Tag Archives: California Commumity Colleges

It’s all about partnerships

Uncategorized October 21, 2023 Leave a comment

It was a week of travel for me… headed north to Fresno City College with the Undocumented Student Action Week, then south to College of the Canyons where Chancellor Dianne Van Hook hosted a wonderful event on Vision 2030 and I was inspired by the forward leaning work of the college… then to my office in Sacramento for Consultation Council… then back to Fresno Convention Center for the annual CVHEC summit. Wrapped up Friday night watching episodes of Stephen Colbert and John Oliver. The John Oliver piece was on safety of our foods and after watching it I think when travelling I will stay away from salads and other fresh produce which we eat fresh and without cooking.

Here are a few photos from the Undocumented Student Action Week Conference. Thank you Gina Brown and Linda Vasquez for taking care of so many details to make this happen.

With State Center team and other presenters
Selfie with Linda Vasquez
Team from Chancellor’s Office: Belen Lopez, Leah Abate, Marisela Hernandez, Sonya Christian, Gina Brown, Linda Vasquez. Second row – Theresa Brown, Alonso Garcia, Paul Medina (BOG), Heather McClenahen
Ran into Bill Moseley, BC

Find out more about Undocumented Student Action Week on the CCCCO website.

Had an inspiring half a day with Dianne Van Hook, faculty, students, administrators at the College of the Canyons. Dianne’s suggestion that the theme of the day be “partnerships” set the tone for our gathering. Vice President of the Board of Governors Hildy Aguinaldo made it a priority to rearrange her schedule to join us.

Was happy that the California Labor Secretary Stewart Knox joined us for this event. I am planning on doing another blog on the workforce development work at Canyons. For now, let me share some of the photos.

*****

Here are some photos from the Central Valley Higher Education Summit.

With CVHEC Executive Director Ben Duran and West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clark.
Chancellor Carole Goldsmith, Ben Duran, Sonya Christian

Good morning California.
It is October 21, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

California Community Colleges Expand Access to Bachelor’s Degrees
with Two New Programs

California Community Colleges have approved two new bachelor’s degree programs in an effort to make earning a four-year degree more attainable for all Californians. This brings to the total number of bachelor’s degrees that are now offered or will soon be offered at a community college to 33.

The new programs are biomanufacturing at Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) and public safety management at San Diego Miramar College. Five additional bachelor’s degree program proposals are in the current evaluation cycle and are pending review.

» Read the Press Release from CCCCO

» Read about Los Angeles Mission College’s Bachelor of Science in Biomanufacturing

» Read the Press Release from San Diego Miramar College

Irvine Valley College Hosts Manufacturing Day for High School Students

Earlier this month, IVC welcomed over 150 students from the Tustin and Irvine Unified School Districts to the Advanced Technology & Education Park (ATEP) on October 6 for Manufacturing Day. This event provides students with a valuable opportunity to gain insights into various aspects of manufacturing, broadening their perspectives on the diverse career pathways within this industry.

» Read more!

Cuesta College’s University Bound program
gets $10K donation from Bank of America

The Cuesta College Foundation is pleased to announce a generous $10,000 donation from the Bank of America Foundation for University Bound, a program supporting historically underrepresented students in their goal of transferring to universities to continue their education. The Foundation partnered with Cuesta College’s University and Transfer Center to launch the first University Bound program during the 2021-22 academic year, with money donated to the Cuesta Fund.

» Read more!

Woodland Community College hosts health & healing walk/run

In September Woodland Community College hosted “Sana Sana; Health & Healing Walk/Run.” The event was held to raise awareness of the health and healing practices in everyday life, according to organizer Dr. Melissa Moreno, a professor of ethnic studies at the college. It was part of several events scheduled throughout Woodland as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

EdSource: Community Colleges are key
to solving California’s toughest challenges

This week, EdSource published my commentary piece about the importance of community colleges.

