October 2, 1967, 54 years ago, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first Black Justice on the US Supreme Court.

He had been nominated four months prior by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He had been at the forefront of legal battles for Civil Rights and the destruction of Jim Crow segregation. From 1938 to 1961, he served as the NAACP’s chief counsel, arguing more than a dozen cases before the U.S. Supreme Court – including a victory in 1954’s groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case.

Marshall’s placement on the highest court in the land was as an important milestone in the still-continuing march for racial equality and peace in this country.

Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country.
This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.
Thurgood Marshall

Good morning, friends…
It is October 2, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

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Porterville College

PC Receives $1.7 million grant to help prepare local students for college

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Porterville College has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the US department of Education as part of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, partnership program.

GEAR UP provides six-year and seven-year grants to develop partnerships that provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP partners, such as Porterville College, serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school.

This award will fund a seven-year project at PC to increase the number of low-income students within our service area who obtain a High School diploma and are then prepared to succeed in college.  The program will achieve this goal by meeting the following objectives for 400 students per year for the duration of the project:

• Increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education for GEAR UP students.
• Increase the rate of high school graduation for GEAR UP students.
• Increase the number and percentage of students and parents demonstrating knowledge of post-secondary education options, financial aid options, cost of college attendance, and how to acquire financial aid.
• Increase the number and percentage of GEAR UP students entering college after high school.
• Increase the number and percentage of GEAR UP students persisting to the second year of college.

Matthew S. Hopson-Walker Brings “A Tower of Ashes Built” to PC Art Gallery

The public is invited to an exhibition, of the work of Matthew S. Hopson-Walker starting Monday, October 4.  His exhibition, entitled “A Tower of Ashes Built”, will show at the Porterville College Art Gallery from October 4th to the 28th.  Gallery Hours are Monday – Thursday from 12 – 2 pm and 4 – 6 pm. 

Matthew S. Hopson-Walker’s work is based on self-investigation within the context of American popular culture. As Hopson-Walker says, “The difference between the drawn mark and the appropriated image is a metaphor for the conflict between reality and ideology that many of us experience. I try to create a sense of uncomfortable visual tension by blending thoughts and images that do not fit together. I am influenced by narratives and characters found in contemporary entertainment, which often centers on themes of dystopia and unresolved conflict. I want my work to record and document specific times and places, suggest the selfish motives that lurk beneath socially acceptable behavior, and reference the surface qualities and rich graphic aesthetic in the history of printmaking.”

Born and raised in Fresno California, Matthew Hopson-Walker grew up reading comic books and dystopian science fiction novels. During a formative age he was exposed to movies such as Mad Max, Total Recall, Escape From New York, Blade Runner, and The Omega Man, and many themes from these movies show up in his work.

After working as a janitor for several years, Hopson-Walker matriculated to the Kansas City Art Institute and received his BFA in Printmaking in 1998. After graduating he and a friend opened their own gallery and screen-printing business. To support himself and his heavy metal bass playing “career” he worked as a print technician at his alma mater, did construction, bounced and bussed at various bars, delivered mail and cashiered at liquor stores. These jobs influenced his generally misanthropic outlook on humanity and the images he made as an artist. In 2002 he completed his MA followed by his MFA in 2003 from the University of Iowa. In 2006 he was recipient of the prestigious James D. Phelan Award in Printmaking given by the San Francisco Foundation and administered by the KALA Institute. He has been included in 222 juried or group exhibitions and 14 solo shows since 2006. Matthew Hopson-Walker is now Assistant Professor in Printmaking at Fresno State University.

PC Welcomes a new Enrollment Services director to the Pirate Team

Jonathan Miranda has been named the new Interim Director of Enrollment Services at Porterville College. His bachelor’s degree is in Philosophy from UCLA, and he is currently finishing his master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Sacramento State University.

Jonathan has worked in higher education for 10 plus years in the Los Rios and State Center community college districts.

He is a first-generation college student who began his journey as a Federal Work Study student and worked his way up to Financial Aid/A&R Manager. 

Jonathan has dedicated his work to creating programs that grant equitable access to all student populations. His efforts have helped many students achieve academic success and excellence. To this end, he is excited to begin serving the students and community of Porterville College.

In his free time, he enjoys playing music on his saxophone, which he has been playing for over 25 years, and playing frisbee with his two Australian Shepard furballs, Merlin and Casper. 

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Cerro Coso Community College

Dave’s Scholars Brunch

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The Mammoth Lakes Foundation held their Dave’s Scholar brunch outside on September 17^th. After a year of connecting virtually it was a beautiful morning to connect in-person with returning and new scholars. One of the goals at the MML Foundation is to help Cerro Coso students plan their next steps after community college.

Deanna Campbell, Director of the Cerro Coso Community College Eastern Sierra College Center, shared information on the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. 

The Mammoth Lakes Foundation Scholarship program was launched in 2003 to encourage Mono County residents and high school graduates to take advantage of local education opportunities through Cerro Coso Community College’s Mammoth Campus and has since awarded more than 750 scholarships.  Support for an individual scholarship ranges from $800 to $1,000 each semester and covers tuition and books.  

The Dave’s Scholar Transfer Scholarship represents a significant undertaking and financial investment by the MML Foundation to further their mission of supporting higher education and cultural enrichment.  Recipients must demonstrate a capacity to excel in their continued studies and understand that they represent the MML Foundation locally and in the wider world. 

Each Dave’s Scholar has a unique story to share as they pursue their dreams at CCCC. Some are the first to attend college in their families; some are returning to college after a hiatus; and others are seeking a certificate or degree to help them with their business.  Every donation made to the program changes lives. 

Meet Our CCCC Ambassadors

Meet the Cerro Coso 2021-2020 Student Ambassadors: (l to r) Geraldine Valdez, Aden Ostash, Nicole Harper, Taylir DeStefano, Sara Orlando, Abigail Wright, and John McHenry.  All of these students attend full-time and are Cerro Coso Promise students, three are moms, and three are Coyote athletes, and all have committed to serving as emissaries for the college. 

Student Ambassadors demonstrate their wiliness to share Cerro Coso’s goals and vision with college visitors, new students, and the community.  Participation in the program is an opportunity for current students to show pride in their school while making an impact on the lives of individuals who are planning for a college education. 

Being a Student Ambassador is a challenging and rewarding educational opportunity with a truly positive and memorable experience. These are the faces of Cerro Coso that set an example for other students and incoming freshmen. They have a passion for the college and represent Cerro Coso at community and on-campus events, accompany recruitment personnel on high school visits, lead campus tours, assist with new student orientation, participate in focus groups and student discussion panels, speak to groups regarding special interests at the college, and participate in mass media projects.  

In return these students develop leadership skills, participate in extracurricular activities to add to college and scholarship applications, develop skills that will transfer to other employment opportunities, and interact with students and faculty in weekly meetings. CC Ambassadors are here to help!

What’s On Our Walls

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Painting barren hallways can dramatically change a campus’ atmosphere. In November of 2018 College Council developed a task force to discuss what should be displayed throughout the main building at the Ridgecrest campus and in what manner the information should be exhibited.

The task force was not identifying specific locations for displaying things or identifying specific products for those displays. Membership on the task force included representatives from Student Government, classified staff, faculty, and administration. The task force met throughout the spring of 2019 and in the spring of 2020 some “conceptual” images were developed and shared with stakeholders based on the recommendations of the task force.

They were not intended to be accurate or definitive, merely a way of investigating and communicating design principles and aesthetic concepts. Staff, faculty, and students were given the entire semester to provide feedback.  The goal of the task force was to employ strategic uses of color for wayfinding and delineating spaces in a way that warmed up the sterile long hallways and created a sense of belonging and pride in the institution utilizing school logos, colors, and motivational words. In 2021 Cerro Coso began the first phase of implementation. 

It is exciting to see the hard work of the task force being executed creating an environment that communicates the college’s core values and improves the college experience. 

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Bakersfield College

BC to Receive $14 Million in State Funding for New Delano Campus Building

Bakersfield College and Assemblymember Rudy Salas announced the construction of a new two-story building for the BC Delano Campus, thanks to $14 million in state funding advocated for by Salas in the most recent budget cycle.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, during a press conference at the BC Delano Campus in an outdoor area near the vacant land where the structure will be built. The new 40,000-square-foot Learning Resource Center will include classrooms, office space, a library and designated spaces for student services to help accommodate and support a growing population of students throughout Delano and North Kern. Construction is expected to begin in January and will take about 22 months to complete. The funding for this project also includes funding from Measure J. Thank you Assemblymember Salas, and to Kern County residents for voting yes on Measure J. Read the entire press release.

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And I loved Emma Gallegos‘s front page story in the Bakersfield Californian about the announcement. #FrontPageAbovetheFold

Webinar on Future Impacts of Technology and Water Resources on Farming

Join Bakersfield College’s Energy Technology Transfer and Workforce Development initiative on Tuesday, October 5th, at 3 p.m., for its second webinar in the Agriculture/Water/Energy (AWE) Education Series, featuring a panel of local stakeholders and national researchers sharing their perspectives on the impacts of technology and water resources on farming.

Panelists will include: John Moore III, Former President of the Kern County Farm Bureau, Owner of Moore Farms and White Wolf Potato Co.; Dr. Joshua Viers, Professor, Water Resources Management, UC Merced School of Engineering; and Dr. Helen E Dahlke, Associate Professor, Integrated Hydrologic Sciences, University of California, Davis. RSVP for the Webinar

BC to Host Livestream of the Unveiling and Opening of First BC Peace Garden

The Bakersfield College Peace Initiative will host the grand opening of the first peace garden on the BC campus at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 4.

The event will feature short speeches by local peacemakers and partners, and will be the first garden in a series of gardens on BC campuses. Additionally, the garden will feature “Peace Poles,” provided and paid for by local Bakersfield Rotary Clubs. Speakers will include: myself, Krista Moreland, Professor of Anthropology, Naina Patel, The Ravi and Naina Patel Foundation, and Edith Mata, BC Student Government Association President.

I invite you to watch this livestream event this Monday Oct 4 at 10:00 on the BC YouTube Channel. Complete information is in this press release.

Check out this video about the Peace Garden, with footage from BC’s Opening Day 2020 and the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Peace Garden:

Thank You Cindy Collier!

On Monday, Bakersfield College recognized Cindy Collier for her 28 years of dedicated service to the college and the Kern Community College District. Cindy retired this summer. Her illustrious career at Bakersfield College began when she became a nursing faculty member in 1993. She became director of the nursing program in 2001. She also held a number of administrative roles – Executive Director of Student Health, Dean of Instruction, Associate Vice Chancellor of Economic and Workforce Development for KCCD, faculty director of the Inmate Scholars Program, and Director of the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Here are my closing remarks from the event:

You can see the whole recording on Bakersfield College’s YouTube channel.

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Poetry Corner

Please enjoy this poem from Jack Hernandez:

The Desert        

The moon rise
over the desert
is no longer surprising,
he had not foreseen
living in its barren canvas
painted in his later years.

Until this time his life
scurried like an ant
seeking    always seeking,
now he sits grasping
for nothing more
than silent truth
in silver light.

UN International Day of Peace

Last week, I shared a few videos from Bakersfield College’s celebration to honor the UN International Day of Peace on September 21st. 

Today, I am sharing two more videos from that production.

Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh’s remarks:

The Bakersfield College Chamber Choir’s performance of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”:

Quick Tips for Teaching Success

This week, Porterville College continued its Quick Tips for Teaching Success series. The live presentations are open only to Porterville College faculty and run on Wednesdays at 12 pm. However, the recorded presentations are available to anyone and are a fantastic resource for all our educators.

Check it out at QUICK TIPS FOR TEACHING SUCCESS – Resources (weebly.com).

Wednesday’s session was called “A Deep Dive Into Teaching Controversial Issues.

“Do you teach a course with subject matter some consider controversial? Do you wonder how to best ensure students learn about sensitive topics without getting lost in heated emotions or a refusal consider other views with an open mind? Have you ever found a class got off track when something controversial inadvertently entered the conversation? The ‘Quick Tips’ team has, and we’ll share our stories, experiences, and techniques for managing these delicate situations while ensuring students learn new ideas and perspectives and remain respectful to others in the classroom – and the world around them.”

Check out the recording online. 

Thank you to presenters Dustin Acres, Rebecca Baird, Joy Lawrence, Melissa Long, Ian Onizuka, Elisa Queenan, and Robert Simpkins.

In the News

Hogan, longtime Folkloric dance instructor, to be honored

I saw in The Porterville Recorder this story about longtime Folkloric dance instructor Maria Antonietta Hogan Abrego (Mrs. Hogan). She taught at schools throughout Porterville, including night classes at Porterville College. She will be moving to Idaho and her family held a Bon Voyage party for her this week, allowing the countless students whose lives she touched a chance to wish her well.

“She molded us in such a way to be citizens of the world. We were just all good kids,” Elva Beltran said. “We will always be grateful for that. This is our chance to come and hug her and send her off with love.”

Community Voices: The Veil of Ignorance

Jack Hernandez penned this piece for the Bakersfield Californian that looks at philosopher John Rawls’ idea of the veil of ignorance, and how we must use that veil to better show compassion and empathy for one another.

“Thus, he asks us to do what is difficult for all of us: to put on the veil of ignorance and imagine ourselves in the shoes, in the lives, of others, especially those who suffer. We live in a society that tends to ignore the role fortune, luck, plays in our lives. The myth of success is that all that happens is because of our effort, and if we are not successful we have simply not worked hard enough.”

Fun Photos and Spotted on Social Media

Here’s the KCCD Team at the Hearts of Hope event to benefit Casa Esperanza:

Cerro Coso Military And Veterans Services invited all military and veteran students, alumni, staff, faculty, spouses, dependents, and community members to submit a photo for the Wall of Courage 2021. Submissions begin Monday. The Wall of Courage will be displayed in person on the Ridgecrest campus throughout the month of November. it will also be featured on the Cerro Coso website.

The submission link will be sent out via student emails, social media, and the Cerro Coso website beginning Monday, 10/04/2021.

At BC, Student Life Program Director Nicole Alvarez spent the morning with the L.U.P.E club recruiting new members:

Porterville College professors Jonathan Hernandez and Jeff Jacobs shared these photos of Administration of Justice Professor Jacobs joining Professor Hernandez’s Intercultural Communications class to discuss issues on social justice, equity, and empathy.

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And check out Porterville College in coaching sessions with Dr. Al:

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That’s a wrap for now.
See you next Saturday!

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

Tagged: Bakersfield College, BC Peace Garden, Cerro Coso College, Cindy Collier, Emma Gallegos, Helen Dahlke, Jack Hernandez, John Moore, Joshua Viers, Kern Community College District, Porterville College, Romeo Agbalog, Rudy Salas, Sonya Christian