Sonya Christian's Blog

Just got back from a great Saturday morning walk with Neo – the super moon was bright and clear. Search #NASAmoonsnap to view some great photos of the last super moon for the summer. I also was delighted to make a wish when I spotted a shooting star, probably the last remnants of the Perseid Meteor Shower from last night. Life it not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

At Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting, I was happy to swear in our new Student Trustee, Shehrazad Barraj. I look forward to working with you this coming year!

Steven Watkin and Kylie Campbell also briefed the Board of Trustees on the Kern CCD Early College Program.

Other members of the Kern CCD Early College team took a photo with the Board of Trustees. In addition to Steven and Kylie, we saw:

• Alma Feathers, Bakersfield College
• Jackie Stoner, Bakersfield College
• Berenice Arellano, Bakersfield College
• Ref Rodriguez, Porterville College
• Chad Houck, VP Finance and Administrative Services, Cerro Coso Community College
• Kristin Hanle, Dual Enrollment Manager, Cerro Coso Community College 

I am excited to see more great things coming from this team as we work to expand our Early College program!

Good morning, friends.
It is August 13, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

Campus comes to life as students return for Promise Program orientation

Porterville College welcomed its newest class of PC Promise Students to campus this week. Over 150 students attended the in-person orientation for students taking part in this program.  It was the first in-person orientation for the program since the pandemic.

During the four-day orientation, students received tours of campus, listened to motivational speakers and attended panels providing tips for success from our financial aid staff, faculty, and student ambassadors.

As part of the program, they receive free tuition and books as well as academic and employment help. The Porterville College Promise Program serves first-time college students through their first year with a comprehensive plan of financial and academic support.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these amazing students!

Guided Pathways Teams Kickoff

Porterville College continued its great work on Guided Pathways this week with a kick-off retreat for our New Academic and Career Pathways Teams. These are pathway specific teams used to guide students through their academic journey at Porterville College.

Representation from across the campus, including faculty, counselors, advisors, classified staff, and administrators were in attendance to work on pathway goals and action plans for the Fall semester. There was amazing dialog and great work was done on behalf of student success.

The group was joined by PC’s Guided Pathways Coach Al Solano, who has helped to build the structure and implementation model being used.  We’re excited to take pathways to another level this year at PC!

Cerro Coso Community College

Mammoth Lakes Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza – Cerro Coso Was There

As the sun set on a cool and rainy day on Thursday, August 4^th, beer and music lovers found themselves flocking to the Woods at Mammoth Lakes to enjoy one of the biggest parties of the summer.  After two years away due to the pandemic, one of the city’s most beloved festivals, the Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza, returned for a four day-long event. 

Over 85+ craft breweries/cideries pouring beers and ciders from around the country, the annual Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza is the best craft beer and music festival in the West, and Cerro Coso was there.  Katie Bachman and Chandler Petrovich staffed the college information booth passing out information and answering questions to thousands of attendees.    

Featuring more than 20 bands on two stages performing blues, rock, R&B, and soul.  Headliners included: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Taj Mahal Quartet, Allen Stone, Eric Gales, Donavon Frankenreiter, and the Main Squeeze.

The festival featured top quality acts, sold out concerts, adoring and positive attendees, it was just so good to get back to seeing and hearing live music in a wonderful setting and connecting with people. 

A great way to escape the heat, the mood was one of joy, happiness, and excitement, for Cerro Coso is a great place to meet incredible people, connect with the people in the community we serve, and share all that Cerro Coso has to offer in a fun and festive environment. 

Quality maintenance is a sustainable approach

Dedicated to providing safe, quality, and educationally sound learning environments for students and staff, the Maintenance and Operations Department at Cerro Coso plays a vital role in the success of our students.  These are the unsung heroes that work behind the scenes to keep our campuses clean and in working order.  Our M & O crew has been very busy this summer preparing facilities for the start of fall classes. This is the team that continued to work on campus despite the pandemic to ensure the health and safety of our employees, students, and families and prepare for our reopening this summer. This includes a large branding project in the gymnasium, cleaning and waxing floors, and system testing like the fire alarms. 

