Tag Archives: Vision 2030

CA CCs proactively supporting our students

Uncategorized November 4, 2023 Leave a comment

Enjoyed connecting with the legendary George Boggs to write a piece titled Proactive Access.

Here is an excerpt:

Since their founding, our community colleges have been innovative and responsive in providing postsecondary education to millions of Californians, but in Spring 2020, they were faced with a serious challenge to their open access mission. Colleges were forced to close to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. Colleges shifted almost overnight to classes and services online, but many students didn’t have access to computers or high-speed Internet.  As colleges struggled to find ways to keep students enrolled, institutions distributed laptop computers to students and set up Internet hotspots in college parking lots.  College leaders understood that access was more than just providing an open door.  It meant finding ways to proactively support students.

Find the 1200-word essay here: https://workforceandeconomicmobility.com/2023/10/26/proactive-access/

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Had fun attending the Colegas Annual Conference themed, “Raices de Excelencia: La Cultura Cura” in Long Beach. Here is a selfie of the all of us who attended from the Chancellor’s Office Ebony Jeffries, Siria Martinez, Lizette Navarette.

Presented to the Cradle to Career Data System Board of Directors with Ben Chida.

Wrapped up my week at Cypress College for the North Orange County Community College District’s Focus on the Future event, where I presented on Vision 2030. Was happy to connect with State Senator Josh Newman who is a huge supporter of community colleges.

The NOCCCD’s Focus on the Future was designed to provide district employees and other educators with a high-level view of the future of education.

A fireside chat with NOCCCD Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland hosting a question-and-answer session with state Senator Newman on workforce development and partnership.

President Joanna Schilling along with Jolena Grande, member of the Board of Governors took Senator Newman and I on a tour of the college’s baccalaureate program in Funeral Service, and the new baccalaureate in Dental Hygiene.

Good morning California.
It is November 4, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Champions of Higher Education

This week the Campaign for College Opportunity revealed this year’s Champions of Higher Education – exemplary and committed California Community Colleges and California State University campuses that are leading the state in conferring the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), enrolling ADT earners on guaranteed pathways to a bachelor’s degree, and intentionally working to support Latinx and Black students on their path to a degree. 

This year’s community college honorees include:

Champions of Higher Education

  • Bakersfield College
  • Berkeley City College
  • Citrus College
  • Clovis Community College
  • East Los Angeles College
  • Evergreen Valley College
  • Grossmont College
  • Madera College
  • Mission College
  • Moorpark College
  • Mt. San Antonio College
  • San Joaquin Delta College

2023 Equity Champions

  • Bakersfield College
  • Berkeley City College
  • Citrus College
  • College of San Mateo
  • College of the Desert
  • Crafton Hills College
  • Evergreen Valley College
  • Glendale Community College
  • Long Beach City College
  • West Valley College

Honorees will be celebrated on November 14th at 10 am on Zoom.

» Read more about this year’s honorees & register for Zoom event!

Rio Hondo College Partners with
Summer Research Program to Empower STEM Students

Approximately 20 Río Hondo College students recently dove into the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) – working in labs, conducting research projects and presenting their findings – through the College’s first-year partnership with Cal Poly Pomona’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program.

» Read more!

Fullerton, Cypress Colleges Join California Virtual Campus Exchange

Earlier this month, Fullerton College and Cypress College became the 49th & 50th colleges to join the California Virtual Campus Exchange as teaching colleges. The program provides access to online courses for students at community colleges across the state.

» Read more!

2023 California Community Colleges Distinguished Alumni

The Community College League of California announced honorees for this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Jimmy Panetta (Monterey Peninsula College), Advaith Thampi (Irvine Valley College) and Blas Villalobos (Long Beach City College) were selected this year. They will be honored at the League’s Annual Convention later this month.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

KQED: Chancellor Sonya Christian
Has Big Plans for California Community Colleges

This week, I was thrilled to speak with Mina Kim on KQED. We discussed plans to address declining enrollment, ease transfers from community college to the UC and Cal State systems and create more community college baccalaureate degree programs.

» Read more & listen to the interview

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PPIC: Making the Most of State Investments in Dual Enrollment

Daniel Payares-Montoya & Mary Severance spoke with Dr. Sandra Fuentes, Interim Dean of Early College at Reedley College, discussing how dual enrollment can help historically underserved students success in college.

