President Schilling’s Board Report for September 28, 2021

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 September 28, 2021

The semester is in full swing and it is hard to believe we are already entering the sixth week of instruction. The college is busy working with students and employees to upload their vaccination records, and provide timely information to our campus community. Cypress College will be holding two vaccination clinics to assist students and employees meet the November 1 mandate – on September 27 and October 18. Both clinics will be held at the Cypress NOCE location from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., providing first and second doses of Pfizer, as well as Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines on request. Any student or employee who receives their second vaccination dose (or first of Johnson & Johnson) by October 18 will meet the November 1 deadline.

We are pleased to announce that the Cypress College Automotive Technology students received 20 percent of the California New Car Dealers Association Scholarship awards given to colleges in the state. Three students received substantial awards:

  • John Villegas: $5,000 — 2nd year General Program
  • Molly Poer: $5,000 — 1st year T-TEN
  • Vincent Lagasca: $10,000 — 2nd year T-TEN

In addition, another 25 students received multiple scholarships from the Orange County Auto Dealers Association. Congratulations to our outstanding students and to our automotive faculty who prepare them for excellence! We are proud of our industry partnerships and grateful for the support of our local auto dealers.

Dave Dahl Speaks! On September 22, Dave Dahl, the founder of the successful bread company, Dave’s Killer Bread, shared his amazing story from incarceration to CEO and entrepreneur with our LIFE students and campus community. Our students were inspired by hearing from a man who refused to allow his early mistakes define his life and who offered hope, encouragement, and practical tips to our students.

College Factual, the largest higher education analytics company in the U.S., has ranked several of Cypress’ associate degree programs in the top 25 in the nation. The rankings come from multiple factors including: accreditation, student employment success, student and employer demand, educational outcomes, affordability, and student satisfaction. The top programs acknowledged at Cypress College are: Business Administration (#3 in the nation); Hospitality and Culinary Arts (#5 in the nation); Health Services (#11 in the nation); Radiological Technician (#21 in the nation); Diagnostic Medical Sonography (#22 in the nation). Our Marketing program (#50) and Nursing Program (#68) both ranked in the top 15% of the national rankings. Read more about how Cypress College ranked.

Our M&O team has continued working to improve our campus facilities through the pandemic. They recently completed re-roofing the Business & the Gym II buildings. The final coating has a reflectivity rating that meets or exceeds all Title-24 R-Value and sustainability requirements. With proper maintenance, these new roof systems will last 30 years each. Thank you to managers Phil Fleming, Carlos Guerrero, and A.D. Fowler, and to our excellent M&O team for all they do!

There are lots of good things happening in our Cypress College Athletics Department, starting with the fact that our Cypress College Women’s Soccer Team is ranked #2 in the nation! The Lady Chargers soccer team opened their season with five straight wins and are currently 5-0 for the season. Go Chargers!

In other athletics news, Cypress Chargers Assistant Baseball Coach, former Athletic Director, and Cypress Hall of Famer Bill Pinkham, added another prestigious award to his resume as he was announced as the 2021 ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) Assistant Coach of the Year.

Cypress Athletics is also excited to announce the hiring of two full-time Athletic Trainers, Nicolette Marinello and Rachael Kirkpatrick. The appointments come following a comprehensive national search after the retirement of longtime Athletic Trainer, Scott Tucker. Welcome, Nicolette and Rachael! And thank you, Wes McCurtis and Colin Preston, for leading our athletics forward.

We are proud to share the first images (of Jupiter and Saturn) taken with a telescope in the new Cypress College Planetarium by Professor Michael Frey and SEM tutor Alex Miyoshi. As the faculty and staff learn about the new equipment and technology, the Astronomy Department plans to offer students lab opportunities where they will be able to use the equipment to produce images. Join us for Star Watch evenings this semester on campus in our new VRC outdoor complex.

Cypress College will be the beneficiary of a two-year grant with the Babson Financial Literacy Project (BFLP), a not-for-profit initiative designed to help young adults acquire the financial knowledge and skills necessary for long-term independence and prosperity. Their focus is to fill the financial literacy gap for underserved populations by providing them with access to personal finance education. Our Title V Grant identifies the need for financial literacy as a part of Guided Pathways, and we will be beginning a pilot this semester with all students in the Charger Experience to evaluate which BFLP workshops resonate with our students.

The Career Planning Center is offering several workshops each month throughout the fall semester to assist our students. Please review their schedule. Thank you to Angela Sardan and the Career Planning Center team for their support of our students.

Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together

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