Tag Archives: Los Angeles Southwest College

CA CCs make people who can be easily overlooked vivid, unique, and compelling.

Woke up this morning to Scott Simon remembering Ina Jaffee who passed away. Take a 2-min listen about this great reporter.

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/02/nx-s1-5060096/opinion-remembering-weekend-editions-own

Scott Simon (top right) and Ina Jaffe (center left) pose for a picture with other NPR Chicago Bureau staff.
Kevin Horan/Jacki Lyden

Here is an excerpt:

She made people who can be easily overlooked and lumped together as “seniors,” vivid, unique, and compelling. Jaffe used her skills and stagecraft to bring us stories that will play on in our hearts.

*****

I have been tracking the medal tally for the Olympics ….. At this time the US is fifth with respect to the number of gold medals and first in terms of overall medals.

This is my go to site to keep up with the latest tally https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/medals

This week, the US Women’s Gymnastics Team defended their gold medal.

Just two days later, Simone won her second women’s All-Around gold medal, while teammate Suni Lee, who took gold in Tokyo, earned a bronze. At the last Olympics, Simone Biles withdrew from competition, and at that time, it seemed her gymnastics days were over.

The GOAT.

Check out this article from the New York Times.

And Suni Lee – since her All-Around title at the Tokyo Olympics, she was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases that sidelined her training. She was able to stage a comeback for this Olympics.

Both these young women displayed amazing strength and perseverance in the face of adversity.

The US Men’s team also medaled, taking the bronze and ending their 16-year drought.

Meanwhile, swimmer Katie Ledecky won her record-breaking 13th Olympic medal in the women’s 4x200M freestyle relay. She joins Michael Phelps, as the only swimmers to win 13 Olympic medals. She is now the most decorated American female Olympian.

I actually watched the Ledecky 1500 live, a rare treat given my crazy schedule. Pretty darn incredible.

I also went to the movies after a very long hiatus. My daughter was visiting before her big trip and we saw Deadpool and Wolverine – yes, an odd combination.

I am a big Wolverine fan … well who isn’t…. also a big fan of Hugh Jackman…. well, who isn’t. And Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine – absolutely a moment that takes your breath away 🙂

And then there is Deadpool – I enjoy the Ryan Reynolds portrayal of Deadpool with sharp, irreverent, sarcastic and witty banter with the head flips to the side to speak directly to the audience. I also enjoy the playful commentary on superhero tropes and pop culture references with the Reynolds charisma and mischievous charm. But the sprinkling of regular doses of crude humor .. not so much 🙂

Would I recommend the movie? Absolutely.

Let me know if you saw the movie and what you think of it….

Check out the trailer


Good morning California.
It is August 3, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Porterville College Hosts Jump Start Academies

The Porterville College Career Education Division hosted three Summer Jump Start Academies this past month, giving Porterville area high school students a first-hand look at some of the career pathways available at PC. These Summer Jump Start Academies were designed as stand-alone four week project-based internship programs focused on in-demand careers in Tulare County. They provide a curriculum designed specifically for incoming Central Valley high school seniors (current juniors) with an interest in learning more about careers in Hospitality, Technology, Health and Safety. The classes run from 8 am until 1 p.m., 4 days a week, and the students get paid to participate in most cases.

» Read more:


LA Southwest College Dual Enrollment Graduate
Featured on Telemundo, La Opinión

Elias Cruz is an extraordinary graduating senior from Stella High Charter Academy who earned two associate degrees as part of the dual enrollment program with LASC. This fall, he will be the first in his family to attend college. 

» Read more!


Sandia Donates Advanced Manufacturing Machines to Las Positas College

Sandia National Laboratories recently donated two cutting-edge manufacturing machines complete with full attachments to the advanced manufacturing and transportation program at Las Positas College. The donation was part of a broader movement to adapt to the new economic challenges facing the United States.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

At Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney’s Restaurant, Ingredients and Compassion for the Community Are Locally Sourced

Patrick Mulvaney is president of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Check out this feature about the restaurant he owns with his wife, Bobbin:

For Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney, the long-married couple whose restaurant Mulvaney’s B&L is on the top of almost everyone’s fine-dining list in the Capital Region, two words seem to coexist as a single mission statement: nourish and nurture.

“If you own a restaurant and you love what you do, you become part of the community,” Patrick says over an intimate twilight dinner for three: the Mulvaneys and a very fortunate magazine writer. It’s a Tuesday, one of the industry’s traditionally least-populated nights. But the Mulvaneys’ restaurant — a onetime City of Sacramento firehouse and later a building-and-loan institution (hence the B&L in its title) — is bustling. It usually is; thousands of people have frequented Mulvaney’s B&L since it opened in 2005.

» Read the article!

*****

New Report Highlights Promising Practices
to Close the Equity Gap Among Adult Learners

The California Community Colleges and the California Department of Education released a new report that offers specific practices to better meet adult students’ needs and close persistent equity achievement gaps. The California Adult Education Program (CAEP) is the largest adult education system in the nation serving 481,200 students.

» Read more!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Oxnard College:

This week, Proyecto Éxito hosted the Éxito Summer Academy at Camp Whittier in Santa Barbara. Students bonded while learning about career and transfer opportunities as well as building community among one another.

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From Coastline College:

Coastline College makes waves at California Community Colleges 11th Veterans Symposium, sharing and showcasing its own veteran services best practices with Veteran Centers from across the state.

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From College of Marin:

In the spring, College of Marin (COM) was proud to celebrate the second cohort of Certified Nurse Assistant and Home Health Aide students who completed over 200 hours of training in eleven weeks. Alumni from cohort one offered these emerging professionals great advice ahead of their official completion saying: “ask questions, work hard, believe in yourself, and don’t give up!


And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Performing Arts Announces Afrocuban Folkloric Percussion Concert

Bakersfield College’s Performing Arts Department has announced details for a special concert presented by students and musicians in the Afrocuban Folkloric Percussion summer class. The concert will present traditional Afrocuban music telling the stories of Yoruba folklore. This unique opportunity will take place Sunday, August 4 at 2:00 PM in the Edward Simonsen Indoor Theatre. Admission is free and 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

CA CCs taking care of our planet

Last Sunday, I joined 123.4 million people in watching the Super Bowl, what a game….

I enjoyed Reba McEntire’s rendition of the National Anthem.

And one of my all time favorites Usher’s halftime performance.

Check out the video at this link. His best song “Yeah” starts at 10:30 timestamp, but the whole 13 minutes are worth a watch.

After all that, it was right to work for another busy week.

On Monday I was at a climate summit hosted by Second Nature and was on a panel with
Chancellor Millie Garcia, CSU, and Executive Vice President Nathan Brostrom, UC. The panel was moderated by Lande Ajose, who is now with Waverley foundation.

It is impressive what all the systems are doing as it relates to climate action. 

Chancellor Garcia, Lande Ajose, Nathan Brostrom, Sonya Christian

Here are a few points I made about our work:

  • The three fields of climate practice – facilities, workforce, community
  • For facilities: The Board of Governors has adopted the Climate Action and Sustainability Framework and Goals which includes specific measurable goals for 2025 through 2035. By 2025, colleges are encouraged to benchmark metrics for reliance on greenhouse gas, energy usage by campus, water usage, waste, purchasing and procurement, fleet vehicle composition and purchases, and sustainable food purchases. By 2030, the plan calls for specific reductions in each category, and by 2035 districts are encouraged to reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions and all goals as summarized in the table below.
  • Workforce: Gave examples of the different regional work with coastal colleges working on aspects of the blue economy to the central valley focusing on Agtec.
  • Community: CCs being the anchor institutions for the community including shelters during disasters.

Tom Epstein, member of the Board of Governors, attended the event and participated in an invitation-only discussion with governing boards and presidents.

*****

On Tuesday, I attended a Vision 2030 event at LA Southwest College. Paul Medina was also
at the event. It feels great seeing how colleges are really committed to operationalizing the
various elements of Vision 2030. I love this picture that we took with the students. You can
see President Anthony Culpepper beaming with pride.

With the students of LA southwest College

BOG member Paul Medina, President Anthony Culpepper, Sonya Christian, Jeremiah Stevens, Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez
Sonya Christian, Dr. Erum Syed, Academic Senate President

Good morning California.
It is February 17, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!


Cabrillo College Unveils Mural Celebrating HSI Designation

Cabrillo College unveiled a new mural created by tudent artists of the Fall 2023 ART 91 Mural class, guest muralist, Yermo Aranda, and their instructor, Danielle Torvik-Staffen. This project, funded by Cabrillo College’s HSI Task Force, is intended to celebrate the College’s designation as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).


Golden West College Art Gallery Presents:
In the Places Beneath the Sand by Lorenzo Baker

The Golden West College Art Gallery is pleased to present In the Places Beneath the Sand, a solo exhibition from multimedia conceptual artist Lorenzo Baker, curated by Jasmine McNeal. The show, which will run from Feb 1–29, coincides with the start of Black History Month and explores different forms of light, tracing the visibility of Black spaces and their effects on universal truths.

» Read more!


Cypress College Student Recognized for Outstanding Community Service

A Cypress College student has won the Surfer of Distinction award for his outstanding contributions to the community. Then 18-year-old Andrew Baldwin was nominated for his humanitarian efforts to support the Navajo Nation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

Report: 4 Ways to Engage and Graduate Stopped-Out Students

Over six million Californians aged 25 to 64 have completed some college but have yet to earn a credential, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. A new report from California Competes identifies four themes in supporting stopped-out students to help them re-enroll and attain degrees in California.

Through interviews, researchers learned institutions have an opportunity to better support students’ degree-completion rates through adaptation to adult learner needs, strategic outreach, removing barriers to enrollment and providing personalized support.

» Read more!

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2024 CACCRAO Annual Conference – Register Now!

The annual CACCRAO conference is the organization’s premiere event, where members benefit from a wealth of information pertinent to their areas of operation.

The conference includes keynote speakers such as the California Community Colleges Chancellor and Admissions and Records professionals throughout the state. In addition, information on regulatory developments, budgetary issues, technology, and many other topics are presented and explored. With the support of the association, CACCRAO members have an opportunity to gain meaningful insights that will develop sound enrollment and record-keeping practices that comply with the prescribed regulatory framework of the California Community College system.

The event is March 24th, 2024 in Sacramento, CA.

» Read more & register!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Gavilan College:

The Welcome Center introduced UbiDuo devices to bridge communication gaps between the deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing. This was championed by peer mentors Kristiana Stricker and Kylie Silvia.

*****

From the Campaign for College Opportunity:

We are proud to announce that our President, Michele Siqueiros (@MSCollegeOpp), has been selected as a recipient of The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for championing college access & student success for all Californians!

*****

From Napa Valley College:

Happy Valentine’s Day, Storm! Today, we’re sending a special thank you to ASNVC for spreading love on campus by passing out flowers to students!

*****

And check out this recipe for Honey Butter Toast from Orange Coast College chef Phi Nguyen:


Blast from the Past

Check out my remarks in this 12-min video from the Leadership Summit at Bakersfield College, back in May 2017!


And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Theater Program Presents 2024 Spring Play Festival

Bakersfield College’s Theater Program announced the details of their 2024 Spring Play Festival, featuring four contemporary plays directed by BC Theatre students. The festival will be presented from February 28 to March 10, with all four shows presented in the Edward Simonsen Indoor Theatre at Bakersfield College. Tickets are available at the BC Performing Arts Eventbrite page.

» Read more!

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

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

Sonya Christian's Blog