April 2019 VVC Newsletter

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F EBRUA R Y 2 0VOLUME 1 9 | V O L UIII ME 1 APRIL 2019

VICTOR VALLEY COLLEGE NEWSLETTER Brought to you by the Associated Student Body

College Singers and Master Arts Chorale performed at Carnegie Hall in March 2019. (Joseph Inzunza)

College Singers serenade Carnegie Hall

By Sophia Mancillas NEW YORK — One year ago, the College Singers and the Master Arts Chorale was informed of the mind-blowing news that they would be singing at Carnegie Hall on March 17, 2019.

It was the first time any choir from Victor Valley College had the opportunity to perform in the esteemed building, according to Dr. Karen Miskell, VVC Music Department chair and vocal music director. Miskell performed alongside the choir.

“It was a privilege and an honor to be invited to perform in such an iconic hall,” Miskell said. “It’s given our students pride in the work that they’ve done over the years, as well as motivation for future performances and development of the choral art form.”

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The choir performed “Magnificat,” a seven piece movement by John Rutter.

The piece was directed by artistic director for Distinguished Concerts International New York, Dr. Jonathan Griffith.

“I didn’t know what Carnegie Hall was,” Francesca Zepeda, a forensic science major, said. “Now, I feel very grateful to have gone, knowing this was their goal for so many years and me not knowing what it was.”

Music major Maegan Naron, 18, experienced her first airplane flight while traveling to New York.

College Singers and Master Arts Chorale performed at Carnegie Hall in March 2019. (Joseph Inzunza)

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity … honestly a dream come true,” she said. “The sound in there was out of this world, just smooth and velvety. All the harmonies flowed together.”

Chad Atkins, 26, noted that performing at Carnegie has been his life goal since his freshman year of high school.

“A standing ovation, 3,000 seats filled, a sold out show. Now, that’s beautiful,” Atkins said. “I waited years for this. It’s every singers dream.”

Vashty Jasso expressed her appreciation for Dr. Miskell’s assistance in preparing the choir.

“It was such an honor to be there. Really no words can describe it,” Jasso said. “She is awesome. If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t have made it that far.”

When comparing their prior performances at VVC to the performance at Carnegie Hall, many of the students agreed there was a drastic difference in how they performed.

The choir completed a total of three, five-hour rehearsals to perfect the lovely piece along with 14 other choirs in the United States.

“Once we got there, the director fine-tuned everything,” said Naron. “Coming back, it helped us a lot. I feel like a better singer than before.”

Students win laptops through ASB scavenger hunt

By Charity Lindsey Two Victor Valley College students became the lucky winners of laptops through a successful Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt event April 18.

Cindy Blanco and Timia McDaniel were the first students to solve all the clues set up by the Associated Student Body Council, making them the recipients of two HP laptops.

Blanco, 32, said the scavenger hunt was very challenging, “especially with a kid,” since she took her son along for the fun.

High school students from across the High Desert built dog houses during a building competition at VVC on March 6, 2019.

“There were a whole bunch of people going in the library, so I knew there was a clue nearby,” said McDaniel, who is a student worker in the library.

McDaniel, 20, said winning a new laptop will have a significant impact on her since she’s transferring to a four-year college after she graduates from VVC this spring.

“I have an old laptop, and it’s very slow, so this is great,” McDaniel said. “I’m feeling happy because this sort of thing doesn’t happen a lot.”

Blanco said she was celebrating when she saw that she’d won because she didn’t have a computer.

“I’m always in the library because I don’t have one at home,” Blanco said. “It’s gonna be perfect if I want to take online classes or need to do a book report.”

Along with the scavenger hunt, a traditional Easter egg hunt was taking place, with 1,000 eggs hidden all over campus, all containing various prizes.

Most contained candy treats, while others awarded gift cards.

ASB Public Relations Senator Amber Scott said the events went great, with students coming in hour after hour to participate in the scavenger hunt.

“It was really well received by the students. Everyone was having so much fun,” Scott said. “Everybody has a little kid inside of them so it brought that out.”

Meet the trustees: Jennifer Tarpley

By Charity Lindsey In December, Jennifer Tarpley was selected from a pool of eight candidates as the newest Victor Valley College trustee.

