April 2018
In This Issue
 
spotlightStudent Spotlight

Debbie Oliviera moved from Brazil to pursue her dream of launching a career in engineering. Thanks to Grossmont College, the honors student is steadily moving in that direction.
"I love it here," said Oliviera, who is on track to earn an associate degree that will prepare her for a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering at San Diego State University. "It's a beautiful campus and it has lots to offer."
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Grossmont College website
                
In the News

Salsa Under the Stars

College students blossom at landscape competition

  Four receive national award

$1 million donation to colleges

Jazz great Charles McPherson to visit Cuyamaca
Spring Garden Festival blooming  
springat Cuyamaca College

The 25th Annual Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival at Cuyamaca College, set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 28, is a family-friendly community celebration of spring and a greener future that attracts more than 3,000 visitors annually. The free event features fun programs, exhibitors and demonstrations on ways to become a better gardener and to conserve natural resources.

Highlights include:
  • Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture department's biggest plant sale of the year
  •  Food trucks and wine tasting
  •  OH Department showcase
  •  Educational demonstrations
  •  Heritage of the Americas Museum on the college campus is open with free admission
  • Water Conservation Garden Open House
  • Butterfly Pavilion tours and butterfly releases at the Water Conservation Garden
  • Landscape design consultations ($20 for 20 minutes.) Register through the Water Conservation Garden.
  • Craft, food and garden vendors
  • Free chlidren's activities
  • Information about San Diego's garden clubs
  • Horticulture books
Parking is free.
mcpherson Charles McPherson to talk, play saxophone at  Cuyamaca Colle ge
 
Legendary jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson will give a talk and musical demonstration during a free event, "Conversations with a Legend: Charles McPherson," 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in Cuyamaca College's Digital Theater, Room B-101.

For more than 50 years, McPherson's rich musical style, rooted in the blues and bebop, has influenced and inspired generations of musicians and listeners. McPherson is most famous for his work from 1960 to 1972 with Charles Mingus and as a solo artist who has recorded with the likes of Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

He has toured extensively worldwide and has performed at concerts and festivals with his own variety of groups, consisting of quartets, quintets to full orchestras. He was recently featured at Lincoln Center showcasing his original compositions and arrangements with a seven-piece ensemble. McPherson also was commissioned to help record ensemble renditions of pieces from Charlie Parker on the 1988 soundtrack for the Clint Eastwood film, "Bird."

His Cuyamaca College visit is free and open to the public.
musicMore music at Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

There's no shortage of music events planned for April at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. For ticket information, and repertoire, go to www.gcccd.edu/calendar/

 At Grossmont College:
  • Cadence Vocal Jazz performs 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, and Monday, April 23, in the recital hall, Building 26, Room 220
  • Grossmont Symphony Orchestra plays 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 6, at the First Presbyterian Church of El Cajon, 500 Farragut Circle; 8 p.m. Saturday, April 7, with the Patrick Henry High School Orchestra at Patrick Henry High, 6702 Wandermere Drive in San Diego; and Friday, April 27, at Foothills United Methodist Church, 4031 Avocado Blvd. in La Mesa
  • Grossmont Guitar Ensemble, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in Building 26, Room 221
  • The Grossmont College Concert Band presents a free evening of music from multiple San Diego County college concert bands during "College Band Night" from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, April 19 at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park
At the Cuya maca College Performing Arts Theater:
  • The Great Wall String Quartet performs 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 9
  • The Benvenue Fortepiano Trio, 3 p.m. Sunday, April 15
  • A Tapestry of Women's Choral Music, 7:30-9 p.m. Thursday, April 19
  • Formosa String Quartet performs 6-8 p.m. Sunday, April 22, with pianist Jessie Chang
  • Pianist Siu Hei and soprano Kirsten Ashley Wiest performing 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26
danceGrossmont Dance Department stages 'Entrances and Exits'

The Grossmont College Dance Department will present "Entrances and Exits," its annual faculty-choreographed, student-performed spring dance concert, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 19-21, at the Joan B. Kroc  Theatre, 6611 University Ave. in San Diego.

The concert is open to the public and will feature original choreography by Grossmont College dance faculty: Melissa Adao, Nancy Boskin-Mullen, Lesa Green, Kathy Meyer, David Mullen, Angela Moran, Colleen Shipkowski, Gina Bolles Sorensen, Kyle Sorensen and Debi Toth-Ward. This year's show will feature a variety of dance genres, including hip-hop, modern, ballet and jazz.

General admission, cash-only ticket prices: $12 pre-sale through April 18 and $15 at the door. Pre-sale tickets are sold at the ASGC Student Activities Window in Bldg. 10 near Financial Aid and through the Grossmont College Dance Department at (619) 644-7766.
career East County Career Expo
a don't-miss event for job-seekers

More than 60 employers from throughout the region will converge on Cuyamaca College 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, to recruit job applicants at the 2018 Eas t County Career Expo.

Sponsored by Cuyamaca College, America's Job Center  of California and the East County Career Center, the event will be held at the Cuyamaca College Student Center, Room I-207.

The Career Expo is free and open to the public.

The companies and employers represent a wide swath of career and job fields, including healthcare, childcare, education, municipalities, county agencies,  public utilities, nursing homes, non-profits, law enforcement, gaming, landscaping, local legislators, San Diego radio stations and more. Some of the region's largest employers will be represented, including UC San Diego, Sycuan Casino,  and  the San Diego Convention Center.

Employers can pay a $50 registration fee to reserve a table by registering online or by mail.

Free parking is available in all student lots.

To help job-seekers prepare for the career expo, the career center in Room A-112 in the One-stop Student Services Center, is offering free workshops that are open to all: 
  •  Building a Resume, 2-4 p.m Wednesday, April 4
  • Strategies for Interview Success, 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 11
  • Navigating the Career Fair, noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 17
  • Creating an Elevator Pitch 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 18
literaryLiterary Arts Festival  
at Grossmont College

The Grossmont College Creative Writing program kicks off its 22nd annual Literary Arts Festival 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Monday, April 23, with a reading from San Diego memoirist, blogger and fiction writer, Jim Ruland.
The Literary Arts Festival continues through April 26.

In addition to his novel, "Forest of Fortune," Ruland has also published a short story collection, co-authored nonfiction works, and regularly blogs on the topic of punk rock for the indie nonprofit magazine, "Razorcake."

The Literary Arts Festival features several  readings and book signings by writers and poets, as well as a student poetry slam, a student panel discussion, student writing contest awards and student readings, all taking place in Griffin Gate in Building 60. All events are free and open to the public.

LAF events include:
  • Monday, April 23, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Jim Ruland reading and book signing
  • Monday, April 23, 7-8:15 p.m. "New Voices" student readings by this semester's creative writing classes
  • Tuesday, April 24, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. "Zine Fest with Margarat Nee of Grrrl Zines-a-Go-Go" highlighting do-it-yourself indie journals, "zines," which engage visual and cultural literacy and promote empowerment, advocacy and change.
  • Tuesday, April 24, 7-9 p.m. Poet Ada Limon, author of four books of poetry, including "Bright Dead Things."
  • Wednesday, April 25, 2-3:15 p.m. Student Poetry Slam with performance poet/DJ Gill Sotu
  • Wednesday, April 25, 7-8:15 p.m. "We Need Diverse Books" panel with author Cindy Pon and poet Janine Joseph
  • Thursday, April 26, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. "Why Literature Matters" student panel
  • Thursday, April 26, 7-9 p.m. Author Kazim Ali reading and book signing, along with student writing contest awards.

For more information, visit www.grossmont.edu/laf or contact festival director Daniela Sow at 619-668-1743. 

 

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