2007 Award Winners
American River College (ARC): Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management
Creating Excellence through Rethinking Vocational Education: American River College's Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program has provided the Sacramento area with top-notch, hands-on culinary training and students who now serve in the best kitchens in Sacramento. Since its 1998 overhaul, the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program has seen its enrollment balloon from 200 to 1,100, while increasing its focus on quality and ultimately gaining a four-star restaurant rating from the Sacramento Bee. Meeting Student Needs: The ARC program produces not only excellent cuisine but also qualified students in growing numbers. In the 06-07 academic year the number of Certificates and Degrees awarded was double that of the previous year, and student success was coupled with a 90% retention rate for Hospitality Management and an 82% retention rate for Culinary Arts in the Spring 2007 semester. Developing High School Partners and Transfer Opportunities: The ARC Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program partnerships with a number of local high school, articulate with Cal Poly Pomona's Collins School for Hospitality Management, and partners with professional organizations such as the American Culinary Federation and the California Restaurant Association. This model program builds bridges for students and represents a wonderful example of program success in a California community college. Unique Opportunities and Training: This program excels in the depth and breadth of training for students, including opportunities that range from olive oil tasting, cheese tasting and comparative oyster tasting to lectures from previous White House chefs. Quality, hands-on (tongue-on) learning and emphasis on learning in the well-designed and equipped culinary lab have created both state and national award winners in culinary competitions. A Model for Other Programs: The ARC Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Program boasts a self-supporting lab which pays for, and is only satisfied with, the finest ingredients. Community needs are met through an outstanding catering service provided through the program that also generates income. The curriculum scheduling and design represent a program aligned for quality but designed as a streamlined pathway for students. The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is pleased to confer the 2007 Exemplary Award on the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program at American River College and encourages all of you to taste the quality of the program the next time you are near ARC in Sacramento. American River College (ARC): Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Website
Los Angeles Valley College: Early Childhood Workforce Development
Meeting Critical Needs: In 2004, after determining that there was an immediate and critical need in the Los Angeles area for early childhood teachers, the Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) founded its Early Childhood Workforce Development Program. Both nationally and locally there are a large number of parents needing childcare; in the Los Angeles area alone, there are over 122,450 children in families where both parents are working, and yet there are only 7,593 slots in licensed day care facilities available. In addition, the turnover rate for early childhood teachers ranges between 30-40%, and the quality of care for these children is dependent upon those teachers' training and dedication. The LAVC Early Childhood Workforce Development Program is a model collaborative, developed with seven high schools, three four-year universities, and ten industry partners, created to infuse both the Childhood Development and Early Childhood Education industries with a better qualified, more prepared work force, which includes training for caring for babies with special needs. Reaching Out to Partners and Students to Create Employment Opportunities: Between 2004 and 2007, LAVC trained and contributed to the industry over 500 workers in early childhood development for infant and toddler care. More than 1,700 participants in the program have completed courses, received workforce development training and participated in internships or job shadowing. The program has reached into high schools, trained community college students seeking certificates, prepared students for transfer to universities programs, and retrained incumbent workers. During this same time span, the program also trained over 50 family child care home providers in developmentally appropriate infant and toddler care, as well as in best practices for small child care businesses. Currently, all 55 participants in the LAVC student-intern program have either been offered employment at a community child care site or have started their own family child care home business. Last year LAVC awarded over 335 certificates and awards in Early Childhood Development. In California, this field is predicting 46% new job growth and LAVC is addressing this state need with great success. Coordinating with Transfer Institutions: In this discipline, typically only 15% of students attending the community colleges for certificates or degrees ever successfully transfer to a four-year university or obtain an A.A. within six years. The LAVC Early Childhood Workforce Development Program has increased the number of graduating students by 10%, with a transfer rate of 57% to their local CSU, and these students represent those diverse populations typically under-represented in higher education. A Unique and Successful Approach: The LAVC program is structured around coaches that holistically contribute to student success. Academic success coaches, Tutoring coaches, Writing coaches, Library Skills coaches and Transfer coaches help students in every area of their academic pursuits. This program has truly distinguished itself as a model that can be imitated in other colleges and as a hallmark of student success, and it is with great pride that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges bestows on LAVC's Early Childhood Workforce Development program the 2007 Exemplary Program Award.
Honorable Mention
Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Histotechnician Training Program
Histotechnology, preparation of tissues for examination to diagnose diseases such as cancer, is an essential component of national healthcare, and yet, with increasing vacancy rates, there are only twelve programs offering an Associate's Degree in Histotechnology in the nation. Mt. San Antonio College's program is the only Associate's Degree in the discipline in California. The Histotechnician Training Program at Mt. SAC is uniquely positioned to impact California's workforce training in a highly technical and much needed field. Part of the guaranteed quality from this program derives from the extensive clinical work experience required of all graduates. Mt. SAC has 13 clinical affiliates where students gain practical, on-the-job training. Frequently students are hired by the companies they are completing their clinical hours with, and many are employed before they even graduate. In this highly technical field, the outstanding national exam pass rate at Mt. SAC (94.6%) is impressive, but add to this the national recognition of two outstanding students by national professional organizations and you have a laboratory for student success and the creation of industry leadership. Perhaps the greatest evidence of the success of this program is the 100% employment placement rate for graduates. This excellent example of high technology vocational training has been chosen by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to receive an Honorable Mention in the 2007 Exemplary Program Award. Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Histotechnician Training Program Website
Mission College StRUT
The Silicon Valley has long been heralded as one of the leading areas for technological development. Not surprisingly, Mission College's Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) program has tapped into the needs and resources of its community and created a program which refurbishes old donated computers, and then donates the newly-refurbished computers to local schools. These same computers would generally be considered environmental hazardous waste, but instead, to date, over 7,000 computers have been placed in public schools, affecting over 300,000 students, and saving an estimated $5,000,000. Over 20 schools, from elementary through high school, are participating in this program, either by receiving refurbished computers, or by offering an articulated Career Technology course, and over 50 local companies sponsor the program. The magic built into this program is the way it models environmentally healthy alternatives in our technologically expanding world. And it models good practices not only to students but to its business partners, which includes well-known companies such as Intel, Panasonic, and Fujitsu. StRUT has orchestrated a community-wide effort that benefits its students with invaluable practical training, partners students with technology access and training, and benefits its community through recycling and the world as an example of successful GREEN strategies. This terrific example of environmental stewardship, vocational development, and technology resources has been chosen by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to receive Honorable Mention in the 2007 Exemplary Program Award. Mission College StRUT Website
San Joaquin Delta College Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program
San Joaquin Delta's Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program represents a model program for an area of specific need, relevant to the community needs, built on recognized quality and tied into cutting edge business relationships. The Caterpillar program is a joint venture between Caterpillar Inc., California Caterpillar Dealers Foundation, and San Joaquin Delta College. Six Caterpillar dealerships from across the state joined together to recruit, select and sponsor students entering the Dealer Service Technician Program at San Joaquin Delta College. This program is one of only twelve Think Big programs nationwide, and the only program like it in California. This partnership forged a unique approach to educating the Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program students by combining an eight-week classroom environment with a paid hands-on internship at a Caterpillar dealership. In anticipation of the more rigorous graduation requirements in English, Delta has designed an enhanced English program to meet student needs. This carefully designed program creates a balanced combination of theory and real-world experience that engages students and serves the needs of business partners. Student performance on the industry exam (TRAIN) has steadily increased, resulting in Delta's obtaining a gold classification for their students' exam performance. All graduates of the program are employed by Caterpillar dealerships or other dealerships. This educational partnership is particularly well-placed as San Joaquin Delta College lies in a rural area, allowing it to serve both its students and the needs of its community. This well-crafted Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician program has been selected by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to receive Honorable Mention in the 2007 Exemplary Program Award. San Joaquin Delta College Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program Website