Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! May the joy and happiness surround you and your family!!!! Cheers, Kristie Wong.

Video and Lyrics

"Someday At Christmas."

Lyrics by Stevie Wonder

Someday at Christmas men won't be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys

One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free

Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime

Someday at Christmas we'll see a land
With no hungry children, no empty hands
One happy morning people will share
A world where people care

Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
When all men are equal and no man has fears
One shining moment, one prayer away
From our world today

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime

Someday at Christmas man will not fail
Hate would be gone and love will prevail
Someday a new world that we can start
With hope in every heart

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmastime

SDSU Graduates More Students

Pic by Kit

How did San Diego State University's graduation rate go from 38.1% in 1996 to 65.9% in 2013? SDSU Cuts Graduation Gap in Half Over Decade was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on December 16, 2015.

Question: Do you think San Diego City College can institute these changes to increase transfer and graduation rates of its community college students?

Best and Worst Paying Majors

If you want to make a lot of money, major in petroleum engineering. Here are the highest paying and lowest paying majors from Forbes.

Spring 2016 Schedule Online

pic by Jorg Hempel

The SDCCD Spring 2016 schedule is available. New students should go through an online orientation to find out how to pick a career, the different kinds of financial aid available to help pay for school.

Working While in College

"When low-income, older working students have to balance work and school, they become more likely to drop out. This explains why community colleges struggle to improve completion rates for students, who are typically older, low-income minorities. Georgetown attributes this trend to 'lack of counseling, social capital, and other supports that are typically associated with a higher socioeconomic status or more selective colleges.'”

Why Working Your Way Through College Isn't Always the Best Idea was published on Yahoo! Finance on Oct 28, 2015.

Child Development Careers

The following info comes from Pamela W. Gardner, undergraduate advisor at SDSU in the department of Child and Family Development:

"I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the San Diego State University Child and Family Development Department/Major. 

Child and Family Development students take an array of classes that provide excellent preparation for a variety of professions.  Certainly, our graduates find positions in preschools and child care centers.  But, our students also secure positions in social service agencies, working with homeless youth, pregnant and parenting teens, victims of domestic violence, children with special needs, etc.  Our major also provides outstanding preparation for future elementary school teachers, school counselors, and school psychologists.  Moreover, CFD graduates go on to become Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, professors, attorneys, pediatricians, occupational therapists, and child life specialists.  As you can see, our major is broad and our alumni are accepted into, and are successful in, many graduate and professional programs. 

Please let your students know about our exciting major, and have them visit our website at http://coe.sdsu.edu/cfd/.  The homepage offers several videos of careers our students pursue. Your students might also want to read more about our major in the SDSU catalog.  That can be accessed through our website, www.sdsu.edu, click on Academics and General Catalog.  I also invite your students to email me directly with any questions.  We welcome them on campus, as well.  I also have a team that is happy to come to your campus.  Just let me know.

Thank you very much for your consideration.  I wish you a very successful 2015 fall semester!"

Pamela W. Gardner, M.S.                                                                                                                           Undergraduate Advisor                                                                                                                            
Department of Child and Family Development
San Diego State University
(619) 594-7035
E: pgardner@mail.sdsu.edu                                                                                         

How Do Colleges Handle Sexual Assault?

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What questions should parents ask regarding a college's policy on sexual assault? Inside the White House's New Movement to Prevent Sexual Assault on College Campuses was published on Yahoo Parenting on October 9, 2015.

Community Colleges: Pros and Cons

Community college students default more on student loans and graduate at a lower clip. Is the solution to make community colleges tuition free? Why Making Community Colleges Free Won't Solve The Student Debt Crisis was published in Yahoo! Finance on September 24, 2015.

Southwestern to Offer 5 Bachelor's Degrees

pic by Produnis

Five Bachelor's degrees will be available to students at Southwestern's Chula Vista campus. Southwestern to Offer Bachelor's appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on August 29, 2015.

Fee Waiver

Effective Fall 2015, the Board of Governor's Waiver is only available to City College students through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Take note and apply for the FAFSA between January and March every year. This info forwarded courtesy of counselor Andre Sanz.

Scholarship FAQ

The Ultimate Scholarship FAQ

Anyone who wants to land free money for school should start here to learn about scholarship eligibility, essays, search, and more.

By Diane Melville - Updated: November 24, 2014

What You'll Learn

• Basic information about scholarships.
• Who’s eligible for scholarships.
• Where you can find scholarships.

If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked about scholarships, I could pay every student's tuition for a year! (OK, maybe just a year's supply of Ramen, but you get the idea.) This ultimate scholarship FAQ answers all the most popular questions I've heard—as concisely as possible.

The Basics

What Is A Scholarship?

A scholarship is an award, which does not have to be repaid, given by a person or organization to fund a student's education.

What Is The Difference Between A Private Scholarship And An Institutional Scholarship?

A private scholarship is any award set up by an organization other than the federal government or a school. An institutional scholarship comes from an educational institution (such as a school). The federal government does not award "scholarships," but they do award grants.

Man Walks 645 Miles in Tribute to His Wife

Pic by William Tung

How does a man pay tribute to a wife who died from cancer? Kevin Doyle's wife was a Star Wars fan, so he set out to walk over 600 miles in a Stormtrooper costume to honor her memory. Stormtrooper Walks 645 Miles to Comic-Con was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on July 8, 2015.

Best Commencement Speeches

pic by Steve Rhodes

pic by Matthew Yohe

Graduation is upon us, a time of celebration, a time of reflection. Here are two of the best commencement speeches ever by two men who have since passed away, author David Foster Wallace at Kenyon and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at Stanford. Both speeches took place in 2005. Rest in peace and thank you for your words of inspiration. The speeches were posted on the U-T San Diego site on May 29, 2015 and the article is attributed to Matthew T. Hall.

Helping the Homeless

pic by

درفش کاویانی

Elvis Summers is a man who wears a blue Mohawk. He is also a person who is helping shelter the homeless. Find out how one person can make a difference in the lives of people without homes. Building Tiny Houses Into Big Help for Los Angeles' Homeless was published in the U-T San Diego on May 7, 2015

Career Advice from Stan Lee

pic by Gage Skidmore

What does the creator of Spider-Man say about working for money? This video was shown on "Business Insider" on June 30, 2014.

Video Contest Winners!

City's Mental Health Services recently ran a contest for students to create a suicide awareness video, and these are the winners:

1st place ($500): Full Circle, http://youtu.be/eXaIedr-Syo

2nd place ($250): Directing Change: Suicide Prevention, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=couZno1OIS4&feature=youtu.be

3rd place ($125): Let's Change Minds About Suicide, http://youtu.be/UJHlesKTmiA (This video was produced by FYE student, Carlos D., with the encouragement of his peer mentor, Alma N.)

For mental health emergencies, the ACCESS LINE and CRISIS LINE is 1-888-724-7240.

What Can I Do With This Major?

pic by Profberger

As a counselor, I often hear from students, "I want to major in __________, but I don't know what kind of career I can go into with it." Here's a tool that will help. The website was forwarded by counselor, Steve Schommer.

Biotech jobs!

pic by France-biotech

Want a job in biotech fast? Take Biology 109 in the fall semester and complete Biology 206 in the spring semester to earn a certificate of performance in biotechnology. Entry-level jobs in manufacturing, research and development, and other fields assisting scientists can pay $12-13 an hour to start, and our biotech professors will help with job leads. Also, in the field of research and development, many companies will help pay for additional education so that you can take on other positions in the industry and earn more money by furthering your education. Our biotech program has nearly a 100% employment rate for the students who complete. This info comes from Professor Roya Lahijani. Call (619) 388-3289 or e-mail rlahijan@sdccd.edu for more info.

Introduction to Applied Biology

BIOL109 Fall 2015

CRN 43847 M/W 11:10--3:55 pm
CRN 43854 T/TH 11:10 –3:55 pm

BIOL109 has NO prerequisite !

A Professor's Advice About College Success

Pic by Bukulu Steven 

"For instance, the difference between 'Let's eat, grandma' and 'Let's eat grandma' is a dead grandma and my thinking you're a cannibal." From tip #5 below.



The following blog post by Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead appeared on August 6, 2014 in the Huffington Post. It's practical advice for college students:

A Professor's Pointers for Success in College: 21 Easy-to-Follow Tips

It's about that time again. Sleepy college towns will begin to awaken, abuzz with an excitement that only college students can inspire. Young scholars will soon arrive on college and university campuses, ready, or not so ready, to take on the world of higher education.

I have been teaching college students for 13 years, and I've come to know a thing or two about what makes some students more successful than others. Whether you're beginning your first year or returning as a seasoned upperclass(wo)man, I hope I can provide some practical advice as you embark on a new academic year. You see, we professors want all of our students to succeed. We want you to learn and grow and thrive, both academically and socially.

So here's to ivy-covered buildings, critical thinking, independence, making friends for life, asking hard questions, becoming global citizens, and discovering who you really are.

pic by Andre Karwath

1. Don't be anonymous. Introduce yourself to your professors and speak up in class, especially if you attend a large university with huge class sizes. I'm not saying you have to sit in the front row, answer every question and bring the instructor chocolates (did I say chocolates? I meant apples). Just don't hide in the back of the room and be invisible. Moreover, don't hesitate to ask questions in class; if you're wondering about something, chances are that someone else is too. If you think of a question outside of class time, visit the professor during office hours (that's the purpose of office hours) or send an email (see #9).   

2. Read all of your syllabi carefully. The syllabus is your contract for the course. There's no excuse for not being aware of essential information that has been provided to you. In addition, check your email account daily; faculty and staff members will use email to communicate additional information to you.

3. Stay on top of your work. Try not to procrastinate. "Plan ahead" should be your mantra for your academic life. Nobody ever says "Oh ****, I started on that too early," but plenty of students regret waiting until the last minute to begin studying or working on a project. Avoid pulling all-nighters (see Dr. Pamela V. Thacher's study).

Peer Mentor Job Openings

Need a job? Want to make a difference? The First Year Experience program is hiring peer mentors. For info, go to the FYE site, contact Tamika Balderamos 619-388-3888, or e-mail: tbaldera@sdccd.edu.

Padres Sign Pitcher for 20 Straight Years

A classy and compassionate deed by the San Diego Padres: The Padres Have Signed a Wheelchair-Bound Ex-Pitcher for 20 Straight Years was published in USA Today Sports on April 8, 2015.

Can A High School Senior Make a Difference?

Niki Mani: "I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that because he couldn't afford surgery he was going to go blind." Student's Nonprofit Offers Free Clinics to Save Diabetics' Vision was published in the U-T on March 17, 2015.

Playing Piano Helps Patients

How do you combine a love of music with helping people? Kevin Kim combines these two passions at Sharp Grossmont Hospital to soothe patients. Pianist Creates Oasis of Calm in Busy Hospital was published in the U-T San Diego on March 10, 2015.

Scholarship Info

The following scholarship sites are listed through the Student Affairs office at SD City. Applying for scholarships takes time and energy, but who can't use some extra money for school?

NY Community College Helps Students Succeed

Pic by AWang (WMF)

How do we help students graduate? Start with intensive counseling, provide help with tuition, and make sure they can get to school. In New York, an innovative program is doing these things, and students are completing their degrees. CUNY Program Raises Graduation Rates with Intensive Support was published on Feb 25, 2015 in School Book. The article was forwarded by Steve Schommer.  

Palomar 4-Year Nursing Degree

Pic by OperaSmorg

Palomar College has teamed up with Point Loma Nazarene to develop a bachelor's degree that can be earned through the community college, similar to another agreement made with Grossmont College. Palomar to Offer 4-Year Nursing Degree was published in the U-T San Diego on Feb. 19, 2015.

Related article: Local Schools to Offer 4-Year Degrees was published in the U-T San Diego on Jan. 20, 2015.

Associate Degrees for Transfer

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More students are earning the Associate Degree for Transfer or AD-T at San Diego County Community Colleges, and these degrees are helping students transfer to California State Universities. College Transfer Program Sees Success was published in the U-T San Diego on Feb. 6, 2015.

Here is a list of AD-T degrees in our district.