Monterey Peninsula College Offers Students Free Access to Portfolium

With more than 10 years of experience in the construction industry, Ryan Vucina is Chief Operations Manager of Vucina Construction in Pacific Grove, California. In preparation for his career, Ryan Vucina earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Monterey Peninsula College.

Monterey Peninsula recently began offering its students access to the Portfolium platform, a digital portfolio and career preparation network. The college provides both students and alumni access to Portfolium, in which users can develop visual records of their academic and professional achievements by uploading work samples such as presentations, photos, videos, and papers. In addition to their academic projects, students can incorporate information on internships and extracurricular and volunteer activities to provide a holistic picture of their college experience.

Portfolium also gives students valuable exposure to hiring managers at companies such as Google and Boeing. With free access, students can continue to update their profiles after graduation to reflect their academic and professional achievements.

The Hacienda Style of Home Architecture

As Chief Operations Manager of Vucina Construction in Pacific Grove, California, Ryan Vucina oversees luxury residential projects. Ryan Vucina’s experience includes building two custom-built Hacienda style homes on the Monterey Peninsula. 

Based on Mexican architectural styling, a typical hacienda is built on a rising elevation that commands a good view, such as the ocean. Its floor plan resembles a “U”, with the open end facing that vista.

The crossbar of the “U” consists of the home’s main living areas, such as the family room, kitchen, dining room, and perhaps an office. A second floor could accommodate a master bedroom.

Making up the wings of the hacienda are smaller bedrooms, each with its own private entrance and bathroom. Between the wings is a courtyard, often furnished with a garden or a fountain, that offers access from the bedrooms to the main house. Although the best view would be from the main house, each bedroom on a wing can look onto at least the courtyard.

The rooms on the wings, then, are suitable for family members and guests who like to come and go without disturbing anyone in the main house. This plan would also work for someone operating a bed and breakfast.

Pacific Grove School District - Committed to Academic Excellence

 

In addition to his professional life as a chief operations manager of Vucina Construction of Carmel, California, Ryan Vucina is committed to improving his community. In particular, Ryan Vucina provides monetary donations that are used to enhance various programs at Pacific Grove Unified School District.

The Pacific Grove Unified School District serves approximately 2,050 students in two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one continuation school. The district is persistently seeking to improve educational opportunities as it addresses the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The district’s administrators focus on student accountability at the local level, using standardized testing as well as other methods to assess academic development. The Pacific Grove School District seeks to use its local funds to address student needs, while at the same time complying with local accountability plans. Administrators rely on collaboration between the school board and parents to ensure that all students in the district are effectively served.

Foreign Exchange Student Program Benefits

The Chief Operations Manager of Vucina Construction, Ryan Vucina, has provided significant financial support to local education. One of the major ways that Ryan Vucina has supported education is through the sponsorship of foreign exchange students, giving young people from Germany and Tonga the opportunity to benefit from the differing perspectives of a U.S. education.

Students who study abroad gain several advantages over their peers. If they study in a culture different from their own, they develop a broader understanding of the world and learn how to accept other cultural norms, which sometimes leads to a greater interest in international affairs and global issues. Likewise, if the language is different in the new country, they learn it much more quickly thanks to immersion. 

Socially, they tend to develop heightened maturity and poise as a result of the need to function without existing support networks. Finally, foreign exchange experiences can lead to career success later on. Employers often look favorably on those who have had the opportunity to gain knowledge of other areas and cultures, especially in jobs where global markets are key.

The Ed Tech Program at the Pacific Grove Unified School District

Based in Carmel, California, Ryan Vucina oversees the construction of luxury residential properties in his role as Chief Operations Manager at Vucina Construction, Inc. A graduate of Pacific Grove High School, Ryan Vucina remains dedicated to the education of local students by frequently donating to academic programs at the Pacific Grove Unified School District (PGUSD).

Through its Ed Tech academic program, PGUSD consistently incorporates emerging technology trends into daily classroom activities. The program aims to facilitate a more effective learning environment for students by helping teachers choose and implement technological classroom tools. Teachers receive specific technology training per the International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Technology Standards (NETS). Throughout the year, a number of local educational associations offer specific training courses and conferences to help teachers meet these standards.

Along with maintaining teacher education, PGUSD remains abreast of emerging technology trends to offer the most current educational tools in the Ed Tech program. As such, students have the unique opportunity to utilize a number of technologies such as the iPad Whiteboard app, Infuselearning, and Khan Academy. The district is concurrently following the 3D printing trend, which administrators believe could improve district-wide STEAM and STEM programs in the future.

Football Drills for the Offensive Line

Ryan Vucina leverages more than a decade of building development experience to serve as Chief Operations Manager for Vucina Construction, Inc., in Carmel, California. While pursuing studies at Pacific Grove High School, Ryan Vucina earned recognition as an All-League offensive tackle while playing on the school’s football team.

The outcome of any football game often relies on the effectiveness of the offensive line. Any team member on the offensive line must cultivate excellent footwork, strength, and blocking technique to be successful on the field. There are a number of exercises that you can practice to improve your skills as an offensive player:

Angle Step Drill
Using this training drill, you can learn a number of different takeoff angles to effectively conduct solo or double-team blocks on the defensive player guarding you. You should practice this drill by placing a cone at various angles on the outside of your foot and stepping around it to learn different blocking moves.

Jump Rope
Practicing with a jump rope will help make your feet quicker during football games. You should always jump rope on your toes to build your leg control and overall agility. Use both feet or alternate between left and right during practice, gradually increasing from 25 to 100 jumps per session.

Four Corners Drill
This drill will help you increase your agility through practice of several running techniques. Place four cones in a 10-by-10-yard square, and sprint from the first cone to the second cone. Then practice the carioca move between the second and third cones while maintaining a low position. After making your next turn, back pedal to the fourth cone before completing the square with a 10-yard lateral shuffle.