Daily Archives: February 11, 2022

Mask Requirement Update

The State of California has announced that it will lift the statewide mask mandate on February 15, as scheduled. San Mateo County has announced that it will align with the State and will lift the countywide mandate at the same time, but no official health orders have yet been issued.

At this time, the San Mateo County Community College District will maintain its masking requirements, to allow for appropriate time to consult with District stakeholder groups and discuss this policy matter with the Board of Trustees.   

As such, all employees, students and visitors entering any District facility are required to wear a face mask in all indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status (surgical masks or higher-level respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit are recommended). Signage to this effect is posted in all buildings throughout the District. Face masks are not required only when actively eating or drinking in designated areas.

Masks are widely available throughout all District and campus buildings.

Follow all the latest info at: https://smccd.edu/return-to-campus/employees.php

Black History Month 2022

Black history is American history and this month, Skyline College has a variety of events to honor the Black diaspora aligned with the national theme of Health and Wellness. The month kicked off at College Hour on February 2 with tabling from the Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC), the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Umoja-ASTEP Learning Community.

On Friday, February 4, the Skyline College and Cañada College Black Student Unions hosted a mixer allowing students to get to know each other and discuss their goals and issues that affect them followed by a fun round of Kahoot! testing their knowledge of the movie Friday.

The Stewardship for Equity, Equal Employment and Diversity (SEEED) Committee’s Black/African American Students task group hosted a Spring Welcome Back & Open House on February 8 and 9 introducing students to resources on campus such as TRiO, Brothers Achieving Milestones (BAM), Black Student Union, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Umoja-ASTEP and Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy (WMLA).

Students, staff and faculty were given an in-depth lecture by Dr. Tony Jackson mixing psychology and history for “Health and Wellness through the Lens of Black Psychology” on Wednesday, February 9. If you missed this fantastic workshop, you can view the recording on the ASSC YouTube page.

Next Week’s Events

Monday, February 14: All About Love: Celebrating bell hooks’ Love Ethic – Share your favorite excerpts from bell hooks or other cherished artists or even your own personal works related to the theme of love.

February 16 & 22: Belonging at Skyline College: Fostering a Culture of Place – A discussion series centers on the reflections of our Black students, faculty, and administrators/staff at Skyline College.

February 17: Structural Racism in Healthcare: How to Show Up for Mothers of Color – Black mothers are six times more likely to die within a year of pregnancy than their white counterparts, higher than the national average. How do we address this?

Learn more about this year’s Black History Month events and updates on the ASSC Padlet: bit.ly/skyBHM2022

Library to Celebrate bell hooks ‘Love Ethic’ on Valentine’s Day

On Valentine’s Day, Skyline College Library will hold a virtual celebration of the life and writings of the late feminist author, cultural critic and social activist bell hooks (1952-2021). All members of the community are invited to join “All about Love: Celebrating bell hooks’ Love Ethic,” where we’ll explore hooks’ thoughts and works on love. “All about Love” takes place virtually by Zoom on Monday, February 14, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m..

Participants are encouraged to share, in any format they choose – spoken word, art, music, or by sharing a quote or excerpt, video clip etc. –  the ways they’ve been inspired by hooks. To learn more about hooks’ life and writings, we recommend this library resource guide as a starting place: https://guides.skylinecollege.edu/bellhooks

Students are also encouraged to ask their instructors to consider offering an extra credit for attending this event, which coincides with Black History Month as well.

For details, contact Skyline College librarian Prof. Pia Walawalkar <walawalkars@smccd.edu>.

Zoom link: bit.ly/Skylinebellhooks

Save the Date: Two Local Events Recall World War II Incarceration of Japanese-Americans

During WWII, more than 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans were forcibly removed from their homes, first to “Assembly Centers” like Tanforan and Santa Anita race tracks, and then to concentration camps around the United States. Many Japanese Americans, including Bay Area college students, were never to return to their homes.

This year, February 19 marks the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, the federal government’s order that forced the evacuation and incarceration for the duration of the war. Please save the date for two important events:

On February 16 at 6:00pm, faculty members Rika Yonemura-Fabian and Tadashi Tsuchida will represent Skyline College at a virtual screening and discussion of M. Matsuno’s First to Go, an intimate, inspirational, and emotional story of the wartime impact on the Kataoka family across generations. This event is hosted by the South San Francisco Public Library. Please register here: https://ssf-net.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_f97kI2uSS1qoxG4Wfyk3iw

Then at 3:00pm on February 25, please join us for Wartime Memories: Faculty Share Family Stories of Japanese Incarceration, also hosted by Skyline College faculty members of Japanese descent and Skyline College Intercultural Center and Library. You are invited to attend and connect for intergenerational sharing and discussion for racial solidarity at this link: https://smccd.zoom.us/J/4936699624, no registration is required.

Faculty interested in offering extra credit are encouraged to promote these events to their students. Please direct any questions to Prof. Yonemura-Fabian <fabianr@smccd.edu>. You’ll find more information here: https://guides.skylinecollege.edu/JapaneseAmericanIncarceration

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – G. Santayana

An Interview with Megan Chan, Honors Transfer Program Alumnus!

The Skyline College Honors Transfer Program recognizes and celebrates UC Berkeley transfer student Megan Chan, who attributes her success and transfer journey to many of the resources, programs, and services available to all students at Skyline College. When asked to shout out the places where she was involved at Skyline College, she cites, “the STEM Center, my counselors, and my professors were super helpful during my transfer process and search for internships! It’s super helpful to reach out and talk to people with experience, especially being a first-generation student!”

I had an opportunity to ask Megan some questions after she reached out to me about an workshop event that the Society of Women Engineers–the student organization with which she’s actively involved–held in November 2021, during the transfer application process. The event, “Engineers @ Berkeley” was offered specifically for community college students to receive personalized peer application advice for students of all genders. Because they knew how difficult the transfer process was, they hoped to demystify the process for current applicants.

JS: What was your major, and how did you decide on it?

MC: My current major is mechanical engineering. While at Skyline, I started off as an economics major, then made my way into applied math and undecided engineering.

JS: What were the most valuable skills you learned from the Skyline College Honors Transfer Program that you use and build on at UC Berkeley?

MC: Getting experience reading scientific papers and interacting with professors during the Honors Transfer Program was helpful because I did not know what the research experience was like prior to HTP. It also allowed me to explore different topics I was interested in, and apply knowledge beyond the textbooks.

JS: What were the most important steps you took to start your transfer journey?

MC: I was a peer mentor and peer tutor, which allowed me to work while being in school. I also got to be closer to the Skyline community. Although it was virtual, it was a great way to meet people and work together with staff and other students!

JS: What made you want to transfer to UC Berkeley, and what have you learned most about yourself since you’ve been there?

MC: I transferred to UC Berkeley because of the vast number of opportunities they offer! I looked into their engineering program, and they aligned with my many interests. Once I got accepted, I had already felt welcomed because their transfer community reached out. I also enjoyed the energy on campus when I went to visit, and the weather there is nice.

JS: What valuable piece of advice do you have for current and future transfer students?

MC: My advice for students is to be curious and stay hungry [for knowledge]. During my experience in community college, I went through a journey of self-exploration. Since I had so many interests, it was difficult choosing a single major. I still have many interests, and I understand the importance of intersectionality and interdisciplinary work. If you are interested in something, try to get experience, and ask deeper questions to know more about it! The possibilities are endless!

If you are interested in joining the Honors Transfer Program, you can find the application and other important program links on our Linktree. Students have until Week 5 of each semester to apply to become an Honors Transfer student for the current semester. For more information, please email English Faculty member and Honors Transfer Program Faculty Program Coordinator, Janice Sapigao at sapigaoj@smccd.edu

 

Article by Janice Sapigao | Photo provided by Megan Chan

Internship Opportunities

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—

Whether you’re interested in short- or long-term career planning, the Career Readiness & Job Placement team offers a variety of services and career readiness experiences to assist you with your specific career needs. If you want to work with a Job Placement Coordinator, please fill out this brief welcome form and someone will contact you soon to schedule an appointment!

Job Opportunities

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—

Whether you’re interested in short- or long-term career planning, the Career Readiness & Job Placement team offers a variety of services and career readiness experiences to assist you with your specific career needs. If you want to work with a Job Placement Coordinator, please fill out this brief welcome form and someone will contact you soon to schedule an appointment!