Tag Archives: College of Alameda

Happy New Year 2024. Seize Every moment of every day.

Uncategorized January 6, 2024 Comments: 5

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a beautiful start.

Mine certainly has – winter has arrived!

The past few years, I’ve shared the books I read the past year. Today I’m sharing a few of the books I read in 2023:


The Covenant of Water
By: Abraham Verghese

“Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.“

***

The Last Animal
By: Ramona Ausubel


“The Last Animal takes readers on a wild, entertaining, and refreshingly different kind of journey, one that explores the possibilities and perils of the human imagination on a changing planet, what it’s like to be a woman in a field dominated by men, and how a wondrous discovery can best be enjoyed with family. Even teenagers.“

***

One Hundred Years of Solitude
By: Gabriel García Márquez

“One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendiá family. Inventive, amusing, magnetic, sad and alive with unforgettable men and women—brimming with truth, compassion, and a lyrical magic that strikes the soul—this novel is a masterpiece in the art of fiction“

***

I Love Learning; I Hate School
By: Susan D. Blum


“In “I Love Learning; I Hate School,” Blum tells two intertwined but inseparable stories: the results of her research into how students learn contrasted with the way conventional education works, and the personal narrative of how she herself was transformed by this understanding. Blum concludes that the dominant forms of higher education do not match the myriad forms of learning that help students―people in general―master meaningful and worthwhile skills and knowledge.“

***

Superintelligence
By: Nick Bostrom

“If machine brains one day come to surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on us humans than on the gorillas themselves, so the fate of our species then would come to depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence.

But we have one advantage: we get to make the first move. Will it be possible to construct a seed AI or otherwise to engineer initial conditions so as to make an intelligence explosion survivable? How could one achieve a controlled detonation?“

***

How to Know a Person
By: David Brooks

“Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.“

***

And from previous years –

2022 Books
» Read my January 8, 2023 post – Rain Bathing CA 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 post – 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

Good morning California.
It is January 6, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Yale University Honors WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education

Yale University recently included West Los Angeles College‘s Center for Climate Change Education in its list of significant milestones in climate-related issues for 2023.

» Learn about WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education!

West Hills College Lemoore Awards Nearly $200,000
in NSF S-STEM CORES Scholarships to STEM Students

West Hills College Lemoore recently awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM CORES Scholarships to 20 STEM students studying Biology, Engineering, Physics, and Math. The scholarships, valued up to $10,000 annually per student ($5,000 per semester) for a maximum of four semesters, are part of WHCL’s commitment to developing future STEM leaders.

» Read more!

MiraCosta College Receives Prestigious Department of Energy Grant to Bolster Clean Energy Workforce Training

MiraCosta College is proud to announce its selection as one of the new Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This prestigious recognition positions the MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) at the forefront of energy innovation and workforce development.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Workforce and Economic Mobility
Ready – or Not: Will California Close its Skills Gap?

George Boggs and I co-wrote a blog post this week for the Workforce and Economic Mobility blog.

The United States—including California—must accelerate educational attainment to meet the need for more advanced employment skills. By 2031, 72 percent of the jobs in the US will require postsecondary education and/or training, and 42 percent will require a bachelor’s degree. The fastest-growing industries, according to the recent report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, require workers with disproportionately higher education levels compared to industries with slower growth.”

» Read more!

*****

Diverse: Report – Adult Community College Students Make Strides

Adult community college students in degree-progressing English and math courses are nearing parity with their traditional-age student counterparts when it comes to course completion, according to a new report from California Competes.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Fresno City College:

All smiles We are ready to welcome thousands of students to campus on Monday

*****

From Oxnard College:

Our Associated Student Government wrapped up the semester by taking students on a guided tour of SoFi stadium! Students checked out team locker rooms and facilities while also learning about various career paths in sports. They even tested their throwing skills on the field!

*****

And check this out – the College of Alameda Dance Department performing at the SF International New Concept Film Festival last November:


Blast from the Past

As colleges across California celebrate their opening days, I remembered the Bakersfield College Opening Day back in 2016 –

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College – IDA Endowment Fund Recipient

Three years ago, automotive professors Andrew Haney, CD-SV, and Rick Range, CD-SV, ASE Master | L1 and California State Smog Technicians and state license certified instructors, embarked on a mission to enhance the Automotive Technology training program at Bakersfield College (Bakersfield, California, United States) by introducing automotive detailing. Their combined expertise and extensive experience in the automotive repair industry set the stage for a transformative addition to the curriculum.

The crowning moment for the program came in 2023 when Andrew applied for and received the IDA Founder’s Endowment Fund Grant, a $2500 boost that propelled the initiative to new heights. With unwavering support from Bakersfield College’s administration, the grant was strategically invested in upgrading the automotive training program’s wash bay.

» 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

2023 Veterans Day – CA CC finding ways to serve those who serve our country

Uncategorized November 11, 2023 1 Comment

This Veterans Day, I want to take a moment to thank all of our nation’s veterans. To our active-duty military, military veterans, military reservists and dependents – thank you for safeguarding our country and the freedoms we enjoy.

Community colleges have a key role in supporting student veterans as they transition to civilian life. With an estimated 1.8 million military veterans living in California, many are looking to our community colleges for debt-free education and skills training. Each year, approximately 55,000 veterans, active-duty service members and their dependents enroll at a California community college, and can access the many services we provide, including veterans resource centers, priority registration, tutoring, food pantries, credit for prior learning and more.

For this Veterans Day, the American Legion with USAA offers suggestions for how we can “Go Beyond Thanks.” Let’s take a moment to quietly reflect on the contributions and sacrifices of veterans, and to consider how we can all find ways to serve those who serve our country.

