New doors will be opening upfor College of the Canyonsstudents – both literally and

figuratively – as the work continueson the college library. Upon comple-tion of the current 52,435-square-foot library expansion project,College of the Canyons students willhave increased access to a variety oflibrary and tutoring services that areexpected to greatly enhance the aca-demic experience for all students.

Though the current library facil-ity was opened in 1997 to the col-lege’s then-7,500 student popula-tion, plans for a library expansionhave long been included in the col-lege’s facilities master plan. In fact,because of continually surging stu-dent population, COC officials actu-ally began planning for this expan-sion more than a decade ago.

Despite the growing pervasive-ness of online archives, databasesand various forms of digital mediaand academic learning tools, studentdemand for library and tutoringservices has only increased in recentyears.

Non-ProfitOrganization

US PostagePAID

Santa ClaritaCA

91355Permit 56

College of the Canyons26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355

Postal Customer

E C R W S SIt’s common knowledge that attending a community college isone of the best ways to save money while still pursuing ahigher education goal. Even minor increases in fees over the

years haven’t changed the fact that California community col-leges still have the lowest per unit cost in the nation, comparedto community colleges in other states.

But community colleges will once again face a fee increase,as all 112 California community colleges will increase from amodest $26 to $36 per unit beginning in the Fall 2011 semester,the result of an educational trailer bill proposed by GovernorJerry Brown in late March and approved by the CaliforniaLegislature.

The fee increase is designed to help offset some of the budg-See FEE on Page 6

State Raises Unit FeesBeginning Fall Semester

See LIBRARY on Page 5

LIBRARY EXPANSIONBRINGSENHANCEDSERVICES FORMORE STUDENTS

In the coming weeks, College ofthe Canyons officials willembark on a capital campaign

designed to raise funds for the con-struction of a state-of-the-art, on-campus culinary facility whichwould provide a permanent homefor the college’s culinary artsdepartment and greatly expand thenumber of locally available trainingopportunities in that field.

“College of the Canyons hascultivated a well-deserved reputa-tion for meeting the needs of our

students and the community, and theCulinary Arts facility is the latestexample,” said COC Chancellor Dr.Dianne G. Van Hook.

The college has long sought away to expand the depth andbreadth of its culinary department,in order to serve as many students aspossible. But the absence of a per-manent facility large enough to hostsuch an undertaking has been a con-tinual roadblock.

In its five years of existence, theculinary arts program has been

housed in three separate facilities —the existing college cafeteria, arestaurant space at the WestfieldValencia Town Center and, current-ly, at another restaurant space inCastaic.

While each of these temporaryfacilities has served its purpose byproviding students with a profes-sional setting to hone their cookingskills in, that “student experience”has been offset by the lack of accessto on-campus support services and

See CULINARY on Page 6

Campaign Kicks-Off in Effort to Raise Funds for State-of-the-Art Culinary Facility

The college’s new Gardens of the Canyons project —a trail of 15 gardens and nature areas that form anapproximately hour-long nature walk through theValencia campus — is starting to grow thanks to arecent $5,000 grant award from the WeyerhaeuserCompany Foundation. Envisioned as a place where stu-dents, staff and community members will come for inspira-tion, education and enjoyment, the Gardens of the Canyonswill eventually be connected with signs, maps and trailmarkers to create a leisurely, beautiful and informative naturewalk through the campus.

Artist’s rendering of the new $6.7 million College of the Canyons Culinary ArtsFacility which will house the Institute for Culinary Education (iCuE).

GARDENS BLOOMING

C O L L E G E O F T H E C A N Y O N S / S A N T A C L A R I T A C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E D I S T R I C T S E R V I N G T H E S A N T A C L A R I T A V A L L E Y S I N C E 1 9 6 9

COUGAR BLUE GOING GREEN!New environmental program begins in the Fall!

PAGE 3

FALL SEMESTER ALERT: Tuition will increase from $26 to $36/unit. Classes start August 22. Find classes online at www.canyons.edu.

STUNNING STUDENT WORK!Student art finds a permanent home in the

COC Art Gallery.PAGE 7

SUMMER 2011

College Culinary Program Heats Up

Additional Increase May Happen in Jan. 2012

2 COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011

Breaking News is published by the College of the CanyonsPublic Information Office to inform the community about pro-grams, events, issues and accomplishments of the Santa ClaritaValleyʼs community college. It is distributed to residences, P.O.boxes and businesses in the 367-square-mile Santa ClaritaCommunity College District. Advertising is not accepted.

Mail: College of the CanyonsPublic Information Office26455 Rockwell Canyon RoadSanta Clarita, CA 91355Email: pio@canyons.edu

COC CHOIR JAZZED BY AWARDThe College of theCanyons “Just Jazz”vocal group was oneof six collegiate vocalensembles in thenation selected tocompete at the NextGeneration JazzFestival held inMonterey, CA April 1-3. At the festival thegroup placed secondamong a field of 14high school and col-lege jazz choirs,falling just a fewpoints behind eventualchampion CSU, LongBeach. However, thetalents of the “JustJazz” group memberswere not overlooked, asthe group received awell-deserving standingovation — even bringing one of the competitionʼs judgesto tears, due to the groupʼs collective “musicality anddepth.”

COC WINS AWARD FOR VOLUNTEERISMFor the fifth time in as many years, College of theCanyons has been honored for its dedication to providingaccess to service-learning educational opportunities withinclusion on the 2010 Presidentʼs Higher EducationCommunity Service Honor Roll with Distinction.Administered by the Corporation for National andCommunity Service, inclusion on the annual Honor Roll isthe highest federal recognition a college or university canreceive for its commitment to volunteering, service learn-ing and civic engagement. College of the Canyons is oneof only 15 higher education institutions in the state — andthe only California community college — to earn ʻdistinc-tionʼ honors. The college has been included on the HonorRoll every year since its inception in 2006 having previ-ously earned ʻdistinctionʼ honors in 2007 and 2009.“Thereis a strong spirit of volunteerism that thrives on our cam-pus,” said College of the Canyons Chancellor Dr. DianneVan Hook. “As a college, we believe in giving back to ourcommunity, which supports us and enables us to be whatwe have become. That engagement with the communityallows our students to gain hands-on experience andaugment what theyʼre learning in the classroom.”

SPEECH TEAM BRINGS HOME THE GOLDThe College of the Canyons speech team took homethree medals — including the teamʼs first ever gold medal—en route to a team best eighth place division finish, dur-ing the week-long Phi Rho Pi National SpeechTournament, held at the end of the Spring 2011 semesterat the Regency Hyatt in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. PhiRho Pi is committed to increasing knowledge and appre-ciation of the speech and forensics arts. The organizationannually offers community college students the only fullservice national speech tournament with 11 individualevents, three forms of debate and interpreterʼs theatre.This tournament is consistently one of the largest in thenation, welcoming more than 75 schools and 600 coach-es and students each year. At this yearʼs tournament,College of the Canyons first year competitor AustinKolodney won a gold medal in the Dramatic Interpretationcategory, for his multi-character performance of the docu-mentary film “Man on Wire,” which tells the story ofFrench performance artist Philippe Petitʼs daring high-wirewalk between the World Trade Center Towers in 1974.“Winning was amazing,” said Kolodney, whose perform-ance was also awarded a bronze medal at a recentstatewide tournament.