I also think career exploration and internship opportunities are huge. We partner with community businesses to offer internships in aeronautics, agriculture, manufacturing, welding, and so on. Historically, many students would not look for internships until they were completing their junior or senior year in college. And many of our students have changed majors three to five times. We’re hoping that offering internships tied to dual enrollment will help students align their pathways a lot sooner.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Tina Maria King:

Thank you to @chaffeycollege for having me as one of the keynote panelist for the Black and Brown Minds & Mattering, 2nd Annual Conference. A Celebration of Black and Latino Culture. I am so proud of the work thats being done to uplift BIPOC students and employee voices. As an Afro-Latina my advocacy and leadership is predicated on the continuous growth and understanding of how to best engage and support our communities.

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From Madera Community College:

Please join us in wishing a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our President, Dr. Ángel Reyna!

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From Diablo Valley College:

Happy Friday! We would like to end the week with a couple of pictures of our beautiful campus. Next time you are on campus, stop by the lake between the Student Union and Music Building and just relax. 🦋 This a great place to gather your thoughts and to end a busy week. #ourbeautifulcampus#pictureoftheday

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Receives First Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Provided by Grant Funded By Kern COG

Bakersfield College is thrilled to announce the installation of the first of four off-grid electric vehicle charging stations, known as the EVEN Recharge Hub, as part of a groundbreaking initiative funded by the Kern Council of Governments (Kern COG). This delivery underscores Bakersfield College’s commitment to enhancing the educational landscape for future Electric Vehicle Technicians in the State of California.

» Read more!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

CA CCs – Imagining and Dreaming big for our students

Uncategorized October 7, 2023 Leave a comment

Starting off with music ….

First check out this fun 4:25-min video production by BC Stem.

Thank you Travis Steele for organizing the BC Halfway There video!

And a stream of celebrities …. vocal talents: John Menzies, Timothy Plett, Tatevik Broutian.  actors: Nicholas Ramirez (student), Destiny Mitchell (student), Harlan Philips (student), and Donna Starr.  Lyrics were by Travis Steele and Megan McCullah-Boozer (MESA), editing  was by Isabella Ozuna (MESA), and special recognition to AUM Studios.

Also check out the 3:14-min video I captured of the opening song, Day 2 of the conference organized by Dr. Tina King of San Diego Continuing Education. Watch John Lennon’s Imagine performed by Bulki Domingo ..

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

California’s community colleges play a critical role in developing innovative approaches to bolster socio-economic mobility. This summit provided an opportunity to explore emerging strategies that will help us eliminate systemic barriers for our adult learners – both non-credit and credit, coming together.

Thank you Tina King and Valentina Purtell
and the planning team!

Good morning California.
It is October 7, 2023.
A good day to be a
Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Ventura College Recognized as Bright Spot for Eliminating Remedial Math & Improving Student Success

EdTrust West recently identified Ventura College (VC) as a “bright spot,” standout performer, in the implementation of Assembly Bill 705, particularly for Latinx students.  Ventura College’s efforts have eliminated all remedial math courses at VC by Fall 2022. All introductory math courses at Ventura College are transfer-level courses. This monumental shift has not only contributed to the success of VC’s students but has also promoted equity among them. Ventura College’s success has involved a multi-faceted approach, including administrative leadership, professional development, and communities of practice for faculty.

» Learn more!

$1.875 Million Grant Awarded to Santa Ana College to Impact Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander Students and Community

Santa Ana College was recently recognized as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), awarded a $1.875 million grant to be distributed over five years from the U.S. Department of Education’s AANAPISI Program, and will soon launch an Asian Pacific Student Programs (APSP) Center on campus.

» Read more!

Norco College Graduates 36 Scholars from
Inside the California Rehabilitation Center

Norco College, a member of the Riverside Community College District (RCCD), held a graduation ceremony on August 8 to celebrate 36 Rising Scholar graduates. It marked the return of hope and progress after a challenging period without commencement ceremonies for those on the inside since 2019.

» Read more!

Santa Monica College’s Law Pathway Program Welcomes 26 New Students

Political Science professor Christina Gabler, Ph.D., counselor Vicenta Arrizon, Ed.D., Business professor Nathan Khalil, J.D., and Interim Dean of Special Programs Debra Locke make up Santa Monica College’s Law Pathway Program team.

The Law Pathway Program at Santa Monica College (SMC)—which supports traditionally underrepresented students on their path to law school and is designed to diversify the legal profession—has entered the seventh year with 26 newly admitted students and 25 continuing students. The program has seen a 100% graduation and transfer rate since its inception. The most recent batch of 16 graduates transferred this fall—all of them headed to UCLA, with the exception of one student headed to UC Berkeley, bringing the total number of graduates over the program’s existence to 107.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

2023 Undocumented Student Action Week

Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual California Community Colleges’ Undocumented Student Action Week (USAW) on October 16 – 20, 2023. Join the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Community College League of California, and our statewide partners on Monday, October 16 for an in-person event at Fresno City College and daily webinars throughout the week.

» Learn more about the events and register!

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Vera: For Incarcerated Women and their Families,
Equal Access to Education Transforms Lives

Although they are the fastest-growing correctional population in the United States, women remain marginalized in discourse and action around criminal legal issues. Despite men largely being the face of legal system injustice, women—whose incarceration numbers rose an astonishing 525 percent between 1980 and 2021—have, too, been swept up into the scourge of mass incarceration.

» Read more!

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Diverse Issues in Higher Education: What We’re Learning
About the Dual Enrollment Student Experiences

When the fall 2023 term begins, close to 20% of community college students will also be high school students who are dually enrolled. Students in dual enrollment programs enjoy many benefits — participation provides them a jump-start on gaining college credit, and it can save them money. 

» Read more!

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Community College Daily: Community colleges can fuel
America’s economic reinvention – if we let them

States that want to compete in the clean-energy economy should do all they can to position community colleges as the engines of talent development for this new workforce. And it’s not just about providing more money; it also means spending it wisely, and making strategic investments that maximize finite resources to meet the needs of today’s students and economy.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Cerritos College:

Our Advanced Transportation and Logistics Sector Navigator Jannet Malig was inducted to the Clean Cities coalitions’ Hall of Fame AND received the Benjamin Watson Inspirational Award! She leads the state renewable energy & advanced transportation training! https://bit.ly/3LOYVZQ

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Stephanie Ricks-Albert, Program Specialist in the Educational Services and Support Division, Equitable Student Learning, Experience, and Impact Office at the CCCCO, shared this with me:

Just wanted to share a moment captured in time of the Chancellor’s Office MESA program leaders in our system dedicated to serving our students. This moment was captured at the MESA Leadership Institute held in Sacramento last week. Chancellor’s Office administrator support at the event included VC Educational Services & Support John Stanskas, Dean of Academic Affairs LaTonya Williams and Director of MIS Todd Hoig.

MESA has grown from 34 colleges to now serving students at 91 colleges (Note: 85 are new MESA Program Directors as of FY 2022-23 to date).

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From the Foundation for California Community’s Colleges – Saddleback College student Anna shares her story:

Part 1:

Part 2:

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From Foothill College:

Foothill College students and faculty have arrived in London. They will be taking their college classes in London with their Foothill professors while enjoying the amazing cultural life of this great city. Find out more about our Global Experiential Learning program at https://foothill.edu/global/index.html

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Check out this video from KCAL’s Look at This! segment, featuring Glendale Community College:

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College Paves the Way for Accessibility

Bakersfield College hosted the California Community Colleges Accessibility Center (CCCAC) on Thursday, September 28 and Friday, September 29 in the Renegade Event Center on the Panorama Campus. The CCCAC presented the Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) and the goals associated with it in multiple workshops throughout the two-day visit. The workshops kicked off with an introduction from Acting President Steve Watkin reviewing the purpose of the workshops and introducing CCCAC Director Dawn Okinaka. Deputy Chancellor Zav Dadabhoy also shared his thanks to those involved in the accessibility growth process of the campus and district.

» Read more!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

A week of enjoying colleagues

Uncategorized September 9, 2023 Leave a comment

Look who came to visit! Bessie and Neo always have such a good time together.

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This week, we continued our work spreading information about Vision 2030 to the California Community Colleges community.

On Wednesday, we held another in the System Webinar series, “Vision 2030: A Focus on Economic Mobility.”

Thank you to our speakers, Cheryl Aschenbach, Lizette Navarette, Marvin Martinez, and Daisy Gonzales!

The next System Webinar will be October 4th – “Vision 2030: A Focus on Climate Action.”

I enjoyed joining Andra Hoffman, President of the CCC Trustees to do a Vision 2030 presentation to all statewide trustees. The panel that followed the presentation was fantastic and included Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg from Kern, Uduak Joe-Ntuk from Long Beach, and Jonathan Abboud from Santa Barbara.

