The Equity Summit at Skyline College is an opportunity for educators from throughout the region to engage in a teaching and learning experience centered on educational equity. There will be a series of experiences that participants can witness from equity talks to plenary sessions.

The summit will feature a keynote address by internationally renowned scholar and activist Angela Davis.

Date/Time: Friday, December 9, 2016 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Skyline College Theater

Topics include:

• Cultural Competency and Pedagogical Excellence
• Critical STEM Pedagogy
• Culture and Academic Achievement
• Race and Equity in Education
• Equitable Pedagogical Practices

This event is FREE, and while it has reached capacity, individuals are welcome to place their name on the wait list as space may become available.

Article by Connor Fitzpatrick

A group identifying themselves as 30+ students and faculty from all three colleges have sent out a “Call to Action” to organize a walkout on Monday, November 21 at 10:30 a.m. Participants will convene in the quad at Skyline College. The intent of the walkout is to demonstrate unity and “solidarity with communities that continue to be targeted and dehumanized during the shift in socio-political climate.” Organizers of the event aim to “stand together to provide protection and healing for one another and encourage and foster empowerment, safety, acceptance, and love.”

As an educational institution that values the rights to free speech, peaceful political discourse and civic engagement, Skyline College encourages faculty and staff to be mindful of students who wish to participate in the walkout.

Skyline College supports students as they give voice to issues of importance and engage each other and the broader community in a thoughtful, public dialogue. The college will have resources available to provide a supportive environment.

Article by Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud

 

Skyline College is committed to growing educational opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for all our students. As part of this commitment, Skyline College will become a National STEM Connector, joining other higher education institutions and industry organizations around the country in a partnership that connects top leaders in the field through initiatives that rapidly connect and leverage the world of STEM and help supporters in their investments to build a STEM pipeline and workforce.

Skyline College President, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud will serve on the STEM Higher Education Council of STEMconnector as part of the Diversity Committee. The Council builds on the energy of others in support of boundary-breaking collaborations between higher education and industry to achieve impactful results that can be recognized and scaled up. Skyline College joins other institutions and organizations, including Howard University, Rutgers, UC Davis, Tuskegee University, DeMoines Area Community College, Cengage Learning and Base11, Western Governors University and many others on the Higher Education Council

“Joining STEMconnector is a clear opportunity for the college to bolster its STEM offerings,” said Dr. Stanback Stroud. “Developing partnerships with industry and other colleges and universities who share a common commitment is essential to remaining at the cutting edge of the STEM field. I am looking forward to engaging in a robust and productive dialogue as part of the Higher Education Council.”

STEMconnector describes itself as a “Consortium of companies, nonprofit associations and professional societies, STEM-related research and policy organizations, government entities, universities and academic institutions concerned with STEM education and the future of human capital in the United States.  As both a resource and service designed to link all things STEM, STEMconnector convenes its members and stakeholders through both physical and virtual events through STEM Councils and virtual STEM Town Halls and Google Hangouts that regularly reach over 500 thought leaders. STEMconnector focuses on the STEM workforce and jobs, with a particular emphasis on diversity and women. The organization’s work spans the entire pipeline (K-J Kindergarten — Jobs) and how STEM Education experiences translate into careers. The STEMconnector team advises and counsels their members and partners to ensure the best STEM practices and scalable investments. STEMconnector® helps other organizations determine programs whose outcomes meet their desired objectives and needs.

Recently, Dr. Stroud joined a host of national speakers including Dr. Martha Kanter, Executive Director, College Promise Campaign and Former Under-Secretary of Education with the US Department of Education, Balaji Ganapathy, head-Workforce Effectiveness North America, William Hansen, President and CEO of USA Funds and Edie Fraser, CEO, STEMconnector, to name a few.

Article by Connor Fitzpatrick

Skyline College’s Global Learning Programs & Services (GLPS) Division and the Center for International Trade Development (CITD) Program announce the launching of three new International Business courses to begin in Spring 2017.  The courses are the first in a series of Global Trade and Logistics Fundamentals courses aimed to prepare students with the foundational skills required to manage the global exchange, movement and connection of information, people, products, and money from one part of the world to the other.

Students and workers who are new to the industry can take advantage of these first course offerings leading to the development of the foundational skills for entry-level jobs including import and export cargo agents, shipping and receiving traffic clerks, warehouse and inventory operations, and customer service representatives. Current workers can strengthen their skills and knowledge that can lead to mastery of their current jobs, promotions and transfers to new or different positions including trade, logistics, operations, warehousing, distribution, inventory, systems controls, and supply chain management for the public and private sector and government.

Students can enroll now!

To register visit WebSMART. New students can enroll here: http://skylinecollege.edu/admissions/apply.php.

For questions, please contact:  Yvonne Reid, MS – Director, Center for International Trade Development, email:  bayareacitd@smccd.edu, T: 650-738-7098

Article by Yvonne Reid

Skyline College’s Meet Your Major Fair held on Tuesday, November 8 proved to be a day spotlighting academic success and student engagement. Offered as a campus-wide meeting of programs and academic pathways, this year’s event brought together a large number of students, faculty and staff.  

Over 350 attendees learned about our academic offerings as Westmoor High School juniors and seniors joined Skyline College students as participants in an interactive investigation of college majors available to current and prospective learners. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive as students chatted, questioned and clarified their intended majors through face-to-face interactions with professors, and staff members.  Students were “edutained” by a variety of experiences showcasing academic options ranging from massage therapy to rock formations and from study abroad to digital photography or scientific inquiry.  

Workshops on financial literacy, career exploration, and CTE pathways were presented to our High School guests and all students were invited to capture and share these “major” moments through instagram photos, and button making.  Appreciative thanks are in order for all contributing divisions, and volunteers. Special thanks to Jose Milan, Nick Zuniga, Kristen Ersando, Lauren Ford, Andrea Vizenor and team, Shandra Thomas, Alex Kaplan, Daryan Chan, Chad Thompson, Raul Amaya and Skyline College Facilities for their rallying and on-the-spot effort. A 1963 vintage ice cream truck added a refreshing ending to the fair for all who redeemed a participant sticker card reminding them that “Meeting Your Major can be cool, smooth, and sweet because you’ll know when It’s It.”

Article by Lavinia Zanassi | Photo by Nicholas Zuniga 

 

Skyline College welcomes Kari Bush as the Interim Program Director for the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center (BAEC).  She received her BA from the University of Redlands. She spent two separate semesters abroad. Additionally, this last spring, she was granted the opportunity to help facilitate her former professor’s study abroad course-an experience she will never forget. She has lived in Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, and Austria and it is this travel that has not only produced a fond love for languages but has developed her ambition towards higher education and administration. She believes that the world gets a little smaller each day through technology, travel opportunities, and communication, and it is for this reason that education should open new horizons on the global and local level.

We are proud to introduce Kari as the Interim Program Director of BAEC. Let’s all welcome her to our Skyline College family. She looks forward to working with you all as we enhance and promote BAEC and Skyline College’s vision.

Article by Tammy Robinson

The Skyline College Strategic Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee (SPARC) met on Thursday, November 10, 2016.

Aaron McVean, Interim Vice President of Instruction, along with Cheri Jones, Interim Dean of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness and Luis Escobar, Dean of Counseling provided an update on the Skyline College Promise initiative.  The Skyline College Promise is that students will “Get in. Get through. Get out…on time!” VP McVean reviewed the organizational structure, noting that the Skyline College Promise Task Force is comprised of several cross functional teams – Meta Majors & Guided Pathways, Promise Scholarship Programs, and High School Partnership Programs, including the Summer Scholars Institute (SSI).

Dean Escobar talked about this year’s Summer Scholar Institute, a five-week intensive program for incoming freshmen held last June and July.  He presented demographics as well as academic data of students who participated and financial data for the program.  The college is looking at ways to scale up the program next year, which may include having 1-week and 3-week sessions in addition to the 5-week session.

Dean Cheri Jones shared more information on the Skyline College Promise Scholarship program which was launched this Fall. 70% of the recipients plan to transfer to a four-year college upon completion at Skyline College.

Also launched at the start of the Fall semester is the Skyline College Express Shuttle which provides direct service between Daly City BART and the campus.  The free Shuttle service has been highly successful, with ridership averaging about 1900 one way rides per week.  An October survey showed that over 92% of the ridership consists of students and most passengers ride the shuttle 4-5 times per week.

Eloisa Briones, Vice President of Administrative Services presented a narrative of the final Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget.  Skyline College’s Unrestricted General Fund 1 expenditure budget totals $39,325,980.  The College received $600,000 in District Innovation Funds to support the Bachelor’s Degree in Respiratory Care program, the institutionalization of Workforce Programs and the Career Advancement Academies.  These funds are in addition to last year’s ongoing innovation funds of $800,000 to support the Middle College and the institutionalization of the SparkPoint Center. SPARC’s recommendation for a balanced budget for the current year included funding for new positions – 5 faculty, 2.5 classified and 1.5 administrators.

Dean Jones gave a progress report on the Institutional Effectiveness and Program Improvement grant of $150,000 that Skyline College received from the State Chancellor’s Office.  The funds have been designated to implement technology solutions from Ad Astra and Strategic Planning Online (SPOL) software. These tools will be useful for enrollment management and further integration of planning and budget process.  Dean Jones also solicited input from the group on what features they would like to see included in SPOL. A demo may be available for the committee to test at the next meeting.

The next SPARC meeting is scheduled for December 8, 2016 from 2:10 to 4:00 pm in Room 6-203.

Article by Judy Hutchinson

Please come celebrate International Education Week with the International Student Program (ISP) Office! International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State to highlight the importance and benefits of international education in the U.S. and around the world (Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, 2016). All events are free and open to Skyline College students, faculty, staff and community members. We hope many of you can join us for IEW 2016!

11/14 (Mon); 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. @ Multicultural Center (4-240)

Opening Reception

• Global Learning Programs and Services Fair presented by:
  • International Student Program (ISP)
  • Study Abroad and Special International Programs
  • Bay Area Entrepreneurship Center (BAEC)
  • African Diaspora Program
  • Center for International Trade Development (CITD)
• International Student Introduction:
• Soriannys Mosquera Pino, President of International Affairs Student Club
• Franck Yao, Global Beca Scholarship recipient
• Light refreshments will be provided

11/15 (Tue); 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. @ Fireside Dining Room

International Food Festival

• Free international food sampling!
• International music, activity & resources
• Meet with Skyline international students

11/16 (Wed); 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. @ Fireside Dining Room

Study Abroad Fair

11/16 (Wed); 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. @ Multicultural Center (4-240)

Study Abroad Workshops

• Resources for Study Abroad Programs

11/17 (Thu); 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. @ Fireside Dining Room

Ethiopian Cultural Tradition

• Ethiopian dance performance at 12 PM & 1 PM
• Resources for Ethiopian culture

ISP will continue to provide international and cultural programs and events for Skyline College students, faculty and staff members and the greater Skyline College community. Please check future events on the ISP website at: www.skylinecollege.edu/international/

Article by Chikako Walker | Image from Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs

The Skyline College Financial Aid Office kicked off the opening of the 2017-2018 Institutional Scholarship application with an ice cream social. Staff from the Financial Aid Office and the San Mateo County Community College Foundation engaged students in discussions about scholarships and promoted the institutional scholarship application while students enjoyed free ice cream.

The Skyline College Institutional Scholarship application is available for all current and incoming students to apply. The application will close on March 2, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Scholarship applicants will be notified by late April 2017 of their status. All scholarship awards will pay out in the 2017-2018 academic year.

There are over 50 different scholarships available through Skyline College. To apply, students must submit a general application. Based on the responses in the application, the system will match students to all available and eligible scholarships.

Last year, over $226,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to recipients for the 2016-2017 academic year. There were over 350 Skyline College students who submitted a completed application, which consist of the general application, personal statement, reference and unofficial transcript. Of the 350-plus Skyline College students that applied, 217 students were selected as a scholarship recipient, with 293 scholarships being awarded.

These scholarships are funded through generous contributions to the San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation, which ensures that quality and affordable higher education is available to every member of the community. It is due to the continuity and munificence of donors, many of whom are members of the college community and local community, that Skyline College is able to support their students in their educational endeavors.

Article by Jenny Yang | Photos by Elisabeth Osai

The Bay Area Entrepreneur Center (BAEC) is excited to announce the recent launch of its Business Incubator Program for startup businesses and those with serious business ideas to start and grow their business. BAEC would like to welcome all to get a sneak peak into the Business Incubator Program and to learn more about BAEC resources.

All are welcome to the Business Incubator Speaker Series to learn how to grow your business with advertising intelligence platforms, ways to protect your business and how you can take your business global.

This speaker event series is open for BAEC Business Incubator students, college students and community members. The first event in this series will be held on Thursday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center.

If you have a business idea or have dreamed of starting a business, then you don’t want to miss the Business Incubator Speaker Series! Learn from three successful entrepreneurs and surround yourself with like-minded people to share your ideas and build relationships.

Guest Speakers for the Series

• Raja Ben on November 17; 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Eddie Lin on December 1; 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
• Heather Bennett on December 15; 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

RSVP to claim your spot today! Admission is FREE.  For more information, please contact the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center at (650) 825-6840 or baec@smccd.edu.

Article and Graphic by Terri Wade