President Thayer’s Board Report for October 22, 2024
The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees
Presented by Cypress College President Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
on October 22, 2024
Undocumented Student Action Week Held Oct. 14-17
EOPS and Grads to Be presented Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW). From October 14-17, the groups presented activities and workshops to share the journey and experiences of the undocumented community, offer resources, and teach strategies to support students.
Events were presented in partnership with CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) and included information sharing, ally training, butterfly painting, and become an UndocuAlly.
Mental Health & Wellness Summit Upcoming on Oct. 29
Cypress College, Fullerton College, and North Orange Continuing Education together with the North Orange County Community College District present our first Mental Health & Wellness Summit on October 29 at the Cypress College Theater.
Recharge with connection, collaboration, and interactive sessions to address mental health concerns and provide healthy coping strategies for students, while offering support strategies for employees. Food and giveaways for attendees!
- When: October 29 @ 8 a.m.–2:30 m.
- Where: Cypress College Campus Register for the Summit here.
Transfer & Pre-Graduation Fair Set for Halloween
Students who are planning for their final semester at Cypress are invited to attend the TPG Fair! At the event, they can meet with representatives from Cal State Universities and Universities of California as well as private and out-of-state colleges and universities. Student Services representatives from Cypress College will be on hand, too: Admissions and Records, Career Planning and Workforce Development, Transfer Center, and more. The event takes place on October 31, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., so participants can spend Halloween making their future plans less scary!
Dean Cassens Presents Work of Cyber Program
Dr. Treisa Cassens, Dean of Business and CIS at Cypress College, presented the work of the Cyber Program on Thursday to the Advanced Technological Education (ATE)/ National Science Foundation (NSF) conference. The presentation highlighted the work the Cyber faculty team has done to outreach to the K-12 partners, increase industry connections, and engage underrepresented populations. Key pieces of the success of this program this last year and into the future is the work on B.I.L.T (business and industry leadership team) connections to identity KSAs required by the industry and ensure students accomplish those while obtaining their certificates for future transfer and employment. This is related to their grant received last year.
The K-12 Cyber Patriot program and Superintendent’s Cup competition (23-24) had participation from six school districts – 13 elementary schools, three middle schools, and nine high schools. In the same calendar year, 492 high school students and 1,265 college students participated in the program for a total enrollment of 1,694 students. Combined, they completed 205 industry exam: 73 in cybersecurity, 29 in cyber defense, 30 in Cisco networking, and 31 Cyber Defense A.S. Cypress this spring was granted the National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense from the US National Security Agency and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Legacy Mentorship Mixer Held; Kwanzaa Planned for Dec. 5
Our Legacy Program hosted a mixer for the enrolled scholars to experience the value of connecting with their mentors and networking. At the event, the scholars are encouraged to learn more about their mentors and to share information about themselves. The event was held on Thursday, October 10.
Legacy is also preparing for the annual Kwanzaa celebration, which will be held Thursday, December 5 at 5:30 p.m. in Cypress College Complex, Room 414.
VRC Holds Domestic Violence Awareness Month Event
On October 1, the Cypress College Veterans Resource Center held a powerful and moving Candlelight Vigil in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The evening was filled with moments of reflection, support, and solidarity for survivors and those impacted by domestic violence.
For those who were unable to attend, we invite you to watch the video of the vigil. It captures the spirit of the event and reminds us all of the importance of raising awareness and taking action to end domestic violence.
Successful ShakeOut Drill Held on Oct. 17
Cypress College participated in the Great Shake Out, a nationwide earthquake and emergency preparation drill on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 10:17 a.m. The drill initiated with a notification informing members of the campus community to drop, cover, and hold on prior to floor marshals launching a full evacuation.
The drill tested both the response team’s work and the communication systems used by NOCCCD for incident response. The drill was held in cooperation with our NOCCCD sister institutions.
Cypress College Represented at Cypress State of the City
Cypress College was represented at the City of Cypress State of the City presentation on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Cypress College President Dr. Scott W. Thayer, Executive Director of the Foundation and Community Relations Howard Kummerman and Development Director Rachel Ghatikar, along with Director of Campus Communications Marc Posner all represented the college at the event, which was presented by Mayor Scott Minikus.
2025 Athletics Hall of Fame Nominations Now Open
Nominations are now open for the 2025 induction into the Cypress College Athletics Hall of Fame are now open. This is your chance to recognize outstanding individuals who have contributed to the excellence and success of our athletics programs. Whether as a student-athlete, coach, or supporter, we want to celebrate those who have made a lasting impact on Cypress College Athletics.
The nomination period runs through November 8, 2024, and the induction ceremony will be held on campus in spring 2025. If you know someone deserving of this prestigious honor, please take a moment to submit their nomination.
Soccer Remains #1 in U.S. While Water Polo Joins State Rankings
The Cypress College Women’s Soccer Team remains undefeated and still sits atop the U.S. national rankings. Meanwhile, the Women’s Water Polo team has made waves by earning a spot in the top ten of the California Community College Women’s Water Polo Coaches Association (CCCWPCA) rankings. A dominant 5-0 week, highlighted by a statement win over seventh-ranked San Diego Miramar, secured the Chargers’ place among the state’s elite teams.
Cypress currently boasts a 10-7 overall record, showing resilience despite facing challenging opponents in the highly competitive Orange Empire Conference (OEC). Several standout performances from key players have contributed to the team’s success, with three Chargers placing among the top five on OEC leaderboards.
- Jillian Van Gemert (Freshman) ranks 3rd in the OEC with 71
- Karly Lepel (Sophomore) follows closely behind, ranked 4th with 53
- Brooke Shiohama (Sophomore) is tied for the 2 spot in the assists category with 29 assists.
Charger Alum Tylor Megill Helping Mets in Playoff Run
Former Cypress College standout and current New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill has propelled the Mets to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the Division Series.
Megill, who has been instrumental in the Mets’ postseason run, will lead the charge as the team awaits the winner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres series, set to conclude tomorrow.
Megill’s rise to Major League Baseball began at Loyola Marymount University before transferring to Cypress College for his sophomore season. As the Chargers’ ace, Megill earned All-Orange Empire Conference 1st Team honors and finished with the second-most wins in the state, boasting an 11-3 record. In his 17 appearances, he tallied 87 strikeouts and a 3.72 ERA over 101.2 innings pitched.
After his success at Cypress College, Megill transferred to the University of Arizona, where he continued to hone his skills before being drafted by the New York Mets. His success in college and in the MLB has solidified his reputation as a top-level pitcher, and he now plays a key role in the Mets’ pursuit of a World Series title.
A multi-sport athlete from Los Alamitos High School, Megill excelled in both baseball and water polo, earning the distinction of participating in the prestigious Area Code Baseball Games twice.
Social Media highlight: Happening This Week
Each week, the Campus Communications team produces and shares a Happening This Week video, which is available on social media, including the campus Instagram account. The weekly video (view a sample) is a helpful way to drive engagement among students and employees.
Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together!