OCC Dean of Student Services Earns Doctorate
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Orange Coast College Dean of Student Services Kate Mueller
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Orange Coast College Dean of Student Services Kate Mueller received her doctorate this month in a commencement ceremony at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
Dr. Mueller’s dissertation, entitled “Situations with Ethical Dimensions as Described and Addressed by California Community by College Presidents,” explores the relationship between ethical leadership and higher education.
Dr. Mueller joined the CCCD as dean of students in 2001. She earned a B.A. degree in comparative literature at Scripps College, and completed an M.S. in counseling at CSU Long Beach.
The subject of ethical leadership has been one of Dr. Mueller’s ongoing passions. “I love reading about ethical leadership, studying it,” she said. An admitted “bookaholic,” her personal library is crammed with volumes related to her doctoral studies.
Dr. Mueller’s love of ethical leadership is also practical. She introduced Academic Integrity Seminars at OCC to instruct students who get caught plagiarizing or cheating. Students who are caught can take the seminar to wipe their records clean and get a fresh start.
“More often than not it’s a one-time deal,” she explained. Students are not aware of the long-term consequences of cheating that could adversely affect their futures, educationally and professionally. Sometimes students are not even aware they are citing a work improperly.
Dr. Mueller helps students by providing them tools to guide their research. One book, “Doing Honest Work in College,” is especially helpful. The dean also advises students to take advantage of workshops offered by OCC’s Library staff on proper citing techniques.
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OCC’s Culinary Hot Food Team Takes Regional Honors
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Orange Coast College’s Hot Food Team
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Despite a heat lamp that exploded during the last minutes of cooking, the OCC Hot Food Team won a gold medal in the American Culinary Federation Student Team Regional Championship in Salt Lake City.
It is the sixth time that OCC’s culinary arts team won the regional championship in the last 14 years. Utah Valley State College placed second behind OCC, and Johnson and Whales University, Colorado, took third place. Teams from Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming also competed in the championship.
Chef Keith Noriega, an OCC culinary arts graduate, coached members of the OCC team including Brodie Curtis, Newport Beach; Caitlin Knoop, San Clemente; Conrad Malaya, La Palma; and Chad Urata and Brent Omeste, Irvine. Curtis and Omeste are veterans from last year’s squad that finished second in the nation.
The students prepared a cold pork platter for eight and completed a skills relay and a four-course menu in their winning effort.
“What an exciting competition!” said Bill Barber, OCC Associate Professor of Culinary Arts, the team’s manager and advisor. “All of the teams in the competition are commended for presenting great looking and tasting food,” he added.
Barber also thanked Chefs Jill Bosich, CED, CCE; Jeremy Peters, CEC, and Randy Torres and Lu-Lu Derouen, who helped prepare the team for the regional competition.
Associated Students of OCC, New Chef Fashion and R.L. Schreiber, Inc. sponsored the team.
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New Admissions Chief Brings CSU Experience to OCC
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Director of Admissions, Efrén Galván
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Moving from the admissions office at CSU Stanislaus to admissions at OCC was an easy decision for Efrén Galván, OCC’s new Director of Admissions, Records and Enrollment Technology.
Galván replaces Kristen Clark, who stepped up to become OCC’s Dean of Enrollment Services.
Coming to OCC was an opportunity for professional growth, said Galván, who worked on admissions at Cal State Stanislaus for 25 years.
Since advancement opportunities at Stanislaus were somewhat limited, Galván and his wife decided to focus their search on Southern California. They were delighted when Galván found an opening at OCC that seemed like a good fit.
“People have nothing but good things to say about Orange Coast College,” Galván said. Leaving his long-time employer and alma mater could have been traumatic, but “it was easy, knowing OCC had such a good reputation.”
Once he arrived on campus, Galván knew he made the right choice. “People here care about their jobs,” he observed, “and they want to make a difference at the community college level.”
While he was at Cal State Stanislaus, Galván became a transfer specialist. He appreciates what transfer students bring to campus. “They finish school in a timelier fashion,” Galván said.
Galván arrives at a critical time in OCC’s history – admissions and registration are transitioning to online technology this year using OCC’s new Banner system.
Galván has valuable experience with Banner, which CSU Stanislaus introduced on its campus 10 years ago. “It’s a good system,” he said. “There are many more upsides than downsides.”
Today’s students are “very technologically savvy,” he observed. “They’ve grown up with remote controls and wireless devices.” Most do not encounter any difficulty with online admissions and registration procedures.
However, Galván is also concerned with the experience of nontraditional students returning to school. Not everyone is comfortable using a computer. “We want to help them utilize tools to make it easier,” he added.
“I try to be a student advocate,” he added. “If there’s anything we can do, we will do it.”
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Shakespeare Comedy, Musical Mark OCC Summer Theatre
A Shakespeare comedy and a summer musical are in the works for OCC’s Theatre Department this summer.
Free outdoor performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be offered in OCC’s outdoor Fine Arts Amphitheatre beginning at 7 p.m. on June 27-29 and July 5-6, with an additional matinee at 2:30 p.m. on July 6. OCC theatre professor Alex Golson will direct the play.
Theatergoers should bring chairs for the outdoor performance.
Rick Golson will direct “Little Shop of Horrors” with musical direction by Beth Hansen, as part of OCC’s 60th Anniversary celebration.
Performances in the OCC Drama Lab will begin at 8 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2 and 7-9. Matinees will start at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 10. Tickets are $15 in advance and $16 at the door. Children, OCC students, senior citizens, OCC faculty and staff may purchase advance tickets for $12.
The Theatre Department will conduct auditions for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Monday, May 12, at 6 p.m., and Tuesday, May 13, at 7 p.m in the Drama Lab Theatre. Rehearsals will be on weekday evenings from mid-May through June 27.
Auditions for “Little Shop of Horrors” will be Monday, June 23, at 6 p.m. in the Drama Lab Theatre. All roles are open. Rehearsals will be held evenings until the musical opens on Aug. 1.
For audition information, contact OCC’s Theatre Arts Department at (714) 432-5640, ext. 5, or email dagolson@occ.cccd.edu.
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