LasPositasReleases2011

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Las Positas College Press Releases - 2011

12/19/11

Las Positas College Students Get a Closer Look at Science, Thanks to a Gift from Lawrence Livermore National Security

(Livermore, CA) - As a biology student at Las Positas College, Katera Johnson discovered a smarter way to study using her new smartphone, a gift from her boyfriend. She, along with other students, snapped photos through a microscope eyepiece to create their own study guides which they shared with classmates via social networking. Not only did this innovation help Johnson get the grades to transfer to UC Berkeley, but it also inspired a gift that will enhance the education of all Las Positas College biology students.

Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), the entity that manages Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), recently awarded $10,000 to fund the purchase of a high quality digital microscope station that magnifies, projects, saves and annotates images of microorganisms, tissues and organs. The station features an industry-standard microscope and digital camera used in medical centers and academic labs.

“We are very grateful to LLNS for this generous gift,” said Las Positas College Biology Coordinator and Instructor Nan Ho. “It is exceptional for students at a college or university to have ready access to a microscope and camera setup of this quality in a student workroom. Our students can use this powerful learning tool for regular class work, special projects and studying. As an example, our pre-nursing students studying histology will be able to download images they have created and quiz each other, using the large wall-mounted LCD screen,” she explained. Knowing her students’ need for a sophisticated microscope, Ho applied to LLNS for funding during the last academic year. She invited LLNL Public Affairs Director Jim Bono to visit the Student Workroom where he observed Katera Johnson using her smartphone to record and share microscope images. He was sold on the ability of a new microscope station to significantly contribute to the science education of all Las Positas College biology students. Inspired by Katera Johnson’s study guide innovation, Bono nicknamed the new microscope, “The Katerascope.”

Johnson, a graduate of Tracy High School, said she was honored to be the inspiration for the microscope and said her boyfriend, a student in Las Positas College’s Surgical Technology Program, is pleased with the news connected to his gift of her smartphone. “He is my biggest cheerleader,” she said.
As a student at Las Positas College, Johnson won academic awards including Outstanding Student in the biology major sequence. She said she studied with a group of other students who also have transferred to four-year colleges including UC Irvine and UC Davis.

Ho explained that the biology program prepares students for a wide variety of opportunities in the science and allied health fields and that many of her students plan to transfer to four-year colleges.

In addition to thanking Jim Bono, LLNS and LLNL, Ho acknowledged many others who worked to bring the microscope station to Las Positas College students. “We are very grateful to the Las Positas College Foundation led by CEO Ted Kaye, Las Positas College President Kevin Walthers, the Information Technology staff, and the many other staff, faculty and administrators who made this possible,” she said.
For more information about Las Positas College science programs, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu.

12/14/11

Las Positas College Student Athletes Win Women’s Soccer Conference Players Awards

(Livermore, CA) - Nine Las Positas College Women’s Soccer Team players won awards at the recent California Community College Athletic Association Coast Conference.

“This year was a year of rebuilding, learning and development,” said Las Positas College Women’s Soccer Head Coach Sissi doAmor. “The student athletes had a great time and worked hard.”

Following are the student athletes who were recognized with Conference Players Awards:

First Team All Coast Conference:

Ashley Stevens, Goal Keeper, Granada High School graduate.

Rebecca Woll, Left Back, of Livermore.

Second Team All Coast Conference:

Nicole Estorga, Center Defender, Foothill High School graduate.

Sarah Felicitias, Center Midfielder, of San Ramon.

Honorable Mention:

Sarah Fishman, Center Back, Dougherty Valley High School graduate.

Phoebe Santos, Multiple Positions, Amador Valley High School graduate.

Maira Orozco, Outside Back, Dublin High School graduate.

Devin San Jose, Multiple Positions, of San Ramon.

Alyssa Ritmann, Outside Midfielder, Livermore High School graduate.

12/12/11

Las Positas College Students Win 14 Journalism Awards

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College students won 14 awards and commendations at the Nov. 12 Journalism Association of Community Colleges NorCal Conference at Sacramento State University.
“The students attended workshops, competed against other student journalists and networked with industry professionals,” said Mass Communications Faculty Adviser Melissa Korber.

Las Positas College students gain practical journalism experience through the student magazine “Naked,” student newspaper “Express” and Radio Las Positas. The publications and radio station support the award-winning Mass Communications program which offers a Certificate of Achievement, a Certificate of Completion in Radio and transfer classes to four-year colleges.

Following are the NorCal conference award winners:

Second-place Profile Feature: Kelly Gabel
Second-place Infographic: Julian Lim and Mackenzie Luther
Third-place Profile Feature: Brenda Cruz
First-place Sports Feature Photo: Jeff Bennett
Second-place Sports Feature Photo: Jeff Bennett
Second-place Sports Action Photo: Jeff Bennett
Second-place Student-designed Ad: Julian Lim
First-place Video Journalism: Julian Lim
Second-place Video Journalism: Julian Lim, Andre Principe, Mackenzie Luther and Jeff Bennett
Honorable Mention Newswriting: Mackenzie Luther
Honorable Mention Infographic: Nick DeRenzi
Honorable Mention Front-page Design: Julian Lim, Mackenzie Luther and Nick DeRenzi
Fourth-place Opinion On-the-spot Contest: Trevin Smith
Editor Recognition: Editor in Chief of the Express, Nick DeRenzi

11/22/11

Las Positas College Student Athletes Win Conference Players Awards

(Livermore, CA) - Eight Las Positas College Men’s Soccer Team players won awards at the recent California Community College Athletic Association Coast Conference.

“This year, our Las Positas Men’s Hawks had a great time and focused on development, improvement, making new friends and experiencing soccer at the college level,” said Las Positas College Men’s Soccer Head Coach Larry Aguiar. “We create a professional training atmosphere and the student athletes appreciate this."

Following are the student athletes who were recognized with Conference Players Awards:

First Team All Coast Conference:

Andres Plascencia, Midfielder Utility Player (all positions), of Oakland; Bishop O'Dowd High School graduate.

Silvano Lopez, Center Supporting Back, of Livermore; Granada High School graduate.

Second Team All Coast Conference:

Christian Gonzalez, Center Midfielder, of Livermore; Livermore High School graduate.

Josue Macias, Midfielder and Forward, of Brentwood; Liberty High School graduate.

Honorable Mention:

Gabriel Rissato, Midfielder, International Student from Brazil.

Jon Hoeksema, Midfielder, of Pleasanton; Amador High School graduate.

Kyle Foreman, Right Supporting Back, of Turlock; Turlock High School graduate.

Alessandro Tilli, Goalkeeper, of Castro Valley; Valley High School graduate.

11/16/11

Las Positas College Speech Team Takes First Place at Tournament

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Speech Team, the Talk Hawks, swooped in to finish in First Place among 23 participating institutions at the recent Mustang Invitational Speech Tournament which featured teams from the University of California at Berkeley, California State Universities and other community colleges. Each member of the Talk Hawks brought home an award.

“This might be the most impressive showing of the season,” said Las Positas College Director of Forensics Tim Heisler, “We not only finished ahead of every community college at the tournament but we beat every university in the competition as well.” In their four weekends of competition this semester, Talk Hawks team members have come home with three First Place Team Awards and 59 Individual Awards.

The Talk Hawks have a proud history of state, national and international awards. In 2009, the Talk Hawks brought home the Second Place Sweepstakes Award from the International Forensics Association’s Speech and Debate Tournament held in Montreal, Canada. It is their goal once again to attend this prestigious tournament scheduled in March 2012 in Rome, Italy.

Heisler expressed appreciation to American Equipment Rental of Redwood City for its donation of a previous Talk Hawks’ tournament entry fee. “Because of the drastic cuts colleges have experienced, we will require generous contributions like this to enable our program to continue at this high level,” he said. Organizations and individuals who would like to support the Talk Hawks are encouraged to contact the Las Positas College Foundation at (925) 424-1010 or www.lpcfoundation.org.

Following are the Talk Hawks students and their awards from the recent Mustang tournament:

Salim Razawi of Dublin
1st Place - Communication Analysis, Open Division
3rd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
Finalist - Prose Interpretation, Open Division
Finalist - Poetry Interpretation, Open Division
3rd Top Speaker of the Tournament

Adam Neylan of Tracy
1st Place - Dramatic Interpretation, Open Division
3rd Place - Speech to Entertain, Open Division
Finalist - Oral Interpretation of Literature, Open Division
5th Top Speaker of the Tournament

Weston Toste of Livermore
3rd Place - Persuasive Speaking, Open Division

Sarah Kellner of Brentwood
3rd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
Finalist - Speech to Entertain, Open Division

Lex Newman of Pleasanton
Finalist - Poetry Interpretation, Open Division; Top Novice Speaker in the event

Alex Penn of San Ramon
1st Place - Communication Analysis, Novice Division

Karina Kruel-Anderson of Pleasanton
1st Place - Informative Speaking, Novice Division

Shea Wigton of San Ramon
1st Place - Speech to Entertain, Novice Division

Scott Ault of Pleasanton
Finalist - Prose Interpretation, Novice Division

11/8/11

Las Positas College to Host Free Proposal Budgeting Workshop

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Foundation Center Cooperative Collection will host a free workshop for nonprofit organizations, “Proposal Budgeting Basics,” on Friday, Dec. 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Building 2400, Room 2416. Registration is required by phone at (925) 424-1355 or online at http://grantspace.org/Classroom/Training-Calendar/San-Francisco/Proposal-Budgeting-Basics-2011-12-09-Livermore-CA.

Led by Scott Ullman of the San Francisco Foundation Center, the workshop provides an overview of the process of strategically thinking through the budget line items to be included in a grant proposal. The workshop is designed for organizations considering or currently seeking grants from foundations.

The following learning outcomes will be accomplished during the workshop:

How to determine reasonable expenditures

What to include under the personnel section and how to calculate it

What types of expenses are considered overhead

Determining the level of detail to include for non-personnel expenses

Financial documents to include in the proposal package

Through the Foundation Center of New York’s Cooperating Collection designation, Las Positas College has expanded its services to the community. Located in the Learning Resource Center on the Livermore campus, the Las Positas College Cooperative Collection Center is available to nonprofit organizations and other grant seekers in the Tri-Valley area looking for funding sources. For additional information, contact Vicki Shipman at (925) 424-1355.

11/1/11

Las Positas College to Present Three WWII Heroes for Veterans Day Observance

(Livermore, CA) - In observance of Veterans Day, Las Positas College invites the public to attend a free history presentation featuring three nationally renowned World War II heroes on Thursday, Nov. 10, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts, Building 4000. Guests are encouraged to arrive for the 9:45 a.m. Presentation of Colors.

The first speaker, 10:30-11:30 a.m., is Maggie Gee, one of only two Chinese-American women pilots who served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). She helped male pilots train for combat and became a part of an air transport program where she would ferry men and aircraft to ports of embarkation. In 2009, a book was written about her life story called, “Sky High: The True Story of Maggie Gee.” In 2010, she received the Congressional Gold Medal.

The second presentation, 12-1 p.m., features Lt. LeRoy Gillead and Lt. Col. Harold Hoskins Jr., two of the original Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II. Before 1940, African-Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. In 1941, civil rights efforts results in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Ala. which became known as the Tuskegee Airmen - recognized as one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II. An eponymous award-winning 1995 film chronicles their heroism and significance in integration of the military.

Following is the complete schedule of events:

8 a.m. Dedication of the Flag by the Student Veterans Organization

9:45 a.m. National Anthem and Presentation of Colors by Travis Air Force Base

10:30 a.m. Maggie Gee Presentation

12 p.m. Tuskegee Airmen Presentation

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. BBQ by Elite Cafeteria

5 p.m. TAPS performed by David Kratochvil

Other highlights include: WASP and Maggie Gee display in the Library, Branches of Service display in the Multi-Disciplinary Building 2400, Air Force Jazz Band, Warrior Watch Riders, Vietnam-era Huey helicopter, past and present military vehicles and representatives from community Veterans organizations.

The event is sponsored by the Las Positas College Veterans First Program which provides veterans with services and resources to help them achieve their educational goals. This past academic year, more than 300 veterans or active duty military personnel were enrolled at the college. The college recently was recognized as a Military Friendly School for 2011 by “G.I. Jobs” magazine, placing the college in the top 15 percent of schools nationwide.

10/25/11

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar to Explore Microbes and the Race to Diagnose Pathogens

(Livermore, CA) - The seminar, “Microbes Gone Wild - The Race to Diagnose Pathogens,” is the second seminar of the second season of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar Series. The seminar will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6-7:15 p.m. in the Multi-Disciplinary Building 2400, Room 2420. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is $2.

