Tag Archives: De Anza College

Happy Father’s Day 2024

Uncategorized June 15, 2024 Leave a comment

Happy Father’s Day

Paul Christian and Pam Christian
Paul and Pam Christian

I spent last weekend in Toronto with my daughter.

Anthony Bourdain when asked about Toronto said: “It is a city of surprises. The fact that over 50 per cent of the residents of Toronto are not from Canada, that is always a good thing, creatively, and for food especially.”

And yes, we enjoyed every meal. For example, the chickpea fritters with lemon & parsley appetizer at Ardo, a little Sicilian Restaurant on King Street.

Snapped this photo for you ….

At 1,815.3 feet, the CN Tower in downtown Toronto held the record for the world’s tallest free-standing structure for 32 years – from its completion in 1975 until 2007. It is currently the 10th tallest free-standing structure in the world, and the tallest free-standing structure on land in the Western Hemisphere.

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I also want to wish a Happy 6th Birthday to Bessie! Check out this short reel I created on instagram…. my first reel ever 🙂

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I started my week with a visit to Saddleback College for the low-income pathways launch at Saddleback College.

Then Zav’s retirement event at Kern.

Check out this 4-min video with fun Zav photos

And then the celebration held by the Campaign for College Opportunity as the leadership baton was passed from Michele Siqueiros to Jessie Ryan.

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Congratulations to Daisy Gonzales, who has been selected to lead California Student Aid Commission.

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Good morning California.
It is June 15, 2024. Happy Father’s Day!
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Moorpark College Advances to Top 10 in National Competition
for $1 Million Prize

Moorpark College has been named a top 10 finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Presented by The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, the $1 million award is the nation’s signature recognition of strong performance among community colleges. 

» Read more!

Santa Rosa Junior College Art Students Created
New Major Exhibit Of The Children’s Museum Of Sonoma County

One of the latest projects involving SRJC’s Sculpture and 3D-Design students is the newly redone Dino Dental Clinic at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County (CMOSC). The project just had its grand opening on June 1st, 2024.

» Read more!

Cerritos College Team Rocks
NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies Competition with Award

Cerritos College proudly took center stage at NASA’s 2024 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition in May. The Cerritos College student team Project F.I.R.E. (Fire Intervention Retardant Expeller) was one of four winners, earning the Future Game-Changer Award. 

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Educate. Elevate. Podcast

In the season finale of the Educate. Elevate. podcast, find out what today’s students think about the Brown vs. Board of Education decision and the ongoing effort to uplift Black and African American students at California community colleges. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about overcoming barriers and the supportive role the California Community Colleges play.

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Transfer students triumph in the Class of 2024

From University of California: Out of some 61,000 graduates in the University of California’s Class of 2024, close to a third started their higher ed journey at a California community college.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff DeFranco:

Thrilled to announce the ‘topping off’ of the new student housing @LakeTahoeCC! This milestone marks the midway point, ensuring we’re on track to welcome students in Summer 2025. From humble beginnings in an old motel, #LTCC is now closer to becoming a residential campus.

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De Anza College shared this video describing their Guided Pathways Villages Centers:

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From Monterey Peninsula College:

MPC’s Superintendent-President Dr. Marshall T. Fulbright III welcomed Upward Bound students to our Monterey Campus! We’re proud to support Monterey County’s college-going rate!

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And Compton College President Keith Curry shared this update about a celebrity visit to Compton College‘s commencement:

@kendricklamar pulled up to @compton_college yesterday to celebrate our grads

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Plays Host To Drum Corps International Tour Event

This week, Bakersfield College’s Golden Empire Drum & Bugle Corps, an ensemble within the Performing Arts department, announced the details of the 8th annual presentation of RESOUND, a drum and bugle tour event bringing together some of the country’s best corps, presented by Drum Corps International. The event will take place July 8 at 7:30 PM inside Bakersfield College’s Memorial Stadium and is open to the public.

» 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

CACCs celebrating our very best

Uncategorized January 27, 2024 Comments: 2

This week started in Sacramento with a Board of Governors meeting.

One of the best things we get to do is celebrate the work of our community colleges, and this meeting was no different.

Chabot College, Glendale College, MiraCosta College and San Diego Mesa College have been honored by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors with 2023-24 Exemplary Program Awards in partnership with the statewide Academic Senate.

Good morning California.
It is January 27, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

De Anza College Wins NEH Grant for Oral History Projects

De Anza has received its first-ever grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, providing $150,000 for an ambitious, three-year effort to create and expand oral history programs focused on historically marginalized communities.

» Read more!

Cerritos College Economic Development Center
for Corporate Training Receives $500K Grant

The Cerritos College Economic Development Center for Corporate Training received a $500,000 grant from the California Employment Training Panel (ETP)

» Read more!

Orange Coast College President Earns National Honor

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) recognized Orange Coast College president, Dr. Angelica Suarez, as the recipient of its 2024 National President’s Award — the first California community college president to be honored with this prestigious award. This award is the highest honor NASPA bestows on a college or university president or chancellor.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

LIFT 2024 Webinar Series

The Classified Professional Leadership and Career Advancement Series is developed and hosted by the Leadership Institute for Tomorrow in collaboration with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

The four webinars are scheduled on Fridays during the noon hour 12-1 p.m.

The first webinar will be on Friday, February 9:
Cracking the Code: Navigating Campus Politics for Classified Professionals

» Learn more & Register Now!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Napa Valley College:

Congratulations to President Torence Powell for being among ‘the 24 to Watch in 2024,’ as recognized by The Press Democrat!

His impactful words resonate: ‘For many students, their success is determined by their potential to receive support in basic needs. To provide assistance in those areas significantly increases their chance of success and persistence.’ A true advocate for student well-being!

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From Cañada College:

Yesterday marked a journey into the heart of Shogatsu at the Cultural Center. From the allure of osechi snacks to the artistry of mochi-making, we embraced diverse New Year traditions. Kite-making and Daruma goal-setting added interactive joy, creating a day filled with cultural richness and shared experiences!

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From Compton College:

Every student is a success story!

Compton College 2023 graduate Shyanne Bradley wants others to know that even in times of crisis, one can always change their circumstances. “I’m just like anyone else that is indecisive about going to school but I want to emphasize that even as a mom, attending college is possible. It’s harder, but possible,” said Bradley.

The mother of two enrolled at Compton College in the summer of 2021 and graduated in 2023 with three associate degrees — in biological and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and arts and humanities. Bradley was also honored as a 2023 Presidential Scholar, maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

“To have Compton College in my corner has given me the push I need to be the best I can be, and I know I can continue to do so much more,” said Bradley. “I’m doing this for myself and my children so they can see that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

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From Antelope Valley College:

Our Achieving the Dream coaches met with students, classified professionals, faculty and administrators to learn more about the student journey at AVC. Our coaches engaged in meaningful conversation with various members of our campus community, and will use the feedback provided to enhance the student experience at AVC.

Blast from the Past

Check out this video from Bakersfield College’s Opening Day Spring 2021, about Competency Based Education:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Promotes Healthy Nutrition With Food Smarts Workshop

The Office of Student Life at Bakersfield partnered with the Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) for a series of workshops highlighting healthy food and nutrition choices. They hosted the first of these workshops on January 23rd in the Campus Center on BC’s main campus and Zoom.
 
During the workshop, over 50 students learned about healthy living, positive nutrition choices, and cultivating healthy behaviors in themselves and their families. Throughout the workshop, attendees were invited to sample some delicious foods made with healthy ingredients.

» 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

Juneteenth 2023 – CA CCs promote empathy and unity

Uncategorized June 17, 2023 Comments: 2

Last Saturday, I walked out of the gym after my Saturday morning class and spotted this bird.

I texted a friend who is a bird watcher and she immediately came back with gray hawk. She then checked in with a raptor expert and came back with hybrid falcon.

What do you think?

Gray Hawk
Hybrid Falcon

Then on Sunday, I enjoyed watching the 76th Tony Awards. Kimberly Akimbo received top honors for Best Musical, while Leopoldstadt took Best Play.

I love musicals.

Check out the opening performance with host Ariana DeBose.

This week I also had my first Consultation Council meeting as California Community Colleges Chancellor. Great group of talented and dedicated folks. Our time is now!

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On Monday, we celebrate Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived on the island of Galveston, Texas, to take command of the federal troops who went there to enforce the emancipation of its slaves. He issued General Order No. 3, which enforced the Emancipation Proclamation and freed all remaining slaves in Texas.

Now, Juneteenth is a federal holiday – first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

Here is excerpt from an email I sent to our staff :

“This celebration allows us to foster a deeper understanding of our shared history and promote empathy and unity among our colleagues. Linked here is a short video featuring renowned Harvard historian, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., further explaining the significance and history of Juneteenth.”

And wishing all the dads out there a very happy Father’s Day tomorrow!

Paul Christian, Sonya Christian

Good morning California.
It is June 17, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges

Woodland Community College, Feather River College
among Community College Innovation Challenge winners

The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF). It is a national competition where community college student teams, working with a faculty or administrator mentor, use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems; participate in an Innovation Boot Camp; and compete for cash awards.

This year, two California Community Colleges are among the winners. Woodland Community College took 2nd place, while Feather River College took 3rd.

» Read more about the CCIC

» Check out posts from MESA at Woodland Community College

» Learn more about Feather River College’s team

Norco College Rocketry Team
AR 51025 Competition Update and Video

In Fall 2022, Norco College Rocketry collaborated with the Flabob Airport Rocketry Program by taking weekly classes and worked diligently to educate themselves on rocketry fundamentals and techniques. On March 4th, the team successfully launched and retrieved their rocket “Vector” and performed a static fire in the Mojave Desert. After Vector, the team began preparations for our competition rocket for the FAR 51025 Competition. 

» Read more and see additional videos about the Rocketry team

Re-imagined Hiring Event
Hosted at Butte College Career Center

This spring, the Butte College Career Center partnered with SynEd to launch a new pilot to connect students completing certificate and degree programs in accounting and business with employers hiring for those skills. The career center modeled the event after SynEd’s Appointment with your Future.

» Read more about the Hiring Event

De Anza College Receives MESA Grant
for Underrepresented Students

De Anza has been awarded $1.55 million in state funding over the next five years for a new cohort program to support historically underrepresented students who want to transfer in STEM majors.

The new MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) program will build on strategies that proved highly effective with De Anza’s Math Performance Success program, which has used dedicated counselors, embedded peer tutors and additional support to improve student success rates in Math – particularly for Latinx and Black students.

» Read more about MESA at De Anza

In Case You Missed It

Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Education Department
Announces Grants for Initiatives to Support Native Students

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has announced more than $8 million in available grants to fund initiatives for Native students.

» Read more about his grant program

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LAist: America Needs Pilots, But Training Is Pricey.
Community Colleges Are Stepping In

A commercial pilot license is also a necessary step toward flying for an airline, and those pilots should have some leverage when they hit the market. According to analysts with consulting firm Oliver Wyman, while the gap between supply and demand of pilots has improved from projections in 2022, there may be a shortfall of up to 24,000 pilots by 2026.

Still, pilot training programs can get expensive, as students navigate an array of fees. That’s left affordable community college programs an opening.

» Read more

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Dr. Zav Dadabhoy tweeted

Allan Hancock College‘s Beyond Incarceration Greater Education (BIGE) Club visited the Santa Maria Police Department to share their stories and discuss how the two groups can work together to Change the Odds in our community.

Calbright College spreading the word at the Juneteenth Education Fair at Camp Pendleton:

Mission College kicked off their Summer Concert Series:

And thank you to Assemblymember Mike Fong for sharing this photo of us after we met in Sacramento this week:

Blast From the Past

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $13.5 Million Investment
to Equitably Grow Solar Energy Workforce

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced 12 projects, whose work will span more than 13 states, selected for negotiation to launch training partnerships that expand the solar energy workforce in underserved and underrepresented communities, as well as create career pathways with thousands of good-paying jobs.

Kern Community College District (Bakersfield, CA): In partnership with IBEW, this project will provide solar installation career-track training and electrical apprenticeship readiness training with opportunities for union membership for participants from disadvantaged communities in the Central Valley of California. ​(Award: $1,000,000)

» Read more about the grants

» Read more about this week 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

Sonya Christian's Blog