A rainbow for you.
Our early childhood studies stay with us all our lives. I figured that “my heart leaping up when I see a rainbow” was imprinted by the poem I studied in school.
My Heart Leaps Up
by William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
On October 24, 1861, the completion of the first transcontinental telegraph line marked a turning point in American history, connecting California to the eastern United States through a revolutionary new communication network. What once took days or weeks could now be communicated across the country in a matter of moments.
Check out this video from the Sacramento History Museum about it:
More than 160 years later, we continue to see how innovation transforms the way we live, work and connect with one another. From artificial intelligence to emerging technologies reshaping our industries, the pace of change reminds us of the importance of education in preparing individuals and communities for the future.
Across California’s 116 community colleges, we are embracing that opportunity, working together to expand access, strengthen workforce pathways and ensure our students have the skills and support they need to thrive in an evolving world.
Good morning California.
It is October 24, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Irvine Valley College’s “Ignite Your Future” Digital Campaign
Earns Bronze CASE Circle of Excellence Award
Irvine Valley College’s “Ignite Your Future” digital enrollment campaign has earned a Bronze Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The international awards program recognizes colleges, universities, and schools worldwide whose advancement teams demonstrate exceptional ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness. This year, the Circle of Excellence Awards received 4,185 submissions from 628 institutions across 33 countries.
Cerritos College receives contribution from Honda
to address cost and access gaps in IT certification
Cerritos College recently announced a $100,000 contribution from Honda to support establishing a new IT Industry Certification Center (ITICC) powered by Pearson VUE. The contribution will help advance the college’s work to help students earn credentials that lead to promising jobs in the technology industry. he center will provide on-campus certification testing in high-demand IT fields, including cloud computing, networking, cybersecurity, and Windows Server administration.
Southwestern College Welcomes U.S. Consul General Lance Hegerle
to Advance Binational Education and Workforce Development
Southwestern College welcomed U.S. Consul General Lance Hegerle to campus on October 9 for a strategic visit focused on strengthening binational education, workforce development, and cross-border partnerships that support the economic vitality of the CaliBaja region. The visit highlighted Southwestern College’s leadership in creating educational opportunities that prepare students to thrive in a globally connected economy while addressing the workforce needs of employers throughout Southern California and Baja California.
In Case You Missed It
Nearly half of employers say AI will make college degrees more important
Nearly half of surveyed employers — 48% — think higher education will become more important over the next five years amid growing use of artificial intelligence, while only 26% think it will become less important, according to data released Tuesday by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation.
Across industries, large majorities of employers said that college degrees would be at least as important as they are today.
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2 in 3 Latino College Students Have Weighed Dropping Out, UnidosUS Finds
Nearly two-thirds of Latino college students have considered leaving school, and close to a third actually did, according to a new survey from UnidosUS that identifies financial pressure, work demands, and mental strain as forces pushing students away from a degree.
The survey, conducted for the Washington-based civil rights and advocacy organization by Hart Research, found that 65% of respondents had thought about leaving college. That figure includes 32% who did leave. Of those, 23% later returned either full- or part-time, while 10% have not come back.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Evergreen Valley College:
Over the past two days our District Police held its bi-annual “Coffee with a Cop” at EVC and SJCC, serving up coffee and donuts with no agendas, to meet our community.
Thanks to La Phin Vida for serving up the iced coffees!
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From Cabrillo College:
Hands-on learning in action!
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) students were hard at work practicing vital clinical skills through our partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and Cabrillo College.
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From Glendale Community College:
On Monday, October 05, 2026, we officially celebrated the ribbon cutting of Glendale Community College’s Inclusion Center. What began as an idea initiated by GCC’s student identity groups, led by members of @bsu_glendale — a “what if?” — became a welcoming space designed to build connection, belonging, and opportunity for all students.
We were honored to welcome Senator Adam Schiff whose support helped make this project possible. The Inclusion Center was funded through Measure GC Bond funds, along with $1.5 million secured by Senator Schiff during his time as a member of Congress.
Students got their first look at the Inclusion Center this spring, and it was exciting to officially celebrate this important space with our campus community and partners.
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From Butte College:
Saturday’s Bountiful Butte Harvest Festival was a blast! Our agriculture and horticulture departments had a variety of unique pumpkins and plants for sale and there were plenty of themed booths offering activities for the whole family. The welding department had a booth set up for attendees who wanted to give welding a try and we held numerous campus tours showcasing what is happening at Butte College. Dash and our campus goats even made an appearance. Thank you to all who attended!
And From the Home of the Renegades
Renegades Celebrate Homecoming 2026
Last week was Homecoming Week at Bakersfield College, and Renegades celebrated with a series of fun events and activities. This year’s theme was ‘Now That’s What I Call Homecoming’, drawing inspiration from iconic genres like musicals, country, jazz, rock, and disco. The festivities continued through the weekend with the Homecoming Parade, Tailgading, and an exciting football game at Memorial Stadium.
Each day offered a different activity, and students were encouraged to put together teams to earn points for prizes throughout the week. On Tuesday, students had the opportunity to participate in a line dancing workshop. Students had a fun time expressing themselves through a variety of line dancing steps and moves. On Wednesday evening, everyone gathered in the campus breezeway for a ‘Night of Jazz’, which featured music, mingling and a special live performance by the BC Jazz Department. On Friday, students danced the night away at the Silent Disco – a unique dancing experience where each participant wears wireless headphones and dances to the music that they are hearing.
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Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.
That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!
With much hope and joy,
Your Chancellor,
-sonya
#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora
A special thank you to our DVC student veterans for leading this meaningful tribute and reminding us of the values of unity, resilience, and service.
