Tag Archives: Mt Sac College

Mt. SAC Sporting Complex

Photo: Mt.SAC Athlectics
The opportunity to build a sporting complex nestled amongst mountains and valley’s in such a natural setting is a unique opportunity in California.

By Anthony Saude

Walnut – Mt Sac may have lost the Olympic Trials but that will not deter them from moving forward with the planned upgrades they had in place when the trials were coming to town. The athletic tradition runs deep at Mt. Sac and the new upgrades will carry that tradition well into the future.

“All the construction on the major buildings has begun, the finish work is pending, the project is about 25-30% completed,” said Gary Gidcumb, the manager of the design and construction of the project. ““We have the opportunity to build a sporting complex nestled amongst mountains and valley’s in such a natural setting is a unique opportunity in California. The complex is in the city but the location makes one feel that they have escaped to an urban setting if even for an hour or two,” said Gidcumb. Nobody knows what the future brings and if it brings the Trials back someday, they will be ready.

Mt. SAC has always prided itself on providing service to the sport by hosting world-class events. Like the Mt. SAC Relays and Cross Country Invitational that they have hosted for more than 60 years. Gidcumb said that the motivation for the design is to preserve the integrity and history of the past but overlaid with new, said Gidcumb. We wanted to preserve the most loved traditions of the program without remaining stagnant.” We are proud and passionate about the role this new complex will play in the future histy here at Mt. SAC,” concluded Gidcum.

The college’s plans to build a stadium for their students and community and to keep hosting top notch sporting events remain remains unchanged. Mt. SAC officials are confident that they can continue to be the place where the world’s best athletes compete.

 

Mt. SAC Board Considers Bond Measure

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
The meeting is to consider a resolution that would place a general obligation bond measure on the November ballot.

By Anthony Saude

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College Board of Trustees scheduled an additional regular meeting for Tuesday, July 24 at 6:30 p.m., in Founders Hall. The meeting is to consider a resolution that would place a general obligation bond measure on the November ballot.

The college’s Educational and Facilities Master Plan has been approved by the board and it lays out how to best serve Mt. SAC’s students for the next decade and beyond. A bond measure would help fund infrastructure repairs, expand career technical education programs and improve the college’s security and emergency systems.

An independent community survey was recently taken and it shows that residents strongly support the affordable, quality programs Mt. SAC offers. The survey provided insight into constituent perspectives on current academic needs. Concerns about safety, vocational education and affordability are at the top of the list. Eighty five percent of respondents want Mt. SAC to expand access to its high quality, affordable education so that more students can attend college.

Residents identified a number of their priorities including: preparing students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities, repairing deteriorating gas, electrical and sewer lines, repairing decaying walls, drainage systems and leaky roofs, improving student safety, improving access for disabled students, and expanding career technical education programs.

Residents recognize the need to keep students safe and expressed their support for upgrades and improvements to the college’s security and emergency systems through the installation of cameras, lighting and other measures.

Up to 76 percent of respondents indicated they would support a 55 percent requirement education bond to make essential upgrades to Mt. SAC.

For the complete report of community survey results, visit http://www.mtsac.edu/efmp/documents/Community_Survey-2018-05.pdf.

 

Mt. SAC Board Appoints Provisional Trustee

ByAnthony Saude

WALNUT — The Mt. San Antonio College Board of Trustees selected Walnut resident Gary Chow to serve as a provisional trustee, replacing longtime member Dr. David Hall who passed away on April 22.

The appointment was voted on and made official following a special meeting on June 13. The candidates were given 20 minutes to answer questions about community service experience, familiarity with budgets of complex public entities and interacting with diverse populations.

Before the 5-1 vote, Board President Dr. Manuel Baca said, “On behalf of all of the trustees, we thank those who applied. Any one of them would have been an asset to the board.”

Chow will represent Area 2, which includes Covina, West Covina, north Walnut, and San Dimas. He will serve until the next regularly scheduled election for governing board members on November 6.

Chow is a CPA and serves as chair of Walnut Valley Unified School District’s bond oversight committee. He also sits on Mt. SAC’s Community Facilities Plan Advisory Committee and acts as the financial advisor for the Mt. SAC Foundation.

Seven applications of highly qualified individual that met all eligibility criteria to apply for the position were received by the college. In addition to Chow, the following six residents applied:

Michael Miller Brown (Walnut), Alan A. Carrico (West Covina), Mansfield Collins (Walnut), Ruth Luevand (San Dimas), Rosalyn Phan (Covina), Drexel L. Smith (West Covina).

The Board of Trustees is the policy-making body of the college; it consists of seven elected community members representing seven districts and one student trustee.

 

Mt. SAC is Accepting Applications

Staff Reports

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio Community College District is soliciting applications to serve as an appointed member of the Board of Trustees representing Area 2. The appointed individual will serve until the next regularly scheduled election for governing Board members, which is November 6, 2018. Each applicant must reside in Area 2 of the Mt. San Antonio Community College District.

 

The Board is responsible for the performance of Mt. San Antonio College, which serves 60,000 students a year and provides vital educational and career technical programs to communities in the region.

 

The Board is seeking candidates who have the ability and time to fulfill the responsibilities of being a member of the Board, which include:

 

  • Participate fully in the work of the Board, which includes attending all Board meetings and key college events, studying and discussing policy issues, and participating in trustee education programs.
  • Be knowledgeable about the communities served by the college and be willing to act on behalf and for the benefit of those communities.
  • Be committed to community colleges and their missions; understand educational, social, and economic policy issues.
  • Engage in balancing the needs of many diverse groups; be able to contribute to and build consensus.
  • Contribute to effective Board functioning and support the authority of the Board as a whole.

 

The Board of Trustees typically meets the second Wednesday of the month, with the public meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 

To apply, visit http://www.mtsac.edu/governance/trustees/board_member_application.html or contact the President’s Office at (909) 274-4250. Applications are due no later than May 29, 2018. The Board will deliberate and make its appointment during the June 13, 2018 Board meeting in public session.

 

David Hall Passes Away

By Anthony Saude

Walnut – It is with great sadness we mourn the passing of the Regional Chamber of Commerce

San Gabriel Valley Board Chair/President, Dr. David Hall, he fought courageously during his long battle with cancer.

 

David K. Hall, 72, passed away on Sunday, April 22, 2018, he was surrounded by friends and loved ones.

 

David was born on July 16, 1945 in Coffeyville, Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1966, David was a dedicated Jayhawk sports fan his entire life. He obtained his doctorate in political science from Stanford University. David enlisted in the Air Force during the Vietnam War years, there he taught at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After his years in the service he taught at Brown University and at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. In the early 90’s he changed life direction and moved to Los Angeles, joining Hitchcock Automotive Resources.

 

David’s long list of professional accomplishments and accolades are remarkable but his community and public service efforts are what defined him in his life. As a longtime elected Trustee for Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, David mentored countless students and helped transform the college. He always made time to meet with students privately, advise them on career paths and participate in campus events. Annually, he’d even perform in some of the on campus stage shows to help raise funds for student scholarships.

 

Everything David committed to he did with dedication, passion in an approachable, coachable and infectious way. His sense of humor was contagious allowing him to elicit laughter even in tense situations. He was a practical joker, never missing a chance to play a trick on a close friend or colleague. Endearingly, he found his own antics very funny.

 

David was so many things to so many people: a teacher, a friend, a confidant, a mentor, a public servant, a philanthropist, a partner and a leader. While his soul is laid to rest, his legacy lives on.

David is Survived by his Fiancé Earnestine Tu, and his two brothers Bruce and Roger Hall.

 

A close friend of David’s, Michael Armijo said,” He had a strong genuine concern for the community, he was constantly trying to help people and he gave his heart to the residents. He was like a brother to me, he always made time”.

 

Celebration of Life services will be held at Mt. San Antonio College on May 11th at 9:30 am in the Clark auditorium.

 

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Dr. David K. Hall Business Scholarship

 

USATF Pulls Olympic Trials From Mt. SAC

Staff Reports

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College was recently informed by USA Track and Field (USATF), that it will no longer host the 2020 USA Olympic Team Track and Field Trials. This decision means that USATF would reopen bidding for a new event venue.

While we are disappointed, we accept that the terms of the agreement give USATF the authority to withdraw from this commitment.

In June 2017, Mt. SAC was selected to host the 10-day event because of its long history of successfully holding world-class track and field events.  In the press release from USATF announcing our selection, board chair Steve Miller said, “Mt. SAC has long been one of the top meets in the country, from an athlete performance perspective as well as from an organizational perspective.”

The USATF referenced litigation from the City of Walnut and United Walnut Taxpayers as the reason for its decision. The two lawsuits that were mentioned have either been settled or ruled by a judge in the college’s favor, as was reported in Our Weekly News last week. Officials at Mt. SAC remain confident in their ability to deliver a completed stadium on time and a have a very successful event.

There will certainly be big losses at the college, including financial commitments, relationships with new and existing partners and thousands of hours of lost time. Most importantly, the entire Greater Los Angeles region will lose the economic impact of at least $37 million, which is the amount generated in 2016 by this event.

The Mt. SAC Local Organizing Committee is ready to execute the plans to host the 2020 in the event USATF reconsiders their decision. Regardless of what the future holds, Mt. SAC will be looking forward to continuing their well-established, positive relationship with USATF. Nobody knows what the future brings and if it brings the Trials back someday, they will be ready.

Mt. SAC has always prided itself on providing service to the sport by hosting world-class events. Like the Mt. SAC Relays and Cross Country Invitational that they have hosted for more than 60 years.

The college’s plans to build a stadium for their students and community, and to keep hosting top notch events remain unchanged. Mt. SAC officials are confident that they can continue to be the place where the world’s best athletes compete.

 

Mt. SAC to Honor Twenty Students of Distinction

By Anthony Saude

WALNUT – Twenty students will be honored this year at Mt. San Antonio College’s annual “Students of Distinction” awards ceremony. The luncheon will take place on Saturday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. at the Pacific Palms Resort, 1 Industry Hills Parkway, in the City of Industry.

These prestigious awards recognize selected students for their competitive, academic, and personal achievements as well as their outstanding service to the college. Recipients of this year’s Academic Achievement Award, which is awarded to students who have maintained a minimum 3.75 GPA, are Matthew McBride of West Covina, Kevin Schmitt of Diamond Bar, Samantha Alvarez of Chino, Myriam Hakimeh of San Dimas, Daniel Garcia of Ontario, and Edilberto Ylo of Walnut.