Today, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Blas Villalobos, a member of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

Dr. Villalobos served in the United States Marine Corps from 1999- 2003. During this time, he was deployed to Iraq where he served as a Squad Leader. He earned several awards during combat operations including: The Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze campaign stars; and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

After his military service, Villalobos attended Long Beach City College. He went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from Long Beach State, and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Southern California.

Read more at https://lbcc.edu/press-release/lbcc-alum-dr-blas-villalobos-selected-community-college-league-distinguished-alumni?utm_content=271375363&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-1114279671770693632

Spent several hours this morning … yes, I wake up around 4:00 a.m. … reading all my previous Veterans Day blog posts … here is one from 2015. https://sonyachristianblog.com/2015/11/11/veterans-day-vet-fest-and-remembering-americas-best/. With a message from Prof. Paul Beckworth.

“We don’t fight to hold ground.  We fight to win.”  This was said by a Navy SEAL as he reflected on his numerous combat engagements in the current conflicts overseas.  As I look back on another Veterans Day at BC, I think about what we have come from.  I look back with pride at 102 years of Bakersfield College history and how BC alumni have fought in every conflict since World War I. 

I laugh when I read about World War II veterans coming to BC in the late 1940s when it still on the BHS campus, and the high school administrators’ anxiety about the smoking, and bad language the student-veterans used on campus.

I am proud that those vets were called “DARS,” by administrators, which stood for Damned Average Raisers, because they did so well in class that they skewered all the grading curves.  The tide of student-veteran involvement has ebbed and flowed over the decades.  It was very active in the years after the Vietnam War, with the Veterans Club“running the campus,” as the late Vernon Valenzuela remembered.  I saw it resurrect in 2010 thanks to the OIF/OEF veterans agitating for a veteran space.  Not only has the club resurrected, it has thrived.  Now, BC has a new Veterans Education Advisor, a new veterans’ student development class, plans for a larger space for the veterans lounge, and a college president who values what you bring to the table.

After your years of service it is now your time, as Bakersfield College student-veterans, to move forward.  You have a great responsibility.   You have a great responsibility to you; A responsibility to use your military experience to better yourself, your family and your community.  You have a responsibility to get educated, and pursue your goals in a timely, productive manner.  It is indeed frustrating at times.  It isn’t easy.  If it was easy, everyone would do it.  But, you aren’t everyone.  You are the real 1%.  Only 1% ever served in the military.  If you are part of that elite percentage, then college is simply another challenge to overcome before the next challenge.  The fact that you are at Bakersfield College says this about you: You don’t fight to hold ground.  You fight to win.

From the bottom of my heart, I am proud of all of you winners.

Thank you for your service.  Happy Veterans Day.  Job Well Done!

*****

I started my week at the California State Assembly for the Dual Enrollment Oversight Hearing.

On Tuesday, I was at El Camino College for the Vision 2030: Pathways to Equity and Economic Mobility in Healthcare summit. The event explored how innovations in healthcare will transform the earning power of our students.

I ended my week visiting the Home of the Renegades – Memorial Stadium for the last Bakersfield College football game. It was so much fun…. here are a few photos

Good morning California.
It is November 11, 2023. Veterans Day.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Coastline College Veterans Service Coordinator
Earns Veteran of Distinction Award

To commemorate Veterans Day this year, Representative Michelle Steel is awarding Coastline College’s Veteran Services Coordinator Tom Boscamp the Veteran of Distinction Award from her Congressional District. Boscamp, a U.S. Army veteran, is being recognized for his tireless service in aiding active duty and veterans in starting and completing their education at Coastline. 

» Read more! 

College of Alameda Hosts AUSD Educational Summit

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, College of Alameda opened its doors to a remarkable event, “My Sister’s Dynasty and My Brother’s Legacy,” a groundbreaking educational summit designed to empower Black and Multi-Ethnic students. This special event, hosted in collaboration with the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Office of Equity, brought together a diverse group of speakers, presenters, and attendees.

» Read more!

Butte College Dual Enrollment Student
Takes Top Honors at National FFA Convention

Joe Schohr, a sophomore at Gridley High School who is concurrently pursuing his education at Butte College, took top honors at the National FFA Creed Speaking Leadership Development Event. The National FFA Creed Speaking Leadership Development Event (LDE) is a highly competitive contest that recognizes exceptional FFA members for their ability to recite and interpret the National FFA Creed and respond to challenging questions.

» Read more!

Folsom Lake College Celebrates Enrollment Milestone

Folsom Lake College, a member of the Los Rios Community College District and a leading institution of higher education in the Greater Sacramento region, is thrilled to announce a momentous achievement in its history. The college has reached a significant milestone with its enrollment surpassing 10,000 students.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

StateScoop: How 1 Billion Data Points Could Improve
Career Outcomes for California Students

In late October, California’s Cradle-to-Career office — which manages a statewide education and workforce data project — collected its first data installment with more than 1 billion data points across 200 different categories, including K-12, college admissions, post-college employment opportunities. Officials told StateScoop it’s a vital step towards building the first longitudinal data system in the state.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From San Joaquin Delta College:

Smiles, hugs, and tears this week at Delta as we dedicated our newly renamed forums in honor of Filipino American historian Dr. Dawn Mabalon, longtime counselor and mentor Tony Fitch, and the legacy of Campesino farmworkers.

*****

And a Veterans Day Message from San Diego College of Continuing Education President Tina King and Retired US Navy Commander Edgar Lucas:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC at the 37th HACU Conference

Bakersfield College had a presence with faculty, staff, and administrators at the recent 37th annual Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Conference in Chicago, Illinois. This event serves as a crucial platform for collaboration, fostering discussions on policy matters, emerging trends, and impactful opportunities that significantly influence Hispanic community education.

» 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