The Community College System is one of our state’s most valuable assets, our main engine of social mobility. We generate $128 billion in annual income for California, amounting to more than 4% of the state’s gross product.

We are essential to the state’s achieving its ambitious goals in everything from climate policy, to growing a world-class labor force, to expanding the middle class. We are essential to the state’s ability to address a massive nursing shortage, support an aging population, prepare for an electric future in need of skilled and trained technicians and more.

» Read the article

*****

LA Times: New law will allow some Mexican residents
to pay in-state tuition at California community colleges

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday {October 13} signed Assembly Bill 91, which was inspired in part by a decades-old law in Texas that permits Mexican residents like Agustin to pay in-state tuition for their public education because they live so close to the border. The California law will permit low-income Mexican residents and citizens who live within 45 miles of the Mexico-California border to pay in-state tuition.

The bill permits 150 students at each of the eight partner colleges to be awarded this “nonresident fee exemption.”

» Read the article

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Constance Carroll:

Yesterday, the Assembly Higher Education Committee (Mike Fong Chair, and Tri Ta, Co-chair) held a hearing at East LA College to discuss various community college issues. I was pleased to present regarding community college baccalaureate programs and progress.

*****

From Allan Hancock College:

Hancock viticulture and enology program alumnus Fidencio Flores was featured on CBS’s “The Talk” as part of Hispanic Heritage Month! Congratulations Fideoncio!

Check it out at https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/0Ki0OWuKNn8OzCLEh5PaNaUzaXHruz59/.

*****

And check out these posts about last weekend’s solar eclipse –

College of the Desert:

San Bernardino Valley College:

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Archives Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Bakersfield College Archives is excited to announce its 20th Anniversary celebration, marking two decades of preserving the rich history and cherished memories of Bakersfield College (BC). Since its inception in 2003, the Bakersfield College Archives has been dedicated to safeguarding the legacy of BC and fostering a sense of belonging within the BC community.

» Read more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

CA CCs – Imagining and Dreaming big for our students

Uncategorized October 7, 2023 Leave a comment

Starting off with music ….

First check out this fun 4:25-min video production by BC Stem.

Thank you Travis Steele for organizing the BC Halfway There video!

And a stream of celebrities …. vocal talents: John Menzies, Timothy Plett, Tatevik Broutian.  actors: Nicholas Ramirez (student), Destiny Mitchell (student), Harlan Philips (student), and Donna Starr.  Lyrics were by Travis Steele and Megan McCullah-Boozer (MESA), editing  was by Isabella Ozuna (MESA), and special recognition to AUM Studios.

Also check out the 3:14-min video I captured of the opening song, Day 2 of the conference organized by Dr. Tina King of San Diego Continuing Education. Watch John Lennon’s Imagine performed by Bulki Domingo ..

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

California’s community colleges play a critical role in developing innovative approaches to bolster socio-economic mobility. This summit provided an opportunity to explore emerging strategies that will help us eliminate systemic barriers for our adult learners – both non-credit and credit, coming together.

Thank you Tina King and Valentina Purtell
and the planning team!

Good morning California.
It is October 7, 2023.
A good day to be a
Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Ventura College Recognized as Bright Spot for Eliminating Remedial Math & Improving Student Success

EdTrust West recently identified Ventura College (VC) as a “bright spot,” standout performer, in the implementation of Assembly Bill 705, particularly for Latinx students.  Ventura College’s efforts have eliminated all remedial math courses at VC by Fall 2022. All introductory math courses at Ventura College are transfer-level courses. This monumental shift has not only contributed to the success of VC’s students but has also promoted equity among them. Ventura College’s success has involved a multi-faceted approach, including administrative leadership, professional development, and communities of practice for faculty.

» Learn more!

$1.875 Million Grant Awarded to Santa Ana College to Impact Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Students and Community

Santa Ana College was recently recognized as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), awarded a $1.875 million grant to be distributed over five years from the U.S. Department of Education’s AANAPISI Program, and will soon launch an Asian Pacific Student Programs (APSP) Center on campus.

» Read more!

Norco College Graduates 36 Scholars from
Inside the California Rehabilitation Center

Norco College, a member of the Riverside Community College District (RCCD), held a graduation ceremony on August 8 to celebrate 36 Rising Scholar graduates. It marked the return of hope and progress after a challenging period without commencement ceremonies for those on the inside since 2019.

» Read more!

Santa Monica College’s Law Pathway Program Welcomes 26 New Students

Political Science professor Christina Gabler, Ph.D., counselor Vicenta Arrizon, Ed.D., Business professor Nathan Khalil, J.D., and Interim Dean of Special Programs Debra Locke make up Santa Monica College’s Law Pathway Program team.

The Law Pathway Program at Santa Monica College (SMC)—which supports traditionally underrepresented students on their path to law school and is designed to diversify the legal profession—has entered the seventh year with 26 newly admitted students and 25 continuing students. The program has seen a 100% graduation and transfer rate since its inception. The most recent batch of 16 graduates transferred this fall—all of them headed to UCLA, with the exception of one student headed to UC Berkeley, bringing the total number of graduates over the program’s existence to 107.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

2023 Undocumented Student Action Week

Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual California Community Colleges’ Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW) on October 16 – 20, 2023. Join the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Community College League of California, and our statewide partners on Monday, October 16 for an in-person event at Fresno City College and daily webinars throughout the week.

» Learn more about the events and register!

*****

Vera: For Incarcerated Women and their Families,
Equal Access to Education Transforms Lives

Although they are the fastest-growing correctional population in the United States, women remain marginalized in discourse and action around criminal legal issues. Despite men largely being the face of legal system injustice, women—whose incarceration numbers rose an astonishing 525 percent between 1980 and 2021—have, too, been swept up into the scourge of mass incarceration.

» Read more!

*****

Diverse Issues in Higher Education: What We’re Learning
About the Dual Enrollment Student Experiences

When the fall 2023 term begins, close to 20% of community college students will also be high school students who are dually enrolled. Students in dual enrollment programs enjoy many benefits — participation provides them a jump-start on gaining college credit, and it can save them money. 

» Read more!

*****

Community College Daily: Community colleges can fuel
America’s economic reinvention – if we let them

States that want to compete in the clean-energy economy should do all they can to position community colleges as the engines of talent development for this new workforce. And it’s not just about providing more money; it also means spending it wisely, and making strategic investments that maximize finite resources to meet the needs of today’s students and economy.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Cerritos College:

Our Advanced Transportation and Logistics Sector Navigator Jannet Malig was inducted to the Clean Cities coalitions’ Hall of Fame AND received the Benjamin Watson Inspirational Award! She leads the state renewable energy & advanced transportation training! https://bit.ly/3LOYVZQ

*****

Stephanie Ricks-Albert, Program Specialist in the Educational Services and Support Division, Equitable Student Learning, Experience, and Impact Office at the CCCCO, shared this with me:

Just wanted to share a moment captured in time of the Chancellor’s Office MESA program leaders in our system dedicated to serving our students. This moment was captured at the MESA Leadership Institute held in Sacramento last week. Chancellor’s Office administrator support at the event included VC Educational Services & Support John Stanskas, Dean of Academic Affairs LaTonya Williams and Director of MIS Todd Hoig.

MESA has grown from 34 colleges to now serving students at 91 colleges (Note: 85 are new MESA Program Directors as of FY 2022-23 to date).

