Tuesday, June 23, 2015

CGCC Faculty Members Selected to International Program

Chandler-Gilbert Community College faculty members David Muñoz (Philosophy/Religious Studies) and Sue Steele (Math) are traveling to Mexico next month as part of the 2015 Global Engagement Faculty Development Program.  Both members were selected to represent CGCC, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and the state of Arizona for a two week long (July 13-August 2) cultural and educational experience offered by the Office of International and Intercultural Education through the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction. This unique opportunity will provide professional growth and development, as well as a rich cultural experience to facilitate the internationalization of the MCCCD curriculum and colleges.

The University of Guanajuato, a long-time partner of MCCCD, will serve as the host institution for this program.  Both Muñoz and Steele will engage with the university in areas such as faculty/student exchanges, academic research, curriculum development and other means to establish beneficial relationships between the Maricopa Community Colleges and the University of Guanajuato.

While in Mexico, Muñoz and Steele will also be fully immersed in the study of our neighboring country and gain a first-hand understanding of its people and culture. They will have the opportunity to initiate or enhance Spanish language skills as part of this experience through a homestay with local families and a Spanish language component.  Muñoz and Steele will also visit key cultural, archaeological, religious, and historical sites,  and will engage in discussions about their observations related to the sites visited with academic experts in these areas.

¡Felicidades! (congratulations) on this once in a lifetime opportunity and we can't wait to hear all of the wonderful ideas you will  bring back to the CGCC community!



Tuesday, June 16, 2015

9th Annual Destination College

CGCC MAKES COLLEGE A CONSIDERATION AT AN EARLY AGE

9th Annual Destination College Program Gets Elementary Students Thinking and Planning For College 

As part of its commitment to early outreach, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) is hosting 'Destination College,' a program focused on exposing elementary students and their families to the college experience. Now through June 18, 110 sixth graders from Bologna, Frye, Galveston, Hartford, San Marcos, Shumway Elementary Schools are learning about a variety of career fields, as well as attending classes in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Daily guest speakers including faculty from CGCC’s math and engineering departments, Intel, Orbital, Qwaltec and the Si Se Puede Foundation are helping students explore career opportunities available through STEM education.  The Office of Student life hosted several events for the students.  Students also participate in exercise programs at CGCC's new Fitness Center in the Coyote Center with the fitness and wellness director.  Finally, Dietetic Technology students offered nutrition sessions with the students on a weekly basis.

Many of the students are first-generation citizens and future first-generation college students. They may not be aware of the opportunities available in technology, or what it takes to be an engineer, scientist or a technical professional. The STEM curriculum encourages lessons driven by problem-solving and discovery. Students are actively engaged in learning throughout the program at the college and will be able to apply what they are learning in the real world.

Destination College culminates with a graduation ceremony and reception for students and their families on Thursday, June 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. inside the Student Pavilion.  The program is sponsored by the Chandler Unified School District, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, The Chandler Education Foundation and The City of Chandler.



Tuesday, June 9, 2015

More than 100 middle school students to participate in 2nd annual Arizona Math Partnership Summer Camp


More than 100 middle-school students from six school districts throughout the Valley will participate in 2nd annual Arizona Mathematics Partnership (AMP) Summer Math Camp June 21-25, 2015.

This year's camp is at Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College in Tempe, AZ. Students will stay overnight in student dorms and get a taste of college life. They will also participate in math 
projects designed to share and teach math concepts in a fun and relevant way.

Selected campers are participating free of charge thanks to the AMP. AMP is covering the costs of the camp as part of its community outreach goal.

In 2012, the AMP received an $8.7 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to implement strategies aimed at making middle-school math teachers more effective in teaching math. So far, more than 250 middle school teachers have received training.

During a two-year period of intense professional development, teachers learn new methods of imparting math concepts that emphasize problem solving, sense-making and a deeper understanding of content.

"We must have done something right last year because we had 260 applicants this year," said Trey Cox, this year's camp director and a math faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. "But we could only select 110 because of space and funding."

At the overnight camp, student campers will participate in math and science projects and experiments, ranging from a boxcar derby to robotics to building a mousetrap car. All activities are designed to teach math concepts.

Students will stay in dorm rooms at Barrett, eat at the college dining hall, and enjoy fun activities at the ASU student activity center.  

About the Arizona Mathematics Partnership

AMP consists of Promoting Excellence in Arizona Middle School Mathematics:  Increasing Student Achievement through Systemic Instructional Change.  The partnership consists of 10 core partners: Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Scottsdale and Glendale Community Colleges, and the Deer Valley, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Chandler, Florence, J.O. Combs school districts, as well as Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community schools. Supporting partners are: Arizona State University, Maricopa County Community College District, and the Glendale, Mesa, and Peoria school districts.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Three CGCC Adjunct Faculty Members Receive District Recognition


The Adjunct Faculty Association and the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction have recognized Chandler Gilbert Community College (CGCC) adjuncts Margie Gomez, Patricia Gail Haase and Yanci Murphy for their 2014-2015 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Awards. Each of the recipients was recognized at the Maricopa Community College District Recognition Ceremony event on April 23 at Rio Salado Community College for demonstrating excellence and dedication in teaching.

Margie Gomez
Margie Gomez, has worked as a faculty member at CGCC since 2007 in the Business & Computing Studies Division. She has extensive experience in business and industry as a mechanical engineer employed by Motorola for six years. Her industry experience, coupled with her passion for teaching and helping students succeed, makes her a valuable resource at CGCC. Students are Gomez's main priority. She goes out of her way to make sure her students get the help they need to be successful inside the classroom. She has served as a tutor of accounting at CGCC and recently was invited to tutor students in economic  and finance at Thunderbird Graduate School of International Business. Gomez actively seeks to incorporate civic engagement, service learning and assessment in all of her classes to provide students with meaningful real-life experiences. She has participated in collaborative learning training workshops, and has incorporated Canvas in all her classes. She has a Certificate of Completion for MOSAIC and Safe Space. Thank you Margie Gomez for your hard work and dedication to the CGCC community.

Patricia Gail Haase
Patricia Haase has been working as a CGCC adjunct faculty member since 2013 in the Religious Studies Department.  She currently serves as the adjunct faculty representative for the CGCC Adjunct Faculty Association where she represents and advocates for her colleagues on a variety of issues. Most recently, Haase has been instrumental in obtaining additional work space for adjuncts to prepare for class and a private space to meet with students. In addition, Haase has also collaborated with her peers to develop a charter document for adjunct faculty that has been incorporated into the Shared Governance structure at CGCC. Inside the classroom, Haase is committed to providing the best learning experience for her World Religion students. As noted by one of her students, Haase goes above and beyond to connect students to her classroom material. She encourages students to think open mindedly and to step outside the box when it comes to their views on religious issues. Her use of communication and creative interactivity inside the classroom have allowed her students to establish relevant connections with the coursework.  She is truly a leader in the field and a role model for her students and peers.

Yanci Murphy                                                                                                                                                           
Yanci Murphy is a Spanish adjunct faculty member at CGCC William's Campus where she has taught since 2012. She currently works as the co-advisor for the CGCC chapter of Sigma Delta Mu Spanish Honors Society, an organization that fosters friendly relations and mutual respect between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking people. She has given many hours of her own time to reinstate this organization, to increase membership and to plan special events focused on developing student leaders. She is an active member of One World, CGCC's diversity committee, and is a frequent participant in events promoting awareness of the many cultures represented at CGCC. She is also a regular attendee at many of CGCC's co-curricular, civic and global engagement, and community enrichment events. Murphy spearheaded the effort to offer Spanish classes at CGCC's Williams Campus and a concurrent enrollment Spanish class at a local high school last spring. She challenges students and makes learning fun, and exciting. She is known for consistently promoting student success and her uniqueness to connect students to the language and culture. ¡Felicidades Yanci!

Congrats to all of our recipients!