La Jolla Comedy Store kept the full-house laughing. Look for KL in the upcoming motion picture, “The Antwon Fisher Story,” directed by and starring Denzel Washington, and filmed locally.

Mesa College dean Kendra Jeffcoat and professors Ellen Nichols and Laurie Lorence recently mentored three community colleges on developing teacher education programs during a busy five-day workshop in Washington, D.C. Under a $242,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Community College Humanities Association awarded to Mesa College for its pioneering Teacher Recruitment and Development Program, they mentored faculty and administrators from Kingsborough College of New York, Middlesex College of Lowell, Mass., and East Central College of Decatur, Miss. Mesa, one of only five colleges nationwide designated as mentor institutions, will counsel some 14 community colleges throughout the nation that plan to establish teacher education programs.

Mary Lewis, district DSPS manager, has been recruited to serve on the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation Board of Directors.

Miramar College tennis instructor Monty Grant was one of the United States Professional Tennis Association pros at Tennis Fest 2002, May 5. The event introduced novices to tennis, provided tips to the casual player, and gave advanced players a chance to test their skills against professionals.

“Where Futures Begin,” the district’s 2001 report to the community captured first place in the annual report category of the California Community College Public Relations Organization competition last month. The report was edited by Kristin Tow, information officer in District Advancement. Sandi Trevisan, information officer at Miramar College, received her own blue ribbon for best two-color brochure, the college’s strategic plan booklet. Mesa College’s John Nunes earned third place awards for the Mesa News, the college’s newsletter, and for “media success story,” a series of TV segments by Rod Luck, KUSI Channel 51.

Miramar College Health Services Director Judy Harris reports that staff and students donated 22 units of blood during the March 11 “Give From Your Heart” American Red Cross blood drive, surpassing goals set for the event. The next blood drive is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 16. The Health Services Center has also scheduled special events for HIV testing, dental awareness and stress relief (during finals week, of course!).

Terrie Hubbard and the Miramar College Black History Month Committee coordinated a festive Mardi Gras celebration as a scholarship fund-raiser in early February at the Admiral Kidd Club at Naval Base Point Loma. More than 65 guests, many adorned in traditional Mardi Gras fashion, dined, danced and raised more than $600 for scholarships. The costume contest crowned Ray Quon and Kathy Fox “Mardi Gras King and Queen.”

Turning the tables on the student-teacher relationship, Marilyn Biggica, CET culinary instructor, attended “All You Need to Know About Tamales,” a cooking demonstration by her former student Ricardo Munoz at the 24th Annual International Conference of Culinary Professionals. Munoz took his first cooking class from Biggica in 1988 and has since become a chef, author of four cookbooks, owner of a highly successful restaurant in Mexico and guest lecturer in the food industry.