Christyanne Melendez at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Christyanne Melendez in the crater at the summit of Kilimanjaro
SMC Fashion and Salvation Army staff
Megumi at the LA Phil YOLA national festival
Antonya Jackson
"Black Barbie"
Roxanne Captor
Marc Trujillo
- Psychology instructor Dorothy Chin is incredibly pleased to share that her former Psych 35 (Psychology of Social Change
and Reflection) student, Shez Kennedy (now Dr. Kennedy) has written a book, The Rise and Resilience of Harlem in the 1960s: A Cultural and Political Awakening. The book will be released soon! Dorothy is beyond humbled to be mentioned in the
acknowledgment of Shez's book, which reads: “I am truly indebted to Dr. Dorothy Chin,
my first Psychology professor, whose guidance and wisdom shaped the trajectory of
my academic and professional journey. It was under your mentorship that I was introduced
to Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States, a book that not only opened my eyes to the complexities of our nation's past but
also ignited my passion for understanding human behavior and societal dynamics. Your
encouragement and belief in my potential inspired me to pursue a career in psychology,
and for that, I am forever grateful . . . ”
- Geology instructor Christyanne Melendez successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route. Not only that, she and her team spent the night in the summit crater at 18,800 ft!
At 19,341 ft, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of the worlds’ largest volcanoes. In the crater, she stood next to the Furtwängler Glacier, which could disappear in the next 10 years! Christyanne’s climb was completed as
a part of her sabbatical project, which she is working on this fall.
- Fashion instructor Lorrie Ivas is proud to share that the “Chop Shop” was approached by The Salvation Army Thrift Stores West Coast director to participate in a sustainability challenge of transforming their unsaleable
garments—destined for landfills—into one-of-a-kind “Transformed Treasures.” This friendly competition, where the top three students won cash prizes, proved so
impressive that all thirteen submissions were showcased at the Salvation Army National Convention in Pasadena after premiering at LA Mode 2024 in June. Lorrie and the student designers were then invited to display their winning
garments this August at the Santa Monica Salvation Army Thrift Store and speak on sustainability, upcycling, and to promote the SMC Fashion Program. Pathways to transforming lives through career education will be cultivated for
Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, thanks to Steven Sedky, Associate Dean of Career Education.
- Megumi Smith, Director of the Percussion Ensemble in the Music Department, expresses deep gratitude
for the incredible opportunity of collaborating with generous and inspiring colleagues
at this year's LA Phil Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) National Festival. Serving as part of the artistic faculty, she witnessed remarkable growth and an
outpouring of joy through both performance and mentorship. Megumi says, “It was an
honor to share this experience alongside Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the esteemed YOLA National Festival (YNF) 2024 faculty.”
- English instructor Shannon Herbert’s article “Generous Laughs: The Comedic Plentitude of Maria Bamford” was published in the journal a/b: Auto/Biography Studies. Shannon recently found out that Routledge will be bringing the journal out as a book some time next year!
“The process of researching, writing, and sharing my work took a long time, and I was lucky to have SMC’s support on the journey,” Shannon wrote. “The idea for the project first emerged in conversations with my colleague and officemate, Jean Paik. I applied to present my research at the Modern Language Association (MLA) Conference while on an SMC-funded sabbatical in 2019. I attended that conference a year later with support from SMC professional development funds. While independent research and writing can be solitary, support from SMC has meant that I have never been alone in it.” - Associate faculty/Student Judicial Affairs counselor Antonya Jackson recently participated as an esteemed panelist in the documentary Black Barbie, now available for viewing on Netflix. During her appearance in Part 3, she touches on the importance of having a diverse
group of stakeholders when making decisions concerning outcomes that impact African American girls. Dr. Jackson’s research includes understanding minorities’ intersecting identities
and the impact that that has on academic achievement, the development of racial identity,
and perceptions of racial discrimination.
- Nursing instructor Poy Yamada was recently published in the Journal of Migration and Health, in collaboration with UCLA School of Nursing. Poy’s study, "Myanmar Migrants Living Along the Thailand-Myanmar Border: Experiences Related to
Pandemic and Migration Decisions," provides critical insights into the challenges faced by vulnerable populations
during COVID-19. Poy’s research reflects her dedication to both global health and nursing education
excellence.
- Sociology instructor Dr. Rebecca Romo—in collaboration with G. Reginal Daniel and J. Sterphone—recently completed Between Black and Brown: Blaxicans and Multiraciality in Comparative Historical Perspective. Published by University of Nebraska Press, the book asks, “How do individuals with one African American parent and one Mexican
American parent identify racially and ethnically? In answer, the authors explore the
experiences of Blaxicans, individuals with African American and Mexican American heritage,
as they navigate American culture, which often clings to monoracial categorizations.”
- As part of LA Fleet Week, Rear Admiral Rosen & Commander O’Brien of the S. Navy released some of the endangered Palos Verdes blue butterflies that they’d assisted in recovering. These butterflies are captive-bred by Life Science
instructor Dr. Jana Johnson in two labs, one of which is located at Seal Beach. Dr. Johnson further reported that the military is a huge conservation partner—a
little-known fact indeed!
- Communications and Media Studies instructor Roxanne Captor has several noteworthy brags: She was recently named chairperson of the California Arts Council. On October 27 Roxanne will receive the Visionary Award at the ARPA Film Festival. Dickens of a Christmas, which Roxanne executive-produced is currently in post-production and will be ready
for the American Film Market. Roxanne’s Media 21 class continues to work with BroadStage on the documentary following Grammy-winning Stanley Clarke's residency.
- Art instructor Marc Trujillois excited to share that is work—as well as the art of two former students, Delfin
Finley, and Andrew Hem—will be on view at the Hammer Museum. Entitled “Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice,” the opening show at the Hammer featured free admission, late-night galleries, and
cocktails for purchase. The show is part of Gardening Gangster Ron Finley’s shovel project which aims to ignite a horticultural revolution and bring fresh food
to underserved urban areas.
- Spanish instructor Alejandro Lee and his colleague Cristina Moon (Chabot College) presented “Getting Spanish to ZTC via OER with LibreTexts/ADAPT”, at LibreFest 2024, on July 8, 2024. Additionally, Alejandro, along with colleagues Hugo Díaz-Rodil (Sierra College and American River College), Sarah Harmon (Cañada College), and Cristina Moon delivered “Continuing the Path to Zero in Spanish OER: Tarea Libre 2” at Cal OER on August 7, 2024.
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SMC in Focus Volume X, Issue 5
From SMC to MIT
SMC alumni Daniela Davalos and Les Armstrong became graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue their respective passions for safer spaceflight and fighting climate change. Read Article
Jazzed to be at USC
Serendipity and a solid thumbs-up from jazz legend Stanley Clarke helped this promising young vocalist find her place on the bandstand. Read Article
Committed Counselor
Personal reasons drive Associate Dean Jose Hernandez’ passion for ensuring that all new students are supported in their academic journey at SMC. Read Article
Doing Her Duty
Career counselor Jessica Trachtenberg is changing students’ lives at the place that changed hers, with creativity, heart, and a joyous sense of duty. Read Article
Bragging Rights
A Geology instructor makes it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. SMC Fashion students turn unsaleable garments into treasures. A Life Science instructor helps release endangered butterflies. Read Article
Architecture’s Back!
Architecture has made a comeback at SMC, just in time to prepare Corsairs for a field that is evolving in the information age. Read Article