Tag Archives: Lake Tahoe Community College

Happy Father’s Day 2024

Uncategorized June 15, 2024 Leave a comment

Happy Father’s Day

Paul Christian and Pam Christian
Paul and Pam Christian

I spent last weekend in Toronto with my daughter.

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

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

Snapped this photo for you ….

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

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

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

Then Zav’s retirement event at Kern.

Check out this 4-min video with fun Zav photos

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

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

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

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

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

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

» Read more!

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

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

» Read more!

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

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

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Educate. Elevate. Podcast

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

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Transfer students triumph in the Class of 2024

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

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff DeFranco:

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

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

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From Monterey Peninsula College:

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

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

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

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Plays Host To Drum Corps International Tour Event

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

» Read more!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

Hello Spring 2024!

Uncategorized March 23, 2024 1 Comment

Spring 2024 is officially here … and with it beautiful skies and bursts of spring flowers to enjoy during my sunrise and sunset Neo walks.


Another busy week of traveling

On Tuesday, I presented Vision 2030 at Citrus College.

I headed to San Diego on Wednesday to co-present with Eloy Oakley at the California Guided Pathways Institute.  It was a lot of fun and we got an opportunity to visit on designing a potential project on Guided Pathways in the space of economic mobility.

On Thursday, March 21st, I joined Pam Haynes and Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg on a panel moderated by Cindy Miles at the ACCT Governance Leadership Institute in Long Beach. 

And we celebrated Neo’s seventh birthday on March 17, 2024. Spent a lot of time in the backyard which is what he loves doing.

Good morning California.
It is March 23, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Netflix Partners with LATTC for Work Study Program
Benefitting CMU Pathway Students 

This past January, Netflix partnered with LATTC to host a paid three-week work study program for students in the college’s Construction Maintenance and Utilities (CMU) pathway. During the program, students were exposed to real world work situations, and enhanced their proficiency in leadership development, building operations, and construction. 

» Read more!

West Hills College Coalinga Firebaugh Center and Fresno Pacific University Celebrate Historic Educational Partnership

In a landmark event held on March 4 at the Firebaugh Center, West Hills College Coalinga (WHCC) and Fresno Pacific University (FPU) officially unveiled their innovative educational partnership, marking a significant milestone in their commitment to enhancing learning opportunities and academic resources in the region. The ceremony, attended by community leaders, faculty, students, and media partners, highlighted the collaboration’s aim to create seamless educational pathways and foster academic innovation.

» Read more!

Lake Tahoe Community College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

On March 5th LTCC celebrated a significant milestone: its 50th Anniversary. The event united community members, students, past and current employees, and local officials to honor this remarkable moment  in their long journey as a respected institution of education.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Inside Higher Ed: To Transform Transfer, Key Barriers Must Be Overcome

Understanding the barriers students face on the transfer pathway is key to improving transfer outcomes. Successful transfer from community college to a four-year university has the potential to improve access, completion and racial equity gains in higher education and produce the educated workforce that California needs.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Board of Governors member Joseph Williams presented at a Vision 2030 event at Riverside Community College District:

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From East Los Angeles College:

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis celebrated the accomplishments of women in community colleges at the President’s First Women’s History Month Celebration & Teatime. She was in a panel discussion with Lenore French of Transformation Arts and Dr. Martha Garcia, Mt. San Antonio President.

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From Fresno City College:

Pancakes & Peeps for staff & faculty at FCC

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And from El Camino College, the latest ElCoChats podcast discusses first generation students:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Performing Arts Hosts Flute Masterclass

BC’s Performing Arts department recently hosted a Flute Masterclass on March 7 with the legendary Trudy Kane, the first female Principal Flute at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the longest-serving principal to date. Flutists from across the Central Valley gathered in the Performing Arts Center’s choir room for performances by Kane and BC Professor of Flute Tracy Harris, open lessons with Kane, and a general clinic. 

» Read more!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

2023 – Happy Holidays all

Uncategorized December 16, 2023 1 Comment

As we finish the Fall 2023 semester, I’ve been enjoying seeing the holiday greetings sent out from colleges across the state.  Here are a few….

Antelope Valley College:

Cypress College:

Chabot Los-Positas Community College District:

San Jose-Evergreen CCD:

North Orange CCD:

Good morning California.
It is December 16, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Los Angeles City College Student
Recognized by LA Rams a Community PLAymaker

LA City College Associated Student Government Executive of Clubs Natalie Goodliffe was recognized by the LA Rams as their 12th pLAymaker honoree of 2023. Earlier this year, LACC’s student government opened Cubby’s Closet, a free, on-campus clothing store aimed at helping students obtain clothes for interviews and fancier events, as well as books, toys and accessories.

» Read more!

Riverside City College Bridges the Transition for Adult School Students

In a dedicated effort to support nontraditional, first-generation, and older adult students, Riverside City College hosted a series of campus tours in collaboration with local adult schools. These tours aimed to bridge the gap between adult education and community college, providing valuable insights and resources for students pursuing diverse educational paths.

» Read more!

Cosumnes River College Cybersecurity Program Ranked Seventh in Nation,
Top Cyber Program in California

Cosumnes River College‘s Cybersecurity program was ranked number seven in the nation (out of 150 schools) and the top cyber program in the state of California.

» Read more!

San Bernardino Valley College Foundation
Awarded $25,000 SoCal Climate Champions Grant

SoCalGas awarded a $25,000 grant to San Bernardino Valley College’s (SBVC) Clean Energy/EV Tech Program. he grant will aid in the purchase of additional training modules and classroom tools for a second lab section, supporting the growing interest and enrollment in the college’s CNG/Clean Energy Training Expansion program.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

LA Times: The Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility Forum 2023

LA Southwest College President Anthony Culpepper is featured in this year’s Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Accessibility Forum.

Increasingly, corporations are recognizing the importance and need for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives in the workplace. Listed alphabetically below are some of the area’s most influential and innovative thought leaders who are driving change, holding companies accountable and helping employees feel more valued.

» Read more!

» About the Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility Forum

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Inside HigherEd: Painting a Picture of More
Student-Centric Career Services

Getting students to engage with campus career centers—and, more specifically, to engage early in their college careers with services and events provided by these centers—has been a nearly universal challenge within higher education. Being available to assist students in various stages of career exploration and development as well as having a presence across campus, including in classrooms, are aims that can help. Strategic data collection and use can help drive planning and prioritizing.

» Read more!

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EdSource: Hope for West Fresno Now Comes
in the Form of a College Campus

West Fresno is home to over 25,000 people in a historically marginalized section of the Central Valley’s largest city. It’s a region with one of the highest levels of concentrated poverty in the nation, higher rates of incarceration, and a lower life expectancy rate by about 20 years than their neighbors in wealthier sections of Fresno.

This history is why the newest Fresno City College location was thoughtfully chosen to be constructed within a 1- to 2-mile radius of more than 10 K-12 schools.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

West Hills College Coalinga‘s holiday staff photo:

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From Monterey Peninsula College:

Our Stress Buster event was an absolute blast! From pony cuddles to therapy dog hugs, we had it all! Plus, nachos, hot cocoa, and more treats to keep you going this finals season! Can’t wait for the next one!

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From East Los Angeles College:

#ELAC Music Department students merrily perform Jose Feliciano’s holiday season favorite “Feliz Navidad” as the final number of the Jazz Ensemble and Popular Music Workshop Concert on Wednesday. The concert was directed by Professor and jazz guitarist John Storie #CalCommColleges

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Check out this video from Los Medanos College about their Early College Credit program:

Blast from the Past

This 9:16-min video is from the ACCJC Learning Seminar in 2021. Check it out.

And From the Home of the Renegades

From Bakersfield to Monterey: The Math Club’s Journey to Success

The Math Club at Bakersfield College excelled at the recent CMC3 Fall Conference held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel in Monterey, CA. Dominating the event, the team secured 1st and 2nd place with their research projects, namely “NLP Essay Grader” (NLP referring to Natural Language Processor) and “Covid-19 Research.” The conference showcased innovative projects from four research groups within the Math Club, including studies on “Flying Spiders Biomimicry” and “Foundational Math.”

» Read more!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

CA CC Vision 2030 on the road

Uncategorized August 12, 2023 Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

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

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

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

» Read more about the program!

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

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

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

» Read more about the award

» Learn more at NASA

Berkeley City College NOVA Scholars Summer Program Gallery Walk

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

» Read more about the program!

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

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

» Read more about the gift!

In Case You Missed It

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

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

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

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

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

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

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

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

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

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Madera Community College shared these photos:

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

And From the Home of the Renegades

Early College Convening

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

» Read more about the Early College convening!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

Community College Champions everywhere

Uncategorized June 24, 2023 1 Comment

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

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

Bessie enjoys laying in the sun

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

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

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

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

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

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

 Community College Global Affairs Fellowship (CCGAF)

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

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

» Read more about the program!

Student Ambassador Showcase
Highlights Program’s Success

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

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

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

» Read more about the program!

Hartnell College awarded $9.5M Grant

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

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

» Read more about the grant & project!

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

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

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

» Read more about the grant!

Laney College student awarded Governors Service Medallion

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

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

» Read more about her award!

In Case You Missed It

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

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

» Read the article!

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

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

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff DeFranco shared this post:

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

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

And check out this post from East Los Angeles College!

And From the Home of the Renegades

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

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

» Read more about this week at BC!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora