Category Archives: Uncategorized

KCCD Trustees recognize Chancellor Emeritus Tom Burke

Uncategorized December 18, 2021 Comments: 2

My first semester as Chancellor of the Kern Community College District has come to a close. I have so enjoyed this time with all three of our wonderful colleges and was overjoyed when the three presidents came together to thank the Board of Trustees for their leadership and support. It was definitely a moment …. and while President Claudia Habib spoke on behalf of the three presidents at the December Board meeting, I grabbed my phone and snapped this picture. #KCCDDaringMightyThings

President Zav Dadabhoy, President Sean Hancock, President Claudia Habib

At this week’s KCCD Board of Trustees meeting, the Board officially recognized Tom Burke as Chancellor Emeritus. Before the meeting, we held a short reception with delightful refreshments prepared by Chef Fidel and crew from BC and invited a few dignitaries to share remarks. With the pandemic and the emergence of omicron, we restricted the in-person gathering and did a livestream of the event. Tom’s colleagues and friends from across the state tuned in. Please note that masks were required for the indoor gathering and were only removed for photos.

Tom’s beautiful wife Tina attended the event:

Here are my remarks from the event:

As well as Vice Chancellor John Means:

KCCD Trustee Kay Meek:

And of course, the man of the hour himself – Tom Burke:

You can see all the videos on the Kern Community College District YouTube channel.

Good morning, friends…
It is December 18, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

Porterville College

Huge turnout for Polar Express Drive-Thru at PC

Porterville College got into the holiday spirit early, by hosting a community organized event to support local families with free services and food and to provide FREE community vaccinations. The Polar Express themed Drive-Thru event was held on campus this past weekend. The response was amazing, with hundreds of cars full of families coming out. 

The line of cars extended so far during the event that organizers actually had to reroute people to accommodate the traffic and keep things running smoothly.

Volunteers from the Parenting Network, Porterville College, Imperial Ambulance, Sierra View Medical Center, the City of Porterville, and the United Farm Workers Foundation (UFWF) worked tirelessly to provide vaccines to community members, along with food boxes, turkeys, Christmas gifts for the children, and gift wrapping. The event also provided disinfectant wipes, and necessities such as sanitizer and face masks to participants.

Lucy Hernandez from the UFWF said she was amazed at the turnout of Porterville community residents for the vaccine clinic. “The first thing they said to me was, ‘This will be a lot of help for Christmas dinner.’”

When asked why she thought this type of event was so important, Hernandez said, “It’s so great to see these people happy when they receive the gifts.”

Psych Tech Program Holds Virtual Graduation

A special virtual ceremony was held on Saturday, December 11, recognizing 20 students for completing PC’s Psychological Technology program.

By using zoom for the ceremony, we were able to provide an experience that allowed students to celebrate their accomplishment, share their feelings, and include their families in this milestone. Many families even staged their own celebrations with loved ones in their homes during the ceremony.

The 2021 cohort of graduating students shared their thanks and went through virtual versions of their pledge to service and “pinning”.

It is an honor to be able to share these wonderful moments with our students in spite of this continuing pandemic!

CONGRATULATIONS to the Porterville College Psych Tech Class of 2021!

The following are some thoughts shared by students during the ceremony:

“Thanks to our program faculty for working extra hard during this pandemic to make our program work” –Veronica Bedolla

“Thank you to my amazing classmates for all the support and helping me get through the program!” – Maria Ayala Rosiles

“When we achieve something, it’s usually because others helped along the way.  Thank you for all that help.” – Elizabeth Gamboa

“I’m excited to be done with this part so we can move on to the next step in our careers.” – Aldo Camacho

PC M&O Director honored by Tulare County for service during crisis

Congratulations to PCs Maintenance & Operations Director John Word for being honored by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors for his hard work and support for the community during the Pure, KNP, and Windy Fires as well as his years of partnership with the County. We’re proud of our fellow PIRATE!

Congratulations, John! Thank you for always going the extra mile to make Porterville, and Porterville College, a better place!  

Click the link below to listen to audio of the presentation from Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend.

Cerro Coso Community College

Coso Basketball Climbs to a #19 State Ranking

The Cerro Coso men’s basketball team continues to climb its way towards the top of the CCCMBCA state poll, as they moved up 5 spots from the last release. As of December 7, the Coyotes now claim ownership of the #19 ranking in the CCCAA (https://cccmbca.org/sports/mbkb/2021-22/releases/Poll_December_7) The #19 ranking is the highest state ranking for a Cerro Coso program in recent history, and the team has provided the college and community with an exciting collegiate atheltic experience.

This ranking is the result of continued success on the court, as the Coyotes have moved to 7-2 on the season, with the only losses coming to top ranked opponents, #1 Fullerton College and #3 Ventura College. The Coyotes are coming off of a 2nd place finish in the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament, hosted by Antelope Valley College. During the tournament Cerro Coso opened up play against LA Pierce with 75-57 win and then followed up on Saturday with 93-61 statement against host AVC. The two wins positioned Cerro Coso to face Ventura College in a championship matchup. The contest was back and forth during the first half which saw the Coyotes take a 33-29 lead into the locker room at half time. But Ventura was quick to respond in the second half, scoring early and regaining the lead. From that point the Coyotes could not pull their offense together, shooting just 36% from the floor and would eventually fall by the score of 66-81. The tournament experience will give Coach Dugan the chance to continue preparing his team for IEAC play and a renewed focus towards conference competition. 

The Coyotes hosted Reedley College at 3:00pm in the Cerro Coso Gymnasium.

Cerro Coso Closed for Winter Recess

Cerro Coso Community College will be closed for winter recess from Monday, December 20, 2021, through Sunday, January 2, 2021.

Online registration will be available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through the College website at www.cerrocoso.edu. Try this easy and convenient way to register for classes. The spring schedule of classes is also available online.

Business will resume at all college locations on Monday, January 3, 2021, and staff will be available to assist in person, via email, phone, and scheduled Zoom sessions.

Register now. Pay later. Spring semester classes at the college officially start on January 18, 2021. 

Vaccination and/or approved exemption must be uploaded to the registration system before registering in on-campus classes. If the information is not in the system, an error message will be received and it will not allow you to register. Remove on-campus classes from your cart and proceed to register for any online classes you wish to take. 

Vaccination and exemption information is available on the website at www.cerrocoso.edu.

New this spring, Cerro Coso is accepting new applications to the Cerro Coso Promise Scholarship contact Financial Aid for more information at cc_faid@cerrocoso.edu.

Cerro Coso Community College. Your Hometown College.

Progress Report: First-Time Degree-Seeking Student Cohort

I wanted to share this update sent by Cerro Coso VP of Instruction Corey Marvin:

The First-Time Degree-Seeking Student Cohort Report is produced annually by the KCCD institutional research office for each of the three colleges. It was developed originally as part of the district’s entry into the Achieving the Dream network in 2013. This report (formerly known as Elements of Student Success) compiles a variety of performance data points, mostly short-term measures that focus on student success in the first two semesters. The newest annual report was released right before Thanksgiving.

Unlike other data sets, this report does not look at the whole student population. Instead, it is limited to a cohort of first-time degree-seeking students entering in the fall term, students whose declared goal or course-taking pattern shows they intend to pursue an award or transfer. Yearly this produces a group of some 500 to 600 students. In Fall 2020 (the newest cohort), it was 516 students.

So how did we do? 

As you can see, we have every reason to be proud. Across all metrics, the Fall 2020 cohort outperformed the 2019 cohort, and in every case but one, it continued a five-year trend of improvement across the board.

Bakersfield College

BC receives $2 million gift to agriculture program

Friends and family of Bakersfield College Agriculture faculty and pig farmer, Billy Barnes, gathered in his memory at the BC Agriculture Farm on Friday morning to make a $2 million gift to support the college’s agriculture program.

Bakersfield College leadership also unveiled “The Billy Barnes Animal Science Institute at Bakersfield College,” with future signage at the entrance of the new Animal Science Lab to be located in the upcoming agriculture building to be completed in 2024 . 

“Billy Barnes was a much-loved member of the BC Agriculture family,” said KCCD Trustee Kay Meek. “He was both a pig-farmer and an educator at heart. Throughout his successful career, he was named ‘Pork All-American’ by the National Pork Producers council and went on to become internationally known as a top swine judge. He was a valuable addition to Bakersfield College, passing on his knowledge to students, and also showing his heart and passion for caring for animals and seeing students succeed.”

Barnes attended Bakersfield College after graduating from South High School in 1983. He then transferred to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before later graduating from Fresno State University in Animal Science. He earned the title “Pork All-American” by the National Pork Producers Council which honored pig farmers under 40 who established themselves as community leaders.

