Happy Easter 2022

Check out this beautiful Easter message from Andrea Bocelli … in caption he wrote:

“Two years ago we gathered at a time of crisis across the world. My concert at Duomo di Milano carried a message of hope. Now as Easter arrives again, a time of resurrection, I hope that message can be reborn, and brings you solace, and a reminder that hope can never be defeated.”

Good morning, friends… Happy Easter
It is April 16, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

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

Porterville College

PC holds GradFair event in preparation for the return of in person commencement

The excitement is beginning to build for the return of in-person commencement to Porterville College. As mentioned in a previous post, the 2022 commencement ceremony will be held on campus at Jamison Stadium for the first time since 2019, due to the covid pandemic.

This past Wednesday, the 2022 graduates were treated to the first taste of that pomp and circumstance at the first ever PC GradFair. The event was created as a one-stop shop for Commencement needs at PC to ensure graduates had all of the information they need along with opportunities to properly commemorate their remarkable achievement.

During the event, Grads visited the quad, the student center conference room and the PC Bookstore for all things commencement. They were able to try on and order their cap and gown, take graduation portraits, pre-order event photo packages, and more.

Ultimate Exposure Photography took graduate portraits and gave students information on getting photos taken during the ceremony on May 13^th. Along with the cap and gowns, the PC Bookstore had diploma covers, tassels, and more for sale. The ASPC and other campus departments were also on hand to provide information on the commencement ceremony and tickets as well as to provide activities for grads.

PC’s CHAP Celebrates Cesar Chavez Holiday with event

The Porterville College Cultural and Historical Awareness Program (CHAP) is celebrating Cesar Chavez with a FREE event for the campus and Porterville Community. The event, entitled The Cesar Chavez Legacy Continues, was created in partnership between The Porterville College Dreamer’s Success Center, the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and O.L.A. RAZA, Inc. It will feature quest speakers Andres Chavez and Reyna Rodriguez and be held on Thursday, April 21^st from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in the PC Quad.

The speakers will share how Cesar Chavez’s vision has grown to become embraced world wide. In fact, his legacy is still impacting laws being created today while helping to develop policies that impact equity and inclusion.

Andrez Chavez is the executive director of the National Chavez Center (NCC) and leads the arm of the Cesar Chavez Foundation that educates and promotes the legacy of his grandfather across the nation. Their mission is to carry on Cesar’s life’s work of uplifting the lives of Latinos and working families by inspiring and transforming communities through social enterprises that address essential human, cultural and community needs.

Reyna Rodriguez is a Public Relations Specialist for Proteus Inc, a non-profit organization that provides training, education, and community services within the agricultural communities of the Central San Joaquin Valley. Proteus administers approximately 50 different programs ranging from adult, youth, and dislocated worker programs, to programs related to energy conservation, emergency supportive services, foster family services, youth services, migrant child care, and other educational components offered through the William M. Maguy School of Education.

This event is FREE to everyone. Tacos, rice and beans will also be served free of charge.

PC to host mental health workshop for veterans

According to the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report veterans still account for over 17 suicide deaths each day. The stresses that we face can sometimes be overwhelming and often impossible to deal with, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Being an armed services veteran can often add to those stresses and issues. We know how important mental health can be for all of us. We often talk about the importance of mental health care for our students, particularly our veteran students. That is why the PC Veternans Services program is presenting a mental health workshop for veterans and students on Monday April 18^th via zoom.

This virtual workshop is for anyone interested in learning about the importance of addressing mental health with the same care that we give to our medical health. The session will be led by Veterans Affairs Representative Derric Brown, an expert in the mental health issues that veterans face every day, whether they are still in service, or have been long discharged or retired.

Mr. Brown has been working in the social service field for over 10 years and his experience includes working with at risk youth in group home settings, adults with developmental disabilities and veterans with co-occurring disorders.

His depth of experience has allowed him to develop an understanding of individuals development throughout the lifespan. Therefore he is equipped to “meet people where they are” and collborate with them and develop goals to overcome obstacles that may hinder their biological, psychological, social and spiritual development!

We hope you can join us for this FREE event on the 18^th. You can register at the following link: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/93289535799

Cerro Coso Community College

Respect for Law Recognition Dinner

CTE Liaison, Nicole Harper, attended Ridgecrest’s annual John Ward Annual Respect for Law Recognition event this year.

The event honors a law enforcement officer from each of the local agencies: Ridgecrest Police Department, China Lake Police Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol.

As a graduate of Cerro Coso’s Administration of Justice program, Nicole was able to promote the college and network with officers as well as local service organizations and elected officials including Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer, CA State Assemblyman Vince Fong, and representatives from the offices of Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Senator Shannon Grove.

Four officers from four different agencies were honored: California Highway Patrolman Officer Jose Madrigal, Kern County Sheriff Deputy Isaac Azua, China Lake Police Officer Joseph Schatz, and Ridgecrest Police Department Officer Kyle Cushman. These individuals were chosen by their peers to receive the prestigious award of Officer of the Year.

Congratulations along with certificates were awarded to each officer from their commanding officers as well as local service organizations and elected officials.

Congratulations to the officers who have embraced these challenges and shown themselves as heroes.

CCCAOE Conference (California Community College Association for Occupational Education)

Peter Fulks, Administration of Justice professor, presented at the California Community College Association for Occupational Education (CCCAOE) conference in Sacramento this month.

The CCCAOE Spring 2022 Conference focused on programming that leads to STRENGTHENING CONNECTION, PARTNERSHIPS, INNOVATION, and SHARING the voices of those who aren’t being heard, and HIGHLIGHTING the great work that is happening all across the state.

Fulks’ presentation, titled “Voices from Prison – A Model for Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (JDEI)”, focused on overcoming the hurdles and maximizing student success in an unlikely and underserved population. The Cerro Coso Community College Incarcerated Student Education Program (ISEP), governed by a college-wide governance committee, is a national leader and model of CTE practices and student-centered program evaluation to maximize student success in an unlikely and underserved population. At the core of this, is a case study of how program research, evaluation, and assessment can be used at scale to overcome immense JDEI hurdles.

The CCCAOE Conference fosters discovery and problem solving through idea sharing and community building, INNOVATIVE and FRESH ideas that encourage COLLABORATION, AND CREATING A BRIDGE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS. Participants connect and network with other career education practitioners that share best practices and learn how to navigate the California Community College system to advocate more effectively for college programs.

NEW AA-T Degree in Law, Public Policy, and Society

Are you interested in working in a law-based profession to help people and society?

Are you interested in an education path that could lead to law school?

Are you interested in becoming a politician or working in government offices?

Cerro Coso Community College has a NEW Associate of Arts for Transfer Degree in Law, Public Policy, and Society. This new program introduces students to the study of law and the legal field. Focuses on the over breadth of how law affects public policy and society for a socially responsible career in law. Prepares students to continue in a related degree such as legal studies, political science, communication, social or behavioral sciences, criminal justice, or other similar degrees. This interdisciplinary degree covers multiple areas of the law for possible careers as: Paralegal and Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Lawyers, or Judicial Law Clerks..

Enroll in the new Associate in Arts for Transfer in Law, Public Policy, and Society today. Courses are offered online and on-campus. Current and prospective community college students are encouraged to meet with a counselor to review their options for transfer and to develop an educational plan that best meets their goals and needs. This degree has an option to take a more civil or more criminal law-based pathway to completing the program depending on your interests. Classes are offered online and on campus.

This degree is specifically designed for transfer. Associate in Arts Degrees for Transfer (AA-T) provides students with a clear pathway to a baccalaureate degree. Earning an AA-T or AS-T guarantees acceptance to many four-year universities with junior standing and prepares students to complete a bachelor degree in a similar major at a CSU or participating UC, HBCU or private university.

Schedule of classes available at www.cerrocoso.edu. Register now for Summer and Fall 2022 at Cerro Coso Community College.

Bakersfield College

KCMEA Jazz Day at Bakersfield College

The Performing Arts Department hosted the 5th Annual KCMEA Jazz Day last Thursday, April 7th, and it was an incredible success! Almost 150 students from 9 local junior high and high schools joined our Bakersfield College Jazz Studies faculty in the Performing Arts Center for a day filled with performances, workshops, and clinics for the county’s best young jazz musicians.

The day-long event featured some truly wonderful performances from these musicians, as well as impressive showings from the BC Faculty Jazz Ensemble, the Kern County Honor Jazz Band, and our very own BC Jazz Ensemble. After two years of hiatus while live events were on hold, the energy in the Edward Simonsen Performing Arts Center was indescribable.

We’re thankful for the partnership with the Kern County Music Educators Association, our local organization that brings the county’s music teachers together to continue making music in our schools a vital part of education. KCMEA organizes festivals and concerts, provides networking and professional development opportunities, and builds a strong community among Kern County’s music educators, all with the goal of providing more and better music education to Kern County’s young musicians.

A special thank you to the Outreach department for lending your support and helping Jazz Day students with their journey to becoming Renegades.

Congratulations to all involved on another wonderful Jazz Day. How great it was to be back together!

Sandi Taylor Earns Spot in CCCAA Hall of Fame

Former Renegade Softball Head Coach and Athletic Director, Sandi Taylor, was inducted into the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Hall of Fame this afternoon during the annual CCCAA Convention.

During a 30-year career at Bakersfield College, Taylor served as Head Softball Coach, Associate Athletic Director, and Athletic Director at Bakersfield College. In that time, BC’s Renegades captured many Western State Conference (WSC) championships across the 20 sports under her leadership.

Sandi’s efforts over the years supported and shaped thousands of Renegades into champions on the field and in the classroom. Her commitment to Bakersfield College can be seen in her work with the community, in our many championships, and in every Renegade student success story, including the numerous CCCAA state championships in various sports and numerous CCCAA regional competitions.

“Sandi carried the torch of excellence for the Renegade Athletics department for many years. She developed and built our program into what it is today,” said Reggie Bolton, BC’s Athletic Director. In her time, BC has hosted 9 CCCAA State Softball Championships, one CCCAA Track and Field State Championship, one CCCAA Southern Cal Wrestling Championship, one Southern Cal Men’s Golf Championship, one CCCAA Football State Championship and numerous CCCAA regional competitions.

National Student Employee Week at OSE

On April 5th, the Office of Student Employment celebrated National Student Employee week. Over 100 students stopped by to receive a token of appreciation and a slice of pizza! Students shared how their on-campus employment experience has helped them build on their transferable skills that they will be able to apply to their future occupations.

Some expressed gratitude for the flexibility that on-campus employment allows because it has helped them to prioritize their school work and spend more time with their families. We continue to employ over 200 students each semester and look forward to increasing those opportunities in the coming semesters.

BC Team at Edwards Air Force Base

On Saturday morning, a crew from BC traveled with SPOT and Pepper to Edwards Air Force Base. Led by SPOT on his Kern County Tour, the team was invited to participate in the military family STEM day at Starbase Edwards, a joint program of the Department of Defense (DOD), the 412th Test Wing, educators, and industry. The program is committed to promoting STEM education and provides positive inspiration with role models found within local communities and on military bases and installations.

Tony Cordova, Monika Scott, and Carlos Media met Air Force Brigadier General Matthew Higer and NASA’s Armstrong Flight Center Deputy Director, Bradley Flick. The open house event welcomed over 250 students from Edwards Air Force Base and had many exhibits and activities to share different aspects of DoD STEM and mission partners’ STEM initiatives with all attendees.

Former BC Student Awarded Barry Goldwater Scholarship

Former BC student Annabelle Recinos has received a Barry Goldwater Scholarship to study Engineering at CSU Fullerton. Her career goal is to earn a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, and become a research lab manager. She wants to research improving transportation infrastructure and materials in industry.

Her mentors were BC professors Jonathan Brown, Deborah Rosenthal, and Wayne Cooper.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation is a prestigious award that was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years in the U.S. Senate.

The Goldwater program aims to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this nation’s next generation of natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering research leaders.

I wanted to share these words from Deborah Rosenthal:

“Annabelle was my SI instructor for 2 years. Although she chose Dr. Cooper, Dr. Brown and myself to write the letters, the entire BC community should be applauded. None of us work alone and every action is intertwined to create the atmosphere and work ethic that filters down to the students.”

Getting to Know: Jackie Verduzco

This week’s “Getting to Know” feature is looking at Porterville College lab technician Jackie Verduzco.

“When the pandemic forced education at all levels to move online, it posed a particular challenge for classes that have corresponding instructional labs. But at Porterville College, lab technician Jaqueline Verduzco Alanis sprang into action and devised creative solutions so students could still get the valuable, hands-on experience that is so critical to the sciences.”

Kern CCD Board of Trustees honors Chris Hine

At this month’s Kern CCD Board of Trustees meeting, we formally recognized General Counsel Chris Hine as he retires after years of service to the district.

I’d like to share this short video in recognition and appreciation of Chris’s service:

Leadership Academy Participants Present

Recently, members of the 2021-2022 KCCD Leadership Academy gave presentations on ideas to help the Kern Community College District in various areas.

Team Birds was made up of Cody Pauxtis, Felisa Hannah, and Jamal Powell. Their presentation was on “how to make professional development easier.” This team shared ways that the district could utilize NeoEd to facilitate professional development using online training courses.

Team BESTwas made up of Daniel Chavarria, Todd Dearmore, Jacelyn Kessler, and Trudi Blanco. They looked at KCCD’s Strategic Goal #5: Strengthen Organizational Effectiveness. They focused on ways to increase collaboration across the district, and came up with the idea of holding a one-day district-wide conference at a neutral location.

Team Reptile, made up of Sabrina Aguilar, Amani Crosshabeyeh, Frank Ramirez, and Gaysha Smith, looked at encouraging lifelong learning by utilizing Canvas for employees. The content in Canvas would be to help familiarize employees with the district as well as improve their knowledge on other areas including technology.

Team Mammal, made up of Scott Dameron, Monica Daniels, Susan Hubbell, and Vonetta Mixson, looked at creating an online employee orientation using Canvas. This orientation would orient new employees (and refresh existing employees) to all the buildings, service, and things available on campus.

Thank you to all our Leadership Academy participants for your thoughtful work and collaboration!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Karen Goh, T Johnson, and Michael Bowers shared photos as Dr. Brijesh “Brij” Bhambi was named recipient of the Save Heart Foundation “Heart Saver Award.”