This week, Russian strikes killed 8 in Ukraine, and damaged a maternity clinic.
Russia also hit a university in Kyiv – this is where my daughter teaches when she goes to Kyiv.
Let us Pray.
*****
This week, I traveled to the southern part of the state for a variety of meetings and conferences.
What’s not to love about San Diego –
Beautiful moon…I snapped this photo from the Ferry from Coronado to the Convention Center.
And I took this 11 second video of the moon for you:
I snapped this picture on the elevator door at a hotel I stay at in San Diego. It’s an ad letting families know that kids under 10 eat free ….but it’s the expression on this kid’s face that gets me every time.
Every time I stay here, I see that face and laugh out loud…..Pure joy. Pure mischief. And maybe just a little excitement about eating for free.
Don’t you agree?
And another pic …
We had a Board of Governors visit San Diego Mesa College. The college shared these pics:
And here’s a video I took of dancers from San Diego Mesa College:
The next day after the Mesa visit, I spoke at the Nandi conference. Ebony Jeffries snapped this selfie.
We then launched our internship demonstration project at San Diego CCD – back at Mesa College.
Here is a photo of Chancellor Greg Smith.
Good morning California.
It is October 3, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
San Diego Miramar College Receives 2026 Excellence
in Mental Health and Well-Being Award
Miramar College’s Mental Health and Wellness Services Department has received the 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award is a measure of an institution’s individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance core values of student and employee mental health and well-being through programs, initiatives, and other campus priorities deserving of this national recognition.
Shasta College Awarded $288,500 Federal TRIO Talent Search Grant
Shasta College has been awarded a $288,500 annual grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue operating its Federal TRIO Talent Search program, ensuring that 577 students in Shasta County will continue receiving intensive support to prepare for, apply to, and succeed in postsecondary education. The Department awarded the grant through its fiscal year 2026 Talent Search competition. Shasta College will receive approximately $1,442,500 over the five-year grant cycle, subject to continued federal appropriations.
Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara Receives Over $500,000 from State Coastal Conservancy to Launch the Ocean Collective with Santa Barbara City College
The Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB) has been awarded $507,500 from the California State Coastal Conservancy to launch the Ocean Collective, a partnership dedicated to building career pathways and shared infrastructure for the region’s Blue Economy. SCC funding comes from the voter approved Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (a.k.a. “2024 Climate Bond” or “Proposition 4”). The Coastal Conservancy funding builds on a 2024 planning grant to SBCC from Uplift Central Coast, awarded through the California Jobs First Initiative, which kicked off the Ocean Collective’s curriculum and facilities planning process.
» Read more!
FutureU Podcast – Live from Google: AI Is About People, Not Just Tech
Universities can build all the AI infrastructure they want, but if faculty aren’t on board, none of it lands in the classroom. Recent surveys make clear what many academic leaders already sense but rarely say out loud: there’s a real and widening divide between faculty skepticism and administrative impatience on AI. The question isn’t who’s right. It’s how you close the gap.
In this episode, I joined Pradeep Khosla (Chancellor, University of California, San Diego) and James Frazee (VP and CIO, San Diego State University) to speak with podcast hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Kern Community College District:
Kern CCD Trustees Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Kay Meek & Yovani Jimenez joined Chancellor Sean Hancock and others at a luncheon for Latino community leaders at the District Office.
*****
From Antelope Valley College:
Thanks to everyone who came out for EOPS All-Star Day!
Students stopped by for In-N-Out, games and giveaways, and learned more about the support available through EOPS | NextUp.
*****
From Victor Valley College:
Hispanic Heritage Month at VVC continues with Wear Your Rebozo, Zarape & Guayabera Day!
Students, staff, and faculty proudly celebrated Día del Rebozo by wearing traditional cultural garments and accessories that honor the rich history, artistry, and traditions of Hispanic and Latino communities. From colorful rebozos and zarapes to elegant guayaberas, our campus was filled with culture, pride, and heritage.
*****
From College of San Mateo:
CSM students visited AbbVie in South San Francisco to tour the facilities, learn about research and development, and hear directly from scientists about their work.
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Seminar Connects Students Through Conversations About Mental Health
Bakersfield College students explored ways to cope with emotional challenges, and found support during a suicide prevention seminar Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The Student Health and Wellness Center hosted “Embracing Life When Life Feels Dark: A Seminar on Suicide Prevention” in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month.
Dave Seymour, a mental health clinician at the Center, led discussions about the pressures college students face and how those experiences can affect their mental health.
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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