Shambhu Sharan

http://www.theshorthorn.com/content/view/16436/64/

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 10/30/07

The Keys to Success combined with the Community Service Day attracted about 1000 people, including 200 volunteers from the community and area colleges, including Eastfield students.

The attendees, who were mostly pre-college students and their parents, participated in the seminars and college fair offered at the Performance Hall on Oct. 27.

The Keys to Success, also known by its Spanish term, Las Llaves del Exito, is a Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) event that encourages high school students to attend college. Donnine Balance, director of Student Programs and Resources, and Maria Arocha of the Enrollment Management Department, organized the event.

As part of the program, ten seminars dealt with topics ranging from financial aid and scholarship opportunities to educating parents.

Ro Castillo, Director of Upward Bound, provided information and statistics in a seminar regarding the importance of an education and the benefits students will gain after completing it.

“College graduates earn more money than those who have only a high school degree,” Castillo said. “If you want to earn more, learn more”.

In another seminar, Raul Magdaleno Director of Diversity in Community Outreach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) spoke to the audience about his personal experience. He attended Mountain View College and graduated with 3.9 points average of GPA in May 2006. Growing up poor and living homeless, he finally graduated from SMU last year.

“I knew my greatest weapon that I had to fight poverty was education,” Magdaleno said. “I got to do something in my life. I needed to stop making excuses to myself and stop blaming the world for me not succeeding.”

At the age of 13, Magdaleno earned a U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award for volunteer service to the community, after 29,000 hours of community service
“I am not going to let where I live determine who I am,” Magdaleno said and asked the crowd to repeat this solemn pledge along with him.

Magdaleno’s words proved to be inspiration for at least one attendee, as they helped him change and define his goals.

“Before, I did not want to go to college,” middle school student Qualon Sweat said. “Since this experience, I want to go to college to improve my life.”

Colleges and universities from Dallas, Houston, and Austin were present along with the DCCCD and the Dallas independent School District. The Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and other non-profit agencies also participated and presented the keys to success to students and parents.

“I came here and got information what colleges I would like to attend,” Kimball High School student Mariela Cervantes said. Her mother learned how to apply for financial aids and scholarships for her daughter.

Some proprietary schools were also present to provide information about their programs. One of the 25 vendors, Ayesha Hawkins, Coordinator community outreach Devry University, said twenty students filled out the application form and 150 students received the brochures.

But the event served a dual purpose in that it also taught the benefits of community service.

“Community Service is an eye-opening opportunity,”Omar Martinez of the University of Texas at Dallas said. “You can become humble and kind to other people after doing volunteer service.”

Another volunteer and Eastfield student, Godofredo Ortiz, said, “It helps people who would otherwise not know the opportunity to go to schools.”

The Service Learning Program is offered to help students learn practical skills while studying in colleges, and can also help students in different ways to achieve success.

“Participation in service opportunities allows students to connect their classroom learning to the experiences of living in our world,” Courtney Carter, the service learning program co-coordinator, said.

Carter said most students who have participated in the Service Learning Program have said that they have learned more about themselves and others. They also learn about possible career options, communication skills and other important lessons that can be transferred into a variety of areas within their lives.

The Service Learning Program has worked with more than 100 different agencies. Currently, 120 students are enrolled in the program.

“Students should become knowledgeable, skilled, contributing members of our society,” Carter said.

Useful college statistics:

College Degree Wages/year (USD) Wages/hour (USD)
High School drop out 21,359 10.77
High School graduate 23,231 14.81

Associate Degree 31,684 17.82
Bachelor’s degree 45,648 26.85
Master’s degree 61,541 30.76
Doctorate degree 91,725 45.87
Professional degree 115,950 57.98

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2007/10/30/OnCampus/Community.Service.Day-3066446-page2.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 11/30/07

The Native American Cultural Café was presented at Eastfield on Nov. 27, and was attended by about 75 students.

“The purpose of the event was to explore Native American culture and to foster a better understanding of the culture,” Judy Schwartz, Student Program Development Specialist, said of the event. “We want students to learn tolerance, and to learn that being different doesn’t mean being wrong. We want students and staff to value diversity and appreciate the heritage, traditions, language and culture of the students represented at Eastfield College.”

Five percent (52 students) of Eastfield’s current enrollment are Native American Indian students.

Featured guest speaker, Dr. Sherry Smith, Professor of History at Southern Methodist University was scheduled to speak on “Re-imaging Native American Indians,” but her flight from Cairo was cancelled. A Native American video, “Spirit of the Dawn,” replaced the lecture.

According to www.native-languages.org, there are about 150 Native American languages spoken in Canada and the United States, and another 600-700 languages spoken in Central and South America.

One of the attendees, physical education equipment manager Dannis Pavageau, still understands the native Choctaw language, but does not speak it fluently.

Others have lost this skill. “My parents are Native American, and they were not allowed to speak Native American language at Bacon College Creek Nation, Oklahoma,” student Ona Harris said. Fine Arts major Amanda Tubbs has Native American heritage, but also doesn’t speak her tribal language.

The video “Spirit of the Dawn,” by Heidi Schmidt Emberling, explained the history and culture of the Crow tribe. The video tells about changes in education from the boarding schools of the past, where children were beaten for speaking their native language in school, to more culturally aware classrooms.

On the Crow reservation in Montana, sixth-graders participated in a class that encouraged them to create beautiful poetry celebrating Crow culture and history. Through the children, their parents and their teachers, people saw the strength of a community fighting the constraints of the past to secure a future for its children.

According to the video, education is the most powerful weapon to change society because education can help Native Americans increase awareness for their tradition and culture.

“Education is to vow to understand people,” Schwartz said. “We appreciate the differences and we value the differences. We need diversity to see the culture.”

Handmade, traditional equipment, made mostly from natural resources and used by the Native Americans, were also on display. The Native Indians mostly used natural resources.

Pavageau brought different kinds of traditional equipment and explained its use. A wooden musical instrument, a wooden knife, and a wooden hammer were on display. Pavageau said he likes Native Americans traditions and culture and attends traditional functions every year.

SPAR staff and students served food and drinks, which included Native American fried cornbread.

SPAR hosts several cultural events every year, each with a different focus. There will be a holiday social with refreshments, door prizes, and fun in room C-135 on Dec. 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2007/11/30/OnCampus/Students.Get.A.Taste.Of.Native.American.Culture-3126160.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 9/11/08

The Welcome Back 2 School Party attracted 700 people, including Eastfield faculty and staff. The event was open for all but mostly students participated.

The party, organized by program specialist Janet Foreman, is one of the largest yearly events Students Programs and Resources sets up.

“We planned for 600 but we had around 700,” Foreman said. “The purpose of the event was to bring students together in a social setting and to give them information on upcoming activities.”

The Inner City All Stars band performed funk music with musical instruments. About 400 students participated in the inflatable bungee run and 500 attendees received airbrush tattoos.

Science major Jeremy Gant is a guitarist and said he likes any kind of music performances.

“It was a great event,” Gant said. “However, I love any kind of music. I like live music performances which was played today and I enjoyed it very much.”

The inflatable bungee run was a healthy outdoor game, students, tied to elastic ropes, attempted to run toward the goal until the elastic ropes pulled them back in the opposite direction.

Education major Sua Reyes played the game for the first time.

“It was very fun,” Reyes said. “It was good but a little bit difficult for me.”

Inner City All Stars band leader Calvin Sexton and his band played at the party for the first time, entertaining their audience with different instruments such as the trombone, saxophone, trumpet, electric organ, tuba and drums.

“It was very nice, very receptive and we had a great time with students,” Sexton said. “It is nice to play close to our home, and I’d love to come again to Eastfield.”

Ellen Baltthrop of Dallas Hired Gun Inc., along with George Sprague, have been doing airbrush tattoos for six years.

“Students were lined up and came back more than once,” Baltthrop said.

Approximately 20 students, faculty and staff volunteers served free food and drinks and organized the event.

Digital imaging technology Perla Ortega volunteered for the event. She has been volunteering with SPAR for the last two years.

“I love volunteering with SPAR because I like to help,” Ortega said. “SPAR is always fun for me. I helped with decoration and SPAR tables. I handed out the SPAR event flyers with calendars and student handbooks.”

For more information about volunteering for other SPAR events, or to learn about other planned events, call SPAR at 972-860-7185. The next event will be the Club Fair on Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the lower courtyard.

etc4640@dcccd.edu

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2008/09/11/TheNews/Spar-Welcomes.Back.The.Funk-3427370.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 9/23/08

Student Programs and Resources held the annual Club Fair on Sept. 16, giving students an opportunity for involvement with existing campus clubs and organizations while providing food and entertainment.

The fair is one of the many events where SPAR helps students become more successful.

“Those students who are active in campus life, attend co-curricular programs and become actively involved in student organizations or Student Government are more successful in college and enjoy their college experience more than those who do not,” program specialist Judy Schwartz said.

The Club Fair allows students to learn about existing clubs and also informs them about how to start their own club if what they want isn’t offered, and gives them time to do so.

“We try to hold the Club Fair in the middle of September to allow student leaders time to get adjusted in their classes and school routines before they have to begin organizing their clubs,” Schwartz said. “We have a deadline of Oct. 1 for clubs to complete their Petition for Recognition status and receive SPAR funding. Clubs can form after that date, however, they do not receive full funding.”

Members from around 35 clubs and organizations were on hand answering questions in the Lower Courtyard and displaying information tables with handouts and gifts.

Around 50 students joined the Biology Club. Fundraiser coordinator and biology major Sara Linehan gave information about different activities such as field trips, the beach clean up, scholarships, seminars, internships, science-related jobs and club meetings.

“It was a good opportunity to inform [students] about our different club activities,” she said.

Sophomore business major and member of the Council of Latin American Students Daniela Balderas recruited students for her club. She gave out candies and club literature.

“The Club Fair was very successful,” Balderas said. “A lot of students came to our tables and became members of our club”.

To ensure students have opportunities to be involved, SPAR has planned various events throughout this semester.

“SPAR oversees student clubs and organizations,” Schwartz said. “It’s just one part of what we do, in addition to planning campus-wide social events, lectures, workshops, cultural events, supervising Student Government, Programming Board and Leadership Training.”

Students can pick up an event schedule at the SPAR office C-141, check it out online at http://www.efc.dcccd.edu/SSI/SPAR/events.html, or call 972-860-7185 for more information about upcoming events.

etc4640@dcccd.edu

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2008/09/23/TheNews/Club-Fair.Fares.Well.For.Students-3447328.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 10/24/08

A mock presidential debate took place two weeks before the U.S. Presidential election. The speech department assembled a group of students from current and past speech courses to share both the Republican and Democratic views the presidential candidates hold regarding the most pressing issues.

After the debate, the audience had the opportunity to vote for the candidate of its choice. The results were announced to the college. Barrack Obama received 95 votes, John McCain 25 and Bob Barr 1.

The moderator of the debate, speech professor Mark Burks, asked each debate team six questions. Each team had two members with assigned to answer a question.

Each team answered the same questions.
Professor Courtney Carter introduced the Republican Party debaters, Courtney Long and Adam Harris, as well as the Democratic Party debaters, Euphy Edoghotu and Cheikh Sylla.

A member from each team stepped to the podium, and Burk asked the Republican team the first question.

“The defeat of Al Queda and the Iraqi government must be safe and secure from the surrounding enemies before troops should be back,” Republican debater Harris said. “Our troops should come back home with honor, not with defeat. Once everyone is out, there will be chaos.”