Over the last several months the M&O and IT teams have worked to integrate the current School Dude maintenance software with our single sign on for KCCD websites to implement “Event Manager.”  The program is now live and ready for use.  This program will be utilized by all departments to schedule meetings and events in a much more detailed and efficient manner.  It is a one stop shop for reserving space across the campuses.  Classes and athletic practices will be added to fill in the calendar.  The current event planning form will no longer be utilized along with the master calendar or facilities calendars.

Please join us in recognizing our Maintenance and Operations team for the exceptional job they do to keep us safe and in working order in support of our mission. 

Welcome New CC Professor Frank Guevara

Cerro Coso Community College is pleased to announce that Dr. Frank Guevara will be joining the college as a Professor for Child Development beginning Fall 2022.    

Dr. Guevara is a father to 9 children and male role model to many others.  He and his wife are foster parents, so they have many children under their roof and were fortunate to adopt several children to create a unique family.  His wife holds degrees in Special Education and Social Work so the two have built a life around supporting children from challenging backgrounds.

He lives by the motto “the biggest room is always the room for improvement.”    

“My philosophy of teaching asserts that students are entitled to quality instruction in an active and stimulating learning environment,” said Guevara. “My standards of excellence- set high, yet attainable – are used to facilitate optimal student learning, and the development of tools which will enable students to be successful in the field.  I also encourage students to self-evaluate individual progress to facilitate the mindset of a reflective practitioner.

When asked how he engages students in the classroom, he said…”often students are less motivated or disinterested when they cannot connect with the course topics.  So, I look for opportunities to highlight the practical implications to their professional work – to demonstrate why this topic is meaningful to them as educators.”  Dr. Guevara believes students comes to class with a different set of skills and unique goals for themselves, so success will take all shapes and sizes – from a student completing their first course, learning a new strategy to support children’s development, or overcoming a personal obstacle.  “It’s all about moving forward and not giving up,” he said. 

He received his doctoral degree in Early Childhood Education from Northcentral University, having completed his graduate studies in Child Development at San Jose University and a bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Stanford University.  He recently completed an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Arizona Global Campus. 

“As a family, we enjoy spending time outdoors, going on cruises, and volunteering in the community,” he concluded.

Fall 2022 classes begin August 22, 2022.  Register today at www.cerrocoso.edu or call 760-384-6219. 

Bakersfield College

BC Hosts Rural Express Enrollment Events in Several Kern Regions

Bakersfield College works hard to make their academic opportunities available to as many students as possible in Bakersfield, Kern County and beyond. In an effort to reach students that are not in the immediate Bakersfield area, BC is hosting several Rural Express Enrollment events to help prospective students get registered and begin their educational journey. These Express Enrollment events provide an opportunity for attendees to receive more information about programs and classes, complete a BC application, speak to advisors and enroll in courses. 

If you are interested in the event, or want more information, please visit the Rural Express Enrollment Event information page.

BC Conducting ‘Flex Week’ Professional Development Workshops

The Fall 2022 Semester is just around the corner, and to help prepare our faculty for the new school year, BC is hosting Flex Week Aug. 15th-18th. Each morning will start with Wellness Walks led by Paula Dahl from the Athletic Department. From there, Faculty will have the opportunity to learn from colleagues who went to the Online Teaching Conference on all aspects of teaching and learning. Everyone can learn more about managing their time with Planner in Microsoft Teams. There will be sessions on Supporting our Students in multiple ways. 

For Faculty who are interested in attending, please visit the Vision Resource Center.  You can also reach out to Pamela Rivers for more information or help with registration.

BC Hosting In-Person New Student Convocation

We are so excited to announce that BC will be hosting an in-person New Student Convocation for the first time in two years! The event will take place August 16th, 2022 from 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm in BC’s Outdoor Theater.  All new students and their parents are invited to attend. Attendees will have the opportunity to check out campus services, meet faculty and staff, get an introduction to Student Organizations, enjoy a free dinner, and much more! 

