Cuesta Colle e News
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE TO THE COMMUN I T Y
Page 10-11
THE CUESTA PROMISE PG 3 | HONORED ALUMNI PG 6 | MIOSSI ART GALLERY PG 13
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CUESTA
PROMISE
THE
A Look at
What’s to Come
CONNECT I N G
CUESTA.EDU
Cuesta College News
g
PRESIDENT’S Message
Contents
New Beginnings
SPRING 2015
3 The Cuesta Promise
Lauren Milbourne
Dear Friends,
This is truly a time of positive new beginnings for Cuesta College.
On February 9th, I announced with pride that Cuesta College’s
Gilbert H. Stork, Ed.D.,
accreditation had been reaffirmed for the next six years. This
Superintendent/President
accomplishment is truly monumental. Over the past several
years, dozens of Cuesta College faculty, staff, administrators, Board of Trustees and students
worked tirelessly to demonstrate sustained efforts to maintain our accreditation. Their efforts
were quantified by the more than 1,000 pieces of evidence compiled in the college’s Self Study
Report, and by the seven commendations made by the accrediting commission.
According to the accrediting commission, “the Commission would like to take this
opportunity to congratulate Cuesta College on the remarkable turnaround…it has followed
all Commission directives for reports and visits and resolved the considerable deficiencies
that led the college to non-compliance with accreditation standards. The college has resolved
those deficiencies, meets standards and should take pride in its accomplishments.”
The reaffirmation also signifies our commitment to providing the excellent education that
the voters of San Luis Obispo County believed in when they passed Measure L in November.
With 62 percent voter approval, the $275 million facilities bond will address longstanding
facility, infrastructure and technology needs. Cuesta College’s value is recognized with the
passage of Measure L, and we have the community to thank for that. You can read more on
pages 10 and 11.
In turn, we are giving back to the community with a new feature of the Cuesta College
Promise Scholarship. Originally paying all student fees for a full semester, this past fall Cuesta
announced the scholarship would be extended to a full year. Now, all newly graduated San
Luis Obispo County high school students will have their fees paid for consecutive fall and
spring semesters, a savings of about $1,400 per student. On page 3, you will hear from a
mother and daughter whose lives were changed by the Promise.
So many positive new beginnings; the future is certainly bright at Cuesta College.
Writers
Sincerely,
4 Dual Enrollment Program
5 Student Spotlight
6 Honored Alumni
8 Teacher Appreciation Awards
9 Opening Day
10 Measure L
12 Program Spotlight: Paralegal
13 Cuesta & the Arts
14 Catching up With…
16 Business Partner
17 Donor Spotlight
18 Faces & Places
19Sports:
From the Desk of Bob Mariucci
20Calendar
Cuesta College News
is published twice a year
by Cuesta College Advancement
Cuesta College, P.O. Box 8106
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106
(805) 546-3100 cuesta.edu
Executive Editor
Shannon Hill
Editor
Lauren Milbourne, Ritchie Bermudez
Photography
Ritchie Bermudez
Art Direction/Design
Mary Ellen Bohnsack
Gilbert H. Stork, Ed.D. Superintendent/President
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Patrick Mullen, President
Angela Mitchell, Vice President
Dick Hitchman
Dr. Barbara George
Pete Sysak
Scott Chedester, Student Trustee
Email comments to
lauren_milbourne@cuesta.edu
cuesta.edu
On the cover: Aerial photos of the
San Luis Obispo Campus and
North County Campus (Paso Robles).
2
• SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
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THE CUESTA PROMISE
First Year Fee-Free
In the fall of 2014, Cuesta College announced that the Cuesta
Promise Scholarship would be extended from one semester to
two, providing a fee-free full year to all newly graduated San Luis
Obispo County high school students. The exciting news meant that
all those who had received the Promise in the fall would also have
their tuition paid in the spring. And most exciting – the scholarship,
endowed by the Cuesta Foundation, will provide affordable
education to SLO County students for decades to come.
“I think the Promise is the
smartest way to go.”
B
ecca Sligh is a 19-yearold Cuesta College
Promise Scholarship
recipient. She is a part of the
first class of Promise students,
all attending Cuesta fee-free
for a full year.
“When I first heard about
the Promise, I was just
trying to get through high
school and I think a lot of
us in school didn’t realize
how much it would make a
difference for us,” said Becca,
a 2014 graduate of Templeton
High School. “Now I am so
appreciative to have it. It has
made college a lot easier and
more enjoyable, and I am
taking more classes than I had
even planned to.”
Becca’s mother, Marie
Roth, knew the value of the
scholarship immediately.
“As soon as I heard about
the Promise, I knew that
sending Becca to college
would be easy on our
pocketbooks, and when it
was extended, it was that
much more of a financial
savings,” said Roth. “And
she’s exploring a lot of
different classes, things she
didn’t think she would be
interested in, so I’m excited
to see where the Promise
leads her.”
But for Marie, it wasn’t
just about the money. In the
Marie Roth
and Becca Sligh.
late 1990’s, she took courses
on the newly opened North
County Campus in Paso
Robles, and credits a Learning
Skills course for changing
the way she was able to learn,
and thereby changing her life.
Marie’s own mother, Janice
Johnson, also attended Cuesta
College in the 1980s and
1990s.
“Our plan was always to
have Becca attend Cuesta”
said Marie. “I know firsthand
that it is the best option and
the best place to go to find out
what direction you want to go
in life.”
