Monthly Archives: December 2021

Spring 2022 – Virtual Parking Permits

Effective now, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College are introducing a virtual parking permit system for purchasing virtual parking permits on all San Mateo Community College District campuses.

What is a virtual parking permit?

Essentially, your vehicle’s license plate will act as your virtual parking permit. Individuals will register their vehicle plate information into an online virtual parking permit system when purchasing their permit. The permit software then generates a virtual permit linked to that vehicle’s license plate number.

Visit the Parking website and the FAQs page for more information including how to purchase a permit.

Skyline College Alumni Van Le Receives Academic Excellence in Political Science Award

Skyline College alumni Van Le

Skyline College alumni Van Le

Congratulations to Skyline College alumni Van Le, the 2021 recipient of the Michele J. Shover Award for Academic Excellence in Political Science at California State University, Chico.

This award honoring former CSU Chico political theory and American politics professor, Dr. Michele J. Shover, is given to recognize a student who is also inspired by the study of political science and by outstanding teachers and mentors. Dr. Shover’s research focused on women and politics, and she is the expert on the early history of Butte County, with publications on the experiences of women, African Americans, and Chinese residents in the region during the 1800s.

Responding in her award essay to the prompt “Explain ways an idea or concept in political science is shaping your understanding of the world in which you live”; Ms. Le described how the civic/community learning opportunities in which she participated at Skyline College impacted her view of “the social contract” between individuals and society. She eloquently articulated how courtroom visits, shadowing in the District Attorney’s office, interviewing legal professionals, and volunteering at Naturalization Workshops provided her with “practical learning activities” and “opened her eyes to the reality of how the legal system works”. Ms. Le quoted such legal luminaries as Justice Sonia Sotemayor, as she described the delicate but often imperfect balance of individual rights and duty to society inherent in social contract theory.

Recommendations from Skyline College Administration of Justice Professor, Steve Aurilio and Rena Preston from the San Mateo District Attorney’s Office added additional weight to Ms. Le’s already impressive application. Professor Aurilio described Van Le as one of those students who “separates themselves from the crowd because they display the energy and commitment that immediately tells you that they will be successful in the pursuit of their academic and vocational goals.”

Along with her exemplary academic work and stellar award essay, Van Le was recognized for her significant volunteer and professional work including three years as a legal operations and paralegal intern along with her ongoing work with the SFPCI Naturalization Workshop.

In 2019, Ms. Le received her Associate of Arts Degrees in Criminal Justice and Paralegal from Skyline College and was the recipient of the coveted Skyline College Administration of Justice Gold Medal. Clearly, this was just the beginning of her achievements and we are thrilled to congratulate her on this most recent award acknowledging her continued success.

Article by Chris Burwell-Woo

Skyline College Art Studio Tech Ashley Asaro Selected for Art Advisory Work Group

Art is the soul of a people. – Romare Beardon

 

In 2022, the RWCAP Foundation (“the Foundation”) is excited to launch a new art program designed to create opportunities for San Mateo County artists of all ages and abilities to showcase their artwork.

After a rigorous application and interview process, the Foundation selected an Art Advisory Group comprised of a diverse group of San Mateo County residents to implement their Arts Programming Plan. Congratulations to Skyline College Studio Art Tech, Ashley Asaro, on her selection to the Foundation’s Art Advisory Group! Other members of the Art Advisory Group include Fair Oaks Community Center Coordinator Ana Avendaño, Museum Art Preparator Dylan Roberts, Diversity and Inclusion Entrepreneur Irma Zoepf, and more.

Members of the Art Advisory Group select exhibition themes, conduct community outreach, and curate and host semi-annual art exhibitions.

The theme for each of the 2022 exhibitions will celebrate the community diversity.

The First Art Exhibition Theme of 2022 is:

Connecting Community:

Bridges to Understanding

Find more information at:

Click Here to Apply

CLOSES:  December 20, 2021

Ashley Asaro attended Terra Nova High School and has an Associate of Arts degree from Skyline College in Fine/Studio Arts. Ashley is currently pursuing an Art degree at San Francisco State University while supporting the Art Department at Skyline College. A talented artist in several mediums, Ashley is especially known for her work in ceramics. Recently, Ashley was the lead exhibit preparator for the Skyline College ceramics and sculpture exhibit at the annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art at UC Davis which included some of her own work.

Congratulations again to Skyline College’s Ashley Asaro on her selection to the RWCAP Foundation Art Advisory Group.

Article by Chris Burwell-Woo

New Staff and Staff Changes at Skyline College

Skyline College LogoOnce a month, Skyline Shines will highlight staff changes at the college. “New Staff and Staff Changes at Skyline College” will provide a list of new staff members in each division, including transfers and detail positions. Please be sure to email skylineshines@smccd.edu with any new members of your staff and they will be featured here at the end of the month. Join us in congratulating the following employees!

November/December Staff Changes:

  • Dino Nomicos
    Interim Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics, Dance
    Kinesiology, Athletics, Dance
  • Nancy Argarin
    Financial Analyst
    Administrative Services
  • Elisabeth Osai
    Financial Aid Technician
    Enrollment Services
  • Amber Gougis
    Retention Specialist (Middle College)
    Strategic Partnership & Workforce Development
  • Niruba Srinivasan
    Assistant Registrar (NP)
    Enrollment Services
  • Julia Goepel
    Child Development Center Aide III (Master Teacher)
    Business/Industry Relations

TALISMAN MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF PUBLISHING

TalismanIn 2020, Talisman celebrated its 50th Anniversary/50th Issue! Due to the pandemic, the issue was put on hold, but I’m excited to announce that the 50th Issue of Talisman is now available online (with print copies available at the start of Spring 2022 semester).

The very first issue, titled LIM1, short for Skyline College Literary Magazine, was published in 1970, and features twenty-four pages of student writing and art. The first faculty advisor was beloved Skyline Professor Rich Yurman, who taught Creative Writing for over twenty years at Skyline College. Over the next few years, other iterations of the literary magazine were advised by Professors Samuel N. Goldman and Marvin Shaw; however, it returned to Prof. Yurman. In 1992, acclaimed poet and popular Skyline Creative Writing Instructor Katharine Harer, became the next advisor. Professor Harer brought a special passion and unique perspective, even changing the shape of the magazine from horizontal to vertical. The covers from her years are some of the most beautiful in the history of the magazine.

Skyline College Library Archives have copies of all fifty issues available for perusing. Each issue is a fascinating literal and literary time capsule.

I came on in 2013, with some pretty large, and esteemed shoes to fill. However, from day one I learned something very important: this magazine is about the students and it’s about collaboration. The editorial team is made up of Skyline Students from all Divisions—not just Creative Writing. Our team often includes students from Art, Math, Science, and Business, and more, in addition to English and Creative Writing. Students promote the open calls for submissions, collect the submissions, sort through them, and then read, discuss, and decide, for every issue, what pieces of writing or art, will end up in the issue. I’ve been amazed at the hours of dedication they put into every issue, working after classes, on a volunteer basis, to create the magazine. I’ve loved watching the students get excited over choosing a cover. And I’ve been impressed at their thoughtful delegation and deliberation.

Because of the students—for 50 years—Skyline College has produced a magazine that has vividly and uniquely recorded, through art and writing, the changing times, moods, politics, and other landscapes of our world. The name of the magazine has seen many incarnations, first LM, then expressions, Luminosity, until it finally became known as Talisman (an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune; something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects). The name fits. Creating the magazine brings students of different ages, histories, and backgrounds together, who work towards a common, wonderful goal: to create something beautiful, something true, something that reflects who they are and who they will become. And that’s definitely magical.

It has been an honor to advise these students for the past 8 years, but especially the last 17 months, when our world has been devastated by a deadly pandemic, when we didn’t think this issue, this 50th issue, would ever get to print. But now it has. And we present it to you at the link below.

If you have any feedback, the student editors and I would love to hear from you.

williamsrob@smccd.edu

–Rob Williams, Faculty Advisor & English Professor, November, 2021

Link to the 50th Issue of Talisman:

https://skylinecollege.edu/talisman/index.php

Article by Rob Williams

Soundscape Concert Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 7p.m.

Soundscape Vocal Jazz Ensemble is proud to present their winter concert via YouTube Premiere on:

 

Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

https://youtu.be/t4ZSWzIc_DM

 

Our concert celebrates “Women in Jazz” and features an entire program of music composed and arranged by women.  Fall semester was a time of renewal and transition for Soundscape as we navigated our return to campus and in-person rehearsals.  We hope that you can share in the joy we felt in being able to sing together once more. The concert runs about twenty minutes, so it’s short and sweet. If you can’t catch the premiere on Saturday, you can still watch the concert later at your convenience. Enjoy the show!

 

Article by Michelle Hawkins

Photo by Phil Hawkins

The Skyline View Wraps Up the Semester With a Series of Wins

The Skyline View wrapped up the semester with several wins under their collective belts. First, current Editor-in-Chief Steven Rissotto was honored with Second Place as the Associated Collegiate Press’s Reporter of the Year for Two-Year Colleges.

The semester’s good news continued at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges Fall Conference held virtually Nov. 5-7, 2021 where the publication won a series of awards, most notably General Excellence awards for both Online Journalism and Print Journalism.

At the event, former TSV Features Editor Christian Carlo Ceguerra won several individual awards, namely Third Place for Inside Page Layout, Fourth Place for Photo Illustration, and an Honorable Mention for Environmental Portrait.

Former staffer, Hunter Feiner, won Fourth Place for Editorial Cartoon. Former Editor-in-Chief John Harrison picked up a First and Third Place for Student Designed Ad. Former Opinions Editor Marco Milani one First Place for Informational Graphic, as well as First Place for Photo Illustration. Staff collected Third Place for Front Page Layout and Third Place for Editorial. And finally, former staffer Antonio Maffei earned a Fourth Place for Webcast/Broadcast News.

The Skyline View also earned an Excellence in Writing badge from School Newspapers Online’s Best of SNO program. To do so, they had to earn at least three stories with Best of SNO designations. Current staffers Features Editor Anoush Torounian, Editor-in-Chief Steven Rissotto, and Reporter Derian Lopez all wrote stories that met the Best of SNO standard this semester.

Finally, the program was just awarded a $15,000 grant from the California Humanities Emerging Journalist Fellowships, which will offer several students in the spring the opportunity to be mentored on some larger journalism projects.

Article by Nancy Kaplan-Biegel, Adviser to The Skyline View

 

Seeking Volunteers – Drive-Thru Community Market Extended Through May 2022!

This past week marked the 65th Skyline College Free Drive-Thru Community Market! At this most recent weekly grocery distribution event we served 908 families under the leadership of the SparkPoint program and with the support of 25 volunteers from Skyline College and our local community!

Volunteer support is crucial to provide this support to our community and we are still seeking volunteers for January! If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up through the Second Harvest Food Bank website.

Be advised: Lot C and Lot F will continue to be closed in order to host the Skyline College Free Community Market.

Every week each household or family receives almost 50 lbs of groceries, including milk, eggs, pasta, rice, fresh produce, canned goods and dry goods, as well as a protein item (ham, chicken, turkey, etc.).  Second Harvest Food Bank calculates that over 2.7 million pounds of groceries have been distributed since our program started in September 2020 and that we have offset over $4.8 million in grocery costs for the most at risk members of our local community! A special thanks goes to SMCCCD employees from SparkPoint, public safety, and facilities, as well as the wonderful volunteers who make this event possible every week.

This event is held at Skyline College every Wednesday, 11:00am-1:00pm and has been extended through May 2022. All staff, volunteers and participants adhere to all COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols at all times.

 

  • Only drive-thru pickups will be served
  • All participants must remain in their cars at all times and wear a mask
  • Open to students and the community
  • No I.D required to pick up food
  • Please call 650-738-7970 for weather and air quality closure updates
  • Please use Skyline Blvd entrance (turn left and enter Lot C)

 

If you have any questions please email us at skylinesparkpoint@smccd.edu.

 

Article by Chad Thompson

 

 

International Student Spotlight: Franck Yao

Franck Yao

Franck Yao

“Where I’m at right now… it wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t started my journey at Skyline [College],” says Franck Yao, Skyline College Alumni. Franck certainly has been successful since his time at Skyline College. He recently graduated from Elizabeth City State University, where he received a full-ride scholarship and is a new employee at Microsoft, which Franck enthusiastically calls “a great company.”

 

Franck is originally from the Ivory Coast. He first became interested in American education after participating in a leadership program run by the United States. “It was so great that I fell in love with it, and I decided to continue my studies in America.”

 

Skyline College first caught his attention at a promotional event in the Ivory Coast. He volunteered to help as a translator and “connected” with Skyline College staff. Afterward, he began considering studying at Skyline College. “They [the staff] were excited about it.” The Global Becca International Student Scholarship was another big reason why Franck came to Skyline College. After some pointers from staff, he earned the scholarship. “I would not have been able to pay for the tuition and fees if I didn’t get the scholarship.”

 

Franck says at Skyline College, “the support was great. It was amazing.” He says, “as an international student there are a whole bunch of regulations that are not easy to navigate… so if you don’t have a strong support system on campus … it can be very difficult, and that can impact your grades.” He also says the International Student Program at Skyline College helped the international students form a community, “we spend our time together, we eat together, do stuff together. It was fun.” In addition, Franck found a job at the campus bookstore that helped him pay for his bills.

 

Franck, a business administration major with a focus in economics, also found great teachers. He remembers his ESOL professor Serena Chu-Mraz particularly fondly “communication was a big challenge at the beginning… Serena made me feel comfortable and gave me tools and resources.” He is close with her to this day, “She’s still my mentor.”

 

He also remembers his economics professor, Masao Suzuki. Franck has a special interest in understanding resources, how they transform into something valuable, how they are managed, etc., and Professor Suzuki’s class helped him understand the basics. He was particularly interested in Professor Suzuki’s discussion of why capitalist and communist countries behave differently. Franck says, “If you pay attention and you listen, you really enjoy his class.”

 

Franck also took full advantage of the opportunities at Skyline College. He decided to become involved with the United Nations, an idea that went all the way to the College president, “she was super welcoming and excited about it.” As a result, Franck got the necessary resources to successfully apply as a Youth Ambassador for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Program. A position that led him to the UN’s Youth Assembly in New York. In the assembly, participants get a country to represent and a topic to focus on, “It’s like a full immersion in the real life of a real-world leader.” He says, “Resources are limited, and everyone wants to use them… If you don’t have a good negotiation skill, you will never get anything.”

 

He also joined the school’s robotics club, which welcomed him with open arms, “although I was not a STEM major, I jumped in. That’s another cool thing about Skyline [College] as well, there’s no crazy barriers to entry. If you’re interested and willing to try your best, you’re welcome.” He remembers fondly staying up until midnight experimenting and mixing things to see what stuck. One particularly memorable project was when the club created a solar boat from scratch. They won third at a state competition. Franck says, “The experience was good, the friendship was good.”

 

In addition, Franck spent much of his time helping others. He worked as a Student Ambassador for the International Student Program. Welcoming students and listening to their concerns, “My experience was so great that I wanted to be able to communicate that to the new international students right, especially the African students.” He also worked with the Washington Mandella Fellowship, a program where young African leaders come to the United States. Skyline College was a program host. Franck supported them and got to have new experiences of his own, “We went to Google, Twitter, Facebook, … it took us to many cool places that I would have never thought I would be.”

 

Franck says that Skyline College helped him build a strong “academic resume,” which helped him get a full-ride at Elizabeth City State University. When he interviewed for his scholarship, the Vice President told him, “I want you to come here and do all the things you were doing in California.” In addition, Skyline College’s academic program set him up for success, “at Elizabeth City [State University] I was on fire, and if it wasn’t for Skyline [College], I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

 

Overall, Frank built lifelong relationships at Skyline College, “those relationships that Skyline [College] gave me, it was a true blessing.” He says Skyline College is a “great institution.”

 

Article by Evelyn Rossi

 

CIPHER Hosts 6th Annual Holiday Bling Vendors Fair & Community Day

Holiday Bling Vendor Fair     The CIPHER Hip Hop Learning Community hosted their 6th Annual Holiday Bling Vendors’ Fair and Community Day in collaboration with ASSC, Puente, and the Kababayan Learning Community on December 1, 2021.  The event brought together student entrepreneurs and local small businesses to provide our campus community an opportunity to do some early holiday shopping.  The event also provided an opportunity for our students to network and learn more about the process of entrepreneurship from all of our vendors.  This event also help raised funds for educational scholarships for our Rock The School Bells Scholarship Fund.

In addition, the day was filled with music and live performances by our students.  Performances included a keyboard set by Ayumi Asayama, a live script reading of an upcoming play by Kababayan performed by students from Kababayan and Puente, and a freestyle session with students and vendors.  Thank you to DJ Ouiboogie, one of our CIPHER students, for providing amazing music throughout the event.

The campus community were treated with snacks and treats from Kiss My Boba, Mister Softee Ice Cream truck, and finger foods and popcorn provided by the President’s Office.  The event was a phenomenal and successful experience that created such beautiful and vibrant energy throughout the campus.  We would like to thank all of the vendors who shared their passions and products with us.  If you’d like to support our vendors, you can still purchase items from them through their Instagram account and/or website.

Two Many Pearls Jewelry:  @twomanypearls

Rhymosaurs Coloring Books: @rhymosaurs (also found on Amazon)

Sari Sari Market Vintage Clothing:  @sarisarimkt

Wounded Healing Art:  @woundedhealingart

SF City Crafts Candles:  @sf.citycrafts

MixerFriendly Posters:  www.mixerfriendly.com

The Stacks Record Shop:  www.thestacksrecordshop.com

Shoes Customization By Conqo:  @shoesbyconqo

Qveen Idren Custom Jewelry:  @qveen.idren (also found on Etsy)

Pono Boutique:  @ponoboutique

Rock The School Bells Refresh Merchandise:  www.rocktheschoolbells.com

 

This event would not be possible without the planning by the organizing team – CIPHER, Kababayan, Puente, and ASSC.  We would like to thank our administration, Dr. Melissa Moreno, VPSS Newin Orante, interim VPI Danni Lapuz-Redding, Dean Russell Waldon, Dean Michael Kane, and Cherie Colin, for their continued support of our CIPHER Programming.  We’d like to acknowledge our campus resources who took the time to meet with all of our students – Study Abroad Program, Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development, MCPR, Student Life/ASSC, Meta Majors, and Learning Communities.  Huge appreciation to Marisa Thigpen for the beautifully crafted succulents that our attendees enjoyed.  Lastly, we’d like to thank our student volunteers who made this event such an energetic and memorable one.

 

Written by: Nate Nevado

Photos by:  ASSC, CIPHER, Marisa Thigpen