The seminar will be presented by two LLNL experts: Holly Franz, Ph.D., Biomedical Scientist, Deputy Program Director for Biosecurity, Office of Strategic Outcomes; and Reg Beer, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineer, Principal Investigator and Associate Program Leader, National Security Engineering Division, Center for Micro and Nanotechnologies. The seminar is part of a series, “Theory to Practice: How Science Gets Done,” launched last year.

“The series is designed to enhance the partnership shared by the two Livermore institutions and provides a forum for laboratory scientists and engineers to share their broad range of basic and applied research with the college’s scientific community of students, staff and faculty,” said Dean of Math, Science, Engineering and Public Safety Neal Ely, Ph.D.

“The series offers a way to look at how science is done,” added Biology Instructor Nan Ho. “A unique feature of the series, especially for a community college, is the focus on the ‘big science’ that LLNL does that requires cross-disciplinary expertise.”

The presentations are interdisciplinary in nature and focus on how science is applied to solve problems from theory to practice, she said. The seminar will run about 45 minutes, with another 30 minutes allocated for questions and answers.

The abstract for the Nov. 8 seminar is as follows: “Protecting public health from the next pandemic or ensuring that you get the best care possible in the Emergency Room or other clinical setting requires fast and accurate diagnosis of infectious disease. Effective detection technologies must be fast, sensitive, and specific to the precise cause of the patient’s sickness. LLNL is working towards extremely rapid medical diagnostics that determine the exact bacteria or virus causing infection by recognizing the organism’s nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) fingerprint. We will discuss trends and specific technologies to meet this critical need in a much faster time than previously possible.”

For more information about the event, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/news/scienceSeries.php.

10/25/11

Las Positas College to Present 60th Birthday Celebration of Kim Peek: The Real Rain Man

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will celebrate the 60th birthday of the late Kim Peek, the mega-savant who inspired the Oscar-winning film “Rain Man,” on Monday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. in Room 2420 of the Multi-Disciplinary Building. The celebration will feature a documentary film and guest presenter Fran Peek, Kim’s father. The event is free and open to the public. A $5 donation is requested; parking is $2.

Before Kim’s death in 2009, Kim and Fran Peek were frequent visitors to Las Positas College and honorary members of the college’s Psychology Club and chapter of the Psi Beta National Honor Society, according to Psychology Instructor Ernest Jones, Ph.D.

Kim Peek, who would have turned sixty this year, was the inspiration for screenwriter Barry Morrow’s Academy Award winning movie “Rain Man.” “Although diagnosed with mental retardation and autistic-like behaviors as an infant, Kim had a prodigious memory and was one of the most extraordinary minds ever studied,” said Jones.

“Kim Peek was the ‘Mt. Everest of memory.’ I doubt a person like him, with such unique and massive memory, will ever come along again,” commented Darold Treffert, Ph.D., regarded as the leading authority on savant syndrome.

10/21/11

Las Positas College to Host Master Mexican Woodcarver Oct. 26

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will host Jesus Sosa, a master woodcarver and painter from Oaxaca, Mexico, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts, Rooms 4213 and 4240. Sosa will demonstrate his work and explain the history of Alebrijes, an Oaxacan wood carving tradition. The event is free and open to the public; parking is $2.

Painted wooden carvings are some of the most popular items in Mexican folk art. Oaxaca’s wood carving tradition dates back to pre-Hispanic times. Zapotecs, indigenous people of Mexico, carved religious totems and ceremonial masks. With the arrival of the Spanish, carvers created saints, angels, crosses and altars.
Sosa, who has visited U.S. colleges, museums and galleries, is known for his painted carvings of cats, dogs, skeletons and angels. He tells the story about his first inspiration to carve after a bout with typhoid fever in the mid 1980s. He had been very ill and unable to work for a long time. One day, as he waited in a doctor’s office, Sosa saw a medical pamphlet about parasites, including the amoeba. This tiny protozoan inspired his signature pattern for his carvings.

Sosa’s visit is sponsored by the Las Positas College Foreign Language Department which offers transfer-level courses in Spanish, American Sign Language, French and Italian. For more information, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu.

10/14/11

Las Positas College to Present Arthur Miller’s Classic Drama “All My Sons”

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will open its theater season with Arthur Miller’s first Tony Award winning play, “All My Sons,” inspired by a true story about a successful businessman who knowingly sold the government defective airplane parts during World War II. Performances are Nov. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 13 and 20 at 2 p.m. in the Black Box Theater in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 1(800) 838-3006.

First performed on Broadway in 1947 with a run of 328 performances, the play won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Play. It enjoyed a successful Broadway revival in 2008 with the cast of John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Patrick Wilson and Katie Holmes in her Broadway debut.

Las Positas College Theater Instructor and “All My Sons” Director Wesley Morgan said he chose the play because of its subject matter. “‘All My Sons’ explores themes of self determination, familial loyalty, moral responsibility, war profiteering and the struggle of generational views of the all-American dream,” Morgan said.

“Arthur Miller has written in ‘All My Sons’ a twentieth-century Greek tragedy with the Second World War as a back drop,” Morgan explained. Joe Keller, the owner of a metal works factory in middle America, in an effort to establish financial security for his family, makes a serious error in judgment that will haunt him and his family for as long as they live.

The play has a cast of 10 actors who represent the family and friends of the Keller family, prominent residents of a Midwest suburban neighborhood. The Kellers are: Joe, father of two sons; sons Larry and Chris, both soldiers in WWII; and Kate, Joe’s loyal and loving wife.
As the play opens, we learn that Larry has been missing in action for more than three years and that his brother Chris is bringing Larry’s former fiancée, Ann Deever, to visit the family home where he plans to
propose marriage to her. With this inciting incident, the complications begin, Morgan explained. Kate has been in denial about Larry’s true status because, if he is dead, family secrets that have been tenuously left unspoken and ignored surely will be exposed.

Ann also is the former next door neighbor and daughter of Joe’s former business partner who was sent to prison for allowing defective cylinder heads to be sold and installed in WWII fighter planes, causing the deaths of 21 pilots. In a court case, Joe denied responsibility and eluded conviction.
“The play begins on a bright sunny Sunday in August, and with the arrival of both Ann and her brother George, the truths of the Kellers’ and the Deevers’ lives are to be gradually illuminated, as darkness of their consequences slowly envelopes the Kellers’ quiet suburban home,” Morgan said.

The Las Positas College production cast includes veteran actor and Livermore resident Tim Ackerman as Joe Keller, Chris Macomber of Oakland as Kate Keller, Brennan Pryor of Tracy as Chris Keller, Jasmine Richard, of Tracy as Ann Deever, Josh Ze of Livermore as George Deever; with Kathi Hileman, Rich Cook, Jeremy La Clair, Katie Lloyd, Adam Lagodzinski and Adam Turk. Production design is by Jeremy Hamm.

10/12/11

Las Positas College to Host Renowned Motivational, Mental Health Speaker Jeff Bell

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will host renowned motivational speaker, author and mental health advocate Jeff Bell, who will discuss his story of dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder, at the event “Increasing Mental Health Awareness and Literacy,” 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the Multi-Disciplinary Building Room 2420. The event is free and open to the public; parking is $2.

Following Bell’s talk will be a presentation about Lets Erase the Stigma (LETS),
a nationally recognized organization dedicated to erasing the stigma of mental illness through developing education programs, mentoring opportunities and research designed to empower youth to change the perception of mental illness. The mental health awareness event is sponsored by the Psychology Department and the Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society, according to Las Positas College Psychology Instructor Ernest Jones, Ph.D.

Recognized as a leading authority on uncertainty and motivation, Bell is a news anchor at KCBS Radio in San Francisco and the author of two books: “Rewind, Replay, Repeat,” in which he recounts his struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder and his on-going recovery, and “When In Doubt, Make Belief,” in which he discusses insights he has gained through his recovery and how others can apply them in their lives.

Bell is a national spokesperson for Mental Health America’s (MHA) “Real Lives” program and a recipient of MHA’s prestigious forWARDS award for “moving the cause of mental health forward.” He also is a national spokesperson for the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation and co-founder of the mental health education and advocacy organization Adversity to Advocacy. He speaks throughout the country and has appeared on more than 50 television and radio programs.

The Las Positas College Department of Psychology brings world-renowned speakers and events to the campus and Tri-Valley community including: Temple Grandin, portrayed in an award winning HBO movie and regarded as the world’s most accomplished and best-known adult with autism; William C. Dement, M.D. Ph.D., the world’s leading authority on sleep and regarded as the “Father of Sleep Medicine;” the late Kim Peek, the super-savant who inspired the Oscar-winning film, “Rain Man;” and Dr. John Ratey, best-selling author and associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

10/12/11

Las Positas College Invites High School Seniors and Parents to “Shift Gears” from High School to College

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College invites high school seniors and their parents to “Shifting Gears,” an informational evening on Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the Physical Education Complex. Information tables will be open from 6-7 p.m. with faculty and staff available to speak with students and their parents. The formal program is from 7-9 p.m., featuring presentations about major and transfer academic programs.

Students are asked to RSVP online to indicate the name of their high school and the number of persons who plan to attend at: www.laspositascollege.edu/news/01hsseniorparentnight2011.php.

Parking is free for this event. To view a campus map and learn more, please visit the Las Positas College website at www.laspositascollege.edu, or contact Julie Thornburg at (925) 424-1421.

10/11/11

Las Positas College Speech Team Wins First Place Award

(Livermore, CA) - For the fourth consecutive year, the Las Positas College Speech Team, the Talk Hawks, soared above tournament competition to capture the First Place Team Sweepstakes Award for Community Colleges. The Talk Hawks also won Second Place overall in Individual Events and Debate, ahead of teams from two- and four-year colleges and universities including the University of California, Berkeley. Las Positas College student Salim Razawi finished as Top Speaker for the tournament which featured 18 teams and was held Oct. 7-9 at Santa Rosa Junior College.

“I’m incredibly proud of this group of students,” said Las Positas College Director of Forensics Tim Heisler. “There were schools with much larger teams and entries at this competition, and yet our squad still managed to come out on top.”

Heisler expressed appreciation to American Equipment Rental of Redwood City for its donation of the Talk Hawks’ tournament entry fee. “Because of the drastic cuts colleges have experienced, we will require generous contributions like this to enable our program to continue at this high level,” he said. Organizations and individuals who would like to support the Talk Hawks are encouraged to contact the Las Positas College Foundation at (925) 424-1010.

The Talk Hawks have a proud history of state, national and international awards in forensics including debate, public speaking, oral interpretation of literature and Readers Theater. In 2009, the Talk Hawks brought home the Second Place Sweepstakes Award from the International Forensics Association’s Speech and Debate Tournament held in Montreal, Canada. It is their goal once again to attend this prestigious tournament scheduled in March 2012 in Rome, Italy.

“The Las Positas College team is so very strong because it always has had a community of educators, staff and administrators who embrace the activity and believe in its value,” said Speech Instructor and Forensics Co-director Jim Dobson. “Along with hard-working, dedicated students and coaches, this support helps elevate the team to phenomenal heights of success.”

Following are the Talk Hawks award winners from the Santa Rosa tournament:

Salim Razawi of Dublin, CA
Top Speaker of the Tournament
1st Place - Prose Interpretation, Open Division
2nd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
2nd Place - Communication Analysis, Open Division
3rd Place - Poetry Interpretation, Open Division

Shea Wigton of San Ramon, CA
1st Place - Prose Interpretation, Novice Division

Weston Toste of Livermore, CA
1st Place - Persuasive Speaking, Open Division

Sarah Kellner of Brentwood, CA
1st Place - Speech to Entertain, Novice Division
1st Place - Poetry Interpretation, Novice Division

Lex Newman of Pleasanton, CA
3rd Place - Poetry Interpretation, Novice Division

Adam Neylan of Tracy, CA
1st Place - Programmed Oral Interpretation, Open Division
2nd Place - Duo Interpretation, Open Division
3rd Place - Speech to Entertain, Open Division
Finalist - Prose Interpretation, Open Division

Scott Ault of Pleasanton, CA
Finalist - Informative Speaking, Novice Division

Alexandra Penn of San Ramon, CA
3rd Place - Communication Analysis, Open Division

9/29/11

Las Positas College Arts Center Wins National Design Award

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College’s Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts won a 2011 Outstanding Design Award in the American School and University Design Competition. The award is one of 26 national awards and one of only two awards given to schools in California.

“Las Positas College is honored to have been recognized with such a prestigious award. The Mertes Center for the Arts is truly a beautifully designed facility, both architecturally and functionally, and it will serve our community for decades to come,” said Las Positas College Vice President of Administrative Services Bob Kratochvil.

