Tag Archives: MiraCosta College

California CCs advancing Vision 2030 Workforce Development

The Fastest Man in the World.

Last Sunday, The US’s Noah Lyles took gold in the men’s 100M final. It was a photo-finish; he beat the silver medalist, Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, by only .005 seconds. It was another in a series of amazing finishes and great story lines that have been all over these Olympic Games.

A huge congratulations to Diablo Valley College student Amit Elor, who took gold in 68kg women’s wrestling. Her cumulative score during the Games? 31-2.

20-year-old Amit is the youngest American to ever win wrestling gold at the Olympics.

Former Giant Quincy Hall made College of the Sequoias proud with a comeback win to take the men’s 400M gold. College of the Sequoias hosted a watch party –

Check out the race video from NBC Sports.

And congratulations to MiraCosta College student Bryce Wettstein, who made the finals for Women’s Sktateboarding Park, ending up in 6th place.

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As for me …..

This week I signed a MOU with Jensen Huang of NVIDIA and Governor Gavin Newsom as we launched a new state initiative to expand AI tools and resources for students, educators and workers.

This initiative will help our more than 2 million students get prepared with industry aligned skills in AI, and will support our Vision 2030 work about Generative AI and the Future of Learning.

Next I made a stop in Orange County to attend the Credit for Prior Learning workshop. It was a great conversation of how we can scale this work and bring it from the margins to the mainstream.

Valerie Lundy-Wagner, Erin Larson, Gar Adams, Sam Lee, Gina Browne, Don Daves-Rougeaux, Michelle Smith, David O’Brien, Sonya Christian, Billy Wagner, Ginni May

Then I headed south to San Diego to speak at the Hunt Institute. I try to always squeeze in a walk when I am in San Diego.

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Good morning California.
It is August 10, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

U.S. Department of Commerce Leader Alejandra Castillo
Tours Chaffey College’s InTech Center

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Castillo visited the Industrial Technical Learning Center with Congresswoman Norma Torres on July 26 to learn how the federal government can support workforce development in the Inland Empire.

» Read more!


College of the Canyons Aerospace and Science Team
Receives $136,000 Grant from NASA

It’s all systems go for the College of the Canyons Aerospace and Science Team (AST), which has received a $136,000 grant from NASA to support its High-Altitude Student Platform (HASP), RockOn, and RockSat-X suborbital rocket programs.  To date, COC is the only community college that has successfully participated in HASP eight years in a row, as well as four RockSatX missions and two RockOn missions.

» Read more!


Norco College’s Rising Scholars Program at CRC
Achieves Unprecedented Success

In June 2024, 52 students graduated from Norco College’s Rising Scholars Program at CRC with Associate Degrees for Transfer. This milestone was marked by the first graduation ceremony since 2019 that allowed the presence of family and friends, making it a particularly special event for the graduates and their loved ones. According to the 2024 Rehabilitative Programming Report by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Norco College’s Rising Scholars Program at CRC has awarded more college degrees than any other CDCR institution.

» Read more!


MSJC’s Roger Schultz Elected as League Board Chair,
CEOCCC Board President

Roger Schultz, Ph.D., Mt. San Jacinto College’s President/Superintendent, has been elected as the President of the Chief Executive Officers of the California Community Colleges (CEOCCC) Board of the Community College League of California. Schultz will also serve as the Chair for the Community College League of California (League) Board of Directors.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

California Community Colleges Expanding Nursing Programs
to Meet State’s Regional Nursing Shortages

The California Community Colleges announced the launch of a new initiative to increase the number of nurses to meet the growing needs of California’s aging and diverse population.

Twelve community colleges convened in a virtual kick-off of the associate degree for nursing demonstration project led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The goal of the initiative, part of the community colleges’ Vision 2030 strategic framework, is to increase enrollment in associate degree nursing programs to address the shortage of registered nurses in rural and remote areas while ensuring equity in access to the profession.

The 12 colleges participating in the demonstration project are: Butte College, Cabrillo College, Monterey Peninsula College, Bakersfield College, Modesto Junior College, Cuesta College, Ventura College, Golden West College, Saddleback College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Riverside City College, and College of the Desert.

» Read more!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Los Angles Harbor College:

Harbor College celebrating DSPS pride month College President, Dr. Dorado and VP, Dr. Dorado welcoming students Go Seahawks!!

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From Bakersfield College’s Kimberly Bligh:

Love love love our Bridge to BC team. One week to go for Summer 24… 10 years and over 15,000 students served!

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From Allan Hancock College:

The Santa Maria Valley YMCA, in collaboration with Allan Hancock College, hosted a RiseUP Bridging Ceremony Aug. 2 celebrating the achievements of local youth as they transition to higher education and future careers.

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From Ventura College President Claudia Lourido-Habib:

I’m grateful for my admin team’s openness & contributions during a productive leadership retreat. Grounded in the student experience, we worked towards increasing team cohesion and collaboration so we can lead and support our colleagues


And From the Home of the Renegades

BC History Highlight: Memorial Stadium

The Bakersfield College Memorial Stadium was not an easy feat for those credited with its creation, but certainly a triumph! The stadium was the first structure completed on Bakersfield College’s Panorama campus, and the construction plans were meticulously assembled. It required intensive research and close attention to detail by Theron McCuen, then Superintendent of the Kern County Union High School and Junior College District and its Board of Trustees, and then BC President Ralph Prator, who contributed significantly to realizing Grace Bird’s vision of a college on a hill.

» 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

Wrapping up an academic year

I started my week in DC for a White House AI summit. And of course did my Washington Monument photo ritual…

Back in Sacramento, the executive team had a two-day planning meeting, and we also celebrated Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales who is transitioning to lead the California Student Aid Commission:

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It was also a time to honor Juneteenth, a federal holiday to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the Civil War.

Good morning California.
It is June 22, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Coalinga College Advances to Community College Innovation Challenge Finals

Coalinga College was one of 12 finalist teams selected to advance to the final round of the Community College Innovation Challenge. The Coalinga team’s project – “Got Calcium: The New Battery Innovation” – seeks to switch from lithium to calcium batteries to improve cost-effectiveness, safety, and battery performance offering an eco-friendly alternative for energy storage solutions.

» Read more!


Shasta College & Reach University Partner to Increase
Local Bachelor’s Degree Attainment for Rural Working Adults

Shasta College and Reach University today announced a partnership to offer Shasta College graduates a fully transferable, job-embedded, and paid pathway to a bachelor’s degree in their local community. In the partnership’s “Associate to Bachelor’s Degree Transfer Pathway,” Shasta College graduates from 70 programs can transfer 100% of their associate credits into Reach University’s liberal studies degree program. 

» Read more!


Sacramento State Partners with Community Colleges to Create
Guaranteed Pathway to Black Honors College

The California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) signed a deal with 15 California community colleges to guarantee the admission of all eligible transfer students to its first-in-the-nation Black Honors College (BHC).

Sacramento State signed the partnership agreement with the participating community colleges during a Juneteenth Symposium on June 13. Eligible students will be able to transfer smoothly into the BHC from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2030.

The colleges include:

American River College
Butte College
Cosumnes River College
Folsom Lake College
Fullerton College
Merritt College
Mission College
Modesto Junior College

Moorpark College
Palomar College
Sacramento City College
San Diego College of Continuing Education
San Joaquin Delta College
Sierra College
Yuba College

» Read more!


In Case You Missed It

Stanford Report: Monica Hicks’ about-face

Once an inmate in California’s state prison system, Monica Hicks graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

The Stanford Report published this great story about a student who graduated after completing a prison sentence and forging a new path by starting at a community college.

» Read more!

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Cal Chamber: Local Workforce Development and Economic Mobility Have Extensive Community College Underpinnings

Through diverse and innovative workforce development programs and initiatives, California Community Colleges are directly shaping the future of the state’s workforce by addressing industry needs, bridging skill gaps and providing students with practical training and opportunities for economic advancement and career success.

