Thursday, April 30, 2015

Biofuel researcher delivers seminar to biology students

David Stern presents “Commercializing algal biofuels:
Hope or hype?” at CGCC.
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research President and CEO David Stern visited Arizona in April and spoke about algae-derived bioproducts and his own algal biofuel research, at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. His seminar highlighted the potential of algal biofuels and the challenges that must be surmounted before algal products become a significant contributor to our energy mix, as an alternative to fossil fuels.  Read the full article on BTI's website.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Transfer agreements with state universities benefit students

The Garcia family with Adeline, Martine Jr., Martine Sr.
and  Mireya. (Photo courtesy of Martine Garcia, Jr.)
More than 900 Chandler-Gilbert Community College students transferred to one of Arizona's three public universities in 2013, taking advantage of transfer agreements that ensure students don't lose credits in the process. Among them was Martine Garcia, who was featured in a recent article for Arizona State University regarding his success.

See a full list of Maricopa Community College District's transfer partners.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Two student athletes headed to national golf competition


Samantha Hernandez and Madison Woodward are headed
to the college national golf competition in May.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) student athletes Samantha Hernandez and Madison Woodward are headed to the 2015 NJCAA Women’s National Golf Championship to be held at Longbow Golf Course in Mesa, Ariz. on May 11-14.

Hernandez, a freshman from Gilbert High School, has held the top spot for the CGCC Coyotes all season averaging a 79 and has medaled in three tournaments.

Woodward, a freshman from Mountain Pointe High School, has held the number two position, averaging an 84 for the season.

This will be the fourth time the Coyotes have participated in the national tournament under  CGCC Head Women’s Golf Coach Pierson Hamilton.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

CGCC recognized with leadership and educator of the year

The Si Se Puede Foundation honored Chandler-Gilbert Community College President Linda Lujan with its Leadership Award at their annual Educator of the Year Cesar Chavez Dinner on April 4. The award was given to Lujan for her outstanding leadership in promoting equality, equity, diversity and higher education within the Chandler/Gilbert communities, according to Alberto L. Esparza, president and CEO of the Si Se Puede Foundation (SSPF). Lujan also was recognized with the Educator of the Year Award in 2012.

The foundation also recognized mathematics faculty Pamela Woodbury as a Cesar Chavez Educator of the Year Honoree. Woodbury incorporates a service-learning component into her course each semester that benefits both CGCC and SSPF students. CGCC students design games based on mathematical principles, problem solving and vocabulary, which create a fun way for game participants to learn and apply math.


“Many students have a perception that math is hard or boring or difficult. By having them create games, they begin to realize that math can be fun,” said Woodbury. “By watching the students at Si Se Puede play these games, our students get to see that math really is fun. This award reinforces that this work really does make a difference. I can see it in my students and in the classroom afterward, and it’s good to know that it’s making a difference for Si Se Puede students as well.”  

CGCC students lead Si Se Puede students in
Battleship Math.

Twenty recognized as science and math scholars

Twenty students were recognized by Chandler-Gilbert Community College as Emerging Science and Mathematics Scholars and honored at a banquet on April 10. Each of the scholars began their academic career in a developmental math course and successfully completed a number of additional math and science courses while maintaining a 3.5 or higher grade point average.

"Emerging Scholars are a rare group of students who, despite facing a series of courses with historically low success rates, manage to excel in mathematics and the sciences. These students not only successfully completed courses, but did so with excellence. Many of them faced a myriad of personal and academic challenges along the way. In fact, this year of the scholars let me know this was the first time they had ever been recognized for an accomplishment. By honoring them we are letting them know that their hard work and dedication is noticed and that we are proud of them," said Milos Podmanik, mathematics faculty and event coordinator.

The event was attended by more than 100 scholars, mentors and guests who heard personal stories of the challenges the scholars have overcome, the successes they have achieved and their goals for the future.s

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Five teams place in spring technology games


CGCC student team places its robot to begin the
line-following challenge.
Congratulations to Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s five student teams that placed in the 2015 Avnet Tech Games

Chandler Ridding​, ​Kevin Grout and Sean Walker won first place for the Digital Design Dilemma where teams had four hours to design and build a ​visual indicator for next generation pedestrian crossing signal system. Each student received $1,000.​ Faculty coach was Bassam Matar. 

Alec Iverson and Michael Camacho came in with an extremely close second place in the Java Blitz where teams developed an application using Java 7 Standard Edition which was then judged based on a predefined set of criteria. Adjunct Faculty Ray Hedgecock was the team’s coach.

Achilles Tsantarliotis, John Stephenson and Gjergii Joco ​w​on third in the  HP Fastest Computer Build, a three-part event where teams were timed on their ability to Build it Fast, Troubleshoot it Fast, and Refurb it Fast. Faculty coach was Bassam Matar. 

Jimi Aguirre, Devin Klein, Richard Mortensen, Mark Murray and Roger Her participated in two different teams in the Robot Race Obstacle Course, taking fourth and fifth place out of 15 teams. In this challenge, each team ha​d​ five hours to build and program a robot from Legos that then had to complete a line-following course and a maze challenge. Faculty coach was Bassam Matar.

Read Avnet's announcement of all the first-place winners


Ridding, Grout and Walker work to build a computer
the fastest.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Sustainability Day brings campus-wide efforts to one location

Staff Thomas Tuoti and geology faculty Roy Scheisser help
Humphrey Elementary School third-graders determine the pH
of the soil in various parts of Chandler-Gilbert Community
College's Environmental Technology Center.
Students and faculty throughout Chandler-Gilbert Community College came together to highlight sustainability at Sustainability Day held at the Environmental Technology Center on April 9. Organized by the Office of Student Life and Leadership and the Civic and Global Learning Committee, the event featured mini-workshops, educational activities, poster displays and demonstrations from a variety of classes. Sixty third-grade students from nearby Humphrey Elementary School came to participate as well as CGCC staff, faculty and students.

“Students at CGCC worked on semester-long sustainability projects that linked the classroom to the community and gave students a meaningful service learning experience,” said Pushpa Ramakrishna. CGCC biology faculty.

Some of the workshops and activities included soil and water testing, adobe brick-making. seed bombs, re-useable plastic bags and solar ovens where students could melt marshmallows to make s'mores. All Pecos Campus general biology and environmental biology students made sustainability posters, some of which were on display. Everyone had the opportunity to give a three-minute presentation on their project allowing others to learn about sustainability activities across the campus.

The HEAT club sponsored the event.



Friday, April 3, 2015

Holocaust-era rail car brings survivors, students, community and understanding

Approximately 1,500 students and community members came to Chandler-Gilbert Community College's Pecos Campus on April 1 to see a Holocaust-era rail car and hear first-hand accounts of survivors in an exhibit provided by the East Valley Jewish Community Center. This was the first time the rail car has appeared on a college campus in Arizona which was accompanied by kiosks that share the stories of three survivors. George Kalman, who is one of those featured on the kiosks, was also present to speak with students and visitors throughout the day. The event attracted community members and veterans as well as many of the Valley's television stations who aired both live and recorded segments.

12news: Survivor recounts Holocaust, educates 70 years later

AZFamily's first segment: Historic World War II rail car on display at Valley college and second segment