With expanded course offerings available online, at the Sonora main campus, in Calaveras and in Oakdale, Columbia College is making registration easy for incoming students attending in the spring semester to get started early. Extreme Registration, or X-Reg, will be held at the main Sonora campus on Wednesday, December 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Students will have everything at their fingertips to begin their education at Columbia College, as well as opportunities to win college merchandise. Students can complete assessment, orientation and advisement, plus register for classes, pay fees, buy books, purchase parking passes, find out about campus child care, clubs, athletics, and more.

College staff will be on-hand to provide information on financial aid and special programs, like EOPS (Extended Opportunities Programs and Services) and DSPS (Disabled Students Programs and Services). Students will also learn how to access connectColumbia to register online, obtain grades, and get instructions on activating their student email accounts.

Those seeking financial aid must bring 2012 income information, or parents’ 2012 income information (if dependents). In addition, any records of untaxed income, such as state disability or child support payments will be helpful.

On another note, open registration for new and returning students will start on Monday, December 9. The spring semester runs from January 13 to May 2. Registration can be done online at www.gocolumbia.edu or in person at the admissions and records office at the Sonora main campus, 588-5231.

Scholarships are getting a lot of attention at Columbia College this month. The Columbia College Foundation launched a new online scholarship service in October, which allows students to use one online application to apply to all scholarships handled by the college. The streamlined process – funded by Columbia’s Title III grant – gives students quick and easy access to more than 80 different scholarships offered by the Foundation and community donors. The system lets students know which scholarships they qualify for based on their student information, and will also simplify the task of committees reviewing applications and awards. Hundreds of students will be using the new system immediately to apply for the semester’s first scholarship opportunity — Columbia will be awarding 21 $1,000 Osher Scholarships this fall to eligible continuing students, deadline to apply has been extended to Thursday, November 7. Apply at https://gocolumbia.academicworks.com.

Over One hundred and fifty singers from Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties will participate in “A Festival of Singing” on Thursday, November 7 at 7:00 P.M. in the Sonora High School auditorium.  The program will be approximately one-and-a-half hours.  Admission is free.

Organized by the Columbia College Community Chorus and the Columbia College Music Department, the Festival is a chance for singers in local high school and the college vocal programs to prepare and perform music for and with each other.  Each performing choir will sing separately on the High School stage. A massed performance of The Star Spangled Banner with all singers will open the Festival. The concluding selection on the program will be America the Beautiful also performed by the massed choir.

“Singers don’t get many chances to hear or sing with others outside of their own organization” said Festival organizer, John Carter.  “This gathering is meant to encourage those singers and conductors- especially with all the cuts to the arts in the schools.  This Festival allows us to see that we are part of a larger world of singers here in the Mother Lode.”

Choirs representing Summerville High School, Connections Academy, Calaveras High School and Columbia College will perform. Directors include Nicole Markle, Calaveras High; Madeline Young Summerville High-Connections Academy; and John Carter, Columbia College.  Music performed will range from classical to jazz.

Choirs participating are Jazz@8; Constellations Choir; Calaveras High Choir; Columbia College Choir, and the Columbia College Community Chorus.

For more information, contact John Carter at Columbia College at 588-5214 or carterj@yosemite.cc.ca.us.

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