The Skyline College Employee Voice Survey closes in 2 days!  So far, 37% of Skyline College employees have completed the survey.  Thank you to all who have participated!  The survey results will be shared with the entire campus community, and will be used to identify areas of strength, opportunities for improvement, and areas for further study. 

It is critical that all college constituent groups be well-represented, but response rates vary widely across groups.  For example, currently, 53% of full-time faculty members have completed the survey, compared with just 16% of part-time faculty members.  If you haven’t yet participated, now is the time to take the survey.

The Skyline College Student Voice Survey was conducted in Fall 2022, and the RP Group is close to completing its analysis.  Here is a preview of the findings related to student’s sense of belonging.  Of the 1,170 students who responded to the survey, 83% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I feel that I belong at Skyline College,” 6% disagreed or strongly disagreed, and 11% were not sure.  Below is the breakdown by student race and ethnicity groups with at least 50 respondents (race/ethnicities with fewer than 50 respondents have been combined into the “other” category):

Among race/ethnicity groups, Latinx students reported the highest sense of belonging (88%), with White students and those of more than one race reporting the lowest agreement at 79%.  These and other findings will be explored further in the weeks to come. The complete survey results will be posted to the PRIE website, and also shared-out via a campus-wide town hall planned for later in the Spring semester.  Please stay tuned for student climate survey results!

On March 6, 2023, Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) hosted their first Maker Monday event of the semester. Students that stopped by the Fabrication Lab, were able to make their own flashlights under the supervision of Lab Coordinator Marco Wehrfritz. A good turnout of students gained experience with soldering connection joints for their flashlight kits. To some of the 15 in attendance, it was their very first hands-on opportunity to learn a new skill working with circuits. They were excited, holding their own flashlight after succeeding the course.

Maker Mondays will be held at Skyline’s Fabrication Lab (FAB Lab) within Building 7 Room 7-310, every first Monday of the Month. Each event will help teach students hands-on learning with equipment the FAB Lab has to offer for student use. Lab Coordinator Marco Wehrfritz will be the advisor during these events, to help show students proper techniques and usage of equipment. The next event will be held on April 3rd, once students return from Spring Break. The focus of the upcoming event is teaching students how to make a 3D design in Tinkercad and how to print this on the 3D printers. 

Article by Aaron Torres Mendoza, Sean Ruiz, Marco Wehrfritz, Denise Hum, Emilie Hein | Photos by Marco Wehrfritz

Last month, the International Student Program (ISP) hosted its semi-annual field trip to the iconic and well-known Golden Gate Park as well as the breathtaking Ocean Beach. More than twenty students, all coming from a variety of nations, participated in the tour.

At 3pm, students met ISP staff at the Skyline College shuttle bus stop to get a ride to the Daly City BART Station. At the BART station, they caught Muni Bus 28 to 19^th Ave and Lincoln in San Francisco, right on the western edge of Golden Gate Park. After a quick pit stop for coffee, students headed for Stow Lake to see the famous Stow Lake bridge, Golden Gate Pavilion, gift shop, and the beautiful Strawberry Hill Waterfall. Then, they passed by Spreckels Lake, the Bison Paddock, before finally ending up at the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden to see the colorful tulips and windmill.

The tour concluded with students and staff going to Ocean Beach to watch the panoramic sunset. Students collaborated to build a bonfire and then learned how to make smores, a popular American snack consisting of a melted marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers. Over sandwiches and smores, students bonded over their shared experiences. Soon, it was time to head back. Overall, the event was a huge success because it was the students’ first time visiting the location, and they were able to have fun and meet new people along the way.

The International Student Program is part of the Global Learning Programs and Services Division. ISP will continue to provide services and programs for international students as well as for the entire Skyline College community. If you are interested in learning more about future ISP programs and events, contact ISP office at skyinternational@smccd.edu.

Article and photos by Lasheana Dilian Husni.

It has been a busy few week for two of our biotechnology Biomanufacturing coordinators, Shabnam F. and Khaledh Tahan. First, they traveled to the brand-new Smart Labs building in South San Francisco on March 3, 2023, at 750 Gateway Blvd. According to them, the tour was “thrilling!” The Smart Labs new building as at the epicenter of biotechnology in SSF.  Khaledh and Shabnam attended the inauguration event for the new building and represented Skyline College Biomanufacturing. Smartlabs is a business that creates various labs for the life science industries. They have a modular set up that can be altered according to the requirements of that individual lab in terms of size, area, and service needs. The company, Smartlabs,  is national and has facilities on the East and West Coasts, Smartlabs promotes itself as a laboratory and as a service provider. It offers adaptable lab rooms customized to house research groups of less than 10 or more than 200 individuals. “We create and operate laboratories in previously unheard-of methods to aid research in overcoming the most challenging problems of the day.”Smartlab’s mission is to benefit health and humanity, they radically transform how the world uses lab spaces by delivering customized labs that can deploy within weeks and can grow and change as quickly as the research needs evolve for a company or startup. Their vision is to accelerate the pace of science for everyone, everywhere. Their purpose is to expedite the number of effective therapeutics available in the market when we need them and when our loved ones need them. 

Khaledh and Shabnam thought this was a great networking experience and a way to see possible employers with local companies. Attending the opening gave us great insight into how it feels to work in a biotechnology company. The new labs had equipment similar to ours and we felt at home. It also helped that we were treated to great food and were able to interact with a diverse range of people who are also within the field.

Shabnam and Khaledh braved the wind and the rain to attend the Career Expo at San Mateo High School. High School students from as far away as Modesto came to hear about all the possible career training, they can do in San Mateo County. Skyline Biomanufacturing showed the prospective students how to make “MOss” bioreactors. We also discussed the Biotechnology Manufacturing Certification and AS degree. Many students and their families liked to hear that our Biomanufacturing program can lead to local jobs like in “SmartLabs” above or that students can also transfer with the degree and work towards their bachelor’s and beyond. Professor Kapp really appreciates that that the students not only do their classes, projects and homework but that they give back and interact with our local community.  

Article and Pictures by Khaledh Tahan

Let your colleagues and students know!  Our furry friends from the Peninsula Humane Society Volunteer Program are returning to the Skyline College Library!!  As part of the Learning Commons & STEM De-stress Week, the Library will host therapy dogs and a PAT cat on March 21^st and 22^nd, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., in Building 5, second floor.  De-stressing with furry friends has been clinically proven to make one feel better.  So come and relax with or just say “hello!” to therapy dogs Cate, Cooper, Rusty and Slater on Tuesday, March 21^st or Pumpkin the PAT cat on Wednesday, March 22^nd.  Please visit the Library’s Events & Outreach webpage for more information.

For information about other Learning Commons & STEM De-stress Week activities and events, please scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/skylineDe-stressWeek.  We look forward to you de-stressing with us during midterms!

“We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry.” – Jimmy Carter

Empty Bowls is a worldwide movement by artists to lessen food insecurity. Empty Bowls events cultivate social responsibility through creative service and encourage participants to – Think Globally – Act Locally.

Join us for the Skyline College Empty Bowls Event.

Monday, March 20^th, 2023

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Fireside Dining Room – Bldg. 6

TICKETS @ bit.ly/EMPTYBOWLS2023

All Ticket Sales will be used to lessen food insecurity locally at Skyline College.

Empty Bowls attendees will enjoy

• A Soup Dinner
  • Student Performances – Featuring entertainment from Skyline College Dance, Drama, and Music
  • Campus & Community Organizations dedicated to lessening food insecurity

Take home a handcrafted ceramic bowl!

• Bowls $15
• Soup FREE
• Open to All

MORE INFORMATION @ https://skylinecollege.edu/art/index.php

Artistic expression is at the foundation of who we are as a global community.

It has the power to transcend and transform. Transcend and transform with the Skyline College Creative Arts community at Empty Bowls!

In the spring semester, the Phi Theta Kappa holds elections giving members the opportunity to get more involved with the society. PTK members are encouraged to become active at the regional and international level of the Honor Society. This spring four Skyline students accepted the challenge and are currently campaigning for a number of offices.

Lasheana Dilian Husni, Biology Major and current co-president of the Beta Theta Omicron chapter is running for the international position of district IV Vice President.

Lasheana: PTK has helped me grow as an individual since I first joined, that is why I want to campaign for the position of Vice President of district IV. Because I want to give back to the community by using the experiences and skills I have learned from being an officer in my college PTK – chapter.

Lasheana started her campaign with a research speech and caucus interview that can now be viewed on the Catalyst webpage. Catalyst is the annual international PTK conference that meets in April, elections will be held there and candidates are given the opportunity to present another research speech as well as participate in caucus interviews in front of the over 5000 attendees. She will present herself, work and achievements, and network with the PTK community during open sessions at the conference. In the next weeks, she will connect with chapters all over the US to share her ideas, values and to gather support for her candidacy.

On the regional level, Jerry Hnin, Biology major and current Beta Theta Omicron VP of Scholarship, and  Arthur Veloso Nepomuceno da Silva, Paralegal major and active PTK member, are running for PTK regional president. Florence Thwe, Biology major and current Beta Theta Omicron chapter VP of Fellowship, is campaigning for the Northwest District vice presidency.

Jerry: I decided to run for regional presidency because I would like to network with people and learn different perspectives as well as grow personally and professionally as a leader. I believe the campaign experience would bring my leadership skills to the next level.

Arthur: As president of the PTK Nevada/California regional office, I want to contribute with the best of my administrative skills to this fellowship of scholars to positively transform our community of learners to be more inclusive and diverse and to provide the most vulnerable members of our community with hope and inspiration.

Florence: I would like to run for the Northwest District Vice Presidency because it would allow me to grow as a leader and network with a wider range of people. Moreover, being in the regional team will make me more engaged in the higher level of PTK where I am able to develop my knowledge and closely work with each chapter in the region.

All three started their candidacy by writing a personal statement that is posted on the regional website. As a next step they will attend the regional conference in Pomona, CA and present a 3 minute research speech followed by a caucus interview.

All candidates are supported by the BOO chapter members, either by boosting their social media campaigns, giving feedback to their presentations or by actively preparing them for the caucus interview by asking candid questions about their PTK involvement, their personality, academic achievements and much more. You are invited to join the PTK meeting on Friday, 3/17/23 starting at 2 pm in the STEM Center to listen to all candidates presenting their speeches and preparing for the caucus before they head to the regional conference on March 24th, 2023.

On Friday, March 10^th, 2023, the Skyline College chapter of Psi Beta, a Community College National Honor Society in Psychology, hosted a panel discussion titled “From Community College to Graduate School.” Three speakers – one of whom was a Skyline College alumnus – shared valuable information with us including descriptions of their graduate programs, the path they took to get into the programs, how they coped with challenges, and ideas about getting experience in the field. They also shared the importance of exploration before declaring a major and encouraged attendees to enjoy the journey of the educational process as opposed to focusing on a set timeline. Lastly, they emphasized the importance of utilizing resources, asking for help, finding community, and being careful to not compare yourself to others. This panel was hosted by Psi Beta member Cristel Cayco and moderated by Psi Beta member Vladimir Zeltser.