Tarpley admitted that before a current trustee suggested she consider joining the board, it wasn’t on her radar.

“I honestly thought I was the longest shot,” she said. “But I think it was meant to be because every month I love it more.”

Tarpley noted that it's valuable to her to be representing women in leadership as the only current female trustee.

“The more that I learn about what community colleges represent, especially what Victor Valley College represents, I’m just happy to be a tiny part of what goes on here,” she said.

Tarpley is originally from Redlands and moved to the High Desert about 11 years ago. For the past six, she has worked for Oro Grande School District, where she is the director of administrative services.

Her background in education, especially her understanding of credentialing, state pension issues and school budgets, helped her secure the role as a VVC trustee. Over the past few months, she has been learning about the differences at the community college level and what her role as a trustee entails.

“I’ve learned a lot about the Brown Act and about accreditation,” she said. “I research every item and every bill that we discuss because I want to stay informed.”

Although she attended Crafton Hills College herself, Tarpley has quickly gained a strong sense of VVC school spirit and enjoys participating in campus events whenever she can.

“Everything has been super positive so far,” she said, from attending a performance of Aesop’s Fables at the Performing Arts Center to purchasing a VVC shirt from the RAMS Bookstore for her son to wear on College Wear Day at school.

Tarpley describes her approach to serving on the board thus far as having “an open mind and open heart.”

“I don’t personally have any of my own goals for the board to accomplish. I just want to be open to what’s best for students, faculty and the community,” she said.

She noted that she’s excited to witness the completion of the “One Stop” Student Services Center and even more eager to move forward with discussions of a potential stadium and conference center on campus. She is also currently continuing her own educational journey, working towards getting her bachelor’s in business administration from Park University.

Tarpley believes VVC is on a positive path forward and intends to be of service to help continue the momentum however she can.

“I think for the board, we all have one thing in common and that’s a focus on student success,” Tarpley said. “And not just one student — it’s all students.”

Meet the trustees: Brandon A. Wood

By Charity Lindsey Since joining the Victor Valley College Board of Trustees nearly six years ago, Brandon A. Wood has treasured the experience of seeing it consistently grow and improve — but it hasn’t all been plain sailing.

Opinion articles in the local news compared Wood’s initial appointment to the board in August 2013 to getting aboard a “sinking ship.”

At the time, the college was facing multiple issues, including being on probation from the Accrediting Commision for Community and Junior Colleges.

“I had been going to some board meetings and was aware of the challenges,” Wood said. “I felt like I could contribute and help to solve those issues.”

A defense attorney, Wood’s career background includes more than eight years of service in the U.S. Navy. Upon graduating Chapman Law School, he worked for the largest criminal defense law firms in Southern California before opening his own firm in Victorville. As a strong supporter of both the military and education, he also serves as a university professor at the Ft. Irwin U.S. Army base.

While serving as a board member, Wood has especially enjoyed seeing the college expand with the construction of new and improved facilities, including the Dr. Prem Reddy Health and Sciences Building and the Automotive/Welding Vocational Complex.

“Having been to the old buildings and having heard the complaints of students from how it used to be, to now seeing the new facilities — it’s a world of difference,” he said. “I’m so excited to see the progress on campus and I really can’t wait for the ‘One Stop’ (Student Services Center) to open.”

Among the various VVC events he attends, a couple of Wood’s favorites are the annual Associated Student Body retreat, during which newly elected ASB Council members participate in a four-day leadership conference, and the graduation commencement ceremony.

“I recognize from having walked across stages myself that most of the students have no idea who I am when I hand them their diploma,” Wood said. “What I never realized is how much it means to the person handing you the diploma.

They think, ‘I’m getting my reward,’ but it’s really a two-way street. I think I enjoy their graduations even more than my own.”

Looking forward, Wood is confident that if the college “continues on with the trajectory that we’re on” that things will continue to improve.

“We have so many things going so well right now,” he said. “It’s great to be able to stand there now today and say, ‘Hey, I may have gotten onto a sinking ship, but now this ship is floating, it’s steaming straight ahead, and it’s a pretty damn nice ship.’”

Ready, set, career!

By Charity Lindsey In line with state initiatives to develop more workforce opportunities, Victor Valley College is boosting its Career Education program to serve a greater and more diverse student population.

At the center of this action is Career Education Job Developer Charlotte Allen, who is on a mission to connect VVC students with local employers.

Charlotte Allen, Victor Valley College's Career Education Job Developer.

“The first part is getting jobs the students are trained for,” Allen said.

“The second part is making sure they have the skills and are employable.”

With these goals in mind, Allen has planned and hosted various workshops for students, including resume writing, interview skills, communication skills, and professional development.

A large component of her work involves going out and meeting with industry representatives to understand what employers are looking for. She has been surprised to find that many say they cannot find qualified people to hire.

“They tell me it’s not the skill set for the job, but their soft skills (that are often lacking),” Allen said. “Can they put their phone down? If they’re sick, will they call in?”

Some of the businesses and organizations she’s working on forming and/or strengthening partnerships with include General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Desert Valley Hospital, Heritage Victor Valley Medical Group, Goodwill Career Resource Center, ICR Staffing Services, Inc., El Pescador Restaurants, Starbucks, and the Employment Development Department Office.

Students interested in being connected with such work opportunities may enroll in the Career Education program at VVC, which is designed to help create pathways that lead to an associate or bachelor’s degree or a post-secondary certificate in a specific career field.

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Students in these programs have access to Purple Briefcase, an easy-touse online software that connects them with career prep training and opportunities for internships and jobs.

Allen also uses Purple Briefcase to track students’ progress, send out helpful reminders, manage events, and connect with potential employers.“ I can send out messages to all students, or by major … It will tell me if I have a resume to review — it’s a really great tool,” Allen said.

Another approach Allen’s taking to reach more students is through hosting career-specific mini job fairs.

“Part of it will be to teach students how to communicate with employers, to make eye contact, and dress professional,” she said.

She encourages any students who would like more information on Career Education opportunities or want help in professional development to contact her at charlotte.allen@vvc.edu or (760) 245-4271 ext. 2936.

VVC students enjoy private screening of ‘Endgame'

By Charity Lindsey An entire theater room at Cinemark Jess Ranch was filled with Victor Valley College students for a private screening event of “Avengers: Endgame” on Friday night.

Victor Valley College Associated Student Body members dressed as Marvel characters to attend a private screening of “Avengers: Endgame.”

As part of Spring Break, the Associated Student Body provided an opportunity for 100 VVC students to attend a free screening of the new Marvel Studios film.

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Tickets were awarded to the first 100 students to submit a 150-word response to the prompt, “What is my educational ‘Endgame?’”

The responses swiftly rolled in, each one unique to the individuals who submitted them. Some wrote about finding a job they love through a college education, others about giving back to their community.

“I want to major in graphic design and learn animation … Once I have graduated, I want to join an animation studio,” wrote Miguel Mendoza. “Most importantly, that I wake up every morning to a job that I love and look forward to.

That is my educational endgame.”

Another student wrote in her essay that she will transfer upon graduating from VVC with her associates degree in criminal justice.

“The classes I am taking will all benefit my career and I hope to achieve my dream of making a difference in the world and be able to enjoy going to work everyday,” she wrote.

A dedicated Marvel fan, ASB Executive Senator Kevin Aguilar helped organize the event because he believed it would be an opportunity to “unite all students.”

“I feel like it’s a once in a generation event and thought it would be well-received by students,” Aguilar said. “It was amazing seeing how many people submitted their responses, and how quickly.”

Without giving anything away, Aguilar called Endgame “the best ending to 11 years of buildup.”

“I don’t think any movie is going to top this movie for a long time,” he said, adding, “Bring tissues.”

With a packed theater during the screening, students laughed and cried together throughout the three-hour film.

Sam Hanke, 19, said it felt like “a community event” being able to enjoy the movie experience with other VVC students.

“Most people my age started watching these when they were 8 years old. I grew up wanting to be Ironman and wanting to be Captain America,” Hanke said. “So to reach my college years and watch the conclusion, it felt like growing up and it was really cool to share that with others.”