Tag Archives: KCCDDaringMightyThings

KCCD gearing up for in-service week of activities

Uncategorized August 14, 2021 Comments: 2

What a week! Colleagues across the Kern Community College District have been hard at work making the final adjustments as we return to in-person learning this fall. Of course we have plenty of options for students … besides face-to-face classes we have online, hybrid, zoom online etc. We’re just about a week away from the start of Fall 2021 semester – and welcoming many of our students, faculty, and staff back after nearly 18 months away.

As we approach the finish line for these preparations, I had to share this 1-min epic video my daughter made of Bessie at the beach set to the theme of Chariots of Fire. Loved it!

And of course, here’s my own Neo, who has a new mischievous streak including hiding in the bramble.

And here is a quick tribute to Cornell. Saw his gorgeous face on Jessica Wojtysiak’s FB post.

Good morning, friends…
It is August 14, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

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

Porterville College

PC Promise Students return to campus early for In-Person Orientation

President Claudia Habib visits with new freshmen Promise Students in the cafeteria.

Porterville College welcomed its newest class of PC Promise Students to campus this week for a four-day in-person orientation event.  Dozens of students attended in-person, while many more attended the event virtually.  During the annual four-day orientation, students learned about campus and received tours, listened to motivational speakers, and attended panels that provided tips for success from our financial aid staff and several Porterville College student ambassadors. 

The Porterville College Promise Program serves first-time college students through their first year with a comprehensive plan of financial and academic support.  It is open to students who attend PC full-time, with on-time completion of 30 units per year, meeting the 15 to Finish campaign pledge.  To remain in the program, students must also declare a Pathway and establish an Education Plan.

Students get back to building their dreams of becoming firefighters

Porterville City Fire Chief Dave LaPere (right) talks with Fire Academy Students







  • Fire Academy students settle in for the coming months of rigorous training.


  • Fire academy students share their stories during their first class session.

This past weekend, President Claudia Habib Visited the Porterville College Fire Academy, which is conducted in partnership between Porterville College and the City of Porterville Fire Department, to welcome the new cohort of Firefighter-I Academy students.

The students began their semester with welcome messages from both Dr. Habib and Porterville Fire Chief Dave LaPere. Habib said of the day, “It was so inspiring to hear their stories. A common thread among them was chasing life-long dreams of becoming Fire Fighters.” 

Porterville College conducts the Academy in the Fall, along with an Interagency Basic Wildland Firefighter Academy that takes place in the Spring each year. The programs are designed to help students prepare for Entry-level firefighter job opportunities, both locally and on the state level.

The one-semester Firefighter-1 Academy runs from August through December and helps prepare graduates to apply for entry-level firefighter positions with most fire departments in the state. It is accredited by the Office of the California State Fire Marshal and provides the training students need for certification by the State Fire Marshal as a Firefighter-1.

Let’s say a small prayer for our brave California Firefighters as we move through this summer 2021 which is already a difficult fire season.

Porterville College is Growing Futures with Outreach


PC faculty and staff recently spent the day spreading the word about continuing education to local farm workers.

The “PC Growing Futures” program provides farm workers classes offered in their own communities, with access to laptops, textbooks, and access to Rosetta Stone Software to help them achieve student success.

Just this past week, several teams of Porterville College advisors, counselors and outreach staff traveled to fields and cold storage facilities in Porterville and the surrounding communities to provide direct outreach and information to hundreds of farm workers about PC Growing Futures and other PC programs.  During these very full days of outreach activities, they spent the mornings and evenings mingling with employees one-on-one and giving quick presentations to large groups.

With this program, PC continues to partner with the California Farmworker Association to offer new services to farm workers throughout the Greater Porterville Area.

PC Educational Advisor Connie Oropeza talks to warehouse workers about continuing their education.

Cerro Coso Community College

P.O.S.T. Academy recruits return to speak to incoming class

Student success! Two prior Cerro Coso P.O.S.T. Academy recruits, now officers, Sunny Hasnian (McFarland PD) and Zach Page (Tehachapi PD) joined the academy orientation for the upcoming fall in Tehachapi to give some guidance and answer questions to nervous potential recruits.  The Program’s graduation and placement rates are outstanding for the last class (97% success and 75% employed) even during the pandemic!

Cerro Coso campuses open for in-person instruction and services

All Cerro Coso campuses are now OPEN offering a full complement of student and instructional services. What the staffing looks like may be different for each department as we continue our phased-in approach to our return.  Dr. Hancock welcomed staff back with donuts and coffee the first two days.  He has long anticipated the day when the Cerro Coso family could gather again in-person. 

College facilities were closed and staff working from home when Dr. Hancock took over the Office of President in September.  #CoyoteSafe. #CoyoteStrong.  

Don’t forget – the Cerro Coso Rocks Welcome Back Celebration is this Thursday, August 19, from 3-7 pm. There will be in-person and virtual events. There will also be a COVID vaccine clinic.

Find out more at https://www.cerrocoso.edu/about/outreach/cc-rocks.

Thank you to M&O Staff for HVAC work!

In the past year, Cerro Coso has poured a lot of time and money into getting its HVAC units up and running.  For the first time in a couple of years, we are above 90% of our units operating at full capacity.  All of the M&O staff are to be commended for making this happen.

