Dr. Lisa Sparks Brings Health Literacy & Inspiration to the NAC at Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

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Dr. Lisa Sparks Brings Health Literacy & Inspiration to the NAC at Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

Nicholas Academic Centers’ students gathered on Saturday, May 11, for the last Chapman University Visiting Scholars Series lecture of the 2012-2013 school year, featuring Dr. Lisa Sparks’ presentation, “Community-Based Health Campaigns: Be An Innovator!”
Dr. Sparks opened the presentation by explaining how the study of Health Communication impacts patient and healthcare provider interactions. “Most of the approach that I take to studying healthcare interactions is looking at and unpacking what we call ‘culturally competent’ messages towards targeted populations.” These “targeted populations” cover a wide range of interactions across the communication continuum, from interpersonal interactions, such as one-on-one conversations between siblings or parents, to organizational interactions between students and their school contacts, from teachers to advisors and even administrators. Dr. Sparks notes, “Sometimes there’s miscommunication, or we don’t understand each other, and so we have to sort through and navigate the situation to get our needs met.” In a medical setting, competent communication between patients and their healthcare providers can mean the difference between life and death. Dr. Sparks comments, “Decision making in the health context can be really important, because if there’s a major miscommunication, or even a minor miscommunication of a prescription or a treatment, things can go wrong really quickly.”
On the other side of the communication continuum, media regularly affects healthcare decision making through “social modeling.” Dr. Sparks explains, “Think about all of the things you see on Youtube, on TV shows, or anything that’s sort of health-oriented. We learn about healthcare, and sometimes make decisions [based] on things we see on TV, or things we see on Youtube that may or may not be correct or credible, but we still make decisions because we’re exposed to those messages.” Students cited shows they’ve watched, including Criminal Minds that have influenced the way they perceive mental health conditions like drug addiction. As a scientific advisor to television shows like House and Grey’s Anatomy, Dr. Sparks has played a role in helping mainstream media “get it right.” She notes, however, that ratings drawn from dramatic, yet sometimes-inaccurate conditions and treatments often outweigh a show’s demand for accuracy.
During her presentation, Dr. Sparks presented a definition for health literacy and then analyzed its components. Dr. Sparks pointed to “health literacy” as crucial in effective patient and provider interactions. After providing examples to demonstrate various applications of health literacy, Dr. Sparks challenged NAC students to carefully read a number of slides to discover the similarities and differences between healthcare options given for a hypothetical scenario. In the scenario, a number of solutions were given to handle a fictional virus outbreak. In reality, many of the solutions were the same, but they appeared different because of how they were worded.
After learning about health literacy and the consequences of poor communication between healthcare providers and their patients, Cassandra Garibay expressed her view on self-advocacy. “You shouldn’t be scared to ask a question, even if it’s a ‘dumb’ question; no question is ever too dumb.” She continues, “If you know it’s going to be able to help you understand, it’s better to ask.” Dr. Sparks gave three simple but important questions for a patient to ask his or her provider: 1. What is my main problem/concern? 2. What do I need to do? 3. Why is it important for me to do this?
For the latter part of the presentation, students worked in small groups to create campaigns to bring attention to issues like teen drug use, healthy eating options at home and at school, and the effects – good and bad – of parental and peer influence. One of the groups chose to act out a skit in which two friends approached a third friend to offer her help in overcoming a growing drug addiction. On why her group addressed addiction intervention, NAC student Marisol Loza explains, “We did it because there are a lot of people that have addiction, and they don’t want anybody to help them; there are some people that are willing to help them, but they just need to find the right person.” Throughout the skit, students carefully worded their plea to help their friend get counseling for drug use, focusing on the “we” aspect of getting help, as in “We can talk to somebody about this,” as opposed to saying, “You need to go to rehab.” Dr. Sparks stressed that small details like these can make a big difference, especially when the message is meant to be persuasive.
Click HERE to watch a video on our Youtube channel.
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adminMay 15No Comments

NAC Students Explore the Magic of Documentary Filmmaking at Chapman Visiting Scholars Series Lecture

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NAC Students Explore the Magic of Documentary Filmmaking at Chapman Visiting Scholars Series Lecture

