Free College!

Pic by Camdiluv

San Diego City College is going to provide free education to certain students. "Free Community College Plan Revealed" was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on Feb. 18, 2016. This article was forwarded by Heidi Bunkowske.

Student Overcomes Motorcycle Accident

Pic by Arnold C.

Zaphire Alonso lost her leg in a motorcycle accident but it's not stopping her from going to school. "Student Begins Her Journey Back" was published in the City Times on Feb. 17, 2016.

John Wooden: The Difference Between Winning and Succeeding

This month's quote comes from former UCLA coaching legend John Wooden: If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? This video was filmed in 2001 and gives us Wooden in his own words.

Stories to Win Cash!

Picture by Edesaintjores

 

From Chicken Soup for the Soul

Calling all college students! We are working on a new book to be written entirely by you about your lives in college and outside college, including stories about kindness, respect, compassion, expanding your horizons, and embracing differences.

We are looking for true, non-fiction stories of no more than 1,200 words from current college students up to age 24. You can be enrolled in two-year, four-year, or technical college — any post high school educational institution.

Here are some suggested topics, but we know you can think of many more:

  • Starting out in college — moving in, freshman year ups and downs
  • Embracing differences
  • Making good choices
  • Rejecting stereotypes
  • Study abroad, internships, and other off-campus experiences
  • Overcoming prejudices
  • Becoming a better person
  • Random acts of kindness
  • Overcoming fears and trying new things
  • Friends and family ups and downs, relationships
  • Turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts
  • Learning to put things in perspective
  • Learning to live with roommates
  • Learning about other cultures and other ways of thinking
  • Figuring out what comes next for you after graduation

Write your experience in the first person. Write a story, not an academic essay. Your professors are not reading this. Other college students, like you, will read the stories. Remember, it should be a true, non-fiction story. No creative writing please!

If your story is chosen, you will be a published author and your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. The Boniuk Foundation will receive the exclusive right to use your story for commercial purposes if it is chosen to be in the book. You will retain your copyright and be able to use the story for non-commercial purposes.

We would also like to share with you five free stories specially selected from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Campus Chronicles, our previous book for college students, as examples of the kind of stories we publish. To view these stories, please go to this page on our website and scroll down. The five stories will be right there for you to look at!

SUBMISSIONS GO TO OUR WEBSITE. Select the Submit Your Story link at the bottom of the page and follow the directions.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JULY 31, 2016.

College Rankings

Want to find out a college's 4-year graduation rate? How many students are accepted at a particular school? Cost? US News & World Reports has compiled the data to help you research your ideal university.

The Education Myth

This video produced for Citrus College shows why education is not enough in the modern economy. Do you agree? Written transcription.

The Power to Change

Alberto Vasquez didn't think he belonged in college after a troubled past. Now he is helping students by relaying his experience. "Ex-Con Leads Youths Into College After Major Turnaround" was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on January 4, 2016.

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.