Happy Labor Day!
The opening weeks of an academic year bring a special kind of energy …. students returning to the fall semester, classrooms filling, new beginnings taking shape, and the thousand details that somehow need our attention all at once. We have been moving at quite a pace.
That makes this Labor Day weekend especially well timed …a moment to step away.
Labor Day carries a meaning that is relevant to community colleges. It recognizes the dignity of work and the people whose labor built our communities and continues to sustain them.
That is very much our story.
Faculty preparing for a new semester. Classified professionals helping a bewildered student find the right office. Counselors untangling schedules. Custodians getting classrooms ready. Trustees serving their communities. Student leaders welcoming their peers. Administrators solving the 37 things that somehow became urgent before 9:00 a.m.
This weekend, let’s stop thinking about enrollment reports, budgets, legislation, AI, accreditation, facilities … or whatever else ….
The problems will still be there on Tuesday….. I checked.
Instead, let’s exhale and take a little inspiration from the American poet Mary Oliver, who captures the feeling beautifully in her poem Today:
Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word
…. I’m taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
A friend sent me this sunset pic.
I hope you all have a wonderful and restful Labor Day Weekend.
Good morning California.
It is September 5, 2026
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Imperial Valley College Students Find a New Home at Calexico Commons
Imperial Valley College students are settling into brand-new, affordable student housing following the grand opening of Calexico Commons, a housing community developed in partnership with SDSU Imperial Valley. Located on the SDSU Imperial Valley campus, the modern complex offers a convenient, supportive environment situated just a short five-minute walk from two Calexico-to-IVC Express bus stops.
Construction Begins on College of the Sequoias University Center,
Expanding Local Higher Education Opportunities
Construction is underway at the College of the Sequoias Visalia campus as the new University Center is being built. The project is designed to expand access to four-year and graduate-level education for students in Tulare and Kings counties while creating new opportunities for local workforce development. The project broke ground April 23, 2026, and remains a work in progress. The center is expected to open for the fall 2028 semester.
Laney College Brings Together Global Perspectives on the Future of AI Education
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries around the world, Laney College is moving beyond conversations about AI literacy and leading the next step: building AI fluency through hands-on learning, ethical understanding, and real-world application. Following recent international conversations on the future of AI education, Laney College once again welcomed educators, industry leaders, technology professionals, entrepreneurs, and global partners from 5 different countries to explore how AI is changing the way people learn, work, and solve problems.
In Case You Missed It
Fresno Pacific University, SCCCD colleges create
guaranteed transfer pathway for students
Fresno Pacific University and the State Center Community College District have formally launched a new partnership designed to make the transfer process easier and more predictable for local students pursuing four-year degrees.
Dozens of educators and administrators gathered Monday morning at Fresno Pacific University to celebrate the signing of the Sunbird Flight Plan: Direct Route to Admission, an agreement that guarantees admission to Fresno Pacific University for eligible transfer students from State Center’s colleges.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Clovis Community College:
President Armstrong recently spoke about leadership, discipline, and fearlessness at the Mamba event sponsored by Bank of America. A great opportunity to connect with the community
*****
From Ohlone College:
What has our Renegades smiling ear to ear? The start of a new semester and new headshots and pictures! Congrats to our students for starting the fall semester with great goals and energy.
Cheers to the first of many successful weeks of fall!
*****
From San Diego Mesa College:
Amazing day at the Black Student Success Resource Fair!
From connecting with campus resources to building community, networking, enjoying food, and music, it was a day centered on connection, empowerment, and student success.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this event so meaningful!
*****
From College of the Desert:
This #ThrowbackThursday we’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vocational Nursing Program at College of the Desert!
“For 60 years, College of the Desert’s Vocational Nursing Program has provided students with the education and hands-on training needed to enter a profession that is essential to the health and well-being of our community,” – Superintendent/President Val Martinez Garcia.
We are proud to celebrate the generations of students, faculty, staff and healthcare partners who have contributed to the program’s success and lasting impact on the Coachella Valley.
*****
And check out this piece from CBS LA about East Los Angeles College:
Low-income Community College students from @EastLACollege have moved into @CalStateLA dorms with the promise that they’ll eventually transfer here. It’s a program created thanks to the partnership of the 2 schools and @laccd.
And From the Home of the Renegades
Industrial Automation Commemorates 10 Years of Bachelors Degree Program
Last week was an important milestone for the Industrial Automation (INDA) program at Bakersfield College as it marked the 10-year anniversary of offering Bachelor of Science degrees. The four-year program focuses on the use of computer technology, electronics, and control systems in industrial environments. The program has experienced substantial growth since its inception and graduates from the program have gone on to work for NASA, AERA Energy, The Wonderful Company, Tesla, and many more.
Carlos Medina, Program Manager for INDA, talked about the history and successes of the program. “This is our ten-year anniversary of the program,” he said, “we were approved to offer a bachelor’s degree in 2015, and we accepted our first students in 2016.” Since then, the program has had more than 150 students receive bachelor’s degrees, and the May 2026 graduating class featured 34 students who completed the program. The starting salary for students completing their AS degree is around $70,000 a year, and students earning their BS degree earning around $100,000 a year. “We have students working at NASA, Boeing, and local companies like Amazon, the Walmart distribution center, Bolthouse Farms, and others” said Carlos, “nearly all the big companies – we have students from our program working there.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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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