Recipients of the Service Achievement Award, who provided exceptional volunteer service to their college and their community and also maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA, are Corey Case of Chino, Maricela Aviles of La Puente, and Mohsin Moosa of Diamond Bar.

The Personal Achievement Award is given to those students who have overcame personal hardship while still maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA. This year’s winners are Sandra Nunez of West Covina, Geovanna Castillo Lopez of Chino, Tera Vaughn of Rancho Cucamonga, Xingyi (Mirana) Cao of Chino Hills, Mickey Qiu of West Covina, Seya Guerrero of Rowland Heights, and Amanada Frausto of Chino.

The Competitive Achievement award is presented to those who earned a minimum 3.0 GPA and earned distinction for success as part of a competitive student group or team. The students who will receive the award this year are Amir Freeman of Pomona, Kyle Beck of Rancho Cucamonga, Angelica Cruz of Covina, and Ryon Knowles of Corona.

If you are interested in attending this year’s ceremony and luncheon, tickets cost $20 and must be purchased by May 7 through Mt. SAC’s Student Life Office. You can contact them at (909) 274-4525.

 

Mt. SAC to Hold “Cash for College”

Staff Reports

WALNUT– Mt. San Antonio College will offer free financial aid assistance to area high school seniors and their parents during its annual “Cash for College” fair on Saturday, Feb. 3. The event will include three sessions starting at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.

“This event is all about helping students fill out the necessary financial aid forms so that they don’t miss out on thousands of dollars that may be available to them,” said Mt. SAC Financial Aid Director Chau Dao.

Cash for College provides hands-on assistance to college-bound students and their parents in completing and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for the 2018-19 academic year. The event also helps students maximize their financial aid prospects by meeting the March 2 priority financial aid filing deadline. Assistance with the California Dream Act application will also be available. Filing applications early is recommended.

Parents and students must bring a copy of students’ Social Security cards or permanent resident cards, and a 2016 federal 1040 tax return and W-2. If 2016 information is not available, a 2015 tax return may be used along with 2015 W-2 forms. The workshop information and assistance can be used to apply to any college, not just Mt. SAC.

To make a reservation, visit the event website online at http://www.mtsac.edu/financialaid/cashfair.html.

For more information, call the Mt. SAC Financial Aid Office at (909) 274-4553.

 

Mt. Sac Olympic Trials: $40 Million For Local Communities

Photo courtesy: Google Images

By Staff Reports

Walnut – On December 13, 2017 there will be a Walnut City Council meeting and it seems that a discussion about Olympic Trials at Mt. Sac will finally be on the agenda. “We are starting to move the dirt for the construction needed to have the trials because if we don’t start we will have to tell the powers that be we can’t have the trials,” said Doug Todd.” “We are going to begin and move forward with the confidence that the Council will vote for the Trials or until we get a stop work order from them”.

Mt. San Antonio College’s new incoming stadium was chosen for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, a move that could potentially bring in over $40 million in revenue for the area.

“The Olympic Trials in Eugene Oregon has historically brought in around $38 million dollars to their local economy for the 9 day period that the trials were held during 2012,” said Doug Todd, Director of Track and Cross Country for Mt. Sac. “We haven’t seen the projections for 2016 as of yet, but it should top over $40 million.”

Todd also noted that the national and international attention this event will bring to the city of Walnut and immediate surrounding cities, the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire, and even the Los Angeles cities will benefit as well. “We hope for everyone to get on board and benefit from such a historic event.”

“As a long time resident of the City of Walnut, I was pleased to hear that Walnut will be hosting the upcoming US Olympic Trials,” said Walnut councilman Bob Pacheco. “It’s a honor and privilege to be selected. I look forward to working with Mt SAC to assure that the athletes receive a warm welcome so they may enjoy the beauty and resources of our community.

“We honored to be chosen over such prestigious institutions,” said Mt. Sac Board Member, David Hall in a phone interview Thursday morning. “Our long heritage, very successful trials in past years, the many records set at the college, and the new state of the art facility, are great factors for their choice.”

The USA Olympic Trials is the National Championship meet that is held every year, but in an Olympic Year, the National Championships become the meet where the US Olympic Committee chooses who will represent the United States in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.  It’s a wonderful, high stakes competition where the top three make the team and number 4 and below do not.  There is no appeal process, no automatic entry process for past performances, and no special dispensation for injury or illness.  On a certain day and a certain time in June of 2020 right here at Mt. SAC the best athletes in the country will run, jump or throw for the right to represent us in Tokyo, Japan.  It’s a real testimony to competition bringing out the best and, sadly, sometimes the worst in people.

The selection process wasn’t an easy one either. It started with the submission of a preliminary proposal.  Five colleges or Organizations did that.  After the initial submission the field was narrowed to three “finalists”.  Mt. SAC, along with the University of Oregon and California State University, Sacramento were each scheduled for a site visit and after the site visit had the opportunity to submit a final proposal. The final step was the opportunity to state our case at USATF’s Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento at this year’s National Championships.

“We were given 15 minutes to summarize our proposal and then to be ready for questions from the board,” added Todd. “Before that final presentation we were sent a list of things from our proposal that the board wanted clarification on.  We needed to discuss those items within our 15 minute presentation.”

Mt. Sac’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium is no stranger to such an event as the women’s Olympic trials were held there in 1968. Twenty world records have been set at Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the annual site for the annual Mt. Sac Relays for the last 60 years. The stadium is under renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2019 with an expanded seating capacity of 21,000 capacity. The trials, scheduled for Jun 19-28, 2020, will select US track and field delegation for the Tokyo Games.

“I’m very proud of the team that helped bring this to fruition, and excited by the challenge” said Todd to OurWeeklyNews.com. “We are excited by the challenge and anxious to finalize the last few details for the organization to get the planning started.” Todd is the “meet manager” and Bob Seagrem, a former Olympic Gold Medalist, will be the chairperson of the committee.

The last three U.S. Olympic track and field trials were held at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Ore., the city known as Track Town for its pervasive running culture. The 2000 and 2004 trials were held at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento. Attendance was robust in both cities and both made bids for the 2020 trials. Los Angeles, once the home of many professional track and field meets, hasn’t supported the sport at the pro level in recent years, leaving the Mt. SAC Relays the area’s most prestigious competition, according to the LA Times.

“Our team is cohesive and our historical successes are just many factors Mt. Sac is a great choice for this event,” David Hall concluded. “We are looking forward to another successful event.”

Lots of work and excitement went into the making of this event as an Olympic site, which is for the first time in Southern California since 1984 when the games were held at the Coliseum. The Walnut stadium was chosen in an 11-2 vote by the USA Track and Field’s board of directors for the Mt. SAC proposal.

Mt. Sac is also rebuilding several areas of Hilmer stadium and the plans are completed and being executed. “I couldn’t be happier with the design and the amenities built into the structure.  It’s going to be wonderful facility, one that will be worthy of the outstanding, world’s best athletes that will come here to compete,” added Todd. He also noted they are, based on conversations with the people on campus whose job it is to build this stadium, they’ve had been a few bumps in the road but abelieve that’s to be expected in any type of construction project large or small.

“You know we have an ‘Olympic Caliber’ crew of people working on this thing who not only understand every aspect of all that we are attempting to do but who also have an amazing track record, no pun intended, of bringing projects of this scope to completion on time,” added Todd.  “This entire goal of bringing the trials to Mt. SAC is a very big TEAM effort.  Jokingly I’ve told them a number of times that “if you build it they will come”. We’ve won the bid, the Trials are coming so now we just need to finish the build.    I’m confident our team will build it and complete it on time and I’d like to think they are equally confident that once completed we will host one heck off a great event.

Everyone across the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire is very much on board and appreciative of Mt. Sac’s efforts and the leadership of the city as the build takes place.

“Mt SAC is an important economic engine for Southern California. Hosting the 2020 Olympic pre-trials will expose the world to Mt SAC’s outstanding amenities and the vast resources it provides within the Greater Los Angeles Area and Southern California,” said Carolyn Anderson, long time advocate and Public Sector Solutions Manager for Waste Management Southern California.

