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
Eric Mayes, Jerry Reyes, Sonya Christian
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.
Keetha Mills, Sonya Christian, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Pam Haynes, Abdumalik Buul, Linda Vasquez, Rowena Tomenang, Elaine, Aiesha Lowe
Was so happy to see folks from Kern!
Here with Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg and NaTesha Johnson
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
This week, representatives from the Chancellor’s Office headed to Sierra College for the grand opening of their new student housing complex.
On the far right is Ronnie Slimp who leads our facilities work, including student housing. He has done a remarkable job shepherding this work.
The facility has 358 beds, with the majority being offered at below market rents. Students will begin moving in next semester!
I wanted to share this bit from Sierra College’s news article –
Each year, several students with the greatest financial need will be eligible to receive free room and board as a result of the “Endow-A-Bed” program spearheaded by the Sierra College Foundation. The program aims to raise $250,000 to endow one bed in perpetuity for students in need – with a goal of endowing 10 beds in total, including one reserved for a military veteran.
BOG member Pam Hynes and I were able to snap a pic with Sierra College President Willy Duncan:
Good morning California. It is December 13, 2025. A good day to be a Community College Champion
This week, I’ll continue my annual tradition of closing the year reviewing past blog posts. Today we’ll look at posts from 2013-2017.
Take a little time out of your weekend, relaxing with a cup of coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) to browse through previous posts…
2013
May 2013: Red and White Wine and Jazz Festival
Friday April 12th capped a week of travel: the Sloan emerging technology conference in Vegas, then back to host the Board meeting at the College on Thursday, to Harris Ranch for a two-day conference with the Central Valley CEOs and trustees. It’s been almost a month, but there’s a major event that I wanted to be sure to blog about. I left the conference at Harris Ranch early that Friday to be present for the Red and White Wine and Jazz festival. This a major annual fundraiser that the Foundation has organized since 2008 in support student scholarships, and I didn’t want to miss it for anything.
I was impressed from the start with the level of attention to detail and organization – everything from the parking shuttles to the staff at the entrance, to the layout of booths and food. The Culinary program did an outstanding job of providing a tasty and creative variety of food to complement the wine, and the students were great at serving the guests and creating a festive atmosphere. There was an abundant selection – far more than was possible to have more than a sampling. My personal favorite was the pastas rellenas… The students, Chef Coyle and Chef Gomez were all in fine form.
September 2013: Summer Bridge Helps Incoming Freshmen Transition
Do you remember what those first weeks of college were like? Fresh out of high school, the size and scope of a college campus, along with the sheer number of students walking the halls, was daunting. Then, there’s the switching from building to building, locating classes and services, and having to do everything yourself.
Helping students transition to college life is the goal of a program here at Bakersfield College called Summer Bridge. This past August, many people on campus came together to help 35 incoming freshmen learn the ropes and ready themselves for college. Over four days, these students spent 18 hours on campus taking care of business. Many, many more wanted in, but time and space limited how many we could serve.
November 2013 – Learning in Community: Meeting the Needs of our Students with Disabilities
On Friday, November 15th many faculty, staff and administrators attended a workshop on instructional technology issues and accessibility for students with disabilities presented by Gaeir Dietrich, the Director of the CCCCO’s High Tech Center Training Unit. To complement the training, the DSPS faculty and staff also put together a terrific display of technology typically used by students with a variety of disabilities.
Gaeir Dietrich taught us many interesting things—most importantly that “campus accessibility is a campus-wide responsibility” and that “digital does not necessarily mean accessible.” “It’s a matter of equal rights, campus diversity, and better pedagogy by acknowledging learning differences that benefits all students.”
March 2014: Bakersfield College Students Chosen for Leadership Conference
A select group of Bakersfield College students recently honed their leadership skills at a special invitation-only conference in San Diego for math-based majors. The event was sponsored by the California Utilities Diversity Council. The 10th annual Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Student Leadership Conference offered extensive professional and leadership development through direct interaction with industry mentors and speakers. The hand-picked MESA students, all science, engineering, or math majors, represented over 30 universities and community colleges from across the state, including Bakersfield College.
