ASMJC Blog
Stay up to date on what the Associated Students of Modesto Junior College is doing for the students of Modesto Junior College.
GREAT CONVERSATIONS MODESTO JUNIOR COLLEGE Spring 2014 and Spring 2015 The Means and Ends of Education The Great Conversations Discussion Group models civically engaged behavior through reading and discussion and includes community leaders, educators and administrators, students and public servants. During the spring of 2014 the discussion group will address the topic of “The Means and Ends of Education” as we individually read short selections related to ideas about the purpose and practices of education and then discuss as a group using the Socratic Method of inquiry. Not only the readings and the ideas inherent in the works but also the way we approach these readings will prove useful to community leaders and everyone interested in educational theory and praxis. The group will meet in the Spring of 2014 on the third Wednesday of the month, from 5-7pm. A discussion schedule is attached. If you are interesting in joining our education discussion group, please RSVP to me via email at [email protected] by February 1, 2014. Shortly after that, I will be in touch with you to provide you with readings (a complete packet of all readings) and details about our discussion location and the light snacks and beverages to be provided. I hope that you will join our great conversations and a growing group of individuals in our community dedicated to profound conversation, education and public service. Best wishes, Chad Redwing, Ph.D. Professor of Humanities Modesto Junior College Office: Performing Arts Center 218 East Campus 435 College Avenue Modesto, CA 95350-5800 Phone: (209) 575-6454 E-mail: [email protected] Spring 2014 Great Conversations: The Means and Ends of Education Classical Perspectives on Education on February 19, 2014 from 5-7pm: Aristotle’s Politics and The Nichomachean Ethics (selections) and Plato’s Republic (selection) Education, the Enlightenment and America on March 19, 2014 from 5-7pm: Michel de Montaigne’s On the Education of Children (selection), Thomas Jefferson’s “Notes on the State of Virginia” and “Letter to John Adams” and Horace Mann’s 12th Annual Report to the Massachusetts State Board of Education Romantic and Moral Education on April 16, 2014 from 5-7pm: Ralph Waldo Emerson’sEducation (selection), Upanishads (selection) and John Dewey’s Moral Principles in Education (selection)
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November 1, 2013
Contact: Garry Hayes Professor of Geology (209) 575-6294 [email protected] PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release MJC faculty partner with State Theater to present Science on Screen series (Modesto, CA) – Five Modesto Junior College faculty and The State Theatre have teamed up to offer a series of four additional Science On Screen presentations, beginning with a screening of Another Earth on Sunday, November 10 at 3 p.m. (doors open at 2 p.m.) at The State. Science On Screen is a pioneering program pairing Hollywood films with interpretive presentations by notable science experts. Dr. Jim Hetrick, University of the Pacific physicist and astronomer, will briefly introduce Another Earth by discussing some current understandings of our Universe and the physics and astronomy in the film. A question and answer session will be held after the film showing. Another Earth is PG-13, and deals with forgiveness and seeking redemption, as well as the sudden appearance of another Earth containing people living parallel lives. The MJC faculty involved includes Garry Hayes, Susan Kerr, Teri Curtis, and Faculty Emeriti Randy Siefkin and Richard Anderson. Members of MJC’s Astronomy Club will be available in the Lobby to describe the new, high tech astronomy equipment that is available in the Science Community Center on MJC’s West Campus. A long-time Ham radio operator will also be on-hand to demonstrate the use of his radio equipment. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for students with a valid ID. This family-friendly program is appropriate for junior high and high school students as well as adults. Group discounts are available for classes and organizations (comprised of 10 or more) wishing to attend films in the Science On Screen series. For more Science on Screen information contact Professor Garry Hayes at[email protected] or (209) 575-6294, or Sue Richardson, general manager of The State Theater, at (209) 527-4697 or[email protected]. Information is also available online at http://www.thestate.org/calendar/event/189. November 1, 2013
This morning there was a pleasant surprise in my email from The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chronicle announced Vitae, proclaiming it “the only online career hub dedicated to making it easier and more rewarding for faculty and administrators to do their job each day.” Intrigued, I followed the links to the three sample articles and was hooked. The Vitae site is free and directions to login are easy to find. You can access the articles through these links without logging in: From Welfare to the Tenure Track, Unburdened by an Office, and Should Academics Write for Free? Whether this site will rival LinkedIn for higher education is uncertain, but they are sharing interesting articles on a wide variety of topics. Last week I had the pleasure of attending the City of Patterson celebration of the flipping of the switch on their new sustainable energy program. The city, in partnership with Chevron Energy Solutions, has brought solar to the community and energy education internships to Patterson Unified School District students. It is exciting to have what is sure to become a model program for the Valley in Stanislaus County. I enjoyed hearing the students share their experiences as energy interns and especially of their conversion from major consumers to careful monitors of home electricity use. Big fair, big win – Congratulations to the MJC livestock judging team that did extremely well at the Big Fresno Fair competition. The team made a clean sweep bringing home first place in high team overall, high team reasons, high team beef, high team sheep, high team swine, and high team question novice under advisement of Instructor Amanda Schnoor. International guests – Six outstanding students from Khmelnitsky, Ukraine included MJC in their United States visit on Wednesday. The students competed for the opportunity to travel to California and were incredibly impressed by all that they experienced at MJC. In particular, they noted the size of our campuses, the friendliness of faculty and staff, fine and performing arts programs, and the opportunity to learn by doing. It was discouraging to hear of the strict book based approach that is used in the Ukraine universities. Even with their excellent English skills, the students struggled to put into words their amazement of the simulation lab in Glacier Hall. Accreditation – Final preparations for the accreditation follow-up visit on November 14th are being completed. The evidence binders are being carefully checked, plans for moving assessment outcomes records to the team room are being made, and technology and human logistics are being planned. I am looking forward to welcoming the team and discussing our follow-up report. Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year. Chad Sugg October 18, 2013
What beautiful weather we have experienced this week. As I walked both on East and West the last couple of days there were students enjoying the opportunity to study outside in every nook and cranny of the campus. I was definitely tempted to crawl under a tree with a good book, but made my way to the next meeting instead. For this lover of the great outdoors, there is something very special this time of year. I relish the chill of walking to the car each morning followed by the warm sunshine of the afternoon. Congratulations – Professor of Child Development, Cheryl Williams-Jackson will receive her Doctor of Psychology degree this weekend from the American School of Professional Psychology. During her 2012/13 sabbatical, Cheryl completed the extensive clinical practice required for her doctorate. Congratulations to Cheryl! Celebrate – I lost a friend this week to cancer. While it has left me melancholy and a bit disconnected, it also serves to put things into perspective. Today, I am reminded of the importance of celebrating what we do well, so I’m sharing some of the excellence I experience at MJC. · Faculty evaluation – Both the self-evaluations and peer evaluations that I have read demonstrate a thoughtful, thorough evaluation of teaching that affirms strengths and provides suggestion for growth. These are exceptionally well done. · Maintenance and repair – While we enjoy many beautiful new buildings, we also have aging facilities. Our maintenance and custodial staff do an amazing job of keeping even our oldest facilities in good repair, safe, and clean. I’m especially proud of the cleanliness maintained in our restrooms – these are high use facilities! · Collaboration – I see the positive results of staff, faculty, and administrators working collaboratively and cooperatively on a daily basis. We are especially good at assisting when an area is temporarily short staffed and solution seeking. · Students helping students – Opening doors, providing advice, making referrals, and affirming ideas are a few of the ways that I see students assisting one another. When you see excellence today, I hope you’ll take a minute to acknowledge it and celebrate! We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Martin Luther King, Jr. Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. Steve Jobs Measure E Funds Help Prepare
Modesto Junior College Students for the Future By Jenifer Aries Since 2004, the skylines of Modesto Junior College’s East and West campuses have been rapidly changing. With the passage of Measure E, an essential educational funding package, voters placed their trust in the Yosemite Community College District to implement plans for the future needs of the community with construction of several new buildings and full-scale renovation of others. Agricultural Center for Education Photographs Courtesy of David Todd While the structures have brought modernization to the college, it is what’s happening inside the buildings that will bring long-lasting benefits and growth to the community. A walk through any of the new buildings reveals fresh interiors, new furniture and state-of-the-art equipment. More than that, the visitor feels a sense of excitement — a buzz radiates through the facilities as teaching and learning are taking place. From classroom lectures in the Allied Health building to hands-on work with animals in the Agriculture Center for Education (ACE) Pavilion, the faculty and staff’s commitment to the students and community is evident. We open the doors to four of MJC’s newest facilities and invite you inside to experience the dynamic things happening in the classrooms and labs. We hope you’ll share in our excitement for the future of MJC, its students, faculty, staff and the community. Agriculture Programs One of MJC’s most important instructional areas continues to be agriculture technology. For decades, MJC has led the way in Agriculture Business, Agriculture Sales and Service, Animal Science, Crop Science, Dairy Science, Poultry Science, Soil Science, Environmental Horticultural Science, Mechanized Agriculture and Veterinarian Technician. The new ACE Pavilion gives these programs a leg up and includes an advanced laboratory facility that offers students fantastic opportunities for hands-on learning. “The diverse array of agriculture activities held in the facility has exposed more students to the industry as a whole,” said Mark Anglin, Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. “This has resulted in greater opportunity for education, more highly trained, prospective employees for the County’s workforce and future enrollment in the program.” Science Community Center Photographs Courtesy of David Todd, MJC A Focus on Science With a national focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, MJC’s new Science Community Center on the West Campus is poised to offer students greater opportunities to advance in these fields, as well. “Our goal is for the Science Community Center to be the go-to destination for science education in our area,” said Brian Sanders, Dean of Science, Mathematics and Engineering. A 107-seat planetarium, an observatory with a 28-inch telescope and an innovative six-foot-diameter Science-on-a-Sphere display provide cutting-edge technology for students to study geology, climate change and outer space. Chemistry and microbiology labs provide hands-on learning experiences for students, working with the same state-of-the-art equipment and processes they will encounter at larger universities or in the workplace. The Science Community Center will also be the new home of the Great Valley Museum. Its displays and live animal room will provide life science and natural history students with an impressive new learning laboratory. Biology classes will visit the museum to examine models of riparian and grassland ecosystems, migratory birds, native fish, tule elk and other local animals. The community will also be welcomed into the Great Valley Museum with open arms. “We want schoolchildren to come fall in love with science and return to us as college freshmen for the first steps in their journey to becoming scientists,” Sanders said. The new Great Valley Museum will continue its nearly forty-year mission of science outreach and literacy throughout Stanislaus County. In the next phase of Measure E programs, the previous science building on the East Campus will be remodeled to house computer and social science programs. Allied Health Building Photographs Courtesy of David Todd, MJC The Future of Health Care Education With the completion of the West Campus Allied Health building, MJC nursing and health students are even more prepared to enter the workforce as they learn in a brand-new, simulated hospital environment. “The College’s allied health programs keep pace with the rapid development of technology and industry processes,” said Patrick Bettencourt, Dean of Allied Health, Family/Consumer Science. “Our partnerships with industry employers benefit our students with the latest in healthcare research, technology and patient care processes. In return, we are educating the County’s healthcare workforce.” National and statewide employment databases show the fastest growing occupations are in the allied health industry. MJC enjoys a reputation for educating many of the county’s registered nurses and healthcare industry employees. The College also boasts one of the few state nursing programs that provides a mannequin that can be elevated allowing students to easily see an instructor demonstrate hands-on assessments, such as the correct placement of a stethoscope for assessing heart sounds. The new high-tech mannequins simulate the human body providing life-like scenarios that prepare students for clinical practice. The building also has a new 24-bed skills lab that provides students time and space to practice their skills on mannequins or each other to prepare for skills assessment. Performing and Media Arts Center Photographs Courtesy of David Todd, MJC Advancing the Arts At MJC, the critical balance to allied health, agriculture and science are the fine and performing arts. Two well-known celebrities found their passion in the arts while attending school here; both George Lucas and Jeremy Renner have credited MJC with helping them discover their life’s direction. The MJC Auditorium is the hub of the Performing and Media Arts Center, and the Center provides a state-of-the-art home for students who study digital and performing arts with facilities on par with some of the largest universities in the country. Classroom and workspaces include the 794-seat auditorium, a 74-seat Little Theatre, a dance studio, audio recording and television studios and costume and scenery production studios. Students are able to perform at their highest level in professional facilities designed to showcase each of their individual talents. The facilities were engineered to allow for the utmost quality in acoustic performance and were designed to model the facilities students will encounter in today’s workplace. “The College’s vision was to provide the finest educational performing arts facility in the County and we believe we’ve accomplished this,” said Mike Sundquist, Dean of Arts, Humanities and Communication. “The Arts at MJC have long been a hub of the community and this new facility takes the faculty, staff, student and community member experience to a much higher level.” According to MJC President Jill Stearns, all of these projects are focused on one thing: providing essential support to students and the community. “The renovation and construction projects funded by Measure E provide facilities that support today’s instructional technology, are expandable to incorporate the technology of tomorrow and greatly enhance our energy efficiency. MJC has served the greater Modesto region since 1921 and I’m very pleased with the state-of-the-art instructional spaces that will serve the community for the next fifty years.” |
AuthorsThe ASMJC Blog is authored by the Executives of the Associated Students of Modesto Junior College. Archives
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