Re: Fresh

Spring semester is just a calendar page away at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges and much is in store for the new year.

Hip-hop classes are among Saturday classes at Grossmont.

Open enrollment begins Tuesday, Dec. 4,for the new semester, which starts Jan. 28 with new courses, first-time programs and more free textbooks used in classes.

Tuesday is also the first day of open registration for intersession classes, offered Jan. 2-26. The cost of the courses is $46 per unit, with most classes offering three units of college credit. Online registration continues through Jan. 28 for spring 2019 classes via WebAdvisor.

First-time college students may be eligible for free tuition at Grossmont or Cuyamaca College through the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise. Promise students must attend full-time, complete an onboarding program, and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA as a full-time student. Learn more at mycollegepromise.net.

Financial aid options are also available at Grossmontand Cuyamacacolleges, including the California College Promise Grant offering fee waivers for low-income students. Both colleges are also offering a growing number of classes with free textbooks that are available on the public domain or released under an open license. Look for courses with the “ZTC” (zero textbook costs) designations in the class schedules.Among a variety of traditional, online and hybrid classes are three new and experimental courses at Grossmont College:

Encaustic Painting Studio Workshop (Art 299A) in which students will learn the form, space and plastic aspects of encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting.

Public Art Painting (ART 299A) for students interested in producing art in a public context and/or public art through a commissioning process.

World Beer Styles (Culinary Arts 299A), an introduction to beers produced locally and around the world.

Grossmont College is also offering Saturday classes Feb. 2-June 1 to provide more scheduling options for students. Saturday offerings include a class in Home Cooking Essentials (Culinary Arts 105) meeting 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Room 60-173. Interested in learning Hip Hop? An introductory class (Dance 094A) and Hip Hop II (Dance 094B) meet from 10 a.m.-12:55 p.m. in Room 24-271. Yoga, piano, biology and psychology are also offered. (See page 18 of Grossmont College’s class schedulefor a list of Saturday-only classes.)

At Cuyamaca College, a course in Hybrid, Electric and Alternative Fuels (AUTO 129) is now offered 6-10:15 p.m. Monday and Wednesday evenings to accommodate automotive technicians interested in expanding their knowledge of the latest fuel-saving vehicles rolling off the assembly lines.

A one-unit class, Automotive Service Advisor, (AUTO 180) is offered Wednesday evenings 6-8:35 p.m. from Jan. 28-March 9.A new addition for the automotive technology program is the Automotive Service Councils of California Association (ASCCA) degree program, the state’s first associate degree program that combines classroom and online teaching with on-the-job training at independent repair shops.

New at Cuyamaca is the Center for Water Studies.

Also at Cuyamaca College, spring semester marks the transformation of the Water & Wastewater Technology program into the Center for Water Studies program, a change reflecting the addition of a Field Operations Skills Yard and the renovation of the L building into a state-of-the-art training facility.The new facilities have made it possible to add three new courses, including Water and Wastewater Industry Career Pathways, Health and Safety Training, and Hands-On Mechanical Skill Building. Advanced level courses have been added in Electrical and Instrumentation Processes, Water Quality Lab Analysis, and Mechanical Maintenance.An orientation meeting for new and prospective water studies students is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Room L-104.

Online classes are another great way to earn college credit, with both Cuyamaca College and Grossmont College (see pages 21-25 of Grossmont class schedule) providing a robust list of online and hybrid offerings.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.Additional information on admissions and registering for classes is available at www.gcccd.edu/now/

Grossmont College was recognized as a Champion of Higher Education by the Campaign for College Opportunity for its work to significantly increase the number of students earning an Associate Degree for Transfer, an associate degree that guarantees transfer to a California State University institution.
“This achievement speaks to the heart of what we do – helping students achieve their educational goals, especially for those who wish to transfer to impacted California State University campuses,” said Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. The award for the college’s efforts during the 2017-18 academic year was given at a Dec. 4 formal reception in Los Angeles. Grossmont College also ranked:

Third place among California community colleges for the high proportion of Associate Degrees for Transfer granted relative to campus enrollment;
Sixth place overall in the number of total Associate Degrees for Transfer granted; and
Eight place for high growth of Associate Degrees for Transfer granted as compared to the 2016 – 17 academic year.

“This is great cause for celebration for Grossmont College,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. “A large thank you is due to our faculty, staff and students who worked so diligently to achieve these results.”
Reception attendees on behalf of the college included Miles, Abu-Ghazaleh, Grossmont College Counselor and Articulation Officer MariaDenise “Dee” Aceves, and Grossmont College Evaluations Advisor Beverly Wight. The Grossmont College attendees represented the

L to R - Cindy L. Miles, MariaDenise "Dee" Aceves,
Beverly Wight, Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh

successful student transfer experience, as it begins with counseling and articulation, and ends with evaluation.
Grossmont College was one of 12 community colleges out of 16 honorees to be recognized throughout California, and it was also the only college or university in San Diego and Imperial counties to be honored. In addition to significantly increasing the number of Associate Degrees for Transfer awarded, institutions were also recognized for enrolling those students at a California State University with junior status and graduating Associate Degree for Transfer earners with a bachelor’s degree.
The other recognized institutions include: Moorpark College; Pasadena City College; Orange Coast College; College of the Canyons; Long Beach City College; East Los Angeles College; Berkeley City College; Glendale Community College; Clovis Community College; Citrus College; Golden West College; California State University, Dominguez Hills; California State University, Northridge; California State University, Los Angeles and California State University, Stanislaus.

The Associate Degree for Transfer was created via legislation in 2010. Sponsored by then-State Sen. Alex Padilla, the historic transfer reform legislation created a clear pathway for students to earn an associate’s degree and guarantees admission into the California State University system. To date, more than 100,000 students have earned an Associate Degree for Transfer, and of those that enrolled in the California State University, they earned a bachelor’s degree almost twice as fast as other transfer students, according to the Campaign for College Opportunity.

The Campaign for College Opportunity is a California nonprofit bipartisan policy and research organization focused on a single mission: to ensure all Californians have an equal opportunity to attend and succeed in college in order to build a vibrant workforce, economy and democracy. For more information, visit www.CollegeCampaign.org, Facebook.com/CollegeCampaign or follow @CollegeOpp.

Cohesion and excellence are concepts often expressed in threes. The Three Musketeers. The Three Tenors. The Three Wise Men. The Triple Crown. The three Olympic medals.
The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District has a winning trio of its own – the winners of the 2018 Chancellor/Classified Senate Award -- who were lauded Tuesday night by the Governing Board in recognition of their exemplary work.

Gwen Nix

The jobs of the winners – Rochelle Weiser from Grossmont College; Gwen Nix from Cuyamaca College and Gabriella Avila-Garcia from District Services, are varied, representing the broad expanse of tasks performed by non-instructional staff .
In recognition of classifieds’ critical role, one member of each college and District Services is chosen each year for the honor and is presented with a trophy, $250 gift certificate, recognition at the statewide Classified

Rochelle Weiser

Leadership Conference and lunch with Chancellor Cindy L. Miles and Governing Board President Bill Garrett.

“These three award winners reflect a true commitment to excellence in their service to students and campus communities,” Miles said. “Our classified professionals are truly the backbone of the district – they keep our operation running smoothly and their contributions are appreciated beyond measure.”

Ariane Ahmadian, Cuyamaca College Classified Senate president, said the yearly award honors classified employees whose job excellence and work ethic inspire others.

