Los Rios Matters - Spring 2017

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American River | Cosumnes River Folsom Lake | Sacramento City

A STEM Success Story

Music Composer Takes Hollywood

Bionic Man The

PROMISE PROGRAMS TAKE OFF

MAKERSPACE CREATIVITY MEETS INNOVATION

SPRING 2017

ENHANCING THE VITALITY OF OUR REGION

OUR STUDENTS SHARE

In high school, chemistry was my least liked subject and I struggled with it. Since coming to ARC, I’ve discovered that chemistry is really interesting and now my favorite subject. I never thought before that I would pursue a career involving chemistry, let alone be a Beacon Tutor for it.

Julia Chao, Studying Pharmaceutical Chemistry

In large universities it is often difficult to forge a relationship with professors. But at Folsom Lake College, I loved connecting with my passionate professors who were not only exceptional at making the classes fascinating, but structured the classwork in a relevant and useful way for future professionals.

Joe Krezanoski, Director of Design, Opportunity Solutions International When the economy crashed, I moved to Elk Grove, sleeping on a couch with three bags of clothes and a fan. This was my motivation to go back to school.

When I started at CRC I had to learn every subject from the bottom up because I was out of school for quite some time. The tools and study habits I learned at CRC made my transition to Sacramento State easier, allowing me to grow and further my studies.

Michael McPherson, Applying to a Masters of Sociology Degree

SPRING

2017 contents

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LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR

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3 Building a Stronger Capital Region

AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE 4 5 5 5

Cabaret Wins New Soccer Stadium ARC in National Math Contest A STEM Success Story

COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE

6 Music Composer Takes Hollywood 7 The Making of an Entrepreneur 7 Finding Success in her Passion

LOS RIOS FOUNDATION

8 Promise Programs Take Off 9 Los Rios Partnerships Benefit Grateful Student 9 You Can Help!

FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE 10 The Bionic Man 11 Artists in Residence 11 Healthcare Heroes

SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

12 Marathon, Not a Sprint: Success Coaching Gives General education requires a wide variety of knowledge, all of which will be stepping stones towards my major courses, and with Sac City’s small class sizes and available tutors, I’ve been able to succeed and really earn this education.

Kristen Fernandez, Studying Agriculture and Plant Science at Cal Poly 2 Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017

Students Personal Help to Achieve Goals

13 Makerspace Creativity Meets Innovation 13 Sacramento City College Celebrates 100 years 14 LOS RIOS ATHLETICS 15 THE CHOICE IS YOURS-

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR

Building a Stronger Capital Region

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t a visit to all of our campuses to begin the spring semester, I quoted the ancient African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The notion that we are stronger together is central to how we operate in the Los Rios Community College District and at our four colleges. Together, the thousands of faculty members and employees at our district and colleges work daily to improve the lives of the students we serve.

We are proud of the great history of success at our colleges. Founded in 1965, we have educated more than 1.2 million students over the years – many of whom have gone on to be leaders right here in our communities. From small business owners to elected officials, corporate CEO’s to philanthropic leaders, the capital region is abundant with alumni from our great institutions.

Today, the four colleges of the Los Rios Community College District serve nearly 75,000 students at four main campuses and six educational centers located throughout the region. The students at our colleges are creative and passionate. They regularly inspire us as much as we hope to inspire them.

Los Rios students are also as diverse as the communities we serve, a great strength of our institutions and, indeed, our entire region. Our students are first-generation college enrollees who are going to school while working full-time jobs in order to provide a better life for their families. Our students are veterans looking to gain the skills necessary to re-enter the workforce after serving their country honorably. Our students are recent high school graduates who have opted for a less expensive route to reach their ultimate goal of a four-year degree by starting at one of our colleges before transferring to the University of California or California State University systems. For all of these students, and countless more who are pursuing higher education as a means to achieving their objectives in life, Los Rios is the smart choice.

Among the goals laid out by our Board of Trustees in our district’s new Strategic Plan is a commitment to “establish

effective pathways that optimize student success and access.”

We want to make the experience of applying for, enrolling in and attending our colleges as easy as possible so our students can focus on what’s most important – their success.

We are also working to reduce barriers for students to attend college. Earlier this year, Folsom Lake College and the City of Rancho Cordova launched Los Rios’ first-ever College Promise program, where recent high school graduates in that city are promised fee-free enrollment at Folsom Lake for their first year. In November, West Sacramento voters overwhelmingly supported Measure E, which will help to launch a similar program for residents of that city to attend Sacramento City College. These types of forward-thinking civic partnerships are the hallmark of our region, and we look forward to growing and replicating these programs regionally in the coming years.

More and more, we find success in working together on behalf of all of the areas we serve. This is true as we strengthen our ties with employers to ensure that we are preparing students for a modern workforce. It’s also true as we continue to partner with K-12 school districts to make sure the transition from high school to college is seamless.

