Congratulations to Skyline College art professor Tiffany Schmierer, who was recently honored with the San Joaquin Potters Guild Award in the 2018 Visions in Clay National Juried Art Exhibition at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California! Beth Ann Gerstein, the Executive Director of the Museum of American Ceramic Art in Pomona, California, made the selection of artworks and awards for the exhibition, which featured 58 artworks by 48 artists from around the country. Schmierer exhibited two sculptures in the show and received a cash award for her piece Interconnection.

Schmierer is a highly regarded Bay Area artist. In addition to teaching at Skyline College, Schmierer has an active career in the visual arts, exhibiting her work both nationally and internationally. Most recently, her work was exhibited in Taiwan at the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, Sunlight Gallery, and in California at the AMOCA American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona and the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. In discussing her artwork, Schmierer explains, “The idea expressed in my sculpture Interconnection is the connective threads we have to our environment and each other. Realizing and taking a moment to appreciate these relationships and patterns can help promote needed empathy and care.”

Learn more about Schmierer’s work on tiffanyschmierer.com.

Article by Paul Bridenbaugh

On October 19, 2018, students in the Global Trade and Logistics course visited Expeditors, a customs brokerage and freight forwarder company. The students were accompanied by Alpha Lewis, the course instructor, and Lorna Jones, the Interim Director of the Center for International Trade Development (CITD). They met with representatives of the company and were given a tour of Expeditors’ facilities in San Mateo County.

This direct exposure to the operations of a Fortune 500 logistics company reinforced classroom learning and gave the students a thorough understanding of the processes involved in moving goods into and out of the Bay Area. The students also had an opportunity to see the company’s cross docking facility where goods are sorted by type and location and then scanned for security clearance. The students asked many questions and were excited to learn about the numerous operations and roles involved in managing the global supply chain networks for companies like the GAP.

This trip reinforced the Skyline College goal of connecting students directly with industry and supporting students with 21st century workforce skills needed to secure employment in the global trade and logistics industry. Through the effort of CITD and Global Learning Programs and Services (GLPS), two students on this trip were scheduled for interviews with local logistics firms.

For more information about the Global Trade and Logistics and Customs Brokerage Programs, please contact the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at skyglps@smccd.edu or (650) 738-7098.

Article by Alpha Lewis | Photo by Anton Vitalyevich Goncharuk

Delisle Warden, Interim Dean of Global Learning Programs and Services, and Carlos Romero, Counselor for the International Student Program, gave a presentation at the NAFSA Region XII Conference that occurred in Reno, Nevada on October 15-19. The title of the presentation was “Global Pathway Program: Supporting the Academic Needs of New International Students.”

The presentation, inspired by Skyline College’s Mission Statement—To empower and transform a global community of learners—explored factors that contribute to the academic experience of international students at Skyline College. The presentation utilized primary source data from the Office of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness (PRIE), and highlighted how the International Student Program has used that data in the Counseling 101 – Preparation for College course taught by Carlos Romero.

Attendees of the presentation were extremely impressed by the enrollment growth of the International Student Program, Skyline College’s ability to capture, analyze, and respond to student focused data, and the structure of the Counseling 101 – Preparation for College course. Additionally, attendees expressed interest in learning about how the Counseling 101 course impacts student outcomes once that information is available.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. NAFSA’s 10,000 members are located at more than 3,500 institutions worldwide in over 150 countries. Interim Dean Warden was recently appointed to NAFSA’s Leadership Development Committee, and looks forward to representing Skyline College on NAFSA’s national and international stage.

Article by Delisle Warden | Photograph by Martin Rosales

On October 5, 2018, international students from Skyline College toured the University of California, Berkeley. The purpose of the tour, which was organized by the International Student Program (ISP), was to provide an opportunity for Skyline College international students to experience the dynamic academic learning communities at the world-renowned university.

During the walking tour, the students were able to see some of the landmark buildings on campus including Stanley Hall, Sather Tower, Doe Memorial Library, and Campbell Hall. At the end of the tour, a Skyline College alumni and current student at UC Berkeley shared his experiences as an international student at UC Berkeley.

The Skyline College students enjoyed the beauty of the campus and felt that the tour was very inspirational. Additionally, they learned a lot about student life at UC Berkeley and the transfer admissions process.

ISP will continue to conduct events and workshops to improve the services offered to its students and the entire Skyline College community. If you are interested in learning more about future ISP programs and events, contact the ISP office at skyinternational@smccd.edu.

Article by Min Thwin Khant | Photo by Soe Hlaing

On Saturday, October 20, 2018, the San Mateo County Community College District’s financial aid offices hosted a district wide Cash for College event at College of San Mateo. The event welcomed over 200 students and parents from each colleges’ feeder high schools and members of the community who were eager to learn more about applying for financial aid. Guests were treated to breakfast and had the option to attend a morning or afternoon workshop offered to both English and Spanish speaking families. Patricia Mendoza, Skyline College Financial Aid Technician, conducted one of the Spanish presentations. The presentations highlighted key components of the new 2019-2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act that opened up for students to start applying on October 1, 2018. Throughout the day, computer labs were open to students and parents to sit down with the support of a financial aid staff member or student ambassador to start and submit their financial application.

A resource fair was also available during lunch for guests to visit for additional information that included a booth for the San Mateo Credit Union and representatives from our campus support programs and services: the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), SparkPoint, the Dream Center and our Outreach office. A huge thank you to the programs that came to support the students and their families!

Colleges across the state host various iterations of Cash for College workshops and events to promote and increase awareness of financial aid to eligible students. The SMCCCD Cash for College event occurs every year during the fall to promote financial aid for the upcoming academic year. The event was a success in part due to the directors, staff, and student ambassadors of Skyline College, College of San Mateo, and Cañada College’s financial aid office.

For more information regarding the upcoming Cash for College event or financial aid, please contact the financial aid office at skyfaoffice@smccd.edu.

Article and Photo by Jeremy Evangelista-Ramos