Faculty Spotlights Archives | Page 7 of 10 | Accredited California College | San Joaquin Valley College

SJVC Dental Assistant instructor hears the call to help

by Nyla on June 3, 2014

Fresno campus DA instructor, Nancy Spruit, wanted for several years to travel to a remote area with the International Christian Organization, Help the Children, to provide dental care to those in dire need. But she had to wait until she had worked at SJVC long enough to get that extra 5-days of vacation in order …

Posted in Dental Assisting / Faculty Spotlights / Fresno

Stand at attention

by Nyla on May 6, 2014

It is not often that a grateful student or graduate will take the time to sit down and write a note of appreciation to an especially inspiring instructor. It is even more rare for twenty-two of them to take pen in hand – but that is exactly what they did for Michael Stewart, Criminal Justice …

Posted in Business Programs / Criminal Justice: Corrections / Faculty Spotlights / Hesperia / Visalia

Going the Distance

by Nyla on April 29, 2014

Since his teens, Greg Serrano has found something he needs in the solitary stride of a long-distance runner. That extra something that pushes him, that settles over him as the miles pile up, has served him in all aspects of his life. It did not start out that way. “My cousin, Brenda, got me into …

Posted in Business Administration / Business Programs / Faculty Spotlights / Temecula

Unplanned career falls into place

by Nyla on April 8, 2014

Virginia Harris did not plan to be a teacher. As a Cal State Long Beach student in the 1970s, she was on track to go to medical school. But college opened her eyes to more than career aspirations when she took up the mantle of activism. Education and career objectives took a backseat to the …

Posted in Faculty Spotlights / Lancaster / Medical Office

Respiratory Therapy grad finds teaching career at SJVC

by Nyla on April 1, 2014

As an RT student sitting in the Rancho Cucamonga classroom in 2008, Shannon Cocilova had no idea that she would one day be in the one standing in front of a SJVC classroom covering some of the very same material she was working hard to absorb. “I always knew I wanted to be in education,” …

Posted in Faculty Spotlights / Ontario / Temecula

Empowering Others Inspires a Commitment to Teaching

by Nyla on March 25, 2014

Rafael Oropeza never had a lifelong plan to become a teacher. Maybe that is why his style as an educator is so elastic, and stretches to meet the individual needs of his Business Administration and General Ed students at the Temecula campus. “I’m constantly changing my teaching style, depending on the type of students I …

Posted in Business Administration / Business Programs / Faculty Spotlights / Temecula

MA students pile it on for favorite instructor

by Nyla on March 4, 2014

Teachers can spend an entire career trying to figure out how to connect with students. For Clinical Medical Assisting and Clinical and Administrative Medical Assisting instructor, Candace Hunter, it just comes naturally. “Building trust,” says Mrs. Hunter. “I like to share stories about things I have witnessed during my 23-years as a Medical Assistant. We …

Posted in Faculty Spotlights / Fresno / Medical Assisting

CAMA instructor got a late start in education career

by Nyla on February 25, 2014

Kristina Perkins had never given much thought to a teaching career. She was working as a Medical Assistant for a family practice office when the opportunity to teach an evening medical class came her way. “Teaching was never something I planned for, but I loved it,” says Mrs. Perkins. “It just felt like one of …

Posted in Faculty Spotlights / Medical Assisting / Modesto

Graduation ceremony completes the cycle for staffer

by Nyla on February 18, 2014

Few SJVC employees have the unique perspective Natalia Dominguez enjoys as Student Center/Learning Resource Coordinator, at Modesto campus graduation ceremonies. She sees graduates cross the stage to get their degrees and certificates, and then guides them down the stairs to rejoin fellow graduates. But, she also gets to see how far they have come from …

Posted in Faculty Spotlights / Modesto

Faculty Spotlights