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Peralta Community College District’s Study Abroad Programs

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Drew Gephart

By Drew Gephart, PCCD International Services Manager

The Study Abroad Program at Peralta Community College District (PCCD) advances international education and assists to provide student access to education worldwide. Since 2012, over 300 students have participated in PCCD’s Study Abroad Program.  These students are served by the PCCD Office of International Education, whose mission is to improve student learning by integrating knowledge drawn from real life experiences in other cultures, as well as promoting global awareness.

PCCD has created programs through its four Colleges (Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College and Merritt College) in over 13 countries which includes African American Studies Programs in Belize, Jamaica, Ghana and Cuba; Dance programs in Cuba, Haiti, Ghana and Vietnam; Cosmetology Programs in England (London); Spanish studies in Mexico; Research of El Salvador’s Civil War in El Salvador, Culture in China; and Natural History courses in Iceland, Switzerland and Costa Rica. PCCD has also offered a unique medical Spanish language course in Cuba, which included a joint venture with the Kaiser Permanente medical group, where medical Spanish was taught for Kaiser personnel.

The 2017 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) on November 13th, shows that 325,339 U.S. students studied abroad, earning academic credit from their U.S. colleges and universities in 2015/2016, a three percent increase from the prior year. However, only 1 in 10 U.S. undergraduates study abroad before graduating, and only 1.7% of all American students studying abroad come from community colleges.

PCCD’s Office of International Education seeks to increase community college student participation in study abroad programs by hosting an annual Study Abroad Fair where students learn more about opportunities to study abroad. Other initiatives taken to expand student participation in study abroad programs include: the launching of a Study Abroad newsletter for students, the creation of a Study Abroad Facebook page (@PeraltaStudyAbroad), the organization of financial aid workshops for students, professional development presentations for faculty in advising individual students wishing to study abroad, and the introduction of a Study Abroad scholarship to award one student $500 each semester through the Peralta Colleges Foundation.

Additionally, in 2014 PCCD focused on increasing study abroad participation by joining the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad initiative. As part of its commitment to promoting education abroad, PCCD was selected to receive $7,500 to support new Study Abroad scholarships designed to increase the number and diversity of students who study abroad by the end of the decade.

Laney College’s Department of Dance matched the Institute’s funding, to offer a total of six student scholarship awards of $2,500 each. These scholarships were used by students toward the cost of tuition, books, and travel related to Dance Study Abroad in Ghana. PCCD was also awarded two California Colleges for International Education (CCIE) Institutional Grants, one of which was used to create new study abroad materials to increase students’ awareness of study abroad opportunities.

“There is a great need to grow the study abroad program at PCCD. Due to the necessity for international exposure in the global economy, we are working hard so that PCCD students are better situated to be successful in their careers and in lives,” said Drew Gephart, International Services Manager of the Peralta Community College District.

In 2018, PCCD is planning to offer programs to Cuba (Business), Ghana (Dance, Sociology and Communications), Costa Rica (Physical Geography), Germany (Art History), London (Cosmetology), Japan (Business), Mexico (Spanish), Argentina (Spanish) and China (Culture).

To learn more about Peralta’s Study Abroad programs please visit: http://web.peralta.edu/international/study-abroad or contact Drew Gephart (International Services Manager) at dgephart@peralta.edu or call 510-466-7380.

Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

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Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.
Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear  the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

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Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.
Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear  the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing,  just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

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Activism

Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

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Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.
Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.

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