CARE & CalWORKS Holiday Celebration

In the spirit of the holiday season, the CARE and CalWORKs program hosted their annual Holiday Celebration for parenting students. The purpose of the Holiday Celebration is to promote family togetherness and student support by collecting gifts for the children of CARE and CalWORKs students to open during the holiday season. This year, the BC community came together to provide gifts to over 100 children. Thank you to our BC family for extending your blessings this holiday season by adopting a family, contributing to the fundraiser, and for spreading the word about the event!

AB 540 & USP Holiday Paint Workshop

The AB 540 and Undocumented Students Program celebrated the end of finals by hosting a wellness workshop and painting activity for students. The workshop discussed the benefits of creative outlets, especially in times of pressure and stress. Students participated in painting and bonding activities.

Mindy Wilmot is newest Interim Associate Dean of Instruction

Melinda “Mindy” Wilmot has agreed to serve as Interim Associate Dean of Instruction at Bakersfield College. She will lead the Family and Consumer Education (FACE) department, the BC Child Development Center, and the Education Pathway.

Mindy has served as professor/reference librarian at Bakersfield College since September, 2014. During this time, she provided orientation and research instruction via workshops and within courses to our students. She has also served as Director of the Bakersfield College Archives since January, 2020, where she oversaw the process to gather, handle, and store materials, making important pieces of BC history accessible to patrons.

Mindy earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Bakersfield and her Master’s Degree from San Jose State University. 

Please join me in expressing our gratitude and excitement over her willingness to step into this new leadership role!

Industrial Automation Visits Port of Long Beach

Total Terminal International, LLC Employees and BC Industrial Automation Staff and Students

Bakersfield College’s Industrial Automation staff and students had the opportunity for an exclusive behind the scenes tour of Total Terminals International, LLC in the Port of Long Beach. They gained in-depth knowledge surrounding the many causes behind the current supply chain crisis including labor shortage, outdated equipment/technology and the recent surge in demand. While some terminals have invested in automation, many are still behind, further adding to the strain from the deficit of products still waiting to make it to the shelves. Bakersfield College continues to train the future workforce with the most advanced technology and equipment to reduce the pressure on the industry, and improve our quality of life.

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Dr. Brij Bhambi

Enjoyed Dr. Brij Bhambi’s lasted blog post on COVID. Check it out at https://bhambiandchristian.com/

The California Coalition of Early and Middle Colleges had one of BC’s Dual Enroll students as a Student Spotlight this week. Congratulations Jorge Flores!

Craig Hayward, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness at BC, was featured on Data and Donuts for Higher Ed Professionals:

And as we start on our winter break, I wanted to share this post from Porterville College about making sure your break is refreshing:

Check out the tips at https://t.co/VUU5D64Nn7.

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

#KCCDinCommunity #KCCDLearns

Uncategorized December 11, 2021 Comments: 2

This week, I was so excited to welcome senior administrative leadership from all our colleges to join in our Student Success with Equity retreat at the District Office. It is so wonderful to get to work in person toward solving problems and finding ever better ways to remove the barriers that face our students. #KCCDLearns

KCCD Administrative Leadership. Masks were removed for less than one minute for the photo opp

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And, Happy Birthday Janet

Sonya Christian, Janet Tarjan

Good morning, friends…
It is December 11, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

Porterville College

PC music department shares a few musical gifts with the community

With COVID restrictions in place, it’s not so easy to get the community together to appreciate the musical talents of our students – be it vocally or instrumentally.  Gone are the days of holding traditional concerts and recitals on the PC campus (although hopefully not forever).

The PC music department has decided to send an early holiday gift in the form of several virtual demonstrations of the hard work and talent of our students. According to music instructor and choir director Sarah Rector, “The music department would like to share our recorded concerts and theory final projects with you. This has been a difficult few years for music, but as you will see [in these videos] our students are the epitome of perseverance and hard work!”

Music Theory Final Compositions

PC Band/Orchestra

PC College Choir

Pirates climb six spots to No. 20 in new state men’s basketball rankings

Congratulations to the Porterville College Men’s Basketball team for being ranked #20 in the State of California in the recent California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association (CCCMBA) Poll.

The Pirates, led by new head coach Amaurys Fermin, continue to gain recognition. In the most recent California Community College Men’s Basketball Coaches Association (CCCMBCA) State Poll, the Pirates rose six spots to the No. 20 position. The second state rankings of the 2021-22 season were released on Tuesday.

The Pirates are 7-2 to open the season (the team’s best start since 2012) and are coming off an 89-84 win in overtime against Cañada College on Saturday December 4th. PC has won five of its last six and face No. 24 Monterey Peninsula College and No. 25 Cerritos College in its next two contests before Christmas break.

We’d also like to congratulate our sister school, Cerro Coso College for making the #19 spot on the list!

#GOKCCDSPORTS

PC professor and son make their own Christmas story

Dr. Bob Simpkins, professor of anthropology and academic senate president at Porterville College, and his son Nicholas Simpkins, are creating quite a unique family tradition this year. The two are currently performing in the Visalia Players production of the Christmas classic “A Christmas Story.”

The play is based on the popular 1983 movie of the same name. Dr. Simpkins is pulling quadruple duty by playing Santa Claus, Mr. Bumpus, the Christmas tree salesman and the leg lamp delivery man in the production. Nicholas has been cast as Flick, Ralphie’s good friend and the kid who gets his tongue stuck to a pole on a dare.

Dr. Simpkins and son can be seen in this production of “A Christmas Story”, currently being presented at the Ice House Theater, 410 E. Race Avenue, Visalia. The schedule for performances is 7:30 p.m. December 11, 17 and 18 and 2 p.m. December 12 and 19. For more information visit http://visaliaplayers.org/index.php/our-2021-22-season/a-christmas-story

Cerro Coso Community College

Cerro Coso Hosts KCCD Leadership Academy

What does it take to grow a rural community college located in the middle of the desert?  A lot of persistence, ingenuity, and hard work.  That was the topic of the day on Friday, December 3 when Cerro Coso hosted the 2021-2022 KCCD Leadership Academy at the Ridgecrest campus. 

Cerro Coso Community College President Dr. Sean Hancock provided an overview of the college’s 18,500 square mile service area, seven locations, and the unique challenges and opportunities of a rural college.  Dr. Deanna Campbell shared information on the Eastern Sierra College Center in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes, and Lisa Stephens gave an update on the East Kern region served by Cerro Coso including the rapid growth of the Tehachapi campus, and the success of the dual and concurrent enrollment programs in that area.  Anna Carlson talked about the Incarcerated Education Program (ISEP), the shift to a correspondence modality during COVID-19, and future goals for the program. 

The  afternoon was spent touring the IWV campus followed by presentations by the VP of Student Services Heather Ostash, VP of Instruction Dr. Corey Marvin, and VP of Finance and Administrative Services Lisa Couch on what it takes to provide access, responsiveness to community need, and equity in student progression and completion over a large and diverse service area.    

The KCCD Leadership Academy is an opportunity afforded to all employees to grow their careers, connect with peers, and grow as a leader within the district.  Each year, KCCD presidents submit the names of employees to participate in the year-long program of monthly meetings on topics specific to community colleges.  Academy participants from around the district attend the day long sessions covering topics on: leadership, decision making, communication, budgeting, student success, accreditation, and more.

They also work outside the sessions on team-based projects to effect positive change across the district.  

Capping and Pinning Ceremonies Hold Special Meaning during Pandemic

As the fall semester wound down, Cerro Coso held two separate Vocational Nursing Capping and Pinning Ceremonies, symbolically welcoming 18 (7 Ridgecrest, 11 Bishop) student vocational nurses into a profession of service to others (pending passage of state boards.)

The path to becoming a nurse is long, steep, and sometimes rocky. The whole experience of being a nursing major is often an emotional roller-coaster. They cry together, laugh together, and share their stories with each other. But at the end of the day, they know the nursing profession is exactly what they were meant to do.

The Nursing Pinning and Capping Ceremonies signify the end of a rigorous and physically demanding program of study. Students, family, friends, faculty and staff enjoyed the solemn, joyful, and at times humorous ceremonies as instructors and graduates shared their thoughts and memories of the 18-month journey that was being completed. These students will have the opportunity to make an enormous, positive difference in the lives of people under their care.

“These nursing graduates are heading into unprecedented challenges with the global pandemic,” said Matt Wanta, Program Director.  “These graduates have shown us how they take on these challenges and become the nursing warriors the world needs today.” 

Bishop campus nursing students honored were: Jennifer Ayala, Megan Bulmer, Isabel Calderon, Morgan Cunha, Dulce Flores, Veronica Hernandez, Heather Landen, Julia Sarver, Jade Tartaglia, Aurora Toledo, and Litzy Trujillo.

Ridgecrest campus nursing students honored were: Intissar Awad, Ladaija Denise Baker, Magdelena Christina Marie GoodarziRad, Jesseca Renee Ledet, Lakana Panergo, Anna Louise Rivera, and Kacey Lee Sonnenberg.

The capping and pinning ceremony signifies the official initiation into the brotherhood and sisterhood of nurses. It is a proud moment for the students as they are welcomed into the nursing profession.

The next step for these students is to take the Nursing Certification Licensing Exam (NCLEX), and upon passage, the graduates will have earned the credential of Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).

Wanta challenged the college’s newest nursing graduates to become advocates for health care at the conclusion of the ceremony. “Go forth and use the education you’ve received at Cerro Coso to not only provide compassionate and skilled care to patients and families but to also give voice to health-care needs in the community.”

“We are very proud of each of these students and the faculty committed to their success,” said President Sean Hancock.

It was the perfect way to complete a semester of hard work and dedication.

Nursing…the hardest job you’ll ever love.

Angel Tree Event Brings Smiles During Finals

The holidays present a dizzying array of demands – parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, and for college student final exams. Exams are stressful enough, and all the festive activities don’t make preparing and studying for exams any easier.

Every year, Access Programs at Cerro Coso hosts an Angel Tree party for students in the program, providing an afternoon away from the stress of finals to enjoy some fun and activities with their families.

With compassionate hearts and selfless acts of kindness, Cerro Coso staff and friends donate gifts for every child in attendance, recognizing the sacrifices they make while their parent’s pursue an education.

Santa Claus sat next to his trusted Elves handing out gifts as the children waited patiently and squealed in delight.

Peer mentors, staff, and students assisted the children in making holiday crafts, and festive music helped light up the lives of the students and children in attendance.

May there always be an Angel by your side!

Train Right – Get Home at Night

The burning desire to become a police officer became all too real for recruits last week during their final physical endurance exam that included pepper-spray and tear gas.  

Becoming a police officer is a dream of many, but only a handful of passionate, strong, and highly skilled individuals get the chance to serve their community.  Although a law enforcement career offers numerous benefits, including early retirement, clear-cut opportunities for advancement, and job diversity, the most significant obstacle candidates face is the police academy. 

The training is focused and regimented.  In addition to classroom training in basic law, criminal investigations, report writing, and other law enforcement related topics, recruits receive intense and rigorous physical training to prepare them for the physically demanding aspects of law enforcement.  It is important for recruits to understand the dynamics and limitations of the tools they have and the situations they may face. Being gassed and doused in pepper spray  is an unpleasant experience for anyone, but in police work it is valuable to know one’s limitations and understand the effects of these tools. 

Prior to the drill, recruits were trained on how to properly fit their protective mask and clear it.  As a group the recruits were instructed to put on their masks while CS (ortochlorobenzylidene-malononitrile) gas, more commonly known as tear gas, was discharged around them.  As the CS gas burned it created a fog, working together in teams of two, the recruits were told to put their faith in their masks and walk around in the fog.  Then one of the two was instructed to take a deep breath, close their eyes, take off their mask, and stay in the fog as long as possible, before their teammate guided them out and into the decontamination area.   Tear gas is the active ingredient in Mace and is used for self-defense and for riot control and it irritates mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs, causing tearing, sneezing, and coughing.  The treatment…fresh air.  Within minutes the CS leaves the system and recruits are 100% better.  The recruits have learned to trust their masks and develop empathy for those who experience this type of gas.

The ability to protect oneself in a dangerous encounter with a violent subject is vital for any police officer and was the subject of the next drill. 

Pepper spray is just one of the defensive devices officers use to temporarily stop a threat and allow the user to escape physical harm from their assailant.  One by one, the recruits closed their eyes as they were sprayed in the face with capsicum spray.  Now feeling the full effect of the substance, eyes burning, they were instructed to find the 165 lb. dummy that represented their downed partner and move it back to safety.  The recruits had to force their eyes open to spot their next target–an instructor holding a padded mat.  At this point the recruits executed arm and knee strikes against an instructor holding the mat. Then it was off to find a dummy shouting commands to STOP while issuing baton strikes, and finally they moved to another mat for arrest and handcuffing of their assailant.  All while their eyes burned.   

For the recruits it showed  them that they can remember what they’ve been taught and they can fight through the pain that is associated with the spray and complete a number of tasks.   It incapacitates them, from being able to think beyond the pain, from being able to see their surroundings, from being able to do anything physical…yet that is exactly what they did.  Despite the effects of the pepper spray, they were pushed to think, see, and fight as they moved through an obstacle course.

A career in law enforcement can make a real difference in one’s community, reducing crimes and making people safer.  But being a police officer isn’t for everyone – it’s one of the most challenging careers one can choose–physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding.    

This exam stands to test the spirit of Cerro Coso’s finest.  The series of drills and obstacles serve as a way to standardize and prepare law enforcement hopefuls for the rigors of a 25-30 year career. 

Congratulations to all the recruits in the Level II Basic Police Officer Academy in Tehachapi.

Start strong.  Finish Stronger.

Bakersfield College

The Bakersfield College Arvin Educational Center

On Tuesday evening, BC’s leadership was present as we unveiled plans and drawings for the long awaited expansion to serve rural students closer to home in Arvin. The community meeting shared information about the new 27,300 sq. ft. center to be located across from Arvin High School on Varsity Road.

Plans for the facility include 5 classrooms, a tutoring center, writing center, computer labs, library, bookstore, and dedicated space for programs. Construction will begin in July 2022 with completion slated for Spring 2024. 

KCCD Trustee, Yovani Jimenez thanked the community for supporting Measure J to make this project possible while also lifting up the work of BC to support rural communities. He said, “At BC, the students and community come first. They are the heart of every program, every project, and initiative. The staff and faculty do everything with a heart to better the lives of residents throughout the communities they serve and tonight we are here to celebrate the college-going culture being strengthened throughout Arvin and Lamont.”

Read More about BC’s Arvin Educational Center

And thank you Emma Gallegos for this great article in The Bakersfield Californian about the center.

Mid-Winter Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources

Bakersfield College sent a team of Agriculture faculty with their pathway Educational Advisor, Job Specialist, and Dean of Instruction to the annual Mid-Winter Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources at Reedley College.

During this statewide conference, team members spent a day touring industry facilities, including Hamilton Cold Storage, where they observed state-of-the-art juicing and bottling practices, and Moonlight Packing Corporation, one of the largest producers of Cuties.

Major topics of discussion among the conference participants included the rising importance of food science and food safety professionals, and new technologies to reduce waste. The BC team is slated to host the Mid-Winter after the construction of the new Agricultural Sciences building is complete. 

Renegades Observe Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Survey

Agriculture students and faculty participated in an event organized by the Department of Water Resources.

As part of Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Implementation, the CA Department of Water Resources (DWR) is conducting airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys in California’s high- and medium-priority groundwater basins, to assist local water managers as they implement SGMA to manage groundwater for long term sustainability. 

Professor Renaldo Arroyo and his students saw AEM equipment on the ground, watched the helicopter using the equipment take off and fly, and learned about the technical elements and practical uses of AEM.

Kern County Board of Supervisors Proclaims November as the 10th Anniversary of the Vernon Valenzuela Veteran Justice Program

The Kern County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation recognizing November as the 10th Anniversary of the Vernon Valenzuela Veteran Justice Program (VVVJP). The program was co-founded by the late Vernon P. Valenzuela. Vernon was a BC alum and is the namesake of the BC Veteran Resource Center. The program’s mission is to assist military veterans who become justice-involved as a result of trauma suffered while performing their duties as service members.

Founding members and defense attorneys Randal Dickow, H.A. Sala, and David Torres were in attendance and provided a background of the program and a history of its first 10 years. BC’s, Armando Trujillo, Veteran Educational Advisor, and the first VVVJP graduate, expressed his gratitude for the program and to Vernon Valenzuela, stating that the program and Vernon “changed my life”. 

He credited the program for providing him the opportunity to find his passion for serving his military brothers and sisters. 

Jenny Frank, BC’s Manager of Veterans Services and Programs, shared that as a former program coordinator, she was extremely fortunate to observe the “healing that the program has brought to many veterans of Kern County”.

The Vernon Valenzuela Veterans Justice Program continues to offer veterans an opportunity to find healing and learn healthy ways to cope with Post Traumatic Stress. Since 2011, approximately 600 veterans have benefitted from the program designed to “serve those who served”.

BC’s Title V Team Launches Peer Assisted Learning Program

BC’s Title V team launched their Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Program this Fall, initially focusing on biology courses. With the impeccable guidance from Eileen Pierce, we modelled the PAL program after the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program at Bakersfield College. The PAL Leaders are recommended by a faculty member to academically support students by planning and leading group study sessions that cover harder concepts and processes in these courses.

Cesar Delgado is one of three Peer Assisted Leaders (PALs) that are supporting students in the health science pathway. Cesar’s PAL sessions organized the microbiology material into understandable categories. He held most of his sessions through zoom and used the whiteboard to interact with students and the topics. The zoom sessions were recorded so all students in the course could access the reviews. Cesar meets the students where they are at in their understanding and builds upon their foundation. He makes rigorous study quizzes, fun raps, worksheets and practice exams that the students go over during the sessions to build critical thinking.

In the picture seen below, you can see Cesar leading a talk in the microbiology lab about dilution problems. He gained experience teaching in the lab by conducting reviews for the students. Cesar is highlighted for his exceptional work this semester and serving as a mentor to students. He answered numerous questions through email and text using the REMIND app. You can also find Cesar as a tutor in the tutoring center for one-on-one help. He has been working as a tutor for 2 years at Bakersfield College.

Cesar Delgado is a smart, creative, and generous student that gives his time and heart to the students. We are proud of his commitment to his fellow health science students and the dedication that he shows in finding new ways to explain difficult concepts.

We Are BC | Health Science!

Remembering Jack Hernandez

A few weeks ago, I shared the sad news that Bakersfield legend Jack Hernandez passed away. Today, I wanted to share the initial details about a celebration of his life and legacy.

The event will be held at 4 pm April 1, 2022, at Bakersfield College in the Campus Center Conference Room. You may RSVP online or contact Tarina Perry at tperry@bakersfieldcollege.edu or (661) 395-4300 for more information.

Thank you planning team for you love and time to making this a “Jack” event.

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Thank you to Veronica Hathaway for sharing this photo with me, celebrating 4 amazing Renegades on their retirement. Janet Thomas, Mary Webb, Meg Stidham and Janet Tarjan combined have over 90 years of service at BC!

BC Industrial Automation shared this post about presenting to Delano Valley High students:

WECOMM PC shared this photo of members helping with a Sierra View Medical Center vaccination clinic:

I love this photo from the Cerro Coso Learning Assistance Center:

“If you haven’t made it to the west side of campus, you’re missing out. This is easily the most beautiful part of of campus. Grab your books, this is the spot to study. #Finalsweek #Study #GetOutside #FinishStrong“

And PC President Claudia Habib shared this pic from the PC Women’s Basketball game on Friday night – the Pirates beat Hartnell, 82-32:

Congratulations!!! #Pirates@PCollegePirates it was fun watching our students play tonight. These athletes displayed great team spirit !!!

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

Early December – the harbinger of the holiday season

Uncategorized December 4, 2021 Comments: 2

Can you feel, see, and smell the holiday season?

Last Sunday, Chabad of Bakersfield lit the community menorah for the first night of Chanukah.

Bakersfield held its Christmas Parade on Thursday night – returning to an in-person event after last year’s virtual parade.

The Student Government of Cerro Coso hosted a festive movie night on Friday, showing “The Santa Clause” in the gym. BCSGA also hosted a movie night on Friday – a Drive-In showing “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in the student parking lot.

Porterville’s Children’s Christmas Parade is from 10 am to noon today.

Let’s sink into the magic of the season.

Good morning, friends…
It is December 4, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

Porterville College

Event to spread Holiday Cheer and the COVID-19 vaccine

Supporting vaccination efforts through partnerships with fellow community organizations is a strategic approach to increasing first and second-dose vaccinations and booster doses in Tulare County.

On November 29, 2021, the CDC strengthened their recommendation on booster doses to include everyone 18 years or older.

As many holiday and end-of-year celebrations approach, vaccination continues to be an important tool in any individual’s or family’s toolkit to prevent serious illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19.

To this end, Porterville College is once again partnering with Sierra View Medical Center, Imperial Ambulance, the City of Porterville, and the Parenting Network to spread holiday cheer (and hot cocoa) to support continuing vaccination efforts in Tulare County with a Christmas Polar Express Drive-Thru on Saturday, December 11th from 11 am to 2 pm on the PC campus. This event will provide vaccinations and boosters for the community. Gift cards for $100 will be provided by the City of Porterville for everyone 12 and older who receives a vaccination or booster at the event (Federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)). Special gifts will be provided for children, including $25 gift cards courtesy of community partner donations, free resources from community partners, food boxes, turkeys, sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, face masks, and more.

PC Faculty hosts art exhibition on campus

The PC Art Gallery welcomed the public to see the artwork of the Porterville College Art Faculty from November 8 – December 2, 2021.

The exhibition, which included works from professors Jim Entz, Glenn Hill, Tom Howell, Diran Lyons, and Edwin Macaraeg, revealed a broad range of approaches to making art. The artists/faculty members have all exhibited their work regionally, and some nationally. They themselves were educated at a variety of colleges, from Art Center College of Design to Otis Art Institute, to UC Santa Barbara, to UC Irvine, and to Fresno State.

Entz explained his approach to making his sculptural paintings, “I like to make things–unusual objects that exist somewhere between painting and sculpture. The making of these objects is a process of building and excavation.”

Cut 2017 by PC Professor Jim Entz

Howell, through photographs, drawings, and sculpture, shows a range of approaches to the making of his art, “I’m a ‘Process Artist’… someone that focuses on the Act of making something more than the finished product.”

Griffins Stairwell – Venice by PC Professor Tom Howell

Hill, a realist painter, sees himself in the role of the storyteller.  He says, “There are moments in our lives that we may never speak of, but they live, even so, in our memories — an endless feast for the senses, with streams of vivid color and light, resonating with the music of our soul. We remember them when we share our common stories. The goal of a storyteller is to capture these shared moments that reveal the magic in everyday events.”

Blue Angel by PC Professor Glenn Hill

Lyons illustrated the context for his multi-media photographs, saying, “In 1995 and 1996, I worked as the gardener of a summer camp in Sierra National Forest. I encountered a certain type of quiet there, bordering on silence, when isolated in a grove of Sequoia trees. While visiting Converse Basin in 2019, I experienced it again as I surveyed the graveyard of Sequoias. However, this time it was accompanied by strong sentiments of disappointment and anger. Borrowing from the paradigms of landscape, natural, documentary, and pictorialist photography, I would like to encourage an audience to consider more radical – in this case ecosophical – positions beyond the aesthetic ambitions of these historical precedents.”

Digital Artwork by PC Professor Diran Lyons

Macaraeg discussed his paintings in the show that are part of a larger series titled, The Disambiguation of Asian-American History. “My experience as an Asian-American has led to my investigations of how and why misconceptions and other social patterns can be traced to particular historical events.  By conducting personal interviews of families directly affected and involved, finding articles written from multiple sources, and researching U.S. history books, I discovered that the aftermath of such calamities creates anxiety amidst the immigrants that have endured the harshness of cultural identity and politics. In these works, I have manipulated images of key moments from the heritage of the Asian-American experience from the perspective of a contemporary Asian-American, creating layers of information to redefine significant events critical to the development of our history as a nation.  I intuitively create visual reinterpretations through my use of marks; these experiences are metamorphosed into individualized visual transliterations.

Oil painting by PC Professor Edwin Macaraeg

Spirit of holiday giving alive on campus

PC’s Christmas tree is up in the lobby and the Donation boxes are set around campus to help spread the giving spirit. The Porterville College Rotaract Club is spearheading a donation effort throughout campus and the community as part of their community project for this semester. They are asking for toys, diapers, and baby wipes to help local families in need.

The Holiday Spirit is growing at PC!

#PCGivingSpirit #PiratesGiveBack

Cerro Coso Community College

Pink Ladies Auxiliary Gives Scholarships to Nursing Students

June Wasserman Scholarship Committee Chairwoman of the Pink Ladies Auxiliary at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital, presented Jan Hoagland Vocational Nursing Scholarships to Cerro Coso nursing students (pictured l to r) Jesseca Ledet, Lakana Panergo, Pink Ladies Scholarship Committee Chairwoman June Wasserman, Ladaija Baker, and Intissar Awad.

These graduating Cerro Coso Community College vocational nursing students each received a $400 check from the Pink Ladies Auxiliary. “We only wish we could have awarded one to every nursing student,” said Wasserman.

Founded by Jan Hoagland in 1958, the Pink Ladies Auxiliary raises money to fund these scholarships. Their efforts support Ridgecrest Regional Hospital’s mission to provide outstanding healthcare in our community.

New Spanish Transfer Pathway A.A. Degree

Put yourself ahead of the crowd with Cerro Coso’s new Spanish Language Program!

Cerro Coso Community College is offering a new Spanish Associate of Arts Transfer degree (A.A.-T).  The A.A.-T degree offers students the opportunity to complete a two-year degree with course credits that allow them to transfer as a junior to designated Spanish bachelor’s degree programs at California State universities and gives priority admission consideration to the local CSU campus or to a program that is deemed similar to the community college major. 