And Becca, whose future is
wide open, has this message
for current high school
seniors: “Take advantage of
the Promise. At a university
you’ll pay twice as much for
fewer classes. You just can’t
get this anywhere else.”
by the numbers in 2014-15:
>> 646 registered students
>> 86% retention rate from fall 2014-spring 2015
>> 12 average units taken
In October, hundreds of SLO County high school seniors came to
Cuesta’s SLO Campus for the first-ever Promise Day, where they learned
about the Promise Scholarship, as well as the many student services
and activities offered by the college.
>> $357K in enrollment fees paid
>> $1,400 average savings per student
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
•3
DUAL ENROLLMENT
High School Students - Welcome to College!
Cuesta College recently expanded a dual enrollment
program that allows high school students to earn
college credit while paving the way toward their
college and career goals.
A Community College
Research Center report
found that dual-enrolled
students were more likely to
graduate, less likely to need
remediation, and earn more
college credits overall.
“It allows students to
begin to work on a college
transcript, explore career
education courses not
offered by their high school,
and overall reduces the
time and cost to complete
a postsecondary degree or
certificate,” said Sabrina
Robertson, Cuesta College
supervisor of Career
Technical Education grants
and categorical projects.
The program’s expansion
was made possible through
a grant provided by 2013
legislation
establishing
the California
Career
Pathways
Trust. Cuesta
received
$600K and was one of nearly
40 grant recipients tasked
with creating sustained
career pathways programs
that connect businesses, K-12
schools, and community
colleges to better prepare
students for the 21st century
workplace.
This past fall, Arroyo
Grande High School, Nipomo
High School, and Central
Coast New Tech High School
launched 14 courses. The
curriculum for the classes is
based on the Get Focused…
Stay Focused!™ initiative
that provides 9th grade
students with an opportunity
to research and design a
10-year plan toward their
future education and career
ambitions.
Jeff Byars has been teaching
at Arroyo Grande High
School for 24 years, and
he taught the Freshman
Skills for Success
course during the fall
Jeff Byars
in action.
• SPRING 2015
One of Jeff ’s students was
Jennah Elghandour, and she
described how the course
has helped her map out her
future. “I like that instead
of playing it by ear as I go
Jeff Byars teaches the Freshman
Skills for Success course at
Arroyo Grande High School.
through high school, I can
start figuring out what I want
as a career now,” she said. “It
helps you get your mindset
ready for the rest of high
school, but it’s really helpful
for your future since the class
encourages you to want to go
to college.”
The dual-enrollment
courses will continue to be
taught at Lucia Mar Unified
School District high schools
for the 2015-2016 school
year, and there are plans
to start offering the Get
Focused…Stay Focused!™
curriculum at all San Luis
Obispo County high schools
in 2015-16.
3 HIGH SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING:
@ 4 @ 4 @ = 525 students
offered = 6
14 sections
enrolled
NHS
AGHS CCNTHS
2014-2015
4
semester. He says that the
best thing about the program
was seeing his students
self-reflect on where they
are, where they are going,
and how they’re going to
get there. “I think as firstsemester freshmen, they’re
just trying to figure out the
first year of high school,” he
said. “As we went deeper into
the semester, they realized
that what they were doing
was forward thinking and
most of them jumped on
board and put out some great
projects and great work.”
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
Arroyo Grande HS, Nipomo HS, Central Coast New Tech HS
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Practicing Parkour: Cuesta Students Flip Out
“Urban movement. Lifestyle. It really is
free to your own interpretation.”
Matt Tyler, a 19-year-old Cuesta
College civil engineering student, lights
up when he talks about parkour. “You can
do whatever you want, whatever you can
think of. I like to push the limits and see
how far I can actually go.”
Parkour. It’s a holistic discipline using
movement. Practitioners aim to get from
A to B in the most efficient way possible.
Upon observation, it’s an impressive
display of flipping, leaping, vaulting,
climbing and rolling. And it usually takes
place in an urban setting, making the
sort-of obstacle course training quite
visually intriguing.
You may have seen them around. Poly
Parkour, a group of about 10 Cuesta
College and Cal Poly students, has been
spotted on Cuesta’s SLO Campus, in
downtown SLO and in Avila Beach. But
officially, the group practices on Sundays
at Performance Athletics in SLO.
We met up with four of the members,
who were eager to show off their moves.
They took turns launching themselves off
walls, tables and trees, encouraging and
coaching each other along the way. Their
impressive display attracted quite a few
passerbys to stop and stare, and even one
to put his backpack down and join in.
It quickly became apparent that the
activity not only provides a healthy dose
of exercise, it’s also become a source of
social interaction for the students.
“I was a gymnast for 13 years and have
always been athletic, and one day I saw
these guys practicing, so I gave
it a shot,” said Clair Hawkins, a
19-year-old kinesiology student,
who, so far, is the only female in
the group. “When you are doing parkour
it feels like you are flying through the
air, you feel really strong and powerful,
there’s a rush, kind of like riding a
rollercoaster.”
Matt
Tyler
Nick
Fraser
“It gives you a different sense of vision
and makes anything an obstacle that
you can overcome,” said 20-year-old
Nick Fraser. “It mainly requires a lot of
confidence. And just being able to jump.”
For those who want to jump in on
the fun, the group has a Poly Parkour
Facebook page. Or, just jump on in.
“The best way to do it is to simply not
hold back,” said Clair.
“If you want to
try it, then go
for it.”
For information on student clubs and
social gatherings, visit the college’s
ASCC webpage.
Clair
Hawkins
Jacob
Villegas
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
•5
HONORED ALUMNI 2015
6
• SPRING 2015
In 1989, the college established the Honored
Alumni Awards. This year, three alumni
are being recognized for their outstanding
professional achievements and service.
Morro Bay, Cuesta offered
a whole new window to the
larger world. I met people
who had already decided the
trajectory of their lives. Their
intense focus, whether it was
on music, art, architecture,
whatever - motivated me to
find direction and purpose
in my own life above and
beyond my high school dream
of just wanting to be a great
skateboarder. Seeing how
this diverse set of students
mixed their talents with their
education was really eye
opening.”
“Cuesta allowed me to
think beyond a single minded
‘career’ based on a set of
courses in a major. Thank you
for that Cuesta!”
Eric Meyer
“My time at Cuesta allowed
me to find myself rather than
just be a student set into a
‘major’. This award is probably
a result of having the freedom
to explore a few different
options, and mix them up a
bit. ”
And explore Eric Meyer did.
Graduating from Cuesta
College in 1982, and from Cal
Poly in 1985 with a degree in
art and design, the Morro Bay
native and avid skateboarder
is responsible for creating the
Santa Barbara-based shoe
company Simple Shoes, which
set itself apart during the
1990’s and 2000’s with simple
marketing and a cool flair.
“Skateboarders were tired
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
of looking like surfers, and
so I wrote a letter to Vision
Sports. They hired me to start
a division to create specific
skateboard fashion. I started
Simple on Friday the 13th of
December 1991.”
After making a tidy profit,
Meyer eventually sold the
company to Deckers Outdoor
Corporation. Years later
he served as a planning
commissioner for the city
of San Luis Obispo and
then the county and these
days, Meyer is dedicated to
bringing a massive network of
interconnected off-highway
bike paths to the county.
And all his explorations
can be tied back to Cuesta
College.
“Compared to life in
David Judson
David Judson is a man of
international business.
As current editor-in-chief
of Stratfor, a geopolitical
intelligence and advisory
firm, Judson oversees both
the global network of the
company’s information
gathering area specialists as
well as a publishing team that
works with analysts to craft
Stratfor’s work into written,
video and graphic form.
Before joining Stratfor, the
Cuesta College alum worked
for the Istanbul-based Dogan
Media Group as managing
editor of the Turkish-language
business daily Referans and
later as editor-in-chief of the
Hurriyet Daily News, the
company’s English paper.
grown up now, an institution
well into mid-life. But the
young and pioneering spirit
that Cuesta represents is
no less than the last best
hope for mankind,” said
Judson. “The diffusion of
knowledge in an era that
brings us face-to-face with
exploding data, propaganda
and semiotic violence is a
daunting task. You are all, and
I speak generally of the open
community college system of
education, on the front lines.”
And before that,
Judson served as a senior
correspondent in Washington
D.C. for Gannett Newspapers/
USA Today.
Clearly, Judson’s career has
taken him around the world.
But he began his life right
here on the Central Coast.
A graduate of Coast Union
High School, Judson attended
Cuesta College from 197476. He then went on to earn
a bachelor’s degree from the
University of California, Los
Angeles.
While living in Cayucos,
Judson fostered his love for
education. His family hosted
foreign exchange students
from Argentina, United Arab
Emirates and Turkey. And
he served as an American
Field Service Returnee for
international educational
programs in SLO County from
1973-1980.
And today, his worldly
experiences have given him
perspective on the value of
Cuesta College and education
as a whole. “Cuesta may be all
Rusty Kuntz
If you are a fan of American
Major League Baseball, then
you probably already know
Rusty Kuntz.
If not, then according to
Wikipedia, Kuntz is “a retired
MLB designated hitter and
outfielder. He played for
the Chicago White Sox,
Minnesota Twins and Detroit
Tigers between 1979 and
1985. In the final game of the
1984 World Series, Kuntz hit a
pop fly to the second baseman
that became the deciding run
batted in.” Today, Kuntz serves
as the first base coach of the
Kansas City Royals.
But the big-leaguer has
small-town roots.
Kuntz attended Paso
Robles High School, where
he played baseball, basketball
and football. According to
the Society for American
Baseball Research, baseball
was actually his least favorite
sport. Kuntz preferred
basketball because of the fastpacing.
After graduating in
1973, Kuntz attended
Cuesta College, where he
quarterbacked for the football
team, played center on the
basketball team, and played
center field on the baseball
team. After two successful
baseball seasons at Cuesta, he
focused on the All-American
pastime. Kuntz went on to
California State University,
Stanislaus, where he played
on two teams that went to the
Division III World Series.
Kuntz made his majorleague debut on September
1, 1979, playing with the
Chicago White Sox. He played
until 1985, and then served as
a coach in the Houston Astros
organization and then with
the Seattle Mariners. Over
the years he worked with
various other teams, until he
was hired on by the Kansas
City Royals in 2007 as their
first-base coach. He’s been
with the Royals since then,
and in a January 2014 article,
the Boston Globe listed Kuntz
as one of the baserunning/
outfield coaches who had
the most respect among his
peers in the major leagues.
Kuntz got a second taste of
the World Series in 2014
after the Royals became the
first team in history to open
the post-season with eight
straight wins. The team went
up against the Giants, but lost
to the eventual champions.
Cuesta College is proud to
have played a role in Kuntz’s
baseball successes.
For more information on Cuesta’s Honored Alumni Program,
and to see past recipients, visit the Foundation web page at
www.cuesta.edu/aboutcc/planning/foundation
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
•7
AGS TEACHER APPRECIATION NIGHT
Each year, Cuesta College’s
academic honor society and
service organization (Alpha
Gamma Sigma) honors
Cuesta College faculty
at the annual Teacher
Appreciation Night. This
past December, 10 faculty
members were honored
at a reception where AGS
President Chris Blicha
stated, “What distinguishes
a great teacher from the
rest is not that they’ve
invested their minds and
their time, but that they’ve
invested their hearts as
well.”
Each honoree had the
opportunity to share a few
words of their own at the
ceremony, which you can
read here.
John Arno: broadcast, 7 years >> “Cuesta is the most success-oriented school
I’ve been associated with. I’ve taught at universities, in Los Angeles, in Riverside, in
Europe – and I have the most success stories from Cuesta.”
Ed Conklin: English, 25 years >> “You don’t get into teaching for the awards, but
this is nice. It is especially nice when you are recognized by your favorite students. You
are among the best and brightest and I see nothing but success for all of you.”
Bill Demarest: math, 3 years >> “When I was a student at Cuesta, I had very
influential instructors, so it’s a huge honor to accept this now as a faculty member.
As instructors, we are only as good as the work the students put in, so I thank the
students.”
Dr. James Eickemeyer: physics, 16 years >> “I like teaching techniques that
generate curiosity by challenging each student’s sense of what’s real.”
Dr. Anthony Gutierrez: student life and leadership, 8 years >> “One of the reasons
I am here is because when I was a student, the faculty saw something in me that I
did not see in myself at the time, and so I appreciate all of the faculty who are here in
support of students tonight.”
Dennis Judd: history, 26 years >> “It is great students who teach good teachers how
to teach. I am honored to accept this award.”
Amity Perry-Boada: business, 18 years >> “I am so blessed to do everyday
something that I would do for free. My students’ successes are my successes.”
Ray Ried: engineering, 16 years >> “The students at Cuesta are why I like being
here; they are fun to be around. It’s a gift to teach at Cuesta.”
Jude Rock: English, 6 years >> “The students are what make all my efforts
worthwhile.”
Mike Serpa: math, 3 years >> “I am so honored and humbled to receive this award.
These awards are the best kind because they come from the people who we work so
hard at making changes in their lives.”
Attendees of the 2014 Cuesta College AGS Teacher Appreciation Night. Left to right: AGS student Emily Granger,
honoree Ed Conklin, AGS student Carlee Boyd, honoree John Arno, Superintendent/President Gil Stork, honoree
Bill Demarest, Michelle Judd (wife of honoree Dennis Judd), honoree Mike Serpa, honoree Amity Perry-Boada,
honoree Anthony Gutierrez, AGS President Chris Blicha, AGS student Daniel Cadwell and AGS student Natalie
Granger. Not pictured: honorees Ray Ried, Jude Rock, Dennis Judd and James Eickemeyer.
8
• SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
2015
OPENING DAY
The Spring 2015 semester officially kicked
off on January 16 when Cuesta College’s
faculty and staff gathered on campus for
Opening Day. Hundreds attended the
annual event, where Superintendent/
President Gil Stork ushered in the
semester. Topics included Measure L,
the budget, acknowledgment of new
employees and retirees, and in addition
two members of the faculty and staff were
honored with awards. A full recording
of Opening Day can be viewed on the
college’s YouTube channel.
Kris Wayland: Elaine Holley Coats Service Excellence Award Recipient
Dr. Gil Stork presented Kris Wayland with the Elaine Holley Coats Service
Excellence Award. “Kris serves as the resolutions specialist. She deals
with all cases relating to students, including complaints, grievances, and
other issues,” Dr. Stork said. “She’s a problem solver, a hand-holder. She’s a
person who helps students, faculty, and staff navigate the judicial system for
students at Cuesta College.”
. ayland responded, “The best we can do is try to make a difference
W
everyday, and that’s what I try to do. I get back as much as I give. I so
appreciate this. Thank you.”
Mike Kinter: Virginia Sullivan Inspirational Faculty Award Recipient
Mike Kinter was presented the Virginia Sullivan Inspirational Faculty Award by Dr. Kevin
Bontenbal, Academic Senate President. Kinter has been teaching mathematics full-time
at Cuesta College for the past 16 years, and recently established and currently teaches an
entirely new math course designed to help non-science majors achieve their math goals. In
addition to his full-time job as math instructor, he is also the assistant cross-country coach,
the coordinator of the faculty-mentoring program, an active participant in the Wellness
Committee, and a strong advocate for student-athletes.
MEASURE L
The Cuesta College Bond: Looking to the Future
“T
he passage of Measure L is a vote of confidence
in the educational opportunities and workforce
preparation Cuesta College provides to the county,” said
Cuesta College Superintendent/President Dr. Gil Stork
following the passage of Measure L. “The voters saw that
modern facilities are an integral component in successful
education, and now we will be working immediately to
respond to this vote of confidence in our institution.”
On November 4, 2014, the voters of San Luis Obispo
County voted to approve Measure L. Passing with 62 percent
approval, the $275M in funds will address many of the
college’s facilities and technology needs. And true to Dr.
Stork’s word, work has immediately begun.
“The college is months ahead of schedule with facility
construction and repair plans,” says Terry Reece, director
of facilities and capitol projects. “Even though the bond
only passed a few months ago, we are ready to begin work
because we already had the facility master plans and needs
drawn up and determined.”
By the end of the spring 2015 semester, construction on
both the San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles campuses will
have begun on interim housing projects. The new temporary
structures will accommodate programs and classrooms that
currently reside in modular structures that must be removed
by State law. The displaced programs and classrooms
will eventually reside in a North County Campus Center
and a San Luis Obispo Campus Instructional Building;
construction on those will begin approximately December
2015.
Additionally, repairs and renovations to existing District
facilities on the San Luis Obispo Campus will take place
between the spring and fall of 2015.
The funds for Measure L will be used to repair Cuesta’s
aquatic center, build a permanent new campus center on
the San Luis Obispo Campus, a permanent Early Childhood
Center on the Paso Robles Campus, provide technology
upgrades to both campuses, and more.
For the latest information on Measure L, go to
www.cuesta.edu and click on the Measure L icon.
What will the bond
funds be used for?
> Temporary classroom replacement
and new classroom facilities
> Repairs / Upgrades
> 21st Century Technology Upgrades
> Job and Career Training Facility
– North County Campus
> Debt retirement for capital / construction projects
FIRST ISSUANCE (Spring 2015) ($75 million)
>Temporary classroom replacement and new
classroom facilities
• Instructional Building – San Luis Obispo
• Campus Center – North County Campus
> Repairs / Upgrades
•Roofs
•HVAC
• Aquatic Center
• Infrastructure and Utilities
> 21st Century Technology Upgrades
> Debt retirement for capital / construction
projects
SECOND ISSUANCE (2018) ($70 million)
>Temporary classroom replacement and new
classroom facilities
• Campus Center – San Luis Obispo
• Early Childhood Center
– North County Campus
> Repairs / Upgrades ( by complex)
> 21st Century Technology Upgrades
> Debt retirement for capital /
construction projects
THIRD ISSUANCE (2021) ($67 million)
> Repairs / Upgrades (by complex)
> 21st Century Technology Upgrades
> Job and Career Training Facility
– North County Campus
FOURTH ISSUANCE (2024) ($63 million)
> Repairs / Upgrades (by complex)
> 21st Century Technology Upgrades
> Project completion
CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE >> The Citizens’ Oversight Committee is a group of community members named
on March 4th (see below) who will serve to inform the public concerning the District’s expenditures of Measure L
proceeds, review expenditure reports and submit annual reports detailing their activities and conclusions.
Pamela Avila, Business rep • David Booker, At-Large rep • Daniel Cadwell, Student rep • Gayla Chapman, At-Large rep
Susan Dressler, At-Large rep • Ann Grant, Taxpayer Organization rep • Scott Lathrop, At-Large rep • Patrick O’Hara, At-Large rep
Timothy Roche, Senior Citizens Group rep • Anneka Scranton, Support Organization rep
10
• SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
SLO Instructional Building
SLO Aquatics
SLO/NC Interim Buildings
Roofing & HVAC Replacement
NC Campus Center
Technology Upgrades
On November 6, students, faculty and staff held signs to thank the drivers
passing by the Santa Rosa Street bridge in San Luis Obispo.
Measure L Funding Schedule: First Issuance
*
Q1
2015
Q2
2016
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Design
Design
Con.
2017
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
2018
Q3
Q4
Q1
Construction
Occupy
Construction
Occupy
Construction
Occupy
Q2
Q3
Q4
Occupy
Design Con. Occupy
t
Design
Con.
Design
Design
* Q = 3 month quarter of calendar year
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
• 11
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT The Paralegal Program
Marlin Vix is 69-years-old, a retired agribusiness Cal Poly professor of 37 years.
Marcella Houtby is 22-years-old, a
2010 graduate of Fortuna Union High
School in northern California.
Both are enrolled in the Paralegal
Program at Cuesta College.
At first glance, it may be surprising
that this duo is traveling the same
educational path. But that’s the true
mission of the California Community
College system - to be open and
accessible to everyone. Cuesta College’s
Paralegal Program embodies this
mission, enrolling a wide variety of
students.
“A significant percentage of the
students enrolled in our program are
in their 30’s and 40’s. Some are single
mothers; some have left a career in
order to pursue this as a career,” said
Ruth Biering, Cuesta College paralegal
instructor.
“This was a big switch for me,” said
Vix. “I reached
“If any program
the end of an
can train those
earning phase
in my life, and
future stars
thought I would
to adequately
enter a period
support what
of learning. It’s
been a process
we do in
of my own
litigation, it is
enrichment,
Cuesta College.”
and I have
found the
Paralegal Program very challenging.”
“My goal is to work as a paralegal in a
law office with others who enjoy the field
as well,” said Houtby, who is also gaining
workforce experience by working at a
local law firm.
Currently, there are 46 students
pursuing a degree or certificate in the
Paralegal Program, which prepares
students for employment as a paralegal
in professional and courtroom settings.
“A paralegal who can keep his or her
‘cool’ and become an integral part of a
litigation team is priceless,” said Tana
Coates, Esq., founder and owner of San
Luis Obispo legal firm Coates & Coates
LLP and former president of the San
Luis Obispo County Bar Association. “If
any program can train those future stars
to adequately support what we do in
litigation, it is Cuesta College.”
Labor Market Information, the demand
for individuals with paralegal training is
growing. Local experts agree.
“The need for competent, well-trained
paralegals is huge,” said Coates. “There’s
an ‘old guard’ of paralegals who have
been around forever and basically
ran most of the law offices on the
Central Coast. This generation of legal
professionals is moving on, and there are
big shoes to fill.”
“Right now we have attorneys
coming to our classes because they are
desperate to find paralegals and there
are more local job openings than there
are students,” said Dr. John Cascamo,
Cuesta College’s dean of economic and
workforce development.
Job demand is up and program
student success and retention rates are
high, making for an all-around thriving
program.
“You are in classes taught by paralegals
and attorneys who are very interested
in your success,” said Houtby. “I am very
grateful for the opportunities that this
program has opened
up for me and
excited for my
future in the
paralegal
field.”
According to the California
Employment Development Department’s
Paralegal Program: By the numbers
Students currently enrolled: 46
Success/retention rate: 90.1%
Projected employment growth
between 2010-2020: 20.1%
Paralegals employed in CA: 26,030
Average salary: $59K
Marlin Vix
Marcella Hautby
HAROLD J.
MIOSSI
ART GALLERY
Miossi Art Gallery Naming
C
uesta College’s art
gallery has long been
seen as a diamond
in the rough. A wonderful
space to showcase artwork
and expose students to the
many mediums of fine art,
but the support to cultivate
and sustain the potential was
simply not there.
Until November 2014.
That month, the Cuesta
College Foundation
announced that the gallery
would permanently be known
as the Harold J. Miossi
Art Gallery after receiving
$250,000 from the Harold
J. Miossi Charitable Trust.
The donation was made to
enhance the role of the art
gallery in the community.
“We were thrilled to
receive this gift,” said Chair
of the Fine Arts Department
Margaret Korisheli. “It will
expand our connection to
the campus and community,
thereby bringing in new and
diverse visitors.”
During his life, San Luis
Obispo native Harold J.
Miossi maintained a quiet
love of art, and since last fall,
the gallery has come alive
because of that passion.
In November of 2014,
the gallery kicked off its
1922 - 2006
Harold J. Miossi
official naming with the
Biennial Cuesta College Art
Faculty Exhibit, featuring
the artworks of 25 Cuesta
art faculty members. In
January of 2015, the gallery
hosted Still Moving, an
exhibit that paid homage
to video artists, and in
March, Cuesta welcomes
back Honored Alum Holly
Lane, who is showcasing
her sculptural frames and
pictorial images. The Annual
Student Exhibition will take
place in April, while the juried
exhibition of International
Artists’ Books is scheduled
for June.
Funds from the Miossi gift
are also being used on capital
improvements, technology
upgrades and increased staff
support. All steps toward
bringing the diamond out of
the rough.
pool ’63 Dives into International Theater
For the first time in history, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts chose a college
theater production to represent the United States at an international theater festival.
That college was Cuesta College.
And the production was pool ’63, an original play that was written and produced by the
college’s theater department. The plot centers on the racial unrest of the civil rights movement
that occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.
“We represented the best theater of all colleges and universities in the United States – it was
an incredible honor,” said pool ’63 Director bree valle, who traveled to Mexico City with 20
cast members and three staff in February. The group performed the original play during the
2015 International University Theatre Festival.
Heading into the trip, pool ’63 actor Meshack Burton had this to say: “I’m looking forward
to seeing people’s reactions from around the world. The way Americans would see the show
is going to be different than someone from another country since they may not be as familiar
with our background on racial issues. But the show touches on other issues of equality
including women’s rights and same-sex rights. It goes far beyond the issue of black and white.”
BRAVO, pool ’63.
A scene from pool ’63.
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
• 13
Catching Up
with Bill Fairbanks
Dr. Bill Fairbanks with a map detailing the path of his travels.
How to do Retirement, One Step at a Time
T
hese days, Dr. Bill Fairbanks may be better known for his
latest adventures of walking across the country than his
reputation as a strong teacher. After he retired in 2007 from
teaching anthropology at Cuesta College for over 40 years, he
knew exactly what he needed to do. “Usually when a person
retires they have a party and then they go home and sit in front
of the television,” he said. “The problem with retirement is that
you rarely get challenged. I wanted to have a challenge.”
Fairbanks grew up on a farm, and the inspiration for his new
challenge came from his childhood. He would walk around the
farm to relax, and two miles to and from school on a country
road. Quite simply, he enjoyed walking. So in retirement, he
decided to combine his preferred form of relaxation with his
love of anthropology and travel across the country, studying it
along the way.
Fairbanks intended to immediately start his new adventure.
“I tried to organize myself too much, but my wife said, ‘Just
start walking.’” Finally, he walked out the door of his home
in Los Osos on July 2, 2009, and headed east. With each day
he walked, he learned more about himself just as much as he
learned about the topography and the culture of each state.
He discovered quickly how his body operated and what his
limits were. He had to adapt to varying temperatures, weather
14
• SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
patterns, and different altitudes. The trick came from staying
organized, yet flexible. “My wife was right,” he said. “I just had to
start walking and make adjustments along the way.”
His expedition allowed him to interact with a variety of
different people from all walks of life, even some family
members and close friends along the way. He also visited schools
and colleges throughout the country, sometimes sitting down
with other anthropology professors or attending local school
board and state committee meetings.
Fairbanks didn’t want the finish line of his five year journey
to be in a city like Washington D.C. or New York City - that
felt too “common.” Instead, he chose a place that had meaning.
On August 20 of last year, he walked through the door of the
Fairbanks House in Dedham, MA. According to Fairbanks,
anybody with the last name of Fairbanks can trace his or her
ancestry to the house. “It was a good place to end,” he said. “It’s a
family place.”
Now that he’s back, he may just stick to activities a little
closer to home, including spending time with his family and
reorganizing his house. He’s seen a lot of the country, but he says
that nothing compares to making his way back. “It’s good to be
home,” he said. “The Central Coast is a nice place to live, and I
don’t see any other reason to leave.”
and with Nancy Acebo
Living a Life to Save Others
“Cuesta College is all about saving lives, as far as I’m concerned.” Saving
lives is a theme that seems to run through most of Nancy Acebo’s life.
She was hired at Cuesta College in 1989, and retired in March of last year
as a fiscal analyst. “What I enjoyed the most about Cuesta College was
working with people of vision who want to improve the world through
education and by encouraging others to better themselves,” she said.
She’s taken that vision to heart,
earning two associate degrees along the
way. “Community colleges were a bridge
for me,” she continued. “It helped me
professionally, and it helped me with my
volunteer activities.” Nowadays, Acebo’s
using her work experience and education
to give back to her community and
continue the goal of improving the lives
of others.
Since retiring from Cuesta College,
she has taken on the position of
administrative director of
the Son Care
Foundation –
an umbrella
non-profit organization supporting
other non-profit entities such as the
Alpha Academy and New Life K9s.
The Alpha Academy is a six-month
mentoring program that provides
boarding and guidance for young men
18-23 years old who may need a little
direction. “They are encouraged to go
to college and take part in vocational
programs,” Acebo explained. “We
advocate for the programs at Cuesta
College and have had a number of
people complete the welding and
automotive programs.”
New Life K9s was developed more
recently to train service dogs that assist
and help improve the lives of veterans
who may be coping with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). Social anxiety
is a common symptom of PTSD, and the
service dogs aim to provide a calming
and comfortable presence.
The organization was launched
last April, and since then
they’ve been able to place
one dog with one
veteran, Alex, with successful results.
Alex is a Cuesta College student and
wrote a moving letter to New Life K9s
describing how the program has affected
his life. “It gives me a semblance of
normality that wasn’t possible before
I met with New Life K9s just a few
months ago,” he wrote. “I feel as if I have
made more progress with Nara in three
months than I have in three years of
therapy and treatment…every day I get a
bit of my life back.”
Acebo hopes to see the program
expand, and her vision is to see to it that
every veteran who needs a service dog
gets matched with one. In her role at
the Son Care Foundation, she remains
committed to continuing her work with
the causes for which she feels so strongly.
“My passion has always been K9
search and rescue,” she said. “The motto
of search and rescue is ‘That others may
live.’ That’s what this is – it’s all about
saving lives. That’s why I’m here.”
For more information on Alpha
Academy and New Life K9s, visit their
websites at www.lifemap.net and
www.newlifek9s.org.
If you know of a Cuesta College retiree
who is doing great things,
tell us! They may be featured in
future CCNews publications.
Acebo with Dixie,
a dog in training at
New Life K9s.
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
• 15
Business Partner Program
New Cuesta College
Business Partner
Paso Robles Tank,
Inc., is filled to
the brim with
confidence in
Cuesta College
students.
Business Partner:
Paso Robles Tank, Inc. (PRT)
Location: Began in Paso Robles,
expanded to Hemet in Southern
California and Sparks, Nevada.
Owner: Shawn Owens
Established: 2000
Became a Cuesta College
Business Partner: 2014
About: PRT is a full service tank
contractor serving the West Coast. “We
specialize in tank constructions ranging
from large oil tank projects for clients
like Aera and Oxy, to Municipal and
private water tank projects. We also
provide stainless steel wine tanks for
wineries like Gallo, Castoro and Peachy
Canyon.”
Advantage of being a Cuesta Business
Partner: “We are a welding company
and have found well-trained
employees coming out of the Cuesta
College Welding Program. We want
to ensure this continues and as we
continually grow, having a business
partnership with Cuesta College will
ensure we have employees available
for hire.”
Goals for Cuesta business partnership:
“We hope students will know about
this partnership and how it has helped
in their education, and then I hope
they look to become employees of
PRT.”
BUSINESS PARTNER PROGRAM
Paso Robles Tank
owner Shawn
Owens (left) stands
with his PRT
colleagues.
16
• FALL 2014
The Business Partners program, established in 1995, promotes communications between Cuesta
College and the San Luis Obispo County business community, enabling the college to better serve the
educational and training needs of local employers and employees. More than 70 local businesses
participate in this program and have access to meetings with college leaders, business mixers, free
advertising on campus and discounts for employee professional development and training. To learn
more about how to become a Business Partner, call (805) 546-3279
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
Donor Spotlight
retired early
“to We
enjoy what we do,
and what we
do is help others
gain an education
if we can.
”
– Allyn Arnold
Allyn (left) and Lee Arnold
at their home in Cayucos.
Allyn and Lee Arnold know the value of a good education.
Both are graduates of community college and university
(UCLA and USC). According to Allyn, their community
college education provided a solid foundation in liberal
arts, paving the way to furthering their education and their
careers as school administrators. Lee was the director of
instruction for a group of junior high schools in downtown
Los Angeles, and Allyn was the coordinator of gifted
programs that oversaw approximately 40,000 K-12 students,
in over 600 schools in the Los Angeles school district.
When it came to retire, they chose the quiet beauty of
Cayucos. “We lived in Hollywood, and we weren’t sure if we
were small town people,” Allyn said. “We found out that we
could enjoy it and we have been for the past 27 years.”
Since moving to the Central Coast, they’ve focused on
helping others receive an enriched educational experience
as donors to Cuesta College. “We’ve always been interested
in supporting community colleges because they’re so close
How To
Donate:
to the people,” Lee said. “We’re very fortunate to have Cuesta
College in our community.”
The Arnolds were among the original founders of the Friends
of the Cultural and Performing Arts Center (FCPAC). “The
FCPAC has done so much for the development of the arts, and
the arts are vital in forming a good educational foundation,”
Allyn said.
Their philosophy is to support local education, which in turn
boosts a community’s success with better job opportunities
and by attracting new businesses. They believe that community
colleges should be given more resources in order to keep their
doors open and continue to offer quality education for all.
“No student should be denied an education. You need to give
people the opportunity to better themselves and their families,”
Allyn said. “Just look at the school catalog and you can see how
many springboards there are to future possibilities. The future
for Cuesta College is undeniably one of the brightest.”
There are several ways to donate to Cuesta College:
1.Online: www.cuesta.edu/aboutcc/planning/foundation and click “Click to Donate”
2.Mail: Send a check to Cuesta College Foundation, P.O. Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
3.Call: (805) 546-3279 to make a credit card gift over the phone
Gifts to the Cuesta Fund help to support the college’s priority needs and technology upgrades.
CHECK OUT the Cuesta Foundation’s new web site! It has a brand new look and feel, and makes donating to
Cuesta easier than ever. http://www.cuesta.edu/aboutcc/planning/foundation/
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS SPRING 2015
• 17
FACES AND PLACES
A total of 62 retirees returned to Cuesta College in September
for a Retiree Lunch. Pictured here are retirees (left to right)
Jonniepat Mobley, Lenore Erickson and Bob Pelfrey.
Ambassadors of the North County Campus procured a gift
of $10,000 for the recognition of Sandee McLaughlin for
her contributions to Cuesta College, naming the bridge on
the second floor of the Dale and Mary Schwartz Learning
Resource Center in her honor. Pictured here are (left to right)
Cuesta College Foundation Board member Laurie Sinton,
Cuesta College Vice President of Student Services Dr. Sandee
McLaughlin and Foundation Board member Dee Lacey.
In the fall of 2014, the Associated Students of Cuesta College created the
Rodeo Club, which now has 19 student members. The college has a total of
24 student clubs.
In November 2014, PG&E gifted the college $20,000 to support student
success. Pictured here are (left to right) PG&E Senior Government Relations
representative John Shoals, Cuesta College Board of Trustees President
Pat Mullen, Cuesta College Superintendent/President Dr. Gil Stork, PG&E
Community Relations rep Lindsey Miller and former Cuesta College Director
of Student Support Services Dr. Luis Gonzalez.
In September, 11 students graduated from Cuesta College’s Paramedic
Program. The graduation ceremony featured keynote speaker San Luis
Obispo City Fire Department Deputy Chief Jeff Gator and was attended
by many in the local Emergency Medical Services community.
18
• SPRING 2015
CUESTA COLLEGE NEWS
In December, the
Cuesta College
Board of Trustees
swore in Pete Sysak
as the District 4
representative.
Sysak was elected
to the Board in the
November 4, 2014,
general election.
From the Desk of
Athletics Director Bob Mariucci
Cuesta Cougar Fans,
The Cuesta College Athletics Department continues to lead the state in the number of
scholar teams and scholar athletes.
Cuesta College recently had three teams named as California Community College Athletic
Association (CCCAA) Scholar Team recipients. The men’s basketball team (3.13 GPA),
women’s swimming (3.32 GPA) and women’s track (3.45 GPA) were named the top teams in
their respective sports.
Geoff Merker, a Cuesta College wrestler and a former US Marine, was named a member
of the 2014 CCCAA Scholar Athlete Honor Roll. California community colleges boast nearly
26,000 student athletes that participate annually. To be named one of the Top 10 Scholar
Bob Mariucci
Athletes in the state is truly an amazing accomplishment. All three teams and Merker will be
honored at the Celebration of Student Athletes Award Luncheon at the CCCAA Convention on Wednesday, April 1,
2015 in Ontario, CA.
We are all very proud of the achievements of our student athletes, teams and coaches. To succeed in the
classroom is our primary focus and what we strive for, so it is an honor to receive such recognition.
Go Cougars!
Bob Mariucci, Athletics Director
Geoff Merker, wres tler & member of 2014
Scholar Athlete Honor Roll
Riley Cooks, member of
women’s track
scholar team & 2014 Cu
esta Female
Athlete of the Year
mber of men’s
Tayler Thompson, me
lar team
ho
sc
all
basketb
Rachel Gruetzmacher, member of women’s swimming scholar team
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 54
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
P.O. Box 8106, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106
CURRENT RESIDENT OR
2015 SPRING CALENDAR
Printed locally
Recycled with 30% post-consumer waste
APRIL:
s
1: Board of Trustees meeting
PLAY
FESTIVAL
2015
5K
RUN
7: Baseball game v. Santa Barbara City College
16: Softball game v. Allan Hancock College
17: Opening Reception – Annual Student Exhibition
28: Spring Gala Concert
30-May 3: One Act Play Festival
MAY:
6: Board of Trustees Meeting
8: Cuesta College 5K
8-10: One Act Play Festival
9: Jazz Ensemble Concert
15: Wind Ensemble Concert
17: Cuesta Choirs Spring Concert
22: 50th Commencement
JUNE:
SUMMER
SCHOOL
BEGINS
3: Board of Trustees Meeting
15: Summer School Begins
15: International Artists’ Books; juried exhibition
20-21: Gilbert & Sullivan “Iolanthe”
>> FOR MORE DETAILS, CHECK OUT THE EVENTS LISTED AT WWW.CUESTA.EDU