*****

From the Foundation for California Community’s Colleges – Saddleback College student Anna shares her story:

Part 1:

Part 2:

*****

From Foothill College:

Foothill College students and faculty have arrived in London. They will be taking their college classes in London with their Foothill professors while enjoying the amazing cultural life of this great city. Find out more about our Global Experiential Learning program at https://foothill.edu/global/index.html

*****

Check out this video from KCAL’s Look at This! segment, featuring Glendale Community College:

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Paves the Way for Accessibility

Bakersfield College hosted the California Community Colleges Accessibility Center (CCCAC) on Thursday, September 28 and Friday, September 29 in the Renegade Event Center on the Panorama Campus. The CCCAC presented the Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) and the goals associated with it in multiple workshops throughout the two-day visit. The workshops kicked off with an introduction from Acting President Steve Watkin reviewing the purpose of the workshops and introducing CCCAC Director Dawn Okinaka. Deputy Chancellor Zav Dadabhoy also shared his thanks to those involved in the accessibility growth process of the campus and district.

» Read more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

CA CCs – Taking college to our future learners

Uncategorized September 30, 2023 Leave a comment

I came across this article in the New York Times about the rapid growth of the mosquito population – mosquitos have been thriving as long-used insecticides become less effective. I have definitely seen an increase of the population of mosquitoes here in California.

Less than a decade ago, it was the humans who appeared to have gained the clear edge in the fight — more than a century old — against the mosquito. But over the past few years, that progress has not only stalled, it has reversed.“

We often think of mosquitos as an annoyance, but they can be extremely deadly transmitters of disease. Malaria, transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, has killed more people than any other disease.

This past summer, the United States saw its first locally transmitted cases of malaria in 20 years, with nine cases reported, in Texas, Florida and Maryland.

*****

It was a big week up in Sacramento. During this week’s Board of Governors meeting, the BOG approved the Vision 2030 framework.

We enjoyed a no-host dinner at the end of day 1 of our meeting. This is a terrific group… absolutely dedicated to our students and a whole lot of fun.

We also had two more announcements at the BOG meeting.

The Apprenticeship Pathway Demonstration Project, creates a roadmap for colleges to convert apprenticeship learning experiences into college credit, including both existing and new and innovative apprenticeship experiences, as well as related supplemental instruction and prior on-the-job training.

The California Community Colleges and the United Domestic Workers (UDW) announced a partnership to support the ongoing educational needs of the union’s members and their dependents that will lead to educational pathways with upward socio-economic mobility.

Daisy Gonzales, Doug Moore, Stewart Knox, Sonya Christian

Good morning California.
It is September 30, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

California Community Colleges Represented
in HACU’s La Academia de Liderazgo

Laura Cantu, Freddy Ramirez, Sandra Martinez, and Giovanni Rodriguez

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities recently announced the 50 fellows who will be part of the fifth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo.

Several of our California Community Colleges colleagues are among this cohort:

  • Laura Cantú, Ed.D., Los Angeles Mission College
  • Sandra Martínez, Moreno Valley College
  • Freddy N. Ramírez, Ed.D., MiraCosta College
  • Giovanni D. Rodríguez, Mt. San Antonio College

Congratulations!

» Read more about the La Academia de Liderazgo cohort.

Taft College Program Teaches Skills Needed to Live Independently

Taft College’s Transition to Independent Living (TIL) Program is an inclusive post-secondary educational experience for students with developmental or intellectual disabilities that also offers on- and off-campus housing. The Program is comprehensive, with curriculum and training that promote acquisition of the functional, social, and career skills necessary for students to live a productive lifestyle. There are other programs that are similar to the TIL program at UCLA, UC Davis, and Fresno State but Taft College is currently the only school with a residential component located on a community college campus.

» Check out the 23ABC piece about the program

» Learn more at the Taft College website

New Tech High School Develops Early College Program with Napa Valley College

New Technology High School was awarded a Middle College and Early College (MCEC) Grant in July 2023 by the California Department of Education. The MCEC grant provides funding to support New Technology High School as it starts to develop an Early College program in partnership with Napa Valley College.

» Read more!

Hancock cuts ribbon on PCPA Stagecraft Building

Allan Hancock College and the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) celebrated the grand opening of the college’s new PCPA Stagecraft building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 15. The grand opening of the stagecraft building occurred as PCPA celebrates its 60th anniversary.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

EdSource – Why enrollment is rebounding at California’s community colleges

After years of pandemic declines, enrollment at California’s community colleges may finally be starting to rebound in a significant way.

Several colleges across the state, from San Diego to San Jose, are reporting that their enrollments are up by double digit percentages this fall. Statewide data for the fall isn’t yet available, but enrollment in the spring was up 8% across the system of 116 colleges, according to a memo prepared by the state chancellor’s office.…….

“Vision 2030 asks the fundamental question: Why have we not yet reached these individuals? When students cannot find their way to college, it is our responsibility to bring college to them,” Christian said.

» Read the article

*****

LA Times – Where to get a low-cost bachelor’s degree close to home
and a job lead: Community college

Community college leaders say they want to tap into a population of learners who otherwise wouldn’t attend a four-year college — students like Roberts, who had never entertained the idea of commuting “down below” from the Antelope Valley to Los Angeles to earn a bachelor’s degree.

» Read the article

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Rowena Tomaneng:

Celebrating Tết Trung Thu (Chữ Hán: 節中秋) at San Jose City College today, a traditional Vietnamese Autumn festival! #CultureOfBelonging #AANAPISIWeek

*****

From Santa Barbara City College:

Enrollment Services hosted SBCC Connect this morning. SBCC Connect is a partnership between SBCC and high schools from Lompoc to Ventura to provide an opportunity for school district members and partners to learn about the transition for students from high school to SBCC.

*****

From Butte College:

Our Native American Center and campus community came together in observance of Orange Shirt Day. Wearing an orange shirt signifies a recognition of the trauma that Native American children endured during the residential/boarding school era.

*****

And check out this Student Spotlight from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges:

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Holds 2023 Corrections Academy Graduation

Bakersfield College hosted its 2023 Corrections Academy Graduation on September 22 to recognize and honor thirty-two students who completed a rigorous program that aligns meticulously with the standards set by the Board of State and Community Corrections.

» Read more

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

CA CCs taking care of our communities

Uncategorized August 19, 2023 1 Comment

This weekend, parts of California are under their first-ever tropical storm watch as Hurricane Hilary heads toward the area. It’s expected to make landfall in Mexico’s Baja California on Sunday, then weaken before heading over southern California.

Although it likely won’t be a hurricane when it hits California, parts of the state are expected to get 5-8″ of rain, with some areas receiving 200% of their average yearly precipitation from the storm.

Let’s pay close attention to weather conditions and take precautions to stay safe.

Here are some guidelines from the California Office of Emergency Services.

*****

Good morning California.
It is August 19, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Tachi Yokut Tribe Donates $3M to West Hill College Lemoore
for Native American Studies Programs

In a monumental and historic partnership, the Tachi Yokut Tribe has generously donated $3 million to the West Hills Community College Foundation, paving the way for creating a comprehensive Native American studies program at West Hills College Lemoore. This endowment signifies a commitment to education, cultural preservation, and community enrichment, demonstrating the power of collaboration between the Tachi Yokut Tribe and West Hills College Lemoore.

» Read more about the donation!

Diablo Valley College partners with United Latino Voices

DVC is excited to partner with United Latino Voices (ULV) of Contra Costa County and we look forward to the outcomes ahead to improve the health, education, and economic outcomes for the Contra Costa County Latinx community.

» Read more about this important partnership!

MiraCosta College Awarded $500,000 Grand from Lowe’s Foundation

The Lowe’s Foundation announced that MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) was selected from hundreds of applicants to receive $500,000 as part of the Foundation’s investment in skilled trades training infrastructure through the Gable Grants program.

» Read more about the grant!

Groundbreaking for Mt. San Antonio College’s Technology and Health Building

In the not-so-distant future, Mt. SAC will celebrate the opening of the largest instructional building on any community college campus in the state. Recently,  ground was broken for that new Technology and Health facility, which – once completed in Fall 2026 – will have a 253,866-square-foot footprint.

» Read more about the project!

In Case You Missed It

Vision 2030 – A Call to Action: Adult Education Summit 

October 5 & 6, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and San Diego College of Continuing Education will co-host an event focused on Adult Learners, Equity, Innovation, and Workforce Development.

» Learn more & Register!

Students impacted by Maui fires

“More than a 100 University of Hawaiʻi students from across the 10 campuses were directly impacted by Maui wildfires…” read more at https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2023/08/17/maui-wildfires-impact-more-than-100-uh-students/

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

San Joaquin Delta College president Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson shared this:

“Such fun to lend a hand today at our 41st annual pancake breakfast, the unofficial kickoff to Fall Semester at Delta College. I can’t describe how thankful I am for our hardworking employees, and how excited I am for the year to come! #SJDeltaCollege#BeDeltaFierce@JanetARivera1“

*****

From Santiago Canyon College:

“This morning, “SCC hosted peace activist Ken Nwadike, Jr., founder of Free Hugs Project, and Jeff Schoep, an extremism consultant and founding director of Beyond Barriers. Both speakers shared their individual stories about what led them to speak out against hate, then came together to answer questions about their backgrounds. We are grateful to the faculty members and classified personnel who engaged in meaningful conversation about race relations, with the goal of better supporting our student body.“

*****

American River College recently broke ground on a new educational center:

“We are excited to have officially broken ground on our ARC Natomas Center Phase II & III project which will be a new, almost 53,000 sq ft addition with 10 labs and 6 classrooms. Thank you to the community for making this project possible!“

*****

From Copper Mountain College:

“Copper Mountain College’s Wildland Fire Academy #6 is underway this week on campus. Academy members undergo rigorous physical training this week, but their career prospects are excellent.“

And From the Home of the Renegades

Opening Day 2023

The Bakersfield College Renegade Event Center was filled with a sea of red as faculty, staff, and administrators attended the annual opening day festivities on August 17, 2023. Interim President Steve Watkin addressed the crowd with a theme of “togetherness” and ensured this year would be a year of growth and prosperity for our students. Bakersfield College will celebrate its 110th Anniversary of serving students throughout Kern County and beyond. 

» Read more about Bakersfield College’s Opening Day 2023!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

CA CC Vision 2030 on the road

Uncategorized August 12, 2023 Leave a comment

As summer comes to a close, I’ve had a very busy week traveling to several of our community colleges.

On Tuesday, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for student housing at Lake Tahoe Community College. It was inspirational to see so many people come out to support this fantastic project.

Thank you to Pam Haynes for joining from the Board of Governors, LTCC President Jeff DeFranco, the LTCC Board of Trustees, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, Chris Ferguson & the CA Department of Finance team, and everyone who was present and who has made this possible.

On Wednesday, I headed down to Chula Vista for an event at Southwestern College. This event focused on the Vision 2030 goal of Equity in Access. Southwestern College showcased two projects – Dual Enrollment and AB 91 – new legislation currently in appropriations that would waive out-of-state tuition for those crossing the border from Mexico to take classes at Southwestern or other San Diego colleges.

Here is a a 2:31-min coverage of the event by KPBS.

President Mark Sanchez, BOG Member Mary Salas, Sonya Christian, Assembly Member David Alvarez
BOG member Paul Medina, Student Trustee from Miramar College Namod Pallek, Student Trustee from Mt. San Jacinto College Joseph Awad, Former Student Body President from Southwestern College Leonardo Vanegas

On Thursday, I headed to East Los Angeles College for another Vision 2030 event, focused on dual enrollment. Thank you to Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez and President Alberto Roman for hosting this event. Members of the Board of Governors came out in full strength — Vice President Hildy Aguinaldo, Pam Haynes, Adrienne Brown, Joseph Williams, and Paul Medina.

Assembly member Mike Fong was also there and recognized the importance of community colleges.

Before I started my crazy week of travel, I caught Greta Gerwig’s Barbie at the cinema. It was a fun and thought provoking at the same time – a feature of many Gerwig movies. Like some of her past work, Gerwig explores the complexities of female identity and societal expectations. Both Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) are wonderful in the movie. Gerwig’s Ken for the most part is as an accessory to Barbie, existing for the sole purpose of winning her warm gaze, adds comedic elements to the story while also providing opportunities for emotional depth. Check out this 1:30-min “I am just Ken” fun and talented video.

Good morning California.
It is August 12, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Río Hondo College Partners with MIT to Inspire
New Wave of Inventors During Summer Program

Students from Río Hondo College and local high schools created innovative solutions to modern problems, such as using drones for campus security to report suspicious activity or adapting smart textiles to chairs to fix poor posture in office workers, during the College’s inaugural Bridge to Invention Río program.

The program, which ran from July 17 to 28, was created in partnership with Lemelson-MIT (LMIT) to guide students through the disciplines of business and engineering to create and present a product, web app or service. The program was made available at no cost to all college students and local high school juniors and seniors.

» Read more about the program!

College of the Desert Awarded M-STAR Grant Funding by NASA

College of the Desert is one of only nine colleges/universities – and the only CA Community College – to be awarded M-Start Grant Funding by NASA.

Ahmed Elshafie, Michael Gariety, Amira Elsenousy and David Jackson all collaborated on the project entitled: A Penetrolyzer for Extracting Oxygen and Hydrogen from Mars Regolith.

» Read more about the award

» Learn more at NASA

Berkeley City College NOVA Scholars Summer Program Gallery Walk

In July, the Berkeley City College NOVA & RISE team hosted a Gallery Walk in celebration of scholars in our fourth cohort of NOVA, which stands for Networking, Opportunities, Vision, & Action. NOVA is a dual enrollment pathway program designed to support Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) rising 9th graders with their transition into high school. During the event, nearly 40 scholars displayed their culminating projects and shared their stories and dreams in the company of their families and our larger BCC community.

» Read more about the program!

Foster Youth Bicycle Giveaway Brings
Opportunity, Support to Pasadena City College Students

Supervisor Kathryn Barger and One Bicycle Foundation partnered together to gift bicycles to foster youth students at Pasadena City College. The gift of 24 bikes will help them get to class, work, errands, and activities.

» Read more about the gift!

In Case You Missed It

Laist: Can Community Colleges Meet the Urgency of the Climate Crisis?

On August 7th, Laist published a piece by Bonnie Ho and Jackie Orchard about the California Center for Climate Changed Education at West Los Angeles College.

“Through its new climate center, West is developing more climate change curriculum for community colleges in California to adapt to their own campuses. Eventually, the plan is for West to educate students of all disciplines on climate change, not just what people might expect of those studying environmental science.”

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

The Community College League of California shared an update from the 2023 Student Trustees Workshop:

This year 60+ student trustees travelled from @CalCommColleges to Riverside

*****

Fresno Unified School District‘s Tressa Overstreet shared this post:

“Dual Enrollment is rolling in ⁦@fresnounified⁩ our students CAN!”

*****

Allan Hancock College shared this photo from their All Staff Day event to kick off the fall semester:

*****

Madera Community College shared these photos:

“We had a wonderful turnout this afternoon at our President’s Cabinet BBQ! Thanks to our incredible Facilities team, our students, staff, and faculty all got to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers as we close out the summer!“

And From the Home of the Renegades

Early College Convening

The Bakersfield College Early College team hosted our 4th annual Early College Convening on August 2nd, 2023 and it was a momentous day in setting forth our collective vision for the 2023-2024 school year. 

» Read more about the Early College convening!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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