Monday, September 30, 2013

Empty Bowls fundraiser benefits thousands of local families in need


Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) has teamed up with the Chandler Christian Community Center (CCCC) to fight hunger and raise money for families in need through its Empty Bowls fundraiser event.

Attendees can purchase their own hand-crafted ceramic bowls designed by various artists for $10 and enjoy live entertainment and a cup of soup donated by Minor's, a division of Nestle Professional. All proceeds benefit the CCCC to feed those in the community who might otherwise go without food.  

"Last year, through the generous support of the community, we provided more than16,800 food boxes to people in need. We are grateful to be partnering with CGCC to help us meet the need in our community this year," said Trinity Donovan, CEO, Chandler Community Christian Center.

The event takes place on World Hunger Day, an annual event which celebrates sustainable solutions to ending extreme hunger and poverty and encourages citizens around the world to take action in their local communities 

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013; 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Student Pavilion, Pecos Campus, 2626 E. Pecos Rd., Chandler, AZ 85225

INFO: For more information contact Service Learning at 480-857-5274 or by email at alex.cannell@cgc.edu. 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Women's volleyball takes San Diego City College Tournament championship


The women's volleyball team cooking up a meal for
residents of Bannister House at University of California,
San Diego.
This past weekend, the women’s volleyball team participated in the San Diego City College Tournament and made time for community service. The update below is from coach Vee Hiapo.

“On Thursday, the girls cooked a Hawaiian meal for the Bannister House, which houses families on the University of California, San Diego Medical Hospital at the Hillcrest location. We were able to meet many of the patients and their families. Most of them were heart and lung transplant patients. The girls shopped and cooked for 3 hours and were able to eat with the families. It was a wonderful and rewarding experience to serve the Bannister House and the families. The people were very appreciative.

Women's volleyball -- tournament champions.
On Friday, we played Cuyamaca College and defeated them in 3 sets. They were very gracious hosts and the coach was a former volleyball Olympian Karolyn Kirby.

On Saturday, we played in a 3-team pool with host San Diego City College and College of the Desert. It was a best of 5 series and we beat both of them in 3 sets (difficult to do in one day). We were seated first in a 6-team winner's bracket and Scottsdale was seated second. We waited for the number 3-6 teams to compete. Our first bracket play was Chaffey College of Rancho Cucamonga. The bracket play was only one set to 25 points. We beat them 25-15. Scottsdale beat Pima in their semi-final match 25-17. Our girls continued to play with a lot of aggressiveness and took a 7-1 lead before the coach called a time out. We lead the entire match and beat Scottsdale in the championship 25-22. Although the bracket games will not be recorded because it was only a 1-set match, we still won the championship and it feels really good.”

Monday, September 23, 2013

Campus Technology magazine highlights CGCC's genius bar

Help Desk Manager David Smith helps a user at
Chandler-Gilbert Community College's genius bar.
Campus Technology magazine featured Chandler-Gilbert Community College's genius bar in a Sept. 19 article titled, "Why Your Help Desk Should Be More Like Apple's Genius Bar." The article explains how the technology team used Apple's genius bar model to make the help desk experience more personable, promote walk-in traffic, and improve user satisfaction. Read the article.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Schroeder, Larson considered for emeritus distinction

The governing board of the Maricopa County Community College District will review two Chandler-Gilbert Community College employees for emeritus distinction. Recently retired education faculty member Brenda Larson and provost John Schroeder will be considered at the Oct. 22 meeting.

Vice President of Academic Affairs William Guerriero nominated Larson for the honor which allows them to retain their title after retirement. The nomination states, “Brenda Larson has been an integral part of CGCC’s growth and expansion since its inception as a college. Originally hired to reach Office Automation Systems, Business-Personal Computers, and Computer Information Systems, Brenda modeled the way for faculty professional growth by earning two master’s degrees and a doctoral degree.

“She helped pioneer a business and teacher education learning community at CGCC’s Williams Campus and was instrumental in launching the college’s successful teacher education curriculum. Throughout her more than 26 years of service to CGCC and the district, Brenda remained active in a wide range of college and community activities. she served on countless college committees and advisory boards and maintained partnerships with K-12 and higher education partners, including the colleges of education at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

“During her last year of service she was chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division. Brenda was known for her impeccable organization and presentation of course materials and served as an exemplar for thousands of future teachers.”

College President Linda Lujan submitted the nomination for Schroeder. “John first came to Chandler-Gilbert Community College in 1990 as an aviation maintenance technology faculty member and was instrumental in providing current, relevant curriculum and training to countless aviation graduates who now serve our Valley’s aviation and aerospace industry.

“In 1995, John accepted an opportunity to be involved in business process design and technology planning and support at the Maricopa Community Colleges District Office where he served for eight years as director of Strategic Information Technologies.

“In 2003, John returned to CGCC as the provost and chief operating officer for the Williams Campus at the former Williams Field Air Base in Mesa. In that final role, John left an indelible mark on the college and its communities as he worked to keep the rich history of Williams Field alive while leading the transformation of CGCC’s portion of the base into a thriving and vibrant campus.

“John not only oversaw the development of every CGCC building on the site but brokered partnerships and relationship among other entities, including the federal government; the cities and towns of Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Phoenix; ASU Polytechnic; East Valley Institute of Technology; and countless business and industry partners. In this cabinet-level leadership role, John contributed in countless ways to the college planning and development, governance and educational endeavors at all its locations.”

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Spotlight on the new Student Success Center

Reading class students utilize the new Student Success
Center resources.
Students have a new resource to turn to for help on the Pecos campus. The Student Success Center, located on the second floor of the library, will offer programs and services complementing the broad range of free tutoring and workshops offered by the Learning Center. Both centers are committed to providing exceptional educational experiences.

“Providing students with a variety of different support options is an important element of helping our students reach their individual goals,” said Vivian Miranda, director of Student Success. “Though we have a plan for the fall, we’re looking forward to holding some student-led focus groups this semester to help shape future programs.”

The Student Success Center will open Sept. 23 and offer open labs; access to computers; tutoring and assistance with MyLab products; and Student Success Workshops. Services will focus on supporting students in the following English, mathematics and reading classes:

  • MAT: 081, 082, 089, 091, 092, 108, 121, 122
  • ENG: 081, 091
  • RDG: 071, 081, 091, 095

Programming will expand to a focus on student success for all students starting in the spring 2014 semester.

Open Lab Schedule
Sep. 23 to Dec. 5
Monday: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 3:30-6:30 p.m.

CGCC awarded military friendly designation

Chandler-Gilbert Community College has been named to the 2014 Military Friendly Schools® list by Victory Media, publisher of GI Jobs magazine, a resource for military personnel transitioning into civilian life.

The 2014 Military Friendly Schools® list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

With the utmost respect for its student veterans, CGCC provides a variety of on-campus resources to assist with their college life transition. In addition to processing of their GI Bill benefits, resources include:

  • The Student Veterans Organization (SVO), which hosts on-going activities for veterans throughout the school year to help veterans build a strong social and support network on-campus. 
  • An annual Veterans Resource Expo, which showcases college and community veteran resources as well as thanks veterans for their service. This year's event will take place on November 7 at CGCC's Williams Campus. 
  • Two veteran student lounges which are in the works, one in the new Coyote Center on the Pecos campus, the other to open in the near future on the Williams campus.
  • Monthly veterans e-newsletters which are sent out to student veterans informing them about their VA benefits and alerting them to opportunities and resources available to them.

For more information about CGCC's resources for veterans, please contact the Veterans Services office at 480.726.4122.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Adjunct faculty's improv show captured by azcentral



Troupe director Shalynn Reynolds, 40, writes down audience
suggestions for the next skit as part of the Off the Cuff
Comedy Improv Show at Changing Hands Bookstore
in Tempe on Aug. 30, 2013.
Shalynn Reynolds, adjunct instructor and director of Off the Cuff Comedy Improv, was recently highlighted along with the troupe in a photo slideshow appearing on azcentral.com. The non-profit performed at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe as one of the many free, family-friendly comedy improv shows it does around the Valley throughout the year.

"Off the Cuff provides a high-energy, interactive show designed to entertain audiences of all ages," said Reynolds. "Every show uses audience suggestions and is fast paced and fun. If you enjoy improv comedy in the style of the television show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' you'll love Off the Cuff."

Reynolds teaches acting and modern drama at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and also directs some of the plays. She has been directing the troupe since it's beginning in 2000 as part of the Mesa Arts Center.  View the slideshow.

Performing arts announces 27 events for fall semester



Saturday, September 7, 2013

Faculty to give personal Educator of the Year plaque to the teacher who changed his life

Miguel Fernandez was "a directionless kid from a bad neighborhood with nothing to read at home beyond TV Guide."

Then he met Mr. Broderick, a veteran and sixth grade teacher in Harlem "who pounded in the message that educational curiosity could lead a person anywhere." Broderick forever changed Miguel's life for the better.

Last year, Miguel received the Gilbert Community Excellence Award as Educator of the Year from Chandler-Gilbert Community College, an award he will present to Broderick in Chicago later this month. Read Miguel's personal story on the TED blog titled, "Finding Mr. Broderick: How a TED Talk launched my search for the teacher who changed my life."

Friday, September 6, 2013

CGCC's Williams Air Force Base collection being digitized by Chandler Museum


A WWII Army Air Corp recruiting video titled Winning Your Wings starring Lieutenant Jimmy Stewart and produced in cooperation with Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. was recently digitized and made available to the public by the Chandler Museum.

The video is one of numerous items Chandler-Gilbert Community College loaned to the museum to digitize and make more widely accessible.

"Chandler-Gilbert Community College's collection of Williams Air Force Base memorabilia is the largest private collection we've digitized so far," said Nate Meyers, curator of collections at the Chandler Museum. "Digitizing the materials allows wider access to them by the public, researchers, historians and those who lived and worked on the base. It also allows us to make connections to other available materials and develop a broader picture to the life and times at Willie."

The collection, which fills two large filing cabinets, includes yearbooks, photos, news articles, correspondence, WAFB publications and postcards among other items. The museum has digitized only a portion of the collection and is continuing to work on it. Some of the pieces are on display in Bluford Hall on the Williams Campus of the college located near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Or you can go to ChandlerPedia and view the digitized collection to date.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

That's a wrap: CGCC alum scores big at film festival

From left to right, Jessalyn Carpino, Derek
Ellis and Alex Thomas work on their
short film, “Retrograde,” which was
featured in the Sedona Film Festival this
past February.
The Ahwatukee Foothills News featured resident and former CGCC student in an article titled "That’s a wrap: Ahwatukee Lumberjack scores big at film festival."

"It’s amazing how 73 hours of non-stop working in the end can be both satisfying and rewarding.

Ahwatukee Foothills native Alex Thomas, 23, knows this feeling all too well after having one of his short films win awards at Northern Arizona University (NAU), and be featured at the Sedona Film Festival in February.

As an NAU graduate, Thomas originally started his path to film making by studying music education at Chandler-Gilbert Community College." Read the full story.

Lujan appointed to national sustainability steering committee

Linda Lujan, president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC), was appointed to the steering committee of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.

The group of approximately 30 presidents from colleges and universities across the nation, including Arizona State University President Michael Crow, sets the direction for the organization in its work to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students, create solutions and provide leadership-by-example for the rest of society. Lujan will serve on the committee for two years.

CGCC was a charter signatory to the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007. By signing the commitment, the college pledged to eliminate or offset all campus greenhouse gas emissions over time,and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.

"Through her example, Linda has been one of our key leaders, and we appreciate her work and the progress that has been made on the Chandler-Gilbert Community College campuses. We are grateful for her willingness to help lead our organization as well," noted Timothy White, chancellor of California State University and chair of the steering committee.

"It's an honor to be asked to serve. My service is not only on behalf of Chandler-Gilbert but on behalf of the Maricopa Community College District. All ten colleges and the district office are now ACUPCC signatories dedicated to leading by example, examining the environmental impacts associated with all that we do in order to continually improve our colleges, students, and communities, while minimizing our impact on the environment," said Lujan. "The Maricopa Community College District can serve as a model for others in Arizona and across the country by what we teach in our classrooms, demonstrate in our facilities, and share with our communities."

Learn more about CGCC's sustainability efforts.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

CGCC student Jay-Waves interviewed on upcoming album release

Arizona Informant recently interviewed student Jamal Mobley on his upcoming release Elevator Doors.

"Jamal  Mobley,  better  known  around Phoenix as 'Jay-Waves,' is not only making a name for himself, but he is leaving behind footsteps that will be pretty challenging to follow. Born and raised in Phoenix, Jamal is 21 years old and a student at Chandler-Gilbert Community College where he is studying business. Jamal is also working on a new project with his longtime friend and producer Jordan Mitchell “JMitch” that is set to release early in 2014."

Read the full story by Chanette Campbell.