Last Friday, I caught the redeye to Toronto to spend the weekend with my daughter. This winter has been quite something. Storms seem to be sweeping across North America one after another. Snow, wind, delays, and travel plans constantly shifting.
My daughter wasn’t feeling well, and it was very cold outside, so we stayed in. The fireplace was on, blankets were out, and we ended up binge-watching Monarch: The Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV. If you enjoy a little sci-fi and adventure, it’s a fun show. The story moves across three generations, shifting back and forth between scenes of the grandparents when they were young and their grandchildren in the present.
I always listen to CBC when I am in Canada. Last weekend while I was listening, they announced the nominees for the 2026 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
One of the nominations this year was Sade.
Here is one of my favorites:
From Toronto, I headed to Washington, DC to join our Student Senate for their inaugural federal advocacy visit. The flight to DC was delayed three hours, which, looking back, was just the beginning of the travel adventures.
Once I arrived, though, the energy from our students made it all worthwhile. The room was alive with music, dancing, and an inspiring keynote speaker. Watching our students step forward to advocate for community college students across the country was truly food for the soul.
Here I am with the keynote speaker and the President of SSCCC
Then came the trip home. Just as our plane in DC was about to leave, it started snowing. We had already boarded and ended up sitting on the tarmac for three hours waiting to be de-iced. After that came a five-hour flight to Phoenix. By the time we landed, I had missed my connecting flight, so I spent the night in Phoenix and took the next flight the following day. Delays are part of a heavy travel schedule. I try to just settle into it and not let my nervous system get into overdrive. Try is probably the key word.
From there, it was Long Beach at 72 degrees for the A2MEND conference.
A2MEND does extraordinary work supporting the success of African American men in higher education. Being in that space with educators and students who are so deeply committed to this mission is just fantastic.
Here is a picture of folks from my Office.
Was so happy to see folks from Kern!
And then finally… back home to my boy Neo. Check out this quick little video of him engaging with the ducks that visit our pool in the spring. Neo is very interested. The duck, on the other hand, seems completely unbothered.
And spring has arrived with flower gardens popping up in houses. I snapped these for you.
After a week of snowstorms, flights, delays, and conferences, I have to say it feels really good to wake up at home this Saturday morning and share a little bit of the week with you.
Good morning California.
It is March 7, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Barstow Community College Awarded $750,000
to Expand Rural Mental Health Services
Barstow Community College has been awarded $750,000 in federal funding to expand its Rural Mental Health Services Program and increase access to unmet mental health care needs in Barstow and surrounding rural communities. This award also builds on Barstow Community College’s recent partnership with the Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation through the Vibrant Villages Barstow initiative.
Carbajal Visits Ventura Collegeto
Understand Student Cost-of-living Crisis
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal visited Ventura College on Feb. 19. Carbajal’s talk was part of a tour of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to learn more about the student affordability crisis and other issues affecting residents. Sudents who got to speak to Carbajal were recommended by different departments across campus.
New Health Products Vending Machine Now Available
in Los Angeles Pierce College Library Courtyard
Pierce College has installed a new Health Products Vending Machine in the Library courtyard area, expanding convenient access to essential wellness resources for students. The machine provides a range of items supporting sexual health, personal health, and general health, offering students discreet and easy access to important supplies throughout the day.
In Case You Missed It
Expanding credit for prior learning
Turning prior learning, work experience, military service and other credentials into college credit can save students time and money. Despite that benefit, it’s been underutilized.
Only about 11% of adult learners, for example, have benefited from prior learning assessment (PLA) – also referred to as credit for prior learning (CPL) – according to a 2020 report from the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
There are a lot of different reasons for that, says Beth Doyle, CAEL’s chief of higher education strategy and impact: It’s not talked about or promoted broadly at the college level, and processes may be burdensome for students – and for colleges.
Though there are resources and guidance available, such as the American Council on Education’s (ACE) learner evaluations and the Competency-Based Education Network’s (CBEN) learning model, each college has to develop its own policies and processes – and get faculty and staff on board.
Doyle is seeing a positive shift, though, as colleges move toward more and better use of PLA.
“Institutions are getting more sophisticated in how to assess,” she says.
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Coalinga College ‘Farm of the Future’ explores agave
as sustainable crop for West Side farmers
Water is a valuable resource for farmers across the Central Valley.
The Farm of the Future at Coalinga College is no exception.
“You know, the restrictions of water allocations are severe, and we’ve got to continue to look for ways to keep West Side farmers in agriculture, and whether that be through alternative or experimental crops,” Director of Coalinga College’s Farm of the Future Seth Yocum said.
Yocum says they are currently growing pistachios – a crop known to require a large amount of water. Because of that, many other acres of land have been left uncultivated to conserve water use.
But recently, thanks to a donation from Wolf Farms, a new crop has been added. It’s one that requires drastically less water to grow: agave.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
College of the Sequoias shared this pic of their students who attended A2MEND:
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From Woodland Community College:
Thank you to all the students who stopped by and made a sodalicious Italian sodas!
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From College of Marin:
What an unforgettable day for our campus community!
We were proud to celebrate the grand opening of the Dr. David Wain Coon Center for Student Success and it was amazing to see students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members come together for this special moment.
The CSS is a welcoming new hub that brings academic resources, student support services, wellness programs, and community spaces together in one place. Watching everyone explore the building, connect with services, and celebrate made the day truly meaningful.
A special thank you to Dr. David Wain Coon, former COM President and Superintendent, Jonathan Eldridge, current COM President and Superintendent, Dana Emerson, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Affairs, and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s First Partner, for helping us mark this important milestone.
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And I loved these beautiful pictures of flowers on Chabot College’s campus –
Spring is slowly approaching at Chabot. The campus is blooming with fresh colors and that new-season energy we’ve all been waiting for. There’s something about walking through these flowers that makes everything feel like we’re entering the next chapter
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Hosts Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Recently, Bakersfield College hosted the annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. This exciting event brings together young women from high schools from across Kern County to learn more about engineering and STEM career fields. The day is filled with a variety of activities, including engineering panels, professional development workshops, a keynote speaker, and more.
Sara Sullivan, Program Manager of the California Renewable Energy Lab at Kern CCD and one of the event coordinators, talked about the importance of the event, “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is important because it expands access and opportunity for young women who may not otherwise see engineering as an attainable career,” she said, “The event highlights the importance of diversity in STEM fields and aims to motivate young women to imagine themselves in technical careers.”
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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
