Clinical Educator of the Year Award Given to SJVC Coordinator

This year’s Clinical Educator of the year award was given to SJVC’s Fresno surgical technology clinical coordinator, Jennifer Nyswonger.

The Clinical Educator of the Year award recognizes outstanding educators who dedicate their lives towards their job, students and peers.

Jennifer works in a close department that has bonded due to the fact that they all have the same goal; to help their students. If a student needs help she is always willing to help them regardless of if they are her students or not.

“We are more than willing to go above and beyond for our students,” explains Jennifer. She hopes that by winning this award SJVC students realize that there really are instructors that are fully committed to their job. 

 “Ms. Nyswonger exhibits the best and highest possible standards and that her work ethic is above reproach,” explains program director Teri Junge.  “Her dedication to her profession is evident in all she does.” Teri nominated Jennifer for this award and is thrilled that she has won.

Jennifer was announced the winner at a national convention in Washington D.C. Although she was not able to attend the convention, she was sent an award with her name engraved on it as well as five hundred dollars.

Since joining SJVC, Jennifer has made a positive impact on her students and fellow employees. While currently working on receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Education degree, she is able to take what she is learning in her classes into the classroom.

As a result of her commitment to surgical technology education and her enhanced teaching skills, she has increased the CST exam pass rate for our graduates to 94%. She is a self-directed individual who is well respected by her students and peers.

Teri is quick to say that, “Ms. Nyswonger is a self-directed individual who is well respected by her students and peers!”

Visalia Criminal Justice students attend the Hero's Breakfast

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Many job seekers and students have heard that saying time and time again, but SJVC Visalia Criminal Justice students Lizbeth Gomez and Dnae Blow capitalized on the idea.

The two attended a Hero’s Breakfast held at Quail Park; to honor law enforcement members in the community. The ceremony started by thanking the heroes for their commitment to the community. The members of the organizations were presented to the attendees while everyone enjoyed breakfast.

Throughout the breakfast, the students visited with the officers and some of the residents of Quail Park.

“There was a lot of socializing, with different police departments, fire departments, and paramedics from all of Tulare County together laughing while eating breakfast,” explains Dnae.

While meeting different officers Lizbeth said she, “realized how important it is for our Heroes to feel appreciated.” By watching how the officers interacted with one another, the students learned how to present themselves in a professional manner.   

 “I felt special being surrounded by all types of law enforcement, and especially liked the comment that maybe next year we could attend the breakfast again,” said Lizbeth.

“Our two students looked great,” stated Laura Lathrop, director of the criminal justice program. “They had an opportunity to rub elbows with Visalia PD, Fire, Ambulance, Tulare County Sheriff and CHP.”

To show the community’s appreciation for the heroes’ work, baskets were raffled off. The first basket to be raffled off was the one that SJVC donated.

“It took both Sgt. Blow and me to carry it,’ explained Lizbeth, “And they were really grateful for the basket- which happened to be the largest one there!”. Both Dnae and Lizbeth believe the Sheriff Deputy was very lucky to win their basket.

Lizbeth and Dnae feel honored to have been involved with this event. They hope to attend again, and encourage others to get involved and keep appreciating the hard, life-threatening work the heroes do.

Rancho Cordova RT Student Saves a Life

It was just another summer pool party for Rancho Cordova Respiratory Therapy student Marina Zaboltny.

After a long day of finals at SJVC, Marina, her daughter and a few other mothers and kids were enjoying a relaxing pool party – swimming, snacking and enjoying the calm of a summer afternoon. It had been an enjoyable day that was just wrapping up when calm turned into chaos.

One of the mothers came running into the house with a little boy.

“He was completely blue, cyanotic and his eyes were rolled up – he was not responsive to anything,” said Marina. “There was chaos and everything everybody was screaming and there were kids and we sent them to the other room and they were screaming too.”

There was a pause where Marina drew a deep breath and steadied her hands – “It makes me anxious just thinking about it.”

One of the girls started doing CPR “but I saw that she wasn’t doing it correctly,” said Marina. “I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to do it.’” As a respiratory therapy student at SJVC in her third term, this was the first real life scenario Marina encountered since beginning her program.

“I was like ‘This is my responsibility’ – you kind of freeze in that moment and you’re like ‘Wow, it’s my turn, it’s my time right now.’ I started doing CPR on him and gave him some breaths and he started coming back to life…that feeling when you see his lips turn pink and they were blue, blue blue…when I saw that we just started crying.”

Marina had told this story a few times and she said she often cries in the retelling. “Anyone would do it,” she said. “You learn all the steps [in school], how to do it, everything, you know it but it’s just so different in a real life situation – you step back and it’s a great feeling that you know what to do. It’s not like ‘Oh my gosh, do I do this? Do I do this? Do I push harder? Do I push slower?’ No. It’s knowing what to do.”

As the only person in the healthcare field in attendance that day, Marina felt the pressure of the task but also the joy in knowing she was able and trained to help.

From the start of her school, Marina knew she wanted to go into the healthcare field and help people. After waiting for two years to get into school to be a Registered Nurse, Marina started researching other related fields.

“I want to have a career, not just a job,” she said. “I want my family – my child – to be proud of me that I’m helping other people. Just getting an education is really important to me – getting a career, getting something stable I can rely on.”

But for Marina, helping people was not something that had to wait until her graduation in March. Rather, she was able to put her skills to test and prove successful just this summer. It was confirmation for Marina that she is in the right vocational field.

“After…I just kind of stepped back and thought about it, how amazing it is just to see the reaction of a person come back to life and that you’re able to help them. It was just CPR but being in school in the healthcare field – it just makes you think there’s a lot of other things you can do with your education to help people in that field.”

Have you heard about our newest Online society?

NTHS (National Technical Honor Society) is the acknowledged leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education programs.

Thousands of schools and colleges throughout the U.S. and its territories have honor society chapters on their campuses. These member schools agree that NTHS encourages higher scholastic achievement, cultivates a desire for personal excellence, and helps students find success in today's highly competitive workplace. NTHS awards an increasing number of scholarships each year to its members.

SJVC is now a proud participant and member of NTHS! Students with a 3.0 GPA or higher will be able to take advantage of several benefits being NTHS members, such as:

• NTHS scholarship eligibility – over $90,000 to be awarded this year.
• Online educational and career services through the NTHS website.
• Award certificates, membership cards, and acknowledgement through the website
• Eligibility to become an NTHS alumni member.

Bakersfield SIFE 'Adopts a Neighborhood'

SIFE volunteers volunteered their Saturday mornings to clean up graffiti, liter and illegal dumping in the Greenfield community area of Bakersfield. With an early commitment to community clean-up, the ten members of the SIFE team were looking for a constructive way to do so when Joseph Johnson, a business instructor on campus, was able to connect them with the event. The event was hosted by Greenfield Walking Group and included food, children’s activities and guest speaks as supplements to volunteer clean up.The students were able to help both with the planning of the event and the event itself. “Working with Bakersfield City Waste Management as well as community leaders, our SIFE team took part in the planning stages of the event,” said Johnson. Its first collaboration with this particular community event, the SIFE team “has committed to be an active partner in future events,” said Johnson.
If the positive feelings of altruism were not benefit enough, the SJVC SIFE team was even thanked for their service by the Bakersfield mayor himself.
“There were many parts of the day that could fit the description of ‘the best part of the day,’” said Johnson. “That being said, I would have to say when the mayor of Bakersfield stopped by our booth to praise the team and their efforts would be the best part. It served as a great reminder of the benefits of working in the community. I was very proud of the SIFE team and their commitment to better their community.”
Great job, Bakersfield SIFE!

Aviation Campus in Fresno Celebrates 20 Years

A fly's eye view of the Aviation Campus' hangar at the Fresno Yosemite Airport.

In 1991 gas was $1.12 per gallon, the average monthly rent was $495 and air travel was peaking, as travelers clamored to enjoy the benefits of a price war among major airlines. Lots of jets were in the air and it seemed good timing for San Joaquin Valley College to introduce an Aviation Maintenance Technology career training program to the Fresno area with a campus located at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
Twenty years later the campus is maintaining a student population of around 90 and has plenty to celebrate.
“The biggest change we’ve seen at this campus in the past few years is a wonderful and steady increase in both our student population and the aviation industry’s demand for licensed mechanics,” says Jack Macfarlane, Campus Director. “Also, in addition to extensive preparation for the A&P (airframe and powerplant) license, all of our graduates earn an Associate of Science degree, which employers feel is a definite advantage.”
In sharp contrast to the campus’s 20-year anniversary celebration, at its 10-year mark the aviation industry was experiencing its darkest days in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
“Many planes were grounded and companies weren’t hiring anyone,” says Macfarlane. “Now, however, companies such as SkyWest Airlines, the college’s biggest employer, continually hire from our pool of well prepared graduates.”
Susan Smilie-Janecek, Director of Research and Development has been with SJVC for over 22 years now. She says one of Aviation’s biggest successes is placement rate.
“SJVC aviation graduates have obtained really good jobs in their field of training. In several of the past 10 years, we had a 100% placement rate for graduates that obtained their A&P license.” Even the hiring process for graduates has changed since the beginning of the program.
“The biggest change is that we have gone from struggling to get companies to interview and hire our graduates, to major employers “preferring” to hire our graduates from the aviation maintenance technician program.,” says Smilie-Janecek.
Today, SkyWest remains a top employer with over 70 SJVC graduates hired over the years.
SJVC’s Aviation Campus invited students, staff and faculty to enjoy cake and refreshments and take a moment to revel in 20 years of success and an industry still going strong.
“The culture of the campus has remained committed to success and professionalism for our students and graduates. I am proud to represent our College in the aviation community,” says Janecek.

SJVC Student Turned Staff – Because of the Student Center

Nicky Votaw was one of the many California Valley natives that grew up listening to both her mother and the radio sing the SJVC jingle. In her words, she “heard it all the time, every day.”

After a run around a few schools and a job as a pre-school teacher, Nicky stated, “I knew if I wanted to do something and have my own family, I needed to go out, find a job and get some education and a real career.” But as a Pharmacy Tech student who enjoyed her externship, she never expected to stay in the Student Center after graduation.

What brought you to SJVC?
I actually went around to several colleges in town, looked at a lot of different programs and found that SJVC had not only the certificate but I was also going to get my degree at the same time. I didn’t want just a certificate I wanted to have all my education – I spent all this time and money, I want everything. I want to be marketable, I want to be out there and say “Yes, I can do the pharmacy and I have my degree to back me up at the same time.”

How did you end up with a job in the Student Center – and a passion for it?
I went through the [Pharmacy Tech] program and managed to graduate with a 4.0 which surprised everybody because I wasn’t that great of a student growing up. Halfway through I was introduced to the student center and they had me as a volunteer tutor for math and English and MyLabs. I fell in love with it. I love pharmacy and I love tech-ing and I loved my extern site – I loved doing everything I did - but I truly feel in love with the student center and helping the students. It gave me a sense of accomplishment for them to come back and say “Because of you, I was able to succeed in my algebra class.” I knew I wanted to come back and teach but that just really ran it home for me. So about a month ago, the position opened up and I applied for it, crossing my fingers and hoping and hoping and hoping and I actually interviewed and got the job – so not only did I graduate, I now work here!

What was your first impression of SJVC as a student?
I didn’t expect it to be as big as it is. I thought it was just a little, small, baby community college that offered a couple of things here and there. I was expecting the pharmacy lab but I wasn’t expecting the in depth-ness I got, the education I got –the lab was amazing to me. It was just the things they have on campus, the things they have the ability to do – that was one of the reasons I chose SJVC - they had that opportunity to get more hands on.

What were some of your goals as a student?
I was determined when I went through my first mod and managed to get a 4.0, I wanted that. That was one of the things that I wanted the most. I wanted to see and prove to myself that yes, I could pull the grades and yes, I could do the work. Even though my head wanted to explode most days, I could do it!

Is there anything you wish you had known when you started?
I wish I had known ten years ago to come here and go through the program. I probably wasn’t ready ten years ago but I wish I had known a little bit more… You come to a school like this and they interview and talk to you and they find out your personality and what would fit for you and they help you. They fit you into positions and directions that are going to be beneficial to you – they’re not going to sit you in a business job if you hate sitting in a desk and doing paperwork all day.

Do you have encouragement for other students?
If you can put your mind to it, you can do it. I mean I spent a lot of times building up some of the younger students and dragging them around going come on come on we can do this we can do this. Anybody can do it. I mean I’m 36 years old and I put myself right back through college and got a 4.0. If I can do it at 36, anybody can do it at any age. It’s the determination – the will the drive, what you need to do.

Nicky loves to read books and is a self-described “gamer nerd.” She would love go to Australia because she is in love with the accent – although if she could speak Japanese, Japan might be number one on the list.

We’re so proud of you, Nicky and happy to have you on our team!

Aviation: Where Crashing Your Toys is Helpful

It was a typical hot and sunny Fresno afternoon but unusual out-of-classroom training was happening between hangars with SJVC Aviation Technology program director Richard Simmons and Instructor Smith.

As he bent over Aviation Maintenance student Raj Winder’s temporarily crashed model helicopter, Simmons said, “This is what flying [model aircraft] is all about.”

“Fixing stuff,” agreed Winder.

Program Director Richard Simmons talks with student Raj Winders about his model helicopter

“Until you get used to flying,” Simmons finished.

Although flying model aircraft may seem more like after-school fun then in-class learning, Simmons claims it is a practical outlet for both. Because model aircraft are made in the same style as real-life aircraft, they contain the same working parts that need to be fixed when they crash.

"And when students are just starting to fly model aircraft, they crash a lot,” says Simmons, effectively ensuring they learn while they play around.

Although starter model aircraft have fairly nominal price tags, the more sophisticated models can cost thousands of dollars and fly as fast as 300mph. Smith, an aviation instructor at SJVC, says planes do much of the higher speeds while helicopters are more about stability and control.

“I had a lot of confusion about flying,” says Winder, “but Mr. Simmons helped me to see it with the models.”

Because of the direct practicality of repairing model airplanes, Simmons, Smith and students like Winder have discussed forming a club for more organized flying. After a successful meeting this month, they hope to have one in place shortly.

Stay tuned at www.facebook.com/sjvcs for more insights into a day in the life of our Aviation students!

Career Day at Rancho Cordova

Cordova students pose in their professional attire.

Students and graduates of the Respiratory Therapy Program on the Rancho Cordova Campus received a unique Career Day experience. The day was filled with tips to help graduates and current students fine-tune their career professional skills. Alumni had an opportunity to meet and network with the hiring managers of several local hospitals and current students had the opportunity to practice the career skills they are developing while attending SJVC.

During registration, students were greeted by the Respiratory Therapy Department Manager for University of California Davis Medical Center, Patricia Brown, RCP, BA. Brown later provided a plethora of information for our eager students regarding seeking employment with the prestigious organization and tips to help them interview well. She welcomed and answered as many questions as the students had, helping to resolve the typical faux pas of interviewing and resume writing.

Students also had an opportunity to hear from successful SJVC Alumni who are doing well in the field. Alumni shared their successes and failures that they have experienced along their journey which provided inspiration and motivation for our students to continue working towards the goals they have set for themselves as future Respiratory Therapists!

During our breakout session, students had the opportunity to be critiqued by hiring managers from various hospitals and career programs such as Sutter Roseville, Fremont Rideout, Mercy Folsom and SETA. Students performed mock interviews and were given feedback and tips on their personal resumes, internet job searching, and interview attire.

The afternoon session was conducted by Nadien Menke, RRT, RCP of Sutter Roseville. Her PowerPoint presentation on interviewing was very informative and opened the eyes of many of our students to improve their interviewing skills.

Ending the day with raffles and prizes, students and graduates alike were pleased with the wealth of knowledge they received at the Career Day and look forward to the next one!

SJVC Expands the HVAC Program

SJVC's Hesperia campus

San Joaquin Valley College in Hesperia is offering a Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC-R) program to its Technology program line-up beginning Monday, October 17^th.

The high desert area’s continued growth of industry in need of these specialized services, an influx of new manufacturers, the expansion of Southern California Logistics Airport and new home construction make this career a smart choice for many.

“Students have been inquiring about this type of career training since we first opened our doors two years ago,” says Melanie Blackwell, Hesperia Campus Director. “San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) is happy to finally offer this program to them, and one which also fits the needs of employers in our area,” she says.

The HVAC-R program at SJVC teaches students about the operation, maintenance and repair of residential and commercial equipment. A hands-on approach to instruction prepares graduates to enter the field with the skill, knowledge and confidence to succeed in this high-demand field. This program has been a success for students, employers and communities at several other SJVC campuses.

SJVC’s Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration class will be offered Monday-Thursday evenings from 5:30 pm – 10:15 pm, with an 18-seat capacity. The Hesperia campus also offers seven other Medical, Business and Technology programs.

Graduates of this accelerated program earn an Associate of Science degree along with EPA Certification, HVAC Excellence, and Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certification.

San Joaquin Valley College is a private Junior college in business since 1977. SJVC provides students with the opportunity to earn a certificate and/or Associate of Science degree in over 20 Business, Medical and Technical programs. SJVC is regionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission for community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.

San Joaquin Valley College is a private Junior college with 11-campuses and an online campus and has served California communities for 34-years. (Please see SJVC.edu) For more information about the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program or other Business, Medical or Technical program.

"Try not to be afraid to turn left or right, change lanes or even stop"

This is the story of a Rancho Cucamonga Criminal Justice student who hopes to graduate in November of this year. He sings a lot, his dream vacation would be to the Bahamas and his five year goal is to have a great family, beautiful truck and nice house to BBQ at on the weekends.

Hello my name is Rondale Stevenson, I am twenty-eight years old and I am the seventh child of eleven. Yes! My mother had eleven kids, although two brothers are deceased and a few are incarcerated. I am lucky number seven; I’m the only one who has attended college - where I come from, college was not a top priority.

Overcoming poverty-stricken surroundings, I became very determined to succeed. I say this because life challenges you, and you can be here one moment and gone the next or even locked up.

I grew up with love: my mother is the heart beat that makes me think and sleep. She teaches me to put God first and everything will work out in due time. No matter what negativity you are surrounded by, you have to stay strong; at all times and know right from wrong! Morals played a big factor growing up in a huge family with lots of different personalities. It taught me how to interact with others and learn from the good and the bad so when I start my own family, I will be the best father ever by taking care of them.

I have two beautiful girls named Sariyah and Miyah. Sariyah is six and Miyah is four years old. They both keep me motivated to wake up every morning with a smile on my face, waiting to catch the first bus of three in route to school.

I came to be at SJVC through a change of careers. I was a truck driver for a short period of time, with a family of two. I quit due to the stress of being away from my family. It was very difficult for my partner, handling two little ladies by herself. Although the money was great and the scenery was so beautiful, my heart was in the right place by coming home to my family. I prayed to my Father as I was kneeling down, knowing he would show me my next path. I remember a question in my head that kept popping up but I ignored it, thinking about money and getting a job to support my family. But as I was wondering, that question was blocking my vision from looking for employment. And I couldn’t understand that.

So I got up off my knees, ignored that feeling from my head and continue to look for a job. As time went by, I found myself looking for help, guidance. I realized I needed something that would make me stay focused and active. Then that feeling came back, but instead, from my heart. I remember that question that I thought about and ignored. School was the answer to my prayer.

But the struggles didn’t stop there.

During the beginning months of school things were going pretty well, but by my second mod things begin to take a turn for the worse when it came to my personal life. My home situation with my children’s mother became very stressful and ended with me moving with my mother. My younger sister was incarcerated while pregnant with her first child. My sister delivered her baby, which my mother and I care for now. I also knew my mother was suffering from troubling health concerns.

This weighed very heavy on me and my school work. I did my best not to let my troubles distract me. While on the bus I took time to study the material given each day because when I made it home I knew I had little time to do school work. After expressing my concerns to my family - that my grades were slipping and I was falling behind - I realized I needed outside support, so that’s when I went to my CJ advisor who was very helpful in giving me advice on what steps I needed to take in order for me to stay focused and on track.

So to those who are in the same lane that I’m in - don’t get too discouraged to catch up, go at your own fast past. No matter what subject material you are struggling in - whether its math, English, or any core class. No matter the hard decision-making dealing with your own family or core family. No matter whether it be your partner, boyfriend, or girlfriend, or somebody holding you back. So try not to be afraid to turn left or right, change lanes or even stop. Continue to go straight because at the in of the tunnel, God always has your back. I say this because, here I am a student of SJVC, almost done, waiting for my life to begin in a career in law enforcement.

Rancho Cucamonga Celebrates 10-year Anniversary

San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC) in Rancho Cucamonga is honoring its 10^th year of providing career education and training to the community with an open invitation to past graduates – more than 3,000 of them – to join current students, staff and faculty in celebration on campus Fri., Sept. 30^th. The event is from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the campus located at 10641 Church Street.

“We are excited about giving our 3,000 graduates an opportunity to network, reunite with classmates and visit with former instructors,” says Sherril Hein, SJVC’s Campus Director. “We are honored that these graduates chose SJVC to help them achieve their career goals and fulfill their dreams.”

During this “Decade of Success” event, students will get to mingle with students from other Medical, Business and Technical programs, listen to a jazz band and enjoy an Italian buffet under 38 lit trees. A photographer will be on hand to capture the evening’s high points and participants. Various community leaders are also invited to attend.

San Joaquin Valley College is a private Junior college with 11-campuses and an online campus and has served California communities for 34-years. (For more information please see www.sjvc.edu)

Local media are invited to attend the evening’s festivities and cover this momentous occasion for their viewing/listening audiences and readership. Please call Sherril Hein or Lindsay Fotia, Dean of Student Services at (866) 544-7898 for more information or to confirm attendance.

Hesperia Celebrates Peace One Day by Assisting the Elderly

As part of the Diversity Committee’s Peace Day celebration this year, Hesperia encouraged community service. Two of Hesperia’s CMA and AHCM classes visited the Sterling Inn Assisted Living Facility to walk for peace and talk with the residents. The students, joined by instructors Franshella Hopkins and Staci Porter, and Diversity Committee member DaShannon Mason, escorted the residents in a walk around the Victorville, CA facility.

“Peace One Day [was] an awesome day. It was my first time visiting a facility like Sterling and it was interesting. I got to meet different people and [hear] stories about their life when they were younger. I have lived with my Grandparents for about half of my life, but this experience was totally different,” stated AHCM student Maricel Naraval.

“It was an amazing visit at the Sterling Inn. It was an experience I will never forget. There, Joe, Frank, Bob, and John shared stories of war times and even a little bit of personal life stories,” began AHCM student Debra Eversole as she recounted a story shared with her about a man who left the love of his life to go to war. “He came back after 2 years and married the girl he had promised. He went on with his story and broke out with tears. They were married and 7 years later she was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed.”

Eversole stated that seeing this man cry allowed her to open up and share her own stories. “I would like to thank the ones responsible for this field trip.

Student Trynicia Patterson reflected: “This was a great experience for me because I would have never visited the facility on my own, and it inspired me to want to volunteer there.”

