Sonya Christian's Blog

This past week was a crazy week of travel….. First to ACCT (Association of Community College Trustees), then one day in Bakersfield and off again to a presentation at the Spencer Foundation.

At the institute, Catherine Webb and I presented two sessions on accreditation.

Here I am at the Spencer Foundation conference.

With flight delays on both trips, I finally got back home yesterday …. here I am Sunday early morning trying to get my blog post published.

Good morning, friends.
It is June 26, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

Porterville College

PC receives important distinction from California Virtual Campus

Porterville College has been certified as a Local Peer Online Course Review College (POCR) through the California Virtual Campus (CVC).

This accomplishment is due in large part to the leadership of faculty member Karen Bishop, and the dedicated Porterville College team of faculty who reached this major milestone. The POCR process was designed to ensure that students across the California Community College system have access to high-quality online courses designed to support student learning and success.
 
Due to this certification, each Porterville College POCR-reviewed course will receive a Quality Reviewed badge in the CVC Exchange and, as such, will appear at the top of the search results when students look for classes at cvc.edu. 

Thank you to PC’s amazing Faculty Team for helping Porterville College become one of the growing number of colleges that are leading the way in online education in California.

Celebration of Juneteenth

This year, Porterville College joined with KernCCD to celebrate Juneteenth. 

Today, people across the country celebrate Juneteenth in honor of African American freedom and achievement. We take time during this day to educate, advocate, and celebrate the holiday. It is a day to recognize the past and strive toward a more inclusive and equitable future.

PC also celebrated with a display in the Learning Resource Center Lobby and several online resources that you can refer to below:

• https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/a32893726/what-is-juneteenth/
• https://www.juneteenth.com/
• https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/what-juneteenth

Cerro Coso Community College

Cerro Coso Recruiting Student Peer Mentors

Want to become a paid Peer Mentor for ACCESS Programs?  Attend the information session being held on July 12 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Ridgecrest campus community room or via Zoom, to learn more about the qualifications and the mentors role.

The purpose of the Peer Mentor Program is to aid new students in their transition to the academic, extracurricular and social aspects of the college by connecting them with students who serve as role models, mentors, and resources. Peer mentor relationships are critical to both cognitive and affective learning. We also know that early intervention positively affects retention and contributes to the success of first-year students.

Peer mentors are positive role models who offer guidance, encouragement, and a supportive network that contributes to their peers overall college success.  Mentors build connections with students through regular meetings, promote student engagement, and assist with program activities and college events.

Please direct all questions to Rachel Barksdale at Rachel.barksdale@cerrocoso.edu

Harmon Recipient of CISOA Scholarship

Cerro Coso student Alexander Harmon is the 2022 recipient of a scholarship from the California Community College Chief Information Systems Officer’s Association (CISOA), a non-profit organization supporting technology leadership in the California Community College System.   

Living in Boron, California, Harmon is an online student, but would study from time to time and take his proctored exams at the main campus in Ridgecrest.  A triple major in Web Professional, Information Technology, and Cyber Security, Harmon graduated from Cerro Coso this May and is currently finishing the last class he needs to earn his Web Professional degree.    

Harmon credits the support and kindness of the Cerro Coso Library and Learning Resource Center (LRC) for drawing him to Cerro Coso.  “When I first moved from North Carolina to California, I was in the middle of my semester from my previous college. At the time, I didn’t have a laptop and I needed to use my desktop for 3d modeling programs to complete my assignments. The Library/LRC staff at Cerro Coso let me bring my desktop, monitor, and peripherals to one of the study rooms so that I could successfully finish my semester from a different online college.  After a year and being qualified for in-state tuition, I knew that I wanted to attend Cerro Coso. Because if the staff would help me, a student from outside of the school, to succeed in my education. They will absolutely help me when I am a student at Cerro Coso,” he said.  “College can be daunting at first, but there is always someone that will help students to overcome the challenges that they face at Cerro Coso.”

Without much experience in applying for scholarships, Harmon wants to thank his Instructor Chris Harper for telling him about the CISOA scholarship and encouraging him to apply.  “I was not really expecting to get the scholarship,” he said.  “It really surprised me when I was told that I got the scholarship. My advice to others students is to simply try it, you might be surprised too!” 

“One of the reasons I decided to attend Cerro Coso and enjoy it was because the staff and teachers at the college are very supportive. Even to non-Cerro Coso students”. He concluded.  “Compared to other colleges that I have attended, I think that Cerro Coso has the best online courses that I have ever seen. Cerro Coso’s online resources are excellent.”

Dr. Chad Houck named VP Finance & Administrative Services

Dr. Chad Houck has been approved by the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees at their June board meeting to serve as the new Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, effective July 1, 2022.  He replaces VP Lisa Couch, who has done tremendous work supporting Cerro Coso as well as Kern CCD as a whole.   

Dr. Houck joined the Cerro Coso Community College administration as the Dean of Instruction – Liberal Arts and Sciences in July of 2017, demonstrating integrity and a commitment to our college community throughout his five years of service.

In his new position, Dr. Houck will be directly responsible for providing fiscal and financial analysis, prepare the college budget, oversee maintenance and operations, college facilities planning, public safety,food services, the mailroom, and liaison with various vendor contractors. 

Dr. Houck’s other duties will include participating in policy development in matters of fiscal management and business operations; coordinate the planning, development, and implementation of innovative approaches to fiscal management; oversee the purchase, maintenance, and repair of equipment and facilities; serve as auxiliary liaison with auxiliary service contractors; liaison with District Facilities Planning and Construction, as well as contractors; monitor budgets in areas of responsibility; and serve as the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation Secretary/Treasurer. 

Dr. Houck came to CCCC from the K-12 system, where he spent three years as the principal of South Lake Tahoe High School.  No stranger to the remote setting, he has worked closely with the community, industry, and education partners in Lake Tahoe to develop dual enrollment offerings and collaborate in innovative ways to improve access and close achievement gaps.  Prior to his time at South Lake Tahoe, he spent a year as the principal of Mesquite High School in Ridgecrest, and before that, eight years at Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest as assistant principal of curriculum and instruction.

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield College Choral Program Fireworks Booth

Get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July and support a worthy cause by purchasing your fireworks from the Bakersfield Choirs Fireworks Booth at 35184 Merle Haggard Drive! The booth opens on July 1st at Noon and will continue to open each morning at 8:00 a.m. and close at 11:00 p.m. through the Fourth of July.  Your purchases will support the BC’s Chamber Singers and their opportunity to represent our community in Vienna, Prague and Berlin in June 2023. They still need to raise over $70,000 and your purchases can go a long way to reach that goal! Thank you for all your support:

35814 Merle Haggard Drive
Hours of operation:

• July 1: 12:00 pm -11:00 pm
• July 2: 8 am – 11 pm
• July 3: 8 am – 11 pm
• July 4: 8 am – 12:00 am

Bakersfield College Performing Arts Presents “Seussical The Musical”

Bakersfield College’s Performing Arts Department is proud to present “Seussical The Musical”, the beloved musical from the writers of Anastasia and Ragtime. The play features several of Dr. Seuss’ most beloved characters, including Horton the Elephant, Jojo, the Who’s and The Cat in the Hat. This whimsical production will be a great event for fans of all ages.

Performances will take place July 15th-23rd at BC’s Edward Simonsen Indoor Theater. Tickets start at $10 and are available through the BC Performing Arts Eventbrite page. We hope to see you there!

Uvalde Remembrance

On Tuesday morning, the KernCCD came together in remembrance of the lives lost last month in the Uvalde school massacre. At each of our campuses, we joined for discussion and reflection, and we watched a video where our campus community shared details about the lives lost in that tragedy.

Gian Gayatao, KernCCD student trustee, led the effort to develop the program. The touching student-created video honored each victim of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022.  The video also highlighted many other similar tragedies that have happened around the nation over the past several years.  

At Porterville College, Vice President of Student Services Primavera Arvizu led a thoughtful and meaningful discussion about campus safety with the PC Team. They discussed the prevalent feelings in the room after watching the video and went over some of the things we can do to ensure the safest environment possible for ourselves and our students in the future.

Campus Safety Manager Cameron Anderson closed out this important gathering with an overview of some of the hard work being done behind the scenes to keep our campus as safe as possible.

At Cerro Coso, Vice President of Student Services Heather Ostash facilitated the discussion.

At Bakersfield College,  Dean of Students Nicky Damania gave an emotional address about the impact of this nationwide crisis, sharing about his first experience with school shootings when the Columbine attack happened a few miles from where he was living in Colorado at the time. 

BC’s Delano Campus also held a remembrance event and discussion.

In the afternoon, a special Chancellor’s Seminar Series focused on Keeping Our School Safe. Joe Grubbs, KernCCD Executive Director of Risk Assessment & Management, led a discussion with local police and our campus safety leaders.

Thank you to Bakersfield Police Department Assistant Chief Brent Stratton, Porterville Police Department Captain Dominic Barteau, Ridgecrest Police Department Captain Justin Dampier, BC Interim Executive Director of College Safety Todd Dearmore, PC Safety and Security Manager Cameron Anderson, and CCCC Safety and Security Manager Kevin King.

Videos from this webinar will be available later this week on the KernCCD website at https://www.kccd.edu/chancellors-office/chancellors-communications/chancellors-seminar-series.

In the meantime, I’d like to share my remarks from the seminar:

In the News

Community Voices: New pathways for advancement open in Arvin

Cheryl Scott and Mindy Wilmot penned this piece in The Bakersfield Californian about the groundbreaking of BC’s Arvin Campus.

“BC’s expanding presence in Arvin is not just a convenience but a necessity to address educational disparities that have wide-ranging impacts in today’s world. While the main Bakersfield College campus is about 20 miles from the houses we grew up in, it may as well be hundreds for some students who lack transportation, face high gas prices, or have work or caregiver obligations.“

Fun Photos and Spotted on Social Media

Last week, BC Athletic Director Reggie Bolton spoke at the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club. He talked about the importance of athletes focusing on education and community service, on top of their athletic endeavors. Here he is with BC Foundation Executive Director Cheryl Scott and BC Associate Dean of Instruction Mindy Wilmot!

Check out the BC team at the NAACP 7th Annual Juneteenth Celebration on June 18th at Yokuts Park in Bakersfield:

Cerro Coso Community College shared this campus view:

Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh shared this post on Facebook:
“Congratulations to the graduates of the KC-Hispanic Chamber Commerce Business Academy. During the 8-week course, entrepreneurs learned strategies to successfully grow their businesses. Special thanks to President/CEO Jay Tamsi, board of directors, and Academy facilitators Norma Rojas-Mora and David Alanis. Many thanks to sponsor Tri Counties Bank. Joyous celebration at La Costa Mariscos Bakersfield.”

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

The future is bright at KernCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

This week, colleagues from across the District came together for the Chancellor’s Retreat. It was an intense yet fun-filled three days… at least for me 🙂 All three of our colleges and the District office were well represented as we tackled issues facing higher ed and discussed how we at Kern CCD would continue #DaringMightyThings to #CreateTheFuture.

One memorable highlight was a competitive game that felt more like a snowball fight!

It was wonderful to spend the week with so many members of our KernCCD community.

Good morning, friends.
It is June 18, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

Porterville College

Two PC Administrators complete Leadership Porterville program

The Leadership Porterville Class of 2022 was recently honored by the City of Porterville for their amazing work this year and for completing the leadership program started by former Porterville College Administrator, former Porterville Mayor, and current Porterville City Councilwoman, Virginia Gurolla.

We’re proud to say that among this year’s graduates were Student Life and Leadership Program Manager Jasmin Quiñones and Dual Enrollment & CTE Program Director Refugio “Ref” Rodríguez.  Congratulations to all of the graduates. 

PC helps students “GearUp” for college with new program

The Porterville College Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is now accepting applications from 8^th grade students attending Bartlett, Earlimart, and Pioneer Middle Schools in the Porterville Area. 

GEAR UP is a federally funded program designed to elevate the academic achievement, college attendance, and graduation rates of first-generation, low-income, underrepresented, and underserved students.

To receive the services and support of the GEAR UP program, students can apply for FREE at https://tinyurl.com/PCGearUpApp.

You can learn more about this new program at www.portervillecollege.edu/gear-up

PC to host career jumpstart internships over summer

Beginning this July, Porterville College, along with several higher education and industry partners, will be providing a new resource designed specifically for incoming Central Valley high school seniors (current juniors) with an interest in learning more about careers in Industrial technologies.

The Jump Start into Industrial Careers Internship is a regional partnership between PC, West Hills College Lemoore, College of the Sequoias and Reedley College. It offers 4-week paid internships to students to help them gain the skills they need for jobs with local manufacturing companies.

The goal of the program is to attract and engage the next generation of highly skilled employees needed by local industry and to better prepare them to fill that demand in the future.

Each student in this summer program will receive a $1500 scholarship/stipend for their participation, which is funded by public and private dollars along with corporate sponsorships. The training will cover topics such as OSHA safety, electrical & tech careers.  Students will be given tours of local industry facilities and more.

There are over 12 million jobs in manufacturing in the U.S. alone. By 2030, an estimated 4 million more manufacturing jobs will be needed. This program will help in the development of the talent needed to fill those jobs.

The Jump Start into Industrial Careers Internship program runs from July 5th – July 28^th on the PC campus.  For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/view/jumpstartintoindustrialcareers/home

Cerro Coso Community College

CC to Hold Campus Pride Safe Space Training

Friday, June 24, from 1-3 pm

The Campus Pride Safe Space Training Program is a nationally recognized program that provides training and signage for institutions committed to supporting LGBTQ students. A Safe Space Program is one of the measures of a supportive campus on the Campus Pride Index (CampusPrideIndex.org). We are offering a two-hour online version of the Safe Space Training. This online training prepares individuals to understand the importance of a Safe Space, learn terminology and LGBTQ identities, and how to be a Safe Space. Participants will receive an official Campus Pride Safe Space certificate with their name upon completion of the full two-hour training.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Learn and understand key moments in the LGBTQ civil rights movement.
2. Explain the difference between sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
3. Define terminology used to describe sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
4. Explore and identify ways to be an advocate/ally for LGBTQ people.
5. Discuss how you can take action as a Safe Space.

If you would like to be registered for one of these training sessions, contact Tanner Barnett at tanner.barnett@cerrocoso.edu or call 760-384-6249. Cerro Coso will cover the cost of the registration for anyone interested in taking the training for the first time, or in refreshing a previous training, so be sure to register by contacting Tanner.

Date & Time:  Fri, 06/24/2022 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Location: Ridgecrest, IWV Campus

Talley Receives Emeritus Status

Retired Cerro Coso Counseling Professor Penny Talley was granted emeritus status by the Kern Community College District (KCCD) Board of Trustees in May.   

Talley retired in December 2021 after 26+ years of service to the college.  Starting off as an office aid in Student Services in 1988 as a temp hourly employee, Penny quickly became a counseling technician.  But, she always knew she wanted to be a counselor at the college. 

After earning her degrees, Penny returned to Cerro Coso in 1995 as an Education Advisor.  She has heled many titles during her career including CARE Coordinator, EOPS Assistant Director, Access Counselor, and Director of EOPS/CARE to name a few.

Regardless of the title, her focus has always been on serving students to help them overcome challenges and helping them to change their lives by achieving their academic goals. 

A lot has changed since Penny first joined Cerro Coso in 1988.  She has seen many advances during her career with us.   But, one thing hasn’t changed…if you treat students with respect and robust expectations, they will return the favor, and they will succeed.  Penny has personally witnessed many students succeed in ways they never dreamed possible and played an important role in their achievements.  Recognizing her outstanding support for students has gained her many awards over the years.  In 2005 her biography was included in the eighth edition of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers,” a publication that allows students to honor the teacher that has made the most significant impact in their lives.  A student in Penny’s Counseling C102 class – Becoming a Life Long Learner – nominated her for the publication. 

Penny also served as the Advisor of the Special Services United Club for many years.  The club provides students with the opportunity to develop a networking system that is cohesive with the challenges they encounter day-to-day.  It helps students to develop leadership skills through a variety of presentations and activities both on campus and in the community.  The club also seeks to educate the college and community about ethnic-cultural diversity and the needs and contributions of disabled and economically challenged people.  Through the year’s the club has held annual Angel Tree events for program students and their children, Coat Drives, Food Drives, Clothing Drives, and other types of events. 

A 1982 graduate of Cerro Coso Community College – FOREVER A COYOTE, Penny holds a BA from California State University, Bakersfield, and an MS from the University of La Verne. 

Your big heart for Cerro Coso students and dedication, knowledge, and caring attitude will be missed by all.  Thank you Penny we wish you well in your retirement.   

Three Faculty Make Tenure at Cerro Coso

Cerro Coso Community College is proud to announce that the Kern Community College District has granted tenure to Andrew Burch, Biology (ESCC), Melissa Bowen, Social Science (East Kern), and Michael Bonner, Mathematics (IWV)

Andrew Burch, (ESCC Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.) Biology

Originally from San Diego, Biology Professor Andrew Burch spent most of his life in northern, central, and southern California.  After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Burch and wife Jenny moved to Thailand where he taught science at an international school and she taught elementary school.  While in Thailand, the two spent a fair amount of time traveling within and through neighboring countries.  After finishing their degrees, Burch highly recommends his students consider moving abroad (if circumstances permit) because, “it broadens your worldview, helping you to appreciate the benefits and luxuries associated with living in this great country (some you may not even realize!) It also shows that there are alternative ways to live, and some may find that the way things are done in other countries are an improvement to the way we do things here.” Burch holds a Bachelors and Masters of Science in Biological Sciences from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Davis. 

Melissa Bowen, (East Kern) Psychology and Human Services

Professor Bowen joined the full-time faculty ranks at Cerro Coso as Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Services in 2018. Previously serving as an adjunct instructor at the college since 2015. Voted “Instructor of the Year” by incarcerated students in the California City Prison in 2018, Bowen’s motto in life is “embrace constructive criticism and introspection, and always improve and grow. Her previous experience in the field includes providing crisis response services for the Navy and at local shelters. Bowen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Mills College, Master’s Degree in Psychology from Walden University, and a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California.

Michael Bonner, (IWV) Mathematics

Associate Professor Michael Bonner spent 30 years working in the aerospace industry at Edwards Air Force Base. Among his favorite jobs was working as the technical expert for navigation and GPS testing and Director of Engineering for the Global Research Combined Test Force. He also enjoyed teaching navigation and GPS for the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. Bonner has a passion for teaching and loves mathematics. He taught for Cerro Coso as an adjunct for over 17 years prior to joining the college as a full-time instructor.  He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Northern Arizona University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from CSU Fresno, an Online Teaching Certificate from Cerro Coso, and attended Air War College – Maxwell AFB, Alabama

“The faculty at Cerro Coso Community College have exhibited extraordinary dedication to student success, going above and beyond to ensure students have the support they need to navigate many unanticipated challenges,” said President Sean Hancock. “I am proud to represent an institution with such high-quality faculty and I am greatly impressed with the many talents and expertise of this year’s new cohort of tenured faculty.  Our students and our communities have benefited from the knowledge, enthusiasm, compassion, and dedication of these faculty.”

Rising Scholars Program Participates in Laptop Pilot Program

Bakersfield College’s Rising Scholars Program is taking part in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations’ laptop pilot program. The pilot program will start during the Fall 2022 Semester and will grant students the opportunity to access their assignments, materials, and have correspondence with their instructors through a secure network. This pilot program will take place at all five of the adult institutions that Bakersfield College is currently serving. Select faculty from a variety of disciplines, such as Communication, History, Art, and Psychology, will pilot the first phase of the pilot program. These faculty members recently received onsite training at Wasco State Prison.

Incarcerated college students having access to laptops is an advancement that the state of California is encouraging. This will allow incarcerated students to develop and increase their digital literacy, research skills, and technical communication skills. If all goes well, the Rising Scholars Program anticipates additional courses to utilize the laptops during future semesters. The Rising Scholars Program is excited to take part in this pilot program as we seek to provide our students with all the skills and tools needed to prepare them to thrive as they return to their communities.

Bakersfield College offers tuition-free, non-credit technical theatre courses

Bakersfield College’s Performing Arts Department is currently enrolling for two tuition-free non-credit courses in technical theatre, focusing on lighting and set construction. THEA B61NC (crn 51589) Lighting Lab and THEA B62NC (crn 51590) are currently available to register for anyone interested in building or expanding their knowledge and experience in technical theatre, no experience required. The two courses will meet concurrently Monday through Thursday from 1:00 PM to 3:25 PM, beginning on June 28th and lasting through July 14th.

The courses are described as intensive studies of set construction for theatrical productions and lighting as applied to live performance. Students will receive hands-on experience and instruction on construction equipment, professional protocols in scene shops, study of lighting instruments, and other related topics. The two courses will work together to build the technical aspects of the Performing Arts department’s summer musical.

CAPP’s Annual GPAP Convening

All three college teams traveled to Monterey with some of their high school partners this week for CAPP’s annual Guided Pathways Alignment Project Convening. The team discussed the progress of their CAPP (California Academic Partnership Program) grant partnerships and shared their successes with other teams from throughout the Central Valley. The CAPP grant funding supports our colleges’ and high schools’ efforts to connect our students with college and career by supporting initiatives like Finish in 4, Program Pathways Mapper, Early College, and strengthening our faculty pipeline. 

Thank you BC, CC, and PC teams for representing Kern CCD in Monterey this week and on these collaborative grant projects funded by CAPP. 

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Bakersfield College is in full swing with summer classes! Campus is bustling with students and faculty as summer courses began this week.

Here are some photos PC President Claudia Habib shared from the Chancellor’s Retreat:

Kimberly Bligh shared this photo from Bridge to BC:

And check out this video from Bridge to BC Opening Week

And Military & Veterans Services from Cerro Coso Community College wished the US Army a Happy Birthday:

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

The future is bright at KernCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings