Factoids

Miscellaneous tidbits of news

VIDEO RETROSPECTIVE. City College history/political science professors Don Estes and Susan Hasegawa premiered their documentary video “Democracy Under Pressure: Japanese Americans and World War II,” which examines the experience of San Diego’s Japanese Americans during the war era, on May 31 in the downtown public library. Grants from the California State Library Civil Liberties Public Education Program, California Council of the Humanities and private donations are funding this documentary and public showing with a scholarly discussion panel. The premiere is free and open to the public. Copies of the video and teacher’s guide will be available to San Diego County educational institutions.

COOL HOMEPAGE. The district’s student website has been selected by Coolhomepages.com as an inspirational site for web designers. Coolhomepages, which bills itself as the “only known cure for designer’s block,” chooses only the best examples from a variety of categories and, as such, is a favorite of web designers looking for “idea starters” among the hottest trends and creative solutions in website construction. Look for us next to Coke.com at the Cool Homepages site.

ON THE MOVE. Miramar College’s emergency medical training program moved this spring to the old Naval Training Center to join the college’s fire technology training program. This move is an important step toward realization of the college’s vision of a Regional Public Safety Training Institute, which will eventually centralize training in law enforcement, fire technology, lifeguard training and emergency medical technology at this Point Loma location.

STOP THE PRESSES. The Sage, Miramar College's student newspaper, earned a First Place with Special Merit award from the American Scholastic Press Association for the 1998-1999 academic year, reported the paper's advisor, Leslie Klipper.

WHO’S ON FIRST? This may sound confusing, but City College has received a MESA grant––that is, a Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement grant––through the state community college Chancellor’s Office. MESA is a 30-year-old statewide academic support program for economically disadvantaged students, with centers at the various educational levels, including K-12, community colleges and four-year universities. City College’s MESA center is the first in the district; other local MESA centers are at Southwestern College, SDSU, UCSD, San Diego City Schools, and in Campo’s program for Native Americans. The program is administered by Armando Abiña with frontline direction by Rafael Alvarez.

TOP TRANSFERS. One in four transfers to the University of California, San Diego came from the San Diego Community College District, the highest ratio among the 72 community college districts in California. The second highest ratio was 1 in 15 transfers to UCSD. Mesa College alone transfers more than twice the number of students to UCSD than the next highest community college.

BRIDGING THE DIPLOMA GAP. The San Diego Middle College High School project has won a $150,000 grant from the state Chancellor’s Office, with the district and San Diego Unified School District putting up the other half of funds needed. The project, which will provide a safety net of support services for students seriously at risk of not earning their high school diploma, targets 30-35 students, ages 17-19, enrolled in the Joint Diploma Program at Garfield High School on the City College campus. The project emphasizes occupational counseling, career exploration, peer mentoring and work experience.

GREETINGS FROM SEATTLE. San Diego Mesa College’s Microsoft Certification has been renewed, allowing the college to continue to offer the Microsoft NT curriculum for Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification through fall semester 2000. The new Microsoft 2000 professional curriculum will be offered beginning with the spring 2001 semester, allowing students to continue to pursue MCP and MCSE certification through Microsoft’s new Windows 2000 testing program.

MUSICAL CHAIRS. Miramar College professor Carol Murphy and Cape Cod Community College professor David MacAdam exchanged colleges and teaching assignments this spring. MacAdam brought 25 years of teaching experience in the classroom and as the instructor for Cape Cod’s first distance learning course, in intermediate algebra.

EVERYONE IN THE POOL. Beginning in fall 2000 Miramar College will have its first official athletic teams, men’s and women’s water polo. As a member of the Pacific Coast Conference, the college will compete against Palomar, Grossmont, Southwestern, and Mesa college teams. Conference play will officially begin for Miramar on Oct. 4 when the teams face Grossmont at home in the new Ned Baumer Miramar College Aquatic Center. Selection of an official “mascot” is currently under review by the Associated Students.

MULTIPLE HONORS. The Mesa College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society (PTK) received the Journey Award from PTK International for its highly successful membership recruitment campaign. The chapter’s roster has grown from 12 charter members in 1995 to an impressive 440, and counting, this year. In May, the honors society is scheduled to welcome even more new members at its annual induction ceremony.

HIGH-POWERED SOUNDS. KSDS, the district’s all-jazz radio station at 88.3 FM increased its power to 3,000 watts and can now be heard throughout the metro San Diego area. Grateful listeners have reported clear reception in areas as far away as San Clemente and Fallbrook, Ramona, Alpine, Imperial Beach and Chula Vista. The power increase is part of a test plan that the station hopes will lead to an eventual increase to 22,000 watts.

GETTING MOTIVATED. I CAN program participants were treated to a very special day-long motivational workshop presented by Ken Blanchard, noted author and speaker, and Rosie Greer, former football player, needlepointer and business tycoon. I CAN is a program that helps low-income individuals reach economic self-sufficiency through career exploration and planning, mentoring and support services, and job placement. Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the program relies heavily on the two main partners, the San Diego Community College District and the San Diego Housing Commission. Other partners include Neighborhood House Association, Occupational Training Services and the Union of Pan Asian Communities.

TOP PRIZE. City College’s student recruitment brochure “Find your future at City College” clicked with the judges of this spring’s California Community College Public Relations Organization competition, who voted it Best Viewbook. The brochure, written and produced by former college information officer Shirley Cannon, uses website-inspired graphics and terminology to put a youthful, high-tech spin on information about the college.

City College theatre-goers were delighted this spring with a multicultural rendition of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Original jazz orchestrations and colorful sets transported the audience to Cuba for this abbreviated version of The Bard’s classic comedy. Ellen Tae, portraying a fairy in Titania’s kingdom, showcases the imaginative make up of Carol Whaley. The newest edition to the college’s performing arts faculty, Whaley is a licensed cosmetologist with master’s and master’s of fine arts degrees in theatre and costuming. “She is a consummate professional and came highly recommended from the professional theatre world,” said colleague June Richards, drama professor. The production featured the work of these faculty and their students: stage sets by Duane Gardella; music by Jerry Fenwick; and choreography by Alicia Rincon.