Completed last year, the center was named to honor Barbara Fracisco Mertes, founding dean of the college and current president of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees. The state-of-the-art center is both an educational facility and an asset to the entire community. Guests from the campus and community have gathered at the center to enjoy musicals, concerts, lectures, ceremonies and special events including a Veteran’s Day seminar featuring three survivors of the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona.

The 55,000 square foot building includes a 464-seat main theater, formal lobby, 175 seat black box theater, classrooms, rehearsal rooms, faculty offices, two parking lots, entry plaza, landscaping and an outdoor amphitheater with seating capacity for up to 1,500 people. The building has achieved LEED Silver certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized “green” building certification system and standard for measuring building sustainability.

The Mertes Center for the Arts was made possible by voter approval of Measure B, a general obligation facilities bond. The center architects are John Sergio Fisher & Associates, Inc.

For information about upcoming events in the center, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu.
Las Positas College is a community college serving the Tri-Valley area of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and Sunol. The College offers seamless undergraduate transfer credits to the University of California and the California State University systems as well as more than 70 degree and certificate programs at its northwest Livermore campus. Over 9,000 students attend the college. For registration information please call (925) 424-1554 or go online at www.laspositascollege.edu. Las Positas College is located at 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore.

9/22/11

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar to Highlight Technology that Restores Sight to the Blind

(Livermore, CA) - The seminar, “Restoring Sight to the Blind: Bringing Hope through Technology,” will open the second season of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar Series on Monday, October 3, 6-7:15 p.m. in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is $2.

The seminar will be presented by a team of seven LLNL experts led by Sat Pannu, Ph.D., Section Leader for the Center for Micro and Nano-Technology and former Las Positas College student. It is part of a series, “Theory to Practice: How Science gets Done,” launched last year.

Millions of people worldwide suffer from ocular diseases that degrade the retina, the light-processing component of the eye, causing blindness, according to the seminar abstract. As the population continues to age, the number of Americans blinded by age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) will increase. Unfortunately, there are no therapeutic or curative options for these patients, and it has left them with little hope, the abstract states.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in collaboration with four other national laboratories, four universities, and Second Sight® Medical Products, has developed the first long-term retinal prosthesis that can function for years inside the harsh biological environment of the eye. The device takes images from an external video camera and sends electric impulses to an array implanted in the eye. These impulses stimulate the retina and enable the brain to perceive patterns of light, according to the abstract.

In clinical trials, patients with vision loss were able to successfully identify objects, increase mobility, and detect movement using the retinal implant. Further planned developments for the device will enable reading and face recognition. In addition, the technologies used in the retinal implant, to restore sight to the blind, could be expanded to develop devices that increase the functionality of people with spinal cord injuries, deafness and other neurological disorders, the abstract states.

The second generation of the Artificial Retina, Argus II, which has 60 pixels won a 2009 R&D 100 Award as well as the R&D 100 Editor’s Choice Award. It also received the 2010 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award.

In addition to Pannu, LLNL team presenters will include: Terri Delima, Microsystems Technician; Sarah Felix Ph.D., Microsystems Engineer; Kedar Shah, M.S., Microsystems Packaging Engineer; Heeral Sheth, M.S., Biomedical Engineer; Vanessa Tolosa, Ph.D., Chemical Engineer; and Angela Tooker, Ph.D., Microsystems Engineer.

For more information about the event, please visit http://www.laspositascollege.edu/news/LLNL-RestoringSighttotheBlind.php or http://www.laspositascollege.edu/news/scienceSeries.php.

9/14/11

Las Positas College Invites Enrollment at New Child Development Center

(Livermore, CA) - A maple hardwood kitchen stands ready for make-believe play. Books are displayed on tables. The dolls are waiting to be hugged. A dream that has been years in the making will come true when classes begin on October 3 and the first children walk - or toddle - to their classrooms in Las Positas College’s new state-of-the-art Child Development Center.

“Our new center is the culmination of a dream that began more than 20 years ago,” said Child Development Center Program Director Corinna Calica, who also is a mother of three. “Our faculty worked closely with architects and they thought of everything that would be beneficial to the development of young children.”

Calica invites interested parents in the community to contact her immediately for tours and information about enrollment and tuition. Openings still are available in both classes: the toddler class for children 18 to 36 months, with a teacher/student ration of one to four; and preschool class for children 3 to 5 years old, with a teacher/student ration of one to eight.

She said that visiting parents’ responses have been positive and enthusiastic. “Parents really like the fact that we are part of a learning laboratory program. Our teachers are always on their toes because they are being observed by college faculty and students, and they are modeling best practices in early education - teaching future teachers how to teach,” Calica said.

Classroom teachers hold qualifications that exceed minimum state requirements, noted Calica, who currently is completing a doctorate program in Educational Leadership at the University of California at Davis. She earned an M.A. degree in Human Development/Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena.

She explained that Las Positas College students will get hands-on teacher training and mentoring through the center. Additionally, the opportunity to observe will complement their classroom education in the most current research, developmental theories and best practices in early childhood development.

“Theory and practice go hand in hand in our center,” she said. Visiting parents have been impressed with the new center’s state-of-the-art facilities. “They can tell that we celebrate childhood here and that this is reflected inside and out. This is a place for imagination, where children are encouraged to explore and discover.”

Explaining that children learn through play, she gave one example of how children will learn pre-math and pre-science by cooking in the full classroom kitchen - measuring ingredients to create a liquid batter and turning that into a solid muffin through baking. Each classroom also has an outdoor garden box where the children will grow vegetables. “Children like to eat what they grow,” she said.

The two outdoor play areas offer sinks, bikes, play equipment, art areas, many natural and water features, and several water misters to keep children cool during hot summer months. The center includes an administration building and separate wings for toddler classrooms and preschool classrooms, accommodating up to 132 children.

Supporting Las Positas College’s commitment to sustainability, toys and other classroom materials are eco-friendly, and many pieces are constructed of solid maple hardwood. The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification; LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized “green” building certification system and standard for measuring building sustainability.

The building has been funded by Measure B, the general obligation facilities bond which voters passed in 2004. For more information about the program, please contact Corinna Calica at ccalica@laspositascollege.edu or (925) 424-1575; or visit www.eastbaypreschools.com.

Las Positas College Child Development Center; License #013420889; Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing.

8/31/11

Las Positas College Math Instructor Wins Buffington Award for Excellence

(Pleasanton, CA) - Las Positas College Math Instructor Emerita Dale Boercker has been named the recipient of the 2011 Buffington Award for excellence in teaching, considered the most prestigious faculty honor in the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District.

“Dale brings boundless enthusiasm and energy to all that she undertakes, and never does anything halfway,” said Math Instructor Teresa Henson. “Being mathematicians, we know that you can’t give more than 100 percent; having said that, we have to say that Dale gives more than 100 percent in all that she does.”

A resident of Livermore, Boercker has served the district as a math instructor, faculty leader, and program innovator for more than 22 years, first teaching at Chabot College and then moving to Las Positas College in 1999. She has taught a full range of math courses from the pre-algebra level to the multivariable calculus level. She retired as a full-time faculty member in June, but continues to teach part-time and work with the Academy for College Excellence.

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Boercker said. “I was even president of the Future Teachers of American club in high school.” She began her career teaching junior high school, but said her greatest joy has been teaching in the community colleges.

“When I finished my degree, I was hired at Chabot. I knew immediately that I had found my ‘place.’ According to Frederick Buechner, ‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.’ My place was working with students, helping them to learn mathematics, and working with colleagues, helping all of us find better ways to connect to students.”

Faculty members acknowledge Boercker’s contributions as a leader and innovator. “Dale has been an inspiration within the math department and to the faculty as a whole as someone who consistently seeks new ways to teach her classes and to best serve her students, her fellow faculty members, and her college,” Henson said. Following are some highlights of Boercker’s teaching career:

Open Math Lab. Recognizing the need for stronger support of students in math classes, Boercker was an early champion of requiring lab hours with math courses, Henson said. “Her in-class collaborations and Open Math Lab activities have become legendary.”

Integrated Learning Center (ILC). Boercker is co-founder, co-coordinator, and frequent instructor for the ILC where students can get free help in math and English as a Second Language classes.

College Foundation Semester (CFS) Program. Boercker is a founder of CFS, a learning community for at-risk students. “Through her work and special training, Dale has developed a unique and perceptive understanding of the needs of students who enroll in the foundation semester,” Henson said. “Dale connects with these students, becoming a mentor and guide, as well as instructor. She holds them to high standards, while working tirelessly to promote their success, helping them to overcome the disadvantaged backgrounds, learning disabilities, and personal problems that threaten to undermine their success. These students find in CFS a path to hope for a college education and a fulfilling career.”

Math Department. During her three-year tenure as the Mathematics Department Coordinator, Boercker increased staffing to serve students needs, establishing the groundwork for Mathematics to evolve into the college’s largest department.

Math Curriculum. Boercker has been instrumental in curriculum review and development. “Dale revamped the Differential Equations and Linear Algebra courses to include a required technology lab component in which students learn to use MATLAB, an industry-standard, university-level software which is required for math, science, and engineering students transferring to the UCs and other four-year colleges,” Henson explained. “Dale also pioneered the use of context-based learning activities in mathematics and developed a number of hands-on experiments which help students understand concepts, while appealing to a wide-range of learning styles.” She also developed a Math Study Skills course, which addresses the needs of students who have failed repeatedly in their math courses, who are ‘math anxious,’ and who are lacking basic tools needed for success in school.

Student Success. Work-Based Learning Coordinator Leslie Gravino, who has worked with Boercker in CFS, told the following story which she said “exemplifies Dale's compassion for helping students succeed. Two students from CFS needed to take statistics and both were very anxious, as one had failed the class and the other had ‘math anxiety.’ Dale thought about tutoring them, but instead, took the class with them. She learned along with them, while her presence gave them the support and confidence they needed to pass. That is Dale - compassionate and always willing to support student success, whatever that takes

Alumni Success. A few years ago, one of Boercker’s former students contacted her to thank her for her “tough love” and to let her know how he had succeeded since leaving Las Positas College. He went on to complete a Ph.D. in mathematics at UC Davis.

Community Service. Boercker’s extensive community service includes participating in workshops that encourage young women to pursue careers in mathematics and the sciences and organizing a Tri-Valley Educational Collaborative symposium for Las Positas College and local area high school math instructors.

Lifelong Learner and Mentor. Boercker is a certified Master Mentor in the Academy for College Excellence program and offers workshops for many colleges through the Faculty Experiential Learning Institute. She earned the following degrees: B.S., Austin Peay State University; M.S., California State University, Hayward; and M.Ed., University of Florida.

8/16/11

Las Positas College to Host Free Workshop “Proposal Writing Basics”

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Foundation Center Cooperative Collection will host a free workshop for nonprofit organizations, “Proposal Writing Basics,” on Friday, Sept. 23, 3- 4:30 p.m. in Building 2400, Room 2416. Registration is required; register by phone at (925) 424-1355 or online at http://grantspace.org/Classroom/Training-Calendar/Other-Locations/Proposal-Writing-Basics-2011-09-23-Livermore-CA.

Conducted by Scott Ullman of the San Francisco Foundation Center, the workshop is designed for organizations considering or currently seeking grants from foundations. It will provide an overview of the process of strategically thinking through the components of a proposal. Workshop learning outcomes include the following:

How the proposal fits into the overall grant-seeking process
What to include in a standard proposal to a foundation
Tips for making each section of your proposal stronger
What funders expect to see in your proposal and attachments
Tips for communicating with funders during the grant process
Additional resources on proposal writing, including sample proposals

Through the Foundation Center of New York’s Cooperating Collection designation, Las Positas College expands its services to the community it serves. Located in the Learning Resource Center on campus, the Las Positas College Cooperative Collection Center is available for nonprofit organizations and other grant seekers in the Tri-Valley area looking for funding sources. For additional information, please contact Vicki Shipman at (925) 424-1355.

7/21/11

Las Positas College Graduates Win Prestigious Local and State Awards

(Livermore, CA) - Three Las Positas College Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) Honor Society students - Takeo Hiraki, Dina Ra, and Christina Teslich - are recipients of prestigious awards for academic excellence and community service.

The three students acknowledge their honor society adviser, Math Instructor Randy Taylor, as a contributor to their success. “Mr. Taylor spends time outside the classroom to show students their opportunities,” Hiraki said.

Takeo Hiraki

A graduate of Castro Valley High School, Takeo Hiraki won four prestigious awards during the academic year:

The Sandia National Laboratories and Livermore Chamber of Commerce College Student of the Year Award.

The AGS Honor Society Tom Jackson Award, the highest AGS award a student can win in the California
community college scholastic honor society, making Hiraki the top AGS Honor Society student in the state.

The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Silver Scholar Award through Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Selection as a Coca-Cola Silver Scholar is based on scores earned in the All-USA Community College Academic Team competition, which received more than 1,600 applications this year. Nationally, only 50 students are chosen to receive the Gold Scholar Award and 50 students are chosen to receive the Silver Scholar Award. As a Silver Scholar, Hiraki was recognized as one of the top 100 community college students in the nation.

All California Academic First Team member; Hiraki was one of 30 California students selected.

“Takeo’s academic achievement, leadership roles, and service to college and community are exemplary,” said Interim Dean of Student Services Kimberly Tomlinson. “The college community congratulates him on these important awards.”

Hiraki described some of the most influential aspects of his college experience. “Attending Las Positas College has given me the opportunity to take numerous critical thinking and reasoning classes that will be important for my future studies and as an attorney,” he said. “More importantly, attending Las Positas College has exposed me to a number of incredibly influential and intelligent people who have motivated me and shaped me as a person.”

Hiraki served as a college volunteer tutor and as a legislative intern for California State Assemblymember Joan Buchanan. He was vice president of the Associated Students of Las Positas College (ASLPC), a voting member of the college Planning and Budget Committee, treasurer of the AGS Honor Society, and the Inter-Club Council representative of the International Business Association. He won the Las Positas College AGS Executive Officer’s Award, the AGS Faculty Adviser’s Tribute to Excellence Award, and the ASLPC Most Valuable Senator Award.

Hiraki will major in history at the University of California at Berkeley and plans to attend law school.

Dina Ra

Dina Ra, an international student from Cambodia, was awarded the Charles Bell Service Award by the AGS Honor Society. There are about 7,000 AGS students in the state and 21 were service award recipients. Out of this group of 21, the top three service students in the state earned the special higher designation of the Charles Bell Service Award, according to Taylor.

“Dina follows a great tradition at Las Positas College,” Taylor said. “A Las Positas College student has received the higher Charles Bell Service Award in 13 out of the 14 years it has been given.”

Ra was a volunteer tutor at the Las Positas College Tutorial Center, helping students in both mathematics and economics. She also participated in the following fundraisers: “Hike for Haiti,” to raise money for the Haiti earthquake victims; the Holiday Canned Food Drive for the American Red Cross; and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society drive to support a Las Positas College instructor’s “Light the Night” walk.

She served as the Las Positas College AGS president, the Business Club vice president, World Culture Alliance Club secretary, Inter-Club Council representative, and the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society treasurer. She received the AGS Faculty Adviser’s Tribute to Excellence Award, the ASLPC Scholarship, and the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society Outstanding Achievement Scholarship.
Ra will attend San Diego State University this fall to major in business and plans to earn an M.B.A.

Christina Teslich

A graduate of Granada High School, Christina Teslich received the Kathleen D. Loly Academic Award given by the AGS Honor Society. Additionally, she was one was one of only 30 state community college students named to the All California Academic First Team.

“Christina, too, is following a great tradition at Las Positas College,” Taylor said. “A Las Positas College student has received an AGS academic award in 15 of the past 16 years.”

Teslich volunteered at Emma C. Smith Elementary School, Open Heart Kitchen, and Shepherd’s Gate. She served as the Las Positas College AGS secretary, the Global Hope Club Inter-Club Council representative, a member of the Future Teachers Club, and a member of the Honors Transfer Program.

She received the Sybase Transfer Scholarship, Tri-Valley Retired Educators’ Scholarship, and the AGS Executive Officers’ Leadership Award. Additionally, she was selected as the Las Positas College AGS Member of the Year.

Teslich will transfer to the University of California at Berkeley to major in English and plans to teach high school English.

6/9/11

President Named at Las Positas College - Dr. Kevin G. Walthers

Dr. Kevin G. Walthers (Livermore, CA) - The Board of Trustees of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District voted unanimously to name Kevin Glen Walthers, Ph.D. as the President of Las Positas College in Livermore, CA.

Dr. Walthers currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Administration for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. His duties include responsibility for the state’s financial aid program, which includes the Higher Education Grant Program and the PROMISE Scholarship. Dr. Walthers also oversees the West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing, the state’s educational technology provider to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.

“I am very excited about the future of Las Positas College under the leadership of Dr. Walthers,” said Dr. Joel Kinnamon, District Chancellor. “He is passionately committed to both the community college mission and to the students we serve.”

Prior to his time in West Virginia, Dr. Walthers served as Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services at the College of Eastern Utah. In this position, Dr. Walthers oversaw a significant portion of college operations including athletics, auxiliaries, facility management, and financial operations.
Dr. Walthers’ career as an educator began in Texas as a high school teacher. He also served in policy roles with the Utah State Legislature and as a senior administrator with the Utah State Board of Regents.

Dr. Walthers earned his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah, a Master of Educational Administration degree from Texas A&M University - Commerce, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He began his college education at Eastfield College in the Dallas County Community College District.

Dr. Walthers is expected to begin as President of Las Positas College on August 8, 2011 pending final settlement of his employment contract.

5/31/11

Las Positas College Offers Fall Semester Studies in London

(Livermore, CA) - This fall, Las Positas College is offering to students and the community a semester of studies in London.

“This is a great way to earn 12 to 15 units and live in a foreign country, versus merely seeing it from a tour bus,” said Theater Instructor Wendy Wisely who is teaching the semester abroad. “I can’t wait to take students who are reading Shakespeare in the classroom to the reconstructed Globe Theatre to see his work performed on stage,” she said.Wisely will teach the following four transferable unit courses: Introduction to Theater, World Theater through History, Film Appreciation, and British Life and Cultures. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, have a minimum 2.0 GPA, and have completed a minimum of 12 college units at any college, at any time.

The semester abroad is offered through the American Institute of Foreign Study. Wisely, who has taught theater at Las Positas College for more than 15 years, is one of three faculty members in the Northern California Study Abroad Consortium who will teach in London this coming semester.

For more information and to apply online, please visit www.aifspartnerships.com/ncsac. The program is listed with the Northern California Consortium under Santa Rosa Junior College, where Wisely also teaches. For further information, please contact Wisely at wwisely@laspositascollege.edu.

5/24/11

Las Positas College Wins Readers Theater Championships Awards

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College readers theater, “Voices and Choices,” won two awards and a prestigious nomination at the recent American Readers Theater Association’s National Championships at Mt. San Antonio College.

“Voice and Choices” won the Special Award for Creative Innovation, the Semi-finalist Award, and a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Script; only four championship shows earned the honor of this nomination.

“The creation of ‘Voices and Choices’ took hours and hours of rehearsal and hard work. These awards are very special because they honor the group effort of a difficult, yet rewarding undertaking,” said Director of Forensics Janet Brehe Johnson who wrote and directed the readers theater. She noted that the theater piece “focuses on the importance of choices in our lives and is a fully staged, memorized show.”

All of the cast members are on the Talk Hawks forensics team which was ranked as this year’s number one Northern California team at the California Community College Forensics Association’s State Championships. The cast members are: Jordan Adelman, Katie Johnson, and Brandon Rogers of Livermore; and Adam Neylan of Tracy.

5/23/11

Las Positas College to Present 21st Annual Commencement Ceremony

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will hold its 21st Annual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 28, at 10 a.m. in the Physical Education Complex. Tickets are required; all graduates must participate in a rehearsal beginning at 8 a.m. Immediately following the ceremony will be a reception for graduates and their guests, sponsored by the Associated Students of Las Positas College.

More than 900 degrees or certificates will be conferred this year; about 250 graduates are expected to attend the commencement ceremony.

Commencement speakers include: Interim President Guy Lease, Ed.D.; Chancellor Joel L. Kinnamon, Ed.D.; Valedictorian Nicole Murman; Academic Senate President Sarah Thompson; Associated Student Body Vice-President Takeo Hiraki; Classified Senate President Sharon Gach; and President of the Board of Trustees Barbara F. Mertes, Ph.D.

Jeff Manchester, Las Positas College Foundation Board of Directors Chairman, will be honored with the Friend of the College Award. Manchester, a retired executive of Sandia National Laboratories, is responsible for managing substantial financial support for the College through the Foundation.

Commencement ceremony music will be provided by the Las Positas College Orchestra and Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band Ensemble. For more information, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/graduation.

5/23/11

Las Positas College Welding Program Gets New LENS from Sandia Labs

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College welding students can learn from some of the top scientists in the country and see today’s technology through a new LENS, thanks to a recent equipment transfer from Sandia National Laboratories.

“The transfer provides a specific focus for interaction between volunteer technical staff at Sandia and the dedicated educators at Las Positas,” said Tom Felter, manager of Sandia’s hydrogen and metallurgy science group. The LENS, or Laser Engineered Net Shaping, can fabricate three-dimensional, prototype metallic parts out of metal alloys. Felter said it also will give Sandia technical staff opportunities to work directly with Las Positas College students.

“We are very grateful for this transfer and for all of the support from Sandia National Labs,” said Welding Technology Department Coordinator and Instructor Scott Miner. “It is partnerships like this one between Las Positas College and Sandia that make the educational experience more meaningful to our students and help them look forward to careers, materials, and processes that will be part of tomorrow’s industry.”

Miner said he plans to use the LENS machine to introduce students to metal joining techniques. Students can use the LENS to fabricate metal parts directly from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) solid models, using metal powder particles injected into a molten pool created by a focused, high-powered laser beam.

“We look forward to seeing the equipment being used to inspire future welders, technicians, and engineers for the careers of tomorrow,” Miner said.

Las Positas College’s Welding Technology Department offers both degree and certificate programs. The Associate in Science Degree is recommended for students who wish to pursue a four-year degree. The degree program includes the Certificate, plus additional welding, industrial technology, and general education courses. Students earning the degree also will have demonstrated a broader educational basis and writing ability that can give them an advantage for employment and advancement opportunities in the future, Miner explained.
He noted that his program benefits diverse students who are interested in taking welding classes.
Students include professionals with bachelor’s degrees who work in engineering and technical professions and take classes to learn new skills and technology. Miner also offers a popular welding art class where students create sculpture, jewelry, and other metal artwork. An annual welding art show features students’ creative work.

For more information about the Las Positas College Welding Technology Program, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/WELD, or contact Miner at SMiner@laspositascollege.edu, or (925) 424-1134.

5/23/11

Las Positas College and Pedrozzi Foundations Partner to Award Veterans Scholarships

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College and the Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundations have joined hands to serve our military veterans who have served our country.

At the Annual Student Scholarship Ceremony on May 12, 19 students won Pedrozzi scholarships; 10 of those students are veterans. General Pedrozzi scholarship recipients are Hannah Ackley, Michael Bauer, Sharon Dosanjh, Holly Duffy, Christie Groth, Marcella Jean, Daniel Nilson, Steven Russo, and Marcella Vazquez.

Veteran Pedrozzi scholarship recipients are Justin Berkenstock, Tom Bolyard, William Campos, Christopher Clark, Brandon Hildebrand, John Kukahikow, Jerrod Martinez, William Pittman, Matthew St. Denis, and Antonia Watson.

The Las Positas College Foundation raised $10,000 in scholarships and the Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation matched that amount, bringing total veteran scholarship funding to $20,000. Both foundations invite the community to pitch in and increase that amount for future student veterans.

“Every dollar people invest in the college will do the work of two dollars, so your support goes twice as far,” said Las Positas College Foundation Chief Executive Officer Ted Kaye, Ph.D.

Scholarships are available to all veterans and active duty military personnel. Pedrozzi scholarships are available only to veterans and active duty military personnel who graduated from an accredited Livermore high school.

“The veterans are very grateful for the generous support of both foundations,” said Todd Steffan, Las Positas College Veterans First Coordinator. The Las Positas College Veterans First Program provides veterans with services and resources to help them achieve their educational goals. This past academic year, more than 300 veterans or active duty military personnel were enrolled at the college. The college recently was recognized as a Military Friendly School for 2011 by “G.I. Jobs” magazine, placing the college in the top 15 percent of schools nationwide.

Veteran support services include a full-time program coordinator, priority registration, transfer workshops, a book loan program, a study/drop-in tutorial center, work-study program, and an active Student Veterans Organization. The program also hosts special events such as Operation Gateway, an on-campus orientation for returning veterans. Last year, Las Positas College became one of the first community colleges in California to offer on-site readjustment counseling for veterans and their families in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/veterans.

Persons interested in making contributions to the program can contact the Las Positas College Foundation at 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA 94551; call (925) 424-1010; or visit www.lpcfoundation.org.

The Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation, based in Livermore, awards hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to deserving graduates of Livermore high schools in pursuit of higher education. This year the Foundation awarded $320,500 to 77 students. These scholarships are available to eligible students of all ages whose higher education goals may range from a technical and vocational certification to an upper graduate degree.

Learn more about the foundation at www.pedrozzifoundation.org. Contact the Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation at 1882 Catalina Court Livermore, CA 94550, (925) 456-3700, info@pedrozzifoundation.org.

5/12/11

Las Positas College Invites Latino Families to Campus Event May 21

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College invites Latino families to learn about college opportunities and access at “Aprendiendo A Triunfar IV/Learning To Triumph IV” on Saturday, May 21, at 9 a.m. in the Multi-Disciplinary Building, Building 2400.

“This event is designed to introduce Latino families to higher education by offering age specific workshops and activities to create a bond between the Latino community and Las Positas College. We believe this event captures the inclusiveness and opportunities that should be available to all in our community,” said organizer Counselor Gilberto Victoria. The event is free and will be conducted in Spanish. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Following are event highlights:

Keynote speakers: Honorable Joan Buchanan, California State Assemblywoman for District 15; and María Leticia Gómez, Univision Spanish-language TV news anchor.
Parent Workshops: Financial Planning for your Children’s Education and Financial Aid; English as a Second Language, how language development helps in all aspects of our lives; and Growing With Our Children: A Workshop On Family and Educational Development.
Middle/High School Student Workshops: Science Workshop, why science is important in our lives; and Photography/Graphic Design.
Entertainment, activities, and supervised childcare for children.
Lunch and transportation.

The event is sponsored by Latinos por la Educación/Latinos for Education, with representatives from organizations in the Tri-Valley area including the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Migrant Education of California, St. Michael’s Church of Livermore, Tri-Valley Community Foundation, and Las Positas College. Additional sponsorship is from First United Services Credit Union and New York Life.

For more information, please contact Las Positas College Counselor Gilberto Victoria, GVictoria@laspositascollege.edu, (925) 424-1477.

5/9/11

Las Positas College Veterans Get Support from May 21 Englander Pub Golf Tournament “Saluting Those Who Served”

(Livermore, CA) - The Englander Pub and Restaurant of San Leandro is sponsoring its 5th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, “Saluting Those Who Served,” on Saturday, May 21, 12:30 to 6 p.m., at the Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland to benefit the Veterans First Program at Las Positas College.

“Today, many colleges are experiencing an influx of veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The experiences and perspectives these individuals carry with them are unique, often inspiring and life-altering, and in most cases they far exceed the trials and triumphs our typical civilian students experience,” said Mark Wodyka, golf tournament volunteer coordinator. “Returning to civilian life is often daunting for these heroic individuals, and pursuing an academic credential or vocational training at a college or university can be tremendously difficult for these men and women.”

Wodyka invites players of all levels to sign up for the golf event to benefit student veterans. “The charity golf tournament is ‘best ball,’ so you don’t need to be an active or experienced player if you just want to support our veterans and have fun,” Wodyka said. He noted that, each year, the Englander Charity Golf Tournament seeks to raise money for important charities in the community.

“This year, helping the veterans in their transition to civilian and college life is very important,” said Englander owner Jot Mangat. “We all need to support these men and women returning from service to our country. Participating in this event is one way to do that. The Veterans First Program at Las Positas College is the beneficiary that provides the necessary services for our returning veterans this tournament supports.”

Las Positas College Veterans First Coordinator Todd Steffan expressed his appreciation to the Englander for choosing the program as this year’s beneficiary. “One of the reasons our program is so strong is that we have tremendous support from the community,” Steffan said. “We are extremely grateful to Jot, Mark, and everyone involved in this charity event.”

Golf tournament tickets are $135 per player which includes green fee, golf cart, lunch on the course, and a generous BBQ dinner at the Englander Restaurant after the tournament. This year’s grand prize for the “hole-in-one” competition is a new car from F.H. Daily Chevrolet. Raffle prizes include a 50-inch HDTV, blu-ray player, VIP tickets to an Oakland A’s game, and more.

Tickets can be purchased at the Englander, the Wednesday San Leandro Farmers Market, and at www.englanderpub.com. For more information, please contact Bob Atthowe at (510) 303-2616 or Mark Wodyka at markw499@pacbell.net.

4/28/11

Las Positas College Business Club Wins State Sweepstakes Award

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Business Club won the Sweepstakes Award as the top community college at the recent California Phi Beta Lambda State Business Leadership Conference in Long Beach, CA. Nine club members brought home many individual and team awards as well.

“Our club members competed in a number of events against not only other community colleges, but against other four-year colleges and universities as well,” said Business Instructor and Business Club Adviser Bob D’Elena. “There were over 200 students at the conference. I am very proud to announce that we won many medals and awards.”

Following are the club member winners and their awards:

Mandi Thomas, of Pleasanton:
Accounting Principles - 1st Place
Hospitality Management (team of 2) - 4th Place
Management Analysis and Decision Making (team of 3) - 3rd Place

Amanda Wong, of Castro Valley:
Impromptu Speaking - 4th Place
Name Tag Design and Production (team of 3) - 4th Place

Zixia (Steven) Liu, of Dublin and originally from Canton, China:
Accounting Principles - 3rd Place
Micro Economics - 4th Place
Statistical Analysis - 3rd Place
Name Tag Design and Production (team of 3) - 4th Place

Alyssa Moore, of Livermore:
Marketing Concepts - 1st Place
Retail Management - 1st Place
Hospitality Management (team of 2) - 4th Place

Dina Ra, of Livermore and originally from Cambodia:
Future Business Executive - 5th Place

Macklin Argueta, of San Ramon:
Impromptu Speaking - 5th Place

Herman Kahlon, of Pleasanton:
Management Analysis and Decision Making (team of 3) - 3rd Place

Jonathan Sugishita, of Tracy:
Management Analysis and Decision Making (team of 3) - 3rd Place

Gurjeet Singh, of Tracy:
Name Tag Design and Production (team of 3) - 4th Place

4/28/11

Las Positas College Announces Four National Speech Champions

(Livermore, CA) - Four members of the Las Positas College Talk Hawks forensics team brought home awards from the Phi Rho Pi Community College National Championships held April 9-16 in Greenwich, CT.

Ranked as the number one Northern California community college team at the state championship tournament, the Talk Hawks competed with 522 participants from 59 different community colleges at the national championships.

“It was an exhausting, yet exhilarating experience, and I'm so very proud of the way in which our students shine, in and out of competition,” said director of forensics Janet Brehe Johnson. “They are talented, professional, friendly, and fierce.”

Following are the national award winners:

Melanie Johnsen, Livermore
Bronze Award in Informative Speaking

Katie Johnson, Livermore
Bronze Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Bronze Award in Duo Interpretation

Salim Razawi, Dublin
Bronze Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation

Brandon Rogers, Livermore
Bronze Award in Duo Interpretation

4/26/11

Las Positas College Announces Inaugural Golf Classic June 27 at Ruby Hill Golf Club

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College Athletics will hold its Inaugural Golf Classic on Monday, June 27, at Ruby Hill Golf Club, a private club in Pleasanton, CA featuring the premiere Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course in the East Bay Area.

Players of all levels can enjoy a full day of golf, barbeque lunch, dinner, cocktail reception, raffles, prizes, and awards. Non-golfers can register for dinner and evening events. Proceeds will benefit the Las Positas College Athletics Department and its academic and athletic opportunities for students and Tri-Valley residents.

“This will be a great event for a great cause,” said Dyan Miller, Dean/Athletic Director of Physical Education, Athletics, Health, and Wellness.

“We invite people to come out and enjoy the day, knowing that they also are supporting programs that make a difference in the lives of our students and in the quality of life in our community,” she said. “We have outstanding faculty, excellent programs, and state-of-the-art facilities, but we are facing shrinking resources and rapidly rising costs. This event will help ensure that we can continue to offer our students and community the best in academic and athletic opportunities.”

Miller expressed her appreciation to the athletics golf classic advisory board members who are helping coordinate the event. She noted that there are many community and business sponsorship opportunities still available.

Registration

Miller said that people already have signed up for the event. Because space is limited, she recommends early registration; the registration deadline is June 13. There are three ways to sign up:

Phone registration at (925) 424-1275
Online registration at www.laspositascollege.edu/athletics/golfClassic
Mail in registration. Please complete and mail in the registration form at www.laspositascollege.edu/athletics/golfClassic

Schedule of Events

10:30 a.m. Registration; driving range open for practice (included)
11 a.m. Barbeque Lunch; Putting Contest begins (optional)
11:45 a.m. Final instructions; review tournament format
12 p.m. Tee Off; Shotgun Start
5:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception and Raffle
6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:30 p.m. Awards and Announcement of Winners

Sponsorship Opportunities

Presidential Sponsor: $6,000. Two foursomes, lunch, and dinner for golfers. Four tee signs and tournament gift/team photo. Prominent recognition at dinner, throughout tournament, and in all printed materials; opportunity to supply company giveaways in player gift bag.
Hawk Sponsor: $3,000. Foursome, lunch, and dinner for golfers, plus additional four dinners for guests. Three tee signs and tournament gift/team photo. Recognition at dinner, throughout tournament, and in all printed materials; opportunity to supply company giveaways in player gift bag.
Athletic Sponsor Foursome: $1,200. Foursome, lunch, and dinner for golfers. Two tee signs and the opportunity to supply company giveaways.
Athletic Sponsor Twosome: $600. Twosome, lunch, and dinner for golfers. One tee sign and the opportunity to supply company giveaways.
Regular Foursome: $900.
Individual Player: $240.
Student/Senior (65+): $215.
“19th Hole” Dinner and Raffle: $55.

4/26/11

Las Positas College May 4 Concert Features Solo Piano Competition Winner

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Orchestra and Wind Ensemble will present its spring concert, featuring the winner of the Solo Piano Competition for young artists, on Wednesday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Stage Theater of the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. Winning soloist Corrina Chang, a student at Granada High School in Livermore, will perform George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”

“We were very pleased with the quality of the applicants for the Piano Concerto Competition, and were delighted with the judges’ choice of Corrina Chang,” said Music Instructor Mary Campbell. “The Las Positas College Music Department is happy to be able to offer this educational experience, both for Corrina and the student members of the instrumental music program.”

Directed by Instructors Cindy Browne Rosefield and Timothy Devine, the concert will showcase a variety of music from Dvora’s “New World Symphony” to African-American Spirituals, Campbell said. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com.
Campbell noted that solo piano competition was underwritten by a generous grant from the Las Positas College Foundation. A Steinway concert piano is being provided for the performance by Sherman Clay of San Francisco.

Las Positas College offers an Associate in Arts Degree in Music, which provides a foundation for further study, and a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy, which prepares pianists for teaching private students. Courses in the Music Department are designed to fulfill the needs of music majors, professional musicians, and those whose interest is a vocational or recreational. For more information, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu.

4/14/11

Las Positas College Students Win 24 Journalism Awards at State Convention

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College students won 24 awards at a recent journalism convention in Sacramento, CA. Student and Tracy resident Julian Lim, editor in chief of the “Express” newspaper and “Naked” magazine, brought home eight awards plus the coveted General Excellence award for both the newspaper and the magazine he leads.

“This is the first time in the LPC Mass Communications program’s history that both the newspaper and the magazine have earned the General Excellence award from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges,” said Melissa Korber, Mass Communications faculty and publications adviser. This year, 47 schools and approximately 567 delegates participated in the statewide convention, she said.

Las Positas College students gain practical journalism experience through the student magazine “Naked,” student newspaper “Express,” and Radio Las Positas. The publications and radio station support the award-winning Mass Communications program which offers an Associate in Arts Degree, a Certificate of Achievement, a Certificate of Completion in Radio, and transfer classes to four-year colleges.

Following is the complete list of the Las Positas College student awards from the convention:

The Express Newspaper:

1. General Excellence
2. 1st Place Profile Feature Story: Julian Lim of Tracy
3. 2nd Place Inside Page Layout-Tabloid: Jeff Bennett and Karishma Singh, both of Livermore
4. 2nd Place News Feature Story: Kelly Gabel of Mountain House
5. 2nd Place News Photo: Brittney Barsotti of Livermore
6. 3rd Place Video Journalism: Jeff Bennett
7. 3rd Place Online Photo: Jeff Bennett
8. 3rd Place Feature Photo: Alton Richardson of Livermore
9. Honorable Mention Photo Story/Essay: Brittney Barsotti
10. Honorable Mention Photo Illustration: Julian Lim
11. Honorable Mention Student Designed Advertisement: Julian Lim
12. Honorable Mention Editorial Writing: Matt Burris of Livermore

Naked Magazine:

1. General Excellence
2. 1st Place Magazine Photo Essay: Alton Richardson and Julian Lim
3. 1st Place Magazine Opinion Story: Brenda Cruz of Pleasanton
4. 2nd Place Magazine Photo: Alton Richardson
5. 3rd Place Magazine Layout/Design: Alton Richardson and Julian Lim
6. 3rd Place Magazine Cover: Alton Richardson and Julian Lim
7. 4th Place Magazine Feature (Non-Profile): Mike Studzinski of Pleasanton
8. Honorable Mention Magazine Feature (Non-Profile): Brenda Cruz
9. Honorable Mention Profile Feature: Kelly Gabel

On-the-Spot Contest Awards:

1. 2nd Place People’s Choice News Judgment/Layout: Julian Lim
2. 4th Place News Judgment/Layout-Tabloid: Julian Lim
3. Honorable Mention Sports Photo: Jeff Bennett

4/13/11

Las Positas College to Host Free Workshop “Introduction to Fundraising Planning”

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Foundation Center Cooperative Collection will host a free workshop for non-profit organizations, “Introduction to Fundraising Planning,” Friday, May 6, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Building 2400, Room 2416. Registration is required; register by phone at (925) 455-1355 or online at
http://grantspace.org/Classroom/Training-Calendar/San-Francisco/Introduction-to-Fundraising-Planning-2011-05-06-Livermore-CA.

The workshop provides an overview of the process of strategically thinking through the components of a fundraising plan. Led by Scott Ullman of the San Francisco Foundation Center, the workshop will focus on the following learning outcomes: conduct an assets inventory; develop a case statement; identify fundraising partners; and prepare a fundraising plan and calendar.

4/1/11

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering April 7 Seminar to Highlight New Diagnostic Medical Device

(Livermore, CA) - The new Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar Series, designed to enhance the partnership shared by the two Livermore institutions, provides a forum for laboratory scientists and engineers to share their broad range of basic and applied research with the college’s scientific community of students, staff, and faculty. The series is entitled, “Theory to Practice: How Science Gets Done.”

“The series offers a way to look at how science is done,” said Biology Instructor Nan Ho. “A unique feature of the series, especially for a community college, is the focus on the ‘big science’ that LLNL does that requires cross-disciplinary expertise.”
The April 7 seminar will explore the topic, “Bridging the Gaps: Improving Health Care through Technology.” The seminar title is “State of Health Monitoring in Traumatic and Harsh Environments: Engineers and Health Care Providers Merge Efforts to Develop New Medical Devices,” presented by John Chang, Ph.D., Engineer and Christine Paulson, M.S., Electrical Engineer.
“Advancements in miniaturized electronic circuitry and Micropower Ultrawideband Impulse Radar (MUIR) technology have allowed for the creation of a compact, non-invasive device that may permit never before possible portable state of health diagnosis and monitoring of life threatening traumatic injuries.

“We will describe LLNL’s efforts in applying this technology to different fields of medicine and healthcare. We will describe the technology, the partnership required to pursue medical device development, medical studies, and field experiences,” the presenters have written.
As a public service, Las Positas College invites interested members of the community to attend the seminar on campus. It will be held 6-7:15 p.m. in the Multi-Disciplinary Building (Building 2400). The seminars are free. Parking is $2; permits can be purchased in the parking lots. Registration is not required; seating is first come, first served. For more information about the series, please visit the website, http://www.laspositascollege.edu/news/scienceSeries.php.

3/31/11

Las Positas College Invites Bay Area Employers to Campus Job Fair - Canceled

The Employment Fair which was to be held on Thursday April 14, 2011 at Las Positas College has been canceled due to low employer registration.

3/28/11

Las Positas College Talk Hawks: Best Nor Cal Team at State Tournament

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Talk Hawks forensics team was ranked the number one Northern California team of both small and large school divisions at the California Community College Forensics Association’s State Championship Tournament held March 16-20 in Woodland Hills, CA. A highlight of the tournament was the top Gold Award won by Katie Johnson and Brandon Rogers for their Duo Interpretation program.

“I'm incredibly thrilled by the team’s success at this tournament. They truly represented Las Positas College well, not only in talent, but also in character,” said Janet Brehe Johnson, Las Positas College director of forensics. The speech team won Second Place Sweepstakes in the small school division at the tournament which featured 32 California community college teams. The Talk Hawks will travel to Greenwich, CT for the Phi Rho Pi Community College National Championships, April 10-17.

Following is a list of the championship winners:

Jordan Adelman, Livermore
Bronze Award in Readers Theater

Melanie Johnsen, Livermore
Bronze Award in Informative Speaking

Katie Johnson, Livermore
Gold Award in Duo Interpretation
Bronze Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Bronze Award in Readers Theater

Adam Neylan, Livermore
Silver Award in Programmed Oral Interpretation
Bronze Award in Oral Interpretation of Prose
Bronze Award in Readers Theater

Brandon Rogers, Livermore
Gold Award in Duo Interpretation
Bronze Award in Readers Theater

3/25/11

Las Positas College to Honor Retiring Dean Philip Manwell in April 2 Concert

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College community will combine music appreciation with professional and personal appreciation at the April 2 Early Music Concert honoring Dean of Academic Services for Arts and Communication, Philip Manwell, Ed.D., who will retire in June after 25 years with Las Positas College.

“Dr. Manwell has been an inspired instructor and colleague. Those qualities that made him an exemplary teacher have also made him an exemplary dean. He has earned the respect and trust of students, faculty, and staff. His patience, integrity, and creativity will be greatly missed. At the April 2 concert, people in the campus and local community can demonstrate their appreciation and honor his legacy,” said Marilyn Marquis, instructor and Early Music Concert Series Founder and Artistic Director.

“Dr. Manwell excels in helping people find out what they do best and then how to take that to the next level. He truly understands what it means to develop expertise and he knows what it is like to achieve mastery,” Marquis said. “He has performed at places like the White House and Carnegie Hall, and yet, he is very humble.”

Manwell was awarded Diplomas in Organ and Composition from the Paris Conservatoire, and holds bachelors and masters degrees from The Julliard School and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of San Francisco. As a soloist, chamber player, recording artist, and conductor, he has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, and Australia, and for international recording companies, radio, and television. He has shared his expertise with students at Las Positas College as an instructor of music and humanities.

On campus and in the local community, he is well known as an educator, philanthropist, and champion of the arts. At its Bankhead Theater celebration last year, Alameda County honored Manwell as a Champion for The Arts in the Celebration of Our Regional Arts Heroes. Manwell is the recipient of many campus and community awards and a contributor to numerous arts organizations. He has participated in a long list of community arts events at venues including the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, Livermore Valley Opera, Livermore Shakespeare Festival, and Livermore Public Library.

Marquis noted that Manwell was “instrumental in planning the early music concert series and has been a major supporter and administrator for every performance.” He also was instrumental in the planning and design of the new state-of-the-art Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts where the series is presented.

The April 2 concert in his honor, “The Enticement of Italy,” will feature Archetti Baroque Strings, the popular and dynamic eight-member ensemble showcasing some of the finest early music performers in the Bay Area. They will perform Italian Baroque Concerti for Multiple Violins. “The San Francisco Examiner” applauded a recent concert as “a performance of dazzling clarity... Bach at his best.” The concert is at 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. pre-concert talk by Bruce Lamott, director of the Philharmonia Chorale, who also has presented pre-concert talks at Davies Symphony Hall, Live at Mission Blue concerts, and the San Francisco Opera.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students with ID. Tickets are available at the door, through the website www.lpcearlymusic, or at Brown Paper Tickets. Parking will be complimentary after 6 p.m.

3/18/11

Las Positas College to Celebrate Construction Beginning on Two New Buildings

Las Positas College in Livermore will hold a ceremony to celebrate the beginning of construction on the Student Services and Administration Building (SSA) and the Science Building Phase II on Friday, March 25th at 11 a.m. at the SSA construction site located on the south side of the campus at 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore.

The SSA Building is a 67,000 square foot facility that will centralize student support services, providing a new home to Admissions and Records, Assessment, CalWORKs, Career/Transfer Center, Counseling, DSPS, EOPS/CARE, Financial Aid, International Student Program, Student Government, Veterans Program, Student Cafeteria, and the College’s administrative offices.

The $30 million SSA Building construction contract was awarded to Zovich of Hayward, CA. Construction is expected to be complete by March 2013.

The Science Building Phase II is a new 20,000 square foot, two-story structure adjacent to the current Science Building (Building 1800). The first floor of the new building will contain four new “wet labs” for biology use and a “dry lab” for engineering graphics. The second floor will house classrooms. Renovations will also be made to the existing building that will add a chemistry lab, engineering lab and an enology lab.

The $10 million Science Building Phase II construction contract was awarded to Broward Builders of Sacramento, CA. Construction is expected to be complete by September 2012.

Both buildings will be at minimum LEED* Silver certified and are 100% Measure B funded.

The ceremony will be followed by a short reception. Complimentary parking will be available in Lots B, C, D and E.

*LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized “green” building certification system and standard for measuring building sustainability.

3/15/11

Las Positas College to Present “Phantom of the Country Opera” Musical Comedy

(Livermore, CA) - Y’all come to “Phantom of the Country Opera,” a hilarious and heart-warming country western spoof of “Phantom of the Opera” presented at Las Positas College for six performances: April 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8 p.m. and April 10 and 17 at 2 p.m. The musical comedy will be the first Las Positas College theatrical production in the large proscenium theater of the new Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts.
In its review of the 1997 Las Positas College production of the show, the “Contra Costa Times” called it “one of the brightest, funniest and most charming musicals to come around in some time.” In reviewing the show’s original production, the “Chicago Sun-Times” described it as “a clever, splashy, exuberant new musical.”
“The plot follows a young European opera singer who returns to her roots in Nashville to become a country western singer. She is tutored by a phantom who haunts the Grand Ole Opry-like music hall and she finds a formidable rival in the comedic reigning queen of country music,” explained Theater Instructor Ken Ross. “The show’s genius is that it is both rollickingly funny and, at the same time, very touching and heart-felt.”

The Las Positas College production is directed and produced by Ross, with musical direction by Diana Cefalo, choreography by Faith Blevins, set design by Jeremy Hamm and Bob Cardana, lighting design by Bob Cardana, and costumes by Wesley Morgan.
Las Positas College theater veterans Veronica Torres, James Koponen, Suzanne Henry, and Tim Ackerman play the leading roles. Also among the principals are Greg Allen Friedman, Grant Lowenstein, Kellie Machi, Matthew Hofstad, Jonathan Baer, and Agatha Novoa. The ensemble consists of Pam Aguilar, Caitlin Clark, Rich Cook, Brian Dauglash, Marsha Howard, Jeremy Laclair, Josh Michael, Amanda Morin, Martie Muldoon, Kelsie Neuer, Woody Peifer, Zach Rice, Samantha Sanchez, Nick Sears, Abigail Vass, and Annelise Wood.

The show’s music is by Michael Duff; the book is by Sean Grennan and Kathy Santen; and the lyrics are by Cheryl Coons.

Ticket prices are $15 for general admission and $10 for seniors and students with I.D. They can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1(800) 838-3006. Parking is $2. For information, please visit www.laspositascollege.edu/performingarts or contact kross@laspositascollege.edu.

3/14/11

Las Positas College Italian Film Festival Celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College invites the public to its Third Annual Italian Film Festival celebrating the 150th anniversary of the “Risorgimento,” the Unification of Italy, at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 25-26, in the Multi-Disciplinary Building (Building 2400). Admission is free; parking is $2.

Each evening will begin with a reception and presentation by Las Positas College Instructors: Richard Dunbar, foreign language, and TeriAnn Bengiveno, history. Film viewings will immediately follow.

“These films pay homage to the most significant event of modern Italian history - the ‘Risorgimento,’ or the ‘resurgence’ of Italy as a true nation,” said Dunbar, who teaches Italian at Las Positas College. “They also honor two of Italy’s greatest exports: cinema and Luchino Visconti, an icon of Italian film.”

The films, both directed by Visconti and included in critic Roger Ebert’s “Great Movies Collection,” are as follows:

Friday’s film, “Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard), 1963, is based on the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. Starring Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale, the film chronicles the Sicilian aristocracy's reactions to the Risorgimento. Considered one of Italy’s great epic films, “Il Gattopardo” won the top award at the Cannes film festival and received the David of Donatello, Italy’s version of the Oscar. A newly restored version of the film was released last year.

Saturday’s film, “Senso,” 1954, recounts the Risorgimento in the north of Italy, as the nascent Italian state struggled to take Venice and the Veneto from Austria. Ebert has described “Senso” as “lush, broadly emotional and beautifully photographed…”

Film festival sponsors include the Milanese Family Gift Fund, the Western Regional Chapter of the American Italian Historical Association, and the Las Positas College Foundation, Foreign Language Department, and Campus Change Network. For more information, please visit the event website at www.lpcitalianfilmfestival.org.

3/7/11

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Partnership Launches Science and Engineering Seminar Series

“We are very pleased to offer this seminar series in conjunction with Lawrence Livermore National Lab, with which we always have maintained a strong partnership over the years,” said Dean of Math, Science, Engineering, and Public Safety Neal Ely, Ph.D. “In the interest of furthering our already close ties, as well as providing a forum for lab scientists to share their important and timely research with our scientific community of students, staff, and faculty, we have begun this seminar series addressing some of the most important scientific issues of our time,” he said.

“The series offers a way to look at how science is done,” said biology instructor Nan Ho. “A unique feature of the series, especially for a community college, is the focus on the ‘big science’ that LLNL does that requires cross-disciplinary expertise.” -She explained how the idea of the series evolved during her summer research at LLNL, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Ho has a three-year appointment in the Academies Creating Teacher Scientists program.

The seminar lectures will be followed by question and answer periods. Following are the two seminars scheduled for this semester in the series entitled, “Theory to Practice: How Science Gets Done:”

Monday, March 14. “The Power of Bioinformatics: Computer Scientists and Biologists Join Forces to Address Challenges of Evolving Biothreats,” presented by Elizabeth Vitalis, Ph.D., Biomedical Scientist, and Tom Slezak, M.S., Computer Scientist.

Thursday, April 7. “Trauma Diagnosis: Physicists, Biologists, and Engineers Merge Efforts to Develop New Medical Devices,” presented by John Chang, Ph.D., Engineer.

As a public service, Las Positas College invites interested members of the community to attend the seminars on campus. They are held 6-7:15 p.m. in the Multi-Disciplinary Building (Building 2400). The seminars are free. Parking is $2; permits can be purchased in the parking lots. Registration is not required; seating is first come, first served. For more information about the series, please visit the website, http://www.laspositascollege.edu/news/scienceSeries.php.

3/4/11

Las Positas College to Present Internationally Acclaimed Artists in Early Music Concert

(Livermore, CA) - Internationally-acclaimed artists, countertenor Jay White and harpsichordist Yuko Tanaka, will perform at the Las Positas College Early Music Concert in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 12, at 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. pre-concert talk by Bruce Lamott, director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students with ID. Purchase advanced tickets at Brown Paper Ticket; tickets also will be available at the door. Parking will be complimentary after 6 p.m.

“The Lure of London” concert will be an evening of arias by Purcell, Bononcini, and Handel with solo harpsichord music of Handel, Blow, Dieupart, and Bach, explained Marilyn Marquis, instructor and Early Music Concert Series founder and artistic director. “In the pre-concert talk, Bruce Lamott will enhance the audience’s concert experience by providing insight into the program and by exploring the unique qualities of the countertenor,” she said. He has presented pre-concert talks at Davies Symphony Hall, Live at Mission Blue concerts, and the San Francisco Opera, among others.

Countertenor and Grammy award-winning artist Jay White has performed works from Bach to Britten and has appeared with Washington Bach Consort, the Folger Consort, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and at the Carmel Bach Festival. He is widely recognized for his interpretation of medieval, renaissance, and baroque repertoire. He has also been heard on National Public Radio and Public Radio International programs such as Harmonia, St. Paul Sunday, Around New York, Weekend Edition Sunday, and Performance Today.

Yuko Tanaka has been the featured harpsichordist on the Early Music Concert Series at Las Positas College since the first season. She has performed internationally as both a soloist and ensemble player. She has performed locally with Musica Pacifica, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Philharmonia Baroque Chambers Players, and Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra and as a soloist at the annual Carmel Bach Festival.

The April 2 concert, “The Enticement of Italy,” will honor of Dean of Academic Services for Arts and Communication Dr. Philip Manwell, who will retire this year. Archetti Baroque Strings, the popular and dynamic eight-member ensemble featuring some of the finest early music performers in the Bay Area, will perform Italian Baroque Concerti for Multiple Violins. “The San Francisco Examiner” applauded a recent concert as “a performance of dazzling clarity... Bach at his best.” The concert is at 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. pre-concert talk.

Now in its sixth season, the Early Music Concert Series features internationally recognized artists performing music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods through Baroque and Classical on period instruments.

3/4/11

Las Positas College Talk Hawks Win Championship Events, Plan Trip to Nationals

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Talk Hawks forensics team continued its winning streak at the Northern California Forensics Association’s Championship Tournament at Santa Rosa Junior College, Feb.12-13, in competition against two- and four-year colleges and universities.

“The team scored higher in individual events than teams from U.C. Berkeley, San Jose State University, and St. Mary’s College, among others,” said Janet Brehe Johnson, Las Positas College director of forensics. “A special highlight of this tournament was Brandon Rogers’s double victory: First Place in Drama Interpretation and Second in Duo Interpretation,” she said.

Brehe Johnson said the Talk Hawks are raising funds to support their participation in the upcoming National Championship Tournament. Donations are welcome. Persons interested in supporting the Talk Hawks can contact the Las Positas College Foundation or Brehe Johnson at jbrehe@laspositascollege.edu.

Following is a list of the recent championship winners:

Jordan Adelman, Livermore
Finalist in Open Drama Interpretation of Literature
Finalist in Open Prose Interpretation of Literature

Melanie Johnsen, Livermore
Second Place in Novice Prose Interpretation of Literature

Katie Johnson, Livermore
Second Place in Open Duo Interpretation of Literature

Adam Neylan, Livermore
Finalist in Open Programmed Oral Interpretation

Salim Razawi, Dublin
Finalist in Open Programmed Oral Interpretation of Literature

Brandon Rogers, Livermore
First Place in Open Drama Interpretation of Literature
Second Place in Open Duo Interpretation of Literature

Lanea Warren, Pleasanton
Finalist in Open Informative Speaking

3/2/11

Las Positas College to Present “Wake the Dead” Benefit Concert

(Livermore, CA) - Continue your St. Patrick’s Day celebration into the next day at Las Positas College’s “Wake the Dead” benefit concert on Friday, March 18, at 8 p.m. in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. Tickets are $22 for general admission and $10 for students; parking is $2. Proceeds will benefit the Las Positas College Music Department.

Touted as “the world’s only Celtic all-star Grateful Dead jam band,” Wake the Dead blends Celtic traditional music and the songs of the Grateful Dead. The eight-member band has toured extensively throughout the Bay Area and has entertained concert and festival audiences from San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium to the Oregon Country Fair.

“Wake the Dead is a romp that flows seamlessly from rock grooves to hot Irish reels, and from haunting airs to achingly beautiful melodies familiar to Deadheads everywhere,” according to the band’s website. Read reviews and more on the website, www.wakethedead.org.

“Our music delights Deadheads, lovers of Celtic music, folkies, jam band fans, and adventurous music lovers alike around the world,” said Cindy Browne Rosefield, Las Positas College director of Instrumental Music and Wake the Dead bassist. She noted the success of the band’s three albums which have been airing on national radio stations.

Tickets for the March 18 concert can be purchased through www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, please visit the Las Positas College Performing Arts website at www.laspositascollege.edu/performingarts.

2/22/11

Las Positas College Artists Exhibit Paintings

(Livermore, CA) - Six Las Positas College student artists are presenting an exhibit of their paintings now through March 11 in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts Gallery. The gallery is open to the public when the college is in session and during performances at the arts center.

“We invite everyone on campus and in our community to enjoy our debut student painting exhibit in the new art gallery,” said art and painting instructor Bill Paskewitz. The exhibiting artists, all of whom are students in Paskewitz’s painting class, are: Gina Kaiper, Pleasanton; Youn Lee, Pleasanton; Verna Medeiros, Livermore; Jim Schnitter, Livermore; Usha Shukla, Pleasanton; and Yun Susie, Dublin.

2/15/11

Las Positas College Invites Bay Area Employers to Campus Job Fair

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College invites Bay Area employers to register by March 31 for its annual Employment Fair to be held Thursday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Student Center, Building 1700. Please register by contacting Career/Transfer and Employment Center Coordinator Scheanelle Green, (925) 424-1423, sgreen@laspositascollege.edu.

Employers will have the opportunity to interview students and recruit for full and part-time career openings and summer jobs. Refreshments will be served. The employer participation fee is $125. Please visit the campus website for maps and directions, www.laspositascollege.edu.

2/2/11

Las Positas College to Present “Sex Signals” Awareness Program

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College Student Health and Wellness Center will present “Sex Signals,” an award-winning sexual assault awareness and prevention program, on Wednesday, March 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. The event is free and open to the public; parking is $2.

The program is a public service recommended by the American College Health Association and supports a state requirement among all public colleges and universities to provide information about sexual assault awareness and prevention.

“We are very pleased to be able to bring this program to Las Positas College,” said Dayna Barbero, PHN, MSN, FNP, ValleyCare Health System Student Health Center nurse practitioner and on-site administrator. “We are passionate about providing a nurturing, caring environment for our students and this program supports that mission. We are very interested in promoting awareness and prevention to help our students keep well and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This supports their work to achieve their academic goals and become all that they can be.

“Sometimes, the most difficult things to talk about are the most important things. If we do not talk about this, it gives a silent message that it’s OK,” Barbero said. “As a mom, sexual assault is a very important issue to me and you want to learn how to prevent this. It is essential that the message is communicated in a way that results in understanding. The program we will offer creates this understanding.”

“Sex Signals” is a ninety-minute touring performance that incorporates improvisational comedy, education, and audience interaction to provide a provocative look at dating, sex, and the core issue of consent, as well as bystander intervention strategies. The two-person play has been presented more than 3,500 times at more than 400 colleges and military installations throughout the world.

Barbero noted the strong community partnership for this program. Before the performance, representatives from the Livermore Police Department and Livermore/Pleasanton Fire Department will promote “Young Men of Strength,” encouraging young men to live a life based on equality, caring, and respect. Other Community partners include LifeStyleRX, Tri-Valley Haven, ValleyCare Health System, and nurses with the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District.

The Las Positas College Student Health and Wellness Center serves to strengthen student learning, retention, and success by supporting the physical, emotional, and social well-being of students through accessible, high-quality, health services and activities. The center offers services in medical care, mental health, and wellness. For more information about the center, please visit www.laspositascollege.edu/healthcenter or call (925) 424-1830. To learn more about “Sex Signals,” please visit www.catharsisproductions.com.

2/2/11

Las Positas College Foundation Announces Carol Clough Business Scholarships

(Livermore, CA) - Throughout her 27-year career as a Las Positas College faculty member, Carol Clough shared her gift of teaching with countless students. After she passed away in 2004, her giving continued with a $10,000 legacy gift for Business Major Scholarships, now available through the Las Positas College Foundation.

“Carol was committed to student success and we are very grateful for her generous planned gift to support that success,” said Ted Kaye, Las Positas College Foundation chief executive officer. He noted that individuals have many different reasons for planned giving including expressing their personal values, investing in their communities, making a difference in the lives of others, and realizing tax savings and financial benefits.

In addition to making a difference in the lives of past and future students, Clough also helped shape what is now Las Positas College. “Dr. Carol Clough was one of the early pioneers, hired shortly after the opening of Chabot College-Valley Campus. She brought to the college - in addition to an esteemed academic preparation - extensive, relevant, and diverse work experience from the world of business,” said Don Milanese, retired vice president of Academic Services.

Clough made innumerable contributions to college curriculum, planning, and governance, and was instrumental in the design and development of many of the college's current classes, certificates, and degree business programs such as Administrative Assistant and Business Entrepreneurship. “As a devoted and dedicated educator, she always was guided, first and foremost, to giving her students her highest priority,” Milanese noted.

To learn more about the scholarships, please visit the Financial Aid Department website at www.laspositascollege.edu/financialaid. For information on planned giving and foundation investments, please contact the Las Positas College Foundation at 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA 94551-7623; call (925) 424-1010; or visit www.lpcfoundation.org.

1/31/11

Las Positas College Invites Public to Cuban Week Celebration and Faculty Presentation

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will present Cuban Week/La Semana Cubana, February 22-25, featuring a celebration of the Cuban people, history, art, dance, music, and religions, providing education, information - and a chance to practice your Spanish. All events are free and open to the public, and will take place 7-9 p.m. For a complete schedule, please visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu. Donations are requested for the Cuban Association for the Disabled, a public program helping children with special needs in Cuba.

The theme of the fourth annual Cuban Week is “Yemaya: Embracing the Earth.” The festival, organized by Cubans living throughout the Bay Area, is sponsored by the Las Positas College Spanish Department, with generous support from the Las Positas College Foundation, The Milanese Family Gift Fund, and BasicNecessities.org.

This past November, Chabot College History Instructor Rick Moniz organized “Faces of Cuba,” a trip to Cuba for education and cultural exchange. Las Positas College Foreign Language Instructor and Coordinator Catherine Suárez also saw this as an opportunity for philanthropy and sent out a request for donations.

The two faculty members will share stories of their trip during Cuban Week at the presentation, “Cuba through My Eyes,” on Thursday, February 24, 7-9 p.m. in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts Black Box Theater.

The generosity of many students, staff, faculty, and residents of East Bay communities brought countless smiles to the “Faces of Cuba” cultural exchange program. Suárez said she was “overwhelmed” with all the funding and donations. “I was able to fill five extra large duffle bags with all of the school and medical supplies donated,” she said. Hundreds of Cubans, including many children, got shoes, socks, soap, toothpaste, books, baseballs, art supplies, medical supplies - and Las Positas College t-shirts.

“My goal with this project is to use education, art, and culture to bring the American and the Cuban communities together for a common cause. I believe that the human spirit is much stronger than any government,” said Suárez, who founded Las Positas College’s Cuban Week four years ago. She also is director and co-founder of a local non-profit organization, BasicNecessities, helping families and individuals in need who live within the Tri-Valley.

Suárez pointed to Moniz as the “mastermind” behind “Faces of Cuba.” On his 20 trips to Cuba, he has taken hundreds of students and community members to visit with doctors, teachers, architects, women's organizations, farmers, cooperatives, and Cuba's solar energy leaders.

During the November trip, the group traveled on a religious license, meeting people of many different faiths including Jewish, Baptist, Santería, and Catholic. The delegation brought donations to churches, synagogues, medical clinics, hospitals, libraries, and schools, including an art school for students with Down syndrome. Suárez said they hope to travel to Cuba again in January of 2012.

1/26/11

Las Positas College to Host World Renowned Temple Grandin

(Livermore, CA) - Temple Grandin, portrayed in an award winning HBO movie and regarded as the world's most accomplished and best-known adult with autism, will speak at Las Positas College on Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m. in the Barbara Fracisco Mertes Center for the Arts. General admission tickets are now on sale at the campus bookstore for $5; parking is $2.

“We're really excited about bringing Temple Grandin to Las Positas. She is a dynamic and inspirational speaker,” said Las Positas College Psychology Instructor Ernest Jones, Ph.D. Jones noted that Grandin’s presentation is part of the college’s week-long celebration of Brain Awareness Week, a global campaign to increase public awareness about brain research, and is sponsored by the Psychology Department and the Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society.

People around the world have seen Grandin thanking her mother and waving to appreciative audiences on the nationally televised 2010 Emmy and 2011 Golden Globe Award ceremonies where the eponymous 2010 HBO movie about her life won awards and recognition.

Grandin was 2 years old when she was diagnosed with autism in 1950. The doctors told Eustacia Cutler, Temple's mother to put her in an institution, but her mother refused, choosing to teach Temple, send her to school, and find her the best teachers. Grandin went on to earn a B.A. in Psychology and both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Animal Science.

“On behalf of all the parents like myself who have a child with autism, you are our hero,” said movie producer Emily Gerson Saines at the Emmy Awards ceremony, where she also called Grandin’s mother “our inspiration.”

Named to “Time” magazine's 2010 list of the 100 most influential people in the world and one of twenty-five "Heroes,” Grandin is a scientist, professor, best-selling author, leading authority on autism and animal behavior, animal welfare advocate, inspirational speaker, and professor at Colorado State University.

She has been featured on National Public Radio, the BBC TV special "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow,” ABC's “Primetime Live,” “The Today Show,” “Larry King Live,” “48 Hours,” and “20/20,” and in many national publications including “People,” “Forbes,” “U.S. News and World Report,” and “New York Times.” Bravo Cable produced a half-hour show on her life and she was featured in the best-selling book, “Anthropologist from Mars.”

Jones noted that Grandin’s speaking engagement marks her second visit to the college. When she visited in March 2008, she also met with the Psychology Club students and presented a lecture to anatomy and biology students.
The Las Positas College Department of Psychology brings world-renowned speakers and events to the campus and Tri-Valley community. This past year, the department presented “The Mystery of Sleep” conference featuring William C. Dement, M.D. Ph.D., the world’s leading authority on sleep and regarded as the "Father of Sleep Medicine." A frequent Las Positas College visitor was the late Kim Peek, the super-savant who inspired the Oscar winning film, “Rain Man,” starring Dustin Hoffman. Past speakers also have included Dr. John Ratey, bestselling author and associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

For more information, please visit the Las Positas College website at www.laspositascollege.edu.

1/26/11

Las Positas College Hosts Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball Games

(Livermore, CA) - The Las Positas College women’s and men’s basketball teams invite the community to join the Coaches vs. Cancer campaign by attending their fundraising games and events at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on Wednesday, February 16. Both games will be played against teams from the City College of San Francisco.

All proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Ticket prices are as follows: general admission, $5; students (with ID), seniors, and staff, $3; and children under 10, free.

“This dreaded disease has impacted millions of people, including several individuals in our own programs. Our staff, coaches, and student athletes are committed to raising as much money as possible to fight cancer,” said Dean/Athletic Director Dyan Miller of Physical Education, Athletics, Health, and Wellness. She added that many of the basketball players will bring a cancer survivor they know. Coaches vs. Cancer is a statewide effort by 41 community college basketball coaches to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer.

Las Positas College has eight intercollegiate team sports: men’s and women’s soccer, cross country, basketball, and swimming and diving. The college offers an extensive selection of classes in Physical Education, Athletics, Health, and Wellness. For more information about the athletic program and sports events, please call (925) 424-1290 or visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/athletics/index.php.

1/11/11

Las Positas College Offers “Cash For College” Financial Aid Workshops

(Livermore, CA) - Las Positas College will offer financial aid workshops for high school students and their parents. The workshops will cover the most important basic topics about financial aid and teach attendees how to maximize their opportunities.

Workshop topics will include: types of aid which are available, deadlines, qualifications, “independent” vs. “dependent” definitions, application process, resources for scholarships, important hints for completing a FAFSA, hints to minimize expected family contribution, and time for questions and answers.

The workshop schedule is:

Thursday, January 27, 7:00 p.m. at Granada High School, 400 Wall St., Livermore

Wednesday, February 2, 6:30 p.m. at Dublin High School, 8151 Village Parkway, Dublin

Thursday, February 10, 7:00 p.m. at Livermore High School, 600 Maple St., Livermore

The Cash for College Program is offering a $1,000 scholarship drawing for each of the three workshops. High school seniors attending the workshops will qualify for the drawings with winners to be announced in April.

For additional information, please email the Las Positas College Financial Aid Office at lpcfinaid@laspositascollege.edu.

1/7/11

Las Positas College Introduces Swimming and Diving Teams

(Livermore, CA) - Beginning this spring semester, Las Positas College will offer Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving intercollegiate teams.

“There is a lot of excitement about the season,” said Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Head Coach Jason Craighead. “We have an outstanding college, and we are one of the few community colleges with new facilities. Everybody who’s been up here has been wowed.” The new Aquatic Center, which also is used by community organizations, features a pool house, 13-lane competition pool, and six-lane instructional pool.

Craighead described benefits of joining the new teams: “At Las Positas, students have the opportunity to learn about the college experience both athletically and academically before they transfer. This is a natural progression and it is much easier for a student to come here and transfer and be successful. Students get a great education at a great price,” he said.

He also predicts success in the teams’ future. “Three to five years from now, we will have an extremely competitive swim and dive program that will be in the top five or 10 in the state. This area has a tremendous amount of aquatic experience and talent, and it is one of the most sought after areas for high school athletics in the country.”

Craighead, who joined the Las Positas College faculty in August 2009, followed a transfer path from community college to a four-year college. Born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA, Craighead was a seven-time All-American swimmer and All-Conference water polo player at Santa Rosa Junior College. He transferred to the University of California at Santa Barbara where he contributed to 24 consecutive conference titles. He has previous coaching and teaching experience at Sacramento City College, Sierra College, American River College, Santa Barbara City College, and Santa Rosa Junior College. He earned a Master of Sports Science degree from the United States Sports Academy.

Las Positas College offers students eight intercollegiate team sports: men’s and women’s soccer, cross country, basketball, and, now, swimming and diving. “We have some of the best athletic facilities in the state of California,” said Dean/Athletic Director Dyan Miller of Physical Education, Athletics, Health, and Wellness. In addition to the Aquatic Center, the new state-of-the art facilities include a gymnasium, an all-weather turf soccer field, and an all-weather track and multi-use field. The new facilities and other campus capital improvements have been made possible by the Measure B facilities bond.

Las Positas College offers an extensive selection of classes in Physical Education, Athletics, Health, and Wellness. For more information about the athletic program and team sports opportunities at Las Positas College, please call (925) 424-1274 or visit the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/athletics/index.php. For information about spring semester classes, please see the class schedule link on the homepage at www.laspositascollege.edu.

Newsroom

Las Positas College Press Releases - 2011

Las Positas College Students Get a Closer Look at Science, Thanks to a Gift from Lawrence Livermore National Security

Las Positas College Student Athletes Win Women’s Soccer Conference Players Awards

Las Positas College Students Win 14 Journalism Awards

Las Positas College Student Athletes Win Conference Players Awards

Las Positas College Speech Team Takes First Place at Tournament

Las Positas College to Present Three WWII Heroes for Veterans Day Observance

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar to Explore Microbes and the Race to Diagnose Pathogens

Las Positas College to Present 60th Birthday Celebration of Kim Peek: The Real Rain Man

Las Positas College to Host Master Mexican Woodcarver Oct. 26

Las Positas College to Present Arthur Miller’s Classic Drama “All My Sons”

Las Positas College to Host Renowned Motivational, Mental Health Speaker Jeff Bell

Las Positas College Invites High School Seniors and Parents to “Shift Gears” from High School to College

Las Positas College Speech Team Wins First Place Award

Las Positas College Arts Center Wins National Design Award

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering Seminar to Highlight Technology that Restores Sight to the Blind

Las Positas College Invites Enrollment at New Child Development Center

Las Positas College Math Instructor Wins Buffington Award for Excellence

Las Positas College to Host Free Workshop “Proposal Writing Basics”

Las Positas College Graduates Win Prestigious Local and State Awards

President Named at Las Positas College - Dr. Kevin G. Walthers

Las Positas College Offers Fall Semester Studies in London

Las Positas College Wins Readers Theater Championships Awards

Las Positas College to Present 21st Annual Commencement Ceremony

Las Positas College Welding Program Gets New LENS from Sandia Labs

Las Positas College and Pedrozzi Foundations Partner to Award Veterans Scholarships

Las Positas College Invites Latino Families to Campus Event May 21

Las Positas College Veterans Get Support from May 21 Englander Pub Golf Tournament “Saluting Those Who Served”

Las Positas College Business Club Wins State Sweepstakes Award

Las Positas College Announces Four National Speech Champions

Las Positas College Announces Inaugural Golf Classic June 27 at Ruby Hill Golf Club

Las Positas College May 4 Concert Features Solo Piano Competition Winner

Las Positas College Students Win 24 Journalism Awards at State Convention

Las Positas College to Host Free Workshop “Introduction to Fundraising Planning”

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Science and Engineering April 7 Seminar to Highlight New Diagnostic Medical Device

Las Positas College Invites Bay Area Employers to Campus Job Fair - Canceled

Las Positas College Talk Hawks: Best Nor Cal Team at State Tournament

Las Positas College to Honor Retiring Dean Philip Manwell in April 2 Concert

Las Positas College to Celebrate Construction Beginning on Two New Buildings

Las Positas College to Present “Phantom of the Country Opera” Musical Comedy

Las Positas College Italian Film Festival Celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Las Positas College Partnership Launches Science and Engineering Seminar Series

Las Positas College to Present Internationally Acclaimed Artists in Early Music Concert

Las Positas College Talk Hawks Win Championship Events, Plan Trip to Nationals

Las Positas College to Present “Wake the Dead” Benefit Concert

Las Positas College Artists Exhibit Paintings

Las Positas College Invites Bay Area Employers to Campus Job Fair

Las Positas College to Present “Sex Signals” Awareness Program

Las Positas College Foundation Announces Carol Clough Business Scholarships

Las Positas College Invites Public to Cuban Week Celebration and Faculty Presentation

Las Positas College to Host World Renowned Temple Grandin

Las Positas College Hosts Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball Games

Las Positas College Offers “Cash For College” Financial Aid Workshops

Las Positas College Introduces Swimming and Diving Teams