Author Archives: SonyaChristian

Kern CCD bustling with activity

Uncategorized October 22, 2022 Comments: 2

Last weekend, I traveled to UCLA to speak as a panelist at the California Learning Lab Inspire Convening. The incredible Lande Ajose was our moderator, and I joined Michael Drake, John Perez and Romey Sabalius to discuss “who’s really in charge in higher education.” We talked about the stakeholders and governance structure involved in higher education, and what roadblocks faculty and administrators sometimes face in advancing innovation.

It is always such a treat to get get together with colleagues from across the state to share our experiences

And here’s a photo of the fantastic BC team that attended the convening (as well as John Matsui from UC Berkeley).

Good morning, friends.
It is October 22, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

Art students help celebrate Undocumented Student Action Week with sidewalk art

Porterville College celebrates Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW) each year on the third week of October with events and activities for our Dreamer Students. 

This year, PC joined the California Community College Chancellor’s office from October 17-21 in presenting a series of webinars and on-campus activities designed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by undocumented students and discuss solutions that help them achieve their educational goals.

On the PC campus, many art students took to the sidewalks of the Quad to create artwork featuring butterflies in support of this USAW. Butterflies have become the symbol of USAW and “Dreamer” students.  

The monarch butterfly is significant to the Dreamer because it represents the beauty of immigration.

In effect, the monarch butterfly is known for its migratory patterns; they move from Mexico to U.S and vice versa, depending on the season.

According to the web page, Make the Road Nevada, the monarch butterfly is the perfect symbol for immigrants. “Since being adopted by 11 million undocumented immigrants, the symbol’s meaning has changed to symbolize the resilience and hope in the immigrant community”.

PC Staffers Celebrate Transfer week with their alumni colors

Each third week in October, PC also celebrates National Student Transfer Week. Many PC staff also took part in colors day, wearing the school colors of their respective alma matters. As transfer champions, it’s vitally important that we build awareness of common transfer barriers and the diverse student needs and identities within our transfer populations.

Remember, even though we all went through different pathways to get here, we are all one PC!    

Overcoming Food Insecurity at PC

Porterville College, and in particular the PC Financial Aid Department has been working to solve food insecurity issues among students by instituting several ongoing efforts to curb this problem facing more students every day.

Every month, we partner with CalFresh to provide food to students and the community in “drive-up” events at Jamison Stadium. We also regularly distribute lunches and other meals on campus to students from the Pirates Cove or the Campus Quad. The Pirate Pantry is open at regular times for students to come in and “shop” for food and other staple items in a discreet environment.  And recently, we have started providing between-class snacks for students with “pop-up fueling stations” scheduled at various times each month.     

For more information, visit https://www.portervillecollege.edu/basic-needs

For a complete schedule of Pirate Pantry hours, visit https://www.portervillecollege.edu/financial-aid/food-pantry

Cerro Coso Community College

CCCC Sponsor at Aerospace Valley Air Show

More than 15,000 peopled attended the Aerospace Valley Air Show, Open House, and STEM Expo at Edwards Air Force Base on October 14-16.

Cerro Coso’s Career Technical Education and Outreach Programs were a sponsor of the event that opened Friday evening just for students showcasing exciting STEM demonstration and impressive air displays.  Saturday and Sunday the event was open to the general public. 

The college promoted STEM, CTE, and dual enrollment programs while also providing information on military and veterans services.

Shout out to all volunteers: Katie Bachman, Denise Allen, Lisa Stephens, Kristin Hanle, Jessica Kawelmacher, Nicole Harper, and the wonderful support of the M&O team.

“A HUGE shout out to Denise Allen for orchestrating the planning for this event,” said CTE Dean Nicole Griffin.  “We couldn’t have pulled it off so seamlessly without her detailed planning, organization, and communication.”

High School Students Turn Out for Career Exploration Day

Cerro Coso’s Ridgecrest campus was even busier than usual on Wednesday, October 19th as the college welcomed 250 high school students from 8 different high schools to Career Exploration Day.

With only a few years left of high school, it’s time for these students to get serious about college and start making plans for their future. This highly successful event is designed to give participants a firsthand look at why Cerro Coso should be their first choice. High school students explored all the college has to offer and were exposed to the wide range of careers available to graduates locally.

The day began in the gymnasium with a warm welcome from Cerro Coso President Dr. Sean Hancock and Outreach Director Katie Bachman, followed by a lively visit to college department booths, tours, food, and drawings.

In addition to receiving valuable information on how to prepare for college, students were given the opportunity to spend time interacting with CCCC’s expert faculty and staff, and asked career questions from area employers.

Cerro Coso students provided tours of the campus and answered questions about their personal college experiences.

The Career Fair portion of the event was opened to Cerro Coso students and the public to provide an opportunity for both high school and college students to meet with representatives from a variety of employers and learn about the different careers and vocations available locally.

“A huge thank you to Katie Bachman for her tireless coordination and to EVERYONE who participated and supported Career Day,” stated Vice President of Student Services Heather Ostash.

The sky is the limit at Cerro Coso.  Take flight.  Spring 2023 registration begins in November.  Contact a college counselor today at 760-384-6219.

Coyote Sets Course Record at Mt. Sac CC Invitational

Coyote Christian Schultz set a phenomenal 19.16 course record at the Mts. Sac Cross Country Invitational on October 14th in Walnut, California. 

He shattered El Camino College‘s David Cardona’s 2010 record of 19:52 by 34 seconds.  

An outstanding performance by Schultz puts Cerro Coso’s new cross-country program on the competitive map. 

Congratulations Christian. 

New Solar Tables Allow Students to Chill and Charge

Members of the Cerro Coso community now have a new place to take a seat and recharge – literally.  Maintenance and Operations is busy installing new solar charged picnic tables around the Ridgecrest and Bishop campuses.  The new tables are a perfect fit for any college student – or anyone who is passionate about sustainability.  The tables are more than just a great place for students and staff to meet.  They also serve as charging stations and Wi-Fi hotspots, made from architectural-grade, eco-friendly materials. The tables feature two wireless charging pads, a multiple type A and type c USB plugs and 110V outlets for charging phones, tables, and laptops.  CCCC investing in our future.

Update from CCCC Safety and Security

The Safety and Security Department at Cerro Coso has been busy with several efforts to increase overall effectiveness. 

They are just wrapping up the first phase of the employee focused Active Shooter/ Assailant training which included 4 Zoom sessions over a 2-week period.  The next phase of the training will begin in November as an in-person and in workspaces event to assess RUN, HIDE, FIGHT strategies.

Additionally, they are working with the Faculty Flex Committee to explore the potential benefits of creating a core safety and security training element to the faculty flex training schedules in the fall.  This effort is in the same thread as their commitment to providing requested security training as an aspect of professional development. 

Safety and Security Manager Kevin King (far right in photo) recently met with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) on the Cerro Coso IWV campus to discuss the potential of hosting relevant briefing and training events.  They will be looking to host the first of these events at the Spring Faculty Flex.

Bakersfield College

BC Receives Title V Grant for Early College Pathways

BC’s Title V grant proposal has been 1 of approximately 79 funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Hispanic Serving Institution (DHSI) Program. Serving over 10,500 high school students per year, Bakersfield College has the largest Early College program in the state, 77% of which are Hispanic/Latino. Among these 10,500 students, approximately 1,200 high school students participate in pathways that will allow them to complete an associates degree from Bakersfield College by the time they graduate from high school. This grant award will enable Bakersfield College to increase participation, retention, success, and completion rates for high school students who enter Early College pathways in the 9th grade.

