Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges laud exemplary faculty

The names of the awards may be different, but the intent is the same: to honor the passion and dedication of faculty chosen by their peers as the year’s best at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges.

Four faculty members – two from each college -- were honored recently with the academic year’s leading awards recognizing exemplary service to the campuses by either classroom or non-classroom faculty. The coveted committee-selected plaudits from each college’s Academic Senate are announced at fall semester convocations.

At Grossmont College, receiving the Distinguished Faculty honor for full-time, tenured faculty was Spanish instructor Yolanda Guerrero. An inaugural Distinguished Faculty award for part-time faculty was given to longtime math instructor Michael Lambe. At Cuyamaca College, receiving the Outstanding Faculty Award for full-time faculty was Spanish instructor Patricia Santana; the honor for part-time faculty was given to Arabic instructor Aklas Sheia, who is only the college’s second recipient of the adjunct award.

Rotary Club donates $7,000 to Cuyamaca College as a parting gift

The Rancho San Diego/Spring Valley Rotary Club has gone out with a bang. The service organization, which disbanded this summer after 49 years because of declining membership, has donated more than $35,000 in its bank account to an array of nonprofits and educational groups, including more than $7,000 to Cuyamaca College.

 

“We’ve always been here to support the community, and we felt that this was the best use of the money we had,” said Rusty Burkett, who served as the Rancho San Diego/Spring Valley Rotary Club’s last president. “We’re honored to have been able to help.”

Cuyamaca College was the biggest winner.

Cuyamaca College’s Unlimited Potential! (also known as UP!), which supports former foster youth and others who have face great financial uncertainty, received $1,670. The Cuyamaca College Give the Dream program, which provides students small emergency grants to help them deal with unforeseen hardships, received $2,670. The Cuyamaca College President’s Fund, used to support college events and programs, received $2,670.

Donations were made through the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges.

“We are thankful for the generous gift from the Rancho San Diego/Spring Valley Rotary Club, a gift that will help increase access for many more students at Cuyamaca College,” said Cuyamaca College President Mark Zacovic.

Fall semester begins August 18 at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges

Fall semester begins Aug. 18 for more than 25,000 students at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges with additional class offerings and instructors at the two East County colleges.

Grossmont College is offering 1,605 class sections, compared to 1,548 last fall and Cuyamaca College, 694, up from 679 in 2013. Students still have the opportunity to register for fall classes, with the colleges continuing online registration through Aug. 15. Schedules and registration links are available on each college’s website, www.cuyamaca.edu and www.grossmont.edu.

“We are looking forward to a great year as we continue our mission of advancing the learning and success of our students,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. About 17,000 students are expected at Grossmont College this fall, while about 8,500 students will be attending Cuyamaca College.