Mt. Sac Olympic Trials: $40 Mil To Local Communities

By Michael Armijo

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College’s new incoming stadium was chosen for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, a move that could potentially bring in over $40 million in revenue for the area. “The Olympic Trials in Eugene Oregon has historically brought in around $38 million dollars to their local economy for the 9 day period that the trials were held during 2012,” said Doug Todd, Director of Track and Cross Country for Mt. Sac. “We haven’t seen the projections for 2016 as of yet, but it should top over $40 million.” Todd also noted that the national and international attention this event will bring to the city of Walnut and immediate surrounding cities, the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire, and even the Los Angeles cities will benefit as well. “We hope for everyone to get on board and benefit from such a historic event.” “As a long time resident of the City of Walnut, I was pleased to hear that Walnut will be hosting the upcoming US Olympic Trials,” said Walnut councilman Bob Pacheco. “It’s a honor and privilege to be selected. I look forward to working with Mt SAC to assure that the athletes receive a warm welcome so they may enjoy the beauty and resources of our community. “WE ARE HONORED to be chosen over such prestigious institutions,” said Mt. Sac Board Member, David Hall in a phone interview Thursday morning. “Our long heritage, very successful trials in past years, the many records set at the college, and the new state of the art facility, are great factors for their choice.” The USA Olympic Trials is the National Championship meet that is held every year, but in an Olympic Year, the National Championships become the meet where the US Olympic Committee chooses who will represent the United States in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s a wonderful, high stakes competition where the top three make the team and number 4 and below do not. There is no appeal process, no automatic entry process for past performances, and no special dispensation for injury or illness. On a certain day and a certain time in June of 2020 right here at Mt. SAC the best athletes in the country will run, jump or throw for the right to represent us in Tokyo, Japan. It’s a real testimony to competition bringing out the best and, sadly, sometimes the worst in people. The selection process wasn’t an easy one either. It started with the submission of a preliminary proposal. Five colleges or Organizations did that. After the initial submission the field was narrowed to three “finalists”. Mt. SAC, along with the University of Oregon and California State University, Sacramento were each scheduled for a site visit and after the site visit had the opportunity to submit a final proposal. The final step was the opportunity to state our case at USATF’s Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento at this year’s National Championships. “We were given 15 minutes to summarize our proposal and then to be ready for questions from the board,” added Todd. “Before that final presentation we were sent a list of things from our proposal that the board wanted clarification on. We needed to discuss those items within our 15 minute presentation.” Mt. Sac’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium is no stranger to such an event as the women’s Olympic trials were held there in 1968. Twenty world records have been set at Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the annual site for the annual Mt. Sac Relays for the last 60 years. The stadium is under renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2019 with an expanded seating capacity of 21,000. The trials, scheduled for Jun 19-28, 2020, will select US track and field delegation for the Tokyo Games. “I’m very proud of the team that helped bring this to fruition, and excited by the challenge” said Todd to OurWeeklyNews. com. “We are anxious to finalize the last few details for the organization to get the planning started.” Todd is the “meet manager” and Bob Seagrem, a former Olympic Gold Medalist, will be the chairperson of the committee. The last three U.S. Olympic track and field trials were held at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Ore., the city known as Track Town for its pervasive running culture. The 2000 and 2004 trials were held at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento. Attendance was robust in both cities and both made bids for the 2020 trials. Los Angeles, once the home of many professional track and field meets, hasn’t supported the sport at the pro level in recent years, leaving the Mt. SAC Relays the area’s most prestigious competition, according to the LA Times. “Our team is cohesive and our historical successes are just many factors Mt. Sac is a great choice for this event,” David Hall concluded. “We are looking forward to another successful event.” Lots of work and excitement went into the making of this event as an Olympic site, which is for the first time in Southern California since 1984 when the games were held at the Coliseum. The Walnut stadium was chosen in an 11-2 vote by the USA Track and Field’s board of directors for the Mt. SAC proposal. Mt. Sac is also rebuilding several areas of Hilmer stadium and the plans are completed and being executed. “I couldn’t be happier with the design and the amenities built into the structure. It’s going to be a wonderful facility, one that will be worthy of the outstanding, world’s best athletes that will come here to compete,” added Todd. He also noted they are, based on conversations with the people on campus whose job it is to build this stadium, there has been a few bumps in the road, but he believes that is to be expected in any type of construction project, large or small. “You know we have an ‘Olympic Caliber’ crew of people working on this thing who not only understand every aspect of all that we are attempting to do but who also have an amazing track record, no pun intended, of bringing projects of this scope to completion on time,” added Todd. “This entire goal of bringing the trials to Mt. SAC is a very big TEAM effort. Jokingly I’ve told them a number of times that “if you build it they will come”. We’ve won the bid, the Trials are coming, so now we just need to finish the build. I’m confident our team will build it and complete it on time and I’d like to think they are equally confident that once completed we will host one heck off a great event. Everyone across the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire is very much on board and appreciative of Mt. Sac’s efforts and the leadership of the city as the build takes place. “Mt SAC is an important economic engine for Southern California. Hosting the 2020 Olympic pre-trials will expose the world to Mt SAC’s outstanding amenities and the vast resources it provides within the Greater Los Angeles Area and Southern California,” said Carolyn Anderson, long time advocate and Public Sector Solutions Manager for Waste Management Southern California. ■

Mt. Sac Olympic Trials: $40 Million For Local Communities

Photo courtesy: Google Images

By Michael Armijo

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College’s new incoming stadium was chosen for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, a move that could potentially bring in over $40 million in revenue for the area.

“The Olympic Trials in Eugene Oregon has historically brought in around $38 million dollars to their local economy for the 9 day period that the trials were held during 2012,” said Doug Todd, Director of Track and Cross Country for Mt. Sac. “We haven’t seen the projections for 2016 as of yet, but it should top over $40 million.”

Todd also noted that the national and international attention this event will bring to the city of Walnut and immediate surrounding cities, the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire, and even the Los Angeles cities will benefit as well. “We hope for everyone to get on board and benefit from such a historic event.”

“As a long time resident of the City of Walnut, I was pleased to hear that Walnut will be hosting the upcoming US Olympic Trials,” said Walnut councilman Bob Pacheco. “It’s a honor and privilege to be selected. I look forward to working with Mt SAC to assure that the athletes receive a warm welcome so they may enjoy the beauty and resources of our community. 

“We honored to be chosen over such prestigious institutions,” said Mt. Sac Board Member, David Hall in a phone interview Thursday morning. “Our long heritage, very successful trials in past years, the many records set at the college, and the new state of the art facility, are great factors for their choice.”

The USA Olympic Trials is the National Championship meet that is held every year, but in an Olympic Year, the National Championships become the meet where the US Olympic Committee chooses who will represent the United States in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.  It’s a wonderful, high stakes competition where the top three make the team and number 4 and below do not.  There is no appeal process, no automatic entry process for past performances, and no special dispensation for injury or illness.  On a certain day and a certain time in June of 2020 right here at Mt. SAC the best athletes in the country will run, jump or throw for the right to represent us in Tokyo, Japan.  It’s a real testimony to competition bringing out the best and, sadly, sometimes the worst in people.

The selection process wasn’t an easy one either. It started with the submission of a preliminary proposal.  Five colleges or Organizations did that.  After the initial submission the field was narrowed to three “finalists”.  Mt. SAC, along with the University of Oregon and California State University, Sacramento were each scheduled for a site visit and after the site visit had the opportunity to submit a final proposal. The final step was the opportunity to state our case at USATF’s Board of Directors meeting in Sacramento at this year’s National Championships.  

“We were given 15 minutes to summarize our proposal and then to be ready for questions from the board,” added Todd. “Before that final presentation we were sent a list of things from our proposal that the board wanted clarification on.  We needed to discuss those items within our 15 minute presentation.”

Mt. Sac’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium is no stranger to such an event as the women’s Olympic trials were held there in 1968. Twenty world records have been set at Hilmer Lodge Stadium, the annual site for the annual Mt. Sac Relays for the last 60 years. The stadium is under renovations and is scheduled to reopen in 2019 with an expanded seating capacity of 21,000 capacity. The trials, scheduled for Jun 19-28, 2020, will select US track and field delegation for the Tokyo Games.

“I’m very proud of the team that helped bring this to fruition, and excited by the challenge” said Todd to OurWeeklyNews.com. “We are excited by the challenge and anxious to finalize the last few details for the organization to get the planning started.” Todd is the “meet manager” and Bob Seagrem, a former Olympic Gold Medalist, will be the chairperson of the committee.

The last three U.S. Olympic track and field trials were held at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Ore., the city known as Track Town for its pervasive running culture. The 2000 and 2004 trials were held at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento. Attendance was robust in both cities and both made bids for the 2020 trials. Los Angeles, once the home of many professional track and field meets, hasn’t supported the sport at the pro level in recent years, leaving the Mt. SAC Relays the area’s most prestigious competition, according to the LA Times.

“Our team is cohesive and our historical successes are just many factors Mt. Sac is a great choice for this event,” David Hall concluded. “We are looking forward to another successful event.”

Lots of work and excitement went into the making of this event as an Olympic site, which is for the first time in Southern California since 1984 when the games were held at the Coliseum. The Walnut stadium was chosen in an 11-2 vote by the USA Track and Field’s board of directors for the Mt. SAC proposal.

Mt. Sac is also rebuilding several areas of Hilmer stadium and the plans are completed and being executed. “I couldn’t be happier with the design and the amenities built into the structure.  It’s going to be wonderful facility, one that will be worthy of the outstanding, world’s best athletes that will come here to compete,” added Todd. He also noted they are, based on conversations with the people on campus whose job it is to build this stadium, they’ve had been a few bumps in the road but abelieve that’s to be expected in any type of construction project large or small.  

“You know we have an ‘Olympic Caliber’ crew of people working on this thing who not only understand every aspect of all that we are attempting to do but who also have an amazing track record, no pun intended, of bringing projects of this scope to completion on time,” added Todd.  “This entire goal of bringing the trials to Mt. SAC is a very big TEAM effort.  Jokingly I’ve told them a number of times that “if you build it they will come”. We’ve won the bid, the Trials are coming so now we just need to finish the build.    I’m confident our team will build it and complete it on time and I’d like to think they are equally confident that once completed we will host one heck off a great event.  

Everyone across the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire is very much on board and appreciative of Mt. Sac’s efforts and the leadership of the city as the build takes place.

“Mt SAC is an important economic engine for Southern California. Hosting the 2020 Olympic pre-trials will expose the world to Mt SAC’s outstanding amenities and the vast resources it provides within the Greater Los Angeles Area and Southern California,” said Carolyn Anderson, long time advocate and Public Sector Solutions Manager for Waste Management Southern California.

Registration for Mt. SAC Fall Classes Begins July 12

Staff Reports

Walnut–– Online registration for Mt. SAC’s fall semester credit classes begins July 12.  Classes begin on Monday, Aug. 28.

All credit students must register for classes online through the My Mt. SAC Portal at my.mtsac.edu. New students must submit an admission application online. For students who do not have computer access, computers and assistance are available in the Student Services Center during business hours. The Admissions Office is open now Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The enrollment fee is $46 per unit for California residents, and all fees are due upon registration.

For more registration information, call the Mt. SAC Admissions & Records Office at (909) 274-4415, or visit http://www.mtsac.edu.

Mt. SAC to Honor 20 Students of Distinction

By Staff Reports 

Walnut– Mt. San Antonio College will honor 20 Students of Distinction at its annual awards ceremony and luncheon on Saturday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Pacific Palms Resort, 1 Industry Hills Parkway, in the City of Industry.

These annual awards recognize students for competitive, academic, and personal achievement as well as outstanding service to the college. Recipients of this year’s Academic Achievement award, who earned a minimum 3.75 GPA, are Nuha Alomari of Diamond Bar, Angelika Alzaga of West Covina, Justin DesRochers of Hacienda Heights, Hanna Kang of Diamond Bar, William Mo of Rowland Heights, Shahar Syed of Walnut, and Robert Zou of Walnut.

Recipients of the Service Achievement award, who earned a minimum 3.0 GPA and provided notable volunteer service to the college and community, are Rodolfo Arevalo of
West Covina, Alejandro Juarez-Ugalde of La Puente, and Chris Shen of Hacienda Heights.

Recipients of Personal Achievement award, who were selected based on a minimum 2.75 GPA and overcame personal hardship, are Perla Gonzalez of Montclair, Karen Guerra of Ontario, Jerome Kimes of Pomona, Jodi Levy of Covina, Janell Martinez of La Puente, and Divine Otico of Walnut.

Recipients of the Competitive Achievement award, who earned a minimum 3.0 GPA and earned distinction as part of a competitive student group or team, are Brandon Nicely of La Verne, Lindy Rzonca of Walnut, Michael Woo of Rowland Heights, and Charlotte Zhang of Rowland Heights.

Tickets for the awards luncheon are $15 and must be purchased by May 8 through the Student Life Office: (909) 274-4525.

College Degrees, Certificates Pay Dividends City of Walnut

By Mike Taylor

WALNUT––Earning a community college degree or certificate continues to deliver a remarkable return on investment, according to a report from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

Based on information gleamed from the Chancellor’s Office Salary ,students who earn an associate’s degree more than double their annual pre-degree wages after two years and nearly triple pre-degree wages after five years.

The data show that 48 percent of students who receive an associate degree earned $56,000 or more annually within five years of graduation. Meanwhile, 44 percent of students who receive a certificate from a community college earned $56,000 or more after five years.

“This proves once again that earning a degree or certificate from a California community college can lead students to a well-paying career,” California Community College Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said in the report.

Degree programs with the highest median incomes five years after graduation include radiation therapy technician $98,185 annually, electrical systems and power transmission $110,829 per year, and physician assistant $112,127 annually.

Available online, the Chancellor’s Office Salary Surfer estimates potential wages based on the aggregated earnings of community college graduates from a variety of programs and provides information on which colleges offer specific disciplines.

The California Community College system is largest system of higher education in the nation with 72 districts and 113 colleges serving 2.1 million students.

Community Robotics Workshop At Mt. SAC

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Center and the college’s Robotics Team will host a Robotics Workshop for ages 8 and up on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Science Laboratory Building, building 60, room 1506. This event is free and open to the public.

“Robots are fun, and they’re fun to build,” said Mt. SAC Physics Professor and Robotics Team advisor Daniel Anderson. “No prior experience necessary.”

Workshop participants will learn about and help Robotics Team members build robots as well as learn about a robotics competition, building components, and design.

“This workshop is designed to take the fear out of engineering and technical things,” said Anderson.

This year, Mt. SAC’s Robotics Team qualified to compete at the VEX International World Competition in Kentucky. The competition hosts teams from around the world. Mt. SAC was one of only four community colleges in the nation at the competition.

“The field of robotics is doubling every year as interest in robots grows,” said Anderson.

Minor children participating in the workshop must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Established a year ago with its first cohort group of students, the STEM Center fosters student interest in science and provides academic support, enrichment activities, teaching opportunities, and research experience.

For more information on this event, call the Mt. SAC STEM Center at (909) 274-4224.

 

 

Mt. SAC Health Career Students Win 10 Medals At Nationals

By Mike Taylor


Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College health career students recently won 10 medals––seven gold and three silver––at the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) national competition held at Anaheim Hilton. More than 6,6400 secondary and post-secondary students competed in 56 different health-related events at the national leadership event held June 22-26 in Nashville, TN.
Remington Cole (Pomona), Rebecca Cruz (Rancho Cucamonga), Sue Mass (Chino Hills), and Felicia Ngo (Alhambra) all won gold medals in the creative problem solving competition.
Maria Jauregui (Covina), Kirk Loualhati (Covina), and Jose Montiel-Flores won gold medals in the biomedical debate competition.
Yessenia Campos (El Monte), Keili Hiniker (Walnut), and La Tonya McDaniel (Perris) all won silver medals in creative problem solving.
“We had 10 competitors this year, and all 10 were either gold or silver medalists. That is quite an achievement,” said Mt. SAC psychiatric technician professor and HOSA advisor Mary Ellen Reyes. “Being involved in and competing in HOSA is a life-changing experience for students.”
HOSA, established in 1976 by the U.S. Department of Education, is the national organization for secondary and post-secondary health career students. The organization provides students in 40 states with skills, leadership development, and career development.

Mt. SAC Honors Student Awarded $40,000 Scholarship

By Mike Taylor

Photo courtesy: Mike Taylor Mt. San Antonio College student Kristin Ho was selected to receive the 2016 Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship

Photo courtesy: Mike Taylor
Mt. San Antonio College student Kristin Ho was selected to receive the 2016 Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College honors student Kristin Ho is one of only 75 community college students selected from a pool of over 2,000 applicants across the nation to receive the 2016 Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship. Ho’s selection marks the fourth time in the last 10 years that Mt. SAC students have been named for this prestigious scholarship.

A Pomona resident, Ho, 24, was awarded a scholarship valued at up to $40,000 annually, which she will use to continue her education next fall. She will transfer to Mount Holyoke College majoring in art history and philosophy. Ho will graduate from Mt. SAC this June with a degree in art history and a 3.64 GPA.

“Kristin has worked hard both academically and as a student leader on campus,” said Mt. SAC Student Services Vice President Audrey Yamagata-Noji. “It’s a very prestigious honor to be selected for this scholarship. Kristin is very deserving and represents the best that community colleges have to offer.”

Ho was instrumental in founding the Roosevelt Institute at Mt. SAC, which promotes progressive policy ideas and leadership. At the college, she has been fundamental in inspiring her fellow student to become engaged in policy research and analysis at local, national, and international levels.

The Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Program was designed to help community college students with exceptional promise and demonstrated financial need make the transition to four-year colleges and universities. It is the largest private scholarship in the nation for community college transfer students. Recipients are eligible for graduate school scholarships as well.

Every year, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation selects high-achieving, low-income students from community colleges for scholarships that provide funding for tuition, room and board, fees and books. Since 2000, it has awarded about $147 million in scholarships to more than 2,000 students and $90 million in grants to organizations that serve outstanding low-income students.

Mt. SAC Students Named To State Academic First Team

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College students Jacqueline Yu and Hung Pham are two of the 93 community college students throughout the state recently selected for the 2016 All-California Academic teams, chosen by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international community college honor society.

These students represent some of the best of the 2.8 million students enrolled in California’s community college system.

Yu and Pham, both students in Mt. SAC’s Honors Program, received medallions during the Community College League of California’s awards ceremony held recently at the Sacramento Convention Center. Selection for the academic teams is based on grades, leadership, and community service.

Yu, 18, is a communication major and carries a 4.0 GPA. She was selected for the All-California Academic First Team. As a Walnut resident, she is the president of the PTK chapter at Mt. SAC, a member of the speech team, and recently received the Bovero Top Speaker Award as the outstanding speaker in a national speech competition. At Mt. SAC, she also has worked on the student newspaper, assists the student government as a tour guide, and helped found the campus Performing Arts Club. She will be honored as one of Mt. SAC’s Students of Distinction this year. In the community, she volunteers as a youth leader for Rowland Heights Community Christian Church, Azusa Pacific Lighthouse, and Lucky Puppy Rescue in Hollywood. She plans to transfer to UC Berkeley or Bradley University in Illinois as a double major in communication and acting. She wants to eventually become a communication professor.

Pham, 20, is a mechanical engineering major and carries a 4.0 GPA. He was selected for the All-California Academic First Team. As a Chino resident, he is a student government transfer committee representative, a member of the Math and Engineering Club, and a member of the Vietnamese Association of Students on campus. He also will be honored as one of Mt. SAC’s Students of Distinction this year. He plans to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona as a mechanical engineering major and plans to become an engineer.

There are 31 first-team, 31 second-team, and 31 third-team winners.

Mt. SAC Forensics Team Takes Second at Nationals

By Mike Taylor

Walnut–– The Mt. San Antonio College Forensics Team took second place overall at the 2016 Phi Rho Pi National Tournament held recently in Costa Mesa, with students winning five gold medals, seven silver medals, and 12 bronze medals. More than 500 students from 64 colleges throughout the nation competed.
Mt. SAC’s Jacqueline Yu (Walnut) won first place overall and the Bovero Top Speaker Award as the outstanding speaker at the national competition, winning gold medals in informative speaking, after dinner speaking, and communication analysis, and a silver medal in the impromptu speaking competition.
Joey Fontana of Diamond Bar won a gold medal in informative speaking and a silver medal in persuasive speaking. Sarina Wang of Hacienda Heights won a gold medal in informative speaking and a bronze medal in debate.
Azzaam Siddiqi of Walnut won a silver medal in impromptu speaking and a bronze medal in informative speaking. Christopher Robles of La Puente won silver in poetry interpretation and bronze in programmed oral interpretation. Amy Jajieh of Menifee won silver in persuasive speaking and bronze in dramatic interpretation. Matthew Rodriguez of Rio Rancho, NM won silver in persuasive speaking, and bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team. Tiffany Pla of Claremont won silver in extemporaneous speaking, a bronze in persuasive speaking, and a bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team.

Matthew Dowling of Norco won bronze in extemporaneous speaking and bronze as part of a parliamentary debate team. Anthony Flores of Baldwin Park won bronze in the prose competition. Kai Vibar of Walnut won bronze in programmed oral interpretation and bronze as part of a duo interpretation team. Lastly, Alexandria Romero of Chino won bronze in dramatic interpretation and bronze as part of a duo interpretation team.

The team is coached by faculty members Roxan Arntson, Danny Cantrell, and Roger Willis-Raymondo. Since 1994, Mt. SAC has won nine community college national titles and has placed among the top 10 in university-level competition four times.

Mt. SAC Students Win 14 Medals at HOSA State Competition

Health career students advance to national competition in June
By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College health career students won a total of 14 medals, including seven gold medals and seven silver medals, at the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) state leadership conference held April 6–10 in Anaheim. More than 2,500 students competed at the state competition.

Yessenia Campos (El Monte), Sierra Gomez (San Bernardino), Keili Hiniker (Walnut), and La Tonya McDaniel (Perris) won gold medals in the creative problem solving competition. Eduardo Guzman (Baldwin Park) Maria Jauregui (Covina), and Jose Montiel-Flores (Baldwin Park) won gold medals in the biomedical debate competition.

Remington Cole (Pomona), Sue Mass (Chino Hills), Sandra Medina (La Puente), and Felicia Ngo (Alhambra) took silver medals in creative problem solving. Rebecca Cruz (Rancho Cucamonga), Kirk Loualhati (Covina), and Joe Sanchez (Covina) won silver medals in the biomedical debate competition.

All 14 Mt. SAC students will advance to the national HOSA competition to be held June 22–25 in Nashville, Tenn.

HOSA, established in 1976 by the U.S. Department of Education, is the national organization for secondary and post-secondary health career students. The organization provides students in 40 states with skills, leadership development, and career development.