NEWS OF NOTE OSHER ENDOWMENT SPARKSSCHOLARSHIP SUCCESSIn the last 18 months the College of the Canyons

Foundation has raised more than $1 million inendowed scholarship funds, which when combined

with a generous 50 percent gift match from the BernardOsher Foundation, totals nearly $1.6 million dedicatedto COC student success.

Those funds will equate to 80 new $1,000 scholar-ships that the COC Foundation and the college’s schol-arship committee can now award to students each yearin perpetuity.

In addition, by partici-pating in the BernardOsher Foundation’smatching grant initiativethe college will alsoreceive funds to support15 additional $1,000annual scholarships everyyear, for a total of 95 newscholarships.

“This was an amazingendeavor in which we hadthe opportunity to partici-pate, and it showed that our community believes in thepower of education,” said COC Chancellor Dr. DianneVan Hook. “The overwhelming generosity of ourdonors will change thousands of lives as we open thedoors to higher education and give people an opportuni-ty to pursue their dreams.”

In the spring of 2008, the Bernard Osher Foundationmade an historic $25 million gift to the 112-memberCalifornia Community College (CCC) System andFoundation for California Community Colleges(FCCC), pledging to provide a 50 percent match, of upto $25 million, on all scholarship funds raised through

June 2011. The end result was envisioned as a permanent

endowment, with ongoing investment earnings used toprovide scholarships for students at every communitycollege in the state.

Armed with this opportunity, the College of theCanyons Foundation embarked on an endowment cam-paign to raise as many additional scholarship dollars aspossible before this unique gift-matching opportunity

expired.As one of the 107

California CommunityColleges that chose totake part in the Oshercampaign, College ofthe Canyons was givena fund-raising goal of$613,000.

During the college’s18-month endowmentcampaign a total of 21new and 19 redesignat-ed endowed scholarship

funds were established, with major gifts coming from anarray of community members, businesses, non-profitgroups and community and campus organizations.

With Chancellor Van Hook, the college’s fiscal serv-ices department and the entire COC Foundation staffworking right up to the last minute to secure additionalcontributions and file all required documentation, bymidnight on June 30, the college had surpassed its orig-inal fundraising goal by $452,000.

“The level of support we received throughout thisentire campaign further reinforces how this community

College Surpasses Original Fundraising Goal by Nearly $500,000

COC CHOIR CONDUCTOR JULIELAWSON SHOWS OFF THE

CHOIR’S AWARD

See OSHER on Page 6

TEAM SUCCESS: LORETTA ROWLY, AIMEE NEWTON, TEAM DIRECTOR MICHAEL LEECH AND AUSTIN KOLODNEY

According to a recent U.S.Census data, the number ofAmericans aged 65 and older

is expected to reach 20 percent ofthe population by the year 2050 andthe need to provide better care forthe country’s aging population ismore important than ever. This fallCollege of the Canyons will intro-duce its new Skills for HealthyAging Resources and Programs(SHARP) certificate program,which prepares students for careersin the fields of aging services andgerontology

Representing a program formatnot currentlyoffered any-where else inthe nation, thecollege’s 12-unit SHARPprogram isdesigned forstudents to beable to complete in just one semes-ter, with classes scheduled in theevenings and afternoons to accom-modate working adults.

Geared toward those interestedin careers in ageing services or thelarger health-care industry, theSHARP program will provide theskills and knowledge needed tobegin delivering various types ofevidence-based health promotion(EBHP) strategies to older adults, ina variety of health care settings.

According to the NationalCouncil on Aging, EBHP is definedas “a process of planning, imple-menting and evaluating programsadapted from tested models or inter-ventions in order to address healthissues” in both individual and com-munity settings.

The SHARP program’s use ofEBHP programs for older adultsemphasizes both disease preventionand treatment, with strategiesfocused on topics including self-care, physical activity, fall preven-tion, substance abuse, nutrition anddepression.

“The goal of the SHARP pro-gram is to teach students about theseissues and get them trained to beable to go out into the field and relaythis important information to thegrowing number of older adults outthere,” said Dr. Patty Robinson,

dean of the Social Sciences andBusiness Division at College of theCanyons. “If we can start trainingand educating people about how totake better care of themselves, theywill live longer and healthier lives.”

According to recent projections,more than 10,000 adults from thebaby boomer generation will jointhe ranks of “older adult” each day,until 2029 — representing approxi-mately 25 percent of the UnitedStates population by 2025.

In addition, chronic diseasesaffect the quality of life of more than133 million Americans and more

than 14 mil-l i o nCalifornians.It’s projectedthat by theyear 2030approximatelysix of every 10people will be

managing more than one chronichealth condition.

Although various EBHPprograms are already beingoffered to older adults inmore than 30 counties bythe state’s various commu-nity service providers —in settings such as seniorcenters, hospitals, healthclinics and senior hous-ing facilities — programleaders and facilitatorsare now required toundergo specific train-ing in order to be certi-fied for such work.

However, accord-ing to a recent AgingLabor Force Studyconducted by theCalifornia SocialWork EducationCenter, most pub-lic social servicesemployees donot have anyformal train-ing related toaging andolder adults.

T h eSHARP pilotprogram wasdesigned incollaboration

with College of the Canyons, SantaBarbara City College, Partners inCare Foundation, National Councilon Aging, California GeriatricEducation Center and the CaliforniaCouncil on Gerontology andGeriatrics, with funding from theU.S. Department of Education.

Upon completion of the programstudents will be able to pursueemployment in the aging servicesindustry in positions that requireindividuals to plan, administer, eval-uate and/or teach such programs.

For more information about thecollege’s new SHARP program orthe schedule of courses beingoffered this fall please contact PattyRobinson at (661) 362-3992 or visitwww.canyons.edu/departments/SOC/SHARP/Sharp_Home.asp.

...more than 10,000 adultsfrom the Baby Boomergeneration will join the

ranks of “older adult” eachday, until 2029.

SHARP CERTIFICATE BRINGS HEALTHCARE FOR THE ELDERLY INTO NEEDED FOCUS

COLLEGE

VENTURA COLLEGECOLUMBIA COLLEGEPORTERVILLE COLLEGEMIRA COSTA COLLEGEPASADENA CITY COLLEGECOLLEGE OF THE CANYONS

Statewide, 107 local community colleges participated in this initiative.Only 33 met or exceeded their goals. Among them, College of the Canyonsfinished 6th in comparison to the other colleges who participated.

GOAL

$400,206$ 94,786$140,151$361,394$979,557$613,188

DOLLARS RAISED

$1,185,410$194,995$280,014$676,067$1,791,176$1,065,220

% OF GOAL MET

296%206%200%187%183%174%

COUGAR BLUE GOES GREEN WITH NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMSStudents who are looking to make an impact in the

ongoing worldwide environmental movement nowhave a new place to start! The College of the

Canyons Math, Science & Engineering Division will offerstudents an opportunity to match their educational path-way with that movement as two new courses in the disci-plines of Environmental Studies and EnvironmentalScience are set to debut this fall.

“The development of these courses is a momentousachievement for the college and a tremendous opportuni-ty for our students,” said Omar Torres, dean of the col-lege’s Mathematics, Science and Engineering Division.

The college’s Environmental Studies andEnvironmental Science programs will prepare students fortransfer to four-year schools by providing a broad base ofboth natural science and social science course work,paired with a well-rounded selection of general educationcourses.

Both courses have been designed to provide studentswith the scientific background needed to obtain advanceddegrees and eventually pursue careers in the solar technol-ogy, bio-fuel technology and environmental surveyingindustries — along with the multitude of environmentally

inspired consultancy positions.“Environmental Studies and Environmental Science

are two emerging fields,” said Jeannie Chari, associate

professor of the Earth, Space and Environmental Sciencesdepartment. “The completion of an advanced degree ineither discipline can lead to a variety of environmental

positions with firms and organizations, both commercialand governmental.”

In addition, the presence of a field studies componentin the curriculum of both courses positions College of theCanyons as one of the only community colleges in thestate to offer an Environmental Science program thatincludes both a lab and field studies component.

The course Environmental Studies (ENVRMT) 101:Introduction to Environmental Studies will introduce stu-dents to the use of earth’s natural resources by human civ-ilizations and the roles that economics, ethics, law, histo-ry, politics, culture and gender inequity have continuallyplayed in resource use and distribution.

The course Environmental Science (ENVRMT) 103:Introduction to Environmental Science will familiarizestudents with the Earth’s natural processes, along with anunderstanding of the environmental processes associatedwith today’s society.

For more information about the College of theCanyons Environmental Science and EnvironmentalStudies courses please visit www.canyons.edu/depart-ments/ESES/ or contact Omar Torres at (661) 362-3135.

•Developed in fall 2010 by Chancellor Dr.Dianne G. Van Hook and members of thecollege’s Economic Development Division(EDD).•Provides accelerated job preparationprograms for job seekers, mid-careerprofessionals and recent high schoolgraduates.•Offers a variety of fast-paced, intensive jobpreparation courses that will teach entry-level job skills and allow participants toquickly begin working.

•Most Fast Track courses take only a fewweeks/months to complete.•Some programs are available at no out-of-pocket cost.•All Fast Track programs have beenselected based on labor demand and will befocused on industries where highly-skilledapplicants are immediately needed.•Local companies have indicated they needprepared candidates to fill positions in thefields offered.

3

College’s Fast Track Training Quickly Leads to Jobs

Approximately 50 students from the College of theCanyons Mathematics, Engineering, Science,Achievement (MESA) program have been award-

ed new laptops as part of California Connects, a statewideprogram designed to increase digital literacy and broad-band access throughout the state’s underserved communi-ties.

The HP laptops — which were distributed to studentswho agreed to serve as community trainers in the comingmonths — come fully equipped with state-of-the-art tech-nology provided by companies including HewlettPackard, Microsoft, AT&T and Insight TechnologySolutions.

Since receiving their new computers students havereceived intensive hands-on training and instruction onhow to use all that laptop technology through theMicrosoft IT Academy Program and the CaliforniaConnects digital literacy website.

After their training is complete, students will go outinto the community and help others, who may not haveaccess to a computer and/or lack the knowledge of navi-gating the Internet, or how to use this technology foressential tasks such as securing gainful employment,exploring higher education opportunities, accessinghealth and finance resources and advancing the generalquality of their life.

“Our students were so excited to receive their lap-tops,” said Susan Crowther, director of the college’sMESA program. “It’s exciting for our MESA students tohave this unique opportunity to make a valuable and last-ing contribution through their community service as digi-tal literacy trainers.”

The end result is computers that students can use intheir academic pursuits, while they receive the tools andtraining necessary to educate friends, family and other

community members —while ultimately helping toincrease the state’s numberof broadband Internet usersby more than 61,000 indi-viduals by 2013.

Over the next threeyears a total of 5,800 lap-tops will be distributed toMESA students at 33California CommunityCollege campuses to helpaccomplish this goal.

“The federal govern-ment recognizes thatCalifornia’s community col-leges and students areuniquely qualified to helpclose our nation’s digitaldivide. That’s something wecan all be proud of,” saidCalifornia Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott.“This program will give our students the necessary toolsand training to provide access for underserved popula-tions to the Internet, while building the state’s foundationfor economic growth and job creation.”

Administered by the California Community CollegeChancellor’s office, MESA is an academic preparationprogram that supports students from educationally disad-vantaged backgrounds so they will succeed in a science,technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field,transfer to four-year schools and attain degrees in thesemajors.

The MESA Program at College of the Canyons hassupported strong transfer numbers throughout its history.

In recent years the program has earned statewide recogni-tion for having transferred more students than any othercommunity college MESA Program.

Over the last ten years the college’s MESA Programhas helped more than 300 students transfer to four-yearschools to pursue degrees in one of the STEM fields.Many of these students have since gone on to thrivingcareers in fields including engineering, science, medicineand academia.

For more information about the California Connectsprogram or to get involved with the College of theCanyons MESA chapter please contact Susan Crowther at(661) 362-3098 or susan.crowther@canyons.edu.

MESA Director Susan Crowther (right) hands a new laptop to COC MESA student Bundi Wilde.

Laptops Provided to MESA Students Who WillAct as Community Technology Trainers

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011 3

New Laptops Pepare Students for Emerging Fields

In the early hours of a cool April morn-ing, a collection of roughly a dozenindividuals of varying ages and experi-

ences gathered for the first class of aseven-week machinist training program atthe College of the Canyons Fast TrackInstitute.

With each one came a commitment tolearn, a desire to work and a yearning for anew opportunity.

Just seven short weeks, and 280 train-ing hours, later, that opportunity arrived inthe form of a new career path!

The college’s Fast Track Institute offersfast-paced, intensive job preparation cours-es that teach entry-level job skills andallow participants to quickly begin work-ing in industries where applicants with up-to-date training are in high demand.

“We’re providing two services at theFast Track Institute,” said Pete Bellas, deanof economic development at the college.“We’re helping participants land well-pay-ing jobs, and we’re helping local compa-nies identify the type of well-trained, high-ly-skilled employees they’re looking tohire.”

This spring, the college hosted its firstseven-week job preparation course in thearea of computer numerically controlled(CNC) machinist training.

“There are a large number of openingsright now for CNC machinists and wedon’t anticipate that slowing down,” saidJoe Klocko, director of the college’sCenter for Applied Competitive

Technologies (CACT). “The demand ishigh not just in Santa Clarita, but through-out the region, including the San Fernandoand Antelope Valleys, and VenturaCounty.”

The inaugural Fast Track CNCMachinist program was funded through astate Job Development Incentive Fund(JDIF) grant, provided by the CaliforniaCommunity Colleges Economic andWorkforce Development program, mean-ing that participants who were acceptedinto the program received this training atno out-of-pocket cost.

During the seven weeks of CNCMachinist instruction participants wereasked to report to class at 7:30 a.m. eachweekday, where they underwent a fulleight hours of combined classroominstruction and hands-on machinist train-ing — for a total of 280 training hours.

Participants also received instructionabout how to build a resume, prepare forfuture job interviews and market them-selves to potential employers.

Upon completion of the course in midMay, the first Fast Track graduating classwas invited to a graduation ceremony andexclusive job fair, held at the Dr. Dianne G.Van Hook University Center.

At the event, each participant had thechance to complete a round of 15-minute“speed interviews” with all 11 of the localmanufacturing companies and staffingagencies who were in attendance.

The college’s first class of Fast Track CNC machinist graduates was invited to a grad-uation ceremony and exclusive job fair, held at the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook UniversityCenter in May.

See FAST TRACK on Page 6

Fast Facts about Fast Track Training

Internationally renowned composer,librettist and esteemed College of theCanyons music faculty member Daniel

Catán, who was credited with producingfour operas in the United States including2010’s highly acclaimed “Il Postino” star-ring Plácido Domingo, died of apparentnatural causes in Austin, Texas the week-end of April 9, 2011. He was 62.

At the time of his death Catán had beenworking as an artist-in-residence at theButler School of Music located on thecampus of University of Texas at Austin,in addition to his teaching responsibilitiesat College of the Canyons. Catán had beencommissioned by the university to write anew opera based on Frank Capra’s film“Meet John Doe,” scheduled to premierein 2012.

“This loss will be felt not just in ourcommunity, but also throughout the world,as Daniel's influence was incredibly far-reaching,” said College of the CanyonsChancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “Inhis time at College of the Canyons, Danielbrought an unbelievable amount of creditto himself and, through his successes,brought the college to a position of highesteem throughout the state, the nationand, indeed, the world. His legacy is onethat will carry on for generations.”

Catán arrived at College of theCanyons in 1999, and immediately estab-lished himself as an integral part of thecollege, regularly participating in collegeevents and outreach efforts and volunteer-ing his time to the passage of two success-ful bond campaigns, Measure C andMeasure M.

He served as a professor of music inthe college’s Fine and Performing ArtsDivision and taught a wide range of cours-es including music history, world music,music appreciation, fundamentals of musicand musical orchestration.

During his time at COC Catán alsoestablished a reputation for being a deeplycompassionate and humble man; an amaz-ing listener; and a dedicated, supportivecolleague, who built endearing relation-ships with his students and fellow facultyand college staff members.

“In all that he did, Daniel offered hisvery best to us,” Dr. Van Hook said. “Theways in which he appraised situations,offered solutions and pitched in to get thejob done, each helped to move the collegeforward.”

Catán’s Spanish opera “Il Postino,”enjoyed its world premiere on openingnight of LA Opera’s historic 25th

Anniversary season, Sept. 23, 2010, at theDorothy Chandler Pavilion in LosAngeles.

Based on the Academy Award-winningfilm of the same name and the novel“Ardiente Paciencia” by AntonioSkármeta, “Il Postino” tells the story of ashy young postman in a tiny Italian fishingvillage who discovers the courage to pur-sue his dreams through his daily deliveriesto the famous (real-life) Chilean poetPablo Neruda.

“I realized, from the very first time Isaw the film, that it was a perfect theme foran opera,” said Catán in a 2010 interviewabout the project. “It deals with Art andLove: the foundations upon which webuild our lives.”

Starring opera legend PlácidoDomingo in the role of Pablo Neruda, thesix-show run of “Il Postino” quickly cap-tured the hearts of audiences, and critics,throughout Southern California and theinternational opera world.

“‘Il Postino’" delivers in a way fewmodern operas do,” wrote Ronald Blum ofthe Associated Press in a 2010 review.“Catán has created a throwback, witharias, duets and lush tonal music, closer tothe style of Puccini than of Catán’s con-temporaries.”

Though “Il Postino” was Catán’s mostrecent success, during his career theacclaimed composer also penned theoperas “Encuentro en el Ocaso,”“Florencia en el Amazonas,” “Salsipuedes,A Tale of Love, War and Anchovies” and“La Hija de Rappaccini,” which was thecomposer’s first opera.

A Spanish operatic version of OctavioPaz’ play by the same name and the shortstory “Rappaccini’s Daughter” by

Nathanial Hawthorne, “LaHija de Rappaccini” wasperformed in San Diego in1994 — marking “the firstfully professional produc-tion of an opera by aMexican composer to bestaged in the UnitedStates,” according to theLos Angeles Times.

In 2009 the Santa Clarita PerformingArts Center (PAC), with support from theNational Endowment for the Arts, present-ed a workshop performance of Catán’s “LaHija de Rappaccini” starring members ofthe L.A Opera Company alongside a col-lection of COC students.

The performance marked an effort byCatán and the college to help make operamore accessible to community membersthroughout Northern Los Angeles County.

"I feel enormously gratified and proudto be presenting my opera “La Hijia deRappaccini” at the PAC,” said Catán at thetime. “This marks a very importantmoment in the development of the col-lege’s Fine andPerforming ArtsDivision, and in par-ticular our musicprogram. “

Among his col-leagues and formerstudents at Collegeof the Canyons,Catán is fondly remembered for his kind,gentle and gracious nature, equally as he isfor his revered musical career.

“Daniel’s contributions as a facultymember at the college were greatly appre-ciated, both by his colleagues and his stu-dents,” said Dr. Floyd Moos, AssistantSuperintendent/Vice President ofInstruction at the college. “He was a greatinstructor — knowledgeable, patient, gen-

erous with his time — and always willingto support his colleagues.”

Catán is survived by his wife, AndreaPuente; three children, Chloe, Tom andAlan; and four grandchildren.

In late May, the college hosted an on-campus memorial service in celebration ofCatán’s life and work. Held in the Dr.Dianne G. Van Hook University Center,the event attracted a sizeable collection ofCatán’s friends, family and colleagues andincluded a number of musical presenta-tions and shared remembrances.

In addition, the college’s Fine andPerforming Arts Division has establishedthe Dr. Daniel Catán Memorial

Scholarship endow-ment with theCollege of theCanyons Foundation.

Meant to honorCatán’s passion formusic, love for edu-cation and legacy asa professor, when

fully realized the endowment would pro-vide annual awards, in perpetuity, toCollege of the Canyons students majoringin music.

“Daniel was both inspired, and aninspiration to those who came in contactwith him,” said Dr. Van Hook. “We arevery privileged to have had the pleasure ofknowing Daniel as a colleague in the class-room. Bravo, Daniel...Bravo.”

4

College Mourns Passing of Music Professor

Daniel Catan1949-2011

Daniel Catan, at center, celebrates the opening of “Il Postino” at the Dorothy ChandlerPavilion in October of 2010. Written by Catan, the lead was played by Placido Domingo.

Operatic Composer and COC Music Professor Daniel Catan Touched Lives Around the World

4 COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011

“He was both inspired, andan inspiration to those whocame in contact with him.”– Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook

AUTO, SOLAR PROGRAMS SHINE IN NEW APPLIED TECHNOLOGY BUILDING AT CANYON COUNTRY CAMPUSThe College of the Canyons Canyon Country campus

will soon have its first permanent building — and anassortment of new solar and technology oriented

courses to house in it — with the completion of the col-lege’s eagerly anticipated Applied Technology EducationCenter (ATEC), opening in fall 2011.

Designed to give students a new selection of hands-onlearning and training opportunities, the ATEC’s approxi-mately 10,000 square feet of workshop and laboratoryspace will provide the space needed to begin offering thetype of Career Technical Education (CTE) training thatleads directly to jobs.

“The Canyon Country campus continues to grow andevolve in response to the community’s needs,” said Dr.Dena Maloney, Vice President of the Canyon CountryCampus and Economic Development. “The AppliedTechnology Education Center will expand the college’sability to provide students with cutting edge educationthat leads directly to employment.”

Also included in the building’s design are five modu-lar buildings, accompanying modular restrooms, and apermanent, spacious, facility for the college’s automotivetechnology program, which is currently housed in the autoshop located at Saugus High School.

“Having our new automotive labs on the CanyonCountry campus will also make it much more convenientfor auto technology students who are interested in takingother courses as well,” Maloney said.

Other programs slated to move into the ATEC this fallinclude: plumbing, water systems technology and the col-lege’s new solar technology and renewable energy pro-gram.

The construction of the college’s ATEC facility coin-cides with ongoing state and nationwide trends in the util-

ities and power generation industries to reduce consumerdependence on nonrenewable energy sources through avariety of wind and solar energy projects spanning all 50states.

“Along with the increased amount of renewable ener-gy being generated will come an increased demand for aworkforce of highly skilled solar technicians,” saidKristin Houser, Dean of Career Technical Education at thecollege.

In fact, a survey of the nation’s solar industry, releasedin January 2011, showed that more than 50 percent of allsolar firms expect to add jobs over the next year, with lessthan 3 percent expecting layoffs.

Those same solar companies also anticipate a 26 per-cent increase in the solar industry’s workforce over thenext year, representing approximately 50,000 new jobs

across all related industries.With that, the solar job positions expected to be among

the fastest growing include: photovoltaic (PV) systeminstallers, electricians and roofers with experience han-dling solar installations, sales personnel at wholesale solarfirms and sales representatives at installation firms.

To help meet that projected need, College of theCanyons officials have developed a series of CTE cours-es that will prepare students for a variety of different jobswithin the solar power and other renewable energy indus-tries.

The college’s first solar energy technician certificateprogram will include 13 units of instruction spread overthree courses — Introduction to Energy Technology, SolarPhotovoltaics Systems and Solar Thermal Systems —with students typically able to complete the program intwo to three semesters.

The first course in the program, Introduction toEnergy Technology, will debut at the Canyon Countrycampus this fall, with subsequent lab courses in the pro-gram scheduled to debut in spring 2012.

Including instruction in electricity fundamentals,alternative energy technologies, energy efficiency con-cepts and industry relevant mathematics, this introductorycourse will also serve as a prerequisite for future degreeand certificate options in the college’s solar and energyseries.

Upon successful completion of the solar energy tech-nician certificate program students will posses a detailedunderstanding of the PV and solar thermal energy tech-nologies being employed today and will be qualified toaccept entry-level positions in the fields of solar PV andsolar thermal design, installation and maintenance.

One of the new auto bays at the Applied Technology EducationCenter at the Canyon Country Campus

See ATEC on Page 6

CATAN’S IMPACT ON THE CAMPUS ANDCOMMUNITY WAS FELT IMMEDIATELY

“IL POSTINO”, FEATURING PLACIDO DOMINGO,THRILLED OPERA FANS AND CRITICS ALIKE

“Libraries have actually become morepopular in the digital age because studentsneed guidance in using the many onlineresources available to them,” said COCLibrarian Leslie Bretall. “You only have tocome by our library on a weekday morn-ing during the fall semester to see studentsworking and studying in groups, withevery seat taken and every computer beingused.”

Included on the second floor of theexpanded area will be 10,000-square-feetof space designed to address two of thelibrary’s most essential needs — computeraccess and student workspace.

“We decided early on that we did notneed more traditional stack space, becausewe’re not planning to enlarge the collec-tion,” Bretall said. “Our key needs now arecomputer access, for both students andcommunity members, and space for stu-dents to meet and work collaboratively.”

Among the many highlights of the newfacility will be a large “computer com-mons” area devoted entirely to computeraccess. The commons area will includeboth individual and group workstations,laptop plug-in ports and a collection ofgroup seating areas arranged in differentseating configurations.

Surrounding the computer commonsarea, on both sides of the upstairs expand-ed area, will be a new lineup of studyrooms, which students can reserve to workon assignments, prepare for exams, viewmedia and meet with classmates in a moreprivate educational setting.

“One of the library’s most popularservices is the group study setup in ourstudy rooms,” Bretall said. “The expan-sion will nearly double the number ofstudy rooms we have available, which arealways in heavy demand, especially dur-ing midterms and final exams.”

In fact, providing increased space forstudents to be able to meet and worktogether was a major focus in the design ofthe new facility, with collaborative workareas incorporated into nearly every areaof the expansion.

“The impetus for that comes from ourinstructors increasingly asking students to

work collaboratively. But it’s also a func-tion of being part of a non-residential cam-pus,” said Glapa-Grossklag. “We attractstudents from across the region, and if weare asking them to work together, we needto also provide access to spaces that areconducive to learning.”

Other highlights of the expansion willinclude a unique special collections spacededicated to the display of unique exhibi-tions and other historically significantitems in the college’s possession, and asmall children’s meeting area which isexpected to attract younger students fromthe college’s Early Childhood Education(ECE) Center and other visiting schoolsand community organizations.

However, the largest portion of theexpansion will be the approximately41,000-square-foot area reserved for thecollege’s Tutoring & Learning Center(TLC), which will move from its current5,000-square-foot location in Bonelli Hall.

The college’s TLC offers tutoring inEnglish, math, basic skills and many othersubjects. These services are available tocurrently enrolled COC students on awalk-in basis, and at no additional cost.

Similar to the demand for library serv-ices, college officials have also seen aheavy increase in the number of students

utilizing the tutoring and basic skills serv-ices offered at the TLC.

“Usage of the TLC has gone throughthe roof the last few years,” said Glapa-Grossklag. “As a result of the statewidebudget crisis, class seats have becomemore scarce. So students are doing every-thing they can to make sure they pass aclass the first time around, and thatincludes using the TLC services.”

Increasing the demand for such servic-es is the college’s commitment to offerbasic skills math and English workshops,supplemental learning activities and tutor-ing services at the TLC.

During the 2009-10 school year, theTLC provided approximately 85,000hours of tutoring and supplemental learn-ing services to students at the Valenciacampus, with more than 11,000 additionalservice hours logged at the college’sCanyon Country campus.

However, during the 2010-11 schoolyear those numbers jumped to nearly91,500 and 15,700 service hours, respec-tively, representing an increase of morethan 11 percent.

“During the fall and spring semesterswe open at 8 a.m., and every day there is aline of students waiting to get in,” saidMary Brunty, one of the college’s TLCinstructional lab technicians. “Some daysthere simply aren’t enough seats for every-one.”

To help combat those seating andspace issues, the new TLC location willfeature a large group study area, surround-ed by dozens of smaller, individual groupstudy rooms. Inside each room will be aflat screen display monitor for students toview educational media on, as well as fullvideo/audio capabilities for use in record-ing and reviewing, speeches and presenta-tion projects.

Highlighting the new TLC area will beeight instructional lab areas, each fullyequipped with touch screen whiteboards.In addition, some of the new lab areas willinclude audio/visual “class capture” tech-nology, which instructors can use to recordlectures and class activities, and subse-quently make those materials available tostudents online.

Additional soft seating space will alsobe provided inside the TLC, to encouragestudents to interact in a casual way, andhelp create an environment in which stu-dents will feel comfortable spending timein.

The $16 million library expansionproject is being funded through a combi-nation of state and Measure M funds, the$160 million general obligation bond thatvoters approved in November 2006.

The library expansion project is sched-uled to conclude prior to the start of thefall 2012 semester.

LIBRARYFROM PAGE 1

The south parking lot sans asphalt. More than 50,000 square feet of space will be added to thelibrary facilities, including 10,000 square feet alone dedicated to computer and student workspaces.

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011 5

The faces ofGraduation!

For the seventh straight year, morethan 1,000 students graduatedfrom College of the Canyons, ofwhich more than 250 graduatedwith honors. The class averageGPA of 3.08 was the highest in fiveyears. Biological and PhysicalScience majors were the mostprevalent graduates with 157,followed by Liberal Arts majors(126) and Accounting majors (124).Two dozen veterans were amongthe graduating class, as well as 21international students representing15 different countries, includingBelgium, Colombia, England,Japan, Korea, Nigeria and thePhillipines.

BUILDING A BETTER LIBRARY

COMPUTERWORKSTATIONS

GROUP STUDYROOMS

TLC SQUARE FOOTAGE

CURRENTLIBRARY

RESOURCES

40

9

5,000

FUTURELIBRARY

RESOURCES

100

15+

40,000

“COMPUTER COMMONS” WILL PROIVDEDEDICATED SPACE FOR COMPUTER ACCESS

MUCH-NEEDED TLC LAB EXPANSION RESPONDINGTO “THROUGH THE ROOF” DEMAND

6

facilities — library, academic counseling, health officeetc. — that students visiting campus take for granted.

The presence of a permanent iCuE facility wouldalso allow culinary students the ability to enroll in othergeneral education college courses needed to earn a cer-tificate or degree, without the inconvenience of havingto travel back and forth between Castaic and the col-lege’s campuses in Valencia and Canyon Country.

“Having an on-campus culinary facility would makea significant difference in the lives of students who aretrying to manage their time between the classroom andthe kitchen,” said Cindy Schwanke, COC culinary artsinstructor and lead iCuE faculty member.

“But perhaps more importantly,” added Schwanke,“it would provide students with a sense of security inknowing that they will be able to enter the culinary pro-gram and complete their certificate or degree withouthaving to wonder where, and if, they will have a facili-ty to work in the following semester.”

College of the Canyons has long played an integralrole in the educational and economic development ofthe Santa Clarita Valley. Because of this stability, manyof the valley’s businesses and industries have come torely on the college to provide the skills and knowledgetheir employees need.

The culinary arts, restaurant and food industries areno different, but since the majority of culinary trainingis conducted by for-profit, proprietary schools and insti-tutions — which charge much higher per-unit rates —the college’s Institute for Culinary Education (iCuE) isone of the few options available to students looking to

receive affordable, high-quality training in this high-demand field.

According to the National Restaurant Association,the number of jobs for chefs, cooks and food prepara-tion workers has increased nine to 17 percent since 2004and is projected to continue rising.

Statistics also show that the industry employed 12.7million people in the United States in 2010 and rankedas one of the largest private sector employers in theUnited States.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor projectsthat food service management jobs are expected to growby nearly five percent from 2008 to 2018.

The college’s culinary arts program currently offersprograms designed to allow students to work toward acertificate of achievement in culinary arts, along with acertificate of specialization programs in baking and pas-try, wine studies and hospitality wine service.

However, the presence of a permanent iCuE facilitywould allow the college’s culinary department to great-ly expand its degree offerings, in accordance with theneeds and trends of the food service industry.

In fact, college officials are already in the process ofdeveloping an associate in arts degree program for culi-nary students.

“In good times and in bad, food brings peopletogether,” said Schwanke. “It’s exciting to knowCollege of the Canyons will be a part of that.”

For more information and to learn how to getinvolved with the Culinary Arts Campaign, please visitwww.CanyonsCulinaryArts.com

CULINARYFROM PAGE 1

A comparison of costs between a culinary education at a community college, versus privateinstitutions. Attending the program at College of the Canyons can save tens of thousands of dol-lars in tuition fees.

An artist’s rendering of the inside of the permanent iCuE facility. The culinary program hasbeen serving in temporary facilities, but a permanent home will provide the means torespond to this growing field.

“Just a few weeks before the class waswrapping up one of the participatingstaffing agencies called us and commentedthat they were having difficulty findingqualified CNC machinists in the area,”Klocko said. “So companies were veryexcited to have the opportunity to inter-view our students.”

Afterwards, several Fast Track partici-pants were officially offered positions orinvited back for second interviews. Thosewho did not immediately receive a joboffer have since been referred back to thestaffing agencies, with those studentsexpected to be quickly placed in a CNCrelated position.

“This program was specificallyfocused on CNC machining,” said Bellas.“But the skill set that students will comeaway through this training with is broadenough for them to land a number of dif-ferent entry level positions.”

In response to the tremendous successof its first CNC course, the Fast TrackInstitute will offer a second seven-week,

JDIF-funded program beginning inSeptember.

Additional CNC machinist courses arealso being planned for both out-of-workindividuals and incumbent employeesreferred to the Fast Track Institute by theiremployers.

Other Fast Track programs beingdeveloped for fall 2011 include:Commercial Photography, Nursing,AutoCAD, Precision Assembly forBiomedical and AerospaceManufacturing, and a number of profes-sional certification courses in ProjectManagement, Operations Managementand Six Sigma.

Fast Track tuition and program feesvary according to each program’s currentgrant eligibility status. However, grantfunding for the CNC Machinist program isscheduled to continue through June 2012.

For more information about theCollege of the Canyons Fast TrackInstitute and the fall 2011 program lineup,or to be placed on an “Interested” list,please contact Sheryn Monheim at (661)362-3521.

FAST TRACKFROM PAGE 3

feels about College of the Canyons andthe future success of our students,” saidMurray Wood, chief development officerfor the COC Foundation.

In all, the 107 California communitycolleges that participated in the Oshercampaign combined to raise more than$26 million, with 31 colleges meeting orexceeding their original fundraising goals.

When those funds are combined withthe Osher Foundation’s initial $25 millionlead gift and the more than $13 milliondonated in gift-matched contributions, atotal of $66.5 million will have beenraised — enough to fund at least 3,325scholarships every year, forever!

At COC, more than 1,000 studentsapplied for scholarship assistance in 2011.While approximately 450 of those stu-dents were eligible for such aid, fundswere only available for 118 awards, orabout 26 percent of all eligible applicants.

For more information or to donate visitwww.canyons.edu/foundation.

OSHERFROM PAGE 2

6 COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011

Students who complete the programwill also be eligible to sit for the NorthAmerican Board of Certified EnergyPractitioners (NABCEP) exams in theareas of entry-level solar thermal and/orentry-level photovoltaics.

College officials are currently in theprocess of developing additional solartechnology and energy program options inthe areas of photovoltaic sales/customerservice, weatherization and energy effi-cient technology, energy code complianceand energy auditing.

Once these program options are devel-oped, students who first complete theintroductory course prerequisite,Introduction to Energy Technology, willbe eligible to enroll in the solar or generalenergy technology certificate programoption of their choice.

Students interested in learning moreabout the College of the Canyons solartechnology program or the lineup of alter-native energy courses can visitwww.canyons.edu/solar.

ATECFROM PAGE 4

et cuts that will be handed down to thestate’s community colleges in the comingmonths.

According to the state’s LegislativeAnalysts Office, the fee increase will gen-erate approximately $110 million in addi-tional revenue for the state’s general fund,despite placing an increased financialstrain on community college students.

California’s most recent budget wascreated with assumption that an additional$4 billion in new revenue would be foundin 2011-12. If only $2-$3 billion is found,this may result in an additional increase infees, to $46 per unit.

Community college enrollment feesare determined by the state legislature.

Fees collected by the colleges are forward-ed to the state and become part of the gen-eral fund, but this year, the dollars gener-ated by the increase in fees will bereturned directly to the community col-leges, as a way to help mitigate the cutsthat were directed at higher educationthroughout the state.

Similiar increases are also taking placein the California State and University ofCalifornia systems. Both systems haveseen multiple fee hikes, with attendance atCSU campuses in the Fall now estimatedat nearly $5,500 per semester, and morethan $12,000 per semester at UC campus-es.

Prior to 1984, California communitycolleges charged no tuition fees to stu-dents. In 2000, tuition fees were just $11per unit before rising to $18 per unit in2003. The current enrollment fee of $26

per unit was establishedbefore the start of the fall2009 semester. Thatincrease represented a 30percent rise from the pre-vious fee of $20 per unit,which went into effect inJanuary 2007.

“I think the unfortu-nate thing is that thestate has never come upwith a predictable fee increase formula toprevent such large increases from takingplace at one time,” said Michele Jenkins,president of the college’s Board ofTrustees. “An instant $10 per unit feeincrease will be hard on our students, andis a poor way for the state to handle thisissue.”

While the fee increase may presentfinancial challenges to some students,

those receiving financial aid shouldn't benegatively affected by the change.Students receiving a Board of GovernorsFee Waiver — which covers enrollmentfees for eligible students — will not beimpacted by the increase. Students shouldcheck with the college’s financial aidoffice about their individual award status.

The Fall 2011 semester will beginMonday, Aug. 22.

FEEFROM PAGE 1

Students wait to enter the college’s Financial Aid office.

CULINARY INDUSTRY IN GROWTH MODE NOW, AND WILL CONTINUE FOR FORSEEABLE FUTURE

Tournament Player Club’s Head Chef Daniel Otto demonstrates thefiner points of slicing peppers to community member Jeannie Atkinsduring the College of the Canyons Foundation’s VIP luncheon, whichtook place August 8. Nearly 100 members of the community attend-ed the luncheon, which also included a sneak-peak look at the plansfor the new College of the Canyons Culinary Arts building.

7

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011 7

For the second time in as many years,a Grammy Award-winning artistwill perform on Opening Night at

the Santa ClaritaPerforming ArtsCenter, as legendarysinger and songwriterKenny Loggins head-lines the start of thenew 2011-12 seasonbeginning Friday,Sept. 16.

Kenny Loggins hasenjoyed incrediblesuccess over the pastfour decades, havingcontinually been cele-brated from his workas: an accomplishedsinger and songwriter;guitar player; one halfof a legendary coun-try-rock duo; a mas-sively successful soloartist; a pioneer of thesmooth jazz genre; a

reigning soundtrack superstar; and anamazing live performer who has made animpact with music fans of all genera-tions.

With 12 platinum albums, and fourdecades worth of chart-topping hits —including “I’m Alright,” “This Is It,”“Danny’s Song” and “What a FoolBelieves” — Loggins will now bring hisdynamic sound to the PAC main stage.An opening night meet and greet willtake place prior to the concert for anadditional fee. All proceeds from thisevent will go to the College of theCanyons K-12 Arts Education Program.

Other acts and artists highlighting the2011-12 PAC season include: GrammyAward-winning vocalist DionneWarwick, comedian and Saturday NightLive alum Martin Short, TravelChannel’s “No Reservations” hostAnthony Bourdain, legendary pianistRoger Williams, Ozomatli, Second City,

Momix “Botanicum,” Tao: The Art of theDrum, “101 Years of Broadway,”“Charlotte’s Web,” “The MaskMessenger” and Rennie Harris: RHAW.

“There are so many great artists thatwill be part of the upcoming COCPresents season,” said Adam Philipson,PAC managing director. “Of course, weare all thrilled about Kenny Loggins andour other talented headliners, but what’smost exciting about this season is the factthat almost every performance willinclude additional opportunities for stu-dents and community members to con-nect with visiting artists and acts.

“From special receptions to intimatejam sessions, and student bus-in events tomaster classes, patrons of the SantaClarita Performing Arts Center will havea variety of unique opportunities to expe-rience the season,” added Philipson.

The 2011-12 PAC schedule will offershows spread across six series selections:Chancellor’s Choice, GreatPerformances, In Motion, Almost FreeFamily Series and the all new Sounds ofLatin America series and SCV WorldMusic Concert Series.

As in years past, the PAC will alsohost a number of College of the Canyonstheatre, music and dance department pro-ductions, as well as community groupperformances.

PAC series subscriptions are on salenow while individual tickets for KennyLoggins, Dionne Warwick, Martin Short,Ozomatli and all other performances willgo on sale 9 a.m., Saturday, July 16.

Tickets can be purchased online, overthe phone, or in person at the PAC boxoffice. It’s recommended that patronsplan to purchase their tickets early forKenny Loggins, as Opening Night at thePAC sells out fast!

For more information about the PAC2011-12 season or to purchase ticketsplease visit www.canyonsPAC.com orcall the PAC box office at (661) 362-5304.

KENNY LOGGINS KICKS OFF 2011-12 PAC SEASON

STUDENT ART COLLECTION GETS A PERMANENT HOMEThe College of the Canyons Art Gallery recently

hosted its “16th Annual COC StudentExhibition” to close out the spring 2011 semes-

ter and also begin collecting works for a permanentStudent Art Collection to be displayed in the gallery.

“This is an exciting year for the Art Gallery as webegin to build our permanent student art collection,”said gallery director Larry Hurst. “Students were eagerto participate in this project, so we received some veryhigh-quality pieces to choose from.”

The creation of a permanent Student ArtCollection has been a long-time goal for ChancellorDianne G. Van Hook, who asked the campus for inno-vative ideas to address the issue through the college’sLEAP leadership project. The end result was a solu-tion that aims at both collecting the works, while alsoproviding an opportunity for students to compete on aprofessional level, while stressing the importance ofpresentation, professionalism and the development ofthe interactive skills required to become a successfulartist.

The existence of the Student Art Collection is alsoexpected to aesthetically enhance the many collegefacilities work will be displayed in and help develop agreater sense of connection to the college amongstcurrent and former students.

To be considered for inclusion in the COC StudentArt Collection students must submit their work forcompetition in the annual “Student Exhibition.” Eachyear, four submissions from that exhibition will beselected for inclusion in the college’s permanent artcollection, to be displayed at various locations on theValencia and Canyon Country campuses.

Selected from the 2010-11 year were works creat-ed by students Paul Candelaria, Eduardo Martinez andAmanda Phillips and Lisa JaneTurner.

The College of the Canyons ArtGallery is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Monday through Thursday. Visitorsunable to visit the gallery duringthese hours are welcome to call (661)362-3612 to make a viewing appoint-ment. All gallery exhibitions andrelated events are free and open to thepublic.

For more information regardingthe COC Art Gallery or any of theupcoming exhibitions please visit the art gallerywebsite at www.canyons.edu/artgallery.

“Fatalism”by Zachary Hill, acrylic and spray paint

“Treasure Island”by Angela Lara, mixed media

“Lucid Volcano”by Matt Harrington, spray paint and ink

Momix: Botanica

Ozomatli

Kenny Loggins

“Iron Beast” by Kevin Morey, chicken wire

Opening Night VIP

Meet-and-Greet with

Kenny Loggins!

Call 661-362-3737

to purchase tickets!

8

8 COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS BREAKING NEWS • SUMMER 2011

Randy Horton considered himself an average studentbefore joining College of the Canyons in 2009. Heleft Simi Valley High School with a 2.9 grade point

average, but as part of the Cougar football team, it wasmandatory for him to maintain certain academic standardsin order to participate in an athletic team. Horton beganspending time in The Zone, a tutoring lab created especial-ly for COC student-athletes – and it didn’t take long beforehe started to shine in the classroom, as well as on the field.

Though only required to spend three hours a week there,Horton quickly found a haven where he found the academ-ic assistance he needed. He also found himself spendingtwo or even three times the mandatory time commitment inThe Zone.

“The things I learned in the Zone as a freshman, com-pared to where I was in high school, were leaps and boundsahead,” Horton said.

Horton graduated this past spring with a 3.5 GPA andearned a full scholarship to play football at the Universityof Nevada, Reno where he will study civil engineering.

Horton is just one of the many College of the Canyonsstudent-athletes who have benefitted from the services ofThe Zone. Much of the success of the lab can be attributedto the caring and dedicated staff and innovative programsthat focus on the needs of a special population.

Opened at the start of the fall 2008 semester, The Zoneis a 1,200-square-foot facility in Hasley Hall that has a staffof academic advisors and tutors, including Lisa Helfrich,who is the Zone supervisor and spearheads the day-to-dayoperation of the tutoring lab. The room is also home to 16desktop computers with a wide variety of programs a stu-dent might need, a printer, workstations and a lendinglibrary stocked with more than 350 textbooks in more than35 disciplines.

“Student-athletes have a tough schedule and most peo-ple don’t realize what they go through,” Helfrich said.“They have 30 to 35 hours a week of just sports – meetings,practices, lifting and games. It is like a full-time job. Thenthey have a full class load. Having The Zone close to themand designed around their needs allows them to get theservices they need quickly.”

The Zone, which is centrally located to the athletic facil-ities, has helped nearly 300 student-athletes over its three-year history. It also provides a sense of community for stu-dent-athletes who can look to each other for support, guid-ance and encouragement.

“We want them to know that we want to see them suc-ceed,” Helfrich said. “When they come to an academicinstitution, they need a community and The Zone facilitatesthat community.”

Along with creating a learning environment where stu-dent-athletes can find the help they need to be successfulstudents, Helfrich also preaches a proactive approach to the20 tutors she supervises to provide trusting relationshipsbetween students and educators.

The Zone has now become a valuable tool for academ-ic success with current student-athletes. Coaches, facultyand staff at the college have provided a place where stu-dent-athletes can receive the skills they need to help themreach athletic and academic excellence – skills that willhelp them make the transition to four-year universities.

COC Student-Athletes Finding Success in “The Zone”

Two members of the 2011 College of the Canyons baseballteam and one former Cougar were called in the three-day2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft earlier

this week. Shortstop Juan Perez was picked up by the CincinnatiReds as the 805th pick in the 26th round, pitcher David Haerle wastaken as the 1180th player in the 39th round by the Houston Astrosand former COC third baseman Brian Hernandez was tabbed the825th pick of the draft in the 27th round by the Los Angeles Angelsof Anaheim.

Perez was the Cougars’ most productive player on the 2011squad, leading the team in most statistical categories. The sopho-more was second in the Western State Conference, South Division,with a .400 batting average and 54 hits, and was named the confer-ence player of the year.

Haerle made 14 appearances for the Cougars in 2011. The right-handed freshman had a 7.94 ERA in 11.1 innings of work. He gaveup 16 hits, 12 runs (10 earned runs), 14 walks and struck out six.

Hernandez played second base for COC in 2008 before trans-ferring to the University of California, Irvine, to play with formerCOC baseball coach Mike Gillespie. As a Cougar in 2008,Hernandez, was named a Southern California All-America aftercollecting first-team all-conference and Western State ConferencePlayer of the Year accolades. Hernandez broke team records in hits(84) and doubles (26) and also led the state in the respective cate-gories. Hernandez hit for a stunning .454 average on the year anddrove in 56 RBIs to lead the team to a 30-13 (23-5) record and itsfirst conference championship since 2004.

COC’s three baseball players were part of the 78 current andformer California community college baseball players who weredrafted in this year’s draft.

Former Cougar second basebmanBrian Hernandez was drafted bythe Los Angeles Angels in the27th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Cougar starting pitcher David Haerlewas drafted by the Houston Astros in the39th round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Cougar shortstop JuanCougar shortstop JuanPerez was drafted by thePerez was drafted by theCincinnati Reds in the 26thCincinnati Reds in the 26thround of the 2011 MLBround of the 2011 MLBDraft.Draft.

Student-athletes have found a new home torelax, refresh and study in “The Zone.” In thethree years since its opening, nearly 300 stu-dents have passed through the doors andreceived assistance from “The Zone’s” dedicat-ed staff. With computer workstations, a printerand a lending library, Cougar athletes have foundnew success in their pursuit towards transition-ing to four-year schools.

“The things I learned inThe Zone as a freshman –

compared to where I was inhigh school – were leaps

and bounds ahead.”- Former COC football player

Randy Horton, who received a fullscholarship to the University ofNevada, Reno

THE ZONE’S SENSE OF COMMUNITY HELPS STUDENT ATHELTESSUCCEED WHILE ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER