This week started off with a great Sunday on July 11th. Wimbledon, Unity 22, Euro 2020, …..

“Breakfast with Wimbledon” has been something I have associated with my mom who would wake up early and get ceremonially ready to watch the big event.

So, on Sunday I tuned into the game just to feel her presence …. Although mom always rooted for Nadel over Djokovic I suspect she would not have complained too much since Nadel was not the opponent this time.

Novak Djokovic claims a record-tying 20th Grand Slam victory.

Also tuned into the Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity launched into a sub-orbital spaceflight with Virgin Group founder Richard Branson on board. Branson is hoping to usher in a new age of space tourism, and the Unity 22 flight was a successful test flight in that quest.

Wrapped up my Sunday watching Italy beat England in a penalty shootout, dashing England’s hopes of winning its first major title since the 1966 World Cup — followed by giving Neo his weekly bath.

Have not had such a relaxing Sunday in a long time.

Good morning, friends…
It is July 17, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

This week, the Coyotes, the Pirates and the Renegades continue to Dare Mighty Things:

Cerro Coso Community College

CCCC offering certificate program in Digital Media and Marketing

In a world where more and more activities are centered online, developing an effective digital marketing strategy is a must for every organization. 

Cerro Coso is offering a NEW certificate program in Digital Media and Marketing this fall.  Ideal for those who work in business office technology, real estate, sales, marketing, administration, education, science, engineering, healthcare, small business, and other industries. This program will teach how to develop high-performing integrated visual communication and social media marketing that delivers on key metrics. 

Sign up today!

Lecture Center updated as part of Measure J

The first of several projects at Cerro Coso’s Ridgecrest Campus funded by Measure J included updating the college’s Lecture Center.  The project involved installing handrails and lighting along the steep stairs, refinishing the floors, installing new curtains and carpet, and making needed updates to the lighting and sound system original to the facility,  The project will be completed over the next few weeks.   

Thank you Kern County for voting YesonJ!

Police Office Standards and Training Modular Academy is relaunching

Cerro Coso has an upcoming Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Modular Academy re-launch in Tehachapi this fall. More information on what can be done with the Level 3 and 2 certification is available at www.cerrocoso.edu/academy under the FAQ Section. 

In addition to enabling becoming a full-time officer, the progressive certification through the series of courses is perfect for code enforcement, arson investigators, reserve officers, county probation, park rangers, etc. 

Contact Department Chair and Academy Director Peter Fulks at peter.fulks@cerrocoso.edu for additional information.

Porterville College

PC Welcomes Division 1 Standout and Former Pro-athlete as New Head Basketball Coach

Porterville College (PC) has announced the appointment of Amaurys Fermin as the new Pirates Head Men’s Basketball Coach.

After competing at the High School level at John F. Kennedy High School in Bronx, NY, Fermin began his career at the Junior College level at Missouri State and Hagerstown Community College. He then went on to play Division I ball at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in history.

During his senior season at Cal Poly, he led the Big West Conference with 119 assists, and helped the Mustangs reach the program’s second-highest victory total in 18 Division I seasons. He comes to us directly from Allan Hancock College where he was the Lead Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for 5 seasons. He also served as the West Coast Elite UA Central Region Program Director.

Fermin has also spent time as a professional athlete, playing on the Dominican Republic National Team alongside the likes of NBA players Al Horford, Karl Anthony Towns and Francisco Garcia. In 2012, they brought home the CentroBasket Championships Gold Medal. Fermin has also played professional ball for teams in Cyprus, Greece, Finland, and Puerto Rico.

PC “Mobile” Campaign Continues to Increase Awareness While Directly Supporting Students

Porterville College has employed several new methods of marketing and engagement with our community. One such method is the “PC Pirate Fleet” campaign. Check out the cars “wrapped” with branded decals promoting PC.

The current “cohort” of cars hit the road this July. The first cohort recently completed an 8 month campaign that boasted some very impressive results. An average of 8,000 miles per month were driven by the fleet of eight cars, adding up to over 100,000 people seeing these cars and their messaging per month in Porterville and our surrounding service areas.

Look for the Pirate Fleet to start making coordinated appearances in Porterville and surrounding communities in the Fall, starting with our opening week festivities on campus! 

PC Focuses on Water Conservation During Times of Severe Drought

The need for water conservation is critical for California with our most recent drought conditions. According to the latest data from the state government, 94.7 percent of California has now reached the “D2 – Severe Drought” category, 84 percent has reached the “D3 – Extreme Drought Conditions”.

Even without these severe drought conditions, water conservation is crucial for college campuses in California and across the nation. Porterville College has been working on this problem for many years–long before the current drought conditions–and the campus is doing some amazing things with its conservation efforts, including an average savings of 2.5 million gallons of water per month in the summer months.

Porterville College is actively participating with the City of Porterville as they construct a city-wide water reclamation system and we are beginning to incorporate pipe systems into future construction projects that will be ready to connect to the city system. Additional retention basins are also being engineered for all future construction projects.

PC is in the process of developing an Engineering and Environmental Science program to better serve the community.

Bakersfield College

BC’S First Cohort Completes Introductory Course Focused on Electric Vehicles

Bakersfield College’s first set of auto tech students looking to increase their employability have completed AUTO B70NC – Introduction to Electric Vehicles, a brand new course focused on electric vehicles, repairs, and maintenance. The course is part of a larger program that’s still in the final stages of curriculum development aiming to provide students with the trainings and certifications necessary to secure well-paying jobs in the growing field of zero-emission electric (ZEV) vehicles.

Developed in partnership with Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN) and with funding provided by Electrify America, the comprehensive curriculum provides students with the training needed to diagnose, repair, and maintain electric plug-in vehicles. Dean of Instruction Anthony Cordova says this course is one of the first and perhaps the only one of its kind.

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BC To Offer Free Summer Performing Arts Academies

Starting next week, Bakersfield College will hold three free summer academies for participants interested in music, theater, and arts. The Choral Academy will run July 20-23 from 9:00am to 3:00pm daily. The Jazz and Commercial Music Academy will run July 26-30 from 9:00am to 2:15pm daily. The Theater Acting Workshop will run August 2-5 from 9:00am to 3:25pm daily. There is no cost associated with these summer offerings but registration is limited.

Professor of Music and Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at Bakersfield College Dr. Jennifer Garrett is excited for this new opportunity to engage participants. She says, “After finding innovative ways to stay connected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I am overjoyed for the opportunity to bring participants together for this multi-day summer academy where we can explore music in a shared space.”

Thank You from BC’s Early College Industrial Automation Summer Academy

I so appreciated this email from Job Specialist Carlos Medina:

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for opening your doors and participating in our Early College Industrial Automation Summer Academy. The students enjoyed every visit and were delighted they had the opportunity to explore four different industries. A big special thanks to our partners at Phillips 66 for providing this opportunity for our Early College students and making our Industrial Automation Summer Academy possible.

We look forward to working together again in the near future as we prepare for the fall semester and get our Class of 2022 ready for the workforce. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Chancellor’s Seminar Series

On Tuesday, I kicked off the Chancellor’s Seminar Series with a Back to Campus discussion. Thank you to our panelists, Dena Rhoades and Eileen O’Hare-Anderson, for providing answers to our KCCD community. I’d also like to thank Tina Johnson (BC CSEA), Matt Crow (KCCD CCA), and Manny Mourtzanos (KCCD Management Association), who represented our employee groups and asked the questions during the seminar. And of course, thank you to Todd Coston for providing our introductory comments and technology support.

Here are a few of the highlights from the presentation:

Will vaccines be required on campus, and will we require proof?

How about wearing a mask?

Are there contingency plans if variants pose an increased risk?

How should we handle conflicting reports and guidelines?

You can see all the videos from the seminar on the KCCD Chancellor’s Communications webpage.

Poetry Corner

Please enjoy this poem from Jack Hernandez:

Weightless

With all their money
they launched themselves
into space,
were admired
for their weightless
distance from those
starving on the earth.

Spotted on Social Media

Porterville College President Claudia Habib got a chance to meet with students on campus:

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That’s a wrap for now.
See you next Saturday!

The future remains bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor