I started my week in San Diego. Out on my evening walk by the waterfront, I heard a stunning voice performing REM’s Losing my Religion.
Sit back close your eyes and play this song. A little over 4 minutes.
Is her voice and the song lingering in your mind and heart? That’s exactly what happened to me. So yes—this is officially my song of the week.
The song has always been one of my favorites. It came out the same year I moved to the U.S., and I’ve loved it ever since. Hearing Amber Rubarth singing it live was hypnotic. It drew me to the amphitheater which was packed with people. I stood outside mesmerized listening and watching the sunset over the water.
Rubarth was the opening act to Gypsy King … of course I love their sound as well. More on that later.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
On Tuesday, I visited Glendale Community College.
We began in the stunning Science Building, a space that feels both state-of-the-art and inviting. I made sure to keep my distance from the vivarium, home to the snakes. From there, we checked out their biotechnology lab where students did research projects on DNA sequencing. The organic chemistry lab impressed us with its sophisticated expensive equipment.
Then came a personal first for me: stepping into their Dreamscape Learn virtual reality lab. The 3D immersion was unlike anything I’ve experienced. It pulled me in emotionally and intellectually.
We wrapped up with a Persian lunch prepared by their culinary program that was delicious (I definitely ate more than I planned), paired with a showcase of their professional development work.
I’m grateful that Board members Hildy Aguinaldo, Bill Rawlings, Pam Haynes, and Adrienne Brown, could join. Also happy that Craig Hayward was also able to come.
Good morning California.
It is August 16, 2025.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Chaffey College’s The Breeze Wins $10,000 Chronicle of Philanthropy Grant
Chaffey College journalism students have received investigative journalism experience, training and even some cash for their work after the Chronicle of Philanthropy awarded The Breeze $10,000 to report on Chaffey’s Mackenzie Scott gift. It’s a yearlong fellowship aimed at bolstering coverage of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy. Four news outlets including Riverside’s Black Voice News received $30,000 grants to improve coverage of nonprofits, foundations and other groups.
Los Angeles Valley College Awarded a
$1.4 Million TRIO Student Support Services Grant
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Los Angeles Valley College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,430,545 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. This award marks the continuation of 25 years of TRIO SSS services on our campus. Since 2000, the program has served thousands of students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.
San Bernardino Valley College Partners with VARP to Expand Access
to Higher Education for Justice-Impacted Individuals
San Bernardino Valley College has launched a transformative partnership with VARP, Inc., a leading nonprofit provider of substance abuse recovery services, to expand college access for individuals impacted by the justice system. Through this collaboration, SBVC’s Rising Scholars program is working hand-in-hand with VARP to support prospective students with academic advising, enrollment assistance, and pathways into high-demand programs such as aviation, welding, and HVAC.
From High School to Higher Ed: Options Middle College High School
Opens Doors at Southwestern College
In a bold move to transform lives and broaden access to higher education, Southwestern College (SWC) has welcomed Options Middle College High School (Options MCHS) to its Chula Vista campus. This collaboration with the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) is designed to uplift students who have often felt overlooked or underestimated, helping them discover that college is well within their reach.
In Case You Missed It
Community College Daily: A New ROI Metric and Dashboards
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has launched a new return-on-investment (ROI) metric and dashboards to help students, policymakers and institutional leaders explore trends in student outcomes among the commission’s institutional members, which are primarily California community colleges.
The Student Achievement Dashboards pull from three data sources: institutionally reported annual data, federally reported IPEDS data and a new ROI metric developed in partnership with the College Futures Foundation. The metric uses a Price-to-Earnings Premium (PEP) model to assess how long it takes students to recoup their educational investment by examining the relationship between net costs and earnings premiums, according to ACCJC.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Golden West College:
Today marked the final day of GWC’s first-ever STEM XP summer program! Students wrapped up the week with a Shark Tank-style simulation, pitching ideas like new GWC App features and parking lot upgrades to a panel of campus faculty and staff. The judges were blown away by the creativity, problem-solving, and presentation skills each team brought to the table.
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From College of San Mateo:
Swifties have TS12. Bulldogs have F25. 12 tracks. One campus. Zero skips. What song are you streaming first this semester? Welcome to CSM, Bulldogs!
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From Porterville College:
College Promise Days kick-off with a day of full of making new connections!
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From Santiago Canyon College:
Over 1,000 @OrangeUnifiedCA students joined us this summer for College for Kids! Hands-on learning, new skills, and a taste of college life—all at SCC. Proud to partner with OUSD to inspire the next generation.
And From the Home of the Renegades
Bakersfield College Hosts ‘Bridge to BC’
“Bridge to BC” is a one-day, in-person, first-year experience course designed to help first-time and returning college students prepare academically, socially, and personally as they transition to college. Under the leadership of Faculty Director Dr. Kimberly Bligh, Education Advisor Kris Herrera, Program Manager Tim Lafondez, dozens of student peer mentors, educational advisors, and faculty come together to create an intensive and supportive learning community.
The Bridge in-person day includes a full campus tour highlighting all of BC’s academic, personal, and career resources. Classroom activities include topics such as learning strategies to identify and navigate barriers to success, setting SMART goals, learning to navigate the BC website, the student portal, STARFISH, and Canvas. Students also research their career and educational pathways and network with peers. They meet one-on-one with an education advisor to review their upcoming schedule, discuss their major, and review their educational goals. Lunch and hands-on classroom activities are always fun and interactive!
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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
