Category: Culture & Student Life

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Business Culture & Student Life Social Media

Apex Mobile Tires

I took some time to highlight a local business that a dear friend created and is loving what he does by servicing the community and helping people in their busy day to day lives. Everyone gets busy from time to time, so i can speak for myself and admit I don’t have that much free time anymore. I work a 9am – 5pm weekday job so trying to get errands done can be a hassle but having one less thing to worry about like you’re tires can be a life saver, Kyle has personally come to me and serviced my vehicle and it didn’t take any time out of my day. If you’re ever in need, reach out to Kyle on his Instagram page and you can get back on the road in no time!

https://www.instagram.com/apexmobiletires/?igshid=ymmymta2m2y%3D

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Culture & Student Life

Spring 2023: As Another Semester is Coming to an End…

Another semester at Ventura College is coming to an end, and I’m so proud of how far the Social Media Marketing program students have come. This is now just the third time that I’ve taught the Digital Content Marketing class, BUS V52, and the VC Social brand has evolved so much in the past couple of years.

The first time I taught this class was in Fall 2021, in the midst of the pandemic. There were only 11 students in the class, and when we met, we were all wearing face masks. The second time was last year in Spring 2022, and that course was fully online with 12 students.

This semester, we’ve been back in-person again, without masks (hooray!), with a classroom filled with 24 students. Considering the nature of this course, I’ve had to adapt and make some significant changes in order to keep up with the number of students compared to previous semesters. For example, I’ve had to give up some control over the social media profiles and draft vs. publish status of posts on the website, needing to trust that the students will follow the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics we studied in week 1. As you can imagine, this was a bit nerve-racking, as the blog and social media profiles are public. And I have to give it up to the students, they handled this responsibility with respect and professionalism. Not that I’m surprised.

Perhaps the biggest change I made, though, was giving control of the final project to the students. Rather than assigning a topic and making rules about groups, we agreed collectively to let the students decide what type of content they wanted to create and with whom. Some students decided to work in groups, while others opted to go solo. Content ranged from reviewing local businesses to showcasing artistic skills, with a variety of multimedia created for the blog, Instagram profile, and YouTube and podcast channels. From a quality standpoint, I didn’t micromanage, but instead asked students to push their boundaries and create something they could be proud of five years from now. This led to some incredible articles, graphics, videos and more.

I could ramble on about this semester forever, but since I know the students reading this are waiting for their prompt to reply to, I’ll bring this to a close by saying that I think Spring 2023 has been a huge success, and while I know I have a lot of work to do to continue making this class and program of value to the community, I believe this cohort of students is so incredibly talented and will go on to do great things in life. I only hope to be able to keep in touch with them over the years so I can continue celebrating their achievements. 

Now here’s the question that I’d like students to answer in the comments section…

What is the one thing you learned from that class that you’ll take with you to the next stage of your career and/or education?

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Culture & Student Life

3 Easy Ways to Decorate Your Graduation Cap

Graduation season is just around the corner! Decorating your graduation cap is a fun way to add a personalized touch to your big day. Let’s talk about 3 easy ways to decorate your grad cap, so that you can get inspired and make your cap your own!

The items needed to make each cap can be found at your local craft store or even on Amazon, so they are all easily accessible. Customize the colors and design to your liking… let your imagination run wild!

1. Photo Cap

Items needed:

  • 3-D Stickers
  • Alphabet stickers
  • Polaroids or other small photos
  • Double-sided tape
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Our family and friends play a huge role in our success as students. What better way to honor them and their support than on your grad cap?

Grab some Polaroids or print out small photos and get to work! This one is super simple. Arrange the photos however you’d like, leaving room for text or other decorative elements. You can stick the photos onto your cap with double-sided tape or using a hot glue gun!

Note: Your stickers should stick right on, but feel free to use some hot glue if they don’t feel secure. You don’t want to be worried about them falling off during your graduation ceremony.

2. Cardstock Cap

Items needed:

  • Glitter Cardstock Paper
  • 3-D Stickers
  • Alphabet stickers
  • Scissors
  • X-ACTO knife
  • Double-sided tape

Add some personality to your cap! Show off your interests or academic major with a design like this. Grab a piece of glitter cardstock in a color of your choice and use your scissors to cut it into a square that fits your cap (mine was 9.25” x 9.25”). Then, use an X-ACTO knife to cut out a circle in the center of the cardstock that fits the button on your cap (mine had about a 1″ diameter). This will be the base of your cap. 

Now for the fun part! Add a phrase or quote using alphabet stickers and decorate using 3-D stickers. You can find a variety of colors and designs at your local craft store, so the options are truly endless. You can even go with patterned cardstock paper instead of glitter, if that’s more your style! Attached the decorated cardstock to your cap with double-sided tape and you’re ready to go.

3. Flower Crown Cap

Items Needed:

  • Alphabet stickets
  • Artificial flowers
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks

This flower crown design is simple but adds a fun element to your graduation day outfit.

Pick out some artificial flowers in your favorite color. You should be able to pull them right off of the stems, but trim off any excess parts of the back side of the flowers if needed. Add some hot glue to the back side of the flowers and press them firmly against the bottom of the mortarboard (square part on the crown of the cap). 

When you’re done, feel free to add a phrase with the alphabet stickers or other decorative elements on the top of the cap. I kept mine simple with a short phrase, but let your creativity flow!

Final Note

Before you attach anything onto your graduation cap, don’t forget to check the inside of your cap! Most caps will tell you which side is the front of your cap. This will help you make sure your design is right-side up.

Have fun creating and congrats, grad!

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Culture & Student Life

Dolores Huerta Speaks at VC Diversity Festival

It’s not very often that Ventura College gets paid a visit from a legend in American civil rights history. However, fortunately for us, this was the case last week at the VC Campus as a part of the annual Diversity in Culture festival. On April 13th, at the center of VC’s campus, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta was welcomed to the outdoor stage to address the community of Ventura.

The Diversity in Culture website gives a brief bio of the iconic activist:
“Dolores Huerta is a celebrated Latina, labor leader, activist, and community organizer. She has worked for civil rights and social justice for over 50 years. In 1962 sheet and Cesar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers Union. She served as vice president and played a crucial role in many of the union’s accomplishments for four decades”.

If you remember the campaign slogan, “Yes, we can!” used by President Obama in the 2008 election, you may have heard the original Spanish version, “Sí, se puede!”. Huerta was the one who coined the phrase in 1972 when told by people in Arizona that she could not get the farm workers to organize there. Her response to people saying –originally in Spanish– “you can’t do that here”, was “Yes, we can!”. This phrase became a staple of the Latinx community and is still used to this day as we continue to fight for equity for all.

During her time speaking at the VC festival, she encouraged us to keep our heads up despite the current political state of this country, which has left many Americans discouraged. Still, at 93 years old, Huerta continues her activism and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon. One of her biggest pieces of advice to listeners was to VOTE! She reminded us to stay politically informed, vote, and get everyone we know to vote. This is one of the greatest ways we can use our voice to make the change we want.

At the end of her speech, a handful of VC students and club leaders were able to conduct a Q&A with Huerta. Here, she told more about her early life and her years spent organizing. One piece of advice that she gave especially stuck out to me. It was her urge for us to be patient. Huerta told about the tireless hours going house-to-house of the farm workers and explained to them her and Chavez’s goal. This required a huge amount of patience, however, this work is what ultimately led to the great success of the United Farm Workers campaign.

Lastly, at the end of her Q&A, attendees got the chance to do a quick meet and greet with Huerta and stop by her merch table to get some items. We here at VC and the city of Ventura are so lucky to have had the opportunity to have her in our presence. Especially since so many residents of Ventura County have strong ties to the farmworker community. This is an event that we will remember for a lifetime.

*All photos used in this article are property of the author.

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Culture & Student Life

Danza Azteca Xochipilli

Diversity in Culture Festival

Live Dance

The Traditional Aztec dance performance presenting the Culture, Color, Spirit, and Rhythms of Native MesoAmerican Culture. Danza Azteca Xochipilli performance will introduce our special quest, Dolores Huerta including the close out of Dolores Huerta event with a special performance.

I loved seeing the Danza Azteca Xochipilli dance for Dolores Huerta. She is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano Civil rights movement, this is why we celebrate Diversity in culture Festival.
The Danza Azteca Xochipilli welcoming and blessing Dolores Huerta. It was a honor to feel apart of this day by capturing this moment I will forever cherish I hope one day I can share this story.

Closing

Thank you Ventura College for opening your community, I always look forward to this event! I hope you all enjoyed this post as much has I did, I hope you all get a chance to join us next year. Thank you Dolores Huerta for all that you did and still doing for our people. I’m happy to witness this moment and to be up close capturing this, making history.

Socials down below..

Danza Azteca Xochipilli

Ventura College

VC Social Brand

Elena De La Mora

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Culture & Student Life

The Ventura College DREAM Department

DREAM is the acronym for Drafting, Rapid prototyping, Engineering, Architecture and Manufacturing

This department has instructors with real world experience, and many years of helping student reach their educational goals, right here at Ventura college. Talking with these instructors can give students a sense of direction in their career choices

There are classes that introduce 3D design software to student, like AutoCAD, Revit, and SolidWorks. These 3D design and engineering applications are standards in the Drafting, Rapid prototyping, Engineering, Architecture and Manufacturing industries.

Once students are introduced to different 3D CAD Computer Assisted Design applications, they can choose to continue in one or more fields offered and continue learning their choice of design and engineering software.

The DREAM Department also features wide format printers, Laser cutter, Waterjet cutter, CNC machines, 3D printers and other power and hand tools available to student to learn to work with this equipment to complete their assignments.

The DREAM Department is unique among Community colleges.

Experienced, enthusiastic, well informed, insightful instructional staff and a well-equipped learning and design, shape and assembly, environment. Not surprisingly, learning to operate the different 3D CAD applications and exporting to 2D and 3D semi-automated shaping equipment, allows students to discover that by going through the certificate, transfer and degree programs they can design anything.

The motto in this department is “We are here to make you a success” 

See your counselor and come by the department located in the 1st floor of the MCE building, on the VC campus. Speak to Ralph Fernandez and any one of the other instructors in that department.

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Culture & Student Life

Dolores Huerta: A Motivator

I attended the Diversity in Culture event this week and I heard Ms. Dolores Huerta speak. I would like to start off by introducing her and some of her achievements. Dolores Huerta is a civil rights activist and American labor leader, a mom, a teacher, a leader and so much more. Dolores has worked with Cesar Chavez, and she is also the co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association. Dolores also has an organization named the Dolores Huerta foundation, her foundation aims to inspire and organize communities to find their voice and rise up and volunteer and to also build up volunteer organizations to be empowered and encouraged to make and pursue social justice. The foundation also focuses on work involved in civic engagement, education equity, along with LGBTQIA+ equality, and safety and health . 

I had the opportunity to hear Dolores speak about a multitude of topics such as the ones listed above plus women’s rights, the labor movement, Black Lives Matters, racism and other issues as well. Dolores Huerta has experienced a lot and she had a lot of knowledge to share with us at the Diversity in Culture event. She spoke about her work alongside Cesar Chavez, and their work together to fight for the rights of the farm workers to receive the right compensation for their work, access to restrooms, the right to unionize, etc. Dolores stressed the idea that we are all one human race, one family, and that regardless of the color we are, our eyes, our hair, we are the human race — homosapians. We must participate to help and support each other and different cultures.

After Dolores’ speech, I interviewed the president of the Anthropology club, Kimberly Ramos. The first question I asked her was, Why did you attend the event? 

She explained that the organizer of the event was planned by the anthropology club advisor named Gigi, and she also looked forward to hearing Dolores speak and also promoting the anthropology club.  I then asked her, How was your experience hearing Dolores speak? She stated that she had been wanting to hear Dolores speak for a long time but never got the chance too, so finally being able to hear Dolores made an impact on her. She also expressed how the speech made her feel motivated and driven to organize and participate more In her community. The next question I asked her was, was there anything that she said that spoke out to you? Again she pointed out how Dolores engaged her to get more active in the community, and also the message that we can start with small changes in our community and work our way up.  Lastly, I asked her, What was your favorite part of the event? Kimberly stated that her favorite part of the event was when Dolores actually started speaking, because there was a lot of build up before she started speaking. 

Dolores Huerta is an amazing and empowering woman. She has accomplished so many great achievements and fought so hard for everyone’s rights, and she continues to do as she gets older. She had made such a strong impact on people everywhere and continued to engage in communities that need help, and to push us and motivate us to make change. Change starts with us. 

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Culture & Student Life

Register for the Summer and Fall 2023 Classes

Registrations for the Summer and Fall 2023 school year starts now! You are able to find the registration process in your student portal. Big thanks to Angelica Gonzales for showing us how to see when our registration appointments are. If you need help or have any questions concerning the registration process, please feel free to go to the counseling officer to get help from Angelica or any other counselors.

Student Services #  (805) 289-6420 

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Culture & Student Life

Get Ready for Finals with the Tutoring Center

Spring is here and finals week is just around the corner! This week I spoke to Erika Hurtado, the Tutoring Specialist at the Ventura College Tutoring Center, about the free resources that are available to students as they finish the semester off strong and prepare for their final exams.

Erika explained that the Tutoring Center offers tutoring both in-person and online. Students seeking tutoring can book an appointment or get help on a drop-in basis. The tutoring center is even open on Sundays to accommodate students’ busy schedules!

The Tutoring Center supports student success by not only offering tutoring, but also hosting Learning Resource Workshops. These workshops are led by Learning Resource faculty members and cover a range of topics from test-taking to enhancing mental health. Many of this month’s workshops are focused on writing, but topics change often and the monthly schedule can be found on their website.

Erika shared the #1 tip she gives students… come in before you need help! The Tutoring Center is fully staffed and ready to help students in a variety of subjects such as business, writing, math, and so much more. She encourages students to take time to prepare for their exams and reminds them not to be afraid to reach out for help.

The Tutoring Center is located on the first floor of the Library and Learning Resource Center (LRC). Stop by or check out their website for more information on their services!

Phone: (805) 289-6026
Email: VCtutoring@vcccd.edu

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Culture & Student Life

Career Fair Info & Tips

Hello students! April is the month for the Career Fair! I was able to speak with Megan Walter, who is a Student Services Assistant at the Career Center. I asked her some questions about the Career Fair and got some information + tips, so let’s get right into that.

On the flyer above, it lists all of the workshops happening before the Career Fair at the Career Center. It mentions the day and time the workshops will be held. From April 24-26 at 10am-6pm, the “Do’s & Donuts” workshop will be held. This Career Fair Prep-Shop will help students with their resume, 30 second pitch, and more help about the Career Fair. At this workshop, donuts, coffee, and a Career Fair Prep Kit will be provided for all attendees. In addition, on April 21 at 10am, students will be given help to start their job search. At 12pm on April 21, students will be given help to build their resume. At the same time as the “Do’s & Donuts” workshop, students will be able to meet the employers that will be at the Career Fair. Attend these workshops to be prepared!

On April 27 from 10am to 2pm, the Career Fair and Job Expo will be held in the Bookstore Quad. A recommendation from Megan is that if you are planning on attending the Career Fair, you should register via Handshake. You can register on vcccd.joinhandshake.com. From there, you can sign in using your vcccd login and answer a few questions. After you sign in, just search for the Career Fair event and hit join event at the top. You will automatically be registered for the Career Fair, receive event updates, and if you are one of the first 200 students to register, you get a free lunch! Registering also gets you a name card and a swag bag!

The Career Fair will have over 100 employers that you can find under the event on Handshake. You can even look into the websites of the employers, read their company backgrounds, and sort through the employers to fit the job you are looking for. You will be able to find jobs in the Healthcare, Government, Legal & Law Enforcement, and Non-Profit industry, etc. Attending the Career Fair will help you meet possible future employers and you can gain knowledge by asking questions. The goal of this Career Fair is to assist students in working on their professional development and gaining employment, while either in school or after they complete their degree/certificate.

To finish things off, here’s a tip from Megan about applying for your first job. She recommends going to the Career Center to get assistance on your resume and cover letter. You should make sure that you have both ready before applying for a position. If you have your resume all set, you can actually go to the Career Center and they will help you print out a few copies to have with you at the Career Fair. Being prepared and giving your resume to the recruiters, does impress them and helps you stand out. Megan recommends attending the “Do’s & Donuts” workshop to help prepare for the Career Fair.

Below are more flyers with more information!

SSC Building | vccareer@vcccd.edu | 805-289-6473 | Career Center Website