Skyline College SparkPoint Center and the Career Services Center were awarded a grant to participate in the AmeriCorps California Community College Student Ambassador Program. This program will give four Skyline College students the opportunity to build strong leadership skills, to participate in service-learning, and to make connections that lead to getting things done for the betterment of our community. These four Skyline College AmeriCorps volunteers will become part of the more than 80,000 Americans currently working as volunteers to help support American families in a number of ways.

On our campus, the Skyline College AmeriCorps Volunteers will be working specifically with SparkPoint Services, Career Services, and Health Services to help increase awareness of the resources available both on and off campus to support their peers. Via a peer-based approach, “ambassadors will provide… awareness of the availability of public benefits and the value of healthy behavioral choices. They will increase students’ access to resources and support systems by networking with on-campus support programs and off-campus agencies and organizations to raise awareness of the availability of public benefits.” This is a student leadership position and it will expose them to personal and professional development through work-based learning that will contribute to the college’s mission. More specifically, the students selected to serve as AmeriCorps Student Ambassadors for the program will be committing to complete 900 hours, about 20 hours per week for 12 months. Once they have completed these hours, they will receive a $2,907 scholarship.

Ultimately, this grant serves as a great way for students who are selected as AmeriCorps student ambassadors to support their community, to spotlight their leadership experience and community services, all of which will also contribute to building their resumes and to information they could include in scholarship applications.

With that we are in the process of actively recruiting students for this program! If you know students who might be interested in participating in this program and want more information, please contact Valerie Higgins, SparkPoint Coordinator at higginsv@smccd.edu and Michele Haggar, Program Services Coordinator for Career Services at haggarm@smccd.edu.

Article by Valerie Higgins and Michele Haggar

On Friday, October 20, students in the Skyline College Concert Band (MUS. 430) shared the Skyline College Theater stage with the San Francisco State University Wind Ensemble and professional guest artists, wowing an audience of more than 300 music-lovers.

Skyline College Music Department faculty members Meghan Dibble (voice), Margaret Fondbertasse (piano), and Elizabeth Ingber (viola) performed duets and trios by Brahms, Schumann, and Heggie prior to the SF State Band’s beautiful set of music with Professor Brad Hogarth conducting and Professor Jeannie Psomas featured on clarinet.

The 34-member Skyline College Concert Band, led by Professor Zack Bruno, continued the program with lively selections by Bach and Saint-Saëns as well as the West Coast premiere of the three-movement Frackenpohl Bassoon Concerto with German guest artist Friedrich Edelmann. The night’s final piece featured both bands joining together for John Philip Sousa’s rousing march, “The Washington Post.”

Later this month, the Skyline College Jazz Band (MUS. 450) will perform jazz tunes from animated movies in Half Moon Bay at the Odd Fellows Hall on Saturday, October 28, at 8:00 p.m. with concert proceeds benefiting the Cabrillo Unified School District’s music programs. Also, the Concert Band will be doing a (surprise!) “flash mob” performance of Mussorgsky’s spooky “Night on Bald Mountain” in the Skyline College Library on Halloween at 8:30 p.m.

Article by Dr. Zachary E. Bruno

 

 

The Internship Job Shadow Program is excited to welcome its newest class of eight motivated student interns. Through this program, student interns are provided the opportunity to shadow under college programs of their interest and experience a variety of work-based learning outcomes.

Along with learning 21st century job skills, student interns have the opportunity to experience a number of innovative events on campus and throughout the community. Student interns have access to a variety professional development opportunities, on and off campus, as well. This program also provides students with the tools needed to build their professional network and build their resume.

The Internship Job Shadow Program focuses on the development of essential workforce skills such as customer service, critical thinking, time management, marketing, professionalism and basic organization skills.

Each semester brings an opportunity to recruit a new team of student interns. For information on our Spring Internship Program, please visit our website. For more information about BAEC or the Internship Job Shadow Program, in general, contact Pcyeta Stroud at stroudp@smccd.edu.

The Internship Job Shadow Program is supported by the President’s Innovation Fund.

Article by Terri Wade | Photo by Linda Truong

 

 

 

On Tuesday Oct. 17, the Respiratory Care Program had their 2nd Bi-Semester Meet & Greet event for Respiratory Care program students.

This event fosters fellowship between the first and second year students of the program, which gives the first year students some insight as to what’s ahead, and gives the second year students teaching and mentoring opportunities.

The theme of this party was Halloween. Students were dressed in costumes such as Superman, minions, an evil queen, museum of ice cream, and Eazy-E which won the costume contest.

At this party, the first year students provided their predecessors with delicious homemade food including lumpia, pupusas, lasagna, pork wontons, pork sisig, and peach cobbler.

They also played games such as mummy wrap, a game that involved students wrapping teachers: Dr. Ijaz Ahmed and Ray Hernandez in streamers as much as possible within one minute, then it was the teachers’ turns to wrap the students!

The winners of the games were awarded Starbucks gift-cards and candies. Luke Markus, a second year Respiratory Care Student, said “I loved how festive everyone was in their costumes. Good food and fun games!”

Article by Dr. Ijaz Ahmed

 

The Academic Senate of Skyline College has been in intense discussion about events and circumstances of racism on our campus, Skyline College faculty recommendations to the District Board of Trustees, and our responsibilities to support anti-racism. With multiple authorship and a first reading, a Resolution on Equity was passed unanimously. The Senate will now work with our College community, present it to the Board of Trustees, and begin the process of putting into action the “resolves” below. The Resolution below can be accessed on the Academic Senate web page http://www.skylinecollege.edu/academicsenate/minutesagendas.php

Resolution on Equity

Skyline College Academic Senate

19 October, 2017

Whereas Skyline College is a community of diverse faculty, staff, administrators and students;

Whereas Skyline College faculty, staff, and administrators work and serve in the context of an increasingly sophisticated society full of racial, ethnic, cultural, gender and class dynamics;

Whereas as educators we have a responsibility to fight to promote, protect, and ensure human dignity and equality in Skyline College and classrooms;

Whereas the Skyline College Academic Senate recognizes that despite the various equity efforts and professional development that is offered, racially insensitive acts against communities of color continue to occur on Skyline College’s campus and these acts have caused harm;

Whereas such intolerance and discrimination directly goes against our values and harms our community;

Whereas all faculty, students, staff and administration have the right to work in an environment free of hatred, bigotry, and intolerance;

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that Skyline College Academic Senate affirms its core values to

-a comprehensive diversity framework that promotes social justice throughout policies, procedures and practices in the context of all matters academic and professional of the College;

-a campus-wide climate that reflects mutual respect between all constituencies-faculty, students, staff and administrators- and appreciation for diversity;

-just, fair, inclusive and well-understood, transparent governance processes based on open and honest communication;

-ensuring diversity and equity at all levels of the institution so that Skyline College’s mission and strategic priorities will consistently align and be fully implemented in curricular content and pedagogical approaches, deepen critical thinking, enhance cultural fluency, strengthen campus community, and increase student success;

Be It Further Resolved, that the Skyline College Academic Senate affirms its intention to stand publicly and privately for justice and equality by supporting the creation of the following:

• Intentional insertion of curriculum on Race Relations in Skyline College courses.
• College-wide Forum and/or Flex Day workshops on Racism and Bias mandatory for all faculty and staff.
• A mandatory semester-length Equity Training Series for all faculty, staff and administration.
• A module on Equity in the New Faculty Academy.
• Ethnic Studies/Social Justice Program/Degree on Skyline College’s campus.
• Multi-cultural Center expansion to coordinate and facilitate campus-wide programming addressing cultural days, issues related to marginalized populations, and culturally-based student groups.

Be It Further resolved, that the Skyline College Academic Senate will engage in collegial conversations that remind all college constituents about our shared responsibility to eliminate racism and discriminatory acts within the campus community;

Be It Further Resolved, that the Skyline College Academic Senate calls upon the Skyline College and San Mateo Community College District communities to intensify efforts to combat intolerance, hatred, bigotry, and discrimination;

Be It Further Resolved, that the Skyline College Academic Senate urges the San Mateo Community College District Administration to mobilize resources in support of the creation of

• Intentional insertion of curriculum on Race Relations.
• College-wide Forum and/or Flex Day workshops on Racism and Bias mandatory for all faculty and staff.
• A mandatory semester-length Equity Training Series for all faculty, staff and administration.
• A module on Equity in the New Faculty Academy
• Ethnic Studies/Social Justice Program/Degree on Skyline College’s campus.
• Multi-cultural Center expansions to coordinate and facilitate campus-wide programming addressing cultural days, issues related to marginalized populations, and culturally-based student groups.

Be It Finally Resolved that the faculty of Skyline College commits to being influential and impactful leaders in advancing equity at Skyline College for students, faculty, staff, and administration.

 

Article by Kate Williams Browne