How Oak Park Promise Vows to Improve the Neighborhood
Initiative aims to develop ‘cradle-to-career’ education pipeline to improve odds for children and teenagers
This week, the Greater Sacramento Urban League is returning to its Oak Park roots, first with temporary digs on 3rd Avenue and then, in September, the nonprofit organization founded locally in 1968 will open a satellite office on Alhambra Boulevard.
Changing Education Through Green Design
Sacramento-based architecture firm Lionakis part of statewide initiative
In a state with more than 10,000 schools, spread throughout some of the most diverse climates anywhere in the country, is it even possible for cash-strapped school districts to find ways to improve the quality of California’s education through green design?
Dilemma of the Month: Do I Need an MBA?
In a creative business endeavor which can help more: an MFA or MBA?
I’m a 27-year-old high school English teacher, but my long-term goal is to open a performing arts school. I’m torn between obtaining an MFA so that I may bring a strong creative background to my future students, and earning a business degree so that I may learn how to run the school. I worry the MBA will be too broad but that the MFA will be less valuable.
Oak Park Sol Brings Nature Back to City Dwellers
New urban land trust builds community gardens, holds cooking classes
Oak Park’s Broadway throbs as bass bumps from one car and another’s engine belches. Someone honks their horn. Other cars buzz by well above the speed limit. This is urban living. But it doesn’t have to be. Thanks to Oak Park Sol, a newly-formed nonprofit serving as an urban land trust, this neighborhood is bringing nature back to its city-dwelling folks.
Pool Party
Grooming the next generation of scientists while fighting to save one of California’s most unique ecosystems
Bright bursts of yellow flowers amid a sea of rolling green grass are an easy find in April at Mather Field. But just months ago, these dramatic swathes were completely swamped with water, and later this summer their beds will be bone-dry and baking hot.
Class In Session
UC Davis Dean of Engineering Jennifer Sinclair Curtis on her vision for the program’s future
For decades, the UC Davis College of Engineering has consistently ranked in the top 35 engineering programs in the nation. That’s definitely good, but not remotely good enough for new engineering dean, Jennifer Sinclair Curtis, who took over the post last October. We recently sat down with the highly accomplished chemical engineer to discuss her vision for making the program even better.
‘Leaning In’ and Staying Put
More women are going into engineering. How do we keep them there?
Things are slowly getting better for women in engineering and other STEM fields, but let’s just say they’re not exactly working with a tailwind at their back. To be blunt, engineering is still a damn sausage fest. And the reasons for that go deeper than one might think.
The Waiting Game
Sacramento City Unified’s central kitchen slow to progress
In Sacramento, school cafeterias don’t have the equipment or capacity to store and prepare fresh, local food. They’re designed mainly to warm frozen, processed food, some of which is full of additives and preservatives.
Hard Times at For-Profit U
If the for-profit college model fails, where will the students go?
When Chris Treiber left the Navy in 2011, he set sail on uncharted waters. His 10 years of service offered no natural path into a good job. He’d spent his last five of those guarding prisoners and had no civilian job experience. He had a GED, having dropped out of high school in 10th grade. And at age 32, he had a wife and five kids to provide for.
Which Students Do For-Profit Schools Serve?
Dependent students at for-profit colleges have about 50 percent less family income than students attending community colleges and four-year public or private nonprofit colleges.