The Great American Eclipse Viewing Party at Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Experience one of America’s greatest celestial wonders by attending The Great American Eclipse viewing party at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC). The CGCC Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, and the Astronomy Department, is hosting a viewing party for students and the local community on Monday, August 21^st. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience this rare astronomical moment by viewing the total eclipse through specialty telescopes while learning about its significance from CGCC astronomers. In addition to the viewing party, CGCC will live stream the eclipse on the campus Facebook page for viewers alike.

“This event is important to the CGCC community as it puts us in contact with multiple parts of our history, and of the development of astronomy as a science and the beautiful nature of this cosmic alignment,” said Ángel G. Fuentes, CGCC Astronomer and faculty member. “Students, staff, and the community will have a chance to take a closer look at the sun in a safe manner. They will be able to see sunspots (if any are visible), and slowly see the moon moving in front of the sun.”

The Great American Eclipse, is a total solar eclipse stretching across the United States going from Oregon through the heartland of the U.S., all the way to South Carolina. This type of eclipse has not been seen for almost 100 years. The last total solar eclipse that was visible in the U.S. from coast-to-coast was on June 8, 1918. Totality of the eclipse will only be visible in the path of the umbra, the darkest part of the eclipse’s shadow, which includes Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The eclipse will appear as a partial eclipse everywhere else in the continental U.S.

A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, the moon, and the earth align. Sunlight hits the moon, and the moon casts its shadow into space. As the moon, and the earth move in their respective orbits, the shadow of the moon moves over specific parts of the surface of the Earth. This creates the eclipse. “This eclipse is also special because its totality will only be visible from American soil,” said Prof. Fuentes. “Eclipses have been an important part of the history of our civilization, and have come to mean different things to different cultures. Eclipses have particularly special meaning to Native tribes, Mesoamerican, Aboriginal, Celtic, and Greek cultures, just to name a few.”

Event attendees will have the opportunity to view the eclipse in a safe manner through telescopes equipped with certified sun filters making it safe to look at the eclipse. There will also be demonstrations on how to build a pinhole camera which is another safe, easy option to view the eclipse. “It is important that people never look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse,” said Prof. Fuentes. “There are many easy options people can use to view the eclipse such as a homemade pinhole camera, a pasta strainer, number 14 welder’s glasses or certified eclipse glasses. Never ever use a telescopes or binoculars to look at the sun without a properly certified filter.”

The Great American viewing party will take place on Monday, August 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in front of Ironwood Hall on the Pecos Campus, by the Grounds for Thought coffee shop. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the eclipse visit https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

Cooper Hall Opens at CGCC William’s Campus

Cooper Hall, Chandler Gilbert Community College Williams Campus

Cooper Hall, Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s (CGCC) newest building, officially opened its doors to students, faculty and staff last month at the Williams Campus. The 11,820 square-foot multifaceted building, welcomes students with a variety of programs including math, electrical utility technology, history, engineering and business.

“We at Chandler-Gilbert Community College are excited about the opening of Cooper Hall and the opportunities this new learning environment will provide to our students,” said William Guerriero, CGCC Interim President. “Cooper Hall is another example of the College’s commitment to providing students with the latest technology to optimize learning and teaching.”
Cooper Hall’s emphasis on engineering, science and technology is intentional and appropriate given its namesake’s legacy. Cooper Hall is named after United States Air Force Colonel Leroy Gordon “Gordo” Cooper, Jr.  (March 6, 1927 – October 4, 2004), better known as Gordon Cooper. He received flight training at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas, and Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. After earning a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1956, Col. Cooper went on to become an aerospace engineer, test pilot, United States Air Force pilot and one of the Mercury Seven, the original NASA astronauts who manned the first flights into space.

“CGCC is thrilled that Cooper Hall will help to preserve Gordon Cooper’s contributions to our nation’s pre-eminence in space exploration through the fields of engineering and science,” said Guerriero. “His legacy will continue to live on through our students and this building.”
   
Designed by Phoenix-based firm Gabor Lorant Architects and DNG Construction, LLC., Cooper Hall features four general classrooms, two engineering and applied technology labs, faculty offices, a conference room and support spaces. The building was funded by the 2004 Maricopa County Community College District bond, built to LEED Silver certification standards and includes 100 percent LED lighting, carbon neutral carpet and ground concrete floors.

An official grand opening event for Cooper Hall will be held at 2 p.m. on October 21st at the Williams Campus located at 7360 E. Tahoe Ave, Mesa, 85212. 

Holocaust-era Rail Car Exhibit Uses Past to Promote Acceptance

Students and members of the community gathered at Chandler-Gilbert Community College's Pecos Campus on March 30 to commemorate the Holocaust and learn more about issues of tolerance, forgiveness and survival. Attendees were able to view a Holocaust-era rail car and listen to first-hand accounts of survivors in an exhibit provided by the East Valley Jewish Community Center and the City of Chandler.

The 11-ton, 33-foot-long rail car on display was the type and kind that Nazi Germany used to transport Holocaust victims to labor and death camps during World War II. Holocaust survivor George Kalman was also present at the event to share his personal story of survival with students and visitors. Mr. Kalman was only 9-years-old when his family received orders from the Nazis to leave their Hungarian village on a rail car in 1944.

The event drew hundreds of students, members of the community, city officials and many of the Valley's television stations who covered the event for their evening newscasts. Click a link below to view the television segments.

AZFamily

CBS5 

12News

Acclaimed Mexican American Author Sandra Cisneros Visits CGCC

Best-selling author Sandra Cisneros was recognized at a tribute event last Friday at the Chandler Gilbert Community College Performing Arts Center.

Cisneros is regarded as a key figure in Chicana literature and culture. She is the recipient of numerous awards including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Her book, The House On Mango Street remains a popular book for young adult readers, and continues to be a required reading in middle school, high school, colleges and universities around the country

Cisneros' visit to CGCC is part of the college's

Latino American history program to provide unique educational opportunities to students to learn about the history and cultural impact of Latino Americans in the United States. Earlier this summer, CGCC was awarded Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.  As one of 203 grant recipients selected from across the country, CGCC received an award of $10,000 to produce public programming about Latino history and culture.
Hundreds of admirers turned out to listen to the author read excerpts from her award winning work including the popular novel, 'The House On Mango Street.' Event attendees included CGCC students and faculty, local high school students and longtime fans. Following the event, Cisneros signed copies of her books and posed for pictures with attendees.

CGCC Presents A Tribute to Acclaimed Writer Sandra Cisneros

Award winning  and best-selling Mexican American author Sandra Cisneros will be honored at a tribute event at Chandler-Gilbert Community College's (CGCC) Pecos Campus on Friday, October 23 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. During the event, Cisneros will read excerpts from work including her acclaimed first novel, "The House On Mango Street" published in 1984.

Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954 and received her BA in English from Loyola University of Chicago in 1976. Her novel "The House on Mango Street," about a young Latina woman coming of age in Chicago, has sold more than two million copies. She is the recipient of numerous awards including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and is regarded as a key figure in Chicana literature and culture.

"Sandra's work is an important part of Mexican American literature. Her book, The House On Mango Street remains a popular book for young adult readers, and continues to be a required reading in middle school, high school, colleges and universities around the country," said David Muñoz, Residential Faculty Philosophy & Religious Studies at CGCC. "Sandra's visit to CGCC is an opportunity for our students and the public at large to see her in person and view some of her award winning work. You don't want to miss this event!"

Cisneros' visit to CGCC is part of the college's Latino American history program to provide unique educational opportunities to students to learn about the history and cultural impact of Latino Americans in the United States. Earlier this summer, CGCC was awarded Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.  As one of 203 grant recipients selected from across the country, CGCC received an award of $10,000 to produce public programming about Latino history and culture.

This free event will be held inside the Arnette Scott Ward Performing Arts Center and is open to the public. A formal book signing will take place immediately following the event. The Pecos Campus is located at 2626 E. Pecos Rd., Chandler, AZ 85225. For more information please contact David Muñoz at david.munoz@cgc.edu.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College Awarded National Latino Grant: Grant to educate students about the history and culture of Latinos in the U.S.

Chandler, Ariz.—August 5, 2015--

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) has been awarded a Latino Americans: 500 Years of History grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA).  As one of 203 grant recipients selected from across the country, CGCC will receive an award of $10,000 to produce public programming about Latino history and culture. CGCC’s participation in the Latino Americans grant affords a unique opportunity to provide a framework for students and community members to explore the history and cultural impact of Latinos in the United States. 

At the center of the programming is the six-part, NEH-supported documentary film “Latino Americans,” created for PBS in 2013 by the WETA public television station. The award-winning series chronicles the history of Latinos in the United States from the 16th century to present day. Learn more about the series at www.pbs.org/latino-americans.  Three episodes of the documentary will be screened between September and May with scholar-led discussions after the screenings.

Donna Thompson, Humanities and Woman Studies Faculty and grant co-director, emphasizes the importance of “using the arts and humanities to explore the challenges and opportunities present in our communities.” She explains that “An essential feature of CGCC’s grant events is the focus on creating space for conversation, debate among students, scholars, and community members around significant concerns and issues in our region like immigration, the Dream Act, migrant workers, cultural conflicts, and citizenship.” 

Program activities will engage students and community youth from the Si Se Puede Foundation in writing and sharing their stories; hearing the writing of Southwest and local writers, including Sandra Cisneros; with local playwrights, actors, and artists; and producing dramatic scenes in response to the migrant experience. 

Alexandra Cannell, CGCC Coordinator of Service-Learning, explains the positive outcomes of this work: “This grant provides the opportunity to deepen our relationship with Si Se Puede Foundation through programming that will serve its youth and educate our own students by giving them avenues to explore their own identities in connection with Latino history and current events. This is a critical component of their personal development that will positively impact their futures and the future of our community." 

Programming will also involve recording and sharing the histories of local Latino American artists to celebrate the artists’ lives and accomplishments, teach about local history and themes inherent in the artists’ life experiences, and inspire community members, especially the youth, to make art part of their life for identity exploration, enrichment, and expression. CGCC will be display the oral histories collected in their library as well at Chandler Public Library.

For more information, please call Dean of Arts and Sciences, Chris Schnick at 480-732-7274, or visit www.ala.org/latinoamericans.       

About Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is one of ten Maricopa County Community Colleges, the largest community college system in the country. CGCC serves the higher education needs of over 19,000 students at four locations in the Southeast Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area - the Pecos Campus in Chandler, the Williams Campus in Mesa, the Sun Lakes Center in Sun Lakes and at the Communiversity in Queen Creek. CGCC offers degrees and certificates in a variety of fields, university transfer, workforce development programs, and continuing education, along with nationally recognized programs in service learning, learning communities, and civic engagement. For more information, visit cgc.edu or call 480-732-7000.

About the National Endowment for Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.     

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.