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This week was a short week with the Labor Day weekend. I was here in Bakersfield and attended an event at Bakersfield College to celebrate Michael Carley from Porterville College, who was the recipient of this year’s Kern CCD Jack Hernandez Phronesis Award. Michael did a fantastic lecture on Humility, Empathy, and Faith.

The Kern CCD TALE Blog also published a post from Michael this week, in conjunction with his award. Check it out!

It was great being back on campus and seeing some of my colleagues from my time as BC President and Kern CCD Chancellor.

Good morning California.
It is September 9, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Golden West College Welcomes First Concurrent Enrollment Nursing Students Earning Bachelor’s Degrees

Golden West College welcomed the its first Nursing Concurrent Enrollment Pathway (CEP) cohort on Saturday, August 26. The CEP program is a historical moment for GWC’s nursing program as the College partners with California State University, San Bernardino to provide nursing students with an accelerated educational pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at an affordable cost.

» Read more about the cohort!

Merced College, UC Merced to Provide New Housing for Transfer Students

University of California, Merced and Merced College will jointly build a 488-bed student housing project for community college and transfer students. The Promise Housing facility will offer rooms on UC Merced’s campus to income-qualified community college students who have met the academic requirements of the Merced Promise transfer agreement. 

» Read more about the project!

Mt. San Antonio College Discusses Vision 2030

This week, Mt. SAC President Martha Garcia shared shared Vision 2030 with the entire management team, reviewing the 3 goals and 17 strategies charging management to connect all work to the goals of Vision 2030.

» Learn more about Vision 2030

El Camino College Receives Grant for Data Science Curriculum

El Camino College was recently awarded a grant to support its data science curriculum. The college began offering a data science class in 2021, with support from the data science education program at the University of California, Berkeley. 

» Read more about the grant!

In Case You Missed It

EdSource: How English Learners Can Benefit from College Classes in high School

Researchers and advocates say that dual enrollment — taking college courses during high school — can increase rates of graduation, college enrollment and college success. Yet students who are still learning English in high school often face barriers to dual enrollment courses.

» Read the article

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The San Francisco Standard: AI Gold Rush –
Can Bay Area Classes Help Students Cash In?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that data scientists will be one of the fastest-growing—and highest-paying—occupations in the coming years. There are nearly half a million open jobs in data analytics, paying a median entry-level salary of $92,000, according to Google.

To help fill that demand, at least eight local colleges are participating in a regional joint venture to invest in artificial intelligence and data analytics programming through the Bay Area Community College Consortium.

» Read the article

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Larry Galizio:

Celebrating Chancellor Dianne Van Hook & 35 years leading College of the Canyons

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From Andra Hoffman:

That moment when you’re trying to get a selfie with the @CalCommColleges Board of Governor’s President Amy Costa, but you sense a photo-bomber approaching! @markcmacdonald

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From Ashanti Hands:

Surrounded by greatness. Blessed to share space with these incredible women at @sdcaawcc’s Inaugural Conference: Strengthening Women in Higher Education! #empoweredwomenempowerwomen #legacy #brillianceeverywhere #standingontheshoulderofgiants

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Shasta College shared this post about yesterday’s 5.0 earthquake near Fall River Mills:

Did you feel the earthquake? We sure did! We even caught it on the seismometer in our Physical Sciences building!

And From the Home of the Renegades

Jaime Gili Lecture and Monte Exhibition

Jaime Gili, a renowned artist known for his unique blend of art and architecture, shared his artistic journey with community members and students of Bakersfield College. Born in Venezuela in 1972, Gili’s passion for art began early, and he honed his skills in London. Over the years, he has become a prominent figure in contemporary art, known for his vibrant colors and architectural elements.

He recently gave a talk ahead of his exhibition hosted at the Wylie and May Louise Jones Gallery from September 7th to October 12th, 2023.

» Read more!

» And check out this throwback article about Wylie Jones from the BC Archives, starting on page 3.

Wrapping up with a fun photo from the Phronesis award at BC.

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

CA CCs taking care of our communities

Uncategorized August 19, 2023 1 Comment

This weekend, parts of California are under their first-ever tropical storm watch as Hurricane Hilary heads toward the area. It’s expected to make landfall in Mexico’s Baja California on Sunday, then weaken before heading over southern California.

Although it likely won’t be a hurricane when it hits California, parts of the state are expected to get 5-8″ of rain, with some areas receiving 200% of their average yearly precipitation from the storm.

Let’s pay close attention to weather conditions and take precautions to stay safe.

Here are some guidelines from the California Office of Emergency Services.

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Good morning California.
It is August 19, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Tachi Yokut Tribe Donates $3M to West Hill College Lemoore
for Native American Studies Programs

In a monumental and historic partnership, the Tachi Yokut Tribe has generously donated $3 million to the West Hills Community College Foundation, paving the way for creating a comprehensive Native American studies program at West Hills College Lemoore. This endowment signifies a commitment to education, cultural preservation, and community enrichment, demonstrating the power of collaboration between the Tachi Yokut Tribe and West Hills College Lemoore.

» Read more about the donation!

Diablo Valley College partners with United Latino Voices

DVC is excited to partner with United Latino Voices (ULV) of Contra Costa County and we look forward to the outcomes ahead to improve the health, education, and economic outcomes for the Contra Costa County Latinx community.

» Read more about this important partnership!

MiraCosta College Awarded $500,000 Grand from Lowe’s Foundation

The Lowe’s Foundation announced that MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) was selected from hundreds of applicants to receive $500,000 as part of the Foundation’s investment in skilled trades training infrastructure through the Gable Grants program.

» Read more about the grant!

Groundbreaking for Mt. San Antonio College’s Technology and Health Building

In the not-so-distant future, Mt. SAC will celebrate the opening of the largest instructional building on any community college campus in the state. Recently,  ground was broken for that new Technology and Health facility, which – once completed in Fall 2026 – will have a 253,866-square-foot footprint.

» Read more about the project!

In Case You Missed It

Vision 2030 – A Call to Action: Adult Education Summit 

October 5 & 6, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and San Diego College of Continuing Education will co-host an event focused on Adult Learners, Equity, Innovation, and Workforce Development.

» Learn more & Register!

Students impacted by Maui fires

“More than a 100 University of Hawaiʻi students from across the 10 campuses were directly impacted by Maui wildfires…” read more at https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2023/08/17/maui-wildfires-impact-more-than-100-uh-students/

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

San Joaquin Delta College president Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson shared this:

“Such fun to lend a hand today at our 41st annual pancake breakfast, the unofficial kickoff to Fall Semester at Delta College. I can’t describe how thankful I am for our hardworking employees, and how excited I am for the year to come! #SJDeltaCollege#BeDeltaFierce@JanetARivera1“

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From Santiago Canyon College:

“This morning, “SCC hosted peace activist Ken Nwadike, Jr., founder of Free Hugs Project, and Jeff Schoep, an extremism consultant and founding director of Beyond Barriers. Both speakers shared their individual stories about what led them to speak out against hate, then came together to answer questions about their backgrounds. We are grateful to the faculty members and classified personnel who engaged in meaningful conversation about race relations, with the goal of better supporting our student body.“

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American River College recently broke ground on a new educational center:

“We are excited to have officially broken ground on our ARC Natomas Center Phase II & III project which will be a new, almost 53,000 sq ft addition with 10 labs and 6 classrooms. Thank you to the community for making this project possible!“

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From Copper Mountain College:

“Copper Mountain College’s Wildland Fire Academy #6 is underway this week on campus. Academy members undergo rigorous physical training this week, but their career prospects are excellent.“

And From the Home of the Renegades

Opening Day 2023

The Bakersfield College Renegade Event Center was filled with a sea of red as faculty, staff, and administrators attended the annual opening day festivities on August 17, 2023. Interim President Steve Watkin addressed the crowd with a theme of “togetherness” and ensured this year would be a year of growth and prosperity for our students. Bakersfield College will celebrate its 110th Anniversary of serving students throughout Kern County and beyond. 

» Read more about Bakersfield College’s Opening Day 2023!

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

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora

California Community Colleges – acting with urgency and leading with courage

Uncategorized July 29, 2023 1 Comment

This week began with my first Board of Governors meeting, on Monday morning. We officially kicked off Vision 2030, our roadmap for California Community Colleges.

Sonya Christian at Board of Governors Meeting

Vision 2030 builds upon the foundations and work from the Vision for Success (2017) and the Governor’s Roadmap (2021), taking into account current issues and future considerations.

This plan focuses on improving equitable success for our nearly 2 million California Community College students, while introducing equitable access to find future learners and bring college to them.

Over the next few months, there will be many opportunities for statewide engagements as we focus on refining the plan before a final version is presented to the Board of Governors next January.

My week continued on Tuesday as I headed to Washington, DC, in time for Wednesday’s National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. In his keynote speech, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reminded us all:

“Every generation is called upon to renew the promise of America. This is our moment. To be innovative. To act with urgency. And to lead with courage.”

It was also nice to see former California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley, who spoke on a panel about rebuilding affordable higher education pipelines.

Panel about rebuilding affordable higher education pipelines
Eloy Oakley

After an exciting time being away, it was good to be back home for a bit of rest and relaxation. And of course – some quality time with Neo.

Good morning California.
It is July 29, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Fullerton College Drone Program and FAA Host Public Drone Event

Fullerton College Drone Students

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Fullerton College drone program teamed up to give a bird’s-eye view of the growing industry during a free three-day event, Droning On: California Edition.

The event kicked off on July 21 at Fullerton College with a Public Service Day that included a series of panels, lectures, and demonstrations with featured companies from various public service organizations, including Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric, and many more.

» Read more about this event & Fullerton College’s drone program!

Antelope Valley College Fire Academy Grads Respond to First Assignment

Wildland Fire Academy students and class of 2023 graduates assisted firefighters from the Inyo National Forest in containing a fire 10 miles east of June Lake near Pumice Mine Road on Saturday, July 15. Fire crews braved high temperatures and dry winds to contain the fire to one acre.

Antelope Valley College Fire Academy Students

» Read more!

» Learn about Antelope Valley College’s Wildland Fire Academy

Mt. San Jacinto College Culinary Arts Instructor Serves Up
Food and Fun with a Focus on Regenerative Practices

Lea Di Bernardo

There’s more to Leah Di Bernardo’s culinary arts class at Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) than lectures, reading and recipes. Di Bernardo serves up lessons about what farm-to-table means for people and the planet. 

She is a key member of an MSJC advisory group that is currently in development on a Regenerative Agriculture program at the college.

» Read more!

East LA College Psychology Department Awarded $8.1M in Grants

he East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Psychology department and Addiction Studies program were recently awarded $8.1 million in grants. This is the largest ever received by the department and also one of the largest grants awarded in ELAC history. 

» Read more about the grants!

East LA College

In Case You Missed It

Community College League: California Community Colleges Support Rep. Schiff’s Bill to Help End Food Insecurity at Community Colleges

Andrea Hoffman and Adam Schiff

Last week, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif., 30th District) proposed legislation that would help community college students with food insecurity. The Community College League of California’s leadership supports this bill and its recognition of students’ basic needs.  

» Read more!

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Community College Daily: A renewed appreciation for the humanities

San Diego Miramar College’s PATH Program was featured in a piece in Community College Daily.

“A collaborative program between SDCCD and UC San Diego School of Arts and Humanities, funded by the Mellon Foundation starting in 2016, PATH has resulted in a 78% transfer rate of arts and humanities majors. This rate doubles the regular transfer rate for SDCCD arts and humanities majors which was at 39% prior to PATH. In fact, the program has expanded opportunities for underrepresented minority students who are 63% of the students participating in this program.”

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

Check out Nick Strobel’s piece on teaching and learning:

“I have been teaching at Bakersfield College for 27 years and before that I taught the intro astronomy courses at University of Washington for five years, so I’ve been doing the teaching gig for 32 years now. I’ve been reflecting a bit on those 32 years on how the academic environment has changed and how I’ve changed with it or maybe the environment hasn’t changed all that much but I’ve gotten better at recognizing what’s already there and adjusted accordingly.  Whatever the case may be, I can see three major shifts in my teaching.”

» Read his blog post!

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From Tawny Dotson

“Fantastic weekend in Sacramento supporting some of @CalCommColleges’ newest CEOs!“

Attendees at CEO

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Kylie Campbell shared this:

“Thank you @CSEA_Now and @billrawlings for inviting Vice Chancellor @JohnStanskas and I to present on #Vision2030 and #DualEnrollment at your CSEA Community College Symposium! @CalCommColleges@sonyachristian#OurTimeIsNow“

John Stanskas
Kylie Campbell

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Foothill College recently welcomed a group of students and professors from the The University of Tokyo / UTokyo School of Education. They were in the Bay Area visiting area colleges.

Visiting students from University of Tokyo

And From the Home of the Renegades

On-Campus Employment Meet & Greet

Bakersfield College employment office

The Office of Student Employment and Financial Aid hosted the Student Employment Festival this week which gave students the opportunity to speak to several BC departments about available positions and federal work-study. Attendees were also able to get assistance with jobspeaker, BC’s online Job Board that features employment postings from local companies.

» Read more about this week at BC!

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

That’s all for today.

Sonya Christian and Neo

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora