Tag Archives: Mt Sac College

Mt. SAC Will Stage ‘And Then There Were None’

By Mike Taylor

Walnut–– The Mt. San Antonio College Theater Program will stage its production of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” on Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, at 8 p.m., with a special Sunday matinee, April 17, at 2 p.m., in Mt. SAC’s Studio Theater.
This thriller from murder mystery maven Agatha Christie brings together eight unsuspecting strangers for what promises to be a pleasant weekend at a quaint island estate. That promise turns more than ominous when the sullen staff play a recording from the absent host threatening each of the guests with dire consequences for their “crimes.” A desperate game of survival results as the guests pull together to battle an unseen enemy, and their numbers dwindle.
Theater Professor Alan Brooks directs this Mt. SAC production. Tickets are $14 for general admission, $10 for seniors, students, and children under 12.
For tickets and more information, call the Performing Art Box Office at (909) 274-2050. Tickets may also be purchased online at https://tickets.mtsac.edu.

Mt. SAC Spring Registration Begins

By Mike Taylor, Mt. SAC

WALNUT– Online registration for Mt. San Antonio College’s spring semester credit classes began Jan. 13.  Classes begin on Monday, Feb. 22.
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., and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Before registering, new students are required to activate their personal Mt. SAC portal account through the My Mt. SAC Portal at my.mtsac.edu. Instructions on how to do this, along with a username, are sent to the new student’s email address the student used when applying to the college.  Through the portal.mtsac.edu, students will be able to view their registration date and time but will not be allowed to register before their assigned time. New students must also sign up for their assessment tests at the Assessment Center.  Appointments can be made at www.mtsac.edu/assessment, by calling (909) 274-4265, or in person at the Assessment Center.

Students are urged to prepare for assessment testing by reviewing the information available on the Assessment Center webpage.
In addition, new students must also sign up for the required new student orientation session before registering for classes. For more information about required orientation sessions, call the Mt. SAC Counseling Department at (909) 274-4380.
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 www.mtsac.edu

Battle Continues in Mt. SAC’s Solar Project

Staff Reports

WALNUT-Walnut has been the epicenter of a fight between the city and Mt. San Antonio College’s proposed Photovoltaic Solar System project. City officials and some residents say the project would be an eyesore and increase traffic in the city. Mt. SAC says it will save the campus’ thousands of dollars in energy costs.

According to the city officials, Mt. SAC is required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the proposed project. In the Oct. 28 staff report, Mt. SAC officials note that the school “will not be requesting a CUP for the said project.”

City staff contacted the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission for support. But both State agencies indicated that they are exempt from local zoning due to the type of project.

Residents are also joining the city’s forces to fight off the project. During the Oct. 28 council meeting, several residents expressed concern over the aesthetics and increased traffic on the intersection of Grand and Temple, and the Council agreed that action was necessary against the project.

The outcry of residents moved the Council to figure out how to cease construction of the proposed solar project.

In October, the city approved bringing in legal help. The city agreed to hire Leibold McClendon & Mann to help them fight Mt. SAC’s proposed project. The city’s new legal team will review and analyze Proposition 39 and government codes.

With construction planned in late spring/early summer of 2016, City officials are not backing down. “Walnut fully intends to enforce City Zoning Code regulations, City General Plan guidelines and State and Land Use law as it pertains to any proposed development at Mt. SAC,” city staff reports state.

“The City Council remains committed to safeguard the health, safety, and general welfare of the community at large,” city officials added.

Mt. SAC Breaks Ground on $46M Business Tech Center

Photo Courtesy of Mt. SAC

Photo Courtesy of Mt. SAC
Mt. San Antonio College’s Board of Trustees’ dig in for their ground breaking ceremony held on Thursday, Oct. 22 where their new Business and Computer Complex will be built.

By Monique Valadez

WALNUT– Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut formally broke ground on its new business and computer complex Oct. 22.

Designed to fulfill the academic needs of the school’s business and computer technology programs and other programs well into the 21st century, the 87,000-square-foot complex will comprise three buildings including new technology-based classrooms, lab-based learning environments and a student-run restaurant.

“This is going to be a state-of-the-art complex that will consolidate our business and computer programs in one central area,” said Mt. SAC Business Dean Jennifer Galbraith.

The new complex, located south of the tennis courts and west of the Language Center, building 66, will bring much-needed space for a wide range of programs including paralegal studies, accounting, computer information systems, office technology, culinary arts, hospitality management and interior design.

The three-building complex will also feature the Language Learning Center and computer security lab.

In addition, a lobby will be added to the west side of building 66 to connect this building to the rest of the campus through a new pedestrian path.

The new complex is expected to cost $46 million by completion in the spring of 2018, college officials said. Construction begins in December. Half of the project is funded through Measure RR, Mt. SAC’s $353-million facilities bond approved by voters in 2008.

Measure R and Measure RR has brought an influx in construction to the campus. A $16.6 million Student Success Center opens in 2016 and $14.7 million food service center opens in December.
Several complaints have been arriving on the Walnut city council’s desks regarding the campus’ growth. Residents along with city officials filed a lawsuit on construction of a $48 million five-level parking garage earlier this year.
A $3.8 million solar-power project was recently approved by the college’s board members but some locals say the “solar farm” project would cause traffic congestion and would be an eyesore. College officials say that the project could save the campus nearly half a million dollars in energy costs annually.

Photo courtesy: Mt. SAC Artist rendering of the new business and computer complex.

Photo courtesy: Mt. SAC
Artist rendering of the new business and computer complex.

Walnut: RN Program At Mt. SAC

Bachelor’s Program in Nursing from Mount Saint Mary’s Now Offered

Photo Courtesy: Mt. SAC

Photo Courtesy: Mt. SAC

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Recognizing the shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses, Mt. San Antonio College and Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, will partner to launch a bachelor of science in nursing program on the Mt. SAC campus.
Classes begin Aug. 24 on Mt. SAC’s Walnut campus, with the goal of 30 students in the inaugural 2015-16 cohort. Mount Saint Mary’s will offer the Associate Degree in Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) Completion Program, and admissions for the program will be handled through the Los Angeles-based university.
“There is a growing need both locally and nationally for this advanced training,” said Dr. Susie Chen, liaison for the program. “Most hospitals now want nurses with bachelor’s degrees.”
The demand for registered nurses is expected to outpace the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 2012 to 2022, nursing jobs should increase by 19 percent.
“At Mount Saint Mary’s, we have made a major commitment to move more ADN students to BSN levels,” said Diane Vines, dean of nursing at Mount Saint Mary’s. “That’s why we created the RN to BSN Program, and that’s why we are pleased to partner with Mt. SAC. We want to help nurses reach this new standard in California’s hospitals and healthcare facilities.”
Through the educational partnership, classes will be held on the Mt. SAC campus and online, and will be taught by faculty from both colleges. The 35-unit program will consist of three continuous semesters of full-time study with core courses ranging from pediatric nursing to palliative care. Assigned hands-on clinical experience will be arranged in Mt. SAC’s local area.
Surveys have shown that more than 75 percent of Mt. SAC nursing students want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“We are honored to partner with Mount Saint Mary’s in this initiative. By working together, we have created a seamless process for students to first earn their associate’s degree through our nationally ranked program, and then take the next step and earn a bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary’s excellent program. Our students will be well prepared to enter a surging job market and to lead the next generation of nursing professionals,” said Mt. SAC President and CEO, Dr. William Scroggins.
“This is a wonderful example of collegial collaboration in action,” said Mount Saint Mary’s President Ann McElaney-Johnson. “We have long been proud of the respect our nursing alums have earned in their field, and we are excited to join with Mt. SAC to help even more nursing professionals attain rising professional standards across California.”
Last year, Mt. SAC’s nursing program was ranked 13th among all nursing programs in the western United States’ community colleges in a survey by NurseJournal.org. Mt. SAC’s nursing program serves 240 students, and its students achieved a 91 percent pass rate on the 2014 state board nursing exam.
In 2014, Money magazine ranked Mount Saint Mary’s as its number one value-added college in the magazine’s evaluation of “Colleges That Add the Most Value.” Bright Hub, a web publication that focuses on technology, science and education, ranked the Mount at No. 9 in its U.S. ranking of “10 Best Colleges for a Degree in Nursing.” Mount Saint Mary’s BSN program is the oldest in California, dating back to 1952.

For more information, visit mtsac.edu and msmu.edu.

Walnut: Big Wins For Mt. SAC Students

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College vocational education student, Troy Majeska, won a silver medal at the SkillsUSA 51st Annual National Leadership Conference competition, June 22-27, in Louisville, KY.
Majeska, of La Habra, won the silver medal in the Residential Systems Installation competition, facing five competitors from other colleges across the nation.
The SkillsUSA championships are showcases for the best career and technical students in the country. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. More than 6,000 students competed at this year’s national event.
SkillsUSA is a nationally affiliated vocational club representing secondary and post-secondary students in the trade, technical and health fields. The vocational education organization represents more than a quarter million students in over 13,000 chapters nationwide.

At another event, Mt. SAC’s health career students recently won eight medals – four silver and four bronze – at the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) national competition held at the Anaheim Hilton. More than 8,000 secondary and post-secondary students competed in 56 different health-related events at the national leadership event held June 24-28.
Amy Barraza (Cudahy),Yessenia Campos (El Monte), Jose Montiel-Flores (Baldwin Park), and Yvonne Prempeh (Fontana) all won silver medals in the biomedical debate competition.
Daniel Lee (Fullerton), Holly Miller (La Habra), Noehly Partida (Pomona), and Leilani Soto (Ontario) all won bronze medals in the creative problem solving competition.
Jessica Benavente (Hesperia), Patrick Chan (La Puente), and Nicole Villanueva (Pomona) were finalists in the creative problem solving event.
“We had 11 competitors this year, and all 11 ranked nationally as finalists. 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 Students Named To State Academic Team

(Photo Courtesy: Mike Taylor) Andrew Pastor and Candice Handjojo

(Photo Courtesy: Mike Taylor)
Andrew Pastor and Candice Handjojo

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College students, Candice Handjojo and Andrew Pastor, are two of the 92 community college students throughout the state recently selected for the 2015 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.
Handjojo and Pastor – both students in Mt. SAC’s Honors Program – received medallions during the Community College League of California’s awards ceremony held on April 7 at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. Selection for the academic teams is based on grades, leadership, and community service.

Handjojo, 20, is a sociology major and carries a 3.94 GPA. She was selected for the All-California Academic Third Team. A West Covina resident, she volunteers as a tutor for Schools on Wheels (providing tutoring services for homeless children), and also tutors 2nd Grade children in English, science, and math through Top Kids in Walnut. In addition, Handjojo volunteers as a score keeper for National Junior Basketball for area youth. She sang as a member of Mt. SAC’s concert choir, and sings with her church choir in West Covina. She plans to transfer to UC Berkeley or UC Irvine as a sociology major, and eventually become an educational counselor.
Pastor, 20, is a public health major and carries a 4.0 GPA. He was selected for the All-California Academic Third Team. A San Dimas resident, he served as president of the Honors Ambassadors for PTK on campus. He is a member of the Caduceus Club and the Native American Intertribal Student Association (NAISA) at Mt. SAC, and is a tutor at the college’s Learning Assistance Center. Off campus, Pastor is a percussion instructor at San Dimas High School and is serving an internship with UC Irvine’s Medical Center. He plans to transfer to UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, or UC Irvine as a public health/microbiology major. He eventually plans to become a physician and work as a global health coordinator.
There are 30 first-team, 31 second-team, and 31 third-team winners.

Mt. SAC Students Win 15 HOSA Medals

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College health career students won a total of 15 medals, including nine gold medals and four silver medals, at the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) state leadership conference held March 25 – 30 in Sacramento. More than 2,500 students competed at the state competition.

Daniel Lee (Fullerton), Holly Miller (La Habra), Noehly Partida (Pomona), and Leilani Soto (Ontario) won gold medals in the creative problem solving competition. Amy Barraza (Cudahy), Yessenia Campos (El Monte), Yvonne Prempeh (Fontana), and Jose Montiel-Flores (Baldwin Park) won gold medals in the biomedical debate competition. Miller also won a gold medal in the human growth and development competition.

Jessica Benavente (Hesperia), Patrick Chan (La Puente), and Nicole Villanueva (Pomona) took silver medals in creative problem solving. Lee also won a silver medal in the human growth and development competition.

Villanueva also took a bronze medal in the pathophysiology competition, and Campos took bronze in trans-cultural healthcare competition.

All 11 Mt. SAC students will advance to the national HOSA competition to be held June 24 – 27 at the Anaheim Hilton.