The favorite thing that student Chelsea Martin was told, “look forward to getting old, because when you find someone as special as him [gesturing to her friend she met at the facility] it makes it all worthwhile”.

The Sterling Inn Peace Walk coincided with the campus’ walk down Main Street Hesperia. Two hundred students, faculty, staff and community members joined in the walk, some carrying signs with messages like “Honk for Peace” and “End domestic violence.”

New Certification Eligibility for MA Students!

Effective September 1, 2011, San Joaquin Valley College - Online is pleased to announce that Medical Office Administration students are now eligible to take the Insurance and Coding Specialist certification exam through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) upon graduation. This test is in addition to the Medical Office Assistant certification exam already being offered to graduates through NCCT. San Joaquin Valley College will pay for one (1) of the two (2) examinations provided the examination is taken within six months of graduation. Information on testing can be found at the NCCT website: www.ncctinc.com.

Student Wins $3000 Scholarship!

Sara Custer, a SJVC Bakersfield student, has recently won a $3,000 scholarship and SJVC sponsored trip to attend the CAPPS awards ceremony in San Diego on October 14th. The scholarship was for students enrolled in an Allied Health program at a CAPPS Member school and required nomination. Sara was nominated by Kelly and Rudy Solano.

Rudy put together the following:

When I first received an email from Mrs. Walters, our campus director, stating that Sara Custer had received the CAPPS Sue Fleming Memorial Scholarship, I felt very excited for our student. Not only did I feel happy for her because she had won the scholarship, but the fact that it is an award that we had to recommend a student for made it more special. She had won, and this meant that we made the right choice in throwing her name into the mix. When I first met with Sara, I could see that she is an eager young woman very much dedicated to her studies and her career. Combine this with the fact that she is one of the top students in her class, and I knew she is destined for success. Sara, I want to congratulate you, and also ask you not to stop applying for scholarships, as I’m sure you have what it takes to win more. Congrats Sara!

SJVC PA Students Win!

Congrats to our students - we are so proud!

San Joaquin Valley College’s Physician Assistant program in Visalia took the trophy away from last year’s winner, University of Southern California (USC), at the 2011 California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA) Medical Challenge Bowl held recently in Palm Springs, CA.

PA students Jessica Garner, Jessica Rumsey and Chris Key, along with alternates Alicia Gordon and Daniel Villegas, brought home the winning glass bowl trophy, which is inscribed with each year’s winner, and $250. These students are 14-months into their almost two-year PA program, and they and their fellow classmates are scheduled to graduate in 2012.

It was an intense competition among seven teams of three-students each, that represented Physician Assistant (PA) educational programs from US Davis, Tuoro University, Samuel Merritt University, Western University and Riverside Community College, as well as USC and San Joaquin Valley College. “Our five seniors prepared for this competition for a few weeks prior to the event and felt confident that they would do well,” says Les Howard, PA Program Director for SJVC’s Visalia campus. “We’ve had a little rivalry going on with USC for four years now – they’ve won twice, we’ve won twice – so it’s nice to bring it back home and to have beaten a Master’s level program.”

Teams squared off in 12-question rounds, in which teams earned or lost 10-points with each right or wrong answer. ‘Sudden death’ elimination rounds were held when there was a total point tie. San Joaquin Valley College emerged victorious and jubilant.

CAPA President-elect, Adam Marks helps organize this annual event and is also a 2010 graduate of SJVC’s Physician Assistant program. “As a SJVC PA alumni, I am very proud of the accomplishments of the PA program,” he says. “It was great seeing our rural primary care program win the Student Bowl. It just proves a fact well-known to the faculty and alumni; SJVC does a great job equipping its PA students with the medical knowledge needed to not only win an event like the Challenge Bowl, but to succeed as PAs in the Central Valley.”

It has, in fact, been a great year of accolades for these PA students and Class of 2012. In May, 2011 at the annual PA conference in Las Vegas, this class was recognized with the following Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA): Outstanding Student Society Award, Health Communities Award and Certificate of Recognition for participating in National Service Month. See this website for a recap of the PA class of 2012’s community service and professional development works: http://www.slideshare.net/alanvale/student-society-powerpoint-8237438.

Join the Bakersfield Campus for the SHAKEOUT!

Student Writer of the Year: Socialized Medicine - A Gift or a Curse?

Eric Gormley
CAMA – Clinical and Administrative Assistant

Socialized Medicine - A Gift or a Curse?

For those of us who wonder about our current programs of healthcare, we often question whether or not there is a better alternative. Our government has been attempting to make health care less expensive for our country, and it is my opinion that socialized medicine could indeed aid us in spending less while making it easier on Americans. Socialized medicine is a word often used in theUnited Statesto refer to many different kinds of public health care. It represents any system of medical care that is publicly financed, government administered, or both, though use of this word is sometimes wrong due to the large amount of confusion on what it means exactly.

What is Socialized Medicine?

Socialized Medicine was the best definitive word for officials to give the term in theU.S.The words are associated simply because of the nature of how our country believes it will indeed affect us economically and also will affect our health care system. (Goodman, 2009) The word association with socialism continues to be used against both sides of the argument to make negative feelings towards public control of the health care system in that country. The main example where there are government employees as health care workers is in the of British National Health Service, but systems like this one operate in other countries as well including Finland, Spain and Cuba. (Brochu, 2010) TheUnited States' Veterans Health Administration and the U.S. Army Medical Department also fall under the same category, but are not associated with the term. The U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs,Canada's Medicare system, theUnited Kingdom's NHS general practitioner and dental services are systems where health care is delivered by private business with percentages or complete government funding. Most industrialized countries, and many smaller, developing countries have some form of public funded health care with coverage for all as their main goal. TheUnited Statesis the only wealthy nation that does not provide universal health care.

Why is Socialized Medicine a Good Idea?

From the outside glancing in on socialized medicine it causes disturbances on a very touchy subject. Healthcare problems can cause disturbances that we are not really prepared for as a nation. It could start a mass panic for Americans. That is because we are indeed ignorant on the subject. However, most Americans have little to no understanding of universal health care. Not only that, they have never done the research themselves to see if it was better for them in any way. There are a few positives to bringing the European style of healthcare. One, you don't pay to see a doctor. Whether you're treating a common cold or getting a surgical procedure, you will never pay any amount of money ever. And it truly may sound good, and it is very good, but it is also very sad if you are used to having the option of your insurance card or choosing with your insurance company over exactly what percentage of your bill it will cover for any given doctors visit. Two, the co-pays for prescriptions are much cheaper. In fact, children's prescriptions are almost always entirely free. Adults pay a set fee that is usually somewhere around six or seven pounds, or about $10 American dollars. Three, pharmacists play more of a triage role. They have the capability to help diagnose a patient due to their stricter, in depth training. (Brochu, 2010) Pharmacists over in the U.K. work more like part doctors. They are not only equipped to treat minor problems including rashes, coughs, eye infections and stuff like that. They could take care of more problems than normal which would aid our current system to better serve the American people. More and more often, they offer advice on things like quitting smoking and losing weight as well as early screening for long-term problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Fourth, Doctors prescribe fewer drugs. No matter what's wrong with your child, the first question a doctor here will always ask is: "Does your child seem ill?" Basically, unless the kid has such a bad sickness that he or she can’t walk, and the chance of he or she getting worse is high, the rule of thumb is that they probably don't need to be seen by a doctor. Fifth, doctors are paid per person, not per treatment. In the U.S., doctors are paid by the treatment. This creates a powerful incentive to prescribe medication, if for no other reason than to feel that they've covered all of the bases. This causes the people to pay more for services, even if they cannot really afford it. Under the NHS, in contrast, doctors are paid by the government according to the number of people they see. (Socialized Medicine, 2010) Sixth, you take more responsibility for your own health. The standard critique of socialized medicine is that it's the government -- not the individual -- that's making decisions about our health. Seventh, you see fewer specialists. Much like an HMO in the U.S., your first place to call in a U.K.-style system is always your general practitioner, who then refers you on to a specialist if the situation calls for it. The difference is that GPs in the U.K. treat a much wider range of problems than they do in the U.S. So, for example, in the U.S., any kind of women's health issue is generally handled by an OB/GYN, while children generally see pediatricians. There, in contrast, your GP could theoretically give you a pap smear, tend to your son's ear infection and treat your daughter's asthma all in one visit. This type of health care system runs smoother, and is thus in some ways more efficient than the American one. (Socialized Medicine, 2010) Finally, there is more after-hours coverage. Most national health care systems make it much easier to see a doctor at night and on weekends. We have all been caught in that situation of having to wait to tend to our sickness, and until we can either afford it, or if we have a sick child on a Saturday night and weighing the costs; economic, emotional, and logistical of going to the emergency room or just taking our chances and waiting for a day to come that will be better to go on. If my child becomes ill on the weekend anywhere in theUnited Kingdom, I simply make an appointment with a local health care cooperative, and he or she can be seen day or night. (Brochu, 2010)

Conclusion

In the end, there are pros and cons to both systems, though I hope that this paper has helped the public understand the option is considerably less pressuring in working toward getting a betterAmericatomorrow. There must be a compromise between big business and the health care system before we can further our progress.

References

Brochu, M. (n.d.) The Question of Socialized Medicine

Retrieved from http://jmchar.people.wm.edu/Kin493/socmed.html

Goodman, J (2009). Cato’s Letter – Five Myths of Socialized Medicine

Retrieved from http://www.cato.org/pubs/catosletter/catosletterv3n1.pdf

Socialized Medicine – pros and cons (2009)

Retrieved from www.huliq.com/50811/socialized-medicine-pros-and-cons

Socialized Medicine has a Good Side (2010)

Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/2009/08/15/socialism-is-the-best-medicine.html

Fresno Campus Director Takes the Stage

San Joaquin Valley College’s Fresno campus is hoping to make a big dent in the 2,100 seats available at Warnor’s Theatre on Sat., Nov. 5th at 5:00 PM for the live performance of Shep’s Christmas Wish. This year’s Toys for Tots theatrical fundraiser, sponsored by the United Way and Community Partners, promises to be wonderful family entertainment and includes a street faire for kids to age twelve, from 3:30-4:30 PM in front of the theatre.

As a 2011 United Way sponsor, SJVC is taking a lead role in this musical-comedy stage production, with Sue Smilie-Janecek as stage manager and Fresno Campus Director, Dr. John Swiger, projecting – if not leading man material – excellent 2-line eloquence. “I’m active in the United Way Cabinet,” says Dr. Swiger, “so taking part in this year’s play is a natural outcropping of our campus’s commitment of support. And if my brief appearance in this delightful play helps to spur interest from our campus to attend, I am happy to offer my meager thespian services.” He is a gentleman, a scholar, as well as a budding stage talent, it seems.

The play, written by Joe W. Ozier, centers on a young Marine named Dan, his dog, Shep, and their search to find a home, family and love. Plot twists and turns take the duo through tragedy and triumph – and not without a lot of spirited singing, heartfelt dialogue and dancing dogs. Dancing dogs? That, alone, is worth the price of admission – which is $15. General Admission and $50. for a VIP pass, which includes premium seating, food and drinks at an after-party celebration at Frank’s Place in the Warnor’s Complex and exciting door prizes, including a $3,000. gold and diamond necklace. Those who are able are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to contribute to Toys for Tots.

Sue Smilie-Janecek has made her commitment to this production a labor of love. She has enjoyed every aspect of involvement from assisting the cast with their costumes and painting sets, to coordinating rehearsal schedules. She is also delighted that her good friend, Joe Ozier, is the writing talent behind this year’s play; and she is certain that all who attend will enjoy its performance and come away with good feelings about its message. “The show will touch your heart and make you laugh – all at the same time,” says Sue.

100% of every ticket sold will go to the Toys for Tots program in Fresno County. “We hope to raise over $30,000 with this year’s performance,” says Sue, who is also hoping for a strong turnout of SJVC staff, faculty and students.

Winter Wonderland Street Faire
Warnor’s Center for Performing Arts – 1400 Fulton St.
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Free games, prizes, holiday decorations, meet actors in storybook characters

Shep’s Christmas Wish
5:00 PM Curtain Up (Doors open at 4:00 PM)

Tickets are available at unitedwayfresno.org, warnors.org, or call Melissa at 559/243-3663.

Bakersfield Hosts October Board of Governors Meeting

Several students, faculty and staff welcomed members of the Board of Governors at the Bakersfield campus this month for the Board of Governor’s meeting. The students were thrilled at the opportunity and were able to lead tours of the campus after a time of mingling and talking with members of the board.

“When I enrolled, I never thought I would get to meet the owners of the school or the Board,” said Sadie Spring, a Therapeutic Massage student. “It was a great experience I hope to be able to do again.” Sadie was impressed with how eager all the board members were to speak with the students. Sadie especially enjoyed speaking with Board member Nina Clancy and Nina’s enthusiasm in spending time with students.

Medical Assisting student and ASB president Ana Cisneros mentioned she didn’t know what the Board of Governors was at first and was really nervous to meet them. However, she also said everyone she spoke with made her feel comfortable. Ana was impressed how the members took the initiative to speak with every student and she felt a connection with Mike Perry because he was interested in her involvement with ASB. “He thanked me for trying to make the school better for the students. I really appreciated that,” Ana said. In the end Ana enjoyed the experience very much and hoped she made a good impression on behalf of the school, ASB and the CAMA program.

Aviation Hosts Local High School Students

This month, the Aviation Campus was visited by seniors and juniors from Sunnyside High School for Aviation Job Shadow day. The event was arranged by Joint Task Force for Business and Mr. Doug Betts from the Bill Smilie Aviation Center. In addition to visiting the Aviation campus, the high school students also had a chance to tour the airport’s control tower, Mazzei Flying Service, and Pacific Aviation/Future Eagles.

While visiting our campus, the students were welcomed by an enthusiastic staff that enjoyed having the teens participate in a variety of demonstrations arranged by the faculty. For example, Mr. Kenitzer, Airframe instructor, is seen here demonstrating proper drilling and riveting procedures.

In the General Aviation classroom the students were greeted by Mr. Lionel Smith who had the students work with rigid and flex lines. Then, with Mr. James Smith in the Powerplant section, the Sunnyside students were able to experience up close the roar of a reciprocating engine going full throttle on the airstrip while Army National Guard F-16 aircraft were taking off in the background.

With the help of admissions advisor Luanna Hernandez, instructor Jason Alves, and our aviation maintenance students, the Sunnyside visitors were introduced to the culture of the Aviation Campus and got a real feel for what the College is all about. The group participated in hands-on activities, learned some fundamental aspects of aircraft mechanics, played a few games, and spoke to current students—all this while learning about their different career options in the exciting Aviation industry!

Cucamonga’s Super Hero Effort in Founder’s Day Parade

On November 12, the City of Rancho Cucamonga hosted their annual Founder’s Day parade at the Victoria Gardens Mall. The Rancho Cucamonga Campus was represented by Admissions, CMA, PT, AHCM, Dental Hygiene, IT, and Criminal Justice students. Instructor Savala, and her volunteer crew of students constructed, and decorated a beautiful float to represent the superhero theme of “ Up, up, and Away.” Another great opportunity to bridge a symbiotic relationship between our campus and the community.

MDA Bail made for SJVC Campus Director

San Joaquin Valley College’s faculty, staff and students managed to raise exactly one dollar over the $1,600. bail set for Campus Director Kelly Walters by the Muscular Dystrophy Association Central Valley – but not before she was slapped with handcuffs, taken by patrol car and tossed into the slammer (actually a local restaurant ‘holding cell’). After a couple of hours, bail was officially arranged and Walters received certification of her “MDA Lock-Up” warrant and release.

Kelly Walters and the SJVC Bakersfield campus were recent participants in this year’s MDA Central Valley fundraiser that netted over $27,500, citywide. “We are very interested and involved in community support and local philanthropy,” says Ms. Walters. “Each of our programs has its pet charities and many of our students are drawn to causes that impact their career paths, their own personal lives or the lives of someone they know.”

Bakersfield raised the most money in this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association Lock-Up, which also included Tulare, Hanford, Visalia, Selma and Fresno. “The financial contribution made by San Joaquin Valley College and their supporters will pay for two kids and a counselor to go to MDA’s Camp Tuolumne in Groveland, CA next summer,” says MDA representative Renee Contreras. The camp is designed to handle the mobility needs of young campers with muscular dystrophy, and many water, creative and group activities are provided to give attendees the best possible experience.

Kelly Walters and her supporters had about a month to raise the stated bail. Even though she took a check with her to secure her release, she would like to continue to raise money for this worthy cause. Donations are welcome and can be arranged through Kelly Walters’ website: www.joinmda.org/bakers11/kellyw.

SJVC Hosts Annual Christmas Party

Over 140 children of all ages attended this year's annual Children's Christmas Party at SJVC in Visalia last Friday from 3:00-5:00pm. Student Resource Coordinator Elisia Sanchez organize this year's free event which offered fun booths such as face-painting, child-made Christmas ornaments and pictures frames to hold each of their photos taken with Santa. Story time was held in teh comfortable campus auditorium and food stations provided Christmas snacks and beverages to all attendees.

The children were all sons, daughters and other relatives of SJVC students, staff and faculty. Every child got a gift bag filled with goodies, including a raffle ticket for prizes given away at the end of the day. every adult attending also got a raffle ticket. "The main attraction was definitely the raffle," said Kerrie Liles, Dean of Student Services. "Kids were so excited for a chance to win some of the nice gifts we had bought with money raised by student service clubs."

Tickets were drawn for over 80 toys and four completely decorated artificial Christmas trees. "Some employees had even donated their SJVC Christmas gift certificates to include in the drawing," said Liles.

SJVC staff, faculty, students and various student clubs spent many months preparing for the event and raising money through bake sales and other campus fundraisers. Many SJVC employees also volunteered to manage game and food booths as well as try their hands as face painters and crafts instructors. The most noticeable volunteer was Jesse Decker, SJVC's General Education Manager, who got the greatest attention as this year's delightful Santa Claus.

We'd Like to Thank the Academy

Abel and Burlee Vang, GE Instructors on the Fresno campus, are the esteemed winners of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sponsors the international competition in search of new writing talent and ideas. After a very long and rigorous selection process, the brothers' screenplay was one of five chosen out of 6,730 entries.

They worked for over three years writing "The Tiger's Child," a story about two orphaned brothers trying to survive during the secret war in Laos. Although it is a work of fiction, some historical events helped to inspire the idea for the screenplay.

Abel and Burlee were invited to attend a week of meetings, luncheons and dinners in Hollywood that led up to the ceremony in November where the Nicholl Fellowships were presented. Highlights of the event as well as Abel and Burlee's acceptance speech are on the AMPAS website at www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/index.html.

Congratulations to Abel and Burlee on their fantastic achievement! We are proud to have such talented instructors leading our students on their paths to success.

Hesperia Shares the Christmas Spirit

Hesperia students who may be struggling to provide Christmas gifts for their children were encouraged to put an angel on the tree in the Student Center. The angels provided a place to list their child’s age and gender, then staff, faculty and other students took the angels to buy age and gender appropriate gifts for the children.

More than seventy angels were placed on the tree and every angel was provided with a gift. The gifts were wrapped and placed in the Student Center so that parents could come pick up the gifts to present to their children from “Santa.” With the success of this year’s Angels on the Tree, the Student Center has decided to expand the angels next year to allow staff and faculty in need to place an angel on the tree that will include clothing sizes and a wish list from each child.

Senior Dental Hygiene Students Tour State-of-the-Art Lab

Senior Dental Hygiene students from SJVC’s Rancho Cucamonga campus had a firsthand look of how digital technology is enhancing restorative dentistry.

Guided by Precision Ceramics Dental Laboratory’s VP and co-owner, Mark Jackson RDT, SJVC students were impressed by the facility’s innovation in fabricating precise restorations through digital impressions, CAD/CAM lasers, and cone-beam computerized tomography (CT scans guiding dentists’ precise placement of dental implants).

In promoting oral health, SJVC dental hygiene students are acutely aware of their role in educating patients while supporting treatment options dentists may prescribe.

Students Diana Brickley DH ’12 and Rachel Delvaux DH ’12, reported the Precision Ceramics experience “was amazing, gaining a better understanding of how advances in technology can help (dentists) make great dental restorations!”

SJVC faculty, Betsy Wilson RDH, stated, “integrating knowledge of the exciting developments in dental materials technology supports the SJVC dental hygiene curriculum, so that graduates are skilled, confident, and educated oral health care professionals.”

Mike Perry Visits Temecula

This January, SJVC CEO Mike Perry visited the Temecula campus. This was his first visit with students attending.

Staff and faculty welcomed Mike and his guests in the front lobby, introduced themselves, and expressed their gratitude for the continued support they are given in their roles with the college.

Priscilla Carrasco (admissions advisor) presented Mike with a key to the campus. Mike was made an honorary member of team Temecula and given his own personal Temecula campus badge. Campus Director Robyn Whiles gave Mike and guests a tour of the new campus.

The campus employees look forward to his next visit to see the RT classroom that is currently under construction open and in full swing with students!

Visalia CSA Students Excel in Internship

When Visalia Business Division Manager Jeff Nevins asked how the SJVC interns were performing in their efforts for the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE), supervisor Linda Horsting replied, "They have been a blessing!"

High praise for the squad of SJVC Computer Systems Administration (CSA) students volunteering their time since mid-October at TCOE's Equipment Repair Station (ERS) in northwest Visalia.

TCOE Associate Gary Cordell approached SJVC in early 2011 with the idea for a partnership with the college. The ERS, which serves many of the county's smaller public school districts and independent schools, found itself buried in repairs needed for computers, monitors, printers, and overhead projectors. SJVC instructor Michael Johnson was looking for additional hands-on training for CSA students.

"It was a perfect marriage," stated Johnson, "TCOE needed help and could provide training--and we have the enthusiastic students, ready to learn." Each intern works two afternoon hours daily, four days per week, over a fifteen week term. Current participants include Lance Cordero, Jonathan Renteria, Carlos Moreno, Alex Torres, Steven Castaneto, Anselmo Gutierrez, Miguel Martinez, and Richard Schoenfeld.

While many CSA students were interested in participating, applicants were required to have completed their first term at SJVC, and have attained a minimum 3.25 GPA. Additionally, students needed a record of 90% plus attendance, submit a resume, and to pass a rigorous interview with Mr. Nevins, Mr. Johnson, and Career Services Advisor Erika Bassett.

“TCOE is offering our students an outstanding opportunity to gain real-world, hands-on experience, so we take the selection process for student volunteers very seriously,” Ms. Bassett commented. “We want to make sure the students who participate in the program serve as positive representatives of San Joaquin Valley College. Our eligibility requirements have been set in an effort to reward those who have worked diligently to achieve high academic standing, and to encourage those who are setting a higher standard for themselves.”

SJVC is tremendously grateful to TCOE, especially Gary Cordell and Linda Horsting, not only for the opportunity but for helping our future CSA graduates build a strong, technical foundation for their budding careers. The success of the program has encouraged both organizations to envision it as long-term.

As Ms. Horsting pointed proudly to a nearly empty rack of computer printers and parts, she said, “Before your students came on board this rack was so full that we hardly could add any more to it.”

Current plans call for this successful program to continue.