This year marked the 12th year of Skyline College’s Skyline Shines Award, presented annually to one College employee or group and one community individual or group who help Skyline College to shine in terms of its quality of programs and services and its reputation for quality.
College Winner: Roger Marcelo, Multimedia Services Coordinator
Dr. Stanback Stroud spoke about Roger: “Roger Marcelo is committed to promoting social justice throughout his practices and his work at the college and this is evident in his direct support of high quality technology support during campus events, as well as his ability to build trusting relationships with his colleagues. I have personally experienced conversations with him where he has openly shared in his outside work of promoting access to music and industry support for lowincome and communities of color.
Roger definitely shows a “students first philosophy.” He gets along well with students, participates and supports events that are not officially on his work queue and he connects with them. I witnessed him provide an open mic piece where he was dedicating his poem/song to the CIPHER students who were celebrating completing their first semester in college. It was powerful to see him show a talent and connect with students about the value of higher education.
Roger has provided technical and professional support to ensure that the operational aspects of interviews for candidates applying to work at Skyline College are inclusive and meets the different abilities of prospective employees. He has helped us think through ways to allow for people to interview, while not being able to be here in person. This expands simple Skype capabilities.
Every event, every student event, every program. He is there to ensure that we provide quality support for successful events. Roger has been a part of helping students interested in the technology and music industry to learn more about the skills sets and education needed to be successful in the field. He shares his experience as having been a radio producer and sound mixer. He always encourages students that completing a college education is the difference for some making it and other not. Roger has also been successful in the recording and sound support of all of our major campus events, ensuring that we have uploaded videos and live streaming when appropriate.
Roger is a class act and an excellent representative for the Skyline Shines Award.”
Community Winner: Landon Taylor, Base 11
Landon Taylor is the CEO at Base11, an organization that “…is on a mission to address the STEM talent gap crisis in America.”
Landon leads Base 11 to work with industry, philanthropy and academia to develop STEM talent. Landon and Base 11 have a particular focus on cultivating the talent of “high-potential, but perhaps low resourced” student talent until they reach the Victory Circle. The Victory Circle is defined as either graduating from a community college in STEM, entering the STEM workforce or transferring to a four-year university in STEM.
Landon was instrumental in bringing Base 11 to Skyline College. His vision of tapping into the talents of community college students provided the foundation of our partnership. Skyline College is part of the STEM Revolution with the support of the Base 11 funded, MIT inspired fabrication lab built on our campus. With this lab, community college students now have access to the type of prestigious and elite curriculum, equipment and programs typically not available to community college students.
Landon and Base 11 brought funding, equipment and curriculum for hands on STEM education and training, including the Autonomous Systems Engineering Academy. Skyline College now has the workspace for students to create, design and develop STEM based technologies. Students also have access to scholarships and paid internship opportunities. Landon also supported the development of the STEM Entrepreneurship Program sponsored at the Bay Area Entrepreneur Center at Skyline College where students and community members can develop their own product or service and gain the skills to bring it to market.
Thanks to Landon’s support for Skyline College, the STEM program is expanding, students are accessing programs, services and opportunities not available before, and faculty and staff professional development. Access for entry of new majority students into STEM is one of the fundamental social justice issues of the day. Despite all of the national and international attention to STEM workforce needs, the STEM workforce is no more diverse now than in 2001. Almost two decades of stagnation in diversity in a field that stands to be the key opportunity for enfranchisement and upward mobility means key talent is excluded from this important field. Landon’s partnership, vision and support for Skyline College situates the college to be able to realize its mission to empower and transform a global community of learners. Landon Taylor represents the essence of what we mean when we say Skyline Shines!
Remarks by Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud
