Glendale Community College
Home MenuFebruary 2023 • glendale.edu/StayingConnected
Spring Semester Starts February 21
The spring 2023 semester begins Tuesday, February 21 following the Presidents’ Day holiday four-day weekend. More than 2,000 credit and noncredit classes are scheduled to be taught this spring. Of those, nearly 1,200 classes (58%) will be taught in some variation of in-person or hybrid. That’s the largest number at GCC since the pandemic began in spring 2020. You can see a list of all classes being offered in person by clicking the following links:
Promise Plus
The GCC Promise is more than a promise, it’s a plan which we have redubbed “Promise Plus.” Built around an ethic of care, the Promise Plus program provides a first- and second-year experience designed to help students successfully complete their college education. Some of the benefits include:
- Free tuition for up to two years
- Job placement assistance
- Dedicated counselors and peer mentors
- Priority Registration in reserved classes for students
- Special classes to help students identify future majors and careers
- Events and workshops emphasizing personal, academic, and professional growth
- Summer bridge program to support high school to college transition
As GCC representatives, please help spread the word about this enhanced program which offers more support, more resources, and more success. For additional information, go to glendale.edu/promiseplus.
Rep. Schiff Secures $1.2M for Support Program
Some of GCC’s most at-risk students will be getting additional support thanks to Congressman Adam Schiff who announced he’s secured $1.25 million for support services for low-income and unhoused GCC students.
More than half of GCC students face insecurity and nearly one in seven experience homelessness making it difficult to complete their educational goals. In 2021, Glendale City Council approved a $1.3 million grant to provide rental assistance to at-risk GCC students who live within Glendale city limits. The federal funds secured by Congressman Schiff will support students who live outside Glendale and will also help with employment assistance and other services.
Patrick Shahnazarian Named Interim Director of Facilities
Patrick Shahnazarian began serving as the Glendale Community College District Interim Director of Facilities on Monday, February 6. Patrick’s extensive experience includes having previously served the district as the Facilities Maintenance and Operations Manager, Chief Electrician, and as a Skilled Crafts Maintenance Worker II.
Prior to joining the GCC family in 2004, he served the Glendale and Greater Los Angeles communities as a project manager as well as provided electrical contractor coaching, mentoring, and supervising project teams and contractors.
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics from Azad University, Tehran, Iran and a Master of Science in Physics from California State University, Northridge. In addition to his work on projects and facilities management, Patrick has also been an adjunct associate faculty member of the GCC Department of Electronics and Computer Technology since 2009.
The Interim Director of Facilities is responsible to plan, direct, and administer programs, operations and activities of the Facilities Department. Moreover, the Interim Director oversees and directs the development of plans and specifications for construction, repair, and remodeling projects in addition to service contracts.
Connecting with...Nicholas Allen
Why did you choose to work at GCC?
I started working at GCC in 2010 as a Police Cadet. I chose GCC because I heard that their cadet program was one of the best and would prepare me very well for a career in law enforcement. After working as a cadet for 5.5 years, I was given the opportunity to apply for Police Officer and I did not hesitate to do so. Working for GCCPD was my first job when I was 18 years old and going to school and I feel that it is only right to give back to the campus community that has taught me, and continues to teach me, so much. I thoroughly enjoy working at GCC because I get to interact with the students, staff, faculty and the campus community as a whole on a daily basis.
Do you have a favorite memory working at GCC?
My favorite memory has to be when I became friends with this one older GCC student. I had daily interactions with her on patrol and one day she had a medical issue that I assisted with and got her medical help. A few weeks went by, and I finally saw her and asked how she was doing. She told me that she is doing well and that she is surprised to be friends with a police officer because her son was killed by police many years ago. I have not seen her in many years, but I still have the Christmas card that she gave me thanking me for helping her and showing her that not all police officers are bad. I carry that card with me on patrol every day to remind me why I chose to do this job.
One thing about you that might surprise your co-workers?
I have a twin sister.
Hobbies?
I love being with my family and doing some outdoor activity. I also really enjoy playing video games, baseball and woodworking.
Favorite movies/TV Shows?
Favorite movie would be The Sandlot and favorite TV show is hands-down The Office.
Favorite magazine/book?
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Favorite food?
Chicken Nuggets
Describe your perfect day off?
Spending the day with my family relaxing or doing something fun together.
Join Our Cadets!
Verdugo Fire Academy Graduation
Congratulations to the Verdugo Fire Academy Class XXV which held its graduation ceremony on the Verdugo Campus on Saturday, January 14, 2023. You can watch the full ceremony by clicking on the image below.
Welding Students Tour Verdugo Campus Worksite
A group of GCC welding students were taken on a tour through the Central Plant Upgrade site for a valuable real-life experience. Before embarking on this unique opportunity to see a project up close, the students completed an online safety course and wore proper PPE. Their first stop was reading the safety postings before entering the project site.
MLK Breakfast
GCC hosted the 8th Annual MLK Breakfast on Jan. 17 in the Student Center. The keynote speaker was Tiara Mercius, J.D., a disability activist/advocate in Long Beach.
The event was sponsored by the GCC Multicultural and Community Engagement Center, Cultural Diversity, and Faculty Development.
Garfield
The Garfield Campus is thriving with increased parking spaces and the addition of the Somerset Complex, a set of modular buildings which will be the home to medical programs including:
- Medical Clinical Assisting
- Home Caregiver/Aid
- Certified Nursing Aid
- Pathways to Health Careers
- Administrative Medical Assisting
- Dental Front Office
Garfield’s Somerset Complex will soon welcome the GCC CARES office along with a food pantry in support of GCC’s commitment to provide basic needs support to at-risk students. The Garfield Campus is also meeting the needs of the community by expanding Noncredit English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. In response to a growing demand for ESL learning opportunities, Garfield is working to offer a robust schedule of remote and in-person classes in the upcoming semesters.
Career Education TV Campaign
If you watch Spectrum Cable or stream content via the Internet you may have noticed several different ads running that promote GCC’s Career Education Programs. The campaign has been running for several weeks and will continue through the first two weeks of the spring semester.