Culinary Instructor Nominated for Teacher of the Year

Hotel, Restaurant, and Culinary Arts instructor Chef Amanda Gargano has been nominated as a 2021 Orange County Teacher of the Year. The award is bestowed by the Orange County Department of Education and SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, and would have been granted to Gargano at a gala, however, the pandemic has put the in-person celebration on hold until at least fall 2021.

Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. and Associated Students representatives broke the news to Gargano with a certificate, flowers, and balloons. A presentation last December, sponsored by the OCDoE honored Gargano, and nominees. The acknowledgement ceremony was attended by David Okawa, Marc Posner, Schilling, and Career and Technical Education Dean Kathleen Reiland.

“In course evaluations, it is striking to see such consistently high marks and comments about Chef Amanda’s instruction from all students,” Reiland says. “Students rave about how wonderfully informative and supportive she is throughout their studies.”

Reiland said Gargano seeks creative learning opportunities and industry connections for the HRC Department, and that she is thrilled to have her at Cypress. Gargano is humble but her inspirational instruction has certainly reached the students who nominated her.

Culinary students gather around instructor Chef Amanda Gargano

Gargano with her culinary students before the pandemic prevented in-person classes.

“My teaching philosophy has always been to pique my students’ curiosity, lead by example, and empower them to be the best version of themselves,” Gargano says. “All students are capable of success!”

Nominees came from 28 school districts, three regional occupation programs, and 10 community colleges in the county. Two other North Orange County Community College faculty received nominations — Dr. Amber Rose González of Fullerton College and Erin Sherard of North Orange Counting Education (NOCE).

Each of the 58 nominees will receive a SchoolsFirst tote bag containing a personalized blanket, an all-access pass to OCDE Professional Learning Opportunities, an invitation to the Teachers of the Year gala, and other gifts — including a cash award of $500 from SchoolsFirst. Additionally, the Orange County Teachers of the Year Award Foundation provided each nominee with a gift of $3,000.

New Course: Civic Engagement in Public Health

Our current health crisis, along with changing political tides, has caused many to reevaluate the support networks in place for health and human services. At Cypress College, a new class could inform and prepare students for work in reinforcing structures that help communities navigate public health concerns.

KIN 289—Civic Engagement in Public Health (CRN 24245) educates students in several areas of supportive services. The class aims to instruct on assessing health education, create health and education programs based the needs of different populations, and design and facilitate health education trainings.

“Students completing this course will gain appreciation of community as a unit of identity,” instructor Silvie Grote says. “From a social justice perspective and with focus on health equity research for action, students will learn to lead initiatives to promote community health and community wellbeing.”

The class is offered as a required course for the Community Health Worker Certificate as well as for students who are passionate about health of their communities and want to gain skills to bring about change. Students will have the opportunity to put their instruction into practice, as the course includes 60 hours of internship in the area of public health engagement.

To enroll, visit the Cypress College spring 2021 class schedule here.

Take a Virtual Tour of Art Professor’s Studio

Cypress College art professor Paul Paiement will lead a virtual tour of his studio over Instagram Tuesday, January 19, at 2 p.m. An Instagram Live video by Tufenkian Fine Arts will show the interior of his Long Beach creative space as the first in its series of visits.

Painting by Cypress College art professor Paul Paiement of rolling hills and an abstract building.

Glendale-based Tufenkian announced the new series of online virtual artist studio visits on January 10 on its Instagram page. Click to view the upcoming visit.

Art professor Paul Paiement painting of trees mirroring each other in a forest.

To see more of Paul Paiement’s work, visit his website.

T-TEN Program Ranks First in Tests Passed per Student for Two Years in a Row

Cypress College’s T-TEN program has been recognized for the highest Automotive Service Excellence tests passed per student, for the second year in a row. The Automotive Technology Department program also was recognized for having 22 graduates in 2020, a year hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The news was announced during the Toyota Technician Training and Education Network (T-TEN) annual conference the week of January 4. At the conference, Michael Klyde was recognized for serving on the T-TEN Safe Labs Project, the Distance Learning Team (which provided training to T-TEN instructors on Distance Education), and the T-TEN Instructor Community Board. He also presented two of the sessions during the event.

The Cypress T-TEN program earned an additional Techstream diagnostic scan tool to reward its ASE pass rate. There are eight ASE tests in the Master Automotive Series and the Cypress T-TEN class of 2020 had an average of 6.2 per student.

This is the second Techstream, valued at over $8,000, that the Cypress T-TEN program has earned in the past three months. It was awarded by Toyota for the Automotive Technology recruiting efforts this past November, during which Klyde interviewed 13 potential T-TEN students online. Since September, he has interviewed more than 35 potential T-TEN students.

“T-TEN and the entire Automotive Technology Department have stepped up in the face of COVID-19 to make the adjustments necessary to maintain a viable program for the past year,” Career and Technical Education Dean Kathleen Reiland says. “Our students are lucky to have such vested faculty, staff, and counselors to support our students’ success.”

“It is also good to hear that T-TEN recognized you for your work in providing pandemic related resources to Cypress College and other colleges to ensure safe lab usage and quality distance learning,” Reiland says.

Happy Holidays from Cypress College!

It brings us joy to share this year’s Cypress College video holiday card, which was initially designed by then-student art student Ken Huynh, who is now enrolled at Cal State Fullerton. We have added some highlight moments from this unique year — including a transformation from in-person to remote instruction.

As 2020 comes to a close, Cypress College will pause instruction and services starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. We will be back to serve you — refreshed and re-charged — on Monday, January 4, 2021.

“As we dream of a brighter future, I wish you and your families the best for a peaceful and restful holiday season,” said Cypress College President Dr. Schilling, Ph.D., in sharing the holiday card with the campus and broader community.

View our full year in review “Rewind 2020” video.

From all of us here at Cypress College, we wish you a most joyful holiday season. We hope you enjoy the holiday greetings in our campus card and the well-deserved rest during the upcoming winter recess.

President Schilling’s Board Report for December 15, 2020

The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees

Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.

on December 15, 2020

This year, instead of an in-person gathering for the holidays, Cypress College is presenting the Festival of Holidays, which commemorates the many ways cultures across the globe celebrate this time of the year.

For 14 work days, from December 1–18, faculty and staff have been receiving a different holiday greeting. When recipients click on the envelope to open the message, they discover a new holiday tradition and have the chance to enter a daily holiday raffle. Follow us as we visit holidays around the globe.

On Wednesday, December 9, the EOPS/CARE/CalWORKs and Guardian Scholars team hosted a drive-thru distribution of holiday cheer and gifts for approximately 50 of our students and their children. Every year the Cypress College community steps up to provide the generous donations and donated gifts from staff, faculty, and administrators that make this event and the “wish lists” of these children possible. Thank you to all who contributed this year. You have made these children and their parents feel loved and appreciated this holiday season!

The Cypress College Debate Event against Irvine Valley College was held on November 18. The topic was “Resolved: When casting actors, preference should be given to actors within the identities of the characters being portrayed.” Thank you to Co-Director Bill Neesen and the students from Irvine Valley College for a great debate. Thirty-two (32) students participated and IVC won the debate by only 1 vote. Another event was held on November 19, with the theme of “My Diversity Story.” Congratulations to Fatima Gonzalez Gomez for winning the $50 prize! Thank you to judges Eldon Young, Billy Pashaie, and Jolena Grande for taking time out of their busy schedules to participate as judges for these events.

The 4th Annual Transfer/Pre-Graduation Fair was held on November 20. More than 350 students participated in the virtual event and interacted with recruiters from over 65 four-year colleges and universities. Additionally, students received important information about graduation deadlines, academic regalia, and were able to strategize with Cypress College student support offices about how to receive similar support services at four-year institutions. And a special thank you to Howard Kummerman and the Cypress College Foundation for contributing scholarships to Transfer/Pre-Graduation Fair student participants.

The week of November 16-20 was 2020 International Education Week. Normally, the ISP & International Club would coordinate and hold an event to promote the importance and benefits of international education. Instead, Vivian Kim and Director Yongmi Han designed a special edition of International Focus, ISP Newsletter, highlighting our international students and their academic accomplishments for the past two years.

The Theater Arts Department’s fall production of Chrysalis streamed for free on November 19-20. Chrysalis was a poetic and emotional response to the struggles of 2020, written and performed by our students and directed by Professor Jennifer McMillin-Brick. Thank you to the Theater Arts Department for a wonderful production and for providing an original and beautiful opportunity for our students to express themselves.

The Health Center continues its Let’s Talk flyer series serving students during this time of isolation. Let’s Talk provides a space for students to connect with others, while providing them with tools and skills to manage stress and anxiety. In addition, the Cypress College Nursing Department held a joint workshop with the ARISE team on November 25. The workshop covered how to create Healthy Habits Over the Holidays. These are just a few ways our faculty and staff are serving students during this pandemic.

Students in the Mortuary Science Program held the Mortuary Science Department Annual Memorial Service on December 3. Over the years this event, memorializing those from the county morgue who died without a proper burial, is organized by our students and faculty and has been held in various locations on our beautiful campus, including the Duck Pond, the Campanile, and the Theater Lobby. The event was held virtually this year. Thank you to faculty member Lori Collins for assisting our students plan this event.

The virtual #RealCollegeCA Basic Needs Summit was held on December 4, co-chaired by Cypress College and Imperial Valley College. The theme of this year’s summit was Fostering Resiliency During a Pandemic. The summit, which welcomed over 500 participants, included workshops and panel presentations covering topics such as food security, housing, remote learning technology, fundraising efforts, and community partnerships. Soledad O’Brien served as the keynote speaker and agreed to waive her $2000 honorarium to provide four $500 scholarships offered as a drawing for all students who attended. A Cypress student, Gabriel Lauro, was one of the lucky winners! Thank you Trustees Dunsheath and Rodarte for attending; special thanks to Marc Posner and his entire team, as well as Kristi Valdez, who spent countless hours helping plan the event and offered amazing technical support throughout the day. Click here to view the keynote with Soledad O’Brien.

The Legacy Program held their Annual Kwanza Celebration on December 8. Dr. Douglas served as the keynote speaker. Our students worked in teams to present the seven principles of Kwanzaa and created amazing video expressing these principles. Thank you to Regina Rhymes and our faculty leaders and mentors for their support of our Legacy scholars and for organizing this meaningful event.

It was an honor to celebrate Cypress’ Culinary Arts professor, Amanda Gargano, on December 7 with a presentation sponsored by the OC Department of Education. Amanda was named Orange County Teacher of the Year, and the acknowledgement ceremony was attended by Dean Kathleen Reiland, David Okawa, Marc Posner, and JoAnna Schilling. Normally we would have the opportunity to celebrate Amanda’s honor at the Disneyland Hotel, but we were happy to be able to let her know how proud we are of this accomplishment and hope to celebrate together next year! See photos at the end of this report!

On December 3, the Cypress College Psychology Department, led by faculty members Dr. Brandy Young and Dr. Randy Martinez, hosted the Fall 2020 Psi Beta Induction Ceremony. This induction is for the Honors Psychology students who have maintained a 3.2 GPA or higher in their major. Dr. Schilling and Dr. Gaetje had the pleasure of attending and supporting these young scholars.

Cypress In The News: Cypress was featured twice this week – in NPR’s piece by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez highlighting enrollment across our region and student challenges during the pandemic. Counselor Anne Marie Beck and dance student Briana Sanchez were featured in this story sharing the difficult decisions students are facing to stay in school or support their families. Here is the link to this important story. Cypress was also mentioned in Superintendent Mike Matsuda’s article in Working Nation, highlighting dual enrollment student Anthony Gomez who attended Cypress College and interned at Hulu. Read this great article on creating equitable work and learning environments during the pandemic and the relationship between AUHSD, Cypress College, and our industry partners.

Upcoming Events

The Guided Pathways Workgroup is happy to announce an Adjunct Learning Day on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. This event is designed to familiarize attendees with current initiatives being implemented under Guided Pathways. It will also provide an opportunity to connect with other adjunct faculty, learn more about the leadership of the college, find ways to have the adjunct voice included, and enhance their knowledge of how to connect students with support services at Cypress College.

Dr. Frank Harris will be a guest speaker at two events this spring. He will be attending our Dean’s Retreat on January 11 and again at the Student Services Kickoff in February. Thank you to VPs Dr. Douglas and Dr. de Dios for planning these events and leading your respective teams!

Dr. Schilling, Dr. Reiland, and Teacher of the Year Amanda Gargano

Celebrating Amanda Gargano, Cypress College Orange County Teacher of The Year!

Buen Cypress and Happy Holidays! We Take This Journey Together!

Dental Hygiene Clinic Upgrades

The Cypress College Dental Hygiene Clinic recently underwent a major renovation, to support the needs of the program and improve student success. The $50,000 investment in the award-winning Dental Hygiene program facilitated several significant upgrades.

The renovation includes new dental cabinetry, sterilization center, new ADA-compliant reception desk, front office, chairside power and data, portable aerosol collection units, dental grade air purifiers, chairside partitions, and privacy screens. In addition, the dental hygiene classroom has new computer workstations, power/data, and laptop computers.

“It looks like a professional dental lab, it looks beautiful,” Peter Maharaj, Ph.D., Manager, Technology Services and Academic Computing. He led the electrical and technological upgrade efforts. “Furniture, power, data and all the technology that’s associated with it to support the program have been very central.”

Funding came primarily from the Strong Workforce program. Cypress College provided additional financial support for equipment and supplies recommenced by the Dental Hygiene Board of California for compliance and COVID-19 regulations.

Dental hygiene procedures such as teeth cleaning and polishing can expose patients, students, faculty and staff to aerosols, so COVID-19 precautions needed to be taken. Six JADE Air Purifiers and 16 chairside Aerosol Collection Units were installed to address this need.

2020 Annual Safety and Security Report Released in Compliance with the Clery Act

Cypress College’s 2020 Annual Safety and Security Report is now available. The report meets the federal requirements intended to provide students and the public with access to information critical to their safety.

The Campus Safety Department prepares this report annually to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act. The report is prepared in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies near our main campus and the North Orange County Community College District Office.

The report can be viewed in the Campus Safety section of the college website, which is linked in the footer of every page. The report is available directly here. If desired, paper copies of the report will be available through the Campus Safety Office.

If you see something, say something

Cypress College takes matters related to personal and campus safety seriously. Suspicious activity should be reported to Campus Safety and/or Cypress Police immediately. Providing such information may prevent someone else from becoming a victim. Campus Safety can be reached 24-7 at (714) 484-7387. All members of the campus community are encouraged to program the number into their mobile devices.

As part of our commitment to safety, Cypress College plans and implement drills each semester. When appropriate, Cypress College issues Timely Warnings in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act. For more information, visit the main Campus Safety page.

The Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies. All public and private post secondary educational institutions participating in federal student aid programs are required to comply with it.

The law, originally enacted by Congress in 1990 as the Campus Security Act, was initiated by Howard and Connie Clery after their daughter Jeanne was tragically murdered at Lehigh University in 1986. Amendments to the Act in 1998 renamed it in memory of Jeanne Clery.

VRC Presents Virtual Wall of Heroes on 101st Annual Veterans Day Observance

November 11, 2020 marked the 101st annual observance of Veterans Day, which originated as Armistice Day on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday in 1938.

In celebration of this year’s Veterans Day, our Veterans Resource Center collected submissions for its virtual Wall of Heroes to honor and recognize those who have served.

See the virtual Wall of Heroes here.

ARISE Hub Provides Cypress College with Online Support to Students Struggling with Isolation

In a time when college students might feel particularly isolated from the world due to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cypress College and sister campus North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) are offering students a bit of reprieve in the form of social and mental health support.

The ARISE (Academics, Relationships, Independence, Self-Advocacy, Emotional Health) Hub, which has locations at Cypress College and other NOCE locations, had served as a space for students, faculty, and staff to come and unwind from the stress of college life. Originally, the facility was designed to be a comforting, stimulus-sensitive space for students with autism and other mental health conditions, but evolved when the hubs realized that all students and faculty could benefit from their services.

Cypress College’s ARISE Hub physical space was slated to open this year, but was sidelined due to the pandemic. As on-campus activities were moved to online, facilitators and counselors for the ARISE Hub knew students would need socio-emotional and mental health support more than ever — so they brainstormed ways to pivot and move their efforts to assist students virtually.

NOCE ARISE faculty coordinator Casey Sousa said the facilities and their virtual counterparts were designed with the needs of the college student. The hope is that by providing students and faculty with mental and socio-emotional support, their academics will also improve.

“(The ARISE Hubs) are helpful for everyone: the biggest expansion has been recognizing this holistic approach and having a place for students to go when things are really overwhelming,” said Sousa. “So we are an academic institution but all of these areas impact that.”

Facilitators have made sure that students are still having the most “real college” experience they can possibly have, in spite of the lack of on-campus activities. To date, the ARISE Hub has hosted virtual talent shows, movie nights, and social hours to keep students connected and socializing.

Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. said the college is committed to supporting the health of students, faculty, and staff.

“Now, perhaps more than any point in recent memory, it is important to focus on our wellbeing and the wellbeing of others in our community,” Dr. Schilling said. “We have launched ARISE to serve as a virtual Wellness Center for all students at Cypress College. This space is also a symbol of successful partnerships as it was created in partnership with our sister campus, NOCE. Together, we are able to provide social hours for students to connect, study hours and workshops to help guide students with college-related issues, social support and community building, and emotional and mental health wellness support.”

Beyond social activities, counselors hope to teach students coping strategies so they can take those skills with them as they move beyond community college to either a four-year university or into the workforce.

“We teach our students self-advocacy so that they can take care of themselves even when we’re not around,” said Cypress College ARISE Counselor Sneha Kohli Mathur.

Workshops held by the program include coping strategies, mindfulness exercises, guided meditation, and how to deal with “Zoom-fatigue.”

For more information about the ARISE Hub at Cypress College, please email Sneha Mathur smathur@cypresscollege.edu, ARISE@noce.edu, or call (714) 484-7465.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College offers students a pathway to their future in an environment in which employees commit to joining students on their educational journey. The college’s half-million-plus alumni include actors, athletes, doctors, executives, mechanics, nurses, and teachers. For some, Cypress College is the ticket into their university of choice, and for others, it provides essential training for a prosperous career. Just one Cypress College class is often all it takes to provide cutting-edge skills that lead to a promotion or a new job.

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College provides a pathway for each of our students, offering 56 university-transfer majors, 174 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 98 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Eligible first-time students qualify for free tuition through Cypress College’s Charger Experience promise program. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Cypress College is one of three campuses in the North Orange County Community College District and a member of the 116-campus California Community College system. The college primarily serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Stanton.

Located at 9200 Valley View Street in Cypress, the college is easily accessible from several Southern California freeways, including the 5, 91, 605, 22, and 405. The campus is just a stone’s-throw from Downtown Disney and Knott’s Berry Farm.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Cypress College’s instruction and services are offered primarily in a remote format. Students can access support services online at cypresscollege.edu/coronavirus.

—30—

Virtual Apps, Cloud Storage Available for Students

Cypress College Academic Computing has built a virtual platform for students to access several high-powered software applications and file storage capacity. By visiting my.cypresscollege.edu, all enrolled students have 24/7 access to My Office Online, featuring the Microsoft suite of programs and file storage through One Drive, along with the new Virtual Labs called the Charger Cloud. The Charger Cloud offers access to a broader range of programs, depending on the courses in which students are enrolled, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, Autodesk AutoCAD, and IBM SPSS.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted access to the campus physical computer labs, so we went to the cloud and offered virtual services,” Dr. Peter Maharaj, manager of Technology Services & Academic Computing, said.

Students’ coursework can benefit from this in multiple ways. If a student completes a written assignment using MS Word, they can save the file via their One Drive, and then access via Charger Cloud to store even more information. If the student completes an assignment that requires the IBM SPSS application, they can save the project automatically to their One Drive as well, and have the convenience of accessing it anywhere, anytime.

“The processing power occurs in the cloud, so students don’t need access to a powerful computer,” Dr. Maharaj said. “The use of Chromebooks offers a more accessible resource to these services with a lower entry. Cypress College offers Chromebooks to our students through the great work by the staff in the Library and LRC in support of our students’ learning needs; this allows students to utilize programs to complete assignments for their classes during the time the campus is closed.”

We control the Charger Cloud using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to scale resources based on demands and ensure access to our enrolled students, Dr. Maharaj says. The controls in place allow the college to scale resources and support Cypress College student and faculty technology needs for both teaching and learning.

“Learning does not occur between fixed time; rather, we can have our virtual labs and resources to accommodate our student body to learn whenever and wherever they choose,” Dr. Maharaj said. “As a college, we have to be proactive, agile, and be ready to lead our students and support our colleagues through these challenging times. Cypress College has led the way with support from faculty and staff, including drive-up Wi-Fi, VoIP, touchless services, hardware distribution, technology training, and new cloud services to ensure operational sustainability.”

Grads to Be Program Adds Free Legal Consults for Campus Community

Cypress College has been selected by the CCCCO, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the California Department of Social Services as a pilot school to provide free legal services to our undocumented students and neighboring communities. We have contracted with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), to provide free legal services to students. This new service will further enhance our Grads to Be Program for undocumented students by providing additional resources and support.

If you are a student needing immigration legal services, CHIRLA, can help. They serve students, faculty and staff to ensure their rights and protections. The CHIRLA immigration attorneys and Department of Justice representatives provide culturally competent, reliable expertise with sensitivity to the trauma our immigrant community regularly sustains.

To book a free confidential virtual appointment, visit legal.chirla.org/ and select Cypress College.

Cypress College Reports First Student-Related COVID-19 Case of 2020-21 Academic Year

A Cypress College student who is currently enrolled in a class that meets intermittently on campus tested positive for COVID-19. The student notified Cypress College of a positive test result on Thursday, October 8, and was last on campus the morning of October 1.

Tracing information provided by the student states that appropriate protective equipment, including a face mask, plastic shield, and gloves were worn at all times when the student was on campus. In addition, the student did not have either direct or prolonged contact with anyone else on campus. The student reported no needs of support from the college and is self-isolating in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.

According to the CDC, “A potential exposure means having close contact within 6 feet of an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more without Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The timeframe for having contact with an individual includes the period of time of 48 hours before the individual became symptomatic.”

While the CDC guidelines for potential transmission exposure to others was not met in this instance, Cypress College has notified all students in the course, along with the instructor and staff member who was assisting that day, so that they are informed about the positive COVID-19 result. To be cautious, Cypress College has encouraged each student enrolled in the class to self-quarantine at home and to practice physical distancing. In addition, Cypress College has made available its Health Center professionals to answer questions or to provide additional guidance and support to these students.

In advance of the semester, Cypress College launched its “We Above Me” Health and Safety Protocol campaign which connected the college’s motto with the need for safety precautions both on and off campus.

All participants in on-campus coursework and study sessions must complete a health and wellness screening in the college’s mobile app prior to participating. Students are not permitted to participate in on-campus activities if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or if they believe they may have been exposed to someone with the virus. In addition, masks and social distancing are required at all times while on the Cypress College campus.

New On-Campus Charger Study Space Now Open

Cypress College is providing a new, safe study space on campus for students to use throughout the fall semester.

The study space will be available Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Make a mandatory appointment in two-hour blocks using the college’s Cypress Connect app. If you haven’t downloaded the app already, please download it here.

To complete your reservation time, please go to our COVID-19 module within the mobile app. Next, complete the required Wellness Check Form, also located in the COVID-19 module in the app, each time before coming onto campus. Wear a mask while on campus and maintain a distance of at least 6 ft. with others.
Additional guidelines are available below:

I made an appointment. How do I access the study space?
You may enter the study space using the designated access area from Lot 1 through Gateway Plaza only.

Will charging outlets be available?
Limited charging outlets will be available in the study space. It is strongly recommended that you charge all of your devices prior to coming on campus.

Will I be able to use the restroom while on campus?
Yes, there will be designated restrooms and hand-washing stations for use. You must wipe down or spray each area touched after each use.

Can I eat while studying?
No, food is not allowed in the study space. There will be designated areas for eating. Please ask a staff member about these designated areas.

Is it OK for me to attend a Zoom class while at the study space?
Certainly! To be considerate of others using the study space, you are required to use head/earphones if you are taking a live Zoom class that requires sound and interaction.

Can I go anywhere else on campus?
No. Students must stay in the study area only. When exiting campus, leave the study space area and return straight to your transportation. Exceptions will be made for students with an on-campus class before or after using the study space; however, these students are also limited to accessing only those areas at the entry point identified by their instructors.

What health and safety precautions are being taken to provide this study space?
You must wear a mask while on campus, and may only remove it when seated at your designated study space and at least 6 feet away from anyone else. Hand sanitizer will also be available to students at every table.

The study spaces must be wiped down and disinfected with provided materials by students and staff after each use, and the campus’ Maintenance and Operations team will do a nightly deep cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing.

Register to Vote, Help Cypress College Win Ballot Bowl

The California Secretary of State, along with each California higher education system and the Lieutenant Governor, has created the California Students Vote Project (CSVP). The goal of the CSVP is to help improve student civic engagement, the Secretary of State’s Office wrote in an email sent to California colleges and universities.

As part of this goal, California colleges and universities have been asked to participate in the second Ballot Bowl, a competition encouraging students to vote. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo won the last Ballot Bowl with over 3,000 registrations, according to an email sent by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Can Cypress College win this year? To do so, we need your help! Register to vote here.

Professor Jenelle Herman Earns Annual Diversity Award

Faculty member Jenelle Herman is the recipient of Cypress College’s 2019-2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. Herman has served as a full-time member of the English as a Second Language Department faculty since Fall 2016. She also is an advisor for the LGTBQ student club, has been a mentor for the Legacy Program, serves on the college DEI Committee, and spearheaded the planning of Coming Out Day at Cypress College.

“This year one name rose to the top for her work in ensuring that all voices are heard at our college, for her fierce advocacy on behalf of our LGBTQ community, and despite her own personal fight with cancer this past semester, she has never stopped fighting for our LGBTQ students to be treated with dignity and respect,” President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., said during the award presentation. “Jenelle has worked tirelessly to advocate for preferred names on our rosters and in Canvas, for the need for gender neutral restrooms and is currently serving as the campus LGBTQ faculty coordinator, among so much more.”

The annual award is presented based on nominations made to the college’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Nominations are evaluated for individuals or groups that: Demonstrates outstanding effort in support of advancing the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and in our communities.

Cypress College Affirms that Black Lives Matter and Our Commitment to Racial Equity

As we begin our summer, the tragic events unfolding across our nation demand a response, so please allow me to affirm our commitment to our work in support of equity on the Cypress College campus. Recent events remind us, yet again, there is no escaping just how far we have to go to eradicate the awful stain of racism within our communities and institutions. 400 years after the first enslaved people were forcibly taken from their homes, 160 years after their descendants were “freed,” 60 years after the civil rights movement, we still live in a country where too many of our citizens cannot go about their daily lives without the fear that a trip to the store, a jog down the street, or a drive into a new neighborhood could result in violence or death. Each death, each act of bigoted violence, each moment someone is silenced or told they don’t belong, diminishes each of us. It is a pain that cannot be ignored.

Cypress College is a member of the Equity Alliance. See the Black Lives Matter Task Force Recommendations.

President Schilling’s Board Report for July 28, 2020

The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees.

Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.

on July 28, 2020

In the last month, our campus community continues to address the challenges brought on by the surge in COVID-19 cases, the continued commitment to addressing anti-racism on our campus and in our communities, and challenges posed by budget and declining enrollment. Despite our enrollment being up by 1% for summer, our fall enrollment is down almost 5%, an alarming trend. Although this is in line with other colleges across the state, the feedback we received from students indicated they would be returning in the fall. We are actively reaching out to all students who have missed a registration appointment to determine how we can assist and support. This summer has been anything but quiet and I am grateful for the faculty, staff, and managers who have delayed or shortened their own vacation time to address the important issues facing our college.

Community College Equity Leadership Alliance: Cypress College will be participating in USC’s Race and Equity Center’s Equity Leadership Alliance with other community colleges across the state. This alliance will provide the college with access to a 12-month curriculum led by racial-equity experts; an online resource library of rubrics, readings, and case studies; guidance on designing action plans; and climate surveys for students, faculty, and staff members. The first eConvening will be from 1-5 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. The topic will be Fostering and Sustaining Inclusive Classrooms for Students of Color. Attention will be paid to equitable teaching practices in virtual and traditional on-campus learning environments. A decision will be made on which participants will take part at this eConvening by the Equity Alliance Task Force at our meeting July 28.

Black Faculty and Staff Association Task Force: A group of Cypress College BFSA members have been meeting the past 5 weeks to identify and make recommendations on six areas for change as we grapple with becoming an anti-racist campus. These six subcommittees are: 1) Documents, Compliance and Policies; 2) Campus, District Committees; 3) Institutional Hiring Committees; 4) Curriculum; 5) Special Programs; 6) Student Needs. My thanks to the leaders of these committees, Annette Letcher, Fola Odebunmi, Daniel Lind, Virgil Adams, Renee Ssensalo, and Deidre Porter.

Black Minds Matter: The Cypress College Executive Team is taking part in the Black Minds Matter webinar series provided by CSUSD. This weekly series is offered each Thursday beginning July 16 and continues through August 13.

Our COVID-19 Response Team continues to meet throughout the summer to address planning for the fall semester. The Response Team is identifying the equipment, PPE, and other safety requirements for an eventual re-opening of the campus, when it is deemed safe. The C-19 Response Team is working in tandem with our Emergency Operations Committee to plan for C-19-related and other emergencies requiring a clear and informed response. As we have seen a spike in employee cases of C-19, we continue to modify our plan for remote work, and have developed protocols for those limited courses that still require some F2F instruction on campus.

Athletics moves to spring semester: The CCCAA Board of Directors overwhelmingly approved implementation of its Contingency Plan on Thursday, July 17, providing a return to intercollegiate athletics for the 2020-21 academic year that shifts all sports to the spring season. The return to athletics in January will only occur if it is safe to do so, a decision that will be guided primarily by state and local health guidelines. The Contingency Plan can be viewed here.

Food Distribution: Our food bank, which is closed during the campus closure, will be re-opening in August in collaboration with NOCE and Pathways of HOPE. The college will be implementing a weekly drive-up food distribution for all students on the Cypress campus each Tuesday, as well as virtual appointments to assist with student housing needs. Volunteers will be needed each week to assist.

Caring Campus Kick Off: We are happy to announce the classified employees who have agreed to be Caring Campus Coaches this year. They are: Summer Justice, Diana Domingo, Evelyn Lindley, Cari Jorgensen, Tayler Thomas, Mohammad Chaudry, Jodie Thomas, Sarah Barriga, Angela Haugh, Ayman Gadalla, Anne Marie Valadez, Ashley Berry, Temperance Dowdle, Belinda Allen, Cindy Lopez, Julie Vorathavorn, Vivian Kim, Gloria Ortega, and Cindy Cao. The upcoming coaching sessions are scheduled for: Session 1, July 28; Session 2, August 18; Session 3, September 15; Session 4, October 6. Thank you to Lisa Gaetje and Ruth Gutierrez for organizing our classified employees as part of IEBC’s Caring Campus Initiative.

Cypress College in the News: Our STEM(2) program was recently named as one of NASA’s 11 top community colleges in the nation for their work as a minority-serving institution. This honor comes with funding to help recruit and retain more underrepresented students in the STEM fields, while providing opportunities for research internships with NASA. Congratulations Yanet Garcia and the STEM(2) team!

For the third year in a row, Cypress College was voted as the Long Beach Press-Telegrams’ Best Community College, by its readers. This designation was given by readers and students at surrounding community colleges (including Cerritos, Long Beach, Golden West, El Camino, and Compton colleges) for our student-friendly outreach, support for students and community, and for being the college students most want to attend. Congratulations for the continued excellence of our faculty, staff, and administrators.

Congratulations is also in order for the Cypress College IT team for the recent recognition by Modo Labs at the 2020 Appademy Awards for Best Student Driven Mobile Application. Cypress beat out other institutions across the country, including runners-up Penn State and UC Berkeley, for this honor. We are very proud of the work performed by students James, Chia, Tareq, and Urjaa on the projects they worked on and for the support of our IT team to move us forward in the digital application ecosystem.

A reminder to our board that our Opening Day convocation will be held virtually this year on August 20 from 9–11 a.m. On August 19, the FLEX Day focus will be on Distance Learning, in collaboration with Fullerton College. The Opening Day event will feature a virtual guest speaker discussing the laws that support racism against our communities of color, followed by a panel of our Black faculty who will discuss their personal and professional experiences with racism. We hope you will join us for this virtual event.

Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together!

International Students Will Remain in U.S. After Federal Government Relents on ICE Plan

Last week we shared with the campus community that the Trump Administration, through Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was moving to expel international students from the United States unless their campus offered in-person instruction in the fall. Today, we have good news: at a court hearing seeking to block implementation of the plan, the White House reversed course fully — meaning our international students will be able to remain enrolled in the fall semester.

To those employees and students who expressed concern and advocated on behalf of our international students: thank you.

Cypress College is home to 160 students (30 new and 130 continuing on from last academic year) as part of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, known as SEVP. Both Cypress College and the California Community Colleges made immediate pledges to support our students. The State of California — on behalf of students enrolled in the California Community Colleges, the California State University system, and the University of California system — was among the groups seeking legal intervention.

Here is some information from the Associated Press (full AP story):

Facing eight federal lawsuits and opposition from hundreds of universities, the Trump administration on Tuesday rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer or leave the country if their schools held classes entirely online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was announced at the start of a hearing in a federal lawsuit in Boston brought by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs said federal immigration authorities agreed to pull the July 6 directive and “return to the status quo.”

Today’s decision is a full and complete reversal, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, which posted a partial transcript of the court procedures.

International students who have any questions can reach out to Yongmi Han, our International Students Program manager, at international@cypresscollege.edu.

Cypress College Supports Our International Students

We know that this week’s surprise announcement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement related to the status of international students across the nation is both jarring and stressful for many of us in the campus community.

Cypress College wants all of our international students to know that we stand with you and we are already designing a strategy to facilitate your continued education here in the fall and through completion. You have all already been contacted by Yongmi Han, our International Students Program manager. She and the ISP staff are available to you at this time via email at international@cypresscollege.edu, and our college administration is here for you.

Rest assured that her communication to our Cypress College international students is just the first of many steps. Cypress College, along with California’s other colleges and universities, will be working tirelessly to keep our students here in this country, and moving forward with your academic journey at Cypress College.

JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
President
Cypress College

Cypress College ESL Among the First in SoCal to Offer Transfer-level Composition ESL Course with UC/CSU Approval

The Cypress College ESL Department is proud to offer a NEW course: ESL 110 C College Composition for Non-Native Speakers (5 units). Starting Fall 2020, students have another option for freshman composition. ESL 110 C is among the first course of its kind in all of Southern California, and Cypress is one of only seven California community colleges to have an ESL course specifically designed for English language learners to complete their UC/CSU composition requirements.

ESL 110 C College Composition for Non-Native Speakers focuses on language. It meets the Written Communication requirements for both UC/CSU transfer as well as Cypress College AA/AS degrees.

ESL 110 C Fast Facts:

Approved for transfer to the UCs (IGETC 1A)
Approved for transfer to the CSUs (CSU A2)
Approved for Cypress College AA/AS degrees (A1)
5 units
Remote and fully online options available for Fall 2020

ESL 110 C is ideal for students wanting ongoing grammar and vocabulary instruction in their composition course. For more information, contact a Cypress College counselor or send an email to ESL@cypresscollege.edu.

Cypress College Named One of NASA’s 11 Minority-Serving Community Colleges

Cypress College has been named a NASA Community College Aerospace Scholar (NCAS) and was awarded $62,500 with the goal of attracting and retaining more minority students in STEM careers.

Just 11 community colleges nationwide were chosen as a minority serving NCAS, splitting a total of $800,000 in awards funded by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). The award will be used at Cypress College to increase diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields by implementing NASA’s evidence-based NCAS model on campus.

NASA on Campus engages students in NASA missions and research through blended learning experiences of online research and activities with NASA-affiliated research labs, museums, industry partners and NASA internships.

“This award provides even more opportunities to educate and serve our students,” Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. said. “We are proud to be a minority-serving institution partnering with NASA, and honored to be recognized for creating access to underrepresented students in the emerging science and technology fields.”

Cypress College STEM students who successfully complete the five-week online course are invited to a four-day, on-campus engineering design and robotics competition. The competition offers first and second-year students a hands-on, collaborative engineering experience early in their college careers and further connects students with NASA content and experts in the STEM field.

“We are elated to be one of three California community colleges selected for this amazing opportunity,” said Yanet Garcia, STEM Program Director. “Over 160 of our STEM students will gain this NASA experience during the next four years.”

Cypress faculty will begin training this summer. Through a blend of individual and group online activities, the training will build toward a campus onsite event in fall of 2021.

For more information about STEM at Cypress College, visit cypresscollege.edu/academics/divisions-special-programs/science-engineering-math.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 174 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 98 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Cypress College is one of three campuses in the North Orange County Community College District and a member of the 115-campus California Community College system. The college primarily serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Stanton.

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all of Cypress Colleges and services are offered remotely. Students can access support services online at cypresscollege.edu/coronavirus.

—30—

Engineering Technology New Equipment Makes Program “One of the Best”

Engineering Technology recently acquired new equipment and software licenses to assist students. The additions have raised the quality of the program above and beyond others, according to Professor of Engineering & Engineering Technology Massoud Saleh.

“Our Mechatronics lab is one of the best and most complete labs anywhere,” as a result of the recent purchases, Saleh says.

The following is a list of the new additions:

Ten computer stations added to room 102, converting the lab to a computer lab
Eight units of Elvis III
Quanser sensor and mechatronics panels, for hands-on training of the students
A Parker Hydraulic/Pneumatic trainer cart (our system is the newer version that is more compact than the one in the video but has same functionalities)
License to LabVIEW. This is software that also can be used as a virtual replacement of some equipment for remote teaching. More information about LabVIEW can be found here:

“We were able to purchase a sample of almost every type of sensor out there for hands-on training of the students,” Saleh says. “These sensors can be connected to Labview for a realistic analysis of any system in form of a digital twin.”

Cypress College Among Initial Members of New USC-Based Equity Leadership Alliance

Cypress College is among the initial members of the California Community College Equity Leadership Alliance, an initiative from the USC Race and Equity Center formed in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and nationwide protests. The alliance is an effort to move from words to action.

“Cypress College is committed to addressing institutional racism and improving the experiences and outcomes of our Black employees and students,” said Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “We have always focused on ensuring our students of color have access to a welcoming environment, a quality education, and successful results in the classroom. But we must do more.”

In the past week, the college’s Associated Students held a town hall, and plans are in place for similar forums throughout the coming academic year. A series of employee town halls have been organized and a campus wide equity retreat — originally planned for March, but delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic — is being re-scheduled in a remote format for the fall semester.

“Our students and employees want to know they will be seen and heard, and we must all be part of the solution to make sure we not only create a space for meaningful dialogue, but are a campus that allows for engagement to flourish,” Dr. Schilling said. “Our vision is to ensure we have the best people working here at Cypress and continue to hire dynamic and diverse employees who demonstrate compassion for, and commitment to, ensuring equity and student success.”

Joining the alliance is a significant step in forwarding the college’s goals on equity. The alliance will: help Cypress College improve professional development related to equity issues; provide access to a racial equity resource portal with tools for all campus employees; and administer a national campus climate survey to measure metrics such as belonging, encounters with racism, cross-cultural interactions, and more.

The alliance was formed by Dr. Shaun Harper, who directs USC’s Race and Equity Center. He is a nationally recognized expert on race and equity.

“Merely proclaiming in written statements that Black Lives Matter is insufficient,” said USC Rossier School of Education Professor Harper in a release. “I am grateful to the presidents who responded favorably to my invitation to take serious, strategic action to dismantle systemic racism, address longstanding racial climate problems and eliminate racial inequities on their campuses.”

For more information about Cypress College, visit cypresscollege.edu.

About Cypress College:

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all of Cypress Colleges and services are offered remotely. Students can access support services online at cypresscollege.edu/coronavirus.

—30—

Cypress College Partners with National Guard in 22-Week Jobs ChalleNGe CTE Academy

Cypress College was awarded the 2020 National CyberWatch: Innovations in Cyber Security Education award for their work with Jobs Challenge last semester. This is the second consecutive year in a row that the Cypress College Cybersecurity Program is being honored.

The program is led by Ben Izadi and Russ Alizadeh and the Dual Enrollment team, led by Dr. Henry Hua, Stephanie Teer, and Stephanie Flores, was also involved in the effort, along with the Auto Technology program faculty. The Jobs Challenge program is a collaboration with the National Guard and Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

Last semester, nearly 50 students completed the California Jobs ChalleNGe, a 22-week residential career technical academy at Cypress College. The program was formed by the National Guard to provide post-secondary Career Technical Education (CTE) to graduates of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program.

The California Jobs ChalleNGe program provided CTE training and career readiness skills that will lead to gainful employment. Student participants earned industry-recognized certificates, college credits and selected between automotive technology, construction pre-apprenticeship and cybersecurity programs.

“We are so honored to have hosted this important program,” said Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling. “One of our Cybersecurity students, Noah Touchstone, broke the record on our campus earning the highest score on the CompTIA IT Fundamentals+Cybersecurity exam, and students in our automotive program also earned Cypress College certificates and achievement patches. Most important, every student participated in Career Professional Development activities to assist with potential employers. We are proud of our partnership with the National Guard and each of the students who participated in this program.”

Forty-seven students participated in the California Jobs ChalleNGe program graduation, held at the end of last semester. Program participants must be between the ages of 17 and a half and 20 years of age, have graduated from a California ChalleNGe Academy, have a high school diploma or GED, and agree to reside at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base for the duration of the program.

Cybersercurity graduates Grace Motley, Ivan Torres, Noah Touchstone, and Daniel Uscanga were sponsored by the Western Academy Support and Training Center (WASTC) to co-present with Cypress College on the cybersecurity program at the WASTC 2020 Winter ICT Educator Conference in January at CISCO’s headquarters in San Jose, California.

Four graduates of the program have already accepted internships at local companies and are continuing their studies at Cypress College in pursuit of their associate degrees.

This year’s graduates are: Robert Augustine, Leann Avila, William Barela-Irvin, Edward Barragan, Jonathon Benson, Dulce Cardona, Kiley Cardona, Victor Castaneda, Nicholas Castro, Romero Clark, Jaden Crawford, Juan Delgado, Brian Elias, Zach Fretland, Justin Fuentes, Carmen Garcia, Arriana Gonzalez, Nancy Hernandez Tovar, Maleni Hernandez, Gilberto Jaramillo, Isaiah Johnson, Chantal Lopez, Sandra Luna, Ethen Magana, Isabella Martinez, Samantha Martinez, Anthony Mcgrew, Ricardo Mendoza Torres, Wendy Montoya, Miguel Moran, Grace Motley, Ruby Nunez, Alex Olivera, Natalie Omana, Dixie Palacios, Nathaniel Peralez, Kathy Perez, Maria Ramirez, Christin Rios, Ivan Torres, Noah Touchstone, Gabriella Urquidez, Daniel Uscanga, Joana Vargas, Juana Venegas-Jeronimo, William Washington and Jimmy Zamecki.

For more information about the Jobs Challenge, visit http://cajc.us.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

Cypress College Earns 2 National Rankings, Ranked #3 Best Community College and #8 in Success Rate

The faculty and staff at Cypress College are doing their part to help students complete their goals, and it has not gone unnoticed. Cypress was named the #3 best community college in the nation by College Consensus, and #8 in student success among 4-year public colleges by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“Our shared sense of purpose at Cypress College creates an environment committed to serving students and helping them reach their goals,” said Cypress College president Dr. JoAnna Schilling. “These two recognitions of Cypress College as one of the best educational institutions in the United States, validates the hard work of our faculty, staff, and administrators by making sure we live our core values and are focused every day on providing quality instruction and support services to our students.”

College Consensus ranked the Top 50 Community Colleges focusing strictly on regionally accredited, reputable institutions. Programs were ranked by three evenly weighted points: cost using current data from the U.S. Department of Education; reputation using Niche data; and success using Payscale data. With those factors, College Consensus ranks colleges according to their “success in providing a return on investment.” Cypress College was chosen as the nation’s third best combination of market reputation, educational quality, and rewarding income.

The Chronicle of Higher Education noted that low graduation rates at two-year public colleges inadequately reflect “the value of these colleges to students.” The Chronicle List ranks colleges that mainly serve students who are seeking an associate degree or preparing to transfer to a four-year institution by the percentages of first-time, full-time students who completed within 150 percent of the normal time, transferred to another higher-education institution, or were still enrolled at the original college.

Among “4-year public colleges that primarily offer associate degrees,” Cypress earned the 8^th highest percentage – 72.1% – of its students completed, transferred, or are still enrolled.

For more information about Cypress College, visit cypresscollege.edu.

About Cypress College:

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all of Cypress Colleges and services are offered remotely. Students can access support services online at cypresscollege.edu/coronavirus.

—30—

Our Commitment to Social Justice Change at Cypress College

Dear Colleagues:

Much has occurred this past week as our country and communities continue joining together to demand justice for our black brothers and sisters. I have appreciated the heartfelt conversations I’ve had with many of you about what we can do at Cypress College, as well as the many reminders that we can no longer keep talking, without backing up that talk with meaningful change.

Some of you have asked about my own vision for equitable institutional change. I hope that vision has been clear from the efforts to center our core values around equity and our focus on improving success for our students of color; but like many of you, I cannot witness the events of the past few weeks without doing some soul searching, and asking if that vision is fully informed or aims high enough.

At Cypress College our shared vision is to ensure our campus is a safe zone for our students and employees of color, and that we are a campus that can have meaningful conversations on equity, race, gender, and sexual orientation. Our students want to know they will be seen and heard, and we must all be part of the solution to make sure we not only create a space for meaningful dialogue, but are a campus that allows for engagement to flourish. Our vision is to ensure we have the best people working here at Cypress and continue to hire dynamic and diverse employees who demonstrate compassion for, and commitment to, ensuring equity and student success. Our vision is to support our faculty to prioritize educational change in our classrooms and to be unrelenting in our dedication to transform Cypress College into a place where social justice is authentic. Our vision is to create a culture of respect for differing opinions, without stifling the important conversations that must occur for us to create a healthy and dynamic college environment. Ultimately, the culture we want at Cypress College is shaped by all of us.

So my commitment to you is to use my position and privilege to continue to support our collective vision, while not allowing this moment to be something we talk about for a few weeks and then move on. That will not happen. In the coming weeks and months we will prioritize these important conversations. Some short term and long term plans are:

Our Associated Students will be hosting a student town hall this Wednesday at 1 p.m. Please share this Zoom link with students and encourage them to attend:
https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/96966778934?pwd=NjU0dzlQd01WeTU2MWs5bXRXS2tUZz09

Our hope is for our students to continue to host these workshops throughout the year (summer, fall and spring). We are committed to providing students a safe space to educate others, and advocate for action with the goal of improving the student experience on our campus.

With the help of our campus leaders, we will also be designing a series of employee town halls and discussions that will also continue into the fall. An update will be shared soon on this first convening.
We will be rescheduling the Equity Retreat we had to cancel this spring, in a Zoom format this Fall to allow for more employees to participate.

Cypress College will be joining the California Community College Equity Leadership Alliance from USC’s Center for Urban Equity. Our Completion Team peer and data coaches have already been accepted to participate in this important training, but as part of this Alliance we will have access to guest speakers, additional training, and climate survey tools.

This is just the beginning of the work that must be done. Education has always been the path to social justice change, and community colleges are the system of higher learning that educates more black and brown students than any other. We have a powerful responsibility and role to play in creating real systemic change in this country. Join me as we step into this moment together.

“The greatest glory in living, lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” – Nelson Mandela

JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
President,

Cypress College

Dance Department Presents Annual ‘People in Motion’ Virtually

Every year since the 1980s, the Cypress College Dance Department has put on its People in Motion dance concert. With the campus closure due to COVID-19, there was a possibility of not holding the concert. However, in an effort to continue the tradition, People in Motion was performed virtually.

Students and faculty came together via the internet to present what they’ve worked so hard on throughout this semester. Check it out on YouTube.

An Affirmation of our Cypress College Values

Dear Chargers:

As we begin our summer, I want to again thank each of you for the exceptional service you have provided to our students this past semester. I have missed you. I have missed the ways we celebrate together, and I miss the random opportunities to stop and learn of one another’s lives. I miss the many ways we collectively remind ourselves why we do the often-hard work of educating others. This desire to connect has been especially acute the past few weeks as we celebrated our students’ accomplishments remotely, serving as a reminder of all we have lost this semester. Although it is possible to deliver education remotely, like a package onto someone’s desk, the things that make us a community, make learning an engaged and meaningful learning experience, and helps our students flourish, are the ways we connect and engage with one another.

As I began this letter to you, I had intended to update you on our budget situation and progress in providing safeguards for slowly bringing employees back to campus. But the tragic events unfolding across our nation demand a response, so please allow me to affirm our commitment to our work in support of equity on the Cypress College campus. Recent events remind us, yet again, there is no escaping just how far we have to go to eradicate the awful stain of racism within our communities and institutions. 400 years after the first slaves came to our shores,160 years after their descendants were “freed”, 60 years after the civil rights movement, we still live in a country where too many of our citizens cannot go about their daily lives without the fear that a trip to the store, a jog down the street, or a drive into a new neighborhood could result in violence or death. Each death, each act of bigoted violence, each moment someone is silenced or told they don’t belong, diminishes each of us. It is a pain that cannot be ignored.

As members of an institution of higher learning, we must continue our resolve to take racism seriously on the Cypress College campus and stand up to the institutional norms that cripple each of us, no matter who we are. The miseducation that we knowingly, or unknowingly, perpetuate, resides in the stereotypes we carelessly accept, the symbols we have learned to absorb, and assumptions we believe as truth because we don’t take the time to live with, and understand, one another.

The responsibility of living within a democracy is both a gift and a chore. As we watch any sense of unity in this country tested daily by our hyper-politicized views, I am especially concerned by any rhetoric in our own community that seeks to pit us against one another. It is hard to work together in times of safety and security; to do so in times of crisis takes character and commitment. At the heart of all education must be a sense of moral and social justice, a respect for the feelings and opinions that are different than our own, a willingness to listen and learn, for we all play a role in keeping our community healthy; without one other, we cannot be what, and who, we need to be.

I know that the broader national situation includes concerns about the impacts of COVID-19 and the repercussions it has for the economy and our own state budget. Collectively these are tremendous stressors in our lives. You want to know what this will mean for you at Cypress College, so I want to reassure you that no permanent employees will be losing their jobs or asked to take furloughs. As Dr. Marshall said, we do have healthy reserves and these will be put to good use in time of crisis. And it is my commitment that even as we have difficult decisions ahead, you as employees will know your welfare and safety come first.

I am grateful for the leadership that exists here at Cypress College and NOCCCD, and our ability to respond to these concerns. Our shared governance committees and academic senate have agreed to be available over the summer and we will be working together to ensure any decisions about critical matters — such as the college’s budget and our work to prepare for the safe re-opening of the college — is communicated openly and collaboratively.

As we work through these challenges, we also want our traditionally disadvantaged students to know they will find support here, and we will collectively embrace an equity-mindedness that reflects our shared humanity. We will not sit back while others are hurt or persecuted; we will ensure that all our students, but especially those who feel disenfranchised in our culture at large, will know they have a home here on our campus. This has always been important at Cypress College but right now nothing is more important. Cypress College must be that place that instills the capacity for empathy, resilience, and collaboration.

Please remind students that Telemental Health Counseling is available by calling (714) 484-7361 and they can find more information by clicking on the following link: cypresscollege.edu/services/health-center/. Likewise, all employees can find support through our confidential Employee Assistance Program at www.guidanceresources.com. More information can be found on the “Employee” tab of myGateway.

These are uncertain times but I am reminded that each generation has faced their own defining point; I hope this will be ours. I hope we will finally say “enough,” and stand together for change. Willing or not, change is upon us and we must choose a world where justice is offered to all. To quote the Greek poet, Aeschylus, “In our sleep, pain, which cannot be forgotten, falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the grace of the gods.”

Let’s not waste this pain or this moment, but vow we will be that place that others come to learn and find wisdom. I want you to know that you each matter, that every role at our college is essential, and that we will come through this together.

Wishing you peace, love and safety,

JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
President,

Cypress College

A Message to Students in Light of Recent Events

Dear Students,

As we begin our summer, the tragic events unfolding across our nation demand a response, so please allow me to affirm our commitment to our work in support of equity on the Cypress College campus. Recent events remind us, yet again, there is no escaping just how far we have to go to eradicate the awful stain of racism within our communities and institutions. 400 years after the first slaves were forcibly taken from their homes, 160 years after their descendants were “freed,” 60 years after the civil rights movement, we still live in a country where too many of our citizens cannot go about their daily lives without the fear that a trip to the store, a jog down the street, or a drive into a new neighborhood could result in violence or death. Each death, each act of bigoted violence, each moment someone is silenced or told they don’t belong, diminishes each of us. It is a pain that cannot be ignored.

As members of an institution of higher learning, we must continue our resolve to take racism seriously on the Cypress College campus and stand up to the institutional norms that cripple each of us, no matter who we are. The responsibility of living within a democracy is both a gift and a chore. As we watch any sense of unity in this country tested daily by our hyper-politicized views, I am especially concerned by any rhetoric in our own community that seeks to pit us against one another.

I am grateful for the leadership that exists here at Cypress College and NOCCCD, and our ability to respond to these concerns. As we work through these challenges, we also want our students to know they will find support here, and we will collectively embrace an equity-mindedness that reflects our shared humanity. We will not sit back while others are hurt or persecuted; we will ensure that all our students, but especially those who feel disenfranchised in our culture at large, will know they have a home here on our campus. This has always been important at Cypress College but right now nothing is more important. Cypress College must be that place that instills the capacity for empathy, resilience, and collaboration.

Please remember that Telemental Health Counseling is available by calling (714) 484-7361 and you can find more information by clicking on the following link: cypresscollege.edu/services/health-center/.

These are uncertain times but I am reminded that each generation has faced their own defining point; I hope this will be ours. I hope we will finally say “enough,” and stand together for change. Willing or not, change is upon us and we must choose a world where justice is offered to all. To quote the Greek poet Aeschylus, “In our sleep, pain, which cannot be forgotten, falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the grace of the gods.”

I vow to use the pain of this moment to work even harder to ensure that Cypress College will be that place that others come to learn and find wisdom. I want you to know that you each matter and that we will come through this together.

Wishing you peace, love and safety,
JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
President
Cypress College

Cypress College Commencement Efforts Lauded in News Coverage

Media coverage of Cypress College’s amazing 53rd Commencement ceremony on May 22, 2020 continues to come in. Today, Kylie Christensen, one of nine Presidential Scholars of Distinction, was profiled by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez of KPCC-FM and LAist.

Christensen, who represents the Fine Arts pathway, was the subject of both an audio and a written profile.

The commencement was also covered by David N. Young at the Event-NewsEnterprise. The feature highlighted 2020 Outstanding Graduate Elise Cunanan and the Presidential Scholars of Distinction: Brandon Nguyen, Business/CIS; John Lasater, CTE; Christensen, Fine Arts; Christina Williams, Health Science; Frankie Islas, Kinesiology; Nate Garcia, Language Arts; Anh Nguyen, L/LRC; Connor Kilzer, SEM; and Sarah Queneau, Social Sciences. Young also highlighted the Academic Senate’s faculty awards — which were presented to all full-time faculty, all adjunct faculty, and Distance Education Coordinator Kathleen McAlister. The awards recognize the tremendous effort necessary to transition the college from in-person instruction to remote nearly overnight in mid-March.

On Wednesday, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office spotlighted Cypress College, specifically the work of the Charger Experience team with a photograph and caption at the top of their daily report: “Members of Cypress College’s Charger Experience team pause for a photo while distributing regalia to the college’s Promise students. The drive-up distribution supported participation in Cypress College’s virtual commencement on May 22. The Charger Experience Program supports the college’s Pledge/Promise students and their transition into college, connecting them to services and people on campus to help ensure a successful higher education experience.”

Finally, on the Sunday prior to commencement, the Times Orange County printed an article about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on OC graduations (the article also appeared online earlier that week). The coverage included a color photograph of Cunanan. Ada Tseng of the Times wrote: “The processional will include a 2019-20 highlight video, a roll call of graduates, as well as a video of their 2020 Outstanding Graduate Elise Cunanan and their 2020 Presidential Scholars of Distinction. President JoAnna Schilling, Chancellor Cheryl Marshall, Academic Senate President Craig Goralski, Associated Students President Presten Jimenez and Student Trustee Ester Plavdjian will give remarks.”

A complete recap, including the full video along with individual segments, is available online.

Aviation Department Coordinator Flies In Memorial Day Tribute

Capt. Ed Valdez, Cypress College’s aviation instructor, participated in a well-publicized Memorial Day tribute. He was among the aviators aboard the “Flabob Express,” a World War II-era DC-3 that flew in the lead group.

In all, about 14 vintage aircraft flew as the “D-Day Express” across Southern California on Monday, May 25, crossing above landmarks in San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.

Valdez is aboard the light-colored plane in this group of three Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

Valdez is the department coordinator for Cypress College’s Aviation & Travel Careers Department , as well as an instructor with the Commercial Pilot Program.

Ed Valdez flies the DC-3 "Flabob Expres.s"

Valdez’s view from the Douglas DC-3 “Flabob Express.”

In addition to teaching at Cypress, Valdez flies for United Airlines on the Boeing 757 and 767; he occasionally flies private Gulfstream G3 aircraft on a contract basis as well.

Recently, he was invited to fly the Flabob Express (a Douglas DC-3) as a volunteer pilot, and is currently in training for the aircraft.

Psychology Research Methods Poster Session Now Online

Students in Dr. Randy Martinez and Dr. Angela deDios’ Psychology 202 classes participated in a psychology reseach poster project this semester. Traditionally held on campus, this semester’s presentations are available online.

You’re invited to view the presentations, leave questions and comments for the student researchers, or simply observe.

Click here to view our students’ research posters.

Cypress College’s 53rd Commencement Scheduled for Friday, May 22, Via Virtual Broadcast

The celebration will go on! Cypress College will celebrate the Class of 2020 by hosting its 53^rd Commencement at 5 p.m. on May 22, 2020, as a streamed virtual event. Graduates will participate with viewing parties from their stay-at-home locations. The Class of 2020 is also invited to participate in Cypress College’s next in-person commencement.

Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., said hosting the celebration without delay felt like the best way to honor the Class of 2020’s achievements.

“We decided it was essential to hold a virtual commencement on our original graduation date to best honor our students’ accomplishments,” Dr. Schilling said. “We know nothing can substitute for the opportunity to walk across our stage, to share in that moment with family, friends, and beloved faculty, but every attempt has been made to create an event that is celebratory, meaningful, and acknowledges the accomplishments of our scholars.”

Each student will be recognized in the ceremony, which is part traditional but also tailored for delivery in a digital environment. The commencement will be streamed from the college’s Commencement Central website at cypresscollege.edu/commencement-central. In addition to the traditional roll call of the Class of 2020, the commencement will feature an address by Dr. Schilling, and messages from North Orange County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Marshall, NOCCCD Board of Trustees President Ryan Bent, Cypress College Academic Senate President Dr. Craig Goralski, Cypress College Student Trustee Ester Plavdjian, and Cypress College Associated Students President Presten Jimenez.

Video features will honor Cypress College’s 2020 Outstanding Graduate Elise Cunanan and the nine Presidential Scholars of Distinction, who represent each of Cypress College’s academic pathways.

As part of the virtual ceremony, each graduate was provided the opportunity to be recognized with an official customized slide with their photo and a personal message, which can be downloaded and shared on social media.

Class of 2020:

This year, 1,695 students are graduating from at least one of Cypress College’s 98 degree programs. Combined, these students are earning 2,227 associate degrees — meaning some are earning multiple degrees. In addition, 1,528 students have earned occupational certificates from one of the college’s 174 career-certificate programs.

In addition:

58% of the graduates have chosen a transferable degree, meaning they will be attending four-year colleges and universities in the fall;
225 degree-earning students earned a cumulative GPA of 3.75 to 4.0, qualifying for the President’s Honor Roll;
811 degree-earning students earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to 3.74, qualifying for the Dean’s Honor Roll; and
Three students are graduating with bachelor’s degrees from Cypress College’s Baccalaureate Degree Program in Funeral Services.

Outstanding Graduate:

Elise Cunanan is Cypress College’s 2020 Outstanding Graduate. Cunanan completed two associate degrees in fall 2019, one in sociology and the second in liberal studies: social and behavioral sciences. She began attending California State University, Fullerton, this spring. Her career goals are to become a school counselor and to work for a non-profit organization.

At Cypress College, Cunanan was a member of the Associated Students, worked as a member of the Student Ambassador team, and established the Student Advocates for Education Club to provide community service to K-12 and higher education students. She also worked to raise awareness about student homelessness.

“I selected Cypress College because my parents both are alumni of community colleges, my mom even attended Cypress College herself,” Cunanan said. “I actually did not apply to any universities as a high school senior, because I felt that choosing a university to attend was a big decision that I was not ready to make at the time. Another great benefit about Cypress College is that tuition is affordable and the staff here is extraordinarily helpful.”

Presidential Scholars of Distinction:

Cypress College’s 2020 Presidential Scholars of Distinction represent a scholar from each of the college’s eight academic pathways, as well as academic support areas representing either the Counseling Division or the Library/Learning Resource Center.

The 2020 scholars are: Brandon Nguyen, BUS/CIS; John Lasater, CTE; Kylie Christensen, Fine Arts; Christina Williams, Health Science; Frankie Islas, Kinesiology; Nathaniel Garcia, Language Arts; Anh Nguyen, L/LRC; Connor Kilzer, SEM; Sarah Queneau, Social Sciences. Each scholar will also receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Cypress College Foundation.

This tradition, begun in 2019, honors a student who best represents their academic pathway. The graduates are nominated and voted for by their respective division faculty and were chosen using the following criteria: a) must be graduating in 2020; b) be in good academic standing; c) exhibit persistence in overcoming adversity; and d) represent the values of the academic division.

Faculty Awards:

Each year, the Cypress College Academic Senate selects recipients of three awards: the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award; the Outstanding Adjunct-Faculty Award; and the Charger Award, which recognizes professional dedication beyond the classroom.

For the first time in college history, the Academic Senate voted to present the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award to all full-time faculty members, and the Outstanding Adjunct-Faculty Award to all adjunct faculty members.

“This unique selection is made to illustrate that we have collectively risen to the occasion in transitioning our classes to a remote environment under the most stressful of circumstances,” said Dr. Goralski. “This collective recognition highlights that every faculty member’s contribution was essential to completing the semester successfully and helping to ensure that students all are able to graduate on time.”

The Charger Award was presented to Kathleen McAlister. While her role as the distance education coordinator is likely transparent to students, she has been instrumental in facilitating the transition for Cypress College faculty to a remote teaching environment.

“It has traditionally been the Academic Senate’s practice to avoid honoring an active member of the body,” Dr. Goralski said. “However, Kathleen’s hard work, especially during our COVID-19 response, made her an undeniable recipient of this award.

“We are grateful for the dynamic and innovative work our faculty do,” he continued. “Our appreciation for the contribution that each of our faculty make to our students cannot be fully expressed.”

About Cypress College:

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, all of Cypress Colleges and services are offered remotely. Students can access support services online at cypresscollege.edu/coronavirus.

—30—

MAD Film Fest Premieres Online

The Media Arts Design Film Showcase debuts today, to display the work of MAD students and , this year, to offer alumni contributions. In keeping with government guidelines to limit the spread of the Coronavirus, this year’s festival will take place online.

According to Professor Ian Holmes, digital cinema coordinator, the virtual event features 50 works from live-action narrative films, to stop-motion animations, to motion graphics title sequences. You can see all entries here.

Originally, the MAD department planned to hold an alumni film showcase in April, separate from the the annual student event. The campus closure related to COVID-19 caused organizers to rethink the two events and combine them into one.

Mort Sci Student Answers Call to Volunteer Assistance with Coronavirus Victims

The spread of COVID-19 continues to grow nationwide, and the need for medical responders rises with it. The duty of first responders, such as doctors and nurses, is well known, but there is also a call for last responders: workers who tend to those who have passed.

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) alerted its members that volunteers in heavily affected areas would be valuable in addressing the pandemic. Several have responded, including a student in Cypress College’s Mortuary Science program named Soraya Pitram.

“I was already packed and ready to go — I had my scrubs — and then they told me that they had sufficient staff,” Pitram said. She planned to work in New York City for two weeks at a medical center teaching hospital.

Pitram, who is in her second year of the program and works in the industry at two Orange County funeral homes, had secured the proper identification and was fully prepared. Volunteers in closer proximity, however, were selected to fill in for the NFDA’s requested two-week volunteer rounds.

“What I’ll be doing now, since I have my ID, is that I have access to all volunteer opportunities,” Pitram said. “When people’s two weeks are over, I’ll have a chance to go.”

Pitram says this is unlike other NFDA calls for last responder volunteers, such as during Hurricane Katrina, where the experience is to do recovery after a catastrophe has occurred. She says in this case, the need for last responders will ebb and flow as the Coronavirus infection curve flattens and possibly resurges.

“Honestly, with how things are going in California, I might get sent to Sacramento or LA or somewhere more populated,” Pitram said. “Who knows how long this is going to last.”

Student Finalists in National Video Contest

Cypress College students have gained national attention in a contest called “Stay Home and Sing,” with a video featuring their adaptation of a song from the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In The Heights.” The students performed the song “96,000,” selected from their spring production of the musical, which was cut short due to the Coronavirus-related campus closure.

If the students earn enough votes, they could win thousands of dollars for a charity of their choice and a chance to perform their musical number for a public audience. The team entered in the “Open” category, and became one of three finalists in that group on April 27.

Voting ends April 29. Click here to support the Cypress College entry, under the header “Open”: https://inspireamarillo.com/#/home.

The contest was created by a group from the Texas panhandle called Inspire Amarillo. According to the contest page, their goal is “to ‘connect’ with our family, friends and colleagues” through videos of teams performing their favorite songs.

The Theater Department’s adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In The Heights” was directed by Angela Cruz, a Professor of Theater at Cypress College. It premiered Friday, March 6, and ended its run Sunday, March 8; the campus closed before the second weekend of the performance, because of government-mandated shutdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The sets still stand in the Cypress College theater awaiting the scheduled shows that never took place.

Inspire Amarillo describes itself as “a way for all of Amarillo, the Panhandle and the Nation to virtually speak, perform or sing words of hope.” The contest is sponsored by Fairly Group.

The grand prize is performing at the Amarillo Sod Poodles 2020 Opening Day Game. In addition, five entries with the most votes each get to pick a charity to receive $5,000.

Cypress College Transitions to Remote Learning, Student Service Delivery Without Missing a Day

Cypress College is operating at nearly full capacity as a remote learning environment — with approximately 90% of all coursework transitioned from in-person instruction and essentially 100% of student services available to students online. The immediate transition of all services is unique among regional peer institutions, and perhaps across the state.

Delivery of uninterrupted student support services is especially impressive because Cypress College accomplished the transition from in-person to remote without missing a day of meeting students’ needs. When state orders accelerated the campus closure in mid-March, Cypress College paused classes on March 13, 16, and 17 to facilitate a transition to remote instruction.

The faculty, Distance Education, and Student Services teams kept right at work. For example, using Cranium Café, the student support staff began meeting virtually with students to provide needed support. Cypress College was in full swing with Counseling, Veterans Services, EOPS, Disabled Student Services, and Admissions & Records available. All services were fully implemented by Friday, March 20.

“Our student services staff have completely reinvented how they provide services,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “This expanded capability meets students’ needs on demand and without requiring students to come into an office to receive the same high-touch assistance.”

At the same time services were transitioning, the Distance Education team worked to expand their framework and support — and connected with faculty across the entire curriculum to ensure that nearly all courses (including many with lab components) could transition to some virtual format.

Nearly all employees played some part in the transition. Leadership came from the college’s executive staff, the Academic Senate, Associated Students, and a group of in-house experts such as the Health Center, Maintenance and Operations, IT, and Campus Safety.

“I am so proud of the work accomplished by our employees to make this transition happen,” Dr. Schilling said. “Converting classes from in-person to remote is a tremendous undertaking and I am amazed and thankful for the lengths our faculty are going to in order to make this happen so that we can continue to meet our students’ needs. Our Distance Education team, especially, has done tireless work. This transition is an incredible achievement on its own. It is even-more amazing when you consider that half of our courses are in career-technical fields, such as automotive technology and health sciences. I commend the creativity, hard work, and dedication of our faculty and staff.”

In addition to providing services such as Counseling, Financial Aid, Admissions and Records, Disability Support Services, the Health Center, and the Library/Learning Resources Center, our student ambassadors and Student Services staff are also reaching out to all students through the Cypress Cares Campaign, which focuses on helping students complete their studies.

The college organized and implemented a laptop-loaner program for students and employees who need equipment at home, is raising emergency funds through the Foundation to provide assistance to students, hosted two virtual town hall meetings, and launched drive-up WiFi service for students who need temporary access to high-speed internet connections.

A number of events are also scheduled to continue in virtual format, including: commencement on its original date of May 22; Commit2Cypress; outreach to high school seniors; virtual tours; and the popular Charger Experience/Charger Fridays campus visits.

Cypress College has paused all in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic through May 23 in response to stay-at-home orders.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

“Drive-Up WiFi” Program Launched by Cypress College to Facilitate Student Internet Access

In an effort to provide students with reliable, high-speed internet access — and in keeping with social-distancing directives issued by county, state, and national officials — Cypress College is launching “Drive-Up WiFi” available to all enrolled students.

Wireless access will be available to students in Lot #1 on a first-come, first-served basis. Access is for registered Cypress College students with valid login credentials. Access to Lot #1 will be available to students on weekdays, from 7:30 a.m. until the end of the last scheduled class on that particular day of the week (typically 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m., Friday).

Students must remain in their cars while using the college’s network and adhere to all current public health directives, including social distancing. In congruence with social-distancing restrictions, the college will not accommodate pedestrians or cyclists; in addition, no restroom or other facilities will be made available. Students will park in every-other parking stall to enhance social-distancing protocols.

To use the WiFi, students will enter the college, and Lot 1, at the main entrance (Valley View Street and Cypress College West) and exit onto Orange Avenue. A valid Cypress College parking pass is required to access the college and Lot 1. Additional restrictions and requirements are designated on the college’s website.

Cypress College President, JoAnna Schilling, expressed her pride at the many ways the college community has stepped up to address student needs.

“The resilience our students have demonstrated during this health emergency has been inspirational, but the need for support is great,” Dr. Schilling said. “Hearing the challenges our students are facing is heartbreaking, but we are grateful to our staff for their personal and professional contributions to our students. We are also thankful for donations made to the Cypress College emergency-assistance campaign.”

Cypress College last held in-person instruction on March 12 before entering a three-day pause to convert instruction to remote methods in response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. At roughly the same time, the college launched a survey of students to determine their technology needs for continuing their studies remotely. With more than 3,300 responses, Cypress College students indicated overwhelmingly they had access to necessary technology — 92.4% of respondents stated they had access to a computer, 88% noted they have reliable internet access, and an additional 30% indicated they did not have a private space at home to conduct their class work. Students who did not have these resources were invited to request assistance.

With data collected from the survey, the college has loaned approximately three dozen laptops and Chromebooks to students. The “Drive-Up WiFi” program comes in addition to helping connect students to free and low-cost internet opportunities in the commercial marketplace. The Cypress College Foundation has also launched an emergency-assistance campaign to help students: who have lost a job or experienced income loss; buy/borrow computers for home use; obtain access to reliable home internet; and purchase books for online classes. So far, the Foundation has provided 24 emergency grants, totaling $12,000. Donations can be made at cypresscollege.edu/about/foundation.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

Professor Shares Creative Solution During Difficult Time

In uncertain times, such as these, our old ways of solving problems might not work. A long-time Cypress College professor recently shared a story that might get creative wheels turning while many of us reconfigure our work and study environments and routines during the Coronavirus-related order to stay home.

Management and Marketing Professor Emerita Patti Kishel remembered an exercise during her first year teaching, in 1990, during a team-building retreat at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead. She recalled a “Survivor Exercise” for attendees: Determine which of a group of people would get to stay in a crowded lifeboat and which would be sacrificed (young person with potential, the older person with skills to share, the scientist, farmer, etc.).

Kishel described the results:

“With only limited space available each team had to make hard decisions and justify them – placing a value on human life. One by one, each group told who they picked to stay in the lifeboat – and why. It was hard making life-or-death decisions this way even in a simulation, in effect ordering people ‘Out of the boat!’

“The last group to share their decisions was the teachers from the Fine Arts Department. And, unlike the other teams, they had another approach. Working together, the people in the boat were going to make a float out of existing materials and position it under the lifeboat so that it was strong enough that all the people could stay in the boat. Rather than limiting their decision to the parameters of the problem, they expanded them and took a more creative approach.

“Instead of saying ‘Out of the boat!’ they said, ‘Back in the boat!’

“This is where we are now. Looking for new ways to keep us safe and to keep more people in the boat. With creativity, we can expand our parameters to do so.”

It’s a great reminder to rethink the usual choices we make – it could yield great results. Why not take a moment to find a new way to view work or study options today.

Dance Students Chosen to Perform at CSULB

The Cypress College Dance Department participated in an annual conference put on by the American College Dance Association March 4-7. The ACDA’s Baja Conference took place at California State University Long Beach, and was open to faculty, staff, students, and musicians.

The conference was capped off with a gala performance at CSULB’s Carpenter Center. The adjudicators picked 11 pieces to be featured in the Gala Performance, one of which was Cypress College’s “This Is Who We Are,” a piece choreographed by the students. The Student Equity and Achievement Committee provided funding to attend.

“Thank you Student Equity and Achievement Committee for giving our students the opportunity to experience a conference, master classes, performances, and to share the stage with so many academic programs in dance,” Maha Afra, chair of the Cypress College Dance Department, said. “Our students and faculty represented all of you Chargers. The faculty taught classes and students performed.”

Cypress College presented another piece called “Sui-T-able,” choreographed by faculty member Francesca Lee, with costumes by Marci Alberto and Francesca Lee. “This Is Who We Are” featured costumes by Becky Ogden.

“The three adjudicators’ feedback was an endless stream of accolades for both pieces,” Afra said.

The conference portion of the event featured four days of classes, workshops, adjudication and informal concerts, feedback sessions, scholarly presentations, and faculty-only classes.

The students who attended were Astrid Ardon, Anthony Capulong, Kylie Christensen, Nickolas Currenton, Xavier Contreras, Briyanda Fresquez, Gabriella McQuoid, Michael Moseray, Brittany Post, Briana Sanchez, Isaiah Singleton, and Rochelle Villaroel.

CSULB student Production Assistants worked to design and produce Baja at the Beach, the sixth ACDA conference held on the CSULB campus, according to the university.

Commit2Cypress and Take Advantage of Free Tuition Through Pledge and Promise

Join us at Commit2Cypress on Thursday, April 30 at 4:30-8 p.m. to learn more about and sign your contract for the fall 2020 North Orange Promise or AUHSD Pledge granting free tuition to all qualifying first-time college students for their first two years!

Meet representatives from support programs and services on campus, interact with deans and professors from the college’s academic programs, and attend sessions on topics most relevant to new college students and parents.

RSVP here!

Cypress College Wins Overall Best Project at 2019 Excellence in Energy and Sustainability Awards

Cypress College was honored with a 2019 Excellence in Energy and Sustainability award on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at the California Community Colleges Board of Governors (CCC BOG) meeting in Sacramento for its commitment to reducing the campus’ reliance on electricity. The college and the North Orange County Community College District received top recognition as the Best Project — Large District Category.

The award was presented for Cypress College’s chilled-water, thermal-energy storage tank, which reduces cost and increases energy efficiency. In addition to Cypress, the Board of Governors honored nearly a dozen California community colleges and college districts for environmentally sensitive projects developed to save taxpayers more than $2 million annually.

“We are thrilled to have our project recognized by the state Chancellor’s Office,” said JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., president of Cypress College. “Sustainability is one of our top priorities. Bringing the energy storage tank online is the result of significant effort by current and former employees who share a vision of providing sound energy and fiscal stewardship.”

The award was received on behalf of the college by Phil Fleming, Cypress College’s Physical Plant and Facilities director, during the CCC BOG meeting. In addition to Fleming’s leadership, the project was initiated and developed under the direction of two now-retired Cypress College employees: Albert Miranda, Fleming’s predecessor, and Karen Cant, the former vice president of Administrative Services. Cypress College’s HVAC staff are also integral to the implementation and operation of the thermal-energy storage tank.

“With 115 colleges across the state, the California Community Colleges have a responsibility to meet the state’s climate change goals,” said Board of Governors President Tom Epstein. “The Board is pleased to recognize this year’s winners for setting the standard in taking action to protect our environment while saving taxpayer dollars.”

Cypress’ 890,000-gallon chilled water Thermal Energy Storage (TES) tank is connected to a chilled-water system that loops the campus to reduce electricity demand. The $7.82 million project included more than $1.7 million of Proposition 39 funds.

“We at Cypress College are honored to receive this award and do our part to reduce our energy use on campus,” said Alexander Porter, Cypress College’s vice president of Administrative Services. “This innovative project saves us $162,000 in annual energy costs and reduces our consumption by 448,000 kilowatt-hours, which is the equivalent to powering a 2,000-square-foot home for more than 37 years. This is just the beginning. We continue to strive to reduce our overall energy usage, and seek sustainable and green energy sources to power our campus.”

Established in 2012 to recognize leadership in implementing goals set forth in Proposition 39 — the California Clean Energy Jobs Act — the Excellence in Energy and Sustainability Awards recognize schools striving to improve energy efficiency and expand clean energy generation on their campuses. Awards are given in the following categories: Excellence in Energy and Sustainability-Proposition 39 Projects, Excellence in Energy and Sustainability-Faculty/Student Initiatives, and Excellence in Energy and Sustainability-Sustainability Champion.

Visit the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office website at www.cccco.edu/About-Us/News-and-Media/Press-Releases/2020-Energy-Awards-PR for a complete list of winning projects.

About Cypress College:
Cypress College offers students a pathway to their future in an environment in which employees commit to joining students on their educational journey. The college’s half-million-plus alumni include actors, athletes, doctors, executives, mechanics, nurses, and teachers. For some, Cypress College is the ticket into their university of choice, and for others, it provides essential training for a prosperous career. Just one Cypress College class is often all it takes to provide cutting-edge skills that lead to a promotion or a new job.

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

Photos Attached.

Top: Phil Fleming, Cypress College’s Physical Plant and Facilities director (third from left) received the 2019 Excellence in Energy and Sustainability award on Tuesday, January 14, at the California Community Colleges Board of Governors meeting in Sacramento on behalf of Cypress College and the North Orange County Community College District. Also pictured are California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley (far left) and Board of Governors President Tom Epstein (second from right). Below: The 2019 Board of Governors Energy and Sustainability Award — Overall Best Project, Large District Category.

View this news release as a PDF file

Go MAD This Semester

This spring, several courses offer a variety of ways to learn or improve computer illustration, modeling, and projection mapping, among other skills. These Media Arts Design classes can help expand and enhance your professional portfolio or provide enrichment if you are simply interested in digital design.

Learn art that you can apply with the following courses, which still have availability for the upcoming spring semester. Visit myGateway today to enroll.

MAD 104 C – Intro to 3D Graphics-Mac (3 units)
MAD 105 C – Intro to 3D Graphics-Win (3 units)

Find out about 3D computer graphics, with an emphasis on 2D paint and 3D modeling and animation software used in animation. You’ll create original 3D still and animation imagery for your portfolio. This course is a gateway into the variety of classes for the Art Computer Graphics program, where you can pursue more in-depth study on the topic(s) you were drawn to during this introductory class.

MAD 106 C – Social Media Vlog Production (3 units)

Examine the evolving role social media and video play in cultural and corporate 21st Century life. You will learn to create a Vlog (Video Blog), and shoot and edit video and audio content. You’ll create a plan to distribute and market your Vlog brand identity.

MAD 112 C – Electronic Illustration-Mac (3 units)
MAD 113 C – Electronic Illustration-Window (3 units)

Learn how to generate Mac and Windows Postscript (vector) images for desktop publishing/page layout software and as standalone images with high-resolution output. In these classes, professional artists can build basic Mac and Windows skills needed for employment and/or advancement.

MAD 120 C – 3D Modeling-Mac (3 units)
MAD 121 C – 3D Modeling-Windows (3 units)

These courses focus on the introduction of Mac and Windows creation techniques for making three-dimensional computer graphics content. Classes emphasize 3D modeling and animation tools, menu structures, and model-building applications.

MAD 201 C – 3D Typography for Media Design (3 units)

This intermediate typography course focuses on graphic communication usage. Learn how to develop concepts, layout, and presentations. Projects include lettering design, layout, and 3D typography. You’ll learn electronic design techniques in 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional forms.

MAD 207 C – Projection Map/Live Entertain (3 units)

Get an overview of the many uses of projection mapping with an emphasis on 2D and 3D design to make digital presentations. You will create projection mapping projects for public display.

Former HRC Instructor Meets Challenges on ‘Chopped’

Blackmarket Bakery owner Rachel Klemek can work under pressure. She runs three bakeries, has four kids, and counts herself as a former Hotel, Restaurant & Culinary Arts faculty member of Cypress College. And now, she can call herself a “Chopped” episode champion and season finale runner-up.

We asked her a few questions about her experience. She offered an inside glimpse of the popular cooking competition show, as well as some sound advice that works in and out of the kitchen.

How did you get involved in being on the show “Chopped?”
Back in October of 2018, I received an email from a casting company requesting that I apply to “Chopped.” At that time, I hadn’t seen more than a few snippets from “Chopped” over the years but thought I should just give it a try anyway. My family strongly discouraged me, given how challenging it looked. Being an optimist, I filled out their app online and submitted a few videos of myself baking. A Skype interview and a more in-depth phone interview followed. Even then, I didn’t think I would get cast. Then, a producer called to schedule my “bio-pack,” where a crew filmed in the bakery location. But the producer warned that nothing was decided. Then, three weeks before the first episode filmed, they emailed to say that I was cast in a dessert episode and needed to get to NYC! I memorized and tested as many “fast” recipes as possible, not knowing what kinds of desserts I would be making.

At the start of the “Sweets Showdown: Cake” episode, you said your philosophy on the show was to “Keep Calm and Cake On.” Is this your motto for everyday life, too?
I think I came up with that on the spot, at the producer’s prompt to have a tagline. But in essence, I aspire to follow that advice. Freaking out about stuff is not productive, but sometimes it still happens!

You called one of the judges on the show, Sylvia Weinstock, a legend. Did that make you more nervous?
The whole process of filming was completely nerve-wracking, but I don’t know if any particular judge made it any more so. Sylvia Weinstock was a trailblazer in exquisite sugar flowers and incredible tiered cakes, so I was familiar with her stature in the industry but decided that being overly intimidated would be a handicap so tried to act as normal and confident as possible.

Squid-ink toffee — what inspired you? It was very popular!
Toffee is basically sugar, butter, water and a bit of salt. Since the salt is necessary to balance the sweetness, the saltiness of the squid ink seemed like it would work well. My mistake was adding the squid ink before the toffee was completely cooked, since I relied on the color to tell doneness. Luckily, I was able to guess when the toffee reached temperature (before burned and turned bitter) by the bubbles. Plus seafood and butter made sense to me!

You said the other contestants’ Bundt cakes were simpler. Do you think your more complex take helped you?
I think substituting the tomato soup as part of the liquid in the cake was the key to my surviving that round. Adding ganache and caramel, which seemed like a good idea for a dessert, was perceived by the judges as going overboard…

What did you win for being the best chef of that episode?
For winning the Chopped Cake episode, I won the chance to go back and compete in the Sweets Finale. And the ability to claim that I am a Chopped Champion. That’s it!

For the finale, the pressure seemed stronger. And did the ingredients seem weirder?
The ingredients were pretty weird in all six of my rounds (in both shows), but in every round there were at least two items that were easier to address. With Martha Stewart judging and that $50,000 on the line, the pressure was more intense in the finale.

It appeared as if the closer the show drew to the end, the more camaraderie there was among contestants. Did you feel that way?
Not particularly. In between rounds, there was a minimum of conversation between contestants. We were all coping with a very stressful situation together, but since we were still in it, I think we all kept pretty focused and to ourselves.

What was the most intimidating/challenging thing in that episode? What was the best?
Making a dessert to flambé was really tough for me. A new experience! I considered using the cotton candy machine but hadn’t done so before and didn’t want to count on it without any prior experience. The high point was making desserts for Martha Stewart and hearing positive feedback. One of my favorite cookbooks as a young baker was Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts, so I am a huge fan!

You got good feedback on your flavor. And your flambé looked so pretty! Judge Alex Guarnaschelli said you are “such an unbelievable baker.” Is that how you were able to walk away saying you were “feeling like a winner for sure”?
Going into the whole “Chopped” experience, I had no expectation of getting through even one round. So winning one episode and being the runner up in another constitutes a big accomplishment in my view. Being a business owner, I spend lots of time on office stuff like marketing, hiring, accounting, scheduling, etc and not much in the kitchen anymore. So I was proud to have gotten as far as I did!

Is there anything you learned from the experience that you might bring back to your students?
My take-away from filming two “Chopped” episodes is:
1. Practice, prepare, and be as ready as possible (for life, for baking, for anything)
2. Trust your instincts
3. Do work you are proud of
4. Remember to have fun and not take yourself too seriously

Cypress College Career Technical Education Receives Two Awards

Automotive Technology instructor Russell Bacarella and student Gable Kemma-Berg received the Instructor Finalist Award and a Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Scholarship, respectively, last month at the 2019 SEMA Education Event in Las Vegas.

The three-day event, part of the annual SEMA show and organized by SEMA and the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT), saw approximately 2,000 students and instructors from across the United States and Canada.

Bacarella, a master Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified technician who has been teaching since 1999, received his award at the Educator of the Year Awards banquet. With approximately 200 instructors in attendance, Bacarella and two instructors from across North America received the honor for fostering the professional development of promising new students. The award is open to anyone who teaches automotive-related instruction including auto tech, diesel and collision, and recognizes instructors who implement and emphasize aftermarket technology in their classrooms.

Additionally, Cypress student Kemma-Berg received a $3,000 SEMA Student Scholarship, created to introduce and encourage students studying automotive, diesel or collision to pursue careers in the automotive aftermarket industry.

As the largest automotive organization in the world, SEMA has roughly 21,000 corporate members. The annual SEMA Show hosts over 200,000 annually during the four-day event in Las Vegas.

Cypress College Offers New Creative Writing Certificate

Cypress College’s Language Arts Division is offering a new certificate in creative writing. The certificate program is designed for students seeking a broad appreciation of literature and increased skills in communication. In particular, it provides students with the opportunity to pursue their interest in creative writing through intensive study and practice of the literary arts. Students will immerse themselves in a structured, focused, and multifaceted curriculum of the writer’s art by studying literature and honing their own writing skills to create original, polished works of poetry and prose. Students will read, write, and engage in dialogue about creative works in a supportive workshop environment. Students will also receive mentorship about opportunities for publication, performance, and recitation.

The certificate is awarded upon the completion of 18 units of coursework, including one core course and five electives. A list of classes for this certificate is provided below for your convenience.

For more information about the Creative Writing Certificate Program, please contact program coordinators Professor Bret Kaufman at bkaufman@cypresscollege.edu and Professor Stephanie Tran at stran@cypresscollege.edu.

Required Core (3 units)

ENGL 105 C Introduction to Creative Writing (3 units)

Electives (15 units)

ENGL 102 C Introduction to Literature (3 units)
ENGL 126 C Introduction to Screenwriting (3 units)
ENGL 127 C Introduction to Poetry Writing (3 units)
ENGL 128 C Introduction to Short Story Writing (3 units)
ENGL 130 C Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing (3 units)
ENGL 225 C Literary Journal Publication (3 units)

For the Spring 2020 semester, we will be offering 6 courses that meet the requirements for the certificate:

ENGL 105 C Introduction to Creative Writing (3 units)
ENGL 102 C Introduction to Literature (3 units)
ENGL 126 C Introduction to Screenwriting (3 units)
ENGL 127 C Introduction to Poetry Writing (3 units)
ENGL 128 C Introduction to Short Story Writing (3 units)
ENGL 130 C Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing (3 units)

Of these courses, the following three are brand new and being offered for the first time:

ENGL 127 C Introduction to Poetry Writing (3 units)

Students will write original poetry, study forms, techniques, and literary elements of poetry, including classical poetic forms and free-verse tradition. Student work will be critiqued in a workshop setting.

CRN: 23955 12:30-1:55P MW Payne, John HUM-203

ENGL 128 C Introduction to Short Story Writing (3 units)

In this course, students will write original short stories while studying the evolution of the form and its narratological techniques and literary elements, including the form’s place in a variety of literary genres. Students will also critique each other’s work in a workshop setting.

CRN: 23954 Online 2/3/20-5/3/20 Tran, Stephanie

ENGL 130 C Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing (3 units)

In this course, students will write original works of creative nonfiction while studying the evolution of the form and its narratological techniques and literary elements, including the form’s place in a variety of literary genres. Students will critique each other’s work in a workshop setting.

CRN: 23953 Online 2/10/20-5/10/20 Kaufman, Bret

Hospitality & Culinary Students Tour Marriott

In late October, Hotel, Restaurant, and Culinary Arts students toured Marriott Anaheim to hear from professionals in their field and see where a degree or certificate from the HRC program could take them.

The field trip included students from the Hospitality Law class and the Hospitality Leadership class. Marriott gave an orientation and walked students and faculty, including professors Jeannette Jones and Lisa Clark, through the heart of the house to hear from managers and key associates.

“It was especially fun to hear from the Banquet Chef, Patrick Duralde, former Cypress alumni,” Clark says. “We have dozens of students working for Marriott with many more over the years. Marriott is a long-standing educational partner. They serve on our advisory board, offer field trips, guest speak, attend career fairs and, of course, hire and develop our students.”

Professor Jones also works on call with Marriott. Clark calls her connections “invaluable” in coordinating these opportunities.

Cypress College Welcomes Prospective Students to Second Connect2Cypress Outreach Event on Nov. 5

Cypress College welcomes prospective students to its second Connect2Cypress event — an introduction for students to the college by connecting them with resources needed to foster a successful journey at Cypress College. The event takes place on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Connect2Cypress, featuring Majors2Careers, provides the opportunity for future Chargers to explore different academic majors and careers. The events features a resource fair, the opportunity to talk with deans, faculty, counselors, and current Cypress College students. Prospective students also learn about programs and services offered on campus, such as Charger Experience, Financial Aid, Associated Students, and how to enroll at Cypress College.

The Connect2Cypress event emphasizes Cypress College’s philosophical approach that all members of the educational community are on an interconnected journey. Connect2Cypress is intended to support the college’s Guided Pathways initiative, connecting students to success, completion, and employment.

“Connect2Cypress helps high school students start thinking about college. They are already developing a relationship with Cypress College as they learn about what we have to offer, and this event helps connect them with campus partners, while envision themselves on campus,” said Dr. Richard Rams, who serves as the dean of Student Support Services. “Through this event, prospective students begin identifying the services and programs that will support them in reaching their personal, academic, and career goals. Similarly, Majors2Careers helps underscore the relationship between education and careers for current students.”

Connect2Cypress featuring Majors2Careers is open to all current students. High School students participate by invitation only.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

View this news release as a PDF

Instructor Exhibits in Louvre Museum

This month, Cypress College art instructor Paul Paiement exhibited at the Louvre museum in Paris during a special event. Annual art fair Le Carrousel du Louvre took place October 18-20 and included artists selected by a committee, based on nominations. Paul’s European art dealer Adelinda Allegretti submitted his work for consideration.

“It’s a huge honor to exhibit my paintings in the largest and most prestigious art museum in the world,” Paul said. “Drilling a screw into the same walls that house Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ was an incredible experience.”

Paiement selected four paintings from his Nexus series to exhibit. He was able to complete these paintings during a sabbatical from teaching at Cypress, a period in which he says he was “more prolific than I’ve ever been.”

The resulting work was well received at the show; Paul says the pieces created a lot of dialogue among visitors, and his painting ‘Nexus — Ronan, Montana’ was selected and published in the exhibition catalog.

“It was all very real,” Paul said. “By real, I mean tangible. I’ve read, seen documentaries, and heard stories about the Louvre. It’s has a ‘larger than life’ mythology. It has the largest and most comprehensive art collection the world has ever seen. Assisting the museum staff in the installation of my artwork was very real.”

The work exhibited in Paris was painstakingly created. Paul says during the school year, one of his paintings can take anywhere from 3-14 months to complete; during his sabbatical, his goal has been to complete one painting a month — based on a 40-60 hour week. The sabbatical continues until spring 2020 but even when Paul returns he will find a way to continue on this creative streak.

“I don’t find time to create — I create time to create art,” he says. While teaching, he commits to working in his studio three to five days a week.

Paul’s Nexus series bridges natural backdrops and engineered structures. It incorporates the elements that inspire him.

“I draw inspiration from concepts and questions about our reality. Questions like who are we? Who am I? What is nature? Am I part of nature? I hope these concepts are communicated to the viewer in my paintings.”

To view more of Paul’s exhibited work, click on his Carrousel du Louvre link here. You can see additional paintings by visiting his personal website here.

Cypress College Foundation Raises $80,000 at its Annual Golf Classic

The Cypress College Foundation held its Annual Golf Classic at Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park October 21, raising $80,000 to fund student scholarships and book grants/loans, faculty grants, and more. There were 168 participants, including a member of the LPA team who shot a hole-in-one and won a new vehicle.

The Foundation gives a warm thank you to all of its sponsors, participants, and volunteers and student ambassadors.

Title Sponsor
TEM – Total Environmental Management

Corporate Sponsors
A.O. Reed & Co. and Foundation Pile
Control Air and Helix Electric
Forest Lawn Memorial Parks & Mortuaries
MAAS Companies
SUNDT Construction Inc

Eagle Sponsors
Air Treatment Corporation
Morgan Stanley
Newport Diversified

Birdie Sponsor
Cypress Lawn Funeral and Cemetery

Foursomes included players from the following sponsors
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
ACCO Engineered Systems
Air Treatment Corporation
American Crematorium
Buena Park Police Department
The City of Cypress
CSI Fullmer
Cypress Police Department
Remax/Tiffany
Fullerton College
So Cal Gas
Golden State Water
Hazelrigg Claims Management
Johnson Controls Fire Protection LP
Patron Property Management
Piping Industry Progress and Education
Toyota Place
Union Bank
Westberg White Architecture

Cypress College Career Technical Education Counselor Named Counselor of the Year

The Orange County Career Education Community College Network recently named Cypress College Career Technical Education Counselor Dr. Jane Jepson as a 2019 Counselor of the Year. The award, given each year to counselors who excel in a number of areas pertaining to student and career success, will be presented at the 2019 OC Counselor Symposium on Thursday, November 7.

“Dr. Jepsen is good-natured, positive, and hard-working, but most importantly she has demonstrated an empathetic understanding and sensitivity to her students,” said Cypress College Vice President of Student Services Dr. Paul de Dios. “She has earned the respect of administrators, faculty, and students. She is committed to student learning, assessment of learning outcomes, and helping students reach their goals. I can attest to the significant impact she made not only in the lives of her students, but for the community as well. She has truly made, and continues to make, a difference.”

Counselor of the Year recipients promote student enrollment, and college and career readiness; advocate for the integration of academic, personal, and career learning; are knowledgeable in current goals, changes, and processes of the community college system; collaborate with other counselors; engage in ongoing professional development efforts; and possess collaborative and leadership capabilities in their current role.

“It is a labor of love to work with a diverse population of students seeking better, more productive, and engaged lives in a progressive educational environment,” said Jepsen. “It is my pleasure to be recognized for what is the best job ever, which is providing information and inspiration to people wanting to enrich their lives with relevant knowledge and skills.”

Jepsen said she shares the honor with all Orange County Career Education counselors with whom she shares a commitment to championing career education at the community college level and the students who have touched her life over the years.

“Each student is dear to me, special because of the uniqueness of their aspirations and background and desire to be the best they can be,” she said. “And although I may not remember the details of each student’s story from month to month and year to year, I hope each one of them knows I am a vessel for their hopes and dreams, and a witness to their challenges and accomplishments.”

Jepsen received her master’s degree in counseling and recently completed her doctorate in social and environmental pedagogies at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Her research, subtitled “Finding Meaning, Locating Praxis and Connecting to Place,” focuses on alternative ways of knowing and being in a world of interconnected social and environmental inequities and injustices. In fall 2020, she will launch a Global Citizenship Studies program.

Jepsen currently serves on Cypress College’s curriculum committee, oversees the Perkins and Strong Workforce grants, and teaches “Educational Planning” for the Counseling Division and “Cultural Tourism” for the college’s Aviation and Travel Careers program. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and gardening and is a strong advocate for creating ecologically friendly habitats of native, bee and bird-attracting plants in home gardens.

Over 700 counselors are anticipated to attend the 2019 OC Counselor Symposium, which will be held at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel and focuses on supporting student wellness and success through academic, career, and social/emotional support and development.

AC&R Program Passes Accreditation

Cypress College’s Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Program passed a reaccreditation visit on Oct. 3, ensuring its accreditation for six more years.

Members of validation group HVAC Excellence, which sets educational program standards and verifies their fulfillment, met with Cypress faculty Doug Sallade, Carlos Urquidi, and Richard Hock to tour the Air Conditioning & Refrigeration facilities and review curriculum.

The Air Conditioning & Refrigeration program offers an associate degree and nine certificates, ranging from core knowledge to a four-semester long comprehensive certificate. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges job placement rate reports that 93% of recent program graduates were hired in their field. The US Department of Labor projects a 15% growth in employment by 2026 for Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers.

The photo above shows the faculty and HVAC Excellence team. From left to right: Sallade, HVAC Excellence Accreditation Specialist James Crisp, Urquidi, Esco Group Director of Technical Education & Standards Eugene Silberstein, Hock, and HVAC Excellence Accreditation Specialist Steven Allen.

Smoke-Free Art Contest Open to Cypress College Students

The Smoke-Free Art Contest invites all students from Cypress College to submit an entry that represents “Why I want a 100% smoke-free campus.” Entries will be accepted in the form of drawing, painting, or digital arts.

Download the contest rules here.

Contest Timeline

October 7 — Contest opens for submissions
- Submit to Cypress College in the Student Activities Center (Gym II, 2nd Floor)
December 13 — Deadline closes at 4 p.m.
- Blank sheets provided (Gym II, 2nd Floor)
January 27 — Winners Announced
- 1st Place ($100 Target gift card and publication)
- 2nd Place ($50 Amazon gift card)
- 3rd Place ($25 Starbucks gift card)
- All participants will receive a gift at submission!

Submission Locations

Physical artwork to the Student Activities Center (Gym II, 2nd floor) by 4 p.m. on December 13, 2019 (physical submissions will be collected and returned by the end of the semester). Download the entry form here.
Digital artwork to collegeartcontest.weebly.com/ by 11:59 p.m. on December 13, 2019.

Selection Process

Judge panel will be representatives from Orange County Health Care Agency, Waymakers, Brown Marketing Strategies, Associated Students, Health Center, and Fine Arts.
Artwork will be reviewed for the following characteristics:
- Creativity and originality
- Quality of artistic composition and overall design based on the theme

Guidelines for Contest Entries

Entries that do not meet the requirements outlined below may be deleted from the contest.

All entries must be the designer’s original work.
Artwork messaging is free of grammatical errors.
The source files to winning design entries must be uploaded within 24 hours of being rewarded.
All physical artwork entries should be on the 12w x 18h (safe zone* 11×17). Paper provided and available for pickup at the Student Activities Center (Gym II, 2nd floor).
All digital artwork entries should be 17w x 22h (safe zone* 16×21).
Must not contain material that violates or infringes upon another’s rights, including but not limited to privacy, publicity or intellectual property rights, or that constitutes copyright infringement; entrants may be requested to provide a signed written proposal release from recognizable and identifiable persons in the artwork submitted.
Must not contain brand names or trademarks.

Image Format Requirements

If the size and format requirements are not met, the quality and resolution of your images will be compromised and may not be able to be used. All entries must be submitted to the Student Activities Center along with an entry form or submitted electronically via collegeartcontest.weebly.com/.

Physical Artwork

Submission must be on the provided 12w x 18h paper (safe zone* 11×17).

Digital Artwork

File size should be 17w x 22h (safe zone* 16×21).
File should be provided as .pdf or .jpeg, in addition to the native file (.ai or .indd).
Please package the file with all layers, fonts (typography), and imagery.
Provide typography name and file.
Provide color code.
Do not include watermarks.
If photography is used, provide the original, high-resolution photo file.
If you use imagery from an online source, check for specific copyright details and read the End User License Agreement for clipart rules.

Rights

By entering artwork in this competition, the entrant retains all rights. However, entrants grant the Selection Committee the right to edit, adapt, reproduce, and publish the artwork.

*Safe zone = A zone where the artwork will be safe from being altered during the cutting/placement process. While a bleed goes to the very edge of a design, the safe zone will be within the confines of the overall design. Please do not include any type or crucial elements past this safe zone.

2019 Annual Safety and Security Report Now Available

Cypress College’s 2019 Annual Safety and Security Report is now available. The report meets the requirements of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act — which is intended to provide students and the public with access to information critical to their safety.

The report can be viewed at: http://news.cypresscollege.edu/Documents/CC-2019-Clery-Report.pdf. Students are notified of the report’s availability via the campus website, the myGateway portal, and the College’s social media properties. If desired, paper copies of the report will be available through the Campus Safety Office.

If you see something, say something

The Clery Act

U.S. Department of Education Awards $2.8 Million Title V Grant to Cypress College

Cypress College is the recipient of a $2.8 million federal Title V grant intended to improve graduation and transfer rates. The U.S. Department of Education awards the grants to colleges and universities across the country as part of the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program.

Title V grants are highly competitive — 43 recipients were selected for funding across the country from a pool of 223 formal applications in the 2019 cycle. The 5-year grant will bring $2,773,406 to Cypress College to help fully implement the Guided Pathways model — a transformational approach to operations designed to eliminate barriers students encounter in their educational journey.

Recently ranked as the top community college in California, Cypress College operates on a belief that we owe it to our students to continually be our best so they can be their best. Congruent with this philosophy, the college’s grant focuses on clarifying the path from admission to completion.

“Receiving this grant validates that work that we are doing at Cypress College to genuinely walk this educational journey in tandem with our students,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “I am proud of the work we do and of our commitment to student success. True commitment to helping students means that we are always looking for ways to improve. I am thankful to our employees who worked tirelessly to develop the Title V grant proposal. Receiving this grant means more students will achieve their goals.”

Based on evidence, the Guided Pathways model shows great promise in improving students’ graduation and transfer outcomes. Cypress College’s project incorporates three components and five distinct strategies, which were selected to address friction points that contribute to identified problems experienced by students. These strategies are organized around the Guided Pathways pillars to follow best practices established by leading community colleges.

Cypress College’s Title V project, titled Enhancing the Student Experience through Guided Pathways, will benefit the current 16,000-plus students, along with thousands of students who will follow in future years. Every student who attends Cypress College will have an improved institutional structure that facilitates achieving completion.

In alignment with the Guided Pathways goals, this Title V project will shorten the amount of time students need to complete their programs of study, improve their chances of university transfer and degree or certificate attainment, and reduce the cost of instructional materials by eliminating those items that don’t move them closer to their goals.

In fall 2018, 49% of the 16,042 enrolled Cypress College students were Hispanic, and 65.5% of these students received financial aid; nearly half of all students are first-generation college students. This means the long-term results are likely to positively impact the most vulnerable communities in the college’s service area.

About Title V:

The Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand educational opportunities for, and improve the attainment of, Hispanic students. These grants also enable HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability. Title V is a component of the U.S. Higher Education Act.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

View this news release as a PDF

2019 TPG Fair Prepares Students for Graduation, Transfer to University

Interested in transferring, but aren’t sure to where? Think you’re about ready to graduate, but want to make sure? The Transfer Center and Admissions & Records are teaming up to give students the opportunity to learn about their transfer options and prepare for graduation in this semester’s all-in-one TPG Fair! Speak with representatives from more than 50 public and private colleges and universities, get your graduation questions answered, pre-order graduation items, and more!

The TPG Fair is happening Thursday, November 7 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Fine Arts Plaza.

Campuses Attending This Year’s TPG Fair

Academy of Art University
ArtCenter
Biola University
Brandman University
Cal Poly Pomona
California Baptist University
California College of the Arts
Chapman University
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Claremont School of Theology
Columbia College Hollywood
Concordia University Irvine
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU East Bay
CSU Fullerton
CSU Fullerton/Project Raise
CSU Long Beach
CSU Long Beach – College of Education
CSU Northridge
CSU San Marcos
DeVry University
Grand Canyon University
Hope International University
Humboldt State University
La Sierra University
Loma Linda University
Mount Saint Mary’s University
National University
New School of Architecture and Design
Providence Christian College
San Francisco Art Institute
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC Merced
UC Riverside
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz
UCLA School of Nursing
Union Institute & University
University of La Verne
University of Michigan
University of Phoenix
University of Redlands
University of Southern California (USC)
University of the West
Vanguard University
West Coast University

Associate Degree Nursing ACEN Accreditation Site Visit Oct. 9, 2019

Public Notice of Upcoming Accreditation Review Visit by the ACEN

The Cypress College Registered Nursing Program is hosting a site review for continuing accreditation of its Associate Degree program by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

You are invited to meet the site visit team and share your comments about the program in person at a meeting scheduled at Cypress College in TE3-203 (Health Science, Building 13) on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, from 12:45–1:45 p.m.

Written comments are also welcomed and should be submitted directly to:

Dr. Marsal Stoll, Chief Executive Officer
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
Or email: mstoll@acenursing.org

All written comments should be received by the ACEN by Wednesday, October 2, 2019.

Click here for more information on the Cypress College Nursing Program.

Cypress College Displays ‘Hostile Terrain,’ Brings Attention to Humanitarian Crisis at Southern Border

Bringing America’s humanitarian crisis at its southern border front and center, Cypress College presents “Hostile Terrain,” a global pop-up installation and wall map created by anthropologist Jason De León.

“Hostile Terrain,” organized by the North Orange County Community College District Office of Diversity and Compliance, asks visitors to fill toe-tags with information about the more than 3,000 individuals who have died trying to cross into the United States through the Sonoran Desert over the past 25 years. Participants are then asked to place the tags on the map in the exact location where the person’s body was found.

“This has been happening for 20 years — people are dying in the Arizona desert,” De León told Associated Press earlier this year. “Nobody, Republican or Democrat, seems to want to talk about this.”

The display serves as a distressing reminder of the United States’ immigration enforcement policy, “Prevention Through Deterrence,” which was designed to discourage migrants from attempting to cross the border near urban ports of entry, forcing them to take a much more dangerous route. Since the policy was put into place in 1994, 3,116 people have died, largely from dehydration and hypothermia.

De León, author of “The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail,” is a professor of anthropology and Chicana/o studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and executive director of the Undocumented Migration Project, a 501(c)(3). “Hostile Terrain” serves as the precursor prototype to De León’s 2020 global participatory exhibition of the same name.

A reception with a performance of “Piedras y Luz” by the Cypress College Dance Department and Maha & Company is scheduled for Thursday, September 19 from 6-8 p.m. The Cypress College Art Gallery is at 9200 Valley View Blvd. in Cypress. Additional events throughout the duration of “El Artist” include a screening of “Border South/Frontera Sur” and Q&A with director Raúl Paz Pastrana on Thursday, September 19; a concrete casting workshop with Ed Giardina on Monday, September 23; a talk with Gustavo Arellano on Thursday, October 3; a lecture by former Director of the Museum of Latin American Art, Consul of Cultural Affairs of Mexico in Los Angeles and the First Secretary of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington DC Gregorio Luke, “Siqueiros: A Revolutionary in Art and Life,” on Tuesday, October 14; and a concurrent show, “El Artist” featuring the works of J. Sergio O’Cadiz Moctezuma. Visit cypresscollegeart.com/ccgallery for more information.

“Hostile Terrain” is presented as part of the 5th SUR:biennial. Established by the Director of Outpost for Contemporary Art, Ronald Rafel Lopez, to explore the complex notion of globalization and exchange that takes place in the ambiguous borderlands between Los Angeles and the broader “South,” SUR:biennial features the works of local and international artists who have been influenced by the cultures and artistic traditions of Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The 5th SUR:biennial takes place at seven different venues across the greater Los Angeles region. This year, Cypress College joins the Cerritos College Art Gallery, the Eastside International (ESXLA), the Long Beach City College Art Gallery, the Rio Hondo College Art Gallery, SPARC: The Social & Public Art Resource Center, and Torrance Art Museum.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

View this news release as a PDF

Cypress College Presents ‘El Artist’ — Works of J. Sergio O’Cadiz Moctezuma Sept. 19-Nov. 14

As part of Cypress College’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, the Cypress College Art Gallery presents the work of J. Sergio O’Cadiz Moctezuma this month.

Exploring O’Cadiz Moctezuma’s innovative poured concrete process, “El Artist” displays paintings, drawings and public artworks that demonstrate his often-controversial, boundary-crossing creativity.

“His work makes OC stare uncomfortably at what it never dreamed of when it came to its Mexicans: unapologetic. Proud. Talented. Successful,” writes journalist and author Gustavo Arellano. “‘My idea of America,’ [O’Cadiz Moctezuma] once told the Los Angeles Times, ‘is the right to be as Mexican as I want.’”

For over 50 years, O’Cadiz Moctezuma created public artwork, Chicana/o and community-based murals and studio-based works that have contributed to the cultural life of Orange County. His work, though often sparking debate, raises compelling questions about who determines history, who is provided a voice in the public arena and who is considered an American.

Although many of O’Cadiz Moctezuma’s public pieces have been destroyed or removed from view, his legacy is displayed within the selections presented in “El Artist.” His talent is further seen, although often unknowingly, on the Cypress College campus, which is home to one of O’Cadiz Moctezuma’s massive, 4,500-foot, acid-stained concrete murals.

A reception with a performance of “Piedras y Luz” by the Cypress College Dance Department and Maha & Company is scheduled for Thursday, September 19 from 6-8 p.m. The Cypress College Art Gallery is at 9200 Valley View Blvd. in Cypress. Additional events throughout the duration of “El Artist” include a screening of “Border South/Frontera Sur” and Q&A with director Raúl Paz Pastrana on Thursday, September 19; a concrete casting workshop with Ed Giardina on Monday, September 23; a talk with Arellano on Thursday, October 3; alecture by former Director of the Museum of Latin American Art, Consul of Cultural Affairs of Mexico in Los Angeles and the First Secretary of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington DC Gregorio Luke, “Siqueiros: A Revolutionary in Art and Life,” on Tuesday, October 14; and a concurrent show, “Hostile Terrain” created by anthropologist Dr. Jason De León. Visit cypresscollegeart.com/ccgallery for more information.

“El Artist” is presented as part of the 5th SUR:biennial. Established by the Director of Outpost for Contemporary Art, Ronald Rafel Lopez, to explore the complex notion of globalization and exchange that takes place in the ambiguous borderlands between Los Angeles and the broader “South,” SUR:biennial features the works of local and international artists who have been influenced by the cultures and artistic traditions of Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. This year, Cypress College joins the Cerritos College Art Gallery, the Eastside International (ESXLA), the Long Beach City College Art Gallery, the Rio Hondo College Art Gallery, SPARC: The Social & Public Art Resource Center, and Torrance Art Museum.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

—30—

View this news release as a PDF file

Participate in the Installation of “Hostile Terrain” Exhibit

Seventy student and faculty volunteers are needed to assist with the installation of the “Hostile Terrain” exhibit. The installation will take place September 17 and 18 in the Cypress College Theater from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thirty-minute time slots are available for each group of 30 individuals.

Please contact Nicole Smith at nicole@hostileterrain94.com or Ranmalee Perera at rperera@noce.edu if you or your class is interested in participating and to schedule a time.

About

As of today, we have record of 3,116 people who have died, largely from dehydration and hyperthermia, while attempting this journey through Arizona. For this exhibition, we are asking volunteers to hand-write the toe tags of each body recovered from the Arizona/Mexico border. We will then construct a wall map of the border, onto which the tags will be placed in the exact location the individuals were found.

Student, Faculty, and Community Participation

Tables will be set up in the lobby of the Cypress College Theater. Volunteers fill out tags under the guidance of Director, Dr. Jason De León.

Click on the sign-up page here for a 30 minute time slots.

Walk-ins welcome although for a large group a scheduled time slot is highly recommended.

To view the promotional video, click here.

On-Campus Child Care Services are Back

This semester, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cypress and Anaheim, and North Orange Continuing Education, Cypress College is offering free on-campus child care services for all enrolled students while accessing services on campus like counseling appointments, tutoring sessions, and studying in the L/LRC. These services are also available to students taking NOCE classes.

To assist students with school-age children, Boys and Girls Club offers services throughout the semester Monday–Thursday in NOCE (Bldg 18), Room 117 from 2:30 – 7:30 p.m. Children are offered help with their homework, or can engage in games and arts and crafts.

For more information, please contact the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress at (714) 527-2697 ext. 200 or email information@bgccypress.org.

Cypress College Again Named by Niche as #1 Community College in California

Cypress College is once again the top community college in California according to a top college-selection organization. Niche, Inc. named Cypress College the 2020 Best Community College in the state last week.

Niche previously identified Cypress College as California’s number one community college in its 2018 examination of colleges and universities. Because of a data flaw related to the college’s participation in the state’s baccalaureate degree program, Cypress College did not appear on the community college list in 2019.

Niche’s ranking is based on a rigorous analysis of academic, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as millions of reviews from students and alumni. These metrics account for both student success, in areas such as completion and university transfer, as well as student perceptions of the campus and the college’s faculty.

Cypress College also ranked #54 of 871 community colleges in the nation.

“Cypress College is invested in the success of each of our students,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “We are honored to be selected as Niche’s #1 California Community College. The larger picture, however, is our commitment to ensuring our students achieve their academic goals; they, along with our alumni, believe that we have helped them create better lives for themselves. At Cypress, our motto is ‘we take this journey together’ and the results of this partnership can be transformational.”

Dr. Schilling also noted that the recognition — among many accolades in the past academic year — should serve as a point of pride for the college’s employees.

“We are provided the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “As employees, we are fortunate to do such meaningful work.”

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Related:

—30—

Note: View the release

Cypress College Announces First-of-Their-Kind ESL Milestone Certificates

Effective this fall, Cypress College will offer Guided Pathways ESL Milestone Certificates. These certificates are first of their kind in the California Community College system. There are nine certificates for different student pathways, and if you have taken GE courses, you may already qualify for at least three to four certificates, maybe more if you have already completed ESL 184 C, 185 C, and 186 C. You are eligible even if you started at the ESL 185 C or 186 C levels.

The priority deadline to apply is September 16, but you can apply now by seeing a counselor or going to the Cypress College Admissions & Records office. If you apply soon, you will be among the first students in the entire state of California to earn these certificates. The final deadline to apply for fall 2019 is September 27.

These certificates have been featured at the following:

Public Policy Institute of California English as a Second Language in California’s Community Colleges
ASCCC Curriculum Institute, July 2019
CCCCO/ASCCC AB 705 ESL Subcommittee Workgroup

They will also be featured in the Strengthening Student Success conference, RP Group, October 2019, and potentially at the November 2019 Chancellor’s Office Vision Spotlight to the Board of Governors.

ESL students seeking these certificates must take ESL 184 C, 185 C, and/or 186 C, in addition to the courses in their major. For details, students should speak with a counselor or their ESL professor.

About the Certificates

The ESL Milestone Certificate program is designed to prepare English Language Learners (ELLs) for the academic rigor of degree-applicable coursework in various Guided Pathways Meta Majors. Students completing these certificates have achieved academic English reading and writing skills at an advanced, post-secondary level; they have also achieved success in prerequisite or introductory coursework in a variety of degree, certificate, or general education patterns. These two elements combine to demonstrate significant achievement of a milestone along their pathways to degrees, certificates, or transfer. To earn a certificate, complete the required courses as listed with a grade of C or better. At least 50% of all coursework must be completed at Cypress College.

Announcing Cypress College Night at Angel Stadium on Sept. 26

Take us out to the ball game! Cypress College has partnered with the Angels for the first-ever Cypress College Night at Angel Stadium. Join us Thursday, September 26, as the Angels host the Houston Astros in the final home stand of the 2019 season. Tickets are on sale now! Purchase online or save the convenience fee and buy in person at the Bursar’s Office (located on the first floor of the Student Center).

The $25 ticket includes a field box, terrace box, or field reserved ticket and a custom, collector’s-edition Cypress College/Angels baseball cap.

Download the PDF version of the flyer.

Cypress College Aviation Program Adds Full-Motion Simulator to Enhance Technical Skills

Cypress College is home to a full-motion, twin-engine flight simulator.

Cypress College recently announced the addition of a full-motion, Twin-Engine Reciprocating & Turbine Motion Simulator to its new Aviation Lab.

The Twin-Engine Reciprocating & Turbine Motion Simulator enables Cypress College instructors to train aspiring pilots for their initial private pilot certificates. This on-the-ground training saves students between 30 and 60 hours of flight time, equating to a savings of $7,500 to $15,000.

“This new simulator will enhance the training we’re able to provide students,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “It dramatically reduces FAA required flight training times, providing our students with an economical path to the completion of their flight program. We couldn’t have made this purchase without the donation we received from an anonymous donor last year.”

Last October, Cypress College was the recipient of the largest individual gift in campus history when an anonymous donor provided a $1 million donation to the college’s aviation program. The donation was earmarked to transform Cypress’ state-of-the-art flight simulator lab into the region’s best public facility, support Cypress’ flying team, and be used toward the purchase of an airplane. In addition to the new Twin-Engine Reciprocating & Turbine Motion Simulator, four FAA certified simulators will soon be installed to better enhance the attainment of technical skills and increase student completion rates. The five simulators are part of the ultimate plan for the Aviation Lab to include eight flight simulators, with one slated as a full-motion multi-engine turbo-prop simulator. The college is home to a unique simulator that mirrors the recently released Boeing 737 Max commercial jet.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Note: View the news release

Cypress College’s Accreditation Fully Reaffirmed Through 2024

Dr. JoAnna Schilling (right) with scholarship recipients and faculty member Damon de la Cruz. Dr. Schilling cited Cypress College’s focus on students in announcing the college’s full re-affirmation of accreditation.

Cypress College received reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The college addressed the single compliance requirement identified in its follow-up report and was reaffirmed for the remainder of its review cycle, which runs through 2024.

“The reaffirmation of the excellent work being done on behalf of our students reflects a well-integrated, campus-wide effort,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “I am deeply grateful for the leadership demonstrated by our faculty and staff to ensure we can continue serving our community as a premier college. Our priority is to continue as a welcoming environment for all students who seek to learn, thrive, and grow through the power of education.”

Dr. Schilling specifically cited the efforts of: faculty member Liana Koeppel, who chairs the college’s accreditation steering committee; the Academic Senate; and Phil Dykstra, who serves as the college’s accreditation liaison officer.

Accreditation from ACCJC, WASC certifies Cypress College as an effective institution for student learning, assuring the integrity of college programs and transcripts, and facilitating the transfer of credits to English-speaking colleges and universities worldwide.

As part of the continuous accreditation cycle, Cypress College must submit a midterm report in 2021 before receiving its next comprehensive review in fall 2024.

About the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education offered by the institution it accredits in keeping with the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges works with its member institutions to advance educational quality and student learning achievement. This collaboration fosters institutional excellence and continuous improvement through innovation, self analysis, peer review, and application of standards. The ACCJC expresses a set of core values: integrity, quality assurance, institutional improvement, peer review, student learning and achievement, and collegiality.

About Cypress College:

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Note: View the news release

Featured Class: Spanish for Spanish Speakers

¿Hablas español? ¡Esta clase es para ti! SPAN 201C (5 units) is Spanish for Spanish speakers just like you.

Prerequisite: You must be able to speak and understand spoken Spanish.

Inscríbete para hablar, escribir y leer con confianza en español.

Conoce los secretos de los acentos escritos
Eleva tu dominio del español oral y escrito
Descubre obras maestras literarias del mundo hispanohablante
Haz amistad con compañeros hispanohablantes como tú

Enroll today to speak, write, and read with confidence in Spanish.

Learn the secrets of written accent marks
Improve your skills in spoken and written Spanish
Discover literary greats of the Spanish-speaking world
Get to know Spanish speaking students just like you

Contact Professor Jessica Puma at jpuma@cypresscollege.edu for more information.

Psychology Students Inducted into Honor Society

On Friday May 3, 2019, 14 Cypress College students were formally inducted into Psi Beta, an honor society for students attending two-year colleges. A gathering in the Humanities Building marked the occasion with a candle-lighting ceremony and celebration of these students’ achievements.

Founded in 1982, Psi Beta’s mission is to encourage professional development and psychological literacy of students by promoting and recognizing excellence in scholarship, leadership, research, and community service.

In order to become a member of Psi Beta, students must have completed 12 college units and have earned a grade of B or higher in a college-level psychology course. They also must have maintained an overall minimum GPA of 3.25.

The 14 students who reached this goal are:

Helen Alsunna
Felicia Cleaver
Ashley Gee
Lillian Hoang
Gigi Liu
Alejandra Lopez
Vanessa Orduno
Estephania Ovalle Patino
Angelique Robinson
Yasmeen Qtaish
Jessica Rojas
Kimberly Soriano
David Su
Crystal Wilcox

City to Hold First-Ever Independence Day Celebration at Cypress College

The City of Cypress is holding its inaugural Salute to America Celebration here at Cypress College. The family-friendly event, which takes place Wednesday, July 3 from 4–9:30 p.m., features live music, vendor booths, food trucks, and a fireworks display that begins at 9 p.m.

Those in attendance can bring lawn chairs and picnic on the grounds. However, motor homes, outside alcohol, dogs, barbecues, and fireworks are not permitted at the event.

Please see below for a map of the event. Note that this may be subject to change.

We look forward to seeing you at this free event.

Retired Professor Co-Authors Philosophy and Religious Studies Article

Retired Philosophy and Religious Studies professor Robert G. Cavin has penned an article with Skyline College Professor Carlos A. Colombetti called “Assessing the Resurrection Hypothesis: Problems with Craig’s Inference to the Best Explanation.”

Regarding the article, Cavin states, “The hypothesis that God supernaturally raised Jesus from the dead is argued by William Lane Craig to be the best explanation for the empty tomb and postmortem appearances of Jesus because it satisfies seven criteria of adequacy better than rival naturalistic hypotheses. We identify problems with Craig’s criteria-based approach and show, most significantly, that the Resurrection hypothesis fails to fulfill any but the first of his criteria—especially explanatory scope and plausibility.”

The article is slated to come out on June 21, 2019 in The European Journal for Philosophy of Religion (EJPH) Vol. 11 No. 2.

To be part of this and similar conversations, take Introduction to Religious Studies here at Cypress College. Visit our class schedule page for more information.

NOCCCD Merit System Information

Learn about the merit system and election scheduled for summer 2019.

Pride Month Resources Available at Cypress College

Cypress College is a community that embraces diversity; fosters individuality; provides an accessible, supportive climate; and encourages a variety of perspectives and opinions. In celebration of that core value and Pride Month, we share the following resources for our LGBTQ+ community.

Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA) Club

The Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA)—formerly the LGBTQ+ Club—strives to be a fun and safe space for LGBTQ+ students and their allies to share their stories, learn about LGBTQ+ issues, support diversity and inclusion for all students, and make a positive impact on campus and in the community. The QSA participates in campus AS events, holds weekly club meetings, hosts National Coming Out Day (October), attends Pride Parades and Festivals (May/June), watches movies, has beach bonfires, goes out together, and more. The QSA meets every Thursday from 3–5 p.m.

Gender-Neutral Restrooms

Gender-neutral restrooms, labeled “unisex,” are available in the Technical Education 3 building on the first, second, and third floors. The two that are located on the first floor require a key to access them. Visit the CTE Division office for the key. The two on the second floor are located opposite the sliding door entrance. The two on the third floor are located near the public elevator. An additional gender-neutral restroom is located in the Art Gallery.

Links

If you would like to see additional resources, or if you have any questions or need information, contact the QSA Advisor, Jenelle Herman, at jherman@cypresscollege.edu.

Student Art Featured in CCAG Exhibition

This year our art students exhibited their self-selected best works for display in the student art show at the Cypress College Art Gallery. The exhibition ran from May 7–16.

Among the many featured were pieces by Juliana Montenegro, Phat Huynh, and Zimmo Mojica.

Montenegro submitted a photograph she took of Disneyland at night, which is part of a series she is doing for independent study. The series aims to show the theme park in a different light—revealing there is so much more to the park than the rides.

Artist: Juliana Montenegro

Huynh’s “Scoliosis” piece was his first-ever painting. He used acrylics to portray a personal aspect of himself.

Artist: Phat Huynh

Mojica’s anime artistry has been featured previously on campus. This time, he brought forth his favorite piece for the show.

Artist: Zimmo Mojica

Cypress College Art Gallery (CCAG) presents both professional and student exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and visiting artists’ projects. CCAG is located in the gateway area of the Cypress College campus. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and by appointment.

Brandon Davis Selected as Outstanding Graduate for Class of 2019

Brandon Davis was a typical college student juggling school with work and a social life when he was faced with a difficult reality: the active 20-year-old was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in the last few weeks of the fall 2017 semester.

“I went from being a normal, 20-year-old college student, to having cancer,” he said. “At the beginning, I went through really hard realities that kind of stick with me today, such as I didn’t know if I was going to make it to celebrate my 21st birthday.”

Though he was faced with contemplating his own mortality, Brandon maintained his positive, upbeat attitude and continued to be vigorously dedicated to his education, determined to continue working towards his goal of becoming a high school math teacher to share his love and passion for math with others. He credited the support he received from family, friends, and college faculty and staff with helping him to keep up with his studies while making it through his long months of treatment.

“I believe what makes Brandon so special is not only his amazingly positive attitude, courage, and character,” said Psychology Professor Brandy Young,” but also his utter dedication to pursuing his dream. He is someone who can inspire all of us — faculty, students, and staff — to be their best no matter what challenging conditions they may face.”

While undergoing 14 rounds of chemotherapy over eight-and-a-half months, along with 29 rounds of radiation over a span of six weeks, Brandon turned 21 in September 2018. At the beginning of 2019, he received his first negative scan since finishing his treatment.

Back taking a full load of classes at Cypress College in spring 2019, Brandon has earned a number of scholarships, including a 1 Million for Anna Foundation scholarship for Ewing’s Sarcoma survivors. He is transferring to California State University, Long Beach in the fall to pursue his bachelor’s degree.

“One bit of advice I would give to current and future students is to never take a day for granted. See the beauty in each day and know that each day presents an opportunity to smile or laugh, no matter how dark or cloudy it may seem.

First Presidential Scholars of Distinction Cohort Selected for Class of 2019

Cypress College has selected its first cohort of Presidential Scholars of Distinction, a new scholarship intended to recognize nine students who exemplify what it means to be a Cypress College student. The criteria include that each recipient must be in good academic standing and they must have illustrated perseverance in their achievement.

The Presidential Scholars of Distinction were nominated by the faculty in their specific academic major clusters, selected by the members of that academic pathway, and affirmed by President JoAnna Schilling.

Cypress College highlights eight meta majors and an exploratory pathway as part of its implementation of the California Guided Pathways Program — a philosophy intended to help students complete their studies in the most-efficient timeline possible. The pathways are: Business and Computer Information Systems; Career Technical Education; Fine Arts; Health Science; Kinesiology; Language Arts; Science, Engineering & Math; Social Sciences; and We Journey Together (“Exploratory” including Counseling and L/LRC).

Cypress College’s first Presidential Scholars of Distinction are:

Sagidah Karakra, Business/CIS
Jessica Button, Counseling
Claudia Espinoza, Career Techinical Education
Nhi Nguyen, Fine Arts
Evelyn Hernandez, Health Science
Jane Woodward, Kinesiology
Jene Viray, Language Arts
Selina Jaimes Davila, Science, Engineering, Math
Sandra Enriquez, Social Sciences

Sagidah Karakra

Cypress College’s appreciation and value for diversity, along with her older sister’s academic success at the college, motivated Sagidah Karakra to pursue higher education at Cypress College. Sagidah has been involved in a number of extra-curricular activities, including the Muslim Student Association and Business Club. She found her niche in accounting after participating in Accounting Career Day and this semester served as a supplemental instruction leader for Accounting 101.

Sagidah is graduating with an associate of science degree in business administration. She is transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She one day hopes to become an accounting professor like the ones she’s had who have motivated her to work hard and never give up on her educational goals.

When asked what she is most passionate about, Sagidah said it’s “inspiring students to excel.”

“I want to make a positive impact on the success of my students,” she added. “I hope that I can continue to support and inspire accounting students to work hard and stay motivated when it comes to achieving their goals.”

Jessica Button

Jessica Button has said she’s come further than she ever thought realistic. A fun-loving girl with endless creativity, she chased many different opportunities that deferred her degree completion, but for a third time, she found herself registering for college classes at Cypress College.

Jessica is graduating with her associate of science degree for transfer in business administration and associate of science degree in marketing. She is transferring to Cal State Long Beach in the fall and is the first graduate from the leadership team of FITE (From Incarceration to Empowerment) Club, a new club that was started last fall.

“I am ecstatic to be graduating today as a role model to those who also thought they’d never get this far,” she said. “We can all graduate successfully and change our lives. We take this journey together!”

Claudia Espinoza

Claudia Espinoza was born in Santa Ana, but at the age of two, moved to Mexico where she grew up for 14 years. At 16, her family moved back to California where she spent long days going to school, completed homework in the afternoon in a language she barely understood, then attended ESL classes until 10 p.m. Through hard work and dedication, she started to speak and write in English within a year.

After high school, Claudia earned a medical assistant certificate from Santa Ana College and continued pursuing an associate degree until realizing that she was not passionate about the field. It wasn’t until she started working as an assistant manager at a restaurant that she discovered her love for hospitality.

Claudia is graduating with associate of arts degrees in hospitality management, and food and beverage management. She is transferring to Cal State Long Beach in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and ultimately aspires to become a director of food and beverage at a full-service resort.

Nhi Nguyen

At the age of 19, Nhi Nguyen emigrated from Vietnam to the United States with her mother. In a completely new environment and having to cope in an unfamiliar language, Nhi initially intended to earn a degree in a health science field because she thought she would have a higher chance of finding a stable job; however, her first art professor helped her believe in her skills and abilities, and inspired her to pursue art instead.

Nhi is graduating with an associate of art degree for transfer in studio art. She is transferring to Cal State Fullerton to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in graphic and interactive design. She also hopes to pursue a master’s degree and dreams of becoming a successful graphic designer.

“No matter what language an artist speaks, I can understand what he is trying to represent and express through his art piece,” she said. “So, art seems to have a power of speaking in a universal language, which is why I’ve been interested in art.”

Evelyn Hernandez

A first-generation college student and single parent when she first started on her educational journey at Cypress College, Evelyn Hernandez said the college has been her home away from home since day one. She is a proud member of EOPS, a program she learned of by happenstance.

“I recall accidentally walking into some random office hoping they’d be able to help me, and it was the best mistake I ever made,” she said.

Evelyn is graduating with an associate of science degree in radiologic technology. After earning her American Registry of Radiologic Technologists credential, she hopes to work in computed tomography (CT) and possibly cross-train in a catheterization lab. She also hopes to attend Cal State Northridge in the future.

“I want to continue growing and set an example for my kids,” she said. “I want them to be proud of the person I worked so hard to become. I want them to know anything is possible with hard work and a little effort.”

Jane Woodward

Jane Woodward was a four-sport standout in high school, participating in varsity women’s volleyball, basketball, track, and tennis at Woodrow Wilson High school in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. After high school, Jane moved to Orange County on her own to attend Cypress College and play on the college’s volleyball and beach volleyball teams. She finished her career at Cypress with 321 career kills and 122 blocks, earning a 2018 all-Orange Empire Conference First Team selection and earning a spot on the 2018 All-State Tournament Team.

Jane is graduating with an associate of science degree in kinesiology. She is transferring to Cal Poly Pomona on a volleyball scholarship and will pursue a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology. She aspires to become a physical therapist and high school volleyball coach.

“I am most passionate about being the best version of myself that I can be,” she said. “Coming from a troubled background, losing my mother at a young age, I have an internal drive to succeed and make the most out of my life.”

Jene Viray

Born in the Philippines and raised in the United Arab Emirates, Jene Viray is an international student at Cypress College who is graduating with her associate of arts degree in communication studies. She hopes to transfer to Cal State Long Beach in fall 2020, and until then, will continue working in the college’s International Students Program to gain practical work experience.

In addition to working part-time in the International Students Program office, Jene was cast and has performed in the college’s dance productions, and was a member of the Cypress College Forensics Team. She aspires to earn a master’s degree in speech language pathology and become a certified speech therapist with the goal of helping children improve their speech and ability to communicate.

“I find joy in helping others in a way that can encourage their success and well-being,” she said. “Knowing that my actions and words have the power to impact other peoples’ lives positively is rewarding in itself.”

Selina Jaimes Davila

Selina Jaimes Davila has been a high-achieving student from a young age and worked hard to graduate with high honors from Huntington Park High School, only to be rejected admission by four Cal States. Uncertain of her next step, Selina ended up at Cypress College pursuing a diagnostic medical sonography certification until deciding that she wanted to pursue a degree. After changing her major three times, she discovered a passion for mechanical engineering.

Selina is graduating with associate of science degrees in mathematics, physics, liberal arts in math and science, and pre-engineering. She is transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and later hopes to earn her master’s degree from UCLA. Passionate about helping others, Selina hopes to work in the prostheses industry and also aspires to become a STEM counselor for undocumented students.

“I have faced many challenges on my path to graduation: poverty, no transportation, lack of guidance, my undocumented status, coming from divorced parents, being a first-generation student, starting in the lowest math course, and not having a place to live at times,” she said. “No matter what, I overcame the barriers placed in front of me.”

Sandra Enriquez

Sandra Enriquez was still in high school when she had her first child. As a young mother who, admittedly, did not understand the reality of being a mother, she rebelled and found herself in an “extremely negative environment.” Pulling from her own experiences, Sandra said she is most passionate about helping others overcome obstacles, especially single parents, “because I know how difficult life can sometimes get.”

After years overcoming the difficulties in her life, Sandra has earned three certificates from Cypress College in family studies, addiction studies, and human services generalist. She is graduating with associate of arts degrees in human services and liberal arts with an emphasis in social and behavioral science. She is transferring in the fall to Cal State Fullerton.

“I am a living testimony that regardless of how deep you think you have dug yourself into a hole, you are not buried; you can get yourself out and, most importantly, ‘You deserve it’.”

Cypress College Foundation Awards More Than $260,000 in Scholarships

The Cypress College Foundation recognized nearly 250 exceptional students receiving more than 300 awards for a total of more than $260,000 in scholarships at the Annual Scholarship Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 8. More than 400 family, friends, faculty, staff, and students attended the event held in Gateway Plaza in front of the campanile.

The Cypress College Foundation is a non-profit organization founded to raise money for the college through donors who care about our students. These funds are designated to assist students with scholarships and support other important college programs. Oversight of the Foundation comes from a group of dedicated volunteers serving as the Board of Directors, along with the leadership of the Cypress College president.

Cypress College Radiologic Technology graduate Crystal Neer started a scholarship to help deserving health science majors in the EOPS, CARE, and CalWORKS programs.

Thank you to our donors, faculty, staff, Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling — and, especially, our deserving students.

Cypress, Fullerton VRCs Play First Annual Softball Game

Cypress College sister school Fullerton College hosted the 1st Annual Cypress College Veterans Resource Center versus Fullerton College Veterans Resource Center softball game on Friday, May 3, 2019. Cypress had a great student-veteran turnout and it helped the college win a tough game 6-5.

Fullerton College President Dr. Greg Schulz was a gracious host on behalf of Fullerton. In Spring 2020, Cypress College will host what we expect will become an annual tradition to celebrate our NOCCCD veteran students.

Fullerton 99s Visit Cypress College

The Aviation & Travel Careers Department hosted the monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 for the Fullerton Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, an organization of licensed women pilots from around the world. Students with an interest in aviation were invited to participate in the monthly meeting and enjoy pizza and drinks.

After the meeting, students and members moved to the Aircraft Simulation Lab and explored the features and possibilities of the equipment. The time in the simulator lab provided opportunities for students and members to work with one other, sharing knowledge and experiences across different age groups.

Fullerton 99s Member, Cypress Alum, and Pilot Kim Ernst

Students and members also had the opportunity for team building, by working together to solve navigation problems and by practicing crew resource management. The lab time also built confidence, by flying new types of aircraft, exploring aircraft systems, flying at sunset, and by practicing pilotage and navigation.

For more information about the Fullerton Chapter of the Ninety-Nines and scholarship opportunities, visit them on Facebook.

Anyone who is interested in Aviation, Travel Careers, Homeland Security, or UAV/UAS (drones) should attend the Aviation & Travel Careers Department’s Program Information Meeting on Friday, August 23, 2019 from 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Nearly 1,000 High School Seniors, Parents Attend Promise Events on Campus

Nearly 1,000 high school seniors and their parents attended promise-based events on campus last week in which they affirmed their intention to attend Cypress College in the fall.

In its second year, Pledge Night — focused on the Pledge program with Anaheim Union High School District — filled both the Campus Theater and the CCCPLX-216 lecture hall. The first-year Commit2Cypress event, which drew students from outside AUHSD for the newly expanded North Orange Promise, brought about 70 people to campus.

Students had access to programs and services during the events, held on back-to-back evenings on Wednesday and Thursday, May 1 and 2.

Health Information: Measles

In recent weeks, the spread of measles has become a topic of concern in the media. In light of a recent Orange County case, Cypress College is sharing information from the Orange County Health Care Agency. We do so to prevent an occurrence at the college and any further spread of this preventable, but highly contagious disease.

It is important to note that the following information is shared out of an abundance of caution. There are no known cases of the measles impacting Cypress College.

Anyone with concerns about potential exposure is asked to call their health care provider or the OC Health Care Agency Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448. Additionally, information about measles can be found from the County of Orange Health Care Agency at ochealthinfo.com.

Students who need any form of care are always welcome to utilize the Health Center services; however, Cypress College does not have the measles vaccine, booster, or measles blood test available on-site. Those needs will be referred out to the county agency. The Health Center may be reached at (714) 484-7361.

Associated Students General Elections to Take Place May 13, 14

Associated Students is holding its general elections on May 13 and 14, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at the Fine Arts Plaza. Students are invited to vote for the candidates of their choice. Below is a list of the candidates.

President

Presten Jimenez
Gricelda Weed

Executive Vice President

Tatiana Melendrez

Student Trustee

Ester Plavdjian

VP of Student Organizations

Summer Balistreri

VP of Campus Activities

Melani Hunt
Elise Cunanan

VP of Fiscal Affairs

Victor Chiang

VP of Internal & External Affairs

Kyla Salas

VP of Public Relations

Maraya Zavala

Senator

Mica Angeli A. Gandia
Ashley One
Jonathan Escobede

Activities Coordinator

Natalia Shcherbakova
Madi El Assadi
Alejandro Perez Patiño
Yejeong Jang

ATC Students Attend Women in Aviation Conference

Twenty students from the Aviation & Travel Careers Department volunteered and attended the 30th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference. The conference this year was held at the Long Beach Convention Center March 14–16, 2019. Students who attended had the opportunity to interview with employers and see what future job opportunities are available to them. Student volunteers assisted with media development, silent auction, merchandising, and more. Students also had the opportunity to attend education sessions on careers, general aviation, leadership, pilots, and technical operations. Two of our students have recently obtained jobs from attending the Women in Aviation Conference. One is now working for Dynamic Aviation as a pilot and the other is working for JetSuiteX as a flight attendant.

More than 4,500 people, from 33 countries, attended the conference. Present were 170 companies representing the aviation industry, including unmanned aircraft vehicles. This year, Women in Aviation International awarded 146 scholarships, worth a total of $875,065.

For more information about Women in Aviation International, visit their website at wai.org.

The next conference will be held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, in Lake Buena Vista Florida.

Aviation Students Attend LAX AirEx Training

On April 10, 2019, 25 students from the Aviation & Travel Careers Department participated in the Los Angeles International Airport AirEx full-scale exercise plan. The exercise is held every three years to test the airport’s ability to respond to an accident at the Flight Path Museum, next to the airport on Imperial Highway. Students participated by acting as crew members and passengers with different injuries. Some of the students acting with fatal injuries were covered in fake blood. Participating in the event gave students the opportunity to see and experience emergency airport operations, walk onto restricted areas of the airport, get up close to commercial aircraft, and interact with first responders.

Pyrotechnics were used to start the event. First on the scene were the airport’s newly acquired Aircraft Rescue Firefighter (ARFF) rigs. This equipment has the ability to pierce the aircraft skin and spray water or foam directly into the cabin. Next on scene were Engine 51 and Rescue 51. These units are also located at the airport. Soon after, additional equipment arrived to begin triaging and treating victims. Crew members were also identified and isolated for safety, debriefing, and drug testing purposes. Responders said that passengers can sometimes become aggressive toward crew members, blaming them for the accident or injuries.

The simulation included volunteer victims and first responders.

The simulated event was that an Airbus A319 declared an emergency landing, due to the smell of fuel in the cabin. After the airplane landed, it was unable to stop and went off the runway, shearing off the left landing gear. When the aircraft finally stopped, a fire erupted on the right side of the aircraft.

In total there were about 150 victim volunteers, nearly 200 first responders, and approximately 300 observers.

+C Team Wins $2,000 Ideathon Prize, Trip to MIT

Cypress College teamed with ModoLabs to host the inaugural Ideathon™ on Saturday, April 13. Eleven teams qualified for the weekend’s competition, and vied for the grand prize of $2,000 and a trip to the 6th Annual Kurogo Mobile Conference at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, where they will have the chance to compete for a national prize of $10,000.

First-place winners, Team +C

The first-place team, +C, wanted “to make an app for the college students where they can post about the textbooks they want to sell. We have noticed it is very hard to access cheap books and sell your textbooks.”

Team Innovate took second place and a prize of $300.

Second-place winners, Team Innovate

“Many students are unaware of the plethora of educational resources found on campus,” the team stated. “For both incoming and previously enrolled students, it can get overwhelming to grasp a hold on everything. Our app targets incoming students and aims to inform them of the resources and assets that Cypress College has to offer. Our app addresses this challenge by providing an easy to use platform for students to be aware of particular office hours and available tutoring sessions. Our platform applies the use of an open forum that will allow students to communicate with each other, providing an educational and welcoming community feel for everyone.”

Third-place winners, Team STEM Cells

Placing third was team STEM Cells, whose app idea dealt with “how to establish good habits, to present resources and information on what a habit is, and how [to] effectively change [those] habits.”

For more information about the 2019 Digital Innovation & Ideathon Competition, visit our website here.

College to Welcome Prospective Students at Commit2Cypress

Cypress College will host hundreds of prospective students at its inaugural Commit2Cypress event on Wednesday, May 1. The event will feature a resource fair with food trucks; a Charger Experience welcome; and information sessions about admissions, counseling, and different student services and programs.

Commit2Cypress aims to introduce students to academic pathways of interest, inform them of resources at the college to help them succeed, and provide support even before day one of their educational journeys at the college.

Students will also learn about the North Orange County Community College District’s North Orange Promise, which will be expanded starting fall 2019 to offer all eligible first-time college students one year of free tuition.

Attendees will have an opportunity to be entered into a drawing for $250 book awards.Free parking will be available in Lot 4

Students and their families may RSVP to attend the resource fair and two information sessions here.

Questions? Contact Noor Altoma at naltoma@cypresscollege.edu or (714) 484-7000 ext. 48269.

President Schilling’s Board Report for April 9, 2019

The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees.

Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
on April 9, 2019

Campus News

The Cypress College Green Zone training was featured on ABC 7 news on Sunday, March 31. ABC News was on campus several weeks ago to film the training and hear from students about what our veterans program has meant to them. Congratulations to Veterans counselor, Juan Garcia, who is featured in the news clip, and Dean Rick Rams for implementing this training across our campus. Over 50 staff, faculty, and students have been trained so far. We are #CYProud! To see the broadcast, please go to this link: https://abc7.com/education/cypress-college-program-helps-vets-transition-into-civilian-life/5225447/

The Cypress College Grads to Be Program, which serves undocumented students at Cypress College, is preparing to launch enhanced support services for these students starting May 1, 2019. This program is funded through the Catalyst grant awarded to NOCCCD, and is designed to increase personal growth and development through academic, career and personal counseling, peer mentoring, legal aid assistance, and staff, faculty, and student development.

The Cypress College Dance Department attended the American College Dance Association regional conference being held on the campus of University of Southern California this past week. This conference supports and affirms dance in higher education by offering college dance students classes, observations, the opportunity to perform and be adjudicated for prepared pieces.

Congratulations to Alyssa Gorman, Cypress College’s Orange County Teacher of the Year. Alyssa is an adjunct faculty member in the English Department and was nominated by our students. She has served Cypress for almost four years and we are grateful for her thoughtful attention to our students. Clearly, her encouragement and excellent teaching is making a difference! Congratulations to Alyssa Gorman.

The college will be sponsoring a Homelessness 101 training from OC United Way on April 23 at 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in HUM 136. This training, similar to the training previously hosted at Fullerton College, is a two-hour workshop meant to elevate awareness about the costs, challenges, myths, and misconceptions about homelessness in Orange County. If you were not able to attend the previous training, please join us for this enlightening event.

Student Brandon Davis, Cypress College’s Opening Day student speaker, and who also spoke at Americana this year, has been awarded a $2,500-$7,500 scholarship from 1 Million for Anna Foundation, for Ewings Sarcoma survivors. Brandon will be graduating this semester and transferring to Cal State Long Beach. This scholarship will provide $2,500 per year for up to three years, and assist him continue his pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Math. We are so proud of this young scholar!

Our Cypress College Hall of Fame event was held on Saturday, March 30 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. This year we honored 11 athletes and coaches, who achieved a high level of success at Cypress, in their transfer institution, or at the professional level. In total, Cypress HOF now includes 77 athletes, coaches, and supporters of our programs. The 2019 inductees included former wrestling coach Ray Haas, Citrus College softball coach, Jackie Cosgrove, and two former major league baseball players.

Save the Date! The Cypress College Foundation Scholarships will be held on May 8 at 4:30 p.m. We decided to change the time for this year’s celebration in order to accommodate the attendance of faculty, families, and students. We also changed our application process this year to an online application and more than doubled our applications. We are looking forward to honoring our excellent students and hope you will be able to attend!

Cypress hosted a Guided Pathways Summit on April 5, featuring keynote speaker Jessica Hurless from Skyline College. It was a great day focused on data, great discussions on how we can better serve our students, followed by table work groups of counselors and faculty working together to create course mapping for our 32 AD-Ts which will migrate into our new Program Mapper. Our hope is all our AD-T’s will have a clear pathway that students can easily follow semester by semester for a 2 and 3 year plan.

Cypress College hosted Board of Governors president, Thomas Epstein, as well as BOG trustees, Blas Villalobos and Bill Rawlings on March 28. The visit included a meeting with our Executive Team, a campus tour, and wrapped up with a luncheon to share ideas and concerns with the three BOG members. We thank our faculty, students, staff, as well as Dr. Marshall and Trustee Blount for attending.

Our Executive Team met with the City of Cypress officials to discuss important issues between the college and city. This ad hoc meeting helps to increase communication and collaboration with our city officials and find ways to support our students and keep the city informed about changes at the college. This year our focus was on housing support for our students and one idea was to explore hosting city “home stays” to help identify residents who might want to allow student to stay in their homes. We will be following up to identify residents who might be interested in participating in this program.

Dr. Schilling will be participating in the Vineyard Institute this year, a CEO leadership institute hosted by CCLC. This year’s institute will take place April 7-9; eleven CEOs will be participating this year. Thank you to Dr. Marshall and the Board for your support.

Attached to this board report are the results of a recent Guided Pathways survey we sent our students. This data will be used to inform how we develop and implement our pathways programs, but we are also heartened that the changes we are making seem to be well received by our students. We Take This Journey Together!

That’s our Board Report from Cypress College. Buen Cypress!

11 Teams Proceed to First Ideathon Competition

Nineteen teams applied for the inaugural Ideathon™/Innovation competition, held in conjunction by Cypress College and ModoLabs, the company that created the Cypress Connect app. Of those 19 teams, 11 will proceed to this weekend’s competition.

These 11 teams will showcase their unique ideas with hopes of winning the inaugural Ideathon™. The qualifying teams, which will compete this weekend, are:

STEM Cells
‘+C
Ex=Change
Innovate
Shine/Project Brass Rotation
Make it Happen
Zesty Tanukis
Cypress ATC
Ez Clap
Data Girls
Motiv8

About the Competition

Ideathon™ is a weekend-long competition full of fun and innovation! This is where students take their ideas and build them into an app — no coding skills necessary. Students will have the opportunity to create digital solutions to challenges that arise on campus. This is the chance for students to make a change and win some prizes and recognition for dedicating themselves to making a difference for their college.

The competition was open to all enrolled Cypress College students. Each team was required to submit an idea based on one of the challenge themes, which included campus sustainability, college time management, disability on campus, food insecurity, freshmen retention, financial challenges, housing insecurity, life skills, mental health, and physical health.

Full Competition Schedule

Wednesday, April 10 — Business-building, Room 107

6 p.m.	Step-by-step training on how to build an app
9 p.m.	Students have 24 hours to work in a sandbox to get familiar with the platform

Friday, April 12

Noon-12:15 p.m.	Doors open/Registration
12:30-12:45 p.m.	Welcome address and video about Modo Ideathon™
12:45-3:30 p.m.	Students work in Production Environment
4-7 p.m.	Students continue work in the Production Environment
7-7:20 p.m.	Dinner
7:20-10 p.m.	Students continue work in the Production Environment
10 p.m.	Students can continue to work from home

Saturday, April 13

8 a.m.-1 p.m.	Future Innovation Hub, Business Building, Room 107
7:30 a.m.-7:40 p.m.	Doors open/ Registration
7:40-8 a.m.	Breakfast
8 a.m.-Noon.	Students Finalize Touches
Noon	Production Environment Closes
Noon-1 p.m.	Students prepare to present
1-6 p.m.	Ideathon™ Public Event, Cypress College Complex Lecture Hall 216
1 p.m.	Doors Open
1:45 p.m.	Projection Mapping Presentation
2-5 p.m.	Student presentations, judging and awards
5-6 p.m.	Pictures, videos, interviews, etc.

Cypress College Projection Mapping Project

Professor

Kati Angelov is a full-time professor in the Media Arts Design Department at Cypress College. She holds a master of Fine Arts in animation and digital arts from the School of Cinematic Arts at USC. Her employment history includes The Annenberg School of Communication, The Labyrinth Project, HUCK magazine UK, and the Walt Disney Company. She has been teaching over 15 years in different animation schools and is passionate about education. Her goal is to help her students to gain employable skills in the different areas of digital art. Kati’s particular area of interest is motion design and projection mapping. She developed the first projection mapping class ever offered in a community college in the U.S., helping Cypress College students to learn about this cutting-edge technology.

Students

Joshua Beltran, Film Major
At Cypress College, Joshua is pursuing the associate degree for transfer in film. His studies focus on film production and directing. He is a creative person who likes to create artistic things through different platforms and by expressing himself creatively through art.

Danielle (Danie) Gray, Studio Arts Major
Danie Gray is a returning student at Cypress College after taking a 15-year break. She is interested in graphic design, visual effects, and animation. She hopes to transfer to Cal State San Jose in fall 2020 and pursue a bachelor of fine arts in digital media. Her family consists of her husband, 9-year-old daughter, and 1-1/2-year-old son. She and her family stay in Orange County.

Ken Huynh, Motion Graphic Major
Ken Huynh has been a motion graphic student at Cypress College since fall 2018. He loves his projection mapping class and is planning to transfer to CSULB in spring 2020 to pursue his bachelor’s degree. Ken currently works in the Cypress College Office of Campus Communications as a student graphic designer.

Abdul Meelar, Graphic Design Major
Abdul Meelar is currently a graphic design major at Cypress College. He is interested in all aspects of graphic design, film, photography, and video editing. He aspires to one day either start his own media production company or work for a well-known, established company.

Antonio Mosqueda, Film and Motion Graphics Major
At Cypress College, Antonio Mosqueda is pursuing a certificate in motion graphics along with an associate’s degree in film, TV, & electronic media. His goals along the way are to be involved in more film productions and to be a cinematographer. Antonio also aspires to one day be able create a production company and expand it into different global markets.

Bilal Patel, Film and Motion Graphics Major
Bilal’s goal is to work in the film industry on either the production or the post production team.

Ahmed Riched, Graphic Design Major
Ahmed Riched is a graphic design student at Cypress College. He is most interested in motion design and photo manipulation, and aspires to own his own sports graphic/motion design company in the future.

Dinora Salcedo, Film Major
Dinora Salcedo is a film and television production major at Cypress College. She hopes to earn an associate degree for transfer then transfer to UCLA for a bachelor’s degree in the field. She is a director, film maker, and film photographer.

Kindra Tiedtke, 2D Animation Major
Kindra Tiedtke is currently a digital art student at Cypress College who focuses on illustrations and the development of characters. She aspires to become an animator and create more complex environments both visually and through the element of storytelling.

Vu Vuong, Motion Designer at PBS Socal
Vu Vuong is skilled in motion design, logo design, advertising, and video editing. He is currently pursuing a master’s of arts focused in motion media design from Savannah College of Art and Design. He is taking the projection mapping and live entertainment class at Cypress College to expand his skills in this cutting-edge technology.

Campus Executive Team Complete as 3 VPs Enter Roles

Cypress College’s executive leadership team is now complete with the addition of the third vice president. Alex Porter began his role as the vice president of Administrative Services today. He joins Dr. Carmen Cortez Dominguez and Dr. Paul de Dios, who moved into vice president roles earlier this semester.

Porter’s position replaces that of Karen Cant, who retired in 2017. The position has been filled intermittently since that time. Drs. Dominguez and de Dios are in newly created roles after the position of executive vice president as reevaluated when Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay was selected as president of Columbia College in northern California. The three vice presidents complete Dr. JoAnna Schilling’s president’s staff team at Cypress College. The group also includes: Howard Kummerman, executive director of the Foundation and Community Relations; Phil Dykstra, director of Institutional Research and Planning; Marc Posner, director of Campus Communications; and Christina Mix, Dr. Schilling’s executive assistant.

At Cypress College, Porter is responsible for fiscal resources, facilities, capital construction, information technology, and contracted services, including food services and the bookstore.

Porter brings 17 years of experience in higher education administration to Cypress College. He was most recently the vice president of Business and Administrative Services at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, CA. In that role, he was responsible for fiscal, human resources, facilities, capital construction, and bookstore operations. Before joining the California Community Colleges system, Porter worked in the California State University system from 2001-2017, starting at the Office of the Chancellor and finishing at California State University, Long Beach. In the CSU system, his roles included system-wide budget analysis and leading administrative operations in enrollment services and facilities/construction departments.

Porter earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance at California State University, Long Beach and is in the process of completing his master’s degree in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College of California in March 2020.

Psychology Students, Alumni Go to UCLA for Scientific Research Study

On March 15, a group of psychology students—David Su, Felicia Cleaver, Alejandra Lopez, and Jessica Rojas (shown left to right in the photo above)—from Psychology Club and Psi Beta took a field trip to UCLA to take part in a scientific research study, thanks to Cypress College alumnus Nadia Dellawar.

Dellawar also ensured students received a behind-the-scenes look at the UCLA Dish (Diet, stress, and health) lab and were able to have a personal Q&A session with current UCLA students, including Brooke Cullen, Dellawar, Maria Ocampo, Lauren Arriola-Sanchez, and Nick Pearson (also shown in the photo above) who had transferred from various community colleges.

Dual Enrollment Students, Instructor, Place First at Auto Tech Competition

Five Cypress College Dual Enrollment students took top prize at a county-wide automotive technology competition last Saturday, March 23, and earned their instructor an award, too. The Orange County Automobile Dealers Association 26^th Annual Technology Competition pitted 14 teams of high school students against each other in several categories at Hyundai Motor America in Fountain Valley, and offered thousands of dollars in prizes.

Five students from Western High School, who take Automotive Technology courses at Cypress College as part of the Dual Enrollment program, won First Place. Additionally, adjunct instructor David Endo, who worked and prepared the winning team, was granted the OCADA Teacher of the Year award.

The winning team, pictured with the car they get to bring back to the Cypress Auto Tech shop. Top row, left to right: Sergio Salgardo, David Endo, Andy Salgado. Bottom row: Jorge Torres, Andrew Campos, Salvador Ramos.

Prizes include more than $11,000 in Snap-On Tools and over $30,000 in scholarships, according to OCADA. The winning team also got to take a 2018 Hyundai back to their classroom shop for training purposes.

Auto Technology instructor Russel Bacarella taught the Western students in their Automotive Fundamentals class and was proud of their success.

“They’re competing with kids who have had as much as three, four years of experience,” Bacarella said. “They’ve had about a class and a half. They’ve done very well considering the time they’ve had to work with.”

The Dual Enrollment students competed against high schools such as Mission Viejo High School, Irvine High School, Loara High School, Katella High School, Buena Park High School, Rancho Alamitos High School, and those in Santiago Canyon, many of which have their own auto tech department, Bacarella says.

“It makes us feel like we are doing a pretty good job here, and hitting on the necessities,” Bacarella said. “There seems to be a gap between leaving high school and entering the workplace, and we’re doing the job of filling it in.”

Students were tested on theory and practical applications in several categories. Some of the tasks included electrical repairs, brake-related workstations, an online safety test, a suspension identification, and diagnosing engine mechanical failure. A STEM element asked competitors to construct and repair electrical circuits.

Cypress College instructors Dave Endo, Russ Bacarella, and Michael Klyde participated in planning meetings for the competition. In addition, Bacarella was the event chair; Endo was a team leader; Kelley and Klyde did separate two-hour seminars to help prepare the participants; and Beard and Klyde were event judges.

Cypress College’s own High School Auto Competition took place March 16 and included 14 teams of high school students putting their automotive technology education to the test. Tasks given to the two-person teams fell into six skills stations: tire rotation; brake rotor runout measurement; engine component measurement; scan tool operation; series circuits; and parallel circuits.

The top-place teams in the annual spring competition were:

Western High School Team 1/Dual Enrollment
Rancho Alamitos Team 1
Western High School Team 2/Dual Enrollment
Oxford/Kennedy All female team/Dual Enrollment

Other teams included Katella High School, Loara High School, Buena Park High School, and Santiago High School.

“What a great event! I’m so proud of our winners,” said Elizabeth Ovesen, adjunct counselor. She also extended “a special thank you to our wonderful instructors for their support and guidance.”

Prizes were donated by Mac Tools, Hedman Hedders, and K&N Performance Air Filters. The competition committee was made up of Russ Bacarella, Mike Beard, and Paul Kelly, and the support staff was Cypress College’s own automotive students.

Psychology Students, Faculty Attend ‘Dr. Phil Show’ Taping

On March 12, 2019, the Cypress College Psychology Department coordinated a field trip to a live taping of the “Dr. Phil Show.” Four faculty members, including Brandy Young, Randy Martinez, Angela deDios, and Carlos Sandoval, brought 34 students from their classes and clubs on this fun field trip.

Now Offering On-Campus Child Care Services

In partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cypress and Anaheim, and North Orange Continuing Education, Cypress College now offers free on-campus child care services for all enrolled students while accessing services on campus like counseling appointments, tutoring sessions, and studying in the L/LRC.

To assist students with school-age children, Boys and Girls Club offers services throughout the semester on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in NOCE (Bldg 18), Room 117 from 2 – 6 p.m. Children are offered help with their homework, or can engage in games, arts and crafts, literacy activities, and STEM activities.

For more information, please contact the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress at (714) 527-2697 Ext. 200 or email information@bgccypress.org.

Cypress College Foundation Recognizes Citizens, Woman of the Year at 44th Annual Americana Awards

On February 23, 2019, the Cypress College Foundation held its 44th Annual Americana Awards at the Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom, honoring and recognizing Citizens of the Year from the college’s eight surrounding communities and 2019 Woman of the Year Jill Bolton.

The Americana Awards is the Foundation’s signature event attracting roughly 600 guests. It is also the college’s major annual fundraiser with proceeds supporting the work of the Foundation, including funding student scholarships, providing student book loans and emergency assistance, offering faculty grants, developing the college’s endowment, and more.

Woman of the Year, Jill Bolton

Jill Bolton recently retired from a 24-year career at the Disneyland Resort where for the last 18 years she served as the executive overseeing all of the resort’s Corporate Citizenship efforts.

She joined the Public Affairs Division as manager of Disney Educational Programs in February, 1994 and was responsible for implementing numerous educational programs with Orange County school districts. She created an educational arts partnership program that provided teachers over $700,000 in grants to enhance the arts in their classrooms, offered cultural performance assemblies to over 100 schools annually and arts and entertainment workshops for teachers. She oversaw the Disneyland Band Concert Program serving 40,000 second graders annually, implemented the “Creativity Challenge,” a performance-based competition for middle and high school students and started a mentorship program.

She established strong relationships with school district superintendents, the Orange County School of the Arts, the Orange County Department of Education, supporting hundreds of teachers through their annual Teacher of the Year awards program, and with the California State Department of Education by hosting the California Distinguished School Awards at the Disneyland Resort.

In 1998, Jill’s responsibilities expanded to encompass all of Disneyland Resorts community relations efforts overseeing all donations to the community and a variety of outreach programs, including the annual Community Service Awards providing hundreds of thousands of grants to local nonprofit organizations, the Disney Wish Program, The Community Involvement Program, a ticket program for individuals with disabilities, The Disneyland Dreamers and Doers Program, which supports high school students who focus on efforts to improve the local community and the annual CHOC Walk, the largest fundraiser for Children’s Hospital Orange County. She also became responsible for overseeing the Disneyland Ambassador Program, a legacy initiative that was started back in 1965 during the 10-year anniversary of Disneyland.

On January 1, 2000, Jill was promoted to the executive level as director of Corporate Citizenship, overseeing all Disneyland Resort’s philanthropic giving, including all cash and in-kind giving valued between $17 and $20 million annually. In this role she created several new programs such as Show Your Character, the Disneyland scholarship program, and the Happiest Class on Earth – a ticket donation program to encourage sixth graders to complete a project to enhance their community. She was also instrumental in establishing the relationship with the nonprofit organization KaBOOM! to help build nine playgrounds throughout Orange County – each designed by neighborhood children to bring play to underserved communities. She also was the creator of a marketing effort, raising funds for Make a Wish called “Share Your Ears.” During her tenure, Jill also had the responsibility of placing leaders on community boards – such as Michael Cooper, Disneyland Director of Sourcing and Procurement, who serves on the Cypress College Foundation Board of Directors. Her role was further expanded in 2008 when she became responsible for the Ambassador program on a global level supporting Parks and Resorts in Florida, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Paris.

Jill’s interest in youth led her to be involved with numerous organizations that support the needs and development of the young. She launched a comprehensive school to career program for Anaheim High School students and partnered with the Anaheim Parks and Recreation Department to provide funding to build local skate parks and refurbish sports fields. She currently serves on the Festival of Children Foundation Board, having been involved with that organization since its inception more than a decade ago. From 2013 to 2017 she hosted the Carousel of Possible Dreams event at the Disneyland Resort, helping to raise over $1.2 million for local children’s charities. She served as a longtime board member of the Anaheim Family YMCA, 15 years on the board and serving as its chairman in 2013, and 2014 as vice chairman and secretary. She chaired the Governance Committee and served on the Executive and Personnel committees and led the effort to build a new YMCA facility, the Active Living Center at Ross Park, scheduled to open in 2019.

Born in San Diego, Jill was raised in Huntington Beach and graduated from Marina High School. She matriculated to the University of California, Irvine, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and an Education Administrative Credential in 1982. In 1985 she graduated with both a master’s degree in Counseling and a School Psychology Credential from California State University, Long Beach. She also earned a certificate in Corporate Community Involvement Management from Boston College. Prior to joining Disneyland, she was employed as a full-time school psychologist for Huntington Beach City Schools.

City of Anaheim, James and Lori Dinwiddie

James and Lori’s story began in 1983 when they first met in photography class at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma. High school sweethearts, they have been married 26 years, live in Lori’s childhood home in Buena Park, and have devoted most of their volunteerism and community service to Anaheim.

The Dinwiddie’s dedication to community service began when their sons entered Luther Elementary School. Lori, a stay-at-home mom, quickly became involved with PTA and was “bitten” by the community volunteer bug. From there, Lori began serving in numerous capacities for the Cypress School District. Her involvement in education continued through her children’s middle and high school years.

In addition to her work in education, Lori has supported numerous organizations. Since 2016, she’s been an Anaheim Sister City Commissioner and has been chairman of the Government and Cultural Exchange program, which brings exchange students from Mito, Japan to Anaheim. She is also involved with the Anaheim 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Anaheim YMCA Good Friday Breakfast Committee, and the YMCA’s Art Auction Committee. She has been a director of the Anaheim Fall Festival Board and the coordinator for both the Anaheim Halloween Parade and Miss Anaheim Fall Festival Teen Ambassador program. For many years she was also a member of the Anaheim Arts Council Board of Directors.

Following high school, James attended California State University, Long Beach, where he earned his degree in electrical engineering with an emphasis in power design and controls. James is a registered professional engineer and the president & CEO of Power Design. James belongs to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the California Society of Professional Engineers.

While supporting his family and running his business, James was inspired to get involved with the Anaheim Family YMCA, and in particular its Indian Guides program. Indian Guides is the catalyst for James’ involvement in the community, as this program helped him grow with his children and give back to support the community. James served as the Indian Guides Nation Chief, and in 2002 he joined the Y’s board of directors and has co-chaired its annual support campaign.

James served as an Anaheim Sister City Commissioner from 2010 through 2016 and was the Government and Cultural Exchange Chairman for 2013-16. In this capacity, he was involved with the exchange program with Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain. James is also involved with Anaheim Cops4Kids and has devoted countless hours to helping the Anaheim community. Like Lori, James was also involved with the JFK Shamrock Regiment, where he served for 9 years. Within his role on the Board, he was both Ways and Means Chairman and the Board president.

Outside their various individual roles, James and Lori have grown to be heavily involved in the Anaheim community and participate together in a number of major community organizations including the Anaheim Flag Day Committee as well as the Nutcracker Christmas Tree Lighting Committee. One of their favorite activities is their participation as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, where each year nearly 1000 children visit with them and tell them what they want Santa to bring them for the holiday season. This has slowly evolved from assisting with the taking of photos nearly a decade ago to donning the Mr. and Mrs. Claus suits at Anaheim’s and other regional events.

City of Buena Park, Leslee Milch

Leslee Milch is a National Board Certified Teacher, Early Childhood Generalist, and has been a teacher and reading specialist in the Buena Park School District for 25 years.

Leslee was born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Her family moved frequently before settling in Garden Grove. After graduating from Rancho Alamitos High School, she became a waitress for Bob’s Big Boy restaurants, and at 21 a manager. Later, after her divorce and as a single mom she waitressed at Charley Browns restaurant and volunteered at her son’s school. Accepting a friend’s challenge to return to school, she earned both her bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from CSULB. In 2002, she earned a Master of Science degree and Reading Specialist credential from CSUF.

Besides being well-respected professionally, Leslee is intimately involved with the school community at Gilbert Elementary School as a kindergarten teacher. Over 20 years ago, she started a summer READ WITH ME! program, where she helps children overcome the summer lag by reading to them at Bellis Park.

Leslee says it all began when she was mentioning summer vacation to her class. One little boy asked, “Who’s going to read to us?” Her response was, “I’ll go to the park and read to you.” That first summer between 10 and 40 children would show up to hear her read, sing songs and nibble on pretzels that she brought. Over the years, the summer program grew and the Buena Park Library asked to partner with her. The library staff brought books in their own cars until procuring a ‘cool’ mobile van for community outreach. Leslee now reads to 100 or more children of all ages each Wednesday for a couple of hours, while the library staff checks out books to the children. For many of these children, who would not otherwise have transportation to the library, Leslee’s program is the only access to books or connection to school and learning during the summer months.

Leslee’s involvement in the community goes beyond her summer READ WITH ME! program. Each year the City of Buena Park has a student art show, and Leslee submits art work for every child in her class. Leslee financially supports Buena Park Goes to College, where high school students are provided with access to information to prepare themselves for college. She is also a founding member of the Buena Park School District Education Foundation and has written grants for over $40,000 to help students from the Buena Park School District attend outdoor science camp.

City of Cypress, Charles Williams

Charles Williams is fondly called “coach” by the hundreds of boys and girls who have played hockey, softball, baseball or football under his direction.

He first coached the South Coast Sabers, a hockey team for 15-16 year olds that he led to championships during his several years as coach when his daughter Amanda began playing softball, Charles coached her first team. When his son Nathan began playing baseball, Charles slid into coaching that team, while still supporting his daughter and leading her Y2K Softball Team to the West Coast Softball Championship.

Charles was born in San Pedro, but Cypress has been his home since 1968. He attended Cypress Elementary School, Morris Elementary, Oxford Junior High, and graduated from Cypress High School in 1979. He enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where he was a bullpen catcher until he hurt his arm, an injury that ended his baseball career. He then focused on math and earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science at National University. He spent his career in the computer field, and with a friend in 1992, began National Creditors Connection, a business he still oversees.

A few years ago, Charles was approached by members of the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress who were seeking a reliable vehicle for the transportation of the Club’s kids. His response was, “What do you need, and how can I help?” From this meeting, he agreed to financially support the Boys & Girls Club in its efforts to purchase three, 14-passenger vans. This allowed the club to more than double the number of children attending the main branch after-school program.

Along with this gift, he continues his generosity through the “Change of Life” Scholarship program and the “Keeping Kids on Track” annual event. Charles and his family also sponsor a child every year to help low income and military families who can’t afford to pay the membership fees. His new focus is the Teen Center at the club. He and his wife donate monies to the program as well as coordinate golf tournaments to help raise needed funds.

For his community-wide efforts, Charles has twice been recognized by the Cypress School District and named Cypress Volunteer of the Year by Cypress Parks and Recreation. He has also received the Service Above Self Award from Cypress Rotary.

City of Garden Grove, A.G. and Kelly Anvari

When it comes to selecting caregivers for their agency, A. G. and Kelly Anvari promote “Character Counts.”

A.G. and Kelly, owners and operators of Visiting Angels, Living Assistance Services in Garden Grove, not only list “character counts” in their business brochure, but their own character counts in all they do in their community of Garden Grove.

A.G. was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and at 15 he immigrated to the United States. He settled in Charlotte, where his sponsor, a professor at Gaston College, resided. A.G. attended two-year Gaston College before transferring to UNC.

A.G. and Kelly met while students at the University of North Carolina. Both were working their way through school by waiting tables at “Slugs” in Charlotte, a fine dining restaurant on the 30th floor of the 1st Union Bank Building. Kelly was a political science major and A.G. was a chemistry major. The couple married in 1984 in York, South Carolina, and later moved to Poconos, Pennsylvania, the state where Kelly spent some of her childhood before her family settled in Charlotte.

In 1997, A.G. and Kelly moved to Garden Grove where they got involved in the community, and in 2004 they began their Visiting Angels home care business. They also like working with baby boomers, whom they employ as caregivers. “We are always looking for exceptional caregivers, those with experience and compassion,” said A.G. Through their business they partner with many local organizations that serve the senior population

Kelly was a volunteer member of Friendly Visitors, taking care of one woman for a total of three years. For four years she was employed as a librarian at Peters Elementary School.

In 2004, Kelly and A.G. joined the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce – Kelly the Women’s Division and A.G. the general organization. Kelly was a board member nearly six years, serving as president for two years. Both A.G. and Kelly have been honored by the Chamber’s Women’s Division with the group’s Silver Spoon Award for Volunteerism.

Kelly was also on the board for four years of Acacia Adult Day Care and has been a member of Assistance League Garden Grove for nearly six years. Although not a member, she supports the Veterans Program of the Women’s Civic Club of Garden Grove.

A.G. joined Rotary of Garden Grove in 2013, has been secretary since 2014, and continued in that role while serving as president from 2017-2018, and again February – June 2019. Through Rotary, he helps raise dollars for scholarships for sixth graders at the city’s schools. The scholarships are awarded during a lunch ceremony for the recipients and their families. Funds for the awards are raised through a dinner, opportunity drawings, and an event at the Gem Theater. A.G. helps fundraise so Rotary can donate $3,000 annually to Assistance League Garden Grove for its Operation School Bell program that provides clothes, shoes, and books for elementary school children whose parents need assistance. Other funds A.G. helps Rotary raise assist local centers such as Magnolia or Buena Clinton Center and international grants to support the needy in Vietnam and Mexico.

City of La Palma, Greg Goodyear

Greg Goodyear is the epitome of a man of integrity, honor, volunteerism, and dedication to his community and it is exemplified by his decades of service to all of our service organizations in La Palma, said La Palma City Councilman Peter Kim.

Greg was born in Adrian, Michigan and was raised in the same area. After graduating from Sand Creek High School, he attended Michigan State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In 1974, he earned his CPA License, also in Michigan, and his first career-path job as an accountant was with Alexander Grant and Company in Muskegon, Michigan, where he worked from June 1972 until December 1975. After moving to California, he went to work for Linford, Jensen & Bradford in Long Beach, and since August 1982, he has been a principal at “Goodrich & Goodyear, an Accountancy Corporation” in Long Beach.

Greg was initially invited by a friend to get involved with the Kiwanis Club of La Palma, and then saw that what others did helped make La Palma a “great city to live in.” His initial volunteer efforts soon evolved into a significant yearning to give back.

“I wanted to use talents I had developed to earn a living to use in the community,” said Greg, whose expertise as a certified public accountant has made him an important connection.

From his first involvement – with Christian Life Church in Long Beach in 1976 – Greg began taking on leadership roles elsewhere. He joined La Palma Kiwanis and La Palma Neighborhood Watch, both in 1988. Early into his Kiwanis membership, he became the program chair, a position he held for two years. He then followed that role with a term as president from 1990-1991. In 1995, he took on the duties of treasurer and has continued in that position ever since – a total of 24 years. He was also treasurer of the community’s Neighborhood Watch program from 1988 until 1991.

Seeing that there was a need for fundraising, Greg joined other community leaders in forming two foundations—in 1997, the John F Kennedy Scholarship Foundation and in 2004, the La Palma Kiwanis Foundation. Greg continues to support both groups as treasurer. Three years ago, in 2016, he was also one of the founding members of the La Palma Community Foundation, of which he is still treasurer.

City of Los Alamitos/Rossmoor, Emil Jorge

Emil Jorge has earned the respect of the Los Alamitos Community by his dynamic leadership and facilitation skills through his involvement in nonprofit, civic and business projects.

Emil was born and raised in Los Alamitos as his parents were original owners in Rossmoor. He only left the area to further his education at the University of California at Berkeley, where he earned a B.S. degree in geography. His original intent was to earn an MBA and to explore the classes offered at Berkeley from its “wonderful professors,” but the MBA curriculum didn’t allow for many electives outside of the core MBA classes.

Emil’s first involvement in Los Alamitos was with Casa Connection, a group made up of young professionals brought together by Karen Klabouch, whose goal was to raise money for Casa Youth Shelter. In the beginning, he helped this small group raise between $5,000 and $10,000 per year. He’s still involved, and they now raise over $20,000 annually, mostly through a “Poker Night” event with professional dealers. One of the primary reasons Emil first got involved with Casa Connection was for his kids.

“I wanted my kids to see me give back,” he said.

Emil’s volunteer efforts spread to other organizations. He became involved with the Los Alamitos Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Commission and is currently on the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce Board, serving in 2017 as chairman. He has also chaired the annual Wings, Wheels, Rotors and Expo event at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, and served on the committee to hire the current Los Alamitos police chief. Recently, he was asked to join the Los Alamitos Hospital Board of Governors

In 2007, Emil was named a World Leader Business Person, and was also the recipient of The Bizz Award as a Master in Business Leadership, both for being a successful leader.

City of Seal Beach, Greg and Gina Phillips

As individuals and as a couple, Greg and Gina Phillips have served the community of Seal Beach with distinction, doing much to improve the town and to help the less fortunate.

Greg was born in Long Beach and is a lifelong resident of Seal Beach, having attended local schools and graduating from Los Alamitos High School. Gina grew up in neighboring Anaheim, attending St. Anthony Claret Elementary, Sycamore Junior High and Anaheim Union High School.

Greg is a long time community servant and an active member of the Seal Beach Lions Club. For three years, he was a coordinator for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. His alma mater, as well as the entire Los Alamitos High School District, receives his support as he has been a sponsor of the Robotics Team, the Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) and the Science Technology Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) program.

Greg’s most significant involvement in the community is as president of Run Seal Beach – a position he has held for the past four years. This single event is one of the largest in the city and produces more funds than any other community fund-raising event. Run Seal Beach contributes about $150,000 per year to local non-profits and organizations in and around Seal Beach.

Gina started her community involvement in 2012 as a volunteer with the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce. This grew into her being named as the Chamber’s Director of Operations. She also served on the Chamber’s board of directors for two terms, 2009-2010 and again from 2015-2016.

An active member of the Seal Beach Lions Club since 2010, Gina recently represented the club at the organization’s international convention. She has chaired numerous events and has received recognitions such as: President’s Medal of Courage and the President’s Award, and the Lions Project for Canine Companions Abdul Fellowship Award.

The couple’s major commitment is to the Seal Beach Police Foundation, which was formed in 2014, due in large part, to their interest and dedication in supporting both the police department and the community. The Foundation is responsible for obtaining important tools for the department and helping with community engagement and community policing.

Besides the couple’s dedication to the Foundation, the Lions Club and to Los Alamitos High School, the couple regularly supports other organizations in the community through their donations, event attendance, and volunteerism. Seldom does an event in Seal Beach occur that the Phillips are not seen at, said Scott Newton, Seal Beach Lions Club member and Seal Beach Police Foundation Director. “In most everything the Phillips do as individuals, they are backed up with significant and unconditional support from their spouse. This ‘force multiplier’ is what makes their individual contributions so notable,” said Scott.

City of Stanton, Glenn McElroy

Glenn McElroy had an idea 43 years ago that would transform a typical American auto wrecking yard into an environmentally friendly and affordable community business. His idea soon gave birth to Pick Your Part Auto Wrecking (PYP), which opened its doors in the early 1970’s in Monrovia.

Glenn was born in Texas and grew up in the San Fernando Valley and Compton, graduating from Compton Union High School. In his 20s, he moved to Cypress where his family had settled, and then spent the next 40 years living in Huntington Beach before moving to Anaheim.

As a youth, Glenn went to work as a “lot boy” at his father’s car dealership, and in 1957 he moved up the ranks and became a car salesman. By 1960, Glenn had become the owner of three used car lots – two in Compton and one in Bellflower. It was while dealing with people shopping for used cars that Glenn got the idea of an auto wrecking business.

With Orange County being his home, Glenn has supported numerous nonprofit organizations in Stanton and Anaheim as well as in other cities since 1988. He is a founding member of Stanton’s Boys and Girls Club, supports local fire departments by donating vehicles for use in exercises using the Jaws of Life to rescue victims and extinguishing vehicular fires, and is a 60-year member of the al Malika Shrine in Los Angeles and a lifetime member of the Los Caballeros Horseback Riding Club.

What Glenn says is one the most rewarding things he does is supporting a few families in need during Christmas. Currently, Glenn and his longtime partner, Pamela Ball, provide Christmas gifts, clothing and food for four families. “I buy the junk food and Pamela buys the staples,” he said. One of the families is chosen from the elementary school where Pamela’s daughter Brooke teaches, two are from the Boys & Girls Club of Stanton, and one family is that of a former employee who is now deceased. It’s been 13 years since they’ve been Santa for this family.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Announces Two Cypress College Students as Semifinalists

Cypress College students Madison Morris and Raymond Pi Oliver are semifinalists for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced that the pair were selected from a pool of nearly 1,500 applicants representing 369 colleges across 45 states and the District of Columbia.

Morris, a Placentia resident, is preparing for a career in the medical field. Oliver, from the City of Cypress, is part of Cypress College’s (STEM)² Program.

“I think it speaks volumes to the quality of education I have received at Cypress College,” Morris said of her selection as a semifinalist. “Thanks to the instruction and support I have received here, I am now a contender for a highly competitive national scholarship. Thank you, Cypress College, for making this possible! I am incredibly excited, honored, and grateful for this opportunity to be considered by a national foundation such as the JKCF.”

Oliver has completed research at NASA’s Stenis Space Center in Mississippi as one of 319 community college students from across the United States and recently represented the (STEM)² Program as a speaker at the groundbreaking for Cypress College’s new Science, Engineering, and Math Building.

“I owe so much to Cypress College, the Science, Engineering, and Math Division, and the EOPS and Honors programs — and, in particular, the (STEM)² Program,” said Oliver, who dropped out of high school because of financial hardship. “Coming to Cypress College has absolutely changed my life. When I was still homeless during my first two semesters, I came to love Cypress College and regard our beautiful campus as a second home. I would be nothing without this college.”

The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipients will be announced in April. Each selected scholar will be provided generous financial support for up to three years, college planning services, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to connect with a thriving community of fellow Cooke Scholars.

“Countless highly-talented and motivated students begin their college experience at community college, and our recent ‘Persistence’ report shows that they excel after they transfer,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “We’re pleased to recognize this incredible cohort of semifinalists for their academic drive and achievement.”

A list of this year’s Cooke Transfer Scholar Semifinalists, their community colleges, and their hometowns is available at: https://www.jkcf.org/our-stories/2019-cooke-transfer-scholar-semifinalists.

About the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation:
Cooke Transfer Scholars are selected based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, service to others, and leadership. Students must be currently enrolled community college students residing in the United States.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $190 million in scholarships to nearly 2,500 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive counseling and other support services. The Foundation has also provided over $100 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. Information is available at www.jkcf.org.

About Cypress College:
Cypress College offers students a pathway to their future in an environment in which employees commit to joining students on their educational journey. The college’s half-million-plus alumni include actors, athletes, doctors, executives, mechanics, nurses, and teachers. For some, Cypress College is the ticket into their university of choice and for others it provides essential training for a prosperous career. Just one Cypress College class is often all it takes to provide cutting-edge skills that lead to a promotion or a new job.

Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.

Cypress College is one of three campuses in the North Orange County Community College District and a member of the 115-campus California Community College System. The college primarily serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Stanton.

Note: View the News Release

Cypress College Congratulates Paul de Dios, New VP Student Services

Cypress College announced the selection of Dr. Paul de Dios as its new vice president of student services on February 4. De Dios has been the college’s dean of counseling, student development, and admissions & records since 2007 and previously served as dean of student affairs, director of special programs and services, and coordinator/counselor of CalWORKS at Barstow Community College over an eight-year period.

De Dios is a product of the California Community College system, having earned an associate degree in sociology from Cerritos College. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in sociology from University of California, Irvine, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling and education specializing in community college leadership from California State University, Long Beach. He is now a part-time lecturer in the Student Development in Higher Education Counseling Program at CSULB.

Highly involved in the community, De Dios serves as the chair of the board for the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, and vice chair of Helping Others Prepare for Eternity (HOPE), an organization that assists abandoned and abused women and children in Garden Grove who may be experiencing food, housing, and resource insecurities. He has also been involved in various student success initiatives and projects on campus such as the Charger Experience and Pledge programs, online Counseling-Cranium Café, Holocaust Survivor Memorial Gallery, and, most recently, Connect2Cypress featuring Majors2Careers and Guided Pathways.

Congratulations to Paul de Dios on his new position at Cypress College.

Cypress College Welcomes Carmen Dominguez, New VP of Instruction

On January 17, Cypress College announced its selection of Dr. Carmen Dominguez, dean of visual and performing arts at College of the Canyons, as its new vice president of instruction.

Dominguez, an accomplished musician with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from San Diego State and a Ph.D. in conducting from Johns Hopkins University, was a music professor at Saddleback College for 16 years and also served as department chair and Academic Senate president. She was dean at College of the Canyons for eight years.

Dominguez currently leads the K-12 Education Outreach Consortium, in partnership with the Kennedy Center, which provides development for K-12 teachers to integrate art into their classrooms. The program serves more than 30,000 students in the Santa Clarita Valley. She has also served on multiple accreditation committees, as well as participated in her college’s self-study, has served on a vast array of committees such as program review, curriculum committee, grants committee, enrollment management, the college planning team, and many more.

Dominguez is deeply committed to serving and supporting students’ educational journeys, and has been a long-time volunteer for organizations that celebrate and advocate for diversity, including the Human Rights Campaign, Si Se Puede, Sisters Involved, and providing Safe Zone support to the LGBTQ students and staff she serves at College of the Canyons.

Cypress College is excited to welcome Carmen Dominguez to the campus community.

Cypress College Celebrates Groundbreaking for New SEM Building

A groundbreaking ceremony on Friday (February 8, 2019) marked the beginning of construction on Cypress College’s new Science, Engineering and Math Building.

The ceremony marks the first project funded from the $574 million Measure J bond, which was approved by voters in 2014 on behalf of the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD). Providing state-of-the-art facilities to support the sciences was a top priority for North Orange County voters.

Funds from Measure J will facilitate the construction of a 106,023 square foot facility for Cypress College that will incorporate the creation of a 100-seat immersive digital classroom, as well as the addition of new lab spaces and classrooms with design features that allow for future expansion. The brand-new SEM Building will be open for classes in 2021. When completed, the building will be the first new instructional space to open on the campus since 1976 and the first new building since 2007.

With current and future students — along with employees and community members — in attendance for the ceremony, Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., shared a quote from Carl Sagan: “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.”

“It is our goal to ensure that everyone in Cypress and North Orange County will know about science and technology, and that our college will continue to be a point of pride in this community,” Dr. Schilling said. “We believe that the science of today leads to the technology of tomorrow. And with your support, the technology of tomorrow will be created by the students who pass through the halls of Cypress College and this state-of-the-art building.”

Two current STEM students, an alumnus of the program, and a faculty member also spoke during the ceremony, held on the site of the new building. North Orange County Community College District Chancellor, Dr. Cheryl Marshall, and SEM Dean Richard Fee also shared their comments about what the new building will mean to students and the community.

On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, the NOCCCD Board of Trustees awarded a construction bid to Sundt Companies, Inc. for the construction phase services of the project.

“Cypress College has served the North Orange County students and surrounding communities for over 52 years, and we are thrilled to start construction on this beautiful new addition to our college,” Dr. Schilling said following the Board decision. “We take pride in offering exemplary educational programs in science, engineering and math, and are proud to be contributing to the future careers of our students and the local businesses that employ our students.”

Cypress College’s SEM division contains 7 programs, including: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, Mathematics, Physical Science, and Physics. The division currently offers 289 course sections to 8,287 students.

The College invites families, staff, students and the community to celebrate the groundbreaking on February 8, starting at 9:30 a.m. Please park in Lot 1, located off the Valley View entrance to the campus. The ceremony will take place by the Pond in the center of campus.

Buen Cypress Theme Resonates at Spring 2019 Opening Day

Buen Cypress! It’s a simple phrase—albeit sometimes confusing to those hearing it for the first time—that embodies the core of what Cypress College is about. It is the college’s way of building a culture that lets students know that each and every faculty and staff member cares about them, is there to support them, and is invested in their academic and life journeys.

“Phrases are empty if they’re just words, but I really believe that Buen Cypress is deeply ingrained in what we do here, and it’s just a way to call attention to the work that is already being done,” said Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling during spring 2019 Opening Day.

NOCCCD Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Marshall shared the sentiment of Buen Cypress when she spoke about a Gallup research study on student success, which found that “it boiled down to three basic things: hope about the future; a sense of engagement, which is connection and enthusiasm about the campus or school that they’re a part of; and a sense of well-being, physical, emotional, mental, all of that.

“It’s those three things,” she continued, “that ensure or help students get to the finish line. And so part of our work, and I think the work that we’ve been doing the past few years, is to really shape an environment where we can give students those three things.”

Keynote Speaker Heather Hackman reiterated the Buen Cypress theme during her presentation on “Developing and Utilizing an Equity Lens in Our Teaching.”

Dr. Schilling originally coined Buen Cypress during her first Opening Day at the start of the fall 2017 semester. It was inspired by the “Buen camino” greeting shared by travelers on Europe’s Camino de Santiago.

Continuing, she said, “Nothing really depicts Buen Cypress better than the next student that I’m going to introduce to you,” as she invited Brandon Davis, a math student who was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in late fall 2017, to the stage.

Brandon was a typical college student juggling school with work and a social life when he was faced with a difficult reality: the active 20-year-old was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in the last few weeks of the semester.

“At the beginning, I went through really hard realities that kind of stick with me today, such as I didn’t know if I was going to make it to celebrate my 21st birthday,” he said. While undergoing 14 rounds of chemotherapy over eight-and-a-half months, along with 29 rounds of radiation over a span of six weeks, Brandon turned 21 in September 2018. He recently received his first negative scan since finishing his treatment.

Though he was faced with contemplating his own mortality, Brandon continued to be vigorously dedicated to his education. He credited the support he received from family, friends, and college faculty and staff with helping him to keep up with his studies while making it through his long months of treatment.

“Without the amazing professors I had that were so understanding of my situation, there would have been no way that I would have been able to get my incompletes done during my treatment, no matter how much I wanted to,” he said. “The message that I wanted you guys to get from this is that students like me, we are aware and extremely grateful for all the effort and time you put into our education. I’m not special. There are lots of us in all of your classes. We are very quiet and shy, so you never hear from us, so I’ll take this opportunity on behalf of all students like me to say that we really do appreciate what you guys do.”

A&E’s ‘Storage Wars’ to Feature Mortuary Science on New Episode Tonight

UPDATE: Buyers Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante brought three items for McCament’s expert evaluation. He identified them as a ’20s/’30s-era dressing table, cosmetics airbrush system, and incomplete embalming machine set used to remove fluids from and inject preservative fluids into bodies. The scene was shot primarily in the Mortuary Science Department’s embalming room — a source of discomfort for Jarrod — and includes other visual elements of the campus.

The Mortuary Science Program — and retired Professor Dave McCament, specifically — will be featured on tonight’s first-run episode of the A&E Network’s “Storage Wars.” The episode, titled “Nowhere to Formaldehyde,” debuts at 10 p.m. (Wednesday, January 30, 2019).

The episode was filmed on campus on June 12, 2018. Specific details about the episode are embargoed until after the show makes its debut. Tune in tonight to be among the first to know why the “Storage Wars” crew made Cypress College part of the show.

Moving Forward With Guided Pathways: Coming Attractions!

We continue to make great progress in becoming a Guided Pathways college, and this blog exists to provide updates on the various initiatives happening across campus. Guided Pathways is an intentional, holistic, student-centered approach ensuring students have the tools, guidance, and support to complete their academic goals. Think of it as a GPS for students—there are many ways to get to the same goal, but our responsibility is to provide a guided approach to ensuring the goal is achieved.

Meta Majors to Academic Pathways

Over the past 18 months, our work groups have continued making Guided Pathways a reality at Cypress College. Our deans, faculty, and counselors have worked diligently within the Meta-Majors Work Group and decided we would no longer use the term “Meta Majors” and, instead, would call our academic pathways by their division name. This means we are now using division nomenclatures to help students determine their area of interest. Fine Arts; Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, & Math (SEM); Business and Computer Information Systems; Career Technical Education (CTE); Kinesiology; and Language Arts are now official communities for Guided Pathways! Below is an example of how this will look on our website:

Program Mapping Project

Cypress is also one of only three colleges in California to participate in the Program Mapping Project. This initiative will be a game changer for our students, allowing them to map out their comprehensive academic plan based on if they want to complete their studies in two, three, or more years. Below is a preview of how students will enter this new portal. Faculty and counselors will be involved this spring in determining which courses students would take each semester to complete their degree or certificate. To launch Guided Pathways, this past fall we offered Connect2Cypress, a campus-wide effort to help students clarify their path and introduce our current and prospective high school students to Guided Pathways.

My Path

Another key project focused on a streamlined onboarding process for students utilizing My Path, a bridge between CCCApply and when the student actually registers for classes. This tool guides students through essential steps and directs them to the appropriate resources—all before they step foot on campus.

Anaheim Pledge

The college also launched its inaugural Anaheim Pledge class in fall 2018. This cohort was larger than expected, due to the great work of our Counseling and Student Development staff. The Pledge is an integral part of Guided Pathways, as is our Dual Enrollment Program, helping students to focus on taking more units, being intentional in their decisions, and ensuring a guided approach to their completion. These are only a few of the many efforts our fabulous teams have engaged in, whether as a department or division, to help improve our students’ lives. I thank you for your continued commitment, and as we move forward I encourage you to remain involved and focused on the great work ahead that will take us into Phase II. The next 12 months will include the submittal of a Title V grant, written in conjunction with Dr. Al Solano and Nicola Perry, our new Guided Pathways consultant. The activities included in this grant were developed by our Guided Pathways Task Force, and will shape how Cypress College operationalizes the idea of creating guided pathways. For more information about Dr. Solano’s background and work, please visit his latest blog, where he details the work completed by Bakersfield College. Ms. Perry has consulted in our district, as well as in Southern California, and worked in the well-respected Maricopa (AZ) Community College District. The potential grant will allow us to focus on three critical areas:

Distance Education: Increase Pathway options, increase the pools of trained faculty and adjunct faculty, strengthen SEM and CTE programs, especially for our underrepresented student populations
Develop Completion Teams for Each Pathway: These completion communities have been tested throughout community colleges in California and have had great success here and in other states. The team is embedded within each school, providing a coordinated approach to supporting students by increasing the communication and coordination of our services.
Develop a Faculty Center for Excellence: Invest in ourselves through professional development and continued learning opportunities. We have plans to create a Faculty Center of Excellence on the fourth floor of the Cypress College Complex. Whether the subject is writing and incorporating SLOs or ILOs, developing curriculum, and building equity and inclusion in your classroom, Cypress College will continue to have innovative, caring, and engaged faculty leading our charge to remain number one.

There is so much more ahead. This is an exciting time to be a Charger, as we are in the driver’s seat for building our future. Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together.

Featured Class: Jewelry Design

Do you love jewelry? Have you ever wanted to learn how to design it? You’re in luck! Cypress College offers ART 174 Jewelry Design! This class shows you how to design and construct jewelry and small fabricated metal pieces.

ART 174 (CRN 22224), in conjunction with ART 175 (Metalsmithing, CRN 22225), meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 6–9:10 p.m. in Fine Arts 130. Register in myGateway today!

Featured Class: Swim for Fitness

Hey, Chargers! Swimming is a great way to get some exercise! Join our Swim for Fitness class today through myGateway (CRN 23379)! This class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 8–9:25 a.m.

Featured Class: Introduction to Psychology

Interested in psychology? Cypress College is offering Psychology 101 Introduction to Psychology in the spring semester. In this course, students will look at the psychological foundations of behavior.

The following sections are available:

CRN 20360, MW, 7:30–8:55 a.m., Humanities 136
CRN 20361, TR, 7:30–8:55 a.m., Humanities 318
CRN 22415, MW, 3:25–4:50 p.m., Humanities 306

To enroll, please visit myGateway.

Love the Arts? Take Media Arts Design!

Are you artistic? Are you interested in learning more or fine-tuning your artistic skills? We encourage you to enroll in Media Arts Design-Mac (MAD 100, CRN 22555) or Media Arts Design-Win (MAD 101, CRN 22556).

Each class gives an overview of the many uses of electronic or digital; paint, drawing, digital imaging, video capture and output, animated gif’s, and page layout programs on the Macintosh or Windows, with an emphasis on traditional 2D design and digital publishing. Students create personal 2D images and video content for their portfolio.

Enroll today by visiting myGateway.

MAD 199 Open Lab Available to All Art Students

Are you looking for some extra units or to work on a special project? Did you know that the Art Computer Graphics Lab is open for use to all art students?

You can sign up for the MAD 199 open lab, CRN 20060 (1 unit), when you register for classes this semester. Enrollment is repeatable up to 10 units and you can use the lab anytime during lab hours. You do not need to be concurrently enrolled in any other class to enroll in MAD 199 Open Lab. You can use the lab equipment to develop and refine your portfolio. Instead of working at home, work in the lab and receive extra units. Develop a self-promotional website of your work. Use the lab and production equipment to work on current or self-assigned projects.

The lab offers the following software: entire Adobe CC (Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Premiere, Dreamweaver, Muse, etc), SketchUp, Final Cut Pro HD, Motion, CINEMA 4D, Adobe Acrobat, Corel Painter X, and Maya. The lab is PC and MAC Friendly.

The semester starts January 28. Register as soon as possible! If you have any difficulty registering, please contact Professor John Bilotta at jbilotta@cypresscollege.edu.

Enroll in Intro to Electronic Media Today

Interested in electronic media? Our Multimedia program is offering a class for you!

MM 100, Intro to Electronic media, introduces the history, structure, function, economics, content and evolution of radio, television, film, the internet, and new media, including traditional and mature formats. This is an online class that begins January 28. To register, please visit myGateway. CRN: 23480

Preproduction for Filmmakers Class Available

Interested in becoming a filmmaker? Our Media Arts Design program is offering a class for you!

MAD 183, Preproduction for TV, Video, and Film, prepares students to make a film by teaching the necessary steps leading up to shooting the film in production. Topics covered include script, proposal, treatment, casting, crew, locations, financing, personnel, permits, unions and talents. This is an online class that begins January 28. To register, please visit myGateway. CRN: 23136

Speech and Debate Students Place 1st, 2nd at Pacific Southwest Tournament

By Jennifer Page

On December 1 and 2, 2018, the Cypress College Speech and Debate Team took 18 students to the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association’s Fall Championship Tournament held at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. This year, 39 universities and community colleges attended both near and far, including the University of Utah, Northern Arizona University, Kansas City Community College, Cerritos College, Concordia University at Irvine, and Palomar College.

Our students did an amazing job representing Cypress College! We would like to recognize these students:

Nate Garcia
British Parliamentary Debate – Novice 1^st place
British Parliamentary Debate Speaker Award – 2^nd place
Novice Extemporaneous Speaking – 3^rd place
Novice Impromptu Speaking – 5^th place

Isaac Ramnani
British Parliamentary Debate – Novice 1^st place

Jolene Gazman
Novice Prose Interpretation – 4^th place

Christopher Piazza
Open Cultural Artifact – 1^st place

Prisma Ayala
Open Cultural Artifact – 2^nd place

Tatiana Burmeister
Open Cultural Artifact – 5^th place

Jessica Esparza
Open Cultural Artifact – 6^th place

Students Michael Clyburn, Itati Doradea, Maria Ayala, Mariem Rizk, Michelle Sandoval, Sierra Gohl, Justin Fernandez, Angelo Middleton, Ramon Avila – Ojina, Miranda Calhoun, and Peter Shamoun also competed.

Art, Music Departments Release Interactive Sound Sculpture

As you approach the Fine Arts building, the automatic doors slide open. You can’t help noticing the giant wooden sculpture in the middle of the lobby. The rectangular box with the eye-shaped cutout appears oddly placed in an arts building, looking slightly like something that would beckon students on skateboards. However, it is right at home in this spot, serving as an interactive sound sculpture dubbed “The In-Between.”

The In-Between from Ed Giardina on Vimeo.

According to a post Art Professor Ed Giardina wrote on Vimeo, “Participants are invited to lie down inside and press the sound triggers to create their own sonic compositions. The sculpture is intended for group open-ended play, exploration, relaxation, and introspection.”

The project, which contains eight-note sound elements recorded on campus, is a joint venture between Giardina’s Art 149 Beginning Sculpture and Professor Marcus McMillan’s Music 124 Recording Studio 1, as well as Fine Arts Tech Kirk Pickler.

“Both the sculptural form and sound elements were created in response to coursework exploring ‘Freud’s Iceberg,’ a popular influence on both Dada and Surrealist music and art,” Giardina wrote. “The sculptural form presents a subsurface environment that allows participants to be both literally situated into a typical position for meditation and/or psychoanalysis activity as well as metaphorically below the surface of Freud’s notion of the conscious in the ‘iceberg’ model.”

The sound elements used in “The In-Between” were recorded by students who “capture[d] and manipulate[d] these ‘subsurface’ sounds (i.e. infrared door sensors, electromagnetic fields generated by a variety of electronic devices, WiFi traffic, etc.) that exist all around us, but are outside of our audible range,” according to Giardina.

The Cypress College community who have experienced “The In-Between” this semester are invited to share their thoughts and experiences in the comments.

Ed. – The students who were involved in the creation of this project are Dayonne Reid-Payton, Timothy Efseaff, Brandon Ramos, Moises Flores, Xitlalitl Gomez, Henrik Monfiero, Chanelle Tran, Maurice Morrell, Frank Ly, Frank Nguyen, Adri Perrucci, Ivan Norwood, Jules Cuevas, Jonathan Phan, Karen Franco, Skyler Pierce, Ashley Chunadi, Andrew Samaniego, Michelle Allen, Eliana Torres, Kris Damogo, Anthony Villalvazo , Connie Lopez, Elino Villegas, Patrick Ferrel, Peter Calvillo, and Paul Jimenez.

Media Arts Design Receives Approval for its First Associate Degree

The Cypress College Media Arts Design (MAD) department recently received state approval to offer an Associate in Science in Film, Television, and Electronic Media.

“While the MAD department has over ten skill certificates it offers students, this is our first two-year degree,” MAD Department Chair Ian Holmes said. “This means that now Cypress College and the MAD department have for the first time an official Film, Television, and Electronic Media major and degree.”

The AS-T degree, which took ten years from curriculum development through state approval, requires 18 units in the major, plus 30 units of general education courses, and transfers to universities. Students who have already taken as few as six classes in cinematography, single camera, motion picture, video editing, motion graphics, and other such classes, may already qualify to apply for this degree. Such students are encouraged to reach out to Fine Arts Counselors Renay Laguana-Ferinac or Renee Ssensalo.

For information regarding the degree, please click here.

Daniel Stephens Gallery Features Ceramics Student Emily Casares

Cypress College student Emily Casares is showcased this week in the Daniel Stephens Gallery, located in the Fine Arts building lobby.

The exhibit features ceramic work as well as paintings by Casares.

Be sure to check it out!

(STEM)2 Holds 7th Annual Fall Research Symposium

Science, Engineering, and Math Dean Richard Fee opened the Cypress College (STEM)2 program’s seventh annual Fall Research Symposium on Friday, November 16, at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach. Through personal stories, he emphasized how important it is to do something that makes you happy.

“If you start on a path, you don’t have to stay on that path if you don’t like the scenery. You are not stuck.”

Fee noted that one of his fears throughout his educational and career process was rejection.

“It wasn’t until I learned to hear ‘No’ and not take it personal… ‘No’ always hurts, but you keep going.”

The STEM scholars had to put aside their fear of hearing the word ‘No’ to apply for summer research projects, which were showcased at the event.

Student Summer Research Showcases

Forty-five students in the (STEM)2 program conducted undergraduate research over the summer. Seven of them — Surbhi Arora, Brendon Barrios, Evan Camarillo, Diana Costescu, Milagros Crisp, Selina Jaimes Davila, and Tareq Labeeb — served as panelists at the event, sharing what they experienced and encouraging other members of the program to apply for similar opportunities.

Brendon Barrios, Electrical Engineering, Summer Research at California State University Fullerton

Brendon’s first attempt at applying to a summer research program resulted in rejection.

“The first time that I applied for summer research, I didn’t get accepted, and I even waited a year to apply to Cal State Fullerton URE, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t make it the first time because that’s normal and a lot of the times they want to see you with more of a track record.”

Even though he heard the word ‘No,’ it didn’t stop him from seeking out opportunities. This past summer he was able to secure one such opportunity.

“I learned a lot. I did summer research that was very applicable to a lot of different technical and electrical — even medical — fields, which is really awesome. My project manager pushed me to apply to IEEE over at Cal Poly Pomona.”

Milagros Crisp, Mathematics, Summer Research at UCI

Research projects lead to a great additions to resumes and to fantastic experiences.

“One of the best highlights of our research was that I got to see embryos develop outside of the womb,” Crisp said of her research project.

Evan Camarillo, Biology, STARS Program at UC San Diego

Evan agreed with Dean Fee when it came to fear of rejection.

“I feel like this summer’s research experience has opened up a lot of opportunities for myself. I think one of the biggest barriers of applying to these types of programs is just having the confidence in yourself, knowing that you have the ability to do that. All the skills that I think I developed qualify me for going to another university on the east coast — pretty much anywhere in the U.S. I feel like I’m able to apply and go through another program somewhere else, somewhere far away from home, somewhere where things might be a little tougher so I can challenge myself a little bit more and ultimately develop some more skills,” he said.

That fear of rejection didn’t stop him, and some of the best highlights of his experience “were to meet other like-minded students. Meeting people that want to go in the same direction as you, people that are goal-oriented, people that overall have the same interests as you really benefited me in the sense that I was able to get their perspective on things and I was able to learn a lot of things… Some advice I would have for STEM scholars: if you don’t feel very confident, just put your future in perspective. I feel like during summer you’re probably going to be working. You might be taking summer classes and even when you’re at one of these research opportunities, I feel as though you’re able to do some online classes on the side of the research that you’re doing and I just think that if you want some change in your life, if you want to develop knowledge in a field that is interesting to you, the opportunity will be 100 percent worth it.”

Grace Lewis, Aerospace Engineering, Summer Research at Cal Poly Pomona for the UAV Lab

“The main highlights were definitely staying until 9 or 10 at night just to get code working and the getting up at 6:30 to do flight testing to make sure all of that was working and just cheering when all of it worked,” Lewis said.

And if the experience itself weren’t enough, Lewis also got a job at a flight simulation center immediately after her summer research.

“[The opportunity] was directly from research. It was learning everything I could about planes, everything I could about coding, simulation — all of that — and it led to a real job. That’s really amazing. I also ended up becoming friends with my team lead and she brought me out flying so I’m getting my private pilot’s license soon and UAV license and it’s going to be so cool. I’m so excited.”

Keynote Speaker Mandla Kayise

Mandla Kayise, founder and CEO of New World Education (NWE), carried himself with grace and spoke with STEM scholars about their projects before being introduced to take the stage.

“Look at yourself as the subject of your work. Ask: ‘What can I do with the subject matter?’”

Kayise shared with the college students that he was dismissed on academic probation from UCLA after three years. The engineering major eventually returned to the university four years later. His academic career prior to dismissal might not be described as organized or disciplined.

Like Kayise’s field, he told the students that they are in the fields that require the most organization and discipline, and he asked for a show of hands of who described themselves that way. Very few hands went up.

“For me,” Kayise said, “doing more made me get more organized — not doing less.”

Many STEM scholars were seen nodding their heads in agreement and appeared to be listening intently as Kayise spoke.

“When you start Cypress College, create a picture of how you want to look by the time you’re done. Think about the attitudes that go along with that image. We will always be successful if we know who we are, and we can start from there… You are what you bring to the table, and Cypress College, and what it has — that’s how you’re going to be successful.”

Flying Team Earns Top Two-Year Honors at Competition

Cypress College’s flying team earned top honors for two-year colleges at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s Region II Safecon competition held November 13-17, 2018 at Ernest A Love Field Airport, in Prescott, AZ. Cypress College placed first overall for two-year colleges for the first time since 1978.

Several Cypress students surpassed competitors from host university Embry-Riddle. Two aviation students — Noel Jacobs and Anond Thairatanakul — finished in the top 10 of the combined university and two-year standings. Cypress finished second in the combined flight events university/two-year standings, behind only Embry-Riddle, and fourth overall in the combined standings for all events.

Students compete in categories such as navigation, landing, instrument precision, and message drop. Thairatanakul finished second in the power-off landing competition. Jacobs earned bronze in the short-field landing competition. Full results are available at: https://nifa.aero/2018-region-ii-safecon-official-results/.

Cypress College’s fight-training program recently was the recipient of a $1 million donation, the largest individual in campus history. The donation, in part, was intended to revitalize the flying team and facilitate their participation in flight competitions such as Safecon.

Department Chair Ed Valdez is a professional pilot who has served as a first officer, captain, and line-check airman for various airlines, including United Airlines, Skywest Airlines, and Champion Air, as well as for FlightSafety International as a Gulfstream and International Procedures Instructor. He has type ratings in the Boeing 727, 737, 757/767, A319/A320, and Gulfstream’s G2, G3, G4, and G5 aircraft.

MAD Students Featured in Daniel Stephens Gallery

The Daniel Stephens Gallery — the small gallery in the Fine Arts lobby — features student artwork. For two weeks, the gallery featured Media Arts Design (MAD) students, including Zimmo Mojica.

Mojica’s work has been featured before on the campus’ marquee.

Give to Wildfire Victims

California wildfires have ravaged our state over the last few weeks, and many faculty, staff, and students have been affected by these natural disasters, especially those from Butte College, Moorpark College, and Ventura College.

Across the state, at least 30 of California’s 114 community colleges have experienced closures as a result of the fires or air quality.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges has established a giving site covering local and statewide opportunities to support the thousands of California Community College students, faculty, and staff have been affected by the devastating fires throughout California.

Retired Professor Publishes Book on Equestrian History of San Juan Capistrano

A love of horses combined with a knack for storytelling made Donna Friess’ most recent book a natural project.

Capistrano Trails: Ride for the Brand takes a look at the equestrian history of San Juan Capistrano through first-person narratives, and photography and illustrations.

“San Juan is often called the ‘Horse Capital of the West Coast’ or the ‘Horse Capital of Orange County,’” she wrote in a blog post dated August 28 on her personal website. “The community seems to have defied all odds and preserved its historic character and equestrian culture. How is that possible?”

She continued, “That’s when the idea struck me. If I hurried, I could gather up the lived experience of those involved with horses before their stories were lost. Perhaps, I could find the answer to the mystery as to how San Juan has remained a charming Western enclave while the rest of Southern California has succumbed to concrete, glass, and steel.”

Friess is a retired communication studies professor who taught at Cypress College for more than 40 years. She has published several other books, including her debut novel, The Unraveling of Shelby Forrest, in 2015, and 1993’s Cry the Darkness, which won the National Indie Excellence Award and has been published in seven languages.

For more information about Capistrano Trails and other books by Friess, visit her website at drdonnafriess.com.

NSA and DHS Designate Cypress College a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education

The National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated Cypress College a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education this past August. Cypress College was one of two community colleges in California to earn the designation, and one of 10 college or university programs in the Southwest region of the U.S., including California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

The designation is valid through academic year 2023 and was given following a rigorous application process that required meeting stringent criteria and a campus visit.

“This is, indeed, a true honor for the college,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. “I thank the faculty and dean for their countless hours, days, weeks, and months of preparing our proposal and backing it up with a commitment to excellence and student success. Kudos to faculty members Ben Izadi, Mike Hannah, and Dean Henry Hua for their work qualifying for this prestigious designation.”

Official award of the designation will be made next month at a conference in Miami.

The strong push for education in cyber defense and cybersecurity in the U.S. reflects the country’s immediate priority and high demand for an experienced and qualified workforce full of innovative, critical thinkers. National CAE programs aim to address the country’s “critical shortage of professionals with these skills and highlights the importance of higher education as a solution to defending America’s cyberspace.”

Karen Leuschner, National CAE Cyber Defense Program director, continued in her designation letter to the college, “Your ability to meet the increasing demands of the program criteria will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Structure.”

In 2017, Cypress College started a Pathway to Advancement in Cybersecurity Education (PACE) program, which is modeled on Guided Pathways. PACE introduces students to dual enrollment courses from as early as the tenth grade and provides them with multiple opportunities to receive certifications and even an associate degree in cybersecurity.

“The results have been promising, as 216 middle and high school students have taken cybersecurity-related dual enrollment courses within the past year and successfully obtained 73 industry-recognized certificates,” said Ben Izadi, director of the college’s Cyber Defense Center and lead for the Cybersecurity Program.

He added that 14 high school students will be completing the cybersecurity certificate this fall, and three will also complete the cyber defense certificate.

In addition to PACE and providing area high school students with dual enrollment courses in cybersecurity, Cypress College has also worked in other ways to open cybersecurity education opportunities for K-12 Orange County students. For the past three years, current and former Cypress College students have mentored middle and high school students to compete in the CyberPatriots National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, a cybersecurity contest hosted by the non-profit Air Force Association.

Last year, one of the college’s middle school teams ranked tenth in the nation among 1,200 teams. This semester, more than 200 students participated in an on-campus training event, including more than 40 elementary school students, in a program that has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 2016.

Click here to learn more about the college’s cybersecurity program or how you can get involved.

Headed for the Stars: STEM Students are NASA Aerospace Scholars

STEM scholar Pi Raymond Oliver spent part of this month at NASA’s Stenis Space Center in Mississippi, where he completed the space agency’s NCAS Program. Oliver was at Stenis October 1-5 as one of 319 community college students from across the United States.

NCAS — NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars — incorporates a five-week online activity that culminates with a four-day on-site event at a NASA center. The program offers students the opportunity to interact with NASA engineers and others as they learn more about careers in science and engineering.

While at NASA’s Stenis Center, Oliver and the other students formed teams and established fictional companies interested in Mars exploration. Each team was responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover, forming a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach. The on-site experience at NASA included briefings by NASA subject-matter experts, information on how to apply for internships, and a tour of NASA’s unique facilities.

“[T]his is the most amazing opportunity I have ever embarked on. Hands down,” Oliver wrote in an email sent from Stenis on his first day there. “I am networking with the staff here already — and I am sure that I can promote this opportunity towards other Cypress students.”

Oliver participated as part of his enrollment in Cypress College’s (STEM)2 Program.

At an on-campus (STEM)2 presentation this month, student Dustin Nguyen spoke to 85 classmates about the program. Nguyen has completed two consecutive internships at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Three other current students also completed the program in recent semesters: Asma Karakra, Grace Lewis, and Michael Quezada.

The NASA program is partially funded by the Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, which is committed to engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in authentic learning experiences to sustain a diverse workforce.

“NCAS not only inspires community college students to advance in STEM fields, but it also opens doors for future careers at NASA,” said Joeletta Patrick, Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Manager. “NCAS has a legacy of alumni moving from NASA internships to and ultimately entering the NASA workforce.”

More information is available from (STEM)2 Program Director Yanet Garcia at yagarcia@cypresscollege.edu. Interested students can also visit ncas.aerospacescholars.org/ and nasa.gov/education/murep.

National PR Organization Honors Cypress College Student

Art student Zimmo Mojica was recognized by District 6 of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations with a gold Medallion award for a computer-generated image. His first-place submission was one of more than 300 in the category.

NCMPR is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges and exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges in the United States and Canada. The organization’s District 6 includes California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Territory of Guam.

Mojica is a student employee in the Office of Campus Communications. His award-winning work was part of an ongoing series representing each academic division depicted in welcome slides for the campus marquee.

Cypress College Celebrates Disabilities Awareness Month

By Celeste Phelps, Director, Disability Support Services

Cypress College is celebrating Disabilities Awareness Month during the month of October! It’s a perfect time to learn about laws that protect people with disabilities, to improve attitudes and eliminate stereotypes, to separate people from their disabilities, and to appreciate the great and small contributions people with disabilities make.

In honor of Disabilities Awareness Month:

Show your support! Wear a purple ribbon!
Visit the DSS Open House!
- Thursday, October 25, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
- CCCPLX-100, Disability Support Services Office
Spend time reading the Disabilities Awareness Lawn Signs.
Visit the DSS Resource Table throughout October.
Attend the DSS Mini Workshop Series in November.
- Workshop #1: Caption This! Creating Captioned Videos
  - Date: Monday, November 5, 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Workshop #2: Managing Difficult Student Behavior in the College Classroom
  - Date: Wednesday, November 7, 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Workshop #3: What’s Kurzweil? Using Kurzweil to Support Universal Design Learning (UDL)
  - Date: Tuesday, November 13, 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Disability History and DSS information

In 1971, Cypress College’s Roosevelt Center opened its doors to provide equal access to Cypress College students with disabilities. Shortly after, in 1973, the Rehabilitation Act was passed, and for the first time in history, civil rights of people with disabilities were protected by law. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) followed and was passed in 1990. It ensured the equal treatment and equal access of people with disabilities to employment opportunities and to public accommodations. In 2006, Cypress College’s Roosevelt Center joined the California Community College Chancellor’s Office by changing its name to Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S). Finally, in 2015, Cypress College promoted students “first” language by transforming its program name from Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) to Disability Support Services (DSS).

DSS provides accommodations, adjustments, and services to students with disabilities to ensure equitable access to college programs and facilities. DSS is committed to providing student opportunities that will maximize their potential for success in achieving their individual, educational, and career goals.

2018 Annual Safety and Security Report Now Available

Cypress College’s 2018 Annual Safety and Security Report is now available. The report meets the requirements of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act — which is intended to provide students and the public with access to information critical to their safety.

The report can be viewed at: http://news.cypresscollege.edu/Documents/CC-2018-Clery-Report.pdf. Students are notified of the report’s availability via the campus website, the myGateway portal, and the College’s social media properties. If desired, paper copies of the report will be available through the Campus Safety Office.

If you see something, say something

The Clery Act

New Pledge Center Unveiled During Dedication Ceremony

Cypress College’s Pledge Center dedication took place September 19 to mark the opening of a new hub for counseling and academic support on the ground floor of the Student Center.

The ceremony welcomed the community to hear more about the Anaheim Union Education Pledge, also called the Pledge Program, which assists high school students on their paths into higher education. Members of legislative offices and leadership teams from the North Orange County Community College District and Anaheim Union High School District came out to mark the occasion as well.

Organizers took turns at the podium to thank supporters of the program, a partnership between higher education institutions, and the City of Anaheim to support students entering college. Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., expressed gratitude and encouragement based on the success of the “historic collaboration.”

“There are 959 students in the inaugural class – great, engaged students,” Dr. Schilling said. “We want to keep them going in a focused manner, and expect this to grow bigger every year.”

She especially credited the initiative’s achievements to the “fabulous team” of Counseling Dean Dr. Paul de Dios and Interim Student Success & Support Programs Director Gisela Verduzco. Verduzco told the audience that the Pledge Program, part of the Charger Experience, creates opportunities for students in Cypress’ own backyard.

“We have to start with our own communities,” she said. “Students are being supported with their own place they can call home.”

NOCCCD Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Marshall took to the podium and called the opening of the Pledge Center a dream come true. Next, Dr. Schilling and Verduzco presented a baton to Mike Matsuda, superintendent of AUHSD, who called it symbolic of the meaningful partnership that created and supports the Pledge Program.

The ceremony also offered a chance to thank donors. Catherine Sorensen and the Disneyland Resort, represented by Elva Rubalcava, were recognized by Dr. Schilling for their generosity and given plaques to commemorate their participation.

Government officials in attendance included Cypress Mayor John Peat, Mayor Pro Tem Stacy Berry, Clayton Heard of U. S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal’s office, Stephanie Hu of State Senator Ling Ling Chang’s office, Christopher Aguilera of California Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva’s office, and Tim Whitacre of Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel’s office.

Pledge Program students joined organizers in pulling the curtain for the big reveal of the center, located at the northern end of the Student Center’s first level. Attendees were invited to a reception following the event.

Instructor Tommy Mellana Honored as Hero in Response at Las Vegas Shooting

Adjunct instructor Tommy Mellana, whose primary employment is as a detective in the Cypress Police Department, received the California Peace Officer’s Association Award of Valor for his heroic response at last year’s Las Vegas shooting.

Detective Mellana, who teaches in Cypress College’s Administration of Justice Program, was honored in Sacramento on September 17 with Cypress Police Chief Rod Cox and Commander Steven Ramsey in attendance.

Although he is grateful for the recognition, Det. Mellana called the award “a tough pill to swallow” because of the significant loss of life — 58 people died in the October 1, 2017 shooting on the Las Vegas Strip and more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition were fired at attendees of the Route 91 Harvest music festival, held adjacent to Mandalay Bay.

“I was at the festival with family and friends when the mass shooting took place,” Det. Mellana said in an email. “I left the group I was with to assist in any way possible. That night I provided first aid to people that were wounded during the event.”

He noted that he was later reunited with everyone in his group and that all of them escaped injury. Many others he came across that night did not survive, including people he knew.

“However, I was able to save several victims that were shot by pulling them to cover and applying tourniquets and pressure to their wounds, which prevented them from bleeding to death,” Det. Mellana said. “After being in the venue for nearly one hour and helping dozens of people, I made it back to hotel and was reunited with my friends and family.”

While the circumstances are tragic, Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D. called Det. Mellana’s response “a true act of courage on his part.”

Adjunct instructor Tommy Mellana, a detective in the Cypress Police Department, received the California Peace Officer’s Association Award of Valor (above) for his heroic response at last year’s Las Vegas shooting. He attended the awards ceremony (top) with Cypress Police Chief Rod Cox (left) and Commander Steven Ramsey.

Magazine Spotlights Former Theater Student on Cover

Alex Alpharaoh has won the attention of theatergoers and critics with something he hid for years: his immigration status. The former Cypress College student’s effort to make sense of government policies around undocumented immigrants led to the creation of his autobiographical play, “WET: A DACAmented Journey,” and a spot on the cover of “American Theatre” magazine’s May/June 2018 issue.

Alpharaoh wrote the play to discuss his personal history as an undocumented resident growing up in Los Angeles. He came to the United States from Guatemala at the age of 3 months, when his 15-year-old mother crossed the border on foot. Alpharoah told the magazine his mother constantly reminded her son to protect the family secret that they lacked the proper paperwork. That memory stayed with him even as he grew up and went to college.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elisa Noemí (@lapaintedlady) on Apr 18, 2018 at 1:15pm PDT

“I denied myself the fullest extent of my growth as a student because I harbored a secret that I could not reveal and explore in my work,” Alpharaoh said, of his early days in the Cypress Theater Arts Department. “Mark [Majarian], never inquiring about anything that I wasn’t willing to share, said: ‘You never have to reveal anything that you feel would jeopardize you or someone else. The work is yours so long as you can do it independently and outside of the classroom.’”

Alpharaoh says Majarian’s advice led him to find ways around the issue without it interfering with his training. Although his theater education wasn’t compromised, the struggle to live as an immigrant without documentation continued and motivated him to develop and perform his play in 2017. Since then, he has performed “WET” at venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

“Alex, from the beginning, brought fire, vulnerability, and a self-created resilience emanating from a challenged childhood,” Cypress College Professor Emeritus Majarian said. He taught Alpharoah when he studied theater at Cypress from 2007 to 2011.

“Alex acquired, through his own grit, the craft fundamentals of acting that would give voice to his own individual statement as an actor as well as servicing the plays and playwrights he was learning from.”

Alpharaoh will perform in more cities during his upcoming national tour this fall, including local dates. Find more information on where and when he will be performing by visiting DacamentedJourney.com.

Bistro Begins Regional Cuisine Trip and You’re Invited

This semester, students in Hotel, Restaurant & Culinary Arts again will take palates on a trip around the country by offering visitors a chance to sample a variety of regional dishes from the United States and beyond.

The Cypress Bistro opens for fall Thursday, September 13, with traditional New England cuisine. The menu includes:
Starter – New England Clam Chowder
Entrées – choice of Yankee Beef Pot Roast or Maine Lobster Roll
Desserts – choice of Sticky Toffee Pudding or Boston Cream Pie

New England Clam Chowder

A post shared by Cypress Bistro (@cypressbistro) on Feb 20, 2014 at 12:46pm PST

The rest of the semester’s menus feature food from: the South, September 20; Louisiana, September 27; Texas, October 4; the Southwest, October 11; an Oktoberfest celebration, October 25; California (vegan), November 1; the Pacific Rim, November 8; the Pacific Northwest, November 15; and Floribbean fare, November 29.

Visit the Bistro for lunch on Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:00 pm, at the NOCCCD Anaheim Campus. The three-course meals cost $13.00, and are for tables of four or fewer, dine-in only. You can make reservations, which are recommended, by emailing Chef Tracey Heine, theine@nocccd.edu.

Newly FAA-Certified Flight Instructors Credit Cypress with Test Prep

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Certified Flight Instructor – Airplane Single Engine test is, understandably, a difficult one. Two recently accredited instructors, however, say they felt prepared for the challenge, thanks to Cypress College.

Anond Thai and Eric Felix passed the FAA test after studying aviation under Capt. Ed Valdez at Cypress. Valdez confirms the exam’s difficulty.

“It’s no easy feat to pass the test,” Valdez said.

Long Beach native Felix’s instructing career took off after he passed the exam. He currently works for two flight schools as a flight instructor and describes his schedule as being hectic but rewarding.

“I enjoy instructing,” he said. “I love this career from the bottom of my heart.”

This job path fulfills Felix’s lifelong dream. He says he’s always been excited by planes and air travel but that flight training can be costly, running into the $80,000 to $100,000 range. Cypress allowed him to achieve his dreams within his means.

“If I didn’t do the program with Ed at Cypress, I wouldn’t have had the same results. I would have not accomplished the exams with the same amount of training — my training would have been much longer.”

Thai received his certificate in May and has been busy teaching as well, after passing the tough exam. The Thailand-born Orange County resident says he wishes “it was an easy test but it’s not,” and is grateful to Valdez for facilitating his success.

“Without Cypress, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “I went from no flying knowledge at all to being a pilot in about two years. Cypress aviation program helped a lot. Got to give it credit.”

Thai originally attended Cal Poly Pomona; although he had high grades in high school, he says he entered the university having trouble with English. He eventually left after his GPA got too low and he was disqualified.

“I went to Cal Poly and didn’t know what college life was like,” Thai said. “Cypress College taught me a lot about college life.”

Thai will continue his college education at Cal State Dominquez Hills, to earn his bachelor’s degree in math. He will keep teaching while there; he currently has eight students, working with two to three students a day for about three hours each lesson.

Both Felix and Thai work out of the Long Beach and Santa Ana airports, where they share the lessons they’ve learned during their time at Cypress.

Storytelling, Adapting to Change are Themes of Fall Opening Day

Storytelling was the centerpiece of an Opening Day that highlighted the student experience and changes the college and its individual employees must make and adapt to in order to better serve students.

“We have to be fiercely devoted to allowing our students to have a voice, to allow them to tell us what we need to do to meet their needs,” said Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D., to more than 300 faculty and staff Friday, August 17.

Three Cypress students, who found purpose and connection through programs on campus, spoke of their personal journeys.

“Every step of the way, I have been extremely fortunate to have support of my professors, faculty, and peers,” said Selina Jaimes Davila, an undocumented, first-generation college student majoring in mechanical engineering. “These awesome individuals have encouraged me when I needed it the most, when I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even in the most difficult moments, they saw a potential in me that I did not see in myself.”

Jaimes Davila was homeless for a time, living out of a car with her mother, and finding a path in higher education proved difficult. She lacked self-confidence and ended up changing her major three times; however, with guidance from EOPS, the Puente Program, and (STEM)², she finally found her passion.

“I was a timid little freshman when I started my educational journey at Cypress College,” Jaimes Davila said, “and now I am a fierce, empowered woman that knows what I want to accomplish in life and feel confident in my ability to accomplish my dreams.”

Kenyun Rone also grew up in difficult circumstances as a child in the foster care system. He was immediately kicked out of his foster home when he turned 18 and enrolled at Cypress College in 2008. Struggling without direction and a guiding hand while also taking care of his mother, he ended up dropping out of college.

“But I never quit thinking about, I need to do more with my life,” he said. “There has to be something more to my life.”

In 2017, Rone received a call from Legacy Program Director Regina Rhymes that lit a spark and motivated him to return to school. He is now a philosophy major planning to transfer to San Diego State University.

David Rodriguez’s parents had immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and emphasized the importance of education in hopes that their children would not endure the same hardships they had. But Rodriguez wanted to pursue his passion for music and the arts, so he “totally put school on the backburner.”

Following his high school graduation, he started his studies at Cypress College, “but I didn’t have the right mindset,” he said.

“Over the next three years from 2012-2015, I felt very lost and just very unmotivated and unconnected from the campus,” he added. “So, in 2015, after being kicked out and readmitted, I dropped out with a GPA of 1.9 and I told myself that school wasn’t for me.”

After gaining some film experience working at the University of Southern California, Rodriguez decided to give higher education another chance. His older brother, a former Puente student, suggested that he speak with Puente Co-Coordinator Therese Mosqueda-Ponce. His involvement in the program led to other opportunities, including participation in a Puente leadership conference, as well as employment on campus working with the college’s Dual Enrollment and CyberPatriots programs.

“Throughout this journey, I realized, well, I wanted to be a musician, I wanted to be a filmmaker, I wanted to be a cartoonist,” Rodriguez said. “But now, I want to be a college graduate.”

Energized by the students’ powerful stories, Dr. Schilling said to the crowd, “We share these stories because…it all kind of fades away if we’re not actually reaching students.”

Disrupt or be Disrupted

Disrupt or be disrupted was a common thread throughout both Dr. Schilling and North Orange County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Marshall’s presentations, delving further into the significant changes facing Cypress College, along with California’s 113 other community colleges.

Dr. Schilling described the six signs that your institution is being disrupted, indicating a need for re-examining the way things are done, and related that to the college’s turn to the Guided Pathways model.

“We are a pretty traditional education institution and that’s where we have the opportunity to make changes without actually changing what you do in the classroom, so reframing it from the principles of traditional education to Guided Pathways,” she said. “And Guided Pathways doesn’t have to be this thing that we do. It’s really reframing the student experience.”

Dr. Marshall echoed those sentiments and said, “One of the key ideas is that we can either be the disrupters or be disrupted. And so, there are days when we kind of feel like victims, but it also means we have the opportunity to be creative, to try new approaches, and be the instigators in higher ed’s new reality instead of just having things happen to us.”

In this pursuit of Guided Pathways and adapting to the realities of the times, Dr. Schilling suggested that students need four things from the college and its employees: 1) We must be relentless in improving our students’ experience at Cypress; 2) We must base our decisions on long-term student success, not short-term benefits; 3) We must lead by putting our core values into action; and 4) We must be an equity-minded institution.

One way Cypress College is working to better serve its students in an environment they are familiar with is through the launch of a new app, Cypress Connect. Cypress College Director of Academic Computing Technologies Peter Maharaj presented the app, currently in phase one of launch, emphasizing that the college needs to think digitally because that’s where students are.

Updates and Accomplishments

Opening Day is also an opportunity for the college to celebrate the start of a new semester. Dr. Schilling recognized new and recently promoted employees at the college, spoke of staff and faculty accomplishments from the past year, and presented the Diversity and Inclusiveness Award to retired Photography Professor Clifford Lester.

Lester has worked tirelessly to give voice to Holocaust survivors and ensure that their stories are not lost or forgotten. His work is featured in the Holocaust Memorial Gallery currently located in the second floor hall of the Student Center, and has also been presented during the college’s annual Yom HaShoah events.

Dr. Schilling and district representatives Dr. Marshall and NOCCCD Board of Trustees member Ryan Bent also awarded Cypress College (STEM)² Program Director Yanet Garcia and Career Planning Center Coordinator Deann Burch with the North Star Award. The award recognizes employees throughout the district for their outstanding contributions and work performance. Garcia and Burch had previously been honored at the June 26 Board of Trustees meeting.

Accreditation co-chairs Phil Dykstra, Cypress College director of institutional research and planning, and Liana Koeppel, English professor, provided employees with an update on the college’s next steps in the accreditation process and institutional set standards. The college’s accreditation follow-up report is due March 1, 2019 and is currently in the draft stage. An open forum will be held in mid-October to allow faculty and staff to provide feedback.

The day came to a close with a barbecue lunch by the Pond and division meetings held around campus as faculty and staff buzzed with excitement for the start of a new school year.

Civil Rights Activist Sylvia Mendez to Speak at Cypress College

In celebration of Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, Cypress College’s Puente Program is hosting Civil Rights Activist and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Sylvia Mendez.

In 1947, the Mendez vs. Westminster case became a historical decision in the desegregation of California schools, when the parents of Sylvia Mendez led the crusade and successfully won a class action suit against four Orange County school districts. This verdict was so historically significant that it helped argue the Brown vs. Board of Education case. Mendez was honored with the Presidential Medal Of Freedom in 2011 by President Obama. She is now retired and travels around giving guest lectures on her experiences on the forgotten civil rights movement of California.

She will be speaking at Cypress College on September 4, 2018 from 5–7 p.m. in Humanities 131. To attend, RSVP here.

Alumnus Trevor Hoffman Inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame

Alumnus Trevor Hoffman is now Hall of Fame Alumnus Trevor Hoffman.

One of Major League Baseball’s most-successful pitchers of all time, Hoffman was among six inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, and is one of 323 enshrined in Cooperstown. During his induction speech, Hoffman mentioned the importance of Cypress College on his career — and specifically the influence of long-time baseball coach Scott Pickler.

Hoffman was prolific on the mound — recording 601 saves in 18 Major League Baseball seasons, most of them in a San Diego Padres uniform, and being recognized seven times as an MLB all star. He was the first to reach the 500- and 600-save milestones. Likewise, his presence on campus lives large as a participant in athletic events (for example, he recently presented the Charger of the Week award) and as the American Awards Man of the Year recipient in 2013.

IT’S OFFICIAL! @THoffman51 is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame #CypCity #HOFfman ⚾@CypressCollege @CCCAASports @SportsOEC @OCRegSports @ocregister pic.twitter.com/Q9wgK9W3KE

— Cypress Chargers (@CYPRESSChargers) July 29, 2018

During the Hall of Fame festivities, Hoffman was asked about the Cypress College by campus Sports Information/Marketing Representative Wes McCurtis.

“Coach Pick is a legend. He just got inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was instrumental in my growth as a baseball player and a person,” Hoffman told McCurtis. “If I didn’t have the community college to go to out of high school, I wasn’t very big when I graduated, and so it’s a great opportunity to continue playing [and it] allowed me go to the university of Arizona after that.”

McCurtis also captured Pickler’s thoughts on Hoffman’s induction.

Caught up with Coach Scott Pickler in Cooperstown to get his thoughts on Hall of Fame weekend! #CypCity #HOFfman

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/bcxus768eQ @CypressCollege @YD_RedSox @CCCAASports @Official_CCBL @THoffman51 @SportsOEC @OCRegSports @OCSportsZone pic.twitter.com/YXAgTjzXT9

— Cypress Chargers (@CYPRESSChargers) July 30, 2018

The Hall of Fame speech from the Hall of Fame man. #HOFfman

Full video 👉 https://t.co/t77c5ep5Hu 🎥 pic.twitter.com/Q5iTYDqz8I

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 30, 2018

Check out all of McCurtis’ coverage for Cypress College on the Cypress College Athletics official site and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Cypress College Offers Drone Photography Class

Did you know you could study drone photography here? We’re offering PHOT 235 in the fall semester! It will be held on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The CRN is 14368. For additional details, please check the class schedule.

Classes start the week of August 20. Enroll through myGateway today!

Aviation Student Could Set World Record for Youngest Pilot to Fly Solo

A Cypress College student’s aviation achievement last week could set a Guinness World Record.

Fourteen-year-old Mohd Shaikhsorab flew solo out of Langley Regional Airport in British Columbia, Canada, July 19, after having only 15.9 hours of flying experience. This makes him the youngest person to independently fly a plane with the least amount of training hours.

A representative from Guinness World Records confirmed that Shaikhsorab’s application is under review by the organization’s records management team. No one currently holds such a record, according to the representative.

Captain Edilberto Valdez taught both of Shaikhsorab’s aviation classes last year – Private Pilot and Flight Simulator Private Pilot – and described him as “very motivated and mature for his age.” He wasn’t surprised by the news that his student soon might hold a world record.

“We talked a lot about how our training was going to do just that: enable him to solo at the lowest amount of time,” Valdez said.

The 15-minute flight went well, despite slightly windy conditions. If Shaikhsorab felt nervous at all, his excitement overrode it.

“It was a kind of cool feeling because no one is on your left seat or right seat to tell you what to do,” he said. “I hopped on and the instructor said ‘Good luck.’ Kind of amazing feeling that I could finally solo on the airplane, by myself.”

Shaikhsorab credits his success with the instruction he received at Cypress.

“With 100% confidence, I can say that if it weren’t for Ed Valdez I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this,” he said. “The majority of the credit can go to my instructor.”

Shaikhsorab took classes beginning at age 13 and says he knew he could do something incredible with his youth as a factor. In June, he headed to flight school in Canada, where the minimum age for solo flying is 14; in the United States, it’s 16.

Processing the world record application can take up to 12 weeks. By that time, the young pilot will be attending fall semester classes, and Cypress College could have a Guinness World Record-holder on campus.

President Schilling’s Board Report for June 26, 2018

The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees.
Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
on June 26, 2018

—

The past few weeks have been very busy as we continue to conduct summer classes, and get ready for fall.

Enrollment: Our summer enrollment continues to be slightly ahead of last summer. We are currently maintaining our enrollment and although we have dropped slightly from the first week, we are still up 2% in our headcount and our fill rate has increased to 88% from 78% last year. We held an Enrollment Management meeting with our academic deans and looked at new reports detailing historical trends in course offerings, fill rates, and productivity that we hope to build on in fall. Other topics included scheduling, extended day budgets, and new Tableau reports to help analyze our course offerings. My thanks to VPAS Emily Day, IR Director, Phil Dykstra, EVP Santanu Bandyopadhyay, and Senior Researcher Kristina Oganesian for all their work developing the presentations.

College Events

Dean Henry Hua hosted a Cyber Patriot workshop this week. Students from local elementary schools learned the ins and outs of cyber security as we help engage them in computer activities, and the academic powers of computer networking. The goal of these workshops is to engage rising 6^th graders to participate in early Cyber Patriot competitions next year when they come to middle school.

Gail Taylor and Dr. Schilling visited the Loara High School campus to tour the Union Bank branch on that campus and provide two scholarships to Loara High School students who will be attending Cypress College in the fall as part of our 2018-19 Pledge class. Union Bank, which is also an Americana sponsors, offers 13 interns the opportunity to work at the branch office, provide workshops to high school students, and learn to work in a professional setting. It was our honor to award these outstanding students a scholarship and to view their operations. A great pathway program!

Thanks to Vice Chancellor Cherry Li-Bugg and her team for hosting a productive Student Team Retreat on Tuesday, June 12, to discuss Banner 9 and our onboarding processes for students. It was an excellent opportunity to brainstorm ideas on how to support our students in each aspect of their journey at our colleges. We look forward to more great ideas to come!

We also appreciate Dr. Marshall hosting a successful District Management Retreat on Thursday, June 14. There were excellent presentations on collaborations across the district. It was also an important time to collaborate with managers across the District.

Community Events

The Boys and Girls Club of Cypress joined us at Cypress College for the inaugural Camp Cypress, held June 18-21. We appreciated the time and generosity of our faculty for hosting workshops in Chemistry, Acting, Cyber Security, Anthropology, Basketball, College Readiness Jeopardy, and Soccer, among others. Our student Ambassadors helped to provide campus tours, facilitate the movement from one location to the next, and staff members, Rhonda Kraft and Liliana Huerta facilitated our organizational details. Thank you all for a successful community partnership.

The Foundation Board held its end of the year reception on June 20. Our Spring into Cypress campaign is ongoing, which is a board-led fund raising effort. So far, almost $25,000 has been raised. Our goal is to raise $50,000 by July 30, 2018. Thanks to Foundation Board member (and trustee) Barbara Dunsheath, Chancellor Marshall, and District Foundation Special Project Manager, Brent Hunter, for attending.

That’s the Board Report from Cypress College. Buen Cypress!

President Schilling’s Board Report for June 12, 2018

The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees.
Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
on June 12, 2018

—

The college successfully completed our “end-of the-semester” events, adding a few more since the last Board meeting. I personally want to thank our Board members for their support at so many of these events; it means so much to our staff and faculty that you are invested in seeing our students succeed and flourish. It’s been a wonderful first year to acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments. We Take This Journey Together!

The past few weeks have been “quiet” only because we are between the spring and summer sessions. But it has been very busy as we prepare for the summer session, close out the fiscal year, and complete evaluations and end-of-year administrative tasks.

Enrollment: Our summer enrollment is going well. On the first day of our summer session, we are currently up 5% in our headcount (+500 students) as compared to last summer and our fill rate has increased to 86% from 78% last year. We attribute this increase to offering more dual enrollment courses, a reduction of previously low-enrolled courses and adding more high demand courses, and a focused approach to marketing our summer offerings.

College Events

Dr. Schilling and a District team made up of HR, Cypress, Fullerton, and NOCE faculty, staff, and administrators attended the NCORE conference in New Orleans the week of May 29 – June1. It was an exciting time to look at moving our Equity agenda forward at Cypress and within our District. The Cypress team consisted of faculty members Justin Campbell and Stephanie Tran, Executive Assistant Ty Volcy, and Dr. Schilling. We are still in the process of identifying action items, but will be reconvening to identify equity strategies in July.
Cypress held our Classified Appreciation Day on June 1. Over 100 classified employees and managers attended to enjoy great food, raffle prizes, games, and camaraderie in our Theater Lobby. Many of our retirees were honored and will be missed.
Our Toyota T-TEN Program held their graduation ceremonies on June 1. Each student was honored and accompanied by their Toyota industry partner, and all students are working and advancing in their careers in Auto technology. Thank you to Trustee Molly McClanahan for attending and supporting this event!
Also on Friday, June 1, our (STEM)2 Program honored their graduating students at a wonderful celebration at Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel. Fifty-seven transferring graduates and their families were in attendance; 34 students have obtained summer research projects. Biology faculty member, Adel Rajab, provided an inspiring keynote speech to our graduates.
The College will hold a Deans Enrollment Management retreat on June 18. We will be looking at making final changes to our fall schedule, based on reviewing our historical data, and additional topics will include scheduling, extended day budgets, and strategic enrollment planning.
Cypress is exploring how to “auto-award” degrees to our students. Although there are challenges and we want to be sure not to award degrees that will affect the ability of students to continue to receive Financial Aid, we are exploring the feasibility of notifying those students who may be close to completing a degree and offering incentives to complete. This will become more important with our new funding formula, so we are looking at ways to implement this slowly in preparation of helping students complete.
Cypress is exploring a collaboration with NOCE in the hopes of moving our Math 10 from Cypress credit programs and into a non-credit NOCE pathway. We appreciate our math faculty thinking creatively and for the opportunity to partner with NOCE.
Our math faculty are also ramping up to move many of their course materials and textbooks into an OER platform. The college is supporting math faculty this summer as they review how to reduce textbook costs for students. Thank you to Math Coordinator Cindy Shrout, and math faculty Amy Ward for their leadership on this important initiative!
Congratulations to Cypress Faculty member, Jolena Grande, who was named by Governor Brown to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The 17-member board is appointed by the governor and formally interacts with state and federal officials and other state organizations.

Community Events

The Boys and Girls Club of Cypress are gearing up to attend the inaugural Camp Cypress June 18-21. We met to discuss the upcoming schedule or workshops, which include Bug Class, Basketball Camp, Library Scavenger Hunt, Chemistry Fun, and Acting Class, among others. We have many exciting workshops to share with our 6-10^th grade boys and girls, and hope to show them they, too, can attend college one day!
Dr. Schilling and Foundation Director, Gail Taylor, attended the La Palma City Council meeting to discuss the kick off to the Americana Awards. They shared information about the committee membership, scholarships to La Palma students, and the process for choosing the 2019 Citizen of the Year.
The Cypress city representatives came to tour the Cypress campus on Monday, June 4. Marc Posner and Dr. Schilling shared the vision of the Measure J projects, and showed them our new water and energy saving projects.
Dr. Schilling and Marc Posner have identified over 21,000 Cypress College staff and alumni on Linked In. We are working on a focused campaign to connect with them and share the great work happening at the college. Our goal is to better engage our alumnus and encourage a robust fund-raising campaign.
On Tuesday, June 12, Mortuary Science Program Faculty member David McCament will be featured on the TV show “Storage Wars”; he will be filming an episode discussing the history of antique embalming equipment found in a storage unit and what it was used for. Airing dates will be announced soon!

That’s the Board Report from Cypress College. Buen Cypress!