Students’ SuccessAlwaysInspires

Behind everystudent at College of the

Canyons is a story.The stories are asunique as the studentsthemselves, but com-mon themes often tiethem together. Deter-mination. Discovery.Second chances.Uncertainty. And ultimately, success.

Jamie Loren iswrapping up her finalclasses at College ofthe Canyons andpreparing to transfer,marking the comple-tion of an improbableaccomplishment.Jamie got off to arough start academi-cally when she firstenrolled at COC.

See VAN HOOK on Page 2

College CommendedDuring AccreditationT

he grades are in, and College of the Canyonspassed with flying colors! Every six years,community colleges undergo thorough evalu-

ations to maintain their accreditation. This processincludes completing a lengthy self-study and hostinga visit from a team of administrators, faculty andstaff from other colleges.

With College of the Canyons having completedthose steps, the Accrediting Commission for Com-munity and Junior Colleges, Western Association ofSchools and Colleges, recently reaffirmed its highestaccreditation status upon College of the Canyons.

In reaffirming accreditation status, without the

placement of additional requests or conditions, theCommission also commended the college for itsstrong commitment to student success, collaborativegovernance, the fostering of numerous communitypartnerships, the use of data-driven planning andevaluation processes, technology use including stu-dent and faculty training and support, the provisionof a wide array of student support services, and thepresence of professional development opportunitiesfor faculty and staff.

College of the Canyons was among four of 15colleges to receive full accreditation at the commis-sion’s January meeting.

WE BEL I EVE I N T EACH ING , L EAD ING AND STAY ING AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE

Santa Clarita Community College District

26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355

BoarD of TruSTeeS

Bruce D. Fortine

Michele R. Jenkins

Joan W. MacGregor

Ernest L. Tichenor

Scott Thomas Wilk

Nicolas Cardenas, Student Trustee

Piloted in 2007, the donor-funded Physicsand Calculus Book Award Program at Col-lege of the Canyons provides textbooks to

deserving students studying for careers in math-based career fields.

The Physics and Calculus Book Award pro-

gram is administered through the college’sMathematics, Engineering, Science Achieve-ment (MESA) program.

Since its inception the book program hasawarded a total of 19 books, at a cost of rough-ly $200 apiece, and has subsequently expanded

College of the Canyons library media technician Eneida Bejkoa displays one of the textbooks students canreceive through the MESA program’s Physics and Calculus Book Award Program. To be eligible for the donor-funded book program students must demonstrate a financial need, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be majoringin a field of math, engineering or science.

College of the Canyons athletics had a part in Super BowlXLIII when Arizona Cardinal and former COC runningback J.J. Arrington took the field in Tampa Bay on Feb. 1.

Arrington was a member of the 2001 and 2002 Cougar footballteams before transferring to Cal for his last two seasons and hasbeen with the Arizona Cardinals since being drafted in 2005.

During the week leading up to the championship game, theNorth Carolina native was bothered by a sore knee, but he madenotable contributions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 26-year-old tallied four kickoff returns for 23 yards and caught two passesfor 35 yards, including a key 22-yard reception during a fourthquarter Cardinal drive.

Arrington spent most of the 2008 season as a kick return spe-cialist for the Cardinals. He returned 11 kickoffs for 230 yards, thesecond-highest total of any kick returner in the NFL during the2008 season.

Arrington left College of the Canyons in 2002 after breakingnumerous rushing and scoring records. He still holds a piece of therecords for most touchdowns in a game (five) and most pointsscored in a game (30). He was the first player to be offered a schol-arship by a Pac-10 school after the football program was reinstatedat the college in 1998.

See CALCULUS on Page 10

See ACCREDITATION on Page 9

N E W S & V I E W S F R O M C O L L E G E O F T H E C A N Y O N S S P R I N G 2 0 0 9

Former Cougar J.J. Arrington carries the ball in Super Bowl XLIII.Photo: Arizona Cardinals

Super Game forFormer Cougar

Donors Put Books in the Hands of Students

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 1

But as life often does, it threw somecurveballs. The adversity molded Jamie,giving her a chance to prove herself andget a glimpse of her true capabilities.

Two days after her husband departedfor his U.S. Army tour in Iraq, she discov-ered she was pregnant. She was a full-timestudent, and was also working full-time.Despite the stress of worrying about herhusband, who endured three roadsidebombing attacks, she maintained her com-mitments to school and work, earningstraight A’s and never missing a day ofwork.

Shortly after her husband returnedhome and their son was born, the Armytransferred them to El Paso, Texas. As anew mother in a new place, she was forcedto rely on herself. She describes it as thehardest and most challenging time of herlife, but she again demonstrated her char-acter and her resolve. She continued herstudies, maintained her strong academicrecord, and has since returned to Collegeof the Canyons.

The Jamie who is now applying toUSC is not the same young woman whofirst came to us six years ago at College ofthe Canyons. She emerged into a confi-dent and capable student whose recent per-formance is indicative of her determinationand her true potential.

At the other end of the spectrum isGina Roscigno, whose story is found onpage 6. She was studying at a state uni-versity in New York when she married.Three children later, she was a full-timemother, and never returned to school.Until she moved to California.

Following a scare over her husband’s

health, she decided to return to school. Butthinking about it was easier than actuallydoing it. It took three tries to summon upthe courage to actually walk on campusand enroll. But when she found her nichein the Computer Information TechnologyDepartment, she went from student toteaching assistant, and now, adjunct facul-ty member. Now she is the one inspiring

students to learn new skills and accomplishmore than they might have dreamed.

Many of our students can identify withFafa Young (page 6) and the circumstancesin which she found herself. Laid off whenher employer of 15 years went bankrupt,she wasn’t sure which direction she want-ed to go. Her husband suggested cooking,and she soon found her way to COC’sCulinary Arts Program.

Returning to school at the age of 50wasn’t easy, but since Fafa had found anew passion, she didn’t hesitate to askquestions. Her persistence has paid off andshe earned the recognition and respect ofher instructors. And she now knows whereshe is headed: a career in culinary arts aftershe takes more classes at COC.

As we meet students and hear their sto-ries, we are inspired to continue the workwe are undertaking at College of theCanyons. We are here for Jamie, Gina, andFafa and thousands of others just likethem. We are here when they are ready.We are here when they need a secondchance. We are here, ready to accept themas they are. Any age. Any background.Any level of experience. We are here tohelp them and provide the mentoring, thesupport, and the assistance they need todiscover their potential, acquire the skillsneeded to capitalize on it, ultimatelyachieve success, and give back to our com-munity and our state.

That commitment to students driveseverything we undertake at College of theCanyons, despite what is going on at thestate and federal levels. Whether we’rebuilding a new facility to increasing class-room space or add more computer labs,writing new curriculum for degrees in cut-ting-edge fields, or creating alternativemethods of delivery like short-term,online, or fast-tracked classes, our goal isto expand our access and foster the contin-ued achievements of our students.

If they can dream it, they can do it,and if they can imagine it, they canbecome it. And with our help, they aredoing just that.

I hope you enjoy this issue of the Bot-tom Line, and share in our joy as we cele-brate the accomplishments of our students.

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 92

Van HookFROM PAGE 1

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 3

In one of her first positions in commu-nity colleges, an enterprising youngfaculty member created a model pro-

gram for Santa Ana College in the RanchoSantiago Community College District — aprogram that would help other womenenter the workforce by givingthem access to the training andsupport services they needed tosucceed. Within five years, theprogram became a state modeland was funded at more than 50other colleges across California.

She named her re-entryprogram, New Horizons, andnow, decades later, the LosAngeles County Commissionfor Women and County Boardof Supervisors honored Col-lege of the Canyons ChancellorDr. Dianne G. Van Hook as arecipient of the 2009 Women ofthe Year Award. This presti-gious award was presented dur-ing the 24th Annual Women ofthe Year Awards Luncheon held March16 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel inLos Angeles.

The county’s Commission forWomen was established in 1975, (aboutthe same time Chancellor Van Hookhelped create her first women’s re-entrycenter) to represent the special interests

and concerns of women of all races, eth-nic and cultural backgrounds, religiousconvictions, social circumstances, andsexual orientation.

Van Hook created the New Horizonsprogram so that women could have the

same opportunities as men, and sincethen, she has dedicated her life to provid-ing access to education for everyone, andto helping students succeed.

District awardees are selected by eachLos Angeles County Supervisor andaside from serving as role models,Women of the Year nominees must have

worked on behalf of women’s issues andmade significant contributions towomen’s equality.

Chancellor Van Hook was selected forthis award by Michael D. Antonovich, LosAngeles County Supervisor, Fifth District.

During the luncheon,Antonovich praised Van Hook asa “trail blazer,” saying, “We’revery proud of the schools in theSanta Clarita Valley, but especial-ly the college, which is a bench-mark for the rest of the schools inour district.”

“I’m passionate about Cali-fornia community colleges andthe opportunities they affordpeople to become what theywant to be,” said Chancellor VanHook. “It has been a blessing towork in this amazing system ofeducation and to build bridgesfor people so they can opendoors and realize that they cansucceed.”

Throughout Chancellor Van Hook’scareer, she has mentored women, advo-cated for the promotion of women andchampioned women’s equity issues,while serving as a first-hand example toher peers and colleagues of just howpowerful a role model and visionaryleader one woman can be.

Chancellor Van Hook Honoredby County Commission for Women

See WOMAN OF THE YEAR on Page 8

COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook and her husband Roger at the Los Angeles Women of the Year Luncheon, where Dr. Van Hookwas honored.

The first engineering apprenticeship program of Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger’s Engineering Initiative to address thestate’s decade-long goal of training 20,000 new engineers for

the workforce, has begun accepting applications. The program, targeted for veterans, is a collaboration among

College of the Canyons, Valencia-based Stellar Microelectronics,Cal State Los Angeles and the California State University system,Governor’s Office, State Labor Agency, EDD (Employment Devel-opment Division), State Division of Apprenticeship Standards andthe Veteran’s Administration.

The apprenticeship program, announced during a Stellar Micro-

electronics press conference in December, is geared toward trainingveterans to become engineers in the lucrative microelectronicsfield.

Under this program, Stellar Microelectronics will provide paidapprenticeships for successful applicants, and Cal State Los Ange-les and College of the Canyons will offer engineering classes toprogram participants. The program’s first apprenticeships willbegin this spring.

The program will be extremely beneficial to returning veteranswith a background in engineering and electronics, but non-veteransare also encouraged to apply.

Apprenticeship Program Trains Veterans

See STELLAR on Page 8

Design/LayoutJohn GreenEvelyn Cox

PhotographyJesse Munoz

Stephanie CorralAir Pix WestO’Connor

Phone(661) 259-7800

Internethttp://www.canyons.edu

Mailing AddressCollege of the Canyons

Santa Clarita Community College District26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355

EditorEric Harnish

StoriesJesse Munoz

Stephanie CorralCelina Baguiao

Vice President, District Communication,

Marketing & External RelationsSue Bozman

Managing Director, Public Relations and Marketing

John McElwain

‘If they can

dream it, they can

do it, and if they

can imagine it,

they can become

it. And with our

help, they are

doing just that.’

The Bottom Line is published by the College of the Canyons Public Information Office to inform thecommunity of news and events of interest in the Santa Clarita Community College District.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 2

But as life often does, it threw somecurveballs. The adversity molded Jamie,giving her a chance to prove herself andget a glimpse of her true capabilities.

Two days after her husband departedfor his U.S. Army tour in Iraq, she discov-ered she was pregnant. She was a full-timestudent, and was also working full-time.Despite the stress of worrying about herhusband, who endured three roadsidebombing attacks, she maintained her com-mitments to school and work, earningstraight A’s and never missing a day ofwork.

Shortly after her husband returnedhome and their son was born, the Armytransferred them to El Paso, Texas. As anew mother in a new place, she was forcedto rely on herself. She describes it as thehardest and most challenging time of herlife, but she again demonstrated her char-acter and her resolve. She continued herstudies, maintained her strong academicrecord, and has since returned to Collegeof the Canyons.

The Jamie who is now applying toUSC is not the same young woman whofirst came to us six years ago at College ofthe Canyons. She emerged into a confi-dent and capable student whose recent per-formance is indicative of her determinationand her true potential.

At the other end of the spectrum isGina Roscigno, whose story is found onpage 6. She was studying at a state uni-versity in New York when she married.Three children later, she was a full-timemother, and never returned to school.Until she moved to California.

Following a scare over her husband’s

health, she decided to return to school. Butthinking about it was easier than actuallydoing it. It took three tries to summon upthe courage to actually walk on campusand enroll. But when she found her nichein the Computer Information TechnologyDepartment, she went from student toteaching assistant, and now, adjunct facul-ty member. Now she is the one inspiring

students to learn new skills and accomplishmore than they might have dreamed.

Many of our students can identify withFafa Young (page 6) and the circumstancesin which she found herself. Laid off whenher employer of 15 years went bankrupt,she wasn’t sure which direction she want-ed to go. Her husband suggested cooking,and she soon found her way to COC’sCulinary Arts Program.

Returning to school at the age of 50wasn’t easy, but since Fafa had found anew passion, she didn’t hesitate to askquestions. Her persistence has paid off andshe earned the recognition and respect ofher instructors. And she now knows whereshe is headed: a career in culinary arts aftershe takes more classes at COC.

As we meet students and hear their sto-ries, we are inspired to continue the workwe are undertaking at College of theCanyons. We are here for Jamie, Gina, andFafa and thousands of others just likethem. We are here when they are ready.We are here when they need a secondchance. We are here, ready to accept themas they are. Any age. Any background.Any level of experience. We are here tohelp them and provide the mentoring, thesupport, and the assistance they need todiscover their potential, acquire the skillsneeded to capitalize on it, ultimatelyachieve success, and give back to our com-munity and our state.

That commitment to students driveseverything we undertake at College of theCanyons, despite what is going on at thestate and federal levels. Whether we’rebuilding a new facility to increasing class-room space or add more computer labs,writing new curriculum for degrees in cut-ting-edge fields, or creating alternativemethods of delivery like short-term,online, or fast-tracked classes, our goal isto expand our access and foster the contin-ued achievements of our students.

If they can dream it, they can do it,and if they can imagine it, they canbecome it. And with our help, they aredoing just that.

I hope you enjoy this issue of the Bot-tom Line, and share in our joy as we cele-brate the accomplishments of our students.

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 92

Van HookFROM PAGE 1

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 3

In one of her first positions in commu-nity colleges, an enterprising youngfaculty member created a model pro-

gram for Santa Ana College in the RanchoSantiago Community College District — aprogram that would help other womenenter the workforce by givingthem access to the training andsupport services they needed tosucceed. Within five years, theprogram became a state modeland was funded at more than 50other colleges across California.

She named her re-entryprogram, New Horizons, andnow, decades later, the LosAngeles County Commissionfor Women and County Boardof Supervisors honored Col-lege of the Canyons ChancellorDr. Dianne G. Van Hook as arecipient of the 2009 Women ofthe Year Award. This presti-gious award was presented dur-ing the 24th Annual Women ofthe Year Awards Luncheon held March16 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel inLos Angeles.

The county’s Commission forWomen was established in 1975, (aboutthe same time Chancellor Van Hookhelped create her first women’s re-entrycenter) to represent the special interests

and concerns of women of all races, eth-nic and cultural backgrounds, religiousconvictions, social circumstances, andsexual orientation.

Van Hook created the New Horizonsprogram so that women could have the

same opportunities as men, and sincethen, she has dedicated her life to provid-ing access to education for everyone, andto helping students succeed.

District awardees are selected by eachLos Angeles County Supervisor andaside from serving as role models,Women of the Year nominees must have

worked on behalf of women’s issues andmade significant contributions towomen’s equality.

Chancellor Van Hook was selected forthis award by Michael D. Antonovich, LosAngeles County Supervisor, Fifth District.

During the luncheon,Antonovich praised Van Hook asa “trail blazer,” saying, “We’revery proud of the schools in theSanta Clarita Valley, but especial-ly the college, which is a bench-mark for the rest of the schools inour district.”

“I’m passionate about Cali-fornia community colleges andthe opportunities they affordpeople to become what theywant to be,” said Chancellor VanHook. “It has been a blessing towork in this amazing system ofeducation and to build bridgesfor people so they can opendoors and realize that they cansucceed.”

Throughout Chancellor Van Hook’scareer, she has mentored women, advo-cated for the promotion of women andchampioned women’s equity issues,while serving as a first-hand example toher peers and colleagues of just howpowerful a role model and visionaryleader one woman can be.

Chancellor Van Hook Honoredby County Commission for Women

See WOMAN OF THE YEAR on Page 8

COC Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook and her husband Roger at the Los Angeles Women of the Year Luncheon, where Dr. Van Hookwas honored.

The first engineering apprenticeship program of Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger’s Engineering Initiative to address thestate’s decade-long goal of training 20,000 new engineers for

the workforce, has begun accepting applications. The program, targeted for veterans, is a collaboration among

College of the Canyons, Valencia-based Stellar Microelectronics,Cal State Los Angeles and the California State University system,Governor’s Office, State Labor Agency, EDD (Employment Devel-opment Division), State Division of Apprenticeship Standards andthe Veteran’s Administration.

The apprenticeship program, announced during a Stellar Micro-

electronics press conference in December, is geared toward trainingveterans to become engineers in the lucrative microelectronicsfield.

Under this program, Stellar Microelectronics will provide paidapprenticeships for successful applicants, and Cal State Los Ange-les and College of the Canyons will offer engineering classes toprogram participants. The program’s first apprenticeships willbegin this spring.

The program will be extremely beneficial to returning veteranswith a background in engineering and electronics, but non-veteransare also encouraged to apply.

Apprenticeship Program Trains Veterans

See STELLAR on Page 8

Design/LayoutJohn GreenEvelyn Cox

PhotographyJesse Munoz

Stephanie CorralAir Pix WestO’Connor

Phone(661) 259-7800

Internethttp://www.canyons.edu

Mailing AddressCollege of the Canyons

Santa Clarita Community College District26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355

EditorEric Harnish

StoriesJesse Munoz

Stephanie CorralCelina Baguiao

Vice President, District Communication,

Marketing & External RelationsSue Bozman

Managing Director, Public Relations and Marketing

John McElwain

‘If they can

dream it, they can

do it, and if they

can imagine it,

they can become

it. And with our

help, they are

doing just that.’

The Bottom Line is published by the College of the Canyons Public Information Office to inform thecommunity of news and events of interest in the Santa Clarita Community College District.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 2

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 94 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 5

As construction on the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook UniversityCenter nears completion, College of the Canyons officialsare preparing to embark on another wave of projects

designed to expand and modernize the Valencia campus.Next on the list is a major expansion and remodel of the

library. Originally built in 1997 — at a time when the college’sstudent population hovered around 7,500 — the approximately36,000-square-foot library will more than double in size as aresult of this project, which will add roughly 52,000 square feet ofspace to the current facility.

In addition to significantly increasing the amount of spaceneeded to house library resources and materials, major additionsof the expansion will include: the creation of a permanent homefor the college’s Tutoring, Learning & Computing Lab (TLC),featuring separate math and English instruction labs; expandedstudent study areas; and additional computer labs — including adesignated ‘community use’ computer lab.

Being paid for with a combination of state and Measure Mfunds (the $160 million general obligation bond voters approvedin November 2006) the college’s $24 million library expansionproject is expected to break ground in 2009, pending Division of

the State Architect (DSA) plan approval and the availability ofstate funding.

A second expansion and remodel project will take place on the43,000-square-foot Mentry Hall, which houses the college’sradio, television, film (RTVF), art, photography, architecture,interior design and graphic and multimedia design programs, aswell as the college’s Art Gallery.

Paid for with Measure M funds, with no state contributions,this design-build project will provide an additional 30,000 squarefeet of classroom and instruction space to the facility, which wasalso constructed in 1997.

DSA delays as a result of the state’s current economic climatecould affect the construction timeline on this project, howevercollege officials hope to break ground in 2009.

“With the addition of these new classrooms we are workingtoward our master plan of eventually removing the classroom vil-lage,” said Jim Schrage, vice president, facilities planning, opera-tions and construction at the college, referring to the collection oftemporary/modular classrooms on the south end of campus. “Thatarea will then eventually open up into a green space similar to theHonor Grove.”

COC Hosts EconomicStrategy Session

Designs being finalized for Libraryand Mentry Hall expansions

In February, College of the Canyons andthe City of Santa Clarita joined forcesto host a discussion designed to partic-

ipate with the Los Angeles County Eco-nomic Development Corporation(LAEDC) in drafting the county’s firstever economic development strategic plan.

Attracting a collection of nearly 100local business and industry members, theevent featured a presentation from BillAllen, President and CEO, of LAEDC —and a series of economically themed roundtable discussions designed to facilitateconversation about what the key points ofthe plan should be.

“The California Community Collegesystem will play a major role in providingthe state with the fuel needed for econom-ic recovery, and College of the Canyonstakes that responsibility very seriously,”said Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook.

In his presentation, Allen laid out whatwas referred to as the LAEDC’s ‘five pointplan’ for economic development: responsi-ble land use; the development of a businessfriendly environment; the presence of anattractive quality of life; 21st century infra-structure; and workforce education and jobtraining.

“There (has never been) a broad-basedconsensus approach, where people from allacross the county — stakeholder groupsrepresenting business and labor and theenvironment, community groups, and thepublic sector — gather to collectivelyshare their thoughts, their visions and theirdreams about what kind of economy theywant to have, and how to ensure its mone-tary success,” Allen said. “So we began theprocess of creating such a plan.”

“College of the Canyons is proud tohave played a role in this historic event,”said Dr. Bruce Getzan, dean of economicdevelopment at the college. “It’s alwaysimportant to have a strategic plan and withCalifornia’s current economic climatethere is no better time to begin creating acomprehensive and collaborative consen-sus on how the county should move for-ward on expanding its varied economy inthe future.”

Organized through a partnershipbetween the LAEDC, the College of theCanyons Employee Training Institute, theCollege of the Canyons Foundation andthe City of Santa Clarita’s EconomicDevelopment Division, this event wassponsored by The Gas Company.

This spring College of the Canyons

students were honored for their acad-

emic and competitive excellence,

receiving a variety of accolades at both the

regional and statewide level.

All State Academics

College of the Canyons students Debo-

rah Burch and Christopher Haines were

selected to the 2009 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)

All-California Academic Team.

PTK recognizes and encourages the aca-

demic achievement of two-year college stu-

dents and provides opportunities for growth

through participation in honors, leadership,

service and fellowship programming.

To be eligible for placement on the PTK

All-California Academic Team students must: be enrolled at a Cal-

ifornia community college through December 2008; have a cumu-

lative college-level GPA of at east 3.50 for all coursework com-

pleted in the last five years; be on track to earn an associate or bach-

elor degree with a minimum of 36 college-level semester units; and

have both a clean academic record and personal background.

One Scholarly Team

Though long deserving of the honor, in March the California

Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) named the

2007 College of the Canyons state champion women’s golf team

the 2007-08 Pepsi Scholar Women’s Golf Team.

The honor is awarded to a sports team that had at least a com-

Tannehill JoinsCOC as NewSBDC Director

See HONORS on Page 7

College of the Canyons hosted a community discussion aimed at developing a countywide strategy foreconomic development.

The Santa Clarita Community Col-lege District has announced theappointment of Steven Tannehill as

director of the Small Business Develop-ment Center (SBDC) hosted by Collegeof the Canyons.

Tannehill, whocomes to College ofthe Canyons withmore than 20 years ofbusiness experience inthe real estate financeindustry will providemanagerial oversightof the SBDC and itsoperations and in-depth consulting ser-vices and formal and informal training tocurrent and prospective local/regionalsmall business owners regarding applica-ble business management practices.

Tannehill spent the last 12 years as thechief operating officer of CountrywideServicing Exchange and a managingdirector of Banc of America Securities.He has served on the Newhall SchoolDistrict governing board since 1998 andhas served on the board of AYSO Region678 and Troop 888 of Boy Scouts ofAmerica.

Tannehill holds a bachelor of arts inlaw and society from University of Cali-fornia at Santa Barbara and an MBAfrom the Haas School of Business at UCBerkeley -- as well as Series 7 and 63licenses.

“I am looking forward to joining theoutstanding team of people at the college,in the Economic Development Divisionand at the Small Business DevelopmentCenter,” Tannehill said. “It’s my hope toutilize my business experience, educationand background in a public service rolethat will provide a valuable resource forsmall businesses throughout our region.”

The SBDC, hosted by College of theCanyons, was launched in January 2006and serves the Santa Clarita, Antelopeand San Fernando valleys. It is part of anetwork of 10 Small Business Develop-ment Centers serving businesses fromSanta Barbara, Ventura and Los Angelescounties.

Deborah Burch

Christopher Haines

College Earns Honors on Several Fronts

The 2007 Women’s Golf Team received the Pepsi Scholar team award.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 3

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 94 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 5

As construction on the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook UniversityCenter nears completion, College of the Canyons officialsare preparing to embark on another wave of projects

designed to expand and modernize the Valencia campus.Next on the list is a major expansion and remodel of the

library. Originally built in 1997 — at a time when the college’sstudent population hovered around 7,500 — the approximately36,000-square-foot library will more than double in size as aresult of this project, which will add roughly 52,000 square feet ofspace to the current facility.

In addition to significantly increasing the amount of spaceneeded to house library resources and materials, major additionsof the expansion will include: the creation of a permanent homefor the college’s Tutoring, Learning & Computing Lab (TLC),featuring separate math and English instruction labs; expandedstudent study areas; and additional computer labs — including adesignated ‘community use’ computer lab.

Being paid for with a combination of state and Measure Mfunds (the $160 million general obligation bond voters approvedin November 2006) the college’s $24 million library expansionproject is expected to break ground in 2009, pending Division of

the State Architect (DSA) plan approval and the availability ofstate funding.

A second expansion and remodel project will take place on the43,000-square-foot Mentry Hall, which houses the college’sradio, television, film (RTVF), art, photography, architecture,interior design and graphic and multimedia design programs, aswell as the college’s Art Gallery.

Paid for with Measure M funds, with no state contributions,this design-build project will provide an additional 30,000 squarefeet of classroom and instruction space to the facility, which wasalso constructed in 1997.

DSA delays as a result of the state’s current economic climatecould affect the construction timeline on this project, howevercollege officials hope to break ground in 2009.

“With the addition of these new classrooms we are workingtoward our master plan of eventually removing the classroom vil-lage,” said Jim Schrage, vice president, facilities planning, opera-tions and construction at the college, referring to the collection oftemporary/modular classrooms on the south end of campus. “Thatarea will then eventually open up into a green space similar to theHonor Grove.”

COC Hosts EconomicStrategy Session

Designs being finalized for Libraryand Mentry Hall expansions

In February, College of the Canyons andthe City of Santa Clarita joined forcesto host a discussion designed to partic-

ipate with the Los Angeles County Eco-nomic Development Corporation(LAEDC) in drafting the county’s firstever economic development strategic plan.

Attracting a collection of nearly 100local business and industry members, theevent featured a presentation from BillAllen, President and CEO, of LAEDC —and a series of economically themed roundtable discussions designed to facilitateconversation about what the key points ofthe plan should be.

“The California Community Collegesystem will play a major role in providingthe state with the fuel needed for econom-ic recovery, and College of the Canyonstakes that responsibility very seriously,”said Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook.

In his presentation, Allen laid out whatwas referred to as the LAEDC’s ‘five pointplan’ for economic development: responsi-ble land use; the development of a businessfriendly environment; the presence of anattractive quality of life; 21st century infra-structure; and workforce education and jobtraining.

“There (has never been) a broad-basedconsensus approach, where people from allacross the county — stakeholder groupsrepresenting business and labor and theenvironment, community groups, and thepublic sector — gather to collectivelyshare their thoughts, their visions and theirdreams about what kind of economy theywant to have, and how to ensure its mone-tary success,” Allen said. “So we began theprocess of creating such a plan.”

“College of the Canyons is proud tohave played a role in this historic event,”said Dr. Bruce Getzan, dean of economicdevelopment at the college. “It’s alwaysimportant to have a strategic plan and withCalifornia’s current economic climatethere is no better time to begin creating acomprehensive and collaborative consen-sus on how the county should move for-ward on expanding its varied economy inthe future.”

Organized through a partnershipbetween the LAEDC, the College of theCanyons Employee Training Institute, theCollege of the Canyons Foundation andthe City of Santa Clarita’s EconomicDevelopment Division, this event wassponsored by The Gas Company.

This spring College of the Canyons

students were honored for their acad-

emic and competitive excellence,

receiving a variety of accolades at both the

regional and statewide level.

All State Academics

College of the Canyons students Debo-

rah Burch and Christopher Haines were

selected to the 2009 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)

All-California Academic Team.

PTK recognizes and encourages the aca-

demic achievement of two-year college stu-

dents and provides opportunities for growth

through participation in honors, leadership,

service and fellowship programming.

To be eligible for placement on the PTK

All-California Academic Team students must: be enrolled at a Cal-

ifornia community college through December 2008; have a cumu-

lative college-level GPA of at east 3.50 for all coursework com-

pleted in the last five years; be on track to earn an associate or bach-

elor degree with a minimum of 36 college-level semester units; and

have both a clean academic record and personal background.

One Scholarly Team

Though long deserving of the honor, in March the California

Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) named the

2007 College of the Canyons state champion women’s golf team

the 2007-08 Pepsi Scholar Women’s Golf Team.

The honor is awarded to a sports team that had at least a com-

Tannehill JoinsCOC as NewSBDC Director

See HONORS on Page 7

College of the Canyons hosted a community discussion aimed at developing a countywide strategy foreconomic development.

The Santa Clarita Community Col-lege District has announced theappointment of Steven Tannehill as

director of the Small Business Develop-ment Center (SBDC) hosted by Collegeof the Canyons.

Tannehill, whocomes to College ofthe Canyons withmore than 20 years ofbusiness experience inthe real estate financeindustry will providemanagerial oversightof the SBDC and itsoperations and in-depth consulting ser-vices and formal and informal training tocurrent and prospective local/regionalsmall business owners regarding applica-ble business management practices.

Tannehill spent the last 12 years as thechief operating officer of CountrywideServicing Exchange and a managingdirector of Banc of America Securities.He has served on the Newhall SchoolDistrict governing board since 1998 andhas served on the board of AYSO Region678 and Troop 888 of Boy Scouts ofAmerica.

Tannehill holds a bachelor of arts inlaw and society from University of Cali-fornia at Santa Barbara and an MBAfrom the Haas School of Business at UCBerkeley -- as well as Series 7 and 63licenses.

“I am looking forward to joining theoutstanding team of people at the college,in the Economic Development Divisionand at the Small Business DevelopmentCenter,” Tannehill said. “It’s my hope toutilize my business experience, educationand background in a public service rolethat will provide a valuable resource forsmall businesses throughout our region.”

The SBDC, hosted by College of theCanyons, was launched in January 2006and serves the Santa Clarita, Antelopeand San Fernando valleys. It is part of anetwork of 10 Small Business Develop-ment Centers serving businesses fromSanta Barbara, Ventura and Los Angelescounties.

Deborah Burch

Christopher Haines

College Earns Honors on Several Fronts

The 2007 Women’s Golf Team received the Pepsi Scholar team award.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 3

Culinary Arts Gives Rise to New Career

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 96 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 7

Fafa Young was a month shy of retiring from Varig Airlinesafter 15 years of employment at the company’s Los Ange-les office, when the Brazilian airline filed for bankruptcy

in 2006. Without her retirement pension plan, Young had to make asudden career move.

“I didn’t know what newpath to pursue,” said Young,who, fluent in Portuguese,started working for Varig as abilingual secretary and waspromoted to account executivemanager in the sales depart-ment. It wasn’t until her hus-band suggested that she trycooking that Young consid-ered a career in culinary arts.

“I found a program upnorth that was completelyonline before I found COC’sculinary arts program,” saidthe Valencia resident. “I ranthere and registered.”

During her first semester atthe college in fall 2008, Youngtook four culinary arts courses,including a knife skills coursewith Chef Daniel Otto andculinary arts and baking courses with Chef Cindy Schwanke.

“I started to flavor food with herbs and ingredients that Inever knew could be combined in cooking,” said Young. “I start-ed to have an eye for food presentation that I never knew I wascapable of having.”

“The beginning was difficult,” said Young. “I had to read a lotand it was overwhelming.”

Young credits her progress and success to her helpful instructors. “I’m a foreigner over the age of 50 and every time I had a problemor didn’t understand, I would ask for help,” she said.

The college’s culinary arts instructors “want you to learn andthey want to share their passionfor culinary arts. And it works,”said Young. “Every time I startto talk about cooking, I go crazyabout it.”

Schwanke wishes that allstudents would have Young’swork ethic and passion for theirwork.

“Fafa is a very focused stu-dent who enjoys learning allaspects of the cooking process,”said Schwanke. “She takespride in her work and her food.She once said to me, ‘Withthese culinary classes I havefound my passion.’”

Young plans to start search-ing for a job in the culinary artsfield as soon as she finishes herstudies.

“Cindy said I can use her asa reference,” she said. “She can

transform anything. She knows so much about what she teaches andis very motivating. I learned how to bake so many kinds of pastriesand breads. I’ve learned so much from her.”

During a recent trip to Brazil, Young cooked every night forfriends and family, who, needless to say, were sad to see her go.“They said they missed my cooking and didn’t like the food inBrazil anymore,” she said.

If it hadn’t been for her husband’s trip tothe emergency room, Gina Roscigno, aComputer Information Technology

(CIT) adjunct instructor at College of theCanyons, might have never returned toschool for her bachelor’s degree.

Roscigno’s husband, a director of engi-neering at the time, went to the ER think-ing he was suffering a heart attack.Although it was a severe sinus infectionthat caused the scare, it forced her to con-sider what life would’ve been like had itbeen the worst-case scenario.

“It was a real slap in the face,” said theStevenson Ranch resident. “I was relieved,but the question was still on the table.What am I going to do?”

A mother of three, Roscigno didn’t fin-ish her studies at SUNY Stony Brook Uni-versity after she married and settled nicelyinto domestic bliss. “I was the typical stay-at-home housewife,” she said. “I lost inter-est. I was too busy living life.”

At her husband’s suggestion, Roscignodecided to go back to school. Located fiveminutes away from her home, College of

the Canyons was the obvious place to start. But as determined as Roscigno was,

she was also scared about returning toschool. “My friends said, ‘Are you crazy?Get more insurance!’”

Roscigno drove into the COC parkinglot, but drove back out again. “I did this onthree separate occasions before I finallysummoned up the courage to park and gointo the Admissions building.”

Once inside the Admissions office,Roscigno didn’t know where to start. Acounselor greeted her and asked her what

Student Stays to Teach Computer Classes

Have you ever boarded a bus, tookone look at the driver sitting onthe other side of that yellow line

that boldly says “Do Not Cross YellowLine” and thought to yourself, “I wonderwhy?”

If so, you’ll definitely want to get onboard and attend one of the most interest-ing topics to be presented at a College ofthe Canyons Scholarly Presentation. Bythe way, no fares are required for this ride(admission is free).

Featuring original research and first-hand accounts integrated with a collec-tion of familiar bus-themed songs and

movie clips, original photos and videosand a live performance element, thescholarly presentation ‘Busology: Stand-ing Behind the Yellow Line’ will takeplace 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, on themain stage of the Santa Clarita Perform-ing Arts Center at College of theCanyons.

“I’m trying to make this presentationsomething really fun for people to be apart of,” said College of the Canyons soci-ology professor, and presenter PamelaWilliams-Paez, who conducted theresearch for this presentation over a two-and-a-half year period in Seattle. “But I’m

also trying to give the community anempathetic view of the world driverswork in, what they are up against andwhat that can tell us about our society.”

The Scholarly Presentation is spon-sored by the College of the CanyonsFoundation and the reception followingthe event is hosted by the Santa ClaritaCommunity College District Board ofTrustees.

See TEACH on Page 10

Fafa Young discovered her talent in food presentation after taking a Culinary Arts class at College of the Canyons

bined GPA of 3.0 and demonstrated better-than-average accom-

plishments in intercollegiate athletic competition. The 2007 Cougar

women’s golf team earned a combined 3.09 GPA while winning the

Western State Conference, Southern California and State titles.

“It is an amazing feat when your team can win an academic

award,” said College of the Canyons head coach Gary Peterson. “It

is even more impressive when you can also win a state champi-

onship in the same year. I am very proud of the women of the 2007

team and applaud their pursuit of success in the classroom and on

the golf course.”

Speaking of Team Success

More recently, the College of the Canyons speech team was

awarded first place in the small schools divisions at the 2009 Pacif-

ic Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association (PSCFA) spring

championships in March.

While individual team members have won various medals in

the past, this is the first time the college’s speech team has earned

a school award at a local/regional competition.

The team also garnered a number of individual awards includ-

ing that of Billy Hatton who advanced to the final round in the Oral

Interpretation of Prose category, in which the performer presents a

thematic argument before performing literature that is either from a

short story or edited from a novel.

Joining Hatton as winners at the spring championships were

bronze medalists Eric Hollingsworth (oral interpretation of drama

category) and Josh Tabak (oral interpretation of prose category). In

addition, Brian Viggianelli earned a spot in the final round of the

impromptu speaking category in only his second tournament

appearance. Prior to this most recent success, team member Jaume

Arranz earned a silver medal in the impromptu speaking category

at the Tabor-Venitsky Invitational.

HonorsFROM PAGE 5

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 4

Culinary Arts Gives Rise to New Career

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 96 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 7

Fafa Young was a month shy of retiring from Varig Airlinesafter 15 years of employment at the company’s Los Ange-les office, when the Brazilian airline filed for bankruptcy

in 2006. Without her retirement pension plan, Young had to make asudden career move.

“I didn’t know what newpath to pursue,” said Young,who, fluent in Portuguese,started working for Varig as abilingual secretary and waspromoted to account executivemanager in the sales depart-ment. It wasn’t until her hus-band suggested that she trycooking that Young consid-ered a career in culinary arts.

“I found a program upnorth that was completelyonline before I found COC’sculinary arts program,” saidthe Valencia resident. “I ranthere and registered.”