Bakersfield College

Local Officials Join BC For Get Out The Vaccine Neighborhood Canvas

Earlier this year, Bakersfield College students began participating in the statewide “Get Out The Vaccine” project, utilizing canvassers to share vaccine knowledge, information, and awareness with residents living throughout the zip codes of 93307 and 93301.

On Thursday, local officials including Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez and community partners such as Dignity Health and Kern Health Systems joined BC’s students and nursing program to offer both the Moderna or the Johnson and Johnson vaccines on the spot in neighborhoods.. 

Renegade Athletics Holds Media Day

Bakersfield College’s Athletics extended a warm welcome to join the Renegades in kicking off the 2021 fall sports season with the annual BC Athletics Media Day on Thursday, August 12th.

The event featured a full lineup of guest speakers, including:

  • Opening Remarks with Kenny Calvin
  • Remarks by Bakersfield Mayor, Karen Goh 
  • Men’s Coach, Vayron Martinez
  • Cross Country, Pam Kelley
  • Volleyball, Carl Ferreira
  • Golf Women’s coach, Wes Coble
  • Football, R.Todd Littlejohn
  • Athletic Director, Reggie Bolton

BC Student Convocation Going Virtual

From email from OSL:

In light of the newest Kern County COVID-19 updates, Bakersfield College is moving to a virtual setting for the upcoming New Student Convocation.

If you have already registered for the ceremony, you do not need to do anything. You will receive a separate email, one day before the event, with the virtual link.

If you have not yet registered to participate, please do so now at https://bcstudentlife.wufoo.com/forms/r6fynh3017yave/

Another Successful Express Enrollment Event at Bakersfield College!

Bakersfield College Outreach with support from Financial Aid, Counseling, and more, hosted a Virtual Express Enrollment Event on August 11th from 12pm to 8pm to help new and continuing students enroll and get the classes they need.

The enrollment team helped around 200 students enroll in courses for fall, while interacting with students meaningful and impactful during this fast paced event. One student shared the positive experience on the “Surviving Bakersfield College” page below.

The next virtual express enrollment event will be August 18th from 12pm to 5pm, and ongoing registration events are happening throughout August.

Visit the website for more details: https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/registrationrocks

Or register for the next virtual express enrollment event here: https://forms.gle/og858uCosjSU6Cao9

Health Science team hosts Peak Performance event

On Wednesday, August 11th, the Title V Health Science team hosted their first on-campus event, “Peak Performance: Health for the Whole Person.” This was an in-depth seminar on self-care, peak performance and mental health treatment modalities as it relates to Health Science Careers. Dave Seymour was our speaker and got the semester off to a great start with his expertise, compassion and guidance as students start their journeys back on campus and into their prospective programs. This is the first in a series of seminars for the Fall semester in hopes to providing successful skills and support to students pursuing health science careers.

WE ARE BC! 

Seminar Series

This week, we held two seminars that are part of the Chancellor’s Seminar Series.

On Monday, we heard from Dena Rhoades, Roger Perez, Resa Hess, Nicky Damania, Joe Grubbs and Terri Higgins as we discussed the new KCCD Campus Pass App.

Representatives from each of our colleges shared details about how the App works at their locations.

Roger Perez, Porterville College:

Resa Hess, Cerro Coso Community College:

Nicky Damania, Bakersfield College

We also had a Q&A session with Joe Grubbs and Terri Higgins – Terri is from ReadyEd, the company that made the app:

On Tuesday, we had a chance to get a student perspective. Student trustee Gian Gayatao hosted a panel with Edith Mata (BC), Yvette Carranza (PC) and Mia Guzman (CC). The student panel asked a series of questions to nursing faculty and COVID Response team leaders for the three campuses. Thank you to our students and to our panelists: Alisha Loken, Kim Behrens, Matthew Wanta, Nicky Damania, Roger Perez, and Kevin King.

Here’s the Q&A Panel from that discussion:

You can see all the videos from the Chancellor’s Seminar Series at https://www.kccd.edu/chancellors-office/chancellors-seminar-series.

Poetry Corner

Photo of Rockport

Last week, I shared the second part of Jack Hernandez‘s poetry series “Rockport in June.”

Please enjoy Part 3:

The ocean cannot
be seen
through the morning fog,
the sun that lays
a lighted path
Is hidden
as are our days     
that sometimes begin
with only large rocks
before our eyes,
and we wonder
if we will see
the vast sea
that promises
a day of joyful
searching.

In the News

Cerro Coso to hold virtual admissions workshop

The Tehachapi News shared this information about the upcoming Virtual College Admissions Workshop at Cerro Coso, scheduled for this upcoming Wednesday. A financial aid technician will review the Cerro Coso Promise scholarship, Foundation scholarships, outside scholarships, and more!

BC partnering with auto industry to bring training center to Bakersfield

I saw that both the Bakersfield Californian and KGET shared the news that BC will partner with the Greater Bakersfield New Car Dealer Association and other auto industry experts to bring a new auto facility to Bakersfield.

“Through many ideas and conversations, we developed this partnership as a way for Bakersfield College students to train on the vehicles that otherwise might not be profitable due to normal technician labor costs, giving new access for the students to work on current and relevant technologies,” said Automotive Instructor Andrew Haney.

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Porterville College shared their next Community Vaccination Clinic, which will be held on Thursday, August 19, from 11 am to 2 pm in the Porterville College Cafeteria. Anyone age 12 and older is welcome to receive their first Pfizer dose.

Thank you to Laurel Mourtzanos for the STEM Academy photos.

I’d also like to thank those that took part:

  • Kathleen Rush, Dept. Chair Math
  • Jon Brown, Math Faculty
  • Jesse Oropeza, STEM Counselor and Rural Initiatives
  • Laurel Mourtzanos, STEM Counselor
  • James McGarrah, Associate Dean, STEM
  • David Riess, Faculty Psychology (Presentation on Imposture Syndrome)
  • Karen Gomez, Faculty Psychology (Presentation on Imposture Syndrome)
  • Connie Gonzalez, Director MESA
  • Rebecca Bumpous, Financial Aid

And student interns:

  • Gabriel Diaz
  • Jose Lopez
  • Praise Oo
  • Brandon Mondragon
  • Brandon Peffer

****

Here are some photos from the Bakersfield College EAC/SALT/OIE Enrollment Management Workday on Tuesday morning.

Snapped with photo after the Board meeting.

Zav Dadabhoy, Sonya Christian, Kay Meek, Claudia Habib, Dena Rhoades, Sean Hancock

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

The future is bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

Like Olympic Athletes, KCCD #DaringMightyThings with kindness

Uncategorized August 8, 2021 Leave a comment

Loved watching #TeamUSA at the Tokyo Olympic Games. I’m sure many of you followed the story of Simone Biles – probably one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, gymnasts to ever compete – as she removed herself from the team competition last week. This week, she again removed herself from several individual events. But on Tuesday, she competed in the Individual Balance Beam competition and won a hard-earned Bronze medal for the United States.

Simone’s decision to withdraw from the world stage has made mental health a focus of these Olympics, at a time when many of us have been struggling after nearly a year and a half of pandemic. Dr. Brij Bambi’s says it well in his raw bold way of story telling ….. check out this recent post https://bhambiandchristian.com/

The world watched our strongest and fastest engage with their mental health, and we have also been witness to incredible acts of kindness between these competitors.

An amazing moment of these Olympic Games was when Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy decided to forgo a jump-off and to instead share the gold medal for the men’s high jump.

U.S. swimmer Caleb Dressel, who won 5 gold medals at these games, threw one of his relay medals to teammate Brooks Curry, who swam in the team’s qualifying heats in Dressel’s place. While both men will ultimately receive medals for their work on the relay team, it was still a wonderful gesture to see as Caleb recognized Brooks’ efforts in not only securing the relay medal, but helping him stay energized for his other events.

Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi was disappointed when he lost to Brazilian Italo Ferreira in surfing’s Olympics debut. But when Ferreira needed help at a press conference, Igarashi stepped in and translated a question.

It has been a truly beautiful Olympics, watching our world class athletes not only compete at astonishing levels, but also demonstrating a global sense of community . What an inspiration these Kindness Games have been.

Good morning, friends…
It is August 7, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

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

Porterville College

PC to provide access to vaccinations on campus for students during “Fall Welcome back Week”


PC Nursing Students Assist with Prior County Run Vaccination Clinics on Campus

As we prepare for a safe and healthy return to campus, it’s critical for students to know that getting vaccinated, combined with mask use, is the most important thing they can do to ensure the health and safety of those around them. Vaccination has been proven to prevent severe illness, hospitalizations, and even death.

As we make the return to on-campus learning, Porterville College is urging unvaccinated people to get the the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. With the emergence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, this step is more urgent than ever to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the community.

To ensure that as many students as possible receive this information and get vaccinated, Porterville College is starting an effort to distribute information to students and to provide easier access to vaccinations on campus and other scheduled vaccination clinics in the area. Please view our Adobe Spark presentation: How to Protect Yourself & Others for more information.

PC is making COVID-19 Vaccinations and testing available to all students, in partnership with Sierra View Medical Center and Imperial Ambulance.  These mobile vaccination clinics will be held on campus leading up to and during the Welcome Back Week (Aug. 23-26) with the first scheduled dates being August 12th, 19th and 26th.

Summer camp introduces future PC program to young audiences

Professor Diran Lyons works with students on their video projects.

PC’s new Video Production camp was created to provide local students with the knowledge needed to improve their skills in creating videos for social media or other applications. During this week-long class, local high school students were provided instruction on video techniques using both phones and cameras, planning out a project from start to finish, and finally editing they content they captured to put together a finished video project. These TikTok videos were produced with industry-standard equipment and editing software.

Diran Lyons

This camp was designed by Filmmaker and PC Art Professor Diran Lyons, and provided just over a dozen High School Students with a taste of what is to come at Porterville College.  Starting in Fall 2022, the college will offer a video production class to students as part of the on-campus art department offerings. 

A summer camp student previews work on her video.

Basic Needs Support for Community College Students Is Urgent and Actionable

NOTE: I’d like to share a story about one of our students, as described in a letter from Luke Hejl, CEO and co-founder of TimelyMD, to EdSource Magazine.  TimelyMD is the company that provides PC Timely Care services to our students. This letter highlights the importance of a program like PC Timely Care for our students and the increased need for Health Support services of all kinds during these difficult times.

When COVID-19 hit and Joelene Jones lost her job after 17 years, she was still grieving the recent death of her mother. Suddenly without any income, medical insurance, or family to help during her time of need, Joelene understandably felt quite distraught.