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 RN Program Ranks 10th Statewide

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College’s Nursing Program was recently ranked 10th among all California community college nursing programs in a survey of the best nursing schools in the Western United States by NurseJournal.org.
With an overall score of 85.63, Mt. SAC also ranked 13th among all western U. S. community college programs. The rankings were based on program quality, affordability, flexible class schedules, student satisfaction, and value.
A total of 442 universities, two-year colleges, and vocational nursing programs were ranked in the survey.
Mt. SAC’s Nursing Program serves 240 students, and its students achieved a 91% pass rate on the state board nursing exam in 2014. Associate degree and certificate programs are offered.
NurseJournal.org is a social community for nurses and healthcare professionals worldwide, which provides comprehensive educational resources.

Mt. SAC Planetarium Showings

Photo Courtesy: Hillparnership.com

Photo Courtesy: Hillparnership.com

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College Randall Planetarium continues its full season of programs on the stars and planets with evening and matinee showings for adults and children throughout April.
Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, a special program for children, will be presented on Fri., Apr. 3, and Sat., Apr. 25, at 4:30 p.m. In this program, two children are on the adventure of a lifetime when they build a rocket out of cardboard and go on an exciting journey through the solar system using nothing but an astronomy book, their own imaginations, and the magic of the cardboard rocket.
Star Tales, a show on the stars, constellations, and planets, will run Fri., Apr. 3, at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Learn the stories behind the heavenly bodies and find out how to view them from your own backyard.
One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure, a special program for preschoolers, will be presented on Sat., Apr. 4, and Fri., Apr., at 4:30 p.m. In this program, Sesame Street’s Big Bird, Elmo and their friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu, take viewers on a journey of discovery to learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the sun, and the moon.
Deep Space: Binocular Astronomy, a program on using binoculars to explore the night sky, will be held on Sat., Apr. 4, at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Under the direction of an astronomer, examine star clusters, distant galaxies, and beautiful nebulas all with the use of binoculars. Binoculars will be provided.
Rockin’ Under the Stars, a special music video program designed by Mt. SAC students, will be shown Fri., Apr. 24, at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Experience astronomy with a beat as this program fuses astronomical phenomena with music.
Stars of the Pharaohs, a program on the stars and astronomy of ancient Egypt, will be shown Sat., Apr. 25, at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Travel to ancient Egypt and explore the stars and various astronomical phenomena during the time of the pharaohs. This program looks at how the ancient Egyptians used science to tell time, to formulate a workable calendar, and to align huge buildings.
Tickets are $6 for general admission, $4 for students, seniors, and children 6-13, and $1 for children 5 and under.
For tickets, call the Mt. SAC Performing Arts Box Office at (909) 468-4050. Tickets are also available online at https://tickets.mtsac.edu and at the door before each program.

 

Mt. SAC’s Spring Semester Begins Jan. 14  

By Mike Taylor

Mt. San Antonio College

Mt. San Antonio College

Walnut – Online registration for Mt. San Antonio College’s spring semester credit classes begins Jan. 14.  Classes begin on Mon., Feb. 23.

All credit students must register for classes online 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 Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Before registering, new students are required to activate their personal Mt. SAC portal account, “myportal.mtsac.edu” through the college website. Instructions on how to do this, along with your username are sent to the new student’s email address the student used when applying to the college.

Through myportal.mtsac.edu, students will be able to view their registration date and time but will not be allowed to register before their assigned time. New students must also sign up for their assessment tests at the Assessment Center.  Appointments can be made at www.mtsac.edu/assessment, by calling (909) 274-4265, or in person at the Assessment Center.

Students are urged to prepare for assessment testing by reviewing the information available on the Assessment Center webpage.

In addition, new students must also sign up for the required new student orientation session before registering for classes. For more information about required orientation sessions, call the Mt. SAC Counseling Department at (909) 274-4380.

The enrollment fee is $46 per unit for California residents, and all fees are due upon registration. Assistance in applying for financial aid is available in the Financial Aid Office, also located in the Student Services Center, or contact us at (909) 274-4450.

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

Walnut Valley Celebrates HARTT Center Opening

By Kelli Gile

Hockwalt Adult Resource-and-Transition-Training-Center

The HARTT Center in Walnut hosted an opening celebration on December 15. (Photo Courtesy: Kelli Gile)

Walnut – Walnut Valley Unified School District celebrated the opening of the Hockwalt Adult Resource & Transition Training (HARTT) Center on December 10.            “We are thrilled to open our doors to the community,” said educational specialist, Cheryl Faren.

The HARTT Center serves 18 to 22-year old students with disabilities who are receiving a Certificate of Completion from high school and have significant needs for support as they transition to adulthood.

The Center teaches important transition skills based each student’s abilities with the goal of successfully transitioning to adult living. Skills are developed using community-based instruction in addition to classroom instruction.

About 25 young adults are enrolled at the Center, with an additional 20 attending classes through Mt. San Antonio College.

“Thank you to our community and district for supporting this program,” said Judi Koorndyk, Coordinator of Special Education.

Over 100 guests had a chance to tour the educational center and enjoy holiday entertainment provided by Diamond Bar and Walnut High musicians. Neighborhood partner, Sysco Foods, donated and prepared a buffet dinner for the special event.

“We have students that have to overcome immense obstacles to be able to be happy and productive in society. These students have always been in the heart of our district,” said Jose Annicchiarico, Principal at Ron Hockwalt Academies.

Over 20 local business partners are helping every student develop job and vocational skills. The Center features classrooms, a technology center, and career training. Faren teaches cooking skills in the industrial-size kitchen.   Students are also learning to do the laundry. They like to “hang out” in the comfy recreation room and watch movies after returning from morning work at local businesses. Or they can play air hockey and foosball in the loft area. An outdoor garden, recently donated by Home Depot, is blooming with vegetables and herbs.

“Whatever we plant here, we use in the kitchen. The project is all student-driven,” Faren added.

“We’ll be making salads next week!” she added after noticing a bounty of lettuce.

Until last year, students were transitioned to county programs after high school. Changes in the state’s Special Education Local Plan (SELPA) allowed Walnut Valley to bring its students back home.

“We’re finally able to provide services to our own students!” Koorndyk said about the long-awaited program.

The HARTT Center in located at the Ron Hockwalt Academies alternative education campus in Walnut. Classrooms and facilities have been renovated and decorated for the new program.

“You walk into the living room area and kitchen and can feel the heart and passion that was put into it. This is a wonderful place for our students to come and learn and employees to come and work. This is an amazing facility!” Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said.

“This program keeps with Dr. Hockwalt’s vision that no student would be left behind and that all students would be taken care of regardless of their age or their level. We can take care of all students,” Board President Cindy Ruiz added.

I’m very appreciative of the whole program. The heart that the teachers have for these kids – it’s not something that they have to do, it’s something they want to do,” praised parent Jim Reya. His daughter, Cynthia, transitioned to the HARTT Center after being part of a county program.

“The name of this center is inspired by former superintendent Dr. Ron Hockwalt. He used to tell us that the true measurement of our success is the struggling students.   And this Center is really the embodiment of that philosophy,” Annicchiarico stated.

Koorndyk works at the state level and has written a three year, $450,000 contract with the Department of Rehabilitation.

“It’s going to help us find jobs for students that are here at the HARTT Center and at Diamond Bar and Walnut high schools,” Annicchiarico said.

“This school district really takes its vision seriously, to take care of the children. This is a wonderful gift for the children,” Reya added.

 

 

Walnut: Mt. SAC Trustees Elect New Officers

By Mike Taylor

Walnut – At the annual organizational meeting on Dec. 10, the Mt. San Antonio College Board of Trustees elected Dr. David K. Hall as President, Judy Chen-Haggerty as Vice President, and Rosanne Bader as Clerk. They will serve one-year terms, effective immediately.

David Hall

Dr. David Hall
(Photo Courtesy: http://www.mtsac.edu)

Dr. Hall is currently the longest-serving member of the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees.  He was appointed to the Board in October 1995 after serving two terms as President of the Mt. SAC Foundation.  Hall was later elected to four-year board terms in 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, and most recently ran unopposed in 2013.  He is Chairman of the Industry Manufacturers Council (IMC) Human Resources Committee, Vice President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce – San Gabriel Valley, Board Member of the San Gabriel Valley Civic Alliance, Board Member of the San Gabriel Valley YMCA, and Vice Chairman of the Oversight Board of the Successor Agency for both the Covina Redevelopment Agency and the San Dimas Redevelopment Agency. Professionally, Dr. Hall is Senior Vice President of Hitchcock Automotive Resources, which owns and operates auto dealerships throughout Southern California.

Judy Chen-Haggerty

Judy Chen-Haggerty (Photo Courtesy: http://www.mtsac.edu)

Chen-Haggerty was elected to the Board in 2001, 2005, 2009, and ran unopposed in 2013. She is the first Asian-American to serve on the board. She is a practicing attorney, law professor at Rio Hondo College, and the Law Area Chair for the University of Phoenix.  At the state level, Chen-Haggerty has served on the California Community College Trustee Officers Nominating Committee. She also represented Mt. SAC in the California Leadership Alliance for Student Success statewide project funded by the James Irvine Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. She currently is the co-chair of the Advisory Committee on Education Services of the Community College League of California, the Charles Kennedy Equity Awards Committee, and serves on the Evaluation Team of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges. During her 30 years of community service, Chen-Haggerty has been a founding director of the FORUS foundation (Rowland Unified School District), founding president of the Rowland Chinese Association, executive board member for the Mt. SAC Foundation, Advisory Committee member of Mt. SAC Regional Health Occupations, Vice President of the Rowland Heights Community Coordinating Council, member of the Walnut Valley Rotary Club, and a 10-year board member of Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital.

 

Rosanne-Bader

Rosanne Bader (Photo Courtesy: http://www.mtsac.edu)

Bader was elected to the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees in 2003 and reelected in 2007 and 2011. In 2007, Trustee Bader was elected to the California Community College Trustees Board, which makes recommendations about education policy issues pending before the state Board of Governors and the California Legislature. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center and serves as a member of the hospital’s Foundation Board. She also presides over the Pomona Rotary Board. Bader spent 32 years in public education, both as a teacher and administrator. Before retiring from the Pomona Unified School District in 2001, she was principal at Diamond Point Elementary School in Diamond Bar and formerly served as principal of Allison Elementary School in Pomona.

The other Mt. SAC trustees are outgoing president, Fred Chyr, trustee Dr. Manuel Baca, trustee Laura Santos, trustee Robert Hidalgo, and student trustee Paola Mendoza.

 

 

 

Walnut: Mt. SAC Flying Team Wins Again

By Mike Taylor
Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College Flying Team won the Top Two-Year College Team Trophy for the 24th consecutive year at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s regional competition, hosted recently by San Diego Christian College at Gillespie Airport in San Diego.

“This year marks the 24th consecutive year our team has won the top community college trophy – a truly incredible run,” said Mt. SAC Flying Team Advisor and Aeronautics, Professor Robert Rogus.

The 2014 Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) is a competition for university and community college flying teams. The regional airmeet featured flying teams from six colleges, including Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, San Jose State University, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, with a total of 66 students competing.

In addition to the Top Two-Year School Award, the Mt. SAC team won the Safety Trophy. Individually, Sebastian Plaister (San Dimas) won the instrument flight event and ranked sixth as the overall competitor at the airmeet. Jason Juarez (Ontario) took third in the message drop event.           Overall, Mt. SAC placed fifth with 43 points. The top three regional teams receive invitations to the national competition.

Over the years, the Mt. SAC Flying Team has consistently earned top honors as one of the best collegiate flying teams in the country. The team has won the Top Community College trophy at the regional competition every year since 1991. Mt. SAC has won the Top U. S.  Community College award at the national airmeet in 1984, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.

 

Walnut: Donor’s Gift Boosts Mt. SAC Pathways Program

By Mike Taylor

 

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College’s Pathways to Transfer program – a program designed to help students complete a degree and transfer to a four-year university – recently received a $100,000 donation from San Gabriel Valley Charitable Foundation philanthropist, Gary Chow.

The two-year $100,000 gift will help the Pathways program continue its work to provide an accelerated learning program to help students taking basic skills English and math courses succeed and keep them on track to transfer.

Through the program, students in basic skills courses take classes in cohort groups with the same instructor in an accelerated time frame. Three courses are fit into an intersession and semester so that students are fully engaged in the subject. The classes include the same instructor throughout the sequence to provide a sense of continuity, and each class has a tutor to provide additional help.

The courses are also linked to a learning community class, a counseling class, or a library class. The result has been a dramatic rise in completion rates, a decrease in English and math phobias, and increased student self-confidence.

“There is a sense of continuity and support in this program that enables basic skills students to succeed at higher levels and makes this program unique,” said Mt. SAC American Language Professor and Basic Skills Coordinator, Glenda Bro.

In the last year, persistence rates for Pathways students were 36 percent higher in math courses compared to non-Pathways students. In English, Pathways students performed 27 percent better than non-Pathways students.

Persistence rates measure whether students successfully complete the sequence of courses.

“These students aren’t just passing one class. They are committing to the program and completing the entire sequence of classes,” said Bro.

 

Walnut: Mt. SAC Professors Featured In Nature Exhibit

BY MIKE TAYLOR

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College Art Gallery will feature the work of Mt. SAC professors in its “Second Nature” exhibit, which runs Nov. 6 through Dec. 4, at the Art Gallery. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

“Second Nature” is a mixed media exhibit featuring the work of Mt. SAC art, animation, and photography professors. Participating artists are Carolyn Alexander, Keith Batcheller, Ron Brown, Fatemeh Burnes, Thomas Butler, Cherie Benner Davis, Craig Deines, Dirk Hagner, Gail Jacobs, Joan Kahn, Shane Keena, Nikki Lewis, Melissa Macias, Ryan McIntosh, Stephanie Meredith, Kirk Pedersen, Jay Perez, Katie Queen, Susie Rubenstein, Steve Schenck, Natasha Shoro, Thomas Stubbs, Kathryn Stovall-Dennis, Dan Van Clapp, and Shari Wasson.

For more information, call the Art Gallery at (909) 274-4328.

Walnut: New Mt. SAC Child Development Center

BY MIKE TAYLOR

Walnut – The New Mt. SAC Child Development Center plays a dual role in education. Imagine a service that allows people to return to school, provides quality childcare, and serves as a hands-on training facility. That’s exactly what Mt. San Antonio College‘s new Child Development Center will offer the college community’s children, students, and families.

“Moving into a larger, modern facility allows us serve more children and more students,” said Mt. SAC Child Development Center Director, Tamika Addison, about the new center that opened to students last spring and open for childcare a month ago.

The 33,800-square foot, four-building complex houses child development classrooms, labs, observation spaces, and other required facilities to provide quality education and childcare for up to 162 children, infants to five years of age.

Mt. SAC celebrated the grand opening of the Child Development Center’s new complex (Building 70) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Fri., Sept. 26. Assemblyman Curt Hagman, Senator Bob Huff, and college administrators were on hand for the ceremony.

“Childcare is sometimes the biggest barrier for people who want to return to college and continue their education,” said Addison, who added that over 200 families will use the childcare services they offer each semester.

But the center’s services are much more than babysitting or just watching the children.

“We are concerned with their early education as well. We work with the whole child,” said Addison. “We prepare the children to do well later in school in kindergarten and elementary school.”

The childcare program at Mt. SAC has received national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which serves as the program’s seal of approval as a quality childcare center. Each semester, there is a waiting list of about 150 for people who want to get their children into the program.

The center is also one of very few childcare centers that offer subsidized programs for families that qualify. Between 18 and 25 percent of most families’ income is spent on childcare. For some families, that subsidy, offered through three sources including the Department of Education, is a lifesaver. A subsidized food program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture is also available for children.

In another role, the center also serves as a training facility for more than 50 child development students every semester who serve as assistant teachers and received practical, hands-on training.

“We are training the area’s future childcare workers,” Addison said.

Once they finish the program, the students will fill childcare positions with programs like Head Start, and will be in demand because of the training they have received.

“The childcare field is constantly growing, and because of the need for trained childcare workers, childcare centers and programs like this are in demand,” said Addison.

According to Employment Development Department statistics, new job growth in the area of childcare is up 46 percent in California, and the childcare field is ranked in the top 50 fastest growing job fields in the state.

“The jobs are there. The question is, can we meet the demand,” she said.

The grand opening for the complex comes more than four years after its groundbreaking in June 2010. The $18.5-million complex was the first of the campus construction projects funded under the college’s $353 million Measure RR bond.

Walnut: Mt. SAC Art Gallery Revisits Exploration of Figurative Art

BY MIKE TAYLOR

 

Walnut – The Mt. San Antonio College Art Gallery will kick off its 2014-15 season with, “The Way of Flesh II,” which runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 16, at the Art Gallery. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

“The Way of Flesh II” displays the legacy of figurative art through the eyes and hands of three generations of contemporary artists, without geographical limitations. By contextualizing, juxtaposing, and challenging the limitations of traditional media, this exhibition offers the audience a complexity of inventive approaches to rendering the figure in the classical tradition. “The Way of Flesh II” picks up 20 years later, after the original “The Way of Flesh” exhibit at the Mt. SAC gallery in 1994.

Participating artists are Sigmund Abeles, Sharon Allicotti, Juliette Aristides, Steven Assael, Ron Brown, Dawn Butler, Thomas Butler, Wes Christensen,Domenic Cretara, Dirk Hagner, F. Scott Hess, Jared Linge, Pamela Diaz Martinez, Daina Mattis, John Nava, Odd Nerdrum, Ryan Schroeder, Robert Schultz,Luis E. Serrano, Betty Shelton, Richard Shelton, Cynthia Sitton, Thomas Stubbs, Ruth Weisberg, Jerome Witkin, and Peter Zokosky.

A special opening reception will be held Thurs., Sept. 18, 4:30 to 7 p.m., in the Art Gallery, Building 1B. An artists’ panel for the exhibit will be held Sun., Sept. 28, 1 to 4 p.m.  Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Tuesday nights, 5 to 7:30 p.m.

For more information, call the Art Gallery at (909) 274-4328.  .

Walnut: Timberline Community Speaks Up Against Mt. SAC

BY RAYMOND MENDOZA

 

Mt. SAC-Parking-lot

Current Parking Lot at Mt. SAC (Photo Courtesy: Robert Mendoza)

Walnut – While a population increase at Mt. San Antonio College might be seen as a good idea for some, residents of the Timberline Community just north of the campus are voicing their wishes to limit enrollment- claiming that the population has become so large that it is causing high amounts of traffic, collisions, and crime in the City.

Resident complaints are stemming from the campus’ plan to build a three-level parking structure on the north side of campus, saying that congestion is so bad on Grand Avenue and Mountaineer Road that the structure would be better suited for a spot on W. Temple Avenue.

In recent months, various residents of the Timberline Community have flocked to Walnut City Council meetings to ask for the aide of the City in stopping Mt. SAC’s growth and to move the parking structure away from the Timberline Communities.

Timberline resident, Linda Hiti, called Mt. SAC a “parasite” because they are using the city’s resources and not paying their fair share. “In 2009, they cancelled a budgeted sheriff item, and now they [Mt. SAC] are congesting our streets and the Sheriff is sometimes responding up to four times in one day,” she said.

“They need to relocate the parking structure to the south side of Temple,” Hiti said. “They need to cap their enrollment at 60,000 and if they want to expand their enrollment they have to go to satellite locations or online classes.”

Hiti said the Walnut City Council is responsible for the safety and well-being of the City’s residents and that the traffic congestion from Mt. SAC will cause massive problems during an emergency.

During the July 23 City Council meeting, Timberline resident, Mansfield Collins, read aloud a document urging council members to stop Mt. SAC’s actions, stating that the college failed to perform an emergency evacuation plan for the residents of the Timberline Community and health survey for fumes caused by student transportation.

Mike Taylor, Public Information Officer for Mt. SAC, said that enrollment numbers aren’t being portrayed correctly since the 60,000 student total is for the complete academic year, and not indicative of how many students are on campus at one time or even during a semester. Furthermore, Taylor said overpopulation isn’t on the minds of administration since the school saw a 6.6 percent drop in enrollment from previous years. For the fall 2014 semester, Taylor said the enrollment stands at 26,656.

Taylor said he hopes the new parking structure will make an impact on the parking situation, since its current 8,000 parking spaces will be increased to more than 10,000. And he added that the college has always had the best interest of the community in mind since the institution always aims to bring affordable and excellent education to students. He also said putting a cap on enrollment would hurt individuals seeking a higher education.

“Mt. SAC’s mission – and the mission of all California community colleges – is to provide access to an affordable quality education for everyone,” Taylor said. “And while an enrollment cap would hurt student access to a quality education, the question of burgeoning enrollment may not be an issue after all, since fall enrollment is currently down.”

Stay tuned to Walnut’s City Council for more news about talks with Mt. SAC administration at http://ci.walnut.ca.us.

 

Walnut: Mendoza Sworn In As Mt. SAC Student Trustee

BY MIKE TAYLOR
Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College student, Paola Mendoza, was sworn in as the new student trustee for the 2014-15 academic year during the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees’ July 23 meeting.

As student trustee, Mendoza, 19, will present the student perspective on policy issues before Mt. SAC’s governing board. She will have only an advisory vote, which does not count toward the passage or failure of a motion. The advisory vote helps the board know how the student trustee stands on issues and strengthens the student role in the college’s shared governance process.

Mendoza, a resident of Ontario, is a Psychology major and carries a 3.6 GPA. She has served as a senator with the Mt. SAC Associated Students (student government) and holds memberships in the campus Psychology Club and IDEAS Club, which serves as an advocate for undocumented students.

After she graduates from Mt. SAC, Mendoza plans to transfer to UCLA as a Psychology major.