It is always an exciting time to welcome new students into the Renegade family and equip them with quality resources to continue their academic journey. We hope that all new students and their parents are able to attend. For more information, visit the New Student Convocation Web Page.

Opening Day at Bakersfield College

The beginning of the Fall Semester is rapidly approaching, and one of BC’s long-standing traditions is to host an Opening Day ceremony to celebrate the new school year. This year’s Opening Day will take place on August 18th in the Renegade Ballroom (Campus Center, 3rd Floor) at 8:00 a.m. There will be breakfast, opening remarks from President Zav Dadabhoy, and guest speakers to help inspire faculty and staff for the upcoming year.

Teaching & Learning Experiences

Porterville College History Professor Rebecca Baird penned the most recent entry in the Teaching & Learning Experiences (TALE) Blog.

“One of the questions I really began to ask myself was whether I wanted my students to focus on due dates or the course content.  Clearly there were students who were unable to achieve those due dates and now received a zero and could no longer turn in the work.  Was it that important to me to punish them harshly for missing an assignment? Or was it more important for them to learn about Reconstruction, or World War II, or the 1960s, albeit slightly past the due date?”

You can find all the TALE Blog posts at https://kernccdtaleblog.org/blog/.

Kern CCD employees that want to contribute a piece can visit https://kernccdtaleblog.org/submissions/ for more information.

In the News

Place-based learning program launched for Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College nursing students

23ABC covered the pilot Dedicated Education Unit that will allow nursing students at BC and CCCC to complete clinical work hours at Adventist Health hospitals in Bakersfield, Delano, and Tehachapi.

“This is a way to expand the high quality instructional opportunities we offer our nursing students, while leveraging partnerships with local hospitals and their talented nurses, said Carla Gard, dean of Instruction for Nursing and Allied Health at Bakersfield College.

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Here’s a photo from our Energy Team planning session:

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Kimberly Bligh shared about Bridge to BC:

“Bridge to BC 2022 Last Day Photo. To think we started in 2014 with 140 students and hit our 3,000 goal this year is unfathomable! My highest previously was about 1,800. Knowing that these students, who have completed Bridge, have twice the persistence rate for fall to spring… twice the persistence rate Fall to Fall…twice the completion of transfer level math in English in their first year… And.. almost 100% FAFSA completion rate and awards…..plus…  twice as likely to complete 15 units in the first semester and 30 units in the first year … well it just makes me remember why I do this every summer instead of taking a vacation LOL Bridge to BC supports our community and supports our society and just is just downright amazing for all the families who these students touch. I am blessed and privileged to be the Director of Bridge over the past decade. Bridge students are AMAZING  as are all of the talented and compassionate student peer mentors, academic advisors and counselors, financial aid staff lead by Isabel,  and all of the Bridge to BC support  staff including  Outreach, Student Life,  A and R , College Safety, Cafeteria, Maintenance and Operations, and MORE!  It’s takes an entire BC  Village that makes Bridge happen! We ARE BC!“

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Dr. Claudia Habib shared this post about Promise Days at Porterville College:
Excited to meet and welcome a group of freshmen students this morning at #PromiseDays2022 . Students are eager and excited to be #Pirates . Our amazing staff is preparing them for a successful experience at @PCollegePirates #Orientation #Onboarding #StudentServices #ASPC

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Abigail Solis, Central CA Director of External Affairs for the Governor’s Office, shared that she was “excited about the innovative, equity focused work” we are doing:

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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

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

This week, I joined a delegation from Kern CCD as we traveled to Colorado to visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden. We had a wonderful time collaborating and creating partnerships with our teams to create a clean energy future for our region.

It was an honor to meet with Dr. Martin Keller, director of NREL, to discuss our collaboration.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing some more about this inspirational trip and what lessons on renewable energy we can bring back to Kern.

Good morning, friends.
It is August 6, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

Program Meeting Provides Parent Outreach

PC Gear Up, a program for middle-school outreach, recently held a Student & Parent Night for students currently in the program, prospective students, and the parents of both. The event, which was held in the PC cafeteria on Tuesday, Aug. 2, included dinner for the attendees along with some great program swag.

During the meal, the students were given a presentation on Gear Up from Program Manager Gloriann Garza. Following some words from Ms. Garza, Academic Advisor Antonio Salazar shared details about our ESL programs with the parents in both English and Spanish. It’s all part of our effort to make the transition to college easy for students and their parents.

GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.  It is a federally funded program designed to elevate the academic achievement, college attendance, and graduation rates of first-generation, low-income, underrepresented, and underserved students.

The program’s purpose is to prepare students and their families to be academically, socially, and financially ready to enter and complete the postsecondary program or institution of their choice.

For more information visit https://www.portervillecollege.edu/gear-up

Final “Pirate in a Day” event of the summer scheduled for August 9

On Tuesday, Porterville College will host the final Pirate in a Day event of the Summer.  The event being held on Tuesday, August 9^th on the PC campus, is designed to make the registration process easy for those looking to register for classes. This event is for everyone, whether they are enrolling or registering for the first time or continuing their journey at PC. Faculty and Student Services Staff will be on hand to help them through the entire process.

Counselors will be available to answer questions and help students choose the classes that will best fit their chosen pathway. Staff will be on hand from our Financial Aid and Access Programs departments to discuss programs that can help pay for the cost of classes, books, food, and more during their time at PC.

Join us on August 9^th from 9am to 4pm and become a Pirate in Just One Day!!!

PC Announces first speakers for fall series

The PC English Department is excited to announce that the Writer and Poet Speaker Series will return this fall with in-person presentations from renowned writers and poets after being virtual due to the COVID Pandemic since 2020.

The program, which begins in September, will kick off with Reyna Grande, author of the bestselling memoir, The Distance Between Us and its sequel, A Dream Called Home.  This award-winning writer will discuss her work, which details her life before and after she arrived in the United States from Mexico as an undocumented child immigrant.

October will bring a visit from Gary Soto. Born and raised in Fresno, Mr. Soto is the author of thirteen poetry collections for adults, most notably NEW AND SELECTED POEMS. He was a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Award and the National Book Award. He is also a filmmaker, having produced the film “The Pool Party,” which received the 1993 Andrew Carnegie Medal.

We’re excited not only for the in-person return of this wonderful series, but also for the high caliber of speakers we will be bringing to campus this year

Cerro Coso Community College

CC Rocks

The Cerro Coso College Fall 2022 term begins Monday, August 22, 2022.

The semester will officially kick off with Cerro Coso Rocks Your Orientation, a welcome back event slated for Thursday, August 18th from 3 to 7 pm in the courtyard between the Main Building and West Wing.

CC Rocks provides an excellent opportunity to meet new faculty and staff and to catch up with those who have been away during the summer.

Over 200 students, families, and community members attended last year’s event.

It is a great opportunity to get a real sense of what it is like to attend your local college.

Summer is almost over, but the real fun is about to begin!

Weir – Living on the edge

Meet Matthew Weir! The new Systems Support Specialist I in the Information Technology Department at the IWV Ridgecrest campus.

Matthew moved to California seven years ago from Florida.

He earned his associate degree in Cyber Security from Cerro Coso Community College while working in the industrial engineering field, and is currently a full-time student at Cal State University San Bernardino pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security.

Matthew is excited to be working in his dream career field at Cerro Coso.

In his free time he loves to ride his dirt bike in the mountains and go on road trips with his family on the weekends.

A motto Matthew lives by is “if you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”

Welcome to the Cerro Coso family, Matthew! We look forward to working with you and helping you succeed toward your goals.

You shop – Amazon gives to the CCCC Foundation

The Amazon Smile Program is a simple and automatic way for Amazon customers to donate to the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation every time they shop at Amazon at no additional cost to the customer. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from eligible AmazonSmile purchases.

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select a charitable organization (CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE INC) to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember every eligible purchase you make and your order will result in a donation.

Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.

Donations are made by the AmazonSmile Foundation and are not tax deductible to you.

MakeMeSmile is a Chrome extension that automatically helps ensure that your Amazon purchase can be correctly attributed to Amazon Smile, a charitable program.

Make your online purchases count with no extra effort on your part by downloading this free extension.

Download the MakeMeSmile extension.

Bakersfield College

Renegade Promenade

The BC Alumni Association and Foundation are proud to announce the Inaugural Renegade Promenade to be held on Saturday, October 15, 2022, from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.

This event will be an “all things BC” festival!  We want to showcase everything BC has to offer – departments, clubs, programs, and more! There will be no charge to attend, and we’ll welcome alumni, future students, current students, and their families and friends – basically the entire Kern County community! 

Guests can tour the new Science and Engineering building, the Dining Commons will be open and serving all the campus classics, there will be a beer garden, and there will be prizes and music!  Mento Buru will end the day from 2:00 – 4:00 pm with a concert in the quad!

We are calling on each of you to help us showcase BC.  Please help us put on a festival of all festivals – booth space for the BC family is free.  Bring your department & program info, interactive games, fun booths, and all the ideas that will leave our community in awe of BC! 

Sign up by clicking here: https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/registration-form/?formId=ff153a49-4ffb-4d50-984e-083b3b356611&envId=p-Q0rLWK24bkyNUTE3hqv1IA

If you know someone who would like to sponsor this event, please share this link: https://www.supportbc.org/renegade-promenade/

See what’s new at Bakersfield College this fall

Our own Stacey Shephard shared this update in The Bakersfield Californian about changes at BC for the upcoming fall semester:

There is plenty to look forward to at Bakersfield College this fall with an exciting line-up of new and improved services, events and facilities. And most importantly, we welcome the return to even more in-person instruction, activities and events.

Those returning to campus for the first time in a while will be treated to a host of upgrades to campus facilities funded with the Measure J bond proceeds. And the work continues! Here’s what to expect this fall:

Science and Engineering Building: This brand new, state-of-the-art, three-story building will open in the early part of the fall 2022 semester. It will feature offices, laboratories (including a robotics lab) and lecture halls for the Science and Engineering Department throughout approximately 70,000 square feet of space with atriums and skylights to brighten interior spaces.

New Welcome Center: Later in the fall, the Welcome Center will open to serve as a one-stop shop for new students and visitors. This new “front door” to the campus will be located in the former Administrative Building in the traffic circle at the Haley Street entrance. It will provide one central area for information on programs and services.

In-person Convocation and Welcome Week: These signature events welcoming new and returning students to the academic year will happen in-person this fall. The New Student Convocation is Aug. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the outdoor theater. (Registration is required.)

Also, the Student Involvement Festival returns Sept. 1. This is the largest event during BC Welcome Week and encourages students to learn about the campus and become engaged and active members of Bakersfield College and the Bakersfield community. This is also an opportunity for students to learn about student organization and club offerings and get involved and engaged in our Renegade community!

New faces: More than 54 new tenure-track faculty and several new staff will join BC this fall.

Going solar: Construction will start this academic year on solar projects at the Panorama Campus, Weill Center in downtown Bakersfield and Delano campus. All should be completed by the start of the fall 2023 semester.

Athletics: All grass sports fields will undergo maintenance to improve playability and a new filtration system will be installed for both BC pools. Fall Sports Media Day this year is at 10 a.m. on Aug. 17 on the Memorial Stadium Concourse. The football season opener is Saturday, Sept. 3, at Memorial Stadium.

BC is always adding new events, programs and services. Stay updated with the latest news and information at bakersfieldcollege.edu.

In the News

CRC pledges $2.5M to KCCD, CSUB for carbon management work

The Bakersfield Californian published this article about the Californian Resources Corporation’s generous pledge of $2.5 million to fund carbon management-related initiatives at the Kern Community College District and Cal State Bakersfield.

“Kern CCD is excited to be partnering with CRC on an innovative new approach to research, outreach, community education and workforce training for carbon management”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

PC President Claudia Habib shared these photos:

United Farm Workers (UFW) March in their way to Sacramento made a stop @PCollegePirates I was honored to meet with the elders of the native tribes joining the March.

Endee Grijalva and the Bakersfield College Adult Team at the Kern County Child Support Health and Wellness Fair.

Kylie Campbell shared a post about BC’s Early College Convening:

Cerro Coso Community College celebrated John McHenry, who recently signed with the Washington Nationals:

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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

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

A week of a Supermoon and colorful first celestial images from the James Webb Telescope.

The first set of images included the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date:

One of the other images released shows the edge of a nearby, star-forming region in the Carina Nebula. This image reveals previously invisible areas of star birth:

On the Supermoon, NASA wrote that the moon appeared full for about three days, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning. A Supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to earth – a point known as perigee.

The next and final Supermoon of the year will be the night of August 11.

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

Good morning, friends.
It is July 16, 2022.
The sun shines bright over Kern CCD.

Porterville College

High School Students get a look at industrial career pathways at PC

Thanks to the Summer Jump Start Academy hosted by the Porterville College CTE division, students from multiple Porterville Area High Schools have been getting a first-hand look at some of the career pathways available to them at PC.

This summer academy, part of a partnership between Porterville College and several higher education and industry partners, provides a curriculum designed specifically for incoming Central Valley high school seniors (current juniors) with an interest in learning more about careers in Industrial technologies.

The academy’s curriculum is designed to encourage student interest in college and to give them practical knowledge and experience in potential career paths related to industrial professions.  Our hope is that providing this hands-on engagement with potential career paths will paint a clear future plan for students to follow.

PC’s Jump Start Summer Camp is made possible by a regional partnership between PC, West Hills College Lemoore, College of the Sequoias, and Reedley College. It takes place on the PC campus and includes instruction in Welding Technologies, OSHA safety and compliance, and other Industrial Careers.

PC Police Academy returns to campus for Fall Semester

PC will host its first Police Academy cohort in over a year this coming Fall Semester.  The last several academies have had to be postponed due to health and safety concerns brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Students and faculty gathered on Thursday evening to discuss the coming program and preview the equipment and methods that will be used in instruction. PC’s Module 3 law enforcement academy begins on August 27, 2022.

This Academy is offered as a POST-certified modular police academy at levels II and III.  Porterville College also offers academic degrees in this subject area including a degree for transfer in Administration of Justice.

Students and recruits who complete programs at the PC Law Enforcement Training Center will receive college credits towards a degree and be eligible to apply for a variety of law enforcement careers – such as Police Officer, Sheriff Deputy, Reserve Officer, Probation, or Parole Officer, and more.

For more information on the Porterville College Law Enforcement Academy, visit our website at https://www.portervillecollege.edu/porterville-college-law-enforcement-academy.

PC Announces continuation of new student benefit for Fall 2022

Porterville College has announced it will be able to continue to offer a very exciting benefit program for students this Fall. This benefit, made possible with state funding, is available for all first-time PC Students who have completed their FAFSA or Dream Act Application. 

All first-time students registering for 12 or more units, will receive a NEW Laptop Computer to keep.  To be eligible, students need to have completed the FAFSA or Dream Act application and they must complete the first semester in which they enroll with 12 or more units. (If a student drops classes below the required 12 unit load, they will need to repay PC for the laptop and a hold will be placed on their account).

See the Porterville College Financial Aid website for complete details and restrictions. 

You may also email the Financial Aid Office with any questions at pc_faid@portervillecollege.edu.

Cerro Coso Community College

CCCC Volleyball Camps July 18-21

Cerro Coso Community College is offering Volleyball Camps July 18-21, 2022 for youths 6 – 17.   

A camp for young players 12 -17 will be held Monday thru Thursdays from 8 am to 11 am in the College Gymnasium.   Another camp will be held from 12:30 – 3 p.m. for 6 to 11 year-olds.  

Take advantage of these great opportunities to join new head Coach Andy Cole, staff, and players to enhance your technical skills and volleyball knowledge.  

For athletes looking to advance their skills in a team environment, Cerro Coso’s volleyball camp will help improve skills and practice in inter-program scrimmages. 

Younger players are introduced to the game in a fast, energetic environment meant to teach the game the right way and foster a love of the sport.  Camp will emphasize executing skills correctly and building good habits early.  

More information and registration may be completed online at www.cosocoyotes.com/sports or contact Coach Cole at andrew.cole@cerrocoso.edu. 

Coyote Volleyball looks forward to providing a fun filled camp experience while taking your game to the next level.  

Go Coyotes!  

College to Bring Admissions to You

Cerro Coso Community College is holding two admissions application and registration workshops in the Fossil Falls Room at the Kerr McGee Community Center. 

College experts will be on hand to help you apply and register for fall 2022 classes on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from 6 to 8 pm, and on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 form 12 noon to 3 p.m. 

Open to all new and returning students. 

Counseling staff will be available for educational advising.

Already applied?  Our team can assist you with registering for fall 2022 classes.  

Fall classes begin August 22, 2022.  Register early for best class selection.

Cerro Coso Community College – Your Hometown College!

Petrovich New DA III in PIO

Meet the new Department Assistant III in the Public Information Office at the IWV Ridgecrest Campus, Chandler Petrovich! 

Chandler is a Ridgecrest native and a first-generation college student who graduated from Cerro Coso in May of 2020 with her Associates for Transfer in Psychology. “Forever a Coyote!”

Chandler also played on the Cerro Coso Women’s Soccer team 2018-2019. 

She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Western Governors University. 

Chandler’s professional background involves working as a Technical Writer and Office Manager at NAWCWD. 

Chandler is over the moon to be working at Cerro Coso because she is passionate about helping people pursue their goals. To point out just a few of Chandler’s hobbies – they include snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, camping, and traveling. 

She values making genuine human connections and spreading kindness. 

Welcome to the Cerro Coso family, Chandler! We look forward to working with you and helping you pursue your goals.

Cerro Coso Return to Campus

President Sean Hancock shared this email with the Cerro Coso community this week as the campus prepares for a return this fall:

“As we prepare for the fall 2022 term, I am looking forward to our collegewide return to working in person on July 25^th, with the expectation that we are all back to full-time on-campus work. We acknowledge that COVID has not disappeared. Continued need for quarantining and isolation may require a particular employee to return to working remotely for a prescribed amount of time. Be assured that your COVID Response Team continues the work of monitoring and communicating established safety protocols. We also recognize that there may be other situations when working remotely might be appropriate. In recognition of this, we will maintain flexibility on an exception basis.  Please work with your supervisor when a possible need for an exception arises.” 

Bakersfield College

BC’s Southwest Campus Hosts In-Person Express Enrollment Event

Bakersfield College has put together a series of Express Enrollment events to streamline the registration process for future students. On Wednesday, they hosted the first one this year at BC’s Southwest Campus on Camino Media. Prospective students were welcomed onto campus and had the opportunity to receive information on enrollment, financial aid, counseling and much more. 

More than 60 people attended the event, with many of them registering at BC for the first time and enrolling in courses. It’s so exciting to watch new Renegades begin their collegiate journey. 

Bakersfield College to Host International Drum Corps Competition at Memorial Stadium

On Friday July 22, Bakersfield College will host the 6th Annual RESOUND Drum Corps International Competition. The event will take place at Memorial Stadium from 7:00 – 9:30 pm.  The competition will feature several of the top drum and bugle corps from around the nation, including teams who have been crowned champions in the past. Truly the best of the best! Also competing will be our hometown team Golden Empire from Bakersfield College! Come and show your support for the local team, and see some of the best drum corps in the country.

Tickets are available through the Performing Arts Eventbrite page.

Bakersfield College to Build an Affordable Housing Residence Hall

Bakersfield College was selected by the state to receive funds allocated toward expanding affordable living for students. The project is still in the very early stages of development, but the plan is to have an apartment complex that will be able to house 154 residents.  The goal of this project is to help with the increasing issue of housing instability among college students. 

The plan is for the apartment complex to include other services and programs geared toward helping students as well. The complex may also include a food pantry to assist with nutrition needs and a wellness center that would provide medical services to students.

Construction for BC’s new residence hall is slated to begin in the Summer of 2023, and for the complex to be operational in 2025.

Please visit 23ABC for a recent news story about the project.

BC Hosts Bakersfield Police Department, Fire Department and First Responders for Emergency Response Drills

Bakersfield College has always prioritized safety for its students, administrators, faculty and staff. In an effort to maximize campus safety, the Bakersfield Police Department, Fire Department and first responders came to our Panorama campus on Thursday, July 14th, to conduct various Emergency Response Drills.

They practiced several situations in order to improve response and emergency procedures on campus. The exercises took place throughout the day from 8:00am – 2:00pm near the Campus Center building. 

One of the important training exercises was an active shooter scenario. Participants were given tips on how to respond during an active shooter incident. The police department, fire department and active responders practiced their protocols as well with a communications hub, evacuation procedures, helping injured victims, and apprehension of the perpetrator. 

Thank you BPD, BFD and everyone who participated in this event. Your efforts to help make Bakersfield college a safer campus are much appreciated.

In the News

BC thinks big with ‘Seussical’

I enjoyed this article by Stephani Dias in The Bakersfield Californian about Bakersfield College’s production of “Suessical.” The show opened this weekend, with performances on Friday and Saturday. It continues July 21-23. For tickets, check out BCPerformingArts.eventbrite.com.

“Working with a pit orchestra, only some theaters and schools have them,” (director Brian Sivesind) said. “With all these instruments playing, it’s a wonderful learning experience but definitely a new challenge for them.”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) hosted their 2022 Hope Leadership Institute Central Valley session. Local Latino leaders – Helen Iris Torres (Executive Director of HOPE), Supervisor Leticia Perez, Assemblymember Rudy Salas, Councilman Andrae Gonzales, Gaby Gonzales, CRC and Norma Rojas-Mora – were part of a panel sharing insights on Latino leadership and the opportunities and leadership dynamics in Kern County.  

Cerro Coso President Sean Hancock shared this photo:

“Lacole Copeland painted the Rotary bench on Cerro Coso’s Indian Wells Valley campus earlier this week. Lacole is doing this work through the Salvation Army’s Teens Activated in Community Service program. Thank you Lacole!“

Kern CCD Trustee Yovani Jimenez shared this post:

“The Arvin-Lamont Kiwanis Club has officially been Chartered. South Kern has many community leaders and the Arvin-Lamont Kiwanis club brought together those leaders to built the Arvin-Lamont Kiwanis club. Our goal is to make a positive change in South Kern and be part of the amazing future that South Kern has to offer. Honestly, it is an honor to be a Charter member and help bring together this amazing club that gives back to our youth.
Thank you to the City of Arvin, Supervisor David Couch, Assemblymember Rudy Salas, and many others for always supporting our club.”

Fun video that Zav Dadabhoy, Sean Hancock and I did for Claudia Habib who was not able to attend the July 14, 2022 Board meeting

And I loved this post from Mindy Wilmot, showing us how even her wardrobe has plenty of Renegade pride:

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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

#KCCDDaringMightyThings