On Saturday, April 27, professional filmmaker and Chapman Professor Sally Rubin introduced Nicholas Academic Centers’ students to Documentary Film at the latest installment of the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series. During the lecture, Professor Rubin shared clips from two of her films, including Life on the Line, about a family separated by the US/Mexico border, and The Last Mountain, about her father’s death in a hiking accident when she was a teenager. Students also watched a Kickstarter clip for Professor Rubin’s forthcoming film about turbans, “a little piece of cloth with a whole lot of meaning attached to it.” Each clip represented a different genre of documentary film: personal, cinema vérité, and survey/essay.
To open the lecture, Professor Rubin shared that she started making films at a young age. “I was about ten years old, actually, when I started making films. My dad brought home a (hi-8) video camera; I picked it up immediately, and just felt such a sense of power and ability to tell stories.” She continues, “It was something I felt I could do on my own or with friends, and show it to people and really impact them.”
After screening The Last Mountain, an example of a “personal documentary,” Professor Rubin asked students to write out which type of documentary they would make if given the chance; Professor Rubin also asked students to describe scenes they would shoot, from interviewing relevant sources to establishing shots of locations. After planning out their documentaries and discussing the results with a partner, several students shared their ideas with all in attendance. NAC student Hector Valencia said he would like to make a film about how different people cope with familial struggles, and how these struggles can be used to unite people rather than divide them.
Moving forward with the lecture, Professor Rubin helped explain the concept of “cinema vérité,” or true cinema, by showing an excerpt from her upcoming film, Life on the Line. In such films, the director/filmmaker does not narrate or even interact in the scenes, but instead acts more like a “fly on the wall” and captures life as it unfolds between subjects on the screen.
The lecture definitely impacted the students. NAC student Melanie Ballesteros is now considering making a documentary film that looks at the lives of girls living in Guatemala to encourage young women around the world to take a closer look at their lives and appreciate what they have while also considering ways to improve their situation(s). NAC student Luis Campos identified with the relationship between the young girl and her mother in Life on the Line because the mother’s expectations for the young girl to do well in school would not be met with anything less than perfection. With a smile, Luis comments, “Her mom told her she doesn’t want a 93%, or a 94%, just a 100%, and nothing else.” Luis mentioned that he would like to make a documentary film about gangs in Santa Ana.
Click HERE to watch Professor Rubin’s film, The Last Mountain.
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adminApr 30No Comments

From 4 to 2 to 4 Again: NAC Class of 2010 Alum Daniel Arambula Transfers Despite the Odds

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From 4 to 2 to 4 Again: NAC Class of 2010 Alum Daniel Arambula Transfers Despite the Odds

In 2010, after a discouraging final semester in high school, NAC alum Daniel Arambula found himself having to adjust from preparing to go to UC San Diego (UCSD) to instead struggling to register for classes at Orange Coast College (OCC). On the challenge of attending a community college, Daniel notes, “Doing the 2-year program at any community college is a real challenge because student enrollment is always increasing and the courses being offered are always decreasing, so getting even basic courses becomes almost impossible.” However, after spending two years at OCC, Daniel beat the odds and transferred to California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) in Fall 2012.
While it is true that California Community Colleges boast the highest enrollment rates, offering higher education to more than 2 million students per year, a significantly small number of these students, especially under-represented students like Daniel, will transfer to a four-year institution and/or graduate from college within 10 years. In a recent article for the Huffington Post, Elsa Nuñez, President of Eastern Connecticut State College, cited data compiled by the Education Trust on under-served student completion rates. “Only 12 percent of minority community college students transfer to a four-year institution within four years of enrolling in a community college, and only 7 percent complete a bachelor’s degree within 10 years.” The road to completion often proves difficult, and even more so when socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and other factors are considered.
As the sixth oldest in a family of 14, Daniel found inspiration in his older siblings, many of whom attended 4-year schools directly after graduating high school, as well as his younger siblings, who look to him for guidance. “Being one of the first ones to go to a 2-year school after being accepted to and dropped from a 4-year school, the pressure to transfer as soon as possible was extremely high. Education is big in my family, so I had to set the example for my younger brothers and sisters.” Daniel continues, “I had to show them that even when life knocks you down, you have to get back up and continue pushing forward.”
Nowadays, when he is not playing on the Men’s Rugby Team at CSUF or working at Starbucks, Daniel is busy studying to become a Mechanical Engineer and looking for internship opportunities. Encouraged by Dr. Mickey Laux at OCC, Daniel is also minoring in Chemistry. “Dr. Mickey Laux showed me that Chemistry could really open up many doors in the engineering fields.” Daniel attributes his focus on academics to his experience at OCC. “I know several students who, when they went straight to a 4-year school, got distracted with fraternities, sororities, and the fun aspects of college, which is part of the college experience, but they lost that balance between academics and partying.” Daniel adds, “Going to OCC really changed how much I value each and every class I get because in high school and 4-year universities, courses are always open and students tend to take them for granted. At OCC, failing or dropping a class means one’s time there can easily be extended by an entire year because, due to budget cuts, not every course is offered every semester, and sometimes you have to just wait until that course is offered again and hope you can register for it.”
Currently, Daniel is on course to graduate in Spring 2015. After graduation, Daniel plans to join the workforce for a year before applying to graduate school to work towards a Master’s Degree in Engineering. “Because times and the economy change every year, no one really knows what the future holds; so, if I can get a job and start my career before returning to school, that will help build my resume and experience, which is important.” Regardless of the path he chooses, Daniel will take what he has learned since his days in high school and continue to push forward, setting the example for those who follow. Daniel encourages future NAC grads to do the same. “Take every semester seriously, even your last semester of senior year; one class can detour your plans in the opposite direction, and getting back on track is harder than just staying on track.”
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adminApr 09No Comments

NAC Students Take a Virtual Tour of Italy at the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

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NAC Students Take a Virtual Tour of Italy at the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

This time around for the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series, students of the Nicholas Academic Centers travelled to Italy, but not by air or sea as one might expect. Instead, Dr. Angela Tumini, a Professor of Italian Studies at Chapman University, took NAC students on a virtual tour of the boot-shaped country and showed pictures and videos, listened to music, and discussed multiple aspects of Italian culture, including its place in history, politics, religion, sports, and cuisine, as well as in the fashion, film, and automotive industries.
In a presentation entitled, “Italy Should Be Compulsory: What Makes Italy & Italian Culture So Popular Across The World?” Dr. Tumini set out to inspire students to travel abroad and experience other cultures. “Think that the world is yours, and to have an experience in a country like [Italy], it makes you come back and have a different outlook on the world.” Dr. Tumini continues, “What I want [students] to come back with is a more global mentality, and not one restricted to Orange County or wherever they come from.”
To open the lecture, Dr. Tumini invited students to join her on a “journey” through Italy and Italian culture, from ancient times to modern day. Through watching film clips and participating in discussion, students learned how Roman mythology gave Rome its name, how gladiators really lived, and how Italian tourism depends so heavily on Italy’s past. According to Dr. Tumini, “A lot of the economy today is based on [Italian] heritage, the historic, artistic, traditional heritage of the past because it brings tourists.” Perhaps the most visible remnant of Italy’s past rests in its giant landmark, the Coliseum, an engineering feat that remains “mostly” standing after 2,000 years, despite destructive earthquakes; however, the Coliseum is only one of many landmarks in a country rich with museums, churches, and other cultural assets, several of which NAC students explored during their virtual tour.
After examining a bit of Italy’s history and studying the effects of its renaissance, Dr. Tumini shared more recent and entertaining Italian contributions to the world. NAC students learned about the invention of pizza in Naples, as well as the triumph of the world’s largest round and gluten-free pizza, created in Rome in 2012, weighing in at 51,257 pounds, called “Ottavia” after Rome’s first emperor, Octavian Agustus. Dr. Tumini also introduced students to famed Italian film director, Federico Fellini, and his 1960 film, “La Dolce Vita.” Finally, students discovered that in Italy, soccer is to many as important as religion, or so Dr. Tumini joked. According to a handout given during the lecture, “72% of Italian men and 37% of women” are soccer fans, also known as tifosi. Dr. Tumini shared a story in which she and a group of Chapman students were in Italy when the Italian team beat Germany in a bid for the European Cup. “The whole country went so crazy that nobody went to bed, they wore Italian-flag wigs, and everything like that, and my students were kind of taken by this; they had never seen a celebration like that before.”
After sharing that she enjoyed the discussion of pizza, fashion, and soccer, NAC student Blanca Martinez commented, “[Italian] culture is awesome. I would like to go there and visit!” NAC student Brayham Hernandez also found the lecture fascinating. “I liked everything, but if I were to pick one thing, it would probably be the history that Italy has given us.” Brayham also noted that he enjoyed the discussion of Italian mythology, and the story of Romulus and Remus and the founding of Rome.
Exposing students to Professors like Dr. Tumini and encouraging them to attend and participate in events that promote cultural enrichment, including downtown Santa Ana’s “Noche de Altares” festival, is one way the Nicholas Academic Centers attempts to nurture well-rounded students. While it is true that trips abroad can be expensive, Dr. Tumini reminded those in attendance that most students participating in study-abroad programs have access to numerous scholarship opportunities. As a testament to the possibility of studying abroad, a number of NAC alums have done so while working towards their degrees in college. To date, NAC alums have spent time abroad as travelers, students, and/or interns in countries around the world, including France, Ecuador, Spain, Morocco, Italy, and India, to name just a few.
The next Chapman lecture is scheduled for Saturday, April 27th. NAC student Brayham Hernandez joins the NAC in encouraging you to attend. “I really like going to these lectures at the NAC. You learn something new every month.”
Click HERE to watch a video of the event on our Youtube channel.
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adminMar 22No Comments

NAC Students Get Free Haircuts from Salon Lujon Hairstylists

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NAC Students Get Free Haircuts from Salon Lujon Hairstylists

It is not uncommon to converse with one’s hairstylist while getting a haircut. Often, these conversations allow hairstylists and their clients to catch up on the latest goings on in one another’s lives. It is less common, however, for such conversations to positively impact the lives of a large group of high school students. When Judy Mandel told her hairstylist, Jessica Gonzalez, of Salon Lujon and Day Spa in Fullerton, California, about the Nicholas Academic Centers, Jessica took an interest in the organization and offered to get involved. On Sunday, March 10, Jessica and a group of four other hairstylists from the salon headed to the NAC to spend their day off giving free haircuts to 39 NAC students.
According to Jessica, “In a conversation with Judy, the NAC came up, and with what they do for high school kids in the local area, I was pretty impressed.” When asked why she decided to volunteer her time to cut students’ hair, she responded, “I know what it’s like to be in high school, and maybe not have a job or any money, so I thought it would be a good idea just to come in and make people look beautiful because that’s what I like to do.”
Judy Mandel, whose talk of the NAC inspired Jessica to volunteer, mentioned that she “was very taken with the fact that [Jessica] volunteered and said she would get other stylists to help.”
Fortunately, the other hairstylists shared Jessica’s enthusiasm and were quick to volunteer. One of the stylists, Staphanie Tung, said she has volunteered her services in the past, cutting hair for homeless people. Krystal Michalski, another stylist, finds satisfaction in making others happy. “I like to help others, and it’s awesome that we get to provide this kind of stuff for [the students]; it helps them, and they get excited about it, and that’s awesome to me.”
Amanda Bond, one of the hairstylists donating her time and talent to help NAC students, said she appreciated what the NAC is doing to help students get into college. “When I did hear about [the NAC], I thought it was interesting.” She mentioned how she would have liked to have access to such a program. “I had no idea about any schools, so I had to figure everything out, how to do loans and how to get grants, so having programs like this is awesome, and there needs to be more of them.”
The delight of both the hairstylists and students was apparent. According to Judy, “[The hairstylists] were as excited as the kids. I watched the ‘before’ and the concentration of the stylists, and the ‘after’ of the kids, and the kids just all took on a different aura; they walked different, and they knew they looked good.” Daisy Espinoza, a senior at Valley High School and one of the NAC students given a haircut, confirms Judy’s statement. “I love my haircut. It’s probably the nicest haircut I’ve ever had, and my hair looks and feels great.”
Prices for haircuts in professional salons like Salon Lujon can range anywhere from $25 for a basic men’s cut to over $100 for a more complex hairstyle. Many of the students in attendance usually get haircuts from their parents or local barbershops. Some even wait for trips to Mexico to get a $5 haircut. Marilynda Bustamante, a senior at Valley High School, mentioned this was her first “professional” haircut, and she noted, “This was an amazing first experience.”
After receiving their haircuts, each student signed a “Thank You” card for his or her stylist, and at the end of the day, after cutting hair for eight hours, the stylists read their letters out loud to each other. They collectively agreed the day turned out even better than they imagined. Judging by the enthusiastic response to their haircuts, the same could be said for the students. Even still, as beautiful as the students look with their new haircuts, perhaps the real beauty rests in the hairstylists’ generosity.
(Click HERE to watch a video of the event on our Youtube channel.)
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adminMar 13No Comments

Dr. Paul Apodaca Discusses Folklore & Mythology at the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

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Dr. Paul Apodaca Discusses Folklore & Mythology at the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series

On Saturday, February 16, Dr. Paul Apodaca met with nearly 30 Nicholas Academic Centers’ students for the latest installment of the Chapman Visiting Scholars Series, this time focusing on folklore & mythology of the peoples of North America.
To open the lecture, Dr. Apodaca discussed how the study of folklore and folk culture differs from Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, or other disciplines, including economics.  Dr. Apodaca maintains that while a psychologist might interpret certain actions and behaviors as manifestations of unspoken motivation, such as recognizing eating as an expression of anger, folklore appreciates nature and humanity in a more straightforward manner.
“The thing that I like about folklore is that it doesn’t change what we’re doing. It says you’re doing what you say you’re doing, and we’re just happy you value it.” He continues, “We accept the culture as it says it is, and for that reason, I think folklore studies, especially, is very good for American Indians and a lot of other cultures because people end up feeling like they are still themselves. It’s kind of funny to do what you think is normal to you, what you think is fun, and have someone tell you it has all these complex meanings to it that you didn’t realize.”
Although he shared many myths & fables during the lecture, such as the creation of men and women, Dr. Apodaca gave special attention to a story associated with an iconic image of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, and explained how several stories relate to the history and geography of a people. According to Dr. Apodaca, “Indians take the landscape around them and then put stories into the landscape,” thus transforming the world into a global library. Dr. Apodaca contends that integrating stories and landscapes reminds people what is important to them.
NAC student Javier Armenta, a sophomore at Valley High School, agrees. “The most interesting part was learning that everything has a story behind it; everything in nature has a story behind it.”
For the second half of the lecture, Dr. Apodaca turned his attention to symbolism as used in the arts and crafts of the peoples of North America, and he challenged students to think differently, to find meaning in symbols rather than rely on linear thinking and literal representation.
“Once you understand [how symbols are used in Southwestern art], you’ll be able to look at ceramics, cloth, or anything in the culture, and see how things work together through symbolism.” Dr. Apodaca claims that all Southwestern art symbolizes life as coming from two sources: rain and corn. “The two most important things in a desert culture are rain and corn; if you’ve got rain, then you’ve got corn, and that means you live.” Artists use basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles to symbolize rain, clouds, mountains, and even animals, like rain birds. Southwestern art also maximizes the use of both positive and negative space.
NAC student, Luis Campos, a junior at Santa Ana High School, appreciated the study of symbols. “In today’s lecture, I [enjoyed] the second part, about how the shapes [painted on Southwestern ceramics] describe lightning, water, and mountains, and I loved the [rain] bird, pretty much; it’s just creative art.”
The next Chapman Visiting Scholars Series lecture will take place on Saturday, March 16, at the NAC Annex. As always, lunch will be served.
(Click HERE to watch a video of the event on our Youtube channel.)
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adminFeb 25No Comments

A First-Class Guy: NAC Class of 2009 Alum Julio Cruz Prepares to Graduate from UCLA

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A First-Class Guy: NAC Class of 2009 Alum Julio Cruz Prepares to Graduate from UCLA

As a young boy, Julio Cruz left his home in Mexico and immigrated with his family to the United States. From an early age, perhaps inspired by his family’s commitment to step outside of their comfort zone in search of greater success, Julio dreamed of forging academic trails and becoming the first in his family to attend and graduate from college. To ensure his success, Julio dedicated himself to his studies as well as extracurricular activities like basketball and track & field. By the time he graduated from Santa Ana High School in 2009 as one of the top 100 seniors in the Santa Ana Unified School District, Julio had gained admission to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on a full-ride scholarship awarded through the Heid Memorial Foundation. Now, four years later, Julio is poised to join other members of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ Class of 2009 in the first group of NAC alums to graduate from college.
Several prestigious schools wanted Julio to join their ranks, including University of California, Berkeley, Chapman University, and Loyola Marymount University. When asked why he chose to attend UCLA, Julio responds, “I had heard about UCLA and USC ever since I could remember, and I always thought of UCLA as the good guy’s school.” He adds, “This mentality has never really changed, and I still feel the same way today.”
Since enrolling in classes for his first quarter at UCLA, Julio has explored a number of educational paths, and pushed his education forward at full speed. He is currently taking 22 units of academic coursework while maintaining his extracurricular endeavors, which include participating in the Undergraduate Business Society (UBS), UCLA personal fitness training, and tutoring kids in lower-income areas of Los Angeles and increasing awareness of higher education opportunities. “I am able to balance [academics and extra curricular activities] by having a lot of discipline, prioritizing the things that matter in my life, and getting good sleep.” Julio also credits his mother for helping him manage his time and tasks. “My mom has supported me financially, morally, and by prepping my meals for the week.”
Although he has always held an interest in Business and Economics, Julio ultimately majored in Sociology. According to Julio, choosing a major represents only one aspect of the college experience. “I feel my experience here a UCLA has opened me up to new ideas, thus broadening my thinking. My education changed how I believe things and see them. Now, I am careful when I examine information that is presented to me, and I do not just blindly and automatically accept information from any source. Also, I feel am able to adapt to novel situations and execute accordingly.”
After graduating from UCLA, Julio plans to continue exploring his options, and possibly pursue a graduate-level education. “I definitely want to take a year off to work and experience life without school, and then I’ll weigh my options on grad school. I am considering applying for business school or pursuing a career as a registered nurse.”
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adminFeb 13No Comments

Learning in a Global Classroom: Class of 2010 NAC Alum Genesis Luviano Studies Abroad in Spain

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Learning in a Global Classroom: Class of 2010 NAC Alum Genesis Luviano Studies Abroad in Spain

In 2010, NAC alum Genesis Luviano left Santa Ana, California in pursuit of higher education at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, just over 2900 miles from home. After graduating fourth in her class from Valley High School as a Solorio Scholar with a 4.75 GPA, Genesis prepared to begin the next phase of her life and edge closer to her goal of becoming a Spanish teacher. Although she arrived at Smith without keys and needed her new roommate to open the door, Genesis soon took control of her situation and organized her class schedule, balancing academic studies with extracurricular activities like joining the swim team, participating in “house” events, and attending meetings with the Nosotras Club. While she found comfort in connecting with other Hispanic students at Smith, Genesis actively developed friendships with people of other cultures. “I wanted to take advantage of the diversity that Smith has to offer. I focused my attention on getting to know people from cultures I wasn’t familiar with.” This interest in exploring other cultures has now taken Genesis nearly 6,000 miles from home to Barcelona, Spain, where she is currently studying abroad for her junior year of college.
“I have always wanted to travel, and Smith makes it really easy to travel abroad, so I jumped at the opportunity to study in Barcelona, Spain for an entire year.” In addition to using her time to perfect her Spanish while talking with people in more than 14 different cities throughout Spain, Genesis has also taken advantage of her time abroad and traveled to places like Lisbon, Portugal and Marrakesh, Morocco. Genesis notes that it is during her travels that she finds she is learning things she could not have learned in books.
Recently, while in Morocco, Genesis was returning to her hostel after a day of exploring Marrakesh when two Moroccan children spotted her camera and asked via hand gestures to be photographed. After snapping a few pictures, Genesis’ fellow traveler and Class of 2010 NAC alum, Fernando Monjaras, offered the boys a chocolate bar. One of the boys responded by hugging Fernando. Genesis states, “This young boy, who must’ve been around seven to nine years old, showed me a very important lesson. Just because you don’t speak the same language as someone else, or even if you come from a completely different world, it does not mean that you cannot understand him or her. The language of love, gratitude, and friendship is really universal.”
Like the encounter with the Moroccan children, many of Genesis’ interactions with other people in Barcelona have reinforced her newfound belief that people are not as different as she had previously imagined. “I have met many different people during my travels and have learned a lot from them. Deep inside, we all have the same goals that drive us, the same need and the same desire to find happiness, and how we go about achieving these goals is what makes us different.” She adds, “The most important thing that I have learned is to enjoy life.” In February, Genesis plans to continue her out-of-the-classroom experience and travel with her program to Rome, Italy.
Further on down the road, after graduating from Smith, Genesis plans to return to California and complete a teacher certification program. “I believe that society is changing quickly into something that in a few years we will see as an atrocity. However, I think that some of the most important people in society in terms of changing this are teachers. The youth of our nation need role models that they can look up to and respect, someone from whom they can learn about more than a subject.”
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adminJan 22No Comments

NAC Alumni Reach Out to Current Students at 2nd Annual Alumni Panel & Potluck

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NAC Alumni Reach Out to Current Students at 2nd Annual Alumni Panel & Potluck

On Thursday, December 27, for the second consecutive year, a panel of Nicholas Academic Centers’ alumni now attending top colleges across the United States returned to the NAC to talk to more than 60 current students about their college experience. The alumni also gave tips and advice to help current NAC students better prepare for going to college.
This year’s panelists attend schools near and far, from Santa Ana College, Orange Coast College, Chapman University, and California State University, Fullerton here in Southern California, to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Katrina Linden, a class of 2012 NAC alum and freshman at the University of Notre Dame, touched on the cultural implications of studying away from home. “Being in Santa Ana, you’re used to a certain type of person, and then going to college you’re in a totally new community [with] different people, different experiences, and you really have to learn how to communicate with those kinds of people and learn how people live. It’s completely different than what you’re used to.”
In addition to geographical challenges, panelists shared tips for not getting lost in the crowd in large classes. Maria Jacobo, a class of 2012 NAC alum and freshman at California State University, Fullerton, stated, “If you can’t talk to your professors [because of the large class size], at least be willing to go up to them for help. Don’t be scared.” Jessica Aguilar, a class of 2012 NAC alum and freshman at Denison University, a school that boasts smaller class sizes than CSUF, also stressed the importance of communicating with professors. “Definitely try to develop a relationship with your professors because they’ll be there for you, they’ll help you, they’ll do anything. They’re not trying to fail you; they’re trying to help you pass.”
Cesar Hernandez, a class of 2012 alum and freshman at Chapman University, shared what it is like to study alongside some of the brightest minds in the country. “It’s hard competing at that level because you’re competing against the whole United States, not just Santa Ana anymore. So, there are those people out there that are just way up here [working at a high level], and you have to try your best to be one of those people.” To help students stay focused and compete at the highest level, Reyna Salgado, a class of 2010 alum now studying at Orange Coast College, reminded students of the importance of time management. “Once you get [to college], there are a lot of distractions; you might lose track of what is important to you.” Alejandro Martinez, a class of 2012 alum now in his first year at Santa Ana College, encouraged students to keep an open mind and to try new subjects.
Immediately following the Alumni panel, all in attendance enjoyed a potluck, featuring a variety of foods prepared by students and their families.
Click HERE to watch a video of the event.
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adminJan 04No Comments

NAC Celebrates Alumni at 3rd Annual Alumni Luncheon

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NAC Celebrates Alumni at 3rd Annual Alumni Luncheon

The Nicholas Academic Centers recently celebrated its 3rd Annual Alumni Luncheon, reuniting four years of NAC graduates for an afternoon of sharing college stories and eating. Alumni, who now attend over 40 top colleges across the United States, are often busy with internships and other programs during the summer, making the winter break the ideal time to come together.
NAC Executive Director Hugo Gutierrez told returning alumni, “It is always very rewarding and gratifying for the staff here at the NAC to see you come back and to share with us how you guys are doing, and it’s awesome just to see you being successful.” NAC Co-Founder and retired Orange County Superior Court Judge Jack K. Mandel called the alumni’s success revolutionary and noted how it will affect future NAC graduates. “All of this works because of you. The doors you open will let others through, the students who are following you.”
During the luncheon, several alumni took to the microphone and shared their college experiences thus far. Mariana Hernandez, a class of 2010 NAC alum currently in her junior year at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., said that college has proven not only challenging but also rewarding. “I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I’ve learned a lot about appreciating my community and appreciating California in general.” Pedro O’Campo, a class of 2010 NAC alum now in his junior year at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, talked about his recent experience volunteering in Ecuador. “This previous summer I went to Ecuador, and I taught children about global warming, and I painted a church with the community as a whole.” Class of 2012 NAC alum, Alejandro Martinez, now attending Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, CA, spoke highly of his school’s student diversity, noting his pleasant surprise at meeting people from across the United States and around the world.
Alumni also shared their feelings about what it’s like to return to Santa Ana after studying away from home, sometimes without returning for an entire year. Class of 2010 NAC alum Erik Chavarria, now in his junior year Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, stated, “Coming back after being away for a year and seeing everyone change so much… you can see how they come back almost like a sponge, the things they’ve absorbed around them, around their environment; somehow, they’re still that same person, but you see them grow.” Mark Piñon, a class of 2012 NAC alum and freshman at University of California, Davis in Davis, CA, was excited to get back to eating familiar food. Mark noted that while he adjusted to eating new types of food better than some of his friends, he always looked forward to returning home for authentic family-style Mexican food. The NAC obliged by providing freshly made tacos.
Click HERE to watch a video of the event.
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