Sonya Christian's Blog

This week we were able to come together and celebrate the amazing people who keep the Kern Community College District. Kern CCD #DaringMightyThings

Each of our campuses – and the district office – held events to honor our classified employees. We also held the inaugural Kern CCD Management Association Symposium at the BC Conference Room, and closed out the week with a potluck at my home.

It was truly special to have colleagues from across the district join together in person, a wonderful celebration to cap off the academic year.

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley shared a video message for our district

And Kern CCD Management Association President Manny Mourtzanos had a video message for Eloy. its quite funny, so watch it to the very end.

I’ve enjoyed clicking through the photos from the event

And I just had to share this – Dr. Hancock receives the award for having the best sense of fashion at the conference (as determined by Manny Mourtzanos). Notice the similarities?

On Thursday, I also hosted my Chancellor’s end-of-year potluck. It was so much fun.

Good morning, friends.
It is May 21, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

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Porterville College

PC Holds 94^th Commencement Ceremony at a packed Jamison Stadium

It was a wonderful evening of celebration as thousands joined the Porterville College faculty, staff, administration, and this year’s graduating students at Jamison Stadium. They gathered to celebrate the class of 2022 on Friday, May 13th during PC’s 94th commencement ceremony.

Gaduates entered to the sounds of Pomp and Circumstance, played by the Porterville College band (conducted by PC Instructor Tianna Hepner). Instructor Sarah Rector conducted the Porterville College Chorale as they sang the National Anthem. Primavera Arvizu, PC Vice President of Student Services, served as the mistress of ceremonies for the evening. 

During her commencement address, Porterville College President Dr. Claudia Habib spoke of her commitment to the students, and the college community.

She gave her remarks in both English and Spanish, she offered some words of encouragement about the next step in the graduates’ lives.

Keynote speaker Lt. Col. Frederick Dohnke, a PC Graduate and the Commandant of the Porterville Military Academy, spoke about his history and how he overcame language barriers and learned to use passion as a key to growth. He was born in Brazil and came to the U.S. as a young child with his family, where he had to learn English quickly despite some obstacles.

Alexis Ramirez, the evening’s student speaker, spoke of the struggles each graduate has overcome to be at this moment, especially with all the challenges of the pandemic. “We had to say no to many things. We faced many challenges. The pandemic being one of the biggest challenges. The pandemic changed everything, and students had to adapt to [the] new teaching environment. Still, we were successful with the support we got from our professors, family, friends, and staff – who did an incredible job of providing the resources needed to succeed. Class of 2022, its time to start something new. Congratulations!”

Thank you to Kern CCD Trustees John Corkins, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg and Yovani Jimenez for taking time out of your busy schedule to help celebrate the graduates.

I was so pleased to read this article The Porterville Recorder about Porterville College’s commencement ceremony.

And be sure to check out this video by Roger Perez of the sights and sounds from Porterville College’s Commencement:

Classified Staff Celebrated

This past week was Classified School Employee Week (CSEW).  To celebrate and to honor the amazing work and skill shown by all our Classified Professionals, PC Administration provided breakfast and an afternoon snack to our amazing staff. 

Nearly 60 employees gathered before work on Monday for breakfast burritos and later in the day on Tuesday for ice cream sandwiches and fellowship.

Thank you to all our classified personnel.  Your hard work is crucial to each and every one of our students’ successes. 

24 Summit Collegiate H.S. Students earn their PC degree before their H.S. Diploma

Twenty-four Summit Collegiate High School students received their associate degrees from Porterville College on May 13^th — 20 days before they will graduate from high school.

“I feel like a proud father,” said Summit’s vice principal Eric Anthony. “Especially to hear how hard they worked and now graduating from Porterville College.”

The school has had an approximately 22 students graduate from PC in the past nine years. But now, they have 24 graduates in 2022 alone.

Porterville College instructors travel to Summit to offer the college-level courses on their campus. Older students who drive also have the option of going to PC for the classes.

Franco said the opportunity to graduate early has changed her life dramatically. “It’s opened new doors and brought in what I envisioned in my life,” Franco said. “I’ll be attending Arizona State University for Biomedical Science and I will be practicing medicine at age 22.”

ASB — associated student body — President Ruby Uribe, said she started taking college courses the fall semester of her freshman year. And after obtaining her Associate of Arts from Porterville College, and graduating from Summit on June 2, Uribe will attend Cal State Northridge and major in biology and radiology. “It’s a sense of another accomplishment and I will finish faster,” she said.

She will also save on the cost of college. “I can go straight into my major,” she said.

Demaree Lewis also started college classes as a freshman. “I started with one or two college classes then after that, I became so determined,” Lewis said. “I started taking the maximum amount allowed, including summer courses and courses every semester, every year.”

Ray Marenco, Summit’s ASB Spirit Crew Vice President, echoed his classmates sentiment. “My parents encouraged me,” Marenco said. I started with taking two and then just continued with one per semester and I decided to keep going.”

Summit counselor Danielle Aguilar said the college-credits program continues to grow. Currently, she said, there’s a freshman cohort of 68 students — who in three more years can also graduate from college the same year as they graduate from high school.

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Cerro Coso Community College

Cerro Coso Commencement

Here are some photos from Cerro Coso Community College’s Commencement ceremony last week:

The Daily Independent published an article on their front page – check it out at https://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/cerro-coso-honors-graduates-during-48th-commencement-exercise/article_6902acda-d602-11ec-8d96-4fb540459f7f.html.

CCCC Receives Awards for Equitable Course Placement

Psychology Professor Nakysha Cummings (holding award) received the Campaign for College Opportunity award for Cerro Coso Community College at the Inaugural Excellence in Placement Awards Ceremony on May 12. 

Community college campuses were honored for implementing landmark placement policy AB 705, championed by Assembly member Jacqui Irwin and signed into law in 2017. Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis was honored for championing equitable course placement.

Assembly member Jacqui Irwin (second from left) joined the celebration and remarks to award colleges for their achievements. Prior to AB 705, the vast majority of incoming community college students were being placed into remedial math and English courses that ultimately discouraged and derailed students on their college journeys. Over a decade of research has shown that students’ likelihood of earning a degree decreases when they start college in remedial courses.

“At a time when community colleges have seen serious declines in student enrollment, we should be supporting students on the best pathway to achieve success and earn a degree. When our colleges enroll students in transfer-level English and math within their first year, they’re making progress toward their degree from the start! The result is that students save time and money, have fewer obstacles to earning a degree, and the economic standing of our communities and California is strengthened,” said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Cerro Coso was proud to be among the many colleges being recognized with equity designations for supporting Black and Latinx students to access and success in transfer-level math and English.

Classified Appreciation Week at CCCC

This week was Classified Appreciation Week.

This celebration reaches back to 1969 when Governor Ronald Reagan made the first proclamation stating, “The classified employee is proud of his status and the integral part he plays in the total field of education throughout the state of California.”

In 1986, SB 1552 (Campbell) passed, permanently carving out Classified School Employee Week to be celebrated annually across California beginning the third week in May, with the work week designated Sunday through Saturday.

This year the official CSEA Appreciation Week is May 15-20. 

Classified at the Ridgecrest campus were greeted with a catered breakfast served up by administrators with great appreciation for the work they do.  The administrators then piled into a school van and drove to the Tehachapi campus for a barbecue lunch and games.  Tuesday administrators traveled to the Bishop campus for dinner with the classified.

Happy classified School Employee Appreciation Week and thank you for all you do for CCCC.

Employees Celebrate Student Success at CC

For Cerro Coso, graduation is a time of celebration, a rite of passage that opens up the road of the future for our students.  We recognize and delight in their achievements during their time with us at the Commencement Ceremony, and we look forward to their future accomplishments. 

After graduation is a time to celebrate our employees and the vital roles they play in the success of our students.  These are the people who have spent hours working on curricula to light that spark.  The staff keep the college running smoothly, from our Information Technology team, Maintenance and Operations that look after our infrastructure,  to those making payroll.   We could not accomplish all that we do without their hard work and commitment.  Together we shape our students’ experience to meet our success strategies. 

Dr. Sean Hancock held an after Commencement Open House at his home for Cerro Coso employees as a heart-felt appreciation for all that they do.  

Dr. Hancock and husband Eric, opened their home to CCCC employees for a welcoming afternoon of great food, music, libations, and conversation.

Saturday, CTE Dean Nicole Griffin and husband Professor Griffin hosted a similar event at their home in Tehachapi.  

A festive time of relaxation and reflection on the positive impact our team has made on the lives of every student we serve.

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Bakersfield College

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Bakersfield College’s Arvin Campus

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held May 25th at 9:00 am to commemorate the start of construction on the new Bakersfield College Arvin Campus. The much-anticipated Arvin Educational Center has been in the planning stages for a few years, and is finally ready for construction to begin.  When completed, the 27,000 square-foot center will feature classrooms, a library, a tutoring center, writing center, two computer labs, a bookstore, staff offices and a room for the student government association.

The Arvin Education Center is an incredible opportunity for Bakersfield College to reach new students and bring high-quality education and career training to another community in Kern County. We are so excited to open this new facility for the residents of Arvin and the surrounding areas.

BC Chamber Singers Hosting “Something’s Coming” Broadway Dinner

The BC Chamber Singers will be hosting “Something’s Coming: An Evening with the BC Chamber Singers and Friends” at Stars Theatre on June 10th and 11th. The 11th will include a catered dinner, silent and live auction, and performances by the BC Chamber Singers and other incredible community members from local theaters in Bakersfield. The 10th will be a half price preview night featuring a nice dessert instead of the catered dinner. 

Both evenings will include a live band featuring some of our own BC professors and student alumni. This is an event you do not want to miss, as it will be packed full of some of the finest talent in Bakersfield. The proceeds of the two evenings will support the fundraising efforts of the BC Chamber Singers as they represent our College and community in Vienna, Prague, and Berlin in June of 2023. This will be one of the largest fundraisers the Chamber Singers will do for the tour and they could really use your support. Tickets are available through the BC Foundation. We hope to see you there–something truly amazing is coming to Bakersfield!

Renegade Spotlight:  Vikki Coffee

Vikki Coffee is an Educational Advisor for the ENCORE Program at Bakersfield College and has worked extremely hard to engage students in the program and build relationships that will benefit current students, and be instrumental in opening future opportunities.

Earlier this year, Vikki was recognized by the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Service and was presented with a certificate which states: “In recognition of your important contribution and commitment in assisting clients in the Individual Placement Support Program Achieve their educational goals.”

Vikki was also recognized by the Transitional Age Youth Collaborative.  The certificate states: “For your hard work and dedication in providing and linking youth to educational-vocational services through Bakersfield College and for supporting independent placement services for youth wanting to pursue a higher degree of education. 

Congratulations Vikki for the well deserved recognition for your hard work and dedication to the students and administrators of Bakersfield College.

Career Education Collaboration

The most amazing things happen when departments come together and create opportunities for our students. The Agriculture Farm was in need of a new fence and who better to make one except our very own BC welding students. Under the guidance of welding instructor Jeremy Staat, students participated in the work experience program and were able to use this project to show off their skills learned from the classroom. This opportunity goes to show the confidence we have in our own programs and we look forward to other collaborative efforts from our Career Education programs.

BC Auto Tech at the 8th Annual Electric Vehicle Test Drive Event

The San Joaquin Valley EV Partnership is hosting a Best Drive EVer event today – May 21st – in Bakersfield. The dealerships do not have a lot of cars on the lots, so this is more of a test-drive which will also offer food and prizes. More-and-more, new cars are ordered online or at the dealership. Therefore opportunities such as this to test drive cars are important. Come out to see BC’s Career Education Booth and support all that BC is doing to help train the Auto Tech workforce of the future. 

May 21, 2022 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
EV Hub, 5400 Gasoline Alley Drive
Bakersfield, Ca

BC Commencement

Here are just a few photos from BC’s commencement ceremony last week:

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In the News

BC Rodeo Club Featured in Valley Ag Voice Magazine

This year, Bakersfield College has started a Rodeo Club that is competing in the West Coast Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). As a new member of the NIRA, Bakersfield College is able to offer their students more ways to participate in the farm and ranch lifestyle that helped build our great community.

Bakersfield and the surrounding areas hold a rich history in cowboy and rodeo culture. The first official Bakersfield Rodeo was held during the Bakersfield Homecoming Week in April 1914 and drew in crowds and competitors from around the country including cowboy poet and competitor “Skeeter Bill” Robbins and National Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee bronc rider Dorothy Morrell. Ranching families that settled the area still run cattle on the hillsides and mountain tops that surround Bakersfield.

Read more about the BC Rodeo Club in the Valley Ag Voice

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

On Thursday, I was able to join the appreciation lunch that CSEA hosted for district office employees as Kern CCD recognized Classified School Employees Week.

In this photo with me are:

• Nancy Lopez, Accounting Technician, Business Services 
• Bernadette Martinez, Officer Manager, BC Facilities and CSEA Chapter #336 Vice President
• Tina Johnson, DAIII, BC Counseling and CSEA Chapter #336 President
• Chris Glaser, Executive Secretary, BC Public Safety and CSEA Chapter #336 Job Steward
• Karen Mattox, Executive Secretary, Public Safety Training Programs
• Lee Osthimer, DAIII Public Safety Training Programs 
• Mayra Reyes, DAIII Information Technology 

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Jo Ellen Barnes sent me this photo from BC’s Classified Employees Appreciation Luncheon:

Cerro Coso Community College President Sean Hancock shared these photos from Classified Appreciation Week:

Cerro Coso’s Classified Professionals are AWESOME! Thank you for everything you do to support the success of your colleagues and our students!!!

Porterville College President Claudia Habib celebrated this year’s Nursing cohort:

Robert Simpkins shared a post from Porterville College’s commencement:

And I received this great note from Dena Rhoades:

I am beyond proud of these two.  Graduating with their MA Human Resources! Amalia Calderon – HR manager at BC and Johanna Fisher-HR Manager at PC

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

The future is bright at KernCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

What a beautiful week! After another wonderful semester at the Kern Community College District, our three colleges held commencement celebrations. I will be able to share more photos from all of the ceremonies – but I wanted to share a few of our graduates’ stories with you today.

Porterville College President Claudia Habib posted on her Twitter about Elias Facio:

“Today we celebrated Elias Facio with an impromptu Graduation Ceremony. He found out today that he will be deployed tomorrow and miss commencement. Our staff immediately organized a small ceremony for him. Congratulations & Thank you for your service!!!#Class2022 #Veterans“

The Bakersfield Californian had a front page article by John Cox about Nayeli Fonseca, who graduated from Bakersfield College on Thursday – along with both of her parents, Maria Sosa Borjas and Marco Fonseca Mendez.

These are just a few of our graduates’ stories – but all across the Kern Community College District, we have countless stories of amazing graduates.

Good morning, friends.
It is May 14, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

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Porterville College

Student overcomes life challenges to be named PC Scholar of the Year for 2022

When Aimee Cauwet walked forward to accept her Porterville College degree at Friday’s commencement ceremony, she accepted not one, not two, but four associate’s degrees from PC — Associate of Science for Transfer in both Biology and Business Administration, and Associate of Art and Science degrees in Biological and Physical Sciences. She was also recognized as the 2022 Porterville College Scholar of the Year.

The award is based on recommendations from a faculty panel, and is focused on her outstanding student achievements, maintaining a 4.0-grade point average in all her studies over the past two years at PC.

With four college degrees under her belt at age 21, one would think Aimee has always loved school, but that wasn’t the case.

Ms. Cauwet was born with cerebral palsy and has dyslexia. She struggled through her early school years, and says school wasn’t fun for her until the fourth grade. “I was good at math but I was not a good reader,” she said. “My true love for school came at fourth grade. That’s when I started reading. I pushed myself and once I started reading, I loved school.”

Her mother says she started to better grasp reading with one simple step. “She struggled to read but then discovered if she underlined the words, she was able to get the words to pop out and she got it,” Tina Cauwet said. “At the end of fourth grade, she was doing so well, they wanted to test her I.Q. and she was 100 percent – the highest score they ever got. They placed her in a gifted-kids classroom.”

In an awards ceremony held on April 29th, Cauwet was presented with the PC Scholar of the Year award by her science professors Christopher “Buzz’” Piersol and Chris Vanni.

Cauwet also received a Distinguished Student Award for her achievements in biological and physical sciences, and business administration during the awards ceremony.

Aimee plans to attend California State University Channel Islands in the fall, where her brother Timothy will also attend. And, though intrigued by science, she’s not ready to declare a major just yet.

“I love biology life. I love the ecosystem and chemistry, but I want to wait until I go farther in-depth [before declaring a major,]” she said. “I do love that it is close by and that it’s associated with the National Parks.”

Dreamer Grads Celebrate

Students, Faculty, and Staff gathered to celebrate over a dozen graduates at the PC DREAMer’s Success Center Grad Dinner on the Porterville College campus on May 5th. Many of these students are the first in their family to graduate or even attend college – and all are part of the PC DREAMer’s Success Center Program.

The DREAMer’s Success Center provides a safe and welcoming environment for undocumented, AB540, and/or DACA students and supporters. The program’s goal is to provide guidance and support to those students as they work towards their degrees at Porterville College.

Each graduate was presented with a diploma frame, a special stole to wear at commencement, and other PC Swag to remember their time here. Congratulations to all our 2022 graduates!

Please click here to view an album of pictures from the event.

PC Faculty and Staff Gather to Celebrate milestones and retirements

Porterville College Faculty, Staff, and Administration gathered on Wednesday, May 6 to honor those staff members retiring this year as well as those celebrating service milestones.   

Over 75 PC employees sat in the cafeteria to share stories and remember the fond times working together. Please click the link or image below to view an album of pictures from this event

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yW5g4jXycWh9Hj8P8

Cerro Coso Community College

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Promise Stole Ceremony New Tradition for Cerro Coso

Graduates of the Cerro Coso Promise Program received a special blue and white stole at the college’s first Promise Stole Ceremony held on Tuesday, May 10^th, 2022 in the Community Room. 

“This stole represents your commitment and determination to fulfil the requirements of the Cerro Coso Promise, designed to help you complete with less financial struggles and stay focused on your studies, “ said Cerro Coso Foundation President Derick Hu.  “The ongoing pandemic of 2020 didn’t make that easy.  We had to get creative with outreach hours. Classes were moved online, and many were forced to stay home to care for children or see them through their own schooling.  Life felt uncertain.  But you showed tremendous resilience, tenacity, and dedication.  You are here today. “

“Promise programs are not new, “ added Cerro Coso President Dr. Sean Hancock.  “Many states have  had them for years.  But, California has really acted on the concept, recognizing the number one reason students don’t complete their college education is financial issues.  The state encourages all colleges and universities to develop more programs that will make a college education more accessible.  Cerro Coso applied for, and received, a state grant in 2017 to develop a promise program at the college,” he continued.  “All of the programs are different, most are given to only incoming freshmen, or just to high school students.  What makes Cerro Coso’s program unique is that it is available to all full-time students: new, continuing, and returning, and income is not a consideration to receive the scholarship.”

The Cerro Coso Promise awards full-time students a $1,000 per semester, fall and spring, to help with enrollment fees and books for up to two years. 

With the assistance and commitment of the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation, the first Promise scholarship awards were made in the fall of 2019.  Since that time the Foundation has awarded $178,000 in Promise scholarships and the California Promise Program has awarded $146,000.  “That’s an additional $324,00 awarded to Cerro Coso students over the last three years, in addition to other scholarships,” exclaimed Hancock. 

In what is hoped to become a college tradition that grows every year, this year’s stole ceremony honored 34 student graduates, including the first full-cohort of students to complete the full-two years on the program.

More information on the Cerro Coso Promise Program is available on the college website at www.cerrocoso.edu.  

Class of 2022 Graduates Honored at ESCC 18th Ceremony

Cerro Coso Community College’s Eastern Sierra College Center held its 18^th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 6th honoring the many accomplishments, academic passion, and inspirational ambition of the Class of 2022.

The festivities held in person at the Bishop campus included music by members of the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra and a presentation of transfer scholarship recipients by the Eastern Sierra Foundation. 

Addressing their fellow graduates were students speakers Noa Lish, Jack Slovacek, and Carson Dorough. Melissa Kilgore gave the alumni address. 

In the presence of family, friends, and honored guests, 100 degrees and 36 certificates of achievements were conferred on 75 graduates representing the next generation of workers, leaders, and scholars. 

Special recognition was given to Business Professor Matt Hightower who will be retiring at the end of the semester after 31 years of service to the college.

Gratitude was also shared with the Kern Community College District Administration and Trustees; Cerro Coso faculty, staff, and administration; Faculty Senate; Eastern Sierra Foundation; Mammoth Lakes Foundation; Owens Valley Career Development Center; Donald M. Slagger Sunset Foundation; and  the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra.

Trustee Jack Connell attended the graduation representing the Kern Community College District.

Cerro Coso unveils DualEnroll.com

Cerro Coso Community College has adopted and is unveiling a new and exciting student platform that streamlines the dual and concurrent enrollment processes for local high school students.

It moves the college from a paper process to a advanced online process. The platform is called DualEnroll.com.

DualEnroll.com collects and completes high school student’s college course requests for dual and concurrent enrollment college courses.  It allows students to request courses online, which are then automatically sent to collect the necessary approvals from their parent and high school officials.  

The new process started this April, and the college is currently piloting 7 high schools with the goal that all service area partner high schools will roll into this new process by Spring 2023. 

Right now, the pilot high schools are Delano, Cesar Chavez, Robert F. Kennedy, Highland, Kern Valley, Boron, and Desert High School.

This platform was also adopted by sister colleges (Bakersfield College and Porterville College) and the effort and support to adopt came from the Kern Community College Districtwide Dual Enrollment taskforce.

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Bakersfield College

BC Jazz Studies Receives Two National Awards

Bakersfield College’s Jazz Studies program announced today they have received two prestigious national awards, winning two categories in the community college division of the 45th annual Student Music Awards (SMAs) in DownBeat Magazine. DownBeat has been the premiere jazz publication in the world since its inception in 1934. 

The SMAs highlight the best of the best in jazz education at every level from junior high to graduate colleges. BC Jazz Combo A was named top Small Jazz Combo for their recordings of original compositions by students Jonathan Diaz and Marcos Gonzalez. You can read more in the story featured in Downbeat Magazine, on pages 80 and 84.

BC also won best Asynchronous Small Jazz Combo, a category that was created in 2020 when music programs were forced online. For this award, compositions by Kyle Whitaker and Diaz were selected from last year’s Quarantine Sessions project that compiled recordings made by jazz students collaborating from home.

Kris Tiner – you are the best!

The digital issue of DownBeat Magazine featuring the award announcements is available by visiting DownBeat.com.

Combined Concert returns

After a two year hiatus, the Combined Concert is back. On May 4th, students from all sizes of ensembles and jazz groups at BC, as well as the combined orchestra of BC and CSUB, took the stage to showcase their best tunes of the semester. Combined choirs, advanced chamber singers and the concert band also performed that evening.

Perry Smith covered the concert for the Bakersfield Californian, noting that this event is an important part of our college’s award-winning performing arts program, as it gives students to perform in a real world setting in front of a live audience. The audience is in turn treated to an array of tunes ranging from classics to movie themes, performed by the talented, award-winning student musicians.

Future Teachers Conference

The Bakersfield College Education Department held a conference for our BC future teacher students. Even with the rain, we had a great turnout and enjoyed the day! Thank you to all the university vendors who participated, and to all the staff and student workers who helped with the event. We have a commitment to support our future teachers, and this was one of those occasions that really made a difference.

Some of the topics shared by the presenters include the following:

• For the Love of Tutoring- Be a Tutor Get a Tutor
• Your Education Pathway and You- You Belong. You have Direction.
• Picture your Future- Learn about Multiple Teaching Career Options For YOU!
• Budgeting and Credit Building- Make YOUR Finances Meet YOUR Goals!

Thank you Kimberly Bligh!

Celebrating Student’s Academic Milestones – EOPS/CalWorks/CARE/AB540

The EOPS, CARE, NextUp, CalWORKs and AB 540 programs hosted their annual Student Award Celebration event in front of the Outdoor Theater. Students were cheered by staff as they arrived and took pictures with the EOPS team, friends and their families. The programs also recognized students for the following award categories: Highest GPA , Outstanding Participant, Outstanding Professionalism, Academic Excellence, and Perseverance. Students received a Graduation Celebration package that included Cap and Gown, EOPS medallion, padfolio and a meal certificate to celebrate their academic achievements with their loved ones.

Virtual Tour video

Take a tour of the Panorama Campus in this video featuring BCSGA Secretary Raz! Thank you to Raz Barraj for her work as a presenter and Ulyses Ramos for his work as a videographer, director and editor.

The Baccalaureate Class

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Getting to Know: Don Birdwell

This week, our Getting To Know feature looks at Don Birdwell, Building Facilities Manager for the Kern Community College District. He began his career with Kern CCD at Bakersfield College.

One of the first projects he tackled was rebuilding the men’s and women’s locker rooms, which Birdwell recalled “were pouring water” when he was hired. That and a number of other projects he completed brought the campus plumbing systems up to a new level and earned him an award in his first year on the job by then-president Greg Chamberlain for overall outstanding work on campus. 

A few years later around 2013, Birdwell embarked on a major project replacing every toilet on the Panorama campus. The water-saving upgrade was done in partnership with California Water Service Company which provided a grant to pay for the project.  

Read more at : https://www.kccd.edu/news/2022/0513-getting-know-don-birdwell

Thank you Stacey Shephard for this beautiful writeup.

In the News

Ten Minutes With Tipton: PC president Dr. Habib

PC President Dr. Claudia Habib was featured in The Porterville Recorder’s new “Ten Minutes With Tipton” series. Valeria Molina Perez and Nancy Torres, sixth-graders at Tipton Elementary School, wrote the article.

“I would say that I would encourage people like you, young people like you, to pursue your dream. Whatever your career is, you dream about what you want to be when you grow up — I hope you pursue it — and whatever you decide to do, you do it well.” 

Bakersfield police officer finds side hustle in self-help

I saw this Patch article about Bakersfield Police Detective Aaron Watkins, who wrote two self-improvement books: “Interview Strategies that Work” and “New Era of Leadership: Starts with You.

“When I started interviewing people for this book, it was during COVID, people were losing jobs, and I wanted to provide a simplified way to get the job,” Watkins shared. “I looked at my own career, and how I prepared to go from officer to senior officer to detective and you really have to ask yourself ‘What do you bring to the table?'”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Representatives from Porterville College, Bakersfield College, and Cerro Coso Community College accepted awards from the Campaign for College Opportunity:

BC’s Grace Van Dyke Bird Library hosted a visit from Marley’s Miracle Mutts on Tuesday as part of its “de-stress” week activities for students busy studying for finals. The furry friends are trained therapy dogs and provided a soothing outlet for students in the serene surroundings of the Peace Garden. Thank you to the library staff and Marley’s Miracle Mutts for the visit.

Marcos Rodriguez, Jo Ellen Barnes, Catherine Rangel, Camilla Anderson, and Veronica Hathaway recently took a tour of BC’s new Science & Engineering building.

Cerro Coso President Sean Hancock shared these posts from graduation preparations & celebrations this week:

And here a few photos from Bakersfield College’s commencement on Thursday night:

Photo with BC Alumni Association Vice President & 2005 BC Graduate Sandy Woo.

Here’s a selfie with Joe Saldivar and Billie Jo Rice:

And one with Joe Saldivar and Olivia Garcia:

Trustee Yovani Jimenez’s family turned out for the celebration:

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

The future is bright at KernCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

This morning’s walk was just perfect. At 5:15 a.m. the predawn light was slowly emerging to a gentle breeze that carried the fragrance of jasmine. I gave Neo a bath late yesterday afternoon after I got back home, and he was fluffy and happy this morning with his tail swaying like a white flag as he walked with purpose and anticipation. We usually see the same cast of characters, mostly cats with an occasional skunk, racoon, kit fox, road runner, and even a coyote once. There is one particular Orange Cat (OC) or Ms OC as we call her, who is mischievous and frolics to get Neo’s attention.

Neo loves spring and fall in Bakersfield, because I spend a lot more time in the back yard, and he enjoys exploring or relaxing when I am outside. Usually, I have my laptop and park myself on the back porch with a cup of coffee or ginger-lemonade depending on the time of the day and the ambient temperature.

Today, I am particularly happy that my crazy April schedule is over and I feel a sense of spaciousness going into the month of May – and as Pope Francis reminded me on twitter this morning, May is the month dedicated to honoring Mother Mary.

Of course, tomorrow is Mother’s Day a very special day for a very special woman in our lives.

For our colleges and our students, spring semester ends this week with Commencements at Bakersfield College on Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Porterville College on Friday at 7:00 p.m., and Cerro Coso Community College on Friday as well at 11:00 a.m.

Good morning, friends. Happy Mother’s Day
It is May 7, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

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Porterville College

PC Academic Senate Celebrates “Distinguished Students”

On Friday, April 29th, the Porterville College Academic Senate hosted its first annual Distinguished Student Awards Ceremony in the Student Center cafeteria.  Twenty-two students were recognized by PC faculty at the ceremony as “students who, in the judgement of one or more faculty in an academic division, have been outstanding in their classroom performance and/or campus service.”  Students were invited to the ceremony knowing only that they were receiving an award, but not which faculty had selected them or why – which they found out only as the faculty announced their names, and gave speeches to an audience of student recipients, their families, and other PC faculty and staff. 

Students received a special certificate and a pin to commemorate their accomplishments.  After the Distinguished Student Awards were presented, a final award was given to the Scholar of the Year.  This award is our faculty’s highest honor for our graduating students, and is selected by the Academic Senate from among those nominated by Porterville College faculty.  To be nominated for Scholar of the Year, a student must have a minimum 3.75 GPA in all courses counted for graduation at the time of the nomination.  In addition, the student must have demonstrated outstanding abilities through their Porterville College coursework in areas of intellectual and critical thinking skills; exceptional curiosity, creativity, and effort; accomplishment within their major(s), and accomplishment in other disciplines. This year, the Academic Senate recognized Aimee Cauwet as the Scholar of the Year, who will be receiving degrees in Biological and Physical Science and in Business Administration, and whose nomination was made by faculty members, Buzz Piersol, Chris Vanni, Elisa Queenan, and Stephanie Cortez.  Aimee will receive a scholarship for her achievement through the Porterville College Foundation, as well as a special commemorative certificate and pin.  This new event replaces the former ‘medals of distinction’ that were awarded at the commencement ceremony itself, but the award recipients will be recognized in the commencement program, and during the ceremony. 

Approximately one hundred and twenty people were on hand for the awards, and stayed after the presentations for conversation, snacks, and photographs.  While we are proud of their accomplishments, and look forward to what they will do after leaving Porterville College, we were grateful to have this chance to commemorate their time with us with a memory for them to take with them after graduation.

Pirates celebrate 2021-22 season at 12th annual awards banquet 

The 2021-22 athletics season at Porterville College officially came to a close last week and on Monday, the Pirates honored their best and brightest at the 12th annual Academic and Athletic Achievement Awards banquet at the PC Student Center. The ceremony made its return after a two-year absence due to the COVID pandemic.

Highlights from the event include an impressive 31 Pirate student-athletes being named to the President’s Honors List (3.50-4.0 GPA) while 16 more earned Dean’s List honors (3.0-3.49 GPA).

Click Here for a complete list of award winners and a photo gallery from the event.

Pirates softball team captures six All-Central Valley Conference awards

Following the close of the 2022 Porterville College softball season, six members of the Pirates were honored with All-Central Valley Conference postseason awards.

Leading the way were first team selections Mo Mosley and Cienna Enriquez. Second team picks were Hailee Smutz and Cheyenne Ausborn. Also for PC, Cassie Cannon and Ally Boyd were named honorable mention.

Mosley wrapped up an amazing sophomore season for the Pirates as she led the conference in hitting (.524), hits (55), runs (41), on-base percentage (.597), and stolen bases (37). Among state leaders, Mosley ranked third in batting average, fourth in stolen bases, and fourth in on base-percentage.

Enriquez appeared in all 36 games this season and saw time at first base and outfield for the Pirates. As a freshman, she hit .329 with 38 hits, 7 doubles, 15 walks, a home run, and 28 RBI. 

Smutz was honored at the middle infield position and hit .328 her freshman season with 38 hits, 8 doubles, 4 triples, and totaled 23 RBI. Ausborn was the Pirates’ primary third baseman and had a productive sophomore year with a .340 batting average to go along with 26 hits, 11 doubles, 2 home runs, and 17 RBI.

Cannon batted .247 with 24 hits, scored 26 runs, walked 20 times, and smacked 8 doubles. Boyd was the Pirates No. 1 pitcher throughout the season and compiled a 10-17 overall record with 55 strikeouts and a 5.16 earned run average. She tossed 19 complete games. With the bat, Boyd hit .342 with 3 home runs and 25 RBI.

2022 All-Central Valley Conference Softball Postseason Awards

First Team
Mo Mosley, OutfieldCienna Enriquez, Utility

Second Team
Hailee Smutz, Middle Infield
Cheyenne Ausborn, Third Base

Honorable Mention
Cassie Cannon, Middle Infield
Ally Boyd, Pitcher

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Cerro Coso Community College

The Future is Bright: Annual Access Programs Awards

The theme for the 41th Annual Access Programs Awards ceremony held on Friday, April 29th was “The Future is Bright”.

