Tag Archives: Ventura College

Wrapping up summer 2026

Uncategorized August 23, 2026 Leave a comment

This week the Chancellor’s Office gathered for our annual retreat.

And a colleague sent me this ….

Good morning California.
It is August 22, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Merced College Secures $1.5 Million for Fire Training Facility Expansion

Merced College has secured $1.5 million in federal funding to support the expansion of its fire training facilities at the Hawk Regional Training Center, advancing efforts to strengthen workforce development and public safety across the region. Awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Project Funding program, the funding will support Phase II development of the training center and was secured with the support of Senator Adam Schiff.

» Read more!

Palomar College Television Wins Awards for Documentary Film

 A moving documentary about a wildlife photographer directed by Bill Wisneski, director/producer at Palomar College Television, recently received a Gold Telly Award, a worldwide competition for video and streaming pieces that received more than 13,000 entries. It also won an Emmy for best documentary from Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards, which honors professionals in the southern California and Las Vegas markets. The film was also nominated for best musical composition and best audio recording and mixing. The 48-minute film, My Wild Life, tells the story of wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas, who has faced life-threatening challenges to capture intimate images of newborn animals and family life in the wild.

» Read more!

Chabot College Leads Hub as California Medicine Scholars Program
Expands to LA and Bay Area

The California Medicine Scholars Program (CMSP), a program of the Foundation for California Community Colleges, is expanding its innovative Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity (RHHO) model to the Bay Area and Los Angeles. As part of this expansion, CMSP is launching three new regional hubs: two in Los Angeles, led by the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science , and one in the Bay Area, led by Chabot College.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

An Earn-While-You-Learn Path Into Teaching

As a new academic year begins, teacher shortages remain a challenge for K–12 districts nationwide. Addressing those workforce needs will require long-term strategies, including building new pathways into the profession, researchers say.

A new report from New America’s Center on Education & Labor examines one such pathway: teacher degree apprenticeships. These programs allow aspiring educators to earn a paycheck while completing their degree and teaching certification.

» Read more!

*****

From survival to success: Kristofer Evans’ remarkable path through Cabrillo College

Kristofer Evans hit rock bottom before he decided to get sober and create a stable life in his late 20s. 

Since graduating from continuation high school about a decade ago, he had been mostly unemployed, was in and out of jail and his health was tanking from years of alcohol abuse. About six months into sobering up and working, he learned he was going to be a father. 

Four years later, as a new Cabrillo College graduate on his way to Morgan State University in Baltimore, having earned one of four statewide California Community College Student Leadership awards, he’s full of emotion and joy at what he’s accomplished for himself and his son, Ke’vion. 

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Monterey Peninsula College:

First day of class funsies

Campus is officially back in action. Welcome back, Lobos!

*****

From Ventura College:

We love the Mini Horses

Thank you for coming to Ventura College. You always make the day better.

Thank you for coming back to visit us Reins of H.O.P.E.

*****

From Citrus College:

So great to see so many smiling faces at Welcome Day! Congratulations to all of our new Owls — wishing you the best as we prepare to start the fall semester!

*****

From Río Hondo College:

Students, staff and community members, as well as our Board of Trustees President and Student Trustee, came out today for a meet and greet to say good bye to the herd of goats that has been working hard at fire prevention on the Río Hondo College campus.

Thank you to Fire Grazers and their hungry goats for helping make Río Hondo College a little safer for upcoming fire seasons.

*****

And from Cañada College:

The whole leadership team is hyped for this semester. Whether you’re back for more or just getting started, welcome to Cañada College

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts Annual New Student Convocation

Earlier this week, hundreds of new students and their families gathered together on Bakersfield College’s Panorama Campus for this year’s New Student Convocation. This annual event welcomes incoming freshman, first-time students and family members to celebrate the new academic year, preview various campus resources, meet faculty, staff and fellow Renegades, and more.

The event started with a resource fair where attendees could get more information about the services, programs, activities, and campus clubs available to BC students. Each program had an information booth with representatives available to provide information, answer questions, and hand out swag to new students. Students could get information from the Student Health & Wellness Center, the BC Rodeo Club, Financial Aid, the BC Industrial Automation program, and several others.

» Read more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.

That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,
-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

2026 Sterling Silver on March 14th

Uncategorized March 22, 2026 Leave a comment

But before I jump into my week, let me start with Sterling Silver, last Saturday, March 14th. It was wonderful seeing friends and colleagues.

With Kate Pluta, Nick Strobel and Janet Tarjan:

It was great connecting with Ravi and Naina Patel. I got to know the two of them very well when we worked on the Peace Gardens at BC and the Regenerative Farm project. The won the philanthropist of the year award at this year’s Sterling Silver.

Talking about the Patels, here is a blast from the past….

In 2020 the Pease Garden was established. Here is a 10-min video where the committee introduced this project to the campus. The speakers in this video include — Sonya Christian, Krista Moreland, Emma McNellis, Naina Patel, Lisa Elzy Watson, Hansa Patel, and Neeraj Rama.

And Corny Rodriguez was recognized with the Sterling Silver Service award. A

Always happy to see Mayor Karen Goh.

Talking about Corny, here is a blast from the past…..

Check out this video celebrating Corny on his retirement:

Back to Sterling Silver. Here is a photo with Romeo Agbalog, Kay Meek & Jean Fuller:

Was so happy that Jean Fuller was able to make it. Here is throwback to when Jean was recognized with the Service award.

Here is the video of Kylie introducing Jean Fuller and her work with Early College.

And another selfie with Kate, Nick & Janet –

Thankful that Janet snapped these pictures.

Here is one with Rudy Salas.

Rudy Salas brought significant resources to Bakersfield College when he was in the Assembly. He received the 2020 Sterling Silver Service Award. Check out this blast from the past. A 3-min video.

And with Yovani Jimenez

And with Norma Rojas-Mora and Gabby Gonzalez

Now, let’s move to this week…. started in Sacramento…

Spring has sprung in Sacramento. Snapped photos of azalea on my walk back with a friend from Zocalos.

More flowers –

And calla lilies –

And dogwood in bloom –

Closed out my week in San Diego.

What’s not to love about San Diego

And at night –

And the icing on the cake – when I met up with Daisy Gonzales and we did our usual walk by the waterfront.

Then it was off to the CEO symposium. Here’s a pic with Anthony Culpepper and Rowena Tomaneng:

This week was also the Rising Scholars Program Convening.

Rising Scholars now spans 104 colleges, supports students in 147 correctional facilities, and connects them to 90 on campus programs that help them continue their education after release.

Chelsea Esquibias, senior advisor at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, started the event with a welcome and network address.

Board of Governors Member and Former President Pamela Haynes held a fireside chat moderated by Assistant Vice Chancellor Erin Larson, with panelists Tyee Griffith, program coordinator at the Prison Education Project and Matthew Caddell, Student Government President/Student Trustee at Chaffey College.

Michael Redding, deputy cabinet secretary and senior advisor for public safety at the Office of the Governor, gave the keynote address on ‘Public Safety and Higher Education.’

Good morning California.
It is March 21, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Cloverlane Foundation Funds New “Jaws of Life”
for Allan Hancock College Fire Academy

 A generous donation is helping Allan Hancock College strengthen hands-on training for the next generation of firefighters.   The Allan Hancock College Foundation received a $25,000 donation from Cloverlane Foundation to support the purchase of a state-of-the-art “Jaws of Life” extrication system for use in the college’s fire academy, along with other essential equipment for fire academy students.

» Read more!

Rep. Juan Vargas secures additional $500K in funding
for San Diego College of Continuing Education

U.S. Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-52) has secured $500,000 in federal funding for critical utility and water infrastructure improvements at San Diego College of Continuing Education.  The investment will upgrade critical campus infrastructure, strengthening SDCCE’s ability to provide hands-on workforce training to approximately 30,000 adult learners each year.

» Read more!

Long Beach City College Opens New Building MM to Help Students Build the Future

Long Beach City College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus to celebrate the grand opening of the new Building MM complex. The facility supports the city’s growing Space Beach sector and serves as the new home for the Architecture, Anthropology, Carpentry, Horticulture, HVAC, and Plant Science programs, preparing students for careers in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and construction industries expanding across the region.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

He was an undocumented immigrant. Now he runs LA’s community colleges

When Alberto Román was a boy growing up in the Mexican state of Durango, his father was often far from home. Most times, he’d be gone for months.

Román’s father, Javier, had a third-grade education. And when work was scarce in Mexico, he’d venture north to the United Sates and take whatever job he could find.

Román missed his father terribly, and he relished the time alone with him. When his father would return to Mexico, they’d hike to a majestic statue of the revolutionary Pancho Villa, where Román and his father could also look out at their city.

Román did not know it then but, soon, that view would become a memory. When he was eight, his father returned; but, this time, Javier took his son, his daughter, and his wife with him back to the U.S. The family settled in Rialto, in California’s Inland Empire. Suddenly, Román had a new home and new challenges to contend with.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Mission College:

Mission College’s Rising Scholars program is partnering with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office on an initiative to revitalize the Elmwood Men’s Library, supporting education, personal growth, and second chances for incarcerated students. Last week marked a major milestone as decades-old furniture was replaced and new furniture donated by Mission College was installed.

*****

From Ventura College:

From galaxies to black holes, Ventura College welcomed a full crowd for an inspiring two-day astronomy experience.

We honored 100 years of science at VC with stargazing, interactive space simulations, and a vibrant evening of discovery for all ages

Dr. Cameron Hummels from CalTech lectured on black holes as part of the American Astronomical Society’s Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectures Program, a nationally recognized initiative that brings leading astronomers to colleges across the country.

Thank you to the Ventura County Astronomical Society for setting up the all the telescopes for the star watching party.

*****

From Ohlone College:

This year’s #WomenInSTEM Dinner was one for the books! Thank you to Ohlone College MESA and our Society of Women Engineers student club for connecting women leaders in #STEM with our Renegades. Cheers to bright futures and #WomensHistoryMonth

*****

From Mt. San Jacinto College:

Enjoying pizza slices and conversations with the president!

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Beach Volleyball Makes History with First-Ever Home Matches

Bakersfield College’s beach volleyball program made history on Friday, March 6, hosting its first-ever home matches on the college’s newly constructed beach volleyball courts. The Renegades rose to the occasion, defeating Cuesta College 3-2 and Glendale 4-1 to sweep the day.

The milestone marked a significant moment for BC athletics, with the new courts giving the program a permanent home to compete and grow. The wins extended what has been a strong start to the season. BC has now won five straight and sits at 8-4 overall on the season.

All home events this season are free and open to the public.

» Follow results and see upcoming schedules!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

Our students bring us joy

Uncategorized March 7, 2026 Leave a comment

Last Friday, I caught the redeye to Toronto to spend the weekend with my daughter. This winter has been quite something. Storms seem to be sweeping across North America one after another.  Snow, wind, delays, and travel plans constantly shifting.

My daughter wasn’t feeling well, and it was very cold outside, so we stayed in. The fireplace was on, blankets were out, and we ended up binge-watching Monarch: The Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV. If you enjoy a little sci-fi and adventure, it’s a fun show.  The story moves across three generations, shifting back and forth between scenes of the grandparents when they were young and their grandchildren in the present.

I always listen to CBC when I am in Canada. Last weekend while I was listening, they announced the nominees for the 2026 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

One of the nominations this year was Sade. 

Here is one of my favorites:

From Toronto, I headed to Washington, DC to join our Student Senate for their inaugural federal advocacy visit. The flight to DC was delayed three hours, which, looking back, was just the beginning of the travel adventures.

Once I arrived, though, the energy from our students made it all worthwhile. The room was alive with music, dancing, and an inspiring keynote speaker. Watching our students step forward to advocate for community college students across the country was truly food for the soul.

Here I am with the keynote speaker and the President of SSCCC

Eric Mayes, Jerry Reyes, Sonya Christian

Then came the trip home. Just as our plane in DC was about to leave, it started snowing. We had already boarded and ended up sitting on the tarmac for three hours waiting to be de-iced. After that came a five-hour flight to Phoenix. By the time we landed, I had missed my connecting flight, so I spent the night in Phoenix and took the next flight the following day. Delays are part of a heavy travel schedule. I try to just settle into it and not let my nervous system get into overdrive. Try is probably the key word.

From there, it was Long Beach at 72 degrees for the A2MEND conference.

A2MEND does extraordinary work supporting the success of African American men in higher education. Being in that space with educators and students who are so deeply committed to this mission is just fantastic.

Here is a picture of folks from my Office.

Keetha Mills, Sonya Christian, Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Pam Haynes, Abdumalik Buul, Linda Vasquez, Rowena Tomenang, Elaine, Aiesha Lowe

Was so happy to see folks from Kern!

Here with Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg and NaTesha Johnson

And then finally… back home to my boy Neo. Check out this quick little video of him engaging with the ducks that visit our pool in the spring. Neo is very interested. The duck, on the other hand, seems completely unbothered.

And spring has arrived with flower gardens popping up in houses. I snapped these for you.

After a week of snowstorms, flights, delays, and conferences, I have to say it feels really good to wake up at home this Saturday morning and share a little bit of the week with you.

Good morning California.
It is March 7, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Barstow Community College Awarded $750,000
to Expand Rural Mental Health Services

Barstow Community College has been awarded $750,000 in federal funding to expand its Rural Mental Health Services Program and increase access to unmet mental health care needs in Barstow and surrounding rural communities. This award also builds on Barstow Community College’s recent partnership with the Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation through the Vibrant Villages Barstow initiative.

» Read more!

Carbajal Visits Ventura Collegeto
Understand Student Cost-of-living Crisis

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal visited Ventura College on Feb. 19. Carbajal’s talk was part of a tour of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to learn more about the student affordability crisis and other issues affecting residents. Sudents who got to speak to Carbajal were recommended by different departments across campus.

» Read more!

New Health Products Vending Machine Now Available
in Los Angeles Pierce College Library Courtyard

Pierce College has installed a new Health Products Vending Machine in the Library courtyard area, expanding convenient access to essential wellness resources for students. The machine provides a range of items supporting sexual health, personal health, and general health, offering students discreet and easy access to important supplies throughout the day. 

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Expanding credit for prior learning

Turning prior learning, work experience, military service and other credentials into college credit can save students time and money. Despite that benefit, it’s been underutilized.

Only about 11% of adult learners, for example, have benefited from prior learning assessment (PLA) – also referred to as credit for prior learning (CPL) – according to a 2020 report from the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

There are a lot of different reasons for that, says Beth Doyle, CAEL’s chief of higher education strategy and impact: It’s not talked about or promoted broadly at the college level, and processes may be burdensome for students – and for colleges.

Though there are resources and guidance available, such as the American Council on Education’s (ACE) learner evaluations and the Competency-Based Education Network’s (CBEN) learning model, each college has to develop its own policies and processes – and get faculty and staff on board.

Doyle is seeing a positive shift, though, as colleges move toward more and better use of PLA. 

“Institutions are getting more sophisticated in how to assess,” she says.

» Read more!

*****

Coalinga College ‘Farm of the Future’ explores agave
as sustainable crop for West Side farmers

Water is a valuable resource for farmers across the Central Valley.

The Farm of the Future at Coalinga College is no exception.

“You know, the restrictions of water allocations are severe, and we’ve got to continue to look for ways to keep West Side farmers in agriculture, and whether that be through alternative or experimental crops,” Director of Coalinga College’s Farm of the Future Seth Yocum said.

Yocum says they are currently growing pistachios – a crop known to require a large amount of water. Because of that, many other acres of land have been left uncultivated to conserve water use.

But recently, thanks to a donation from Wolf Farms, a new crop has been added. It’s one that requires drastically less water to grow: agave.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

College of the Sequoias shared this pic of their students who attended A2MEND:

*****

From Woodland Community College:

Thank you to all the students who stopped by and made a sodalicious Italian sodas!

*****

From College of Marin:

What an unforgettable day for our campus community!

We were proud to celebrate the grand opening of the Dr. David Wain Coon Center for Student Success and it was amazing to see students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members come together for this special moment.

The CSS is a welcoming new hub that brings academic resources, student support services, wellness programs, and community spaces together in one place. Watching everyone explore the building, connect with services, and celebrate made the day truly meaningful.

A special thank you to Dr. David Wain Coon, former COM President and Superintendent, Jonathan Eldridge, current COM President and Superintendent, Dana Emerson, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Affairs, and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s First Partner, for helping us mark this important milestone.

*****

And I loved these beautiful pictures of flowers on Chabot College’s campus –

Spring is slowly approaching at Chabot. The campus is blooming with fresh colors and that new-season energy we’ve all been waiting for. There’s something about walking through these flowers that makes everything feel like we’re entering the next chapter

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

Recently, Bakersfield College hosted the annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. This exciting event brings together young women from high schools from across Kern County to learn more about engineering and STEM career fields. The day is filled with a variety of activities, including engineering panels, professional development workshops, a keynote speaker, and more.

Sara Sullivan, Program Manager of the California Renewable Energy Lab at Kern CCD and one of the event coordinators, talked about the importance of the event, “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is important because it expands access and opportunity for young women who may not otherwise see engineering as an attainable career,” she said, “The event highlights the importance of diversity in STEM fields and aims to motivate young women to imagine themselves in technical careers.”

» Read more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.

That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 
Your Chancellor,
-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

A Love Letter to the California Community Colleges on Valentine’s Day 2026

Uncategorized February 14, 2026 Comments: 12

Dear California Community Colleges:

My introduction to you happened in the late 1990s.

I arrived in Los Angeles, a foreign graduate student, trying to understand America through textbooks and LA’s RTD routes.

And then I met you.

An institution built on virtues I could not quite comprehend.

Infinite hope.
Untiring patience.
Radical non-judgment.
You met people where they were.

Not where they should have been.
Not where someone thought they ought to be.
But where they were.

You were born long before I met you in the Central Valley, where community colleges first took root in California soil.
Practical. Accessible. Close to home. Built for possibility.

And then you spread.

From the Central Valley  – Fresno, Bakersfield, Merced
you reached into the Inland Empire – Riverside, San Bernardino
out to the eastern edge of our state – the Coachella Valley, Palm Desert, Indio
up the North State – Chico, Redding
across the Bay – Oakland, Hayward, San José
down the Central Coast – Monterey, San Luis Obispo
into Los Angeles – every corner, every neighborhood in LA
and all the way to the borderlands – San Diego, Imperial Valley.

Across the Sierra foothills.
Along Highway 99.
Down the 5 and the 101.

Into farmworker towns.
Into port cities.
Into rural mountain communities.
Into urban corridors.
Where opportunity needed a doorway you became that doorway.

You evolved.

You empowered people.
You improved constantly
You innovated for students.
You added programs.
Added pathways.
Added chances.

And over three decades, I have watched you love Californians by taking action in real tangible ways.

I have seen the foster youth who carried everything they owned in a backpack walk across a commencement stage because someone at a community college refused to give up on them.

I have seen the formerly incarcerated Californian who found purpose through education, completed a certificate, earned a degree, and now gives back to their community.

I have seen the veteran, resilient, carrying both visible and invisible weight, find a Veterans Resource Center and a faculty member who said, “You belong here.”

I have seen the student with a disability navigate hallways that were once barriers and find accommodations, allies, and a future not defined by limitation but by capacity.

You do not ask for perfection.
You ask for effort.
You do not require pedigree.
You require courage.

Over two million students a year.

Two million stories of trying again.
Starting over. Leveling up.

You are accessible.
You are practical.
You are relentless in your belief that Californians deserve more.

On this Valentine’s Day, I say it plainly:

I love you, California Community Colleges,
– for your open doors.
– for your stubborn optimism.
– for believing in people before they believe in themselves.

You are California at its best.

And after three decades of watching you in motion … through reform, recession, innovation, and renewal,

I am convinced of this:

If there is an institution built on hope in America,

It is you!

With gratitude, admiration, and love
Your chancellor,
sonya

A week from snow country to the desert

Uncategorized January 25, 2026 1 Comment

Last weekend I spent with my daughter in Toronto.

Toronto got slammed by a full-on blizzard, with thick snow and sharp winds messing up flight schedules. My flight to Toronto from LAX got cancelled and the one coming back spent over an hour on the tarmac being deiced.

Coming into Toronto after a blizzard had shut down Pearson –

And a lower altitude photo from the plane –

And a short video of the plane taxiing in Toronto –

Then back to California for a busy work week. Headed to Long Beach and then to Twentynine Palms to visit Copper Mountain College. Though small in size, the college has a wide reach and an outsized impact. In a geographically isolated area, Copper Mountain serves as both an educational anchor and a community hub.

Check out this fun selfie taken by our SSCCC student Valerie Pamphile – you can see Bill Rawlings and President Daren Otten at the back.  And further back, Adrienne Brown.

And another great pic, this one with Julie Adams and Chris Ferguson added to the group:

Copper Mountain College has a tortoise preserve right on campus. The desert tortoise is an iconic species known for its long lifespan and remarkable ability to survive in harsh, arid conditions. It is endangered primarily because of habitat loss from development, roads, and energy projects, as well as disease and human disruption that threaten its fragile ecosystem.

The preserve at Copper Mountain protects this habitat, supports conservation efforts, and helps educate students and the community about caring for the desert they live in. It is pretty amazing that a California community college is literally helping safeguard an endangered species right on its campus.

Check out this 30-sec video of Professor Paul Delaney talking about the tortoise preserve being a natural laboratory for students.

Just a few miles away from the college is one of the most significant military installations in the country, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. As the largest Marine Corps base in the world, it prepares service members for complex, large-scale combat operations and plays a critical role in national defense. The installation is also a major economic engine for the region, shaping both the workforce and the broader community.

Here we are with Colonel Ron Storer who was a wonderful story teller about the Marine Corps and the training provided at the installation. He praised the partnership with Copper Mountain College.

Good morning California.
It is January 24, 2026.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Calbright Partners With Barstow Community College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College For Research Supporting Students

Calbright has entered into partnerships with two sister California community colleges to test new research that improves support for students’ basic needs, including access to food and health care. Pilot programs developed through that research showed promising results: Significantly more students in the pilot programs disclosed that they needed support and scheduled meetings with Calbright staff who can guide them through the California programs designed to offer support to qualifying adults. This includes programs such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and CalWORKs, that help millions of eligible Californians receive support for themselves and their families.   Now Calbright will work with Barstow Community College and Los Angeles Trade Technical  College (LATTC) to further test, develop, and expand that research. 

» Read more!

Santa Rosa Junior College Receives STARS Gold Rating
for Sustainability Achievements

Santa Rosa Junior College has earned a STARS Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), recognizing SRJC’s leadership and ongoing progress in advancing sustainability across academics, operations, and community engagement. STARS—the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System—is a transparent, self-reporting framework used by colleges and universities worldwide to measure their sustainability performance. Santa Rosa Junior College’s full STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website.

» Read more!

PBS SoCal Recognizes East Los Angeles College Child Development Center
with Bryson Transformative Leader Award

 PBS SoCal recently announced that the East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Child Development Center has been selected as the recipient of the John and Louise Bryson Transformative Leader in Early Childhood Award. The award recognizes the Center’s unwavering commitment to creating learning environments that value and empower every child and family in East Los Angeles and the greater Los Angeles Community College District.

» Read more!

Middle College Students Explore Emerging Technologies
in Eight-Week Cohort at Moreno Valley College

Through an eight-week Experiential Technology and Engineering Cohort hosted by the iMAKE Innovation Center, 68 Middle College students from Wendy Sharkey’s fifth and sixth period classes engaged in hands-on instruction in emerging technologies this fall. The cohort was designed as an immersive, project-based learning experience that introduced students to artificial intelligence, microcontrollers, mechanical systems, sustainability concepts, and app development. 

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

CBS News: Local Community College Students Partner
with Habitat for Humanity to Help Rebuild Altadena

Trade students are engaged in hands-on learning, as they help rebuild homes in Altadena in partnership with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity.

» Check out the video!

*****

OC Register: Santiago Canyon College hopes to lead the way in AI for educators

Jason Parks is staring at a problem with a moving target of a solution. A problem that not only promises to get worse but comes with the chaser of potentially taking a wrecking ball to his institution’s purpose, mission and reason for being.

Scott James is trying to be the solution to that problem. It’s a job with a moving target of answers that is the academic whack-a-mole of the 2020s. And James finds himself holding the mallet and wondering where and what he’s going to smack next.

The problem is artificial intelligence, or AI, which is turning the world upside down. And as AI flips industry after industry on its head, few industries find themselves dealing with the falling debris and attack on purpose more than academia. This is why Parks, the vice president of academic affairs at Santiago Canyon College, and James, a professor and distance education coordinator at SCC, are trying to get ahead of the AI craze and turn the debris field into an intellectual garden.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Lake Tahoe Community College:

Mic check. Yogi has something to say…Did you know you can check out snowshoes, podcasting kits, and more from the LTCC Library? It’s all part of the Library of Things (yes, that’s what we like to call it), thoughtfully curated by our library staff to support student success and made possible by our recent LTCC Foundation Student Success Grant.

*****

From San Diego College of Continuing Education:

Spring Institution Day was an inspiring reminder of the shared purpose that drives our work at SDCCE. From campus safety and student support services to academic excellence and innovation, the “heart work” our colleagues bring every day is creating progress for student success.

*****

From Ventura College:

We’re celebrating our centennial all year long! Last night our Learning, Equity, Achievement, and Persistence Division (LEAP) honored tutors and staff who have made exceptional contributions to Ventura College over the years Congratulations to the honorees!

Dr. Vandana Gavaskar
Sandy Hajas
Pedro Gaxiola
Ouiall Ghazi
David Oros
Sara Sevilla

*****

From De Anza College:

Check out these photos from the @SVReads kickoff last week! Thank you to @profjohnapowell (The Power of Bridging), @KeeonnaHarris (Mainline Mama), Annie Hartnett (Unlikely Animals) and Sal Pizarro for making this an amazing event!

*****

And check out the first episode of San Bernardino Valley College’s Centennial Podcast:

Blast From the Past

I had to hop on the “back to 2016” trend I’ve seen going around social media. Here’s a pic from 2016 after Mayor Harvey Hall endorsed Measure J for Kern CCD:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts Renegade Rally of Belonging to Promote Connection and Community

Bakersfield College was excited to welcome back students for the Spring 2026 semester. On the first day of classes, the BC Student Government Association and the Office of Student Life hosted the first ever Renegade Rally of Belonging. The event gave attendees a chance to learn more about various BC student resources, enjoy some delicious food, connect with fellow Renegades, and have fun!

The event included lively music, donuts, Ronnie Renegade, and a series of information tables for a variety of campus resources. The lively atmosphere provided the perfect environment for students to connect and take a quick break between their classes.

» Read more!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.

That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,
-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora