This past week, I attended the Women’s Equality Day event hosted by the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and Delta Kappa Gamma in Kern County. Thank you Janet Tarjan for all of your efforts in making this happen.
Board of Governors President Amy Costa keynoted the event. Her speech was inspirational and brought in her personal experience while quoting stats on the disparities that still exist.
So appreciated the community college presidents coming out to support members of the Board of Governors.
President Prima Monarrez, President Rafe Trickey, Sonya Christian, President Sean Hancock, Trustee Yovani Jimenez
I enjoyed seeing Prima in her new role as President of Porterville College vibrant and engaged. It was wonderful getting to meet the new president of Taft, Dr. Rafe Trickey. Rafe brought his mother Loretta Schield and I remembered her from my past when I was president of BC.
Loretta Schield and Rafe Trickey. Photo obtained from Mayor Karen Goh’s Facebook post
Here is a little something about Loretta and her husband Mike who passed in 2020.
BAKERSPATCH? I got a nice email the other day from local resident Mike Schield, who describes himself as a Bay Area transplant who has lived here for 13 years and (thank you Mike) a regular reader of Bakersfield Observed and The Californian. In his words:
“It’s been most interesting to read all the kibitzing re Bako, B-town etc. Loretta (his wife) has been encouraging me to put in my two bits worth, so here goes. Frequently in discussion with my buddies for lo these many years, I refer to our community as Bakerspatch. I know it’s a little corny but Loretta and I both think that one of the beauties of our country is that it’s okay to be a little corny! Helps grease the slides! Also when I’m addressing local mail, I use Bfld. Try pronouncing that one! Keep up the great work, Richard.”
Thank you Sean Hancock for driving all the way from Cerro Coso… you came the longest distance… it was so great to see you.
And Yovani Jimenez is just one happy person who brightens the day with his presence.
The picture below has only a fraction of those who had come out to the event. So enjoyed seeing old friends from Bakersfield College. Relationships… the joy of life!
Amy Costa, Sonya Christian, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg with folks from Bakersfield College
BOG Member Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Sonya Christian, Mary Helen Barro, BOG President Amy Costa, Janet Tarjan
After the event, Amy and I, along with Jean Fuller, did a brief tour of the Bakersfield College campus with the new President Jerry Fliger. The campus looks great! Loved seeing the trees planted during the centennial celebrations growing taller. Enjoyed the draught resistant flowering plants.
Senator Emeritus Jean Fuller, BOG Member Amy Costa, President Jerry Fliger
Yovani snapped a fun selfie
The following day, we spent a couple of hours with the West Hills Community College District folks at Lemoore College. The photo was taken at the food pantry.
From left to right: Chancellor Robert Pimental, President Carla Tweed (Coalinga College), Nan Gomez- Heitzeberg, Amy Costa, President Jim Preston (Lemoore College), employees who work at the pantry, and Ivan a student wrestler who also works at the pantry.
California Community Colleges We take care of our students, our communities, and our planet.
Good morning California. It is August 31, 2024. A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges. Our Time is Now!
Coalition For Responsible Community Development and LATTC Receive $20 Million Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant
The Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC) and were announced as one of 21 selected applicants of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants. The Community Change Grants program is designed to help disadvantaged communities tackle environmental and climate justice challenges through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity.
Mendocino College among partners to receive $18 Million grant to address Pacific Coast ocean restoration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the awards that are recommended for funding under the Transformational Habitat Restoration & Coastal Resilience grant program, with Mendocino College to be among the grantees.
The Nature Conservancy California has been recommended to receive $18 million over three years to launch the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative, a comprehensive, collaborative statewide effort aimed at restoring and recovering degraded marine ecosystems across California.
Pasadena City College Joins Forces With Three Nonprofits to Combat Youth Homelessness
On July 16, First Place for Youth, Heritage Housing Partners, and Pasadena City College announced a groundbreaking partnership to provide housing for transitional age youth in Pasadena. The collaboration has transformed two existing structures at 2322 E. Foothill Blvd. into six 375-square-foot studio apartment units for young adults transitioning out of foster care. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held earlier in August.
Two Bakersfield women honored at state’s Latina Empresaria Luncheon
The 45th edition of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce convention wrapped up last weekend in downtown Bakersfield. Bakersfield College professor Olivia Garcia was inducted to the Latina Empresaria Hall of Fame. Also honored at the luncheon was Norma Rojas-Mora, receiving the Pioneer Empresaria of the Year Award.
Two wonderful women, colleagues and friends. Not surprised that they received this recognition.
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C3 Converge 2024 – The Community College Climate Summit
Hosted by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, C3CONVERGE 2024 is a pivotal summit that will inspire innovation, build resilience, and drive climate action through education. The summit unites educators, industry experts, and policymakers in a dynamic exchange of ideas, offering unparalleled networking, cutting-edge insights, and empowering educational strategies. C3CONVERGE 2024 workshops and discussions will deliver actionable outcomes and bring into focus a nationwide community of practice dedicated to sustainability and climate resilience.
Led by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office in partnership with Foothill-De Anza Community College District and hosted at De Anza College, this event brings together the largest system of higher education in the nation. The California Community Colleges is uniquely positioned to address the challenges and opportunities of our new AI-informed reality.
This landmark event kicks off with a reception on 9/9, followed by a day of groundbreaking discussions on 9/10 at De Anza College in Cupertino.
Yesterday we welcomed our Early College students for their first day of fall! The group of juniors from North Torrance High School is the 1st cohort and attended a variety of classes.
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From College of the Desert:
College of the Desert’s Welcome Day was a success! Incoming and current students had the opportunity to attend a resource fair, tour campus, get COD swag and learn about college resources to start the year off right.
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From Los Angeles Pierce College:
A warm welcome to Pierce International Students! Did you know that our International Program hosts students representing a whopping 46 countries around the world?! We strive to be an inclusive and diverse campus and this is one way we do it!
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From Shasta College:
Hey Knights! We’re out here at Day on the Green for Welcome Week with fun games, prizes, music by DJ Bucky, and a dunk tank!
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC’s Renegade Room Features Quality Cuisine and Training
Marcia Overturf, one of the chefs inside the Renegade Room at Bakersfield College, describes the Renegade Room in just three words: “A hidden gem.” This single description, one that she has heard countless times directly from customers, perfectly encapsulates the college restaurant’s impeccable service, delicious cuisine, and charming atmosphere.
Contrary to popular belief, the Renegade Room is open to everyone—students, staff, faculty, and even the public! As Chef Overturf emphasizes, “It is a restaurant for the community [where] everyone is welcome; it’s a place to try different cuisines—something you may have never tried before at a very good price.”
KCCD CEOs welcome you back faculty and staff to spring 2022 in-service as we gear up for our students KCCD continues to #DareMightyThings
President Dadabhoy, Chancellor Christian, President Hancock, President Habib
Thought I would start my blog by sharing the books I read this past year.
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
“The bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs returns with a “compelling” (The Washington Post) account of how Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues launched a revolution that will allow us to cure diseases, fend off viruses, and have healthier babies.“
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Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard
“In her most ambitious novel to date, New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard returns to the themes that are the hallmarks of her most acclaimed work in a mesmerizing story of a family—from the hopeful early days of young marriage to parenthood, divorce, and the costly aftermath that ripples through all their lives.”
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The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
“Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?”
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Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
“We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone.”
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Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity by Scott Galloway
“The COVID-19 outbreak has turned bedrooms into offices, pitted young against old, and widened the gaps between rich and poor, red and blue, the mask wearers and the mask haters. Some businesses–like home exercise company Peloton, video conference software maker Zoom, and Amazon–woke up to find themselves crushed under an avalanche of consumer demand. Others–like the restaurant, travel, hospitality, and live entertainment industries–scrambled to escape obliteration.
But as New York Times bestselling author Scott Galloway argues, the pandemic has not been a change agent so much as an accelerant of trends already well underway. In Post Corona, he outlines the contours of the crisis and the opportunities that lie ahead. Some businesses, like the powerful tech monopolies, will thrive as a result of the disruption. Other industries, like higher education, will struggle to maintain a value proposition that no longer makes sense when we can’t stand shoulder to shoulder. And the pandemic has accelerated deeper trends in government and society, exposing a widening gap between our vision of America as a land of opportunity, and the troubling realities of our declining wellbeing.”
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The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
“From Vice President Kamala Harris, one of America’s most inspiring political leaders, a book about the core truths that unite us, and the long struggle to discern what those truths are and how best to act upon them, in her own life and across the life of our country.”
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Divided we Fall by David French
“David French warns of the potential dangers to the country—and the world—if we don’t summon the courage to reconcile our political differences.
Two decades into the 21st Century, the U.S. is less united than at any time in our history since the Civil War. We are more diverse in our beliefs and culture than ever before. But red and blue states, secular and religious groups, liberal and conservative idealists, and Republican and Democratic representatives all have one thing in common: each believes their distinct cultures and liberties are being threatened by an escalating violent opposition. This polarized tribalism, espoused by the loudest, angriest fringe extremists on both the left and the right, dismisses dialogue as appeasement; if left unchecked, it could very well lead to secession.”
I was thrilled back in December 2020 when the ACCJC Learning Seminar Series welcomed David French as a featured speaker at our session “Learning to Stand Together: A Call for Higher Education to Bridge the American Divide Through Equity.”
The full video from that discussion is below. It’s about an hour but worth the watch.
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Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
“She was a fierce dissenter with a serious collar game. A legendary, self-described “flaming feminist litigator” who made the world more equal. And an intergenerational icon affectionately known as the Notorious RBG. As the nation mourns the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, discover the story of a remarkable woman and learn how to carry on her legacy.”
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Untamed by Glennon Doyle
“There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves.
For many years, Glennon Doyle denied her own discontent. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. But she soon realized they had come to her from within. This was her own voice—the one she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions, cultural conditioning, and institutional allegiances. This was the voice of the girl she had been before the world told her who to be. Glennon decided to quit abandoning herself and to instead abandon the world’s expectations of her. She quit being good so she could be free. She quit pleasing and started living.”
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The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
“From The New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters’ storylines intersect?”
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The Guest List by Lucy Foley
“The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.”
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Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs by Michael Osterholm
“Unlike natural disasters, whose destruction is concentrated in a limited area over a period of days, and illnesses, which have devastating effects but are limited to individuals and their families, infectious disease has the terrifying power to disrupt everyday life on a global scale, overwhelming public and private resources and bringing trade and transportation to a grinding halt.”
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Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond by Lilly Ledbetter
“The courageous story of the woman at the center of the historic discrimination case that inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act–her fight for equal rights in the workplace, and how her determination became a victory for the nation.”
This past June, The California Community Colleges Women’s Caucus was honored to have Lilly as a speaker for Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Event. It was truly inspirational to hear her story directly from her, as she shared her experience in fighting for equal pay for equal work.
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Good morning, friends… It is January 8, 2022. The sun shines bright over KCCD.
This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to #DareMightyThings
Porterville College
Six PC volleyball players earn All-Central Valley Conference honors
(Left-right): Paige Borges (Honorable Mention), Jordan Castaneda (Honorable Mention), and Victoria Dabney (Second Team) were three of six 2021 All-CVC selections.
Following the close of the 2021 regular season for the Porterville College women’s volleyball team, six members of the Pirates earned All-Central Valley Conference postseason honors.
Leading the way for Porterville was second-team All-CVC selection Victoria Dabney. The freshman outside hitter was the Pirates’ primary threat on offense this season, leading her squad with 192 kills, 534 attempts, 52 total blocks, and a 2.31 kills per set average. Dabney’s 126 digs ranked second on the team. She came to PC from Porterville High School.
Named All-CVC honorable mention were sophomore middle blocker Madison Doty (Monache HS), sophomore middle blocker Paige Borges (Strathmore HS), sophomore outside hitter Emily Kissick (Strathmore HS), sophomore setter Jordan Castaneda (Farmersville HS), and freshman outside hitter Kaitlyn Keovilaysane (Porterville HS).
The Pirates wrapped up the season with a 10-14 overall record and finished fifth in the final Central Valley Conference standings with a 7-9 mark under head coach Pete Rasmussen.
PC hosts series of events to connect with the community
PC Dean of Student Success Erin Wingfield, PC VP of Student Services Primavera Arvizu, Stafford’s Chocolates owner Rob Taylor, and PC President Dr. Claudia Habib attend the event.
The PC Student Services team is removing barriers to success while sharing some great treats with the community. Over the next several weeks, the department will be holding several registration events in popular Porterville Gathering Spots, all in an effort to make registration as EASY as possible for our community – meeting potential students where they gather with mobile registration services and staff on hand to answer questions and provide guidance and support.
The first of these events was held on Thursday, January 6, 2022, at Stafford’s Chocolates, a very popular coffee shop and local hangout right in the center of Downtown Porterville. The next event will be held on Wednesday January 12 at Centennial Park, also in Downtown Porterville.
Student Services Staff on hand to assist new registrants at Stafford’s Chocolates
Stafford’s Chocolates staff decked out in PC Gear for PC Day at the shop
These events allow anyone to ask questions and get help with registration as they go about their daily errands. The setup of these events allows PC staff to assist potential students with registration as they are stopping into their local morning spot for coffee or when they are on the way to do banking or get something to eat for lunch. Staff will be on hand at each of these “pop-up” registration events to make the process simple while addressing concerns about the cost of college by showing students how to easily sign up for financial aid and other programs that will help students pay for tuition, books, and other supplies needed during their time at PC.
Men’s basketball has impressive start on and off the court
We are very proud to report that, not only has the Porterville College men’s basketball team had the best first half start to a PC Basketball season in over 20 years (8-2), but they finished the Fall semester with a team 3.0 Grade Point Average!
These scholar athletes (10 Freshmen and 2 Sophomores led by head coach Amaurys Fermin) have VERY bright futures ahead of them! We can’t wait to see what happens next!
The Pirate’s next home game is on Wednesday, January 12th as they face West Hills Lemoore. Come out and show us that #SeaOfRed!
Peter Fulks, professor in Administration of Justice, is a member of the inaugural Smart Justice Think Tank, a coalition of higher education champions and directly impacted leaders. The SJTT will develop a guiding framework for scholars, advocates, practitioners, legislators, and re-entry organizations in post-secondary higher education in prison and on-campus programs.
They will seek to address incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students’ unique needs as they strive toward academic success and their career goals.
College Admissions Workshop
Cerro Coso Community College will hold a college admissions workshop on Monday, January 10th, from 12-1 pm. Students will get information on how to apply, as well as guidance on best practices or any other questions students may have.
Students who take advantage of this workshop will be able to attend classes this spring semester!
For more information, contact Outreach Director Katie Bachman at (760) 384-6353.
Dave’s Scholar: Julia Sarver
Check out this letter from Dave’s ScholarJulia Sarver, who graduated in December:
The importance of being a Dave’s Scholar for me is that I have been able to start my educational path in nursing without a financial burden. With the help of this scholarship, I have already received my Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, and I am about to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).
After I graduate in December, I will take my NCLEX state test to become licensed and start working as a nurse. In the spring, I plan to continue my education to complete the rest of my prerequisites for a Registered Nurse (RN) program. I believe I have another three more years of schooling to become an RN if I am accepted into a program right away. With so many nursing schools being impacted, I know I will have to work hard to achieve my goal. Ultimately, my goal is to receive my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Being a Dave’s Scholar has helped me save money to help me pay for the school that is to come. I am very grateful to be offered an opportunity like becoming a Dave’s Scholar.
Thank you, Julia Sarver
Bakersfield College
BC’s Catalytic Converter Etching Event with Kern County DA’s Office
BC’s Auto Technology team held a Catalytic Converter etching event in partnership with the Kern County DA’s office on Saturday, December 11th, 2021. These license plate number etchings make it easier for law enforcement to identify potentially stolen parts. There has been a significant rise in catalytic converter thefts in Kern County over the past 2 years. KGET reported that 2,224 catalytic converters were stolen in 2021 in an article about a surge in crime dated 12/30/2021. The Catalytic Converter Etching event was reported by KGET on 12/8/2021 and KERO on 12/9/2021.
On Thursday, January 13th 2022, will be the Opening Day.
Bookstore employees are busy preparing to fill book orders for the Bakersfield College students. There is still time to register! BC is holding a Virtual Registration Rocks Event on January 12th, 2022 from 12-5 PM. Come join the Renegades! Spring 2022 begins on January 16th, 2022.
Christmas Tree Recycling
Christmas time is an exciting time of bright lights and beautiful trees brought into the house and decorated in festive ornaments and lights. When the season is over, these trees are discarded and those that end up in landfills produce methane as they decompose which exacerbates the climate change problems we are facing. Every year, Bakersfield College hosts a Christmas Tree Collection site where the City picks up the trees and properly recycles them at no charge to our community. BC is continuing to collect trees through Monday January 10th, 2022 at 11:00 PM in the southwest parking lot (P16) at the corner of Haley and University.
Spotted on Social Media
Recently, Traco Matthews – a great leader in our community and dear friend of Bakersfield College – lost his mother. I was so inspired by this post from his father, Philip Matthews. This 5:18 video shows the family coming together in song to grieve: https://www.facebook.com/100000001334580/videos/4665607673506343/
To the Matthews family: your beautiful family and music to bring peace in this sorrowful time is an inspiration to us.
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Wendy Gerhold — a beautiful soul
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My tweet on the passing of Sidney Poitier
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Also this week, Monika Scott shared this photo from a previous commencement at Bakersfield College – I love seeing the crowd packing the Memorial Stadium to celebrate our amazing students. Seeing this photo helps me relive every graduation ceremony. Thank you Monika!
I saw that the Arvin High We the people team was recognized as the 21st Congressional District champions for the We the People Competition. Good luck at state!
And Porterville College is holding Porterville College Day at Centennial Part on Wednesday, from 9 am to 4 pm!
We all have an afterlife on this Earth. An afterlife of our stories remembered by those who have known us for many years… My life lives on in them, especially in my daughter and my sister. And they will tell stories that I do not know, will never know. He did this, he did that, can you believe it! That is my afterlife here on Earth. That is our afterlife here on Earth.
Community Voices: Our Lives. Our Stories. Jack Hernandez. March 25, 2021
This week, Bakersfield lost a legend. Jack Hernandez was one of the sweetest, most brilliant people I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. I know many of you have known Jack, or seen him writing at Dagny’s. It is hard to put into words how tremendous his impact on Bakersfield College and our Bakersfield community has been over the past 60 years.
Sonya Christian, Jack Hernandez, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Bob Allison, and Jerry Ludeke
Jack grew up near Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s in English and philosophy and a Master’s degree in English language and literature.
In 1961, he joined Bakersfield College as a faculty member.
He began his Renegade career as a philosophy professor, and he also served as Dean of Students and as Vice Chancellor before returning to teach philosophy in 1984. In 1989, he became Chair of the philosophy department, and in 1996 he won the Shirley Trembley Distinguished Teaching Award.
In 2007, he began organizing events for the newly-created Norman Levan Center for the Humanities. He spent 10 years developing and caring for a space the celebrate arts and scholarship before he retired in 2017. He also launched the Norman Levan Faculty Colloquium.
He was a prolific writer, spending hours at Dagny’s Coffee Shop penning Community Voices pieces for the Bakersfield Californian or writing one of his many poems – some of which he would send to me, and I would publish in my blog. His writing was truly extraordinary – he had such a gift with words and turn of phrase and was able to capture emotion and nuance so beautifully. I have so enjoyed sharing these pieces with all of you.
One of the last poems he sent me hadn’t made it to my blog yet, but I will share it with you now.
He sent this on November 1st with the note “Hope…”
A Glass
Hope is empty until filled with liquid dreams shaken and held up to the light, a toast to a future of thirst’s delight.
Desires quenched, prophesies fulfilled, the glass now empty is carefully shelved for another day.
Check out this 3-min video from Thursday’s KCCD Board meeting.
Jack leaves behind a monumental legacy in our district and in this community. His infectious passion for literature and the humanities inspired generations of students, including Reggie Williams, who took Jack’s Intro to Philosophy course when he was a student at Bakersfield College and now continues his legacy as the current director of the Levan Center.
Jack Hernandez and Reggie Williams
Here is a paragraph from the bc_all email sent by Jerry Ludeke.
Throughout it all, Jack has been Jack. You always knew what you were getting with Jack…..clear thinking (maybe a bit esoteric or humorously a bit sarcastic), clear writing (going from essays to plays to academic papers and most recently free flowing poetry), morally principled action (which sometimes appeared in Community Voices in The Californian), and open hearted honesty (speaking of hard times in his life and injustices witnessed today.)
Good morning, friends… It is November 20, 2021. The sun shines bright over KCCD.
This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to #DareMightyThings
Porterville College
PC brings awareness to hunger and homelessness
This week, Porterville College took a stand against Hunger and Homelessness as we hosted a series of activities to support students facing food and housing insecurities.
The PC Pirate Pantry helps over 200 students each month. Students are able to come to the on-campus food pantry once a week and show their student I.D. card to receive 2 or 3 bags of groceries for free. The groceries include non-perishables, refrigerated, and frozen items.
PC Student Services, in partnership with CalFresh, the Community Food Bank, and the Family Crisis Center held several activities throughout the week to bring awareness to this growing problem among the student population. A weeklong donation drive is underway to collect personal hygiene items, jackets and blankets. Various workshops were held throughout the week to raise awareness and educate the community and our students on the growing problem of food insecurity and homelessness.
San Juanita Baldwin, a PC student who has struggled with hunger and homelessness in the past says, “I know that the financial aid office has the food pantry and many of the school clubs try to help out with the homeless. They donate food items, clothes, and toiletry items. I believe in our school and on campus we have a lot of students who are hungry and they cannot afford nutritional food because it’s expensive. From my personal experience with homelessness, I was in transition from moving from one city to another. Because of lack of stability and lack of access to nutritional food my diabetes flared up. Now I’m stable and my diabetes is under control.”
Director of financial aid Tiffany Haynes added, “We are here to help students with these programs and events, and we hope many take advantage of what we are able to offer through the generous donations of our campus and community.”
PC WeComm Club steps up to help community efforts
WeComm is a newly established club of students interested in communication at Porterville College. The club, which began at PC this semester, seeks to get students involved in their community through volunteer work. They have already been making a big splash around town, having been seen volunteering at several events and community efforts to help others.
Just this month, they were seen joining forces with the California Farmworkers Foundation in Earlimart to help hand out boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products to families in need at their food distribution center. Club faculty advisor Dr. Jonathan Hernandez said, “It was a great day, and we plan to team up with their organization for future events!”
They were also seen assisting Sierra View Medical center during their recent pop-up vaccination clinics, helping spread the word about the benefits that vaccinations can have for our community.
They even spent time cleaning up Veteran’s Park in Porterville, as part of a communitywide effort to keep Porterville beautiful!
But it’s not all hard work for this club, they were also seen hitting a PC basketball game as a group to cheer on the Pirates and show their school spirit.
You can catch them on Twitter and Instragram (WECOMMPC) to see what they are up too.
PC Innovation Centers hosts its final STEM Enrichment Workshop of the Semester
The new STEM Innovation center at PC hosted the last in its series of Career Enrichment Workshops this week via Zoom.
Each PC USDA STEM Enrichment Workshop aims at highlighting a different USDA agency and/or partner. The workshops are developed to introduce local, regional, and state USDA Agencies, federal, and industry partners to STEM students and the campus-wide community.
Additionally, the enrichment workshops utilize an interactive, discussion-based format designed to engage students actively in their own career development process. Students will also learn about opportunities offered by USDA to optimize their STEM major, internship, and career searches.
Guest speaker Dr. Maria Esteras talked with attendees about her role as the USDA Food Safety Inspection Services Veterinary Recruiting and Outreach Coordinator. In this role, she oversees recruitment and retention of veterinarians across the nation.
In her work with the USDA, Dr. Esteras has been able to create awareness of the critical role that veterinarians play in food safety and public health as well as assist with creating new policies and incentives that affect veterinarians within the agency.
Cerro Coso Community College
ESCC Nursing Students Prepare to Graduate and Serve
Preparing nursing students for making the transition from student to nurse is crucial for entry into practice. Students in Cerro Coso’s Nursing Program undergo a rigorous program of study and clinical practice to prepare them for their transition to the world of nursing.
In the next few weeks, the nursing cohort at the Eastern Sierra College Center in Bishop will finish their finals, take their state licensure testing, and will be poised to join colleagues nationwide “in the most noble of professions,” thanks to Cerro Coso’s program.
These students have, once again, shown amazing resolve and adaptability to graduate in the mist of the most difficult health crisis our country has ever seen. They are well prepared to serve their communities.
Even in moments of uncertainty, there is an underlying sense of optimism. Positioned to start a new chapter in their lives despite a national pandemic, when all their peers were shifting to online classes, they kept attending in-person classes in the homestretch of their nursing education. Cerro Coso nursing faculty have worked hard to deliver all the classes they need, following all safety protocols, to keep them on track for graduation.
The college will be holding a Nursing Capping and Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, December 3rd at the Bishop campus that signifies the conclusion of their program at the college. All those attending will be required to wear a mask and show proof of Covid vaccination or a negative Covid test administered within the last 72 hours.
Nothing can take away these students’ passion for, and commitment to, helping others as nurses.
Congratulations to the ESCC Nursing Class of 2021!
Basketball Home Opener BIG Win for the Coyotes Men’s Basketball Team
Coming off of a strong early start to the 2021-22 CCCAA Men’s Basketball Season, the Cerro Coso Coyote’s men’s basketball program kicked off their home schedule on Saturday, November 12th against West Hills Coalinga College (WHCC).
The Coso team opened up their home schedule with a convincing win over West Hills Coalinga College. With only a 1 point lead going into halftime, the Coyotes made the necessary adjustments to run away with a 20 point margin to finish the game at 77-57.
The Falcons played tough defense throughout the contest, but were no match for the fast paced Coyote offense as Cerro Coso eventually wore them down. The Coyotes were led by Josh Miller(27 pts), Jalen Williams (17 pts.), and Jhadon Banks (15 pts.).
Coso returns to action on the road this Wednesday as they take on a top ranked opponent in Fullerton College. They will return to home action this Saturday, 11/20/21 @ 5:00pm as they play host to Cypress College.
Dribble it. Pass it. Let’s make a basket! Go Coyotes!
It’s a Wrap
No need to get all wrapped up in all the holiday stress! Cerro Coso elves (Penny Talley, Courtney Bowen, and Franki Gregor) offered the community some wrapping relief during the Student Services United Club’s Gift Wrapping and Donation Drive held at Walmart on Wednesday, November 17th. Shoppers were able to stop by the booth and have their holiday purchases wrapped for a donation. All proceeds from the event will be used to support Club activities.
The Student Services United Club provides students with the opportunity to develop a networking system that is consistent with the challenges they encounter on a day-to-day basis. It provides an opportunity for special services students to develop leadership skills through the presentation of various campus and community activities and cooperation with other organizations. The underlying theme for the club’s activities is to educate the college and community about ethnic-cultural diversity and about the needs and contributions of disabled and economically challenged people.
Bakersfield College
BC Gifted $11,000 By The Scott Kirschenmann Family Foundation
The Scott Kirschenmann Family Foundation has gifted the Bakersfield College Foundation $11,000 to expand and renovate the Bakersfield College Agriculture Farm Laboratory, an outdoor learning space for students on the corner of Panorama and Haley St. Christy Hornbuckle, Scott Kirshenmann’s sister, joined members of the BC Foundation for a tour of the area on Wednesday morning. The tour was led by Dean of Instruction, Jessica Wojtysiak, Agriculture Department Chair, Heather Baltis, and Food Science faculty, LeAnn Riley.
And check out this story from KGET about the donation & visit:
Automotive Tech Renegades at the 29th California Hot Rod Reunion
The 29th California Hot Rod Reunion was held at Famoso Dragstrip and the three day event serves as the final race in the NHRA Heritage Series. Eleven of BC’s Automotive Technology students participated as crew members on Top Fuel Dragster teams, a program sponsored by the Jim McLennen Foundation and NHRA. The program was started years ago when Bob McLennen, Jim’s son, contacted BC’s Auto faculty looking for ways to introduce students to drag racing in memory of his father’s legacy. This program is an extension of the Renegade Motorsports team, which has already built a fully functional racecar trainer and is currently constructing two endurance race cars for competition on road courses across the western states.
Native American Heritage Month – Resources at BC!
Faith Bradham and Laura Luiz have created a Native American LibGuide and set up displays in the Library in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. The guide focuses on books and online resources including videos, podcasts, and more.
The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian is celebrating with a Native Cinema Showcase, November 12th through 18th. This year’s showcase focuses on Native people boldly asserting themselves through language, healing, building community, and a continued relationship with the land. Activism lies at the heart of all these stories. The showcase provides a unique forum for engagement with Native filmmakers from Indigenous communities throughout the Western Hemisphere and Arctic.
BC Recognized Twice by The Campaign for College Opportunity
Last week, I shared that The Campaign for College Opportunity has announced Bakersfield College will be recognized as a Champion of Higher Education. I wanted to update you all to that BC was honored twice during the annual Champions of Higher Education celebration on November 16th.
Champion of Higher Education for Excellence
The first recognition is as a 2021 Champion of Higher Education in regards to exemplary work to ensure strong transfer pathways. BC has seen a sustained increase of 1000% in degrees awarded since 2014-2015.
Champion of Equity for Latinx Students
BC was also recognized as a 2021 Equity Champion for Excellence in Transfer for Latinx Students. In the past few years, BC has achieved parity in enrollment and completion for this population with 70% of Associate Degree for Transfer earners identifying as Hispanic/Latino/a/x in 2019-2020.
In the News
BC breaks ground on a new Edible Education Garden
On Friday, BC broke ground on the new Edible Education Garden. The garden will be open to all students, and its harvests will be available both to students in the culinary arts program cooking at the Renegade Room, as well as for students at the Renegade Pantry.
“KCCD trustee John Corkins, who represents the Porterville College area and serves on the district’s finance committee, said a grant that covers 100 percent of the funding is rare and allows the district to take a reasonable risk. It’s a risk few community colleges have taken up until now: A recent Assembly memo notes that only 12 community colleges have housing programs.“
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
Cerro Coso shared this picture taken while filming on the Bishop campus:
Excited to wrap up the virtual 360 campus tour filming today at our Bishop and Mammoth campuses. We are thrilled to bring all of Cerro Coso’s campus locations to you soon virtually! Don’t forget open registration is available now to register for spring classes! You belong here! #ccpride
PC President Claudia Habib shared these photos on Twitter:
“Beautiful Yokut tribe artifacts, regalia and games were on display at the tabling event by the Native American Club.”
Here a a few photos from this week’s Launchpad Lunch & Learn event – thank you to Earl Parsons for these great photos:
I just love this post from BC History Professor Olivia Garcia:
Can I just say how much I love my job?! Yes COVID has made it challenging for professors to teach in this new setting, but I’m so proud of my students for their resilience and creativity. Case in point: I created an assignment where my history students could create something that reflected what they wrote about in their history research papers. Here are some examples from my history classes: One created an Aztec pyramid as he wrote about the fascinating engineering of this society. Another made a suffragette sash to highlight the women’s suffrage movement. Another created a Venus figurine out of clay for her paper on Paleolithic societies and portrayal of women through these carvings. Another drew her own interpretation of Mona Lisa to highlight her paper on the Renaissance. The list goes on! It was a fun, creative assignment for my face-to-face classes, and their work was so inspiring. Thank you to my students for reminding me of the rewards of teaching history to young, thriving college minds. #mystudentsarethebest⭐️❤️#thatprofessorlife🙋🏽♀️ #wearebc#historyrocks🌏
And Vance Palm announced his retirement this week after 23 years of covering BC Renegade Athletics:
After a total span of 23 years covering basketball, football and volleyball for my beloved BC Rengades, this afternoon was the finale. Called my first hoops game in 1998 – as the Assistant coach!I played basketball & baseball there, coached there, worked there and was lucky enough to help with the Inaugural BC Athletics Hall of Fame. I Tagged a bunch of the people who I enjoyed along the way. Much love#gogades
“Through their service, they have been honed into warriors and possess a warrior spirit. A veteran’s experiences and their duty to protect our country can create challenges to finding the sometimes-elusive peace they seek, beyond those of the average citizen.”
These words from Jenny Frank, manager of Veteran Services and Programs at Bakersfield College, have stuck with me this week as we celebrate and honor our nation’s veterans.
Veterans Day became a nationally observed holiday in 1938. It was first celebrated as “Armistice Day” in 1918 honoring the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” – which was the end of World War I.
The federal holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans of all wars. It has become a day to honor the sacrifices they have made so that we all can enjoy the freedoms we have. Their courage and dedication are of indescribable importance to our nation, and no words can ever express how much that means.
I am left with a heartfelt – but inadequate – thank you, to all our veterans, for your service.
It was a wonderful week, celebrating our student veterans at all three of our campuses with various events honoring their service.
I finished my week with a great hike, enjoying the peaceful tranquility of a fall morning.
Also spotted a tarantula!
Good morning, friends… It is November 13, 2021. The sun shines bright over KCCD.
This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to #DareMightyThings
Porterville College
Military Veterans Share Their Stories at 2021-2022’s First On-Campus CHAP Event
Pictured left to right: Nicholas Oliva, Roland Hill, Cody Ridenour, Greg King, and Everette Morgan
Jim Entz, PC Professor and Coordinator of the Cultural and Historical Awareness Program (CHAP), brought the organization into its 20th year on campus with Wednesday’s early afternoon event at the PC Theater.
Founded in 2002, CHAP has become a vital cultural institution of Porterville College. It exists to enhance awareness of important cultural aspects that are little known, and it uses panels, guest speakers, exhibits, and concerts to do so.
In honor of Veterans Day (Thursday, November 11th), the Wednesday panel included five veterans: Nicholas Oliva (Iraq), Roland Hill (Vietnam), Cody Ridenour (Coast Guard patrol in the Caribbean), Greg King (Vietnam), and Everette Morgan (Vietnam). The ages, experiences, and stories of the veterans ranged widely across the spectrum of military life. Branches included the Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Their moving stories covered the spectrum of the human experience—grief and trauma, but also humor and the matter-of-fact reality of learning to survive through months of combat and high stress situations—all in locations across the globe. A $68 million dollar drug bust in the Caribbean Sea with the Coast Guard, a massive C-130 plane engaging in a combat landing in Baghdad, Iraq (where a plane nosedives straight down, then pulls up at the last minute to avoid enemy fire), a door gunner’s experience on a helicopter in Vietnam, soldiers racing to get back to base in their planes before the gates were locked—these were a few of the stories told.
One thing that especially stood out: despite there being a distinct contrast of ages and experiences in the panel, the silver-haired Vietnam vets shared a spirit of support and camaraderie with the younger veterans. There exists a unique and amazing bond between servicemembers in the military no matter the branch or time period, and this panel provided a moving, memorable example of that.
As Vietnam vet Everette Morgan said at the event: “You learned the guy next to you was your life…It was unique because your group would stick together no matter what. I’ve never seen that outside of the military.”
Pirates Basketball off to a great start with new coach
Amaurys Fermin
It didn’t take long for new Porterville College head basketball coach Amaurys Fermin and the PC men’s basketball team to make their presence felt on the court.
Facing Southern California’s preseason No. 10-ranked Allan Hancock College, Fermin and the Pirates earned their first victory, beating the Bulldogs by a final score of 78-76 in their 2021-22 season-opener.
PC led 39-32 at halftime and had to hold off a furious late-game surge by Allan Hancock to pull off the upset.
The Pirates have since gone on to an impressive 3 and 1 record to start the season after defeating Ohlone College (86-67) and Cañada College (67-47). The season’s only loss to date came in a matchup with Chabot College (76-60).
We’re excited for their upcoming matchup with the BC Renegades, when they face them on the PC campus during the Milt Stowe Classic on November 19th!
PC Baseball Team and Students Step Up to help local organization
Last week, I shared an email from Library and Literacy Commissioner, Catherine May, about how the PC baseball team was helping the Friends of the Library organization.
Today I’d like to share a little more background about this effort.
Just over 18 months ago, the Porterville City Library was burned to the ground in a fire which cost our community not only an incredible resource, but the lives of two brave firefighters as well. The community has both mourned these losses and come together to help rebuild in many ways since that tragic day.
The Porterville Friends of the Library organization has been fundraising and selling books to make money for the Porterville Library for decades. They have been crucial in the Libraries effort to rebuild, but not without cost to them.
The fire that leveled the library also took away the organization’s space to store books. A local business was able to allow them to store books in their warehouse, for a time, but can no longer afford to spare the extra room. Luckily, the city was able to provide space for the Friends of the Library, but they had to move the many heavy books in storage on their own. Unfortunately, the majority of the organization’s membership is older and unable to do much heavy lifting.
Enter the PC Baseball team. They answered the Friends of the Library’s call for help and spent a day moving the boxes from the warehouse to the new city facility.
Pirates Baseball Coach JL Buchanan shared this sentiment on Twitter about the effort, “Porterville College Pirate Baseball players helping out the Friends of Library organization today. So proud of them for giving back to their community.” @gopcpirates@PortervillePrez@PCollegePirates
Cerro Coso Community College
Honoring our Veterans and Active Duty Military
Cerro Coso Community College paid tribute to veterans and active duty military kicking off a week of activities beginning with a flag raising ceremony at the Ridgecrest Campus on Monday, November 8, 2021 by Naval Air Weapon Center, Weapons Division China Lake Color Guards. Speakers included college president Dr. Sean Hancock, Trustee and former Naval Officer Jack Connell, and Ridgecrest Mayor and Cerro Coso alum Eric Bruen.
A virtual and physical Wall of Courage is on display on the college website here, and the physical version on exhibit in the Student Center at the Ridgecrest Campus. On Wednesday, Veterans Services hosted a barbecue for staff and students honoring veterans and those who currently serve our country.
Balk – New Associate Professor of Nursing
Lisa Balk
Please join us in welcoming new Associate Professor of Nursing Lisa Balk to the Cerro Coso community.
Born in Maryland, Balk, a military wife, has lived the military life and spent time in San Diego, Rhode Island, and Maryland when her husband was active-duty Navy. She moved to Ridgecrest in 2016 when her husband took a job at China Lake.
Balk has a real heart for animals and worked many years as a veterinary assistant while pursuing a career in nursing. Balk and her husband have a son who lives in Ridgecrest and a daughter in the Los Angeles area training horses.
She has two rescue cats, enjoys working with the Guide Dogs for the Blind and is currently raising her fourth puppy. He accompanies her to work at the college some days, enjoying all that the campus has to offer.
Balk holds a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Stevenson University, and a Master’s of Science in Health Science, Leadership and Management with an Education Focus from the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
Welcome to Cerro Coso Lisa!
High School Students Can Earn College Credit: Find Out How
Cerro Coso Community College is hosting a virtual Dual and Concurrent Programs Workshop for parents of high school students on Tuesday, November 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
If you are the parent of a junior or senior in high school, find out how your student can get a head start in earning college credits before they leave high school, ultimately making their college experience more affordable, efficient, and enriching.
Cerro Coso Community College offers dual and concurrent enrollment classes for high school students throughout its service area.
Find out more about both programs, processes, and how it can benefit your high school student’s future.
Parents are being asked to pre-register for the Zoom workshop here.
For more information contact the College Outreach Office at 760-384-6219 or email outreach@cerrocoso.edu .
Cerro Coso is now holding priority registration for spring 2022 classes.
Cerro Coso Community College – Your Hometown College.
Bakersfield College
BC is a Top 150 Community College, Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
Bakersfield College has been recognized as a member of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Top 150 list. The biennial Aspen Prize Top 150, awarded by the Aspen Institute, is considered the signature recognition for high achievement and performance among American community colleges.
Aspen selects their top college list based on student outcomes that include learning, completion rates, employment rates, earnings and equity. The Aspen Institute reviewed data from a select pool of over 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. Focused on student access and success, the Aspen Prize recognizes community colleges with exceptional achievements in four areas:
Student learning;
Certificate and degree completion while in community college and after transferring to a four-year institution;
Employment and earnings rates after graduation; and
Access for and success of minority and limited-income students.
The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next steps in an intensive data and practice review process, culminating in the announcement of the Prize winner in spring 2023. The next steps in the process include selection of the top ten finalists by a panel of 15 experts in community colleges, higher education and workforce training, to be announced in spring/summer 2022 and Fall 2022 site visits to each of the ten finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information, including employment and earnings data and insights about promising practices.
BC Receives $6 Million For Health Education Through Advocacy of Assembly Member Rudy Salas
Assembly Member Rudy Salas presented $6 million dollars in state funding to expand and implement workforce training programs focused on health education. This will be the second time in 2 months, and the fourth time in 4 years that Salas will present substantial funding, totaling over $22 million, to support Renegades and educational programming at Bakersfield College. Read more about how these funds will make a difference.
Renegades Serve as Contact Tracers in Kern County Schools
BC & Adventist Mobile Health Clinic in McFarland and Rural Kern
Bakersfield College is joining Adventist Health in an effort to make quality health services and health related education more accessible in McFarland through the Adventist Mobile Health Clinic. BC’s efforts will focus on community wellness initiatives, referral services for Early College students and their families, and creating additional opportunities for nursing students to participate in clinical settings and community wellness events.
BC Peace Project: Peace and Military Service
This week, Bakersfield College continued the BC Peace Project with a seminar titled “Peace and Military Service.”
Check out the panel discussion from Wednesday’s event – thank you to Kimberly Rodriguez, Armando Trujillo, Deb Johnson, and Josh Dhanens for taking part:
Poetry Corner
Please enjoy this poem from Jack Hernandez:
Striding
In airports he strode pridefully past those slowed by worn years, head high under a smug cap, heart smiling secretly in fortune’s false light, unaware that soon he would shuffle in the wake of those grinning at his declining flight.
Quick Tips for Teaching Success
The Porterville College Quick Tips Team continued their education series with “The Quick Tips Team is Fraud Squad” on Wednesday.
Thank you to presenters Dustin Acres,Rebecca Baird, Joy Lawrence, Melissa Long, Ian Onizuka, Elisa Queenan, and Robert Simpkins.
This week, the Valley Strong Energy Institute hosted another webinar in the Ag/Water/Energy Education Series. We welcomed Steve Bohlen, Emily Wimberger, and Chris Gould to discuss carbon management opportunities impacting Kern County.
“We are working closely with 4-year universities to make sure students have a clear path to transfer. We are currently working with Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo, Humboldt State University, and the University of California at Berkeley on the pathways for natural resource-based degrees. We also have an advisory board that seeks input from our partner universities as well as representatives from CALFIRE, the United States Forest Service, University of California Cooperative Extension, Windwolves Preserve, the Panorama Vista Preserve, and other local entities.“
Bakersfield College has two professors within the Forestry department, Dr. Renaldo Arroyo (left) and Dr. Jalisca Thomason (right)
Kern County Women in STEM: An Interview with Cheryl Scott
“There are so many great reasons we should encourage girls and women to pursue STEM education and careers! Working at Bakersfield College, I love seeing our faculty encourage students to explore their options. The opportunities are endless, and thanks to the fact that STEM jobs generally pay considerably more than non-STEM jobs, they can set a woman up to be successful and self-sufficient. Employers can help, too. For example, Phillips 66 has established a scholarship at BC for women studying STEM disciplines.“
Cheryl Scott
Fun Photos and Social Media
Trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg got her COVID-19 booster. Booster shots administered by Diego and Marisa! Go BC Nursing Program👍🏽
The Porterville College WeComm club shared this group photo after they cleaned up Veterans Park in Porterville:
Cerro Coso Community College shared some photos from their Veterans BBQ:
Trustees Romeo Agbalog and Yovani Jimenez were among the fans at last Saturday’s Renegade Football game:
Loved watching #TeamUSA at the Tokyo Olympic Games. I’m sure many of you followed the story of Simone Biles – probably one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, gymnasts to ever compete – as she removed herself from the team competition last week. This week, she again removed herself from several individual events. But on Tuesday, she competed in the Individual Balance Beam competition and won a hard-earned Bronze medal for the United States.
Simone’s decision to withdraw from the world stage has made mental health a focus of these Olympics, at a time when many of us have been struggling after nearly a year and a half of pandemic. Dr. Brij Bambi’s says it well in his raw bold way of story telling ….. check out this recent post https://bhambiandchristian.com/
The world watched our strongest and fastest engage with their mental health, and we have also been witness to incredible acts of kindness between these competitors.
An amazing moment of these Olympic Games was when Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy decided to forgo a jump-off and to instead share the gold medal for the men’s high jump.
U.S. swimmer Caleb Dressel, who won 5 gold medals at these games, threw one of his relay medals to teammate Brooks Curry, who swam in the team’s qualifying heats in Dressel’s place. While both men will ultimately receive medals for their work on the relay team, it was still a wonderful gesture to see as Caleb recognized Brooks’ efforts in not only securing the relay medal, but helping him stay energized for his other events.
Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi was disappointed when he lost to Brazilian Italo Ferreira in surfing’s Olympics debut. But when Ferreira needed help at a press conference, Igarashi stepped in and translated a question.
It has been a truly beautiful Olympics, watching our world class athletes not only compete at astonishing levels, but also demonstrating a global sense of community . What an inspiration these Kindness Games have been.
Good morning, friends… It is August 7, 2021. The sun shines bright over KCCD.
This week, the Pirates, the Coyotes, and the Renegades continue to Dare Mighty Things
Porterville College
PC to provide access to vaccinations on campus for students during “Fall Welcome back Week”
PC Nursing Students Assist with Prior County Run Vaccination Clinics on Campus
As we prepare for a safe and healthy return to campus, it’s critical for students to know that getting vaccinated, combined with mask use, is the most important thing they can do to ensure the health and safety of those around them. Vaccination has been proven to prevent severe illness, hospitalizations, and even death.
As we make the return to on-campus learning, Porterville College is urging unvaccinated people to get the the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. With the emergence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, this step is more urgent than ever to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the community.
To ensure that as many students as possible receive this information and get vaccinated, Porterville College is starting an effort to distribute information to students and to provide easier access to vaccinations on campus and other scheduled vaccination clinics in the area. Please view our Adobe Spark presentation: How to Protect Yourself & Others for more information.
PC is making COVID-19 Vaccinations and testing available to all students, in partnership with Sierra View Medical Center and Imperial Ambulance. These mobile vaccination clinics will be held on campus leading up to and during the Welcome Back Week (Aug. 23-26) with the first scheduled dates being August 12th, 19th and 26th.
Summer camp introduces future PC program to young audiences
Professor Diran Lyons works with students on their video projects.
PC’s new Video Production camp was created to provide local students with the knowledge needed to improve their skills in creating videos for social media or other applications. During this week-long class, local high school students were provided instruction on video techniques using both phones and cameras, planning out a project from start to finish, and finally editing they content they captured to put together a finished video project. These TikTok videos were produced with industry-standard equipment and editing software.
Diran Lyons
This camp was designed by Filmmaker and PC Art Professor Diran Lyons, and provided just over a dozen High School Students with a taste of what is to come at Porterville College. Starting in Fall 2022, the college will offer a video production class to students as part of the on-campus art department offerings.
A summer camp student previews work on her video.
Basic Needs Support for Community College Students Is Urgent and Actionable
NOTE: I’d like to share a story about one of our students, as described in a letter from Luke Hejl, CEO and co-founder of TimelyMD, to EdSource Magazine. TimelyMD is the company that provides PC Timely Care services to our students. This letter highlights the importance of a program like PC Timely Care for our students and the increased need for Health Support services of all kinds during these difficult times.
When COVID-19 hit and Joelene Jones lost her job after 17 years, she was still grieving the recent death of her mother. Suddenly without any income, medical insurance, or family to help during her time of need, Joelene understandably felt quite distraught.
As one of 2.7 million Californians who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Joelene knew she wasn’t alone, but she felt that way. If something didn’t give, she would have to give something up – and she didn’t want that to be the pursuit of her educational and career goals.
Fortunately, Joelene was enrolled at Porterville College, a community college in California’s Central Valley, which offers students free, 24/7 medical and mental health care through TimelyMD, the telehealth company I co-founded to meet the specific needs of college students. She turned to TalkNow, our on-demand mental health support service, to connect with licensed counselors about the anxiety she was experiencing. They listened to, supported, and gave her some tools and strategies to navigate her new, more stressful life circumstances.
Unfortunately, many community college students like Joelene are frontline workers in medical, manufacturing, education and food service industries whose commitment throughout the pandemic came at the expense of their own well-being.
Even as the economy recovers, many students enrolled in two-year colleges are struggling with financial, housing, food or childcare insecurity. Responses from nearly 900 community college students we surveyed nationwide in June underscore the importance of boosting basic needs support now:
Nearly 60% have struggled to meet their basic needs over the last year.
More than 70% have experienced emotional distress, stress and/or anxiety due to lack of basic needs.
Medical and mental health care essentially tied as their most pressing basic needs, with one-third of students surveyed citing each. Food insecurity, clothing needs and housing rounded out their top 5 concerns.
Just over half sought or used resources like a food pantry, transportation voucher, reduced price/free internet or affordable housing in the last year.
Four out of every tenundergraduate students in the U.S. are enrolled at community colleges, yet historically theyhaven’t received the resources needed to support their physical well-being, mental health or other basic needs. These students deserve support on these four fronts:
Economic – Research shows that students whose basic needs go unmet are more likely to have lower GPAs, higher levels of mental health issues, and poorer health, in general. Any of these factors, let alone a combination of them, can threaten students’ academic success and affect their ability to remain enrolled, which puts at risk their long-term earning potential. A report by the American Association of Community Colleges found that community college-educated workers added $800 billion to the national economy in 2012. Investing in the basic needs of community college students is a win-win – it’s good for our economy, and more importantly, it’s the right thing to do.
Partnerships – After listening to feedback from community colleges, TimelyMD is introducing a new service to connect students at partner schools with free or reduced-cost programs that provide support for services such as in-person health care, food and housing assistance, transit, bill paying, childcare, and legal services. During our pilot phase, we have helped students in California and Texas find low-rent housing, identify local support groups for a student-parent of an autistic child, connect them with food pantries on campus, and facilitate stay in a safe shelter.
Fortunately for Joelene, Porterville College offered her the support she needed to rise above her myriad needs and anxieties and achieve a milestone in her educational journey. This spring, she completed her Associate in Science in Business Administration for Transfer (AS-T) in Business Administration and has applied to several schools in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree. She is also working as a counselor to inmates in a local prison, with a goal of someday joining the administrative team once she completes her education.
Without the support of her campus community and our counselors, she admits her GPA would likely have suffered, she would have dropped a class, and that would have delayed her graduation.
Cerro Coso Community College
CCCC to host vaccination clinic August 19
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital is partnering with Cerro Coso Community College to hold a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at the college on Thursday, August 19, 2021, during the CC Rocks Welcome Back event at the Ridgecrest Campus.
The recent effort to vaccinate as many students and community members before the start of the fall semester comes on the heels of a recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases. The college has hosted two pop-up clinics this month and will continue to partner with the Hospital to find ways to increase access to the vaccines.
The August 19th Vaccination Clinic is open to the public
Cerro Coso strongly encourages all members of the campus community to receive the vaccine to help stop the spread of the virus. The combination of the COVID-19 vaccination and following the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines offers the best protection from COVID-19 and the Delta Variant. For more information on Cerro Coso’s Safe Reopening Protocols in response to the COVID-19 virus, or to learn more about available resources, visit https://www.cerrocoso.edu/cam…/covid-19/covid-19-resources
Cliff Davis Presents at Eastern Sierra Book Festival
Cliff Davis
Jennifer Crittenden
English Professor and Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Council, Cliff Davis, presented at the Eastern Sierra Book Festival in Mammoth. The event was organized by Jennifer Crittenden, a published author, and an extremely accomplished Cerro Coso student.
She took Davis’ Shakespeare class in the spring and asked him to speak at the festival on a subject that emphasizes a nexus between Shakespeare’s works and the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.
The title of Davis’ presentation “To be or not to be: Hamlet’s Infinit[iv]e Possibilities,” had two central emphases: the speech is famous because “it is perhaps the most brilliant articulation of paralysis, isolation, and the fear of death ever expressed in any language,” said Davis. “It is particularly relevant now because “we’re finally – but still very slowly – dragging ourselves out of a self-imposed isolation and paralysis necessitated by the all-too-real fear of death caused by the pandemic of COVID-19.”
Professor Davis has published several articles on classical and Renaissance Literature.
CCCC Foundation to participate in Cheers to Charity
The CCCC Foundation will be a participant in this year’s CHEERS TO CHARITY annual fundraising event featuring vibrant music, amazing food, fine wines, craft, and home-brewed beers beneath the canopy of a beautiful Tehachapi August night.
100% of the proceeds from the event benefit Tehachapi nonprofits including the CCCC Foundation. The event includes mouth-watering tapas, wonderful wines, and skillfully made craft and home-brewed beers. Choice cigars will be available for purchase, a silent auction, and a coffee and dessert bar will round out the festivities at the Tehachapi Airport on Saturday, August 14, 2021, from 6 to 10 p.m.
In effort to get educational resources directly into the hands of those who need it the most, Bakersfield College’s Project HireUp and the CityServe Educational Collaborative Center, teamed up on the week of July 26th for a Fall 2021 Recruitment Tour. This tour consisted of site visits to several local shelters and residential living facilities, including visits to the M St. and Brundage Lane Navigation Centers, Mission of Kern County and Keepers of the Cross Recovery Home. Participants had the opportunity to hear presentations on a variety of programs offered through CSEC, BC Enrollment & Resources and more specifically BC’s Project HireUp Homeless to Job Program, which kicks off August 23rd with Cohort #4. This tour makes it rounds all the way through August 20th.
HEAL Webinar – Vaccine Education Outreach – Central Valley
The Health, Equity, and Learning Collaborative hosted a multi-day webinar summit that focused on Vaccine Education Outreach – Central Valley. Topics included vaccine hesitancy, conversations with providers, and community-led efforts.
The first day’s topic was “Vaccines and the Pandemic: Where are we now?” Rais Vohra from the Fresno Public Health Department discussed Covid in the Valley and vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Tania Pacheco shared information about community health workers.
Rais Vohra
Tania Pacheco
Here’s the Q&A from that session:
On Day 2, we discussed “Difficult Conversations with Patients and Public About COVID-19”. Reshma Pateland Nimisha Amin shared information about children under 12, and how the vaccine affects our youth. KVPR journalist Madi Bolanos discussed communicating efforts to the public.
Reshma Patel
Nimisha Amin
Madi Bolanos
The final day was titled “Meeting the Moment: Using Community-Based Approach for Vaccine Hesitancy.” Linda Gleason from Cradle to Career Fresno County and Norberto Gonzalez from Healthy Futures California discussed Community Efforts in California. Dr. Keith Norris and Joseline Garcia shared information about community efforts and partnerships in Bakersfield.
Linda Gleason
Norberto Gonzalez
Keith Norris
Our panel moderators included Norma Rojas-Mora, Tania Pacheco, and Kathy Murphy.
Norma Rojas-Mora
Tania Pacheco
Kathy Murphy
Thank you to all the speakers who engaged with the audience and all who attended to hear this important information.
Recordings from the event are starting to be available on the HEAL website.
BC’s Student Health & Wellness Center giving away 100 Tickets to Justin Moore Concert
Bakersfield College’s Student Health and Wellness Center will be giving away 100 free tickets to the August 12th Justin Moore concert at Mechanics Bank Arena , in sets of 2, to the first 50 individuals to get vaccinated during the on-campus vaccine clinic today, August 7th.
The clinic is open to the public and will operate at Bakersfield College’s main campus (1801 Panorama Drive) in the Veterans Resource Center on August 7, 2021, from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. The clinic is scheduled to distribute only the Moderna Vaccine.
For those who cannot make the August 7th clinic, but still wish to receive a vaccine, the BC Student Health and Wellness Center is administering the Moderna vaccine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9:00AM and 3:00PM and the Janssen vaccine on Thursdays between 9:00AM and 3:00PM each week on campus. Find out more on the BC Get Vaccinated page.
This week, I continued my Chancellor’s Seminar Series with a session on Monday titled “A Look at Facilities.”
Randy Rowles, Vice Chancellor, Construction & Facilities, led the discussion about what the Maintenance & Operations departments throughout the Kern Community College District have been doing to get our sites ready for our students and employees to safely return in-person.
Thank you to our other speakers:
Cody Pauxtis, Director of Maintenance & Operations at Cerro Coso Community College
John Word, Director of Maintenance & Operations at Porterville College
Marcos Rodriguez, Executive Director of Facilities & Operations at Bakersfield College
Don Birdwell, Building Facility Manager at KCCD District Office
I’d like to highlight 3 videos from this webinar, where we focused on updates at each of our three colleges:
Bakersfield College
Cerro Coso Community College
Porterville College
Thank you to Todd Coston for working with me on the seminar series.
Last week, I shared Part 1 of Jack Hernandez’s “Rockport in June” poetry series. Today, please enjoy Part 2:
Photo of Rockport
Rockport 2
I sit in a chair alone watching the morning white like a sheet of paper a blank page offering me the possibility of poetry or simply the silence mending my weary heart.
In the News
Valley Ag Voice
Dr. James Selgrath, professor of agribusness & animal science at Bakersfield College, wrote the new monthly Renegade Round-Up column for the August edition of the Valley Ag Voice. It was a fantastic showcase of BC’s Agriculture Department. I look forward to future columns. Check it out on Page 3!
I also enjoyed seeing the piece from Executive Director of the Kern County Farm Bureau and KCCD Trustee Romeo Agbalog, and Kern County Farm Bureau President John C. Moore, titled “How Much Are You Willing to Pay for Drought?” You can read it on Page 2 of the Valley Ag Voice.
Bakersfield College helps high school students achieve AA degree with Early College Program
“My family was very excited about the opportunity because they were not fortunate enough to be able to finish their education or pursue a higher education, like my dad he always tells me if he had the opportunity to, he would go to college, but it just was never an option for him. I feel like it’s something that I did that’s making him very proud and he’s proud to see that I’m pursuing a degree further, my bachelor’s degree.”
– Jayleen Vargas, Recent Wasco High school and BC graduate who was recruited in eighth grade
Musicians invited to join PC orchestra, band
The Porterville Recorder published this article inviting local musicians to join the PC Orchestra and Band this fall semester. The combined class is open to community members of all abilities who play an instrument. The rehearsal schedule is 6-7:45 pm every Tuesday and Thursday.
Cerro Coso Community College Foundation welcomed a new class of Cerro Coso Promise scholarship students:
Porterville College shared a few pictures of PC President Claudia Habib and the PC administration serving breakfast to their classified staff:
BCSGA shared a photo of their team at the Ready Set Back to School Health and Wellness Fair:
This week I had my second retreat with the presidents of the three colleges. The first one was at Cerro Coso. This second one was at Bakersfield College. Check out a few photos that Debi Anderson snapped.
Sonya Christian, Zav Dadabhoy, Claudia Habib, Sean Hancocl
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.
I played basketball & baseball there, coached there, worked there and was lucky enough to help with the Inaugural BC Athletics Hall of Fame. I Tagged a bunch of the people who I enjoyed along the way. Much love
