On July 7, the Grossmont College Forensics Technology Program hosted 101 Upward Bound low income students who are participating in the UCSD Summer Math and Science Program. Students rotated through a series of three workshop sessions where they learned about fingerprint identification and processing, crime scene recording (using a ‘crime scene’ simulation), and accident reporting. Thanks to Cindy McQuien for organizing and coordinating the event to help prospective criminologists learn more.

Speaking of AOJ activities, Dr. P.J. Ortmeier reports that 100 percent of the recent graduates of the Grossmont College Police Academy, who applied to the next level training program at Southwestern College, were accepted! They will complete that program in December and be eligible for 15,000 peace officer vacancies which currently exist throughout the state of California.

On June 24, nineteen local Girl Scouts made progress on their merit badges in First Aid, Women’s Health, Child Care, and Discover Nursing with the assistance of students enrolled in the Weekend/Evening nursing program. Nursing students gained experience toward their Pediatric Clinical requirement as they developed lesson plans appropriate for each of the merit badge requirements as part of a partnership with Girl Scouts USA.

“Welcome Back” Nursing Program, which provides an accelerated route to ADN degrees for internationally-trained health care workers, will be featured in an upcoming KPBS report produced by Elsa Sevilla. Elsa and her crew visited with students in Debbie Yaddow’s preceptorship class, with the Welcome Back center staff, and with graduates of the first Welcome Back cohort who have been on the job in local health care facilities since their graduation in 2004.

Grossmont College Health Professions programs recently collaborated with the GCCCD Human Resources department to produce a colorful recruitment advertisement that appeared in the “Salute to Nurses” tabloid supplement to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The ad was accompanied by advertorial text featuring Grossmont College nursing instructor and graduate, Debbie Yaddow.

The Fourth Annual Softball Game between Faculty and Staff and the EOPS Summer Institute students finally yielded a win for staff! The score was 21 to 15. Way to go staff!

Six Grossmont College students spent the morning of June 20 with a Fox 6 TV production crew and producer Jeff Anderson filming the “Join Us” spot to promote both colleges’ Fall 2006 enrollment. We thank them for their energy and enthusiasm for this project, and the District’s help in making the funding possible.

Thanks to La Mesa City Council member and interim Grossmont Foundation Executive Director Ernie Ewin, the photographic work of Grossmont College student Nelson “Chip” Richards has been acquired by the city and will be perpetually available as the “La Mesa Firehouse Photographic Project.” This project is a portfolio of forty black and white photographs documenting the demolition and the construction of the new fire station on Allison Avenue. Through this partnership, and others, the college continues to serve the community, making significant contributions to our society through the arts.

Continuing the photographic theme, it is important to note that Grossmont College is now in its 13th year hosting the Summer Workshop Series with the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA). Thanks to Professor Suda House, the Grossmont College Foundation, the Associated Students of Grossmont College, and Calumet Photographic, artists and students alike will enjoy four outstanding opportunities to explore technical and aesthetic topics through July 29. Interim Foundation Executive Director Ernie Ewin joined me in providing brief introductory remarks at the Series lecture at the Museum.

Summer faculty, staff and several members of the District Office staff joined us for a summer bar-be-que in the Administrative Quad. Thanks to chefs Tim Flood, Al Ventura, Alfredo Gacias and Bob Herald, who joined me at the grilling stations, and our organizer Alba Orr, we served up many hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers. Employees joined in, with contributions of chips, watermelon, desserts and side dishes. Yum!

Adopted a resolution in support of the K-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act, otherwise known as Prop 1D. For Grossmont College, the bond revenue would provide support for the proposed Health Sciences Building.

Approved the purchase of new telephones for new facilities, to be funded with Prop R bond funds.

Phi Theta Kappa’s Stephanie Manderville, Director of Community Service, reported that members raised $550 in memory of the late Wendell Cutting at the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life.” PTK members walked 93 miles in Cutting’s memory, and also captured the event in photos which were displayed during the meeting.

Other highlights from the Governing Board meeting appear in “The Courier” which was distributed electronically throughout the District. Hard copies are available in the campus mail room.