On November 7, 2020, SOUNDSCAPE Vocal Jazz Ensemble led by Music Professor Michelle Hawkins, debuted new performance videos at the virtual Cuesta College Vocal Jazz Festival. Clinicians recognized Soundscape for their excellence, selecting their piece “Together Again” as one of only 5 performances to spotlight at the event showcase.

Since its inception in 1998, the festival has offered high-quality feedback and performance clinics. 2020 was no exception, as Soundscape performed in a masterclass format receiving comments and critique from clinicians that included a Grammy-nominated music professional, highly regarded music educators, and internationally known a cappella performers The Real Group. The Real Group is considered one of the leading forces in the world of vocal music.

“So beautiful….so expressive….so musical….so artistic…so on time – inspiring, absolutely stunning”, were just a few of the judge’s accolades about Soundscape.

Soundscape’s upbeat “Together Again” shared at the festival showcase event embodies their joy in being and performing together. The fifteen-member audition selected group, also shared video performances highlighting their 2020 remote learning experience. The more reflective “Nearness of You” and “Higher Ground” were creatively crafted from beginning to end as true artifacts of their time. Professor Hawkins encouraged members to learn new skill sets, “embrace the medium and be as creative as possible”, and investigate “what we get to do in the current environment that we couldn’t do otherwise”.

In prior years Soundscape performed at festivals and competitions in such diverse locations as Columbia College, University of Nevada at Reno, Cabrillo College, and the Apollo Theater and Carnegie Hall in New York City. This year the group took on the challenge to create a compelling product from home. We believe the results are engaging and reflect students thinking of creative arts in new ways. Check them out for yourself!

“Higher Ground” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Isc-yHvOw&feature=emb_logo

“Nearness of You” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxNHl1HPOy0&feature=emb_logo

“Together Again” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry4d6GFYs4E

Spring 2020/Soundscape at Home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XEyxfWOwZY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4CDQns3FW0

Article by Chris Woo

Eight students from Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College were awarded a total of $28,500 from the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. The program is committed to reshaping study abroad to make it more accessible and inclusive for students who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise participate. Its goal is to increase opportunities to learn abroad while building mutual intercultural understanding between students and their host communities.

For the last application cycle (deadline October 2020), nine SMCCCD students applied, and eight students were awarded the scholarship—an award rate of 89%. The list of all students awarded the Gilman Scholarship from colleges and universities across the country is posted on the Gilman Scholarship website.

The eight SMCCCD students were among 900 students throughout the country to receive this scholarship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students are now able to use their scholarships funds for virtual study abroad and virtual international internships.

SMCCCD Study Abroad is the district-wide study abroad program housed in the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College.  For more information about studying or interning abroad, faculty teach abroad opportunities, community travel for lifelong learners, visiting international faculty presenters and student scholarship opportunities, please contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu or (650) 738-7088 or Stephanie Wells at wellss@smccd.edu. You can also learn more by visiting the SMCCD Study Abroad Facebook page or Instagram page @smcccd_study_abroad.

 

Article by Stephanie Wells and Kimiko Petsche

Thanks to a Skyline College President’s Innovation Grant, the Educational Access Center (formerly the DRC) now provides all Skyline College students access to technologies that support their diverse learning needs – regardless of disability status.

The EAC Educational Technology Program offers licenses for note-taking software such as Otter for Education and Glean by Sonocent, as well as NaturalReader EDU, an online text-to-speech program. In addition to ensuring access to high-quality educational technologies, the program supports our AT Specialist in providing training and ongoing assistance with these technologies – and others, such as Google Voice Typing and built-in accessibility technologies for Windows, MacOS, and Chrome.

Please contact Kim Saccio-Kent, our AT Specialist, if you are interested in learning more about the EAC EdTech Program. She would be happy to do (virtual) classroom presentations or meet with your students in groups or one-on-one. Note that our Educational Access “tech tools” courses provide in-depth training and support for all of the learning supports that we offer.

To learn about the educational technologies that the EAC now provides to all students at Skyline College, as well as other learning supports, please visit the Tech Tools for Academic Success website.

Article by Kim Saccio-Kent

We understand that many students and our community members may have lost their job due to the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It is our commitment to continue to offer information regarding paid internships and quality job opportunities that are available along with support in design or update of a resume, preparing for an interview and expanding one’s network to secure employment during these uncertain times. The Career Readiness & Job Placement Team looks forward to doing all we can to ensure students and our community members have what they need to get a job and continue to offer remote services and resources during this time. If one of the jobs shared does not meet your needs or interests please complete this form and we will reach out to you directly to assist!  Please stay safe. 

How may we assist you in landing your dream job? The Career Readiness & Job Placement team is excited to share the following job opportunities with you. Check them out—

• Arts, Language & Communication Jobs_12-11-2020

 

• Business, Entrepreneurship & Management Jobs_12-11-2020

 

• Society & Education Jobs_12-11-2020

 

• Science Technology & Health Jobs_ 12-11-2020

 

• Just In Time Jobs_12-11-2020

We understand that many students and our community members may have lost their job due to the  unprecedented times of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It is our commitment to continue to offer information regarding paid internships and quality job opportunities that are available along with support in design or update of a resume, preparing for an interview and expanding one’s network to secure employment during these uncertain times.  The Career Readiness & Job Placement Team looks forward to doing all we can to ensure students and our community members have what they need to get a job and continue to offer remote services and resources while the shelter-in-place order is in effect.  If one of the jobs shared does not meet your needs or interests please complete this form and we will reach out to you directly to assist!  Please stay safe.

Expand your network in ways that will lead to your dream job. The Career Readiness & Job Placement team is excited to share the following paid internship opportunities with you. Check them out—

• Society & Education Internships_12-11-2020

The Bay Area Entrepreneur Center of Skyline College received 19 Micro Grant applications, as part of the Small Business Recovery & Assistance Program to help aid in the recovery of local, small businesses from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Micro Grant applications are currently under review by a panel of carefully-selected leaders from around the County and Bay Area.  Micro Grant awardees will be announced later this month and awarded in early January of 2021.

 

The Bay Area Entrepreneur Center is here to help all businesses, regardless of location, with coaching, workshops, business tools and information on funding opportunities. Visit our BAEC YouTube channel to see videos of tutorials and workshops on many topics.  Connect with us on Instagram here: @skylinebaec. The Micro Grants Program is made possible with funding from the San Bruno Community Foundation.  For more information on the Small Business Recovery & Assistance Program, contact the BAEC at baec@smccd.edu.

 

Article by Gisel Martin

Image by Olivia Vialau

Mohamed Elmahdi is a student intern in the Internship Job Shadow Program at the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center of Skyline College.  Mohamed is currently enrolled full time, at the College of San Mateo.  He joined the Job Shadow Program this fall, to gain experience in data analytics, leadership and management skills in a real world setting.  During this semester’s virtual job shadow, Mohamed has contributed his ideas and technological skills to the BAEC’s marketing and operations teams.  Mohamed says, “I have learned new skills at Skyline College and expanded my horizons by getting to know and work with amazing new people at the BAEC”.

 

Mohamed is a proud Sudanese, from Kansas City, Missouri.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Management Information Systems from California State University Northridge.  Mohamed is a notorious coffee enthusiast and in his free time, he enjoys comics and anime, working out, food channels, and of course, learning new skills. He has also been a joy to have on the team.

 

While Mohamed is currently enrolled in courses at College of San Mateo, his participation in our Job Shadow Program, is a great example of our District-wide reach and he is one of the many reasons Skyline College continues to shine.

 

Article by Pcyeta Stroud

Image by Mohamed Elmahdi

SMCCCD Study Abroad will hold an informational meeting for students interested in transferring to the Rennes School of Business in France for the 2021-2022 academic year. Ms. Caroline Jouanin, Global School Area Development Manager at the Rennes School of Business and Ms. Monica Medina, Head of Latin America Office and International Admissions Advisor at the Rennes School of Business, will discuss the International Bachelor Program in Business Management, the college application and French student visa process, student life in Rennes, updates regarding Covid-19, and additional relevant information for students interested in completing their bachelor degree at the Rennes School of Business.

 

Rennes School of Business Informational Meeting

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 9:00 am Pacific Time

Zoom Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/Rennes-SMCCCD

Meeting ID: 833 5046 8983

Passcode: 189351

 

To join, please sign up here.

 

The Campus France Program, a recipient of the 2019-2020 Skyline College President’s Innovation Fund, provides scholarships for SMCCCD Business students to transfer to the Rennes School of Business in France to complete their bachelor’s degree in one year. The program is grounded in Skyline College’s mission to empower and transform a global community of learners and its goal to make high-impact practices and transformative educational experiences like studying abroad accessible for all students who wish to participate. Furthermore, in 2018, Skyline College was one of only ten U.S. institutions selected by the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. to receive a grant for the new Transatlantic Mobility Program. This program aims to strengthen the historic ties between the United States and France by diversifying and doubling the number of students from France and the United States studying abroad in both countries by 2025.

SMCCCD Study Abroad is the district-wide study abroad program housed in the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College. For more information about studying or interning abroad, faculty teach abroad opportunities, community travel for lifelong learners, visiting international faculty presenters and student scholarship opportunities, please contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu or (650) 738-7088 or Stephanie Wells at wellss@smccd.edu. You can also learn more by visiting the SMCCD Study Abroad Facebook page or Instagram page @smcccd_study_abroad.

Article by Stephanie Wells

While the new year brings hope and the possibility of immigration reform, for now restrictive measures still exist for Skyline’s undocumented students and their families.

To meet their emergency needs during the pandemic especially, the Skyline College Dream Center Fund was established by the Dream Center Task Force this summer.

This December, the Task Force is pleased to announce the launch of Dare to Dream, a campaign to raise funds that will directly aid undocumented students experiencing job loss, eviction, deportation of family members, illness and/or a lack of health care. These funds are incredibly important to our undocumented students that have been denied federal stimulus aid and are less likely than other students to receive state benefits.

Ways to Support and Donate to the Dream Center

Contributing to the Skyline College Dream Center Fund once or on an ongoing basis can make an immediate difference for our Skyline college students and also fund specialized Dream Center programs tailored to provide comprehensive support.

To donate by making a pre-tax payroll deduction throughout the year, the Task Force encourages Skyline College employees to enroll in SMCCC Foundation’s Employee Contributions Program and designate their gift to the “Skyline College Dream Center Fund.” Employees can also make a one time donation online or by mail.

Thank you for making a difference for our undocumented students and their families. Questions? Please contact Pamela Ortiz Cerda <ortizcerdap@smccd.edu>.

Article by The Dream Center Task Force

Students in the Global Virtual Internship Program are busy preparing for next semester. Each student is working with their advisors from the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), based in Costa Rica, England, and Italy, to submit cover letters and resumes and schedule interviews with potential internship supervisors abroad. Some students have interviews as early as this week. Internships that students are interviewing for in Costa Rica include a graphic design internship with an environmental conservation organization, as well as a kinesiology placement with a nursing home providing various services to senior citizens, including physical therapy. Students planning to intern with companies in Italy and England will begin their interview process in the next few weeks. We are looking forward to hearing about this inaugural cohort’s virtual global experiences!

To learn more about the program, please visit the Spring 2021 Virtual Global Internship page. For questions, please contact studyabroad@smccd.edu.

SMCCCD Study Abroad is the district-wide study abroad program housed in the Global Learning Programs and Services Division at Skyline College.  For more information about studying or interning abroad, faculty teach abroad opportunities, community travel for lifelong learners, visiting international faculty presenters and student scholarship opportunities, please contact Zaid Ghori at ghoriz@smccd.edu or (650) 738-7088 or Stephanie Wells at wellss@smccd.edu. You can also learn more by visiting the SMCCD Study Abroad Facebook page or Instagram page @smcccd_study_abroad

Article by Stephanie Wells