May 2014: Project Atlantis Opens International Doors for BC Students
For the past three years, Bakersfield College has been participating in “Project Atlantis,” an International Exchange Program for students in humanities careers. This year, Bakersfield College has three students from Spain and one student from Italy currently attending classes, and sent two of our students to Spain and one to Italy. All the students who have participated have been academically successful and have gained a new cultural understanding.The International Exchange Program is a dynamic program enabling eight students to have an international experience. All students who participate in the exchange program receive the international exchange certificate. The exchange program is a one year commitment. One semester will be spent in either Italy or Spain taking a full load of classes at the University in the language of the country.
This was a fun blog – I shared a day in my life, from 5:30 am reading to a 6:30 pm call with my daughter.
5:30 am –Started off my day reading Degrees of Inequality: How the Politics of Higher Education Sabotaged the American Dream and thinking that we should probably have Civic Literacy as one of our Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).
9:00 am – After that I went to my Saturday exercise class which launched a new routine last week.
10:00 am – I then headed out to BC to see what Steve Watkin and the BC gang were up to with the It’s Possible event. Many counselors, advisors, staff and students were there helping new students assess, complete their orientation, their education plan and then register for classes. We registered approximately 125 students today. Yes!!!!
September 2014: A Circle of Friends – Milt and Betty Younger and Jim Young
On Thursday May 1st, 2014, Bakersfield College had the honor of hosting a very special event– a Betty younger sculpture dedication honoring Dr. Jim Young. “Circle of Friends” is an outdoor sculpture located atop a small hill Northeast of the GET Bus terminal on Panorama Drive. The sculpture, which consists of four red upright figures standing together in a circle, was created by Betty Younger to honor her friend JimYoung, who served as Kern Community College District’s chancellor from 1978 to 1999.
The evening started at 4 P.M. with a brief dedication ceremony at the foot of the hill where the sculpture is mounted. Many members of Bakersfield College’s faculty and staff were in attendance, as well as many family members and students of James Young. Betty Younger and her husband, Milt, introduced the sculpture and each spoke on how their friend has impacted their lives and the lives of others. Mrs. Younger shared that the inspiration for “Circle of Friends” was what James Young has done with and for his students, fellow educators, and friends throughout the years. “He is truly a mentor to all he meets”, remarked Mrs. Younger.
March 2015: Design Challenge Gathers Local Students to Test Engineering Smarts
Each Spring semester, the Engineers Club invites middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students and professionals of all ages to participate in their Design ChallenOge in honor of National Engineers’ Week. During the Fall, the Engineers Club members come up with the specific “design challenge” they want to hold in the Spring. They create a set of parameters that the entrants should follow in designing their machine, and send them off to the various schools and businesses by December. Contestants build their machines and bring them on the day of the event.
This year, the Design Challenge was held on Saturday, February 28th in Bakersfield College’s Gymnasium. The objective was to design a Spring-powered model car that could carry a load of sand between 0 and 250 grams a distance between 10 and 20 meters. The contestants were not given the weight or distance until right before the competition began. As one can see, keeping the specific details vague until the day-of forces the engineers to be as creative and thorough as possible with their designs— they must be able to be adjusted to satisfy the wide range of possibilities within the parameters.
May 2015: Regional Occupational Center (ROC): Making a Difference
There was so much to discuss in my last post from the phenomenal President’s Breakfast event that I wanted to stop and revisit one of the highlights from the morning worthy of its own separate recognition.
Among the stellar speakers at the Breakfast, Salvador Gochez from the Kern High School District Regional Occupational Center delivered a remarkable speech about the amazing work going on at the center as well as their partnership with BC.
August 2015: Thank You, Frank Gifford. A star Renegade and a Driller
Photo courtesy Rick Van Horne, Haley Street Heroes
The world lost a legend Sunday when NFL Hall of Famer Frank Gifford passed away at the age of 84.
