Kiel Famellos-Schmidt helps design a cooperative coffee village in El Eden, Nicaragua.

As co-founder and partner of Spacio Design Studio, Fresno City College alumnus Kiel Famellos-Schmidt uses his architectural training to show clients that design matters. “It has a value,” he said. “It’s not just aesthetics. It also has a functionality aspect.”

Kiel, an urban designer working toward his architecture license, was raised in Fresno’s Tower District before attending Fresno City College. Although he always had a strong interest in architecture, before settling on a major, Kiel said he “tested the waters” to see if he was making the right decision.

At FCC, he took classes in philosophy, writing, anthropology, and even archery. “I liked being able to pick and choose what really interested me,” he said. “It was a time to try things out. The experience helped me determine that I really wanted to do architecture.”

“Exploration is important.”– Kiel Famellos-Schmidt

With a solid educational foundation in place, Kiel transferred to the University of California, Berkeley where he earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture. After graduation, he joined Public Architecture, a non-profit think tank based in San Francisco, and worked on design projects around the world. Assignments included a cooperative coffee farm in Nicaragua and an orphanage in Sri Lanka. While he was a long way from home, he was surprised at how familiar it felt.

“There were a lot of conditions in these Third World countries that reminded me of Fresno—cultural issues, homelessness, agriculture, poverty—and I was feeling like my energy wasn’t focused,” Kiel said. “So I wanted to come back here and help, because I have roots in Fresno and I feel like I can make long-term connections. I can focus my energy to achieve some measurable results.”

Kiel and his wife moved back to Fresno. He found work at a local architecture and engineering firm, and even taught architecture classes at his alma mater, Fresno City College. He also created Archop.org, a blog dedicated to exploring and improving the built environment of the San Joaquin Valley. But, when he was laid off last year, Kiel took the opportunity to form his own firm with a few former colleagues.

The new company, Spacio Design Studio, is a boutique architecture and design firm with offices Fresno and Los Angeles. Their work includes anything from space planning to urban revitalization, but it is all based on contextual design that engages the community.

“It’s easy to do what you’ve already seen and what people are familiar with,” Kiel said. “The weight, I think, is on the designer to really explore what a client needs, rather than just what they’re asking for. Because there might be something that can better represent the client—aesthetically, functionally, and even economically.”

For a recent project involving ACEL Fresno, a charter high school based in Downtown Fresno, Kiel took a unique approach to planning the school’s use of space.

“Rather than talking only to the upper level administration at the school,” Kiel said, “we also held design workshops with the students and teachers—talking to the people who are in the space from day to day,” Kiel said.

The primary benefit of these workshops is a sense of pride and ownership among those who spend time in the finished space. “Even if a student’s suggestion was already planned the final design,” Kiel said, “the fact that they are engaged—and see their suggestion in the final product—means they feel a little more connected to it and empowered.”

Kiel’s time at Fresno City College is continually reflected in his career and life.

“Exploration is important,” he said. “And not getting stuck behind one idea. I was able to look around and experience other things [at Fresno City College] before committing to architecture as the best course of action. And I still practice that today. I don’t just settle on one idea. I’ll explore it. Both in design and in making decisions, you want to look at things from more than one angle.”

Peters Business Building. Craig School of Business, CSU, Fresno.

When Tiffany Lowe began attending Reedley College, she was a pre-pharmacy student. After a semester, she decided a pharmacy career wasn’t for her. But she went on to earn an associate degree in general studies, and began taking business classes in preparation for her transfer into a business major at CSU, Fresno.

“I was heavily involved on campus at Reedley College,” Tiffany said.

She served on a number of committees and as a member of the Associated Student Body, as well as serving as the student trustee on the SCCCD Board. “I attended district board meetings as a representative of the students of Reedley College and the North Centers,” Tiffany said. She updated the board on the colleges, providing a student perspective.

“I encourage students to attend community college before attending a four-year university.” – Tiffany Lowe

As a member of the Pete P. Peters Honors Program at Reedley College, Tiffany took advantage of challenging courses, preparing her for upper-division classes. “In particular,” she said, “the honors English courses greatly improved my writing skills. Many faculty members were great teachers who became mentors.”

Tiffany rounded out her schedule with a number of business courses. “I took accounting, micro and macro economics, finite math, entrepreneurship, and business law classes in addition to my general education classes,” she said.

Tiffany’s diligence paid off when she earned the Craig School of Business Fresno Merchants Scholarship at CSU, Fresno. The academic scholarship is awarded to entering freshman or transfer students majoring in business administration. Tiffany began attending CSU, Fresno last fall.

After she graduates, Tiffany plans to attend graduate school or start her own business.

Tiffany is glad she began her higher education at a community college. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Reedley College,” she said. “I encourage students to attend community college before attending a four-year university. I believe it’s a great place to transition from high school to college.”

We’re taking you back to 1975 for a look at the hit game show, “Community College or NOT!”—the quiz show where we find out if you know the difference between a community college and a four-year university.

Joe Williams

“I’m deeply humbled and shocked,” Joe said of the award. Joe is president of Richard Heath and Associates, a social program management firm, and has been serving the Fresno community both publicly and privately for more than 40 years.

At the age of 9, Joe moved to Fresno from Mississippi. He attended Edison High School and Fresno City College before graduating in 1967 from Fresno State College (later renamed California State University, Fresno) with a bachelor’s degree in social welfare and a minor in psychology.

“I’ve always wanted to make sure I clearly understood what was going on in the community and what the needs are,” he said.

“I’ve always wanted to make sure I clearly understood what was going on in the community and what the needs are.” – Joe Williams

Soon after graduation, Joe was appointed executive director of the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC), where he served for 22 years. During his time there, he helped establish successful programs emphasizing early education, family health, and job development.

Joe was instrumental in gaining funding for the Fresno Sanctuary, which provides services to runaways and transient youth. The Sanctuary was renamed the Joe Williams Center upon his retirement from the EOC in 1993.

In 1977, Joe was elected to the Fresno City Council, eventually serving two terms. He was Fresno’s first African-American council member. He has also served on the boards of Community Medical Centers, the Fresno State Foundation and Premier Valley Bank.

After leaving the EOC, Joe joined Richard Heath and Associates, continuing his community-focused work at a private company. He served as chief executive officer until 2003, and now oversees the company as president of the board.

Joe received the Fresno City College Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003 and the Fresno State Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2006. He and his wife Laura have three children and four grandchildren.

In July 2009, Louise Kolbert was appointed CEO of the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Louise, who is a certified nursing assistant, attended Reedley College.

Her career with the American Red Cross began as a volunteer almost 30 years ago in Fresno. Since then, Louise has served the Red Cross in a number of capacities, including managing the National American Red Cross response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the 9/11 terrorist bombings, and other national emergencies.

Louise Kolbert

Louise has received a number of American Red Cross awards, including the National Presidential Tiffany Award, the Outstanding Community Service Award and the Manager’s Award for Employee Excellence, from the Santa Barbara County Chapter.

She is a prime example of the great work being done by the alumni of Reedley College and the rest of SCCCD. Every public servant may not be responsible for national emergency responses, but they all offer an invaluable contribution to their communities. “It is wonderful to be part of such an incredible organization,” said Louise. “Together as a community we can do great things.”

You can help the American Red Cross by:

“Together as a community we can do great things.” —Louise Kolbert
CEO, Santa Barbara County American Red Cross

1. Donating securely online
2. Volunteering your time
3. Giving blood

Visit the American Red Cross website at www.redcross.org to learn more about the organization and how you can help victims of natural disasters.

Susanna Haubner, in light blue, and other Planeteers plant trees for the first grove in the Fresno carbon neutral initiative.

Each week, students from the North Centers campuses meet at Willow International for a meeting of the Planeteers Club. With approximately 20 active members and an email list of almost a hundred, the Planeteers take “an active role to promote peace, a thriving global community, and a healthy environment,” according to Club President Jasmine Leyro. “Our goal,” she said, “is to educate the student body and the community about social and environmental threats and steps everyone can take to minimize such threats. Ultimately, we strive to act as a force of positive change.”

The club was founded last year by Susanna Haubner, current club treasurer and former president. “The Planeteers Club was founded for the purpose of being a volunteer club,” she said. Members strive to “make the community a better place by volunteering our time,” she said.

“Ultimately, we strive to act as a force of positive change.” – Jasmine Leyro, club president

Jasmine described some of the members’ volunteer activities: “We serve lunch to the homeless at the Poverello House and volunteer at the Valley Animal Center, the Fresno Philharmonic, the Clovis Botanical Garden, and flu shot clinics administered by Madera County Public Health.”

The club also organizes ongoing campaigns to get others involved. Current activities include a food drive for St. Martha’s Pantry, a local food bank. “We’ve set out eleven bins around the Willow campus for students and faculty to put canned foods and non-perishable goods,” Jasmine said.

The reach of the Planeteers is not limited to local concerns.

“We had a movie night recently where we showed the movie Hotel Rwanda, and the proceeds benefited the Save Darfur Coalition,” Susanna said. “We took a break in the middle of the movie to have a Skype [online] conference with two people who had been there in Rwanda during the genocide, and we got to ask them questions. It was a learning experience for everyone and it really helped everyone understand what’s going on in Darfur.”

The club holds similar movie nights raising awareness and funds for a variety of global causes.

With the leadership of Jasmine and Susanna, the Planeteers have blossomed into force for good. Jasmine explained their roles: “I’ve sort of been the organization of the club this semester, where Susie has been the passion. She consistently comes up with new ideas for fundraisers and events, and exudes a level of enthusiasm for our causes that far surpasses the attitude of any other member. I facilitate activities, make agendas, run the meetings, and send out emails with the minutes.”

Jasmine and Susanna, both sophomores, plan on continuing service beyond college. Jasmine is pursuing a medical career and Susanna is majoring in political science. But the club will remain strong even after they move on.

As Jasmine explains, the strength of the club lies in its members. “I’ve tried to add an element of stability to this young club,” she said, “but the Planeteers themselves are truly deserving of credit. None of our fundraisers, activities, or events could have been accomplished without their ideas, commitment, and desire to help others.”

Martin spent most of his childhood in Madera before moving to Coalinga where he graduated high school. Once at Reedley College he joined the Aggie Club and was elected president.  He is also a club representative in the student advisory council and participates in a variety of ag leadership positions. It’s no wonder he was recognized as an outstanding student leader.

“My goal is to become an agriculture teacher at a community college.” – Martin Castro

“The award has a lot to do with involvement,” Martin said. “I think I received the award because of all the events I participate in. I’ve served as overall chair for the Reedley College FFA Statewide Field Day. I also serve as state president of the Colligate Agricultural Leaders.”

With a résumé like that, it’s not surprising that Martin had a great showing at this year’s Collegiate Livestock Show at the Fresno Fair. He showed two steer—a Supreme Champion Bull and a Champion Prospect Steer—and took home the top honor as advanced showmanship champion. Martin and his fellow Reedley College students captured nine of the top ten individual spots in advanced beef showmanship at the show.

Next year, Martin plans to transfer to Fresno State and continue his education in animal science. “My goal is to become an agriculture teacher at a community college,” he said. “And to someday own my own seed stock and club cattle operation.”

Martin’s skills in leadership and agriculture have already earned him recognition and they will surely continue to serve him well.

FCC Associated Student Government President Sergey Saluschev

The Soviet Union hasn’t existed for almost 20 years, but the political differences between Russia and the United States remain evident—especially for Russian immigrant and Fresno City College Associated Student Government President Sergey Saluschev.

Four years ago, when his mother married a U.S. Citizen, Sergey moved with her from the Russian city of Stavropol to Fresno. “For me to travel to the other side of the globe was exciting,” said Sergey, now 22 years old. “I wanted to come here and experience it for myself—to experience the culture and the people.”

After establishing residency in California, Sergey began attending Fresno City College. He was immediately fascinated by the role of student government. “When I came here I was absolutely clueless,” he said. “I didn’t know about the existence of student government—about any institutions that would allow students to participate in shared governance on the campus.”

“I hope that students will realize and understand how important their role is in the political life of the state.”–Sergey Saluschev
FCC ASG President

In Fall 2006, Sergey joined the FCC Associated Student Government as a student senator. It presented a divergence from his experiences in Russia, where governmental systems often lack true representation. “Back in Russia I wouldn’t be able to do something like this,” he said. “No, our system is not designed to allow such a wide representation of all the constituent groups on the campus. Our system of democracy still is immature and needs a lot of improvement. So having this opportunity here is a blessing.”

His political experiences haven’t been limited to just the campus of Fresno City. During California’s budget talks last spring, Sergey helped organize a delegation of FCC students who traveled to Sacramento to protest budget cuts. Sergey said it was important for students to go to the capital and “say to elected officials that we are not satisfied with how things are being done,” he said. “It’s democracy in action.”

While the discussions with state officials were sometimes less than encouraging—“They don’t always consider what is good for the entire state, only what is good for their position and their party,” he said—Sergey remains encouraged by the emphasis on governmental representation in all areas of political life.

As Associated Student Government president, Sergey is driven by a passion for community improvement. He is committed to spreading this enthusiasm to his fellow students. “Use every opportunity of your right to free speech and the right to express your opinion—in a respectful way, of course. I hope that students will realize and understand how important their role is in the political life of the state. There are about 2.9 million community college students in California; that’s a big power,” he said.

Sergey plans to continue his education in international relations at the University of California, Davis. While he doesn’t plan to enter politics are a larger scale, he doesn’t rule it out. “I do not want to be a politician, but it seems that politics is the only way to make a difference,” he said. “Sometimes you have to be part of the system, at least for a little while, to make a difference.”

Nicole Margulis, SCCCD student

The six campuses of the SCCCD system—Fresno City College, Reedley College, Willow International Center, Clovis Center, Madera Center, and Oakhurst Center—ensure that students in the Valley are never far from an educational center. But an often-overlooked benefit is the combined power of all the SCCCD campuses.

The unification of the six SCCCD campuses allows interchangeable classes, so students ready to make the commute have an unparalleled selection of classes and schedules available. This is often the best solution for highly motivated, working students like Nicole Margulis. “I take seven units at Willow International, four at FCC, three at Clovis Center, and three in Madera [at Madera Center],” said the graphic design major.

“I went where the classes I needed were offered at times that fit my schedule.” – Nicole Margulis

In 2005, Nicole joined the U.S. Navy where she worked in naval intelligence and strike warfare analysis while stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. When her commitment was fulfilled, she was ready to proceed with her formal education. “I chose to go to SCCCD after the navy because of its affordability,” she said. “I am a graphic design major, and the Art Department at Willow International really helped me find my niche, and helped me figure out what I want to do for a career.”

Once she had a career goal in sight, Nicole got to work on her associate of art degree. “I needed very specific classes to complete the AA in 2D art,” she said, “so I went where the classes I needed were offered at times that fit my schedule.” The ability to attend classes at multiple campuses allowed Nicole to find a schedule that worked for her, without having to unnecessarily alter her other obligations or postpone classes to later semesters. Nicole is now in her final semester.

For students attending classes at multiple locations, it is important to have a centralized way to keep track of schedules and credit earned. As a solution, the District offers a single online registration process for all campuses. “It was very easy to register for classes,” Nicole said. “I did most of my registration online and it was flawless. It is not hard to keep track of the units on WebAdvisor,” the online registration tool of SCCCD.

“I feel that the SCCCD system is such a blessing to our area. It allows people of all financial backgrounds to get a good college foundation with flexible schedules,” Nicole said. “For those of us who have to work our way through college to pay the bills, it is a wonderful gift.”

After finishing her AA, Nicole will transfer to a four-year university to complete a bachelor of fine art degree in graphic design.

Michael A. Yoshikami at the Fresno City College Class of 2009 Commencement

Investment advisor Michael A. Yoshikami regularly shares economic insight on television, on radio and in print. He has appeared on CNBC, Fox News, Bloomberg TV and Radio, and written guest columns for leading online news outlets. But 28 years ago Michael—who would later found investment advisory firm YCMNET Advisors, Inc.—was hitting the books at Fresno City College.

Michael spent his childhood in Hawaii and Southern California, eventually settling in Fresno. When the time came for college, he chose to attend FCC. “Honestly, it was all I could afford at the time,” he said. “In a lot of ways, it helped me. It allowed me the opportunity to start my education, as someone who didn’t have a lot of clear goals.”

He fondly recalled the support received from FCC faculty: “The instructors were very patient and very supportive as I was trying to find my way, and find what I wanted to do.”

“My mission was to help as many people as I could.”
–Michael A. Yoshikami

Michael went on to receive a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from CSU, Fresno, as well as an MBA from Pepperdine University, a doctorate in education from the University of Santa Barbara, and designation as a Certified Financial Planner®.

In 1981, Michael founded YCMNET Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm based in Walnut Creek, California. The company helps clients create a roadmap of investment goals and then helps them proceed on that road. Michael serves as president and chief investment strategist. “It’s a business where I can help people fulfill their dreams,” he said. “Every business has a mission,” Michael continued, “and my mission was to help as many people as I could.”

His family’s Hawaiian legacy serves as the underpinnings of his business philosophy. Michael emphasizes a “spirit of communication and embracing other people’s goals. It’s a good foundation for the services we provide our clients.”

FCC alumnus, Michael A. Yoshikami, appears on CNBC as a financial expert on April 13, 2009.

Several cable news networks noticed Michael’s careful approach to investments. He now appears often on news programs providing financial analysis and commentary. Michael said, “YCMNET Advisors, Inc. has a reputation of being thoughtful, and presenting analysis in a balanced way. A calm voice in this type of environment is very, very important.”

Michael recognizes the role his past plays in his current success. He remains an enthusiastic supporter of FCC, including the campaign to renovate the Old Administration Building. In May, Michael served as the distinguished alumnus and commencement speaker at the Fresno City College Class of 2009 Commencement. FCC, he said, is “a place where people have the opportunity to start a career. I think community colleges provide opportunities to those who might not otherwise have them. [Community colleges] welcome anyone who’s willing to work.”