Tag Archives: East Los Angeles College

2023 Thanksgiving

Uncategorized November 25, 2023 Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving from the marina!

Here is a copy and paste of the email I sent to the Presidents and Chancellors of the California Community Colleges:

As I am winding down my workday and getting into Thanksgiving mode, I thought I would drop you a quick note.  I am at Marina Del Rey today where my daughter lives, enjoying the warmer temperatures, sailing boats and the other sights and sounds of the marina.

My first Thanksgiving was the fall semester, many decades ago, as a foreign student in grad school.  Since then, I have wholeheartedly embraced this American holiday full of blessings and gratitude symbolizing harmony and unity.  For me it has been an annual ritual … where permission is given to take a moment to pause, experience the richness of life, and appreciate how connected we are to each other and to this planet.

Last week we were at the League convention decompressing, catching up, and supporting each other in this cherished California Community College work.  As is the tradition with the fall League gathering, the state Chancellor gives the State of the System address, during which time, I enjoyed being able to share the message that the state of California Community Colleges is strong.  Our people have been focused on outreach, engagement and re-engagement work, coupled with retention initiatives and customized student support.  We see the positive impacts of these efforts on our students:

Alyssa Hernandez’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of dual enrollment, as she took general education classes in high school, saving both time and money on her path to a bachelor’s degree.

For justice-involved individuals like Maurice “Mo” Faulkner, education became a powerful tool for rehabilitation and a journey from a correctional facility to earning an Associate Degree for Transfer a 4.0 GPA and reduced sentence.

Adrienne Navarro’s story echoes the resilience of student veterans, as she pursues her doctorate in nursing at Duke University after starting her journey at a California Community College.

Together, we are shaping the future of higher education in California, and I am excited to continue this journey with you.

A quote from President John F. Kennedy that Barstow Community College shared:

Good morning California.
It is November 25, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Diablo Valley College Student & Team
Secure 1st Place at UC Berkeley’s Cal Hacks Competition

Saurabh (Sunny) Jayaram, a computer science student at Diablo Valley College and his teammates recently won 1st Place at UC Berkeley’s Cal Hacks 10.0, under the InterSystems Challenge, at the Metreon in San Francisco. 

» Read More!

Foothill College Welcomes NASA Astronaut
for STEM Equity Seminar Event

Earlier this month, NASA Astronaut Dr. Yvonne Darlene Cagle went to Foothill College for a “fireside chat” to discuss her academic journey, career path, and what has propelled her in her research. 
» Read more!

Check out the video below:

Sacramento City College
Names Library for Author Joan Didion

Sacramento City College will be renaming the college’s library in honor of renowned author Joan Didion. The building will now be known as the Joan Didion Learning Resource Center, in recognition of a generous $500,000 gift from Didion family and the Sacramento Historical Society (SHS). 

» Read more!

Pasadena City College students explore, commit to HBCUs at college fair

More than 110 students from Pasadena City College and local high schools were admitted to historically black colleges and universities during a traveling college fair, which featured live DJ performances, food, and remarks from actor and producer Yara Shahidi.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

PPIC: A Conversation with California’s Public Higher Education Leaders

How can California’s higher education system efficiently and effectively prepare a broad range of students to meet the challenges of the future? Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with the leaders of California’s public systems—Sonya Christian, Chancellor, California Community Colleges; Michael V. Drake, President, University of California; and Mildred García, Chancellor, California State University.

» Find out more and register at https://www.ppic.org/event/a-conversation-with-californias-public-higher-education-leaders-2023/.

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

East Los Angeles College Music Professor Jesus “Chuy” Martinez played the sousaphone in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. He was among 400 band directors and music educators selected to march in the parade.

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From Cerritos College:

Congrats to our accounting instructor Charles Osaki! He was honored as one of L.A.’s top 100 accountants by @LABJnews Charles founded the Pathway to Success Program at Cerritos College, which supports first-generation and underrepresented college students. https://bit.ly/3SSWY2O

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From Shasta College:

We hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving! Our International students celebrated a special “International” Thanksgiving! Many thanks go to our amazing Food Services and Physical Plant teams as well as the generosity of all the staff who helped. Happy Thanksgiving, Knights!

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From Yovani Jimenez – thank you for sharing this photo of Kern CCD colleagues (including Anthony Culpepper, who is now President of LA Southwest College!)

The @ccleague annual convention was an incredible experience! Witnessing community college leaders from every corner of the state come together to support #Vision2030 and exchange ideas on innovative approaches to enhance our local educational institutions was truly inspiring.

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Hosts Vet Fest 2023

Bakersfield College hosted their annual VetFest celebration in honor of veterans on November 15th, 2023 at BC’s Panorama Campus. This event is dedicated to continuing a tradition of showing honor and gratitude to all current and past members of the Armed Forces who have given their time and risked their lives in defense of our country’s freedoms.

» 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

It’s all about partnerships

Uncategorized October 21, 2023 Leave a comment

It was a week of travel for me… headed north to Fresno City College with the Undocumented Student Action Week, then south to College of the Canyons where Chancellor Dianne Van Hook hosted a wonderful event on Vision 2030 and I was inspired by the forward leaning work of the college… then to my office in Sacramento for Consultation Council… then back to Fresno Convention Center for the annual CVHEC summit. Wrapped up Friday night watching episodes of Stephen Colbert and John Oliver. The John Oliver piece was on safety of our foods and after watching it I think when travelling I will stay away from salads and other fresh produce which we eat fresh and without cooking.

Here are a few photos from the Undocumented Student Action Week Conference. Thank you Gina Brown and Linda Vasquez for taking care of so many details to make this happen.

With State Center team and other presenters
Selfie with Linda Vasquez
Team from Chancellor’s Office: Belen Lopez, Leah Abate, Marisela Hernandez, Sonya Christian, Gina Brown, Linda Vasquez. Second row – Theresa Brown, Alonso Garcia, Paul Medina (BOG), Heather McClenahen
Ran into Bill Moseley, BC

Find out more about Undocumented Student Action Week on the CCCCO website.

Had an inspiring half a day with Dianne Van Hook, faculty, students, administrators at the College of the Canyons. Dianne’s suggestion that the theme of the day be “partnerships” set the tone for our gathering. Vice President of the Board of Governors Hildy Aguinaldo made it a priority to rearrange her schedule to join us.

Was happy that the California Labor Secretary Stewart Knox joined us for this event. I am planning on doing another blog on the workforce development work at Canyons. For now, let me share some of the photos.

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Here are some photos from the Central Valley Higher Education Summit.

With CVHEC Executive Director Ben Duran and West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clark.
Chancellor Carole Goldsmith, Ben Duran, Sonya Christian

Good morning California.
It is October 21, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

California Community Colleges Expand Access to Bachelor’s Degrees
with Two New Programs

California Community Colleges have approved two new bachelor’s degree programs in an effort to make earning a four-year degree more attainable for all Californians. This brings to the total number of bachelor’s degrees that are now offered or will soon be offered at a community college to 33.

The new programs are biomanufacturing at Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) and public safety management at San Diego Miramar College. Five additional bachelor’s degree program proposals are in the current evaluation cycle and are pending review.

» Read the Press Release from CCCCO

» Read about Los Angeles Mission College’s Bachelor of Science in Biomanufacturing

» Read the Press Release from San Diego Miramar College

Irvine Valley College Hosts Manufacturing Day for High School Students

Earlier this month, IVC welcomed over 150 students from the Tustin and Irvine Unified School Districts to the Advanced Technology & Education Park (ATEP) on October 6 for Manufacturing Day. This event provides students with a valuable opportunity to gain insights into various aspects of manufacturing, broadening their perspectives on the diverse career pathways within this industry.

» Read more!

Cuesta College’s University Bound program
gets $10K donation from Bank of America

The Cuesta College Foundation is pleased to announce a generous $10,000 donation from the Bank of America Foundation for University Bound, a program supporting historically underrepresented students in their goal of transferring to universities to continue their education. The Foundation partnered with Cuesta College’s University and Transfer Center to launch the first University Bound program during the 2021-22 academic year, with money donated to the Cuesta Fund.

» Read more!

Woodland Community College hosts health & healing walk/run

In September Woodland Community College hosted “Sana Sana; Health & Healing Walk/Run.” The event was held to raise awareness of the health and healing practices in everyday life, according to organizer Dr. Melissa Moreno, a professor of ethnic studies at the college. It was part of several events scheduled throughout Woodland as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

EdSource: Community Colleges are key
to solving California’s toughest challenges

This week, EdSource published my commentary piece about the importance of community colleges.