But Bakersfield lost a pioneer.
Before Buck Owens and Merle Haggard used their golden voices to add color to our city, and long before racers Rick, Roger and Casey Mears made sure Bakersfield was a fixture on the national sporting map, there was Frank Gifford.
Gifford came to Bakersfield in the 1940s when his father came to work in the oil fields. But for the younger Gifford, paydirt was struck on the athletic fields, where his talents made him a star quarterback at Bakersfield High School.
Despite his success, Gifford found himself at a turning point familiar to many young graduates: he didn’t have the grades to accept an athletic scholarship, in his case, to the University of Southern California. Rather than give up, Gifford pushed forward, enrolling at Bakersfield College instead, where he made to make his mark as a Renegade both on the playing field and in the classroom.
October 2015: Another usual weekend enjoying the Bakersfield Community
I stopped by Wendy’s last evening to pick up a spicy chicken sandwich for dinner and the young woman serving me spontaneously commented that she was a student at BC, psychology major, and that her teachers in all of her classes were the very best. This encounter is not unusual for me or for any of you. BC has stood for excellence and leadership for over a century and this community has steadfastly supported its college for all that time.
My Saturday morning started with welcoming over 100 students from BC and CSUB who were attending a Leadership conference at the indoor theater. Bakersfield Strong: Our city, our organizations, our student leaders was the theme of the conference. I was proud of our SGA President Clayton Fowler and Director of Student Life, Nicky Damania, who planned this event in collaboration with CSUB.
It was a treat having two members of the Board of Governors, Arnoldo Avalos and Connie Conway, visit BC on Tuesday, April 26th. Rather than doing a special series of presentations, we decided to fit their itinerary into what was happening at BC. The morning started with them attending an annual event where we connect with leaders from high school and share with them the advances made on the goals set the previous year. After that, they toured the campus and connected with faculty and students in the sciences, music, CTE etc. Thank you Joe Saldivar, Jen Garrett, Liz Rozell, Manny Gonzales, Clayton Fowler, Nicky Damania and others who helped. And the fabulous Jennifer Marden who pulled all this together.
It was a wonderful surprise to have Trustee Romeo Agbalog join us. He was able to rearrange his schedule and connect with both Avalos and Conway.
I enjoyed meeting Vince Stewart, Vice Chancellor of External Affairs from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and hear about the great things being undertaken statewide.
August 2016: Extraordinary stories: Our students, community, and faculty
Many of us on campus are familiar with TED talks… so much so, that we have our own RENEGADE talks (thank you Andrea Thorson and Todd Coston) as a mini campus-wide tribute, each year in April. Our staff, faculty, even some students come together to prepare a set of talks that are (1.) short (2.) concise and (3.) pack one powerful punch in a small amount of time. TED Talks are known for Ideas worth spreading and the library of 10-20 minute videos is nothing short of astounding. Topics range from almost anything you can think of and they’re educational, powerful, and motivational. One could even argue, if you watch one a day, it just might be… the best 13 minutes of your 24-hour day!
As a mini-series to these TED-like talks, Communications Faculty, Helen Acosta, hosted a spin off on Wednesday afternoon featuring her summer COMM B4 students. It was appropriately titled RENx – just as TEDx is a smaller scale of TED talks. I had the joy of sitting quietly in the back of the theater when lights dimmed and the first student took the stage. He was poised and enthusiastic as he conveyed a perfectly crafted message, not only with words. He artistically included body language as a reinforcement to the strong words spoken. His voice was a tool filled with passion and emotion and he swayed towards the audience, engaging us to not miss a single word. Interestingly, his topic was the transformative power of critical listening – and I don’t think this was a coincidence.
October 2016: Our BC family gives to the community!
Every year, the volunteer coordinator for the CA State Parks invites BC students to a one-day volunteer event at Allensworth State Historic Park. Not only is this a great way to give back, but students also learn about the amazing Colonel Allensworth State Park, tour of the park, and a chance to talk to park Rangers.
This year, they had two groups since so many students wanted to attend. One group dusted the insides of historic homes and the other painted a historic house. Pictured above are BC students Andrea Moreno, Salvador Murillo, Krista Nolan, Payton Brandon, and Mitchell Switalki with the park ranger.
What a busy second week of the term! For much of the time I was on the road….to Newport to do a workshop with Kay McClenney and Rob Johnstone and then to Costa Mesa for the IEPI 2-day workshop on Guided Pathways where over 250 individuals from 39 colleges and organizations came together to understand this integrated and powerful approach to enhance student success. The Guided Pathways System (GPS) acts like the GPS (Geographic Positioning System) that we have all grown to rely on.
July 2017 – Scholars, Artists, Sports and Summer Camps
In August 2012, Bakersfield College was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide scholarships of $3,000 per year to Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) students. This grant was called the STEM A-PLUS (Action + Persistence + Leadership + Understanding = Success) Scholars grant. The scholarships were dedicated towards helping academically talented students who demonstrated a financial need complete their STEM degrees and transfer to Baccalaureate programs by July 2017.
The College has met and exceeded the goal with students completing and transferring with an average GPA of 3.45. Students from this program have transferred to CSUB and many University of California schools, to Cal Poly campuses, and to other prestigious universities such as Harvard University. Kudos to our STEM faculty and staff!
I was exhausted last night after a hectic fast paced week at BC. For example, just on one day we had the Vice President of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, Tom Epstein, visit in the Levan Center; Senator Jean Fuller talking to our students in the Fireside Room with several dignitaries attending including Trustee Romeo Agbalog; the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) community partners meeting in the SGA Board Room; and Trustee Bill Thomas moving Measure J implementation along with individuals from AEComm. And as Jennifer Marden would say….That’s how we roll at BC!
November 2017 – Bakersfield College in Arvin, Shafter, …..
I often say it’s an exciting time to be at BC and it’s true. I mentioned in last weekend’s blog that Bakersfield College is bringing higher education to Shafter and at our Express Enrollment event this week, it was great to see the excitement and activity in the Shafter area. Over the past three years, BC has remained focused on the strategic goal of bringing higher education into the communities of Delano, Shafter, Wasco, McFarland, Lamont, and Arvin. We look forward to expanding courses offered in Shafter so that students can complete all or a significant part of their degree locally and I know this will directly benefit our students.
I started my week in San Diego. Out on my evening walk by the waterfront, I heard a stunning voice performing REM’s Losing my Religion.
Sit back close your eyes and play this song. A little over 4 minutes.
Is her voice and the song lingering in your mind and heart? That’s exactly what happened to me. So yes—this is officially my song of the week.
The song has always been one of my favorites. It came out the same year I moved to the U.S., and I’ve loved it ever since. Hearing Amber Rubarth singing it live was hypnotic. It drew me to the amphitheater which was packed with people. I stood outside mesmerized listening and watching the sunset over the water.
Rubarth was the opening act to Gypsy King … of course I love their sound as well. More on that later.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
San Diego – what’s not to like?
On Tuesday, I visited Glendale Community College.
We began in the stunning Science Building, a space that feels both state-of-the-art and inviting. I made sure to keep my distance from the vivarium, home to the snakes. From there, we checked out their biotechnology lab where students did research projects on DNA sequencing. The organic chemistry lab impressed us with its sophisticated expensive equipment.
Then came a personal first for me: stepping into their Dreamscape Learn virtual reality lab. The 3D immersion was unlike anything I’ve experienced. It pulled me in emotionally and intellectually.
We wrapped up with a Persian lunch prepared by their culinary program that was delicious (I definitely ate more than I planned), paired with a showcase of their professional development work.
I’m grateful that Board members Hildy Aguinaldo, Bill Rawlings, Pam Haynes, and Adrienne Brown, could join. Also happy that Craig Hayward was also able to come.
Good morning California. It is August 16, 2025. A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges. Our Time is Now!
Chaffey College’s The Breeze Wins $10,000 Chronicle of Philanthropy Grant
Chaffey College journalism students have received investigative journalism experience, training and even some cash for their work after the Chronicle of Philanthropy awarded The Breeze $10,000 to report on Chaffey’s Mackenzie Scott gift. It’s a yearlong fellowship aimed at bolstering coverage of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy. Four news outlets including Riverside’s Black Voice News received $30,000 grants to improve coverage of nonprofits, foundations and other groups.
Los Angeles Valley College Awarded a $1.4 Million TRIO Student Support Services Grant
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Los Angeles Valley College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,430,545 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. This award marks the continuation of 25 years of TRIO SSS services on our campus. Since 2000, the program has served thousands of students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.
San Bernardino Valley College Partners with VARP to Expand Access to Higher Education for Justice-Impacted Individuals
San Bernardino Valley College has launched a transformative partnership with VARP, Inc., a leading nonprofit provider of substance abuse recovery services, to expand college access for individuals impacted by the justice system. Through this collaboration, SBVC’s Rising Scholars program is working hand-in-hand with VARP to support prospective students with academic advising, enrollment assistance, and pathways into high-demand programs such as aviation, welding, and HVAC.
From High School to Higher Ed: Options Middle College High School Opens Doors at Southwestern College
In a bold move to transform lives and broaden access to higher education, Southwestern College (SWC) has welcomed Options Middle College High School (Options MCHS) to its Chula Vista campus. This collaboration with the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) is designed to uplift students who have often felt overlooked or underestimated, helping them discover that college is well within their reach.
The Student Achievement Dashboards pull from three data sources: institutionally reported annual data, federally reported IPEDS data and a new ROI metric developed in partnership with the College Futures Foundation. The metric uses a Price-to-Earnings Premium (PEP) model to assess how long it takes students to recoup their educational investment by examining the relationship between net costs and earnings premiums, according to ACCJC.
Today marked the final day of GWC’s first-ever STEM XP summer program! Students wrapped up the week with a Shark Tank-style simulation, pitching ideas like new GWC App features and parking lot upgrades to a panel of campus faculty and staff. The judges were blown away by the creativity, problem-solving, and presentation skills each team brought to the table.
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From College of San Mateo:
Swifties have TS12. Bulldogs have F25. 12 tracks. One campus. Zero skips. What song are you streaming first this semester? Welcome to CSM, Bulldogs!
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From Porterville College:
College Promise Days kick-off with a day of full of making new connections!
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From Santiago Canyon College:
Over 1,000 @OrangeUnifiedCA students joined us this summer for College for Kids! Hands-on learning, new skills, and a taste of college life—all at SCC. Proud to partner with OUSD to inspire the next generation.
And From the Home of the Renegades
Bakersfield College Hosts ‘Bridge to BC’
“Bridge to BC” is a one-day, in-person, first-year experience course designed to help first-time and returning college students prepare academically, socially, and personally as they transition to college. Under the leadership of Faculty Director Dr. Kimberly Bligh, Education Advisor Kris Herrera, Program Manager Tim Lafondez, dozens of student peer mentors, educational advisors, and faculty come together to create an intensive and supportive learning community.
The Bridge in-person day includes a full campus tour highlighting all of BC’s academic, personal, and career resources. Classroom activities include topics such as learning strategies to identify and navigate barriers to success, setting SMART goals, learning to navigate the BC website, the student portal, STARFISH, and Canvas. Students also research their career and educational pathways and network with peers. They meet one-on-one with an education advisor to review their upcoming schedule, discuss their major, and review their educational goals. Lunch and hands-on classroom activities are always fun and interactive!
This week, we had the Board of Governors retreat. Thank you so much to the Santa Monica Team team for your hospitality!
I also spoke at the ZTC (Zero Textbook Cost) Summit at the College of the Canyons:
Last weekend I was in Cabo … loved waking up to this:
Beautiful Cabo:
Desert Rose:
At home, too, it’s a season of roses:
It’s also commencement season – with exercises for some of our community colleges happening this weekend!
Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away
Good morning California. It is May 4, 2024. A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges. Our Time is Now!
Chico State, Northern Community Colleges Streamline Transfer Process
Chico State President Steve Perez and leadership from Butte College, College of the Siskiyous, Feather River College, Lassen Community College, Shasta College, Woodland Community College and Yuba College signed Memoranda of Understanding to formalize dual admission and streamlined transfer for students interested in pursuing their bachelor’s degree at Chico State. This guaranteed admission and accompanying support mechanisms lay the groundwork to simplify and ease transfer students’ pathways to pursue four-year degrees, credentials, and further education within their region.
Celebrating College of San Mateo’s HSI Status and Black Excellence
On April 22, 2024, as part of California Community College’s Black Student Success Week, CSM’s Title V Grant team hosted an event to celebrate their designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) while spotlighting Black excellence in higher education.
Calbright College Launches Project Management Program
This spring, Calbright College launched its new Project Management program. This skills-based program will serve as an entry point into project management-based careers, which have an expected job growth rate of 10.5% over the next decade and can span multiple industries.
San Joaquin Delta College Invites Public to View “Eyes of Science”
San Joaquin Delta College is the only community college in the U.S. to offer training in electron microscopy. With magnification of 100,000 times or greater, these powerful microscopes are known as the “eyes of science” because they are used for critical research in many scientific fields. Graduates of Delta’s electron microscopy program have landed high-paying, in-demand jobs at laboratories across the country. SJDC recently held an open house showcasing their electron microscopy program.
Expanding Horizons: How California’s Community Colleges are Shaping the Future of Education
In a recent episode of the Capstone Conversation, hosted by Jared Asch, a special three-part series on community colleges and local education was kicked off with Tom Epstein, a member of the California Community College Board of Governors. The series explores the unique roles and innovative programs within the California community college system, emphasizing their efforts in local education and community engagement.
Wishing a Happy 21st birthday to Board of Governors member Casey Chang! Casey celebrated this milestone with her fellow BOG colleagues during a retreat.
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From Moorpark College:
Jamaal Brown hosted an exhilarating trivia-style Black History quiz competition at Moorpark College. The Black 365 Knowledge Bowl, a fast-paced, buzzer-beating event challenged participants to answer a series of questions related to African American history. The spirited contest crowned the Black 365 Knowledge Bowl Champ and was an inspirational celebration of Black history and achievements. The hour-long event was designed to entertain and inform attendees with rich historical content and stories of prominent Black individuals.
Winner of the Black 365 Knowledge Bowl: Student -Wren Grant. Special recognition to Tristin Fowler Counseling Service Specialist (Black Student Success) for organizing and implementing this event.
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From Reedley College:
2024 STEM Conference! Over 500 students from our local elementary, middle and high schools on our campus today. Lots of workshops and a lot of fun!
Blast from the Past
As we begin commencement season, I wanted to share my Welcome Remarks from the Bakersfield College 2021 Virtual Commencement:
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Receives Generous Donation of 2023 Lincoln Aviator Thanks To Jim Burke Ford
Bakersfield College’s Automotive Technology Program has received a generous donation of a 2023 Lincoln Aviator from local dealership, Jim Burke Ford Lincoln. This contribution marks a significant enhancement to the College’s training fleet, providing students with hands-on experience with the latest in automotive technology.
On Saturday, headed out to Morgantown home of West Virginia University where my best friend from high school teaches in the Life Sciences department.
On Sunday headed with the team to Washington DC to elevate the visibility of the work being done at California Community colleges. The team included – Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales and Vice Chancellor of Government Relations David O’Brien; from the Board of Governors, President Amy Costa & Pamela Haynes; from the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Executive Director of Workforce Development Tim Aldinger.
Then headed to San Diego for the DEI Conference and then back home Friday night.
Here are some photos:
Morgantown visiting my friend who cooked great Kerala dishes and event packed some food for the road…. yuuum.
A delicious Kerala meal for the roadAt the Kennedy Memorial, Morgantown
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Washington DC visit
Department of Education:
Department of Energy:
Department of Labor:
Senator Alex Padilla:
A must-do photo of the Washington monument every time I visit DC:
Check out Little Amal who visited DC. Little Amal represents a fictional nine-year-old Syrian girl, representing displaced children today. The giant puppet was created by the South Africa-based Handspring Puppet Company.
“The Walk” tells Amal’s life story, her search for her mother and her flight to safety.
Check out this video from Georgetown University about it:
Goodbye for now DC
David O’Brien, Pam Haynes, Amy Costa
Daisy Gonzales, Sonya Christian, David O’Brien, Pam Haynes at Dulles. Heading out to San Diego
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After a few jam-packed days in DC, we headed to San Diego for the DEIA in Action Institute.
At the conclusion of my talk, I invited the leadership at the Chancellor’s Office to come up on stage with me – John Hetts, Daisy Gonzales, Pamela Haynes, Marc LeForestier, Lizette Navarette and Aisha Lowe. Check out the photo.
John Hetts, Daisy Gonzales, Sonya Christian, Pam Haynes, Marc LeForestier, Lizette Navarette, Aisha Lowe
What a wonderful week!
Good morning California. It is September 23, 2023. A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges. Our Time is Now!
CCC Presidents Selected for Aspen Presidents Fellowship
Tawny Dotson, Michael Gutierrez, Jim Limbaugh, Claudia Lourido-Habib, and Julius Sokenu
The College Excellence Program announced the cohort of college presidents for the 2023-2024 Aspen Presidents Fellowship. Several of our California Community College Presidents were selected:
Las Positas College hosted its first annual Black Family Day. “It really ties into our educational master plan, which is to be the destination campus for Black students and other students of color here in the Tri-Valley,” said LPC President Dr. Dyrell Foster.
Cerritos College Hosts Event For The College Tour Episode
Cerritos College is featured in a 30-minute episode of The College Tour, an Amazon Prime streaming series. This week, Cerritos College hosted an exclusive screening of the episode at their Performing Arts Center.
San Joaquin Delta College Launches Free Public Fitness Court
Delta College celebrated the opening of a new outdoor exercise facility known as a Fitness Court, part of an initiative by National Fitness Campaign (NFC) to plan, build, and fund healthy communities across the country.
The Nandi Symposium will center the voices of Black women while also creating space for all professionals and students in the California Community College System to be in community with one another. The Nandi Symposium is being brought to you in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
From CA Assembly Member & Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon:
Yes! This is exactly why we formed the paid Community College Internship for the Assembly. This is such an important program. Community college students are incredibly diverse, and have so much to offer. Uplifting them benefits everybody.
The Assembly’s community college interns are placed in Member offices (both Republican and Democrat) to learn how the legislature functions. One of these interns, Frank Arenas, works in my office. He’s an aspiring attorney, and has been a wonderful addition to the team.
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From Lassen College:
Thank you to our amazing students and staff for representing LCC this morning at The Out of the Darkness Community Walk. This walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.
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From Kern CCD Trustee Yovani Jimenez:
Grateful for an inspiring State of the College event at @PCollegePirates, celebrating their achievements and future vision with Dr. @PortervillePrez and the PC team. I am excited for what’s to come!
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Learning Resource Center in Delano
Bakersfield College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning for the newly finished multipurpose building at BC’s Delano campus. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the college in its commitment to providing enhanced and expanded educational opportunities to students in North Kern.
The Workforce & Economic Mobility Blog blog shares approaches to workforce and economic development, with a goal of supporting economic mobility for our community while staying committed to the health of our people and the health of our environment.
In the Bhambi & Christian blog, Dr. Brijesh Bhambi join together joined together with the goal of facilitating healing and conversation in our community.
