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In this edition...

  • New Evening/Weekend Nursing Program
  • Number One In SDSU Transfers
  • UniversityLink Program
  • OTA Pass Rate On
    National Exam
  • College AVID Program
  • Grossmont Teaches Medical License Prep Course
  • Athletic Conference Competition
  • EXPO 2001
  • Statewide Appointment
  • High School Speech Tournament
UniversityLink Program
In our first year of participation in the UniversityLink program with UCSD, Grossmont has 66 students with signed contracts for future transfer. This is third among the eight colleges in the program, and well ahead of other first-year participants. Congratulations are due Bonnie Schmiege, our Transfer Center Coordinator; Diane Sandoval, Transfer Center Specialist; and the college Counseling Department for their efforts in this area.
Grossmont Teaches Medical License Prep Course
Grossmont College has responded to the need to support medical doctors who obtained their licenses in foreign countries by offering a prep course for the United States Medical Licenses Exam. Thirty-six doctors, who are residents of the U.S., are currently completing this 13-unit intensive prep course by attending classes at the Business and Technology Institute, at 1068 Broadway, every Saturday and Sunday since October. They will finish the course in mid-January and will sit for the examination soon after.

New Evening/Weekend
Nursing Program
OTA Pass Rate On
National Exam
Grossmont College's nursing department has been awarded a $78,000 grant from the Grossmont Healthcare District to start a weekend and evening training program.

With the healthcare district's approval of the grant, 20 students will begin an 18-month program in January, attending lecture hours in the weeknight classes and 12 hours of Saturday instruction in clinical settings every week - all at no charge. The hospital district grant will cover the costs of tuition, lab fees, textbooks and uniforms, saving students an average of $2,000.

The new program will be identical to what's offered now at Grossmont College, except that it will be an accelerated program. Students will attend classes and undergo clinical training year-round, instead of following the traditional semester schedules.
  The pass rate on the national certification exam for Grossmont College's 2001 graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program was recently reported as 93%. The national pass rate for all examinees was 76%. Grossmont students have exceeded the national average every year since the beginning of the program.
Athletic Conference Competition
  The Grossmont football team finished the season with 9 wins and 1 loss. The Griffins were second in the Foothill conference and ranked #4 in Southern California. Grossmont played against Pasadena City College in the South County Bowl on Saturday, December 1, at Southwestern College and lost with a score of 38-17. This was another successful season for Coach Dave Jordan and the Griffins. At the end of the last conference game of the season, Coach Jordan celebrated his 100th win-quite an achievement. Kudos go to him, his coaching staff, and an outstanding team of student athletes.

The women's volleyball team took the Pacific Coast Conference championship with an undefeated 10-0 season. This was the first time in 10 years that a team finished the conference schedule undefeated.

The men's water polo team also took the Pacific Coast Conference championship. They advanced to the Southern California quarter-finals, where they were eliminated.
College AVID Program
  Grossmont College has instituted a new program to assist former middle and high school AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) students who enroll at Grossmont. AVID participants are students who have high potential for academic success, but need extra support and encouragement to successfully make the transition to higher education. Typically, they are the first members of their family to attend college.

This assistance is designed to help former AVID students to be successful at Grossmont, enabling them to transfer to a four-year college or university. These former AVID students receive one-on-one mentoring and support from a counselor. Primarily, students are made aware of and encouraged to connect with existing success programs such as EOPS, the Transfer Center, Career Center, UC Link, etc.

In addition, former AVID student are encouraged to sign up for a new course begun in Fall, 2001, "Collegiate AVID (PDC 299). This course is designed to assist new students with transition issues, study skills, time management and career planning. Also, a core group of former AVID students have created a new Collegiate AVID club on campus. The club focuses on support for each other, community services and issues of diversity. This partnership between the GUHSD AVID programs and Grossmont College is the first such AVID collaboration in the state.
Number One In SDSU Transfers
Recent data from San Diego State University show that Grossmont continues to be the community college that transfers the most students to SDSU. In Fall 2001, 333 Grossmont students enrolled at SDSU -- an 8.1% increase over Fall 2000 and 9% above Fall 1999. Among all SDICCCA colleges, the increase from Fall 2000 to Fall 2001 was 4%.

Grossmont also leads the region in the number of students with signed agreements for transfer into impacted SDSU programs, under the new Transfer Studies Degree initiative. Of 234 such agreements in the SDICCCA area, 93 are at Grossmont.
 

EXPO 2001
This year EXPO featured over 100 exhibitors, agencies and representatives from GCCCD's Programs. EXPO also included participation by about 500 "School-to-Career" Students from East County high schools. Employers provided career information and job applications/placements for our students, staff and community members.

EXPO is the largest function of this type sponsored by the college. An event of this magnitude cannot be successful without the coordination, hard work, dedication and expertise of many individuals who represent us at the college. The spirit of cooperation and teamwork was evident in the effort of all who worked so hard to make our 23rd Career EXPO and Career Week a Memorable one, particularly Nancy Davis, coordinator of the event.
Statewide Appointment
  Nory Behana, coordinator of our Foster Care Program, has been named to the California Child Welfare Services Policy Advisory Committee by the State Chancellor's office. In addition, she currently serves on the Chancellor's Office Statewide Advisory Committee for Foster and Kinship Care Education. Nory will represent Grossmont College well in these two state-level policy committees.
High School Speech Tournament
  Roxanne Tuscany, Communicaitons Department Chair, and Director of Forensics, reported that the Communications Department and the Intercollegiate Forensics Class hosted the annual San Diego and Imperial Valley High School League Interpretation and Congress Tournament on Saturday, November 17th. Ninety-two Grossmont Communication students attended workshops throughout the week to prepare to be judges for the high school competitors. Fourteen high schools attended the tournament, with approximately 200 high schools students in attendance. Included were: Bonita Vista, El Camino, Helix, Holtville, Granite Hills, Grossmont, La Jolla, Mt. Miguel, Oceanside, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Buena Vista, San Dieguito, and Scripps Ranch.
 
Letter of Commendation #1
 

Dear Mr. Kirby:

It is at this time that I would like to commend you on your outstanding work on behalf of the Joint Review Committee for Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT). While we deeply appreciate the input of all our volunteers, it is true, heartfelt effort like yours that has done an excellent job of helping us progress toward fulfilling our mission.

The fact that you have volunteered your valuable time to read self-study reports, and to comment on them at length, and to perform site visits, goes above and beyond the call of duty for any volunteer. This is the kind of work that students never see, and never know about, but the results are felt in the quality of the programs offered, and are far-reaching in terms of the quality of care that is ultimately extended to patients nationwide. Please be assured that we know and appreciate the depth of your commitment to JRC-CVT, and to the profession.

As a result of the work done by JRC-CVT, the profession of cardiovascular technology is a better one. This is due in no small part to the contributions you have made, and we hope, will continue to make.

Thank you again for all your help. I wish there were more I could say to express my gratitude to what you have given JRC-CVT.

Cynthia Jordan
Executive Director
Joint Review Committee on Education
in Cardiovascular Technology
Letter of Commendation #2
 

Dear Dr. Martinez,

On behalf of the California Geographic Alliance in San Diego, we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work of Mike Matherly.

During this summer's geography institute, Mr. Matherly gave interesting and thought-provoking presentations on the geography of politics and religion. Each lecture provided the participants with the understanding of events that have led to some of today's hottest conflicts worldwide.

Mr. Matherly has also worked tirelessly to coordinate Grossmont's College's sponsorship with the San Diego County Geography Olympiad. Through his efforts and your support, hundreds of county students have had the opportunity to participate in this exciting event over the last eight years.

It is important to take time and thank people for their efforts above and beyond their regular duties. So with that in mind, we wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Matherly and the college for your support, knowledge, and time so willingly given.

Emily Schell
Regional Coordinator
San Diego County Office
of Education
 
  I will make every effort to send a similar e-mail by the 15th of each month. I look forward to receiving your e-mails by the first of each month. Congratulations to all our students, faculty, and staff, and thank you for all your hard work!

Best Regards,

Ted Martinez, Jr.