The Community College System is one of our state’s most valuable assets, our main engine of social mobility. We generate $128 billion in annual income for California, amounting to more than 4% of the state’s gross product.

We are essential to the state’s achieving its ambitious goals in everything from climate policy, to growing a world-class labor force, to expanding the middle class. We are essential to the state’s ability to address a massive nursing shortage, support an aging population, prepare for an electric future in need of skilled and trained technicians and more.

» Read the article

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LA Times: New law will allow some Mexican residents
to pay in-state tuition at California community colleges

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday {October 13} signed Assembly Bill 91, which was inspired in part by a decades-old law in Texas that permits Mexican residents like Agustin to pay in-state tuition for their public education because they live so close to the border. The California law will permit low-income Mexican residents and citizens who live within 45 miles of the Mexico-California border to pay in-state tuition.

The bill permits 150 students at each of the eight partner colleges to be awarded this “nonresident fee exemption.”

» Read the article

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Constance Carroll:

Yesterday, the Assembly Higher Education Committee (Mike Fong Chair, and Tri Ta, Co-chair) held a hearing at East LA College to discuss various community college issues. I was pleased to present regarding community college baccalaureate programs and progress.

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From Allan Hancock College:

Hancock viticulture and enology program alumnus Fidencio Flores was featured on CBS’s “The Talk” as part of Hispanic Heritage Month! Congratulations Fideoncio!

Check it out at https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/0Ki0OWuKNn8OzCLEh5PaNaUzaXHruz59/.

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And check out these posts about last weekend’s solar eclipse –

College of the Desert:

San Bernardino Valley College:

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Archives Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Bakersfield College Archives is excited to announce its 20th Anniversary celebration, marking two decades of preserving the rich history and cherished memories of Bakersfield College (BC). Since its inception in 2003, the Bakersfield College Archives has been dedicated to safeguarding the legacy of BC and fostering a sense of belonging within the BC community.

» 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

CA CC Vision 2030 on the road

Uncategorized August 12, 2023 Leave a comment

As summer comes to a close, I’ve had a very busy week traveling to several of our community colleges.

On Tuesday, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for student housing at Lake Tahoe Community College. It was inspirational to see so many people come out to support this fantastic project.

Thank you to Pam Haynes for joining from the Board of Governors, LTCC President Jeff DeFranco, the LTCC Board of Trustees, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, Chris Ferguson & the CA Department of Finance team, and everyone who was present and who has made this possible.

On Wednesday, I headed down to Chula Vista for an event at Southwestern College. This event focused on the Vision 2030 goal of Equity in Access. Southwestern College showcased two projects – Dual Enrollment and AB 91 – new legislation currently in appropriations that would waive out-of-state tuition for those crossing the border from Mexico to take classes at Southwestern or other San Diego colleges.

Here is a a 2:31-min coverage of the event by KPBS.

President Mark Sanchez, BOG Member Mary Salas, Sonya Christian, Assembly Member David Alvarez
BOG member Paul Medina, Student Trustee from Miramar College Namod Pallek, Student Trustee from Mt. San Jacinto College Joseph Awad, Former Student Body President from Southwestern College Leonardo Vanegas

On Thursday, I headed to East Los Angeles College for another Vision 2030 event, focused on dual enrollment. Thank you to Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez and President Alberto Roman for hosting this event. Members of the Board of Governors came out in full strength — Vice President Hildy Aguinaldo, Pam Haynes, Adrienne Brown, Joseph Williams, and Paul Medina.

Assembly member Mike Fong was also there and recognized the importance of community colleges.

Before I started my crazy week of travel, I caught Greta Gerwig’s Barbie at the cinema. It was a fun and thought provoking at the same time – a feature of many Gerwig movies. Like some of her past work, Gerwig explores the complexities of female identity and societal expectations. Both Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) are wonderful in the movie. Gerwig’s Ken for the most part is as an accessory to Barbie, existing for the sole purpose of winning her warm gaze, adds comedic elements to the story while also providing opportunities for emotional depth. Check out this 1:30-min “I am just Ken” fun and talented video.

Good morning California.
It is August 12, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Río Hondo College Partners with MIT to Inspire
New Wave of Inventors During Summer Program

Students from Río Hondo College and local high schools created innovative solutions to modern problems, such as using drones for campus security to report suspicious activity or adapting smart textiles to chairs to fix poor posture in office workers, during the College’s inaugural Bridge to Invention Río program.

The program, which ran from July 17 to 28, was created in partnership with Lemelson-MIT (LMIT) to guide students through the disciplines of business and engineering to create and present a product, web app or service. The program was made available at no cost to all college students and local high school juniors and seniors.

» Read more about the program!

College of the Desert Awarded M-STAR Grant Funding by NASA

College of the Desert is one of only nine colleges/universities – and the only CA Community College – to be awarded M-Start Grant Funding by NASA.

Ahmed Elshafie, Michael Gariety, Amira Elsenousy and David Jackson all collaborated on the project entitled: A Penetrolyzer for Extracting Oxygen and Hydrogen from Mars Regolith.

» Read more about the award

» Learn more at NASA

Berkeley City College NOVA Scholars Summer Program Gallery Walk

In July, the Berkeley City College NOVA & RISE team hosted a Gallery Walk in celebration of scholars in our fourth cohort of NOVA, which stands for Networking, Opportunities, Vision, & Action. NOVA is a dual enrollment pathway program designed to support Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) rising 9th graders with their transition into high school. During the event, nearly 40 scholars displayed their culminating projects and shared their stories and dreams in the company of their families and our larger BCC community.

» Read more about the program!

Foster Youth Bicycle Giveaway Brings
Opportunity, Support to Pasadena City College Students

Supervisor Kathryn Barger and One Bicycle Foundation partnered together to gift bicycles to foster youth students at Pasadena City College. The gift of 24 bikes will help them get to class, work, errands, and activities.

» Read more about the gift!

In Case You Missed It

Laist: Can Community Colleges Meet the Urgency of the Climate Crisis?

On August 7th, Laist published a piece by Bonnie Ho and Jackie Orchard about the California Center for Climate Changed Education at West Los Angeles College.

“Through its new climate center, West is developing more climate change curriculum for community colleges in California to adapt to their own campuses. Eventually, the plan is for West to educate students of all disciplines on climate change, not just what people might expect of those studying environmental science.”

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

The Community College League of California shared an update from the 2023 Student Trustees Workshop:

This year 60+ student trustees travelled from @CalCommColleges to Riverside

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Fresno Unified School District‘s Tressa Overstreet shared this post:

“Dual Enrollment is rolling in ⁦@fresnounified⁩ our students CAN!”

*****

Allan Hancock College shared this photo from their All Staff Day event to kick off the fall semester:

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Madera Community College shared these photos:

“We had a wonderful turnout this afternoon at our President’s Cabinet BBQ! Thanks to our incredible Facilities team, our students, staff, and faculty all got to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers as we close out the summer!“

And From the Home of the Renegades

Early College Convening

The Bakersfield College Early College team hosted our 4th annual Early College Convening on August 2nd, 2023 and it was a momentous day in setting forth our collective vision for the 2023-2024 school year. 

» Read more about the Early College convening!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

California Community Colleges – acting with urgency and leading with courage

Uncategorized July 29, 2023 1 Comment

This week began with my first Board of Governors meeting, on Monday morning. We officially kicked off Vision 2030, our roadmap for California Community Colleges.

Sonya Christian at Board of Governors Meeting

Vision 2030 builds upon the foundations and work from the Vision for Success (2017) and the Governor’s Roadmap (2021), taking into account current issues and future considerations.

This plan focuses on improving equitable success for our nearly 2 million California Community College students, while introducing equitable access to find future learners and bring college to them.

Over the next few months, there will be many opportunities for statewide engagements as we focus on refining the plan before a final version is presented to the Board of Governors next January.

My week continued on Tuesday as I headed to Washington, DC, in time for Wednesday’s National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. In his keynote speech, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reminded us all:

“Every generation is called upon to renew the promise of America. This is our moment. To be innovative. To act with urgency. And to lead with courage.”

It was also nice to see former California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley, who spoke on a panel about rebuilding affordable higher education pipelines.

Panel about rebuilding affordable higher education pipelines
Eloy Oakley

After an exciting time being away, it was good to be back home for a bit of rest and relaxation. And of course – some quality time with Neo.

Good morning California.
It is July 29, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Fullerton College Drone Program and FAA Host Public Drone Event

Fullerton College Drone Students

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Fullerton College drone program teamed up to give a bird’s-eye view of the growing industry during a free three-day event, Droning On: California Edition.

The event kicked off on July 21 at Fullerton College with a Public Service Day that included a series of panels, lectures, and demonstrations with featured companies from various public service organizations, including Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, and many more.

» Read more about this event & Fullerton College’s drone program!

Antelope Valley College Fire Academy Grads Respond to First Assignment

Wildland Fire Academy students and class of 2023 graduates assisted firefighters from the Inyo National Forest in containing a fire 10 miles east of June Lake near Pumice Mine Road on Saturday, July 15. Fire crews braved high temperatures and dry winds to contain the fire to one acre.

Antelope Valley College Fire Academy Students

» Read more!

» Learn about Antelope Valley College’s Wildland Fire Academy

Mt. San Jacinto College Culinary Arts Instructor Serves Up
Food and Fun with a Focus on Regenerative Practices

Lea Di Bernardo

There’s more to Leah Di Bernardo’s culinary arts class at Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) than lectures, reading and recipes. Di Bernardo serves up lessons about what farm-to-table means for people and the planet. 

She is a key member of an MSJC advisory group that is currently in development on a Regenerative Agriculture program at the college.

» Read more!

East LA College Psychology Department Awarded $8.1M in Grants

he East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Psychology department and Addiction Studies program were recently awarded $8.1 million in grants. This is the largest ever received by the department and also one of the largest grants awarded in ELAC history. 

» Read more about the grants!

East LA College

In Case You Missed It

Community College League: California Community Colleges Support Rep. Schiff’s Bill to Help End Food Insecurity at Community Colleges

Andrea Hoffman and Adam Schiff

Last week, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif., 30th District) proposed legislation that would help community college students with food insecurity. The Community College League of California’s leadership supports this bill and its recognition of students’ basic needs.  

» Read more!

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Community College Daily: A renewed appreciation for the humanities

San Diego Miramar College’s PATH Program was featured in a piece in Community College Daily.

“A collaborative program between SDCCD and UC San Diego School of Arts and Humanities, funded by the Mellon Foundation starting in 2016, PATH has resulted in a 78% transfer rate of arts and humanities majors. This rate doubles the regular transfer rate for SDCCD arts and humanities majors which was at 39% prior to PATH. In fact, the program has expanded opportunities for underrepresented minority students who are 63% of the students participating in this program.”

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Check out Nick Strobel’s piece on teaching and learning:

“I have been teaching at Bakersfield College for 27 years and before that I taught the intro astronomy courses at University of Washington for five years, so I’ve been doing the teaching gig for 32 years now. I’ve been reflecting a bit on those 32 years on how the academic environment has changed and how I’ve changed with it or maybe the environment hasn’t changed all that much but I’ve gotten better at recognizing what’s already there and adjusted accordingly.  Whatever the case may be, I can see three major shifts in my teaching.”

» Read his blog post!

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From Tawny Dotson

“Fantastic weekend in Sacramento supporting some of @CalCommColleges’ newest CEOs!“

Attendees at CEO

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Kylie Campbell shared this:

“Thank you @CSEA_Now and @billrawlings for inviting Vice Chancellor @JohnStanskas and I to present on #Vision2030 and #DualEnrollment at your CSEA Community College Symposium! @CalCommColleges@sonyachristian#OurTimeIsNow“

John Stanskas
Kylie Campbell

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Foothill College recently welcomed a group of students and professors from the The University of Tokyo / UTokyo School of Education. They were in the Bay Area visiting area colleges.

Visiting students from University of Tokyo

And From the Home of the Renegades

On-Campus Employment Meet & Greet

Bakersfield College employment office

The Office of Student Employment and Financial Aid hosted the Student Employment Festival this week which gave students the opportunity to speak to several BC departments about available positions and federal work-study. Attendees were also able to get assistance with jobspeaker, BC’s online Job Board that features employment postings from local companies.

» Read more about this week at BC!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.

That’s all for today.

Sonya Christian and Neo

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

Community College Champions everywhere

Uncategorized June 24, 2023 1 Comment

The last two weeks, Bessie came to visit when my daughter was in Ukraine volunteering with a surgical team.  Pretty remarkable young woman. 

Needless to say Neo was ecstatic to have Bess in Bakersfield.

Bessie enjoys laying in the sun

On Wednesday, we celebrated #NationalSelfieDay as I started my day in the office with Mary Ann Biag:

My week in Sacramento was filled with running into Community College Champions.

Here is a tweet from Toni Atkins, President pro Tempore of the California State Senate a #CommunityCollegeChampions.

The Foundation for California Community College’s 25th Anniversary celebrated its 25th anniversary. Assembly member Mike Fong stopped by – a #CommunityCollegeChampion

Good morning California.
It is June 24, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

 Community College Global Affairs Fellowship (CCGAF)

Student BOG member Paul Medina is currently in a International Affairs fellowship made up of 30 community college students nationwide, the majority of which are California Community College students.

American River, Berkeley City, Compton, East Los Angeles, El Camino, Foothill, Ohlone, Pasadena City, Riverside City and Santa Monica community colleges are all represented this year.

» Read more about the program!

Student Ambassador Showcase
Highlights Program’s Success

Earlier this month, FoundationCCC hosted the California Community College Student Ambassador Showcase to recognize the outstanding work or student ambassadors statewide.

The program trains Califronia community college students to become on-campus advocates, sharing information about program and resources available to support student success. FoundationCCC collaborated with participating colleges to train these students.

Since 2018, student ambassadors have reached over 1 million of their California community college peers!

» Read more about the program!

Hartnell College awarded $9.5M Grant

Hartnell College was awarded a grant of $9,500,000 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s inaugural NEXTGEN program. The announcement was made during a presentation by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Wash., D.C.

The project, titled “Hartnell College Learning to Lead: Career Pathways Supporting US Leafy Green Production,” will be carried out in partnership with Imperial Valley College, Cal State University Monterey Bay, and the University of Arizona, Yuma.

» Read more about the grant & project!

San Diego College of Continuing Education Receives
$1.4 Million Grant to Support Former Foster Youth

Programs supporting former foster youth trying to stay on their feet as they transition to adulthood are receiving a significant boost thanks to a $1.4 million grant to the San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) and nonprofit Promises2Kids that was celebrated during a check presentation on Friday.

The $1.4 million was directed to SDCCE and Promises2Kids through California State Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), who was a featured speaker.

» Read more about the grant!

Laney College student awarded Governors Service Medallion

Laney College student Susan Bradley is the first student to be awarded the Governors Service Medallion from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) – the organization that provides the Emmy Award.

Susan Bradley is an active NATAS member and Governor. Because of her continual contribution as a photographer for NATAS Susan was nominated for the 2023 Governors Service Medallion after only three years of service.

» Read more about her award!

In Case You Missed It

LA Times: The most lucrative majors?
Some community college grads can outearn elite university peers

“Health field graduates also command high salaries — including those with community college degrees. Registered nursing graduates with two-year degrees from Sacramento City College earn $123,056 annually, more than those with bachelor’s degrees in nursing at UCLA and UC Irvine. Experts say that geography can play a role, with wages often higher in the Bay Area. Most community college registered nursing programs deliver median earnings of more than $90,000 annually, the data show.”

» Read the article!

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CalChamber Advocacy: Community College Baccalaureate Degree Programs Feed Regional Workforce and Increase Student Pathways for Economic Mobility

“The Baccalaureate Degree Programs at California Community Colleges have been a catalyst of economic and regional development since their inception in 2014. The focused baccalaureate programs at 21 of California’s community colleges offer career-specific bachelor’s degrees to help answer the persistent call from our state’s workforce for trained, skilled workers.”

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff DeFranco shared this post:

Welcomed the Far North California Community Colleges to Lake Tahoe today as part of our “community of practice” collaboration. #comm_college
@ShastaCollege
@MendocinoEagles
@buttecollege
@redwoodstweets
@FeatherRiverCol
@Lassen_College
@COS_InfoNow
@LakeTahoeCC

Kylie Campbell spoke about Dual Enrollment at Academic Innovations’ Get Focused Stay Focused conference:

And check out this post from East Los Angeles College!

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Faculty Member Receives 2023 Educator of the Year Award
from National Education Association

BC Educator, Dr. Christine Cruz Boone, has received the 2023 Educator of the Year award from the National Education Association (NEA). Dr. Cruz Boone received an abundance of support from the local community and members of the statewide Community College Association (CCA) Board.

» Read more about this week at BC!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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