Neal Named District-Site Manager of the Year

Judy Neal, Coast Community College District’s risk services coordinator, has been honored as the 2005 District-site Manager of the Year.  Judy was presented the award at the Coast District Managers Association (CDMA) annual picnic.

Judy began her career in community colleges in 1966 at Cypress College and started working for the CCCD in 1972 in the OCC library. "This is quite an honor," said Judy.  "I am proud to be among the 2005 managers of the year – I have worked closely with all of them at one time or another in my career and I know I am part of a very special group this year."

Judy oversees the risk management function of the District as well as the Environmental Health and Safety department. "Her role is vital to the District's well-being," said Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services C.M. Brahmbhatt.  "Judy and her team are incredibly knowlegable and consistently provide excellent service to the students and staff of the District.  She is very deserving of this recognition."

Judy was an accounting student at Fullerton College and studied management at Orange Coast College. Neal plans to retire this summer and looks forward to relaxing in her new home in Irvine.

At the picnic the managers of the year were also announced for the District's three colleges.  Coastline Community College selected Lois Wilkerson to receive the award.  For Golden West College the award went to Dave Larson and at Orange Coast College, Kevin Ballinger was given the honor.

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New District Transportation Facility Opens for Business

District Transportation is moving to its new facility on OCC’s campus this month.  The building will house CCCD vehicle maintenance and Environmental Health and Safety activities.  The 8,900 sq. ft. facility is the new home of a vehicle fueling station, wash area and gated parking for the District’s fleet of buses and passenger vehicles.

District Transportation opens June 13 and is located on OCC's Campus.

District Transportation provides vehicle maintenance services for District passenger and service vehicles, provides bus transportation service, and coordinates transportation arrangements for athletic team trips and student field trips.  The Environmental Health and Safety department oversees the District’s safety programs to ensure that students, faculty, and staff are provided with a safe and healthy educational environment and the District is in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Move-in will take place the week of June 13.  For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Jerry Marchbank at x84731.

 

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29 STUDENTS RECEIVE DIPLOMAS AT OCC MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE FILM/VIDEO STUDENT LANDS ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES INTERNSHIP

29 Students Receive Diplomas at OCC Middle College High School Graduation

Twenty-nine students received diplomas this month at Orange Coast College's Middle College High School graduation.

The ceremony was the seventh to be conducted in the Middle College High School's nine-year history. The school has been operating on OCC's 164-acre campus since the fall of 1996.

The Middle College High School is designed specifically for students who are looking for an academic environment outside the traditional high school setting. It's a collaborative effort between OCC and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Michael diDonato, counseling coordinator for the school, opened the ceremony by calling the Middle College High School "a proud spoke in the academic wheel that is Orange Coast College."

Middle College High School principal, Bob Nanney, complimented the 29 graduates for "facing the challenge and accepting the responsibility of the Middle College High School experience."

Featured graduation speaker, Jaime Castellanos, assistant superintendent for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, encouraged the graduates to "live life to the fullest."

"Find your passion...find your talent," he advised. "Follow up with zest and 100 percent effort. Be of service to others. Lead a life of significance. Do something with your life that benefits others."

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Orange Coast College Film/Video Student Lands Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Internship

Joel Griffen, an Orange Coast College film/video student, has landed a prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship.

And, as it turns out, it's the internship of his dreams.

The program is sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences the same people who bring you the annual Emmy Awards.

Griffen, 20, a resident of Anaheim, will spend eight weeks this summer working with a post-production company in Burbank. He'll receive a $4,000 stipend for his efforts.

"This is a huge honor for Joel," says William Hall, an OCC professor of film/video. "Joel's internship category was extremely competitive, yet he was the only student in the nation to be chosen for that category. That says something about his ability. It's very unusual to have a community college student finish ahead of juniors and seniors who are preparing to graduate from prestigious film schools.

"Joel is obviously one of the top students in the nation."

Griffen will work June 13 through Aug. 5 at a Burbank post-production editing facility, Digitalize. The company is located near Warner Bros. Studios.

"I haven't been told exactly what I'll be doing, yet, but I suspect I'll work on a television show," Griffen said. "Digitalize is involved in all aspects of post-production which means they get involved after the shooting on a particular project has concluded. I'll probably spend a lot of time in the company's machine room. I could be doing color correcting, or dubbing or a host of other assignments."

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Student receives A.A. Degree before finishing high school

Student Receives A.A. Degree Before Finishing High School

Community colleges have long been known for serving two major populations of students: recent high school graduates who want a four-year degree but don't have the money or the grades to get into a four-year college, and adult students trying to get a degree while keeping their day-job. But, with her recent graduation from Coastline, Madison Vondrak has re-emphasized the value of community college to another major target population: the high school overachiever.

Madison’s story is a perfect example of how students can successfully merge their high school and college experience. She started at Coastline in fall 2002 while attending Pacific Coast High School and graduated from Coastline on May 20th with an Associate in Arts degree. Her walk across the stage to accept her degree, with honors, served as a dress-rehearsal for her high school graduation ceremony, which took place a few weeks later. Because of her dedication, Madison will be transferring to the University of Redlands in the fall as a freshman with junior status, at only 17 years of age.

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Visionary Event Raises More than $120k for the CCC Foundation

More than 500 guests attended Coastline’s annual Visionary of the Year Awards Gala, held May 20th, at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach in Huntington Beach, California.

Arriving in their best “Hollywood” attire, attendees strolled up the red carpet and into the silent auction area where they bid on more than 165 auction items. From student art, to gift baskets, to surfboards autographed by Hurley International President Bob Hurley, the silent auction was a complete success generating thousands of dollars in proceeds for the Coastline Community College Foundation.

Coastline President,  Dr. Ding-Jo Currie, poses with Visionary of the Year Award recipient Rauf Gajiani and family. Gajiani is CEO of RZR Enterprises, a real estate development company in Orange County.

The main event consisted of a dinner and awards program honoring the 2005 Visionary of the Year Award recipients, which are: Mary H. Barry, Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs, Corinthian Colleges; Rauf Gajiani, CEO, RZR Enterprises; Bob Hurley, founder and CEO, Hurley International; Karen L. Robinson, Orange County Superior Court Judge; and Andrea Anne Shelly, board member, FRAXA, The Fragile X Research Foundation.

As a special surprise, His Excellency, The Consulate General of Pakistan, Mr. Noor Mohammed Jadmani, attended the event and addressed the audience. His Excellency then presented the Visionary of the Year Award to recipient, Rauf Gajiani.

Buzz Chambers, member of the Coastline Community College Foundation Board of Directors, presents a 2005 Visionary of the Year Award to Andrea Anne Shelly, of FRAXA, the Fragile X Research Foundation.

Open to the public, the 2005 Visionary of the Year Awards Gala generated a net total of approximately $122,000, which will benefit the Coastline Community College Foundation.

Held in the evening hours before the dinner and awards program, the silent auction gave attendees the chance to bid on several items, including this surfboard signed by honoree Bob Hurley, President of Hurley International.		Honoree Rauf Gajiani accepts his 2005 Visionary of the Year Award from His Excellency, The Consulate General of Pakistan, Mr. Noor Mohammed Jadmani.

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Three Rustlers Selected in MLB Draft

Three Rustlers Selected in MLB Draft

A trio of right handed pitchers from Golden West College were selected in the recent Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.  Freshman Brad Barragar was selected by the Texas Rangers in the eighth round Tuesday, before teammate Justin Sincock's name was called by the Chicago White Sox in Wednesday's 28th round.  The pair was joined in the draft by GWC alumnus Cody Evans who pitched for Long Beach State in 2005.

Barragar, the 249th pick overall, was sidelined for the majority of the 2005 season following Tommy John surgery.  Upon his return to the mound he faced 47 batters in 13 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .149 batting average.

Major League Baseball scouts liked Barragar's 6'4" well-built frame and say his smooth delivery and solid mechanics bode well for a professional career.  His fastball, which tops at 93 mph, consistently falls in the 89-91 range.

Sincock, a Milliken High School product, struck out 38 batters in 47.2 innings in his first year at Golden West.  Posting a 4-4 record, he held hitters to a .269 average in 2005.  The rightie was picked by the White Sox in the middle of the 28th round, making him the 845th player selected in the two-day event.

Evans suited up for GWC in 2003 and 2004.  In his sophomore year Evans produced a 2.98 ERA in over 84 innings pitched. In 11 starts he completed three games, finishing the year 9-2 as the Rustlers won the Orange Empire Conference.  The Arizona Diamondbacks made Evans the first pick in the 10th round.

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