Attendees:
Rose Myers, Vice President of Student Development & Instruction
Rose started work at Foothill on July 1, 1996. She had heard about Foothill's reputation, was looking to relocate from New Jersey, applied for the Dean of Middlefield Campus position, interviewed twice "packed up the kids and moved to Los Altos, hills that is, swimming pools, movie stars, well more like shining stars". One thing you might not know about Rose--she used to be a high school physical education teacher, lifeguard, and varsity girls basketball coach. Now she has a 2 year old grand daughter who is the love of my life!
Scott Lankford, English Instructor
Scott has been an English Instructor at Foothill College since 1989 ---except for three years he spent as Interim Dean of Language Arts. He first came to Foothill from Stanford, where he was completing his PhD in Modern Thought and Literature. Another grad school friend began teaching part-time here at Foothill, and that's how he first heard about our campus. One thing not everyone knows about Scott is that he dropped out of grad school for three years to organize an expedition to Mount Everest (and no, he did not quite get to the top in 1985).
Brenda Visas, Director of Facilities.
Brenda started at Foothill in January of 2008. Shirley Barker, VP of Education Resources, suggested she apply for the position, and the rest is history! Something you might not know about Brenda? She facilitates a women's group that makes blankets for kids experiencing trauma (abuse, surgery, homelessness) and scarves for folks in homeless shelters.
Myron Cagan, Adjunct Faculty, Chemistry Department.
Myron has been with Foothill College since the Winter Quarter 2003. A friend in the Physics Department shared his resume with the PSME Dean during the Fall of 2003. The Dean passed it to the Chemistry Department coordinator who hired him for a part-time position. Myron keeps his interest in teaching alive by volunteering in K-12 classrooms at various times during his 25 years working as an engineer in the semiconductor industry.
Nhung Tran, Program Coordinator for Adaptive Learning.
Nhung started at Foothill in August of 2005. She was working at San Jose State University in the Graduate department and happened to come across a posting from Foothill College. She decided she needed a change, and here she is! One thing you might not know about Nhung? She is very adventurous and outgoing (she loves to skydive!).
Carolyn Holcroft-Burns, Faculty and Vice President of Foothill Academic Senate.
Carolyn ended up at Foothill because she was anxious to expand her horizons beyond Kansas City and California was very appealing! Something unusual about Carolyn--she teaches group exercise classes at Bally's and 24 Hour Fitness.
Phung Alldis, Adjunct Faculty in Language Arts, teaching French.
Phung began teaching at Foothill College in the Fall of 2005. She considers herself very fortunate to be beginning her career at this campus. She shared a speech with French colleagues at UC Berkeley and met a wonderful faculty member, now retired from Foothill, who suggested that she apply. She did and couldn’t be happier that she got the job. Phung loves to travel, to garden and to eat. She grows tomatoes, roses and squash.
MaryLou Heslet, Counselor, Co-Dean of Counseling for 07-08.
MaryLou started out as part-time faculty in Spring of 1998. She came on full-time in Fall of 1990. Foothill College was the only community college she wanted to work for. She got her MS in Counseling in 1976 but because of Prop 13, there were no jobs in higher ed. MaryLou was an administrator at UCSC who left that career to become a stock broker at Dean Witter in 1978. The education jobs started to open up in 1988 after the State funded matriculation mandate. She always knew that she wanted to work at the best community college in California (which she had determined to be Foothill College), so she kept calling Harry Saterfield, Dean of Counseling, until he finally offered her a part time position. It was a dramatic pay cut but she knew she had finally landed my dream job after waiting 12 years for the opportunity. MaryLou was the first successful woman stock brokers at the Dean Witter corporate office in San Francisco. She worked there for 5 years and then moved on to institutional bond sales at Bank of California where she became a Vice President and manager of a sales division. It was a big deal in the late 70’s to break barriers—she was one of many pioneer women in finance. MaryLou loved her 10 year career in finance but was happy to leave it all behind to follow her calling.
Steve Sum, Alternative Media Specialist. Steve has been at Foothill since September 20, 2001. He likes working in the Community College environment. He also has worked as a systems analyst at West Valley-Mission Comm. College District. Something you might not know about Steve? He sells and services electric motors for bicycles.
Check back often! More attendee info to come!
