Tag Archives: California Community College Chancellor's Office

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Uncategorized January 17, 2026 Comments: 2

It was Board of Governors week, and we had a few especially exciting topics.

First, the CCC Chancellor’s Office and AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on advancing climate action, sustainability, and workforce development opportunities within California’s growing ‘blue economy.’ 

Here is a fun celebratory picture after the signing

Avin Sharma, Carla Grandy, Sonya Christian, Terry Tamminen, Hildy Aguinaldo, Tony Cordova, Derrick Kirk, Sandra Sanchez, Bill Rawlings

Terry Tamminen signing the MOU

I am so excited to see what great things will come of this amazing partnership.

Check out the opinion piece – The emerging California job industry that is AI-proof, published in the Sacramento Bee

With 840 miles of coastline and the nation’s most active port complex, California is uniquely positioned to lead this revolution and share its model with coastal communities around the world seeking both good careers and a sustainable future. The blue economy is projected to reach $3 trillion globally by 2030, driven by the expansion of offshore renewable energy, sustainable aquaculture, marine carbon removal, coastal restoration and maritime innovation. These sectors require skilled, trained workers who can operate vessels, manage hatcheries, install offshore infrastructure, grow sustainable seaweed crops, maintain marine robotics and make critical decisions in real time, where wind, waves, weather and ecosystems intersect.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article314061601.html#storylink=cpy

Also, congratulations to College of the Canyons – their Rising Scholars Program was recognized as this year’s Exemplary Program Award winner.

College of the Canyon’s Rising Scholars program was launched in 2016 and has served more than 7,290 justice-impacted students since its inception.

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And as we take time to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this weekend, I am reminded of his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written on April 16, 1963. In particular, I am drawn to this quote –

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Good morning California.
It is January 17, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Mt. San Jacinto College’s First Commercial Driver’s License Cohort
Celebrates Strong Completion and Workforce Impact

Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) is proud to celebrate the successful completion of its first Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training cohort, a new workforce-focused program preparing adult learners for high-demand careers in commercial truck driving. MSJC’s CDL program offers comprehensive, hands-on preparation and testing support, covering vehicle safety, pre-trip inspections, road operation, and exam readiness—ensuring graduates are prepared for both certification and employment.

» Read more!

Compton Community Health Professions Partnership
Receives $1.78 Million Grant from The Broad Foundation

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation has awarded $1.78 million to support the continued
implementation of the Compton Community Health Professions Partnership (CCHPP) over the next three years. Established in 2024, CCHPP is a collaborative initiative designed to address the critical shortage of qualified healthcare professionals in Los Angeles County and improve the overall health and well-being of community members through education and increased access to trained healthcare professionals.

The grant will fund key positions essential to CCHPP’s success, including a Research Analyst at
Compton College, an Administrator at Compton Unified School District, a Program Partnership
Analyst at CSU Dominguez Hills, and a Program Manager at Charles Drew University. These roles
will provide critical coordination and support for expanding work-based learning and increasing access to health career pathways for the Compton community, including those who are first-generation, low-income, Black, or Latino students.

» Learn more about CCHPP!

Reedley College Earns National Recognition for Excellence in Agriculture

The National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) named Reedley College the Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program Award winner in Region 1 for 2025, which covers the Western United States (California, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington & Wyoming). 

» Read more!

SisterWeb Partners with City College of San Francisco
to Launch Credited Community Doula Training Course

 In a groundbreaking move to expand equitable access to pregnancy, labor, and postpartum support—and to increase workforce development opportunities for Black community members—SisterWeb has partnered with City College of San Francisco (CCSF) to offer the Blossoming Birth Community Doula Training Course (HLTH 210, Community Birth Worker/Doula Education). This three-unit credit course is the first of its kind in the Bay Area.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

EdSource Commentary: New California AI laws that matter to you in 2026

As we head into 2026, it already feels clear that 2025 will be remembered as a turning point: the year artificial intelligence (AI) became a regular part of daily life. ChatGPT is now as ubiquitous as Google, Waymo cars are a familiar sight on big city streets, and distinguishing between real and AI-generated images or videos is no longer straightforward. 

Every sector, whether entertainment, finance, health care and beyond, is grappling with the implications. Education is no exception.

» Read more!

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LA Times: Auto shop class is thriving. Community college students
basically fix your car for free

Los Angeles Trade-Technical College offers the largest community college auto repair program in the region, turning out graduates ready to work at dealership service centers, independent shops and the fleet departments of municipalities, among other areas.

The college has offered the training for decades, and its Automotive and Related Technology program has evolved with industry changes — including the advent of fuel injection, airbags and the rise of electric vehicles.

As the rising cost of four-year universities has led many to question the value of higher education, training for high-demand trades has been growing. An American Staffing Assn. survey conducted by the Harris Poll and released in June found that 33% of U.S. adults would recommend to high school seniors that they attend vocational or trade school.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Moorpark College:

Day 2 of IN THE HEIGHTS rehearsals- After an energetic night of plunking out parts for the AMAZING Lin Manuel Miranda music in this play, the cast continues their bonding and growing friendships as they come together for a first cast picture! This is an exciting collaboration between the Theatre Arts, Music and Dance programs and a full-court press for the PAC on the Moorpark College campus. IN THE HEIGHTS opens March 12th and runs through March 29th and promises to be one of the biggest and most energetic productions to come to our main stage in some time. 2026 @ Moorpark College is starting with celebration and fireworks!

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Santa Ana College is celebrating the grand re-opening of their Main Campus Entrance:

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From Chaffey College:

The wind didn’t stop us from enjoying Unity in Community today! Thank you to everyone who joined us.

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From Merced College:

Hoops & Hello’s was a success! Thank you to everyone who came out today to meet our Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams and show some Blue Devil love to our student-athletes!

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From Cerritos College:

When @cerritoscollegepres is away, the real big dog comes out to play. Okay, she’s little, but we’re betting Delta is speedier than Dr. Fierro on his scooter! Shoutout to Professor @crystallovetere for stopping by before the spring semester with her pup.

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And check out this video of the Santa Barbara City College Trombone Quartet playing “Auld Lang Syne.”

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Athletics Hosts Sports Media Day for Spring 2026

This week, Bakersfield College Athletics hosted their Sports Media Day for the Spring 2026 semester. Local news outlets, students, staff, and the community were all invited to learn more about the teams and athletes that would be competing throughout the semester. The event included players and coaches from men’s baseball, women’s softball, men’s and women’s tennis, track and field, women’s wrestling, swimming, and more. 

Representatives and players from each team addressed attendees, and discussed goals for their upcoming seasons, preparation strategies, team chemistry, goals, and a variety of other topics. Marc Gomez, Head Coach of the BC Women’s Tennis team, shared excitement about the prospect of their upcoming season. “We have some girls who are returning from last year’s state championship finals team,” he said, “and we’re looking forward to building on that success.” 

» Read more!

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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

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou 2026

Uncategorized January 3, 2026 Leave a comment

Made a quick trip to Hawaii this past week. The first thing to do when I get to Hawaii….POG (Passion-Orange-Guava).

75 degrees and beautiful

From my room.

Hibiscus, one of my faves:

Then there is Kai Coffee –

Check out this 11-second video. The traditional Diamond Head hike:

And the 16-second early morning before sunrise, still dark beach walk:

Check out this 9-sec sunset video captured from a boat.

Good morning California.
It is January 3, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

Every year I post a few of the books I read. Here is the 2025 list….

2025 Books

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
By: Walter Isaacson

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.

Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.

*****

Mother Mary Comes to Me
By: Arundhati Roy

Mother Mary Comes to Me, Arundhati Roy’s first work of memoir, is a soaring account, both intimate and inspirational, of how the author became the person and the writer she is, shaped by circumstance, but above all by her complex relationship to the extraordinary, singular mother she describes as “my shelter and my storm.”

“Heart-smashed” by her mother Mary’s death in September 2022 yet puzzled and “more than a little ashamed” by the intensity of her response, Roy began to write, to make sense of her feelings about the mother she ran from at age eighteen, “not because I didn’t love her, but in order to be able to continue to love her.” And so begins this astonishing, sometimes disturbing, and surprisingly funny memoir of the author’s journey from her childhood in Kerala, India, where her single mother founded a school, to the writing of her prizewinning novels and essays, through today.

*****

Looking at Women Looking at War
By: Victoria Amelina

When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Victoria Amelina was busy writing a novel, taking part in the country’s literary scene, and parenting her son. Now she became someone new: a war crimes researcher and the chronicler of extraordinary women like herself who joined the resistance. These heroines include Evgenia, a prominent lawyer turned soldier, Oleksandra, who documented tens of thousands of war crimes and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, and Yulia, a librarian who helped uncover the abduction and murder of a children’s book author.

Everyone in Ukraine knew that Amelina was documenting the war. She photographed the ruins of schools and cultural centers; she recorded the testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses to atrocities. And she slowly turned back into a storyteller, writing what would become this book.

On the evening of June 27th, 2023, Amelina and three international writers stopped for dinner in the embattled Donetsk region. When a Russian cruise missile hit the restaurant, Amelina suffered grievous head injuries, and lost consciousness. She died on July 1st. She was thirty-seven. She left behind an incredible account of the ravages of war and the cost of resistance. Honest, intimate, and wry, this book will be celebrated as a classic.

*****

Pariah
By: Dan Fesperman                                                                                            

Hal Knight, a comedian and movie star-turned politician, is no stranger to controversy. But after an embarrassing and humiliating encounter on set, Knight resigns from Congress, quits social media, and disappears to the tiny Caribbean island of Vieques to drink dirty martinis and nurse his wounds. Shortly after his arrival, he is approached by a trio of CIA operatives hoping to recruit him to infiltrate the power structure of Bolrovia—a hostile, Eastern European country whose despotic president, Nikolai Horvatz, happens to be a longtime fan of Knight’s adolescent male humor. Knowing that Horvatz plans to invite the disgraced star for an official visit, the CIA coaxes Knight to accept. Skeptical, but with little to lose, Knight accepts the challenge, sensing this might be his one chance to do something worthwhile, even if no one else ever finds out.

*****

Idea Man
By: Paul Allen

In 2007 and 2008, Time named Paul Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft, one of the hundred most influential people in the world. Since he made his fortune, his impact has been felt in science, technology, business, medicine, sports, music, and philanthropy. His passion, curiosity, and intellectual rigor-combined with the resources to launch and support new initiatives-have literally changed the world. 

In 2009 Allen discovered that he had lymphoma, lending urgency to his desire to share his story for the first time. In this classic memoir, Allen explains how he solved problems, what he learned from his many endeavors-both the triumphs and the failures-and his compelling vision for the future. He reflects candidly on an extraordinary life. 

*****

Iron Flame
By: Rebecca Yarros

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

*****

Fourth Wing
By: Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

*****

Source Code
By: Bill Gates


Everyone is programmed a little differently, and Bill Gates’ unique insight led to business triumphs that are now widely known: the twenty-year-old who dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that became an industry giant and changed the way the world works and lives; the billionaire many times over who turned his attention to philanthropic pursuits to address climate change, global health, and U.S. education.

Source Code is not about Microsoft or the Gates Foundation or the future of technology. It’s the human, personal story of how Bill Gates became who he is today: his childhood, his early passions and pursuits. It’s the story of his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first deep friendships and the sudden death of his best friend; of his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era; of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world.

*****

State of Terror
By: Louise Penny and Hilary Rodham Clinton

After a tumultuous period in American politics, a new administration has just been sworn in, and to everyone’s surprise the president chooses a political enemy for the vital position of secretary of state.

There is no love lost between the president of the United States and Ellen Adams, his new secretary of state. But it’s a canny move on the part of the president. With this appointment, he silences one of his harshest critics, since taking the job means Adams must step down as head of her multinational media conglomerate.

As the new president addresses Congress for the first time, with Secretary Adams in attendance, Anahita Dahir, a young foreign service officer (FSO) on the Pakistan desk at the State Department, receives a baffling text from an anonymous source.

Too late, she realizes the message was a hastily coded warning.

*****

The Vegetarian
By: Han Kang. Translated by Deborah Smith

Before the nightmares began, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary, controlled life. But the dreams—invasive images of blood and brutality—torture her, driving Yeong-hye to purge her mind and renounce eating meat altogether. It’s a small act of independence, but it interrupts her marriage and sets into motion an increasingly grotesque chain of events at home. As her husband, her brother-in-law and sister each fight to reassert their control, Yeong-hye obsessively defends the choice that’s become sacred to her. Soon their attempts turn desperate, subjecting first her mind, and then her body, to ever more intrusive and perverse violations, sending Yeong-hye spiraling into a dangerous, bizarre estrangement, not only from those closest to her, but also from herself.

Celebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one woman’s struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her.

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And a look back at some of the books I’ve read in the previous years –

2024 Books

» Read my January 4, 2025 Blog: Happy New Year 2025

  • The World’s I see. By Fei-Fei Li
  • Something Lost Something Gained. By: Hillary Clinton
  • Swann’s Way. By Marcel Proust
  • Algorithms of Oppression. By Safiya Noble                                                                                            
  • Why we are polarized. By Ezra Klein
  • AI for the Rest of Us. By Phaedra Boinodiris and Beth Rudden.
  • Sitting Pretty: A view from my ordinary, resilient broken body. By. Rebekah Taussig
  • The Bird Hotel. By Joyce Maynard

2023 Books

» Read my January 6, 2024 Blog: Happy New Year 2024. Seize Every moment of every day.

  • The Covenant of Water.  By: Abraham Verghese
  • The Last Animal.  By: Ramona Ausubel
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude.  By: Gabriel García Márquez
  • I Love Learning; I Hate School.  By: Susan D. Blum
  • Superintelligence.  By: Nick Bostrom
  • How to Know a Person.  By: David Brooks

2022 Books

» Read my January 8, 2023 Blog: Rain bathing California in glee

  • Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens
  • The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs by Madeleine Albright
  • The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human by Siddhartha Mukherjee
  • The Distance Between Us: A Memoir by Reyna Grande
  • Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  • The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa Yoko Ogawa
  • The Loneliest Americans by Jay Caspian Kang
  • The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh
  • Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker

2021 Books

» Read my January 8, 2022 Blog: KCCD CEOs welcome you to the new semester

  • The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
  • Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard
  • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  • Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
  • Post Corona by Scott Galloway
  • The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
  • Divided we Fall by David French
  • Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon
  • Untamed by Glennon Doyle
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley
  • Deadliest Enemy by Michael Osterholm
  • Grace and Grit by Lilly Ledbetter

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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

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice 2025

Uncategorized December 20, 2025 1 Comment

As we enter a season that’s meant to bring warmth, comfort, and connection, our hearts are heavy from so many senseless acts of violence that have taken place in recent weeks.

On December 13, a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island left two students, Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, dead and nine others wounded while they were preparing for final exams. Authorities have also tied that attack to the killing of MIT physics professor Nuno Loureiro, who was found shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, just days later in an incident that stunned the academic community.

On December 14, the world was shaken by the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where what should have been a joyful Hanukkah celebration turned into a profound tragedy. At least fifteen people lost their lives, and dozens more were injured. The victims reflect the breadth of lives and stories cut short that evening:

  • Edith Brutman, 68, Vice president of B’nai B’rith NSW
  • Dan Elkayam, 27, French national and soccer player
  • Boris Gutman, 69, Husband of Sofia, who helped disarm one of the gunmen
  • Sofia Gutman, 61, Wife of Boris, killed while trying to stop the attackers together
  • Alex Kleytman, 87, Holocaust survivor and civil engineer
  • Yaakov Levitan, 39, Rabbi and secretary of the Sydney Beth Din
  • Peter Meagher, 61, Retired police detective and photographer
  • Reuven Morrison, 62, Businessman who confronted the shooter
  • Marika Pogany, 82, Long-time community volunteer
  • Matilda, 10 — The youngest victim, a child attending the celebration
  • Eli Schlanger, 41, British-born assistant rabbi and chaplain
  • Adam Smyth, 50, Local resident attending the event
  • Boris Tetleroyd, 68, Visitor at the Hanukkah gathering
  • Tania Tretiak, 68, Randwick resident attending the celebration
  • Tibor Weitzen, 78, Automotive engineer who died while shielding others

Closer to home, the deaths of beloved figures like Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, found fatally wounded in their Los Angeles home, have added layers of sorrow to this season as families grapple with unimaginable loss.

Let us pray for peace for the families of those affected by these senseless acts.

As we enter this season I hope we all get a moment to slow down, exhale and connect with those we care about, and give space find small sparks of hope and healing amidst the heaviness.

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Here is something more hopeful and uplifting.

Every year, the Chancellor’s Office has a virtual holiday party organized by the People and Culture department. They put their hearts into planning every detail of the event to send us all into the holiday season on the right note.

Dr. Rowena Tomaneng wrote a poem that she read at this event. So beautiful that I wanted to share it with you and send you off into the season on the right note.

Across California’s valleys, its coasts, and mountain air,

A network of 116 colleges shines with purpose everywhere.

From bustling city campuses to quiet desert skies,

2.2 million students rise, with hope before their eyes.

And in the Chancellor’s Office halls, this season brings a glow—

A steady hum of mission-driven work that helps our students grow.

For each email, plan, and policy; each meeting, task, and call,

Is a step toward greater opportunity for every learner—all.

Vision 2030 guides the way, a lantern burning bright,

A promise that with equity, we widen paths to light.

To open doors to access, to strengthen every hand,

To build support that meets each need across this vast, diverse land.

We champion student success not just in grades or ends,

But in the thriving of their futures, their families, and trends.

We craft the road, we clear the path, we listen and we lead—

So every dreamer walking in finds tools they truly need.

This holiday, we celebrate the work we proudly share—

The late nights spent refining plans, the moments of deep care.

For every colleague’s dedication, every team that stands as one,

We honor all the progress made, and all that’s still to come.

So here’s to joyful winter days, to warmth within our space,

To a future built with Vision—every challenge we embrace.

