This week it was off to Orange County for the Vision 2030 Noncredit Summit.
Byron Breland and I did a fireside chat with State Treasurer Fiona Ma –
The conference participants naturally responded to Fiona Ma and she received a standing ovation. Smart and fun… and says it as it is.
I did a panel with three leading presidents in the adult leaner noncredit space – Valentina Purtell, Tina King, Annebelle Nery
Thank you Annebelle Nery and Santa Ana College for hosting the event. And Rancho Santiago District.
North Orange Continuing Education put together a care package and included this – plantain chips. I grew up on these in Kerala.
NOCE also brought one of their facility dogs, Fanta, to serve as an official conference greeter. They partner with Canine Companions to bring trained therapy dogs into their facilities.
Here’s Fanta’s card:
Back when the Board of Governors visited NOCE in September 2025, I got to meet their very first facility dog, Lindon:
I hung out briefly with Julie Schoepf and Annie Cotton, and discovered that Annie has her own podcast! Check it out!
Good morning California.
It is October 10, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
A Community Partnership Supports Los Angeles Trade-Tech College Basic Needs Students
Through collaboration and a shared commitment to giving back, BMO and United Way of Greater Los Angeles came together this summer to help LATTC students start the academic year with the resources they need to succeed. As part of their annual Employee Giving Campaign, BMO employees commit to volunteer initiatives across North America, supporting local communities and programs like United Way’s Community College Success Initiative. One branch of this initiative is the Student Success Fund, a program created to provide financial support to Los Angeles Community College District students to positively impact their academic success.
Santa Monica College Foundation’s “Launch the Future” Event Raises Over $166,000 Towards $175,000 Fundraising Goal for SMC’s STEM Program
The Santa Monica College Foundation (SMCF) brought together more than 150 community leaders, philanthropists, educators, students and supporters for “Launch the Future”, an immersive celebration of STEM at Santa Monica College (SMC). The event, held Saturday, Sept. 26, raised $166,500 toward the Foundation’s $175,000 fundraising goal, to help expand opportunities for SMC students pursuing STEM pathways. Held throughout SMC’s new 110,000 sq.ft. Math + Science building, “Launch the Future” gave guests an in-depth look at the innovative learning, exploration and hands-on educational experiences taking place across the College’s STEM programs.
MiraCosta College Awarded Nearly $7 Million
MiraCosta College students will have expanded opportunities to train for careers at the forefront of regenerative medicine and cell therapy manufacturing through a nearly $7 million investment approved by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). CIRM’s governing board approved $6.9 million for MiraCosta College’s Hands-On Program for Excellence in Cell Therapy Manufacturing Sciences (HOPE-CTMS), a multi-year initiative designed to prepare students for careers in California’s growing regenerative medicine and life sciences workforce.
In Case You Missed It
Cirian Villavicencio epitomizes a life-long commitment to service and students
Board of Governors member Cirian Villavicencio is being recognized by The Sacramento Bee and Nehemiah Leaders Programs as one of this year’s Change Makers –
Cirian Villavicencio teaches his students at San Joaquin Delta College about American politics and institutions, international political economy and how to compare different governments around the world.
What he actually wants them to take away from his classes is how to become engaged citizens who use their voices to amplify their communities’ needs.
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Skilled trades need 1.7M workers a year
The nation will need to fill about 1.7 million skilled-trades job openings each year through 2035, underscoring a challenge that goes beyond getting more people into training. More students and apprentices also need to finish their programs and land jobs in the trades.
That’s one of the main takeaways from “The State of America’s Skilled Trades,” a new report from the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades, whose founding members include BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google. The report looks at 124 occupations in construction, production, extraction, installation, maintenance and repair.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Ventura College:
Maker’s Fair
Ventura College Manufacturing students got creative with 3D printers and laser cutters to design and build their own carnival games!
With just 20 hours to build, from concept to completion, they came up with some awesome creations!
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From Cañada College:
Members of the Cañada College team attended Pal Center’s 30th Anniversary event! The evening was a wonderful opportunity to connect with local partners, reflect on shared achievements, and honor Pal Center’s dedication to youth mentorship.
Cañada College remains proud to support Pal Center’s mission of empowering local families and creating clear educational pathways for the next generation.
Congratulations to the entire Pal Center team on this incredible milestone, and thank you for a memorable evening of celebration!
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From College of the Siskiyous:
Some fun looks for “Animal” week in Stage Makeup Class….they also told me this was the most fun class on campus! College of the Siskiyous Theatre Rocks!!
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From East Los Angeles College:
#ELAC marked its 80th anniversary in spectacular fashion as the ELAC Foundation’s President’s Gala raised more than $350,000 to support scholarships, emergency assistance, and technology. Nearly 500 guests attended the sold-out celebration Sept. 26, at the Hilton Arcadia.
And From the Home of the Renegades
Culinary Arts Hosts Olive Tasting Table
This week, the Culinary Arts department at Bakersfield College hosted an olive tasting table on the Panorama campus to let students and community sample olives grown in BC’s edible garden and promote opportunities available through the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Culinary Arts Pathway (ANCA).
Several Culinary Arts faculty and student workers set up tables and tents and presented an assortment of olive samples for everyone to try. They were happy to share their ‘home-grown’ olives and were eager to discuss the benefits of the edible garden and the academic opportunities available through the ANCA Pathway at BC.
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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