Community colleges are indeed about community. We rely on state funds and taxpayer support to fund a system that is intentionally designed to make college an affordable option for everyone, regardless of your zip code. Locally and throughout the state of California, Los Rios has earned an impeccable reputation as excellent stewards of taxpayer dollars. This is not a responsibility that we take lightly, and we constantly look for ways to maximize our resources with private funders and state and federal grants.

The great pioneer and education advocate Helen Keller once said, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

On behalf of our entire Board of Trustees, I’d like to thank you for your support of public higher education. Working together, we truly can do “so much” for our students.

Brian King Chancellor kingb@losrios.edu

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AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE

CABARET WINS! T

he American River College (ARC) production of “Cabaret” was selected as one of only three performances to be presented at the prestigious Region VII Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Denver, Colorado this February. ARC competed against hundreds of productions from a nine-state region, including shows from four-year universities, private colleges, and masters programs. In addition to presenting “Cabaret” at the festival, ARC students participated in other events ranging from the Irene Ryan (Acting) Competition to the Directing Competition, Musical Theatre Scholarship Competition, NextStep (Professional Theatre) Auditions and more. The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is a national theatre program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide.

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AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE

A STEM Success Story

NEW SOCCER STADIUM American River College’s (ARC) new soccer stadium opened in Fall 2016 and is receiving rave reviews!

The soccer-only, grass facility includes a scoreboard, lights, press box, concession area, ticket booth, and more. The state of California has selected ARC to host the men’s and women’s community college state championships in Fall 2017 – a distinct honor.

ARC IN NATIONAL MATH CONTEST American River College (ARC) Math students excelled in the recent American Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) Student Mathematics League national competition. After the fall competition, ARC is ranked 7th nationally.

The annual contest consists of two rounds: one in the fall semester and one in the spring. Each round consists of multiple-choice questions on a variety of topics in pre-calculus mathematics: algebra, geometry, trigonometry, functions, graphing, probability, combinatorics and elementary statistics.

Participating in AMATYC is a prestigious academic extracurricular activity for ARC STEM students and these types of activities are helpful to students in a competitive transfer process.

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t’s no easy feat coming to the United States from Iran and adjusting to a new culture and language, but even this difficult transition could not deter engineering student Bita Behziz from pursuing her dreams at American River College (ARC).

In 2013, Behziz joined ARC’s MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program, and within a short time became a MESA Program Assistant. Because of her dedicated contribution to the program, she was one of several students invited to attend the statewide MESA Leadership Retreat in Santa Cruz, California in April 2014. She was also selected to be the sole representative of ARC MESA students at the state-wide MESA Leadership Conference in San Diego in October 2014. Her scholastic drive and aptitude also enabled her to be accepted to the NASA Community College Aerospace Program. In this she excelled and was rewarded by being flown to the Johnson Space Flight Center in Texas to continue her training.

Adding to these rich experiences, Behziz participated in a research program at UC Merced last summer and studied issues facing patients with cardiovascular diseases, specifically by testing a procedure that had never before been attempted in a cardiovascular tissue engineering lab. The program concluded with a symposium where Behziz and other participants presented their research to hundreds of attendees. Behziz’s presentation led to her selection as one of five recipients of a travel scholarship enabling her to present her abstract at a conference of her choice.

As a special recognition of Behziz’s achievements, she was honored with the Chancellor’s Academic Excellence Award at the 2016 Los Rios MESA Spring Reception. Presented to her by Los Rios Chancellor Brian King, this award recognizes MESA students who have truly exceptional records of academic accomplishment.

Currently, Behziz is studying mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley and aiming at a career in bio-engineering or a combined vocation in electrical and mechanical engineering. Her research includes the building of devices that could expand the ability of patients with limited arm movement, in hopes that human testing of these devices could begin this spring.

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COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE

Music Composer Takes Hollywood

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While there, Parkhurst began working with two prominent rian Parkhurst is making a career in Los Angeles composers in the music industry. “I can say with full as a sound designer. conviction that my experiences at CRC were the first and most “My obsession with music has gone through important steps towards my success in both academia and the many stages, spanning many genres and styles,” music industry, and I am very grateful to all of the faculty who Parkhurst said. “Scoring for film and television are helped me get where I am today,” he said. two of the rare mediums where I can fuse all of these musical Parkhurst hopes to continue to explore influences together and not be restricted to a new territory in the music industry. single musical identity.”