As one of 2.7 million Californians who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Joelene knew she wasn’t alone, but she felt that way. If something didn’t give, she would have to give something up – and she didn’t want that to be the pursuit of her educational and career goals.

Fortunately, Joelene was enrolled at Porterville College, a community college in California’s Central Valley, which offers students free, 24/7 medical and mental health care through TimelyMD, the telehealth company I co-founded to meet the specific needs of college students. She turned to TalkNow, our on-demand mental health support service, to connect with licensed counselors about the anxiety she was experiencing. They listened to, supported, and gave her some tools and strategies to navigate her new, more stressful life circumstances.

Unfortunately, many community college students like Joelene are frontline workers in medical, manufacturing, education and food service industries whose commitment throughout the pandemic came at the expense of their own well-being.

Even as the economy recovers, many students enrolled in two-year colleges are struggling with financial, housing, food or childcare insecurity. Responses from nearly 900 community college students we surveyed nationwide in June underscore the importance of boosting basic needs support now:  

  • Nearly 60% have struggled to meet their basic needs over the last year.
  • More than 70% have experienced emotional distress, stress and/or anxiety due to lack of basic needs.
  • Medical and mental health care essentially tied as their most pressing basic needs, with one-third of students surveyed citing each. Food insecurity, clothing needs and housing rounded out their top 5 concerns.
  • Just over half sought or used resources like a food pantry, transportation voucher, reduced price/free internet or affordable housing in the last year.

Four out of every ten undergraduate students in the U.S. are enrolled at community colleges, yet historically they haven’t received the resources needed to support their physical well-being, mental health or other basic needs. These students deserve support on these four fronts: 

Economic – Research shows that students whose basic needs go unmet are more likely to have lower GPAs, higher levels of mental health issues, and poorer health, in general. Any of these factors, let alone a combination of them, can threaten students’ academic success and affect their ability to remain enrolled, which puts at risk their long-term earning potential. A report by the American Association of Community Colleges found that community college-educated workers added $800 billion to the national economy in 2012. Investing in the basic needs of community college students is a win-win – it’s good for our economy, and more importantly, it’s the right thing to do.

Partnerships – After listening to feedback from community colleges, TimelyMD is introducing a new service to connect students at partner schools with free or reduced-cost programs that provide support for services such as in-person health care, food and housing assistance, transit, bill paying, childcare, and legal services. During our pilot phase, we have helped students in California and Texas find low-rent housing, identify local support groups for a student-parent of an autistic child, connect them with food pantries on campus, and facilitate stay in a safe shelter.

Fortunately for Joelene, Porterville College offered her the support she needed to rise above her myriad needs and anxieties and achieve a milestone in her educational journey. This spring, she completed her Associate in Science in Business Administration for Transfer (AS-T) in Business Administration and has applied to several schools in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree. She is also working as a counselor to inmates in a local prison, with a goal of someday joining the administrative team once she completes her education.

Without the support of her campus community and our counselors, she admits her GPA would likely have suffered, she would have dropped a class, and that would have delayed her graduation.

Cerro Coso Community College

CCCC to host vaccination clinic August 19

Ridgecrest Regional Hospital is partnering with Cerro Coso Community College to hold a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at the college on Thursday, August 19, 2021, during the CC Rocks Welcome Back event at the Ridgecrest Campus. 

The recent effort to vaccinate as many students and community members before the start of the fall semester comes on the heels of a recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases. The college has hosted two pop-up clinics this month and will continue to partner with the Hospital to find ways to increase access to the vaccines.

The August 19th Vaccination Clinic is open to the public

Cerro Coso strongly encourages all members of the campus community to receive the vaccine to help stop the spread of the virus. The combination of the COVID-19 vaccination and following the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines offers the best protection from COVID-19 and the Delta Variant. For more information on Cerro Coso’s Safe Reopening Protocols in response to the COVID-19 virus, or to learn more about available resources, visit https://www.cerrocoso.edu/cam…/covid-19/covid-19-resources

Cliff Davis Presents at Eastern Sierra Book Festival

  • Cliff Davis
  • Jennifer Crittenden

English Professor and Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Council, Cliff Davis, presented at the Eastern Sierra Book Festival in Mammoth. The event was organized by Jennifer Crittenden, a published author, and an extremely accomplished Cerro Coso student.

She took Davis’ Shakespeare class in the spring and asked him to speak at the festival on a subject that emphasizes a nexus between Shakespeare’s works and the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

The title of Davis’ presentation “To be or not to be: Hamlet’s Infinit[iv]e Possibilities,” had two central emphases: the speech is famous because “it is perhaps the most brilliant articulation of paralysis, isolation, and the fear of death ever expressed in any language,” said Davis. “It is particularly relevant now because “we’re finally – but still very slowly – dragging ourselves out of a self-imposed isolation and paralysis necessitated by the all-too-real fear of death caused by the pandemic of COVID-19.”

Professor Davis has published several articles on classical and Renaissance Literature.

CCCC Foundation to participate in Cheers to Charity

The CCCC Foundation will be a participant in this year’s CHEERS TO CHARITY annual fundraising event featuring vibrant music, amazing food, fine wines, craft, and home-brewed beers beneath the canopy of a beautiful Tehachapi August night.

100% of the proceeds from the event benefit Tehachapi nonprofits including the CCCC Foundation. The event includes mouth-watering tapas, wonderful wines, and skillfully made craft and home-brewed beers. Choice cigars will be available for purchase, a silent auction, and a coffee and dessert bar will round out the festivities at the Tehachapi Airport on Saturday, August 14, 2021, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Please join us, eat, drink, celebrate, and support Cerro Coso Tehachapi students! Purchase your ticket today at www.cheerstocharity2021.eventbrite.com

Bakersfield College

Project HireUp & CityServe Recruitment Tour

In effort to get educational resources directly into the hands of those who need it the most, Bakersfield College’s Project HireUp and the CityServe Educational Collaborative Center, teamed up on the week of July 26th for a Fall 2021 Recruitment Tour. This tour consisted of site visits to several local shelters and residential living facilities, including visits to the M St. and Brundage Lane Navigation Centers, Mission of Kern County and Keepers of the Cross Recovery Home. Participants had the opportunity to hear presentations on a variety of programs offered through CSEC, BC Enrollment & Resources and more specifically BC’s Project HireUp Homeless to Job Program, which kicks off August 23rd with Cohort #4. This tour makes it rounds all the way through August 20th.

HEAL Webinar – Vaccine Education Outreach – Central Valley

The Health, Equity, and Learning Collaborative hosted a multi-day webinar summit that focused on Vaccine Education Outreach – Central Valley. Topics included vaccine hesitancy, conversations with providers, and community-led efforts.

The first day’s topic was “Vaccines and the Pandemic: Where are we now?” Rais Vohra from the Fresno Public Health Department discussed Covid in the Valley and vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Tania Pacheco shared information about community health workers.

  • Rais Vohra
  • Tania Pacheco

Here’s the Q&A from that session:

On Day 2, we discussed “Difficult Conversations with Patients and Public About COVID-19”. Reshma Patel and Nimisha Amin shared information about children under 12, and how the vaccine affects our youth. KVPR journalist Madi Bolanos discussed communicating efforts to the public.

  • Reshma Patel
  • Nimisha Amin
  • Madi Bolanos

The final day was titled “Meeting the Moment: Using Community-Based Approach for Vaccine Hesitancy.” Linda Gleason from Cradle to Career Fresno County and Norberto Gonzalez from Healthy Futures California discussed Community Efforts in California. Dr. Keith Norris and Joseline Garcia shared information about community efforts and partnerships in Bakersfield.

  • Linda Gleason
  • Norberto Gonzalez
  • Keith Norris

Our panel moderators included Norma Rojas-Mora, Tania Pacheco, and Kathy Murphy.

  • Norma Rojas-Mora
  • Tania Pacheco
  • Kathy Murphy

Thank you to all the speakers who engaged with the audience and all who attended to hear this important information.

Recordings from the event are starting to be available on the HEAL website.

BC’s Student Health & Wellness Center giving away 100 Tickets to Justin Moore Concert

 

Bakersfield College’s Student Health and Wellness Center will be giving away 100 free tickets to the August 12th Justin Moore concert at Mechanics Bank Arena , in sets of 2, to the first 50 individuals to get vaccinated during the on-campus vaccine clinic today, August 7th. 

The clinic is open to the public and will operate at Bakersfield College’s main campus (1801 Panorama Drive) in the Veterans Resource Center on August 7, 2021, from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. The clinic is scheduled to distribute only the Moderna Vaccine. 

For those who cannot make the August 7th clinic, but still wish to receive a vaccine, the BC Student Health and Wellness Center is administering the Moderna vaccine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9:00AM and 3:00PM and the Janssen vaccine on Thursdays between 9:00AM and 3:00PM each week on campus. Find out more on the BC Get Vaccinated page.

Read more about the ticket giveaway and the vaccine clinic.

Chancellor’s Seminar Series

This week, I continued my Chancellor’s Seminar Series with a session on Monday titled “A Look at Facilities.”

Randy Rowles, Vice Chancellor, Construction & Facilities, led the discussion about what the Maintenance & Operations departments throughout the Kern Community College District have been doing to get our sites ready for our students and employees to safely return in-person.

Thank you to our other speakers:

  • Cody Pauxtis, Director of Maintenance & Operations at Cerro Coso Community College
  • John Word, Director of Maintenance & Operations at Porterville College
  • Marcos Rodriguez, Executive Director of Facilities & Operations at Bakersfield College
  • Don Birdwell, Building Facility Manager at KCCD District Office

I’d like to highlight 3 videos from this webinar, where we focused on updates at each of our three colleges:

Bakersfield College

Cerro Coso Community College

Porterville College

Thank you to Todd Coston for working with me on the seminar series.

You can find videos from the Seminar Series at https://www.kccd.edu/chancellors-office/chancellors-seminar-series.

Poetry Corner

Last week, I shared Part 1 of Jack Hernandez’s “Rockport in June” poetry series. Today, please enjoy Part 2:

Photo of Rockport

Rockport 2

I sit in a chair
alone watching
the morning
white like a sheet
of paper   a blank
page offering me
the possibility
of poetry
or simply
the silence
mending  my weary heart.

In the News

Valley Ag Voice

Dr. James Selgrath, professor of agribusness & animal science at Bakersfield College, wrote the new monthly Renegade Round-Up column for the August edition of the Valley Ag Voice. It was a fantastic showcase of BC’s Agriculture Department. I look forward to future columns. Check it out on Page 3!

I also enjoyed seeing the piece from Executive Director of the Kern County Farm Bureau and KCCD Trustee Romeo Agbalog, and Kern County Farm Bureau President John C. Moore, titled “How Much Are You Willing to Pay for Drought?” You can read it on Page 2 of the Valley Ag Voice.

Bakersfield College helps high school students achieve AA degree with Early College Program

Kylie Campbell,
Early College Program Director

I loved this article by Lizette Chavez for Bakersfield Life Magazine about the Early College program at Bakersfield College.

“My family was very excited about the opportunity because they were not fortunate enough to be able to finish their education or pursue a higher education, like my dad he always tells me if he had the opportunity to, he would go to college, but it just was never an option for him. I feel like it’s something that I did that’s making him very proud and he’s proud to see that I’m pursuing a degree further, my bachelor’s degree.”

– Jayleen Vargas, Recent Wasco High school and BC graduate who was recruited in eighth grade

Musicians invited to join PC orchestra, band

The Porterville Recorder published this article inviting local musicians to join the PC Orchestra and Band this fall semester. The combined class is open to community members of all abilities who play an instrument. The rehearsal schedule is 6-7:45 pm every Tuesday and Thursday.

For more information, including on how to register, contact Tianna Heppner Smith at Tianna.heppner@portervillecollege.edu.

Spotted on Social Media

Cerro Coso Community College Foundation welcomed a new class of Cerro Coso Promise scholarship students:

Porterville College shared a few pictures of PC President Claudia Habib and the PC administration serving breakfast to their classified staff:

BCSGA shared a photo of their team at the Ready Set Back to School Health and Wellness Fair:

This week I had my second retreat with the presidents of the three colleges. The first one was at Cerro Coso. This second one was at Bakersfield College. Check out a few photos that Debi Anderson snapped.

Sonya Christian, Zav Dadabhoy, Claudia Habib, Sean Hancocl

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

The future remains bright at KCCD.

-sonya
a joyful and grateful Chancellor

#KCCDDaringMightyThings

Wrapping up July with grandness — Olympics, Beach, and KCCD

Uncategorized July 31, 2021 1 Comment

I’m sure many of you, like me, have spent the past week catching the Olympics bug, supporting Team USA and watching as the world’s athletes push themselves to the limit in pursuit of greatness and gold.

As I watch the Games, my senses are heightened with the pageantry and history, traditions that not only tie us together as a worldwide community for 2 weeks every 4 years – but that tie us through time, binding us to those that have come before and will come after – generations cheering on athletic achievement.

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece – the first written records of these ancient games date to 776 BC when a cook named Coroebus won the only event (a 192-meter footrace). The games were held every four years at Olympia in honor of Zeus. This four year period became known as an Olympiad, and Olympiads became a way for ancient Greeks and historians to date events. 

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. There were 280 participants (all male) from 12 nations, competing in 43 events in track and field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing. The United States sent 14 athletes, winning 20 medals (11 gold, 7 silver, and 2 bronze). 

The first Olympic Champion in those games – and thus, the first Olympic Champion of the Modern Olympic Games – was James Connolly, an American Harvard student who won the triple jump.

Women were first included in 1900 in Paris. Hélène de Pourtalès of Switzerland became the first female Olympic champion, as a member of a team sailing event. Charlotte Cooper from the United Kingdom was the first individual female Olympic champion, winning the women’s singles tennis competition. Margaret Ives Abbott, a golfer, was the first female Olympic champion from the United States.

The first African-American to win an Olympic gold medal was John Taylor, a track and field athlete who was a member of the men’s medley relay at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

In the 1984 Summer Olympics, Mary Lou Retton became the first American woman to win an Olympic all-around gold medal for gymnastics. 

In 2008, swimmer Michael Phelps won a historic 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, breaking Mark Spitz’s record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics (Mark, also a swimmer, won 7 gold medals in 1972). Phelps has now won 28 Olympic medals across 5 Olympic Games.

But one of my absolute favorite Olympic moments isn’t about a medal. It happened at the women’s 5,000 meter race at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. Abbey D’Agostino from the United States and Nikki Hamblin from New Zealand were involved in a tumble during the race. Abbey encouraged Nikki to get up and continue the race after the fall, and Nikki returned the favor in encouraging Abbey to keep running when Abbey realized she had injured her knee in the fall. 

It is not just being on top of the podium that shows the true grit and amazingness of our Olympic athletes and embodies the Olympic spirit.

I’ve so enjoyed this year’s Olympics. While some of the storylines have been unexpected, Team USA has had a tremendous showing.

Here are a few of my favorite Team USA moments from the first week of Olympics competition:

Bobby Finke won the men’s 800m free gold with a breathtaking final effort. Watch that amazing race on YouTube.

Carissa Moore captured the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s surfing. Check out the video on YouTube.

Lydia Jacoby, who is 17, won the gold meal in the 100m breaststroke in a shocking race where she defeated defending champion and fellow member of Team USA Lilly King: You can watch the race on YouTube.

Jagger Eaton took bronze in the first men’s street skateboarding contest. Relive some of the action on YouTube:

Katie Ledecky was utterly dominant in the first Olympic women’s 1500m swimming race. Watch the highlights from the race.

Good morning, friends…
It is July 31, 2021.
The sun shines bright over KCCD.

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

Cerro Coso Community College

Welcome Back Celebration Planned for August 19

Cerro Coso is planning the Cerro Coso Rocks Welcome Back Celebration from 3-7 pm on August 19th. The event will be both virtual and in-person on campus, with campus tours, orientation, and student workshops to prepare incoming students for success in the upcoming year.

To help get you in the mood for this exciting event, check out this video highlighting their 2019 event:

Cerro Coso to offer new certificate programs

Cerro Coso Community College is proud to announce two new certificate programs launching this fall: Cloud Computing and Linux Administration.

These programs aim to meet the ever-growing and changing Information Technology Field.

The Cloud Computing Certificate aims to provide students with an understanding of cloud environments and support systems, as well as prepare students to transition traditional technology architectures to a cloud platform. The certificate prepares students for careers in the cloud computing area and to enter the workforce as a cloud system administrator, cloud technician, cloud architect, and cloud security officer.

Porterville College

PC to host STEM Workshops in Partnership with USDA

As part of an ongoing Title V funded project, Porterville College is set to host several Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related workshops this Fall in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Each of these PC USDA STEM Enrichment Workshops will aim at highlighting a USDA agency and/or partner. The workshops were developed to introduce local, regional, and state USDA Agencies, federal, and industry partners to STEM students in Porterville and the campus wide community. 

These workshops will utilize an interactive, discussion-based format designed to engage students actively in their own career development process. Students will learn about opportunities offered by the USDA to optimize their STEM or Agriculture major, internship, and career searches.

For more information on the upcoming camps contact Juan Alvarez at Juan.Alvarez@usda.gov.  The first of these camps will be held on the Porterville College Campus on September 22 from Noon to 1:00 PM.

PC Student Services Team Works on Improving Student Experience

The Student Services Leadership Team runs through an exercise designed to demonstrate how easy it is to lose messages in the clutter of a student’s daily communications. Pictured Left to right: Roger Perez, Frank Ramirez, Errin Sullivan Arcos[seated], Tiffany Haynes [seated], Ashley Land, Jasmin Quinones

As part of our ongoing effort to improve the overall student experience, the student services team at PC participated in several workshops to explore new planning strategies for students utilizing our services as they navigate their educational pathway at Porterville College and beyond.

On Thursday, the team spent the day exploring the creation of a new annual communications strategy with the assistance of Director of Communications and Community Relations, Roger Perez. Perez worked with the leadership team to help them create a map of the student lifecycle to use in development of a new plan for communicating with our current students. This plan will better utilize available communication channels and maximize the return on investment for our communications efforts with students. 

During the workshop, the team participated in several activities designed to demonstrate the problems facing students in a society cluttered with ads, text messages, emails and push notifications.

PC CHAP Program returns for 20th Anniversary with New Leadership

James Entz

We are excited to announce the return of the Cultural and Historical Awareness Program (CHAP) to Porterville College this fall with new Coordinator James Entz.

Entz is a professor in the Fine and Applied Arts Division and has been involved with CHAP for many years as a committee member.  “I have been a part of it for so long because I found that CHAP is a great program that encompasses all those things that I love about teaching.  First, it is a collaborative process. It brings us together from across campus and the community to create a richer learning experience for our students (and us!).  Second, It builds community. As we, as a college, come together for speakers and events and through the common CHAP theme for the year and as we develop resources that enrich our teaching. Third, it is interdisciplinary and encourages integrative learning, making connections across disciplines and beyond the classroom, reinforcing and broadening our students’ understanding of what we teach in the classroom.”

CHAP was organized at PC in 2002, by Richard Osborne, to enhance students’ awareness of certain important aspects of our society to which they may previously have had little or no exposure. A theme is chosen by CHAP committee members each school year, and faculty members across the campus are encouraged to integrate elements of that theme into their coursework. Additionally, a variety of field trips, guest speakers, panel discussions and videos are presented throughout the year and are all open to the public. The working theme for this year is CHAP’s 20th Year Anniversary.

If you’d like to become involved in the CHAP program you can join us at events and speaker presentations, suggest speakers and events to the CHAP committee, or become directly involved in the planning and the decision-making process by joining the CHAP Planning Committee.  Contact Jim Entz at chap@portervillecollege.edu for more information. 

Bakersfield College

Becki Whitson’s Birthday Party

The BC community joined together to celebrate the life of Becki Whitson this Monday – July 26th, on what would have been Becki’s 68th birthday.

Becki truly embodied the Renegade spirit, both as a longtime Cheer coach and President of the Alumni Association.

I’d like to share my remarks from the celebration:

BC Student Veteran Spotlight: Kimberly Rodriguez

I wanted to share this update I received from Educational Advisor Armando Trujillo from the Vernon Valenzuela Veterans Resource Center. He wrote me about Kimberly Rodriguez, a Specialist with the California National Guard and a BC Student Veteran.

Specialist Kimberly Rodriguez recently arrived in Kuwait after three months at the Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. She is serving as a Signal Support System Specialists (25U) with Charlie Company, 640th Aviation Support Battalion in support of the 40th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade. She is slated to return home in December or January.  

Kimberly is an Agriculture Plant Science AST major, and she has completed 36 degree-applicable units while serving on reserve and active-reserve duty status. During her time here at BC, she has served as Treasurer for the Veterans Club. She also attended the 2020 Student Veterans of America National Conference in Los Angeles.  

“Going to the SVA Conference was such an amazing experience. It felt comforting seeing everyone who served/is serving all in one place striving to be better. Learning about all the job opportunities that are available and how much more of an asset us veteran/service members play in the bigger picture on the civilian side was reassuring in pursuing a career. The food and lodging as amazing!” 

Kimberly has maintained contact with her Veteran Educational Advisor while she has been away to make sure she is taking the correct courses to earn her degree. She said the support she has received from the BC Vernon Valenzuela Veterans Resource Center has made it easier to be away.  

“The Veterans Resource Center at Bakersfield College is extremely welcoming to any military-affiliated individual. It amazes me how much different we all are, yet the bond is second to none. Whether we’re dealing with personal or academic struggles, it’s comforting being surrounded by people who understand the same struggle of going back to school after the military. Definitely can’t wait to go back to my VRC family.  

The VRC cannot wait until her safe return. See you soon.

BC Presents at eLumen Conference

Congratulations to our BC team of Rich McCrow, Kristin Rabe, and Kim Nickell, who presented at the eLumenation 2021 Annual User Conference this week.

The group’s presentation was called “Creating a College Program Review Cycle that Facilitates Inclusiveness and Completion for the Entire College.”

Bakersfield College holding auditions for science fiction play ‘R.U.R.’

Want to lead the robot rebellion? Audition for Bakersfield College’s production of “R.U.R.,” a 1920 play about a factory that manufactures robots who rise up and end the human race.

Open auditions will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 5 and 6 via Zoom. Email Theater Professor Kimberly Chin for the Zoom link and an audition slot at kchin@bakersfieldcollege.edu.

Remembering Renegade Deputy Sheriff Campas

A memorial service will be held Friday August 6 at 11 a.m. at the Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield for Kern County Deputy Sheriff Phillip Campas. Our community is still mourning the loss of a well-loved deputy as well as the mother and her two sons that he tried to rescue in Wasco. Campas was a former Renegade, having attended Bakersfield College before he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005. He also played Renegade football as our quarterback.

Our hearts go out to the families, friends and coworkers who are grieving such a great loss to our community. Campas served in the Afghanistan War before joining the Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife, three children, his parents, siblings, cousins and in-laws. Bakersfield College thanks our former Renegade for his public service.

Child Development Center Now Enrolling for Fall Semester

Bakersfield College’s Child Development Center is now enrolling children ages 2-5 for the fall semester.

The center, which is located on the college’s main campus at 1801 Panorama Dr., is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and is open to children of BC students. Besides providing child care, the center also serves as a learning lab for students majoring in child development, teaching and similar fields.

Poetry Corner with Jack Hernandez

Jack Hernandez recently shared with me a series of poems titled “Rockport in June,” and I will be sharing them with you over the coming weeks:

Rockport in June #1

My daughter and my sister
discuss the what for all
of planning weddings,
rings, clothes, guests, flowers,
I listen as we drive
in darkness from the airport,
their closeness is a comfort
as the night closes
on us and the weekend
waits with a jumble
of joy and our favorite cranberry bars.

In the News

Congressman Rudy Salas secures $6M for BC health education programs

I returned from a mini-vacation to see this amazing article above the fold in the Bakersfield Californian. Congressman Rudy Salas has secured an additional $6 million in state funding for Bakersfield College,  authorized in Assembly Bill 132.

The projects proposed will include expanding the college’s Rural Health Equity and Learning collaborative, the Certified Nursing Assistant and Registered Nurse programs, and the allied health programs such as the new Physical Therapy Assistant program, while also providing funding for new post-pandemic student health and wellness services, and new certification programs, such as the Mental Health Worker Certificate.

“I am happy to champion more money coming to Bakersfield College,” Salas stated in the releases. “This additional $6 million will help train more nurses and health professionals for the valley so that our local families will have greater health access and options.”

Porterville College grad working for Space Force

Check out Esther Avila‘s article in The Porterville Recorder about Adrian Joseph Torres, who recently accepted a position with the United States Space Force. Torres graduated from Porterville College before transferring to Cal Poly Pomona, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering.

“I start August 1 as a general engineer, but first I have to pass a security clearance,” he said. “I will be looking over contracts for rocket launches and will oversee whose is best and most efficient for the satellites — GPS and Spy satellites — they are contracting.”

BC Student Featured at Senate Judiciary Hearing on Immigrant Farmworkers

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and others testified on immigrant farmworkers before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Lawmakers questioned Secretary Vilsack about the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, H-2A visas concerning temporary agriculture workers, migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, and the impact of COVID-19 on the food industry.

Sen. Dick Durbin from Illinois discussed the risks that farmworkers face, both from the pandemic as well as from the immigration system. Durbin highlighted Vicente Reyes, a DACA recipient studying roboticist engineering at Bakersfield College. Reyes, a member of United Farmworkers, is also a farmworker.

Spotted on Social Media

BC Jazz shared a few photos from their Jazz & Commercial Music Academy studio day. Check out their digital album at https://bcjazzstudies.bandcamp.com!


    Jonathan Hernandez shared this snap from an online summer course he taught at Porterville College:

    Kalina Hill shared a picture of herself as she came back to the Bakersfield College campus:

    ==========

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

    The future remains bright at KCCD.

    -sonya
    a joyful and grateful Chancellor

    #KCCDDaringMightyThings