"Among our many dedicated professionals are people like this year's winners, who go well beyond the scope of their duties and are consummate and respected members of our district," she said.

Gwen Nix
After 12 years at Cuyamaca College, with the last eight as administrative assistant to the vice president of Student Services, Gwen Nix is known for her institutional knowledge and problem-solving skills. The current vice president, Jessica Robinson, said she came to rely on Nix’s knowledge and sage advice when she began at Cuyamaca College in January.

“The professional demeanor, coupled with her enthusiastic and welcoming personality make her a perfect fit as the welcoming face of the vice president of Student Services office,” said Robinson, who nominated Nix for the award.

Gabriela Avila-Garcia

Robinson also noted Nix’s involvement in many college committees and events, including the annual Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival, the twice-year convocations and Cuyamaca’s recent 40th Anniversary celebration. Her humor and warmth, as well as her professionalism, will be missed by all when she retires next year, Robinson said.

Nix worked for 20 years as an administrative assistant at San Diego State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences. After getting her Master of Arts degree in theological studies from Bethel Seminary in San Diego, Nix served a three-year stint as an adjunct instructor for a freshman first-year program at SDSU. When the program ended, Nix decided to leave academia and worked for a year-and-a-half as a resort manager.

“But I missed the college environment and was very happy to begin working at Cuyamaca College,” said the San Joaquin Valley native.

While looking forward to retirement and leisurely touring the country in her travel trailer, she said she will miss her co-workers and the college that has been a second home over the years.

“I fell in love with Cuyamaca College from the first day I was here and I love the people I work with,” she said. “The administration is so committed to improving students’ lives.”

Rochelle Weiser
As the training assistant in Grossmont College’s Professional Development office, Weiser helps colleagues – faculty, staff and administrators – improve themselves through workshops and trainings. Weiser’s days are a mind-boggling jumble of handling phone calls, scheduling trainings and determining what professional learning opportunities should be offered.

It’s a job Weiser has held since 2012, and she is so valued a worker that three administrators – her supervisor and the current and past professional development coordinators – nominated her for the award recognizing classified professionals.

“The office of Professional Development has developed considerably since its inception and Rochelle has been a vital part of every step,” her nomination reads. “Rochelle is constantly engaged in problem-solving – discerning what professional learning opportunities should be offered, how they can be facilitated in a meaningful and impactful way, and how can we ensure that we garner participation.”

Weiser, who first started working at Grossmont College in 2009, takes pride in expanding professional development opportunities, especially for classified staff who are relatively new to the PD picture.

“It’s ongoing work, but we’re beginning to get to a place where more and more classified staff see themselves as participating as professionals – it’s been a culture shift and a journey for us,” Weiser said.

Before Weiser arrived at Grossmont College, she worked for eight years for a family-operated pool service business. Prior to that, she worked for more than 20 years as a horse trainer, traveling the country coaching riders to local, state and national championships. The highlight of that career was seeing one of her riders winning the American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show.

Asked what she likes best about her current job, Weiser said she enjoys the people she works with and the creative prospects she is afforded.

“My position gives the opportunity to think outside the box, to collaborate and to create engaging opportunities for the campus community,” she said. “I am beyond honored to be nominated and to receive this recognition is an amazing feeling.”

A new venture Weiser has undertaken is pursuing a child development degree at Grossmont College. On target to graduate in fall 2020, she is looking at the bachelor’s degree completion program offered through Point Loma Nazarene University and hopes one day to work in the child development field.

Gabriela Avila-Garcia
Rarely a day passes that Campus and Parking Services Operations Assistant Gabriella “Gaby” Avila-Garcia doesn’t think of the phone call she received at her Chicago home in 2017 from CAPS Director Nicole Conklin telling her she had a job waiting for her.

“I wanted to jump up and down with excitement because the dream I shared with my wife of moving to California was about to become a reality,” said Avila-Garcia, who grew up in Chicago.

Before the college district, she last worked for 10 years as an office manager for a realty company in Naperville, a Chicago suburb, but never far from her mind was the thought of trading Chicago’s bitter cold winters for life in sunny California. When Avila-Garcia learned of the job opening at CAPS, she quickly assembled her resume and applied for the position.
Avila-Garcia said the move was the best decision she ever made.

“I am truly blessed to be surrounded by amazing people who have made a huge impact in my life and who I admire and look up to,” she said.

Conklin said Avila-Garcia’s work ethic and willingness to perform well beyond her assigned duties make her an invaluable member of the CAPS team. Her cheery nature helps when the occasional irate person comes into the office challenging a parking ticket. Avila-Garcia is also credited for taking it upon herself to audit several invoices to CAPS and finding more than $30,000 of incorrect charges.

“Gabby is a prime example of someone who started at the bottom and will continually rise to the top,” Conklin said. “I am lucky to have found her and am proud to call her a member of our team.”

L to R: Bill Garrett; Linda Cartwright; Debbie Justeson;
Elena Adams; Brad Monroe

New members Linda Cartwright and Brad Monroe, along with re-elected board member Debbie Justeson, were sworn into office for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board on Dec. 11.

Cartwright was then unanimously selected to serve as board president for 2019, with Justeson serving as vice president and board member Elena Adams as clerk.

Cartwright has been a public school teacher for more than 30 years, working as an elementary school teacher in the National School District. She has served as a mentor teacher, a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment coach, and was elected president of the National City Elementary Teachers Association. She was honored with the California Teachers Association WHO Award.

Monroe, a community college educator for 43 years, was founding chair of the Ornamental Horticulture program at Cuyamaca College. He developed the annual Spring Garden Festival, and helped bring the Water Conservation Garden to the college. He was named Horticulturist of the Year by the San Diego Horticulture Society in 2013 and the Irrigation Association’s Person of the Year in 2008. The Governing Board holds its meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, except in September and December, when they will be held on the second Tuesday. The meetings start at 6:30 p.m. following a closed session. The board meets at Griffin Gate at Grossmont College in even-numbered months (February, April, June, August, October and December) and at the Cuyamaca College Student Center in alternate months.

Franziska Collier

Franziska Collier has suffered through more than her fair share of bad breaks. Her three young children and Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges keep her going.

“Outside of my kids, Grossmont and Cuyamaca College are my life right now,” said Collier, 41, an honors student with a GPA just shy of 4.0. “It keeps me involved. It keeps me motivated. It keeps me going.”

Her perseverance has led to numerous honors and awards from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, including the Betty D. Krueger Scholarship and the James Rodey Creative Writers Scholarship. The Betty D. Krueger Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding student who writes a compelling essay about the value of attending Grossmont or Cuyamaca College. The James Rodey Young Creative Writers Scholarship, named in memory of a former Grossmont College student, is awarded to a Grossmont College scholar excelling in creative writing.

Collier will be among those honored during a Jan. 12, 2019, scholarship awards ceremony and reception at Cuyamaca College.

Born and raised in the city of Leipzig in what was then East Germany, Collier first came to San Diego High School at the age of 16 through a scholarship program, then transferred to the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. She returned to Germany, but not before meeting the man who would become her first husband.

Collier earned a bachelor’s degree from Leipzig University in American studies with a focus on politics and a minor in journalism and theatre arts, married, returned in 1999 to San Diego. A Fulbright Scholar, she enrolled at the University of Arizona, commuting to school on a Greyhound bus every Sunday night and returning home every Friday.

