Volume VII, Issue 2, April 28, 2021
For over a year, the Santa Monica College community has been, to steal a phrase from
the New York Times, “together apart.” Meet Ilaria Costa, an international student
from Italy who tutors fellow students—in Japanese. Also, meet Ainura Abdullayeva,
who’s mentoring fellow students and keeping up with SMC coursework, from 7,000 miles
away (Almaty, Kazakhstan). These international students--plus student filmmaker Ozzy
Ozuna, soon-to-be-retired VP of Academic Affairs Jenny Merlic, and librarian Cynthia
Orozco--are living, breathing testament of the SMC spirit. Even in hard times, even
when we're miles apart . . . we persist, we thrive, we inspire.
Cinematic Dreamer
Can painful personal experiences be turned into powerful art? Osvaldo “Ozzy” Ozuna proved that it is possible, through his film “Ink” which explores the trauma caused by family separations at the U.S. border.
Leaving Home: Jenny Merlic
Soon-to-be-retired VP of Academic Affairs Dr. Jennifer Merlic reflects on her decades-long career at SMC, breaking through a glass ceiling or two, and what the future holds.
Konnichiwa, Amici
Ilaria Costa isn’t the language tutor SMC students expect to meet when they sign up for Japanese help. She’s Italian. There must be some mistake, right? Nope.
One Foot in Central Asia, the Other in Santa Monica
For a year now, Ainura Abdullayeva has been studying at Santa Monica College and mentoring fellow students from 7,000 miles away (no) thanks to Covid. We “visit” her in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Bragging Rights
Students discovering their potential in STEM. The Language and Culture Exchange Program is *back*. A film professor wins an international screenwriting competition.
Information Ambassador
In this online age of fake news, memes and social media, the ability to conduct fact-based research is more important than ever. Librarian Cynthia Orozco is on a mission to make sure students know the ins and outs of this vital process.
SMC In the News
