Re: Fresh

Engineering is one of the programs likely to benefit.

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are partnering with industry leaders and others in creating an ambitious workforce development program in San Diego County and the Inland Empire to educate and train people from underserved populations at no cost for high-skilled, in-demand jobs, thanks to a new $6 million federal Department of Labor grant.

“This grant will help us transform what we do as community colleges by creating high-wage, high-demand opportunities that target underserved populations,” said Javier Ayala, dean of Career and Technical Education and Workforce Development at Grossmont College.

The America’s Promise grant will fund programs that prepare area residents for jobs in industries that have traditionally relied on the H-1B visa program, which allow employers to fill workforce needs by temporarily hiring foreign workers in occupations requiring a specialized knowledge or skill, typically in tech fields.

The grant, the only one of its kind in California, was among the largest of more than $111 million awarded in total to 23 colleges, universities and workforce partnerships across the country. Dubbed the SoCal Promise, the new initiative will recruit, train and employ those who have faced job barriers -- including veterans, Native Americans, ex-offenders and the unemployed – for careers in advanced manufacturing, information technology and emerging technology careers.

There are plenty of jobs to be had. California has the second largest number of H-1B certifications of any state besides Texas. Specific industries the SoCal Promise will target include robotics; marine engineering, or blue tech; drone technology; biomedical equipment repair; cybersecurity and computer technology.

Opportunities will exist for both short- and long-term intensive training for certification and credentials.

Education and training partners include Grossmont College, Cuyamaca College, MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute, the Chaffey College InTech Center and GEAR UP. GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded program aimed at significantly increasing the number of low-income middle and high school students who are prepared to enroll in college. Industry representatives include the San Diego Maritime Alliance, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California, the National Tool & Machining Association, California Steel Industries and the Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire. As the grant’s fiscal agent, MiraCosta College will oversee expenditures.

“We believe that leveraging the experience of multiple colleges and the power of our industry partners will result in highly effective training for our students who will be qualified for high-paying jobs in our community,” said Sally Cox, executive director of the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges.

Targeted education and training programs at Cuyamaca College include mechatronics (also known as robotics), practical engineering and cybersecurity. At Grossmont College, they include information technology, computer technology, cybersecurity and drone technology.

Grossmont College already was moving to become the first community college in the region to develop a program in drone technology, and the grant is expected to give the effort a significant boost. While other colleges across the nation are offering classes in drone operations and manufacturing, Grossmont College sees its niche in teaching the programming and technology that make the aircraft function.

Tuition and fees for workforce development programs not covered by financial aid such as Pell Grants and fee waivers will be covered by SoCal Promise grant funds.

America’s Promise grants are designed to accelerate the development and expansion of regional workforce partnerships committed to providing a pipeline of skilled workers in specific sectors. Each grant requires a partnership that includes industry leaders, senior level leadership from workforce and economic development organizations, secondary and post-secondary education institutions, elected officials and other community stakeholders.

The program will further expand the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s role in fueling the regional economy. A recently released analysis shows the district annually generates more than $1 billion in increased economic activity in San Diego County. The study found that the average graduate earning an associate’s degree from Grossmont or Cuyamaca College will receive about $492,000 in higher earnings during his or her career compared to someone with only a high school education.

Paula McVeagh’s “Pants Puller-Upper”

Sometimes, it’s the everyday problems that complicate the lives of the elderly and physically challenged.

Like the simple act of pulling up a pair of slacks when dressing.

Students in a Grossmont College Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) class have become inventors, creating homemade adaptive devices, including Paula McVeagh’s “Pants Puller-Upper,” to help make life a little easier for friends and family members with physical impairments.

Shaun Goose's invention, the “Orthorod.”

The 23 students in instructor Darlene Cook’s assistive technology course demonstrated their projects during the OTA program’s Ninth Annual Assistive Technology Show Thursday night that drew a steady stream of visitors, including professionals in occupational therapy and rehab, as well as fieldwork educators, and the families and friends of the students.

As part of a semester project, the students created tabletop displays of their inventions and prepared short presentations, explaining the origins of their devices and how they work, the materials used, and the labor and cost of their handiwork. The devices were to be under $25 and constructed with common household materials.

Ruth Apffel's "Telescoping Reacher"

For McVeagh, the inspiration for what she named a “Pants Puller-Upper” was her 58-year-old mother, a former florist and secretary whose carpal tunnel syndrome has made dressing a big challenge. For $14.97, McVeagh created a device using wire hangers wrapped with duct tape that attach to a pair of pants with clasps, much like suspenders. To address the difficulty of using the clasps that someone like her mother would have, McVeagh modified them with Popsicle sticks so they could easily opened and closed, similar to the flipping of a light switch.

With aspirations of working in hand therapy at a skilled nursing facility, McVeagh is training in the two-year program, the only one in San Diego County and one of three throughout the state at a community college. There are three for-profit schools in California with OTA programs, costing between $50,000-$60,000, said Christi Vicino, a professor and program director at Grossmont College.

OTAs work under the supervision of an occupational therapist to provide patient treatment to people whose abilities to perform everyday tasks are threatened or impaired by developmental deficits, aging, mental health problems, physical injury or illness. OTAs are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, schools, day treatment centers, outpatient clinics and other community agencies.

With the aging of the baby-boom generation, employment of occupational therapy assistants is projected to grow 43 percent from 2014-2024, Vicino said, citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education allows graduates to take the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. In the past three years, 98 percent of the students in Grossmont’s program have passed the exam to earn the title of certified occupational therapy assistant, or COTA. The employment rate over the past three years has been 100 percent, Vicino added.

Marielle Bardos'"Rock in Chair" is an assistive guitar stand.

Marielle Bardos, whose “Rock in Chair” device is an assistive guitar stand she created to help a 14-year-old with a spinal cord injury get back to playing music, aspires to work with children when she finishes the OTA program. Like the rest of the cohort of students in the assistive technology class, she is in her second year of the program. Meeting four times week for three or four hours each night, the course is demanding, Bardos said, adding that the students next semester have two 10-week clinical rotations to complete the field work required of the program.

“It’s really intensive, but it’s great – everything you learn can be applied to the real world,” she said.

For those interested in learning more about OTA, a program preview for prospective students is set for 9-10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in Room 34-251 in Grossmont College’s Health and Sciences Complex.

Additional information is posted online about the OTA program. Or go to www.grossmont.edu , and click on the Academics link in the green bar near the top of the page.

Registration is now open for spring intersession classes at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. Students attend classes Jan. 3-28 and can complete a course, including those satisfying general education requirements, in just four weeks.

The deadline for registering is Jan. 6. The cost of the courses is the same $46 per unit that applies for regular-session classes, with most classes meeting daily for 2.5 hours and earning students three units.

Registration for regular spring semester classes is also open and ends Jan. 29.

A variety of general education classes are offered during intersession at both colleges, including Art Appreciation (ART 100); Interpersonal Communications (COMM. 120); Early World History (HIST 100); Modern American History (HIST 109); Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics (POSC 121); Introductory Psychology (PSY 120); Public Speaking (COMM 122); and Introductory Sociology (SOC 120).

Both colleges are also offering personal development classes to help students improve their learning and study skills, as well as make good career decisions.

At Grossmont College, additional GE classes for intersession include online classes in anthropology, economics, intermediate algebra, and sociology. Specialized training and instruction is also offered in Business Office Technology, Administration of Justice and Theatre Arts. At Cuyamaca College, additional GE intersession courses are offered in Art and Business Communication, and specialized training and instruction include classes in Child Development.

Just in time for that New Year’s resolution to get into shape, Grossmont College is offering four levels of Pilates, as well as dance classes in Hip Hop. Cuyamaca is offering conditioning classes for intercollegiate golf and intercollegiate cross country running. Exercise science classes in teaching fitness walking to children, and learning about childhood obesity are also offered at Cuyamaca College, as well as health education classes in personal health and lifestyles.

The short-term courses are a quick way to satisfy general education course requirements for university transfer, offering a compressed alternative to the semester-length schedule. The longer classroom hours and generally smaller classes also provide more one-on-one time with instructors. Go to WebAdvisor for the most current list of available classes. Click on “Spring 2017” for the term and “Intersession” as the selection for short-term courses.

Additional information on admissions and registering for classes is available online at www.gcccd.edu/now/

Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in the community of Rancho San Diego.

For more information, go to www.grossmont.edu or www.cuyamaca.edu.

From anthropology to water technology, East County’s community colleges offer a full spectrum of classes for almost 30,000 students working toward a degree or interested in improving their skills and knowledge.

Open enrollment begins Dec. 6 for the new semester beginning Jan. 30. The cost of the courses is $46 per unit, with most classes offering three units of college credit. Online registration for regular semester classes ends Jan. 29.

The two colleges are offering more than 2,600 class sections this spring, up more than 10 percent from a year ago. Both campuses offer a variety of traditional, online and hybrid classes, and Grossmont College will be offering Saturday classes to provide more scheduling options for students.

A new Grossmont College offering is History of Hip-Hop Culture (MUS 123), a survey course examining the origins and rise of hip-hop as an artistic form and global cultural phenomenon. The first course of its kind to be taught at a community college in the region, it is designed for students who want to explore the hip-hop culture from its development in the early ‘70s in the South Bronx to its international relevance today.

“The connections between rap music and the other elements of hip-hop will be explored and students will be challenged to think critically about rap music and its place in society,” said music department chair Derek Cannon, one of three instructors team-teaching the class. While Cannon covers the music end, Theresa Ford from the counseling office will teach hip-hop’s cultural origins and Melissa Adao from the dance department will cover its range from street dance to new style movements.

Controversial subjects such as censorship, racism, sexism and racial politics in America will be discussed as they relate to hip-hop, Cannon said.

The Saturday classes at Grossmont College vary in duration from one day, such as a daylong class in Academic/Financial Aid Planning (COUN 095); eight-week classes, including an Introduction to Physical Anthropology (ANTH 130) course; and semester-length classes such as Pre-Algebra (MATH 088), Introductory Psychology (PSY 120) and a Culinary Arts course, Home Cooking Essentials (CA 299A).

At Cuyamaca College, Edibles in Urban Landscapes (OH 105) is an Ornamental Horticulture class that covers the basics of cultivating edible plans in small-scale urban settings, including annual and perennial vegetables as well as shrubs and trees that produce edible fruit.

Taking a revamped approach to remedial learning, Cuyamaca College is offering a new freshman composition class that provides extra support to students assessed as not ready for college-level English. These students are able to co-enroll in the college-level English 120 class with the additional help they receive in English 020, and avoid the delay of first having to take a preparatory basic skills class.

Cuyamaca College’s well-known automotive technology program has much to offer for spring, including a new class covering hybrid, electric and alternative fuels vehicles (AUTO 129).

Another career-technical education program at Cuyamaca College is the Cisco Networking Academy, preparing students for entry-level and high-skill information technology jobs. After one semester, students will be ready for Cisco CCENT certification needed for that entry-level job as a network support professional. Combine that with another semester for the CCNA certification and even higher levels of IT employment. An orientation open to the public is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 28, 2017 in room E-205 for those new to the Cisco Academy, which blends in-class with online study.

Both colleges also offer programs to seamlessly progress toward baccalaureate degrees, thanks to agreements Grossmont and Cuyamaca have signed with Point Loma Nazarene University. The four baccalaureates offered through PLNU’s Adult Degree Completion program are designed to fit the needs of working adults, with courses taught by PLNU professors offered either entirely online or as hybrid classes combining once-weekly night classes at the colleges with online instruction.

The PLNU bachelor’s degree programs offered at Grossmont College are in Nursing and Computer Information Technology. At Cuyamaca College, the baccalaureate programs are in Child Development and Organizational Management. With all comparable programs impacted at San Diego State University, the PLNU baccalaureates provide much-needed options for students striving for bachelor’s degrees.

“Each cohort will take 15 months to complete the bachelor’s degree – a wonderfully efficient yet intense time frame,” said Kristin Zink, Cuyamaca College Child Development instructor.

Information on admissions and registering for classes is available online at www.gcccd.edu/now/

Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in the community of Rancho San Diego.

For more information, go to www.grossmont.eduor www.cuyamaca.edu

Ariane Ahmadian

Ask her to describe Cuyamaca College in a single word, and Ariane Ahmadian doesn’t hesitate: Community.

“Cuyamaca is all about community,” said the assistant senior in the Admissions and Records Office who also serves as president of the college’s Classified Senate.

“I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and administrators throughout the campus, and what comes through very clearly is that the best interests of the students are always a priority," she said. "I love the community atmosphere and the collaborative working relationships that have been built between people who are clearly so passionate about what they do.”

Ariane, 30, was herself a student at the college. She first enrolled following her graduation from West Hills High School in 2004. She took classes at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges off and on over the next several years, and she landed a job as a student hourly worker in the Admissions and Records Office in 2009.

Ariane was promoted to an assistant senior in 2013, the same year she earned her associate of arts degree. She started her bachelor’s degree program in organizational management at Cuyamaca in January through a college partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University.

As an assistant senior, Ariane oversees the processing of all records, from residency verifications to official transcripts. She also coordinates the high school dual enrollment program, processing all paperwork needed for high school students to enroll.

“We have close to 1,000 students this fall in our dual enrollment program, a number that has definitely been steadily growing the past few years thanks to the efforts of the East County Education Alliance and our incredible student outreach department,” she said.

“I’m very proud to say that I work here,” Ariane said. “We get a lot done at this college, and we’ve been able to get a lot done by working together as a team.”

Janet Leak-Garcia

Once stuck in a steady stream of dead-end, minimum-wage jobs, Janet Leak-Garcia now has a Ph.D., works in the nation’s capital and has contributed to agricultural trade agreements with South Korea. She once organized an international food safety training program in Thailand for a group of Pacific Rim nations. And she is at the forefront of scientific efforts to protect millions of acres under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service.

None of it would have happened without Cuyamaca College.

“Cuyamaca College changed my life,” Leak-Garcia said.

Her life includes a hardscrabble childhood that took her from Idaho to California to Arizona and back to California. Her past includes emancipation at age 16, living in a ramshackle converted garage, and finding herself as a single mother raising a daughter while barely making ends meet. She was, she said, the latest link in a long line of generations failing to overcome the challenges facing them.

“I was supporting myself with no skills,” Leak-Garcia said. “I was just kind of going from job to job. We barely had enough to eat.”

Biology Professor and friend Kathryn Nette said Leak-Garcia’s story serves as an inspiration to countless others.

“We have many students at Cuyamaca who have challenges similar to those that Janet faced that could keep them from achieving their goals,” Nette said. “I often tell Janet's story to students who are feeling like they want to give up, and I have seen many of them develop renewed enthusiasm and faith in their own abilities because they found a way to identify with her. I don't know if she understands how many students we have been able to help because of her success.”

Leak-Garcia’s epiphany came at the age of 33. “I saw myself looking at my daughter when she was asleep one day and I decided I couldn’t keep doing this. I was determined to break the cycle of poverty myself, and not expect for my daughter to do it.”

Leak-Garcia, who was working at a local nursery at the time, enrolled at Cuyamaca College.

“It was a big deal for us,” Leak-Garcia recalled. “Mom was going to college, even though it was community college.”

That was in 1998. She soon learned the instructors and services were as good as she’d find at any university. Her first exposure to the ample opportunities to succeed came when Leak-Garcia learned through extensive testing at Cuyamaca College’s Disabled Student Services that she suffered from a profound visual processing disorder that made filling out standard paperwork akin to solving a Rubik’s cube. She got the support she needed to manage the disability and soon thrived in the ornamental horticulture program, where she was hoping to earn a degree to help her get ahead at her job.

“I was working at a local nursery at the time, so my instructors told me, ‘Janet, you already know all this stuff. Your questions in class are all science-related. You need to be in the science department.”

She quickly switched gears and changed her focus. Nette was one of her first science instructors.

“What impressed me the most about Janet, was despite the many challenges she faced, she always found ways to overcome them through hard work and determination,” Nette said.

Chemistry Professor Laurie LeBlanc felt the same way.

“Janet was just an incredibly intelligent student, the best student I had,” LeBlanc said. “She was never satisfied with just getting information. She always wanted to know the ‘why’ behind the information. She was always asking questions.”

Those questions led to a passion for biology, a 4.0 grade point average and a transfer to San Diego State University, where Leak-Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis in ecology and a minor in mathematics.

Working full time, raising a daughter and living with a disability, Leak-Garcia was 40 years old when she graduated from San Diego State and began her Ph.D. studies at the Genetics, Genomics & Bioinfomatics Program at UC Riverside.

Her postdoctoral program consisted of a prestigious fellowship at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a nonprofit that publishes Science, the premier global science weekly. “I gave away what little furniture I had and flew out to Washington, D.C., with two cats.”

It was during her fellowship in 2010 that Leak-Garcia found herself reading the fine print and preparing position papers for bilateral trade talks with South Korea that resulted in stronger protection for produce grown on organic farms in the United States. She also organized a conference for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, a forum for 21 nations that promotes free trade in the Pacific Rim. Along the way, she has written several research papers and journal articles, ranging from ‘Crops Gone Wild: Evolution of Weeds and Invasives from Domesticated Ancestors’ to ‘Multiple Taxa Contribute to the Genesis of the Invasive California Wild Artichoke Thistle.’

“Janet is a person who is showing what an education can do and how it can transform your life,” LeBlanc said. “She’s just an amazing person with an amazing story.”

Today, she is a policy analyst within the Research and Development arm at the U.S. Forest Service.

“I had a dream that I could have a job that leveraged all of my skills and abilities, and would support me and my daughter while maximizing my ability to be a contributing member of society,” Leak-Garcia said. “That I would be able to break an intergenerational legacy of poverty in my family. I literally wanted to change the story of my future lineage. The much-needed personal support that I received from the faculty and staff at Cuyamaca College was essential in allowing me to do that. I am indeed forever grateful.”

Levi Wilson gives a drone demo.

Grossmont College is moving forward with developing a program in drone technology, due to a large turnout at Grossmont College’s recent workshop on careers in drone technology, along with the announcement of a $6 million federal workforce development grant that Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges were just awarded.

“Clearly, the interest is there and with the funding to support developing education and training to support rapidly growing business applications, we have an obligation to the public to build a drone technology program,” college president Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh said following a two-hour workshop last week that drew more than 60 attendees, including those from Los Angeles County.

CSIS instructor Robert Gillespie

With an eye toward becoming the first community college in Southern California to develop a program in drone technology, Grossmont College’s Career Technical Education, or CTE, division partnered with the California Community Colleges’ Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy initiative and others to host the workshop focusing on careers in Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

“We were delighted to have such a strong turnout for the regional drone workshop,” Javier Ayala, the college’s dean of CTE and Workforce Development, said, adding that the college will begin building the curriculum as early as next semester. “People were obviously very engaged in the topic of drones and how they have expanded so quickly from use by hobbyists to commercial and industry use.”

Ayala said that Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are among fewer than two dozen campuses nationwide awarded a U.S. Department of Labor Promise Grant to educate and train underserved students at no cost for high-skilled, in-demand jobs. He said the funding will help with program development, including one for drone technology.

“Because of the interest in this program and all the related technologies and the recent funding, spring semester will prove to be a very busy semester as we deploy the development stage, as well as solidify potential directions in the myriad of opportunities related to drone technology,” he said.

From package deliveries and aerial photographs to defense applications, the use of drones is expanding, opening up new careers in the technology behind the unmanned aircraft. Ayala said that Grossmont College wants to focus primarily on the programming and technology that make the autonomous aircraft and ground vehicles function. Offering courses in flight instruction is also a consideration, he said.

Ayala said that since the college already teaches computer languages like Java and C++ that apply to drones, it makes sense to teach the coding and programming to control the devices.

With drones targeted to become a $127 billion industry with use growing to 7 million from 2.5 million this year, they represent a promising yield of jobs and a growing demand for people with technical expertise, said Levi Wilson, general manager for MINDS-I Robotics, a Liberty Lake, Washington-based robotics designer and builder who also has developed curricula and labs to encourage students to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.

“Most jobs currently are in improving the reliability of this new technology,” said Wilson, who gave an overview of how drones are being applied in today’s world and provided a short demonstration of a quadrotor drone. “The other side is the operation of drones as part of business uses in everything from real estate, cinematography, law enforcement, agriculture and even sports.”

Also speaking was Grossmont-CSIS (Computer Science Information Systems) Professor Robert Gillespie, who focused on the programming of drones.

“It’s about the data, not the drone,” said Gillespie, who said the future of the drone industry lies in the custom apps and cloud services built for the processing and storage of data coming from the vehicles. The in-flight and post-flight communication with drones will offer software engineers and app developers an expanding job market.

“The drone industry is at its infancy – it’s very exciting,” Gillespie said.

More than 400 middle and high school students from throughout San Diego and Riverside counties will converge at Grossmont College Dec. 15 and 16 to compete in a series of simulated congressional hearings testing how well they know the Constitution.

Eleven middle and high schools are taking part in the innovative educational program titled We the People… The Citizen and the Constitution, which is now in its 29th year. The program is sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, Grossmont College, and the Cuyamaca College Constitution Education Committee. The Elks Lodge of El Cajon provides major funding for the event.

The competition gets under way at 9 a.m. both days, with an awards ceremony to follow at 12:30 p.m. Events will take place in the 500 building, just north of Griffin Center, at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon, 92920.

Students who have completed a curriculum focusing on the Constitution will ‘testify’ on various Constitutional issues during the simulated congressional hearing before a panel of judges comprising educators, attorneys, legislators, business owners and members of the Elks Lodge. Classes from the 11 schools are divided into six teams of three to seven students each. Teams, before the event, were assigned questions to address, all of which will lead to four minutes of prepared testimony followed by six minutes of questioning from the panel of judges. Teams are scored on how well they respond to the assigned questions and on their application of Constitutional principles.

“By making the formal oral presentations and working cooperatively as a class, students enhance their knowledge of the Constitution and develop a real appreciation for their rights as American citizens,” said Tony Zambelli, who coordinates the program.

The winning high school team will move on to a statewide competition in the spring for a chance to compete at the national competition in Washington, D.C. All participants receive a certificate of achievement signed by their local state representatives.

For the 10^thyear in a row, Bill Garrett was selected Tuesday night as president of the

L to R: Chancellor Cindy Miles; Governing Board members
Edwin Hiel, Elena Adams, President Bill Garrett, Greg Barr,
Debbie Justeson; Student trustees Evan Esparza,
Sebastian Caparelli

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board, while Elena Adams joined the board that leads the two-college East County college district.

Board member Edwin Hiel was elected vice president, and board member Debbie Justeson was selected to serve as clerk of the board.

Garrett, retired El Cajon city manager who has served on the Governing Board since 2004, was reelected this year without opposition. Adams, an East County resident and lifelong educator currently employed at San Diego Continuing Education, was elected to fill the vacancy created when board member Mary Kay Rosinski decided not to run for re-election.

Garrett said he is pleased to see the transformative work that Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are doing on behalf of about 30,000 students each year. He credited the district and colleges’ leadership for focusing efforts on student success and equity, and opening a pathway to college for all students.

“Our Governing Board members sincerely care about our students, employees, the colleges and the district,” Garrett said. “It’s truly an honor to be a part of this Governing Board and this district.”

The Governing Board will be holding its regular meetings in 2017 on the third Tuesday of each month, with the exception of September, November and December, when meetings will take place on the second Tuesday of each month. The board meets at Grossmont College’s Griffin Gate in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and at the student center at Cuyamaca College in alternate months.

They’re ready to heal the world.

Two dozen students who have completed Grossmont College’s renowned nursing program were saluted Thursday night, Dec. 15, in an emotional nurse pinning ceremony marking the end of the training needed to embark on their careers as health care providers.

Graduates at the event, which took place at Cuyamaca College’s Performing Arts Theater, included several immigrants and the mother-and-daughter team of Colleen and Kayleigh Dotson.

“Our students come from very diverse backgrounds, married, single parents, some working full time, 40 hours a week, and took part in a very vigorous program, so this is quite an accomplishment that we are celebrating today,” said Interim Senior Dean of Allied Health and Nursing Dr. Domenica Oliveri. “This is a very impressive bunch of students and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Students have traveled different paths to reach their destination.

Nhien Nguyen came to Grossmont College after emigrating with her sister from Vietnam in 2007. She said she chose the Grossmont College Nursing Program because of its reputation among health care professionals. “It’s really a good program,” said Nguyen. “They offer a lot of clinical hours to help you get used to working in a hospital. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel confident about my future in nursing.”

Michael Arenson came to Grossmont College by way of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he began his undergraduate studies majoring in biology with thoughts of becoming a trauma surgeon. Instead, he decided to go into nursing.

“I heard nothing but good things about the Grossmont College program, it was affordable, and people I knew who were working in hospitals were praising the quality of Grossmont students,” said Arenson.

Over the next few years, he gained invaluable experience while putting in some 650 hours of clinical work at medical centers throughout the county, including Kaiser in San Diego, Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Rady Children’s Hospital.

“The amount of time we actually worked in hospitals and got hands-on experience was pretty impressive,” said Arenson. “It was a good decision to come here.”

Amy Fisher shared similar sentiments. Like Arenson, she, too, had thoughts of becoming a doctor. But after volunteering at the UC San Diego Burn Unit, her mind was set on a different career.
“I saw how connected the nurses were with their patients, and I decided then that’s what I wanted to do,” she said, adding that choosing Grossmont College was one of the best decisions she has made. “The quality of the program here is amazing. They train you to have the skills like no one else can. It’s a very challenging program, but you get the support you need and the end result is you are more prepared for working in the field.”

Graduates are now qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination, the last stop needed before becoming a registered nurse. Pass rates for Grossmont College students, though, are among the highest in the state, with more 91 percent passing last year. Most students will pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing before settling on a career in the medical profession – a profession in which job openings are expected to increase by 16 percent nationwide during the 10-year period ending in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In California, the job market is even better. Projected employment is forecast to jump from 256,000 registered nurses in 2014 to more than 300,000 in 2024, with a median wage of $102,000 annually, according to the California Employment Development Department.

Fifteen graduates, such as Fisher, will stay at Grossmont College while they pursue their bachelor’s degree in nursing through a partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University that enables them to further their studies without leaving the El Cajon campus.

The modern nurse pinning ceremony dates to the mid-19th century when Florence Nightingale – the founder of modern nursing – was pinned with the Red Cross of St. George for her dedication in caring for injured soldiers during the Crimean War. By the First World War, the practice of pinning new nursing school graduates had become standard throughout the United States.

Said student speaker Sasha Carter: “Tonight is when we celebrate our transition from humble students to proud and able nurses.”

About Grossmont College
Grossmont College is “Changing Lives Through Education” and has served the diverse educational needs of San Diego’s East County since 1962. With a wide variety of certificate and associate degree programs, Grossmont College provides workforce training, career development and transferable college-level coursework to its more than 18,000 students. For more information, visit Grossmont.edu.

Grossmont College’s Theatre Arts Department will take its 11^th annual Inside the Actor’s Process production to 15 high schools throughout San Diego County starting Jan. 30 as part of an ongoing effort at exposing teen audiences to the finer points of stage performance.

Directed by Jerry Hager, this year’s production is titled Inside the Actor’s Process: Ensemble, and it is aimed at illustrating how storylines are developed in an ensemble cast – in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance.

“Inside the Actors Process is a unique theatre adventure that is based in the heart and soul of the actors who present live theatre,” Hager said. “Actors share their journeys and discoveries through not only through performance, but also in a forum with their audiences, which allows the high school student to ask questions or make comments. This type of back-and-forth conversation is an important part of the process of understanding how a character is built.”

Ten Grossmont College Theatre Arts students auditioned for the touring production, which runs through March 22. High schools can schedule a free performance by calling (619) 644-7234. Performances are available on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Although Inside the Actor’s Process: Ensemble will tour local high schools, Stagehouse Theatre performances at Grossmont College on Feb. 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. are open to the public. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the box office; online at www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure, or by calling (619) 644-7234.

Hager is a Professor of Theatre Arts at Grossmont College, where he has worked for the past quarter century. He also has collaborated with several San Diego arts organizations, including the San Diego Symphony and Classics For Kids. Hager has been with Young Audiences of San Diego for the last 30 years serving as both a Master Teaching and Performing Artist as well as assisting with myriad special projects for Young Audiences.

“Inside the Actor’s Process” is one of several community outreach programs developed by the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department that has for the past decade brought free theater and insight to the world of acting to thousands of high school students,” he said. “Inside the Actor’s Process: Ensemble will show the audience the rewards and challenges of ensemble theatre from inside out.”

It wasn’t too long ago that Jesus Banderas saw school as something of a nuisance. Which is why he dropped out as a 16-year-old high school junior and found full-time work at his father’s landscaping business.

Then he discovered Cuyamaca College. And his life hasn’t been the same since.

“I never really saw myself as college material,” he said. “I was just interested in taking a couple ornamental horticulture classes and picking up some information to help out my dad and his business. It turned out to be the best thing for me.”

That’s because Banderas kept pushing himself to greater heights.

After completing a couple courses in ornamental horticulture, Banderas figured, why not go for a certificate of achievement? After nearing his requirements for a certificate of achievement, Banderas figured, why not go for an associate degree? After nearing his requirements for an associate degree, Banderas thought, why not go for a bachelor’s degree?

The latter meant taking a couple science courses needed to transfer to a University of California campus.

“I was actually pretty scared because I hadn’t taken a science course since middle school, and, in all honesty, I never really showed up to class back then anyway,” Banderas said. “So I signed up for chemistry and biology, and I was mesmerized. Once you start looking at how everything works, you see it’s all rooted in molecular biology. It’s all pretty fascinating how proteins work according to their chemical makeup, how different plants react to different pathogens. It was a whole new world for me.”

Banderas’ dedication was rewarded by several scholarships, including a $500 Tree Huggers Award in 2012 and the Dr. Samuel M. Ciccati Ornamental Horticulture award in 2013. He was also active on campus and found himself involved with the Cuyamaca College Conservation Science Club.

“Jesus is truly a bright individual who was so interested in learning about the sciences,” said biology professor Laurie LeBlanc. “He was a pleasure to have in class.”

Banderas graduated from Cuyamaca College in the spring of 2013 and left for UC Davis, where he earned a bachelor’s in plant biology in June. Along the way he engaged in numerous research projects, including a 10-week, residential summer program at the UC Riverside Center for Plant Cell Biology in 2013 and the Summer Scholars Program at Cornell University the following year. Both fed his passion to learn more about plant pathology and plant immunity.

Today, Banderas, 25, is working for Genentech as a bioprocessing manufacturing technician and has thoughts of returning to school for a postgraduate degree.

“It’s definitely been an interesting journey,” said Banderas. “Every step of the way I’ve stopped and reflected at where I was and where I had come from and how I got there. I never thought I could ever go to college, but now here I am, a graduate of UC Davis. But I really wouldn’t have gotten here had it not been for Cuyamaca College. If Cuyamaca didn’t have that horticulture program, I probably would never have gone to college.”

“Jesus is destined for some great things in the future," LaBlanc said. "His story serves as an inspiration to so many others who may have lacked confidence in themselves or doubted their ability to flourish.”

Cuyamaca College has secured a grant of nearly $260,000 to bolster its new viticulture apprenticeship program and cover the cost of a planned two-acre vineyard on the Rancho San Diego campus.

The viticulture apprenticeship program, the only one of its kind in Southern California when it launched in the fall of 2016, is aimed at addressing a shortage of qualified workers knowledgeable in vine and pest diseases, irrigation practices and harvest operations that are critical in the growing viticulture industry.

“Even though San Diego County has 115 wineries, we’re not recognized as a premium wine-growing area, and that has made finding skilled labor difficult,” said Izaac Villalobos, general manager at Fallbrook Winery. “The Cuyamaca College program will go a long way in helping to alleviate the challenge of finding skilled labor.”

Although the viticulture apprenticeship program was launched in the fall, initial funding to support the effort was lacking and only three apprentices signed up. The grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office will help grow the program, pay for a two-acre vineyard near the Water Conservation Garden and cover operating costs.

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors approved the grant at its Jan. 17 meeting in Sacramento.

Graduates of the Viticulture Technician Apprentice program will leave Cuyamaca College understanding the basic principles of soil science, soil fertility and irrigation construction, in addition to having the skills needed to plant and maintain vineyards, cultivate and harvest wine grapes, process the product through the bottling process, and handle retail operations and support customer service.

Besides taking 14.5 units of courses in the Ornamental Horticulture Department, students also are required to complete 3,000 hours as a paid apprentice.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to expand and strengthen our Viticulture Apprenticeship Program,” said Cuyamaca College President Julianna Barnes. “Our program will play a key leadership role in the region in training future professionals to take on needed roles in the wine industry.”

San Diego County’s wine grape crop has risen in value from $378,000 to $6.5 million in a decade, the San Diego County Farm Bureau says. California’s wine industry, meanwhile, employs more than 41,000 people, excluding seasonal and temporary employees, and the state – which is the fourth largest leading wine producer in the world – crafts 85 percent of the wine consumed in the country.

Applicants to the program, which falls under Cuyamaca College’s Career and Technical Education division, must be at least 21 years old.

Anyone interested in applying for the new program should contact Donald Schultz in the Ornamental Horticulture Department at Cuyamaca College at either (619) 660-4023, or Donald.Schultz@gcccd.edu

With the closing of the books on Proposition R, the voter-backed 2002 construction bond funds that transformed the campuses of Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, a final accountability report was presented to the Governing Board that keeps the bond’s streak of spotless audits intact.

With the last of $207 million spent of Proposition R revenue, the Board received its final financial and performance audits of the construction bond that by all measures has proven an unqualified success.

“We have much to be proud of with the completion of the Proposition R bond program,” said Governing Board President Bill Garrett. “These audits affirm that we have kept our promise to East County voters that these public dollars were spent with adherence to all laws and regulations.”

In addition to the audits on Proposition R, the Governing Board also received unblemished audit reports covering the district’s general audit; the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the district’s auxiliary, and Proposition V, the construction bond funds approved by East County voters in 2012.

The district’s string of spotless audits remains unbroken, with the Governing Board receiving unblemished audit reports for the 13th year in a row.

“We have a longstanding history of clean audits and this year is no exception,” said Sue Rearic, the district’s vice chancellor of Business Services. “All of our audits reflect the best opinion possible, which is unmodified. Clean audits are no small thing. It's everyone making sure our documentation is tight and we are able to substantiate our transactions.”

Although the East County college district’s annual clean fiscal reports have become almost routine, the unbroken streak of what’s known in the accounting lexicon as unmodified audits for the district is not to be taken for granted, Chancellor Cindy Miles said.

“They reflect the district’s firm commitment to accountability and transparency in its handling of taxpayer dollars,” Miles said. “It is because of this commitment that year after year, we earn these stellar audit reports.”

The district’s general audit by the firm of Christy White Accountancy Corporation shows that the district complied with all applicable laws and regulations and had no questioned costs for the last fiscal year. It confirms that the college district is fiscally sound and also gives a clean bill of health to its financial reporting practices. The annual audits by certified public accountants are required by the state education code.

Garrett said that in the case of the construction bond funds, the financial and performance audits affirm the public’s confidence in passing 2002’s Prop. R and 2012’s $398 million Proposition V.

The passage of Prop. V paved the way for the district to continue the work started with Prop. R that resulted in the construction or renovation of 13 major facilities at the colleges. Major projects underway include a new building for Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture department and a new Arts and Communication complex at Grossmont College.

The financial audits by the firm Vicenti, Lloyd and Stutzman confirm that the building fund statements provided by the district fairly present the financial pictures of the Proposition R and Proposition V building funds in accordance with accepted accounting principles.
The objective of the performance audit was to determine that the proceeds of the sale of Proposition R and Proposition V bonds were used only for authorized bond projects.

“The audits confirm we are keeping our commitment to spend the dollars exactly as promised in the ballot language,” Garrett said.

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, located in eastern San Diego County, serve almost 30,000 students.

For more information about the district and its colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Music, art, a poetry slam, and a discussion on black activism at Grossmont College and a Martin Luther King Jr. tribute, a panel of young African-American professionals, and a presentation on institutional slavery at Cuyamaca College are among February’s Black History Month events.

A rich selection of events are being offered at both colleges to honor the traditions, legacies and movements of African-Americans. Also known as National African-American History Month, Black History Month grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African-Americans.

Jasiri X to speak at Grossmont.

Highlighting Grossmont College events are a trio of African-American notables who have made their marks in today’s world: musical artist and activist Jasiri X, animator Tony Washington, and the NFL’s first African-American starting quarterback Marlin Briscoe.

“We are excited and looking forward to seeing each of these individuals who will be on campus for a presentation, discussion and Q and A session,” said Grossmont College counselor James Canady, one of the event coordinators.

Grossmont College’s Black History Month events are:

Tuesday and Wednesdays Feb. 7-Feb. 22: “Jazz Kitchen with Soul Food Specials” features Jazz Studies student performers led by Music Department chair Derek Cannon and all-day lunch specials at Griffin Grill in Griffin Center.
Monday, Feb. 6, 1-2:30 p.m.: A 1-2:30 p.m. presentation in Griffin Gate, Building 60, by nationally acclaimed artist/animator Tony Washington.
Thursday, Feb. 9, 3:30-5:30 p.m.: Musical artist and activist Jasiri X emerged on the national scene in 2007 with the powerful hit song “Free the Jena 6” and his critically acclaimed album Black Liberation Theology (2015) is recognized as a soundtrack for today’s civil rights movement. He will speak from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in Room 220, Building 26.
Monday, Feb. 13, 1-3 p.m.: “Representations of Femininity and Spirituality in African and African-American Art” is an art exhibit hosted by Gwyneth Mapes and T Ford in Room 220, Building 26. Denise Rodgers, professor of Art History and manager of Mesa College Foundation African Art Collection, will present artwork produced by and for African and African-American women.

· Thursday, Feb. 16, 1-2:30 p.m.: Umoja and Puente program coordinators and students present “Voices of our Students” in Room 522, Building 55.

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7-9 p.m.: Join Sydney Brown and T Ford in Room 355, Building 36, for an African-American Read-In of literature by African-American writers.

· Wednesday, Feb. 22, 12:30-2:30 p.m.: Marlin Briscoe, the first starting African-American NFL quarterback, and recent inductee into the College Hall of Fame, played for the Denver Broncos and after 11 games, was nominated and became the runner-up for Rookie of the Year. The event in Griffin Gate, Building 60 will be hosted by Jim Tolbert as Briscoe discusses his greatest lesson in life: persistence.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Directed by Roxanne Tuscany and James Canady, the Umoja Program will host the first poetry competition of Region 10 community colleges, including City, Southwestern, Mesa and MiraCosta colleges. The event will be held in Room 220, Building 26.
Monday, Feb. 27, 10 a.m.-noon: A transfer workshop about Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Griffin Gate in Building 60 will give students an opportunity to ask questions and learn transfer requirements for HBCUs.
Feb. 16, 27 and 28: “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep South” features a Part 1 film screening and Part 2 guest speaker. Filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine cousins, including Tom DeWolf, author of “Gather at the Table: The Healing Journey of a Daughter of Slavery and a Son of the Slave Trade,” retrace the transatlantic slave trade dubbed the Triangle Trade. The screenings are 3:30-5 p.m., Feb. 16, in Griffin Gate, Building 60, and 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 27 in Room 220, Building 26. DeWolf will speak 2-4:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in Griffin Gate.

Cuyamaca College’s Black History Month events are:

SDSU's NPHC Step Show

· Wednesday, Feb. 1, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: The Black Student Union will be participating in the Student Involvement Fair Feb. 1 in the Grand Lawn. There will be free food and music.
· Friday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: The legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. will be celebrated in Room I-207 in the Student Center with a luncheon, speaker and spoken-word performance.
· Wednesday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.:“The Mass Incarceration of African-American Males: A Return to Institutionalized Slavery, Oppression and Disenfranchisement of Constitutional Rights” is a presentation by Tanis Stark in the Cross Cultural Center, Room I-128 in the Student Center. The focus will be on how the American justice system disenfranchises African-American males of their constitutional rights of liberty and equal justice, thus placing them in a system of de facto slavery.
· Thursday, Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: The College Hour Black Excellence Panel will be convening in Room I-207 in the Student Center and will feature young African American professionals from different career industries. They will share their experience in the workforce as young African-American professionals.
· Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2-3 p.m.: Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks and Alazar Tesfamariam will facilitate a history panel in Room I-207 in the Student Center.
· Friday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.:San Diego State University’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) presents The NPHC Step Show in the quad area in front of the STEM Center. NPHC is home to the historically black fraternities and sororities. The step show will consist of step and strolling performances.
· Monday, Feb. 27, 3-6 p.m.: The Black Student Union hosts a viewing of “The Birth of a Nation” in the Digital Theater in B-101. This film is based on the story of Nat Turner, the enslaved man who led a slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1831.

'Birth of a Nation' film screening

All events are open to the public. Grossmont College is at 8800 Grossmont College Drive. Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in the community of Rancho San Diego. For more information about the colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Spring semester starts Monday, Jan. 30, at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, but late registration is still an option at East County’s community colleges, where nearly 30,000 students are working toward a degree, university transfer, workforce training or just increasing their knowledge.

The cost of the courses is $46 per unit, with most classes offering three units of college credit. Online registration for the regular semester classes ends Jan. 29, but late registration with an add code obtained from the instructor is possible until Feb. 10.

The two colleges are offering more than 2,600 class sections this spring, up nearly 10 percent from a year ago. Since last fall, the number of online and hybrid classes at both colleges has risen by an average 15 percent. For the spring semester, Grossmont College is offering 50 percent more Saturday classes than last fall, when the courses were added to provide more scheduling options for students.

A new Grossmont College offering is History of Hip-Hop Culture (MUS 123), a survey course examining the origins and rise of hip-hop as an artistic form and global cultural phenomenon. The first course of its kind to be taught at a community college in the region, it is designed for students who want to explore the hip-hop culture from its development in the early ‘70s in the South Bronx to its international relevance today.

“The connections between rap music and the other elements of hip-hop will be explored and students will be challenged to think critically about rap music and its place in society,” said music department chair Derek Cannon, one of three instructors team-teaching the class. While Cannon covers the music end, Theresa Ford from the counseling office will teach hip-hop’s cultural origins and Melissa Adao from the dance department will cover its range from street dance to new style movements.

The Saturday classes at Grossmont College, which have increased by 50 percent since the fall, vary in duration from one day, such as a daylong class in Academic/Financial Aid Planning (COUN 095); eight-week classes, including an Introduction to Physical Anthropology (ANTH 130) course; and semester-length classes such as Pre-Algebra (MATH 088), Introductory Psychology (PSY 120) and a Culinary Arts course, Home Cooking Essentials (CA 299A).

Also new this spring is Grossmont’s EKG (electrocardiogram)/Telemetry program, and a public safety dispatcher course is now offered every semester, an expansion of the previously once-annual offering.

At Cuyamaca College, Edibles in Urban Landscapes (OH 105) is an Ornamental Horticulture class that covers the basics of cultivating edible plans in small-scale urban settings.

Taking a revamped approach to remedial learning, Cuyamaca College is offering a freshman composition class that provides extra support to students assessed as not ready for college-level English. These students are able to co-enroll in the college-level English 120 class with the additional help they receive in English 020, and avoid the delay of first having to take a preparatory basic skills class.

The same accelerated learning option is available for students assessed as needing additional help to take college-level math. Just-in-Time Support for Intermediate Algebra (Math 010) and Just-in-Time Support for Elementary Statistics (Math 060) are taken in conjunction with the college-level courses in the same subjects.

At spring convocation this week, college president Julianna Barnes reported that the accelerated learning approach has been highly successful, with the number of students successfully completing transfer-level math has increased by 67 percent over fall 2015 figures and more than 200 percent over figures reported in fall 2014.

Accelerated learning classes are also offered in the college’s English as a Second Language program which provide students a faster pathway to English 120, a college-level freshman composition and reading course.

Cuyamaca College’s well-known automotive technology program has much to offer for spring, including a new class covering hybrid, electric and alternative fuels vehicles (AUTO 129).

Both colleges also offer programs to seamlessly progress toward baccalaureate degrees, thanks to agreements Grossmont and Cuyamaca have signed with Point Loma Nazarene University. The four baccalaureates offered through PLNU’s Adult Degree Completion program are designed to fit the needs of working adults, with courses taught by PLNU professors offered either entirely online or as hybrid classes combining once-weekly night classes at the colleges with online instruction.

The PLNU bachelor’s degree programs offered at Grossmont College are in Nursing and Computer Information Technology. At Cuyamaca College, the baccalaureate programs are in Child Development and Organizational Management. With all comparable programs impacted at San Diego State University, the PLNU baccalaureates provide much-needed options for students striving for bachelor’s degrees, which can be earned in just 15 months.

Both colleges are offering extended student services hours the first two weeks of the semester to accommodate students enrolling for spring. Grossmont College is offering extended hours Jan. 28-Feb. 11. Counseling, Admissions and Records, Financial Aid and other offices in Buildings 10 and 60 are open 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

At Cuyamaca College, extended office hours for Student Services are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays through Feb. 10. Saturday hours from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. are available Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 in the One Stop Student Services offices, Building A.

Information on admissions and registering for classes is available online at www.gcccd.edu/now/

Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in the community of Rancho San Diego.

For more information, go to www.grossmont.edu or www.cuyamaca.edu

The head man dancer is Richard DeCrane.

The Native American Student Alliance (NASA) at Cuyamaca College is hosting its 3rd Annual Powwow 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb.4, in front of the Communication Arts complex, Building B.

The free, public event aims to promote Native American heritage, with a variety of activities, including Bird Singing, a native singing style of the Kumeyaay people, and a series of competitive dances honoring the culture and traditions of local and distant tribes.

The head man dancer, an important role in any powwow, is Richard DeCrane, a member of the Navajo and Crow tribes. As the head man dancer, DeCrane will lead the dancers in brilliant regalia in the powwow’s opening procession.

DeCrane’s prominence in the powwow is profiled in the event program, from his early years on the Crow Reservation in Montana and his move to the Navajo nation, where he was raised by his maternal grandparents in Standing Rock, New Mexico. A military enlistee straight out of high school, DeCrane served for 15 years in the U.S. Navy, including as a plane captain signaling pilots on the E-2C Hawkeye radar surveillance plane during carrier takeoffs aboard the USS Carl Vincent and USS Abraham Lincoln. He was recognized for his service in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Upon his return from his first deployment to Iraq, his grandfather renamed him “The Warrior Who Has Returned to His People,” in recognition of the warrior tradition of Native Americans. The married father of four has an oldest son, Mark Anthony, who is carrying on the tradition, serving as a corpsman at Camp Pendleton.

After retiring from the military, DeCrane decided to pursue a college education, earning an associate of arts in liberal arts and a certificate in American Indian Studies from Palomar College. He transferred to San Diego State University and earned a degree in American Indian Studies and Tribal Gaming.

At last year’s powwow, DeCrane served as staff carrier, bringing in the Indian flag represented by a long staff with eagle feathers. The staff carrier, a position of respect traditionally held by a veteran, is first to enter the arena, along with the bearer of the American flag.

The powwow opens with a blessing gourd and bird dancing, followed by the grand entry at 1 p.m., the procession of all dancers led by DeCrane. Expected to perform are dancers of the Kumeyaay Nation from the local region; the Blackfeet tribe of Montana; the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians in San Jacinto, as well as the Yaqui and Chippewa, Navajo, Crow and Quiche Maya, and the UmonHon (Omaha) Tribe of Macy, Nebraska.

In addition to dancing, the powwow will showcase the Green River North Drum featuring an intertribal singing and drum group that performs the songs of the Northern Plains. Another group expected to perform is the Asha Takuk Bird Singers, a Kumeyaay troupe from the Viejas and Santa Ysabel reservations whose members have traveled extensively in the U.S. and Canada, sharing the traditional song of the Kumeyaay passed down through generations.

Native American arts and crafts, along with fry bread and Indian tacos, will also be the order of the day, in addition to information booths for Kumeyaay Community College; the San Diego American Indian Health Center; Family Health Centers of San Diego; the Southern California American Indian Resource Center (SCAIR), and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

With a name coming from a Kumeyaay phrase, “Ekwiiyemak,” translated to mean “behind the clouds,” “above the rains,” and “the place where the rain comes from the heavens,” and its location on what was once tribal land, Cuyamaca College has long had a connection to the Native American community.

Offering a Kumeyaay Studies certificate program, a mentoring program for Native American students, and a Native American dance exhibit put on at the college each fall, Cuyamaca College values its ties to the tribal communities and culture, said Maria Gearhart, a multimedia technician at the college library and co-coordinator of the powwow, along with Corrine Hensley, a tutoring center specialist. The pair volunteer as advisors to the student group and also have family ties to the Native American community.

“Powwows are celebrations, social gatherings and friendly dance competitions, and there are sacred traditions in this gathering of the people.” Gearhart said. “We look forward to this powwow becoming a long campus tradition,” she said.

Admission and parking will be free.

For more information about Cuyamaca College, located at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon, go to www.cuyamaca.edu

A Feb. 8 workshop tackling the mass incarceration of African-American males kicks off the spring edition of Diversity Dialogues, a series of Cuyamaca College conversations aimed at fostering a greater understanding of different cultures.

“Diversity Dialogues is known for opening frank and meaningful discussions about social justice and equity, and we look forward to another set of seven workshops on topics that go to the heart of making Cuyamaca College a welcoming community,” said Lauren Vaknin, Associate Dean of Student Affairs. All workshops are free and open to the public.

The series begins with "The Mass Incarceration of African-American Males: A Return to Institutionalized Slavery, Oppression, and Disenfranchisement of Constitutional Rights,"which is set from 11 a.m. to noon in Room I-207 of the Student Center. The session, led by Dr. Tanis Starck, director at San Diego State University’s Office of Cultural Relations, will explore how our justice system disenfranchises black males of their constitutional rights.

"Reaching Out to Succeed" takes place Feb. 27 from 10 to 11 a.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center. This session, led by Cuyamaca College mental health counselor Ahmed (Rasheed) Aden and Abdimalik Buul, a counselor and professor at Southwestern College, addresses awareness around mental health issues on college campuses and why students of color are far less likely to ask for help.

"Overcoming Conflict and Finding Solutions with Peers" is set for March 9 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center. Presented by Cuyamaca College counselor Mary Garcia, this workshop will discuss handling difficult situations and disagreements in a respectful manner that can bring growth and build rapport among participants.

The Social Justice Institute is set for March 24 from 10 a.m. to noon in Rooms I-208 and 209 of the Student Center. Presented by Grace Bagunu, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego, this session will help participants gain a greater understanding of social justice from their own experiences, as well as commit to an action that will benefit the greater community.

"Social Empathy Model – A Path Toward Social Justice" is set for April 6 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center. Presented by Mayumi Douglas, a San Diego State University lecturer and licensed marriage and family therapist, this workshop will cover a model of empathy, contextual understanding, and social responsibility that promotes social justice.

"Safe Zones Training" takes place April 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center. This session brings awareness of LGBTQIA issues and provides insights on improving the campus climate. Presenters include Cuyamaca College faculty members Nancy Jennings, Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks, Mary Garcia and Tania Jabour, who will provide tips on becoming allies of the LGBTQIA community.

"What You Say Matters"wraps up the Diversity Dialogues program on May 1 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Room I-208 of the Student Center. Presented by Grace Bagunu, this session will focus on the words we choose to use, how some of the most common phrases can be considered a micro-aggression to others, and how to communicate effectively in diverse settings using inclusive language.

Vaknin developed Diversity Dialogues in the spring of 2011, initially offering three workshops that drew a total of about 50 students. These days, up to 300 people – mostly students -- attend the workshops each year.

For more information on the Diversity Dialogues program, contact Lauren Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at 619.660.4295.

Ben Lawson

Like a lot of teens trying to find their way, Ben Lawson was unsure of his future upon graduating from Ormskirk High School in Liverpool, England. He found his path more than 5,000 miles away at Cuyamaca College.

“This campus opens you up to a lot of options,” said Lawson, 23. “Once you find what you want, everything is here to get you started and on your way.”

A skilled fullback with the Ashton Town F.C. soccer team but wanting to explore options outside of playing the sport, Lawson moved with a friend to Thousand Oaks near Los Angeles to give coaching a try shortly upon earning his high school diploma. After meeting his girlfriend, who was attending California State University Channel Islands in nearby Camarillo, he resolved that enrolling in college would be his best bet.

With his girlfriend graduating and moving back home to San Diego County, Lawson looked into the higher education opportunities in the area. The decision, though, was easy.

“Four-year college was out because of the cost,” Lawson said. “So I did a lot of research into the community colleges, and Cuyamaca seemed like an awesome fit for me. The options for students are almost endless. The class sizes are so small. The resources are ample, it’s in a beautiful area of San Diego, and the campus is just gorgeous.”

Lawson enrolled nearly three years ago. For the past 18 months, he’s served as a student ambassador, regularly visiting local high schools and selling them on what Cuyamaca has to offer. His pitch: “Don’t be scared of what you want to do. This campus opens you up to a lot of options. Once you find what you want, everything is here to get you started.”

Lawson, who’s wrapping up his final semester at the Rancho San Diego campus, is on track to earn an associate degree in real estate this spring. He’s contemplating either transferring to San Diego State University or moving back to England with his girlfriend, with whom he has now been with for more than four years.

His long-term goal: to run his own real estate investment firm.

“Real estate is something that never goes out of style,” he said. “Everybody will always need a place to live or work.”

Which is why he landed an internship at Keller Williams Realty in La Mesa last fall. Joe O’Meara, a Realtor at the office, praised Lawson’s professionalism.

“He’s the type of person you only have to give directions to once,” O’Meara said. “Ben is a pro. He was always there on time, never late, always willing to do more than what was asked. He was a valuable asset and we’d love to have him work for us in the future. He did a great job of representing Cuyamaca College.”

Indeed, the Real Estate Program at Cuyamaca College is designed to help students prepare for work in myriad specialties and can lead to either an associate degree or certificate in real estate. Courses fill the educational requirements for the California Real Estate Salesperson and Broker’s licenses.

“The real estate program here is remarkable,” Lawson said. “It has a wide range of diverse offerings that will prepare you for anything from sales, to broker, to finance officer, to appraiser, mortgage lender, you name it. Once you lay down what you want to do, the school lays down a pathway for you to follow,” he said.

Erich Foeckler, a fundraising professional for 20 years, is the new executive director of development for the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, the philanthropic partner for East County’s two community colleges.

The East County resident is in charge of developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising plan for the foundation and will take the lead in forging relationships with donors who want to make a difference in students’ lives.

It is work that the seasoned professional has done with impressive results. As the donor relations executive at the San Diego chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Foeckler increased grant funding by 25 percent and nearly doubled the size of the local office’s planned-giving membership. As the director of development and marketing at Home Start, Inc. in San Diego from 2008-2012, he was credited for raising nearly $2 million to renovate homeless shelter facilities and for increasing grant funding and contracts by $1 million in a single year.

As the director of communications and special events for six years at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, a well-known El Cajon institution that serves the needs of adults with developmental disabilities, Foeckler was key in the center winning Oprah’s Big Give competition in 2008.

At the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, Foeckler will be leading a major initiative to develop a permanent endowment for the Higher Edge Promise Scholarship program to fund East County high school graduates’ first year of classes at Grossmont or Cuyamaca College.

“With this endowment, we want to send every Grossmont Union High School District graduate to their first year of college for free,” said Foeckler who holds a certificate in fundraising from the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, Fund Raising School, and earned certification in 2003 as a Certified Fundraising Executive. He also earned a certificate in nonprofit management from Chapman University.

John Valencia, vice chancellor of Workforce and Organizational Development at the college district who oversees the foundation, said the organization will benefit from Foeckler’s proven skills at relationship-building and his broad experience in corporate and non-profit management and fundraising.

“Part of what we do is to draw attention to the valuable role our colleges play in the community and the transformative power they have on people’s lives, and Erich is the ideal ambassador to spread this message to potential backers,” he said. “His two decades of involvement in fundraising will be instrumental in our efforts to build financial resources for Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges and to enhance student learning.”

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where his daughter still lives with her husband and son, Foeckler’s early years were as a food and beverage director during a 15-year career in the hospitality field, a time span spent developing and honing his expertise in event planning. A job as the director of photography at Disneyland followed and it was at the Happiest Place on Earth that his staff management skills were put to use handling a team of 125 cast members.

Foeckler, a La Mesa resident, said he was drawn to the foundation job because of the district’s mission to serve the higher educational needs of East County.

“As a lifelong learner, I want to help pass along the joy of education to the region,” he said. “Being a professional fundraiser has allowed me to help others achieve their dreams of making the world a better place, and goal-setting and achieving success is fundamentally what education is all about.”

Serving the public good is key to Foeckler’s life, and is behind his volunteer work with Housing Innovation Partners, formerly known as the San Diego-based TACHS – The Association for Community Housing Solutions. A board member with the group, Foeckler said the organization’s mission is to develop safe, affordable housing for homeless people, including veterans, with mental health issues, HIV and AIDS.

“I joined this board with some expertise in the needs of San Diego’s homeless, having previously fundraised to build two shelters for pregnant and parenting teens,” he said.

Foeckler is enthusiastic about putting his fundraising and philanthropic expertise to use in new surroundings.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the foundation team and can’t wait to share our beautiful campuses’ and students’ success with all of San Diego,” he said.

For more information about the foundation, go to foundation.gcccd.edu. For more information about the college district, go to www.gcccd.edu.

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