This week we watched in awe as Artemis II made its historic journey to orbit the moon. This is NASA’s first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years – the last mission, Apollo 17, launched December 7, 1972, and marked the last time humans set foot on the moon.
Orion, the spacecraft launched in the Artemis II mission, will orbit the moon on its 10-day journey, and is expected to reach a distance of 252,799 miles from Earth.
Here’s a short introduction to the 4 astronauts aboard Orion:
Reid Wiseman, Commander
Reid Wiseman, 50, is a 27-year Navy veteran and Baltimore native. He was selected as an astronaut in 2009.
In 2014, he flew to the International Space Station and spent 165 days in orbit. During that mission, he made two spacewalks.
Wiseman is also an aquanaut – he was a member of NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) program, living undersea in conditions similar to those on a spacecraft.
Victor Glover, Pilot
Victor Glover, 49, is a California native, born in Pomona. He was selected as an astronaut in 2013 while serving as a Legislative Fellow in the US Senate.
He piloted the first operational flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, which flew to the International Space Station in November 2020. During that mission, he spent 168 days in space. He completed 4 spacewalks during that time.
Glover has accumulated 3,500 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft.
Christina Koch, Mission Specialist
Christina Koch, 47, was selected as an astronaut in 2013. She is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On March 14, 2019, she launched to the International Space Station, returning on February 6, 2020. During that mission, she and Jessica Meir were the first women to participate in an all-female spacewalk. She also broke the record for longest continuous time in space by a women.
She conducted a total of six spacewalks, totaling 42 hours and 15 minutes.
She also made the first edit to Wikipedia from space.
Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist
Jeremy Hansen, 50, is from London, Ontario. As a Canadian, he’s an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency and is the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
In 2013, he participated in the European Space Agency’s CAVES program, living underground for six days.
In 2014, he was a crewmember of NEEMO, living and working on the ocean floor for seven days.
On Friday, NASA released this amazing image taken by the astronauts aboard the spacecraft:
NASA is also sharing a live feed from the Orion capsule:
And back on Earth, another beautiful sunrise.
And my boy Neo
In case you were wondering why my blog post is delayed ……
Spent Easter with my daughter in Toronto. It was a quick hectic and beautiful trip.
Life is not measured by the breaths we take,
but the moments that take our breath away
Good morning California.
Happy Easter 2026
It is April 4, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Lake Tahoe Community College Chef Virat Vij Named Chef of the Year
by High Sierra Chefs Association
Chef Virat Vij of Lake Tahoe Community College has been named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation High Sierra Chefs Association, in recognition of his leadership, mentorship, and contributions to the regional culinary community. The annual award honors culinary professionals who demonstrate excellence in their field. Vij was selected by the association’s Board of Directors for his service on the board and his support for fundraising efforts benefiting aspiring chefs. At LTCC, Vij teaches in the college’s culinary arts program, where students gain hands-on experience in professional kitchens and develop skills for careers in the food and hospitality industry. The program focuses on real-world training, preparing students for jobs that are essential to the Lake Tahoe region’s tourism-based economy.
Solar Energy Coming to Mt. San Antonio Campus
Mt. San Antonio College, following approval from the Board of Trustees, is moving forward with plans to install a solar energy system that will generate clean electricity on campus, reduce long-term energy costs, and strengthen energy reliability for both the College and surrounding community. The planned system will produce 6.75 megawatts of electricity—enough to power thousands of campus operations—and will include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to store energy for use during peak demand or outages.
Riverside City College Alumna Sarah Ruyle’s
Animated Film Hungry Hollow Gains Global Recognition
Hungry Hollow, an animated short created by Riverside City College alumna Sarah Ruyle, has been selected for screening at both the Slamdance Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying festival, and the New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival in Hokkaido, Japan. The selections mark an exciting milestone for the emerging animator whose creative journey includes time studying animation at Riverside City College during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
HCSB Honors San Bernardino Valley College
with 2026 Spheres of Sustainability Visionary Award
The Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses (HCSB) has named San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) the recipient of the 2026 HCSB Spheres of Sustainability Visionary Award, recognizing the college’s leadership in preparing people and communities for a more sustainable future. SBVC will be honored at the 2026 HCSB Spheres of Sustainability Summit on April 22, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon at the DoubleTree by Hilton Pomona.
In Case You Missed It
Improving women’s experiences in internships
Community colleges are rightly being recognized as central to the nation’s skilled trades pipeline. They are nimble, workforce-focused and deeply connected to regional employers. In automotive technology, especially, that role matters. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects about 70,000 openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics each year over the next decade, and the occupation employed about 805,600 workers in 2024.
But if we are serious about strengthening that pipeline, we need to be honest about a problem hiding in plain sight: women remain dramatically underrepresented in the field, and “access” alone is not the same thing as equity. According to recent BLS data, women make up just 4.2% of automotive service technicians and mechanics, placing the occupation among those with the smallest share of women workers.
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2026 Student Leadership Award Winners Announced
Four student leaders, dedicated to equity and inclusion on campus and in their communities, have been honored with the California Community College’s annual Student Leadership Award.
Kristopher Evans of Cabrillo College, Ode Tso Kunthar from Contra Costa College, Valerie Pamphile from Barstow Community College, and John Paul Rosales from Moreno Valley College were recognized March 27 at the Student Senate for California Community Colleges 2026 General Assembly in San Francisco.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Río Hondo College :
Río Hondo College kicked off Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month with a special flag-raising ceremony in the Lower Quad today! Student, Brooklyn Decker, led the ceremony.
The Autism Awareness flag will fly proudly all month long, reminding us of our commitment to celebrating neurodiversity, promoting understanding and fostering inclusion across our campus community.
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Monterey Peninsula College’s recent Dress for Success event:
Thanks to generous community donations, MPC students were able to pick out free professional outfits to help them feel confident and prepared for interviews, internships, and career opportunities ahead.
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From San Joaquin Delta College:
Last weekend’s #womeninSTEM celebration honored our students and alumni who are breaking barriers and shaping the future of STEM. Congratulations on your accomplishments! #MESA#sjdeltacollege
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From Los Angeles Mission College:
On Friday, March 20, Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) hosted a free Student Vision Care Clinic on campus, providing no-cost eye exams and glasses for students.
The clinic reached capacity early, with 150 students registered by 9:45 a.m., and students were seen throughout the day until 2 p.m. The event was presented in partnership with the Power of Sight to bring vision care services directly to students on campus.
Each participating student received a comprehensive eye exam from a licensed optometrist, had their prescription filled on-site, and left the same day with a new pair of glasses.
Funding and support for the clinic were provided by LAMC, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce, Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation (ICON CDC) and Champions in Service.
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And check out this video on Goat Yoga at San Diego City College:
Blast From the Past
Wanted to share this look back at the first 6 months of Vision 2030:
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC and Partnering High Schools Receive
California Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award
Recently, several of Bakersfield College’s high school partners were presented with the 2026 Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award. The statewide honor highlights outstanding dual enrollment programs that provide opportunities to enroll in and earn college credits while still in high school – expanding college access while supporting student success.
The Exemplary Dual Enrollment Award recognizes programs that demonstrate strong collaboration between K–12 and community college partners, academic rigor, and meaningful pathways that support students in achieving their educational and career goals.
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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
