What's the latest OCC Honors Program news?

Geography Professor Wins State Educator Award

Tuesday, June 01, 2010 (reprinted from Coast to Coast online newsletter)

Irene Naesse in Chile

California Geographical Society Honors Irene Naesse  Irene Naesse, professor of geography [including Honors geography] at Orange Coast College, has won the 2010 Outstanding Educator Award at the 64th annual meeting of the California Geographical Society. The Outstanding Educator Award, established in 1975, is presented to a college or university faculty member who has been recognized by students and peers for inspirational contributions to geographic education. Naesse, a Laguna Hills resident, said the award was totally unexpected, but she was pleased that a community college educator was chosen from among teachers throughout California. Many past recipients have been from four-year institutions. It is the first time an OCC faculty member has won the prize. Naesse discovered her love for geography as a community college student at Fullerton College. She earned BA and MA degrees in geography from San Diego State University. She has been teaching geography classes at OCC since 2001.   “Geography is really a state of mind, a way of looking at the landscape as the result of both physical and human processes,” Naesse said. “I hope that when students leave my class, they understand and appreciate the role that geography plays in shaping their own landscapes.”

OCC STUDENT WINS PRESTIGIOUS JACK KENT COOKE SCHOLARSHIP

Thursday, April 29, 2010 (reprinted from Coast to Coast online newsletter) Credits English professor and newly-appointed Honors Program Coordinator, Ken Parker, as "one of the most influential people in [her] life"

Bahareh Abadian Orange Coast College honors student, Bahareh Abadian, 20, has won the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship for community college students who exhibit exceptional promise. Bahareh heard the news this week from Dean of Students Kate Mueller, just as she was confiding her concerns to Mueller about how she would find money to pay for college expenses at a four-year university. Mueller couldn’t wait to tell Bahareh about the Jack Kent Cooke award that is designed to pay a major portion of a student’s undergraduate expenses including tuition, room and board, books and other educational fees. The amount of the award varies with each student’s need, but can be as high as $30,000 a year until the student earns a bachelor’s degree. Since 2002, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has awarded generous scholarships to approximately 50 community college students annually. It is the third time a student from Coast has won the award. Bahareh, who will enroll at UCLA this fall, was in tears as she heard the good news. Soon she was on the phone to her mother, Manijeh Ardeshiri. The two women live together in Tustin. The family has faced tragedy. Her father died tragically, and her 11-year-old brother was killed in a car accident. The student lived in Iran until she was 15, but emigrated with her mother to the United States as refugees because they were Zoroastrians, Bahareh explained. The ancient religion was once the main religion in the Persian empire, but today its followers are a minority that face discrimination in Iran. Because she is not Muslim, Bahareh said she would not be allowed to pursue an education there. Bahareh’s favorite aunt, a medical doctor, died from cancer just one month after she joined Baraheh and Manijeh in the United States. The loss sparked the honor student’s interest in oncology and her desire to become a doctor. Her aunt was passionate about helping her patients, Baraheh said. “From bringing new children into the world to comforting patients leaving it, from treating a scraped knee to referring a patient to a surgeon, she touched the lives of the young and old, the healthy and sick,” Baraheh said. “The loss of my 34-year old aunt to cancer was a shock that changed my life. “It is hard for me to accept that we are still unable to find a cure for cancer. My professional vision is to become an oncologist and to do research that will help prevent future deaths to this disease.” Following the example of her aunt, who believed that “each of us makes a difference in countless others' lives,” Bahareh joined OCC’s Relay for Life team that will meet at the OCC Track on May 22 to raise funds for cancer research and awareness. After relocating to the United States, Bahareh enrolled at Marina High School where she excelled academically even though English was a challenge. She continued her success at Orange Coast College, where she joined the honors program and has a 3.94 grade point average, tarnished by a single “B” mark she received in one of her classes. Although Bahareh is a star student, she is modest about her achievement and even downplays her role as a student leader. She seized the opportunity to engage other students by joining numerous OCC clubs, including two honor societies, the EOPS Honors Club, Doctors of Tomorrow and the Persian Student Society. Attending OCC has been a “great experience,” Bahareh said. She quickly took on a variety of positions in the clubs, found new friends and gained leadership experience. She also finds time to encourage friends struggling in their classes. “It feels so good to help friends out,” she explained. She tells them, “You have to work a little, but you can get there.” Bahareh also volunteered at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where she helped out in the emergency room. The experience cemented her desire to pursue a career in medicine. When she is not studying or volunteering, Bahareh enjoys dancing and performs traditional Persian dance. She also plays the tombak, a Persian goblet drum. “I love dancing,” she said. “It gives me so much energy.” At OCC, Bahareh said her instructors have been “really inspiring,” especially chemistry professors John Laux and Thomas Mucciaro. Math professor Sonia Avetisian “was awesome, so supportive.” She also praised English instructor Ken Parker. "He has been one of the most influential people in my life." Steve Tamanaha, OCC’s EOPS director, worked closely with Bahareh during her three years at OCC. “Bahareh is a student who achieves greatness with grace and humility,” he said. “She leaves OCC with a great legacy of high academic achievement and ‘giving back’ to her fellow students.” Bahareh and her mother are both in the process of becoming United States citizens and hope to be sworn in next month.

Watch this space for a recap of the Western Regional Honors Council Conference
in Jackson Hole, WY - April 8 - 10, 2010

2010 HONORS TRANSFER COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE
March 6, 2010 

 
Orange Coast College students shone at the 2010 Honors Transfer Council of California Conference. Twenty-two OCC students were among the more than three hundred presenters who spoke and showcased posters on a wide number of topics (see below). In addition, of the fifty-one student volunteers at the conference, twenty-three were from OCC! So much to be proud of!

A number of faculty mentors and honors counselors supported the presenters by attending the conference. Also present was new OCC President Dr. Dennis Harkins, who was invited to participate as a guest judge for the poster competition.

Just some of the 60+ OCC presenters, volunteers and attendees.

Speaking of which, Jeannie Cross and Shivani Saxena were not only awarded an honorable mention for their beautifully produced and compelling poster on antibacterial soaps, each also won a UCI Student Research Grant. Not to be outdone, Sonya Ercout and Tran Luong (to the left in the photo) took home Exceptional Achievement Awards.

To see more photos of the event, click here.

Great job, everyone!

- Posted 3/8/10

HTCC Conference Showcase! Support your fellow OCC students as they prepare for the 2010 Honors Transfer Council of California Conference (see announcement below). The Showcase will take place on Monday March 1 from 9:00am to 4:00pm in the Student Center Lounge. Come when you can, leave when you must. Refreshments and Extra Credit Sign-up Available. Click here for a schedule.

On a related note, if you're interested in attending the 2010 HTCC Conference (UC Irvine, Saturday, March 6, 8:30am-4:30pm), the Honors Program will cover a limited number of registrations for students. Contact the Academic Honors Office (hpro@occ.cccd.edu or 714.432.5601) to see if there are any spots left. As an alternative, you may wish to VOLUNTEER at the conference. Students who facilitate at least two sessions will have their registrations covered, and receive complimentary breakfast and lunch. Click here to sign up!

- Posted 2/28/10

A record 25 OCC students accepted to present at the 2010 Honors Transfer Council of California Student Research Conference! - Posted 1/25/10

Happy New Year, and Happy New Semester! I’m happy to welcome you back with some wonderful news-- a record 25 Orange Coast College students have been accepted to present at the 2010 Honors Transfer Council of California Conference, to be held at UC Irvine on Saturday, March 6th. Some of you may remember that last year, we were thrilled that 13 students presented!

The HTCC Conference, now in its 10th year, is dedicated to showcasing the research of (primarily) Southern California community college students. Our 25 will be among more than 250 students presenting on a wide range of topics (see table below). They include 17 oral presentations (12 individual, 4 small-group and 1 large-group) and 3 poster presentations. (By comparison, last year, we had 3 individual oral presentations, 1 small-group, 1 large-group, and 3 posters).

Presenting at an academic conference is a fantastic experience that really helps you grow as a scholar (and that looks pretty impressive on your resume or university applications). If you're not presenting this year, you should still consider participating in the conference, either as an an observer or as a volunteer. We will have a limited amount of funds to cover registration fees for individuals who wish to support our students presenters and be wowed by them and other community college students! Volunteering is an even better option, since your willingness to participate in a more active manner will earn you your registration fee AND be something that you can put on your resume or university applications (click here for more information about volunteer responsibilities).

If you’re interested in attending as an observer or as a volunteer, please contact Terry Scarbrough in the Academic Honors Office (714.432.5601, hpro@occ.cccd.edu) as soon as possible, and no later than February 25th.

Our 2010 HTCC Student Research Conference Presenters-- CONGRATULATIONS!

OCC students, faculty, Honor Program Coordinator and former OCC President Bob Dees at the 2009 HTCC Student Research Conference

UCLA/TAP Transfer Applicants: Apply NOW for TAP Certification (check your OCC e-mail or click here for details) - Posted 1/21/10

 
The Orange Coast College Honors Program:
Creating a Community of Scholars