Skyline College students enrolled in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program along with students considering joining this program have the amazing opportunity to participate in a paid internship with one of the most innovative corporate food service companies in the state of California.

Andrea Vizenor, the Bay Region: Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Deputy Sector Navigator has worked closely with industry leaders at Bon Appetit @ Google to design a variety of paid internship opportunities and partnerships that provide valuable experiences for students and faculty.

Bon Appétit is the food management company responsible for creating and serving all the amazing cuisine at Google. They have a large number of accounts they serve throughout the Peninsula.

This partnership provides an exciting PAID internship opportunity for Skyline College students that will begin in late January.  Students who are selected will participate in an Internship Boot Camp that prepares students with necessary soft skills training, technical skills training needed to earn valuable industry recognized certifications and tools that will prepare them to successfully complete the internship experience.

This 8-week PAID internship program is an innovative and rewarding experience for students interested in Hospitality and Food Service careers. In this partnership, Bon Appétit provides students the opportunity to experience many of the diverse careers available within corporate food service by providing relevant hands-on workplace learning in an active Café, focusing on restaurant operations/management, culinary operations or in a business environment. It is a great way to build your resume while pursuing your educational goals!

While participating in the internship, students are able to use the Google Shuttle bus to get to their assignment at the Google campus for $1.50 each way.  Students also participate in weekly training workshops taught by management at Bon Appetit and receive thoughtful evaluations each week evaluating their performance.

This internship opportunity compliments the new courses being offered as part of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at Skyline College and shows the commitment the program has to connecting students to valuable industry training and networks that will ultimately lead to employment!

Spaces are filling up fast! For more information and an application, please contact Andrea Vizenor at vizenora@smccd.edu, or stop by our office in Building 1, Room 1311.

Article written by Nicole Ruggier

The Bay Region Hospitality SUCCESS three-day professional development forum for faculty and high school teachers was held on October 9 in Concord.  This event was hosted by the Bay Region Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Deputy Sector Navigator Andrea Vizenor in partnership with the California Department of Education; Andrea brought together leaders in industry to train faculty and teachers on the latest innovations and skills essential for the Hospitality, Culinary and Tourism Industry. This event was filled with innovative and engaging training sessions that truly kept attendees wanting more!

With nearly 60 participants attending there was a variety of teachers and faculty from throughout the state, which included, local culinary teachers from Jefferson High School, Sequoia High School, Peninsula High School, and Mountain View High School. It was a wonderful opportunity to build even greater connections with our newly developed Hospitality and Tourism Management program at Skyline College.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn and identify the latest trends and online marketing strategies of fine-dining restaurants from Stephen Satterfield, a writer, sommelier, and media and hospitality specialist who currently works with NOPA Restaurant in San Francisco, along with Exceptional Guest Service training delivered by Emily Ellis, a hospitality professional with a wide array of experience who currently works as a Disney Institute trainer and consultant for the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

The line-up also included: an urban farm and teaching garden tour, hands-on culinary techniques training by 3 guest chefs from Bon Appetit at Google and a tour of the Hilton Concord with a behind the scenes look at the wonderful strategies in sustainability they have adopted in their social responsibility efforts.

The Bay Region Retail, Hospitality and Tourism “Learn and Earn” grant housed at Skyline College, has provided a platform to build the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program with extensive industry involvement, incredible student value, and the latest competencies and skills which are integrated into the program’s curriculum.

To learn more about this event please contact: Andrea Vizenor, Bay Region: Deputy Sector Navigator of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism at vizenora@smccd.edu

Article and photo by Elizabeth Tablan

Skyline College’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, in partnership with the Bay Region Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Initiative “Learn & Earn” Grant, is excited to announce the first annual Bay Region Hospitality Summit held at San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront in Burlingame, California. Join us on December 5, 2014 from 9:00 a.m – 2:30 p.m for an exciting opportunity to learn innovative trends, skills, and service strategies from some of the industry’s finest.

The Bay Region Hospitality Summit has an exciting program scheduled led by industry leaders who will share their wisdom and provide participants with critical information and skills essential in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Lynn Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing of Visit California, will give a keynote presentation on the latest trends, international tourism and exciting opportunities in this sector. Next up, Clif Clark General Manager for Marriott hotels will also speak on the latest strategies and innovations the company has embraced to remain a leader in lodging. Also integrated in the Hospitality Summit will be a workshop on “Memorable Customer Service” led by Alexandra Valentin, CHT, Corporate Director and Culture Transformation from The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Series.

We welcome students, faculty and staff of Skyline College to participate in this exciting event at no cost. This is a fabulous opportunity for community college students to learn valuable skills that will assist them in their pursuit of an amazing career in the hospitality industry.

Dr. Regina Stanback-Stroud will be present to a deliver a warm welcome to participants. The event invitation is also extended to Bay Region community college and CSU students interested or currently pursuing a degree in hospitality and tourism. This is an event not to be missed!

For more information and to register for 2014 Bay Region Hospitality Summit, please contact Andrea Vizenor at vizenora@smccd.edu.

Article by Elizabeth Tablan

The Accreditation Oversight Committee (AOC) met on Monday morning, November 17, 2014 to continue the work that never stops: ensuring the ongoing accreditation of Skyline College. Far from being a once-every-six-year event, the AOC maintains focus on accreditation issues in between the intense cycles of the self-evaluation process. As such, the AOC discussed two important substantive change proposals that will be submitted to the Commission: the first addressing the ongoing growth of Distance Education offerings that are resulting in more degrees and certificates available more than 50% online (a threshold that activates the substantive change process), and the second involving the expected development of a Baccalaureate degree at Skyline College. Both submissions are scheduled to be submitted by March 5, 2015.

The AOC also established three Work Teams that will be helping to develop infrastructure to provide greater support for the College with regards to accreditation. The Accreditation Evidence Team will be working to identify systems for use in tracking and storing the volumes of evidence that are used in the writing of the self-evaluation study. The Professional Development Team has been tasked with identifying individuals willing to support the writing of the next self-evaluation study, a process slated to begin in 2017-18, and helping those individuals and the campus engage in professional development opportunities to be well prepared for that process.

Finally, the Accreditation Standards Review Team was formed in order to review and address the newly revised Standards released in July of 2014. These standards contain new requirements from the Department of Education, addressing topics such as Distance Education and Institutional-Set Standards for Student Success and Achievement. It will be the role of the work team, and the AOC as a whole, to ensure that Skyline continues to meet all the standards of accreditation as they evolve.

The next meeting of the AOC will be held Monday, February 9, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Article by Aaron McVean