The Symphony of the Sierra’s 2019 Spring Concert will be held at Columbia College, Dogwood Forum, at 3:00 PM on Saturday, May 4. The set offers a balance between popular music and favorites of classical repertoire. The orchestra is happy to present Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, and Star Wars Epic featuring music from the original Star Wars trilogy, among others.

This season, the Symphony is excited to feature guest artist Alan “Weaver” Copeland and Friends. Alan Copeland is a Grammy Award winning musician who has worked with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra and was a member of The Modernaires, a group that had the pleasure of performing alongside Glenn Miller.

Students from the Sierra Strings Outreach Project, founded by violinist Makena Clark, will be performing at the concert. Makena is extremely passionate about teaching and advocating for the arts. She teaches at Sierra Waldorf School and maintains a large private strings studio. Ms. Clark is a section violinist with the Reno Philharmonic and also performs with the Stockton Symphony and the Sacramento Philharmonic.

This concert will also feature Columbia College music students as soloists. Tyler Van Zuiden will play Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F Major. Aaron David will be playing Vittorio Monti’s Czardas arranged for tuba and brass band. Phoenix Farris will be playing Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Admittance to the concert is free of charge and all are welcome to attend.

The Columbia College Foundation and its community partners will present more than $120,000 in scholarships to qualified and deserving students at the annual Columbia College Scholarship and Awards Celebration on Thursday, April 18.  The event, 4:30-5:30 pm at the Dogwood Forum on campus, features student and community speakers, musical performances, and presentation of the Student of the Year awards.

Speakers at Thursday’s event include Student of the Year Danea Palmer who is a science student planning to transfer to UC Santa Barbara, re-entry student Max Golay who is working toward a nursing degree, and community donor, Jon Whited, who works closely with the college’s hospitality management program and funds a scholarship for those students.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, the Foundation and community partners awarded more than 160 scholarships to more 90 students, totaling more $120,000 in support for their educational expenses. Many of these scholarships are contributed by community organizations and individuals, many are offered annually through the Foundation’s endowed funds, and more than 20 each year are funded through the Foundation’s Osher Scholarship Endowment, established in partnership with the Bernard Osher Foundation, the Foundation for California Community Colleges and community donors.

Columbia College students are encouraged to apply for scholarships each fall. Criteria for awards vary depending on donors’ preferences which include area of study, academic excellence, volunteer involvement, or financial need.

“A college degree opens many doors,” noted Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, College President. “By providing scholarships and recognizing the talent of local students, Columbia College Foundation is helping our area residents to be productive members of society tomorrow. This is made possible by the generosity of all donors who contribute to the Foundation. It is your vision and philanthropy that encourage our students to move forward toward a successful career.”

The college is proud of the fact that it has so many campus donors support student scholarships. Student clubs, employee groups, and dozens of individual faculty, staff, and retirees fund annual scholarships and awards through the Foundation.

Colette Such, Columbia College Foundation President added, “What a privilege it is to do this work. While reading through these many scholarship applications, I find inspiration from the applicants’ struggle, their courage, their grit, their hope and their promise. They are all so very worthy. Thank you to all our donors who have made these scholarships possible.

The Columbia College Foundation is a community nonprofit established in 1972 to promote quality higher education that enriches the academic, economic, and cultural life of our community. The Foundation’s mission is to promote student success by providing community resources that support and expand educational opportunities for Columbia College students. Donations to the Columbia College Foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  

Questions about the Foundation should be directed to Amy Nilson, Director of Development, at (209) 588-5055 or nilsona@yosemite.edu.

Columbia College will hold a Community Job Fair that is cosponsored with Mother Lode Job Training. The event will host 66 employers and will take place on Friday, April 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the Columbia College campus in the Oak Pavilion. Job seekers are encouraged to bring their résumé, dress for success, and be ready to discuss their experience and skills with prospective employers at the event.

The event is organized through a partnership with Mother Lode Job Training. Mary Watts, Columbia College Career & Transfer Center Program Technician, shared that area employers are looking for job applicants in many fields including public utilities, forestry, healthcare, education, hospitality management, fire, and administrative support. Employers are looking to hire full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions. “I encourage job seekers to attend to find out about the wonderful opportunities available in our community, network with employers, and practice their “elevator pitch” to employers.”

The event is by far the largest job fair in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties serving local area residents with many small, medium, and large employers attending from throughout the region, including:

• Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• CalFire
• ATCAA
• Tuolumne Utilities District
• S. Forest Service
• Sierra Pacific Industries
• California State Parks
• Condor Earth Technologies
• Adventist Health Sonora
• Calaveras Winegrape Alliance
• Calaveras County Water District
• …and; county, state, and federal government representatives.

The purpose of the event is to connect job seekers at the college, or those in the community, with employers to learn more about the different positions available, make valuable connections, and potentially find employment. Columbia College student Kathy Marquez secured an internship with the U.S. Forest Service after attending the 2018 job fair and said it “will look good on my resume and hopefully be a foot in the door.”

The event will feature eight information session panels on careers in hospitality management, natural resources, law enforcement, health, fire, education, the arts, and the military. The panels will feature industry experts providing valuable information on their profession and how to get a job in that field.

Parking will be relaxed on April 5^th, so that attendees will not need to purchase a parking permit the day of the event.  Columbia College and Mother Lode Job Training are equal opportunity employers. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request at the event for individuals with disabilities. For more information contact, Mary Watts, Columbia College Career & Transfer Center Program Technician at (209) 588-5273, wattsm@yosemite.edu, visit http://news.gocolumbia.edu/event/career-job-fair/ or https://www.gocolumbia.edu/employment/.