And here’s to California’s students, whose journeys inspire the way:

May the new year bring success and light, more brilliant every day.

And to close out, last weekend I attended the graduation of both Asha Chandy and Yovani Jimenez. Here are some photos.

With Asha Chandy, her mom and cousins.

With Yovani Jimenez and Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg

Good morning California.
It is December 20, 2025.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

This week, I’ll continue my annual tradition of closing the year reviewing past blog posts. Today we’ll look at posts from 2013-2017.

Take a little time out of your weekend, relaxing with a cup of coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) to browse through previous posts…

2018

April 7, 2018 – Watching Dreams Blossom at BC!

The community has been clamoring for a BC presence in the Southwest.

On Friday, April 6th, College Council met at BC-SouthWest to explore the facility and continue building on our ideas to ramp up class availability and courses for students at this alternative location.

We had a great morning hearing updates from Nick Strobel about BC’s ISER in preparation for our accreditation visit later this year, hearing from Janet Fulks and Khushnur Dadabhoy regarding transfer pathways, and Liz Rozell and Manny Mourtzanos about the upcoming courses being offered at BC SouthWest.

» Read more!

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August 18, 2018 – Welcome Families, Faculty, and Friends to Fall 2018

Opening week at BC is the week before the students come back for their fall semester.  This is the week where faculty, staff and administrators spend five days together attending a variety of workshops and gearing up to greet our students and provide the very best learning environment for them.

Fall 2018 Opening Week was particularly good with a great slate of workshops.  On Tuesday, August 14th we welcomed not only incoming Renegades, but their families as well to The Family Bridge To BC: Open House and New Student Convocation. Turnout was amazing.

» Read more!

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October 14, 2018 – Proud to Announce “The Bakersfield College
Vernon Valenzuela Veteran Resource Center”

Group Photo of BC Representatives at the KCCD Board Meeting
Group Photo of BC Representatives at the KCCD Board Meeting

Thursday, October 11th was a historic day for Bakersfield College! The Kern Community College District unanimously voted to approve the naming of the new VRC to The Bakersfield College Vernon Valenzuela Veteran Resource Center. We are proud the KCCD Board of Trustees voted to name the center after a local veteran advocate, inspirational leader, and Renegade.

Vernon Valenzuela left a lasting legacy, for the Home of the Renegades, but also for his extended community, and in the hearts of all who knew him. His life’s work to benefit veterans lives on through the veterans he worked with, and the Renegades whose lives he helped transform.

» Read more!

2019

March 2, 2019 – Let’s celebrate women

Five women sitting and talking

To celebrate the kickoff of Women’s History Month at Bakersfield College, yesterday I hosted a panel discussion on Women in Leadership.  California Senator Emeritus and Early College champion, Jean Fuller served as the guest moderator while four esteemed panelists shared their stories, accomplishments, challenges, and more. Thank you to guests Shannon Grove, Republican State Senator, 16th Senate District;  Blanca Cavazos, Taft Union High School District Superintendent; Cynthia Giumarra, Local Attorney and minister;  and Rosalina Rivera, Delano Union Elementary School District Superintendent for participating on the panel.

» Read more

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June 22, 2019 – Summer Leadership

Professors shake hands with a student.
Roy Allard and Manny Fernandez congratulate campers.

Throughout the months of June and July, Bakersfield College faculty are getting high school and middle school students interested in STEM with the Summer STEM Camps sponsored by Chevron and Project Lead the Way. There are 7 camps over the summer centered around interesting STEM projects. Each participating student applied to the free camps with an application and essay back in May.

Students in the first three camps learn about digital fabrication (3D Printing), mobile app development, and programming drones. Last week, the students created guitars from cigar boxes in camp. Upcoming projects in the STEM camps include learning to design and build a tiny house, and exploring and designing alternative sources of energy. This is a fun and engaging method to entice students to consider STEM fields of study.

All of the camps are held on our Panorama Campus, except the last, Alternative Energy/Solar, which will be held at the Weill Institute location. I’d like to thank Martin Perez, Program Manager, Klint Rigby, Department Chair, and everyone with the Industrial Technology Department, as well as Chevron and Project Lead the Way for providing this amazing opportunity for potential future students.

» Read more!

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October 27, 2019 – The Energy That’s BC!

Our BC Student Government Association and the Office of Student Life had the pleasure of hosting the Distinguished Speaker Dr. Paula Green and her presentation Peacebuilding in Divided Communities earlier this week. Dr. Green, founder of The Karuna Center for Peacebuilding, presented her work on the significance of peacebuilding efforts in communities worldwide with the purpose of resolving conflicts and the valuable impact of understanding one another’s different views. Dr. Green discussed the importance of reconciliation through our mutual understanding to communicate on the issues that divide communities and give rise to conflicting views making it necessary to discuss and understand our differing perspectives. 

The humanitarian efforts of the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding advocate for the importance of bridging divides in order to develop a sustainable peace in communities worldwide affected by political, civil, religious, and war conflicts. Dr. Green has recognized that we must learn to be deep listeners and to understand the circumstances of others around us in order to accept the differences of others and to reach a point of unity and peace. Thank you to the BC Student Government Association and the Office of Student Life for hosting this presentation, and a very special thank you to Dr. Green for taking the time to visit our campus and share her insight.  And thank you Nick Strobel!

» Read more!

2020

February 29, 2020 – Celebrating Leap Year & showcasing Sterling Silver 2020

We had a beautiful reception at the Seven Oaks Country Club last weekend as part of our 12th-annual Sterling Silver Dinner, which the BC Foundation puts together to honor and recognize the exceptional support that members of our community provide to BC every day. Proceeds from the Sterling Silver Dinner help fund scholarships for students, providing vital opportunities to make higher education a reality for thousands of Renegades.

The evening brought together Renegade alumni and supporters, generous donors, and friends of the college to celebrate this year’s honorees. Under the direction of Kris Tiner, the BC Jazz Ensemble masterfully entertained the crowd as they entered the event. Seven Oaks chef Paul Burzlaff prepared a wonderful variety of culinary delights with help from BC Culinary Arts students.