The Spanish AA-T degree offers two tracks to choose from, one for Non-Heritage Speakers and another for Heritage Speakers — both guarantees acceptance to the CSU system.  This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or campuses. 

This program of study prepares students for transfer to the CSU system to earn a baccalaureate in Spanish language, linguistics, literature, culture, and translation.  Provides students with a strong foundation in fundamental language skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) and a better understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. 

The Associate of Arts in Spanish for Transfer degree also serves as supplementary preparation for diverse professional fields such as: healthcare, the legal system, social work, business, customer service, public relations, journalism, hospitality, travel industry, bilingual education, translation and interpretation, and non-profit organizations.  “Employers are seeking marketable skills that help them expand their reach and students can be a leader with an AA-T degree in Spanish,” said Spanish Professor Lucila Gonzalez-Cirre.

The English and Foreign Language department at Cerro Coso offers a rich selection of lower-division courses, from beginning to conversational to Intermediate Spanish.  Experienced instructors lead students to a valuable level of proficiency and cultural understanding in a stimulating and supportive environment.  Learning is enhanced through a communicative approach, multimedia technology, and enriched by the International and Latino clubs at the college. 

Learning Spanish not only provides practical life and career skills, but also gives new perspectives on the world.  Students can use their coursework to satisfy electives and program requirements, cultivate personal interest, and continue on to major or minor in Spanish at a four-year college or university.  All classes are taught online and at the Ridgecrest campus.  Vaccination or exemption required for on campus classes.  Find out more at www.cerrocoso.edu.

Cerro Coso is now registering for Spring 2022 classes.  Register today, pay later.  Call a counselor today at 760-384-6219.   

Cerro Coso Community College – Your Hometown College.

Cerro Coso Welcomes A & R Tech Addy Windsor

Adeline (Addy) Windsor has joined the close knit department of Admissions and Records at the Ridgecrest Campus.  Committed to quality and customer service, as an A & R Technician I, Addy will play a very important roll in assisting students with college applications, registration, processing payments, transcripts, adding and dropping classes, and a host of other vital duties.  Her goal is to help guide students through their journey at Cerro Coso.

Addy lives in Ridgecrest with her spouse and two cats.  She likes to watch anime and talk about it with friends online.  If you see an origami crane sitting around, that’s Addy leaving her mark.  An artist of all kinds, digital and traditional, she started posting some of her art on Instagram during the pandemic, and her skill has improved over the last 18 months.  This inquisitive soul recently took up linocut printing (similar to stamping), and knitting.  She loves to play piano and ukulele and sing.  Growing and stretching her mind – Addy enjoys playing video games in her free time, and likes word games and puzzles that help develop the ability to reason, analyze, sequence, and deduce, enhancing logical thought processes and problem solving skills.     

Her motto for life is “You can’t control your feelings, but you can control what you choose to do about them.”

Adeline holds an Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts and Humanities from Cerro Coso Community College.

Welcome to Cerro Coso Addy!

Bakersfield College

BC Ethics Bowl Club To Co-Host 2021 California Regional Ethics Bowl

After another unique year of fully virtual competitions, the Bakersfield College Ethics Bowl Club and Philosophy Department will co-host the 2021 California Regional Ethics Bowl along with the Philosophy Department of CSUB and the Kegley Institute of Ethics. This year’s competition will include teams from colleges and universities mostly from California and Arizona, but with the virtual format, teams from further locales such as New York are invited to compete. The finals will be live streamed on YouTube, beginning at 5:45 on December 4th.

The Bakersfield College Ethics Bowl Club was founded in 2018 by Philosophy faculty Anna Collins and Bryan Russell to prepare students for competitions in the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl with both regional and national competitions consisting of moderated and judged head-to-head matches. The students research and prepare for the opportunity to present their analysis of an ethical issue, comment on the opposing analysis, and respond to comments or questions from the opposing team and judges. 

This year, members of BC’s club will participate as organizers, judges, and moderators for the annual event, while also having different members competing.

BC’s club won the 2-year college ethics bowl in November, and has already won a bid to be one of 36 colleges and universities competing in the all-college-and-university finals in Cincinnati between February 26th-27th. 

BC Women’s Volleyball Team Heading to State Playoffs

Bakersfield College women’s volleyball team will be heading back to State Playoffs for the first time since 2018 after having an abbreviated season due to Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and losing in the second round of the SoCal Regionals to Grossmont College in 2019. The Renegades punched their ticket after sweeping #9 Orange Coast College on Saturday, November 27, 2021.

Auto Tech Renegades earn AERA Certification

While enrolled in their Bakersfield College Automotive classes and earning their Engine Rebuilding and Repair Certificate, 14 Renegades also completed a comprehensive training program from AERA (Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association) that paralleled the content they were receiving here at BC.

AERA certification as a Cylinder Head Machinist and Engine Machinist is the worldwide, engine rebuilding industry standard of excellence. Technicians who successfully earn either certificate will hold proof that they have an elevated understanding of fundamentals of machining, measuring tools, shop safety, fasteners, engine theory, engine diagnosis, and more. Dean of Instruction, Tony Cordova tells me that an AERA certificate of completion proves our students have the skills and practices required in an engine machine shop which elevates their status and chances of hire with prospective employers looking for qualified employees worldwide.

Veterans Resource Center Hosts First Annual Stock the Locker Event

The Veterans Resource Center closed out a month of activities honoring Veterans this week. The staff held the First Annual Stock the Locker – Student Veteran School Supply Drive.

Supporters from the community and BC staff filled the footlocker, and then some! These supplies will provide some relief to our student veterans and they will be encouraged by the outpouring of support.

UMOJA and BC’s Nursing Collaboration

This semester, BC’s Umoja students and Nursing students collaborated to achieve success. Both programs collaborated to give students experience with a hands-on simulation skills lab. This was a collaborative effort led by Dean Carla Gard, Ronnie Knabe, and Paula Parks with participation from Professors Mai and Carmen.

In the News

PC providing 24/7 well-being care for students

I read in The Porterville Recorder about PC’s TimelyMD program, which provides a 24/7 virtual care to meet students’ medical, mental health and basic needs. PC is one of the first 20 community colleges in the state in the program to tap into federal and state funds to provide for students well-being. Cerro Coso Community College also joined PC as the two Kern Community College District schools are among the first 20 community colleges in the state to participate in the program.

BC Foundation publishes December Panorama Newsletter

Cheryl Scott — Exec Dir, BC Foundation

The December edition of Panorama, the official newsletter of the Bakersfield College Foundation, is available on the BC Foundation website.

Be sure to check out information about the 14th Sterling Silver, set for March 19, 2022! Honorees include:

  • The Contreras Family, Individual Philantropist Award
  • Bank of America, Corporate Philanthropist Award
  • Assemblymember Rudy Salas, BC Foundation Service Medal
  • Congressman William “Bill” Thomas, LIfetime Achievement Award

CCCC Foundation President thanks supporters

I loved this letter from Derrick Hu, CCCC Foundation President, in The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest. He thanked Mac’s International Restaurant, Coldwell Banker Best Realty Ridgecrest, and wine expert Eric Le Barbé for their help in making the wine and Food Pairing Fundraiser a success.

“The turnout was great – we had 41 attendees and we raised more than $7,000 for Cerro Coso students and programs,” said College President Dr. Sean Hancock. “Not bad for our first real event in two years.”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From PC Baseball Coach Ike Guerrero.  It might be winter, but it’s never too early to take advantage of a beautiful day and get some hitting practice in!  Here is a link to the video: https://twitter.com/i/status/1466169728158744577

Cerro Coso shared this photo from the Coyote Cupboard holiday bag distribution this week:

BC’s Amalia Calderon competed in the CSUB Digital Marketing and Business Analytics Hackathon:

And a huge congratulations to BC Dean of Students Nicky Damania, who welcomed his baby son Sean this week. Congratulations Nicky and Tom!

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

Thanksgiving 2021–To live gratitude is to touch heaven

Uncategorized November 27, 2021 Leave a comment

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,
to enact gratitude is generous and noble,
but to live gratitude is to touch heaven
– Johannes Gaetner

Wednesday afternoon, I was on the road heading south to my daughter’s place at Marina Del Rey to spend Thanksgiving with her, since she is working through the holiday. The drive took about twice as long as usual, with the notorious Wednesday pre-thanksgiving traffic. I let myself comfortably sink into the slow drive and my mind wandered.

Thanksgiving — I give thanks for my parents Paul and Pam, for a loving and generously irreverent upbringing.  

Paul Christian, Kevin Christian, Roy Christian, Pam Christian, Anita Christian & Sonya Christian

I give thanks for Dr. Rick Wright and Dr. Jim Young for signing the required papers for my green card that put me on the path to become a citizen of this great country. 

I give thanks for the 7-member Board of Trustees who take such good care of all of us in the Kern Community College District.

I give thanks for all of my dear colleagues, who are so committed to our students and to one another. I give thanks for the amazing community that surrounds our Kern Community College District, and the support you all have for our colleges and most importantly, our students.

Most importantly, I’m so grateful for our amazing students who find the resolve to persevere through all the many challenges they encounter. I’m thankful for the innovative future that they will help create when they finish their education, and how they’ll use their motivation and drive to transform the lives of their families and our community.

I hope you all enjoyed some time with friends and loved ones both far and near over this Thanksgiving weekend.

As I do every year, I took some time to look over my blog posts from throughout this year, as well as those from the past few Thanksgivings (2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016).

I truly have so much to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving

Good morning, friends…
It is November 27, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

Porterville College

Men’s Basketball goes 2-0 at Milt Stowe Classic, moves to 5-1 for season!

PC’s Quame Smith
The Prates face the Renegades

The Porterville College men’s basketball team had a very successful stretch during its home tournament, the Milt Stowe Classic, winning both games. The Pirates opened play in the first game of the tournament with a thrilling 63-61 victory over the Bakersfield College Renegades and closed out the two-day event by defeating Moorpark College 90-78.

PC is off to one of its best starts in program history under new head coach Amaurys Fermin at 5-1.

The Pirates opening contest against Bakersfield came down to the final minutes. Porterville trailed 33-24 at halftime, but in the second half, the Pirates chipped away at the lead, and with seven minutes to play, PC built up a 53-43 lead.

Bakersfield responded with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to get back out in front 54-53. But with 3:20 left, Quame Smith’s bucket after a missed free throw gave PC the lead for good at 55-54. Porterville put together a 7-0 run and was able to hold off a late Bakersfield surge for the win.

Chirrag Sidhu led Porterville in the contest with 14 points. Isaiah Josue totaled 10 points and 5 assists while Julio Phipps had 7 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Smith ended the game with 9 points and 5 rebounds.

2021 Milt Stowe Classic Results

Day 1
Moorpark 99, West Hills Coalinga 97
Porterville 63, Bakersfield 61

Day 2
Bakersfield 72, West Hills Coalinga 51
Porterville 90, Moorpark 78

Porterville College President Claudia Habib with tournament namesake Milt Stowe

PC Fire Academy Graduates 24 in its 37th Class of Cadets

Twenty-four graduates from the Porterville College Fire Academy’s 37th class were honored during a ceremony on Thursday, November 18th.

The ceremony was recorded at Porterville Fire Station 2, where the Academy’s facilities are located. The event was pre-recorded to keep the event small enough to allow for COVID safety protocols and will be shared with the families and friends of the cadets via YouTube and the Porterville College Website.

The graduates each completed an intensive, 12-week training program to get here. Several of the cadets were honored with awards and scholarships, including scholarships presented by the families of Ray Figueroa and Patrick Jones – two firefighters who tragically lost their lives in the fire that destroyed the Porterville Public library on February 18, 2020.

Taylor Christiansen

The cadets also presented their class project to the academy – a large pull-up apparatus to “help future cadets stay strong”. According to Class Battalion Chief Taylor Christiansen, “We have included this plaque that is inscribed, ‘In memory of Captain Ray Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones’ and then the slogan we’ve been living by, ‘Be Better Every Day’.”

Claudia Habib
Mario Garcia

Chief Mario Garcia, who retired from the Porterville Fire Department, is an instructor with the Academy. He led the evening’s program in the absence of Program Coordinator and Porterville Fire Chief Dave Lapere, who is out on medical leave. 

Cerro Coso Community College

ISEP Leadership attends 2021 NCHEP

Cerro Coso’s Incarcerated Student Education Program (ISEP) faculty and administration attended the National Conference on Higher Education in Prison (NCHEP) November 11-14 in Denver, Colorado.  The conference is not only an event – it’s a lifeline for the community of people who are committed to expanding educational opportunities for students who are currently or formerly incarcerated.

The annual gathering brings together people working to expand the field of higher education in prison, and offers an opportunity for higher education in prison community members to be heard, supported, and inspired.  Fostering collaboration, the conference is an incubator for new projects and initiatives, and a trusted venue for constructive dialogue. 

Attendees leave the conference with new tools and connections, as well as a renewed sense of purpose and confidence.

Peter Fulks, Professor of Administration of Justice, and Alec Griffin, Professor of Anthropology, hosted a workshop at the conference on The Insurgency Model: Leveraging the Collaborative Processes Across Institutions. The workshop focused on how establishing a strategic campus model is a specialty and stand-out component of the Cerro Coso Incarcerated Student Education Program.  The goal of the workshop was for attendees to identify hard truths in their program and begin to create a strategic goal to manage and leverage strengths, understand and plan with weakness in mind, identify opportunities for personal and programmatic growth, and clearly identify program threats that could be internal and external. 

Cerro Coso attendees included: Jesus Gaytan, Alec Griffin, Peter Fulks, Kristie Nichols, Anna Carlson, Melissa Bowen, Chad Houck, Nicole Griffin, and Suzanne Phillips.

Vigneault Shares Naval Academy Experience

MIDN 1/C Grant David Vigneault a 2018 Burroughs High School graduate and a current member of the Class of 2022 at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, shared his insights and advice to all those interested in the Naval Academy on Monday, November 22.  

Grant is a Robotics, Control Systems, and Weapons Engineering major with a focus in Engineering Management.  He is a member of the Navy Spirit team where he has served as the captain of the Mascot Team for two consecutive years.  Grant spent his entire childhood in the Ridgecrest area before departing for Maryland in 2018.  He enjoys hiking, fishing, baseball, and the military lifestyle. 

The U.S. Naval Academy is the undergraduate college of our country’s naval service.  Located in Annapolis, MD, it prepares young men and women to become professional Officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.   Naval Academy students are midshipmen on Active Duty in the U.S. Navy.  They attend the Academy for four years, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions as Ensigns in the Navy or Second Lieutenants in the Marine Corps.  Naval Academy graduates serves at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps. 

Grant spoke on topics including the admissions process, student life, and what to expect post-graduation followed by a question and answer session. 

Charitable Giving – Gifts that Support a Cause

The CCCC Foundation participated in the third annual ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR hosted by the Rotary Club of China Lake on Saturday, November 20 from 10 am to 2 pm at the SpringHill Suites.   The event promotes meaningful gift giving and support for local non-profit organizations.  

The Gift Fair enables shoppers to purchase holiday gifts for their loved ones in a festive, family, and community-friendly environment.  Participating nonprofit organizations create shopping lists of cash designations, ranging in value from $10 to $200, that reflect the needs of the organization.  For each donation, the shopper receives a holiday card provided by the Giving Fair and an insert with a description of the organization and gift. 

The Foundation’s theme for this year’s booth was “Give the Gift of Education this Holiday Season” and offered participants the opportunity to donate a parking pass for $20, a $100 donation to the Coyote Cupboard, or $200 to help offset the cost of books. 

2021 has been a difficult year for everyone, and especially Cerro Coso students many whom have faced uncertainty in their home, work, and school life.  The CCCC Foundation is here to help students reach their full potential and overcome the many challenges they face through scholarships, emergency aid, food pantry, faculty support, and more.  

Every dollar donated to the CCCC Foundation makes a significant impact on the life of a Cerro Coso student. 

Bakersfield College

BC Received $5 Million Grant for STEM Programs

Bakersfield College has been awarded $5 million for the Step Up to STEM: Start Strong, Stay Strong, Finish Strong project from the United States Department of Education as part of their Hispanic Serving Institutions – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Articulation program. The Kern Community College District Board of Trustees formally accepted the grant award on November 18, 2021.

​​The five-year funding agreement will support activities to enhance STEM student success, supporting Hispanic and Latinx students from lower-income backgrounds and those that have first generation college-student status.  Read the full press release Bakersfield College Receives $5 Million Grant Designed To Support The Hispanic Serving Institutions Stem Programs, With Focus On Program Expansion And Student Completion and the story from 23ABC Bakersfield College awarded $5 million from U.S. Department of Education.

National Radiologic Technology Week

Last week, BC’s Radiologic Technology program celebrated National Radiologic Technology Week, a celebration to commemorate the discovery of the x-ray by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on November 8th, 1895. The day calls attention to the importance of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals in patient care and healthcare safety. 

BC’s program is also adding a mammography certificate for the program’s students and the technologists in our community that will start in Spring 2022.

Criminal Justice Students Visit Kern County Sheriff’s Office

BC’s Criminal Justice students had the opportunity to visit several departments throughout the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. 

From demonstrations with a K9 deputy, crisis negotiators team, SWAT, bomb squad, and air support units, students engaged with officers learning what it takes to qualify for those specialty departments.

Students had the opportunity to learn what an average and sometimes, life changing day is like for the KCSO team. 

In the News

The Cutting Edge: TV pilot being produced in Porterville

I read in the The Porterville Recorder about the filming of TV pilot “Porterville,” a police drama about a murderer on the loose in Porterville. I am so proud that three of our Porterville College students – Leslie Ochoa, Florentino Linas, and Erika Coon – served as production assistants!

Denice Aguilera, a Kern Promise student from BC who went on to CSUB, was featured in US News & World Report’s 2022 Guidebook. She was one of several students who shared their strategies for paying for college.

Aguilera lives at home, saving on living expenses, and works as a peer mentor for other students taking advantage of the Kern Promise. The introvert now acts as a leader, offering advice and answering questions as students adjust to college. While at Bakersfield College, she also tutored students and volunteered at the computer commons. She expects to graduate debt-free.

Aguilera encourages high school students not to overlook community colleges. “It’s a smaller community,” she notes, and “staff, faculty and students can know you.” She plans to graduate with honors, become a certified public accountant and “come back to work for Bakersfield College. I fell in love with BC. It’s my home.”

You can read her story on the US News & World Report website.

For more information about the guidebook, check out Best Colleges 2022 Guidebook (usnews.com).

Fun Photos/Spotted on Social Media

Porterville College’s campus on a gorgeous fall day, courtesy of professor Jonathan Hernandez:

BC Industrial Automation shared this post:

“Glad we were able to participate in the @SME_MFG Smart Manufacturing Roundtable to discuss accelerating the adoption of smarter manufacturing in order to stay competitive with the global advance manufacturing industry. #WeAreBC#IndustrialAutomation#Automation“

Here’s Bill Moseley’s beautiful family enjoying time together on Thanksgiving:

Happy Thanksgiving

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

Remembering Jack – an afterlife on this Earth

Uncategorized November 20, 2021 Leave a comment

We all have an afterlife on this Earth. An afterlife of our stories remembered by those who have known us for many years…
My life lives on in them, especially in my daughter and my sister.
And they will tell stories that I do not know, will never know. He did this, he did that, can you believe it!
That is my afterlife here on Earth. That is our afterlife here on Earth.

Community Voices: Our Lives. Our Stories.
Jack Hernandez. March 25, 2021

This week, Bakersfield lost a legend. Jack Hernandez was one of the sweetest, most brilliant people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. I know many of you have known Jack, or seen him writing at Dagny’s. It is hard to put into words how tremendous his impact on Bakersfield College and our Bakersfield community has been over the past 60 years.

Sonya Christian, Jack Hernandez, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Bob Allison, and Jerry Ludeke

Jack grew up near Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s in English and philosophy and a Master’s degree in English language and literature.

In 1961, he joined Bakersfield College as a faculty member.

He began his Renegade career as a philosophy professor, and he also served as Dean of Students and as Vice Chancellor before returning to teach philosophy in 1984. In 1989, he became Chair of the philosophy department, and in 1996 he won the Shirley Trembley Distinguished Teaching Award.

Untitled photo

In 2007, he began organizing events for the newly-created Norman Levan Center for the Humanities. He spent 10 years developing and caring for a space the celebrate arts and scholarship before he retired in 2017. He also launched the Norman Levan Faculty Colloquium.

Untitled photo

He was a prolific writer, spending hours at Dagny’s Coffee Shop penning Community Voices pieces for the Bakersfield Californian or writing one of his many poems – some of which he would send to me, and I would publish in my blog. His writing was truly extraordinary – he had such a gift with words and turn of phrase and was able to capture emotion and nuance so beautifully. I have so enjoyed sharing these pieces with all of you.

Untitled photo

One of the last poems he sent me hadn’t made it to my blog yet, but I will share it with you now.

He sent this on November 1st with the note “Hope…”

A Glass

Hope is empty
until filled
with liquid dreams
shaken and held
up to the light,
a toast to a future
of thirst’s delight.

Desires quenched,
prophesies fulfilled,
the glass now empty
is carefully shelved
for another day.

Check out this 3-min video from Thursday’s KCCD Board meeting.

Jack leaves behind a monumental legacy in our district and in this community. His infectious passion for literature and the humanities inspired generations of students, including Reggie Williams, who took Jack’s Intro to Philosophy course when he was a student at Bakersfield College and now continues his legacy as the current director of the Levan Center.

Jack Hernandez and Reggie Williams

Here is a paragraph from the bc_all email sent by Jerry Ludeke.

Throughout it all, Jack has been Jack.  You always knew what you were getting with Jack…..clear thinking (maybe a bit esoteric or humorously a bit sarcastic), clear writing (going from essays to plays to academic papers and most recently free flowing poetry), morally principled action (which sometimes appeared in Community Voices in The Californian),  and open hearted honesty (speaking of hard times in his life and injustices witnessed today.)

Good morning, friends…
It is November 20, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

Porterville College

PC brings awareness to hunger and homelessness

This week, Porterville College took a stand against Hunger and Homelessness as we hosted a series of activities to support students facing food and housing insecurities.

The PC Pirate Pantry helps over 200 students each month. Students are able to come to the on-campus food pantry once a week and show their student I.D. card to receive 2 or 3 bags of groceries for free. The groceries include non-perishables, refrigerated, and frozen items.

PC Student Services, in partnership with CalFresh, the Community Food Bank, and the Family Crisis Center held several activities throughout the week to bring awareness to this growing problem among the student population. A weeklong donation drive is underway to collect personal hygiene items, jackets and blankets.  Various workshops were held throughout the week to raise awareness and educate the community and our students on the growing problem of food insecurity and homelessness.

San Juanita Baldwin, a PC student who has struggled with hunger and homelessness in the past says, “I know that the financial aid office has the food pantry and many of the school clubs try to help out with the homeless. They donate food items, clothes, and toiletry items. I believe in our school and on campus we have a lot of students who are hungry and they cannot afford nutritional food because it’s expensive. From my personal experience with homelessness, I was in transition from moving from one city to another. Because of lack of stability and lack of access to nutritional food my diabetes flared up. Now I’m stable and my diabetes is under control.”

Director of financial aid Tiffany Haynes added, “We are here to help students with these programs and events, and we hope many take advantage of what we are able to offer through the generous donations of our campus and community.”

PC WeComm Club steps up to help community efforts 

WeComm is a newly established club of students interested in communication at Porterville College. The club, which began at PC this semester, seeks to get students involved in their community through volunteer work. They have already been making a big splash around town, having been seen volunteering at several events and community efforts to help others.

Just this month, they were seen joining forces with the California Farmworkers Foundation in Earlimart to help hand out boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products to families in need at their food distribution center. Club faculty advisor Dr. Jonathan Hernandez said, “It was a great day, and we plan to team up with their organization for future events!”

They were also seen assisting Sierra View Medical center during their recent pop-up vaccination clinics, helping spread the word about the benefits that vaccinations can have for our community.

They even spent time cleaning up Veteran’s Park in Porterville, as part of a communitywide effort to keep Porterville beautiful!

But it’s not all hard work for this club, they were also seen hitting a PC basketball game as a group to cheer on the Pirates and show their school spirit.

You can catch them on Twitter and Instragram (WECOMMPC) to see what they are up too.

PC Innovation Centers hosts its final STEM Enrichment Workshop of the Semester

The new STEM Innovation center at PC hosted the last in its series of Career Enrichment Workshops this week via Zoom.

Each PC USDA STEM Enrichment Workshop aims at highlighting a different USDA agency and/or partner. The workshops are developed to introduce local, regional, and state USDA Agencies, federal, and industry partners to STEM students and the campus-wide community.

Additionally, the enrichment workshops utilize an interactive, discussion-based format designed to engage students actively in their own career development process. Students will also learn about opportunities offered by USDA to optimize their STEM major, internship, and career searches.

Guest speaker Dr. Maria Esteras talked with attendees about her role as the USDA Food Safety Inspection Services Veterinary Recruiting and Outreach Coordinator. In this role, she oversees recruitment and retention of veterinarians across the nation.

In her work with the USDA, Dr. Esteras has been able to create awareness of the critical role that veterinarians play in food safety and public health as well as assist with creating new policies and incentives that affect veterinarians within the agency.

Cerro Coso Community College

ESCC Nursing Students Prepare to Graduate and Serve

Preparing nursing students for making the transition from student to nurse is crucial for entry into practice. Students in Cerro Coso’s Nursing Program undergo a rigorous program of study and clinical practice to prepare them for their transition to the world of nursing. 

In the next few weeks, the nursing cohort at the Eastern Sierra College Center in Bishop will finish their finals, take their state licensure testing, and will be poised to join colleagues nationwide “in the most noble of professions,” thanks to Cerro Coso’s program.   

These students have, once again, shown amazing resolve and adaptability to graduate in the mist of the most difficult health crisis our country has ever seen. They are well prepared to serve their communities.  

Even in moments of uncertainty, there is an underlying sense of optimism.  Positioned to start a new chapter in their lives despite a national pandemic, when all their peers were shifting to online classes, they kept attending in-person classes in the homestretch of their nursing education. Cerro Coso nursing faculty have worked hard to deliver all the classes they need, following all safety protocols, to keep them on track for graduation.

The college will be holding a Nursing Capping and Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, December 3rd at the Bishop campus that signifies the conclusion of their program at the college. All those attending will be required to wear a mask and show proof of Covid vaccination or a negative Covid test administered within the last 72 hours.

Nothing can take away these students’ passion for, and commitment to, helping others as nurses.  

Congratulations to the ESCC Nursing Class of 2021!

Basketball Home Opener BIG Win for the Coyotes Men’s Basketball Team

Coming off of a strong early start to the 2021-22 CCCAA Men’s Basketball Season, the Cerro Coso Coyote’s men’s basketball program kicked off their home schedule on Saturday, November 12th  against West Hills Coalinga College (WHCC).

The Coso team opened up their home schedule with a convincing win over West Hills Coalinga College. With only a 1 point lead going into halftime, the Coyotes made the necessary adjustments to run away with a 20 point margin to finish the game at 77-57.

The Falcons played tough defense throughout the contest, but were no match for the fast paced Coyote offense as Cerro Coso eventually wore them down. The Coyotes were led by Josh Miller (27 pts), Jalen Williams (17 pts.), and Jhadon Banks (15 pts.).

Coso returns to action on the road this Wednesday as they take on a top ranked opponent in Fullerton College. They will return to home action this Saturday, 11/20/21 @ 5:00pm as they play host to Cypress College.

Dribble it. Pass it. Let’s make a basket! Go Coyotes!

It’s a Wrap

No need to get all wrapped up in all the holiday stress! Cerro Coso elves (Penny Talley, Courtney Bowen, and Franki Gregor) offered the community some wrapping relief during the Student Services United Club’s Gift Wrapping and Donation Drive held at Walmart on Wednesday, November 17th.   Shoppers were able to stop by the booth and have their holiday purchases wrapped for a donation.  All proceeds from the event will be used to support Club activities. 

The Student Services United Club provides students with the opportunity to develop a networking system that is consistent with the challenges they encounter on a day-to-day basis.  It provides an opportunity for special services students to develop leadership skills through the presentation of various campus and community activities and cooperation with other organizations.  The underlying theme for the club’s activities is to educate the college and community about ethnic-cultural  diversity and about the needs and contributions of disabled and economically challenged people. 

Bakersfield College

BC Gifted $11,000 By The Scott Kirschenmann Family Foundation

The Scott Kirschenmann Family Foundation has gifted the Bakersfield College Foundation $11,000 to expand and renovate the Bakersfield College Agriculture Farm Laboratory, an outdoor learning space for students on the corner of Panorama and Haley St. Christy Hornbuckle, Scott Kirshenmann’s sister, joined members of the BC Foundation for a tour of the area on Wednesday morning. The tour was led by Dean of Instruction, Jessica Wojtysiak, Agriculture Department Chair, Heather Baltis, and Food Science faculty, LeAnn Riley.

And check out this story from KGET about the donation & visit:

Automotive Tech Renegades at the 29th California Hot Rod Reunion

The 29th California Hot Rod Reunion was held at Famoso Dragstrip and the three day event serves as the final race in the NHRA Heritage Series. Eleven of BC’s Automotive Technology students participated as crew members on Top Fuel Dragster teams, a program sponsored by the Jim McLennen Foundation and NHRA. The program was started years ago when Bob McLennen, Jim’s son, contacted BC’s Auto faculty looking for ways to introduce students to drag racing in memory of his father’s legacy. This program is an extension of the Renegade Motorsports team, which has already built a fully functional racecar trainer and is currently constructing two endurance race cars for competition on road courses across the western states.

Native American Heritage Month – Resources at BC!

Faith Bradham and Laura Luiz have created a Native American LibGuide and set up displays in the Library in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. The guide focuses on books and online resources including videos, podcasts, and more.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian is celebrating with a Native Cinema Showcase, November 12th through 18th. This year’s showcase focuses on Native people boldly asserting themselves through language, healing, building community, and a continued relationship with the land. Activism lies at the heart of all these stories. The showcase provides a unique forum for engagement with Native filmmakers from Indigenous communities throughout the Western Hemisphere and Arctic. 

Interested in learning about local Native Peoples? Check out the following sites:  Tejon Indian Tribe, Tachi Yokuts Culture, Tule River History, Native American Resilience: The Tachi Yokut Tribe and the Preservation of Tribal History and Tradition, The Kawaiisu Culture, and Tubatulabals of Kern.

BC Recognized Twice by The Campaign for College Opportunity

Last week, I shared that The Campaign for College Opportunity has announced Bakersfield College will be recognized as a Champion of Higher Education. I wanted to update you all to that BC was honored twice during the annual Champions of Higher Education celebration on November 16th.

Champion of Higher Education for Excellence

The first recognition is as a 2021 Champion of Higher Education in regards to exemplary work to ensure strong transfer pathways. BC has seen a sustained increase of 1000% in degrees awarded since 2014-2015.

Champion of Equity for Latinx Students

BC was also recognized as a 2021 Equity Champion for Excellence in Transfer for Latinx Students. In the past few years, BC has achieved parity in enrollment and completion for this population with 70% of Associate Degree for Transfer earners identifying as Hispanic/Latino/a/x in 2019-2020.

In the News

BC breaks ground on a new Edible Education Garden

May be an image of 10 people, people standing, tree and outdoors

On Friday, BC broke ground on the new Edible Education Garden. The garden will be open to all students, and its harvests will be available both to students in the culinary arts program cooking at the Renegade Room, as well as for students at the Renegade Pantry.

I enjoyed Emma Gallegos’ article in The Bakersfield Californian about the project.

BC looks to ‘unique’ pot of state money for proposed 152-bed residence hall

Last Saturday, I enjoyed reading Casey Christie’s article in The Bakersfield Californian about a plan to build dedicated student housing for BC students.

“KCCD trustee John Corkins, who represents the Porterville College area and serves on the district’s finance committee, said a grant that covers 100 percent of the funding is rare and allows the district to take a reasonable risk. It’s a risk few community colleges have taken up until now: A recent Assembly memo notes that only 12 community colleges have housing programs.“

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Cerro Coso shared this picture taken while filming on the Bishop campus:

Excited to wrap up the virtual 360 campus tour filming today at our Bishop and Mammoth campuses. We are thrilled to bring all of Cerro Coso’s campus locations to you soon virtually! Don’t forget open registration is available now to register for spring classes! You belong here! #ccpride

PC President Claudia Habib shared these photos on Twitter:

“Beautiful Yokut tribe artifacts, regalia and games were on display at the tabling event by the Native American Club.”

Here a a few photos from this week’s Launchpad Lunch & Learn event – thank you to Earl Parsons for these great photos:

I just love this post from BC History Professor Olivia Garcia:

Can I just say how much I love my job?! Yes COVID has made it challenging for professors to teach in this new setting, but I’m so proud of my students for their resilience and creativity. Case in point: I created an assignment where my history students could create something that reflected what they wrote about in their history research papers. Here are some examples from my history classes: One created an Aztec pyramid as he wrote about the fascinating engineering of this society. Another made a suffragette sash to highlight the women’s suffrage movement. Another created a Venus figurine out of clay for her paper on Paleolithic societies and portrayal of women through these carvings. Another drew her own interpretation of Mona Lisa to highlight her paper on the Renaissance. The list goes on! It was a fun, creative assignment for my face-to-face classes, and their work was so inspiring. Thank you to my students for reminding me of the rewards of teaching history to young, thriving college minds. #mystudentsarethebest⭐️❤️ #thatprofessorlife🙋🏽‍♀️ #wearebc #historyrocks🌏

And Vance Palm announced his retirement this week after 23 years of covering BC Renegade Athletics:

After a total span of 23 years covering basketball, football and volleyball for my beloved BC Rengades, this afternoon was the finale. Called my first hoops game in 1998 – as the Assistant coach!🤣I played basketball & baseball there, coached there, worked there and was lucky enough to help with the Inaugural BC Athletics Hall of Fame. I Tagged a bunch of the people who I enjoyed along the way. Much love🌴#gogades

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings