Extended Studies Blog

Fundraiser and wellness investigator: 'We're all in this together'

When Michelle Zive first entered the field of nutrition as a graduate student, she thought she knew the right answers.

February 5, 2014

Computer programming instructor: 'Be daring ... make lots of mistakes'

Sarah Esper has an ambitious goal for her UC San Diego Extension courses, aimed at teaching the basics of computer science to local high school, middle school and elementary students.

February 3, 2014

Manager and IT supervisor assures quality

When Ynez Hicks’ phone rings, her priorities change instantly.

February 2, 2014

Extension student transitions from diamonds to chips

Not long ago, Nicole Loutsenhizer was a certified diamond grader, peering into the world’s most valuable gems.

January 29, 2014

Extension staffers help support local charities

Renewing an annual tradition, UC San Diego Extension raised nearly $3,000 for two San Diego-based charities during last month’s holiday season.

January 27, 2014

Anthony Davis: Getting jazzed about community engagement

Composer and jazz pianist Anthony Davis has seen it all. What excites this sixty-two-year-old UC San Diego professor of music is helping younger artists just starting out.

January 23, 2014

Understanding new CDISC data standards for clinical trials

​The growing importance of CDISC as a standard for the exchange of clinical trial data cannot be stressed enough — FDA reviewers currently allocate too much of their time reorganizing large amounts of data submitted in various formats.

January 22, 2014

Scientist and philanthropist Patrick Soon-Shiong shares views on 'Big Data'

Guided by his philanthropy and life-long quest to “create a sustainable disease-free state,” Patrick Soon-Shiong surely ranks among the world’s most influential figures.

January 22, 2014

Brewing certificate program teams with Karl Strauss

San Diego-based Karl Strauss Brewing Company has joined with UC San Diego Extension to offer two full scholarships in 2014, with a single re-occurring annual scholarship starting in 2015.

January 21, 2014

Market savvy: Instructor sees branding through larger lens

As a veteran marketer, Christopher Foster has no doubts about why he chose his profession.

January 15, 2014

Here to stay: Historical preservationist restores local landmarks

As far as Owen Sutton is concerned, historic preservation keeps him young.

January 14, 2014

Acclaimed author Siddhartha Mukherjee discusses the future of cancer

The grim facts: In this country alone, one in two males and one in three females will get cancer during their lifetime, resulting in death for one in four.

January 9, 2014

The Wizard of Sandplay: Therapist teaches expression when there 'aren't any words'

It’s no wonder that Gita Morena feels an abiding connection to “The Wizard of Oz” — especially to the film classic’s heroine.

January 8, 2014

Soul on Paper: The never-ending journey of calligraphy

For Victoria Kibildis, mastering the art of calligraphy is a never-ending journey, one she’s joyously pursued for the past 15 years.

January 7, 2014

He gets things fixed: Schools' zone manager keeps facilities functional

“When a window breaks, the toilet stops working or when a gopher takes over the infield, that’s where we come in,” said John Hensley, San Diego Unified School District’s zone manager who oversees the daily upkeep of 110 schools throughout San Diego.

January 5, 2014

Quality assurance: Document preparer takes typos personally

Karyn Palma has a keen eye for detail. And when she spots a typographical error, she takes it professionally.

January 2, 2014

A testing role: Getting students past the 'doubts and fears' of standarized tests

When Vince Kotchian teaches test prep, his biggest challenge often is getting his students to overcome their understandable doubts and fears.

January 1, 2014

‘Little symphonies for the kids’: Reflections on the Wall of Sound's applications for teaching

In advance of the British Invasion of the early-to-mid 1960s, an independent record label called Philles was fabricating ‘three-minute masterpieces’ that its owner and legendary producer Phil Spector would eventually characterize as ‘little symphonies for the kids’ (Richard Buskin, 2007).

December 29, 2013

Dietitian markets 'Downton Abbey'-style tea parties to San Diego

For nearly two years, Claudette Heffner’s company, Mulberry Street Teahouse, offered mobile British-style tea parties for charity fund-raisers.

December 19, 2013

Patent for success: Getting there first with intellectual property

Joni Stern never thought she’d be working in the intellectual property rights domain. But her life changed when she joined NuVasive, a $1.5 billion Sorrento Valley medical devices firm with three patent attorneys on staff and plenty of innovative ideas for the surgical treatment of spinal disorders

December 19, 2013

Make learning a foreign language your New Year’s resolution

Whatever your reasons may be, learning a new language benefits your personal and professional life, sometimes in ways you can’t even imagine.

December 16, 2013

Health is global: 'I've seen the poverty, I've felt the pain'

Reyes is excited about turning her compassion into a new UC San Diego Extension course, “Introduction to Public Health and Global Issues,” slated to start Jan. 7, 2014.  

December 16, 2013

The next step forward for college counseling

As relatively new professions head toward maturity, they tend to find themselves enwrapped in what one might best characterize as a ‘midlife crisis’ in establishing a unique identity. This rings particularly true with those in which the ends of the continuum are quite well defined but the middle...

December 6, 2013

Project #1: The making of a music video

Students in UC San Diego Extension's Video Production and Editing Professional Certificate program recently completed their first major project: a music video. Students, who have only been enrolled in the program for six weeks, formed their own production teams to shoot the videos, and then each...

November 11, 2013