Moments that take our breath away
I watched the Grammy’s on Sunday. Apparently this is the last year on CBS – next year it will be on a streaming service ….. feels like a sign of the times …. a little bittersweet for those of us who made a night of it. I’ve always loved watching the Grammys. The anticipation, the surprise performances, the talent, the sense that for a few hours we were all tuned in together.
And since Superbowl is tomorrow I thought I would mention the hilarious scene with Trevor Noah and Bad Bunny.
You see, although Bad Bunny won big at the Grammys taking home major awards, he couldn’t officially perform on music’s biggest night because he’s contractually committed to headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show which I will be watching tomorrow. Trevor Noah cheekily coaxed him into a spontaneous mini performance by singing Bad Bunny’s hit “DtMF” and bringing out a live band. Check it out….
I could not possibly list all my favorite parts….. but here is another – a tribute to Roberta Flack.
My favorite song:
Yesterday, after a loooong work week, I sank into the start of the Winter Olympics. Here are two of the many favorite moments from the Opening Ceremony.
One cool segment – Fantasia.
In this surreal and joyful piece, dancers appeared with oversized heads representing the towering figures of Italian opera history, Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini. Loved the swirling colors, choreographed motion, and references to everything from opera to Renaissance aesthetics. Check it out.
Check out the video on YouTube.
And a performance of Italy’s National Anthem by Laura Pausini. Before the national anthem, the stadium transformed into a runway in celebration of Giorgio Armani. Models moved across the field in silk suits the colors of the Italian flag, their silhouettes unmistakably Armani.
Check out the video on YouTube.
Good morning California.
It is February 7, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Coastline College Launches First Dolphin Tank Pitch Competition
to Support Former Foster Youth Entrepreneurs
Coastline College successfully hosted its first Dolphin Tank Pitch Competition, an innovative, Shark Tank–inspired capstone experience designed to support aspiring student entrepreneurs, with a special focus on students who are current or former foster youth. The event served as both a graduation celebration and a live pitch competition, giving students the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of experienced community leaders while receiving real-time feedback and mentorship.
Pending Sacramento City College Program Enhancement Will Address
National Air Traffic Controller Shortage
Last month, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) joined leaders from the Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento County, and the aviation industry at Mather Airport to celebrate Sacramento City College’s (SCC) progress toward becoming one of the nation’s only dual-certified Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) programs. Upon final approval, Sacramento City College would be the first Enhanced AT-CTI program on the West Coast, and one of only two institutions in the country with dual certification to train students for both tower and en route air traffic control careers.
A First Day, Reimagined: Inside San José City College’s
New Career Education Complex
The Career Education Complex, now open for instruction, represents a significant shift in how San José City College imagines learning spaces. Over the course of the spring semester, 140 class sections will be taught inside the new facility, spanning career education programs and general education courses alike. English classes meet alongside high-tech labs. Students heading to their first lecture pass classmates gathering in open study areas and sunlit corridors.
Long Beach City College And Congressman Robert Garcia
Announce $1.5 Million Community Project Funding
Thanks to the advocacy of Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42), Long Beach City College will receive $1.5 million in Community Project Funding to support the LBCC Child Development Center (CDC) at the Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus (TTC). The funding will be used to purchase and install new playground equipment at the TTC CDC. The funding will support a redesign of the center’s outdoor play area, replacing outdated equipment and creating a more functional space tailored specifically to early childhood use. The new playground equipment will serve children ages 3–5.
In Case You Missed It
How Community Colleges Are Becoming America’s AI Talent Engine
In August 2024, while the technology world fixated on billion-dollar AI startups, something quieter but potentially more consequential was happening in American education. The National Science Foundation announced a $2.8 million grant to establish the National Applied AI Consortium—an initiative placing community colleges, not elite research universities, at the center of America’s AI workforce strategy.
The idea was deceptively simple: if artificial intelligence is going to reshape every industry from healthcare to manufacturing, then the technicians who implement, maintain, and work alongside these systems should come from the institutions that have always served as on-ramps to the American middle class.
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Here are 5 reasons why 2026 is an exciting year for community colleges
Rising enrollment in short-term credential courses and community colleges is not a fluke.
Students—including young cohorts—are favoring affordable programs that lead directly to career opportunities, and community colleges are answering the call.
EAB, a higher education consulting firm, recently outlined five macro trends that help explain record-setting interest in the community colleges.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Fresno City College:
Giving tours = our favorite thing. Sharing the tech = even better. Thank you, @toyotausa community!
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From Napa Valley College:
Thank you, Congressman Mike Thompson, for taking the time to visit our campus and meet with our student leaders. We truly appreciate the opportunity to share the work happening at NVC and explore ways to further support student success. Your continued dedication to expanding educational opportunities makes a meaningful impact on our community.
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From Evergreen Valley College:
Retired judge LaDoris Cordell returned to EVC to speak to the campus as part of Black History Month.
Cordell was the first African American woman to serve on the bench in Northern California, serving on the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. Cordell graduated from Stanford Law School and became a respected jurist and advocate in the Bay Area, generations after her great-great-grandmother was a slave.
Cordell discussed being an “Upstander” and shared stories of those who caused good trouble. She ended with a quote from slave Araminta Ross, who said, Always remember, you have within you the strength, patience, and passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Ross changed her name to Harriet Tubman and became an American abolitionist, social activist, and upstander herself during the Civil War.
Cordell’s book, “Her Honor,” tells much of her story to readers.
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From Allan Hancock College:
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department donated one of its ambulances to AHC’s Public Safety Training Complex February 3.
The ambulance will be used by PSTC’s Emergency Medical Services program, and will help provide EMS students with realistic training.
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And Las Positas College shared some photos from their Winter Club & Resource Fair:
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Celebrates Recognition as a Black Serving Institution
Earlier this week, faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered on the CSS Lawn to kick off Black History Month and celebrate Bakersfield College’s recent recognition as a California designated Black-Serving Institution (BSI). The distinction is an important milestone highlighting BC’s commitment to advancing equity, access, and student success for Black students.
The event featured remarks from BC administrators, BC faculty, and community members, including BC President Dr. Stacey Pfluger, BC Faculty member Dr. Tommy Tunson, NAACP President of the Bakersfield Branch Patrick Jackson, and others. The event also included a special singing of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ by the Agapeland Christian Academy choir and concluded with food samples and a time for networking. It was an exciting way to kick off Black History Month at Bakersfield College.
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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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