This year’s theme, The Queen Travels to Japan, will be celebrating Japanese art, music, and culture.

The Renaissance Feast of Scholars is set to take place Mar. 10th at 6 p.m in the Fresno City College Library.  The Renaissance Feast is an annual benefit for scholarships and programs throughout the State Center Community College District.

Guests enjoy festive social interaction, gourmet food and an exciting auction.  As well as Authentic Renaissance royalty and court performances throughout the evening.

This year’s theme, The Queen Travels to Japan, will be celebrating Japanese art, music, and culture.  In 2011, the queen traveled to India, where guests were treated to traditional Indian entertainment and raised over $100,000 in scholarships.

Sponsorship and ticket information is available here or by calling (559) 244-5991.

Mark your calendars for the 8th annual Renaissance Feast for Scholars!  A voyage you don’t want to miss! Amazing food, wine and entertainment.

Lion Dancers performed at midday.

Each year, on the last Saturday of April, Fresno City College hosts AsianFest, a celebration of Asian cultures. It’s the culmination of the college’s Asian American Month, and is intended to showcase and share Asian food, music, and arts with the community.

“The purpose of AsianFest is to give back to the community,” said Maile Glover, event coordinator and president of the FCC Asian American Faculty and Staff Association (AAFSA).

“AsianFest gives Asian Americans a connection to their soul.” –Maile Glover, event coordinator

AsianFest was started in 2004 by FCC instructor and AAFSA founder John Cho as a way for the larger community to participate in the events of Asian American Month. The event continues to grow each year.

A member of the Polynesian Club of Fresno dances with fire.

Beginning at noon, attendees watched cultural performances hosted by local television personality Margot Kim. Performances included dances from the Philippines, Cambodia, China, India, and Polynesia. There was also a special presentation to Chai Vang, son of General Vang Pao, the Hmong leader who passed away earlier this year.

“AsianFest gives Asian Americans a connection to their soul,” Glover said. “It impacts everyone who experiences the sights, sounds, and beauty of AsianFest.”

The rhythms of the Fresno Gumyo Taiko Drummers were heard throughout campus.

“AsianFest is the premier Asian cultural festival in the Central Valley, and it grows each year,” Glover said. “This year in particular, the high school Mandarin speech contest was well attended by students from Buchanan, Clovis West, Madera, Hoover, McLane, and Fresno High.”

She continued: “It is exciting to be part of an association that is passionate about sharing culture, helping students, and improving our community. My gratitude goes out to the over 175 cultural performers and volunteers who made AsianFest so successful.”

SCCCD Chancellor Dr. Deborah G. Blue at the Renaissance Feast for Scholars

Each year, the State Center Community College Foundation holds the Renaissance Feast for Scholars to raise funds for scholarships and the general benefit of the colleges and campuses of the District. The event—which includes dinner, live entertainment, and a live auction—is held at the historic Fresno City College library.

“The event was started seven years ago because the Foundation needed to raise scholarship money,” said Foundation Executive Director Gurdeep Sihota He’Bert. “The idea was to make this fundraiser unique and entertaining, so attendees would enjoy coming back to it. The feast idea came from the Renaissance Festival that used to be held at Fresno City College.”

This year’s theme, The Queen Goes to India, celebrated Indian art, music, and culture.

Last year, the general theme of the English Renaissance was taken “on the road.” Now, each year, the queen travels to a different part of the world (all without leaving the FCC library).

“This way each year is a different experience,” Sihota He’Bert said. “Plus, it reflects who we are as a District: diverse!”

In 2010, the queen traveled to Spain, where guests were treated to traditional Spanish entertainment. This year’s theme, The Queen Goes to India, celebrated Indian art, music, and culture.

On March 12, guests gathered in the historic Fresno City College library for the seventh annual Renaissance Feast. The night began with a social hour. Guests mingled while being entertained with traditional Indian music by renowned sitar player Aloke Dasgupta, accompanied by his wife Sanjukta on the tambura. The social hour was followed by dinner, the live auction, and a student speaker. Two Indian dance groups provided additional entertainment.

Sihota He’Bert believes this type of unique fundraiser is beneficial to both the District and those who attend.

“It provides attendees with a unique opportunity to travel to another country and experience some of the food, decor and entertainment,” she said. “This year we had a large number of people that dressed up in Indian attire, which really added to a very colorful evening.”

This year’s Renaissance Feast raised over $100,000 in scholarships. The Foundation is already preparing for next year, Sihota He’Bert said: “We will be taking our patrons to the Orient, which I know will be another amazing experience!”

For more information about the Renaissance Feast for Scholars and other fundraising efforts, visit the State Center Community College Foundation website.

PBL members prepare snacks for the carnival.

The “PBL” in the name stands for Phi Beta Lambda, the collegiate division of the Future Business Leaders of America. PBL is one of the nation’s oldest student organizations. It helps students develop business leadership skills and network with other PBL students across the country.

“We would like the carnival to become an annual fundraising event.” –David Sierra, PBL president

“We are fortunate to have a chapter of PBL at Madera Center, being such a small satellite campus,” said David Sierra, president of PBL at the Madera Center. “Fresno State doesn’t even have a chapter.”

David, an accounting major, became involved with PBL in 2008 and helped organize the Mardi Gras carnival.

From carnivals to conferences

“The purpose of the carnival was to raise money for our trips to conferences,” David said. “We try to attend to the PBL leadership conferences held once each semester.”

At the conferences, PBL members compete in leadership events, share their successes, and learn about business careers by attending workshops and keynote presentations. This year’s PBL Spring Leadership Conference will be held in Long Beach on March 25–26. The carnival will help defray some of the travel costs for PBL members.

“We did pretty well considering it was a low-budget event,” David said. “We got most of the carnival food as donations from local business, so we did make a profit. This was our first carnival ever, so it wasn’t too big.”

Like any entrepreneur, David is already looking toward the future.

“Next year we plan to invite more clubs to join us so we can have more games and a variety of snacks for sale,” he said. “We would like the carnival to become an annual fundraising event.”

At the Madera Center, PBL is overseen by faculty advisor Tamara Epperson. More information about Phi Beta Lambda can be found at the state organization’s website: http://capbl.org.

Reedley College Computer Club

“The official name is the Reedley College Computer Club, but we go by the name PC Club on campus,” explained club co-sponsor David Atencio.

Atencio, who co-sponsors the club with instructor Daniel Morales, is an information systems instructor who helped found the PC Club three years ago with a few interested students.

“We started out just getting together to discuss building computers,” Atencio said. “Then we started repairing computers for students, and then staff as well.”

The club has grown to include nearly 60 members.

“We have all kinds of students as members,” said Atencio. “We have enthusiasts, as well as beginners. Many are very talented and smart. They learn their way around the club quickly.”

Computer classes and the club “go hand in hand”

“We started out just getting together to discuss building computers. Then we started repairing computers for students, and then staff as well.” —David Atencio

The club also includes a number of IT professionals and students who have become certified while in the club. Reedley College offers its own certification in Information Systems and also prepares students to take the national certification exams. For students seeking certification, the club is a helpful supplement to classroom instruction.

Computer classes and the club “go hand in hand,” Atencio said. “For instance, it’s hard to just talk about replacing a part or taking a measurement on a computer. But with the club, students use their hands on a real-life machine after learning about it in class. It really makes a difference.”

Local community benefits

And the club members are making a difference in their community. Local residents often drop off their computers for students to repair or upgrade. When someone in the community needs help with a computer or networking problem, the club is a valuable resource. The Reedley Chamber of Commerce even enlisted the help of one PC Club member for a minor repair.

Atencio hopes to expand this repair aspect of the club to help students further their education and careers.

“Our goals are to expand, work with sponsors, and possibly launch a self-sustaining enterprise to help students get an education, make some money, and launch their careers,” Atencio said.

The Reedley College Computer Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m. For more information, contact David Atencio at David.Atencio@reedleycollege.edu or Daniel Morales at Daniel.Morales@reedleycollege.edu.

“We think the building… is a distinct step in the advancement of school architecture in this state.” - George McDougall, state architect, 1916

The building’s architect, George McDougall, was also the state architect for California.

“We think the building… is a distinct step in the advancement of school architecture in this state,” McDougall said at the building’s dedication ceremony.

McDougall described the building’s design:

In every country where the art of building has reached a high point of development one finds that a bright temperate climate has invariably brought out a responsive warmth and variation in color. Granada, Pompeii, Venice, Athens, and Constantinople were all built with color keyed to its highest pitch.

And so in the building of the normal school it was decided to use brick and stone in warm shades and of a style reminiscent of the Renaissance architecture built with these materials in Northern Italy and Spain. The modern requirements of a school building, however, necessitated a free translation of these styles and the building developed into a character reflecting more its own needs and conditions.

The court treatment is quite free, but introducing motives recalling Spanish woodturning and Lombard brickwork. The exterior walls are of brick, enlivened by patterns of colored inserts, and the roof is covered with tile varied in color and of a shape similar to those used by the old Spanish builders. It was the aim of the designers to bring the entire composition into a unity of design and color and to brighten each unit with interesting detail.

When the building was closed in the mid-70’s due to earthquake safety regulations, its future seemed uncertain. With the help of some dedicated preservationists and Measure E, passed by voters in 2002, the building escaped demolition. Now, after extensive renovations, it is ready to reclaim its place as the jewel of the FCC campus.

The renovated building houses administrative offices, including the president’s office, and classrooms. A 700-seat auditorium will be used for musical performances and speakers.

A dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting is scheduled for January 28 at 10:30 am.

Although Hispanic students make up a majority of the Reedley College student body, the national percentage of Hispanic 18-24-year-olds enrolled in college remains well below that of other ethnic groups. (Source: http://www.hacu.net/hacu/College_Enrollment_Rates_EN.asp?SnID=2)

Four strategies are planned to increase Hispanic student transfers, retention, graduation, and career pathway success.

First, pre-college partnerships with local high schools—part of the existing K16 Bridge Program—will ease students’ transition from high school to college. The program encourages connections between the college and the community, and educates students and families about the challenges and rewards of a college education.

