Tag Archives: Riverside Community College District

Hello Spring 2024!

Uncategorized March 23, 2024 1 Comment

Spring 2024 is officially here … and with it beautiful skies and bursts of spring flowers to enjoy during my sunrise and sunset Neo walks.


Another busy week of traveling

On Tuesday, I presented Vision 2030 at Citrus College.

I headed to San Diego on Wednesday to co-present with Eloy Oakley at the California Guided Pathways Institute.  It was a lot of fun and we got an opportunity to visit on designing a potential project on Guided Pathways in the space of economic mobility.

On Thursday, March 21st, I joined Pam Haynes and Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg on a panel moderated by Cindy Miles at the ACCT Governance Leadership Institute in Long Beach. 

And we celebrated Neo’s seventh birthday on March 17, 2024. Spent a lot of time in the backyard which is what he loves doing.

Good morning California.
It is March 23, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Netflix Partners with LATTC for Work Study Program
Benefitting CMU Pathway Students 

This past January, Netflix partnered with LATTC to host a paid three-week work study program for students in the college’s Construction Maintenance and Utilities (CMU) pathway. During the program, students were exposed to real world work situations, and enhanced their proficiency in leadership development, building operations, and construction. 

» Read more!

West Hills College Coalinga Firebaugh Center and Fresno Pacific University Celebrate Historic Educational Partnership

In a landmark event held on March 4 at the Firebaugh Center, West Hills College Coalinga (WHCC) and Fresno Pacific University (FPU) officially unveiled their innovative educational partnership, marking a significant milestone in their commitment to enhancing learning opportunities and academic resources in the region. The ceremony, attended by community leaders, faculty, students, and media partners, highlighted the collaboration’s aim to create seamless educational pathways and foster academic innovation.

» Read more!

Lake Tahoe Community College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

On March 5th LTCC celebrated a significant milestone: its 50th Anniversary. The event united community members, students, past and current employees, and local officials to honor this remarkable moment  in their long journey as a respected institution of education.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Inside Higher Ed: To Transform Transfer, Key Barriers Must Be Overcome

Understanding the barriers students face on the transfer pathway is key to improving transfer outcomes. Successful transfer from community college to a four-year university has the potential to improve access, completion and racial equity gains in higher education and produce the educated workforce that California needs.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Board of Governors member Joseph Williams presented at a Vision 2030 event at Riverside Community College District:

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From East Los Angeles College:

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis celebrated the accomplishments of women in community colleges at the President’s First Women’s History Month Celebration & Teatime. She was in a panel discussion with Lenore French of Transformation Arts and Dr. Martha Garcia, Mt. San Antonio President.

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From Fresno City College:

Pancakes & Peeps for staff & faculty at FCC

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And from El Camino College, the latest ElCoChats podcast discusses first generation students:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Performing Arts Hosts Flute Masterclass

BC’s Performing Arts department recently hosted a Flute Masterclass on March 7 with the legendary Trudy Kane, the first female Principal Flute at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the longest-serving principal to date. Flutists from across the Central Valley gathered in the Performing Arts Center’s choir room for performances by Kane and BC Professor of Flute Tracy Harris, open lessons with Kane, and a general clinic. 

» 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

The state of CA CCs is strong

Uncategorized November 18, 2023 Leave a comment

Hello from Marina Del Rey!

Woke up early this morning at the Marina after a hectic and tiring week of travel.
A leisurely walk to the bagel place and back. A great way to start the weekend.

Now on to the week of travel ….

On Friday, I gave the State of the System address at the Community College League of California’s annual convention in Indian Wells. Afterward, I was joined by Board of Governors Vice President Hildegarde Aguinaldo, and Board Members Pamela Haynes, Tom Epstein, and Paul Medina.

It was a wonderful day of seeing great colleagues from across the state.

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On the second day in Indian Wells we had consultation council and the CEO meeting. Ran into the Kern team.

Great selfie by Daisy Gonzales with Dr. Young and the Pipelines2Possibilities fellows. The program started as a vision to bring California Community Colleges graduates back to teach at our colleges.

Good morning California.
It is November 18, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Board of Governors Recognizes 2023 Energy and Sustainability Award Recipients

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors has recognized a select group of innovative college leaders and programs with the 2023 Energy and Sustainability Awards for their ceaseless efforts in combatting the impacts of climate change in line with goals spelled out in the recently adopted Vision 2030 strategic plan.

Recipients include:

  • Riverside Community College District
  • Mt. San Antonio Community College District
  • MiraCosta Community College District
  • Solano Community College District
  • Dr. Tonya Huff, Riverside Community College District
  • Hussain Agah, Riverside Community College District
  • Dr. Rueben Smith, Los Angeles Community College District

» Read more!

San Jose City College, Bill Wilson Center Partner
on Guaranteed Income for Unhoused Students

San José’s Bill Wilson Center announced a new guaranteed income program for San José City College Students to help address the statewide issue of youth homelessness. A recent California Community College system survey showed that nearly half of SJCC students have experienced housing, food, or transportation insecurity in the past year.

» Read more!

Mt. San Jacinto College Celebrates National Apprenticeship Week

Mt. San Jacinto College invited the public to its inaugural National Apprenticeship Week and Apprenticeship Connection Summit. Nearly 130 local leaders in education, business, government, and community organizations attended the summit.

» Read more!

Moreno Valley College, Riverside Community College District Sponsor Inaugural State of the Black I.E. Symposium

Last month, the Riverside Community College District and Moreno Valley College were honored to support and sponsor the inaugural State of the Black I.E. Symposium, a significant event dedicated to advancing equity, justice, and empowerment within the Inland Empire’s Black community.

» Read more! 

In Case You Missed It

Innovating at Scale: Guided Pathways Adoption and
Early Student Momentum Among the AACC Pathways Colleges

In 2015, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) announced
the AACC Pathways Project, a national initiative designed to support a cohort of
community colleges to implement and scale whole-college guided pathways reforms.

Seven years since the project began, these colleges have made impressive progress
adopting guided pathways practices at scale. Colleges that have adopted the model
more comprehensively are seeing promising trends in leading indicators of success for
their students.

» Read the Report!

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EdSource: Community college students can take classes
in their native language under a new law

Hoping to entice more non-English speakers to enroll in community college, California is making it easier for those students to take courses in their native language. Assembly Bill 1096, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and is set to take effect Jan. 1. The law will allow community colleges to offer courses in languages other than English without requiring students to enroll in ESL. 

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Shasta College:

Shasta College is having a blast at STEM Career Day with our regional 9th grade students! Science, Technology, Engineering, Math is in many career pathways including GIS, Natural Resources, Logging, Heavy Equipment Operations, Welding, Machining, Health Sciences, and more!

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Hartnell College shared this update about a former student:

» Read more

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Check out this video of highlights from San Diego City College‘s Day of the Dead Event:

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And I loved this story from Santa Rosa Junior College:

The #SRJC Archives holds an impressive collection of 784 letters alumni serving in the war wrote to President Floyd Bailey during World War II. And the story about them is quite fantastic.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, our flight training school moved to Ely, Nevada, and SRJC was contracted to start special training programs, preparing service men and women for the army, navy, and nursing.

Along with hundreds of thousands of civilians who wanted to support the war efforts, the first President of the college, Floyd Bailey, conducted a “private morale booster” for servicemen. In July 1943, he asked his staff to prepare a mailing list with students, alumni, and instructors who were serving in the various military branches.

As he wrote in the first history of the college, “Nearly 50,000 copies of the student newspaper, the Oak Leaf, went out to servicemen who were eager for new of home and, in addition, some 4,000 birthday cards and more than 10,000 copies of mimeographed letters were sent to some 850 students of the mailing list.” In the first newsletter, President Bailey talked about life at the college and in Sonoma County and asked the alumni to write back. Thousands of cards and letters from all over the world, where our alumni were stationed or fighting, arrived at SRJC before the war ended.

These images are published with the support of the SRJC Archives. Some photos of alumni serving in the war are available online in our Digital Archives Collection. The original letters can be consulted in the Archives, located in Doyle Library, second floor, Santa Rosa campus. https://libraries.santarosa.edu/archives

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Celebrates Grand Opening of
Regenerative Agriculture Education Center with Ribbon Cutting

Bakersfield College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony November 14, 2023 to celebrate the grand opening of the Regenerative Agriculture Education Center at the Bakersfield College Delano Campus (1450 Timmons Ave., Delano, CA). This space aims to promote sustainable agriculture practices through community education, opportunities for student research, internships, workforce development, and demonstration of emerging technologies.

» 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 wrapping up August 2023 in a big way

Uncategorized September 2, 2023 Leave a comment

As summer comes to a close …. another glorious Bakersfield sunset:

Was another busy week at the California Community Colleges.

On Tuesday, we reached agreement with Doug Moore, Executive Director of United Domestic Workers, for the Pathways for Workers Demonstration Project.

We also launched the Apprenticeship Pathways Demonstration Project with 25 Districts and with Dr. Marvin Martinez and Rancho Santiago taking the lead. This project aims to give college credit to apprentices for “on the job” training through their apprenticeship programs. 

Later Tuesday, the Foundation for California Community Colleges hosted a reception at the California Museum. It was wonderful to see so many colleagues from across the state, as well as representatives from philanthropic organizations.

Everyone who worked on and presented at the program was magnificent – special thanks to Keetha Mills; Daisy Gonzales; Amy Costa; Andra Hoffman, President of CCC Trustees; Chanelle Win, VP SSCCC; Hildy Aguinaldo; Cheryl Aschenbach, President of the Academic Senate; Manuel Payan, CSEA; Julianna Barnes, President of CEO Board and Chair of the League Board; Francisco Rodriguez, Chancellor of LA District; and Pam Haynes.

On Thursday, I joined new CSU Chancellor Millie Garcia and UC President Michael Drake, Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Secretary Stewart Know, Academic Senate President Cheryl Aschenbach, and others, as Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Career Education Executive Order in West Sacramento.

Good morning California.
It is September 2, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

San Bernardino Valley College’s Summer Bridge Program Prepares Students for College Life

For two weeks in July, more than 200 Valley-Bound Commitment students came to San Bernardino Valley College for Summer Bridge and enrolled in the Orientation to College course, where they learned about the academic and vocation programs available and watched presentations from different departments. They also had the opportunity to meet staff members and explore the campus to become familiar with it before the first day of the fall semester.

» Read more about SBVC’s Summer Bridge program!

Sky’s the Limit Observatory Becomes Satellite Campus for
Copper Mountain College Astronomy Classes

Just in time for Fall Semester Astronomy classes, an Affiliation Agreement between Copper Mountain College and Sky’s The Limit Observatory and Nature Center has established the observatory as a satellite campus for the college’s Astronomy courses.

Astronomy students from CMC will have as their “laboratory,” the dark desert skies of Twentynine Palms, on the border of Joshua Tree National Park.

» Read more about the agreement!

NASA Competition lands at Orange Coast College

Orange Coast College played host to NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) Robotics competition. This 4-day engineering design challenge brought students together from OCC and Southwestern College who had completed two online events earlier this year.

» Read more about the competition!

100 Black Men of the Inland Empire Establishes Umoja Scholarship Fund at Riverside Community College District

Riverside Community College District (RCCD) is pleased to announce a collaboration with 100 Black Men of The Inland Empire (100 BMIE) to introduce the 100 BMIE Umoja Scholarship Fund. This investment from 100 BMIE underscores their commitment to supporting youth and young adults in their pursuit of higher education and academic excellence.

In Case You Missed It

Inside Higher Ed: Community Colleges Double Down on Dual Enrollment

The number of students taking advantage of dual enrollment has grown slowly since California lawmakers adopted a new, more structured framework for dual enrollment in 2015. The new program, College and Career Access Pathways, was designed to expand dual-enrollment opportunities “for students who may not already be college bound” by removing “fiscal” and “policy barriers.”

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Bakersfield College‘s Basic Needs Center and Nexus ribbon-cutting:

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California Treasurer Fiona Ma was a guest speaker at one of Fresno City College‘s political science classes:

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From Cabrillo College‘s new student welcome:

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And check out this video from Mission College about the Community College Collaborative project, with Mission College offering classes at Elmwood Correctional Facility.

And From the Home of the Renegades

Veterans Plaza Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Bakersfield College held a ribbon cutting ceremony to honor the Veterans plaza located in the center of the Panorama Campus. 

The plaza was built over the Summer of 2023 as a devotion and recognition of the Bakersfield College student veterans who serve our country. There are pillars with quotes from current veteran staff, faculty, and current veteran students and sitting areas for others to sit and learn about the people who fight for our freedom. 

» Read more about the ceremony!

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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 Community Colleges – Serious work with a light touch

Uncategorized August 5, 2023 1 Comment

Last Saturday, I saw Oppenheimer … an excellent movie… I believe one of Christopher Nolan’s very best. I have a low tolerance for long movies. This one is 3 hours… and I was immersed in each and every moment.

Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer.

Christopher Nolan is a highly acclaimed filmmaker known for his unique storytelling style, intricate narratives, and visually stunning films. The phrase “non-linear storytelling” is ofter used by film critics to describe his work. Nolan’s films often delve into complex philosophical themes and human psychology. Existential questions, the nature of reality, time, and identity are recurring motifs in his work.

He was born on July 30, 1970, in London, England. Nolan’s work has left a significant impact on the film industry, and his films have achieved both critical and commercial success.

Watch the trailer… very powerful. The movie, even more so. Definitely a must see.

Btw, did you recognize the high profile star cast? Were you able to pick out Robert Downey Jr?

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On Sunday, I caught Bakersfield College’s performance of The Addams Family Musical. It was spectacular. Brian Sivesind, this was truly a remarkable feat. Thank you!

I loved these photos that Brian shared on Facebook:

The orchestra was fantastic. Thank you Scott Dirkse! We have a remarkable lineup of talent in our Performing Arts program at Bakersfield College

And check out this photo from Yovani Jimenez of some of the KCCD trustees and supporters attending the show:

Dr. Bill and Sharon Baker, Senator Emeritus Jean Fuller and Russell Fuller, Trustee Christina Scrivner and her two daughters, Trustee Yovani Jimenez. Not in the photo, but in attendance was President of the Board, Trustee Romeo Agbalog.

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This week I spent time in Sacramento, with an apprenticeship meeting co-hosted by the Labor Agency and the Chancellor’s Office. Together we are hoping to convert our California Community College apprenticeship experiences into Apprenticeship Pathways. And thank you Secretary Stewart Knox for your partnership. Stay tuned for more to come.

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Talking about apprenticeships, check out this blog post from March 2023. It is only a 6-minute read. https://workforceandeconomicmobility.com/2023/03/10/earn-and-learn-expanding-work-based-learning-opportunities/

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On Wednesday, we had a well-attended – 1200 attendees! – webinar to roll out Vision 2030. I was joined by some amazing presenters:

Cassandra Flandre-Nguyen, President SSCCC. Our student was absolutely fantastic. After her presentation, and when I came back on, the only word that I kept repeating was “wow.”

Andra Hoffman, President, CCCT

Julianna Barnes, President, CEO Board and Chair, League Board

Manuel Payan, CSEA

Manuel Velez, Vice President, ASCCC

Lizette Navarette, Executive Vice Chancellor

Good morning California.
It is August 5, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Calbright College Granted Accreditation Through
Distance Education Accrediting Commission

On Friday, July 28, Calbright College was granted initial accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), more than a year ahead of the April 1, 2025 deadline outlined in the College’s founding legislation. 

» Learn more about Calbright’s accreditation!

RCCD Celebrates Closing Celebration for Inaugural Cohort 1 of Californians for All, College Corps Program

The Riverside Community College District (RCCD) marked a momentous occasion as it celebrated the closing celebration for the inaugural Cohort 1 of the Californians For All, College Corps Program. The program was initiated with an inspiring introduction from Director Darci Manzo Piron, who highlighted the significance of College Corps as a pioneering state-sponsored service and career development program.

» Read more about the program!

Santa Barbara Summer Bridge Programs Offer Jumpstart to College

This summer two of Santa Barbara City College’s innovative programs welcomed local students to experience college-level coursework and gain confidence and motivation to seek higher education in their lives.

» Read more about SBCC Summer Bridge!

College of Marin hosts 10,000 Degrees summits

10,000 Degrees, a San Rafael-based organization dedicated to empowering students to enter and graduate college in Marin and seven other Bay Area counties, held its annual ‘College Opportunities Summit’ on August 1, and the ‘High School Readiness Summit’ on August 3 at College of Marin, Kentfield Campus.

» Learn more!

In Case You Missed It

Community College League: Sierra College Student Trustee
to Attend Yale University

The Community College League of California did a feature on SierraCollege’s 22-23 student trustee Maya Moseley to chat about her experience as a student trustee and her acceptance into Yale.

Sierra College student Maya Moseley had no idea that her community college journey would end with a Yale acceptance. But let’s rewind— how did she end up there?

» Read the feature!

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EdSource: What to know about bachelor’s degrees at California Community Colleges | Quick Guide

EdSource’s Michael Burke wrote this quick guide to bachelor’s degrees at California Community Colleges.

The relatively low price tag of a community college baccalaureate degree is also attractive to many students. (Specific details about the costs can be found later in this guide.) When the Legislative Analyst’s Office conducted an analysis of existing community college baccalaureate programs, “the most common benefit” they heard from students was the low cost of the programs. “Many had considered enrolling in private programs offering the same degree, but were hesitant to do so because of the cost,” the LAO wrote.

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Rowena Tomaneng posted this from the AACC Board Retreat in Washington, DC:

Day 2 #AACC Board Retreat, DC– great dialogue w/#NasserPaydar, Asst. Secretary for Postsecondary Education @usedgov, on Impact of SCOTUS decision on Affirmative Action on #CommunityColleges! Honored to rep @CalCommColleges at the national level w/#SunnyCooke #MichaelGuitterez

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From Dr. Julius Sokenu at Moorkpark College:

“We are incredibly grateful for Assemblywoman @jacquiirwin for a $500,000 donation to the construction of The @Moorpark College Amphitheater. Thank you for supporting our shared vision to bring greater opportunities for culture and the arts to our community.”

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From Evergreen College:

Did you catch us on @liveinthebaytv this week??
Thank you @kron4news for the feature and for spotlighting our amazing school and staff, Professor Dr. Peter Miskin!

Check it out at https://www.kron4.com/live-in-the-bay/sponsored-enroll-in-evergreen-valley-college/.

And From the Home of the Renegades

Exciting things await at BC this fall; celebrating 110 years of excellence

Bakersfield College is buzzing with excitement for the start of a new academic year. This year, however, is extra special as we celebrate a momentous milestone — BC’s 110th anniversary of serving the community since our founding in 1913.

» Read more about this week at Bakersfield College!

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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