Mt. SAC Students Named to State Academic Team

By Mount San Antonio College

Mt. San Antonio College students Candice Handjojo and Andrew Pastor are two of the 92 community college students throughout the state recently selected for the 2015 All-California Academic teams, chosen by Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international community college honor society. 

These students represent some of the best of the 2.8 million students enrolled in California’s community college system. 

Handjojo and Pastor, both students in Mt. SAC’s Honors Program, received medallions during the Community College League of California’s awards ceremony held on April 7 at the Sheraton Grand in Sacramento. Selection for the academic teams is based on grades, leadership, and community service. 

Handjojo, 20, is a sociology major and carries a 3.94 GPA. She was selected for the All-California Academic Third Team. A West Covina resident, she volunteers as tutor for Schools on Wheels tutoring that provides tutoring services for homeless children and also tutors second-grade children in English, science, and math through Top Kids in Walnut. In addition, she volunteers as a score keeper for National Junior Basketball for area youth.

She sang as a member of Mt. SAC’s concert choir and sings with her church choir in West Covina. She plans to transfer to UC Berkeley or UC Irvine as a sociology major, and eventually become an educational counselor. 

Pastor, 20, is a public health major and carries a 4.0 GPA. He was selected for the All-California Academic Third Team. A San Dimas resident, he served as president of the Honors Ambassadors for PTK on campus.

He is a member of the Caduceus Club and the Native American Intertribal Student Association (NAISA) at Mt. SAC, and is a tutor at the college’s Learning Assistance Center. Off campus, he is a percussion instructor at San Dimas High School and is serving an internship with UC Irvine’s Medical Center.

He plans to transfer to UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, or UC Irvine as a public health/microbiology major. He eventually plans to become a physician and work as a global health coordinator. 

There are 30 first-team, 31 second-team, and 31 third-team winners. 

Finalists prep for finals in Inland Valley Regional Spelling Bee

bee2

Congratulations to the 34 spellers who qualified for the Inland Valley Regional Spelling Bee Finals this Saturday at Mt. SAC. Good Luck!

1. Canyon Hills Junior High Virginia Williams

2. Caryn Elementary School Nicholas Lee

3. Chaparral Middle School Olivia Hwang

4. Country Springs Elementary Emma Lazaro

5. Cucamonga Elementary Ranzelle Judd

6. Dona Merced Elementary Sofia Elise Benigno

7. Edgewood Elementary Brandon Lam

8. El Rooble Intermediate Amelie Cook

9. Etiwanda Intermediate Shlok Rajurkar

10. Foothill Knolls School Royce Tuncar

11. Goddard Middle Serena Lin

12. Harry S. Truman Middle Elizabeth Ouanemalay

13. Heritage Intermediate Rendell Jacob Nunez

14. Lorbeer Middle Andrew Wang

15. Mariposa Elementary Kaitlyn Le

16. Monte Vista Elementary Austin Leong

17. Montera Elementary Anna Nguyen

18. Oakridge Elementary Daniel Chen

19. Pioneer Junior High Rebecca Norden-Bright

20. Ramona Middle Aidan Leung

21. Rancho Cucamonga Middle Youssef Adam

22 .Rolling Ridge Elementary Kaila Long

23. Rowland Avenue Elementary Spandan Suthar

24. South Pointe Middle Thordar Han

25. St.Margaret Mary Hannah Silvestro

26. St. Joseph Vanessa Rios

27. Summit Intermediate Elyssa Sefiane

28. Sutherland Elementary Miriam Tomt

29. Suzanne Middle Lynette Chan

30. Sycamore Elementary Omvikneswer Muralitharan

31. Traweek Middle Ian Hulsbosch

32. Valencia Elementary Armieta Nabati

33. Victoria Groves Elementary Matthew Torre

34. Vineyard Junior High Nourya Cohen

Mt SAC wins two-year college flying team trophy

The Mt. San Antonio College Flying Team won the Top Two-Year College Team Trophy for the 24th consecutive year at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s regional competition hosted recently by San Diego Christian College at Gillespie Airport in San Diego. 

“This year marks the 24th consecutive year our team has won the top community college trophy—a truly incredible run,” said Mt. SAC Flying Team Advisor and Aeronautics Professor Robert Rogus. 

The 2014 Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) is a competition for university and community college flying teams. The regional airmeet featured flying teams from six colleges, including Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, San Jose State University, and the U.S. Air Force Academy with a total of 66 students competing. 

In addition to the Top Two-Year School Award, the Mt. SAC team won the Safety Trophy. Individually, Sebastian Plaister (San Dimas) won the instrument flight event and ranked sixth as the overall competitor at the airmeet. Jason Juarez (Ontario) took third in the message drop event. 

Overall, Mt. SAC placed fifth with 43 points. The top three regional teams receive invitations to the national competition. 

Over the years, the Mt. SAC Flying Team has consistently earned top honors as one of the best collegiate flying teams in the country. The team has won the Top Community College trophy at the regional competition every year since 1991. Mt. SAC has won the Top U. S.  Community College award at the national airmeet in 1984, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. 

Mt SAC breaks ground for Student Success Center

Mt. San Antonio College will hold groundbreaking ceremonies for the campus’ new Student Success Center and Food Services Building on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 4 p.m., at the site of the new center, just south of the college’s Design Technology Center, building 13. 

The $13.6 million Student Success Center will house the Disabled Student Programs and Services High Tech Center and classrooms, the Veterans Resource Center, the Bridge Program, and a Student Health Center. 

“The new center shows an expansion of our programs to meet the needs of our students,” said Mt. SAC Student Services Vice President Audrey Yamagata-Noji. “It really addresses the growth of our programs and our support for student success.” 

The three-story building will afford 22,800 square feet for classrooms, study labs, offices, and lab. Construction on the project began in mid-September with a completion date slated for December 2015. 

The $12.7 million Food Services Building will replace the current Campus Café. The new 13,500-square-foot facility will seat approximately 90 people for interior dining and over 200 for outside dining on the east, west, and south terraces. The new building will house several food stations, including a deli, a grill station, Asian cuisine, and a coffee shop. 

The new Food Services Building is also expected to be completed by December 2015. 

Mt. SAC holding community volunteer fair Nov. 6

The Mt. San Antonio College Student Life Office will hold a Community Volunteer Fair for local organizations that would like to recruit student volunteers on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Student Life Center patio area, building 9C. 

The fair provides an opportunity for students to engage in public service, obtain hands-on learning experiences, and make a difference in the community.

Some of the organizations that will participate in this year’s event include the AmeriCorps, Covina Public Library, Inland Empire United Way, House of Ruth, Inland Valley Hope Partners, Just Us 4 Youth, Parent’s Place Family Resource & Empowerment Center, Rowland Unified School District Family Resource Center, Think Together, VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, and more. 

Community organizations that would like to participate should call the Mt. SAC Student Life Office at (909) 274-5953. 

Mt. SAC dance company presents fall dance concert Oct. 24-26

 The Mt. San Antonio College Repertory Dance Company will perform a variety of dance styles at its Annual Fall Repertory Dance Concert on Oct. 24 – 26 at the college’s Sophia Clarke Theater.

Performance times are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday with a special 3 p.m. performance on Sunday, Oct. 26. 

The dance company is Mt. SAC’s elite group of student performers who showcase the talent of this award-winning dance department. The troupe performs thought-provoking modern works and entertaining musical theater pieces along with ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary dance.

Faculty and guest choreographers are highly acclaimed professionals with credits that include major dance companies, film, and television. 

Tickets are $14 for general admission, and $10 for seniors, students, and children age 12 and under. 

For tickets and more information, call the Performing Arts Box Office at (909) 274-2050. Tickets may also be purchased online athttps://tickets.mtsac.edu. 

Mt. SAC celebrates million alumni day on Oct. 18

–Mt. San Antonio College will celebrate its more than one million alumni with a full day of activities at the second annual Mt. SAC Alumni Day on Saturday, Oct. 18, beginning at 1 p.m. 

Mountie pride will be loud and proud with over seven hours of speakers, shows, and tours as Mt. SAC showcases the successes of its many alumni, faculty, and current students. 

Just some of the activities scheduled include a presentation by alumnae Kim and Ericka Harrison, famed television writers for “Criminal Minds” and the new hit show “How to Get Away with Murder,” agriculture and wildlife sanctuary tours, planetarium shows, and a music faculty concert in the Feddersen Recital Hall. 

The day’s event will be capped off with the top-ranked Mt. SAC football team taking on Citrus College at 6 p.m., preceded by a pre-game fly-over by the college’s nationally respected flying team and a reception with a barbecue, music, and lots of Mountie spirit. 

For more information on Alumni Day, call the Mt. SAC Alumni Association at (909) 274-5443 or check online atmtsac.edu/alumni/alumniday/. 

Mt. SAC opens $18 million child development center

Photo by Leo Jarzomb

Photo by Leo Jarzomb

By Richard Irwin, Staff Writer

The decision of paying for good day care or attending college is a heavy burden for many young families. But with the grand opening this month of Mount San Antonio College’s $18.5 million child development center, the school is helping hundreds of students bridge the gap.

“Childcare is sometimes the biggest barrier for people who want to return to college and continue their education,” said Tamika Addison, the center’s director.

The four-building complex will serve more than 210 families every semester. That’s up from the 160 the old daycare center could handle. Still, there’s a waiting list of 150.

“The new and improved CDC allows us to increase the number of CalWORKS, community and faculty families we can serve,” Addison said. “It is giving more parents the opportunity to continue their education and be away from their child, knowing that they are safe and learning in a quality environment.”

The 33,800-square-foot complex will provide quality childcare for 162 children. It serves children from infants to 5 years old.

The state-of-the-art facility offers unique perspectives, from the windows installed at toddler height to the low snack counters in each class.

To change a diaper, just roll out the built-in steps to allow the child to climb up onto the new changing tables. Then use the special chute that dumps the soiled diapers into an outside closet.

“We wanted to use natural materials and colors in the construction because research shows that primary colors excite children,” said architect Mikaela Klein, who helped design the center. She is now a Mt. SAC facilities planner.

But it’s the little touches that stand out. Like the tack strip that replaces the usual chair rails, giving teachers a chance to hang the kid’s artwork at their eye level. Or the small, private alcoves scattered throughout the center, giving excitable children a quiet place to calm down.

Read more in Rich Irwin’s story CHILD.

Mt. SAC President Bill Scroggins gets 3-year extension, $10,000 bonus

By Steve Scauzillo, Staff Writer

Quietly and without fanfare, the Mount San Antonio College board extended the college president’s contract for three years and also gave him a $10,000 tax-sheltered annuity.

Bill Scroggins, president of Mt. SAC

Bill Scroggins, president of Mt. SAC

Bill Scroggins, 66, is under contract to serve as president of Mt. SAC until June 30, 2017, when his new contract will expire, according to a board agreement enacted Sept. 10.

This is the third $10,000 annuity given to Scroggins during his three-year tenure. He received one in July 2012 after the board amended his original contract, and in July 2013. Scroggins will receive a $10,000 “tax-sheltered annuity” every year for the next three years, according to his new contract and college officials.

The college also pays a portion of his retirement into a statewide retirement system which is separate from the annuities, said Jill Dolan, director of public affairs for the college.

Though the trustee board did not adjust his salary this month, Scroggins has received a $22,000 raise since he came on board. His salary rose from $225,000 in July 2011 to $247,428, his current annual compensation, according to records and college officials.

Trustee David Hall said during the meeting that it was not unusual for a college board to grant its president/CEO annuities and added Mt. SAC had indeed given an annuity to President Bill Feddersen, who served from 1991 to 2002, said Yen Mai, Mt. SAC’s marketing and communications director.

Read more in Steve’s story SCROGGINS.

 

 

During the discussion in December 2012 to amend Scroggins’ contract to allow the board to provide an annuity, Trustee Fred Chyr, now board president, said the annuity was not based on the president’s performance. The item raised an objection from Student Trustee Elisa Marin who said students would not agree to any kind of pay increase during these difficult economic times, according to minutes obtained by this newspaper.

Giving annuities is just another way of giving a bonus to keep an administrator, experts said. But the type of cash add-on, in this case a tax-sheltered annuity available after a person retires, suits older administrators more than younger or middle-aged managers, said Heidi Gallegos, board president of the Rowland Unified School District and a recent member of the Mt. SAC bond oversight committee.