Success on tap for Cuyamaca College water studies student

Born and raised in Tijuana, Natalia Blake moved to San Diego three years ago to explore new opportunities. At Cuyamaca College, she found the answer to what she wanted to do with her life.

Blake, who already has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the State University of Baja California, said that background melds perfectly with her plans to pursue a career in the water industry. She started at Cuyamaca College last spring and is working toward an associate degree in Water and Wastewater Treatment.

The honor student, who has a perfect 4.0 grade point average, was recently awarded the Otay Water District’s Watton Scholarship, a $500 award for top students in Cuyamaca’s Center for Water Studies program. She plans to use the money to pay for books and fees to apply for industry certifications from the California Water Environment Association.

Grossmont College dance students 'Tap the Vote'

Forget your yard signs and call campaigns – some students in Grossmont College’s dance program have turned to tap dancing to get out the vote. 

Directed and choreographed by dance instructor Nancy Boskin-Mullen, “Tap the Vote” is a catchy video featuring former and current students, as well as members of a tap dance company, the California Rhythm Project. 

Tapping their way around the Grossmont College campus to Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings’ R&B cover of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” the students lend a youthful vigor to a time-honored message of American democracy.

“I was raised in a politically aware family and I had been wanting to do a piece about voting,” said Boskin-Mullen, an adjunct instructor who also teaches at Mesa College and MiraCosta College. “When I discovered Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings R&B version of Woody Guthrie’s iconic song, everything fell into place.”

Cuyamaca College Culture and Community Circle workshops abound in November

Cuyamaca College’s Culture and Community Circle workshops covering an array of equity and cultural issues continue in November, addressing the fall election,  Veterans Week,  Native American Heritage Month, racism and more.

Sponsored by the college’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Success and Equity; Student Affairs; and Associated Student Government, the free Zoom presentations are open to the public.

They include:

Colleges join for Undocumented Student Action Week

Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges are joining in a host of activities Oct. 19-23 as part of a campaign by community colleges across California to advocate and provide resources for the undocumented student population.

California’s community colleges are holding numerous virtual activities in a commemoration led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Community College League of California, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Immigrants Rising, California Student Aid Commission, the California Undocumented Higher Education Coalition, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

Grossmont College Named No. 55 Nationwide for Associate Degrees Awarded to Hispanics

 Grossmont College was named No. 55 in the country for the number of associate degrees awarded to Hispanic, or Latinx, students during the 2018 – 2019 academic year by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine. The college was also recognized as No. 65 in the country for Latinx student enrollment during the same period. The announcement came as part of Hispanic Outlook’s annual special issue announcing its Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics.

“As a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Grossmont College is proud to have high Latinx student enrollment, but it’s more gratifying to see an even higher ranking for a mark of student success – obtaining their associate’s degrees,” said Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, Ed.D. “This is also a particularly meaningful ranking as it comes at the end of our college’s sixth annual Latinx Heritage Month celebration.”