FCC Fall Magazine

Fresno City College Stories of the People in California’s First Community College

FALL 2017

STAFF EDITORS: ART DIRECTOR: WRITERS:

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Adviser

Edward Smith Samantha Domingo Ram Reyes Armando Carreno Julease Graham Cheyenne Tex Frank Lopez Jorge Rodriguez Marco Rosas Sam the Ram Larry Valenzuela Ashleigh Panoo Dr. Dympna Ugwu-Oju

This publication was produced by students from the Rampage, the student-run newspaper of Fresno City College.

College President Dr. Carole Goldsmith Vice President of Administrative Services

Cheryl Sullivan

Vice President of Don Lopez Instruction Dean of Students Sean Henderson Public Information Office

Fine, Performing and Communication Arts Division

Administration Services FCC Graphic Artist

Kathy Bonilla Mark Tabay Rita Luna Neil Vanderpool Lisa Cartwright Megan Dewitt Faith Mensa Kelley Benzler Amy Yocupicio Ben Lozano

Fresno City College 1101 East University Avenue Fresno, California 93741 State Center Community College District Š2017

INS DE 04 Honors Program 07 Nursing 10 Veterans Resource Center 12 Fire Academy 16 Applied Technology 20 Puente 22 Police Academy 26 Career & Technology Center 30 Athletics 34 Neighborhood 34 Construction Update

4|Fresno City College

HONORS PROGRAM H

“

STORY BY EDWARD SMITH

igh school is over.

You want to stand apart from the crowd but there are so many others trying to do the same.

You worked harder than most of your peers and you want something to show for the work you put into moving your life forward. College is only a stepping stone for you and you need to get to where you are going.

The problem is all of the majors are impacted and a good school representative of your talents is hard to get into without something tangible to prove your worth.

Started 30 years ago from a donation from Leon S. Peters, an advocate for education, the Fresno City College honors program began as a way to help students in their college careers and eventually grew into a program that stimulates and readies students for the difficulties in advanced education.

The program offers a broad set of advantages to students who qualify for the rigors of the courses.

Students who either maintain a 3.5 grade point average out of high school, a 1200 on the SAT or who are in the top 25 percen-

tile of graduating can apply to enter the program and be eligible to take honors courses that set students apart.

In addition to the eligibility requirements, students must have two letters of recommendation and write an essay.

“A lot of people think honors courses are harder, and they’re afraid of taking an honors course,” Aaron Pankratz, former honors program director and economics instructor said. “But they’re not that much harder.

What we do is we add enrichment content to the course.”

While the courses do move quickly, the faster pace allows for instructors to incorporate broader material into the curriculum for students ready to learn at a university level.

Fabiola Ochoa, a second-year accounting major transferring to Fresno State, saw the advanced courses as offering something more and helped prep her for what comes next in her life.

“Honors courses are a lot more challenging,” Ochoa said. “The instructors know you are there for a reason.”

According to Pankratz, the curriculum is supposed to be more than merely challenging.

You get to be able to ask questions without feeling lost in the crowd.

Aaron Pankratz

Former Honors Program Director

Fall 2017|5

Recipients of the Dean’s Medallion, such as Christopher Forestier (second from the right), often include students in the honors program.

Along with the regulars honors courses, students are required to take two one-unit colloquia courses. The courses take two different disciplines and combine the two to create a unique approach to a subject.

“Students love it,” Pankratz said. “For example, we [might] teach people to look at things through an economic lens.

We talk about being rational thinkers and weigh cost and benefits of every decision.

[Whereas] in sociology, we take a different approach.”

Not only did Ochoa enjoy the rich material, but instructors were able to help out a lot more due to smaller class sizes.

“The classes are a lot smaller since not everyone can get in,” Ochoa said. “The instructors have time for your questions.”

For a class like political science, one of the largest classes offered at Fresno City College, which can have up to 210 students in a class, the honors equivalent rarely has more than thirty, according to Pankratz.

“You get more interaction

with the instructors,” Pankratz said. “You get to be able to ask questions without feeling lost in the crowd.”

That interaction with instructors helped Ochoa with the more demanding course load for her classes.

The instructors in the honors program are all handpicked, said Pankratz.

“We look for someone who is energetic and loves the course.

Someone who is connecting the students with the material,” Pankratz said. “We hear from students that this instructor has a lot of passion for [their] subject.”

Ochoa attributed a lot of her motivation to her instructors.

“They encourage questions and give you that extra push.

It made me want to work a lot harder,” Ochoa said. “They know you’re there for a reason and you have to keep that reputation that got you there.”

In order to graduate as an honors student, students must have at least 16 units of their 60 unit portfolio be of honors courses.

“We’ve heard from UC admissions teams that when they see that certificate,” Pankratz said, “it gives them an edge against students that have not been part of the honors program.”

This can mean a lot in terms of acceptance, especially for an impacted major.

The other help the honors program offers to students is the Transfer Admittance Guarantee.

Six of the nine UC schools participate, which allows honors students to ‘tag’ the school of their choice, so long as they maintain the required GPA and are current honors students.

‘Tagging’ guarantees them a spot in the school, regardless of admittance numbers.

Many students also enjoy a more tangible outcome for their hard work. Every year, the Leon S. Peters Foundation donates $30,000 in the form of 30 $1000 scholarships. Ochoa received the award both years at FCC. Ochoa enjoyed benefits beyond admittance and scholarships, however.

“I’m not going to lie. I wanted

priority registration and I wanted to take classes that would prepare me for any university,” she said.

Seeing a lot of the same students in her classes also lead to a lot of friends for her.

Ochoa considers herself a hard worker and, according to Pankratz, this is the trait that sets most honors students apart.

It is not intelligence that exemplifies the successful honors student, but self-motivation, according to Pankratz.

“They get their work in on time and are doing the basics,” Pankratz said. “That’s usually how they got their good GPA to begin with.”

Self-motivation distinguishes the average from the noteworthy.

The difference between knowing what needs to be done and waiting to be told what to do is the first step to achievement.

The honors program gives those self-motivated enough to try the next step to get where they want to be.

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6|Fresno City College

Fall 2017|7

NURSING STORY BY SAMANTHA DOMINGO

F

resno City College has the largest community college nursing program in California, and the second largest in the U.S. Dr. Stephanie Robinson, director of nursing at FCC, said that between 300 and 600 students apply for admission, but only 110 are accepted per semester.

Starting in the spring semester of 2017, the program uses a multi-criteria screening application process, requiring students to meet several academic standards before qualifying for the RN admissions lottery.

“With the multi-criteria screening application process, we have an opportunity to look at the type of students that we would select,” Robinson said. “If students aren’t able to be fully prepared to take on the rigorous nursing program, they fail out.”

To become eligible to participate in the modified lottery process, applicants must earn a minimum score of 50 from different measurements, including total adjusted scores for the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Test for Essential Academic Skills (TEAS); Grade Point Average in nursing prerequisites; previous academic degrees; relevant health care certifications and life experiences.

Students must have a minimum of 2.5 overall GPA, a grade of C or better in all prerequisites, and a score at least 62 percent on the TEAS. According to Robinson, the multi-criteria screening application process is more beneficial than the traditional lottery system because it results in better prepared students entering the program and passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.

“For the last three quarters, we’ve been at an 86.4 percent, which is above the national average of 83 percent,” Robinson said, in regards to National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) pass rates from FCC students.

Nursing students put in more than 108 clinical hours in their second, third, and fourth semesters, concurrently with theory and skills lab. The clinicals create opportunity for hands-on patient care.

Graduates of the FCC nursing program hold crucial positions in hospitals and medical facilities throughout the Central Valley, including, Community Regional Medical Center Fresno, Clovis Community Medical Center, Kaweah Delta Medical Center, Valley Children’s Healthcare and the Fresno Heart & Surgical Center, according to Robinson.

8|Fresno City College

With attrition rates at less than two percent, the nursing program at FCC has proven to be a rigorous but highly successful one.

“This program is not meant to be easy, but it provides an experience that will carry us into our next phase of reality and becoming an RN,” Heather Hallmark, a spring 2017 nursing program graduate, said. “Everyone I had talked with at local hospitals spoke highly of FCC nursing graduates and program.”

The average Registered Nurse’s salary in California is $94,120, according to the 2017 Nurse Salary Guide. In Fresno, the average salary for RN’s is $77,320, which is still well above the national average of $67,930. There are currently over 250,000 registered nurses employed throughout California in a variety of industries such as, but not limited to, acute care, hospice care, and long-term care.

“

I had amazing professors that dedicated their time in helping me reach my potential.

Ruhi Rathaur Nursing Graduate Spring 2017

Annita Broyles, a recent nursing program graduate, said, “It takes guts to get through nursing school; I believe you need to have the determination, endurance and will-power to get through it.”

Robinson said the program has a robust curriculum and offers students opportunities to learn many different things, especially with hands-on training at various acute care facilities.

“They come away with tremendous amounts of knowledge and understanding of how to take care of patients,” Robinson said. “When they leave here, they are experienced and can become an effective RN.” Broyles said, “Nursing has so many avenues to take that I thought it would be a good lifelong career.”

In addition to the RN program, FCC also offers an LVNRN transfer program, where those who are already Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) can

become an RN in a short time.