“EVERY TIME YOU “Every time you create something The former Cosumnes River College new it is an opportunity to improve your (CRC) music major has already written CREATE SOMETHING craft,” he said. “I try to do that as music for Disney, Cartoon Network and NEW IT IS often as possible. I don’t Dreamworks. Other sound design work have a specific career has also been featured in films including AN OPPORTUNITY prediction or trajectory “Insurgent,” “Straight Outta Compton” and TO IMPROVE YOUR in mind. My career “Allegiant.” Recently, Parkhurst also created philosophy thus work for Netflix. And he’s currently working CRAFT.” far has just on a Dreamworks/Netflix series called -BRIAN PARKHURST been to try “Voltron Legendary: Defender,” which was to make the nominated for a Golden Reel Award. most out of the “When I started studying music at CRC I opportunities I have been given didn’t really have any previous formal education in music,” he - without knowing exactly where said. “But with the knowledge and encouragement I received they will take me.” from the professors, I eventually gained the skills and musical For more information on the music program at CRC, go to: literacy that allowed me to be admitted to the California www.crc.losrios.edu/areas/cvpa/music Institute of Arts.”

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THE MAKING OF AN ENTREPRENEUR At an early age, David Nguyen dreamt of running his own company.

As one of seven children, Nguyen recalls his parents’ ability to provide for the family by owning a business and knew he wanted the same.

Nguyen had taken a few business classes before coming to Cosumnes River College (CRC), but recalls he learned a lot while here.

“I recall it being an eye opening experience,” he said. “CRC provided me with the essentials. My intent was to accumulate as much knowledge of current terminology and strategies and there are things I learned in class that I still use to this day.”

For those interested in starting their own business, Cosumnes River College offers a business degree and certificate with small business management/entrepreneurship emphasis.

“Our program is designed to plant the seeds of entrepreneurship in our students,” said CRC Business Professor Man Phan. “For those who already have an entrepreneurial mindset in their DNA, our program seeks to water those seeds so students can be on a path of creating their own jobs and being their own bosses, rather than working for others.”

Phan added that these business courses are great for a student with any major.

“Students of any discipline – whether they are in visual, applied, and performing arts or architecture, construction, journalism, etc… can benefit from the entrepreneurship program because it can help transform their creative talents into achieving a self-sustaining, meaningful livelihood.”

For more information on the entrepreneurship program at Cosumnes River College, go to: www.crc.losrios.edu/areas/bfs/bus

Finding Success in HerPassion osumnes River College (CRC) architecture alumna Jacqueline Padilla Perez proudly recalls her experience at the college and the impact of her professors.

“What I loved most about CRC is that they offer an amazing architecture program based on the Cal Poly curriculum,” she said. “The professors are top notch, the design fundamentals that one gains from them are phenomenal. I know of many students who have come out of CRC’s architecture program that have gone on to become hugely successful in the profession in varied niches.”

Perez said the encouragement she received from her professors kept her motivated.

“In my experience the wonderful thing about CRC professors is that they consider themselves to not only be teachers, but also mentors, confidants, and partners,” she said.

Perez didn’t always know that she wanted to be in the architecture field, she was working for Ikea as a coordinator in the sofas and media department and had interviewed for a new position that required her to take additional courses in order to be qualified. Those courses led her to the architecture program at CRC. With support and motivation driven from her family, she worked her way through the classes. After completing the program, she transferred to Sacramento State, where in 2014 she would earn her bachelor’s degree in interior architecture.

“While drawing the plan for my dream home, I literally stopped and exclaimed, ‘This is it, this is what I want to do with

my life!’ I will never forget that moment.

Architecture and design proved to be the perfect marriage of my creative and mechanical abilities,” Perez said.

The former CRC student has been successful in her pursuit to become an interior designer. With her passion and dedication, she was recently appointed Creative Director at Miles Treaster & Associates, an interior design and furniture dealership in Sacramento. In explaining her new role she said, “As Creative Di-

rector I work with our Sales and Design teams to establish the creative vision for high profile projects. We are currently working on the design of the offices and lounge spaces at the new Golden 1 Center. It has been an incredibly amazing and exciting project to work on! My role is ever changing.”

Perez is currently working towards her master’s degree in historic preservation with dreams of spending her golden years restoring an 18th century colonial home. After living in it, she would like to donate it as a house museum for others to visit and learn about history and architecture after she’s long gone.

If you’re interested in architecture, please check out our website at www.crc.losrios.edu/areas/ct/arch

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LOS RIOS FOUNDATION

PROMISE PROGRAMS TAKE OFF

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he Los Rios Community College District and the Los Rios Foundation are committed to removing barriers for students to attend college and achieve their goals.

That’s why we are thrilled to be partnering with two Capitalarea cities on Promise programs designed to make college more accessible for recent high school graduates.

The first Promise program to be developed in Los Rios begins this fall at Folsom Lake College. Thanks to funding from the City of Rancho Cordova, recent high school graduates living in that city will be able to attend their first year at FLC fee-free. The application period for the program’s first funding cycle recently closed, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“The Promise program is not just about scholarships,” said Kathleen Kirklin, Interim President at Folsom Lake College.

“It illustrates a powerful commitment to students that we will streamline the process to get to, and through, our college. We are grateful to the City of Rancho Cordova for their partnership in this innovative work.”

In November, West Sacramento voters approved Measure E, opening the door for a Promise program for West Sacramento residents at Sacramento City College. Like the Folsom Lake program, the West Sacramento Promise will be available to recent high school graduates. The West Sacramento Promise will cover at least the first year – and potentially up to three years – of a student’s fees as long as they meet academic eligibility requirements.

“It’s our goal to use the successful models being implemented in Rancho Cordova and West Sacramento as a catalyst for a regional Promise program,” said Brian King, Chancellor of

the Los Rios Community College District. “This program has the potential to be transformational for our district and the students and communities we serve.”

King says his goal is to work with cities and municipalities in the area, along with private funders and businesses, to eventually build a program for the entire District. The goal is to provide all full-time recent high school graduates with a fee-free first year at any Los Rios college.

To learn more about Promise programs, or to learn how you can get involved in efforts to build a Capital Region Promise, contact the Los Rios Foundation at foundation@losrios.edu or (916) 568-3075.

FOUNDATION CONTACTS Each of our four colleges has specific needs based on student populations, program offerings, and areas of focus. To find out more about how you can get involved at each of our colleges, please contact:

LOS RIOS FOUNDATION

Paula Allison: (916) 568-3075 or foundation@losrios.edu

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AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE FOUNDATION

FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE FOUNDATION

Kirsten DuBray: (916) 484-8175 or DuBrayK@arc.losrios.edu

Sally Howard: (916) 608-6643 or HowardS@flc.losrios.edu

COSUMNES RIVER COLLEGE FOUNDATION

SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION

Liz Starbuck: (916) 691-7320 or StarbuE@crc.losrios.edu

Dan McCarty: (916) 558-2197 or McCartW@scc.losrios.edu

LOS RIOS FOUNDATION

LOS RIOS PARTNERSHIPS BENEFIT GRATEFUL STUDENT

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ita Kotyay began taking college classes at the Los Rios colleges when she was still in high school.

After working hard for many years to get through college coursework, Kotyay found her passion in nursing, attending American River College.

“I find myself grateful that Los Rios and local hospitals work together in opening hospital facilities to students,” Kotyay said. “l’m also grateful the Los Rios Foundation provides funds for students like me through scholarships.”

Kotyay said the Los Rios Foundation has been instrumental in helping her pay for the Sac State Bridge program which allows her to concurrently take Los Rios and Sac State classes.

She recently received a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

Kotyay eventually wants to become a nurse anesthesiologist for small towns that can’t always afford to have a full surgical team onboard.

“To me all of these opportunities are allowing me to grow immeasurably in my knowledge and my experiences, both in the mind and the heart,” she said.

More than anything, Kotyay is grateful for the life she has and the joys and sorrows she sees in this new profession.

“I am able to see the excitement of recovery after a heart attack, as well as witness the dignity of a dying person,” she said. “On the other hand there was the great joy of birth and unwavering hope in the eyes of my pediatric patients, and always, always I saw that courage in the faces of my patients as they faced each new day.”

The American River College student added that she is constantly reminded of what a remarkable thing it is to just be alive.

“As I step into hospital rooms, into chemotherapy infusion centers, operating rooms, or heart cath labs, over and over again I am reminded of what a remarkable thing it is to have working feet that can carry me to any cry for help and hands that can hold another’s,” she said. “And what a great honor it is for me to be alive, to have my life intersect with people who are not their illness or a statistic or an insurance dollar sign. No, they are whole stories, just like you and me.”

Kotyay believes that because of the partnerships Los Rios colleges have with the medical community, she was able to find her passion and looks forward to helping others every day.

YOU CAN HELP! Founded in 1978, the Los Rios Foundation mission is to help remove financial barriers and support students who are striving to not only enrich their own lives, but also those of their families. By doing so, we are able to prepare students to have a lasting effect on the future of our community and region.

Individuals like you help us partner with our colleges to support educational programs that further student success and make a positive impact on the region. This year, the Los Rios Foundation awarded nearly $500,000 in life-changing scholarships. Donations from our community partners helped us to provide state of the art technology to our Career

and Technical Education programs, bring art and culture onto our campuses and provide faculty and students with opportunities to attend once in a lifetime conferences and competitions. We also awarded more than $20,000 in Student Emergency Fund grants to help students stay in school, in spite of unexpected emergency situations that could derail a student’s future plans. With the help of our donors, we are changing the course of the lives of our students – and the region - for the better.

Please partner with us today, and help make the dreams of a student become a reality.

Make a donation today at foundation.losrios.edu Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017 9

The Bionic Man F

or the first assignment in his public speaking class last fall, 30-year-old Jeff Landay was instructed to introduce himself to his Folsom Lake College (FLC) classmates via a three-minute presentation. He began by showing a startling photo of himself taken in 2006 as a patient at Bethesda Naval Hospital. To him, this one snapshot encapsulated what he had endured and would also serve to motivate him for what was to come.

Following a tumultuous childhood, Jeff enlisted in the United States Marine Corps immediately upon graduating from Oak Ridge High School in 2004. In January 2006, his Camp Pendleton-based 3/5 unit was deployed half a world away to Fallujah, Iraq. During a routine patrol on May 21, 2006, the Humvee he was traveling in struck a roadside bomb that left one member of his platoon dead and seriously wounded three others. Jeff was barely alive, but somehow summoned the strength to drive the battered vehicle out of harm’s way.

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“They all thought that was Jeff ’s last act, to get that truck back to safety to get his comrades out,” his mother, Michelle Landay, said.

Marine Cpl. Jeff Landay was transported to a hospital in Baghdad, then to Germany, and eventually back to the States. Jeff was in a coma for nearly a month having suffered a traumatic brain injury in which they had to remove the left side of his skull to alleviate the swelling. “By every account, I should have died. Technically, I was clinically dead three times,” Jeff recalls.

Upon his hospital release and at the age of 19, Jeff returned to Citrus Heights and faced a long recovery that included relearning to speak, struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the physical and emotional toll of a cumulative 52 surgeries to repair his injuries. The battle scars on his body became his badges of pride alongside the three Purple Hearts he had been awarded for his service to his country.

It was also during this time that Jeff began taking classes at Folsom Lake College using education benefits provided by the G.I. Bill and with additional support from the college’s Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) department.

Jeff quickly endeared himself to students and staff with his combination of brutal honesty and unbeatable optimism.

The natural class clown also found comradery and compassion from other student veterans that frequented FLC’s Veterans Success Center (VSC). “Jeff ’s ability to look beyond his injuries and stay focused on the future inspires everyone he comes into contact with…including myself!” shared VSC staff member and fellow veteran Ken Walker.

“When students get overwhelmed, they can always think about how Jeff has the same commitments and does not give up or even skip a beat. He inspires others to stay in the fight and press on!”

It was also at FLC in that same communications course where he was tasked to tell his story that he discovered he had a knack for public speaking. After receiving an associate degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences in December 2015, he returned to FLC to earn a second degree in Communication Studies. He plans to transfer to Sacramento State and pursue a career as a motivational speaker to hopefully inspire veterans and civilians alike. “We all have struggles,” notes Jeff.

It was that first public speaking engagement that gave him the confidence to share his inspiring story with others.

When asked who would play him if his story one day gets the Hollywood treatment, Jeff said with a laugh, “Ryan Reynolds, because it would have to be someone pretty.”

To donate to the Veterans Success Center or other FLC programs, go to www.flc.losrios.edu/give.

FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE

A T

rtists in Residence

he Harris Center for the Arts, located on Folsom Lake College’s (FLC) main campus, not only plays host to renowned touring companies from all over the world, it is also home to the college’s visual and performing arts instructional offerings. And inside the stately steel and slate building perched atop the hill overlooking the city resides the Bank of America Gallery, which routinely features the works of talented FLC students as well as the working artists that serve as their guiding faculty.

“I enjoy teaching students the techniques that have been handed down through the generations of artists and the

innovations that have emerged in recent years,” said Visual Arts Professor Marisa Sayago (pictured) whose own work is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Latin American Art. “I enjoy seeing that ‘eureka’ moment in students, when they grasp and really understand a concept or technique.”

Professor Heike Schmid, whose work has been featured in a solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, adds, “I love it when students take the techniques to another level of discovery and come up with interesting ways to use paint or drawing mediums that does not fit the conventional norms or that come unexpectedly. When creating art, there is a give and take of inspiration and excitement that is not tangible. It happens on another level.”

For those considering turning their passion into a career, Professor Sayago advises, “They need to LOVE what they do; it’s not about the money or the accolades. It’s about truly needing to do what they do in order to be fulfilled. Art is not an easy path and rarely a straight one. You need to believe in yourself and not be afraid to fail. You need to be faithful to your voice. You need a thick skin; be humble, be open to and reflect upon constructive criticism, and always continue to learn if you want to grow and advance your technique.”

To see the latest creations by the college’s burgeoning visual arts students, visit the FLC Student Art Show on exhibit through May 14 at the Bank of America Gallery.

For more information, go to www.harriscenter.net.

Healthcare Heroes

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n hospitals and research laboratories across the region, students in Folsom Lake College’s (FLC) Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program are completing their clinical rotations. Once licensed, they will enter one of the fastest growing professions in the Sacramento region that pays well, but does not require a four-year degree.

“Medical Laboratory Technicians play a critical role in the health and quality of life of the patients they serve,” explains Program Director Jason Pedro. “They are the behindthe-scenes heroes that ensure the accuracy of the clinical laboratory results and play a crucial role in detection and diagnosis of disease.”

As one of only four MLT programs in California, the intensive, nationally accredited program was launched in 2010 and sited at the college’s El Dorado Center in Placerville. After taking the required prerequisite science courses, MLT students undergo 18 months of classroom and clinical training to prepare them to take the national exam of which 100% of FLC’s first-time test takers have passed.

The full program costs students under $5,000 and culminates in a hospital internship. MLTs on average make $28-$36/hour and find immense fulfillment in what they do.

Following completion of the program, graduates have been

hired locally by Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, Sutter Health, and Lodi Memorial.

The next opportunity to apply for entry into the program will open on July 1. For more information, go to www.flc.losrios.edu/mlt. Also of note, additional allied health offerings in the field of medical imaging will be launched this fall to provide specialized training for current radiologic technologists.

Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017 11

SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

Marathon, Not a Sprint: Success Coaching Gives Students Personal Help to Achieve Goals Sacramento City College (SCC) offers a number of support resources to help students achieve their academic goals. From tutoring to workshops, to oneon-one sessions with counselors or participation in a learning community, these services provide a necessary network of support for all students. Now, the college is taking a more customized approach with its new Success Coaches program. Success Coaches connect students to valuable campus resources and reinforce the importance of staying on track for their academic goals. They also show students strategies for reaching those goals and help them overcome personal challenges.

Rachel Bingham

B.A. in Sociology, University of California, Davis

Lee Moua

B.A. in Sociology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Karin Mack

B.S., M. Ed. in Applied Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis

What’s the best part about your job?

What draws you to this type of work?

What prepared you to be a Success Coach?

“After meeting with a student one-onone for a success coaching session, I love informally running into them around campus. It’s the recognition and quick conversations about academics or their personal lives that help reinforce how interconnected we really are. It’s my reminder for those students that I’m still invested in their success even if it’s been a while since we’ve last spoken. Since the majority of students we see through success coaching come to us for an immediate or one-time intervention, it’s important for me to take advantage of the informal opportunities to stay connected and build relationships.”

“What I enjoy the most about being a Success Coach is having the opportunity to work with students who come from first-generation, underserved and under-resourced communities. As a former first-generation student myself, I feel that I can relate to and understand the many struggles our student’s here at SCC face. I am passionate about inspiring students to use their education as a means to influence positive change within themselves and their respective communities. Success coaching grants me an avenue in which I am able to provide insight and direction while also emphasizing the importance of fully utilizing all available resources to accomplish their educational and career goals.”

“Throughout my career, I have been able to develop a range of programs to build a support system for first-year students. Working one-on-one with students provides me with an opportunity to learn about someone and to actively assist them in working out an achievable plan for their personal success. I’ve been able to help students network with one another and with some of the individuals I know in the community who are working in careers that interest some of the students I’ve met.”

My meeting with my success coach was incredibly informative and helpful. After a rough few weeks back in school I finally felt that someone at the campus did want to help me succeed. My success coach provided me with information for tutoring and other useful outlets to help -Sabrina, Studying Art History keep me on a path of success for the semester.

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SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

MAKERSPACE CREATIVITY MEETS INNOVATION

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ow do you capture innovation in a bottle? Trick question! You most likely can’t … but what’s the next best thing?

Providing a space with various tools and materials where the most creative, solution-oriented minds can roam free and collaborate to explore, tinker, build and create.

Enter the Makerspace.

Here, you are invited to play with low-tech or high-tech materials, work with others and find smarter, better or – simply – more fun ways to do things.

These spaces are interdisciplinary, participatory, peer-supported learning environments, where students can design, invent and be inspired in a community of other Makers.

Ideas blossom into possibilities, which turn into reality.

Sacramento City College (SCC) recently took the first steps to creating a Makerspace for students. A group of 40 faculty, staff, managers and students met to first learn about what a Makerspace is, why it would benefit students and how the college might begin to develop one.

Graphic Communication Professor Tom Cappelletti, who is facilitating the college’s Makerspace project this semester, believes that engaging in such a space while in college allows students to develop skills they would not otherwise gain.

Skills like creative thinking, critical thinking, collaboration and communication are crucial to a lifetime of success beyond college.

“Our goal is to create a facility on campus, open to all students, faculty and staff, as well as the local community, where students can explore project-based learning from multiple

perspectives,” said Cappelletti. “Over the next few years, our goal is to develop a comprehensive space with meeting rooms and state-of-the-art equipment where the community can engage in vibrant events across disciplines that engage all of our staff, students and faculty throughout the year.”

Makerspaces also introduce and present STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) opportunities for students to work together across departments and build a community of peers with unique perspectives and experiences.

SCC will be joining a statewide community college Makerspace movement, and will be applying for the “CCC InnovationMaker3 Grant” through the California Community Colleges “CCC Maker” program. Funding opportunities include a $40,000 seed grant to support planning and $100,000 to $350,000 annual implementation grants for two years. More information about CCC Maker is available at www.cccmaker.com.

Thank you for Supporting Sacramento City College!

Sacramento City College celebrated 100 years of academic excellence with a special Centennial Gala on March 25, 2017.

The college thanks our partners: SMUD, UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health.

We also extend our deepest gratitude to Honorary Co-Chairs: Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui, Gregory Kondos and Russ Solomon.

It was an unforgettable evening, but just one of the many ways the college is honoring its history.

Join us on Saturday, April 29, at 11 a.m. at the Sacramento City College campus for the SCC Car Show! This unique event will feature 100 cars from 1916 – the year the college was founded – to today. Admission is free.

Want to support Sacramento City College? Giving is easy – just visit www.bit.ly/givingtoscc.

You can also own a piece of Sacramento history by purchasing anniversary memorabilia, including commemorative t-shirts, posters and the full-color coffee table book, “A History of Sacramento City College in 100 Objects.”

Go to www.bit.ly/sccmerch.

Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017 13

LOS RIOS ATHLETICS

Sac City Athletes Win Statewide Awards

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ongratulations to Sacramento City College (SCC) athletes Madison Butcoff and Jason Zecchini on securing statewide Scholar-Athlete awards!

Butcoff, softball, and Zecchini, wrestling, were two of 20 students selected out of more than 20,000 student athletes competing in California Community College Athletic Association sports.

Scholar-Athletes are chosen based on academic and athletic accomplishments.

Butcoff completed two associate degrees with highest honors in Social Science and Interdisciplinary Studies: Social and Behavioral Science. She transferred to MidAmerica Nazarene University with a 3.92 GPA and is continuing her education and softball career.

In her athletic career, she was a two-year starter for the SCC Panthers softball team. In spring 2016, she helped lead SCC to a 1st place finish in the renowned Big 8 Conference, to a Regional Playoff victory, to a Super Regional tournament victory, and, ultimately, to a 2nd place finish in the state.

Zecchini completed an associate degree in Administration of Justice for Transfer with highest honors. He is currently attending and a member of the wrestling team at Dickinson State University.

NORCAL CHAMPIONS

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he American River College (ARC) football team won the northern California championship November 26, beating a tough Butte College team 15-9 (on a field that was more mud than grass) thanks to a dramatic last-minute touchdown pass.

ARC went on to battle Fullerton College for the state championship December 10. The Beavers came up just short in that game, losing 29-27. At the end of the season, ARC was ranked 9th in the nation.

14 Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017

Athletically, he was a team leader for the SCC Panthers and a CCCAA State Wrestling champion. He earned the following awards: All Big 8 Conference 1st Team, two times an Academic All-American, two times a state qualifier, and 4th in the state in his weight class.

Both athletes are great representatives of Sac City pride.

Go, Panthers!

BEST IN THE FIELD

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he Folsom Lake College women’s soccer team finished its fourth season with its fourth consecutive conference title. In post season play, the Falcons made it to the Final Four in the state playoffs, farthest in the program’s history. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) ranks the team #5 in the nation.

In another first for the thriving program, Midfielder Karina Torres (pictured) was named to the 2016 NSCAA Junior College Division Women’s All-America Team. Congratulations to the Lady Falcons!

LOS RIOS MATTERS

THE CHOICE IS YOURS! The Los Rios Community College District is one of the nation’s most respected learning institutions and the second-largest community college district in California.

You are welcome to attend any of the District’s four colleges: American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City colleges, as well as any of our education and outreach centers in Davis, Elk Grove, Natomas, Placerville, Rancho Cordova and West Sacramento.

You may choose to attend the college that offers the courses in your area of interest or the college closest to your work or home. Most courses are offered at all four colleges although some are offered at only one or two campuses. The choice is yours!

For a complete list, please go to www.losrios.edu and click on “Programs of Study.”

3D Animation A S Accounting A C F S Administration of Justice A F S Administrative Assistant A C F Advertising A C S Aeronautics S Agriculture / Ag Business C Air Traffic Control/Air Dispatcher S Allied Health C F S American Studies C F Animal / Equine Science C Anthropology A C F S Arabic S Architectural Design Tech C Architecture/Green Bdng Design C Art A C F S Art History A C F S Art New Media A C Art Photography A C Astronomy A C F S Automotive Collision Technology A Automotive Mechanics Tech. A C Biology A C F S Biotechnology A Broadcast Journalism C Building Information Modeling C Building Inspection Technology C Business / Business Tech A C F S Cantonese S Chemical Dependency Studies A C Chemical Technology S Chemistry A C F S Commercial Music A S F Communication/Speech A C F S Community Studies S Computer Info Science A C F S Construction/Construction Mgmt C Cosmetology/Nail Technology S Culinary Arts Management A C Customer Service S Deaf Culture & ASL Studies A S Dental Assisting & Dental Hygiene S Design Technology A Desktop Publishing A C Diagnostic Medical Sonography C Diesel/Clean Diesel Technology A Dietary Service A Digital Media C Early Childhood Education A C F S E-Business C Economics A C F S Electronics Technology A S Elementary Teacher Education A C S Emergency Medical Tech A C F Engineering A C F S Engineering Design Technology S English A C F S English as Second Language A C F S Environ. Studies/Sustainability C F Ethnic Studies C S

Nutrition & Foods A C F S Occupational Therapy Assistant S Office Administration A C F S Paramedic A Persian S Pharmacy Technology C Philosophy A C F S Photography A C F S Physical Science A F Physical Therapist Assistant S Physics A C F S Plant Science C Political Science A C F S Pre-Allied Health & Nursing S Project Management A F Psychology A C F S Public Management F Punjabi S Purchasing F Radio Production C Railroad Operations S Real Estate A C F S Recreation A S Respiratory Care A Retail Management A C S Robotics A Russian A S

Science A C F Sign Language Studies C F Small Business Mgmt A C F S Small Engine Repair C Social Science A C S Sociology A C F S Solar Technology A Spanish A C F S Speech/Communication A C F S Speech - Language Pathology A Statistics A C F S Student Government A C F S Surveying (Geomatics) S Sustainable Landscape/Irrigation C Tagalog S Teacher Prep Program A C F S Technical Communications A Telecommunications A Television Production C Theatre Arts A C F S Theatre Arts & Film S Veterinary Technology C Vietnamese C S Wastewater Mgmt F Welding A C Women’s Studies C F S Work Experience A C F S

A - Offered at American River College C - Offered at Cosumnes River College

F - Offered at Folsom Lake College S - Offered at Sacramento City College

Family & Consumer Science C F S Fashion A S Fiber Optics A Field Ecology S Film/Dig. Cinema/Media Studies C Finance C Fire Technology A C F Floristry A French A F S Funeral Service A Game Design S Geographic Information Sys. A C F S Geography A C F S Geology A C F S German A S Gerontology A F S Graphic Communication S Graphic Design & Illustration A Greek S Health Care Information Tech C Healthcare Interpreting A Health Education A C F S Health Information Technology C Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration S History A C F S Honors A C S Horticulture A C F Hospitality Management A Human Career Dev. A C F S Human Lactation A Humanities A C F Human Services A C F S Information Systems Security A C S Interactive Design S Intercultural Studies S Interdisciplinary Studies A C F S Interior Design A S International Studies A S Italian A S Japanese S Journalism A C S Korean S Kinesiology/Physical Ed A C F S Landscaping A C Legal Assisting A Liberal Arts C Liberal Studies C F Library A C F S Management A C F S Management Info Sys. C S Mandarin S Marketing A C F S Mathematics A C F S Mechanical-Electrical Tech S Mechtronics A Medical Assisting C Medical Assisting-Administrative C Music A C F S Natural Resources A F Nursing A (RN, NA); S (RN, LVN)

LOS RIOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

Los Rios Matters | SPRING 2017 15

1919 Spanos Court Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 568-3041 www.losrios.edu

RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

Non- Profit Org US POSTAGE PAID Sacramento, CA Permit No. 2917 ECRWSS

American River College 4700 College Oak Dr. Sacramento, CA 95841 (916) 484-8011 www.arc.losrios.edu

Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Pkwy.

Sacramento, CA 95823 (916) 691-7344 www.crc.losrios.edu

Folsom Lake College 10 College Pkwy.

Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 608-6500 www.flc.losrios.edu

Sacramento City College 3835 Freeport Blvd.

Sacramento, CA 95822 (916) 558-2111 www.scc.losrios.edu

matters

rios los

Los Rios Matters is published by the Communications Office of the Los Rios Community College District.

Editor Gabe Ross

Contributing Editors Scott Crow, ARC Kristie West, CRC Kristy Hart, FLC Crystal Lee, SCC Kristin Frame, LRF

Production Teri Winkley Graphic Design Alexandra Badolian