This week, we lost a true icon when Dolly Parton passed at the age of 80.
She was well-known as a legend of country music, but was also a great philanthropist, donating millions of dollars and providing countless children with free books through her Imagination Library foundation.
A few of my favorites:
Of course, I have to include the Whitney Houston version of this gorgeous song ….
Had a great time visiting Golden West College this week. Here’s a fun photo with ASCCC leadership … and me with a Golden West hat.
And then we were joined by our Board of Governors and student senate leadership.
Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, the college has a beautiful 122-acre campus and serves more than 19,000 students, with strong transfer programs and a wide range of career education—from nursing and automotive technology to business and the arts. What stood out to me during the visit was how much is happening at once: expanding dual enrollment, impressive progress with zero-textbook-cost courses, strong transfer pathways, and career programs that connect students directly to employers and universities.
And you cannot spend much time at Golden West without seeing how proud President Meridith Randall is of the college. She greeted us in Golden West gear and took us around campus with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely loves the place, including, I learned, a favorite tree!
We were also joined by Coast Community College District Chancellor Whitney Yamamura, who talked about the culture of innovation across the district and the freedom the colleges have to try new things. It was a fun visit, full of ideas, great people, and a very clear sense that this is a college and district that like to keep moving.
I then headed out to LA City College for their convocation.
Los Angeles City College has such a remarkable history. Founded in 1929, LACC sits on the original site of UCLA before UCLA moved to Westwood and the campus later also played a role in the early history of what became Cal State LA. Today, “The City’s College” remains right in the heart of Los Angeles, serving a diverse community and continuing its long tradition of creating pathways to transfer, careers, and economic mobility. There is something pretty special about walking a campus that has been part of the educational life of Los Angeles for nearly a century.
And it was wonderful spending time with President Amanuel Gebru, whose pride in LACC and its students comes through immediately. Amanuel brings a warmth and energy to the college that fits the place, deeply connected to its history but very much focused on where it is going next. I especially enjoyed being there for Convocation, seeing the faculty and staff coming back together for the new academic year, and feeling that unmistakable sense of possibility that comes when a college community gathers to begin again.
I spent the night in downtown LA at the urging of Amanuel who warned me about the LA traffic and getting to the convocation on time. Snapped this appetizer at the hotel restaurant…. plantain chips and guava jam. just delicious. two of my favorite items growing up in Kerala.
Good morning California.
It is August 29, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
De Anza College and Tesla Launch Hands-On
Engineering Technician Training Partnership
De Anza College, in partnership with Tesla, announced the launch of a structured, hands-on training program for the company’s incoming engineering technicians, marking the college’s growing role as a workforce training partner for Silicon Valley employers. Co-developed with Tesla, the 480-hour curriculum draws on De Anza College’s expertise in Automotive Technology and Design and Manufacturing Technologies. Participants receive applied instruction in safety, mechanics, instrumentation, electrical systems, and diagnostics, preparing them to support Tesla’s test engineering, R&D, and manufacturing environments.
College of the Canyons Team Wins Second Place at NASA Orbit Challenge
College of the Canyons student team CARE-D3 earned second place and a $25,000 prize at the 2026 NASA ORBIT Challenge, held in July at Space Center Houston in Texas. Led by students Sophia Cranshaw and Tatiana Torrecampo, CARE-D3 was the only community college team competing in the challenge’s Space Track and one of more than 100 teams from colleges and universities nationwide. CARE-D3 is a clinical decision-support system designed to help astronauts assess health risks during long-duration space missions where communication delays and limited medical resources can complicate care. The technologies developed for CARE-D3 also have the potential to support healthcare providers in rural, remote, and other resource-limited environments on Earth.
West Los Angeles College Levels Up Game Design & Esports Program
West Los Angeles College (WLAC) is expanding educational pathways in game programming, game art, game design, and esports through new industry partnerships, dual enrollment opportunities, and hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for careers in Southern California’s thriving interactive entertainment industry. One of the program’s most exciting opportunities is its collaboration with IndieCade, the internationally recognized festival celebrating independent game developers. Students enrolled in GAD 210: Capstone Game Development are recently participated in IndieCade’s annual Climate Jam, a six-week game development challenge that invites teams to create original games inspired by this year’s theme, “Plant a Seed.”
In Case You Missed It
USGBC California helps expand green career pathways for more than 2.5M students
Los Angeles-based U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC California) has announced partnership agreements with California State University (CSU) and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the official nonprofit partner to the California Community Colleges (CCC).
These partnerships bring together more than 2.5 million undergraduate, graduate and community college students across 22 CSU campuses and 116 CCCs—amplifying access to green career pathways, technical training, hands-on internships and robust professional networks.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Mission College:
Summer highlight reel: Mission College students were recognized by the Santa Clara City Council for earning the Silicon Valley Power Sustainable Futures Scholarship, each awarded over $2,000. Huge congrats to these future leaders.
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From Cabrillo College:
Sammy the Seahawk has been busy welcoming students and staff this week. Sammy is taking a break here with the Mariachi Santa Cecilia, who made an appearance on Wednesday August 26, 2026 during the Week of Welcome. Looking forward to the new semester!
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From Santa Monica College:
New students, new connections, and a whole lot of SMC spirit! VIP Welcome Day was the perfect way to kick off a new journey at SMC.
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From College of San Mateo:
College of San Mateo MESA students took their research to Stanford University!
Through Stanford’s Community College Outreach Program (CCOP), these dedicated students gained hands-on experience conducting research in university labs alongside Stanford mentors before presenting their findings to members of the scientific community.
The partnership between CSM’s MESA program and Stanford CCOP began in 2021, spearheaded by two former community college students who went on to become graduate scholars at Stanford. What began with mentorship has grown into a powerful pathway connecting community college students with paid research internships, academic enrichment, and new possibilities in STEM.
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Excited to Welcome Students Back to Campus for Fall 2026
All Bakersfield College’s campuses were brimming with excitement and student activity as students returned for the Fall 2026 semester. During the first week of classes, there will be a variety of Welcome Week activities and events to help kick off the start of the new academic year.
Throughout the week there will Welcome Tents on all BC campuses that will have representatives available to help students find their classes and provide other information. Each booth will have BC swag, and on select days, free coffee and donuts! Other events include a Bright Future Crafting workshop, a Renegade Rally of Belonging, Lip Sync Battle, and 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!
That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!
With much hope and joy,
Your Chancellor,
-sonya
#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora
A special thank you to our DVC student veterans for leading this meaningful tribute and reminding us of the values of unity, resilience, and service.