Before long, however, she faced the first in a series of crises that began with Collier’s marriage falling apart. Not long after remarrying, her ex-husband took his own life. Then her second husband died of cancer. Suddenly, a single parent raising a toddler in a foreign country, Collier moved back to Germany to be with family. It didn’t last. She came back to San Diego to stay after just a few months and enrolled at San Diego City College while working as a model.

“School has always been my safe place,” she said. “My security blanket. My home.”

Interested in a law enforcement career, Collier enrolled at Grossmont College’s Administration of Justice program and, after completing the curriculum, landed a job with the U.S. Border Patrol. Bad luck followed her.

While completing a training program in 2011, Collier fell on her back while climbing a rope, damaging a disc and suffering severe nerve injuries and head trauma. She spent three hours a day in physical therapy for months. Now on disability and barely able to walk, Collier returned to her safe place: college. Collier also volunteers extensively with the Veterans of Foreign War, the Red Cross, and as a poll worker every election.At Grossmont College, Collier is focusing on creative writing and poetry. At Cuyamaca College, she’s excelling in the Ornamental Horticulture program, which captured several awards at the 2018 National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Alamance Community College in North Carolina. As president of the Cuyamaca College Botanical Society, Collier last year led a team that designed a Cuyamaca College Christmas tree at the Festival of Lights celebration in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

Her long-term plans: working as a sustainable landscape designer and writing for a horticulture-themed magazine.

“To anyone who may be uncertain of what they want to do or where they are going, I would tell them that you could find your life here,” Collier said. “There are so many programs that let you explore what you’re good at and so many student organizations that can keep you engaged.”

Jay Williams and Coach Mike Jordan

Jay Williams’ teammates on the Grossmont College football team joke that he never smiles for his photographs. But Williams had a big smile on his face on Dec. 19 when he signed a letter of intent to play for Florida State University.

The 6 foot-6 inch, 290 pound offensive tackle chose the Seminoles among 20 offers he received from universities across the country, including the University of Arkansas, University of Indiana, and the University of Oklahoma. At a signing ceremony alongside Grossmont College Football Coach Mike Jordan, Williams thanked his family, coaches and teammates for believing in him.

“It’s been a long ride,” he said. “It’s a blessing that all of my hard work has paid off. I’m really grateful.”

Williams, who grew up in Moreno Valley, was a walk-on for San Diego State University’s football team after he received no offers from Division I universities. He came to Grossmont College in May 2017 after he was cut from SDSU’s team. Williams shined at Grossmont College, where he was nationally ranked 8^th at his position and became one of the most-recruited junior college football players in California.

Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh said William’s success shows the broad level of support he received at the college. Football players and other athletes are required to attend school full-time, maintain at least a C average, and follow an education plan that leads to a degree.

“It’s clear that football is a team sport, and the team is much broader than the players on the field,” Abu-Ghazaleh said.

Williams majored in exercise science at Grossmont College, and he plans to major in sports management at FSU. He said he never dreamed as a high school player that he would one day attend a football powerhouse like Florida State – all as a result of being a student athlete at Grossmont College.

“I never thought I would go to junior college, but it turned out to be a great experience,” Williams said. “It was the best time of my life.”

Girls and women interested in learning about career and advancement opportunities in the water and wastewater industry are encouraged to register for the Cuyamaca College Center for Water Studies’ 2^ndannual Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathways symposium on Jan. 17.

The all-day conference comprises two tracks of speakers: one for women contemplating a career change, military veterans transitioning to civilian life, and women already in the water and wastewater industry who are seeking professional development opportunities; the second for scores of high school girls in the region wanting to learn more about career opportunities as they near graduation.

The San Diego County Water Authority’s Deputy General Manager, Sandy Kerl, will be the keynote speaker. Lan Wiborg, Deputy Director of Long-Range Planning and Water Resources for the City of San Diego, will moderate a general manager’s panel discussion that includes Tish Berge, General Manager at the Sweetwater Authority; Cari Dale, Water Utilities Director at the City of Oceanside; and Vicki Quiram, General Manager of the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. Topics of discussion in that and other panels will cover career pathways, the importance of forming mentorships, what it’s like for women to work in what is now a male-dominated field, developing leadership skills, and more.

“The Center for Water Studies is playing a critical role in training the next generation of water and wastewater industry professionals, and the Women in Water symposium offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain insights and develop connections that can lead to a rewarding, good-paying career,” said Center for Water Studies Program Chair Joe Young.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in San Diego County were earning an average annual wage of more than $70,000 annually as recently as May 2017, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some 4,500 people are working in the local water and wastewater industry, which is on the verge of seeing a glut of retirements due to an aging workforce. A regional water industry task force headed by the San Diego County Water Authority estimates local utilities will need to fill approximately 400 positions each year just to keep up with retirements and vacancies caused by those leaving the area for better jobs a more affordable cost of living. What’s more, a 2018 Brookings Institution report noted that because the water workforce is dominated by white males, a glut of retirements offers a chance to diversify the industry.

“Our industry is experiencing a record number of job openings,” said Berge. “At Sweetwater Authority, we recruited for almost 10 percent of our workforce just this past year. In addition, water and wastewater jobs are recession-proof, especially working in the public sector. I am excited to show young women that there are great opportunities throughout our industry.”

Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathwaysis co-sponsored by the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association, the California Water Environment Association, the Association of California Water Agencies, and the San Diego County Water Authority. It is set to get under way at 8 a.m.

Among the day’s highlights will be the official dedication of the Center for Water Studies, which opened this fall and which features a renovated complex with new classrooms, a water quality analysis laboratory and a workshop for back flow, cross-connection controls and related skills-based courses. The complex complements an adjacent state-of-the-art field operations skills yard that opened last January with an above-ground water distribution system and an underground wastewater collection system aimed at providing students with the kind of challenges they will face in today’s complex water and wastewater facilities.

An open house of the facilities takes place at 1:15 p.m.

Registration for the Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathways symposium can be completed via Eventbrite or through the Center for Water Studies website. Cuyamaca College and the Center for Water Studies are at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego, 92019. Up to 200 people are expected to attend the event.

Cost is $25 per person; high school students are free.

A participant in the 2018 Cuyamaca College Powwow

Native American tribes from throughout the West will be well represented at Cuyamaca College’s 5th Annual Powwow on Feb. 2 – a free, public event celebrating American Indian culture complete with bird singing, gourd dancing, storytelling, and more.

More than 2,000 people are expected to attend the powwow, which is scheduled to commence with singers at 10 a.m., followed by gourd dancing at 11 a.m. and the grand entry of inter-tribal dances at noon. The powwow takes place at the Communication Arts complex quad off Rancho San Diego Parkway and continues until 8 p.m.

A variety of traditional Native-American food will be on menu, including fry bread and Indian tacos, and an abundance of Native-American arts and crafts will be on sale.

Serving as powwow master of ceremonies is Randy Edmonds, who hails from the Kiowa and Caddo nations of Oklahoma and who has served as a powwow emcee for more than a half century. Victor Chavez is the arena director, Robert RedBear Solis is the head man, and Katianna Warren is the head woman. The Asha Takuk Bird Singers will share the traditional song of the Kumeyaay, and the Calpulli Mexihca Aztec Dancers will perform during a dinner break.

The powwow is sponsored by Cuyamaca College’s Native American Student Alliance, the Division of Equity & Engagement, Student Affairs and Associated Student Government.

The word powwow is the Anglicized version of the Algonquian term pau-wau, or pauau – which means “he dreams” – and referred to a religious gathering of medicine men and spiritual leaders. The modern-day powwow is rooted in a Pawnee religious ceremony dating to the early 19th century. Southern California powwow tradition includes bird singing, which tells the history of the Native American people.
Cuyamaca College has a long history of supporting Native-American students and Native-American studies. Its name comes from the Kumeyaay phrase “Ekwiiyemak” – which means “behind the clouds,” “above the rains,” and “the place where the rains come from the heavens” – and the campus is located on traditional Kumeyaay territory. Cuyamaca College became among the first community colleges in California to offer a degree program focusing on the language, culture, and history of a specific Native-American tribe when it unveiled its associate degree program in Kumeyaay Studies in 2015.

In addition, Cuyamaca College at the powwow will unveil the Richard DeCrane Native Community Leaders Scholarship. DeCrane spent the early years of his life on the Crow Reservation in Montana before moving as a young boy to the Navajo Nation, where he was raised by his maternal grandparents. A Navy veteran, DeCrane has long been involved in the Cuyamaca College Native American community. The Richard DeCrane Native Community Leaders Scholarship will be awarded each spring and fall. The $500 scholarship is open to all majors, but recipients must be a member of the Native American Student Alliance at Cuyamaca College.

Scholarship award winners

Almost $118,000 in scholarships were awarded to 216 Grossmont and Cuyamaca College students on Saturday in a ceremony that highlighted the struggles many of the students have overcome and the bright futures ahead of them because of their education.

“We believe in you and we’re investing in you,” Sally Cox, CEO of the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, told the scholarship students at the event held at Cuyamaca College.

The scholarships were created from a variety of sources, including private donors who want to honor a deceased family member or colleague; businesses that want to assist college students with their education; or college departments that want to find another way to serve their students.

Tom Courtney said his family created the James Kelly Courtney Memorial Scholarship to honor his son, who died in March 2017. He said the scholarship, awarded to two students each year, is a life-affirming way to remember his son, who graduated from Cuyamaca College in 2007 and went on to earn a master’s degree from San Diego State University.

"James lives on today in these two students,” Courtney said.

Brooklyn Lopez

Brooklyn Lopez was among the students who spoke at the event about the effect that getting a scholarship has had on her life. The former foster youth plans to graduate from Cuyamaca College this spring with three degrees, then plans to transfer to San Diego State University to earn an accounting degree.

“Receiving a scholarship is like getting a strong, warm hug,” Lopez said. “It’s an amazing feeling to know someone cares about a student’s success.”

More than 80 students received Osher scholarships, the result of a statewide community college scholarship fund established by the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2011. Osher, a Bay Area philanthropist, committed $50 million to the fund and challenged colleges to raise money to establish the scholarships. Through the money raised by the colleges, the scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity to Grossmont and Cuyamaca College students.

For more information about the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, go to https://foundation.gcccd.edu/ or email foundation@gcccd.edu.

Quincy Hollings

Quincy Hollings found himself at Grossmont College.

A product of San Diego’s impoverished City Heights neighborhood and raised by a single mom who worked two jobs to support him and his younger sister, Hollings said the backing he found at Grossmont College has set him on a path toward becoming an English teacher. Hollings, 21, is majoring in English, works as an English tutor, has a grade point average of 3.7, and has received acceptance letters from San Francisco State University and California State University Channel Islands while awaiting word from several University of California campuses, San Diego State University, and others.
“If I were to describe myself with one word, that word would be resilient,” Hollings said. “There have been numerous circumstances which have threatened to slow my progression as a person, as well as a student. Yet I am a full-time, first-generation college student who continues to strive for greatness.”

His accomplishments in the face of diversity resulted in Hollings being honored with an Umoja Scholarship from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges during a Jan. 12 awards ceremony at Cuyamaca College. He hopes the award will be the first of many that will enable him to complete his educational goals.Those goals were once put on hold. After graduating from a San Diego charter school in spring 2016, Hollings enrolled at Grossmont College the following fall, but withdrew from his classes within weeks.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t sure that the reason I was in college was because I thought I should be there, or because I wanted to be there,” Hollings said. “I needed to step away for a bit and focus on what I wanted to be.”
Stepping away meant taking part in the San Diego-based nonprofit Second Chance and working at a local restaurant. One year later, he was back at Grossmont College, this time more determined.

“I went back not just to go to school, but to do something,” Hollings said.“I had a goal in mind, a vision, and that vision was to become a teacher.”
Unlike his first go-around at Grossmont College, Hollings this time became more active in class discussions, became more involved in school, and became a larger part of the Griffin community.

“Community college is a time when you’re still figuring things out, and Grossmont is a great place that will support you while that’s happening,” he said. “My experience at Grossmont has allowed me to grow not just as a student, but as a person.”

Faculty and staff say they are impressed by the results.

“Quincy embodies the work ethic, involvement and determination that it takes to be successful in college,” said Grossmont College counselor Rocio Terry. “He’s a very amiable and talented young man who has a beautiful gift of writing in a very poetic, thought-provoking and inspirational way.”

Hollings said he hopes to someday teach English at the community college level.

Grossmont College English instructor Ingrid Jayne has no doubt he will succeed.

“I know this is a good fit for him, for he is kind, understanding, and knowledgeable about English,” Jayne said. “Moreover, he has an ability to critically evaluate social issues, both locally and globally. For these reasons, I know his students will respond favorably to him and have much to gain from his knowledge and expertise.

“Quincy is a memorable student and am privileged he was a part of my classes.”

The Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department’s spring season gets under way Feb. 1 with the 14^th annual Inside the Actors Process: Monsters, Magic, and Mischief, followed by original productions of Spring Awakeningin March and Failure: A Love Story in May.

Inside the Actors Process is an annual production that will be appearing at more than a dozen local high schools throughout the region as part of an ongoing effort at exposing teen audiences to the art of acting. Coordinated by Benjamin Cole, Inside the Actors Process: Monsters, Magic, and Mischief will be performed for the public at the Stagehouse Theatre on Feb. 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

The spring season continues with a production of Spring Awakening, which earned eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Spring Awakening takes a critical look at the sexually oppressive culture of 19^th century Germany and is considered a seminal work in the modern history of theatre. Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, with music by Duncan Sheik and directed by Meg DeBoard, Spring Awakening will be performed March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and March 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.

The 2018-19 season concludes with Failure: A Love Story, written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Brian Rickel. Failure: A Love Story is set in 1928, the last year of each of the Fail sisters’ lives. This funny, moving and profoundly wise play reminds us that in the end, all that remains is love. Failure: A Love Story will be performed May 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and May 11 and 18 at 2 p.m.

General admission tickets are $15 each, $12 for faculty, staff, seniors and military, and $10 for Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District students. Season and individual tickets can be purchased by calling (619) 644-7234 or by visiting www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure. Parking is free with the purchase of a ticket, and all major credit cards are accepted. A mini-season ticket package, which comes with admission to all three performances, is just $25.

For those wishing to purchase tickets in person, construction of a new performing and visual arts center is taking place adjacent to the Stagehouse Theatre, and that has resulted in the Theatre Arts Department office in Building 22-A moving to a portable building at the southeast corner of Lot 1. A Pop Up Box office will also be available by the Stagehouse Theatre entrance (Building 21, Room 241) one hour prior to each performance. Recommended guest parking is in Lot 1G on the southwestern side of the campus.

