** News for Foothill Students **

Foothill Celebrates Latino Heritage Month

Students, faculty, staff and community leaders have created an exciting calendar of cultural enrichment activities to commemorate Latino Heritage Month at Foothill throughout May. Events include guest speakers, live entertainment, film series and more. Review the list of these events at www.foothill.edu.


Scholarship & Awards Ceremony Is May 23

A ceremony to honor Foothill College student scholarship recipients and the visionary donors who have made scholarships possible will be presented Wednesday, May 23, at noon in Appreciation Hall (Room 1501). More than 100 students will receive scholarships at this event. Foothill’s Scholarship Committee includes Naomi Kitajima (Student Health Services), Patricia Crespo-Martin (Language Arts), Margo Dobbins (Adaptive Learning), Stephanie Franco (Evaluations), Maisha Haywood-Smith (Outreach & Retention), Karen Lemes (Evening College), Elaine Piparo (Counseling) and Eric Rosenthal (Admissions & Records).


Spring Job & Internship Fair

The Foothill College Career Center hosts its annual Spring Job Fair Wednesday, May 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Library Quad. The event provides an excellent opportunity for students to seek entry-level positions, internships and summer jobs. Admission is free. Students should bring copies of a current resume, dress appropriately, and be prepared to market their talents and abilities in on-site interviews with employers who are hiring.

In addition to a guest speaker from PruLatino, a division of Prudential Real Estate, from noon to 12:30, the fair includes a raffle for an iPod and Foothill logo apparel as well as complimentary Jamba Juice smoothies. Students will also present a dress-for-success fashion show from 12:30 to 1 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Foothill College Career Center, Associated Students of Foothill College and Latino Heritage Month Planning Committee.

The Career Center will also present job-related workshops this month, including Resume Critiques on Monday, May 21, 3–4 p.m. in the Career Center; and How to Prepare for a Job Fair on Tuesday, May 22, noon–1 p.m. in Room 1220.


SETI Astronomer Will Discuss A Ringside Seat to the Birth of Planets

Astronomer Dana Backman, of the Mountain View-based SETI Institute, will present A Ringside Seat to the Birth of Planets, an illustrated, non-technical talk, Wednesday, May 23, at 7 p.m. in the Smithwick Theater at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. Admission is free and the public is invited. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive early to locate parking.

Astronomers have discovered dusty “doughnuts” of cosmic raw material around many younger stars. In some cases, astronomers can see tantalizing hints in the rings that planets may be forming or may already have formed from this material. The talk will be illustrated with images of and by some of the most advanced telescopes in the world.

Dr. Backman will explain how new kinds of telescopes and observations are making it possible for us to detect the birth process of planets around nearby stars. He’ll discuss how some of these structures remind us of the asteroid belt in our own solar system, and the rings of icy chunks beyond Neptune that are called the Kuiper Belt. He will conclude by previewing future observations of these intriguing dusty rings with new telescopes, particularly the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Project for which NASA has outfitted a Boeing 747 jet airline with a special telescope that can observe heat-rays from distant objects.

Dr. Backman has been both a research astronomer, specializing in infrared observations, and a widely praised teacher of astronomy. He is the manager of education and outreach for the SOFIA Project and a popular public speaker on topics on the frontiers of astronomy.

Organized by Foothill College Astronomy Instructor Andrew Fraknoi, the lecture is co-sponsored by NASA Ames Research Center, Foothill College, SETI Institute and Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Past Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures are available in MP3 format at www.astrosociety.org/education/podcast. For more information, call (650) 949-7888.


Foothill Physics Olympics

Foothill College students and local high school students are invited to test their knowledge of physics, challenge their creativity and have fun by competing for prizes in the third annual Foothill College Physics Olympics Friday, May 25, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Foothill College.

Organized by Foothill Physics Instructor Frank Cascarano, Foothill's Physics Olympics gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge of physics to real engineering situations. The contest reinforces physics concepts, but more importantly, it's an exciting opportunity for students to develop confidence in their abilities and interact with peers who are also interested in science.

In addition to its physics curriculum, Foothill College offers numerous physical science, mathematics and engineering disciplines such as astronomy, chemistry, engineering, geology, mathematics, meteorology, nanotechnology, oceanography and physics.


Diversity of Dance Showcased at Foothill College

The award-winning Foothill College Repertory Dance Company, directed by Bubba Gong, presents Take Off With Us Friday and Saturday, June 1 and 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Smithwick Theater. More than 100 dancers, guest artists from the local community and dance schools, and production crew will celebrate the diversity of dance in the two-hour showcase of world dance, musical theatre, ballroom, jazz, ballet and hip-hop dance. Performers of all ages, abilities, technique levels, backgrounds and cultures make the show an entertaining and inspiring evening.

Gong, a Bay Area Critics Circle and Dean Goodman winner, directs the 21st annual fund-raising concert. Proceeds benefit the Foothill College Dance Department, including dance scholarships and presentations of master classes and guest residencies. Tickets are $30, general; $25, students and seniors; $100, patron; and $20 per ticket for groups of 20 more. To purchase tickets, call (650) 949-7360.


Drama Department Performs Under Milk Wood

The Foothill College Drama Department presents the charming 20th century classic Under Milk Wood, written by Dylan Thomas and directed by Foothill Drama Instructor Tom Gough, June 1–16 in the Playhouse Theater (Room 1301) at Foothill College. Evening performances are June 1, 2, 7,8, 9,14, 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. An afternoon matinee is June 10 at 2 p.m.

Loaded with humor, warmth, shadowy secrets and deliciously rich language, the quirks of a time-gone, small, Welsh fishing village thrive in this magical masterpiece as a single spring day in the town of Llareggub, with its wealth of lovable, odd characters, comes to life.

Tickets are $16, general admission; $12, students and seniors; $8 students with OwlCard. Discount group tickets are also available. Purchase tickets online at www.foothill.edu/fa or call the Foothill Box Office at (650) 949-7360.