Skyline College launched the new Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Degree program on August 8, 2016.  This pilot program is one of 15 approved in the state of California.  The program will allow current students and recent graduates a pathway to complete a four-year degree without having to transfer and licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP) to return for degree completion. This bachelor’s degree offers students a greater ability to advance into management and leadership roles within the profession, to conduct research, and to become educators.

The cohort is comprised of 33 students.  They are a mixture of new graduates continuing on from our associate degree program, new graduates from other associate degree programs, and current practitioners from the Respiratory Care community.

The cohort will take courses over seven terms.  Each term includes two courses delivered in hybrid format over nine weeks.  Students will complete coursework online and meet on campus each Saturday.  Faculty teach synergistically from the paired courses weaving content together and provided a rich teaching and learning environment. The first cohort will complete the program and receive their bachelor degree in May 2018.

Please extend a warm welcome to our first cohort, the Class of 2018. Thank you to all involved who made this first cohort launch possible.

Article by Ijaz Ahmed and Ray Hernandez

The Middle College at Skyline College (MCSC) began its second year with a new educational partnership. In June, the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) Board of Trustees approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Mateo County Community College District that allows Capuchino High School students to attend the MCSC.  MCSC Director Raymond Jones is thrilled with SMUHSD’s willingness to give its students the option to attend the middle college that is closest to them.

SMUHSD joins with the South San Francisco Unified School District to offer high school students living in North San Mateo County the unique opportunity to develop their talents, abilities and skills; pursue their academic goals; explore career and major options; cultivate their leadership skills; and give back to their communities.

This fall semester a new cohort of 11^th-grade students entered the MCSC, joining the founding 2015-16 cohort now in the 12^th grade. The MCSC currently serves 85 students, of which 80% are first-generation and 91% are historically underrepresented students. These students decided to take the advantages that MCSC offers, saving thousands of dollars in tuition and fast-tracking their journey toward achieving academic and career goals.

MSCS students spend their last two years of high school on the Skyline College campus, taking high school grade-level classes based on California Common Core Standards along with transfer-level college courses. As a result, these students will earn their high school diploma along with a minimum of 24 units that can be applied toward Career Technical Training certificates, an Associate degree or transfer to a four-year university.

The MCSC is committed to the “Skyline College Promise” accelerated pathway to support students entering higher education.

Article by Kim Saccio-Kent & Raymond Jones

On Thursday, September 1, 2016 the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services/CARE (EOPS/CARE) and CalWORKs program hosted their Fall 2016 Kick Off Event.  The event brought together over thirty EOPS/CARE and CalWORKs students for an opportunity to meet other students in the program as well as interact with the staff.

Dean Lasana Hotep kicked off the event with an inspirational and motivating welcome. Students then heard about program updates and upcoming events and activities for the semester from the staff.

During the event’s icebreaker activity, students and staff had a great time building the tallest “red cup” tower and connecting their experience to college success!

Overall, the Fall 2016 Kick Off Event was a great success, which served to build community among EOPS/CARE and CalWORKs students and staff.

Article by Jessica Lopez | Photographs by Jorge Murillo

 

This week Skyline College Art Gallery opened CHAN doing nothing, an exhibition of paintings and poetry by Buddhist Chan Master Chi Chern from Malaysia. The exhibition will be on view in the Gallery from September 6 through October 7.

The gallery is open daily, and is located on the ground floor of Building 1.

For more information, including hours, please visit the gallery website or the gallery Facebook page.

Master Chi Chern has been visiting our campus from his home in Malaysia this week, and students, staff, and faculty have had the opportunity to meet Master Chi Chern, and learn more about his artistic and spiritual practice. Master Chi Chern has written over 60 books, and teaches all over the world.

If you missed the very well attended Wednesday reception, you still have a chance to meet the artist and be at the gallery for his Friday evening painting demonstration and discussion. Master Chi Chern will be at the gallery Friday, September 9 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.   Live music will be performed by cellist Yawen Hsu, who is a student of Master Chi Chern, and lead Cellist with the Dearborn Symphony in Michigan. All events are free and open to the public

About the Artist

Born in 1955 in Taiping, Malaysia, Master Chi Chern is the first Dharma heir of Chan Master Sheng Yen in the Linji lineage of Chinese Chan and a fourth generation Dharma descendent of Master Xu Yun. He has authored more than sixty books on Buddhism and meditation, including The Map to Nowthere – Chan Practice Guide to Mind Cultivation.

Article by Paul Bridenbaugh

Dr. Tony Jackson (Skyline College Psychology Department) closes-in on his first year of service with the Alameda County African American Steering Committee for Health and Wellness (AASCHW). Dr. Jackson was selected to serve on the AASCHW of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services in May of 2015.  He has been an active member of the committee participating in a number of decisions regarding culturally relevant methodology and funding as well as participating in several community health forums.

The AASCHW has as its mission, dedication to ensuring that Alameda County’s Behavioral Health Care system provides quality, culturally responsive, integrated care that is delivered in an honoring and respectful manner to African American consumers, family members and the community-at-large.

The vision of the AASCHW is to have a Behavioral Health Care System where African Americans are equal partners with Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services and are always included in the decision-making process that creates, designs, develops, and implements policies, procedures and services for their community.

In the next year, Dr. Jackson anticipates the committee making important decisions around guiding praxis within the African American mental health community.

Article by Pcyeta Stroud | Photos by GG Crowder, Janny Castillo