Some of the other courses offered within the Allied Health division include medical technical training in the fields of X-ray, phlebotomy and respiratory care practitioner, to name a few.

“Our LVN-RN program starts with our bridge course.

They finish within two semesters following the summer bridge course,” said Robinson.

“We expect them to already have experience in pediatrics and obstetrics, so that’s how they’re able to come into our third semester.”

Ruhi Rathaur, a spring 2017 graduate, took part in the transitional LVN-RN program.

“I felt secure that FCC had the funds and resources to accommodate my nursing education,” said Rathaur. “My prerequisite grades were not the best when I applied to FCC’s nursing program. Because of that reason, I had a very small window of

Fall 2017|9

schools that would accept me into their LVN-RN program.”

“It took me 12 months to earn my associate degree in nursing,” said Rathaur, who was also inducted into the first nursing honors society at FCC. “The remaining spring and fall semesters were rigorous, structured and highly institutionalized. I had amazing instructors that dedicated their time in helping me reach my potential.”

Approximately 119 students graduated from FCC’s nursing program in Spring 2017. Eighteen maintained a minimum of 3.0 GPA and got a B or higher in all of their classes within the program and graduated with honors.

“Our reputation in the central valley is excellent,” Robinson said. “We have managers that are willing to hire our graduates because they have a great understanding of how to take care of patients.”

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10|Fresno City College

VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER STORY BY JORGE RODRIGUEZ

W

hen veteran students find it difficult to adapt themselves to the college atmosphere, the Fresno City College Veterans Resource Center is there to make it easier for veteran students to assimilate into the college life.

Once out of the military, the majority of veterans decide to rejoin the workforce in different ways. One of those ways takes them on a path that leads them back to school, and the majority of the time that school is a local community college.

“After being in the military for over 20 years it was very hard to adapt to this new environment,” Raymond Navarro, a student veteran said.

“But the VRC has people that understand you and help you adapt to the environment.”

“

Veterans can feel comfortable and can continue that sense of commonality that they had in the service.

Mary Alfieris Coordinator of Veterans Services

Staff of the VRC stand ready to serve our student vetarans.

FCC is home to over 400 veteran students who are looking to begin or restart their academic careers, so that along with their military knowledge it can help them get a lifelong career.

These student veterans are different from other students in the sense that they are older than the average college student. Like Navarro, most have spent many years out of the classroom. According to the American Council on Education, on average a veteran student is 25 years old, compared to a recent high school graduate at 18 years old.

“The VRC is a great place for veterans, here you’re around people that understand you,” Navarro said. “If we [veterans] have a problem they can assist you or point you in the right direction to fix your issue” Out of the 113 community colleges in the state of California, there are 60 community colleges with a VRC, but most just have an office with few attendees.

Located in FCC’s Building A, the college has one of the largest VRCs out of all of the community colleges in California

with amenities like a computer lab, conference room, tutorial room, and kitchen.

The VRC is a place where veterans can go and talk to counselors, get help with their educational benefits paperwork, get tutoring if they need it or just hang out with other veteran students.

There has been a veterans office at FCC since the 1960s that helped veteran students with paperwork, but on Jan. 28 2015 the VRC opened it’s doors and became more than just an office; it became a place for veteran students to get help with more than just paperwork.

“By having a Veterans Resource Center here at FCC, we can offer veterans a place where they can feel comfortable and can continue that sense of commonality like they had back in the service,” said Mary Alfieris, Coordinator of Veterans Services.

There are two full-time veteran counselors at the VRC, Granville Redmond and Mario Reposo, who are veterans themselves. The two help by guiding veterans to take the right courses in order to achieve their academic goals.

Another important part of the VRC is its ability to help out veteran students with their Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits by certifying their credit hours so they can receive the correct benefits they are entitled to on time.

Jose Rangel, a veteran student, also talked about how important the VRC is to him.

“The resource center has been one of the key factors in my success as a student.”

Veteran students are welcome to visit the VRC whether they are receiving educational benefits or not. Students who are dependents of veterans and utilize VA educational benefits can also get help at the VRC. FCC is proud to have one of the best VRCs in the state and to serve those who valiantly served our country and want to continue their education.

In a final statement Alfieris talked about what the VRC means to FCC. “The VRC is an indicator for the veterans that step in this campus that we care enough to provide a special service and we honor those who served us.”

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Fall 2017|11

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

CARL

JOHANSSON I

BY SAMANTHA DOMINGO

t took eight different colleges in six different states for Fresno City College biology instructor Carl Johansson to complete his education.

Though it took over 13 years for Johansson to finish college all the way through graduate school, he thoroughly loved his college experience.

“I was on my own, I was having to work, had to pay the rent, do all that stuff by myself so it took me a long time,” said Johansson. “But I loved the whole college experience.

The process of learning to me was incredibly exciting. To me, going to college was never ‘Ugh I gotta go to this class,’ it was always fun for me.”

Johansson attended Wayne State University; New Mexico Junior College; University of Nevada Reno; Colorado State University; Porterville College; Fresno City College; CSU Fresno for his bachelor’s degree and Brigham Young University for his master’s degree and Ph.D. It was at Fresno City College, though, that an instructor ignited his curiosity and desire to learn about biology. Originally only at FCC for its track team, it was sheer luck that Johansson was able to participate in the school’s field biology program.

“I flunked biology twice,” recalled Johansson. “But when

we got to natural history and working in the field, my teacher, Robert Winter, had such a passion for it. He was so good at passing that [passion] onto his students.

That’s how I decided what I wanted to be.”

Robert Winter taught at FCC for over 55 years, and after his passing, Johansson helped establish the Robert

One of these programs involves the students at Fresno City College. Selected students are able to work with Johansson to discover more about the extremely resilient species of micro-animals called tardigrades.

Johansson has also been working in a research program for 15 years that is funded by various federal and state government agencies, such

“

I wake up in the morning and can’t wait to get in here and go into class and lecture.

Carl Johansson Winter Biology Memorial Fund.

To this day, the department still uses funding from that foundation to buy equipment and fund scholarships.

Johannson has been teaching biology at Fresno City College for 18 years, but that’s not all he does. In addition to being a professor at the school, Johansson participates in several different research programs.

as the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management to research bats’ usage of abandoned mines throughout the western United States.

The group has surveyed over 30,000 mines in the span of 10 years.

Another one of Johansson’s research programs is a collaboration with the company Naturae and the

Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás in Brazil. This program, which Johannson has been in for 25 years, involves sampling and quantifying what kind of animals live in the Cerrado, Brazil, one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, before the construction of dams.

After the dams are built, the program’s goal shifts to capturing and transporting animals that have been trapped in the area to national parks, state parks, and zoos.

According to Johansson, it is one of the largest animal rescue projects in history, with over 115,000 animals rescued from the current project and over 97,000 on the previous one.

Despite being so busy with his scientific research, Johansson still looks forward to being a biology instructor at FCC every day.

“I wake up in the morning and absolutely can’t wait to get in here and go into class and lecture,” said Johansson.

“Then when I’m in lecture I’m thinking ‘I gotta get into the lab and go do something!’

I go to sleep and my mind wonders ‘what am I gonna do tomorrow?’”

“I don’t work at all, I just get to do stuff that I find incredibly interesting and engaging for me,” said Johansson. “It’s just a remarkable privilege and opportunity.”

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12|Fresno City College

FIRE ACADEMY STORY BY CHEYENNE TEX

A

both humbling and unselfish career, firefighting represents a hope for safety and shows that people still have a genuine care for humanity.

It’s more than just fighting fires; it’s brotherhood, sisterhood and about providing safe environments for the public.

In the Fresno City College Fire Academy, people from a variety of backgrounds come together to learn what it takes to save lives in their community.

Offered twice a year, one academy begins in either July or August and the other in January.

An evening schedule is provided during the January course to accommodate students with varying work and life circumstances.

“The fact that there is a night academy made it possible for me and the other cadets to work during the day,” fire academy student Janice Damo said. “It’s also a great schedule for those who have kids and significant others who work during the day.”

Both courses span six months and provide students with optimal scholastic and physical training led by instructors who are themselves trained and experienced in the field.

“Students get to cover so many subjects,” Oney Durney, an adjunct coordinator of the program, said. “[They] experience so many things in this academy.”

Students are instructed in various subjects including auto extrication, wildland and hazmat training, as well as various fire attack methods, and even learn to use the apparatus for forcible entry into buildings or vehicles.

Prerequisites for the fire academy include having CPR and Public Safety First Aid certifications.

CPR certifications can be obtained through a course from select vendors suggested by the academy and Public Safety First Aid Certifications can be acquired at Cal Fire, said Geary Baxter, assistant chief of the FCC Fire Academy.

Completing the FCC fire academy requires 804 hours of training and is one of the most extensive in the state; however, successful students earn a variety of certifications, including CAL-FIRE (CDF), Basic Wildland Fighter, CSFM Certified Firefighter 1 Training Record and CSFM Auto Extrication.

“You have a chance to get your Firefighter 1 certificate, which not all academies offer,” Tanner Munro, a student in the program, said. “Here we get all kinds of

Fall 2017|13

14|Fresno City College

extra things to put on a resume to make us more employable for the job.”

Instructors are drawn from a highly qualified pool of individuals with vast experiences in firefighting and community service with the singular purpose of helping students achieve their goal of becoming firefighters and serving their communities.

“A lot of the instructors are retired, but they still come out here and teach because they care about what we’re putting out,” Durney said. “We hope the students will emulate the same thing.”

Throughout the course, students will learn that becoming a firefighter is demanding both academically and physically.

“My experience has been great,” Damo said. “It’s all

about being smart and using what you have learned and applying your skills.”

Subjects taught in the classroom will be applied to real world situations during the hands on training sessions.

“They [the instructors] lay down everything from what you need to know to survive from what you need to know in dire situations,” Damo said.

Students must show incredible strength to endure the grueling physical training that emphasizes endurance, strength and technique while tackling the challenging academic training.

“You need to be able to perform your job and apply your skills when you’re tired and when you are carrying all that extra weight, be it tools or protective gear,” Damo said.

The instructors and coordinators of the fire academy program say their hope is that students acquire more than physical and academic skills.

“It’s doing something better for your community,” Durney said. “We hope they will make a life-long commitment to helping people and volunteering, whenever they can to do something for the community, because that’s what fire-fighting is.”

Learning to be devoted to helping others is equally important in the academy as the knowledge and physical skills gained.

“Since we are entering a public service job, we are a part of the community,” Munro said, “People skills and learning how to interact with the community is an important part.”

Because firefighters are an integral part of the community, the cadets participate in a multitude of volunteer projects.

In Class 47 of the FCC Fire Academy -- the current cohort – the students are “self-starters”, Durney said.

Class 47 has volunteered at a number of organizations including the Fresno Rescue Mission and the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF), a foundation that provides a safe space for young burn survivors.

“The [AARBF] foundation has a location in town so we connected with them and we were able to present them with a check for $7,500,” Munro said.

Overall, experiences in the academy have been found enriching and memorable.

“I love it. There’s a sense of responsibility, duty, definitely have to have purpose,” Munro said.

During the academy, students assimilate the knowledge and skills necessary to be adequately prepared to work at an agency and serve their duty to the public.

“You don’t just stumble upon the fire service,” Damo said. “Anyone interested in the fire academy has to know that they need to be the person they would want to be rescued by or helped by.” ▄

“

We hope they will make a lifelong commitment to helping people and volunteering whenever they can.

Oney Durney

Instructor

Fall 2017|15

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

KERRI

BY CHEYENNE TEX

W

ith only a few steps onto the second floor of the Fresno Fire Department, Donis greeted me; her staunch demeanor surged through her stern handshake and reflected her leadership qualities.

She offered me a seat at the conference table in her office, and began to share her story about her experience as the first female fire chief of the Fresno Fire Department since it was established 140 years ago. Donis elaborated on how guidance led her to where she is today.

Although she recognizes what a great feat it is to be the first female fire chief of Fresno, Donis asserted the focus shouldn’t be on gender.

“It’s a great honor and privilege, regardless of my gender,” Donis said. “If you work hard, stay focused and you’re relentless, good things will happen.”

She attributed much of her success to her past experiences as a softball player.

Donis was born and raised in Moline, Illinois where she was recruited out of high school to play softball for Illinois State University under the direction of coach Margie Wright.

However, Wright was soon hired by California State University, Fresno, and left before the season began.

DONIS

After deciding that her softball career would not flourish without Wright, Donis followed her instinct and transferred to Fresno State to play for Wright.

Although Fresno was an unfamiliar place, this choice, Donis said, has become one of the best decisions of her life.

“She [Wright] put so much into us; she was a great motivator,” Donis said. “She also taught us great life skills, subconsciously, things like passion, loyalty, commitment to excellence and being well-organized.”

Donis continued to play softball until she graduated with a degree in exercise science in 1990. She was also awarded the Fresno State Alumni Associa-

tion’s Top Dog Alumna Award in 2008 by the department of Athletics.

While Donis was working as a physical trainer after college, a client of hers who was married to the deputy fire chief of the Fresno Fire department at the time, suggested Donis look into a career in fire service.

Donis contemplated this suggestion to switch into a career she had never considered before.

Later, she took a leap with some encouragement from a member of the Fresno Fire Department and joined the Fresno City College Fire Academy.

She knew that attending the FCC fire academy was the next best step to entering the fire service.

“

It’s a great honor and privilege, regardless of my gender.

Kerri Donis

“The fire academy prepared me to become marketable for the fire service,” Donis said.

“When you are trained through an academy, it means you have discipline and tenacity.”

Camaraderie and commitment, as experienced in her athletic endeavors, were easily found while she worked with her fellow firefighters. Donis said she encourages student athletes to consider a career in fire service.

Donis entered the fire service as an entry level firefighter in 1996, and held several other positions, including deputy fire chief and interim fire chief.

As the fire chief now, Donis oversees the large number of applicants to the FFD. Although there are other great academies, because the FCC Fire Academy has over 700 hours of curriculum, seeing that on people’s résumés is reassuring, Donis said.

By taking a chance in the unfamiliar and with direction from those she trusted, Donis found her purpose in a rewarding career in fire service.

After meeting with Donis, it became apparent to me that not only are commitment and self-motivation integral to success in college and in life, but the presence of guidance and chance present equally fulfilling opportunities.

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16|Fresno City College

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY STORY BY MARCO ROSAS

I

n planning for the future and for possible careers, quality education and time efficient classes are pivotal factors to take in mind.

One cannot expect to be a capable technician or a skilled worker without proper training or education, but it’s important to get out into the workforce as soon as possible.

Students, for their part, want to be assured that investing their time and energy in a training program will help them become exceptional in their field.

“The instructors were well informed, they were well qualified and they loved their jobs,” automotive student Miguel Becerra said about his own experience.

When looking at his choices after graduating high school, Becerra needed to make sure he had made the right choice for himself and his future.

Becerra chose FCC over trade schools and his local community college, Madera Community College Center, for availability and affordability.

“The Madera Center did not have an auto program,” Becerra said. “I didn’t want to go to the other schools because they were very expensive... and I wanted to experience a large college campus, not a small building.”

The opportunities available to FCC Applied Technology students are vast, affordable and can make a significant difference for students preparing to become certified professionals.

The classes offer students the opportunity to fine tune their skills through hands-on practice that directly translates to the workforce.

High-tech classes like computer-aided drafting, computer-aided manufacturing, graphic communications and networking computer technician certification are available, as are handson technical classes like air conditioning, electrical systems technology and welding.

These hands-on training courses are in high demand because they are completed in a few months and students find a career quickly.

Students can become certified technicians in as little as a year rather than spend two to four years earning their associate and bachelor’s degrees, although students still have the option to gain their associate degree at FCC through the Applied Technology Division.

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Applied Technology encompases a wide variety of programs, including mechanical classes like automotive collision repair technology and automotive technology.

Students can learn the intricacies of automobiles as well as the ins and outs of the industry of their choosing.

Architecture, photography and construction classes are also available for students who need expert guidance in their pursuit of highly skilled careers.

More than 300 full-time faculty members as well as Applied Technology specific counselors work to ensure students have a clear path to success.

“Many of the instructors come directly out of the industry so they have hands-on knowledge of the industry, therefore serving as great mentors for students,” Becky Barabe, dean of instruction for the division, said.

Trade schools may also offer expert instruction, opportunities in careers of students’ choosing and a quick education as well, but there is a significant difference.

“The biggest differentiator is price. As a community college program, we are the most affordable option there is,” Barabe said.

Trade schools can offer courses for technical certification at an average total price of $33,000, while at FCC, California residents pay $46 per unit.

Community college also offers financial aid for eligible students including fee waivers, scholarships and grants.

This means some students can get the same education they

“

would receive at a trade school at a community college for the mere price of filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.

Students can get everything promised to them in a trade school advertisement for a lot less money -- information that trade schools leave out of commercials.

The Applied Technology division is dedicated to helping students become certified technicians in fields including air conditioning, architecture and automotive collision repair technology.

“Applied technology essentially is direct application to occupations in the industry,” Barabe said.

Students are able to learn what it takes to be in a technical industry through practical and applicable practices in the classroom.

The opportunity to practice specialized work in a classroom provides students with a comfortable environment to learn, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

“I was very happy to be in class,” Becerra said, “there is always someone that has your back or can help you on a project that needs to be done. I was very comfortable.”

The ability to build community in a classroom is an underrated skill, students can translate the relationships they make in class to networking in industry.

Developing friendships and a sense of community may be second to finishing their program and moving on to better things.

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Many of the instructors come directly out of the industry so they have hands-on knowledge of the industry, therefore serving as great mentors for students.

Becky Barabe

Dean of Instruction, Applied Technology

Fall 2017|19

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

BY SAMANTHA DOMINGO

B

y age 13, George Takata knew exactly what he wanted to do for a living.

Takata said he was absolutely certain. He had just moved to Fresno from San Francisco and started attending Kastner Middle School. It was at Kastner that he found something that would would forever change his life.

Feeling dejected after leaving behind his old life in San Francisco, Takata found solace in video journalism, an elective course.

This started Takata off on a series of journalism classes throughout high school and college. Now, Takata is a leading news anchor on KSEE 24 in Fresno.

Takata credits Fresno City College as well as Faith Sidlow, a journalism instructor who was also a news anchor at KSEE 24, with the start of his career.

“My career started right here on this campus,” Takata said.

“If I didn’t have FCC in my life and Faith Sidlow teaching that broadcast newswriting class, I don’t know how I would’ve started my career.”

Through Sidlow, Takata got the opportunity to intern at KSEE 24 as a production assistant, writer, producer, and fill-in sports anchor and reporter from December 1990 to August 1997.

Takata also wrote for The Rampage, Fresno City College’s newspaper, during his time at FCC. “Writing for a newspaper was a little different than writing for TV, you have longer sentences

GEORGE TAKATA and are more in depth with the story,” Takata recalled, about his experience with The Rampage.

“It opened me up to a different part of journalism and writing in a different form; it was fun to do that as well.”

Takata spent three years at Fresno City College and received his associate degree in 1993.

He then took a year off from school, and later continued at CSU Fresno, graduating in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism.

After Fresno State, Takata enjoyed a successful career as sports director at CBS 47 until 2013.

As sports director, Takata was able to cover a multitude of events, such as the NIT Final Four at the Madison Square Garden in New York, the 2003 AFC Championship Game between the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders, as well as local sporting events such as Fresno City College’s football, baseball, and basketball playoffs.

The most memorable highlight of his career, however, was covering the baseball College World Series with Fresno State in 2008 when their team won the national championship.

“Going to Omaha, Nebraska, and covering that was the number one highlight of my career,” said Takata. “Covering Raider Camp was fun, the Super Bowl is great, but it can’t beat the national title.”

In October of 2013, Takata was named the co-anchor of KSEE Sunrise. As a news anchor,

Takata helps write and produce the show.

He said being a news anchor offers a platform to connect with the community which he does through community appearances.

“It’s more than just being in the building,” Takata said.

“You have to reach out to the community too.”

Takata has served as master of ceremonies at numerous events for nonprofit organizations within Fresno, such as the Fresno Art Museum’s annual fundraising banquet and Fresno State’s football, baseball, and basketball preseason and postseason banquets.

In addition to this, Takata is the master of ceremonies for FCC’s annual football Wall of Fame induction dinner. He has also helped raise money for Fresno’s Chinatown District, the Fresno Diabetic Youth Foundation, and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

Because of his achievements, Takata was honored as one of Fresno City College’s ‘100 Stars for 100 Years’ in 2010 as a part of the school’s centennial celebration.

“I can’t say enough about what this school means to me; it pretty much launched my career,” Takata said. “I’m proud to be an alumnus of this school.”

“

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I can’t say enough about what this school means to me; it pretty much launched my career.

George Takata

20|Fresno City College

PUENTE STORY BY JORGE RODRIGUEZ

W

hen students struggle to follow a path towards achieving their goals at college, they look for options that can help them get back on track; students at Fresno City College are fortunate to have various programs, such as Puente, that have an extraordinary record and long history in helping students achieve their academic goals.

The Puente program consists of three main components. It involves writing, which students are required to take for three consecutive semesters while in the program; counseling, to help students with their education plans and career options; and mentoring, to provide a more personal approach for transitioning to a four-year college or university.

Puente was founded at Chabot College in 1981 and was aimed at increasing the number of Mexican-American and Latino students that transfer to a 4-year institution. Although the majority of the students in the program are Hispanic, Puente is open to everyone.

The statewide, nationally recognized program has been adopted by more than 64 community colleges in the state of California.

Puente was introduced to Fresno City College in 1987, with Frank Quintana, a counselor at FCC, becoming the program’s first counselor and Charles M. Lynes as its first English instructor. It has enjoyed the full support of the college administration throughout its 30 years at FCC. Currently, the Puente pro-

gram at FCC is being lead by four co-coordinators: English instructors Kenneth Chacon and Sallie Perez Saiz, and counselors Erendida Romero and Lori Natal. Other Puente faculty members include Chicano-Latino Studies instructor Matthew Espinoza-Watson and counselor Lucia Ramirez-Muñoz.

All Puente faculty attend an 8-day training sponsored by the Puente Project, Center for Educational Partnerships, UC Berkeley and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

Puente runs a two-cohort model with about 60 students in the program every academic year and is open to all students who plan on transferring to a four-year col-

“

lege or university. Students in the Puente program take field trips throughout the year to different four-year colleges and universities so that they can experience, first hand, life on campus.

A recent component added to the Puente program is Chicano-Latino Studies, which is aimed for students to learn the interdisciplinary field of Chicana and Chicano studies where they expose students to the rich history and culture of the Mexican, Spanish, and Chicano culture.

Kenia Gonzalez, a former Puentista, shared her experience within the program and how much she experiance while in the program.

“I was exposed to a new world,” said Gonzalez. “I had the opportunity to visit different

I had the opportunity to visit different universities and learn about their programs.

I was able to build strong bonds with my peers, instructors and counselor.

Kenia Gonzalez Former Puentista

universities and learn about their programs. I was able to built strong bonds with my peers, instructors and counselors.”

Many students who participate in the Puente program return after getting their degrees to share their experiences and serve as mentors to others.

Michael Medrano, who is an adjunct English instructor at FCC and a former Puentista, talked about what it’s like being a mentor for the program.

“When one becomes a Puentista, they are welcomed into a community of learning through mentorship,” said Medrano. “I am at service to the students, and welcome them, if, one day, they choose to join the ranks of Puente mentors.”

The program encourages students’ participation outside of the classroom and to get involved in the community, and offers Puente students to join the Puente Club.

The Puente Club is not just open to students in the Puente program, but also to any student on campus. It was created to provide opportunity for all students interested in leadership development. The club has received many awards on campus such as “Club of the Year” and “Most Active Club.”

Natal, counselor and coordinator of the program, encourages students to consider joining Puente to enhance their college experience. “Puente encourages and motivates the students to continue their studies and opens their eyes to opportunities that they might not have otherwise.”

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Fall 2017|21

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

BY MARCO ROSAS

L

itHop is Lee Herrick’s poetry dream come to life; he had imagined it for 10 years and was finally able to bring it into fruition in 2016.

Fresno and Fresno City College are home to many cultural events, however no event is dedicated to celebrating literacy like the brainchild of the FCC English instructor Herrick is Fresno’s former poet laureate as well the founder of LitHop, an event where local authors can share their works.

The event takes place in Fresno’s Tower District as well as FCC’s Old Administration Building. Attendees walk through the Tower District, listening to local writers read aloud.

In its two-years of existence, LitHop has had world-famous authors like U.S Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and former FCC alumnus and author Gary Soto read their work aloud.

Herrick’s contributions to Fresno’s writing community go beyond LitHop; the FCC instructor has taught at FCC for 20 years, helping students find their inner author. Herrick teaches freshman composition, critical thinking and creative writing in the form of poetry.

“I’ve felt incredibly fortunate to have the students that I’ve had,” Herrick said.

Herrick has come a long way to become one of FCC’s most well-known English instructors.

LEE HERRICK Born in South Korea and adopted when he was 10 months old, Herrick was raised in the Bay Area and had only visited Fresno twice before making it his home. It was more than job security that convinced Herrick to stay in Fresno.

“I was offered a tenure track teaching English here,” Herrick said. “I loved so much about the campus.”

Herrick’s love of the campus’ architecture, diversity, opportunities, faculty and students were too appealing to stay away.

Herrick also attributes much of his success as a poet and a writer to the friendships he’s built with fellow authors in Fresno like current Fresno poet laureate Bryan Medina.

“I’ve known Lee Herrick for nearly 20 years,” Medina said.

“His writing is timely, introspective, and worldly.”

“As a professor at Fresno City College, his reach can be felt by the number of new students inspired to pursue writing careers because of his undying love of the written word and his thoughtful approach to the art,” Medina said.

Herrick is a firm believer that all FCC students can gain applicable life skills like creative thinking and comprehension as well as enhance their literary prowess by taking English classes.

“The English department offers courses that deepen one’s sense of the world. Good writing helps a student, whatever their

major might be,” Herrick said.

In a world that is becoming more and more centered around the expansion of technology, the ability to connect with people through good old fashioned reading and writing is a skill to be cherished.

Herrick knows this better than most; his dedication to literacy and writing propelled him to the Fresno Poet Laureate position in 2014.

During the last LitHop on April 29, Sandra Garcia, representative of Congressman Jim Costa, presented Herrick with a certificate recognizing his contributions to Fresno Literacy.

Herrick said he was proud to be applauded at his own event in front of several of his colleagues and students in the OAB auditorium.

“It was a thrill and an honor to be poet laureate of Fresno, since the poetry tradition here runs very deep,” Herrick said.

“In many ways, I think of Fresno as a large, complex, beautiful poem.”

Herrick’s career, both as an instructor and poet, has inspired students to put pen to paper and explore the possibilities of creative writing at FCC.

“

The English department offers courses that deepen one’s sense of the world. Good writing helps a student, whatever their major might be.

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Lee Herrick

22|Fresno City College

POLICE ACADEMY STORY BY CHEYENNE TEX

S

ince it was established in the 1970s, the Fresno City College Police Academy has been dedicated to helping the civil servants of tomorrow gain skills that will keep them safe in the line of duty.

The FCC Police Academy is one of 39 police academies in California, and one of 18 of those academies to be a state regional training facility, offering a full range of courses for aspiring officers to advanced officers.

To prepare for their training of the day, cadets at the academy shout a series of numbers in unison, “One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three…”

These numbers are used to count the amount of pushups, sit-ups, and arm stretches students must complete. Yet, they might also signify the one thousand thirty hours it takes to go to class, complete homework assignments and endure the strenuous physical training required in the Basic Training Academy.

In the 25 week Basic Academy and the 45 week Extended Format Academy, the same content is covered and the same graduation requirements apply.

Cadets must be at least 18 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, have a high school diploma, be free of felony convictions, have good moral character and be free of any physical, emotional or mental conditions to be eligible for the academy.

The Basic Police Academy is offered three times a year to fit students’ scheduling needs.

A day academy is held twice a year; one that spans from Jan. to June and the other spans from June to December that get cadets 1030 hours.

For cadets that have day jobs or other time constraints, night academy is also an option.

Not only does the FCC academy offer a variety of course options to accommodate students time frames, it is one of five Police Academies in the state to offer a requalification course.

A number of courses are also available for advanced officer training such as tactical communication, identity theft and background investigator.

Fall 2017|23

24|Fresno City College

“

You’re stressed out every day.

In the end, you have support from the people here and that’s a great feeling.

Alma Hernandez Academy Student

Seasoned instructors teach over 40 subject matters in classroom, physical and scenario-based training.

“We have experienced instructors well known in the state,” said Jim Edison, academy coordinator. “[Students] come out highly trained.”

As part of the curriculum, students are instructed in a variety of subjects ranging from leadership and professionalism, crime scene evidence, to crimes against persons.

“The academic training demands a lot of self-discipline,” James Kelly, student of the academy, said. “You take time when you go home after the academy and on the weekends to devote to your studies.” The Basic Police Academy brings together cadets from a variety of backgrounds including high school graduates, college

graduates, to retired military members.

The similar goal of becoming a peace officer and spending over one thousand hours of training together helps cadets find support in one another despite the differences in their background.

“You’re stressed out every day,” Alma Hernandez, academy student and former Fresno State graduate, said. “In the end, you have support from the people here and that’s a great feeling.”

Both sponsored cadets, those already hired by an agency and non-sponsored cadets, encompass the population of the students at the academy.

The goal of the academy is to get the cadets a job in law enforcement, said Gary Fief, FCC Police Academy director and former attendee of the academy.

The FPD hires more cadets from the FCC academy then from any other academy, Lieutenant Dave Ramos from

the FPD said. Cadets that learn quickly, have good character and strong communications skills are highly sought after to represent the FPD in a positive light.

With the academic training, comes the physical aspect of the course that includes jumping a six-foot wall, climbing a chainlink fence, and a 165 pound body drag.

“The physical aspect was beyond my expectations,” Hernandez said. “You have to work on cardio and strength so that when you’re out on the field you’re physically prepared. Shouting cadence while you’re running was also something I didn’t expect going into the academy.”

Although the training is rigorous, the support received from fellow students and instructors encourage students to persevere.

“You can go up to them [the instructors] and ask them how they would react in a

Fall 2017|25

situation that you’re not sure of,” Hernandez said. “They are very helpful in their advice because they’ve gone through it.”

Community service is another aspect of the police academy of which students are encouraged to participate.

Volunteer work for organizations around the community like the Fresno headquarters as well as helping out fellow students during some instruction hours are just some of the ways the police academy students give back to their community.

Upon completion of the one thousand thirtieth hour, students will learn the foundation of what it takes to be an officer and can then try to be hired by an agency. “[The academy] is demanding and consumes a lot of your time,” Kelly said, “but if you are devoted and dedicated to your work the result will be you becoming an officer.

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26|Fresno City College

CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER STORY BY ARMANDO CARRENO

A

s Fresno’s economy heads toward e-commerce with Amazon and Ulta Beauty, who are both set to open distribution centers by 2018, Fresno City College’s Career & Technology Center is set to give future, past and current students an advantage on the competition.

Amazon alone is set to bring about 1,500 jobs when its warehouse opens in 2018, and it will eventually build up to 2,500 employees. Ulta Beauty will add another 500 jobs that could expand to 1,000 during seasonal and busy periods.

Here’s where the FCC Career & Technology center comes into play: CTC offers a total of five non-accredited programs at its off-campus site on East Annadale avenue. The center offers warehouse technician and industrial services programs, as well as manufacturing mechanic classes.

The automotive and industrial programs are completely different from any of the other programs available at Fresno City College as they are not unit based programs. This means you don’t have to pay for units like regular classes. Instead, they are certificate of completion programs. The courses are free and the only thing students are responsible for are their materials and uniforms.

The programs are on an entry/ exit basis, and every Monday, a new round of courses begin.

Orientations are held every Monday at 9 a.m. and students graduate when they complete their regimen.

President and CEO of Economic Development Corporation, Lee Ann Eager, believes

that the Career & Technology Center will be integral for all the new commerce and distribution centers that are coming to Fresno.

“For most of the jobs in e-commerce, you’re going to need computer skills,” Eager said. “Not highly skilled, but certainly technical training [will be required.]

The manufacturing mechanics program is one of the highest in demand at the center. Students in these programs get trained in hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical and fabrication, welding and program logic controllers (PLCs).

Manufacturing mechanics is the first step in the career to becoming a maintenance mechanic. The pathway you must take includes five classes, Including manufacturing mechanics, maintenance mechanics, digital instrumentation, program logic controls and finally ammonia.

Program logic controllers will be a valuable course for anyone looking into warehouse jobs for companies like Amazon. In simple terms, PLCs are used for remote control over various automated machines.

“A lot of companies are starting to become automated,” maintenance mechanic student Joseph Schafer said.

“But they’re still going to need those maintenance techs to go in there, fix various parts of machinery that are breaking down and program them.”

Students who earn this certificate can work in a variety of places fixing machines, motors and air conditioning, especially in large factories.

“Those are the ones that we’re really focusing on; how

Fall 2017|27

do we get the welder, how do we get electrical engineers,” Eager said. ”How do we get folks out of the technical training certifications and get them into the jobs that we know are here and are coming soon?”

Eager also spoke about how students don’t have to leave Fresno to find work elsewhere after getting their training and education at CTC “With the e-commerce center and things like the high speed rail, Fresno is the place where people are going to come because there will be jobs that people want to have,” Eager said. “The companies that are coming to Fresno County used to be in San Francisco and Los Angeles and in other places around the country.”

Tim Hunter, CTC Department Chair, said getting a certificate of completion is a very positive step in career development.

“What our students want is to get training, get hired and go to work,” Hunter said.

“For students, it’s a lot cheaper alternative because they are not paying per unit.”

“You can translate a 600-hour class into units,” Hunter said.

“It’s going to be a pretty high number, [but at CTC] you don’t have to pay for that.”

The automotive program offers courses in all aspects of automotive repair and maintenance. From engine to collision repair and performance to emissions, electrical and air conditioning, most programs vary between 20 to 30 weeks and from 600 to 900 hours.

When compared to private vocational programs, the options offered at CTC are more straight-forward and affordable.

For example, students in the automotive program have the extra advantage of “live work,” or on-the-job training.

“A lot of schools offer competency based vehicles, but they don’t have live work like us,” Hunter said. “There is a huge difference between

doing things on a used car and fixing the real problem.” The problems they deal with on used cars are typical things they will deal with in the real world.

Matt Rieffel, a student at CTC in the automotive program, said the live work differs from other schools who don’t work on other peoples cars; they work on cars the school would bring in.

“Here, one job we could have an oil change, and the next day you’re changing axle struts,” Rieffel said.

The success of the students at CTC hinges on an important cog in the wheel--- their instructors. Various students spoke very highly about their instructors and how hands on and knowledgeable they were about the material.

Maintenance mechanic student Jorge Ramos spoke highly of his instructor, Dave Mooneyham, saying, “he’s as hungry we are.”

“If there is a question that stumps him, he comes in the next day knowing the answer,” Ramos said.

The high quality of the CTC instructors elevates it above other programs.

“Most of them come with pretty good work experience and know how to get the information out to our students,” Hunter said.

FCC offers a lot of different options that students can take for a career, but its CTC department is really its hidden gem. With a new focus on e-commerce, it will soon become one of the most valuable programs for students who just want to get in and get trained and join the workforce.

As Fresno gears up to be more of an industrialized city with its future additions, Fresno City College already has a program to help the future workforce to be ready and qualified. With short and affordable programs, with a teaching staff that is eager to pass on the knowledge to the next generation. Supplying you with everything you need to succeed.

The next move is yours.

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28|Fresno City College

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

MIKE & JULIE DANA LARRY HONDA

M

STORY BY MARCO ROSAS

usic has a tendency to bring different people together as audience members, musicians and even just strangers enjoying a tune in the same space.

The music department at FCC has managed to bring together such diverse, exceptional and interesting musicians as instructors Larry Honda and husband and wife Mike and Julie Dana, to share their wealth of knowledge with students. The three are lifelong-musiciansturned-music-instructors at FCC who have dedicated a combined 66 years to teaching.

Larry Honda and Mike Dana are jazz instructors at FCC and Julie Dana is the choir director for several FCC vocal performance groups.

Much like FCC students, these instructors come from different backgrounds and walks of life.

But the difference in their paths matters very little when measured against the passion they all share for music.

Honda began playing music in the fifth grade and since then has never faltered in his dedication to music.

“I am eternally grateful to all of my music teachers,” Honda said.

“My Fresno State college professors molded and shaped me into the musician that I am today.”

Similarly, Mike Dana also began his musical career in the fifth grade. “I was in my first band at age 10, and have been doing music ever since,” Mike Dana said.

Julie Dana has been a singer for nearly her entire life. “My parents immigrated from Mexico and my dad played in a trio for many years and in a big band,” she said. “I am told I was singing and dancing from the time I could stand in the crib.”

The experience these instructors have is what makes them all so capable and able to relate to their students.

Instructors like Honda and the Danas, who have been a part of the music community their entire lives, are about as equipped as it gets to induct new students into FCC’s music department.

This knowledge helps students become better musicians and perform in a group.

“Over the years, we’ve worked hard to make sure that our students get a complete music education,” Mike Dana said.

“You learn that your contribution really does matter, and that your choices affect other people.”

Contribution in the music department at FCC is certainly important, given that it is one of the most flushed out and extensive departments.

“There are many schools that just have a certain area highlighted,” Julie Dana said.

“FCC has it going on in all areas!”

FCC’s orchestra, jazz ensembles and choir have all traveled the world to perform allowing students to experience all that the department has to offer.

FCC allows students to interact and be a part of the music department and build strong

Julie Dana

relationships with their peers and instructors.

Students in any part of the music department, whether they are musicians or singers, can expect for their instructors to be there for them beyond the classroom.

“I hope that I may be a positive influence on the students at a time when they feel there is much uncertainty about their futures,” Honda said.

“

I hope that I may be a positive influence on the students at a time when they feel there is much uncertainty about their futures.

Larry Honda Jazz Instructor

Fall 2017|29

Larry Honda

When instructors like Honda and the Danas dedicate their time to students the results are great not only for the students, but also for the instructors.

Although Honda plans to retire in 2018, his contributions to the music department will always live out not only in the hearts of his students but also Honda himself.

“I will miss the students that I will never meet,” he said. “I hope that they find joy in their experience with music like I have.”

Hopefully Honda’s words will reach students joining the music department and above dedicating themselves to making music like Mike and Julie Dana, students will enjoy forging memories that will reign in their hearts.

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Mike Dana

30|Fresno City College

ATHLETICS STORY BY JORGE RODRIGUEZ

W

“

hether it is a lifelong dream of making it in the pros or just wanting to be part of something special, college sports can be a central part of the college life.

College is, more often than not, only looked at as a place to achieve academic success. In many cases, however, students look to get more out of their college experience and get involved in sports at a higher level of competition.

With an athletics program that is recognized as elite among California community colleges, Fresno City College offers 20 intercollegiate athletic teams to both inspire and motivate sports-minded students.

“We believe in giving back to the community by providing quality programs and maintaining a tradition that is valued by the college and its alumni,” said FCC’s Former Athletic Director Eric Swain.

The philosophy of FCC’s athletic program is based on integrity, quality and excellence, aiming to challenge student-athletes not just athletically but also academically so that they can succeed in the future.

Each year, the teams are competitive in their fight for state and naEric Swain tional championships, leaving no doubts Former Athletic about why student athDirector letes flock to FCC after

We believe in giving back to the community by providing quality programs and maintaining a tradition that is valued by the college and its alumni.

successful high school athletic careers to continue their quest.

“I’ve been to other community colleges, and I feel like FCC’s athletic department is by far the best one I’ve been in,” Averell Rogers, a sophomore on the football team, said.

Student athletes at the college have different tools at their disposal in order to not just do well as an athlete, but also to achieve success in the classroom.

To that end, the college has implemented “The Zone,” a tutoring program devoted solely to athletes. “The Zone” is a place where student athletes can go to study, do homework, or get tutored.

“The Zone” was first initiated in four-year colleges to help student athletes with their academics. In the last few years, the program has come to community colleges to help student athletes make it to fouryear colleges and universities.

Student athletes say the college provides resources and support to ensure their success.

“The athletic department here at FCC takes good care of us,” Rogers said. “We get help not just in the field, but also in the classroom when we need it.”

Part of FCC’s athletic success can be directly attributed to the coaching staff who recruit players from all over the state and convince them to be part of one of the best college’s athletics program in the state. These coaches include Ron Scott (baseball); Carol Kadingo (badminton); Ed Madec (basketball); and

Fall 2017|31

Rhonda Williams (softball), among others who have led their teams to championships.

Recent success has come with the wrestling, volleyball, badminton and soccer teams that have won state championships in recent years. Many of FCC’s athletic programs reach and win conference championships as well, making the athletic program one of the most competitive in the state.

Being one of the best athletic programs in the state FCC manages to recruit athletes from all over the U.S. still, a majority of the students recruited to play at FCC come from Central Valley high schools.

“Local students have a huge impact in our athletic department,” Swain, said. “They make up the majority of our recruits, and they are a big part of what has made FCC athletics a winning program.”

Swain also said the athletic programs are ambassadors for the college; when a team does well and gets media attention, it creates publicity for the college which helps FCC bring in more top athletes and recruits.

FCC athletics wants to extend its winning tradition and continue with the excellence which has helped numerous young people become productive members of society.

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32|Fresno City College

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

ERIC

BY JULEASE GRAHAM

W

hen Eric Solberg first came to Fresno City College 29 years ago as an assistant baseball coach, he had no intentions of coaching soccer.

Solberg has spent the last 18 years building one of the most competitive community college men’s soccer programs in California.

“After college and minor league I was known as the baseball guy,” said Solberg.

“I was just coaching for fun, but we had a lot of success at Bullard. So, Ron Scott, the head baseball coach, hired me on part time at Fresno City College.”

While coaching baseball parttime, Solberg went to school to get his master’s degree in hopes of coming on full-time at FCC. “During those six years, I had so much baseball, work, and night school,” said Solberg. “I just dropped soccer; I always enjoyed the sport, but I had no intention of ever coming back to it, and certainly never as a coach.”

After receiving his master’s degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy, Solberg thought he was coming on staff as an assistant baseball coach.

“Five people retired so I felt that I had a pretty good shot, but they wanted more than just an assistant coach. The soccer position opened and I had enough background, and I felt that I could maintain the program,” Solberg said.

SOLBERG

“Looking back, I was in over my head when I started. I was fortunate, I got the right guys on my team and we just got rolling. Now here we are.”

“

It’s nice to win the last game, but impacting lives in a positive way is what we’re supposed to be doing at the end of the day.

Eric Solberg

During his first year as head coach, Solberg’s team set a school record for wins.

Solberg’s teams have all advanced to the state playoffs in the last 18 years of him coaching, and have won 14 conference titles.

“Success comes from creating an environment that people want to come to. People like to be around things that win,”

said Solberg. “In order to attract players, you have to create something they would want to be a part of.”

Under Solberg, FCC’s soccer program has become a viable option for players.

“Guys come out of high school wanting to play soccer for Fresno City College,” said Solberg. “I can’t put my finger on what I did, but I think it is because we are like a professional organization, we win.”

Solberg has a passion for both baseball and soccer, but he enjoys coaching soccer more.

“Eighteen years ago, my soccer knowledge was not even close to what it is today,” said Solberg. “The game is more technical, I had to learn all those things.”

Solberg continues to build on his 29-year legacy at Fresno City College.

This year his team was ranked number three in the final poll, and he was also awarded National Coach of the Year award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

“Winning the award was definitely a highlight,” Solberg said. “Each team I’ve coached has had its own highlights, I’ve learned a lot over my 47 seasons of sports at Fresno City College.”

He has turned one of his biggest lessons into his coaching philosophy; be fair, but don’t treat everybody the same.

“Everyone arrives at the field in different circumstances. I believe you have to be fair to people, but you also have to realize that everyone comes from different backgrounds,” said Solberg. “In terms of who you are coaching, players come from all different types of situations.”

When Solberg started at FCC he would not have had that philosophy, but his views changed after seeing the differences of his player over the years.

“You see it everyday when you teach here at FCC. The socio-economic backgrounds are just so vast, you have to have rules. But, you have to be able to work with each person individually,” said Solberg.

“You have to learn who each student is, and what they’re going through, you have to show them you care. Once you do that, fairness becomes based on where that person is in life.”

The biggest reward for Solberg is the impact he is able to make on FCC athletes.

“Its nice to win the last game, but impacting lives in a positive way is what we’re suppose to be doing at the end of the day,” said Solberg.

“I had always looked at Fresno City College the way a lot of people do today, like a last resort. I was never excited about the junior college experience, but then I got the opportunity to coach and my whole mindset changed.”

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Fall 2017|33

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

LYDIA

I

BY EDWARD SMITH

n a room full of toys, Lydia Anderson, instructor of business and marketing, tells the story of her life.

Anderson’s story is about her struggles and triumphs and of her firsts and perspectives, but, as she insists, her story is not unlike the rest of ours.

Each toy in Anderson’s collection is a story about where she’s been or who has been a part of her life, Anderson said.

She tells about a toy rat she received from another Fresno City College instructor when the business division building was infested with cockroaches, as happens in Fresno.

The infestation did not sit well in BA-110, where she would hide the realistic vermin in nooks and crannies and where staff members would not expect.

Only a couple rooms away in her office, Anderson could hear the screams and surprise from unsuspecting staff.

That spring, Anderson used the gifts from her life to bring a different kind of air to the office --from an atmosphere of revulsion to laughter.

Anderson has lived in the valley for her entire life. Her mom was one of the first Welfare-toWork recipients in the state.

When Anderson was 8 years old, her mother sat her and her four siblings down to tell them they would be on welfare for the next two years.

“We were to stay out of her hair and be good,” Anderson

ANDERSON

explained. “There were times she was going to quit or give us up to foster care. I remember social services always coming out and making sure she wasn’t abusing us.”

But Anderson’s mother stuck to it and decided to attend Fresno City College.

“To this day, [my] mom can tell you the names of the instructors who helped her when she would go into their offices crying about having to give her kids away,” Anderson said. “Every [teacher] says they wants to change students’ lives, but those teachers did.”

She knew that eventually, she too, would have to go to college.

She attended Reedley college as

“

Communication is key to business and as a discipline, business is a realistic application of communication.

Lydia Anderson

a child development major and lived as so many other college age youth did.

She lived off of cans of tuna and top ramen, and would go to the grocery store in search of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to stay healthy. When the clerk gawked at the condition of the produce, Anderson insisted that the food was edible, though perhaps a little aged.

It was what she could afford.

There came a time when Anderson realized that child development was not for her.

Being unsure, she visited her pastor, who informed her of the need the missions field had for marketing.

The idea of business management and marketing intrigued Anderson.

According to Anderson, she felt the need for ethical people in business and so she went to Fresno State and earned her business degree.

“I took a lot of management classes. They are like duplicates of child development classes, only in bigger bodies,” Anderson said.

“When I do corporate development, I feel it’s no different than child development. Sometimes the bigger bodies act out more than the little ones.”

Anderson worked for ten years in the private sector, garnering experience she would use later in her teaching career from clients in banking and in the healthcare industry. Her time there showed her the skills that business teach-

es are essential in every field.

“Communication is key to business and as a discipline, business is a realistic application of communication,” Anderson explained.

After a time, Anderson felt the need to give back to the college who had given her so much.

The opportunity arose for her to do for students what instructors from her own past had done for her.

“The president asked me why I wanted to teach and I told him I had no choice but to teach here,” Anderson said. “The campus saved my life. It kept my family together. It provided for us and taught us at a very young age.”

Anderson now lives to teach her students and see them succeed. She wants all of her students to be wealthy so they can know independence, but at the same time, she teaches compassion.

She, along with other faculty and staff, established and maintain a clothes closet for students looking to interview who do not have business attire. In a secret location, students have access to clothes that reflect the professionalism the college stresses.

She advocates the importance of how interviewees carry themselves and the demeanor with which they speak.

For faculty and staff, and for Anderson herself, the clothes closet is the culminating chance to put students out into the world prepared and confident.

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TOWER DISTRICT

34|Fresno City College

QUESADILLA GORILLA College life is not just about books and classes, it’s also about discovering new things and stepping out of your comfort zone, like trying new foods.

Here at Fresno City College, the neighborhood surrounding the campus provides such experiences like Quesadilla Gorilla a new restaurant at walking distance from campus.

Originally started by Miguel Reyes and his wife Makaila as a food truck in Visalia, Quesadilla Gorilla has now become a staple of good eats in the Tower District. The unique restaurant is located across the street from Fresno High School and around the corner from Ampersand Ice Cream, just

two blocks west of the FCC campus.

Reyes commented on what makes Quesadilla Gorilla unique and how college students have helped his business become a success.

“I think the fact that we only serve quesadillas we can focus more on the flavor and making them better for our clientele,” said Reyes.

“Students talk to each other about our food, that has made us popular in the college and that means more business to our restaurant.”

Food options in and around campus are abundant, but to find a place like Quesadilla Gorilla where the food is good and the price won’t break your budget is a rare find for students.

FRESNO ART HUB East Weldon and Van Ness may be just another street corner to the average passerby, but on this corner lies one of Fresno’s most colorful, well-kept secrets.

A creative wonderland, the Fresno Art Hub is a gallery full of art pieces that offers courses to people of all ages to take up artistry.

“I hope anyone who comes into the Fresno Art Hub will feel totally relaxed, at home, energized, creative and amazed at the talent that can be found in the Central Valley,” owner Diane Breuer said.

Apart from being one of the many venues in and near the Tower District area to participate in the

monthly Art Hop event, the Fresno Art Hub has also been a venue for Fresno State band performances and poetry slams.

Patrons are also welcomed to come by at any of the hours of operation to look at pieces made by local artists and mingle.

The Fresno Art Hub is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Tuesdays through Saturdays with the exception of Wednesdays, when they open at noon.

They also open their doors to everyone a little bit longer until 8 p.m for Art Hop, which is held the first Thursday of every month.

Fall 2017|35

Fresno City College’s location makes it possible for students to have one of Fresno’s oldest and most vibrant neighborhoods within walking distance making for a unique college experience.

The Tower District consists of more than restaurants where one can grab something to eat; Tower also has a great music scene, a thriving art hub and a diverse community that makes it a very unique place in the Fresno area.

Named after the iconic Tower Theater located in the heart of the district on the corner of Olive Ave and N. Wishon Ave, Tower District is a place where students can see a different side of Fresno and just enjoy the culture that lives in the neighborhood.

AMPERSAND ICE CREAM A stroll down the street just might uncover a plethora of new experiences, people and even flavors.

Located on the corner of Echo and Weldon, Ampersand offers a selection of hand crafted ice cream and is just a few steps away from Fresno City College.

The vibrance is found through the display case where the view of ice cream tubs is tantalizing the tastebuds of students.

“I think the student market brings a lot of vitality, and usually students are a little more adventurous to try our flavor selection,” Amelia Bennett, owner of Ampersand said.

With a focus on community since it opened two years ago, Ampersand

has used locally sourced ingredients including products from Top O’ the Morn Farms in Tulare, California.

Classic flavors like vanilla to bizarre ones like nectarine and sage to a variety of sorbets are sure to fit easily satisfied palettes and even those that require a variety of sensations.

Once a year, customers can even try flavors made by students in FCC’s culinary arts division.

No matter the reason for visiting the quaint ice cream shop, students are always welcome at Ampersand every day of the week from noon to 11 p.m. to share experiences through something everyone needs, food.

The variety of locally owned eateries, lounges and cultural venues makes it possible for students to simply stumble upon a new favorite spot.

The Tower District is as much a part of Fresno City College as the academic programs, clubs and sports on campus.

Establishments around the Tower District often offer student discounts, they also have internet access and are places to relax while you take a break from your study.

While FCC does it’s best to provide areas like the Student Lounge for students on campus, sometimes a little walk on the town is needed to get away from the stress of class.

THE BRASS UNICORN The Brass Unicorn is family owned magical emporium and healing center located less than a mile from Fresno city college.

The idiosyncratic shop is known as a metaphysical bookstore stocked with inventory that represents mystical traditions and various spiritual practices from around the world.

The shop offfers a diverse collection of new and used books, art from local artists, herbs, incense, teas, essential oils, clothing and statuary.

Pranic energy healing services, spiritual counseling, tarot readings, and a wide range of workshops and classes about various new-age subjects are all available on site.

The shop is known for its line of incenses and oil blends, created by owner Kathryn Barile, along with her two daughters. The collection, Splendor Scents, is manufactured on site.

The Brass unicorn’s mission is to “Bring love and enlightenment to all without exclusions and without bias.”

Barile’s favorite part about owning the Brass unicorn, besides working with her daughters, is helping people.

The Brass Unicorn opened in 1980 and has been in the Tower District for almost 34 years. They are open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

36|Fresno City College

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

BY FRANK LOPEZ

K

arla Kirk remembers riding around Fresno City College as a child with her father, who was a facilities manager at the college in the early 1980s. She was enamored by everything, from the campus to the feeling the college gave her. It was then that she made it her mission to prepare herself to become an important part of the college.

“I had one singular goal with my college education,” Kirk said, “and that was to become a teacher here at Fresno City College.“ Through coincidence and self-dedication, Kirk has gotten to where she is now: the sole full-time instructor in African American studies, and in that capacity, the person responsible for directing, protecting, and modernizing the 45-year-old program.

Born and raised in Fresno, Kirk graduated from Bullard High in 1991 and started attending FCC immediately after graduating. Kirk said she majored and failed in “hanging out” and instead took the “popular alternative route of the early 90s.” Shortly after dropping out of college, Kirk had a baby and began doing clerical work in offices in Fresno.

After a decade of clerical and office work, Kirk figured that she would need some sort of college degree to attain her dream, and returned to FCC in 2002.

KARLA KIRK

She initially planned to get a business degree so she could get into human resources, but a chance encounter with an instructor placed her on a different career path.

Kirk said it is pure coincidence that Kehinde Solwazi, now a retired instructor of AfricanAmerican studies, was substituting for an elective music class she was taking.

Kirk said that Solwazi didn’t talk about music but instead spoke eloquently about history and she decided to take a class with him.

She proceeded to take all of the African-American studies courses offered at the college, and somewhere during one of those classes, Solwazi told her she should reconsider becoming a business major and instead become a teacher of AfricanAmerican history.

Solwazi was about six years away from retirement and was looking for someone he felt could take over and expand the African-American studies program.

“I want you to come in and modernize this program and make it strong for the next generations to come,” Kirk said Solwazi told her.

She then set her focus on learning the educational needs of the future and acquiring all the information necessary to keep the program strong so the program could stay viable.

With the help of Solwazi, Kirk was kept in contact with

scholars that could guide her in what to study and where to focus her research.

Kirk said that one of the challenges she faced in updating the African-American history courses was in trying not to duplicate the same stories in the 240-year period of history.

“Any other class is going to be from an European-centered perspective,” Kirk said. “In this climate that we are in today, we need to realize that that is not our only American perspective.”

In addition to updating the curriculum, Kirk made accommodations to offer the courses online. She said this modernization process is ongoing and that in the fall of 2017, Fresno City College will be the first in California to offer African-American history courses online.

The African-American history course will be available to California students whose colleges participate in the Online Education Initiative (OEI) and might not offer any cultural ethnic studies classes.

Kirk has been in charge of the African-American studies program since 2011 and says that she wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, anywhere..

“I get to be around Fresno’s best and brightest,” Kirk said.

“This is where genius breeds; Fresno City College draws us -my people. my community.”

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“

I had one singular goal with my college education and that was to become a teacher here at Fresno City College.

KARLA KIRK

Fall 2017|37

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

BY EDWARD SMITH

“Y

ou can hang out, just don’t put your feet on the furniture,” Janice Wong, of Student Activities, says to students.

After 17 years at Fresno City College, she and her colleagues in the department have turned the cozy building right beside the cafeteria into a “second living room” for students on campus, where they can study, play cards or ping pong, and on Fridays, even play a little volleyball.

But, for Wong, work is far more than that.

The department, along with the associated student government, oversee all of the activities for the more than 40 clubs all year long.

Wong has spent her entire tenure at FCC in Student Activities.

When the opportunity arose for her to work there, she knew it was for her. ““When I was in college it brought me back to that time,” Wong said. “I was always going into student activities.”

Wong remembered the support she got in hosting her own events while at UC Davis that she wanted to use that experience to do the same for students at FCC. “For faculty and instructors, they have to come up with a curriculum, and for student activities, the process is similar,” Wong said.

“The big thing is planning and knowing what people need to do.”

JANICE WONG

The clubs are autonomous but the logistics of putting on events is, for a lot of students, something they’ve never done before.

“There’s so much information we need to give to them, we have to find ways to successfully put together what they want to do,” Wong said.

Student activities tries to use a basic structure for accommodating a diverse club system.

Students need to know how to put together an event. They need to know how to reserve a venue and fundraise, according to Wong.

Wong and others in the student activities center bring in valuable resources to help students with issues like accounting, marketing and even food safety.

Kathy Bonilla from the Public Information Office will come in to show students how to run effective marketing campaigns and make flyers that will bring bodies in to support events.

“You can’t have an event and not advertise,” Wong said.

Maile Martin from the activities center will help clubs fundraise so they can expand their scope and their impact.

When it comes to food, Wong sends students to the on-campus food services as an essential resource to teaching students about how to meet health codes.

“Anita Handy [who works with Taher, the FCC food supplier] loves working with students.

If they have questions about how

to properly handle food. She makes her services available,” Wong said.

For Wong, it’s about building partnerships and relationships, and that is something she works to pass onto students.

“

You’re not going to get individuals motivated unless you show them how important [what they do] is to the campus.

JANICE WONG “Things like finding an adviser or retaining members, we are more than happy to have students come in and help figure those things out,” Wong said.

One club that stands out in her mind is the Hmong American Student Association. One year, they wanted to hold a

Hmong New Year event.

“I’m never going to say something is too large for you,” Wong said. She worked with students to develop a proposal outlining who, what, where and what kind of budget they had.

“They built a map, brought community members, did performances and they even got me to do a fashion show that year,” Wong remembers. “They planned it really well where they were organizing and had practices and meetings.”

The event was all student run, and the students came in to take charge.

“It’s not my role to tell them how to do it, but i got to see that vision and watch how well it worked out,” Wong said.

But all the way, students came to her to get it done.

“We’re not 8 to 5,” Wong said.

“We’re here weekends, we’re here in the evenings and mornings.

But [that attitude] radiates.

You’re not going to get individuals motivated unless you show them how important [what they do] is to the campus.”

She teaches accommodating oneself to circumstances.

Whether dealing with weather or cancellations, the show must go on.

“Even though we’re not instructional,” Wong said, “we feel that engaging students, whether it’s for civics or for social interaction, it’s going to be worthwhile.”

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38|Fresno City College

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith addresses concerns from the community in a forum hosted by the college.

BY EDWARD SMITH Out of a need to address the growing demand for higher education and the strain it puts on physical space, voters across Fresno County voted overwhelmingly to approve Measure C in June 2016.

The approval gives the State Center Community College District about $535 million to invest in improving the infrastructure and in preparing the district’s 50,000 students enrolled in its three colleges and centers for careers into the 21st and 22nd centuries.

In the 2016–17 school year, Fresno City College served more than 30,000 students, and most classes were filled to capacity; the college’s fire and police academies had huge enrollment numbers.

Fresno’s growing economy requires specialized training for opportunities in meaningful, long-lasting careers. It is widely believed that sustainable employment require an education or specialized training, all obtainable from college.

With the passage of Measure C, Fresno City College is

taking steps to meet its goals of updating the Math, Science and Engineering Building as well as the Career & Technology Center.

Shirley McManus, dean of instruction for the math, science and engineering division, said she recognizes that updating and expanding the program will provide students opportunities to train with equipment that most do not see until university or graduate school.

“A student can take classes here at a much reduced tuition and be better prepared to enter a 4-year college,” McManus said.

“A new facility has the ability to be state of the art.”

Talks and surveying have begun for the new facility that will house the multiple degrees available in the math, science and engineering division.

“We have an incredible number of students taking classes in math science and engineering.

A new building will help meet more of the growing demand for classes, allow students to use more modern equipment, and prepare them for their future,” McManus said.

Expansion also means exploring solutions for new growth and incoming traffic, both by students and by the transportation that brings them there. The district has hired PMSM Architects to research and develop how to accommodate parking needs.

WIth several options as well as the historic neighborhood surrounding FCC, President Carole Goldsmith sought to go directly to the neighbors, many of whom have lived in the area for generations.

The public support that drives Fresno City College’s success mirrors the college’s commitment to returning that investment back to the city of Fresno. Right from the passage of the 2016 bond, leaders of SCCCD and of Fresno City College have carefully weighed the best avenues through which to employ long-term and meaningful changes.

Goldsmith invited City Councilwoman Esmeralda Soria and Eric Payne and Miguel Arias, members of the SCCCD Board of Trustees, to canvass the homes and invite residents to meet and discuss the impacts of construc-

tion as well as voice their hopes, concerns and how they imagine growth would occur.

Over the course of more than a dozen town hall style meetings, FCC and SCCCD heard concerns as well as design suggestions from neighbors and other concerned citizens.

“Part of the plan calls for a series of community conversations and community meetings so people can understand what buildings are being proposed and they can give us feedback on the facilities,” Trustee Miguel Arias said. “We wanted to make sure that people knew, in a very comprehensive way, that we were going to start having these conversations around the construction projects.”

On May 22, guests even sat around tables with large pieces of paper to draw out how they pictured expansion for facilities and parking renovations.

“What we were trying to do was understand each other and figure out the points of agreement,” Soria said. “I believe if you talk to any of the neighbors around the city college area, they are big supporters of the college.”

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Fall 2017|39

Dear Friends of Fresno City College:

W

elcome to the inaugural edition of the Fresno City College Magazine! Fresno City College journalism, photography and graphic design students, along with our faculty, worked diligently to make this concept a reality. I’d also like to extend a warm thank you to Caglia Environmental for investing in this endeavor and the future of our students.

You may be wondering, why is the welcome message from the president in the back of the magazine? Well, we are mission driven and student centered. That means, students come first!

As your college president, it is very important to me to embrace our rich history as California’s first community college, which is now home to over 32,000 students this academic year. Every member of this amazing family is firmly dedicated to putting the needs of our community and its students first - after all, that is why we are here.

Our alumni tradition runs deep, not only throughout our region, but the entire world.

Many have gone on to be doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, elected officials, and so much more. We are unbelievably proud that for many it started right here at Fresno City College. You’ve seen our campus; we truly do offer a full college experience. We want students to take advantage of what our college offers and benefit from the innovative programs carefully designed to help every student achieve great success. Our ultimate goal is to ensure each student is equipped to tackle what lies ahead - career, community and family.

both on campus and in the community to discuss our future and what it needs to look like. It is important to me as president to make sure all voices are heard and investments of your tax dollars are used well.

We are in this together, and that is what makes Fresno City College so special.

The first step in ensuring their success is to remove the barriers that so many students face. This semester we have partnered with the City of Fresno to provide our students much needed, affordable transportation—a free FAX bus pass to guarantee they can get to class on time. To ensure the voice of our constituents is heard in our planning efforts, we’ve held numerous community meetings,

Go RAMS!

I look forward to many more conversations with you; this publication is just the start.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, don’t hesitate to email me directly at President@FresnoCityCollege.edu or visit our newly designed website at www. fresnocitycollege.edu.

Dr. Carole Goldsmith President

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