CAMPUS NEWS
San Mateo County Genealogical Society Moves Into Cañada College Library
New partnership will benefit students and make Redwood City a “one-stop” genealogical center in San Mateo County.
The San Mateo County Genealogical Society has moved into the Cañada College Library with a special open house ceremony held to celebrate the new partnership.
“We are very excited about our partnership with the Cañada Library,” said Diane Smelker, president of the SMCGS. “Moving to the Cañada College Library provides a public space for our collection.” The SMCGS Library was formerly located in a cubicle in the middle of the San Mateo County Library Administration Building off Tower Road in San Mateo. “Our former location was not open to the public, so a patron could not ‘accidentally discover’ our great resource.”
The partnership will provide more space for the SMCGS and its 228 members and create a “one stop” genealogical research center in Redwood City. “Not only can researchers use our collection but they can quickly drive to downtown Redwood City to access records at the Courthouse, the Redwood City Library History Room, and the Historical Association Archives,” Smelker said.
Cañada College Librarian, Dave Patterson, said having the SMCGS and its members on campus will also benefit students. “We’ve already developed some project ideas that will benefit our student body,” he said. The SMCGS will fund a student library aide and additional databases for the library’s computers. In addition, SMCGS members will aid in class projects that include studying migration patterns between Redwood City and the Mexican state of Michoacan; helping students learn research skills through family history research; and exploring the history of the California Land Grant on which the Cañada campus sits. SMCGS members will also teach a beginning genealogy class.
Students from a Cañada history class attended the event and volunteers with the SMCGS helped them do some initial research into their family history.
“Personally, I think the possibilities for our partnership are endless from basic family history projects to finding ways to support the library budget,” Smelker said. “It is our hope to provide Cañada’s students, many who are first or second generation residents of this area, with the tools to discover and appreciate their past and how it informs the people they are today. In return, we hope they will enable us to learn how their culture enriches the future of this country and continues our tradition of being a true ‘melting pot’ of peoples.”
The SMCGS Library collection includes more than 6,000 books, periodicals, pamphlets, microfilm, and microfiche representing all 50 states, Europe and Middle America. It also contains more than 900 CD’s with genealogical titles covering the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Middle America and the 1880-81 United States, Canadian and British census records. The SMCGS Library is the only genealogical library between San Francisco and Santa Clara.
TRiO Celebrates Five Years
Students explain how the program has helped them.
Students, staff and faculty gathered in the Library last week to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the TRiO program at Cañada College. Students told personal stories about how the program has helped them, from tutoring to academic counseling. But one of the biggest benefits, they said, is the companionship with other students who are part of the program. “That’s one of the most important aspects of the program,” said Program Director Romeo Garcia. “Students help each other. They form friendships. This gives them a strong support system as they pursue their education.” TRiO-Student Support Services is a program funded by the United States Department of Education. The goal of the program is to provide an academic, social and personal support system for students, to assist them with basic college requirements, and to motivate them towards a successful completion of their college education.
Cañada College and Genentech to Host NanoDays at the San Mateo Public Library
NanoDays will be held March 31 and April 1.
Cañada College, the Genentech Foundation Biotechnology Learning Center, and the San Mateo Public Library will sponsor "NanoDays in the Library." on Wednesday, March 31 and Thursday, April 1. NanoDays will engage people of all ages in a miniscule world where materials have special properties and new technologies have spectacular promise. NanoDays will combine simple-hands-on activities for young people and events exploring current research for adults.
Activities and demonstrations will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on March 21 and 2 to 4 p.m. on April 1. Tobi Betz, associate director of the Center for Probing the Nanoscale at Stanford University, will give an overview of what nanotechnology is, why it is important, the tools nanotechnologists use, and how this field of science affects everyone. Betz's lecture will begin at 4 p.m. on April 1.
"NanoDays in the Library" is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. All events are free and will be held at the San Mateo Public Library, 55 West Third Ave., San Mateo.
Design Class Produces Mosaic for the Library
The torn-paper mosaic is currently hanging on the south wall of the library.
Last semester's INTD 148 Color & Design class completed an 8 x 12 foot torn-paper mosaic of Seurat's Afternoon in the Park painting which is now installed in the library on the south wall. The mosaic consists of 6 panels which are 4 x 4 feet each. Last semester the library held a reception for students to celebrate the installation.
Lifelong Wellness Event April 14
The Health Center is sponsoring this annual health fair.
Students can receive free health tests, including blood pressure, glucose, body fat composition, anemia screening, Hepatitis B, and HIV testing, at this year's Lifelong Wellness event, April 14. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for evening students. All events will take place in the Learning Center.
Bat expert Monique Lee Dispels Myths at Recent Lecture
Cañada's New Bat House Will Help the Ecosystem, Expert Says
Bats are misunderstood. They’re not all vampires. They don’t get caught in your hair and they are not blind. Staff, faculty and students learned numerous facts about bats from Monique Lee, a bat educator/rehabilitator from the California Bat Conservation Fund at a lecture last month. A new bat house was recently installed near the Facilities Maintenance Center on campus and students are becoming more interested in how bats can help the ecosystem. “There are lots of misconceptions about bats,” Lee said. “They don’t attack people. They don’t all have rabies and they are not rodents. But bats are very beneficial. They can eat up to 1,000 mosquitos an hour. They also eat bugs that can destroy native plants and crops.”
Lee said the bat house installed at Cañada will eventually attract new inhabitants. “It’s a nice big bat house that will maintain the heat,” she said. “There are plenty of bats in the area so it’s just a matter of time before they inhabit the house on your campus.” Lee said habitat destruction is the number one threat to bats. Installing a bat house can help them survive. “Bat houses not only help the bats but they help the ecosystem.”
Cañada Now Has 14 AED's Around Campus
The Sequoia Healthcare District helped fund the machines which can be instrumental in saving lives.
Since 2007, with help from the Sequoia Healthcare District and its HeartSafe Program, the college has been equipped with AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators).
Cañada now has 14 AEDs spread throughout the campus. A new map has been developed showing the location of 11 AED's. It will be printed and placed on the 911 Zone in each classroom. There are also three mobile AED units in use.
An AED is a small, portable device that analyzes heart rhythms. It offers the user voice-prompted instructions and, if determined to be necessary, can deliver a potentially lifesaving shock to a victim in cardiac arrest. An AED will not deliver a shock to anyone who is not in sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs are easy to use, compact, battery-operated and lightweight.
Early defibrillation can mean the difference between life and death.
Since 2007 Cañada has trained 27 faculty and staff on CPR and the use of an AED. It is very important that faculty and staff know where the closest AED is located and to be aware of the trainings held on campus so they can be trained on the use of an AED and ready to save a life.
FACES OF CAÑADA
Amelito Enriquez Receives Best Paper Award
His paper was honored at American Society of Engineering Zone IV Conference in Reno.
Amelito Enriquez received the Best Paper Award at the annual American Society of Engineering Education, Zone IV Conference in Reno last week. The paper was titled "Improving the Participation and Retention of Minority Students in Science and Engineering Through Summer Enrichment Programs."
The paper was a description of the Summer Math Jam and Summer Engineering Institute developed at the college last year. In 2008, the college received a Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program grant by the U.S. Department of Education to develop and implement a project that aims to maximize the likelihood of success among underrepresented and educationally disadvantaged students interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
The Student On-ramp Leading to Engineering and Sciences (SOLES) project incorporates strategies that address challenges and barriers to recruitment, retention and success of minority students. Among the strategies developed for this project are two summer programs that were implemented last summer. The Summer Math Jam is a two-week intensive mathematics program designed to improve student preparation for college-level math courses. The Summer Engineering Institute is a two-week residential summer camp that offers participating students the opportunity to gain insight into the engineering academic program through a combination of lectures, hands-on laboratory activities, workshops and projects with engineering professionals.
Enriquez's paper described how the preliminary results indicate success of both programs.
Editor's Note: If you have ideas for the Faces of Cañada section of the online newsletter, please contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340 or by e-mail at hoodr@smccd.edu.
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENTS
Cañada One of Three Schools in California to Have Two First-Team All-Academic Members
Isaiah Roggow and Jeremy Morales Madrigal are honored in Sacramento
When Phi Theta Kappa announced its list of students for this year's All-California Academic First Team only three schools in the state had two members - and one of them was Cañada. Jeremy Morales Madrigal and Isaiah Roggow were both honored for the academic achievements at a special luncheon held in Sacramento in March.
Morales Madrigal of Redwood City is studying chemical engineering and was the only community college student selected last year to participate in Stanford University's prestigious Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. He is planning to transfer to Stanford to finish is undergraduate studies.
Roggow of Santa Clara is a nutrition science major who is focusing on community health and plans to transfer to UC Davis in the fall. He has already had several economics papers published by several agencies.
Both students are actively involved in the Phi Theta Kappa program at Cañada College.
Housing Market Collapse Focus of Student Research
Beth Bruni's research indicates more government intervention in the housing market is needed.
When Cañada College student Beth Bruni was asked to research the role of the U.S. government in the collapse of the housing market she was shocked by what she found. “The most surprising thing I learned during my research was how corrupt our financial system is,” she said.
Bruni’s research, “Government Intervention: A Review of Government Involvement in the Housing Market”, will be presented on May 1 at the Third Annual Community College Honors Research Symposium at U.C. Berkeley. She will join seven other Cañada students presenting original academic research at the symposium.
“As I learned about the complex financial derivatives, credit default swaps, and false practices performed by business professionals I learned how they affected the situation and increased the speed at which our economy began to fail” she said. “Overall, I was shocked by the lack of government regulatory authority in the market. When I learned how much employees of financial institutions were driven by incentives to attain the largest short-term profits for their companies without regard to the long-term consequences for the economy my mouth dropped.”
As part of her research, Bruni pored through numerous academic and news articles examining the argument for and against government involvement in the financial sector. Included were four books by Robert Shiller, who has served as vice president of the American Economic Association. Another book that helped in her research was “Bailout Nation” by Barry Ritholtz. Bruni’s economics professor, Paul Roscelli, assigned three to four articles a week that provided fodder for classroom debates on the subject. “We had to come prepared to argue our case,” she said.
Bruni, an economics major who plans to transfer to U.C. Berkeley, said the research brought her to the conclusion that the government needs to be involved solely to regulate and make changes in current law, as well as create new laws to make sure this type of economic meltdown is not repeated.
“I would tighten the regulations surrounding subprime loans and the payment options available to consumers who are buying a house,” she said. “I would also increase transparency in the process. Finally, I would adjust the rules and regulations for when bailouts are given.”
Students Rally In Sacramento to Protest Budget Priorities
A bus full of Cañada students made the trip to join peers from around the state.
Cañada students were front and center earlier this month when thousands of community college students from around the state descended on Sacramento to protest state budgeting priorities. The students were well organized, presenting legislators with a list of possible solutions to help alleviate the shortfall in education funding and reminding elected officials that they will be voting in November. While the protest was large, in excess of 5,000 students, it was peaceful and focused on presenting legislators with concrete legislative proposals.
Nursing Student Promotes Honors Program
Jessica Hodges Says Challenge is Needed to Succeed in Difficult Major
Nursing is a difficult major. To succeed, Jessica Hodges knows she has to make an extra effort. That’s why she began taking Honors Program courses at Cañada College.
“The Honors Program classes are different from the normal coursework at a community college,” she said. “I can tell the difference in the dedication of the students. By surrounding myself with this kind of dedication and hard work it challenges me to work even harder.”
Jessica enrolled in an Honors English course and immediately signed up for a second Honors English course. “My experience has been great,” she said. “If it hadn’t, I wouldn’t have enrolled in another Honors class. I do have to say that English 100 Honors has been hard and a great challenge, but I learned more from that class than any other class I’ve taken.”
For students who want to reach their academic potential, the Honors Program can help, Jessica said. “Reaching higher is always going to be tough and challenging, but it teaches you to broaden comprehension and improve your academic skills. If you really want to succeed, I would recommend the Cañada College Honors Program.”
PTK Students Work With At-Risk Students in Youth Adalante
Cañada students give presentations to middle school students at Garfield Charter School.
Member of Beta Zeta Nu, Cañada's Honors Club, have partnered with Garfield Charter School to participate in an after-school program called Youth Adalente that helps students stay on track with their studies. Cañada students give a 15-minute presentation on a topic of their choice and Garfield Charter School students ask questions and learn about the subject.
"We can have a powerful impact on these students," said PTK member Isaiah Roggow. "Many of them are at-risk and disadvantaged; the deck is already stacked against them. Having college students come in and give a 15 to 20 minute presentation means so much to these kids. They are all on the cusp of being able to make some very serious life decisions that will stick with them forever. Just one visit from a college student can make a huge difference for any one of these kids and be that nudge to keep them in school and make right choices."
Roggow said Garfield Charter School students are interested in a wide variety of subjects, including global warming, zoot suit riots, Aztec culture, college, and gangs.
Cañada Honors Student Has Ivy League Goals
Monica Rivas Wants to Study Veterinary Medicine
Monica Rivas is a freshman who wants to major in animal biology and hopefully transfer to an Ivy League school such as Cornell or Penn to study veterinary medicine. To reach her goals, Monica has enrolled in the Cañada College Honors Program.
“I think that the Honors classes are just the extra boost to help set you on the right track,” she said. “They definitely test your ability to juggle all your classes and stay on point.”
Monica is a member of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) program and received an e-mail through MESA alerting her to the benefits of the Honors Program. “I figured it would be a great challenge as well as look really god on my transcripts for future schools.”
Monica said any student who is highly motivated and considering transferring to a four-year college should enroll in the Honors Program. “If you’re willing to work hard and you have great time management skills then you would definitely be perfect for the Honors Program. You won’t regret it in the long run.”
Interior Design Students Win Competition Awards
Five students win nine awards at the prestigious San Francisco Interior Design Career Forum Design Competitions.
Heni Miller, Gloria Carlson, Meredith Holly, Julie DeMarchi Park and Miriam Frost all received awards at one of the largest regional interior design competitions in the West, the San Francisco Interior Design Career Forum Design Competitions.
Miller placed in four of the six different design competitions including winning the Master Bathroom Design competition. She placed second in Residential Lighting Design, Residential Kitchen Design, and Wool Area Rug Design. Carlson won the Residential Lighting Design competition and the Design for the Home Office competition.
Holly won Residential Kitchen Design, Park was second in Design for the Home Office, and Frost was third in that competition.
"We've had at least one winner or placer in the design competitions since 2002," said Nancy Wolford, professor of Interior Design. "We've had as many as seven different winners twice. Our first year students who were in attendance were impressed and proud to be from Cañada."
Editor's Note: If you have an idea for a student feature, contact Robert Hood at ext. 3340.
CAMPUS CALENDAR
Please see the EVENTS CALENDAR for the latest event listings.
Editor's Note: If you would like to submit an event to the Cañada Calendar of Events please contact Robert Hood at hoodr@smccd.edu.
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