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By
all accounts, the recent election set various voter turnout records.
Mission College student Rose
Nuñez deserves a share of the credit. By her estimate,
Nuñez, a Chicano Studies major, registered at least 200 new
voters for the November election. "I always carried registration
forms in my car so that even if I was just shopping, I’d be ready
to sign up someone," she said. Nuñez began the effort
by joining the AFT-sponsored voter registration drive. Soon, she was
out on her own, asking instructors to let her speak to their classes
for five minutes, stopping students on the Quad, and, in the evenings
and weekends, going door-to-door in her neighborhood. When daughter
Valerie Loy
(also a Mission College student) joined the effort, the pair found
a whole new group of recruits among Valerie’s "recently
turned 18" friends. Nuñez said she was motivated by budget
cuts which are driving poor students away from higher education. "Political
involvement and registration are the only ways to address that,"
she said. Noting that a number of Mission College students not only
registered for the first time, but also signed up to serve as poll
workers, she said, "It’s really exciting to know that community
college students are getting more involved and expressing their concerns." |
When
Mission College announced last month that it had been awarded two
grants totaling $2.8 million, only a handful of people thought to
congratulate
Young-Ji Lee. One of those was Edgardo Zayas, dean of academic
affairs. “The way these grants are announced, it almost seems
like they fall into our lap,” he said. “Many people aren't
aware of the hard work that goes into the application.” Zayas
said Lee contributed significantly to the two applications that won
the college a five-year, $2.5 million grant to fund academic improvement
programs under Title V and a three-year, $322 thousand grant to guide
students into the bio-medical field. The U.S. Department of Education
awarded both grants. What's the secret to successful grant writing?
Persistence, said Lee, noting that the bio-med grant was funded on
the fourth try. “Sometimes there's nothing wrong with the application
but it's just not the right fit that year for the funding agency.
The next year, it is!”
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Mission College Chef Rudy
Garcia has done it again. Just one month after being named
"Chef of the Year" by the Chefs de Cuisine Association of
California, he brought home a new honor to the campus. Garcia won
an individual Bronze Medal at the 21st International Culinary Exhibition,
or "Culinary Olympics," held in Erfurt, Germany last month.
Garcia won in the category of cold foods presentation, offering a
menu of Southwestern dishes. Known by its German name, Olympiade der
Köche, the quadrennial Culinary Olympics was first held in 1896
and remains one of the most prestigious cooking competitions in the
world. |
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Gateway
Science and Engineering is involved with Mission College in a big
way: as LAMC’s Project Management firm for Proposition A and
AA. But now, it’s reaching out directly to students. Company
president Art
Gastelum recently announced textbook scholarships for
students Veronica
Garcia (far left in photo) and Zarina
Gallardo (far right). Gastelum had an opportunity to
meet and congratulate the two students personally at an informal
tea arranged by college President Adriana
Barrera.
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Six
Mission College students have a little extra change in their pockets
these days – and a lot more know-how – thanks to internships
sponsored by Siemen’s Building Technologies. The students recently
completed the program designed to better prepare them for careers
in engineering and management. Because the classes prevented the students
from working during the summer, they were given a stipend. Photo,
left to right, shows interns Joseph
Freedman, John
Hanson, and Cesar
Martinez with Computer Club president Alex Kucenski. Interns
not pictured are James
Arias, Matt
August and Alex
Lui.
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Photo courtesy of UNLV ] |
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An
alum of the Mission College Culinary Arts Institute is making his
mark in the world. Stephen
Gillanders, now a junior at the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, recently cooked his way to the national title of "Almost
Famous Chef." To claim the award, Gillanders had to face regional
winners from the nation’s top culinary schools. One observer
praised Gillanders for his creativity and grace before a tough panel
of judges. "The heat of the competition helped me learn a lot
about my own capabilities under incredible pressure," he said.
His rewards include a trip to the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners
in Italy, numerous culinary products, a $1,000 prize and an appearance
on NBC’s Today Show.
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Mission
College staff members are remembering Dr.
William Norlund, former college president, who passed away
on November 7. A lifelong educator, Dr. Norlund began his career in
the classroom as an adjunct physics instructor at Pierce College in
1967. After becoming a full time instructor, Dr. Norlund served in
a number of administrative positions, including Vice President of
Administration and Vice President of Academic Affairs. In 1995, he
was named the Acting President of Mission College and, two years later,
President. He held that position until his retirement in 1999 but
continued to serve as an acting administrator at various colleges.
Pierce College President Dr.
Tom Oliver, who served alongside Dr. Norlund, credits the
late educator with helping to pull Mission College through tough times
following a mid-90’s budget crisis and drop in enrollment. Donations
may be made in Dr. Norlund’s name to the American Heart Association
or the American Diabetes Association.
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