The Spanish students of Spanish 110, 120, 220 and 230 at Skyline College have been participating in a Skype Language Exchange with students from Universidad Tecnologica de Tijuana (UTT) in Mexico. The weekly one-on-one communications, which take place over Skype video chats in the Language Lab of The Learning Center, pairs beginner and intermediate Spanish students at Skyline College with counterparts from UTT who have conversational English skills. The program is providing a unique chance for students to practice their language skills and the material they’ve learned in class with native Spanish speakers who are, in turn, improving their English.

The participating students at Skyline College are enjoying themselves and say that they are retaining the material better thanks to the personal experience. The Mexican students at UTT have said this is a great opportunity to enhance and expand their English vocabulary – and they’ve even said they hope to come and visit Skyline College in the future.

Professor Luciana Castro of Skyline College and Professor David Cooksey of UTT have worked closely together along with Hong Guo in the Language Lab to make the Skype Language Exchange a reality for their students. Thanks to their hard work, Spanish students at Skyline College and UTT are improving their language skills in a way that’s different, effective and fun.

Article by Luciana Castro

First Year Experience (FYE) is a learning community that was created to support first year students, many of whom are first-generation, from low-income backgrounds, or have other characteristics that create barriers towards achieving their academic and career goals. FYE strives to provide support, information, services, and access to resources in promoting student success and goal attainment.

Towards fulfilling this mission, and with support of the College Success Initiative (CSI), institutional funding, and the help of Kevin Chak in the Bookstore, the FYE program was able to purchase over thirty COUN 100 textbooks, as well as several copies of the Math 110/120 textbook. As a further support to Skyline’s existing book rental program, all FYE students are provided a COUN 100 textbook for use during the semester and can borrow a math textbook as needed. This service helps to reduce the financial burden associated with the cost of enrolling in a class. FYE faculty have been working on this project for the past year and a half, and are very excited to see it come to fruition.

Article by Arielle Smith

As we begin a new academic year, it is a time for new beginnings, the continuation of hard work, and the opportunity to reflect and thank those who have come before us. I would like to take this time to thank the Skyline College community for welcoming me so graciously over the past 9 months. I have enjoyed every minute of my time at Skyline College so far. It is important to recognize the good work of those who have come before us, paving the way for our current experiences. With this sentiment in mind, I want to thank past Interim Dean of Counseling, Nohel Corral for his leadership and work both as the Interim Dean and as the Director of TRiO Student Support Services. Please join me in wishing Nohel well, as he has accepted a senior administrative position at Long Beach City College last month.
In the spirit of new beginnings and a new academic year, we are fortunate to have a new Interim TRiO Director, Arash Daneshzadeh, join our Skyline College community. Arash joined us in July and brings a myriad of professional experience with student support programs, including TRiO—of which he is both staff as well as student alumnus. Most recently, Arash has served as Assistant Director of First-Generation Outreach at Stanford University, President and Chair of Education Programs on behalf of TRiO’s political action arm, WESTOP, and Director of Community Programs in the Mission District of San Francisco. Arash is also completing his dissertation towards his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, where the center of his praxis is focused on the relationship between Restorative Justice curricula and identity development among African American males in urban schools. His experience and dedication to empowering students to reach their educational and personal goals will serve our TRiO students well. Please join me in welcoming Arash Daneshzadeh to Skyline College!

Sincerely,
Dr. Angelica Garcia, Dean of Counseling

Skyline College students took the opportunity to become more engaged in their campus community by attending this semester’s Club Mixer sponsored by the Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC) and the Center for Student Life and Leadership Development. The Thursday, August 28 event enabled students to learn about the many campus clubs available to them. Club representatives presented the mission and goals of their organizations to the attendees. After the presentations students were able to meet members and ask questions. Approximately 300 students attended the mixer. By the end of the day, clubs had many new members and everyone enjoyed the chance to network with others. It was a success, to say the least. Skyline College truly is home to a spirited student body.

 

Friday, September 5, 2014 – Friday, September 12, 2014

• Double Vision: Photographic Portraits from Cuba & Ghana, Skyline College, Art Gallery, Building 1, Room 121

Saturday, September 6, 2014

• 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 25th Anniversary Celebration for GeneConnection, Skyline College, Building 6, Level 2

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

• 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Financial Aid Application Labs, Skyline College, Building 2, Room 2117-B

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

• 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Financial Aid Application Labs, Skyline College, Building 2, Room 2117-B

Thursday, September 11, 2014

• 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., An Evening with Dr. Cornel West, Skyline College Theater
Friday, September 12, 2014

• 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, Skyline College, Building 6, Room 6206

For the latest information on events and activities happening at Skyline College, please view our calendar.

If you would like to include your college event or activity on the calendar, please submit the event, date, time and location to Cherie Colin via email at colinc@smccd.edu.

TRiO Student Support Services or SSS, provide a proactive environment for the college’s first-generation, low-income students to thrive. Services offered to students include:

• Comprehensive assessment for all entering students and required placement into appropriate levels of pre-college courses in math, reading, writing, and ESL;
• A cross-curricular emphasis on development of basic skills through structured first-year programs, accelerated curriculum, structured and course-specific tutoring, and culturally-oriented learning/leadership communities; and
• A commitment to offering the financial assistance and coaching, college/university campus visits, guidance on the four-year application process, supplemental instruction and support that students need to reach their academic and career goals.

Since 1980, this successful program has grown in scope, now assisting 330 students per year. Thanks to the collective efforts of our counseling staff, tutoring coordinators, mentors, TRiO Club members, and TRiO Student Ambassadors, over 70 TRiO students graduated from Skyline College last spring. Each of these students successfully transferred into four-year institutions where they will further pursue their educational goals. This milestone is testament to the steadfast effort and unwavering dedication of our students and the learning partnerships they have forged with our committed TRiO personnel.

TRiO is now accepting New Student Applications for the 2014-2015 school year. Please support us by referring any students who may benefit from TRiO services, while spaces are still available.

Returning students who wish to continue their TRiO services are advised to complete a Returning TRiO Student Form in the Learning Center of Building 5, and to schedule their first counseling appointment for the fall semester.

For more information, please contact Judith Cheung—at cheungj@smccd.edu, call 650-738-4144, or visit in person at the TRiO center located in Building 5.

Article by Arash Daneshzadeh