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Las Positas College Press Releases - Current

 

8/5/10

Las Positas College Announces Performing Arts and Event Season

(Livermore) - Fairy tales, forensics, fortepiano, films, and a funny “Phantom” headline the Las Positas College 2010-2011 Performing Arts and Event Season.

“We have planned an amazing array of events that we are sure the community will want to attend,” said Philip Manwell, dean of the Arts and Communication Division. “We invite people to come as often as they can and to spread the word to friends and neighbors.”

Theater, music, dance, speech tournaments, student produced films, foreign films, and more will be offered for students and the community. Details will be provided on the performing arts website, laspositascollege.edu/performingarts, and Performing Arts Events Line, (925) 424-1100. Please check the website for information on updates, additions, tickets, and parking; events are subject to change. All events will take place in the Las Positas College Center for the Arts.

THEATER

MUSIC

DANCE

SPEECH

MULTI-CULTURAL EVENTS

8/5/10

Las Positas College Foundation Announces New Board Members

(Livermore) - The Las Positas College Foundation Governance Board has announced five new members, increasing the number of directors to 19. “We are delighted to welcome these new members and we appreciate the breadth of experience they bring to the board,” said Martin A. Livingston, foundation board chairman and vice president of investments with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. New members are:

The mission of the Las Positas College Foundation is to support and advance the College and its students through active resource development and effective community partnerships. It funds vital college programs, services, and scholarships in areas such as teaching and learning initiatives, arts, athletics, and emerging science and technology programs. In addition, it boasts three signature programs

Each year, the foundation holds a black-tie fundraising gala, the Best of the Best, where guests enjoy performing arts, gourmet food, and fine local wine. Last April, three local civic leaders, who are among the “best of the best” in their communities, were honored: Marcy Feit, ValleyCare Health System; Scott Haggerty, Alameda County Board of Supervisors, and Richard H. Stulen, Ph.D., Sandia National Laboratories/California. For more information about the foundation and how to invest in Las Positas College, please visit the website at lpcfoundation.org.

6/24/10

Blue Coat Systems Donates Computers to Las Positas College Student Veterans Program

Breakfast is called the most important meal of the day. This adage holds extra meaning for Las Positas College (LPC) student veterans.

It was during a breakfast meeting that Thomas Daggett and Chris Wood brainstormed ways they could support veterans, explained Daggett, Las Positas College Foundation board member and Pleasanton, CA Sentinels of Freedom team leader. At the end of breakfast, they had devised a plan to donate five laptop computers to the Las Positas College Veterans First Program.

“This plan was approved by everyone at the company,” said Wood, business development manager of Blue Coat Systems, the Sunnyvale, CA application delivery networking company that made the donations. He noted that the laptops are current models used at the global technology company and added that Kaspersky Lab donated the internet security software.

“Student veterans will be able to use the laptops to support their college studies,” said Todd Steffan, Las Positas College Veterans First Coordinator. On behalf of Veterans First, Steffan expressed gratitude to Daggett, Wood, Blue Coat Systems, and Kaspersky Lab for their generous support of veterans.

Las Positas College has made a commitment to veterans support through its Veterans First Program which offers priority registration, readjustment counseling, transfer workshops, special events, a book loan program, a study/drop-in tutorial center, work-study program, and an active veterans student organization. On July 15 to 17, the program will present Operation Gateway II, an on-campus orientation for returning veterans. Learn more about the event and Veterans First Program at www.laspositascollege.edu/veterans.

This past academic year, more than 300 veterans or active duty military personnel were enrolled at Las Positas College. Persons interested in making contributions to the program can contact the Las Positas College Foundation at 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA 94551-7623; call (925) 424-1010; or visit www.lpcfoundation.org.

6/15/10

Las Positas College Announces “Operation Gateway II” for Returning Veterans

Las Positas College in Livermore, is proud to announce the return of the summer transition program, Operation Gateway II - A Veteran’s Transition to Success. The three-day program, held July 15 - 17, is an orientation and workshop for returning veterans who wish to further their education at Las Positas College. Topics to be discussed include career planning, classroom expectations, readjustment services and Post-9/11 benefits. Operation Gateway II is a great opportunity for veterans to experience firsthand the community and camaraderie that they will foster and develop throughout their experience at the College.

Operation Gateway II is open to all veterans planning on or currently attending college. The three-day seminar will be dedicated to in-depth education/career planning, finance and benefits information, campus life, community resources and veteran support services. Veterans who participate in Operation Gateway II and are enrolled for at least ¾ - time at Las Positas College may be eligible to receive a book stipend for the fall semester.

Operation Gateway II is an example of Las Positas College’s continued effort to expand its veterans program. As California’s higher education institutions continue to receive its returning veterans, Las Positas College has been at the forefront of providing a comfortable, welcoming and ever-adapting educational environment to ease the transition to civilian life for our nation’s servicemen and women. This includes a number of partnerships with organizations such as Troops to College, the Concord Veterans Center, California Veteran Affairs, Knights of Columbus, Blue Star Moms of Danville, and Swords to Plowshares.

For more information, please contact Todd Steffan at (925) 424-1571 or lpcveterans@laspositascollege.edu.

5/19/10

Las Positas College Commencement Scheduled for Saturday, May 29th

Who: Las Positas College

What: Commencement

Where: Physical Education Complex - Las Positas College, 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore

When: Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 10 a.m.

Details: Associates degrees will be awarded to about 800 students, while many others will receive certificates for completing specific programs of studies. More than 275 are expected to participate in the ceremony.

4/28/10

Award Winning Las Positas College Talk Hawks to Perform at Bankhead Theater

Once again, the Las Positas College Talk Hawks have a season to crow about. This year, the eleven-member speech and debate team captured numerous tournament sweepstakes awards and boasts four State Champions and two National Champions. The public will get to see the team in action at its “Portrait of a Winner” performance Thursday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bankhead Theater in downtown Livermore, CA.

“Portrait of a Winner” will entertain and inform, showcasing the team’s best work on topics including solar flares, creative criminals, veterans, family dynamics, romance, and friendship. Tickets are $8 for students/seniors and $12 for general admission. For information, call the Bankhead Theater at (925) 373-6800 or visit www.livermoreperformingarts.org. This performance is made possible by a grant from the Las Positas College Foundation.
The Talk Hawks have a proud history of state, national, and international awards in forensics including public speaking, oral interpretation of literature, readers theater, and debate. Last year, the Talk Hawks brought home the Second Place Sweepstakes Award from the International Forensics Association’s Speech and Debate Tournament held in Montreal, Canada.

“The Las Positas College team is so very strong because it always has had a community of educators, staff, and administrators who embrace the activity and believe in its value,” said Janet Brehe Johnson, director of forensics. “Along with hard-working, dedicated students and coaches, this support helps elevate the team to phenomenal heights of success.”

In addition to individual state and national championship wins, this year’s team ranked third of all Northern California community colleges at the California Community College Forensics Association’s State Championship Tournament, and captured awards at other tournaments including First and Second Place Sweepstakes. At the Northern California Forensics Association’s Spring Championship Tournament, the team took the Third Place Sweepstakes trophy and accumulated more points than students from a number of CSUs, UCs, Pepperdine University, and Stanford University.

Following is a list of team members and their state and national championship medals.

Jordan Adelman; Livermore, CA
National Bronze Award in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Sara Slechta; Castro Valley, CA
State Bronze Award in Prose Interpretation
State Bronze Award in Duo Interpretation

Lanea Warren; Pleasanton, CA
State Silver Award in Informative Speaking

Justine Whitfield; Livermore, CA
National Silver Award in Informative Speaking
State Bronze Award in Informative Speaking

Birney Young; Dublin, CA
State Bronze Award in Informative Speaking
State Bronze Award in Communication Analysis
State Bronze Award in Duo Interpretation

Charlie Passero and Katie Johnson, both from Livermore, CA, also represented Las Positas College at the National and State Championships and have won numerous past awards. Other award-winning team members include Kailas Menon, Alfonso Montes, Kelly Spiller, and Mark Svetiik. Instructors Janet Brehe Johnson and Jim Dobson are the current Talk Hawk coaches.

4/7/10

Las Positas College “Mystery of Sleep” Conference Presents World Expert, Film Premiere and Director Appearance

Las Positas College will feature the world's leading authority on sleep and the premiere ofa documentary film and an appearance by the award winning director at its conference, “The Mystery of Sleep,” Friday, April 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in Building 2400, Room 2420.

Sponsored by the Las Positas College Department of Psychology and the college’s Psi Beta Psychology Honor Society, the conference is free and open to the public; parking is $2. Space is limited.

The conference keynote speaker is William C. Dement, M.D. Ph.D., who will present “The Essentials of Sleep and Dreams.” Regarded as the world’s leading authority on sleep, sleep deprivation, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, Dement is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Division Chief of the Stanford University Division of Sleep.

