Outstanding faculty lauded by peers at Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

Three instructors at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges have been selected by their peers as among the academic year’s best faculty members. The honorees were announced at fall convocations in recognition of their exemplary service to the two East County campuses. 

Donald Jones, a part-time Water and Wastewater Technology instructor, was honored with the Outstanding Faculty Award for being a driving force behind the new Center for Water Studies at Cuyamaca College. At Grossmont College, English Department chair Oralee Holder was lauded with the full-time Distinguished Faculty Award and sociology instructor Richard Unis was named winner of the adjunct Distinguished Faculty Award. 

Chancellor Cindy Miles said it is the caring and commitment of faculty that have made Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges such stellar institutions. 

“These outstanding educational leaders have done so much for our colleges and have worked hard to make transformational changes in how students learn,” Miles said. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated faculty who are strongly committed to the success of students.”

Donald Jones
Jones began attending San Diego State University in the mid-1960s with aspirations to become a high school geography teacher and coach. But a summer job with the City of San Diego Water Department’s Lakes Recreation Program took him in another direction after finding that working the boat docks and maintaining the lakes better suited his love of the outdoors. 

He spent the next 42 years in the water industry, eventually running the San Diego Water Department’s safety and training program and becoming the safety and risk manager for the Vista Irrigation District in the mid-1990s until retiring in 2007. Over the years, he also continued his education, earning an associate degree from Grossmont College; a bachelor’s degree and graduate courses in Public Administration from SDSU, and a master’s degree in Human Resources and Organization from the University of San Francisco. 

Grossmont College to mark 40th anniversary of PSA Flight 182 crash

The 40th anniversary of the PSA Flight 182 crash in San Diego that killed 144 people and scattered wreckage and carnage across North Park will be remembered at an event Sept. 25 at Grossmont College.

Family members of those who perished, as well as first responders and PSA workers, will share their memories following a free, public screening of the documentary film, “Return to Dwight and Nile,” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at Grossmont College’s Griffin Gate, Building 60.

The event is being organized by Grossmont College History Professor Marty Ennis, who noted that what was at the time the deadliest air crash in the country was a uniquely San Diego story. The airline, Pacific Southwest Airlines, was based in San Diego and many aboard the doomed flight were PSA employees.

Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges mark Latinx Heritage Month

Food, music and dance at Cuyamaca College and a visit at Grossmont College by nationally acclaimed poet Yosimar Reyes will highlight a series of special events honoring Latinx Heritage Month at the two East County colleges from mid-September to Nov. 1.

All events are free and open to the public.

Folklorico dancers at Cuyamaca College

 Karla Gutiérrez, chair of Cuyamaca College’s World Languages department, will be the keynote speaker at a College Hour celebration outside of the B Buildingfrom 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, which will also feature ballet folklorico dancers and music by DJ Rambo.

“Being Latina is knowing that the road is tough, but also knowing that I can overcome any obstacle,” said Gutiérrez, born and raised in Mexicali and a graduate of Imperial Valley College and San Diego State University.

Literary works celebrated at Grossmont College Fall Reading Series

       A celebration of banned books, readings from former rock groupie Pamela Des Barres and a collection of poetry crafted by Grossmont College Professor Joe Medina are among the highlights in this year’s annual Fall Reading Series at Grossmont College that continues Sept. 12 with an Open Reading at the college library.  
      The annual Fall Reading Series showcases literature, award-winning authors and others with an inspiration to write. Events are sponsored by the English Department and Creative Writing Program of Grossmont College, as well as a variety of other campus agencies and programs.
          “We believe it’s important to celebrate authors and poets of various genres and styles – and to engage the aspiring writers within our community, too,” said English Professor Daniela Sow. “There is an undeniable power in reading and listening to diverse voices and experiences.”

Celebrating 40 years of Cuyamaca College History: Teresa and Darren Greenhalgh

Teresa Greenhalgh is a pro when it comes to firsts. She was at Valhalla High School when it first opened in 1974. She was one of the first members of Steele Canyon Charter High School’s governing board. And she was among the first 1,947 students to enroll at Cuyamaca College when the campus opened 40 years ago Aug. 28.

She also met her husband and fellow first-year Cuyamaca College student, Darren, at the campus. These days, both are among the dedicated Cuyamaca College faculty and staff celebrating the campus’s 40^thanniversary this year: Darren Greenhalgh is an adjunct engineering instructor; Teresa is a full-time assistant overseeing Cuyamaca College’s Hispanic Serving Institution Title III grant.

“This is such a wonderful campus,” Teresa said. “Everything I do here is aimed at helping to repay what I experienced at this great school.”

Diversity Dialogues workshops take aim at prejudices and racism

Microaggressions and cultural misunderstandings are among the topics tackled this fall when Cuyamaca College launches its latest series of Diversity Dialogues with a Sept. 13 workshop focusing on latent biases.

The fall season of Diversity Dialogues begins less than two months after Cuyamaca became the first community college in San Diego County to earn the prestigious John W. Rice Diversity & Equity Award from the California Community Colleges system. Cuyamaca was honored for an accelerated pathways program that is eradicating achievement gaps and significantly boosting the numbers of students completing required math and English courses.

“Cuyamaca College prides itself on being a welcoming campus where different cultures are celebrated, not condemned, where different languages are treasured, not buried, and programs such as Diversity Dialogues continue to enlighten and educate our students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community,” said Cuyamaca College President Julianna Barnes.

All workshops, which are free and open to the public, take place in Room I-207 of the Student Center.

Anonymous donation to fund future scholarships at Cuyamaca College's Automotive Technology program

         

An anonymous San Diego County couple motivated by a desire to give back to the community has pledged $100,000 to help students at Cuyamaca College’s award-winning Automotive Technology program fund their education.

           The couple, who once attended a community college, said they hope the new ‘Pay It Forward Scholarship Program’ funded through their planned gift will ensure that any student with an interest can secure the training needed to thrive in an increasingly technologically complex industry with good-paying, in-demand jobs.

           “Thousands of students come to Cuyamaca College every year for the education and skills they need to secure well-paying jobs and better their lives, and we are absolutely thrilled this amazing couple is providing such a generous gift to our Automotive Technology program,” said Cuyamaca College President Julianna Barnes. “So many of our students need additional financial support to meet their educational goals, so this new scholarship program will be a huge difference maker.”