The programs are currently available at 7 locations: Wonderful College Prep Academy- Delano and Lost Hills campuses, Wasco High School, Arvin High School, Kern High School District- Career & Technical Education Center and BC Southwest Center, McFarland High School Early College, and Shafter High School. On average, 92% of the students on these associate degree completion pathways are Hispanic/Latino.

BC Recognized as 2022 Champion of Higher Education

BC has been named a 2022 Champion of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer, and 2022 Equity Champion of Higher Education for our work in breaking barriers in transfer and  advancing racial equity in education. BC is one of the leading institutions in the state for Associate Degree for Transfer implementation, giving students a pathway to realizing their college dreams.

BC STEM Students Attend Aerospace Valley Air Show

BC STEM/Industrial Automation students attended the 2022 Aerospace Valley Air Show at Edwards Airforce Base, where they met various employers and explored industries directly related to their fields of study. They had a little fun introducing the crowds to Spot and Pepper, the two robots who joined the students on their air show adventures.

African American Health Science Luncheon

On October 11, 2022, Bakersfield College’s Health Science Pathway Team hosted a luncheon for current and prospective African American students to explore health science programs and resources on campus. Steven Watkins, Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services, and Carla Gard, Dean of Allied Health, led the day with inspiration and introductions to some of BC’s dedicated leaders:

  • Reggie Bolton– Dean of Kinesiology & Athletics (Physical Therapist Assistant included)
  • Dr. Charles Daramola-Director of Public Health
  • Dr. Tatevik Broutian-Human Biology Faculty
  • Dr. Melissa Buggs-Nursing Faculty
  • Ronnie Robinson & David Salazar -Radiologic Technology Students
  • Crystal Rodriguez-Health Information Technology Faculty
  • Jennifer Achan-Executive Director of Financial Aid

What a great day of information and networking!

Renegade Football Claims Victory over College of the Canyons

The Bakersfield College football team played against the College of the Canyons Thursday October 13th and not only won their second straight road contest, but ended an eight-game losing streak with a ten-point victory, 17-7. The Renegades hope to continue this victory trend as they play against the Ventura Pirates at this weekend’s Homecoming game!

In the News

BC rolls out 3-class certificate series on renewable energy

I enjoyed John Cox’s article in The Bakersfield Californian about BC’s new, free certificate series on renewable energy.

“Renewable energy has become a big focus at BC and its parent organization, the Kern Community College District, since the formalization of its unique partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.”

And for those interested in the courses, visit https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/marketing/promotion/modern-energy-certificate-of-completion.

BC shares Measure J progress report, thank-you with Renegade Promenade

Perry Smith wrote about last weekend’s Renegade Promenade event in this article for The Bakersfield Californian.

“We wanted to hold this event because it’s been a long time since the community’s been up to BC with the pandemic and such,” said Cheryl Scott, executive director of the Bakersfield College Foundation, which assists the college by seeking community engagement and support. “And it would not be recognized by people who have not been on campus in the past couple of years.”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Cerro Coso Community College celebrated Boss’s Day on October 17. Staff members showered the President’s, Marketing, and Finance and Administrative Offices with fun posters, breakfast, decorations, and gifts.     

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Kylie Campbell shared this post from the Kern Equity Symposium:

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Cerro Coso Community College students in the EOPS program took a trip to El Pueblo, Olvera Street, and visited several museums in October. It was a fun filled day of good food, dancing, shopping of course educational visiting the cultural museums for students in the EOPS/Access Program at Cerro Coso.     

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Here’s one of the photos PC President Claudia Habib shared from last weekend’s Porterville College Foundation swap meet:

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And check out these adorable pictures of Nicole Parra‘s dog, Bailey:

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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

#KernCCDDaringMightyThings

A busy week in October at Kern CCD

Uncategorized October 15, 2022 Leave a comment

Spent a few days in San Diego for a conference the same weekend the TwitchCon convention for the livestreaming video platform Twitch was in town. As part of their festivities, AT&T hosted a water show, “Rumble in the Harbor,” which featured 120-inch foot projections onto the seafront.

Just wow…..

Good morning, friends.
It is October 15, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

PC Announces Next CHAP Event

Professor Richard Goode

The Porterville College Historical Awareness Program (CHAP) continues its celebration of 20 years with another fascinating discussion, this time from PC Professor Emeritus Richard Goode.

Join us on October 27th as Richard Goode introduces this Geologic Time Scale. He will discuss the term “Epoch” and what adding to or modifying the Geologic Time Scale could mean.

Richard Goode, Professor Emeritus of Physical and Earth Sciences, is a Porterville area native and a product of Porterville Schools – including Porterville College. He has a BS in Physics from California State University, Bakersfield, and an MS in Geoscience from Mississippi State University.

Professor Goode retired in May of 2021 after teaching Physical Science, Geology, and Earth Science at Porterville College for the past 22 years. He and his wife, Georgia enjoy SCUBA diving and traveling to as many dive spots as possible.

DRC Uses Film to highlight Disability Rights for Awareness Month

The Porterville College Disability Resource Center (DRC) held an event to educate PC students on the Disability Rights movement that started in the 1970’s with a group of camp attendees.  DRC Counselor Errin Sullivan Arcos spoke about how these events have a direct impact on Disability Rights.

This film is about the experiences of a group of disabled young people on their journey to activism and adulthood.

PC Participates in Innovators by Design Conference

Porterville College faculty, staff, and Administrators participated in the annual Innovators By Design Summit sponsored by the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at the Visalia Wyndam Hotel and Conference Center.

CTE and STEM program faculty and staff met with local industry leaders and government partners on best-practices and solutions for the future of workforce development needs for the county.

PC Presents at HACU Annual Conference

A group of PC Students, Staff, Faculty, and Administrators headed to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual conference in San Diego.

While at the conference, Ana Ceballos, Primavera Arvizu, Jackie Escareno Salas, and DJ Vanderwerff presented about the strength of partnerships in building pathways to education.

PC President Dr. Claudia Habib joined the group at the conference. She said, “Great presentation by our team of Pirates at this year’s HACU conference covering the importance of partnerships in our successful Early Education Pathway and Elementary Teaching Education degree. Congratulations to all of those involved!”

Cerro Coso Community College

Club Rush at the Ridgecrest Campus

The Student Government of Cerro Coso held their fall Club Rush on Wednesday, October 12, in the Ridgecrest Campus student center. 

“Club Rush is a great way for students to get involved on campus,” stated Student Activities Director Tyson Huffman.  “By getting involved in a club students have the opportunity to increase leadership, citizenship, and service skills that enhance Cerro Coso and the community.  Students meet new people, and most of all, do more of what they love.”

Every semester the SGCC and club leadership host a Club Rush to introduce the student body to the different clubs available on campus. 

Clubs are an important part of Cerro Coso as they motivate students to get more involved on campus, find friends with similar interests, and – in general – do some great things on and off campus.  They attract students who share the same interests like music, arts, or sports. 

Nightmare after Diagnosis – Relay for Life

Cancer does not discriminate.  It does not care if you are a male or female, what your ethnicity is, your age, or your social-economic status, or even if your family genes are prone to it happening or not…it can just show up! 

Cerro Coso’s Outreach Department championed this year’s Team “Nightmare After Diagnosis” raising funds and awareness during the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event held on Saturday, October 8, 2022.

Relay for Life is one of the largest peer-to-peer fundraising events dedicate to saving lives from cancer. 

The college participates every year in honor and memory of those who have fought the battle against cancer and to support the community. 

Bakersfield College

Finish In 4 Update

The 2nd Finish in 4 convening took place on Friday, October 7th at Bakersfield College. Over 100 faculty and staff from both BC and CSUB met in their discipline area to align Finish-in-4 Pathways, and further increase 4-year college completion through.

For nearly 8 years, both institutions have been working together to serve local students through pathways which guarantee students complete their transfer degree in the first 2 years at Bakersfield College and a baccalaureate degree in the following 2 years at CSUB. Together, the goal has always been to move students through and to the next stage of their educational and career journey in an efficient and impactful way.

At Friday’s event, faculty and staff reviewed existing pathways for necessary revisions to keep curriculum and alignment up-to-date, while also adding new degree pathways to the program. Bakersfield College is aiming to include nearly 30 degrees including Kinesiology and Psychology, which is one of BC’s largest transfer disciplines.

1st Annual CV PATH Research Symposium

On Friday, September 23rd Bakersfield College hosted the 1st annual Central Valley Pathways in Academics, Teaching and Higher Education (PATH) research symposium.

Over the summer, 24 BC students for anthropology, science, math, and engineering participated in a four-week research program at either CSU Bakersfield or UC Merced. Faculty, administrators, and staff from the three campuses attended the Symposium luncheon, and students presented posters on their projects.  

Aera Energy Creates Four Internships for Industrial Automation Students

Aera Energy LLC, developed four internship positions just for our Bachelors of Science Industrial Automation students.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – Trunk or Treat 

The Open Door Network, in partnership with Bakersfield College and the Consent Project Club, is hosting a Trunk or Treat event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). This event will be held on Thursday, October 27th from 4:00PM to 7:00PM at Bakersfield College in the southwest parking lot at University and Haley. This is a community event open to everyone for free. Multiple local nonprofits and organizations, BCSGA, Office of Student Life, and BC departments will be participating. 

College Teams Represent Kern CCD at CCCAOE Fall 2022 Conference

Teams from all three colleges headed down to sunny Palm Springs last week for the CCCAOE Fall 2022 Conference. In addition to attending the conference, we were also well represented in the line-up of presenters. Dean Tony Cordova and Dean Jessica Grimes lead the CVML Regional Meeting, the Early College team from Bakersfield College had a packed breakout session on how to expand CTE programs through Dual Enrollment, and Kern CCD Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development Trudy Gerald participated on a panel lead by KCSOS on the K16 Grant Collaborative work taking place in the Central Valley. 

While sadly no one from our district brought home a trophy from the exciting rubber duck race that took place in the lazy river during the President’s Welcome Reception on Wednesday night, they all left feeling like champions from the week of great workshops and keynote sessions planned by CCCAOE and the opportunity to network with vendors and community college partners from across the state.

Kern CCD Partners with Futuro Health to Address Statewide Need for Medical Assistants

Left to Right: Nicole Griffin, Vanesa Hernandez, Victoria Koiyan,
Terri Hack, Matthew Wanta, Christine Small,
Jackie Stoner, Jessica Kawelmacher, Joy Hermsen.

Last Spring, Kern CCD entered into an innovative partnership with Futuro Health, a nonprofit organization focused on “providing relevant solutions to the healthcare workforce shortage in ways pertinent to this moment in time”. The planning team behind this partnership was led by Craig Hayward, Bonita Steele, Vice President Dr. Corey Marvin, Nicole Griffin and Kylie Campbell. The effort and dedication of these individuals made this partnership a reality and provided a successful model for future adult learner partnerships within Kern CCD.  

Program implementation for the first cohort from Futuro Health was led by Health Career Expansion Program Director, Jackie Stoner, along with key staff from Cerro Coso CC–Matt Wanta, Christine Small, Jessica Kawelmacher, Alyssa Bloomberg and Terri Hack, as well as BC Ed. Advisor Vanesa Hernandez. The team provided a series of workshops on the Medical Assisting program, CCCapply, financial aid, registration, and Canvas to make it possible for our first cohort of Futuro Health students to start their educational journey with us in Summer 2022. As they moved forward into their second semester, we could see and feel the excitement of our students as they are one step closer to their personal and career goals. This cohort will complete their Administrative Medical Assisting AND Clinical Medical Assisting Certificates with Cerro Coso in August 2023.

On Tuesday, September 27, the teams from Kern CCD, Cerro Coso and Futuro Health met in person for a full day retreat at the Weill Institute to discuss our efforts thus far, address barriers that we have seen and prep for additional cohorts. We are excited to announce that our second cohort will begin in Spring 2023, with recruitment starting this Fall!

The team has a running joke about Matt Wanta. Every time we think of something he can’t do, he comes back with one better. So, since he cannot fly (yet), we decided to get him his own personal superman cape. It is truly an understatement as Matt’s vision to serve students and the community shine through his effort to make anything possible. In his words “We are not only offering a great program, but we are grooming students into a recession proof career, a career serving communities and growing communities, helping them into being financially secure, serving the needs of clinics and providers, bolstering our (Futuro Health and Cerro Coso) success, and finally, if not evident, making a difference!”

Kern CCD is proud to partner with Futuro Health as they address a statewide need for well-trained healthcare professionals. A special thank you to my colleague and Futuro Healt CEO, Van Ton-Quinlivan, for her leadership in these efforts and for her team’s collaboration with us here at Kern CCD.

Chancellor’s Seminar Series

Last week, we held another installment in the Chancellor’s Seminar Series. October 4th’s seminar, “Future of Teaching and Learning,” featured a panel discussion lead by Bob Simpkins, with panelists Jaclyn Kesller, Chris Cruz Boone, Rachel Tatro-Duarte, and Alex Rockey.

Here are my opening remarks from the seminar:

And here’s the panel discussion:

You can see all Chancellor’s Seminar Series videos at https://www.kccd.edu/chancellors-office/chancellors-communications/chancellors-seminar-series.

Kern CCD Faculty Innovation and Leadership Initiative

All Kern Community College District faculty are invited to apply to this year’s cohort of the Faculty Innovation and Leadership Initiative.

Those interested can apply and upload their CV at https://forms.office.com/r/fPHVCcQHF4. The deadline to submit is Friday, October 28th at 11:59 a.m. 

For more information, check out the flyer at https://sonyachristianblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Faculty-Innovation-and-Leadership-Investment-Initiative-Fall-2022.pdf.

In the News

Letter to the editor: Star Party was a success

Cerro Coso Community College President Sean Hancock wrote this letter to The Daily Independent about the recent Astronomical Barbecue and Star Party – the first in two years.

Renegade Promenade: Alumni, Family, and Friend Day at Bakersfield College

Studio 17’s Kait Hill talked to Executive Director, Cheryl Scott and Alumni & Donor Relations, Courtney Carter of the Bakersfield College Foundation about the Renegade Promenade event happening today!

Check it out at Renegade Promenade: Alumni, Family, and Friend Day at Bakersfield College | KGET 17.

Overwhelming demand for online classes is reshaping California’s community colleges

An article in the Los Angeles Times this week looked at demand for online classes throughout the California community college system. Our own Emmanuel Mourtzanos was quoted:

“We have a lot of our younger students who want to be face to face,” said Emmanuel Mourtzanos, a vice chancellor in the Kern Community College District, which includes Bakersfield. “But I think that a lot of our older students are saying, ‘I never thought that this was possible.’”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Here’s a photo of me with the three colloege presidents – Dr. Sean Hancock from Cerro Coso Community College, Dr. Claudia Habib from Porterville College, and Dr. Zav Dadabhoy from Bakersfield College:

This past Saturday morning several Renegade Football student-athletes teamed up to volunteer at the Mission at Kern County as they had a bye week.  They helped clean up around the Mission and provided much needed inventory support to help the staff facilitate their daily operations a little more efficiently. What a way to serve the community! Well done, Renegades!

Check out the schedule on gogades.com for upcoming athletic activities.

Mayor Karen Goh sent me this photo of BC nursing students and their instructor serving at the Veterans Stand Down event at at Stramler Park on Thursday:

Nicole Parra shared this photo with NaTesha Johnson:

“Thank you Jennifer for the invite to speak to the 2022 KCHCC Energy & Ag Academy. Great to meet so many students from Bakersfield College, CSUB & Fresno State interested in careers in ag, energy, industrial automation, welding and architecture! Wow! So cool to update them about CREL@KernCCD & the work our Chancellor Sonya Christian is leading in our energy ecosystem! #KCHCC #KERNCCD #CREL #partnerships #energy“

And check out this video that Professor James McGarrah shared with me to promote the Modern Energy certificate. Thank you to Rebecca Farley and Professor Jeff Huston from BC’s Arts program!

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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

#KernCCDDaringMightyThings

Kern CCD Daring Mighty Things Oct 2022

Uncategorized October 8, 2022 Leave a comment

This week we announced the soft launch of the California Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL)

Thank you Assembly member Rudy Salas, the Governor and other political leaders in California for the $50 million to help establish CREL.

We are creating the future; committed to developing the workforce, creating grid resilience, clean transportation, and leading Kern County in energy innovation. CREL is just the beginning of a promising future in a changing energy landscape, and we are so thankful to have the support of our State and local leaders.

Good morning, friends.
It is October 8, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

PC Continues Celebration of Hispanic Heritage with Visit from Author Gary Soto

Porterville College continued its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a visit from author, filmmaker, and poet Gary Soto this week.  The author joined students, faculty, and community members in the Porterville College Theater to talk about his works and to share stories from his VERY colorful life and career as a writer.   

Gary Soto was born and raised in Fresno, California. He is the author of thirteen poetry collections for adults, most notably NEW AND SELECTED POEMS. He has received the Discovery-The Nation Prize and the California Library Association’s John and Patricia Award [twice], in addition to fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts [also twice], and the Guggenheim Foundation.

Soccer returns to Jamison Stadium after a 20-year absence

A surprisingly large crowd for a Tuesday afternoon watched the return of Pirate Soccer to Porterville College this week as the Woman’s Soccer team hit the field at Jamison Stadium for the first time in over 20 years. 

It was uncertain at the beginning of the semester whether the team would be able to play on-campus this year due to delays in the refurbishing project at the stadium.  The campus was alerted that the stadium project would be complete by the first scheduled home game in the nick of time and the program was able to return home on time.  If Tuesday’s attendance was any indication, it seems like fans are excited to come out for Collegiate soccer in Porterville. 

The team, headed by head coach Amber Hernandez, put up a strong showing, despite being shut out by the Fresno City College Rams in their debut. Regardless of the score, we can’t wait to see what the Pirates bring to the field this year and in years to come!

PC Law Enforcement Academy Hits the Range

Administration of Justice Professor Jeff Jacobs (@theUSinjustice) Shared some photos of our Law Enforcement academy hitting the Porterville Police Department firing range last weekend as part of their training. 

Cerro Coso Community College

Cerro Coso proud sponsor of Inaugural Women’s Leadership Conference in Tehachapi

Cerro Coso Community College was a sponsor for the inaugural Women’s Leadership Conference in Tehachapi on September 28. 

The event included an immersive day of hands-on workshops, panel discussions and inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and change-makers making an impact in business and the community. 

Cerro Coso faculty and staff in attendance were Vonetta Mixson, Saya Novinger, Denise Allen, and Nicole Griffin. 

Cerro Coso also formed and participated in a Fellows Program, which awarded 8 students in the community free admission to the event. The Fellows awardees were Lauren Willis, Justice Anderson, Kristen Roghair, Jocelyn Botello, Emily Soto, Imanni Brar, Angelina Flores, and Mia Flores. 

It was a wonderful and inspirational event for women in STEM and across multiple industries.

Transfer Awareness Week October 10-14

Transfer Awareness Week will kick off on Monday, October 10th with a workshop on Preparing to Transfer from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in MB 350 B and via Zoom.  Topics will cover the transfer process, Cerro Coso programs, and timelines.  

On Tuesday, October 11 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. is a CSU Application Workshop in MB 318 and via Zoom.  This is a great workshop for students planning to transfer to a CSU and wanting help filling out the CSU application. 

A UC Application Workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 12th from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in MB 318 B and via Zoom.  Want to get a jump start on your UC Application?  This workshop will help students get started and show them the process of filling out the UC application.  

A UC Questions Workshop will be held on Thursday October 13th from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in MB 318 and via Zoom.  This workshop will provide guidance on how to answer, “Personal Insight Questions?”  What UCs are looking for and what to consider while answer the questions will be covered.

A Transfer Resources Workshop will be held on Friday,  October 14th from 11 am to 12 pm in MB 318 and Zoom.  This workshop is designed to provide students with more information on transferring.  Information and useful transfer resources like Cerro Coso’s COL C131: Making Transfer Easy course.  

College employees are encouraged to participate by wearing their alma mater gear and being prepared to share the highlights.

Registration is required to attend any of the workshops via Zoom.  Links and information available at https://www.cerrocoso.edu/studentservices/transfer-center/transfer-awareness-week-2022

Tehachapi Campus hosts Hocus Pocus Movie Night Oct. 28 

The Tehachapi campus of Cerro Coso (SGCC) invites the public to enjoy a unique viewing experience of the popular 90’s classic Hocus Pocuson Friday, October 28, 2022 at 6:30 pm in the quad.  

Join them in the quad for an outdoor fun, free, spooky, Halloween movie night.  

Drive-in movies are virtually a thing of the past – movie goers are encouraged to bring their family, friends, blankets, and lawn chair to enjoy a unique experience.  

Hocus Pocus is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film that follows a villainous comedic trio of witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy (Omri Katz) in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween.  The film is directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Neil Cuthbert and Mick Garris.  

Free popcorn and treats, just bring a bowl.

Wear your favorite costume or come just as you are.

The first 30 people to attend will receive a ghoulish goodie bag.  

Kawelmacher Named New Director of Admissions and Records

Congratulations to Jessica Kawelmacher on her new position as Director of Admissions & Records.

Kawelmacher is a Ridgecrest native that managed to move out of Ridgecrest for a few years and experience other places after her high school graduation. She found herself back in Ridgecrest in 2011 with her two older daughters and soon after met her husband Kenneth.

She started working at Cerro Coso in 2015 in the Financial Aid office and moved to the Admissions & Records Department in 2016.

A Cerro Coso alumna, Kawelmacher holds an AA in Liberal Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences (2019), and a BS in Management from Bellevue University (2021).  She is also a 2019 graduate of the KCCD Leadership Academy.  She has plans to go back to school in the spring to earn a teaching credential with the hopes of becoming a CC adjunct professor in the next few years, while also managing the A&R office, of course. 

For fun, Kawelmacher loves to camp, hike, create crafts with her Cricut, paint, work with wood, read, and play The Sims.  

A very reputable motto that Kawelmacher lives by is, “The only time I set the bar low is for limbo.” –Michael Scott (from “The Office”).

Congratulations to Jessica on her new leadership position at Cerro Coso Community College! 

Koiyan Now Director of Financial Aid

Congratulations to Victoria Koiyan on her new position as the Director of Financial Aid.

Also known as “Tori”, Koiyan has over 12 years in Financial Aid and worked with Bakersfield College for 6 years before moving to Cerro Coso Community College.  

She grew up in Delano and eventually moved to Bakersfield when she started high school.  She lived in Bakersfield for 18 years before moving to Ridgecrest this past year.

Koiyan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ashford University.   

For fun, Koiyan likes to dance, sing, do random monologues for her family, occasionally fish, and as it cools down, she will get back into hiking. 

Her motto in life is “Your happiness is worth the risk!” 

Cerro Coso welcomes Tori to her new role as the Director of Financial Aid.  Congratulations!

Bakersfield College

Ribbon cutting held for 2nd Peace and Learning Garden 

This week BC held the ribbon cutting for the second Peace and Learning Garden on campus – the Gandhi Peace and Learning Garden. Thank you Ravi and Naina Patel for helping create this beautiful space for our students and community.

Check out more photos at: https://bakersfieldcollege.smugmug.com/Campus-Photos-and-Galleries/2022-Peace-and-Learning-Garden-Ribbon-Cutting/

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Takes 1st at WSC Preview

The Renegade Cross Country team traveled to LA Pierce for the 2022 WSC Preview for their fourth meet of the season on Friday, September 30th. A total of 10 teams were ready to compete and see where they would stand in the Western State Conference.

The Men finished 1st with a total time of 1:52:28 on the four-mile course. The highest men’s finisher was BC freshman Francisco Felix finishing on top (1st) with a time of 21:30.

The Women finished 1st with a total time of 1:40:46 on a 5k course. The highest finisher was BC sophomore Rain Gomez finishing on top (1st) with a time of 18:25, a personal best. 

Gandhi Alliance for Interfaith Harmony Conference

Last weekend BC hosted the in-person return of the 25th Annual Gandhi Alliance for Interfaith Harmony Conference to our Renegade Ballroom. In partnership with Bakersfield College’s Distinguished Speaker Series, the event welcomed Reverend James Lawson and several other esteemed guest speakers from various faith backgrounds. The event brought together students, staff, faculty, and the community to discuss the role of faith in promoting peaceful co-existence and non-violent action as a feasible response to modern civil transgressions. The conference allowed for thoughtful dialogue between panelists and audience members to foster a new generation of leaders who can continue engaging in this work. Mayor Karen Goh presented the conference a Certificate of Appreciation for the event’s commitment to  “promoting a message of interfaith harmony, increasing appreciation and respect for diverse faith traditions, and fostering peace and non-violence.”

BC Transfer Pathways Collaboration

Bakersfield College Transfer Pathways continues to prepare prospective transfer students for the upcoming fall application season. Various in-person and Zoom workshops for the California State University and University of California have begun, and will extend through the month of October and November at the Main, Southwest, and Delano campuses. Details of the workshops and participant sign-up may be found on the Transfer Pathways webpage, www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/transfer.  

Highlighting a most recent collaboration for transfer pathways, on September 26th, UC Santa Cruz Admissions Representative Jenny Moreno partnered with the BC Transfer Pathways team to host an in-person UC Transfer Admission Guarantee workshop (UC TAG). UC prospective students anticipated for the fall 2024 class joined at the Fireside Room and received valuable early insight, preparation, and guidance in applying to the UC.

TALE Blog

This week, we had a new submission in the KernCCDTALEBlog – “Entering A Brave New Metaworld: VR and Education.“

Porterville College English Professor Rachel Tatro-Duarte shared her experience using virtual reality to reach students and share virtual experiences.

“Perhaps it’s time for us to — not say goodbye to what learning in the classroom used to look like pre-Covid — but welcome VR, the newcomer, into our brave new post-Covid educational world.“

In the News

Bakersfield College Second Peace and Learning Garden

KGET aired this video about the newest Peace and Learning Garden at BC:

Steven Mayer also wrote this piece for The Bakersfield Californian about the garden.

“These peace gardens are a place for students, faculty, staff and community to reflect, to grow, to find inspiration and to practice engaging others with compassion and tolerance,” said Krista Moreland, chair of Behavioral Sciences at Bakersfield College.

Read more: https://www.bakersfield.com/news/bc-opens-second-of-five-peace-gardens-planned-for-its-panorama-drive-campus/article_ea0408d8-4371-11ed-88b1-5f7cc213f317.html

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

BC Academic Technology wished Pam Rivers a happy birthday on October 7:

Nicole Parra shared this photo with NaTesha Johnson and Rudy Salas:

Porterville High School shared photos of the PC team on the PHS campus for College Day:

BC Rural Initiatives shared this post from the Delano Street Fair:

“2022 Delano Chamber of Commerce-Street Fair. It was great to see so many of our community members walking around after a couple of years of having this event cancelled. it was a great success, we had several families stopping by our table, getting information about returning to in-person classes. Bakersfield College did an amazing job representing we had two tables our Rural Initiatives team as well as out Bakersfield College CTE partners. Providing information about our programs and services we offer to our students is what we do best.”

***

In August, I was the invited speaker to the DKG, AAUW and League of Women Voters event celebrating Women’s Equality Day. I wanted to leave you with a video of my remarks:

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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

#KernCCDDaringMightyThings

Being vigilant about not hurting each other

Uncategorized October 1, 2022 Leave a comment

Coolio passed away at age 59. His biggest hit, one of my favorite songs, Gangsta’s Paradise, was released in 1995.

“Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the ones we hurt, are you and me?”

The song was featured in the film “Dangerous Minds,” a movie based on retired U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson’s autobiography “My Posse Don’t Do Homework.” In 1989, she took a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, teaching a class of mostly African-American and Latino students from racially segregated and economically disadvantaged East Palo Alto. Her students are disengaged and involved in drugs and gangs, and she utilizes unconventional teaching methods to reach and inspire them.

The song, which was released just days before the film, relies heavily on biblical themes – starting with the opening lyrics “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” a reference to Psalm 23:4. Choral background vocals add to this religious imagery. It is perhaps a surprising juxtaposition – a Grammy-winning Rap song that starts by quoting a Bible verse.

And while the rest of the song diverges sharply from the Psalm’s tone and message, it does come to a universal message –

Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the ones we hurt, are you and me?

On Wednesday night, the Kern Community College District held the first annual Jack Hernandez Phronesis Award & Jack Hernandez Lecture Dinner. Award recipient and Bakersfield College professor Nick Strobel gave the lecture, titled “The virtue of humility in science, religion and freedom of speech.”

In his section on humility in religion, he discusses the importance of humility in our interactions with each other, and the importance of loving one’s neighbor. He quotes Paul’s letter to the Romans:

“Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart.”

And from Paul’s letter to the Phillippians:

“Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.”

You can view his entire lecture here:

What do we lose when instead of humility and love for one another, we focus only on our own selves with no regard for our neighbors?

“Tell me why are we, so blind to see
That the ones we hurt, are you and me?”

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Good morning, friends.
It is October 1, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

Janice Ledgerwood: “Campus Cuties: Trophy Wives Prep Program” Exhibition Comes to the PC Gallery on October 3rd

The public is invited to see our latest exhibition at the PC Art Gallery, Janice Ledgerwood: “Campus Cuties: Trophy Wives Prep Program”.

  • DATES OF SHOW: October 3 – 27, 2022
  • GALLERY HOURS: Monday – Thursday from 12 – 2 pm and 4 – 6 pm

Janice Ledgerwood’s work as an artist embraces both established and emergent technologies while examining the places where feminist philosophy and theory, political ideologies and theories, popular cultural production, personal experience, and narratives (both fictional and real) intersect.

The Campus Cuties, as named and produced by Marx Toys in the mid-twentieth century, are two series of six-inch figurines of women in contemporary clothing of that time. Since Ledgerwood’s discovery of this toy series, it has been a focus of her work.

For this exhibition, the artwork explores the confluence of contemporary political discourse with history, pop culture, and women’s roles, status, and participation within Western society. The sculptures in this exhibition are 3D-printed mid-century figurines that are hand-painted and displayed on pedestals designed in Photoshop and produced with a laser cutter.

Ledgerwood has exhibited in both group and solo exhibits throughout the United States as well as in France and the Netherlands.

Ledgerwood earned her BFA at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, CA, and her MFA at California State University, Fullerton. Prior to her tenure at the State Center Community College District, Ledgerwood lived and worked in southern California as an adjunct professor at USC and various community colleges, as an art museum director, and as a community art gallery director where she organized and curated a variety of exhibitions. Ledgerwood is currently a tenured art and multi-media professor at Clovis Community College.

PC VP of Student Services Delivers Keynote for CSUB Scholarship Ceremony

Porterville College Vice President of Student Services Primavera Arvizu delivered the keynote address at the 39th Annual Hispanic Excellence Scholarship Fund (HESF) Awards Program at CSU Bakersfield on Friday, September 23.

The fund recognizes academically excellent students with awards and scholarships. Since 1984, HESF has supported over 1,800 outstanding students from our community.  It seeks to increase access to a college education for academically excellent financially deserving underrepresented students who demonstrate leadership potential. 

Arvizu, who is a former recipient of an HESF award, delivered the keynote address to a room of over 20 scholarship recipients, including three recipients from the Kern Community College District. Frank Ramirez, PC’s Director of Student Services, was also in attendance at the event.  He had the following to say about Arvizu’s Address, “Primavera inspired the recipients of the California State University, Bakersfield Hispanic Excellence Scholarship. The biggest moment [for me] was when she dropped the African Proverb about a Gazelle. Read it and let it sink in on how it relates to the journey that all first-generation college students and first-generation professionals face every day.”

The proverb used in her address follows: 

Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you better start running.

Next CHAP Event Explores the Claim, “We Are All Romans”

Jay Hargis (Pictured at a prior CHAP event)

The Porterville College Historical Awareness Program (CHAP) continues its celebration of 20 years and this semester’s theme of The Anthropocene with our next presentation, “We Are All Romans”.

The event, presented by PC Professor Emeritus Jay Hargis, will explore our understanding of our historical roots.

Join us on Thursday, October 6th from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in the PC Theater for this discussion on heritage, history, and where we all come from.

Professor Jay Hargis has offered classes in history at Porterville College since 1991 – first as an adjunct and then as a full-time history professor. He retired from PC earlier this year.  Areas of historical interest that he has explored in 23 previous CHAP and other topical presentations over the years have included Mexican and Mexican American history, the Cold War, US politics of the ‘60s and ‘70s, our Islamic heritage, medieval history, 19th-century European conflicts, the legacies of World War I, the US in the Middle East since the 1940s, fictional history in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and other topics. 

For more information on the CHAP program, you can visit https://www.portervillecollege.edu/chap.

Cerro Coso Community College

Star Party and Barbecue Draw Big Crowd to Cerro Coso

Cerro Coso understands the public’s fascination with the night sky and goes the extra mile to welcome and accommodate guests that are keen to stargazing at their annual Star Party and Barbecue.

For the first time in two years the annual Star Party and Barbecue was held on Friday, September 23, 2022 in the fountain area of the Ridgecrest campus. 

After an evening a good food, great music, and raffles, participants stayed to enjoy the spectacular night sky at the Dr. Alex Shlanta Astronomical Observatory.

Special thanks go out to this year’s event Sponsors: Desert Valley’s FCU, Henzel Phelps Construction Company, Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, Toyota of Ridgecrest, 760 Fitness, The Swap Sheet, T.J. Frisbee, and Sylvia Sotomayor. 

The China Lake Astronomical Society joined Astronomy Professor Dr. Scott Cameron in educating party goers on the impressive objects in the sky.

The event drew kids of all ages to the college for a variety of fun activities, games, and viewing of the beauty and wonder of the night skies. 

Thanks to the Maintenance and Operations team for their hard work in setting up and bringing new and creative ideas to this year’s event, and to the many volunteers that contribute to the success of this year’s event.

The Cerro Coso Community College Foundation held this fundraising event in support of Cerro Coso programs, students, and staff. It is estimated between 350 and 400 people were in attendance.

Hands on with science and astronomy – educational and fun for the whole family!

Cerro Coso to participate in Relay for Life

Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraiser, bringing communities together to honor and remember loved ones and take action for lifesaving change in the fight against cancer.  Cerro Coso will be participating and invites all to be a part of their team.   

The event will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at the Leroy Jackson Sports Complex from 9 AM to midnight.

The goal of participating in this event as a whole college is to recognize and honor those individuals and support the cause to raise funds to fight against cancer.  The more people who participate in Relay for Life, the more money can be raised to support breakthrough research, 24/7 support for cancer patients, access to lifesaving screenings, and much more.

Will you join us to help raise money for the American Cancer Society? To walk, simply Click here to view the TEAM page for Cerro Coso Community College

Purchase a Luminaria: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=relay_luminaria&PROXY_TYPE=21&PROXY_ID=102622&fr_id=102622&search=event  Click that link and find the team name Cerro Coso Community College you can donate and purchase a luminaria in honor of someone you love.

Banned Books Week

The Cerro Coso Library celebrated the freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 18th-24th, with displays encouraging students to #resistthepurge on social media or by reading books that have been banned from libraries across the country – titles that include To Kill a Mockingbird, The Diary of Anne Frank, and the Harry Potter series.”

Banned Books Week has been an annual nationwide campaign led by the American Library Association since 1982. It draws attention to the problems of censorship and highlights the value of open access to information.

For more information, check out https://bannedbooksweek.org/

Bakersfield College

Delano 50th Anniversary

On Monday, September 26th, I joined the Bakersfield College community, Kern CCD Trustees Romeo Agbalog and Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, and Assembly Member Rudy Salas to commemorate 50 years of Bakersfield College supporting Renegades in Delano.

It all began when the Kern Community College District voted to build a second campus for Bakersfield College in downtown Bakersfield in the mid-1970s, Delano’s leaders clamored for their own dedicated campus in Delano. That led in the fall of 1977 to the construction of a new facility on Randolph Street where 50 courses were offered to 850 students. Now, BC continues to grow and looks forward to the opening of the newest Learning Resource Center facility on the BC Delano campus. Special guests in attendance at Monday’s event included Julio Segura, Trustees Romeo Agbalog, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, and Assemblymember Rudy Salas.

6th Annual Panorama Creative Music Summit

The Panorama Music Summit kicked off this week at Bakersfield College for the 6th time. During week one, students were invited to participate in special workshops throughout the day and concerts were held for students and the community in the evening. 

Luke Temple gave an Improvisation talk on Wednesday, and spoke about his own sources of inspiration. As a child he enjoyed listening to punk rock and later found an interest in jazz, though now his favorites also include The Beatles and Elliott Smith. His songwriting career began with folk music. One student asked Mr. Temple, “What distinguishes pop music from the other genres?” Temple responded, “Well, pop stands for popular, so the primary thing that distinguishes pop music from the others are simply the numbers.” Temple later went on to say that songwriting is meaningful to him because he sees it as a form of self-discovery and expression. 

For information on next week’s activities, visit bcjazz.org.

Bakersfield College RN – Mercy Hospital Recruitment

Another of our many partners, Mercy Hospital, hosted our upcoming graduating class of Registered Nursing students at the beautiful Stockdale Country Club this week. Future RNs had the opportunity to meet with department managers and ask questions about each department and their individual culture. Fifty-six of our soon-to-be graduates took advantage of learning detailed information from Mercy’s various departments to determine if they are a good fit for that team. Thank you, Mercy Hospital.

2022-23 Basketball Media Day

The Bakersfield College Athletics Department would like to invite the campus to attend the 2022-23 Basketball Media Day. The 2022-23 Basketball season is upon us and BC Athletics is extending a warm welcome to join the Renegades in kicking off the season with the 2022 BC Basketball Media Day on Thursday, October 6th at 11:00AM at the Gil Bishop Sports Center. The event will take place on the top floor of the main front entrance. A full list of speakers can be found below and more to come.

The event is free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to park in lot P7, off of Mt. Vernon.  

Fun Photos & other news spotted on social media

Subscribe to Kern CCD TALE blog today – https://kernccdtaleblog.org/

The Teaching-and-Learning Experiences (TALE) blog provides a virtual space for faculty, instructional support staff, former faculty, and others within KCCD to contribute original blog posts that describe their insights and ideas rooted in their experiences in the classroom or working with our students, their implications for ensuring that learning occurs with intentional outcomes, and their relationship to faculty engagement and innovation, and student success. 

BC Industrial Automation shared this post:

“Thank you AeraEnergyLLC for your internship presentation and for creating an Automation Internship opportunity for our students locally.”

The Cerro Coso Learning Assistance Center created this video to help students access their Math & Writing Lab:

And check out this great video by Jonathan Hernandez at Porterville College:

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

The future is bright at KernCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KernCCDDaringMightyThings

The wisdom of ‘love thy neighbor’

Uncategorized September 24, 2022 Leave a comment

Sep 24th …. beautiful morning as I walked Neo. The moon was a tiny but bright sliver; the air was soft in the predawn hours. Yesterday, I had the Laver Cup doubles match on in the background while I did my zoom meetings, where Federer and Nadel teamed up for Federer’s last match as he moved into retirement. Of course I had to tune into the match, if only because it was the eve of my mom’s birthday. She loved watching tennis, and would have loved seeing them team up for the occasion.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today I will celebrate my mom’s birthday spending time doing some of of my mom’s favorite things – including enjoying mcdonald’s french fries, and doing an evening Krispy Kreme run, hoping that they have the “Hot Now” sign lit up on the outside.

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This past week was busy. It started with a conference in LA, then off to DC, back Thursday night followed by a jampacked Friday at the office.

I did the conference in LA with Steve Watkin and Kylie Campbell, and did the DC meetings with Nicole Parra.

One of the highlights for me in DC was seeing the Herbert C. Hoover Building – the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Commerce – located across from The Ellipse in front of The White House.

Source: https://axiasinc.com/herbert-hoover-building

When it was completed in 1932, it was the largest office building in the world. Its length of 1,050 feet exceeds the U.S. Capitol by 300 feet. It contains 3,311 rooms. It took more than 11 million bricks and 16,400 tons of steel to complete.

I was awestruck by this amazing feat of architecture, which covers more than 8 acres and 3 city blocks. One other amazing factoid about this building – its expansion and contraction features are such that on the hottest day in summer, the structure may be three inches longer than on the coldest day in winter.

I also attended a reception at the House of Sweden – a gorgeous Scandinavian building that houses the Embassy of Sweden, the Embassy of Iceland, office space and an Event Center that features conference and exhibition halls.

House of Sweden
Source: http://www.houseofsweden.com

Finally, when I’m in DC, I always remember to take a walk to the Washington Monument – which, at 555 feet, was the tallest structure in the world from its completion in 1884 until the Eiffel Tower overtook it in 1889. Today, it remains the world’s tallest obelisk, as well as the world’s tallest predominantly stone structure.

I love Washington DC!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.

Good morning, friends.
It is September 24, 2022 – My mom’s birthday
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

First Home Volleyball Match draws “Sea of Red” for Sweep of Columbia

PC Volleyball had a sea of support this past Wednesday evening for their first home game with spectators since before the pandemic. A large crowd of students and community members packed the stands to share their Pirate Pride as PC hit the court.

The Pirates returned to their home turf after a win on the road against West Hills Coalinga last Friday.  They impressed the large home crowd with an impressive three-set sweep against the Columbia College Claim Jumpers. They are now 2-0 in the Central Valley Conference. Their overall record stands at 5-6.

The Pirates showed solid play taking game one 25-19. and game two 25-13. The Pirates third game had the Pirates and the Claim jumpers trading some vicious hits, and the lead changed several times until PC pulled off the win 25-17.

PC welcomes another award winning author as Writer & Poets Series Returns to Campus  

Award winning author Gary Soto will join us on the PC Campus for a discussion on his work on Monday, October 3rd from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the PC College Forum.

Gary Soto was born and raised in Fresno, California. He is the author of thirteen poetry collections for adults, most notably NEW AND SELECTED POEMS, a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Award and the National Book Award.

Mr. Soto has received the Discovery-The Nation Prize and the California Library Association’s John and Patricia Award [twice], in addition to fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts [also twice], and the Guggenheim Foundation.

For ITVS, he produced the film “The Pool Party,” which received the 1993 Andrew Carnegie Medal. He was selected for his work with young people as the NBC Person of the Week in 1995. In 1999 he was honored with the Human and Civil Rights Award from the American Education Association, the Literature Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and the PEN Center West Book Award for his young adult short story collection PETTY CRIMES.

Several of his books have been translated into French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Join us Monday Oct 3 in the Porterville College Forum for Mr. Soto’s presentation.

Cerro Coso Community College

Veterans Resource Center

Jenny Frank, Jessica Kawelmacher, Addy Windsor, Erin Wingfield, and Eric Hansen in BC’s new Veterans Resource Center

Our veterans’ make sacrifices for our nation, but education does not have to be one of them! 

Jessica Kawelmacher and Addy Windsor from Cerro Coso’s Military and Veterans’ Services Center traveled to Bakersfield College’s Veterans Resource Center on Wednesday, 9/14, for a districtwide collaboration team meeting.

They had the opportunity to tour BC’s campus and new Science and STEM building, along with getting hands-on experience with the new robotics lab.

Bakersfield, Cerro Coso, and Porterville Colleges met as a team to collaborate and develop strategies to help veterans and military-connected students across the district and connect them with resources in all our service areas.

Bishop Union High School’s “Back to School & Club Rush”

On September 14th Sarah Land and Kim Blackwell from Bishop ESCC attended Bishop Union High School’s “Back to School & Club Rush” night.

It was a great opportunity to talk with local high school students and their parents about Cerro Coso’s concurrent and regular enrollment classes.

Outreach events like this help the college to connect with a much larger audience, build trust and awareness, and add credibility to our brand.  It increases awareness and helps us network and engage with the communities we service. 

Current high school students who want to take college courses at Cerro Coso while still in high school do not pay the unit enrollment fee.  The college offers both dual and concurrent enrollment classes that allow them to accumulate credits prior to entering college so they will be able to graduate from college early.

Blackwell Named Director of Cerro Coso Eastern Sierra Center

Kim Blackwell has been selected as the new Director of Cerro Coso Community College’s Eastern Sierra College Center (ESCC) in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.

“Cerro Coso Community College has been a large part of my adult life,” she said.  “I started as a 1st generation Cerro Coso college student, before transferring home to Minnesota to finish my degree in Social Work. I found employment right after graduation and spent time as an at-risk youth counselor, special education teacher, and social worker before rounding back to Cerro Coso to work as an Educational Advisor.”  July 2022 marked her 15th year in Counseling at the college.

As for ESCC, it serves all the communities from Lone Pine to Coleville, which from end-to-end is a 3-hour drive when the weather is good!

Blackwell replaces 16-year Director Deanna Ing Campbell who moved into a full-time faculty position at the college this fall to pursue her passion for teaching.

Bakersfield College

Tickets on Sale for the 38th Annual Kern Shakespeare Festival

Tickets are now on sale for the 38th Annual Kern Shakespeare Festival, this year presenting Romeo & Juliet and Love’s Labour’s Lost in repertory in the Edward Simonsen Outdoor Theatre!

Get your tickets today – only $10 for BC faculty, staff, and students:

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/kern-shakespeare-festival-26892322695

“For our 38th season, we’ve decided to focus on love! And who can’t use a little more love in their lives nowadays? We are excited to be back outdoors under the stars where our students can share their talents and hard work with the Bakersfield community,” said KSF Artistic Director Brian J. Sivesind. “We also look forward to officially bringing cold weather back to Bakersfield, which KSF tends to do every year!”

Love’s Labour’s Lost

Directed by Cody Ganger

October 5, 7, 13, 15

King Ferdinand and his best friends need to grow up! Just as they’ve sworn a three-year vow to focus on their studies and not even look upon a woman, the French Princess and her best friends show up at the king’s court. In classic Shakespearean fashion, the young people all fall in love with each other at first sight… but is it the kind of love that lasts? One of Shakespeare’s lesser known comedies, Love’s Labour’s Lost looks at the excitement and joy of friendship, young love, and what it means to grow up.

Romeo & Juliet

Directed by Brian J. Sivesind

October 6, 8, 12, 14

The streets of Verona run red with the stains of a long and deadly dispute. Amidst the chaos, two star-crossed lovers risk everything to be together. In defiance of their feuding families, Romeo and Juliet chase a future full of peace, passion, and joy. But will love be enough to save them from these violent ends? Featuring some of Shakespeare’s most beloved poetry, this timeless tale of romance, desire, and danger remains as fresh as ever more than 400 years after its debut.

Golf for BC Horticulture Scholarships

The Kern County California Landscape Contractors Association is having a golf tournament fundraiser for  BC Horticulture Scholarships.  Come out and have fun with Ralph Bailey and friends! It’s all for student scholarships and bragging rights.

The event will take place Friday, October 21st, with an 8 am start time.

Enjoy a relaxing Friday morning on the links at Sundale Country Club.  Lunch and prizes provided. Cost is $140/player or $525/foursome, with prizes for longest drive, closest to the hole, and winning team.Register at https://clcakerncounty.org/golf-registration/

Renegade Spotlight on Mathematics Faculty and Students

Joshua Lewis, Associate Professor and Department Chair of Mathematics at BC, has shared some exciting news with me. Under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Brown, undergraduate mathematics researchers have earned over $20K in awards; eight students across several research groups had work accepted and won awards at a conference, each receiving $900; and roughly 30 BC students have had research accepted for publication. 

A recent BC grad, Annabelle Recinos, will be recognized for her research work on a new measure for machine learning. She will receive this honor as part of a prestigious national fellowship that recognizes new leaders in STEM research. Congratulations to Joshua, Jonathan, and the whole math department, as well as these ambitious students, for their accomplishments. It is inspirational to see our Renegade Family achieving so much and changing the world in the process.

Our Pantry is Poppin’!

The Office of Student Life is excited to share that the Renegade Pantry is poppin’ once again. Since the beginning of the semester, the pantry has seen over 3500 individuals come through our doors. In the last week, we had over 1000 visitors – a pre-pandemic number we are excited to see again.

To continue to best serve students, the pantry will be expanding weekly hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to stay open until 7:00pm.

California Climate and Energy Forum

Hundreds of state and municipal policy leaders joined clean energy advocates at the 13th annual California Climate and Energy Forum this week in San Diego. This year’s event, which was organized by three of California’s Regional Energy Networks and the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition, was focused on Accelerating Climate Action and Advancing Justice.

Kern was there in full force – Norma Rojas-Mora moderated the panel with Dave Teasdale, Exec Director of the 21st Century Energy Institute; Traco Matthews, CAPK Chief Program Officer; and Christine Viterelli, City of Arvin grant writer.

This year’s Climate and Energy forum featured introductory remarks by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and the keynote plenary session featured a discussion with leaders from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the Strategic Growth Council.

In the News

Create More 4-Year Community College Degrees

I wanted to share my piece that was published in Inside Higher Ed. It looks at the important role that baccalaureate degrees at community colleges can play in addressing income inequality.

“Community colleges enroll large numbers of students of color and students from lower-income families. Having easy access to an affordable, high-quality baccalaureate degree is essential to economic and social mobility, making the American dream less elusive.”

Remember the wisdom of ‘love thy neighbor’

And Nick Strobel does it again with a beautifully written community voices essay in the Bakersfield Californian.

Church was a central part of our lives (and still is). … the love your neighbor as you love yourself commandment in Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-31, and Luke 10:25-28 (one of only two commandments given by Jesus); feeding the 5,000 in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-13; reward for hospitality in Matthew 10:40-42, Luke 14: 7-14, and Hebrews 13:2; “faith without works is dead” of James 2:14-26; etc. … The idea that “it’s not all about me” is part of our upbringing and continued practice in adulthood.

Jack Hernandez Lecture on Sep 29th

Jack Hernandez Phronesis Award and Jack Hernandez Lecture   I invite you to attend the inaugural Jack Hernandez Lecture Dinner on Thursday, September 29th at 5:00pm.  Dr. Nick Strobel, recipient of the district-wide Jack Hernandez Phronesis award will deliver the lecture at the Levan Center, Bakersfield College.  The lecture will be streamed to both Cerro Coso Community College and Porterville College.   Jack’s daughter Laura is traveling to Bakersfield from the east coast to be here for the inaugural lecture.  

Please RSVP to attend the dinner & lecture by contacting  Tarina Perry tperry@bakersfieldcollege.edu.  Seating is limited so email Tarina right away.   

More information can be found at: https://www.kccd.edu/chancellors-office/jack-hernandez-phronesis-award-and-lecture

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

A Kern CCD team supported the Kern County Fair “A Night of Oil” Person of the Year Dinner event recognizing Les Clark, Executive Vice President of the Independent Oil Producers Association (IOPA). Kern CCD Trustee Romeo Agbalog, Sonia Gomez, Sara Sullivan, Tony Cordova, Kern CCD Trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Liz Rozell, Norma Rojas, and Steven Watkin all turned out for the event.

Kern CCD and Bakersfield College were well represented at the Women’s and Girls’ Fund Annual Luncheon where Michelle “Mickey” Hay and Rhea Sharma were honored with the Judy McCarthy Women’s Philanthropy Award.  Congratulations to the grantees and award recipients.

From PC President Dr. Claudia Habib,

“What a treat to have award winning author @reynagrande inspiring our students @PCollegePirates Thank you for sharing your life journey and writings about immigration, trauma, family separation, and your @CalCommColleges experience. #WritersPoetsSpearkerSeries #HispanicHeritage“

From the Cerro Coso Learning Assistance Center:

Professor Bonner is in the Math Lab at the Ridgecrest campus. If you haven’t started using the Math and Writing Labs to support your studies, check them out! Learn more by learning with others.

From PC Administration of Justice Instructor Jeff Jacobs:

Porterville College’s Law Enforcement Academy Recruits standing tall and proud before class this semester. @PCollegePirates #porterville #portervillecollege #portervillecollegejustice #lawenforcement #policeacademy #tulare #gopcpirates #policetraining

And check out Carlos Medina and Isabelle Pastor from Bakersfield College Industrial Automation on Do The Math 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

#KernCCDDaringMightyThings

Sonya Christian's Blog