Dement participated in the first observations of rapid eye movement (dream) sleep in the 1950s at the University of Chicago. He is credited as the first researcher to recognize rapid eye movement as a specific biological statement with unique properties. He served as chairman of the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research from 1990 to 1992 which led to establishment of the National Center of Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health.

He is the founding co-editor of the scientific journal, “Sleep” and has written or co-authored more than 500 pieces for scientific publications including the entertaining and informative book, “The Promise of Sleep.”

At the conference, Dement will share insights on sleep education he has gained in nearly forty years of teaching his popular undergraduate course on sleep and dreams at Stanford University.

Another conference highlight is the world premiere of “The Mystery of Sleep,” a documentary film on sleep and dreams, presented by Mel Stuart, famed producer and director of more than 180 movies and documentaries, including the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

For details and a schedule of events visit, www.laspositascollege.edu. For more information please contact Ernest Jones, Department of Psychology, at EJones@laspositascollege.edu or call (925) 424-1217.

4/2/10

Las Positas College Hosts Women in Law Enforcement Workshop

Who: The Women in Law Enforcement workshop is hosted by the Las Positas College’s Administration of Justice program

What: The workshop is free and open to students and the general public. Parking is $2.00.

Where: Las Positas College, Building 2400, Room 2420 (Large Lecture Hall), 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA

When: Friday, April 23, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Contact: For more information and to register, please email Mark Tarte at mtarte@laspositascollege.edu

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3/26/10

Las Positas College Presents Second Annual Exposition and Pow Wow

Following a successful event last year, Las Positas College will be celebrating its Second Annual Native American Exposition and Pow Wow which will be held April 12-17 at Las Positas College, 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore.

The Native American Exposition and Pow Wow is a cultural extravaganza dedicated to the culture and history of Native American people. Organized by students in the college's Native American Culture Club, the program is designed to educate the campus and community about age-old traditions, historical accomplishments and current issues of the Native American people.

April 12 - An exhibit of Native American artifacts, artwork and literature will be displayed in Building 2400 and in the library. Beadwork, sand paintings, hand drums and kachina dolls are among the items displayed and will be available for viewing through April 19.

Dr. Amber Machamer will share a brief documentary followed by a lecture that focuses on the negative effects of Native American mascots in sports and how they have defined the Native American culture for those unfamiliar with it. This event begins at 6 p.m. in Room 2420.

April 13-14 - The Native American Film Festival begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m. in the Student Center, Building 1700. Visit http://nacc.weebly.com for a list of films scheduled to be shown.

April 15 - A traditional dinner and show begins at 6 p.m. in the Student Center, Building 1700. The lesser known indigenous people of the Americas - the Polynesians of Hawaii, the Aztecs of Mexico and the California tribes of the United States, perform traditional dances while members of the community enjoy a menu inspired by the traditional foods of Native America.

April 17 - A day-long celebration with the 7th Annual Livermore Pow Wow scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in Building 2500. A Pow Wow is a grand celebration of Native Culture during which Native American people from throughout the country demonstrate their skill in traditional song and dance as they compete in over 20 different categories. Attendees will enjoy fresh traditional foods and a day of shopping among a sea of vendors selling items ranging from dream catchers to hand-crafted jewelry. The Livermore Pow Wow is the only one in the Tri-Valley and has been twice proclamated by the City of Livermore for its strong contribution towards diversity and equity. This event begins at 11 a.m. and runs throughout the day ending at 10 p.m.

The Las Positas College Exposition and Pow Wow are co-sponsored by the Barona Band of Mission Indians and 29 Palms Casino.

For more information please contact Mario Jaramillo at (925) 577-8467 or visit the Las Positas College Native American Culture Club website at http://nacc.weebly.com or www.laspositascollege.edu. All events are free and open to the public. Parking is $2.00.

3/22/10

Las Positas College Hosting Free Workshop: Grantseeking Basics with Foundation Directory Online

The Las Positas College Cooperative Collection will host a free workshop for non-profit organizations seeking funds from foundations, corporations, and grant making public charities.

The workshop will be led by Scott Ullman of the San Francisco Foundation Center. Offering tips and suggestions on how best to identify funding sources for non-profit organizations, this workshop highlights the electronic and print resources available for your use at Las Positas College’s Cooperative Collection Center.

The workshop will include a hands-on demonstration of the Foundation Directory Online, the Foundation Center’s top-tier searchable database providing information on more than 91,000 grant makers and more than a million grant records.
The workshop will be held on Friday, April 16, 2010 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Building 2400, Room 2416. Registration is required and available online at http://foundationcenter.org/sanfrancisco/training/fdonlineliver.html.

3/18/10

Las Positas College Foundation and Pedrozzi Foundation Partner for Veterans Scholarships

The Las Positas College Foundation and the Mario Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation are joining hands to serve our military veterans who have served our country.

The Las Positas College Foundation will raise $10,000 in scholarships and the Mario Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation is matching that amount, bringing potential veteran scholarship funding to $20,000. Both foundations invite the community to pitch in and increase that amount for veterans who wish to pursue their education.

Scholarships are available to all veterans and active duty military personnel. Pedrozzi scholarships are available to veterans and active duty military personnel who graduated from an accredited Livermore, CA high school.

“We strongly encourage all eligible veterans to apply for these scholarships,” says Todd Steffan, Las Positas College Veterans First Coordinator. On behalf of Veterans First, Steffan expressed gratitude to both foundations for their generous support of veterans.

Veterans can find applications for these and other scholarships on the Las Positas College Veterans First website, www.laspositascollege.edu/veterans. For more information, email Steffan at TSteffan@laspositascollege.edu or call him at (925) 424-1571.

Las Positas College has made a commitment to veterans through its Veterans First Program which offers priority registration, readjustment counseling, transfer workshops, special events, a book loan program, a study/drop-in tutorial center, work-study program, and an active veterans student organization. Currently, 350 veterans or active duty military personnel are enrolled at Las Positas College. Learn more about the Veterans First Program at www.laspositascollege.edu/veterans. Persons interested in making contributions to the program can call the Las Positas College Foundation at (925) 424-1010 or visit www.lpcfoundation.org.

The Mario Pedrozzi Scholarship Foundation, based in Livermore, CA, awards hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to deserving graduates of Livermore high schools in pursuit of higher education and graduates of Alameda County high schools who will be attending St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park, CA. These scholarships are available to eligible students of all ages whose higher education goals may range from a technical and vocational certification to an upper graduate degree. To learn more about the foundation please call (925) 456-3700 or visit www.pedrozzifoundation.org.

3/8/10

Las Positas College Performing Arts Department Presents RENT
The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award Winning Musical by Jonathan Larson

Who: Las Positas College Performing Arts presents RENT, produced and directed by Ken Ross

What: RENT takes place in New York's Lower East Side in 1989 and follows the lives of eight young friends and artists as they try to forge relationships, express creativity and find meaning and hope in the face of poverty and the presence of AIDS. *RENT contains adult themes and language.

When: April 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and 23 at 8 p.m. and April 11, 18 and 25 at 2 p.m.

Where: Las Positas College Theater, 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA

Details: Tickets are available in the Las Positas College Bookstore. $15 General Admission, $10 Students and Seniors

Contact Information: For advance reservations call (925) 424-1812 or (925) 424-1818. For general information call (925) 424-1166.

2/23/10

Las Positas College Presents Its Second Annual Italian Film Festival

Following a successful event last year, Las Positas College officials have announced the College’s Second Annual Italian Film Festival which will be held March 26-27 in Building 2400 at Las Positas College, 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore.

The schedule is the same for both events. From 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. guests will enjoy a reception, followed at 7 p.m. with a discussion of the feature film, and a question and answer period. The feature film will begin at 7:30 p.m. This is a free event.

Friday, March 26 the feature film will be Pane Amaro (103 minutes).
Pane Amaro recounts important events that shaped the Italian American experience by weaving together compelling personal accounts, commentary by noted scholars, and rare historical photographs and footage.

Among other events, the film looks at the lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891 - the largest in U.S. history, the establishment and growth of “Little Italys,” the 1911 Triangle Factory fire, in which dozens of immigrant women workers died, the crucial role of Italian workers in the development of the American labor movement, and the internment of Italian American civilians declared “enemy aliens” during World War II. The title of the film comes from a popular Neapolitan song of the early 1900’s, which spoke of the immigrant’s pain at being separated from home and family.

Saturday, March 27 the feature film will be My Brother, My Sister Sold for a Fistful of Lira (90 minutes).

Following World War II, Italy was a place of such great privation that tens of thousands of young children, especially in the rural South, were “sold” to a Neapolitan-American adoption agency for a few thousand lire. The Catholic Church organized this effort.

My Brother, My Sister follows the efforts of Pia Dilisa to find her siblings, who were 7 and 9 years old when they were shipped to America in 1952, never to be heard from again. Pia’s remarkable quest, 45 years later, is punctuated by mind-boggling interviews with church officials (in Rome and New York) who stonewall her: somehow records were not kept or cannot be found today; “it all happened so very long ago,” she’s told. Pia is a salt-of-the-earth heroine - embed with tenacity, unfailing decency, and loyalty to a brother and sister she hardly remembers. Her story is enthralling.

The Italian Film Festival is co-sponsored by the LPC Foreign Language Department, LPC Foundation, Campus Change Network, and the Western Regional Chapter of the American Italian Historical Association.

For further information, please contact Catherine Suarez at (924) 424-1212.

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2/22/10

Las Positas College Announces Interior Design Workshops

The Interior Design Department at Las Positas College will offer three interior design workshops on Saturdays this spring: March 6, 13, and 20 at 10:00 am in room 1410 on the college campus.

Based on the suggestions from last year’s workshop participants, the College is offering three topics of interest to professional designers, design students, and members of the community. The guest presenters at all three workshops are well-known and very successful interior designers.

All workshops are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Building 1400, Room 1410 at Las Positas College, 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore. The fee for each workshop is $10.00.

March 6 - All about Baths: One of the most frequently remodeled/re-decorated home spaces is the bathroom. Realtors tell us that money spent on bathrooms will enhance sale time and sale price. The guest presenter will be: Julie Turner of The Bath Studio in San Ramon.

March 13 - All about Kitchens: People spend more and more time in their kitchens with families and friends. Learn what you need to make your kitchen both efficient and welcoming. The guest presenter will be: Shelly Lober of Kitchens of Diablo in San Ramon.

March 20 - All about Color: White? Beige? Be creative. Learn about the latest color trends for walls, floors, carpets, and upholstery. You may be surprised by the possibilities. The guest presenter will be: Debbie McGrath of Stainmasters - Northern California/Reno Region.

Come to one or all of the workshops armed with ideas and questions. Attendees are asked to register in advance (LPC Community Education) or just before the workshops begin. For more information, or to register, please contact Dr. Philip Manwell at (925) 424-1382 or pmanwell@laspositascollege.edu.

2/22/10

Las Positas College Invites the Community to Celebrate Black History Month

Who: Las Positas College Black Student Union

What: Community Celebration of Black History Month. Students will read poetry, perform skits and discuss historical Black leaders and events in America.

Where: Las Positas College, Building 2400, 3000 Campus Hill Drive, Livermore, CA

When: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 7 p.m.

For more information, please contact Scheanelle Green at (925) 424-1423.

2/10/10

Las Positas College Literary Anthology Accepting Submissions

Tri-Valley community members are invited to submit literary materials and artwork for publication in The Las Positas College Literary Anthology. The College is accepting fiction stories or poetry submissions until February 15, 2010.

Each fiction story can be up to 5,000 words and poetry submissions can be up to ten poems per person. The Anthology is also accepting artwork and photography submissions until March 1, 2010. Artwork and photography submissions are limited to ten submissions per person. All submissions must include the author/artist’s name and contact information.

The Las Positas College Literary Anthology is a student- run Literary Anthology at Las Positas College in Livermore. All fiction, poetry, artwork, and photography are reviewed by the students and then published in the annual Literary Anthology.

Submissions should be emailed to: Las Positas Literary Anthology LPCanthology@yahoo.com.

For questions please contact Richard Dry at rdry@laspositascollege.edu.

1/15/10

Las Positas College Awarded Pharmacy Technician Program Grant

Las Positas College in Livermore has been awarded a grant from the State of California Community College Chancellor’s Office Economic and Workforce Development Unit to develop and implement a Pharmacy Technician educational program. The funding was made possible through the Economic Stimulus Program Funds for Phase II, Allied Health Program Expansion which is part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Targeting dislocated employees, the Pharmacy Technician program will prepare students to sit for the California State Certification Examination administered by the California State Board of Pharmacy. The Las Positas College Pharmacy Technician program is a 24-week program, which begins March 1, 2010. The cost of the program, including textbooks and materials, is $1,200 with eligible students able to have their fees waived.

The application for placement in the Pharmacy Technician program is available at Las Positas College’s Office of Health Science or on the website at www.laspositascollege.edu/healthsciences/pharm.php.

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