Responding to the same questions Sylla said, “the Iraq war was mismanaged and there must be a time limit for leaving Iraq. Obama recognizes that most of our enemies are not based in Iraq; they are based in Afghanistan. Al Qaida was never based in Iraq and it was a big mistake to send troops to Iraq. McCain’s foreign policy of Iraq is wrong.”

Presidential candidates’ views on becoming a more “green” and/ or “eco-friendly” American society were different.

Another Democratic member, Edoghotu, said
Obama wants to create a power plan and green industries through greenhouse technology. He wants to reduce eight percent greenhouse emissions by 2050. “If we don’t have alternative fuels we are not going to deal with crisis.”

Long responded that McCain realizes the need for efficient energy, solar energy, wind power and natural gases. “He encouraged a zero carbon emission program to auto industries. He wants to give $2 billion for research and clean coal where Obama wants to give $150 billion, which is a lot of money. It has to come from someone’s pocket; it will come from our pockets.”

The last issue was education. Edoghotu said Obama wants to give $4,000 grants to students that they would not have to pay back. He proposes lower taxes on loans.

Long said, “McCain wants to improve the education system, McCain wants to implement the No Child Left Behind policy. He has been working tirelessly to improve the global economy by educating America today.”

History major student Chase Cornwell decided not to vote because he believes there is too much corruption.

“Most of the politicians and candidates are wealthy and they have not brought change for us,” Cornwell said. “As a college student, I need financial aid which I don’t get. We have to get loan and pay it back. Someone is giving money for the elections which are waste.”

A science major student Elizabeth Martinez liked the debate and decided to vote for Obama.

“I enjoyed the debate,” Martinez said. ” I liked Obama’s immigration, education and health care policies. I changed my vote from McCain to Obama after the debate.”
Education major student Nancy Quinones was undecided.

“I really enjoyed the debate; however I am still undecided,” Quinones said. “I think both sides should have had more questions to answer.”

The professors have different views about the presidential election candidates. Speech professor Carter decided to vote for the democratic candidate, Senator Obama.

“Being a woman and African American, I would like to see change,” Carter said. ” The democrats definitely pay a lot of attention to the middle class and ethnic minorities. Our nation is definitely suffering. I definitely support our troops and I am concerned about American society and the economy.”

An other speech professor, Mary Forrest, voted conservative for 30 years and decided to vote for Senator McCain. Forrest has opposite views.

“I am going to vote for Senator McCain,” Forrest said. “He was in Vietnam and was a man of courage and he will be the best president. I don’t believe in the socialist system, I believe in the capitalist system. I am not willing to take money from those who worked hard. Although Obama has great charisma and he is a great communicator, it bothers me why he wants to talk to those who are our enemies. I am afraid if Obama would be president there might be another war like the Vietnam War. “
The debate was organized to educate and inform people about the different issues of the presidential candidates.

“The purpose was for our students here at Eastfield College to hear the positions of the candidates on various issues in order to assist them in making informed choices at the poll,” speech professor Laura Carr said, “This was an opportunity for our student body to practice citizenship. It was an opportunity for not only the students to come together but also the faculty, staff and administrators to meet as a community and learn about the issues and positions of the presidential candidates.”

Business major Mohamed Jabati timed the debate responses. Each debate team member had three minutes to respond to a question. He was holding up a yellow card to let the speaker know that they had reached two minutes and 30 seconds. When he held up the red card, the members completed their sentences before returning to their seats.

The debate was open to all students, faculty, staff and administrators. “Four years ago, at the last presidential debate, we had a full house, 250 people. This year 250 people attended,” Carr said. The presidential debate was on Monday, October 20 at 12:00 p.m. in C-135.

etc4640@dcccd.edu

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2008/10/24/TheNews/Obama.Wins.Mock.Debate-3506050-page3.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 11/26/08

Eastfield’s Environmental Awareness Club participated in the Recycle Day event on Nov. 15 at Poteet High School.

The ten club members collected paper, plastic, clothing, toys and electronic accessories from Eastfield students, faculty, staff and community. They helped load and unload the recyclables at the high school.

Computers, printers, microwaves, books, papers and plastics were brought to the school and 50 people helped to load to the trucks.

“We collected cell phones, cartridge, tiers, books, toys, and personal items from the students, staff and Eastfield community,” education sophomore Jaqueline Palma said. “I did not know about recycling before.”

Another member of the club, accounting/business management sophomore Nellie Udensi, believes Recycling Day is a part of community service.

“It is going to help individuals and society,” Udensie said. “We need people to care about the environment. We borrow from community and we should give back as a part of community service.”

Electronic engineering major Carlos Mendoza helped unload the trucks with paper, plastics and electronics and separated them.

“Today was so great because we are helping out,” Mendoza said. “I think I had such a great time because I was doing it for the community. I was pleased to see that we had a very good turnout for the event though.

It is freezing cold and windy. I think a lot of people should help the earth to stay green.”

Also engineering student, K.C. Prawal, enjoyed helping with the event.

“It was fun,” Prawal said. “I like helping out and recycling. I recycled computers.”
President of the club, education major Elizabeth Ringham, and the club advisor, biology professor Jose Flores also helped with the event.

“I went to different departments, picked up recyclable goods, separated and brought it to the high school along with my ten-year-old son and other club members,” Ringham said.

Amy McDonald, Eastfield marketing and advertising coordinator and board member of Keep Mesquite Beautiful, advised the volunteers about what they should be doing for the Recycle Day.

“The goal is to promote reusing, recycling and beautification of the City of Mesquite,” McDonald said. “We donated the recycled goods to various service, non-profit organizations.”

Eastfield staff helped the club to gather and store the recyclable items.

“We thank facility supervisor Mike Washington and facility contractors for helping gather recyclable materials and storing them in the storage area,” Ringham said.

Other community members also helped during the Recycle Day. Mesquite Public Library Interim Director Jeannie Johnson volunteered and raised money by selling books for the City of Mesquite.

“Recycling is good for the environment,” Johnson said.

The Lions Club, Arc Environmental, Friends of Mesquite Library and Mesquite Social Services received eyeglasses, electronics, ink-cartridges, books and canned foods to sell or recycle.

Club members learned recycling while volunteering for the event.

“Today I learned how to do recycling,” Palma said.
The club wants to do more activities on campus in future.

“Our biggest project is to make butterfly habitats at Eastfield and bring guest speakers,” Ringham said.

The Recycle Day is a community event that is held each spring and fall.

etc4640@dcccd.edu

http://media.www.eastfieldnews.com/media/storage/paper1070/news/2008/11/26/TheNews/Environmental.Club.Raises.Awareness-3562411.shtml

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 2/9/09

The Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored Brookhaven College Spanish professor Rebecca Garcia Oct. 18, 2008.

Garcia worked from 1996 until 2004 with “Nuevos Amigos,” an elementary distance learning Spanish program. Garcia worked with Dallas Schools Television for eight years.

“‘Nuevos Amigos’ means new friends,” Garcia said. “When you speak other languages you make new friends,” she said.

Garcia said the program was started at kindergarten level and was designed to teach Spanish to children using puppets, graphics and songs.

Rebecca Garcia was born in San Antonio. Although Spanish was her first language, she grew up speaking both Spanish and English. She said she liked Mexican folkloric and flamenco Spanish dances since a young age.

Garcia graduated from Ellis High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Christian University. She obtained degrees in Spanish and fashion merchandising and minored in marketing. She then obtained a Master of Spanish Literature at Texas A&M University Commerce.

She said she came to Dallas and worked with Neiman Marcus, a specialty store, for four years. She said she felt empty inside because she was not doing much for society while she was working there.

Garcia said because her mother inspired her to become a teacher, she obtained an alternative certification degree through the Dallas Independent School District and taught bilingual kindergarten and first grade children from 1989-96. She then worked two years out of the district.

“It took 10 years to complete the work,” Garcia said. “It was completed in 2007. We were doing the work no other school district was doing.”

Brookhaven English professor Andrea Chaney’s daughter Cleo Chaney, 5, is in kindergarten at Harry Stone Montessori Academy in DISD. She watches Garcia’s “Nuevos Amigos” program at her school.

“I like it because it is fun,” Cleo said. “I watch it in my classroom. Professor Garcia is a good lady. She teaches us Español. Ms. Mitsu, my teacher introduced me to the Spanish program.”

“Nuevos Amigos” is based on moral teachings and skills Garcia said she learned while working at DISD.

Garcia said the kindergarten and first grade programs are based on two stories: “The Princess and the Pea” and “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The second and third grade program is based on the curriculum.

“We try to teach them [students] manners and how to be good in sports,” Garcia said. “We try to use puppets and graphics to make it fun.”

Garcia said the award was a wonderful surprise. They were competing against professionals.

She said she uses the same strategies at Brookhaven.

“I treat my students like my children,” she said. “I want to see them doing well in their lives.”

A former employer of Garcia, Vicky Probeck, said she had a very good experience working with Garcia.

Probeck, DSTV distance learning coordinator, said Garcia did a wonderful job.

“Students loved her,” Probeck said. “They danced with her. Rebecca was a great teacher. We miss her. … She was our sweetheart, and we loved her.”

DISD-produced television program, “Nuevos Amigos,” won the first Lone Star Emmy Award in the category of children/youth/teen.

“It was a big honor for us to get the award,” Probeck said. “DISD got recognition. That is a big achievement,” she said.

Students throughout the school district learned to speak Spanish by watching “Nuevos Amigos,” which is hosted by Garcia and an array of wacky puppets. The program airs on DSTV channel 98.

Shambhu Sharan

Issue date: 4/6/09

Dr. Ravi Batra, Southern Methodist University professor, presented causes and solutions to the economic crisis at a recent lecture at Brookhaven College.

During his lecture March 3 titled “The Present Economic Crisis and Its Solution,” Batra spoke to approximately 200 government students and faculty.

Batra said political corruption and cutting interest rates are the causes, and raising wages is the solution to the crisis.

Batra is the author of two international The New York Times best sellers. In October 1978, he was ranked as the third in a group of 46 superstar economists selected from all American and Canadian universities by the Economic Enquiry journal.

Batra said he forecasted the downfall of communism from Russia in his book published in 1978. He said he wrote that the Chinese variety of communism could last a little longer but that it would eventually fall.

Batra said he predicted aspects of the current economic crisis in his latest book, “The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution Against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos,” in 2006.

He said he predicted the stock market crash, the housing market downfall and credit crisis in the book. He also foresaw a minority president would be elected. He said the new president would bring change.

Batra said President Obama is a nice man, but he selected experienced people with old ideas.

“If the government is not careful, recession will turn into depression,” he said.

Batra said the bail out is a waste of government time and money. Banks are getting most of the bail out benefits, not the U.S., he said.

Batra said the solution is to reverse the policy, increase people’s wages and create jobs. He said creating debt won’t solve the problem, and outsourcing destroys jobs. Wages are low because of corrupt politicians, he said.

He said if the government raised wages, consumer spending would rise in a natural and permanent way.

Batra said supply and demand should be equal. He said if there is too much supply and not enough demand, there will be overproduction, and that is what is happening right now.

“Raising minimum wage doesn’t hurt small business or the economy,” Batra said. “It creates consumer demand so that business can sell their goods.”

Robert Little, government professor, said he enjoyed Batra’s presentation and required students to write an essay about it.

“I liked his recommendation of dealing with economic crisis, Little said. ” … He raised a lot of provocative ideas [and we] need to think about the trade policy. Is globalization good or bad for the United States?”

Batra said his forecasts are posted on his Web site, www.ravibatra.com.

Published by Brookhaven College’s newspaper Brookhaven Courier. Check following link:

http://media.www.brookhavencourier.com/media/storage/paper807/news/2009/04/06/News/Professor.Declares.Past.Future.Predictions-3700858.shtml