“This grant will bring sweeping changes to the Reedley College campus” -Diana Banuelos

Updates to the Transfer and Career Centers will offer access to more information on transferring to a four-year college or university and working towards a career. At the centers, students learn to set goals and manage their course schedules.

Two new on-campus programs, the Freshman Academic Success Team (FAST) and the Alianza de Transferencia (Transfer Alliance Program), will assist students by providing support frameworks for educational success.

Lastly, improvements to the college’s library services will ensure students have the tools to succeed. The improvements will include a laptop loan program for students with limited access to computers.

“This grant will bring sweeping changes to the Reedley College campus,” said Diana Banuelos, director of grant funded programs at Reedley College. “It will build a career center and will allow students to learn about jobs that they want to do and that they are good at.”

Reedley College has an enrollment of 60% Hispanic students. While the grant-funded measures will focus on Hispanic students, the entire student body will benefit from the improvements.

Local ghouls seek treats from an elaborate trunk setup.

For children in rural or mountain communities like Oakhurst, traditional Halloween trick or treating isn’t really an option. The houses are too far apart. That’s why the SCCCD Oakhurst Center teamed up with the Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce to create the Halloween “Trunk N Treat” event, held each year in the Oakhurst Center parking lot.

“Faculty, students, and community members volunteer to hand out candy from the trunks of their cars,” explained Vikki Piper, Oakhurst College Center coordinator. “Children and their parents come to the college to collect their treats.”

“The children are fascinated by the ambulance and the decorated dummy inside.”

The annual event began in 2006 when Piper and Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce Director Kathy McCory discussed possibilities for joint efforts to serve the community. The event has grown since then. Last year, 500 parents and children attended.

“Trunkers,” as Piper calls those handing out candy, are members of the local community. Chamber members and Oakhurst Center faculty and students, along with the local ambulance service and fire department, distribute the treats.

“The children are fascinated by the ambulance and the decorated dummy inside,” Piper said. “The firemen are always a big hit, since they bring their biggest truck.”

A local business, Palace Pet Grooming, began offering prizes for both treaters and trunkers last year. The prizes will continue this year with gift certificates awarded for best costumes and best trunks, as well as the best pumpkin carving.

In addition to community service, the event is also intended to increase awareness of the college center, Piper said.

The Oakhurst “Trunk N Treat” event will be held on Sunday, October 31, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Oakhurst Center parking lot. Treaters should park in the adjacent library/Chamber parking lot. The Oakhurst Center is located on Civic Circle Drive, off of Highway 41, behind the Rite Aid store in Oakhurst. For more information on the event, contact the Oakhurst Center at (559) 683-3940.

FCC President Cynthia E. Azari opened the event by welcoming everyone and saying “happy birthday” to the college. Other speakers and representatives in attendance included Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott, Congressman Jim Costa, and President John Welty of California State University, Fresno.

“It all started here.”

Dr. Deborah G. Blue, chancellor of SCCCD, reminded the crowd that “it all started here.”

Now enrolling more than 25,000 students on a 103-acre campus, FCC has come a long way since its founding in 1910.

President Azari presented the Founder’s Award to Beverly Brock, great-granddaughter of Charles L. McLane, founder of the college. In 1910, McLane was superintendent of Fresno schools. He recognized the need for an affordable way for local students to begin their higher education, so he established Fresno Junior College on the campus of Fresno High School. The college, later re-named Fresno City College, was the first community college in California and the second in the nation. Courses began at the college on September 10, 1910, with an inaugural class of 20 students.

Soon after, McLane had a hand in establishing Fresno Normal School—the forerunner to California State University, Fresno—which shared a campus with Fresno Junior College. The roots of State Center Community College District can also be traced back to FCC. When it comes to higher education in Central California, the words of Dr. Blue ring true: in a very direct way, “it all started here.”

The convocation was the culmination of a months-long celebration that began on New Year’s Eve to commemorate this milestone anniversary.

The three-year, $3 million grant will allow additional health care programs at all SCCCD campuses, as well as the West Hills Community College District. The program, called “Extending Central Valley Health Care,” is intended to address the Valley’s medically underserved population, according to Shelly Conner, director of Grants and External Funding and project director.

“The grant will help address critical shortages of health care professionals in our region.” – Shelly Conner, Director of Grants and External Funding

“The San Joaquin Valley is consistently included in the Department of Health and Human Services’ list of medically underserved areas,” Conner said. “The grant will help address critical shortages of health care professionals in our region, while at the same time offer program graduates a chance to train for careers with the opportunity for advancement in the health care profession.”

The additional programs will include instruction for registered nurses (RNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), nursing assistants, medical assistants, and other medical technicians.

The funding comes at a time when the already overextended health care system in the Valley is expected to become even more strained. The troubled economy makes external funding more important than ever.

“Without funding from grant sources such as this one,” Conner said, “the District may be forced to reduce student access to important instructional programs.”

By partnering with educational institutions and workforce investment boards, the District continues to seek and obtain grant funding to support allied health programs. Ultimately, this improves access to health care for San Joaquin Valley residents.

“SCCCD is proud to assume a leadership role in such collaborative efforts for the betterment of our community,” Conner said.