Student speaker Coral Ashlock from the Ridgecrest campus shared how focus and determination kept her on track with her schooling during the pandemic. Matthew Guntert from the Eastern Sierra College Center (ESCC) credited all the personal ways Counselors, tutors, lap-top loans, wi-fi, and variety of communications and programs sought to engage students remotely as very helpful to students and their achievements. 

Special recognition went to Access Program Students of the Year: Taylir De Stefano, Ridgecrest; Jeanna Hill, Kern River Valley; Yoav Golan, ESCC; Robin Montero, Tehachapi; and Misty Franklin, Online.  

Outstanding Faculty of the Year for Access Programs went to Dr. Tyson Huffman, Professor and Learning Assistance Center Coordinator.

Others recognized at the event included Special Services United Club Graduate of the Year: Tiffany Dibble; Peer Mentors Nicolas Ellis, Courtney Bowen, and Joyce Chung; Study Hall Tutors Jeanine Halbrook, and Amelia Plumhoff.

Your future is bright. For all the times of late night studies, lack of sleep and sacrifice of enjoyment, your reward is here! -Anonymous

Safety Holds Sexual Assault Awareness Event at CCCC

Every April, Cerro Coso Community College participates in Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and joins together to support students and community members who are victims and survivors of sexual and relationship violence. 

College Safety and Security Manager Kevin King invited the Ridgecrest Police Department and Women’s Center High Desert to share facts and resources during a luncheon held on April 28^th at the Ridgecrest campus.  The event held in-person was also made available virtually for students and interested parties outside the college to attend. 

We can all play a role in violence prevention by speaking up and stepping in when we notice something that may be concerning or problematic.

Preventing any problem first starts with education.  This begins by raising our own awareness and understanding, as well as the community’s.  Start conversations about this topic with other students and challenge myths about violence when you hear them.  Learn more on what you can do at  SAAM 2022. 

Coyote Athletics Holds 2021-2022 Awards Ceremony

Cerro Coso held a modest in-person awards ceremony to highlight and celebrate the 2021-2022 athletic year, and award recipients on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in the Gymnasium at the Ridgecrest campus.  

Baseball Awards:

• Dominic Lopez- Gold Glove Second Base – # 28 Infielder for the Coyotes
• Danny Jimenez– Gold Glove First Base / 2^nd Team All-Conference – #13 Infielder
• Brentt Olmo- 1^st Team All-Conference – #27 Outfielder
• Jaxon Holzem– 1^st Team All-Conference – #17 Right Home Plate/Outfielder
• Brooks Scott– Gold Glove Catcher / 1^st team All-Conference – #2 Centerfield
• Johnny McHenry– Gold Glove Short stop / Big Bat Award/ Conference MVP – #5 Infielder

Softball Awards:

• Mattie Lane- Honorable Mention – #11
• Emily Curtis– Honorable Mention – #16
• Tawny Ford– 2^nd Team All-Conference – #12
• Kyla Collins– 1^st Team All-Conference – #13

Four Coyote baseball players signed letters of intent to play:

• Johnny McHenry – Cal State University Northridge, Northridge, California
• Michael Doerr – Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri
• Trevor French – Union College, Barbourville, Kentucky
• Carlos Soto – Union College, Barbourville, Kentucky

“The 2021-2022 academic year has been another year with many things to celebrate for our athletes,” said Athletic Director John McHenry.  “The last two years have been hard.  In their time with us, they have experienced a lot of change, but they have stayed committed to their sports and their studies,  and worked hard to be successful on the field as well as in the classroom. 

“We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes,” said President Dr. Sean Hancock.  “These athletes have faced unique challenges, adapted to the changing times, and achieved at a high level in athletics and in their academics.  You have represented  Cerro Coso well in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.  Congratulations on the well deserved awards!”      

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Bakersfield College

BC Wins Reader’s Choice “Best Of” for Best College

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s Readers Choice Awards at the Bakersfield Californian’s “Best of” Bakersfield series!

Bakersfield College has been voted best in the “Best College” category. What an honor!

Criminal Justice Students Participate in Tour of Juvenile Hall and Law Enforcement Mock Interviews

Criminal Justice Professors Pat Smith and Tabitha Raber took criminal justice students on a tour of the James G. Bowles Juvenile Hall detention facility this month. Students learned about Juvenile Justice treatment programs for detained minors.

The James G. Bowles Juvenile Hall is a secure juvenile detention facility operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by the Kern County Probation Department. Counseling, guidance, individual and group activities, and schooling programs are all provided to help the minors. The Bakersfield College Rising Scholar Program has recently begun offering college-level courses at the facility. Bakersfield College criminal justice students also participated in a mock law enforcement interview panel last week.

Officers from the Kern County Probation Department, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Bakersfield Police Department helped students prepare for future interviews with law enforcement agencies. Dominica Rivera and Jessica McGrath, from Career Technical Education also participated. Each student was provided important feedback from the panelists and given a written evaluation of their interviews.

Our criminal justice students stated that these are the types of events that help them tremendously to prepare for their careers in law enforcement. The Wasco High School early college criminal justice students also participated in the law enforcement mock interviews and for the first time were able to attend a B.C. Criminology Club meeting on the main campus. Robert F. Kennedy High School in Delano invited Bakersfield College to attend their Annual College & Career Day on April 21st. Members of the Public Safety Training Program attended this wonderful event and met members of the Delano community along with current and future students.

BC Foundation 2022 Honors Celebration

Once a year we get a chance to celebrate with our BC students as they are recognized with a scholarship and/or award for their tremendous academic achievements. This recognition takes place at the BC Foundation Honors Celebration, held virtually this year on YouTube.

The program included name recognition for all student recipients. Remarks were given by Manny Mourtzanous (Interim Dean of Student Affairs), Jennifer Achan (Executive Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships), and Cheryl Scott (Executive Director, BC Foundation), with a keynote address by Sandy Woo-Cater (BC Alumni Board Vice President).

The virtual celebration premiered at 6:30 PM on Thursday, April 28th, and featured a chat for attendees to celebrate the achievements of their loved ones.

You can view and share the program recording on YouTube:

The day after the virtual premiere of the 2022 Honors Celebration, all student recipients of awards and scholarships were invited to attend a drive-thru medal pick-up event. The event featured a photo opportunity and refreshments for students and their friends and family members to enjoy.

Check out more photos at:

https://bakersfieldcollege.smugmug.com/Student-Events/2022/2022-BC-Foundation-Medal-Pickup/n-zDCTtL

Professor Stockton Receives USPO-EDC Chief’s Challenge Coin

Professor Stockton has almost 23 years of teaching for our Criminal Justice program. She recently received the USPO-EDC Chief’s Challenge Coin for her assistance with their Case Plan Improvement Project (CPIP). Ms. Stockton and seven fellow officers collaborated over several months to develop and present the training to enhance the successful reintegration of supervisees, promote public safety, and improve the accuracy of data collection for this federal program.

The U.S. Probation Office utilizes the Post-Conviction Risk Assessment (PCRA) as a dynamic actuarial risk assessment. These assessments were developed for federal probation officers to classify cases into risk levels of low, low/moderate, moderate, and high. CPIP brought focus to the understanding and targeting of general criminal thinking and applied preventive measures to address drivers of criminogenic, or criminal behavior risk probability. This amazing effort enhances the supervision including discussion regarding supervisee monitoring, restrictions, and interventions.

Professor Lonnie E. Stockton is a shining example of the exceptional talents adjunct professors bring to Bakersfield College. She is to be congratulated on her recognition and appreciated for her support for our students and community.

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Good Jobs with Equity: The Future Workforce

This Tuesday, the Kern Community College District welcomed educators, government officials and business leaders from across the state – and the nation – as we met for the Good Jobs with Equity: The Future Workforce.

Emma Gallegos, of Ed Source, focused on the Community College Baccalaureate in her coverage of the event.

“California is one of 23 states in the nation that offers community college baccalaureate degrees, according to a 2020 report by Community College Research Initiatives at the University of Washington. Both the pilot and expanded programs require community colleges to demonstrate that the degree offered satisfies an unmet industry need and that the program is not already offered by local universities.”

John Cox wrote this wonderful article in The Bakersfield Californian about the summit, in which he quoted California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley, who spoke at the event:

“We feel very clearly and very passionately that California cannot be successful if communities like Kern and communities up and down the San Joaquin Valley are not successful,” Oakley said.

I will be sharing more videos from the summit once they are all processed and uploaded, but here’s a sample with remarks from –

Amy Loyd:

Ben Chida:

Eloy Oakley:

And here are a few photos from the event:

More information about the summit, including resources (and videos once they are available) can be found on the Kern Community College District website.

Chancellor’s Seminar Series

Last week, I hosted the final event in the Chancellor’s Seminar Series for this academic year. We wrapped up our three-part series on The Future of Teaching and Learning. Robert Simpkins was our moderator, and we welcomed panelists Krista Moreland, Alec Griffin, and Melissa Long.

Here’s a video of the first question for our panelists:

You can find videos from all the Chancellor’s Seminar Series events on the Kern Community College District website.

And check out the new Teaching & Learning Experiences blog at https://kernccdtaleblog.org/!

CVHEC Annual Legislative and Policy Summit

On May 6^th, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium hosted it’s Annual Legislative and Policy Summit in Fresno, California. This year theme was “The Post Pandemic World: Recovering with Equity and Inclusion in the Central Valley.”  Kern county was represented by Steven Watkin (BC & KCCD), Dr. Craig Hayward (BC), Alma Feathers (BC), Primavera Arvizu (PC), and Dr. Thad Russell (PC).

Dr. Craig Hayward participated in a panel along with partners from UC Merced (Dr. James Zimmerman) and CSUB (Kris Grappendorf), sharing with the audience the tremendous growth in program and transfer pathway mapping across the Central Valley and across the state. As part of the dialogue, Dr. Hayward shared some astounding data: that collectively the Program Mapper has served 11.8 million pages to over 580,000 visitors since January, 2021!

In the News

BC campus earns recognition from National Arbor Day Foundation

Stacey Shepard wrote this piece in The Bakersfield Californian about Bakersfield College’s recent Tree Campus Higher Education designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation.

“Bakersfield College is the first education campus in Kern County to earn the Tree Campus recognition, and the only community college in the state to be recognized for it in the past year.”

Rotary members, other volunteers plant nearly 4,000 trees in forest

The Porterville Recorder published this article about volunteers planting sequoias as part of the Green Side Up project, which was spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Porterville, Breakfast Rotary Club of Porterville, The Rotary Club of Woodlake, and Foothill Rotary of Lindsay in partnership with the Forest Service, Porterville College, CAL FIRE, Tulare County Fire Department, and property owners from the communities of Sequoia Crest, Alpine Village, Cedar Slope, Pierpoint Springs, Camp Nelson and Ponderosa.

Community Voices: A new emphasis on creating quality jobs

Trudy Gerald, associate vice chancellor for Economic and Workforce Development for the Kern Community College District, wrote this piece in The Bakersfield Californian about “high road jobs.”

“At KCCD, we have already started to lay the groundwork for high road job creation by actively building coalitions focused on major economic sectors like manufacturing, healthcare and energy. Critically, these coalitions include both industry partners and employers as well as workers and employment associations to plan and strategize for the future.

Simultaneously, on the equity side, KCCD is casting a wide net to bring non-traditional students into our education and training programs. We’re committed to new efforts to reach those who are disconnected from traditional pathways to work and school so they too have access to better jobs.”

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

I love these photos from an event celebrating Brenda Lewis:

Kern CCD Trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Endee Grijalva, Norma Rojas-Mora, and Billie Jo Rice at Garden Pathways:

From @PortervillePrez on Twitter: “Open House taking place right now @PCollegePirates  Pleased to have met Sara, who is attending PC to become a teacher. She brought her beautiful children to see the campus so they can understand what she does. Faculty are showcasing their programs and staff are giving tours”

Kern CCD Trustee Yovani Jimenez shared this:

Thank you Dr. @amyloyd1 for coming to @CityofArvin to see the future site of the @BAKcollege Educational Center.

And finally, Kern CCD Board of Trustee President Romeo Agbalog presenting a certificate of leadership to Student Trustee Gian Gayatao:

Gian has been an exemplary student trustee who worked with the student leadership at all three campuses in fall 2021 as we were navigating the “return to campus” protocol.  Those were difficult times … times of fear and apprehension.  Gian with his clear thinking, relaxed yet strong communication, and a compassionate heart, helped alleviate the anxieties for the KCCD student body. I am truly blessed that Gian was the student trustee during my first year as chancellor.

Gian, thank you for your hard work and dedication this year!

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This is how we did Easter 2022. My daughter and Bessie visited …. Neo, needless to say, was ecstatic with Bessie at home.

Yesterday was Earth Day, and it is always nice to take a weekend in spring to truly enjoy the world around us – and think of ways to protect it for future generations.

Check out this message from the League for Innovation:

“Today is #EarthDay2022, an annual day to celebrate our fragile planet and make a pledge to support and cherish its environment. This year’s theme is “It’s going to take all of us.” Enjoy this spring weekend and consider ways in which you can pitch-in. http://ow.ly/ZX3150IQkFQ“

EarthDay.org had livestreams of the Earth Day Climate Action Summit, which brought together great minds from across the globe.

I particularly thought the panel on regenerative agriculture. John Piotti, president of the American Farmland Trust, said, “We can actually reverse temperature increase over time if we ultimately get enough carbon back in the soil.” Innovative ideas like this are an amazing way to build our workforce, improve sustainability, and protect our planet.

You can watch it on YouTube:

Good morning, friends.
It is April 23, 2022.
The sun shines bright over KernCCD.

This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to 
#DareMightyThings

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Porterville College

Job Fair Brings Job Seekers to Campus

Porterville College, in partnership with the Porterville Adult School and the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County, presented the 2022 PC Job Fair on Tuesday, April 19th.  The event, held in the PC Campus Quad, was a huge success, bringing hundreds of job seekers out on the beautiful spring day to meet with potential employers and apply for over 1000 available jobs from employers including Amazon, Eagle Mountain Casino, Starbucks, T-Mobile, The City of Porterville, State Farm, the Kern Community College District, Sierracare, the Porterville Unified School District and many others.

There were also multiple “Job Readiness” workshops offered by PCs Business Innovation Center to support the event and help prepare those job seekers for a better chance at landing the job of their dreams.  Five “pre” workshops were offered in the two weeks leading up to the event to prepare students to put their best foot forward during the Job Fair.  The workshops covered a series of topics from interview and resume preparation to networking and job search skills.

Speakers discuss the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez at CHAP event

The Porterville College Cultural and Historical Awareness Program (CHAP) presented an event honoring the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez entitled The Cesar Chavez Legacy Continues on Thursday. The event was created in partnership between The Porterville College Dreamer’s Success Center, the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and O.L.A. RAZA, Inc.

Guest speakers Andres Chavez of the Cesar Chavez Foundation, Roberto DeLa Rosa of the United Farm workers association and Reyna Rodriguez of Proteus, Inc. spoke to the crowd about the legacy of Cesar Chavez and what it has meant to our culture and the movement he created to empower those seeking to make change.

When asked about how he feels living up to his grandfather’s legacy, Andres Chavez responded, “My grandfather said  ‘It’s my deepest belief that only by giving our lives, can we find life’.  I hope that I am of enough service to others that I can live up to him”.  

Reyna Rodriguez talked about how we can all find connection through our stories.  “By realizing that by not walking alone, we are stronger”. 

And Roberto De La Rosa discussed how “Si, Se Puede!” was more than a slogan for the UFW, it was a call to action. He said, “by looking at our history, we can find our strength”. He then led the audience in an inspired chant of si se puede!, si, si se puede!, si se puede!

Students Showcase Amazing Artwork at PC Art Gallery

Each year, the Porterville College Fine and Applied Arts Division presents a showing of the hard work and creative talents of their art students. The culminating projects of these students are presented in a gallery exhibition of their work at the PC Art Gallery. 

After being forced to take this exhibition into a virtual format for the past two years, we are excited to announce the return to an in-person showing of PC student work. The public is invited to enjoy this annual student art exhibition in the PC Art Gallery on campus.

The show began on April 18^th and will continue until May, 5^th. Hours are Monday – Thursday from 12 – 2 pm and 4 – 6 pm

For more information on the show or our Fine and Applied Arts programs, contact Jim Entz at 791-2257.

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Cerro Coso Community College

Cerro Coso Recipient of Inaugural 2022 Excellence in Placement Award

Cerro Coso Community College has been named a 2022 Champion for Excelling in Equitable Course Placement honoree for the inaugural 2022 Excellence in Placement award by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Since the passage of AB 705 (Irwin) in 2017, the California Community Colleges has drastically increased access to credit-bearing courses across all racial and ethnic groups, doubling the number of students who complete transfer-level Math and English courses. This spring the Campaign is thrilled to recognize over 40 Community Colleges for their work in eliminating remedial education courses at their institutions and ensuring students enroll and succeed in college-level courses.

Cerro Coso Community College has been named a 2022 Champion for Excelling in Equitable Course Placement in Black English Enrollment & Black Math Throughput.  The college successfully supported 100% of Black students to enroll directly into transfer level English coursework and at least 60% of its Black students who enrolled in a transfer level Math course successfully complete it within 1 year of their initial enrollment. CCCC supported Black students at rates equivalent to or even exceeding those of the student body as a whole. “We applaud your dedication and commitment to California students,” stated in the award letter.   

The Campaign for College Opportunity will recognize Cerro Coso Community College at their inaugural award installation ceremony, Excellence in Placement: Honoring Community Colleges Excelling in Equitable Course Placement for Students, on Thursday, May 12, 2022.

Joining this special celebration will be Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, and other California Community College honorees.

Four Complete KCCD Leadership Academy

Four Cerro Coso Community College employees have completed the 2021-2022 Kern Community College District (KCCD) Leadership Academy, a professional development program that prepares employees for leadership roles throughout the district.

Each year, KCCD presidents submit the names of employees to participate in the program.

Tehachapi faculty members: Jaclyn Kessler (Math), Gaysha Smith (Art), and Vonetta Mixon (Business), and Cody Pauxtis (Director of Maintenance and Operations) at the Ridgecrest Campus, were selected for the 2021-2022 cohort after a competitive application process.

The KCCD Leadership Academy is a year-long program of monthly meetings on topics specific to community colleges. Academy participants from around the district attended the day-long sessions covering topics on: leadership, decision making, communication, budgeting, student success, accreditation, and more.

They also worked outside the sessions on team-based projects to effect positive change across the district.

The KCCD Leadership Academy identifies, educates, innovates, motivates, and develops potential college leaders by exposing program participants to the challenges the colleges face and the opportunities that are available for growth; provides a communications network between present and future college leaders; and promotes leadership on a planned, continuing basis for the development of District and employees. 

The KCCD Leadership Academy is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 cohort.  All interest employees are encouraged to talk to their supervisors about program participation.

“Leadership is not about executive position or title.  It is about connection and influence. Leadership is all about adding value to the world and blessing lives through the work you do.” – Robin Sharma

Congratulations to the KCCD Leadership Class of 2021-20221

Sexual Assault Awareness Month at CCCC

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Cerro Coso has a number of activities planned to bring awareness to this year’s campaign.

On Thursday, April 28, 2022 the College Safety and Security Department are hosting Guest Speakers: Emmanuel Arias from the Women’s Center High Desert who will talk about the definition of sexual assault, types of assault, the importance of bystander intervention, and resources available through the Women’s Center High Desert.  Detective Mixon of the Ridgecrest Police Department will be on hand to discuss sexual assault crimes.  The event will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 pm in the Community Room 350 and via Zoom for students at other campuses.  Lunch will be provided for those attending in-person. 

Denim Day 2022 is also April 28^th.  The College encourages everyone to wear their logo wear and denim on the 28^th and send us a picture showing your support and honoring survivors.  Send pictures to ndorrell@cerrocoso.edu .

Why denim? The campaign was originally triggered by an Italian Supreme Court ruling which overturned a rape conviction because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she was implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault.

Wear jeans on April 28^th  as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault.

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Bakersfield College

BC Celebrates Grand Opening of the Automotive Technology Training and Auctions Facility