It’s official. The Cuyamaca College’s Center for Water Studies is open for business and the program formerly known by the clunky title, Water and Wastewater Technology, is brandishing a new name.

Equipped with a state-of-the-art Field Operations Skills Yard and a newly renovated L Building complete with a water quality analysis laboratory, renovated classrooms and workshops for back flow, cross-connection controls and related hands-on courses, the Center for Water Studies was dedicated during a Jan. 17 ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house.

“Nobody else west of the Rockies is doing what we’re doing here,” said Don Jones, who has overseen the transformation of Cuyamaca College’s Water and Wastewater Technology program into the Center for Water Studies.

The Center for Water Studies has been years in the making. In 2013, Cuyamaca College hosted a two-day meeting of water industry and community college managers to discuss how to train California's next generation of water industry professionals. What emerged was a strategy focusing on the importance of regional, ongoing partnerships between education and industry.

A key component of the Center for Water Studies is the Field Operations Skills Yard, which was funded in large part through a California Community College Strong Workforce grant of more than $190,000, a National Science Foundation grant of more than $70,000, and contributions for the above-ground network of pipes, pumps, valves, meters and other equipment from the water and wastewater industry.

The total NSF grant of nearly $900,000 will also fund curriculum development by Cuyamaca College, the Grossmont Union High School District and water industry experts, as well as the recruitment of veterans, women and students from under-represented communities into water and wastewater management careers.

The building renovation was funded through approximately $1 million from the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District’s Proposition V, a construction bond approved by East County voters in 2012.

The Center of Water Studies is seen as a critical component in addressing a looming shortage of workers in the 4,500-strong regional water and wastewater industry due to a glut of pending retirements. The San Diego County Water Authority forecasts between 1,200 and 1,500 open positions in the next three to four years. The Padre Dam Municipal Water District anticipates 40 percent of its employees will retire in the next three to five years, said Lisa Sorce, the district’s director of human resources. Sweetwater Authority General Manager Tish Berge said her agency recruited almost 10 percent of its workforce just in the past year.

“We want people to know that Cuyamaca College and the Center for Water Studies is ready, we are prepared, and we cannot wait to train you to thrive in this industry as we prepare for the future,” Cuyamaca College President Julianna Barnes said.

The Jan. 17 dedication was among the highlights during the daylong Women in Water – Exploring Career Pathways symposium that drew approximately 250 industry professionals and high school girls to hear about growing opportunities in the water and wastewater industry.

A General Manager’s Forum moderated by Lan Wiborg, deputy director of the San Diego Public Utilities Department’s Long-range Planning & Water Resources Division, provided ample tips for industry professionals and those contemplating a career change.

“Take advantage of every opportunity and don’t be afraid,” said Cari Dale, Oceanside’s director of utilities. “Have fun. It’s a wonderful, wonderful career.”

Essie Mae Horne, a water system technician who has been working with San Diego Public Utilities for the past 14 years, plans to enroll soon at the Center for Water Studies.

“I’m looking to move forward in my career,” Horne said. “And Cuyamaca has an amazing program.”

Cecilia Bernal agreed.

“Water and wastewater is an important industry, and it’s definitely more interesting than what I’ve done in the past,” said the former waitress and retail clerk pharmacy technician.

Renee Anderson, an experienced analyst who attended both and thesymposium and center dedication, said she’s motivated to make a career shift.

“This is a fascinating industry, this is a beautiful campus and this is a wonderful program,” she said.

For the 15^th year in a row, independent auditors who reviewed the finances of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District and its Proposition V bond funding gave the highest opinion possible of the district’s fiscal practices.

Prop. V, a construction bond, received a flawless audit.

The Governing Board received the audit reports last week for the district, the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, and the district’s auxiliary. At the request of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, a separate auditor reviewed the finances of Prop. V, the $398 million construction bond approved by East County voters in 2012, and also gave a positive report.

“The spotless audit reports reflect our efforts to spend taxpayer money wisely and to be transparent in how we handle our finances,” said Cindy L. Miles, district chancellor. “This didn’t come easily. They are the results of lots of effort by our fiscal team and many people throughout the district.”

The “unmodified” opinion by Christy White Associates, a San Diego accountancy firm, is the best type to be issued from an external auditor, indicating no questioned costs during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018. The auditors CliftonLarsonAllen also reported no deficiencies in the Prop. V finances.

The district’s audit report noted that the major economic factor affecting the district’s finances is the fiscal condition of the state of California, since the district receives almost 92 percent of its funding from the state. State analysts say the state is better prepared to address an economic downturn than it has been in decades, the report noted.

Another factor is the expected increase in employer contributions to the CalSTRS and CalPERS pension funds, which are expected to continue to rise. The auditor said the district’s post-employment benefits trust fund and reserves helps to protect against those future cost increases.

The district’s budget for 2018-19 is $419.6 million, including almost $148 million for Prop. V construction projects. The major project underway this year is the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Grossmont College, set to open this fall. Other projects are set to begin construction this year, including the Ornamental Horticulture Complex and the enhanced Veterans and Students Center at Cuyamaca College.

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.

Amanuel Mikre

Amanuel Mikre believes in creating your own destiny. With the help of Grossmont College – and a deep faith in God – he’s creating his.

“You could whine and complain when things aren’t going right, but only you can change your path,” said the 23-year-old finance major. “Nobody else can.”

Mikre speaks from experience. After an aimless first year of community college in Kansas, Mikre moved to San Diego, enrolled at Grossmont, found the support he needed, became a straight-A student, will graduate this spring, and is hoping to transfer this fall to San Diego State University en route to becoming a financial advisor.

His accomplishments resulted in Mikre being honored with an Osher Scholarship from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges. It is an award that is well deserved.

“Amanuel is an awesome human being,” said Jason Allen, a member of the counseling faculty and the Umoja coordinator at Grossmont College. “He works very hard to be successful both academically and in all other facets of his life. But what is really impressive with Amanuel is that giving back and helping his fellow students comes as second nature to him. He is always helping students on campus and referring them to every known service for students that he is aware of. When I asked what motivates him to serve others like this, he responded by saying it was his calling to do. He is a special young man indeed.”

Mikre’s road to Grossmont College has been a long one. Born the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, Mikre moved when he was 6 years old with his family to the Kansas City suburb of Shawnee, Kan., where his father, a worship director, found a home ministering at the Ethiopian Christian Fellowship Church. Mikre enrolled at Johnson County Community College in neighboring Overland Park, Kan., but Mikre concedes he was not committed to his studies and was placed on academic probation. After a year of missing class and not finding a focus, he withdrew.

“At one point in my life I thought I would never finish college because of my weak work ethic at the time,” Mikre said.

That changed after his family moved to California in 2016. Mikre resolved not only to return to school, but to excel. While taking a year off for what he calls a ‘mental refresher,’ Mikre, who lives in University City, began researching Grossmont College.

“A few close friends from my church spoke highly of Grossmont,” Mikre said. “I kept asking people about the other colleges in the area, and they all said they were good schools, but that Grossmont was excellent.”

He wasn’t disappointed when he enrolled that fall.

“It’s a community,” Mikre said of Grossmont College. “The resources are plentiful and the teachers are willing to talk to you about their life experiences and help you find your way.”

Finding his way at the El Cajon campus led him to the Umoja program, which provides peer mentoring, counseling, cultural field trips, educational planning, community service opportunities and more. Shortly after involving himself with Umoja, Mikre took part in a statewide conference in Sacramento and was hired as an Umoja ambassador. He also works as a guest services clerk at a La Jolla hotel and volunteers at his church in San Diego.

“God is the only reason I am here,” Mikre said.

Despite the demands on his time, Mikre’s focus has not wavered. He is determined to become financially independent by the time he’s 35.

“You have to focus, you have to keep your head down and work hard, stay dedicated when no one is looking, but if you do that, you will succeed,” Mikre said. “Ten percent of life is what happens to you. The other 90 percent is how you react to it.”

Rita Koda

Rita Koda was working as an insurance agent when she decided to give school another try. Good thing she did. Now in her second year at Cuyamaca College, Koda, 23, has been selected to take part in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars experience at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena this summer.

“I was pretty surprised,” said the physics major. “It was a very last-minute thing for me in filling out the application. But I’m really excited and really looking forward to it.”
Koda recently completed a five-week, online NASA course that included researching the Evolvable Mars Campaign, taking part in live video chats with NASA experts and completing several mission design challenges. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Koda will spend four days meeting with NASA engineers and researchers, touring NASA’s Pasadena facility, learning about internship opportunities and working with a team responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover.

Koda’s instructors aren’t the least bit surprised she was chosen to take part in the prestigious endeavor.

“She’s a wonderful person and a well-rounded student who works hard and is deserving of this honor,” said biology instructor Christina Burnet.

“We are so proud of her,” added chemistry professor Laurie LeBlanc. “She is serious about her studies and her future, and you can always find her in the middle of a group of other great students.”

Koda’s road to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been a bit serpentine. Upon graduating from El Cajon Valley High School, she enrolled as an art major at Grossmont College, but dropped out after two semesters. “I was going to college because you were supposed to go to college,” she said. “In fact, however, I was clueless about what I wanted to do.”

Leaving her studies behind, Koda embarked on what she thought may be an insurance industry career, working first as a customer service representative and then as an insurance salesperson.

It wasn’t her passion. So, in the summer of 2017, she returned to school, this time at Cuyamaca College. At the Rancho San Diego campus, Koda is surrounding by ample support provided by Cuyamaca’s STEM Cohort, a group of approximately 55 students who take part in peer mentoring, workshops, field trips and more. Koda also volunteers with Cuyamaca College STEM students in restoration and cleanup work throughout the region.

“I feel like I’m part of a family here,” Koda said. “Everyone in the cohort has the same interests and is on the same pathway as you. The faculty is involved in your success, and there is ample support. When they find out you’re a STEM major, they’re especially willing to help you out.”

Koda sees herself graduating within a couple years, then transferring to UC San Diego or San Diego State University. “I’m still exploring my career options, and this experience will go a long way in helping me discover what’s out there,” she said.

NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scholars initiative is funded in part by the Minority University Research and Education Program, which is committed to engaging students from underrepresented and underserved communities into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and opening doors to future careers at NASA.

Religious intolerance, sexual discrimination and the female Latinx experience will be among the topics tackled during Cuyamaca College’s spring lineup of Diversity Dialogues, which gets under way Feb. 5 with a session focusing on Native American culture and tradition.
“Cuyamaca College is committed to a culture of inclusion, and Diversity Dialogues is among the efforts that have established our campus as a leader in building sparking discussion and understanding among various ethnic and religious groups,” said Dean of Student Affairs Lauren Vaknin. “We have lined up an array of experts in their field, and we encourage students, faculty, staff and members of the community to join us for this spring’s series of workshops.”

All workshops are free and open to the public. Sessions scheduled this spring are:Intersection Between Culture and Tradition. Richard DeCrane, who is Navajo and Crow and who serves as cultural educator and trained facilitator for the Gathering of Native Nations, will discuss Native American history and its impact on Native American nations. Set for February 5 at 12:30 p.m. in the Room I-207 of the Student Center.

Discrimination Based on Gender. Mayumi Y. Douglass, a lecturer at San Diego State University and a clinical supervisor at the Cuyamaca College Health and Wellness Center, joins master’s in counseling candidate Erika Meza in workshop covering the history of gender discrimination among different cultural groups. Set for February 21 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

Challenging Contemporary Notions of Body Movement: Capoeira Angola, Afro Brasilian Dance – Martial Arts – Game. James Diokno, executive director at Barangay Arts & Cultural Movement, will lead an interactive discussion focused on the roots and fundamentals of the movement and music of Capoeira. Set for March 4 at 2:30 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

Discrimination Based on National Origin. Mayumi Y. Douglass and master’s in education candidate Magaly Corro Flores will lead workshop participants in a discussion about the impact of migration waves in the United States and advocating for basic human rights for all people, regardless of their national origin. Set for March 21 at 3 p.m. in F-724.
Safe Zones. Cuyamaca College instructors Nancy Jennings, Cassandra Marra and Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks lead this three-hour ally training session aimed at bringing awareness of LGBTQIA issues and providing insight on improving campus climate. Set for April 5 at 1 p.m. in Room F-724.

Discrimination Based on Religion. Mayumi Y. Douglass and Ahmed (Rasheed) Aden, an assistant professor and counselor at San Diego City College, conduct a workshop that reviews the basic teaching of Judaism, Islam and Christianity and delves into the growth of religious intolerance in the United States. Set for April 18 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.
Latinx Women Writing History Panel. Rita Sanchez (Mesa College Professor Emeritus), Sonia Lopez (retired San Diego State University Chicano Studies Professor), Patricia Santana (Cuyamaca College Professor Emeritus), and Irene Lara (San Diego State University Women’s Studies professor) discuss their experiences as Latinx women and share excerpts from their books. Set for April 26 at 1 p.m. in the Samuel M. Ciccati Theatre.
Filipin(A), Filipin(O), Filipin(X): Contested Ethnic Identities. James Diokno leads a discussion on how identities within ethnic groups have become increasingly debated and contested in recent decades, especially among diaspora communities and marginalized groups within those ethnic communities. This workshop will explore some of those issues as they pertain to Filipino communities. Set for May 1 at 3 p.m. in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

Diversity Dialogues was developed by Vaknin in 2011 with a handful of workshops that drew just a few dozen students. Several hundred people are expected to attend this year’s workshops.

Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego. For further information about the Diversity Dialogues program, please contact Vaknin in the Student Affairs Office at (619) 660-4295.

Rapper and political activist Jasiri X will speak at Grossmont.

Films, music, a poetry slam, and a presentation on media and society by hip-hop artist Jasiri X at Grossmont College and a Martin Luther King Jr. tribute, a black history panel and a look at black women in politics at Cuyamaca College are among February’s Black History Month events.

A diverse selection of events are being offered at both colleges to honor the traditions, legacies and contributions of African-Americans. All events are free and open to the public.

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 in 1926, with the month of February selected because the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were in that month. In the late ‘60s, Negro History Week was transformed into Black History Month due to the civil rights movement, and in 1976 Black History Month was officially recognized by the federal government.

Grossmont College’s Black History Month events include:

Feb. 4: Black History Month kickoff from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Main Quad featuring music, speech performances and food.
Wednesdays through Feb. 27: “Jazz Kitchen with Soul Food Specials” featuring singers and musicians from the college’s Jazz Vocal Ensemble and Jazz Studies Department takes place Wednesday, Feb. 6-27 from noon-1 p.m. Enjoy student performances and soul food at the Griffin Grill.
Feb. 7: Black History Month Movie Night at 5 p.m. at Griffin Gate, Bldg 60. “The Hate U Give,” based on the book by Angie Thomas and directed by George Tillman Jr., is the story of a young black student from a poor neighborhood who attends a prep school in an affluent area. She finds her uneasy life balance further disrupted when she witnesses her childhood friend being shot by a police officer.
Feb. 11: New Media Essential for Marginalized Communities featuring hip-hop artist Jasiri X, 6-8 p.m. Bldg. 26, Room 220. Hip-hop artist Jasiri X examines the constant bombardment of media images on society and the effect that it has on self, community and the world. The musical artist and activist emerged on the national scene in 2007 with the powerful hit song “Free the Jena 6” and the groundbreaking internet video series that reached millions. In 2015, he was selected among 600 applicants as an Artist as Activist fellow by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and in 2016, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Feb. 21: Open Mic Night Festival and Competition 5-8 p.m. in Bldg. 26, Room 220. Join special guest M.C. Gill Sotu and the Grossmont Black History Month Committee for the 3rd Annual BHM Open Mic Night featuring poetry, rap, spoken word, and more.
Feb. 27: Black History Month Movie Night 2 at 5 p.m. in Griffin Gate features “Hidden Figures,” the real-life story of three African-American female mathematicians who provided crucial calculations for NASA’s space race against the Soviets, all while dealing with the racist and sexist assumptions of their white co-workers. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia L. Spencer, and Janelle Monae.

Cuyamaca College’s Black History Month events include:

Feb. 8: College Hour: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in I-207 - I-209 in the Student Center. Keynote speaker: Dr. Tanis Starck, assistant dean for special projects and director of the Cultural Proficiency Institute for Educators at San Diego State University.
Wednesdays, Feb. 6, 13 and 20: Heritage Book Club: Black Cuban, Black American: A Memoir by Evilio Grillo, facilitated by sociology instructors John Escobedo and Rachel Jacob 2-3:15 p.m. in Room I-208 in the Student Center.
Feb. 12: Hidden Figures: Film and discussion led by Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks, 12:30-3 p.m. in Room I-207 in Student Center.
Feb. 20: Welcome to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) 1-3 p.m. in Room I-207 in the Student Center. Presenter: Nichole Ford, director of Stepping to the Right Direction. Learn about the opportunities these higher learning institutions offer.
Feb. 25: Black History Panel presented by the Department of History, Social and Behavioral Science from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in the Student Center, I-207. Presenters: Alazar Tesfamariam, Moriah Gonzalez-Meeks, Rachel Jacob-Almeida
Feb. 27: Black Women in Politics, 1-3 p.m. Student Center, I-207. Black women have been trailblazers in the political arena for decades. Nicole Jones, dean of counseling at Cuyamaca College, will discuss current events and how they impact college students.
Feb. 27: Film and Discussion: The Black Panthers - Vanguard of the Revolution 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., I-208 and 209 in the Student Center. Presenter: Rachel Jacob-Almeida, a Cuyamaca College sociology instructor.

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

Drone technology students at Grossmont College

With the burgeoning field of drone technology translating into exciting job opportunities, Grossmont College will offer a comprehensive training program that can transform amateurs into licensed commercial drone pilots in just three months.

Best of all, the training that can cost as much as $3,000 in the private sector is free to anyone who is at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen, as required by the grant. The noncredit program is targeted to groups including veterans, Native Americans, military spouses, ex-offenders, women, high school students and the unemployed and underemployed. Drones are provided during the training.

Registration is now open for classes starting in March.

“Grossmont College has always been at the forefront of workforce training,” Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh said. “We place great importance on recognizing hot new careers and ensuring that our students have the tools they need to forge ahead.”

Funded by a $6 million federal America’s Promise grant through the U.S. Department of Labor, the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drone technology program is comprised of two tracks: surveying and mapping, and cinematography.

The demand for drone pilots is skyrocketing, with predictions of a $250 billion industry worldwide this year. The commercial and military impact drones will have in the near future is significant, creating more than 100,000 new jobs by 2025, according to a 2013 report by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems. In California, the number of jobs is expected to climb to 18,000, about a 400 percent increase since 2012.

Contract work for one-time jobs such as industrial inspections can pay from $30,000-$60,000 for a six- to nine-month period, depending on experience and the nature of the mission, said Javier Ayala, dean of career and technical education and workforce development at Grossmont College. Starting wages for in-house drone operators range from $25-$35 an hour to $60-$100 an hour for fully trained pilots with three or more years of experience. Grossmont’s program prepares graduates for both contract and salaried jobs.

Jim Bonnardel, who teaches Grossmont College’s drone surveying and mapping classes, said that in his class of 16 last year, several found jobs even before completing the program and three hung their own shingles as pilots for hire. One student is headed to South Africa for wildlife photography missions; another student who is a professional photographer has already sold drone images to Getty

Bonnardel, who has been doing industrial drone training for years for corporations and companies, said he connected with Grossmont College because he was drawn to the idea of introducing a wide open career field with a tremendous future to neophytes.

“I saw the need to fill the pilot jobs that are going unfilled and wanted to extend this amazing career to those who would not have gotten the opportunity,” he said. “The drone job market is touching more industries than many other technologies. From civil engineering to agriculture, to mapping soil conditions, plant health and more. Wildlife monitoring, infrared for roofing inspections, utility plant inspections, wind turbines…the possibilities just go on and on.”

Grossmont College’s program will first provide UAS Ground School and Federal Aviation Administration 107 certification classes that students take to become licensed commercial drone pilots. The FAA 107 certification school will provide students comprehensive classroom instruction to pass the FAA 107 written test which is administered free to students. Once students complete the ground school module and possess a drone pilot license, they can then go on to take UAS Surveying and Mapping or UAS Cinematography.

Images; and a third student, a former pilot in the Colombian Air Force, now flies a drone instead of a jet.

Mariachi Real de San Diego kicks off concert season.

A wide assortment of musicians ranging from a San Diego mariachi band that has played at the Super Bowl to one of the most in-demand French hornists in the country will be performing in this year’s Spring Concert Series at Cuyamaca College beginning Feb. 28.

All performances, except the Coyote Music Festival, will be held at the Samuel M. Ciccati Theatre in the Samuel M. Ciccati Performing Arts Center. The annual Coyote Music Festival will be held at Cuyamaca College’s Grand Lawn.

On tap for the Spring Concert Series:

Thursday, February 28, 7:30 p.m.

Mariachi Real de San Diego. Founded more than four decades ago, this band has established itself as a mariachi leader and has performed in movies, two Super Bowls, a World Series, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and countless festivals and corporate events.

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 p.m.

The Danny Green Trio. This jazz group whose debut CD won the 2009 San Diego Music Award for Best Jazz Album is led by pianist and composer and Grossmont College music instructor Danny Green. The trio also includes Grossmont College music instructor and jazz bassist extraordinaire Justin Grinnell and the versatile Julien Cantelm on drums.

Tuesday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.

The Cuyamaca College Concert Band. Under the direction of James Sepulvado, the Cuyamaca College Concert Band makes the first of two appearances in this year’s Spring Concert Series. The band comprises approximately 40 musicians and the group will showcase several standard and contemporary band compositions.

Monday, April 8, 7:30 p.m.

French hornist Joshua Paulus. Paulus performs regularly with almost every major orchestra on the West Coast and is playing this season with the San Diego Symphony as Acting 2nd Horn. This concert, dubbed “Exploring the Fantasie,” includes guests Tina Chong on piano and Marcel Gemperli on viola. This recital explores the genre of musical fantasy by highlighting works written during the middle of the 19th century.

Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.

Kembang Sunda. Led by Cuyamaca College music instructor Amy Hacker, Kembang Sunda is an Indonesian Gamelan ensemble that has performed throughout Southern California since 2007. Gamelan ensembles developed in the ancient courts of Java and Bali, and primarily consist of tuned bronze percussive instruments.

Thursday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.

Angham al-Sharq Eastern Melodies Ensemble. Al-Sharq has performed at Cuyamaca College on a number of occasions over the past several years.

Saturday, May 4, noon to 4 p.m.

The 11th Annual Coyote Music Festival. This entirely student-run festival provides the community with free music and culminates a semester for students studying music, technology, recording and business.

Thursday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.

The Nathan Hubbard Trio. The trio consists of a vibraphone, bass and drum and it uses modular notation, often with each member performing different pieces simultaneously, to create a kaleidoscopic sound where interplay between musicians switches at the turn of a page.

Thursday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.

The Cuyamaca College Rock, Pop, and Soul Ensemble. Under the direction of Performing Arts Department Chair Taylor Smith, the ensemble will perform music from the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things. Stranger Things soundtracks are composed by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon of the electronic band Survive.

Friday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.

The Cuyamaca College Choir. Directed by Paul Infantino, the Cuyamaca College Choir is known for its contemporary and standard choral works both on campus and in the larger East County community.

Tuesday, May 21, 7:30 p.m.

The Cuyamaca College Concert Band wraps up this year’s Spring Concert Series with its second performance of the year.

Tickets are just $5 – the Coyote Music Festival is free – and can be purchased online via the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Department’s webpage.

The 10-year era of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District with Chancellor Cindy L. Miles at the helm will soon draw to a close.

With what she described as “mixed feelings,” Miles announced today that she will be retiring at the end of the year. Her retirement contract, set to go before the Governing Board Feb. 19, calls for Miles to remain until the end of the year to allow time for a successor to be selected.

“I’m a believer in listening to the rhythm of one’s soul—and, after 30 years of teaching and leading in community colleges, there’s a calling impossible to ignore that’s pulling me in a new direction,” Miles said. She adds that her primary goal has been to clear the way for the college and district communities to “make amazing things happen for students.”

“And that’s been happening, again and again,” Miles said.

She regards as high points of her tenure the accomplishments of colleagues: passing a $398 million bond measure for new, modern facilities, rejuvenating both campuses in the wake of a devastating recession, tripling grant dollars, setting records for scholarships, as well as landmark numbers of degrees and certificates awarded. More than 5,500 degrees and certificates were awarded at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges in 2018, a 140 percent increase from 10 years ago.

During the decade that Miles served as chancellor, the two-college district in eastern San Diego County has been nationally recognized for removing barriers to student success and eradicating longstanding equity gaps that have impeded students of color in their college pursuits.

“I’m so proud of everything that the district has achieved in the past 10 years. It’s been a pleasure to work with the amazing faculty, staff and administrators who are dedicated to our students,” Miles said. “I know we are making a difference in the lives of our 30,000 students each year.”

Veteran Governing Board trustee Bill Garrett, who served as board president for nearly the entirety of Miles’ tenure, praised the chancellor for leading innovations such as the East County Education Alliance, a partnership with the Grossmont Union High School District to ensure a smooth path for students between high school, college and a career. The partnership, which began in 2014, was selected for a national Innovation of the Year Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College.

As the result of new state funding, the Alliance in fall 2018 began offering the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College Promise, which provides a year of free enrollment at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges for first-time college students who are attending full-time. With the promise of additional state funding in the 2019-20 state budget, a second year of free enrollment is expected to be offered.

The prestige of the two campuses have climbed during the Miles era.

Cuyamaca College received the 2018 John W. Rice Diversity & Equity Award from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office for its groundbreaking program that eliminated remedial math and English classes and dramatically increased the number of students, including traditionally underrepresented students, who complete those classes and go on to complete their education goals. Grossmont College was recognized as a Champion of Higher Education in 2018 for its work to significantly increase the number of students earning an Associate Degree for Transfer, an associate degree that guarantees transfer to the California State University institution.

In a personal note to colleagues, Miles praised the campus and district communities for cultivating a climate of civility, something she talks about often, sometimes even jokingly as a Texan raised to always speak kindly of others, but to also cut down to size an inflated ego when it was warranted. But never in harsh tones.

“When you hear my people say, ‘bless your heart,’ it’s Texan-speak for ‘isn’t that special,’” she says with a chuckle.

Her trademark warmth and caring has impacted lives.

One classified professional credits the chancellor for inspiring her to go back to school to acquire the college degree she had always dismissed as a pipe dream.

“She took a genuine interest in me and took the time to ask me about my goals,” said Dawn Heuft, who worked for several years across the hall from Miles as an administrative assistant in the Business Services office. “She encouraged me and inspired me to get my bachelor’s in web design and development and I am now working as an interim instructional design technology specialist for Grossmont College. I love this job and I will be forever grateful to Dr. Miles for her kindness and mentoring.”

For Miles, who joined the district in March 2009, it is all about the golden rule.

“I’m encouraged that all our stakeholder groups—our board, administrators, faculty, classified professionals, unions, and senates—increasingly exhibit concern for what’s best for our students rather than for themselves,” she said. “And, it is this collective, reflective focus that makes this work worth doing, despite relentless demands and change.”

Miles has played an influential role in state and national community college organizations. She has served on committees and task forces for the American Association of Community Colleges, the American Council on Education, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Community College League of California, and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

Before arriving at the district, she served as founding president of the Hialeah campus at Miami Dade College. Miles previously served as Vice President/Chief Operating Office of the League for Innovation in the Community College and as a faculty member, researcher, grants developer, program director, and senior administrator at community colleges in Texas and Colorado. Prior to her work in higher education, Miles served more than a decade in the allied health field as a medical technologist.

Miles received her Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin; an M.S. in secondary and higher education from Texas A & M University-Commerce; and a B.A. in biology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Open enrollment begins for spring 2019 at Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

Grossmont College recognized as Champion of HIgher Education

Trio picked for annual classified employee excellence award

Trustees sworn in, officers selected for district Governing Board

Franziska Collier: Overcoming life's challenges thanks to Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges

Grossmont College football standout Jay Williams signs with Florida State University

Cuyamaca College Center for Water Studies Holds 2nd Annual Women in Water Symposium

Cuyamaca College Powwow set for Feb. 2

Scholarships awarded to more than 200 Grossmont and Cuyamaca College students

Resilient Grossmont College student Quincy Hollings

Grossmont College's Theatre Arts launches 2019 spring season

Center for Water Studies gives program more depth

College District's 15-year streak of flawless audits remains unbroken

Road from Ethiopia to Grossmont College Leads to Success

Cuyamaca College student selected for prestigious NASA program

Cuyamaca College 'Diversity Dialogues' tackle discrimination, understanding

Black History Month offers an array of events at Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

Grossmont College's drone technology program helps careers soar

Cuyamaca College spring concert season features musicians of note

District Chancellor Cindy L. Miles announces retirement