News and events at Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges

September 2020

In This Issue

Featured Article

Culture Circle

21st Century Skills

Fall Reading Series

Virtual Theatre Arts

Employee

Spotlight

In pre-pandemic times, Aklas Sheai, an adjunct Arabic instructor at Cuyamaca College, was known for the extra things, like bringing homemade desserts and snacks to share with her students.

Additionally, her yearly efforts to increase awareness of Middle Eastern culture were epic: elaborately staged events featuring students in intricate costumes she stitched herself. She also established the Middle Eastern Students Club, or MESC, to culturally engage students in and out of the classroom.

Even with the pandemic quashing on-campus interactions, Sheai's contributions to the college and the students she holds dear to her heart still persist.

In the News

Expanding help to students a top priority

Quick Links

GCCCD Website

Grossmont College website

Cuyamaca College website

Political, cultural issues discussed at Cuyamaca

From women's voting rights to the racial and economic disparities surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Culture and Community Circle workshops at Cuyamaca College cover a variety of important political and cultural issues.

All sessions, which will be offered through Zoom, are free and open to the public. To obtain the Zoom link, call the Cuyamaca College Student Affairs office at (619) 660-4612.

Eleven workshops are being offered in September.

They are:

Wednesday, September 2, 11 a.m-12:15 p.m. Discussion about the film, "13th," a 2016 documentary film by director Ava DuVernay that explores race, justice and mass incarceration in the United States.
Wednesday, September 9, 9:45-10:45 a.m. Racial and Economic Disparities of COVID-19: An Exploration of National and Local Trends
Monday, September 14, 9:30-10:45 a.m. Votes for Women: Why It Still Matters 100 Years Later.
Wednesday, September 16, 11 a.m.-noon. A Hidden Heritage: African Ancestry in Latin America.
Thursday, September 17 4-5 p.m. A Dialogue on Racial Trauma.
Monday, September 21, 11 a.m.-noon. One Latinx's Literary Journey and How You Too Can Tell Your Story.
Wednesday, September 23, 11 a.m.-noon. College Hour: Latinx Heritage Month
Wednesday, September 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Intersectionality and Social Justice.
Thursday, September 24, 1-2 p.m. Open Mic: Spoken Word and Poetry.
Tuesday, September 29, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. COVID:19: Chronicles Veterans Workshop Series #1: Managing Relationships.
Wednesday, September 30, 9:30-10:45 a.m. Importance of Local Politics.

21st Century Skills Virtual Workshops at Grossmont College

Grossmont College Career Service

s is offering a free opportunity for personal and professiona l development, "21st Century Skills Virtual Workshops." The skills are intended to help individuals keep up with the lightning pace of today's modern markets.

Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but what they all have in common is they're all in the age of the internet.

All workshop sessions are virtual, free and open to the general public. Zoom links will be emailed to those who register. To RSVP:

https://tinyurl.com/Y5PGKY49

Effective Communication: Feedback That Works; 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 11
The Why; 11 a.m., Friday Sept. 11
Financial Literacy & Budgeting; 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 15
Communicating Effectively with Your Instructor: 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 18
Time & Stress Management: 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18
Developing Emotional Intelligence: Why and What Works?; 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21
Empathy; noon Tuesday, Sept. 22
LinkedIn Basics; 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25
Customer Service; 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25

Grossmont College hosts

Fall Reading Series

The Grossmont College English and Creative Writing program presents the 2020 Fall Reading Series, a host of virtual events celebrating literature, showcasing award-winning authors, and honoring the inspiration to write. September events include:

Acorn Review Reading: A virtual reading by students and writers from the community of the campus' Creative Writing publication, the Acorn Review, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17. Register at tinyurl.com/y5vycsjg
Banned Books/Banned Lives: A celebration/investigation/interrogation of Banned Books and voices systemically silenced and erased from literary and public discourse, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. Register at tinyurl.com/yyly6z4t

Grossmont College Theatre Arts going virtual for Fall 2020

Grossmont College's Theatre Arts program is making the best of these pandemic-stricken times by staging plays that can't be seen in person but can still be experienced in a remote environment.

It's a season unlike any other for the Stagehouse Theatre and the opportunities for innovation, along with free access, have the theatre program hopeful that more people than ever will watch a Grossmont College production. The virtual performances will be free and accessible by links to be posted on the Theatre Arts web page.

The first performance is "Hope at the End of the World," opening 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, with the link active until Nov. 1 for anytime viewing. A truly collaborative piece of storytelling between the director and cast, "Hope at the End of the World" focuses its themes on events that are surrounding our world right now, along with universal themes of love, growth as an individual and as a community, and finding joy through difficult times.

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