Skyline College Women’s Basketball player and Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy (WMLA) participant, Sophia Faupusa, signed her Letter of Intent to play basketball at the University of La Verne beginning in Fall 2018 on April 18.

Sophia has been a dedicated and hard-working student-athlete and will graduate from Skyline College this semester. She will receive both athletic and academic scholarships from the University of La Verne, a private university located in La Verne, CA, approximately 35 miles from Los Angeles, CA.

Sophia has been tenacious both on and off the court. According to her coach, Christopher Watters, “In today’s current “I/me” culture, Sophia was the consummate team player. We are grateful for Sophia’s contributions to our program and look forward to her continued growth at La Verne.” Sophia was known for her commitment to hard work and leadership by example at practice, as well as her tenacious defense and rebounding during games. Off the court, Sophia is a good student who is committed to her education and motivated to accomplish her goals. She participates in the Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy and serves her campus and local community. In the classroom, she is engaged, open to learning new information and is willing to be challenged both academically and personally. The trait that stands out most, though, is that she is emotionally intelligent. Her empathy and compassion for others makes her a competent communicator, and has propelled her into leadership roles in the classroom, on the basketball court, and in her community.

Skyline College Women’s Basketball team and WMLA are very proud of Sophia and we look forward to cheering her on and following her career at the University of La Verne!

Article written by Danielle Powell

 

 

Ahmed Abushawareeb is an international student from Palestine, and an alumnus of Skyline College. He earned his Technician and Automotive Technology Associate Degrees in the fall 2017 semester.

Ahmed has always loved working on cars and machines. He was even told by some of his professors that he has the gift of “speaking” to cars. After graduating from Skyline College, Ahmed applied for jobs at BMW and TESLA. To his surprise, he received offers from both!

He stated that it was a hard decision to make, but he decided to join TESLA. Ahmed has always been committed to preserving the earth’s resources. With TESLA being an alternate fuel company that is committed to developing sustainable energy sources, Ahmed knew that was the best option for him.

Ahmed has big dreams for his future. He plans to gain experience for a year at TESLA and then further his education in either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering at San Jose State University. He still hopes to continue with TESLA through an internship while he studies and then be a full time engineer with the company once he receives his Bachelor’s Degree.

“I am a determined person so when I get something in my head, I keep doing my best until I get it.” Ahmed said. We look forward to seeing where his passion and determination takes him in the future.

Article by Naledi Mthembu | Photo by Zaw Min Khant

 

 

The Skyline College Financial Aid Department is proud to welcome Jeremy Evangelista as the new Program Services Coordinator. In this position, he will help promote Financial Aid and Scholarships through in reach and outreach efforts, work one-on-one with high need students and collaborate with additional campus programs, learning communities and services.

Jeremy has served as the Program Services Coordinator for the Career Advancement Academy (CAA) and its related bridge programs since 2016, providing student support, program coordination, event planning and ensuring a friendly, seamless college connection for transitioning high school students. He is a Skyline College alumni and started as a student assistant for the Center of Workforce Development before transferring to San Francisco State University (SFSU). As a first-generation college student, his educational experiences mirror many students served by the college. He received an Associate’s Degree in Arts and Humanities from Skyline College and a Bachelor’s of Science in Hospitality Management from SFSU.

Please come by the Financial Aid Department to help us welcome Jeremy to the Skyline College Financial Aid family.

 

The San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) Study Abroad Program hosted at Skyline College congratulates its first ever Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) Scholarship recipient, Ms. Claudia Acuña. Claudia has been awarded $2,500 from FEA to intern for two months this summer in Hong Kong as a participant in the new SMCCCD Global Internships Program.

The FEA Scholarship is a very competitive. Only 98 recipients from an applicant pool of 2,300 students around the country were selected – an award rate of only 4%. FEA works to increase access to international education opportunities for students consistently underrepresented in study abroad, and scholars come from a variety of ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Claudia met the selective criteria for a clear study abroad plan, demographic underrepresentation in study abroad, and financial need.

Claudia also received the Institute for International Education’s Generation Study Abroad Travel Grant of $2,000. Only 50 students around the country were awarded this grant from an applicant pool of 1,500 applications – an award rate of only 3%.

Claudia will be participating in an architecture internship while in Hong Kong. Her goals while abroad are “to learn more about the work that architects do in the renovation and conservation of historical buildings, to immerse [herself] in the culture of Hong Kong, to learn…and bring some of [her] experience to [her] community at home, [and] to encourage others to study abroad and expand their perspectives.”

We have no doubt that she will accomplish all of these goals and more. Please join us in congratulating Claudia Acuña on her stellar achievements!

To learn more about the FEA scholarship and the 2018-2019 scholars, visit http://fundforeducationabroad.org/meet-scholars/. SMCCCD Study Abroad is the district-wide study abroad program housed at the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College. For more information about the program, and scholarship opportunities please visit the SMCCCD Study Abroad website or contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu.

Article and photo by Stephanie Wells

As National Poetry Month comes to a close, Skyline College will host two book release events.

Skyline College’s own faculty, mentor, and celebrated poet Kathleen McClung will read from her new book of poetry The Typists Play Monopoly.  McClung is the winner of the 2012 Rita Dove Poetry Award and the author of the poetry collection Almost the Rowboat.  Join us on May 3, 2018, in the Skyline College Library, Building 5, second floor, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. to hear the author’s new poems.

Hot off the presses!  Skyline College’s Literary Magazine – Talisman – will host a release party for Issue 48 on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in Skyline College Building 6, room 204.  Student contributors and prize-winners will read their poetry and prose and their art will be on display.  Come and purchase Talisman’s new issue and celebrate the creative works of your fellow students!

The Global Learning Programs and Services Division hosted a meet and greet reception for members of the community who have enrolled in the Sicily and Ireland Community Travel Programs on April 18, 2018. The reception was an opportunity for participants to meet each other and the Skyline College representatives accompanying them during the trips. The Sicily tour is scheduled from June 6 – 16, 2018 and the Ireland tour from June 14 – 25, 2018. The tours are operated by the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS).

Lavinia Zanassi, Counselor for Career Services at Skyline College and Stephanie Wells, Program Services Coordinator for Study Abroad at Skyline College are the representatives traveling with the community participants to Sicily and Ireland, respectively. They presented on both trips and their respective experiences in Sicily and Ireland.

The GLPS Community Travel Program is one of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) Study Abroad programs. The Community Travel Program is designed as a scholarship fundraiser for students at Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College who wish to participate in SMCCCD’s study abroad programs and need financial assistance to achieve their academic travel goals. Participants in the two forthcoming trips come from various cities in San Mateo County including Burlingame, Menlo Park, Pacifica, Palomar Park, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Mateo and South San Francisco.

SMCCCD Study Abroad is the district-wide study abroad program housed at the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College. For more information about the program, and Community Travel Program opportunities please visit the SMCCCD Study Abroad website or contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu.

Article by Zaid Ghori | Photo credit: Stephanie Wells

The Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy (WMLA) attended Black Girl Magic, Black Women Rock: How Black Women Artists Impact Social Justice at San Francisco State University on Tuesday, April 10, 2018.

This semester, WMLA has had the opportunity to participate several workshops with Skyline College’s 2018 Equity Fellow and poet, Jessica Care Moore. Through these workshops, WMLA participants have been able to learn more about Moore’s Black Women Rock initiative and concert series, and the African-American women who collaborate with Moore such as Nik West, Zakiya Harris and JOI.

This event was a joint collaboration with Hip Hop Journalist, Davey D’s course at S.F. State which featured Moore as a quest speaker. Because of this partnership, Moore and WMLA were invited to San Francisco State University to share that same knowledge with Davey D’s students.

Moore advised students to be producers and consumers of their culture and stressed the importance of listening, taking notes and getting better.

“I’ve got poems of others’ experiences because I’m helping define the times,” explained Moore as she taught students the importance of her work and the power of using your voice as a weapon. “You’re the ones now. It’s your responsibility to know who I am now.”

Moore touched on the importance of travel and talked about her experience in South Africa and encouraged students to make the same effort.

“I learned that black people are everywhere,” Moore said. “You realize you’re connected to the world. You learn so much about yourself.”

Moore wrapped up her with a reading from her latest work Sandra Bland, We Want Our Bodies Back.

“Everything I’m doing is what I’m leaving behind. Take care of yourself, learn to say no, your art is your weapon, the work can be the activism,” Moore said.

WMLA thanks Ms. Powell, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud, and Jessica Care Moore for making this opportunity possible for students on both campuses.

Article written by Jane Arias

African-American Success Through Excellence and Persistence (ASTEP) students and participants of the Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy (WMLA) had the opportunity to attend the De Young Museum for its Revelations: Art from the African American South exhibit on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

Revelations is an exhibition that depicts historical and current representations of African American culture, and consists of 62 works of art from 22 African American artists who have been relatively unknown to young people of our generation.  The exhibit included paintings, sculptures, drawings, and quilts that were acquired from the William S. Arnett Collection of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation.

Guided by docents at the De Young Museum, ASTEP and WMLA students were able to learn the historical significance and symbolic representations of each of the pieces. They also learned about each of the 22 African American artists featured in the collection.

The exhibit gave students the opportunity to learn more about issues in the U.S. regarding race, class, gender, and religion.

“Getting to see beautiful pieces of art, made by people who look like me, is so inspiring.” Olivia Yancey (ASTEP and WMLA Student) said. “It’s a reminder that we can take our pain and struggle and make it into something magnificent. It’s also a reminder that no matter who you are, you can succeed.”

Furthermore, students were given the chance to explore the rest of the museum that displayed art from the African Diaspora, Oceania and art from the Americas. The students also engaged in a live learning discussion of what they witnessed and experienced throughout the tour.

“I’m really happy I had the chance to see the exhibit based solely on African American artist’s transcending through multiple generations.” Zeppelin Dufour (student in Chris Collins’ African American History course) said. “It was not only fascinating but also inspiring. As an artist I’m fascinated by the creativity of other’s. Seeing the portrayal of the struggle of being back in white America was eye opening.”

ASTEP and WMLA students would like to thank ASTEP and WMLA Coordinator, Professor Danielle Powell for organizing this event, as well as thank ASTEP counselor, Kwame Thomas for his support.

Article written by Jane Arias

 

 

The Skyline College campus community celebrated Earth Week with a number of events organized by the Environmental Club and Science/Math/Technology Division.

By assigning each day a specific environmental topic and corresponding activity, members of the Environmental Club sought to raise campus awareness of important sustainability issues.

Highlights from the week include an electric vehicle showcase on the Quad for “Transportation Tuesday”, a waste sorting game on “Throwaway Thursday” that educated students about recycling and composting, and a blind taste test of bottled and tap water for “Water Wednesday.”

The Environmental Club’s President, Kelly Wong, says Earth Week went even better than expected. “It was a small gesture in the grander scheme of things, but for the Environmental Club it was a great way for us to plant a seed and generate conversations on and off campus about environmental issues.” Kelly hopes those who participated in the activities share what they learned with others.

Skyline College also participated in Pacifica Beach Coalition’s EcoFest on Saturday, April 21, 2018. Biology professor Shari Bookstaff and her student volunteers spent the day educating kids about protecting the coast through a number of activities including trivia, a matching game and marine life art craft.

Article by Mary Thomasmeyer | Photos by Skyline College Environmental Club, Shari Bookstaff, and Mary Thomasmeyer

 

 

The Center for International Trade Development (CITD) Director, Lorna Jones, and Skyline College Global Learning Programs and Services (GLPS) faculty, Alpha Lewis, and students in his Global Trade and Logistics course, visited the Port of Oakland on April 16, 2018. The group met with representatives of SSA Terminal and were given a full tour of the port by Susan Ransom the Client Relations Manager.

This direct exposure to operations at the Port of Oakland reinforced classroom learning and gave the students a thorough understanding of the processes involved in moving goods into and out of the Bay Area through the Port of Oakland. The students also had an opportunity to see stevedoring (waterfront manual laborer who are involved in loading and unloading ships, trucks, trains, etc.) in action, as well as various machinery and equipment, including refrigeration units, containers, and ships. The students asked many questions and were excited to learn about the numerous operations and roles involved in managing the port.

This trip reinforced the Skyline College goal of connecting students directly with industry and supporting students with twenty-first century workforce skills needed to secure employment in the Global Trade and Logistics industry.

For more information about the Global Trade and Logistics and Customs Brokerage Programs, please visit www.skylinecollege.edu/citd. Summer classes start in June.

Contact Lorna Jones at jonesl@smccd.edu Telephone: 650-738-7117.

Article by Lorna Jones | Photos by Alpha Lewis