Dana Cochran

Camarillo, CA - Research she conducted as an undergraduate has earned CSU Channel Islands (CI) graduate student Dana Cochran a coveted spot in the 2015 "Posters on the Hill" event in Washington D.C.

"Posters on the Hill" is sponsored each spring by the Council on Undergraduate Research in Washington, D.C.

Cochran, 24, is among 60 chosen from more than 500 applicants from colleges and universities around the nation who will present their research to members of the U.S. Congress on April 22 and 23.

"This event is intended to help members of Congress understand the importance of undergraduate research by talking directly with the students whom these programs impact," reads a passage on the Council's web site.

Cochran, of Simi Valley, used her mathematical skills to begin developing an automated diagnostic tool for physicians using brain scans to detect schizophrenia.

"Studies have shown that the shape of a part of the brain called the 'corpus callosum' will vary according to whether you have a disease," Cochran explained.

Cochran said her goal was to build a database that would allow doctors to input the scans and find out whether the mathematical coordinates on the shape of the corpus callosum indicate the possibility of schizophrenia.

Cochran's mentor, CI Associate Professor of Mathematics, Kathryn Leonard, Ph.D., said she saw potential in Cochran after watching Cochran ease through linear algebra classes during her sophomore year.

"That's when students transition from computation to abstract thought," Leonard said. "It's something most students struggle with, so I asked her to join my research group the following year."

Cochran had always been fascinated with anatomy and physiology, so she was a good fit for Leonard's research into applying mathematics to brain imagery.

Cochran is currently working toward her master's degree in mathematics at CI with hopes of someday teaching.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI's Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world's largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

Enlarge Photo

Camarillo, CA - Clad in jeans, a T-shirt and a facemask, CSU Channel Islands (CI) Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Gayle Hutchinson fired up her weed whacker.

Hutchinson then sheared off a stand of weeds next to the Prototypes rehabilitation center in Oxnard.

“I love physical labor. I love service,” Hutchinson said, pulling down her face mask. “I think it’s important to give back. We get busy in our lives, and myopic.”

Hutchinson was among about 30 volunteers—most of them CI students, faculty, staff and administration—who performed a variety of duties for Prototypes in Oxnard as part of the Martin Luther King Day of Service on Friday, Jan. 30.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the volunteers cleared brush; painted walls; cleaned the playground; held an arts and crafts workshop for the kids and a workshop giving tips for women on how to enroll in college.

Prototypes is a residential treatment center that helps women get clean and sober while also accommodating their children.

“This program allows you to be with your kid while working on your own recovery,” said Crystal Beeson, 29, who held a seven-month old baby girl in a Minnie Mouse hoodie fitted with ears. “This program teaches you balance. This is a lifetime disease.”

Beeson has been clean and sober for 100 days, and plans to attend 12-step meetings when she leaves Prototypes so she can stay on the right path for herself and her daughter.

Outside the multi-storied 1898 building that houses Prototypes, CI communication major Dedreiana Elliott, 21, helped sort out working from non-working donated bicycles.

Elliott said she read about the volunteer opportunity on the CI website, and signed up.

“I think one of these service opportunities may lead me to the career I want,” she said, adding that, as an African American woman, she felt it was important to follow Martin Luther King’s example.

Plus, she wanted to follow the advice of her aunt, who raised her, she said.

“I was a substance abuse baby,” Elliott said. “Had my aunt not been there for me, I don’t know what would have happened to me. She tells me to pay it forward all the time.”

Also behind the MLK Day of Service at Prototypes was the CI Multicultural Center and Project ISLAS program. Project ISLAS is a grant-supported effort to educate potential students on how to get to college, and the importance of a college degree.

For additional information contact Kim Lamb Gregory, Communication Specialist CSU Channel Islands at 805-437-8424 or kim.gregory@csuci.edu

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world’s largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

Camarillo, CA - More than 55 percent of Ventura County students in pre-school through 12th grade are Latina/o, yet less than 15 percent of their teachers share their cultural ethnicity.

An academy formed to promote Latina/o leadership education will celebrate the accomplishments of its first cohort of protégés and mentors at a banquet Sat., Feb. 7, 2015 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Grand Salon at CSU Channel Islands (CI).

The seven protégés and eight mentors are the first group to participate in the Lacayo Vista Leadership Academy (LVLA), a two-year old mentorship program created to combat what Latina/o scholars term "The Latino Education Crisis."

"Latinos are the fastest growing demographic in the country and yet they are among the most significantly underrepresented in graduate education," explained CI Associate Professor of Education Kaia Tollefson, Ph.D., who created the LVLA.

In 2013, Tollefson paired rising young Latina/o protégés with Hispanic mentors with experience in education in Ventura County.

For two years, the mentors and protégés met regularly, the mentors helping the protégés with any difficulties or challenges that arose in their careers as young educators.

Briggs Middle School teacher Cynthia Dore was paired with mentor Maria Elena Plaza, a former middle school principal who is now Oxnard School District Director of Human Resources & Public Relations.

"She is so smart," Plaza said of Dore. "She has a mind of her own so I helped her think through her own decision-making. We've had professional conversations, we've had personal conversations. It's amazing to see what a close relationship we've developed through this process."

Plaza's mother was a migrant farmworker and single mother who raised all four of her children to become educators.

Dore's father spent all day in the fields and her mother worked in a factory, but they were never too tired to show up for their daughter's school functions.

"Regardless of how late they got home from work, they were always there," Dore said. "Education was always a priority in my family."

The Academy bears the name of humanitarian, public servant and labor leader Hank Lacayo, advisor to U.S. Presidents and state governors, and a passionate advocate for education for all, especially Latina/os.

"Other people will be making decisions for us, so it's important that we pay attention," Lacayo said. "Hispanics, we can be pretty quiet. We need to take a chance and get involved."

What: Lacayo Vista Leadership Academy Banquet
When: Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015
Where: CSU Channel Islands Grand Salon
Address: One University Drive, Camarillo, Calif.
For more information about the LVLA or this event, contact Kaia Tollefson at kaia.tollefson@csuci.edu or 805-437-3125.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting C I's Soci al Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world's largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

Anna McRoberts, President of Air Bud Entertainment

Camarillo, Calif., Jan. 30, 2015 — An unplanned journey to a billion-dollar business; a garage invention that launched an entrepreneur and the challenges of being a female executive in the entertainment business are among the topics included in the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics Spring 2015 Speaker Series.

Titled “Contemporary Topics in Business and Technology,” the series will feature speakers linked with such brands as UGG; Teva; OtterBox; FaceFirst and Air Bud Entertainment.

First scheduled is Anna McRoberts, President of Air Bud Entertainment, who will speak on Friday, Feb. 6 about a variety of topics, including the responsibilities of a producer; the state of the film and content business today; and the challenges women face in business.

McRoberts believes changing technology is one of the biggest challenges facing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“A great idea today can be antiquated by tomorrow,” she said. “Without prescience, one has to stay very up-to-date and knowledgeable.”

Recently retired as Chief Operating Officer of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, businessman Zohar Ziv will speak Friday, Feb. 27 about Deckers, the parent company of the UGG and Teva brands.

Ziv will discuss how he helped turn the company from a $250 million into a $1.8 billion-dollar company, but how most of his success has been what he calls an “unplanned journey.”

“As a financial and logistics person through-and-through, I am always planning,” Zohar said. “But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, the journey of your career and life will have many unplanned destinations.”

Joe Rosenkrantz, President and Chief Executive Officer of a facial recognition software company called FaceFirst that is being used worldwide for surveillance and law enforcement, will speak on Friday, March 13.

An avid tinkerer, Rosenkrantz developed FaceFirst technology in his Calabasas garage as a way to pay homage to a friend who was on one of the hijacked planes in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to an interview Rosenkrantz did with the Los Angeles Times.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about ways this could have been avoided,” Rosenkrantz told the Times. “I realized that with the right technology, we could have saved lives.”

Curt Richardson, who invented the waterproof smart phone case OtterBox, will speak about his journey into entrepreneurship on Friday, April 17.

Richardson, who is from Fort Collins, Colorado, developed OtterBox in 1998. The success of the company enabled him to co-found Blue Ocean Enterprises, which creates and invests in business opportunities and commercial real estate.

“Our (OtterBox) cases are dedicated to all the klutzy, spontaneous, chaotic, graceless individuals who have broken a device or valuable due to their active lifestyle,” reads a passage on the OtterBox web site. “Like our customers, we’ve been there too!”

What: “Contemporary Topics in Business and Technology” Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics Spring 2015 Speaker Series
Dates: Feb. 6; Feb. 27; March 13; April 17
Time: 12 noon
Where: CSU Channel Islands, Malibu Hall, Room 100
Address: One University Drive, Camarillo
Cost: Free, and lunch is included

To register online and for additional information, visit: business.csuci.edu/events.htm

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world’s largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

The Oxnard College Literature, Arts and Lecture Series will begin its 2015 spring Series on February 25 and will feature a poetry reading by Bruce Weigl, the 2014 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Poetry, on April 29. Other events include music and dance concerts, a testimony in commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day by a survivor and decorated French Jewish spy, and a presentation from the Nature Conservancy on Earth Day.

Sponsored by Oxnard College, the Series will be held on Wednesdays from 1-2 p.m. on campus in the Performing Arts Center. The events held on March 11, March 25, and April 29 are co-sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc., through a James Irvine grant. All events are free, open to the public, and interpreted for the deaf and hard of hearing. Parking is $2.00. The Performing Arts Center is located on the north end of Oxnard College at 4000 S. Rose Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033. For more information, contact the Series coordinator, Shelley Savren, at ssavren@vcccd.edu or (805) 986-5800 ext. 1951.

Spring 2015 Series Schedule

Wednesday, February 25, 2015
The Harlem Renaissance and its Influence
In celebration of African American History Month, essayist, critic and editor Geoffrey Jacques will discuss the 1920’s cultural movement sparked by African American artists and thinkers and how it continues to influence our modern ideas about art and culture.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Tinto Tango Concert and Dance Performance
Argentinean tango ensemble, featuring director and bandoneonist Mariano Dugatkin, violinist Alan Busteed, guitarist Dino Durnad and pianist Pablo Medina, will perform popular tango classics to accompany dancers Dennis Cante and Anna Folkerth.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Poetry from Our Back Yard
California State University professors and poets Claudia Reder and Mary Kay Rummel will read poems from their recent books and discuss how their work has been influenced by other art forms such as music, visual art and other literature, followed by a book signing.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Jazz to Classical: Music of Manson, Ellington, Gershwin, Bach and More
Acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Bevan Manson will be joined by oboist Phil Ayling, violist Jennie Hanson, bassist Danny Young and percussionist Charles Levin, performing jazz and classical pieces and discussing how these musical styles are connected.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Warrior Writers: Young Veterans Share a Re-integration Tool
Writer and organizer Lovella Calica, Iraq veteran and writer Nathan Lewis and other panelists will share their writing and discuss the importance of providing a supportive network for veterans to communicate military experiences and dialogue with their communities.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Rhythms and Songs from Around the World
Musician, Educator and Sound Medicine Woman Judy Piazza will sing and play drums, wind instruments and the unique dulsitar TM, performing songs inspired by indigenous people from various world cultures with profound vocal, melodic and rhythmic traditions.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Meet a French Jewish Spy who Infiltrated Nazi Germany
In commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day, French Jewish spy and survivor Marthe Cohn will show a brief DVD and tell how she served in the French army, infiltrating Nazi Germany, and received the Croix de Guerre, Legion d’Honneur and other medals.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Restoring Balance for People and Nature
In celebration of Earth Day, The Nature Conservancy’s ecologist Laura Riege will talk about how the environmental non-profit organization is restoring Ventura County’s coastal gems at Ormond Beach and in the Santa Clara River, followed by a Q and A.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Writing at the Juncture of Memory and Imagination
Pulitzer Prize finalist for poetry Bruce Weigl will read from some of his 13 books, including his newest, The Abundance of Nothing, which brings the reader to the emotional front lines of Viet Nam and back home to the Loraine Ohio, where life continues.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Better ‘Wait’ than Never: A Play on Words
Oxnard College English Professor Anthony Rodriguez and the students of Sigma Kappa Delta English Honors Society will examine the narrow margins between purpose and futility in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and will include an interactive audience discussion.

ASB is sponsoring the Pennies for Patients Contest January 22 – February 13, 2015 in FIRST period classes. Pennies for Patients is a program through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Since 1993, students and educators throughout the United States and Canada have raised more than 261 million dollars in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission to cure blood cancers and improve the lives of patients and their families. Although you can donate pennies, we do accept any form of currency.

Nick Bostrom

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - An award-winning philosopher will discuss threats to the survival of intelligent life on Earth and the possibility of machine intelligence surpassing biological intelligence in two free lectures at California Lutheran University on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Nick Bostrom of the University of Oxford will explore “Technology and the Future” during the event in Samuelson Chapel marking the 30th anniversary of the Harold Stoner Clark Lectures. He will present “Technology Strategy and Existential Risks” at 11:10 a.m. and “Superintelligence” at 4 p.m.

Bostrom will show how the concept of existential risk provides a focusing lens for long-term, global technology strategy. Existential risks are those that threaten to destroy intelligent life on Earth or its potential for desirable development. Figuring out how to reduce existential risk is very difficult, he explains.

He will also delve into superintelligence and the new era that will begin if and when machine intelligence surpasses biological intelligence. He will discuss the difficult challenges presented by the transition to an era of superintelligence, the last invention humanity will ever need to make.

Bostrom is a professor of philosophy and the director of the Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology at Oxford. He is the founding director of the Future of Humanity Institute, a multidisciplinary research center that enables a few exceptional mathematicians, philosophers and scientists to think carefully about global priorities and big questions for humanity. He has a background in physics, computational neuroscience, mathematical logic and philosophy.

He is the author of about 200 publications. These include the 2008 book “Global Catastrophic Risks” and “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies,” which was released last year. His writings have been translated into 24 languages.

Bostrom is a recipient of the Eugene R. Gannon Award, for which one person is selected annually worldwide from the fields of philosophy, mathematics, humanities and natural sciences. He has been listed in Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers and Prospect Magazine’s World Thinkers list.

The late Harold Stoner Clark endowed the free lecture series, requesting that presentations address his dual interests of science and philosophy. Cal Lutheran’s Department of Philosophy sponsors the talks.

The chapel is located at 165 Chapel Lane in Thousand Oaks. For more information, contact Nathan Tierney at 805-493-3232 or tierney@callutheran.edu.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - Addicted and incarcerated, Natasha Williams just wanted to die.

"All I could do was use and plan my death," said Williams, 35.

Teresa Failauga, 31, was also an addicted new mother. She gave birth to her son in jail, and immediately lost custody of him.

Less than a year later, both women are clean and sober after several months at an Oxnard residential treatment center for women called Prototypes.

In an effort to support women in recovery like Williams and Failauga, CSU Channel Islands (CI)'s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) will be volunteering at Prototypes on Friday, Jan. 30—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day of Service.

CI's Intercultural Services and the staff of Project ISLAS will also be on site for the MLK Day of Service.

The CCE "adopted" Prototypes during the United Way Day of Caring in fall of 2014, which means CCE will be concentrating its volunteer efforts on Prototypes for all of the national days of service in 2015.

"This is the first year to adopt an organization and be able to concentrate all our days of service on one site and build a strong partnership with them," said Center for Community Engagement Managing Director Pilar Pacheco.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 30, about 35 student, faculty and staff volunteers will paint; do arts and crafts with children; garden; clear brush and hold a workshop on how to get to college.

The director of Prototypes in Oxnard, Vel Linden, said any help maintaining the multi-storied 1898 house is welcome. Many of the children of the mothers in recovery stay and play on the 3 ½ acres, so there is a lot of upkeep.

CI creative writing major and volunteer Ashley Medina, 22, will be among those lending a hand on Jan. 30.

"I'm a big believer in rehabilitation, even if I can help with something as simple as doing groundwork," Medina said.

Medina was raised by a single mother who benefited from the kindness of others when times got tough, so she believes in volunteerism.

Project ISLAS staff educate community members on how to get to college, which Linden believes will be valuable information to women at Prototypes.

"A lot of women come and feel their story is already written," said Linden, who attended CI during its first year. "A lot of them don't think they can go to college."

Besides regaining custody of their children, Williams and Failauga plan to pass their General Educational Development (GED) tests, then attend college to become addiction counselors themselves.

"I love the way I am now," Failauga said.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI's Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world's largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

The Lions Student Speaker Contest will be Monday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 pm sharp. The topic is "Water conservation-How can we reduce, recycle and reclaim?" The wimnner will receive $100 and the runner-ups $25. No more than 6 speakers can compete-so enter quickly. There will be a mandatory meeting on Thursday Jan. 29 at lunch time in the fillmore highschool conference room.( also after school for those who cannot attend at lunch. Please contact Bill Edmonds at 524-4839 or Mr. Dann, or Mr. Olverton at the highschool.

Sonshine Preschool has broadened the age range for eligible students.

Beginning January 5, 2015, students as young as age 2, if potty trained, can begin their preschool career. Due to numerous requests for 2 yr old enrollment we sought out licensing changes which were quickly granted.

Angelica Gonzalez, (Miss Angie) and Leticia Ocegueda, (Mrs. O) are teaching partners in this new class which still has spaces available. Children age 2 through 4.4 qualify for this Monday/Wednesday/Friday class.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - Research on Santa Rosa Island; reliable health care information on the Internet; genetically modified food; and what it means to be a man are included in topics scheduled for the California State University Channel Islands free library lecture series, which begins Jan. 12 and continues through May 14.

The lecture series offers the public a chance to hear from some of CI’s most dynamic experts in the comfort of their local library. CI’s scholars will discuss and field questions about timely, compelling and entertaining topics that will range from 19th Century Mexico City to California’s native flora to healthcare Internet resources.
The series will be offered at libraries in Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Ventura and Santa Paula.

Simi Valley Public Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley
“Laundering Labor and Images in 19th Century Mexico City,” Monday, Jan. 12, 6 to 8 p.m. Travel back in time to 19th Century Mexico City with Professor of History Marie Francois, Ph.D., to meet the laundry women or “lavanderas” behind the white shirts and clean sheets that polished the images of their clients.

“What it Means to be a Man in America Today,” Monday, Feb. 2, 6 to 8 p.m. When boys in America are told to “act like a man,” “quit crying” or “go big or go home,” are we setting them up for failure? Assistant Professor of English Sean Carswell, Ph.D., will use advertisements and other media to illustrate how our definitions of masculinity are far more cultural than biological, with both positive and negative results.

“The Great GMO Label Debate—Science, Politics, and the Court of Public Opinion,” Monday, March 2, 6 to 8 p.m. Attorney and Lecturer in Business Panda Kroll, ESQ., will take a closer look at the national debate over the use of genetically modified organisms or GMOs in the food we eat and legislation over whether to label GMOs. Kroll will examine consumer-led lawsuits against manufacturers as well as the science and political climate surrounding this multi-faceted debate.

“Good, Bad or Otherwise: Reliable Healthcare Internet Resources,” Monday, April 4, 6 to 8 p.m. The Internet can be a jungle when it comes to finding good information about healthcare. Assistant Professor of Nursing Colleen Nevins, Ph.D., will guide us through which web sites are valid, up-to-date and reliable.

City of Thousand Oaks Grant R. Brimhall Library, 1401 E. Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks (lectures will be held inside the Marvin E. Smith Community Room)
“The Neglected Pacific Theater of the First World War,” Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Images and stories from World War I tend to center on the European Theater, but Professor of History Rainer Buschmann, Ph.D., will discuss the conflicts that raged in the Pacific over German colonial presence in China and the Pacific Ocean.

“Natural Habitats and Native Flora of California State University Channel Islands,” Thursday, March 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m. The Springs Fire of 2013 blackened the rolling hills around the CSU Channel Islands campus, but the area is beginning to recover. Biology Lecturer Steven M. Norris, Ph.D., will discuss the regrowth of the over 120 native species of CI flora that have been identified to date, and talk about the natural history survey CI has been conducting since the university opened in 2002.

“Hidden Gems of Latin America,” Thursday, April 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Professor and Chair of Spanish Stephen Clark, Ph.D., will give guests an armchair tour of some of Latin America’s most intriguing cities with a taste of their culture, history and architecture.

“China: The Socialist Market Economy,” Thursday, May 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m. China is a trading giant with the world’s second largest economy and the longest sustained economic growth in the history of mankind. Associate Professor of Finance Priscilla Liang, Ph.D., will discuss whether China can continue as a socialist market economy without political reform.

Ventura County Library, 651 East Main St., Ventura (lectures will be held in the Topping Room at E.P. Foster Library)
“Folding Them In: Using Science to Teach Science,” Wednesday, Feb. 4, 5 to 7 p.m. The digital age has created a kind of golden age for teaching science, according to Associate Professor of Chemistry Blake Gillespie, Ph.D., Virtual science libraries and curated web content put high quality learning at students’ fingertips. Gillespie will share methods he uses to bring the next generation of scientists into the fold.

“Through the Looking Glass: a Chemist’s Perspective on Lewis Carroll”—Wednesday, March 4, 5 to 7 p.m. Less well known than Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” was “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.” Professor of Chemistry Phil Hampton, Ph.D., will discuss what he found there, using gumdrops and hands-on demonstrations to illustrate the scientific significance of Carroll’s sequel.

“Gender Differences in the Social Behaviors of Girls and Boys with Autism,” Wednesday, April 22, 5 to 7 p.m. Boys and girls on the autism spectrum have different behaviors, according to Assistant Professor of Special Education Michelle Dean, Ph.D., Dean will present research on how gender relates to the social behavior and relationships of school children with high-functioning autism.

Blanchard Community Library, 119 N. 8th St., Santa Paula
“Monitoring Latina/o Progress: A Demographic Approach,” Thursday, Feb. 19, 6 to 8 p.m. The Latino population is now the nation’s largest minority group. In addition to rapid demographic growth, Latinos have experienced significant social and economic change. Assistant Professor of Sociology Luis Sánchez, Ph.D., will provide an overview of these changes and what it means for the 21st Century.

“A New Era of Research on Santa Rosa Island,” Thursday, March 12, 6 to 8 p.m. CSU Channel Islands Santa Rosa Island Research Station Manager Cause Hanna, Ph.D., will talk about several studies going on about the human and natural history and ecology on the island. Hanna will also share ways in which students of all ages are learning about real world resource management.

“Bees, Food and You,” Tuesday, April 7 (tentative) 6 to 8 p.m. Most people don’t realize how important bees are to their everyday lives, according to Assistant Professor of Biology, Ruben Alarcón, Ph.D. More than 130 fruit and vegetable crops in the U.S. are pollinated from bees and other insects. Recent declines in the honeybee population have underscored the need to study bees, and learn ways to help them better survive. For final date on “Bees, Food and You” please contact the Blanchard Community Library at: 805-525-3615.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world’s largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) closed out 2014 by making the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for the fifth year in a row.

Each year, the President of the United States recognizes institutions of higher education for their commitment to community service that has made a meaningful, measurable difference. CI is among 15 California State University campuses to receive the national honor in recognition of the students’ volunteer service in 2014.

“These students go out in the community and help solve a problem,” explained Stephanie Thara, communication specialist for the California State University Office of the Chancellor.

In 2014, more than half of CI’s student body— 2,687 students—participated in some form of Ventura County community service for a total of 123,418 community service hours.

“To have CI recognized five years in a row is a great honor and a testament to the power of partnerships between the faculty, the students, and our many community partners,” said Pilar Pacheco, managing director of CI’s Center for Community Engagement.

Student volunteers spent those hours doing everything from children’s reading programs to a preparatory academy designed to light the pathway to college for high school students who may not have considered higher education.

One colorful example of student volunteerism that helped CI make the honor roll is the annual Science Carnival, coordinated by CI chemistry professor Phil Hampton.

For the past six years, CI students have introduced students from kindergarten through eighth grade to the colorful side of science with over 70 hands-on activities, including “Touch a Reptile” with live snakes and lizards; a mock archaeological dig; and the “Gummi Bear Sacrifice,” to name a few highlights.

“The screaming Gummi Bears is a classic chemistry demo where you melt an oxidizing agent and drop in the Gummi Bear,” Hampton said. “The Gummi Bear catches fire and makes a ‘whooshing’ noise. This demonstration shows dramatically how much energy is contained in a Gummi Bear.”

The carnival drew 150 attendees in 2008, its first year. The 2014 carnival drew about 3,000 kids and parents. “It’s been a pretty powerful showcase of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math),” he said.

The Honor Roll is compiled annually by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal government agency that encourages volunteerism and public service, in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. CI was one of 766 U.S. institutions of higher education who made the 2014 honor roll.

For more information on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, visit www.NationalService.gov/HonorRoll or contact Pilar Pacheco at pilar.pacheco@csuci.edu or 805-437-8851.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world’s largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

Luis Pablo Sanchez

The Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees will consider action to confirm Luis Pablo Sanchez, JD, LLM, as President of Moorpark College at their public meeting on January 20, 2015. Sanchez was recommended to the Board following a nationwide search process that resulted in three finalists for consideration.

Born in Laredo, Texas, Sanchez attended public schools in Texas and California, earning his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles, in 1976. In 1983, he earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and was admitted to the California Bar Association. While practicing commercial law, Sanchez earned a Master’s degree in Business and Tax Law from McGeorge School of Law. Sanchez taught business and corporate law part-time from 1986 to 1991 while maintaining a full-time private law practice. From 1991 to 2006, he taught Business Law, Federal Income Taxation, and Law and Society as a full-time instructor at Sierra Community College in Rocklin, California. During this time, Sanchez continued to practice law on a part-time basis and was honored by students with Sierra College’s Outstanding Instructor award in 1997-1998 and 1999-2000. He also wrote and published two textbook supplements on California Business Law. In 2006, Sanchez was appointed Associate Dean of Business and Technology at Sierra College and was subsequently promoted to Dean of Business, Technology, and Public Safety. In July 2011, Sanchez assumed his duties as Associate Superintendent and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California.

"I am pleased Luis plans to join the District and lead Moorpark College," commented Chancellor Jamillah Moore, Ventura County Community College District. "He understands the importance of student success in the California community college system, and his depth of experience and expertise will benefit Moorpark College employees, students, and the community." Upon Board approval, Sanchez would start at Moorpark College in February 2015.

As the County’s only non-for-profit Home Health and Hospice provider, we support the total well-being of our community. As part of our services, we host free monthly education classes throughout the county which include the following:

Special Classes/Events
 Ojai: Peace Beyond Losses on Wednesday, January 21st at a new time…from 1-2:30pm at Ojai’s Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office at 202-A Cañada Street, Ojai. Brock Travis, PhD, teaches guidance and support through life changes. Call (805) 272-8593 for more information.

Social Services/Bereavement Groups
 Ojai: Caregiver Support Group Monday, January 5th and 19th from 10:00am – 11:30am at Continuous Care Center, Fireside Room, 1306 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai (behind Ojai Valley Community Hospital). Find encouragement and hope during your time as a caregiver. Share, listen and explore thoughts and feelings about the struggles, losses and successes of caring for your loved one. For more information call (805) 633-9056.
 Ojai: Adult Bereavement Support Group January 13th and 27th (2nd & 4th Tuesdays) 10:30-Noon at Help of Ojai, West Campus 370 Baldwin Rd., Ojai. These groups are open to individuals who have experienced loss and are no-charge. Call 642-0239 for more information or email griefinfo@livingstonvna.org.
 Oxnard: Adult Bereavement Support Group on Wednesdays, Janury 7, 14, 21, & 28 from 3:00-4:30pm at First Presbyterian Church, 850 Ivywood Dr, Oxnard. These groups are open to individuals who have experienced loss and are no-charge. Call 642-0239 for more information or email griefinfo@livingstonvna.org.  Ventura: Adult Bereavement Support Group Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 6:30-8:00pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 109. These groups are open to individuals who have experienced loss and are no-charge. Call 642-0239 for more information or email griefinfo@livingstonvna.org.
 Ventura: Newly Bereaved Support Group Thursday, January 8th 6-7:30pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association office, 1996 Eastman Ave., Suite 109. This monthly group is designed for adults who have recently experienced the loss of a loved one and is free. Call 642-0239 for more information or email griefinfo@livingstonvna.org. These groups meet every 2nd Thursday of each month.

Diabetes Classes
 Ojai: Monday, January 26th from 2-3pm at Livingston’s Ojai office at 202-A Cañada Street, Ojai. General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. Call (805) 272-8593 for more information.
 Ventura: Tuesday, January 6th from 1-2:30pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association, 1996 Eastman Ave, Suite 109. These meetings are held on 1st Tuesday of each month. General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. Call 642-0239 for more information.
 Simi Valley: Wednesday, January 7th from 10:30am-12pm at Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi. These meetings are held on 1st Wednesday of each month. General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. Call 642-0239 for more information
 Camarillo: Wednesday, January 7th from 2:30-4pm at Camarillo Community Center Room #3 at 1605 Burnley Street. These meetings are held on 1st Wednesday of each month. General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. Call 642-0239 for more information.
 Thousand Oaks: Wednesday, January 28th from 1:30-3pm at Thousand Oaks’ Goebel Senior Center Foothill Room, 1385 E. Janss Road. General information is provided about Type 2 Diabetes with emphasis on the development of an individualized plan of care that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. Call 642-0239 for more information

Joint Replacement Classes
 Ventura: Thursday, January 8th from 1:00-2:00pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association offices, in the Community Room at 1996 Eastman Avenue, Suite 109 in Ventura. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. These meetings are 1st Thursday of each month. Dr. Hofer, Orthopedic Surgeon will be presenting. For information or to RSVP call Dinah Davis at (805) 642-0239 ext. 739.
 Ventura: Monday, January 12th for both English and Spanish speaking. English 4:00-5:00pm and Spanish 5:30-6:30pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association offices, in the Community Room at 1996 Eastman Avenue, Suite 109 in Ventura. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. For information or to RSVP call Dinah Davis at (805) 642-0239 ext. 739.
 Camarillo: Wednesday, January 14th from 10-11am at St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital, 2309 Antonio Ave., Camarillo in Classroom #2, on third floor. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. RSVP to Barrie Gilster at (805) 797-7699.
 Simi Valley: Wednesday, January 13th from 1-2pm at Sunrise Senior Living of Wood Ranch, in the Activity Room at 190 Tierra Rejada Rd. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. RSVP to Barrie Gilster at (805) 797-7699.
 Ventura: Friday, January 16th from 12:00-1:00pm at Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association offices, in the Community Room at 1996 Eastman Avenue, Suite 109 in Ventura. You will learn what to expect before, during and after knee or hip replacement surgery and how to be an active participant in your care. Dr. Jeffers, Orthopedic Surgeon will be presenting. For information or to RSVP call Dinah Davis at (805) 642-0239 ext. 739.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - After 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Andrew Ayres enrolled in CSU Channel Islands (CI), where he was surrounded with students and no longer answered to a commanding officer.

“It was a difficult transition,” said Ayres, 42, of Newbury Park. “The one thing I missed more than anything was the camaraderie.”

Ayres found the fellowship of former and active duty military as well as help with the transition from the military to academia through CI’s Veterans Affairs Program. The effectiveness of CI’s Veterans’ program caught the attention of Military Advanced Education magazine, which just named CI as a Top School in Military Advanced Education’s (MAE) 2015 Guide to Colleges & Universities for the fourth year in a row.

“For being a relatively new Veterans Affairs Program, it seems CI has implemented quite a few support services for its military and veteran students,” said MAE editor Kelly Fodel.

CI Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator Jay Derrico launched the program almost four years ago. While researching and listening to the needs of military and veteran students, Derrico heard common themes. For example, a CI student veteran’s average age is between 26 and 30 with some college and a wealth of life experience.

“They have been through quite a bit in their military career, and it has matured them quite a bit,” Derrico said. “And it’s a totally different lifestyle. Veterans when they are active military are in a very structured environment, and school is probably the most unstructured environment you can go to.”

Among other services, the Veterans Affairs Program provides student military and veterans with information about financial aid; paid internships; workshops; peer-to-peer counseling and a resource center inside CI’s Bell Tower where veterans and military can get information, study, or just talk.

That’s where Ayres met psychology major and former Seabee Kevin Taylor, 42, of Oxnard.

“I found Kevin who also likes sports, so I can dog out on him and his Florida State Seminoles,” said Ayres, a University of Georgia Bulldogs fan.

“My team is in a playoff,” Taylor shot back with a grin.

The MAE Guide to Colleges & Universities provides students with information about institutions like CI, which go out of their way for their men and women in uniform. The 2015 Guide will be released in their December issue.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

The California State University (CSU) will reach a significant milestone of 3 million alumni during commencement in spring 2015 and has launched the world’s largest yearbook. The Class of 3 Million online yearbook is an interactive platform where alumni can create a profile and connect with the millions of other alumni from the 23 CSU campuses across the state. Alumni who sign up for the yearbook will also be entered into a special contest to win one of three $10,000 scholarships for a current or future student, sponsored by Herff Jones. For more information about the yearbook and the Class of 3 Million, visit https://classof3million.calstate.edu/

The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Board of Trustees held their annual meeting on Tuesday, December 9, 2014, at the District Administrative Center in Ventura. The Board appointed Dianne B. McKay as the new Board Chair, and Larry Kennedy was named Vice Chair.

Chair McKay, who was re-elected to the Board of Trustees in the November elections, represents Area 2 in Ventura County (Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Oak Park, Bell Canyon, Hidden Valley, Lake Sherwood, Somis, Las Posas Valley, California State University Channel Islands, portions of the Oxnard Plain, Santa Rosa Valley, Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, California Air National Guard, and South Coast). Chair McKay is active in statewide issues and currently serves as Chair on the Advisory Committee for Education Services (ACES) for the Community College League of California. She is also the VCCCD Chair for the Planning, Accreditation, Communications, and Student Success (PACSS) Board Committee. Chair McKay lives and works in Conejo Valley and provides a strong business perspective to the Board, supported by 30 years in private business. She maintains a strong presence in education demonstrated by more than 20 years of volunteer service in the community. Chair McKay is married to Duncan McKay, and they have four children.

Vice Chair Kennedy, elected to the Board in 2012, represents Area 3 (Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Southeast Oxnard, East Oxnard Plain, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, East Lockwood Valley, and Eastern Portion of Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme). Vice Chair Kennedy, a former Oxnard College professor, provides valuable insight to VCCCD from a faculty and student perspective having taught Management and Economics for over 30 years. As past Director of the Oxnard College Job and Career Center, he has a deep understanding of workforce needs in Ventura County. Most recently, Vice Chair Kennedy served as Chair of the VCCCD Policy Committee and Member of the Board’s Legislative Committee. Vice Chair Kennedy, a Management Consultant and Veteran, is also an active community leader, with over 30 years’ service as a volunteer Board member of local Chambers of Commerce, Rotary International, the Workforce Investment Board, and other organizations. Vice Chair Kennedy is married to Joanne Kennedy, and they have two children.

Trustees Stephen P. Blum, Art Hernández, and Bernardo M. Perez remain on the Board. Ilse Maymes serves as Student Trustee. The Board of Trustees generally meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to the public, and times/locations can be found at www.vcccd.edu.