During her first semester atthe college in fall 2008, Youngtook four culinary arts courses,including a knife skills coursewith Chef Daniel Otto andculinary arts and baking courses with Chef Cindy Schwanke.

“I started to flavor food with herbs and ingredients that Inever knew could be combined in cooking,” said Young. “I start-ed to have an eye for food presentation that I never knew I wascapable of having.”

“The beginning was difficult,” said Young. “I had to read a lotand it was overwhelming.”

Young credits her progress and success to her helpful instructors. “I’m a foreigner over the age of 50 and every time I had a problemor didn’t understand, I would ask for help,” she said.

The college’s culinary arts instructors “want you to learn andthey want to share their passionfor culinary arts. And it works,”said Young. “Every time I startto talk about cooking, I go crazyabout it.”

Schwanke wishes that allstudents would have Young’swork ethic and passion for theirwork.

“Fafa is a very focused stu-dent who enjoys learning allaspects of the cooking process,”said Schwanke. “She takespride in her work and her food.She once said to me, ‘Withthese culinary classes I havefound my passion.’”

Young plans to start search-ing for a job in the culinary artsfield as soon as she finishes herstudies.

“Cindy said I can use her asa reference,” she said. “She can

transform anything. She knows so much about what she teaches andis very motivating. I learned how to bake so many kinds of pastriesand breads. I’ve learned so much from her.”

During a recent trip to Brazil, Young cooked every night forfriends and family, who, needless to say, were sad to see her go.“They said they missed my cooking and didn’t like the food inBrazil anymore,” she said.

If it hadn’t been for her husband’s trip tothe emergency room, Gina Roscigno, aComputer Information Technology

(CIT) adjunct instructor at College of theCanyons, might have never returned toschool for her bachelor’s degree.

Roscigno’s husband, a director of engi-neering at the time, went to the ER think-ing he was suffering a heart attack.Although it was a severe sinus infectionthat caused the scare, it forced her to con-sider what life would’ve been like had itbeen the worst-case scenario.

“It was a real slap in the face,” said theStevenson Ranch resident. “I was relieved,but the question was still on the table.What am I going to do?”

A mother of three, Roscigno didn’t fin-ish her studies at SUNY Stony Brook Uni-versity after she married and settled nicelyinto domestic bliss. “I was the typical stay-at-home housewife,” she said. “I lost inter-est. I was too busy living life.”

At her husband’s suggestion, Roscignodecided to go back to school. Located fiveminutes away from her home, College of

the Canyons was the obvious place to start. But as determined as Roscigno was,

she was also scared about returning toschool. “My friends said, ‘Are you crazy?Get more insurance!’”

Roscigno drove into the COC parkinglot, but drove back out again. “I did this onthree separate occasions before I finallysummoned up the courage to park and gointo the Admissions building.”

Once inside the Admissions office,Roscigno didn’t know where to start. Acounselor greeted her and asked her what

Student Stays to Teach Computer Classes

Have you ever boarded a bus, tookone look at the driver sitting onthe other side of that yellow line

that boldly says “Do Not Cross YellowLine” and thought to yourself, “I wonderwhy?”

If so, you’ll definitely want to get onboard and attend one of the most interest-ing topics to be presented at a College ofthe Canyons Scholarly Presentation. Bythe way, no fares are required for this ride(admission is free).

Featuring original research and first-hand accounts integrated with a collec-tion of familiar bus-themed songs and

movie clips, original photos and videosand a live performance element, thescholarly presentation ‘Busology: Stand-ing Behind the Yellow Line’ will takeplace 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, on themain stage of the Santa Clarita Perform-ing Arts Center at College of theCanyons.

“I’m trying to make this presentationsomething really fun for people to be apart of,” said College of the Canyons soci-ology professor, and presenter PamelaWilliams-Paez, who conducted theresearch for this presentation over a two-and-a-half year period in Seattle. “But I’m

also trying to give the community anempathetic view of the world driverswork in, what they are up against andwhat that can tell us about our society.”

The Scholarly Presentation is spon-sored by the College of the CanyonsFoundation and the reception followingthe event is hosted by the Santa ClaritaCommunity College District Board ofTrustees.

See TEACH on Page 10

Fafa Young discovered her talent in food presentation after taking a Culinary Arts class at College of the Canyons

bined GPA of 3.0 and demonstrated better-than-average accom-

plishments in intercollegiate athletic competition. The 2007 Cougar

women’s golf team earned a combined 3.09 GPA while winning the

Western State Conference, Southern California and State titles.

“It is an amazing feat when your team can win an academic

award,” said College of the Canyons head coach Gary Peterson. “It

is even more impressive when you can also win a state champi-

onship in the same year. I am very proud of the women of the 2007

team and applaud their pursuit of success in the classroom and on

the golf course.”

Speaking of Team Success

More recently, the College of the Canyons speech team was

awarded first place in the small schools divisions at the 2009 Pacif-

ic Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association (PSCFA) spring

championships in March.

While individual team members have won various medals in

the past, this is the first time the college’s speech team has earned

a school award at a local/regional competition.

The team also garnered a number of individual awards includ-

ing that of Billy Hatton who advanced to the final round in the Oral

Interpretation of Prose category, in which the performer presents a

thematic argument before performing literature that is either from a

short story or edited from a novel.

Joining Hatton as winners at the spring championships were

bronze medalists Eric Hollingsworth (oral interpretation of drama

category) and Josh Tabak (oral interpretation of prose category). In

addition, Brian Viggianelli earned a spot in the final round of the

impromptu speaking category in only his second tournament

appearance. Prior to this most recent success, team member Jaume

Arranz earned a silver medal in the impromptu speaking category

at the Tabor-Venitsky Invitational.

HonorsFROM PAGE 5

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 4

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 98 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 9

StellarFROM PAGE 3

College of the Canyons has beennamed to the 2008 President'sHigher Education Community

Service Honor Roll in recognizing thecollege’s wide-ranging community ser-vice-learning courses and programsavailable to students.

As one of the 635 institutions recog-nized – and one of only 39 in the state –College of the Canyons created the ser-vice-learning program to integrate mean-ingful community service with instructionand reflection to teach civic responsibility,strengthen communities and enrich thelearning experience of students.

“President Obama has issued a callfor all Americans to help and serve intheir communities,” said Dr. JenniferHauss, director of the college’s service-learning program.

“College of the Canyons service-learning students have been doing this foryears and as a result, their education, ourcommunity and our community-basedorganizations have been enriched by theirefforts,” Hauss added.

Last semester, the college’s service-learning projects included the participa-tion of nearly 40 faculty members fromvarious disciplines, 80 non-profit commu-

nity-based organizations and more than350 students.

Honor Roll selection criteria is basedon a number of factors including theinstitution's scope, innovativeness andeffectiveness of completed and ongoingservice projects, the citing of communi-ty service and service-learning goals inthe institution's strategic plan, the per-centage of student enrollment engagedin community service activities and theinstitution's latest Federal Work-Studycommunity service participation rate, as reported by the U.S. Department ofEducation.

Woman of the YearFROM PAGE 3

Before coming to College of theCanyons, Van Hook helped create theAsilomar Leadership Conference, whichprovides training for women looking toadvance to executive positions in com-munity colleges throughout California,and later established the Association ofCalifornia Community College Adminis-trators (ACCCA) Mentor Program to further train future community college leaders.

In addition, each semester for the pasttwo decades Van Hook has shared herextensive knowledge and experience byserving as a role model and mentor towomen aspiring to become college presi-dents — with more than 40 of the womenshe has mentored going on to achieve thatgoal at a California community college.

Locally, under her leadership, the num-ber of female administrators at College ofthe Canyons has increased from just two

before she was hired in 1988 to 54 percentof all the college’s administrators.

With full belief and personal experi-ence in the leadership capabilities ofwomen, Van Hook is quick to encourageher peers, colleagues, staff and studentsto strive to reach their full potentialthrough education, professional develop-ment and job advancement — demon-strating through her own actions that itcan be done.

Offering more than the typical sum-mer camp experience, the popularJunior High Summer Institute (JSI)

at College of the Canyons is back and bet-ter than ever.

Available to incoming sixth-, seventh-and eighth-graders, JSI allows students toenroll in week-long curriculum tracks –taught primarily by College of the Canyonsinstructors or field experts – in areas includ-

ing art, film, math and science, and musicaltheatre. New this summer will be tracks inanimation, 3-D design, teen fitness, youngentrepreneurship, lake recreation and more.

JSI will run Monday through Friday 9a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from June 15 throughJuly 24 (no meeting July 3) and will con-sist of six one-week sessions.

At a cost of $185 per child per week,parents have the option of enrolling their

student in different tracks for as many assix weeks. Some tracks may require a $15materials fee. An extended care allows stu-dents to attend from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.at an added cost of $60 per child per week.

JSI will offer need-based camp scholar-ships. Scholarship forms are due April 17.

For more information, please call (661)362-3300 or visit the institute’s Website atwww.canyons.edu/juniorhigh.

Service-Learning Program Honored College of the Canyons’ Service Learning students joined with Habitat for Humanity recently to help build a new home.

Students chosen as apprentices will have their tuition paid andwill receive onsite company training with Stellar Microelectronics,where they will be guaranteed employment upon graduating.

Based on its proximity to Stellar Microelectronics, College ofthe Canyons was invited to participate in the program due to its longhistory of collaborating with private industry to train workers inemerging and traditional high-technology fields. As the program’sprivate-sector partner, Stellar Microelectronics is an example of thegrowing, high-tech manufacturing sector that is so vital to LosAngeles County and California’s economic future.