Several notable Renegade supporters were on hand to celebrate our honorees, including Mayor Karen Goh, Assemblymember Vince Fong, State Senator Shannon Grove, County Supervisor Zack Scrivner, and City Councilmember Andrae Gonzales. Other notable community partners included S.C. Anderson, Diane Lake, and AECOM/Parsons.

» Read more!

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March 22, 2020 – BCGoesOnline

Novel coronavirus, COVID-19, social distancing, shelter in place, stay at home, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Sanjay Gupta,….. all names, words and phrases that have become part of our day-to-day conversations.

In this time of uncertainty and crisis, I am amazed at how swiftly and robustly BC moved to continue supporting our students. We have been ahead of the curve with our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sending out emails to our faculty and staff as early as January 30 with resources to keep themselves safe.

From the moment the incident command team was activated in late February , we cancelled events as we systematically ramped up our actions to ensure the health and safety of our campus community. Over the next three weeks we systematically moved all of our instruction, student services, and academic support online while preparing 40,000 students and 1,000 employees with resources for using Canvas, ConferZoom, Starfish and accessing their desktops remotely.

» Read more!

*****

August 29, 2020 – Bakersfield College –
A Peace Garden of Learning, Reflection & Renewal

Have you met Dr. Naina Patel? Well, she is a quiet force in our community promoting peace and wellbeing. I got to work alongside Naina last year as she she was coordinating the Gandhi celebrations here in Bakersfield. During these celebrations, we had the fortune of having Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi speak to the students in our Early College Program in Delano. What a treat! Check this out in my October 5, 2019 blog titled – Live simply so others can simply live https://sonyachristianblog.com/2019/10/05/live-simply-so-others-can-simply-live/

Here is a 9:31-minute video from Opening Week where we unveiled the Peace Garden project. If you don’t have time to watch the whole video, then start at the 6:56 timestamp and hear the message from Dr. Naina Patel and the Gandhi committee.

» Read more!

*****

November 14, 2020 – On Eagle’s Wings

Has this hymn been on your mind recently?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Ms2wqg39Q

And then Earl found me this great piece from BC’s first president, a woman.

“One thinks of a college year book as a record of things past, things done together that are worth remembering. And this is surely its evident purpose. However, one might also think of it as a promise of things to come, a rehearsal for the larger drama of community life. As you turn over the pages of this 1948 Raconteur, let each one tell its story of personal and group achievement, of cooperation toward a common goal, of happiness shared with one another. And, in doing so, let each page also prophecy the kind of community you can help create by the same willing and selfless working together.”

» Read more!

2021

January 30, 2021 – Kern County — Thank you for supporting BC

As we wrap up the first month of 2021 – a month that has brought upheaval and many changes – I was grateful this week to be able to get back to campus briefly to see the progress on the construction of our new buildings. I was joined by Billie Jo Rice, and it was wonderful to spend some time together and appreciate the future of Bakersfield College as we build #ABetterBC.

» Read more!

*****

May 29, 2021 – Sunsetting May 2021 as BC Builds Bridges

This week I read an article about the Brooklyn Bridge. May 24th was the 138th anniversary of the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, which connected New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. It seems almost impossible now to imagine a time when those two cities were not connected. And the sheer amount of planning, thought, work and engineering that went into what became the “eighth wonder of the world.”

I’m so pleased to see resources set aside in the upcoming nationwide infrastructure plan that will help restore our great nation’s precious bridges — a thing of remarkable beauty and great engineering feat.

And it’s not only physical bridges that are key to maintaining our relationships. Our metaphorical bridges also must be maintained so that we can continue to connect with people and ideas that otherwise may have been unreachable.

That’s why I’m so proud of the Bridge to BC program. This high-touch, high-tech program helps our first-year students get all the support and guidance they need to be successful. This year’s program will be fully online, designed as a one-week course with online sections that run Monday through Saturday. The sessions will run from June through August, and are available to all our incoming freshmen, including those who earned college credits in high school.

» Read more

*****

October 23, 2021 – KCCD living every moment, not just existing

This week, all three of our campuses celebrated Undocumented Student Action Week. It’s a statewide effort led by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Community College League of California, and the Foundation for California Community Colleges. 

This year’s theme, “Change in Action”, aimed to find ways to engage in local, state, and federal action to support undocumented students in their goal of earning a college education. 

Across KCCD, daily events helped support our students on a local level, while also encouraging participation in the statewide efforts. Undocumented students were able to get assistance on topics like financial aid, transfer, or immigration questions. Other events encouraged allyship and cultural education. 

Students at Cerro Coso Community College were encouraged to share their Immigration Story. Porterville College held a virtual sugar skull decorating event. Bakersfield College welcomed guest speaker Yehimi Cambrón to speak about Immigration, Art, and Activism. 

» 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

Staring to prepare for the Holiday Season 2025

Uncategorized December 14, 2025 Leave a comment

This week, representatives from the Chancellor’s Office headed to Sierra College for the grand opening of their new student housing complex.

On the far right is Ronnie Slimp who leads our facilities work, including student housing. He has done a remarkable job shepherding this work.

The facility has 358 beds, with the majority being offered at below market rents. Students will begin moving in next semester!

I wanted to share this bit from Sierra College’s news article –

Each year, several students with the greatest financial need will be eligible to receive free room and board as a result of the “Endow-A-Bed” program spearheaded by the Sierra College Foundation. The program aims to raise $250,000 to endow one bed in perpetuity for students in need – with a goal of endowing 10 beds in total, including one reserved for a military veteran.

BOG member Pam Hynes and I were able to snap a pic with Sierra College President Willy Duncan:

Good morning California.
It is December 13, 2025.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

This week, I’ll continue my annual tradition of closing the year reviewing past blog posts. Today we’ll look at posts from 2013-2017.

Take a little time out of your weekend, relaxing with a cup of coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) to browse through previous posts…

2013

May 2013: Red and White Wine and Jazz Festival

Friday April 12th capped a week of travel: the Sloan emerging technology conference in Vegas, then back to host the Board meeting at the College on Thursday, to Harris Ranch for a two-day conference with the Central Valley CEOs and trustees. It’s been almost a month, but there’s a major event that I wanted to be sure to blog about. I left the conference at Harris Ranch early that Friday to be present for the Red and White Wine and Jazz festival. This a major annual fundraiser that the Foundation has organized since 2008 in support student scholarships, and I didn’t want to miss it for anything.

I was impressed from the start with the level of attention to detail and organization – everything from the parking shuttles to the staff at the entrance, to the layout of booths and food. The Culinary program did an outstanding job of providing a tasty and creative variety of food to complement the wine, and the students were great at serving the guests and creating a festive atmosphere.  There was an abundant selection – far more than was possible to have more than a sampling. My personal favorite was the pastas rellenas… The students, Chef Coyle and Chef Gomez were all in fine form.

» Read more!

*****

September 2013: Summer Bridge Helps Incoming Freshmen Transition

Do you remember what those first weeks of college were like? Fresh out of high school, the size and scope of a college campus, along with the sheer number of students walking the halls, was daunting. Then, there’s the switching from building to building, locating classes and services, and having to do everything yourself.

Helping students transition to college life is the goal of a program here at Bakersfield College called Summer Bridge. This past August, many people on campus came together to help 35 incoming freshmen learn the ropes and ready themselves for college. Over four days, these students spent 18 hours on campus taking care of business. Many, many more wanted in, but time and space limited how many we could serve.

» Read more!

*****

November 2013 – Learning in Community: Meeting the Needs
of our Students with Disabilities

On Friday, November 15th many faculty, staff and administrators attended a workshop on instructional technology issues and accessibility for students with disabilities presented by Gaeir Dietrich, the Director of the CCCCO’s High Tech Center Training Unit.  To complement the training, the DSPS faculty and staff also put together a terrific display of technology typically used by students with a variety of disabilities.

Gaeir Dietrich taught us many interesting things—most importantly that “campus accessibility is a campus-wide responsibility” and that “digital does not necessarily mean accessible.”  “It’s a matter of equal rights, campus diversity, and better pedagogy by acknowledging learning differences that benefits all students.”

» Read more!

2014

March 2014: Bakersfield College Students Chosen for Leadership Conference

A select group of Bakersfield College students recently honed their leadership skills at a special invitation-only conference in San Diego for math-based majors. The event was sponsored by the California Utilities Diversity Council. The 10th annual Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Student Leadership Conference offered extensive professional and leadership development through direct interaction with industry mentors and speakers. The hand-picked MESA students, all science, engineering, or math majors, represented over 30 universities and community colleges from across the state, including Bakersfield College.

» Read more!

*****

May 2014: Project Atlantis Opens International Doors for BC Students

For the past three years, Bakersfield College has been participating in “Project Atlantis,” an International Exchange Program for students in humanities careers. This year, Bakersfield College has three students from Spain and one student from Italy currently attending classes, and sent two of our students to Spain and one to Italy. All the students who have participated have been academically successful and have gained a new cultural understanding.The International Exchange Program is a dynamic program enabling eight students to have an international experience. All students who participate in the exchange program receive the international exchange certificate. The exchange program is a one year commitment. One semester will be spent in either Italy or Spain taking a full load of classes at the University in the language of the country.

» Read more!

*****

July 2014 – Today, July 19, 2014 is a good day

This was a fun blog – I shared a day in my life, from 5:30 am reading to a 6:30 pm call with my daughter.

5:30 am – Started off my day reading Degrees of Inequality: How the Politics of Higher Education Sabotaged the American Dream and thinking that we should probably have Civic Literacy as one of our Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).

9:00 am – After that I went to my Saturday exercise class which launched a new routine last week.

10:00 am – I then headed out to BC to see what Steve Watkin and the BC gang were up to with the It’s Possible event.  Many counselors, advisors, staff and students were there helping new students assess, complete their orientation, their education plan and then register for classes. We registered approximately 125 students today.  Yes!!!!

» Read more!

*****

September 2014: A Circle of Friends – Milt and Betty Younger and Jim Young

On Thursday May 1st, 2014, Bakersfield College had the honor of hosting a very special event– a Betty younger sculpture dedication honoring Dr. Jim Young. “Circle of Friends” is an outdoor sculpture located atop a small hill Northeast of the GET Bus terminal on Panorama Drive. The sculpture, which consists of four red upright figures standing together in a circle, was created by Betty Younger to honor her friend JimYoung, who served as Kern Community College District’s chancellor from 1978 to 1999.

The evening started at 4 P.M. with a brief dedication ceremony at the foot of the hill where the sculpture is mounted. Many members of Bakersfield College’s faculty and staff were in attendance, as well as many family members and students of James Young. Betty Younger and her husband, Milt, introduced the sculpture and each spoke on how their friend has impacted their lives and the lives of others. Mrs. Younger shared that the inspiration for “Circle of Friends” was what James Young has done with and for his students, fellow educators, and friends throughout the years. “He is truly a mentor to all he meets”, remarked Mrs. Younger.

» Read more!

2015

March 2015: Design Challenge Gathers Local Students to Test Engineering Smarts

Each Spring semester, the Engineers Club invites middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students and professionals of all ages to participate in their Design ChallenOge in honor of National Engineers’ Week. During the Fall, the Engineers Club members come up with the specific “design challenge” they want to hold in the Spring. They create a set of parameters that the entrants should follow in designing their machine, and send them off to the various schools and businesses by December. Contestants build their machines and bring them on the day of the event.

This year, the Design Challenge was held on Saturday, February 28th in Bakersfield College’s Gymnasium. The objective was to design a Spring-powered model car that could carry a load of sand between 0 and 250 grams a distance between 10 and 20 meters. The contestants were not given the weight or distance until right before the competition began. As one can see, keeping the specific details vague until the day-of forces the engineers to be as creative and thorough as possible with their designs— they must be able to be adjusted to satisfy the wide range of possibilities within the parameters.

» Read more!

*****

May 2015: Regional Occupational Center (ROC): Making a Difference

There was so much to discuss in my last post from the phenomenal President’s Breakfast event that I wanted to stop and revisit one of the highlights from the morning worthy of its own separate recognition.

Among the stellar speakers at the Breakfast, Salvador Gochez from the Kern High School District Regional Occupational Center delivered a remarkable speech about the amazing work going on at the center as well as their partnership with BC.

» Read more!

*****

August 2015: Thank You, Frank Gifford. A star Renegade and a Driller

Photo courtesy Rick Van Horne, Haley Street Heroes

The world lost a legend Sunday when NFL Hall of Famer Frank Gifford passed away at the age of 84.

But Bakersfield lost a pioneer.

Before Buck Owens and Merle Haggard used their golden voices to add color to our city, and long before racers Rick, Roger and Casey Mears made sure Bakersfield was a fixture on the national sporting map, there was Frank Gifford.

Gifford came to Bakersfield in the 1940s when his father came to work in the oil fields. But for the younger Gifford, paydirt was struck on the athletic fields, where his talents made him a star quarterback at Bakersfield High School.

Despite his success, Gifford found himself at a turning point familiar to many young graduates: he didn’t have the grades to accept an athletic scholarship, in his case, to the University of Southern California. Rather than give up, Gifford pushed forward, enrolling at Bakersfield College instead, where he made to make his mark as a Renegade both on the playing field and in the classroom.

» Read more!

*****

October 2015: Another usual weekend enjoying the Bakersfield Community

I stopped by Wendy’s last evening to pick up a spicy chicken sandwich for dinner and the young woman serving me spontaneously commented that she was a student at BC, psychology major, and that her teachers in all of her classes were the very best.  This encounter is not unusual for me or for any of you.  BC has stood for excellence and leadership for over a century and this community has steadfastly supported its college for all that time.

My Saturday morning started with welcoming over 100 students from BC and CSUB who were attending a Leadership conference at the indoor theater.  Bakersfield Strong: Our city, our organizations, our student leaders was the theme of the conference.  I was proud of our SGA President Clayton Fowler and Director of Student Life, Nicky Damania, who planned this event in collaboration with CSUB.

» Read more!

2016

April 2016: Sprinting toward semester’s end

It was a treat having two members of the Board of Governors, Arnoldo Avalos and Connie Conway, visit BC on Tuesday, April 26th.  Rather than doing a special series of presentations, we decided to fit their itinerary into what was happening at BC.  The morning started with them attending an annual event where we connect with leaders from high school and share with them the advances made on the goals set the previous year.  After that, they toured the campus and connected with faculty and students in the sciences, music, CTE etc. Thank you Joe Saldivar, Jen Garrett, Liz Rozell, Manny Gonzales, Clayton Fowler, Nicky Damania and others who helped.  And the fabulous Jennifer Marden who pulled all this together.

It was a wonderful surprise to have Trustee Romeo Agbalog join us. He was able to rearrange his schedule and connect with both Avalos and Conway.

I enjoyed meeting Vince Stewart, Vice Chancellor of External Affairs from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and hear about the great things being undertaken statewide.

» Read more!

*****

August 2016: Extraordinary stories: Our students, community, and faculty

Many of us on campus are familiar with TED talks… so much so, that we have our own RENEGADE talks (thank you Andrea Thorson and Todd Coston) as a mini campus-wide tribute, each year in April. Our staff, faculty, even some students come together to prepare a set of talks that are (1.) short (2.) concise and (3.) pack one powerful punch in a small amount of time. TED Talks are known for Ideas worth spreading and the library of 10-20 minute videos is nothing short of astounding. Topics range from almost anything you can think of and they’re educational, powerful, and motivational. One could even argue, if you watch one a day, it just might be… the best 13 minutes of your 24-hour day!

As a mini-series to these TED-like talks, Communications Faculty, Helen Acosta, hosted a spin off on Wednesday afternoon featuring her summer COMM B4 students. It was appropriately titled RENx – just as TEDx is a smaller scale of TED talks. I had the joy of sitting quietly in the back of the theater when lights dimmed and the first student took the stage. He was poised and enthusiastic as he conveyed a perfectly crafted message, not only with words. He artistically included body language as a reinforcement to the strong words spoken. His voice was a tool filled with passion and emotion and he swayed towards the audience, engaging us to not miss a single word. Interestingly, his topic was the transformative power of critical listening – and I don’t think this was a coincidence.

» Read more!

*****

October 2016: Our BC family gives to the community!

Every year, the volunteer coordinator for the CA State Parks invites BC students to a one-day volunteer event at Allensworth State Historic Park. Not only is this a great way to give back, but students also learn about the amazing Colonel Allensworth State Park, tour of the park, and a chance to talk to park Rangers.

This year, they had two groups since so many students wanted to attend. One group dusted the insides of historic homes and the other painted a historic house. Pictured above are BC students Andrea Moreno, Salvador Murillo, Krista Nolan, Payton Brandon, and Mitchell Switalki with the park ranger.

» Read more!

2017

January 2017 – A Busy Week at BC!

What a busy second week of the term!  For much of the time I was on the road….to Newport to do a workshop with Kay McClenney and Rob Johnstone and then to Costa Mesa for the IEPI 2-day workshop on Guided Pathways where over 250 individuals from 39 colleges and organizations came together to understand this integrated and powerful approach to enhance student success.  The Guided Pathways System (GPS) acts like the GPS (Geographic Positioning System) that we have all grown to rely on.

» Read more!

*****

July 2017 – Scholars, Artists, Sports and Summer Camps

In August 2012, Bakersfield College was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide scholarships of $3,000 per year to Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) students. This grant was called the STEM A-PLUS (Action + Persistence + Leadership + Understanding =  Success) Scholars grant. The scholarships were dedicated towards helping academically talented students who demonstrated a financial need complete their STEM degrees and transfer to Baccalaureate programs by July 2017.

The College has met and exceeded the goal with students completing and transferring with an average GPA of 3.45. Students from this program have transferred to CSUB and many University of California schools, to Cal Poly campuses, and to other prestigious universities such as Harvard University. Kudos to our STEM faculty and staff!

» Read more

*****

September 2017 – Another Incredible Week at BC

I was exhausted last night after a hectic fast paced week at BC.  For example, just on one day we had the Vice President of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, Tom Epstein, visit in the Levan Center; Senator Jean Fuller talking to our students in the Fireside Room with several dignitaries attending including Trustee Romeo Agbalog; the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) community partners meeting in the SGA Board Room; and Trustee Bill Thomas moving Measure J implementation along with individuals from AEComm.  And as Jennifer Marden would say….That’s how we roll at BC!

» Read more!

*****

November 2017 – Bakersfield College in Arvin, Shafter, …..

I often say it’s an exciting time to be at BC and it’s true. I mentioned in last weekend’s blog that Bakersfield College is bringing higher education to Shafter and at our Express Enrollment event this week, it was great to see the excitement and activity in the Shafter area. Over the past three years, BC has remained focused on the strategic goal of bringing higher education into the communities of Delano, Shafter, Wasco, McFarland, Lamont, and Arvin. We look forward to expanding courses offered  in Shafter so that students can complete all or a significant part of their degree locally and I know this will directly benefit our students.

» 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

Happy Thanksgiving 2025

Uncategorized November 29, 2025 Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving from Toronto.

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful and relaxing weekend surrounded by family and friends.

I am in Toronto right now… spent Thanksgiving with my daughter. We are expecting the first snow of the season to roll in late Saturday. I’m already imagining what it will be like to wake up to a blanket of white outside the window … instantly puts you in the Christmas spirit.

I am so blessed with incredible people in my life – family, friends, colleagues.

And eternally thankful for our entire California Community Colleges family, and for all of the amazing students we are privileged to support in our mission of access, equity, and opportunity.

Here are a few fun photos from the last few weeks:

The famous Linda Vasquez selfie

Larry Galizio and the League team put on an inspiring convention.

Linda Vasquez, Sonya Christian, Larry Galizio, Rowena Tomaneng, Chris Ferguson

Good morning California.
It is November 29, 2025.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

College of the Siskiyous Holds Groundbreaking Event
for New Student Housing Facility

College of the Siskiyous is proud to announce a new student housing development aimed at addressing critical housing shortages in the Weed community. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the City of Weed, represents a major step toward supporting both student success and community recovery.

» Read more!

LYLA Conference Inspires Launch of
College of the Redwood’s Indigenous Language Institute

This year’s Live Your Language Alliance (LYLA) gathered at College of the Redwoods from August 11–14, alongside CR’s Indigenous Language Institute (CR ILI). Speakers, learners, and cultural leaders from across the United States gathered for a week dedicated to language preservation, education, and community connection. Participants engaged in hands-on learning around grammar, digital teaching tools, and online language resources, while “language time” encouraged attendees to speak in their languages, not just speak about them.

» Read more!

Nissan Donates Two All-Electric Vehicles to
El Camino College’s Automotive Program

El Camino College is proud to announce a generous donation from Nissan North America, which has provided two all-electric Nissan vehicles to the school’s automotive program. This contribution will offer students invaluable, hands-on experience with cutting-edge electric vehicle (EV) technology—preparing them for the rapidly evolving automotive industry.

» Read more!

Vibrant Villages Barstow Partners with Barstow Community College
and High Desert Second Chance to Restore Food Distribution in Barstow

Barstow Community College’s Basic Needs Center, led by Magaly Rojas, has partnered with Vibrant Villages Barstow, led by Executive Director Juan Rivera, and High Desert Second Chance to bring back and expand food distribution services for local nonprofits. Supported by IEHP Foundation, the program provides a steady supply of fresh food every Monday from 8 to 10 a.m., now reaching Fort Irwin’s military families as well.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Come as you are: Noncredit coursework is
the hidden engine of California’s workforce

Adult education is one of California’s best avenues for helping our communities move forward, yet it doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves. These free courses allow adult learners to build skills and earn credentials without the roadblocks that can make higher education feel out of reach.

Adult education practitioners must actively reach out to individuals facing barriers such as low digital literacy, limited English, employment gaps, mental health challenges, poverty or incarceration, and draw them into our programs.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Monterey Peninsula College:

MPC’s International Student Program (ISP) recently celebrated our F-1 students in honor of International Education Week! International education expands horizons, promotes cultural exchange, and enriches our campus here at MPC. Thank you to all of our ISP students who picked MPC!

*****

From Chaffey College:

Chaffey celebrated its 22nd annual International Education Week through a vibrant celebration of culture and conversation! We kicked off the week with a panel discussion featuring Chaffey’s international students, faculty, and staff as they shared their educational experiences from around the world. Yesterday, we continued the celebration with live performances, cultural tables, international cuisine, and more!

*****

From Antelope Valley College:

Umoja’s Grateful Gathering brought students, staff, and mentors together for an afternoon of connection, culture, and delicious food Thank you to @avcumoja for continuing to create spaces where students feel seen, supported, and empowered.

*****

From American River College:

American River College’s Renewable Energy Program recently received a significant visit from Heidi Sanborn, SMUD’s elected Board Member representing Ward 7 in which ARC is located, at the ARC Solar Lab on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

Scheduled a month in advance, Ms. Sanborn’s visit offered invaluable insights to our students. During her time with the class, she delivered an inspiring speech and engaged with students by answering their questions about the vital future of renewable energies, particularly solar, and the job opportunities within the sector. Students described her address as highly motivating and found her perspective on the industry’s future to be extremely helpful.

*****

From Gavilan College:

Thank you to ASGC for a thoughtful, generous thrift event this week. The care put into collecting and sharing clothing made a real difference for students and gave hundreds of items a second life. Grateful for the heart behind this work.

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Celebrates Fall Holiday Season with Friendsgiving and Turkey Giveaway

In celebration of the Fall Holiday Season, Bakersfield College hosted two events to bring community together, play games, provide aid, and eat delicious food.

On Monday, BC’s Renegade Nexus, in partnership with the Bakersfield College Foundation, hosted a Holiday Harvest Giveaway in which they distributed more than 250 turkeys to enrolled students. Students were invited to the Renegade Pantry, showed their student IDs, and received a free turkey to share with friends and family during the holidays.

» 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

Sonya Christian's Blog