Beautiful week of winds, rain and thunderstorms. Has the awaited El Nino finally arrived ….
Happy to see California getting drenched… well, for the most part.
Here are a few photos of vibrant skies which I snapped while I, as a loved one always said, walked between the raindrops.
This week, I was at the League legislative conference, where I participated in a panel with CSU Chancellor Millie Garcia.
At the general session, I presented a proclamation to retiring Peralta Community College District Chancellor Janett Jackson.
Her remarkable career took her from IT professional to tenured faculty, then Vice President of Instruction, President of a college, and finally Chancellor of a district. In addition to a long career in education, Dr. Jackson is also a military veteran having served in the United States Army National Guard as an enlisted service member and a military officer for more than 30 years. Her military career included multiple tours of duty serving in the Middle East and she retired with honors at the rank of Colonel.
Finally, I participated on a panel with Dr. Michal Kurlaender, UC Davis, and Dr. Jennifer Laflam, American River, moderated by the wonderful Kate Chang who leads this work on UN’s Sustainable Development Goal
We covered a range of topics including quality education, equity, community, and sustainability. I found myself energized by my fellow panelists as well as with the attendees who are committed to values and behaviors that we represent as community college educators.
And Billy Joel is back after 17 years with Turn the Lights Back On.
Good morning California.
It is February 3, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Santa Rosa Junior College Holds Ribbon Cutting
for Lindley Center for STEM Education
Named after current Santa Rosa Junior College Trustee W. Terry Lindley, the new 95,000-square foot Lindley Center for STEM Education will modernize and expand a number of programs, and provide new hands-on learning activities to support students in their educational journey.
And check out this video from NASA Astronaut Colonel Nicole Mann:
Lassen Community College
Celebrates New RN Program
Lassen Community College Nursing staff and the first Registered Nursing class celebrated the momentous occasion of the new program with a Lassen County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
Palomar College Uses Innovation to Better Serve Students
For 40 years, Palomar has maintained a food pantry to meet the food security needs of thousands of students and employees. It was a little over five years ago that the College opened the Anita & Stan Maag Food and Nutrition Center, providing a comfortable stigma-free environment to shop for perishable and non-perishable items and other basic needs. The college also hosts monthly farmers markets and offers free snacks at “grab ‘n go” refrigerators at all sites. During the spring 2024 semester, access to these services will expand considerably as Palomar launches a new secure storage locker system.
In Case You Missed It
Embracing AI: Navigating Job Evolution
and Thriving in the Future Workplace
N2N Services Inc founder & CEO Kiran Kindrithala and Foothill-De Anza Community College District Chancellor Lee Lambert wrote a piece for (ET) Magazine about the future of AI.
“The advent of AI has ushered in transformative tools, such as AI Companions and ChatGPT, showcasing unparalleled capabilities in understanding and processing information. While there’s a legitimate concern about the automation of many traditional roles, this shift also signifies a broader cultural and professional transformation. Individuals should not merely fear job loss but rather embrace the chance to evolve into more skilled content creators, strategists, and decision-makers.“
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Educate Elevate Podcast
Check out the new California Community Colleges podcast aimed at engaging & inspiring current and prospective Black and African American students and their influencers.
Spotlight on Parenting Students
Here’s a video from the Center for the Study of Social Policy about “A Day in the Life of Parenting Students Who Participate in CalWORKs”:
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Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Chaffey College:
A warm thank you to all who participated in our first Unity in Community event! It was an uplifting celebration, embracing intersectionality and diversity at Chaffey College.
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From Yovani Jimenez:
Community college trustees under 40 from across California coming together to make a difference!
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From Palo Verde College:
We’re thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the newest class of Nursing students at Palo Verde College! Your journey into the world of healthcare is about to unfold, and we couldn’t be more excited to have you on board.
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From Coastline College:
Coastline’s Esports Lab is officially open! Thank you to everyone who came to our Grand Opening Ceremony.
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And check out this video from Citrus College:
The Citrus College Beta Nu Eta chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society recently created a video highlighting chapter activities throughout the fall 2023 semester. Enjoy!
And From the Home of the Renegades
Renegade Nexus Hosts Outreach
To Promote Auto Insurance Program For Students
The Renegade Nexus welcomed a special guest to the Panorama Campus for an outreach event highlighting the California Low-Cost Insurance (CLCA) program. Paul “Doc” Nigh brought his Back to the Future DeLorean replica for students to view and take pictures of. “Doc” was also available to answer questions and discuss his unique vehicle.
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Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.
That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!
With much hope and joy,
Your Chancellor,
-sonya
#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora
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Tagged: Bakersfield College, California Commumity Colleges, California Community College Chancellor, Chaffey College, citrus college, Coastline College, Foothill-De Anza Community College District, Lassen College, Nuestro Tiempo Es Ahora, Our time is now, Palo Verde College, Palomar College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonya Christian
Thanks for the link to the Billy Joel video! He, like the rest of us who get more chronologically-gifted every day and are looking back over their lives, see that it is the personal connections we’ve had, not the career achievements, that matter the most.
Yes…. relationships matter the most. Thnx Nick for taking time to write.