“This is a very important step in the growth of the industry herein the Greater Los Angeles area,” said Al Mann, the billionaireentrepreneur and philanthropist behind Stellar Microelectronics.“And we are, as I say, hiring people and trying to do a good job.Some of the work they do here enables some of my other medicalcompanies, in particular, to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Mann’s vast collection of companies includes MannKind Corp.,Advanced Bionics, Second Sight and Bioness, and he is responsiblefor founding the semiconductor firm Heliotek; Spectrolab, the firstof his aerospace firms; Pacesetter Systems, which focused on car-diac pacemakers; St. Jude Medical, MiniMed and many others.

“College of the Canyons has partnered with several of Mr.Mann’s companies on various initiatives over the years, and it has

always been an exciting, rewarding and beneficial experiencebecause of the spirit he creates, the passion he inspires, and theexcellence he strives for as he works to make a difference inhumankind,” said Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook, chancellor of Collegeof the Canyons.

For more information about the apprenticeship program, contactDena Maloney at (661) 362-3305.

Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook joined Stellar Microelectronics founder Al Mann in announcing the training partnership.

Junior High Institute Back for Second Season

“Credit for our successful accreditationbelongs to each member of the college’s fac-ulty, staff, administration, and Board ofTrustees,” said Chancellor Dr. Dianne VanHook. “Every day they devote themselves toserving our students in the best way possi-ble, and to establishing and pursuing highstandards of excellence to foster student suc-cess. It is rewarding to me that their effortswere so evident to the visiting team.”

Accreditation is a voluntary process col-leges and universities undergo to evaluateand assure the quality of education used bythe American higher education community.

Including an intensive self-study andoutside peer evaluation of an institution’sadherence to standards of good practice, the

accreditation process is conducted not onlyto assure the quality of the institution, but toencourage institutional improvement.

Commission visiting team chair Dr.Robert F. Agrella, Superintendent-Presidentof Santa Rosa Junior College, praised thecollege for an array of accomplishments.

“You are to be commended for yourentrepreneurial attitude, enthusiasm andspirit that you display,” said Agrella duringthe team’s exit interview.

Included in the visiting team’s exit inter-view were just three recommendations forimprovement at College of the Canyons: anacceleration of the college’s timeline totransfer the storage of past student records toa digital format; a program review of its

library services designed to improve theeffectiveness of the libraries at both theValencia and Canyon Country campuses; andthe continued focus on developing increasedstudent learning outcomes — a recommenda-tion handed down to all institutions undergo-ing the re-accreditation process.

“For an institution of your size and com-plexity to have just those three recommen-dations is to be lauded,” said Agrella, addingthat he had never prepared an accreditationreport with fewer recommendations.

To read the College of the CanyonsComprehensive Institutional Self StudyReport, or the visiting team’s evaluationreport please visit http://www.canyons.edu/Offices/PIO/ Accreditation/.

AccreditationFROM PAGE 1

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 5

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 98 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 9

StellarFROM PAGE 3

College of the Canyons has beennamed to the 2008 President'sHigher Education Community

Service Honor Roll in recognizing thecollege’s wide-ranging community ser-vice-learning courses and programsavailable to students.

As one of the 635 institutions recog-nized – and one of only 39 in the state –College of the Canyons created the ser-vice-learning program to integrate mean-ingful community service with instructionand reflection to teach civic responsibility,strengthen communities and enrich thelearning experience of students.

“President Obama has issued a callfor all Americans to help and serve intheir communities,” said Dr. JenniferHauss, director of the college’s service-learning program.

“College of the Canyons service-learning students have been doing this foryears and as a result, their education, ourcommunity and our community-basedorganizations have been enriched by theirefforts,” Hauss added.

Last semester, the college’s service-learning projects included the participa-tion of nearly 40 faculty members fromvarious disciplines, 80 non-profit commu-

nity-based organizations and more than350 students.

Honor Roll selection criteria is basedon a number of factors including theinstitution's scope, innovativeness andeffectiveness of completed and ongoingservice projects, the citing of communi-ty service and service-learning goals inthe institution's strategic plan, the per-centage of student enrollment engagedin community service activities and theinstitution's latest Federal Work-Studycommunity service participation rate, as reported by the U.S. Department ofEducation.

Woman of the YearFROM PAGE 3

Before coming to College of theCanyons, Van Hook helped create theAsilomar Leadership Conference, whichprovides training for women looking toadvance to executive positions in com-munity colleges throughout California,and later established the Association ofCalifornia Community College Adminis-trators (ACCCA) Mentor Program to further train future community college leaders.

In addition, each semester for the pasttwo decades Van Hook has shared herextensive knowledge and experience byserving as a role model and mentor towomen aspiring to become college presi-dents — with more than 40 of the womenshe has mentored going on to achieve thatgoal at a California community college.

Locally, under her leadership, the num-ber of female administrators at College ofthe Canyons has increased from just two

before she was hired in 1988 to 54 percentof all the college’s administrators.

With full belief and personal experi-ence in the leadership capabilities ofwomen, Van Hook is quick to encourageher peers, colleagues, staff and studentsto strive to reach their full potentialthrough education, professional develop-ment and job advancement — demon-strating through her own actions that itcan be done.

Offering more than the typical sum-mer camp experience, the popularJunior High Summer Institute (JSI)

at College of the Canyons is back and bet-ter than ever.

Available to incoming sixth-, seventh-and eighth-graders, JSI allows students toenroll in week-long curriculum tracks –taught primarily by College of the Canyonsinstructors or field experts – in areas includ-

ing art, film, math and science, and musicaltheatre. New this summer will be tracks inanimation, 3-D design, teen fitness, youngentrepreneurship, lake recreation and more.

JSI will run Monday through Friday 9a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from June 15 throughJuly 24 (no meeting July 3) and will con-sist of six one-week sessions.

At a cost of $185 per child per week,parents have the option of enrolling their

student in different tracks for as many assix weeks. Some tracks may require a $15materials fee. An extended care allows stu-dents to attend from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.at an added cost of $60 per child per week.

JSI will offer need-based camp scholar-ships. Scholarship forms are due April 17.

For more information, please call (661)362-3300 or visit the institute’s Website atwww.canyons.edu/juniorhigh.

Service-Learning Program Honored College of the Canyons’ Service Learning students joined with Habitat for Humanity recently to help build a new home.

Students chosen as apprentices will have their tuition paid andwill receive onsite company training with Stellar Microelectronics,where they will be guaranteed employment upon graduating.

Based on its proximity to Stellar Microelectronics, College ofthe Canyons was invited to participate in the program due to its longhistory of collaborating with private industry to train workers inemerging and traditional high-technology fields. As the program’sprivate-sector partner, Stellar Microelectronics is an example of thegrowing, high-tech manufacturing sector that is so vital to LosAngeles County and California’s economic future.

“This is a very important step in the growth of the industry herein the Greater Los Angeles area,” said Al Mann, the billionaireentrepreneur and philanthropist behind Stellar Microelectronics.“And we are, as I say, hiring people and trying to do a good job.Some of the work they do here enables some of my other medicalcompanies, in particular, to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Mann’s vast collection of companies includes MannKind Corp.,Advanced Bionics, Second Sight and Bioness, and he is responsiblefor founding the semiconductor firm Heliotek; Spectrolab, the firstof his aerospace firms; Pacesetter Systems, which focused on car-diac pacemakers; St. Jude Medical, MiniMed and many others.

“College of the Canyons has partnered with several of Mr.Mann’s companies on various initiatives over the years, and it has

always been an exciting, rewarding and beneficial experiencebecause of the spirit he creates, the passion he inspires, and theexcellence he strives for as he works to make a difference inhumankind,” said Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook, chancellor of Collegeof the Canyons.

For more information about the apprenticeship program, contactDena Maloney at (661) 362-3305.

Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook joined Stellar Microelectronics founder Al Mann in announcing the training partnership.

Junior High Institute Back for Second Season

“Credit for our successful accreditationbelongs to each member of the college’s fac-ulty, staff, administration, and Board ofTrustees,” said Chancellor Dr. Dianne VanHook. “Every day they devote themselves toserving our students in the best way possi-ble, and to establishing and pursuing highstandards of excellence to foster student suc-cess. It is rewarding to me that their effortswere so evident to the visiting team.”

Accreditation is a voluntary process col-leges and universities undergo to evaluateand assure the quality of education used bythe American higher education community.

Including an intensive self-study andoutside peer evaluation of an institution’sadherence to standards of good practice, the

accreditation process is conducted not onlyto assure the quality of the institution, but toencourage institutional improvement.

Commission visiting team chair Dr.Robert F. Agrella, Superintendent-Presidentof Santa Rosa Junior College, praised thecollege for an array of accomplishments.

“You are to be commended for yourentrepreneurial attitude, enthusiasm andspirit that you display,” said Agrella duringthe team’s exit interview.

Included in the visiting team’s exit inter-view were just three recommendations forimprovement at College of the Canyons: anacceleration of the college’s timeline totransfer the storage of past student records toa digital format; a program review of its

library services designed to improve theeffectiveness of the libraries at both theValencia and Canyon Country campuses; andthe continued focus on developing increasedstudent learning outcomes — a recommenda-tion handed down to all institutions undergo-ing the re-accreditation process.

“For an institution of your size and com-plexity to have just those three recommen-dations is to be lauded,” said Agrella, addingthat he had never prepared an accreditationreport with fewer recommendations.

To read the College of the CanyonsComprehensive Institutional Self StudyReport, or the visiting team’s evaluationreport please visit http://www.canyons.edu/Offices/PIO/ Accreditation/.

AccreditationFROM PAGE 1

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 5

As part of a plan to broaden theselection of courses and range ofstudents in the College of the

Canyons theatre department, last fall,actor, director and career educator PaulWickline was named department chair.

Wickline — who holds a B.A. in edu-cation in theatre and English from WesternWashington University and an M.A. ineducation with an emphasis in theatre fromCentral Washington University — willalso serve as producer of the college’s stu-dent theatre performance season.

“I am thrilled to be working with thecollege’s theatre department and Perform-ing Arts Center staff,” said Wickline.“They have a true passion for theatre anddemonstrate daily their commitment anddedication by continually offering studentspersonalized instruction from an outstand-ing group of faculty.”

Before coming to the college, Wicklinewas a program coordinator and adjunctinstructor for the extended education andsummer school programs at The EvergreenState College in Olympia, Washington.

Prior to that, Wickline was director oftheatre arts and an instructor and directorat Walla Walla Community College insoutheastern Washington. Wickline hasalso served as an adjunct faculty memberat Central Washington University, WallaWalla University and The Evergreen StateCollege.

In 2003, the Walla Walla Public SchoolDistrict honored Wickline as one of threeoutstanding district educators with a StaffAchievement Grant. In 2005, he wasawarded a Meritorious AchievementAward from the Kennedy Center AmericanCollege Theatre Festival.

Wickline has produced and directedmore than 50 stage productions in the last15 years while remaining an active per-former in professional summer and region-al theatre productions.

“Paul is a great addition to the college’stheatre faculty,” said Dr. Floyd Moos, deanof fine and performing arts. “With histraining and professional background hebrings a great deal of artistic vision, acad-

emic leadership, and management of theartistic process to our department.”

Wickline sees the department as aresource for all students, not just those pur-suing careers in the entertainment industry.

“Our courses aren’t just for buddingactors,” Wickline said. “Students who takepart in theatre classes develop confidenceand self-esteem, the ability to think creative-ly and divergently and to speak clearly. Theydevelop a strong work ethic both individual-ly and collaboratively, and they become bet-ter students and better human beings.”

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 910 11

to provide 20 books each year on anongoing basis.

Making the program even more ben-eficial is the fact that each physics/cal-culus book can be used for three sequen-tial courses.

“One book goes a long way,” saidCollege of the Canyons mechanicalengineering student Angie Grayr, 21,pointing out that the $200 she savedthrough the award program reduced hertotal semester book cost by more than35 percent.

“Plus you’ll use these books semes-ter after semester, and probably evenafter as reference material,” Grayr said.“After you spend three semesters usingthe same book you get really familiarwith it, you know its teaching style andif you need to look something up you

know right where to go. I’m planning onkeeping my book forever!”

To be eligible for the Physics andCalculus Book Award program studentsmust demonstrate a financial need, havea GPA of 3.0 or higher and be majoringin a field of math, engineering or science.

After receiving the book, studentsmust then meet with an academic coun-selor to create a student educationalplan, submit academic progress reportsthroughout the semester and commit tomaintaining at least a “B” average inany physics or calculus course work.

Though allowed to keep the book foras many as three semesters, if a studentfails to receive a final grade of a “B” orhigher in the class they must then returnthe book to the MESA office — where itcan then be awarded to another student.

“They have to keep their grade up, sothey have to perform,” said SusanCrowther, MESA program director. “But

we like the idea of there being a little bitof competition involved, so that studentswill aspire to be awarded a book.”

Much of the book award program’ssuccess is due to generous contributionsto the college’s Foundation by an anony-mous donor. Because of the program’sgreat success the donor has committedto providing an additional 20 books eachyear.

“For somebody to step in and givesuch a valuable gift for such a deservinggroup of students is really a blessing,”said Crowther.

“The book award program is espe-cially important because of the role itplays in the college’s larger effort tosupport technical industries throughoutthe state. California needs more engi-neers, and College of the Canyons hasshown a strong commitment to support-ing students pursuing the engineeringand science fields.”

CALCULUSFROM PAGE 1

her goal was. “To get marketable,”Roscigno remembers replying.Taking into account Roscigno’sbackground as an assistant manag-er and computer lab volunteer at alocal elementary school, the coun-selor suggested she take somecomputer classes.

One of her first computer class-es was with Melanie Lipman, chairof the CIT department.

“She was an excellent studentwho completed her assignmentsbefore the due dates,” recalls Lip-man. “When she had the time, shewalked around our busy classroomand helped fellow students.”

It was Lipman who pointed outto Roscigno how much she enjoyed help-ing and working with students. “She toldme I should teach and that’s when the lightbulb started going on,” said Roscigno.

Pretty soon, Roscigno went from beinga student to working at the TLC lab andwas then Lipman’s teaching assistant.“Everything just fell into place,” she said.

“I have watched Gina grow and flour-ish,” said Lipman. “She is an amazing per-

son, an excellent instructor, and a veryvaluable addition to our department.”

Roscigno, who graduated from Excel-sior College in 2005 with a bachelor’sdegree in Computer Information and aminor in Sociology, never imagined thatshe would teach in the CIT field.

“I never used computers to writepapers. I played solitaire!” she said. “Ithought I would do marketing or customerservice.”

This spring, Roscigno is teachingclasses about Microsoft Word, Pow-erPoint and Office.

“CIT classes are a good steppingstone,” said Roscigno. “They’re agood building block” because whilemost of her students grew up withcomputers “they don’t know how toexplain what they’re doing,” sheexplained. There is a new wave ofstudents who are returning to schoolto gain computer skills to help themovercome the economy’s downwardspiral.

Roscigno thinks the greatestadvantage to going to a communitycollege is the level of support fromthe college’s administration and

staff. “So many of our staff are former stu-

dents who loved being here so much thatthey came back to work or teach here.They’ve grown up with College of theCanyons,” she said. “We are the true defi-nition of a community college. There areso many programs available for every levelof college student. We have something foreveryone.”

TEACHFROM PAGE 6

Paul Wickline

New Theatre ChairTakes Center Stage

Theatre Students Make ‘Noises’

The theatre department will performthe hilarious Tony-nominated comedy“Noises Off” at the Santa Clarita Per-forming Arts Center at College of theCanyons (PAC).Described by New York critics as “thefunniest farce ever written,” this come-dy follows the antics of an inept actingtroupe as they stumble from dressrehearsal to closing night. Show times are:• Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m.• Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m.• Saturday, May 9, 8 p.m.• Sunday May 10, at 2 p.m.Admission is $5 for students andseniors and $10 for adults. For tickets, call (661) 362-5304, or visit www.canyonspac.com.

Community remembers Jill Harper

About 200 friends and family ofJill Harper gathered at Collegeof the Canyons March 28 to

remember a 12-year Santa Clarita res-ident who was a devoted wife andmother, tireless volunteer, and whosesense of humor and relentless opti-mism always left others smiling.

Jilll’s husband Phil and sonsRichard and Ian shared touching andhumorous memories, while CityCouncilman Bob Kellar, COC Chan-cellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook, and EdMasterson, local representative toAssemblymember Cameron Smyth,reflected on Jill’s legacy of service toSanta Clarita.

“For COC, she was a breath offresh air—always upbeat, practical,witty, unselfish, positive, and gen-uine—present and passionate about allshe did,” Van Hook said.

In addition to working withseniors, and starting the AmericanCancer Society’s Relay for Life eventin Santa Clarita, Jill served on numer-ous committees at College of theCanyons and helped pass bond mea-sures C and M.

In lieu of flowers, Jill’s familyasked that donations be made to theCollege of the Canyons Foundation inher honor. All contributions will bene-fit the Canyon Country Campus, whichJill donated many hours to as the college planned and built the campus.

For more information, please contact the College of the CanyonsFoundation at (661) 362-3493.Gina Roscigno went from student to teacher after discovering

her interest in helping others learn computer software programs.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 6

As part of a plan to broaden theselection of courses and range ofstudents in the College of the

Canyons theatre department, last fall,actor, director and career educator PaulWickline was named department chair.

Wickline — who holds a B.A. in edu-cation in theatre and English from WesternWashington University and an M.A. ineducation with an emphasis in theatre fromCentral Washington University — willalso serve as producer of the college’s stu-dent theatre performance season.

“I am thrilled to be working with thecollege’s theatre department and Perform-ing Arts Center staff,” said Wickline.“They have a true passion for theatre anddemonstrate daily their commitment anddedication by continually offering studentspersonalized instruction from an outstand-ing group of faculty.”

Before coming to the college, Wicklinewas a program coordinator and adjunctinstructor for the extended education andsummer school programs at The EvergreenState College in Olympia, Washington.

Prior to that, Wickline was director oftheatre arts and an instructor and directorat Walla Walla Community College insoutheastern Washington. Wickline hasalso served as an adjunct faculty memberat Central Washington University, WallaWalla University and The Evergreen StateCollege.

In 2003, the Walla Walla Public SchoolDistrict honored Wickline as one of threeoutstanding district educators with a StaffAchievement Grant. In 2005, he wasawarded a Meritorious AchievementAward from the Kennedy Center AmericanCollege Theatre Festival.

Wickline has produced and directedmore than 50 stage productions in the last15 years while remaining an active per-former in professional summer and region-al theatre productions.

“Paul is a great addition to the college’stheatre faculty,” said Dr. Floyd Moos, deanof fine and performing arts. “With histraining and professional background hebrings a great deal of artistic vision, acad-

emic leadership, and management of theartistic process to our department.”

Wickline sees the department as aresource for all students, not just those pur-suing careers in the entertainment industry.

“Our courses aren’t just for buddingactors,” Wickline said. “Students who takepart in theatre classes develop confidenceand self-esteem, the ability to think creative-ly and divergently and to speak clearly. Theydevelop a strong work ethic both individual-ly and collaboratively, and they become bet-ter students and better human beings.”

T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 T H E B O T T O M L I N E l S P R I N G 2 0 0 910 11

to provide 20 books each year on anongoing basis.

Making the program even more ben-eficial is the fact that each physics/cal-culus book can be used for three sequen-tial courses.

“One book goes a long way,” saidCollege of the Canyons mechanicalengineering student Angie Grayr, 21,pointing out that the $200 she savedthrough the award program reduced hertotal semester book cost by more than35 percent.

“Plus you’ll use these books semes-ter after semester, and probably evenafter as reference material,” Grayr said.“After you spend three semesters usingthe same book you get really familiarwith it, you know its teaching style andif you need to look something up you

know right where to go. I’m planning onkeeping my book forever!”

To be eligible for the Physics andCalculus Book Award program studentsmust demonstrate a financial need, havea GPA of 3.0 or higher and be majoringin a field of math, engineering or science.

After receiving the book, studentsmust then meet with an academic coun-selor to create a student educationalplan, submit academic progress reportsthroughout the semester and commit tomaintaining at least a “B” average inany physics or calculus course work.

Though allowed to keep the book foras many as three semesters, if a studentfails to receive a final grade of a “B” orhigher in the class they must then returnthe book to the MESA office — where itcan then be awarded to another student.

“They have to keep their grade up, sothey have to perform,” said SusanCrowther, MESA program director. “But

we like the idea of there being a little bitof competition involved, so that studentswill aspire to be awarded a book.”

Much of the book award program’ssuccess is due to generous contributionsto the college’s Foundation by an anony-mous donor. Because of the program’sgreat success the donor has committedto providing an additional 20 books eachyear.

“For somebody to step in and givesuch a valuable gift for such a deservinggroup of students is really a blessing,”said Crowther.

“The book award program is espe-cially important because of the role itplays in the college’s larger effort tosupport technical industries throughoutthe state. California needs more engi-neers, and College of the Canyons hasshown a strong commitment to support-ing students pursuing the engineeringand science fields.”

CALCULUSFROM PAGE 1

her goal was. “To get marketable,”Roscigno remembers replying.Taking into account Roscigno’sbackground as an assistant manag-er and computer lab volunteer at alocal elementary school, the coun-selor suggested she take somecomputer classes.

One of her first computer class-es was with Melanie Lipman, chairof the CIT department.

“She was an excellent studentwho completed her assignmentsbefore the due dates,” recalls Lip-man. “When she had the time, shewalked around our busy classroomand helped fellow students.”

It was Lipman who pointed outto Roscigno how much she enjoyed help-ing and working with students. “She toldme I should teach and that’s when the lightbulb started going on,” said Roscigno.

Pretty soon, Roscigno went from beinga student to working at the TLC lab andwas then Lipman’s teaching assistant.“Everything just fell into place,” she said.

“I have watched Gina grow and flour-ish,” said Lipman. “She is an amazing per-

son, an excellent instructor, and a veryvaluable addition to our department.”

Roscigno, who graduated from Excel-sior College in 2005 with a bachelor’sdegree in Computer Information and aminor in Sociology, never imagined thatshe would teach in the CIT field.

“I never used computers to writepapers. I played solitaire!” she said. “Ithought I would do marketing or customerservice.”

This spring, Roscigno is teachingclasses about Microsoft Word, Pow-erPoint and Office.

“CIT classes are a good steppingstone,” said Roscigno. “They’re agood building block” because whilemost of her students grew up withcomputers “they don’t know how toexplain what they’re doing,” sheexplained. There is a new wave ofstudents who are returning to schoolto gain computer skills to help themovercome the economy’s downwardspiral.

Roscigno thinks the greatestadvantage to going to a communitycollege is the level of support fromthe college’s administration and

staff. “So many of our staff are former stu-

dents who loved being here so much thatthey came back to work or teach here.They’ve grown up with College of theCanyons,” she said. “We are the true defi-nition of a community college. There areso many programs available for every levelof college student. We have something foreveryone.”

TEACHFROM PAGE 6

Paul Wickline

New Theatre ChairTakes Center Stage

Theatre Students Make ‘Noises’

The theatre department will performthe hilarious Tony-nominated comedy“Noises Off” at the Santa Clarita Per-forming Arts Center at College of theCanyons (PAC).Described by New York critics as “thefunniest farce ever written,” this come-dy follows the antics of an inept actingtroupe as they stumble from dressrehearsal to closing night. Show times are:• Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m.• Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m.• Saturday, May 9, 8 p.m.• Sunday May 10, at 2 p.m.Admission is $5 for students andseniors and $10 for adults. For tickets, call (661) 362-5304, or visit www.canyonspac.com.

Community remembers Jill Harper

About 200 friends and family ofJill Harper gathered at Collegeof the Canyons March 28 to

remember a 12-year Santa Clarita res-ident who was a devoted wife andmother, tireless volunteer, and whosesense of humor and relentless opti-mism always left others smiling.

Jilll’s husband Phil and sonsRichard and Ian shared touching andhumorous memories, while CityCouncilman Bob Kellar, COC Chan-cellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook, and EdMasterson, local representative toAssemblymember Cameron Smyth,reflected on Jill’s legacy of service toSanta Clarita.

“For COC, she was a breath offresh air—always upbeat, practical,witty, unselfish, positive, and gen-uine—present and passionate about allshe did,” Van Hook said.

In addition to working withseniors, and starting the AmericanCancer Society’s Relay for Life eventin Santa Clarita, Jill served on numer-ous committees at College of theCanyons and helped pass bond mea-sures C and M.

In lieu of flowers, Jill’s familyasked that donations be made to theCollege of the Canyons Foundation inher honor. All contributions will bene-fit the Canyon Country Campus, whichJill donated many hours to as the college planned and built the campus.

For more information, please contact the College of the CanyonsFoundation at (661) 362-3493.Gina Roscigno went from student to teacher after discovering

her interest in helping others learn computer software programs.

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 6

Students’ SuccessAlwaysInspires

Behind everystudent at College of the

Canyons is a story.The stories are asunique as the studentsthemselves, but com-mon themes often tiethem together. Deter-mination. Discovery.Second chances.Uncertainty. And ultimately, success.

Jamie Loren iswrapping up her finalclasses at College ofthe Canyons andpreparing to transfer,marking the comple-tion of an improbableaccomplishment.Jamie got off to arough start academi-cally when she firstenrolled at COC.

See VAN HOOK on Page 2

College CommendedDuring AccreditationT

he grades are in, and College of the Canyonspassed with flying colors! Every six years,community colleges undergo thorough evalu-

ations to maintain their accreditation. This processincludes completing a lengthy self-study and hostinga visit from a team of administrators, faculty andstaff from other colleges.

With College of the Canyons having completedthose steps, the Accrediting Commission for Com-munity and Junior Colleges, Western Association ofSchools and Colleges, recently reaffirmed its highestaccreditation status upon College of the Canyons.

In reaffirming accreditation status, without the

placement of additional requests or conditions, theCommission also commended the college for itsstrong commitment to student success, collaborativegovernance, the fostering of numerous communitypartnerships, the use of data-driven planning andevaluation processes, technology use including stu-dent and faculty training and support, the provisionof a wide array of student support services, and thepresence of professional development opportunitiesfor faculty and staff.

College of the Canyons was among four of 15colleges to receive full accreditation at the commis-sion’s January meeting.

WE BEL I EVE I N T EACH ING , L EAD ING AND STAY ING AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE

Santa Clarita Community College District

26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355

BoarD of TruSTeeS

Bruce D. Fortine

Michele R. Jenkins

Joan W. MacGregor

Ernest L. Tichenor

Scott Thomas Wilk

Nicolas Cardenas, Student Trustee

Piloted in 2007, the donor-funded Physicsand Calculus Book Award Program at Col-lege of the Canyons provides textbooks to

deserving students studying for careers in math-based career fields.

The Physics and Calculus Book Award pro-

gram is administered through the college’sMathematics, Engineering, Science Achieve-ment (MESA) program.

Since its inception the book program hasawarded a total of 19 books, at a cost of rough-ly $200 apiece, and has subsequently expanded

College of the Canyons library media technician Eneida Bejkoa displays one of the textbooks students canreceive through the MESA program’s Physics and Calculus Book Award Program. To be eligible for the donor-funded book program students must demonstrate a financial need, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be majoringin a field of math, engineering or science.

College of the Canyons athletics had a part in Super BowlXLIII when Arizona Cardinal and former COC runningback J.J. Arrington took the field in Tampa Bay on Feb. 1.

Arrington was a member of the 2001 and 2002 Cougar footballteams before transferring to Cal for his last two seasons and hasbeen with the Arizona Cardinals since being drafted in 2005.

During the week leading up to the championship game, theNorth Carolina native was bothered by a sore knee, but he madenotable contributions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 26-year-old tallied four kickoff returns for 23 yards and caught two passesfor 35 yards, including a key 22-yard reception during a fourthquarter Cardinal drive.

Arrington spent most of the 2008 season as a kick return spe-cialist for the Cardinals. He returned 11 kickoffs for 230 yards, thesecond-highest total of any kick returner in the NFL during the2008 season.

Arrington left College of the Canyons in 2002 after breakingnumerous rushing and scoring records. He still holds a piece of therecords for most touchdowns in a game (five) and most pointsscored in a game (30). He was the first player to be offered a schol-arship by a Pac-10 school after the football program was reinstatedat the college in 1998.

See CALCULUS on Page 10

See ACCREDITATION on Page 9

N E W S & V I E W S F R O M C O L L E G E O F T H E C A N Y O N S S P R I N G 2 0 0 9

Former Cougar J.J. Arrington carries the ball in Super Bowl XLIII.Photo: Arizona Cardinals

Super Game forFormer Cougar

Donors Put Books in the Hands of Students

BL MARCH2009:BL-FALL-03 4/9/09 3:02 PM Page 1