» Read more!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From the Student Senate for California Community Colleges:

Thank you to the 2023-2024 Board of Directors for a wonderful year. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and continued success

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From Cañada College:

On Tuesday, June 18th, the Black Student Union (BSU), TRIO Student Support Services, and Promise Scholars Program (PSP) collaborated to help our campus celebrate Juneteenth. As a way to commemorate this day, we supported a Black owned business, Everett and Jones (located in Oakland), and participants enjoyed barbecue and soul food as they watched Netflix’s High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. The series explores the throughline of food, tradition and culture that survived the Transatlantic Slave Trade and became staples in American cuisine. The documentary series proved impactful as folks dried their eyes as the episode ended. Next, participants teamed up for a game of Kahoot! to learn more about the significance of the Juneteenth holiday. Juneteenth not only celebrates the freedom of enslaved Africans but is a celebration of progress in our community. Thank you to the BSU, TRIO, and PSP for creating a moving event!

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From MiraCosta College:

Congrats to Kat Parra, MiraCosta alumna, on her Emmy Award win! She received the Emmy for her exceptional work as a Newscast Director at @fox5sandiego and @KUSINews. Her success is a testament to the strong foundation laid at MiraCosta College.

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From El Camino College:

CA State Senator @SteveBradford recognized the ECC Men’s soccer team for being named the 2023 Nat’l Champions by @UnitedCoaches for the Junior College D3 Men’s Soccer Rankings.


And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Theater Program To Present Something Rotten!

Bakersfield College’s Theater Program announced today the details of their annual summer musical, a traditional collaboration with the Choral and Instrumental Music programs. This year’s presentation will be Something Rotten, with a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, directed by Professor Brian J. Sivesind, with Vocal Direction by Professor Caley Mayhall and Music Direction by Dr. Scott Dirkse. The musical will play in the Edward Simonsen Indoor Theatre on the Bakersfield College campus from July 12 through July 21; asdf

» 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

CACCs celebrating our very best

This week started in Sacramento with a Board of Governors meeting.

One of the best things we get to do is celebrate the work of our community colleges, and this meeting was no different.

Chabot College, Glendale College, MiraCosta College and San Diego Mesa College have been honored by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors with 2023-24 Exemplary Program Awards in partnership with the statewide Academic Senate.

Good morning California.
It is January 27, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!


De Anza College Wins NEH Grant for Oral History Projects

De Anza has received its first-ever grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, providing $150,000 for an ambitious, three-year effort to create and expand oral history programs focused on historically marginalized communities.

» Read more!


Cerritos College Economic Development Center
for Corporate Training Receives $500K Grant

The Cerritos College Economic Development Center for Corporate Training received a $500,000 grant from the California Employment Training Panel (ETP)

» Read more!


Orange Coast College President Earns National Honor

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) recognized Orange Coast College president, Dr. Angelica Suarez, as the recipient of its 2024 National President’s Award — the first California community college president to be honored with this prestigious award. This award is the highest honor NASPA bestows on a college or university president or chancellor.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

LIFT 2024 Webinar Series

The Classified Professional Leadership and Career Advancement Series is developed and hosted by the Leadership Institute for Tomorrow in collaboration with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

The four webinars are scheduled on Fridays during the noon hour 12-1 p.m.

The first webinar will be on Friday, February 9:
Cracking the Code: Navigating Campus Politics for Classified Professionals

» Learn more & Register Now!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Napa Valley College:

Congratulations to President Torence Powell for being among ‘the 24 to Watch in 2024,’ as recognized by The Press Democrat!

His impactful words resonate: ‘For many students, their success is determined by their potential to receive support in basic needs. To provide assistance in those areas significantly increases their chance of success and persistence.’ A true advocate for student well-being!

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From Cañada College:

Yesterday marked a journey into the heart of Shogatsu at the Cultural Center. From the allure of osechi snacks to the artistry of mochi-making, we embraced diverse New Year traditions. Kite-making and Daruma goal-setting added interactive joy, creating a day filled with cultural richness and shared experiences!

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From Compton College:

Every student is a success story!

Compton College 2023 graduate Shyanne Bradley wants others to know that even in times of crisis, one can always change their circumstances. “I’m just like anyone else that is indecisive about going to school but I want to emphasize that even as a mom, attending college is possible. It’s harder, but possible,” said Bradley.

The mother of two enrolled at Compton College in the summer of 2021 and graduated in 2023 with three associate degrees — in biological and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and arts and humanities. Bradley was also honored as a 2023 Presidential Scholar, maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

“To have Compton College in my corner has given me the push I need to be the best I can be, and I know I can continue to do so much more,” said Bradley. “I’m doing this for myself and my children so they can see that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

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From Antelope Valley College:

Our Achieving the Dream coaches met with students, classified professionals, faculty and administrators to learn more about the student journey at AVC. Our coaches engaged in meaningful conversation with various members of our campus community, and will use the feedback provided to enhance the student experience at AVC.


Blast from the Past

Check out this video from Bakersfield College’s Opening Day Spring 2021, about Competency Based Education:


And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Promotes Healthy Nutrition With Food Smarts Workshop

The Office of Student Life at Bakersfield partnered with the Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) for a series of workshops highlighting healthy food and nutrition choices. They hosted the first of these workshops on January 23rd in the Campus Center on BC’s main campus and Zoom.
 
During the workshop, over 50 students learned about healthy living, positive nutrition choices, and cultivating healthy behaviors in themselves and their families. Throughout the workshop, attendees were invited to sample some delicious foods made with healthy ingredients.

» 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

Happy New Year 2024. Seize Every moment of every day.

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a beautiful start.

Mine certainly has – winter has arrived!


The past few years, I’ve shared the books I read the past year. Today I’m sharing a few of the books I read in 2023:


The Covenant of Water
By: Abraham Verghese

“Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.

***

The Last Animal
By: Ramona Ausubel


The Last Animal takes readers on a wild, entertaining, and refreshingly different kind of journey, one that explores the possibilities and perils of the human imagination on a changing planet, what it’s like to be a woman in a field dominated by men, and how a wondrous discovery can best be enjoyed with family. Even teenagers.

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One Hundred Years of Solitude
By: Gabriel García Márquez

One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendiá family. Inventive, amusing, magnetic, sad and alive with unforgettable men and women—brimming with truth, compassion, and a lyrical magic that strikes the soul—this novel is a masterpiece in the art of fiction

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I Love Learning; I Hate School
By: Susan D. Blum


In “I Love Learning; I Hate School,” Blum tells two intertwined but inseparable stories: the results of her research into how students learn contrasted with the way conventional education works, and the personal narrative of how she herself was transformed by this understanding. Blum concludes that the dominant forms of higher education do not match the myriad forms of learning that help students―people in general―master meaningful and worthwhile skills and knowledge.

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Superintelligence
By: Nick Bostrom

If machine brains one day come to surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on us humans than on the gorillas themselves, so the fate of our species then would come to depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence.

But we have one advantage: we get to make the first move. Will it be possible to construct a seed AI or otherwise to engineer initial conditions so as to make an intelligence explosion survivable? How could one achieve a controlled detonation?

***

How to Know a Person
By: David Brooks

“Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.

***

And from previous years –

2022 Books
» Read my January 8, 2023 post – Rain Bathing CA in Glee

  • Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens
  • The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs 
    by Madeleine Albright
  • The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human 
    by Siddhartha Mukherjee
  • The Distance Between Us: A Memoir by Reyna Grande
  • Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  • The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa Yoko Ogawa
  • The Loneliest Americans by Jay Caspian Kang
  • The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh
  • Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs 
    by Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker

2021 Books
» Read my January 8, 2022 post – KCCD CEOs welcome you to the new semester

  • The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
  • Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard
  • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  • Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
  • Post Corona by Scott Galloway
  • The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
  • Divided we Fall by David French
  • Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon
  • Untamed by Glennon Doyle
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley
  • Deadliest Enemy by Michael Osterholm
  • Grace and Grit by Lilly Ledbetter

Good morning California.
It is January 6, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!


Yale University Honors WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education

Yale University recently included West Los Angeles College‘s Center for Climate Change Education in its list of significant milestones in climate-related issues for 2023.

» Learn about WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education!


West Hills College Lemoore Awards Nearly $200,000
in NSF S-STEM CORES Scholarships to STEM Students

West Hills College Lemoore recently awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM CORES Scholarships to 20 STEM students studying Biology, Engineering, Physics, and Math. The scholarships, valued up to $10,000 annually per student ($5,000 per semester) for a maximum of four semesters, are part of WHCL’s commitment to developing future STEM leaders.

» Read more!


MiraCosta College Receives Prestigious Department of Energy Grant to Bolster Clean Energy Workforce Training

MiraCosta College is proud to announce its selection as one of the new Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This prestigious recognition positions the MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) at the forefront of energy innovation and workforce development.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

Workforce and Economic Mobility
Ready – or Not: Will California Close its Skills Gap?

George Boggs and I co-wrote a blog post this week for the Workforce and Economic Mobility blog.

The United States—including California—must accelerate educational attainment to meet the need for more advanced employment skills. By 2031, 72 percent of the jobs in the US will require postsecondary education and/or training, and 42 percent will require a bachelor’s degree. The fastest-growing industries, according to the recent report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, require workers with disproportionately higher education levels compared to industries with slower growth.”

» Read more!

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Diverse: Report – Adult Community College Students Make Strides

Adult community college students in degree-progressing English and math courses are nearing parity with their traditional-age student counterparts when it comes to course completion, according to a new report from California Competes.

» Read more!


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Fresno City College:

All smiles We are ready to welcome thousands of students to campus on Monday

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From Oxnard College:

Our Associated Student Government wrapped up the semester by taking students on a guided tour of SoFi stadium! Students checked out team locker rooms and facilities while also learning about various career paths in sports. They even tested their throwing skills on the field!

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And check this out – the College of Alameda Dance Department performing at the SF International New Concept Film Festival last November:



Blast from the Past

As colleges across California celebrate their opening days, I remembered the Bakersfield College Opening Day back in 2016 –


And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College – IDA Endowment Fund Recipient

Three years ago, automotive professors Andrew Haney, CD-SV, and Rick Range, CD-SV, ASE Master | L1 and California State Smog Technicians and state license certified instructors, embarked on a mission to enhance the Automotive Technology training program at Bakersfield College (Bakersfield, California, United States) by introducing automotive detailing. Their combined expertise and extensive experience in the automotive repair industry set the stage for a transformative addition to the curriculum.

The crowning moment for the program came in 2023 when Andrew applied for and received the IDA Founder’s Endowment Fund Grant, a $2500 boost that propelled the initiative to new heights. With unwavering support from Bakersfield College’s administration, the grant was strategically invested in upgrading the automotive training program’s wash bay.

» 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

CA CCs – Taking college to our future learners

I came across this article in the New York Times about the rapid growth of the mosquito population – mosquitos have been thriving as long-used insecticides become less effective. I have definitely seen an increase of the population of mosquitoes here in California.

Less than a decade ago, it was the humans who appeared to have gained the clear edge in the fight — more than a century old — against the mosquito. But over the past few years, that progress has not only stalled, it has reversed.

We often think of mosquitos as an annoyance, but they can be extremely deadly transmitters of disease. Malaria, transmitted by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, has killed more people than any other disease.

This past summer, the United States saw its first locally transmitted cases of malaria in 20 years, with nine cases reported, in Texas, Florida and Maryland.

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It was a big week up in Sacramento. During this week’s Board of Governors meeting, the BOG approved the Vision 2030 framework.

We enjoyed a no-host dinner at the end of day 1 of our meeting. This is a terrific group… absolutely dedicated to our students and a whole lot of fun.

We also had two more announcements at the BOG meeting.

The Apprenticeship Pathway Demonstration Project, creates a roadmap for colleges to convert apprenticeship learning experiences into college credit, including both existing and new and innovative apprenticeship experiences, as well as related supplemental instruction and prior on-the-job training.

The California Community Colleges and the United Domestic Workers (UDW) announced a partnership to support the ongoing educational needs of the union’s members and their dependents that will lead to educational pathways with upward socio-economic mobility.

Daisy Gonzales, Doug Moore, Stewart Knox, Sonya Christian

Good morning California.
It is September 30, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion



From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

California Community Colleges Represented
in HACU’s La Academia de Liderazgo

Laura Cantu, Freddy Ramirez, Sandra Martinez, and Giovanni Rodriguez

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities recently announced the 50 fellows who will be part of the fifth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo.

Several of our California Community Colleges colleagues are among this cohort:

  • Laura Cantú, Ed.D., Los Angeles Mission College
  • Sandra Martínez, Moreno Valley College
  • Freddy N. Ramírez, Ed.D., MiraCosta College
  • Giovanni D. Rodríguez, Mt. San Antonio College

Congratulations!

» Read more about the La Academia de Liderazgo cohort.


Taft College Program Teaches Skills Needed to Live Independently

Taft College’s Transition to Independent Living (TIL) Program is an inclusive post-secondary educational experience for students with developmental or intellectual disabilities that also offers on- and off-campus housing. The Program is comprehensive, with curriculum and training that promote acquisition of the functional, social, and career skills necessary for students to live a productive lifestyle. There are other programs that are similar to the TIL program at UCLA, UC Davis, and Fresno State but Taft College is currently the only school with a residential component located on a community college campus.

» Check out the 23ABC piece about the program

» Learn more at the Taft College website


New Tech High School Develops Early College Program with Napa Valley College

New Technology High School was awarded a Middle College and Early College (MCEC) Grant in July 2023 by the California Department of Education. The MCEC grant provides funding to support New Technology High School as it starts to develop an Early College program in partnership with Napa Valley College.

» Read more!


Hancock cuts ribbon on PCPA Stagecraft Building

Allan Hancock College and the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) celebrated the grand opening of the college’s new PCPA Stagecraft building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 15. The grand opening of the stagecraft building occurred as PCPA celebrates its 60th anniversary.

» Read more!



In Case You Missed It

EdSource – Why enrollment is rebounding at California’s community colleges

After years of pandemic declines, enrollment at California’s community colleges may finally be starting to rebound in a significant way.

Several colleges across the state, from San Diego to San Jose, are reporting that their enrollments are up by double digit percentages this fall. Statewide data for the fall isn’t yet available, but enrollment in the spring was up 8% across the system of 116 colleges, according to a memo prepared by the state chancellor’s office.…….

“Vision 2030 asks the fundamental question: Why have we not yet reached these individuals? When students cannot find their way to college, it is our responsibility to bring college to them,” Christian said.

» Read the article

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LA Times – Where to get a low-cost bachelor’s degree close to home
and a job lead: Community college

Community college leaders say they want to tap into a population of learners who otherwise wouldn’t attend a four-year college — students like Roberts, who had never entertained the idea of commuting “down below” from the Antelope Valley to Los Angeles to earn a bachelor’s degree.

» Read the article


Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Rowena Tomaneng:

Celebrating Tết Trung Thu (Chữ Hán: 節中秋) at San Jose City College today, a traditional Vietnamese Autumn festival! #CultureOfBelonging #AANAPISIWeek

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From Santa Barbara City College:

Enrollment Services hosted SBCC Connect this morning. SBCC Connect is a partnership between SBCC and high schools from Lompoc to Ventura to provide an opportunity for school district members and partners to learn about the transition for students from high school to SBCC.

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From Butte College:

Our Native American Center and campus community came together in observance of Orange Shirt Day. Wearing an orange shirt signifies a recognition of the trauma that Native American children endured during the residential/boarding school era.

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And check out this Student Spotlight from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges:


And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Holds 2023 Corrections Academy Graduation

Bakersfield College hosted its 2023 Corrections Academy Graduation on September 22 to recognize and honor thirty-two students who completed a rigorous program that aligns meticulously with the standards set by the Board of State and Community Corrections.

» 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

Sonya Christian's Blog