MAJOR DISCOVERY
Some KCOD Community Programming is temporarily not airing due to the pandemic.
Join host Kate Spates on Major Discovery which explores the variety of majors and certificate programs at College of the Desert. We will discuss pathways to careers with faculty, students and business professionals in our community. Many students declare a major before they really have a chance to discover all that is available to them. We aim to help you discover the major that inspires and keeps you on track to a career in a field filled with opportunities.
About Major Discovery Host, Kate Spates
A desert resident since 1980, Kate graduated from Palm Springs High School, College of the Desert and Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus. After a career in the hotel business at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Kate started an Internet business at the age of 28 and was a successful entrepreneur in the digital marketing space for 17 years until she sold her company in 2011. She has since been consulting on a variety of projects for several clients. Kate is involved in the community and served on the College of the Desert Foundation board for almost 6 years after telling her story on stepupforcod.com and was inducted into the COD alumni "Hall of Fame" in 2014. Most recently, she helped launch the Career and Workforce Solutions Center at COD where she had an idea for this radio show, Major Discovery and volunteered to host it. She’s known as a Leader, Influencer, Connector, Rainmaker, Problem Solver, Traveler & Music Enthusiast.
A desert resident since 1980, Kate graduated from Palm Springs High School, College of the Desert and Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus. After a career in the hotel business at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Kate started an Internet business at the age of 28 and was a successful entrepreneur in the digital marketing space for 17 years until she sold her company in 2011. She has since been consulting on a variety of projects for several clients. Kate is involved in the community and served on the College of the Desert Foundation board for almost 6 years after telling her story on stepupforcod.com and was inducted into the COD alumni "Hall of Fame" in 2014. Most recently, she helped launch the Career and Workforce Solutions Center at COD where she had an idea for this radio show, Major Discovery and volunteered to host it. She’s known as a Leader, Influencer, Connector, Rainmaker, Problem Solver, Traveler & Music Enthusiast.
EPISODE LIST
Episode 01: Major & Career Counseling Services at COD
On this episode of Major Discovery, we discuss major and career counseling services available at COD with Director of the Career & Workforce Solutions Center, Robert St. Juliana; and COD Counselor, Chris Williams. We discuss their own career paths along with important tools available to students to help them understand what might come natural to them and what opportunities are available in those fields.
Episode 02: Exploring Administration of Justice
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Clayton Mayes, Advisor for the Administration of Justice Program at College of the Desert. They talk about career options available when you major in Administration of Justice along with success stories of students who have chosen this major and were able to complete all of their studies without having to leave the desert.
Episode 03: Exploring Technical (CTE) Education Programs
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Romero Galicia, an instructor in Applied Science from the Career Technical Education Program along with Vincent Battaglia and Lea Goodsell from Renova Energy. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if pursuing a Certificate in a Specific Career at COD might be for you.
Episode 04: Exploring Hospitality Management
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Dr. David George, the Advisor for the Hospitality Management program as well as Business Administration, General Business, Human Resource Generalist & Retail Management; Dan Cooper, previously a General Manager at The Springs Country Club and now an instructor in Hospitality Management at COD; and Tom Tabler, the General Manager from JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if Hospitality Management at COD might be for you.
Episode 05: Exploring Kinesiology, Fitness Specialist Certificate & Yoga Training
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Wendy Ansley, a professor and Advisor for the Kinesiology program; Nellie Carrillo, a former graduate of COD who is now a COD professor in Kinesiology and also works at Coachella Universal Fitness Studio; Forrest Willis and Francine Miramontes who are both current students in the Kinesiology major. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Kinesiology major at COD might be for you.
Episode 06: Exploring Architecture & Environmental Design
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Bert Bitanga, Professor and Advisor for the Architecture & Environmental Design Program at College of the Desert and John Greenwood, Project Manager from Prest/Vuksic Architects in Palm Desert. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Architecture & Environmental Design major at COD might be for you.
Episode 07: Exploring Culinary Arts
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Chef Jeffrey Azer, Instructor and Advisor for the Culinary Arts program at College of the Desert, Isidro Hernandez who is a lab tech in the Culinary Arts program along with Chef Andie Hubka, owner of Cork & Fork in La Quinta, Heirloom Craft Kitchen in Indio as well as Cooking with Class in La Quinta. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Culinary Arts major at COD might be for you.
Episode 08: Exploring Early Childhood Education
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Dianne Russom, Director of the Child Development Center, Deborah Clark-Crews, Executive Director of the Consortium for Early Learning for Riverside County, Donna Greene, Associate Professor of Child Development and Education and Shine Nissar, from Desert Sands Unified School District ECE Programs. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Early Childhood Education major at COD might be for you.
Episode 09: Exploring Media Arts
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Laurilie Jackson, Faculty Advisor for Arts & Media as well as Instructor for Media Production; Toni Bakal, Faculty Advisor for KCOD and Instructor for Radio & TV Production; and David Nola, General and National Sales Manager at Alpha Media. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Media, Film & Journalism majors at COD might be for you.
Episode 10: Exploring Film, Television & Electronic Media
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Vincent Sassone, Film Instructor at COD, Louisa Castroldale, Arts Coordinator for Palm Springs Unified School District and Carli Holland, a student in the Film, Television and Electronic Media program at College of the Desert. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Film, Television and Electronic Media major at COD might be for you.
Episode 11: Exploring Nursing
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Becky Blackhawk, a Nursing Instructor at COD and Cari Sudmeier, a local Nurse Practitioner who went through the COD Nursing program years ago. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Nursing major at COD might be for you.
Episode 12: Exploring Communication Studies
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Carl Christman, an advisor and instructor in the Communication Studies program; Joe Hong an Education Reporter for The Desert Sun; and Paula Jo Ubben, a local marketing and communications professional. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Communication Studies major at COD might be for you.
Episode 13: Exploring Automotive Technology
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Dorothy Anderson, an Advisor and Instructor in the Automotive Technology program; Carl Coggin, Service Manager at Unicars Honda; and Automotive students Shaelyn O'Brien and Abi Babasa. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Automotive Technology major at COD might be for you.
Episode 14: Exploring EDGE and plEDGE
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Katie Chartier, Amanda Phillips and Jessica Enders, the creators of the EDGE and plEDGE programs at College of the Desert. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the EDGE and plEDGE programs at COD might be for you.
Episode 15: Exploring Art Programs
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Dr. David Goetz, the Interim Faculty Director for the Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts along with Art Professor Erin Richardson, student Nancy Ocegueda and Phillip K. Smith III. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Art Programs at College of the Desert might be for you.
Episode 16: Exploring Digital Design & Production
On this episode of Major Discovery, Kate is joined by Professor & Advisor Mari Abril, student Maya Jimenez with her boss, James Powers from Palm Springs Life Magazine. They will share their experiences and open the dialogue to help you discover if the Digital Design & Production Major at College of the Desert might be for you.