Tag Archives: West Los Angeles College

June 1, 2024 — one year under my belt

Uncategorized June 1, 2024 1 Comment

I began my week with a Mother’s Day impromptu trip, gift from my daughter, to Hawaii, and the start to Memorial Day weekend.

Hibiscus everywhere

Check out this 36-sec video of our karaoke Uber driver Miloshi who drove us from the airport singing to Tennessee Whisky

An then the best of the trip….. spending time with my daughter.

*****

It has been one year since I began my position as Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. It’s been an amazing year!
California Community Colleges – serving over 2 million students – the nation’s largest system of higher education.

Check out this 11-min video from the February 23, 2023, CCC Board of Governors meeting, where I was named the 11th Chancellor of the California Community Colleges:

This week, at the Joint California Summit on Generative AI.

Thank you to Stewart Knox, who served as moderator for our panel, and fellow panelists Catherine Bracy, Sara Flocks, Eraina Ortega, Fernando Perez and Sissy Wood.

Good morning California.
It is June 1, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

West Los Angeles College Honored
at Inaugural CPL Equity Awards

Earlier this month, CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) in partnership with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), announced the winners of the inaugural CPL Equity awards. West Los Angeles College was among those recognized.

» Read more about the awards, or
Learn more about CPL at WLAC!

Check out the webinar:

Berkeley City College Celebrates 50th Anniversary
With Block Party, Groundbreaking Ceremony

On Tuesday, April 23, Berkeley City College honored its past with a beautiful, vibrant block party, complete with good food, dancing, and even horseback riding. They also held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Berkeley City College West Campus scheduled to open in 2026. 

» Read more!

Napa Valley College Breaks Ground on
Wine Spectator Wine Education Center

Napa Valley College broke ground on the Wine Spectator Wine Education Center recently. This is the first of two phases to build The Napa Valley College Wine Education Complex, which will more than double classroom and training space with more than 10,000 square feet of modern, efficient learning space.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

System Webinar – AB 705 and AB 1705: Unlocking Opportunities in STEM Through Innovative Equitable Placement and Support

Join us on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. for the California Community Colleges System Webinar, “AB 705 and AB 1705: Unlocking Opportunities in STEM Through Innovative Equitable Placement and Support.”

» Register Online!

*****

Save the Date: Futures Summit 2024

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in partnership with Foothill-De Anza Community College District is thrilled to announce the inaugural Futures Summit 2024. This annual conference is dedicated to exploring the rapidly evolving landscape of workforce development in the context of emerging technologies. This year’s focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential to create seismic changes in how we work, learn and engage with the world.

Stay tuned for more information!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Career Ladders Project:

@SacCityCollege student Celeste Lopez testified today before the Senate Education Committee on her experience as a #DualEnrollment student. “The dual enrollment program offers so much more to students than a more attainable pathway to college.”

*****

From College of the Desert:

College of the Desert collaborated with the local community to give back and support. The College of the Desert Department of Architecture and Environmental Design partnered with the Twin Palms Neighborhood Organization in Palm Springs to create a Little Free Library in the Twin Palms neighborhood. Our talented faculty and students worked tirelessly to help build this stunning design to life. As a token of appreciation, the Twin Palms Neighborhood Organization generously gifted a scholarship to our department. Way to go, Roadrunners!

*****

From West Valley College:

The second day of the STEAM’D Fest was a blast! From student presentations, a raptor presentation, planetarium shows, visual arts displays of student work, and our annual Cilker Expo fashion show followed by a rockin’ concert, we had something for everyone! The fun continues tomorrow with our dance caravan and more science fun!

*****

And check out this video student work showcase from Laney College:

Blast from the Past

Check out the first 6 months on the job…

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts ‘Pan To Plate’, an Interactive Culinary Experience

Food Services and the Office of Student Life at Bakersfield College recently hosted Pan to Plate, an interactive culinary experience. Students, staff, and community members were all invited to preview a unique food demonstration and sample some of the featured culinary creations.

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, the dishes featured throughout the event were inspired by AANHPI culture and history. The other dishes that were prepared were Hawaiian Span Musubi, Japanese Sushi, Filipino Pork Ribs, and Vietnamese Veggie Spring Rolls. Each presenter did a short demonstration of the dish, and then audience volunteers were invited to come up front to prepare the dish themselves.

» 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

May 25th remembered 63 years later

Uncategorized May 25, 2024 Leave a comment

Did you know that it was 63 years ago today – May 25, 1961 – that President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech before Congress that the US “should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

That goal was realized on July 20, 1969, with Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

*****

I began my week in Sacramento with the Board of Governors meeting. I want to extend a very special thank you to Paul Medina, who is ending his time as our student BOG member.

Back at home, I had a fun visitor in my pool:

I so enjoy the visiting ducks.

Neo…not so much.

Good morning California.
It is May 25, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Miramar College Earns Career Innovation Award

Miramar College is a proud recipient of the 2024 Career Innovation Award from The Career Leadership Collective. The team at The Career Leadership Collective was impressed by Miramar College’s innovative and equitable practices that the Career Education team is leading such as the Discover Series events which include Discover Your Passion, Discover Your Drive and Discover Your Superpower.

» Read more!

Ohlone Celebrates Junior Leadership Academy 2024 Graduation and Showcase

Ohlone College, held a graduation ceremony for its Junior Leadership Academy (JLA) students. This event marks a significant triumph for the students who have dedicated themselves to this transformative 15-week Spring semester series, emerging as equipped leaders ready to conquer challenges in the classroom, workplace, and community.

» Read more!

Sierra College Presents Dinosaur Day and Science Fest

Sierra College welcomed the community May 5 to the annual Dinosaur Day and Science Fest – a festival for all ages, focusing on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), education, and so much more. The event featured hands-on activities, demonstrations, dissections, live animals and educational games. 

» Check out more photos!

Cypress College Students Coach Junior Chef Academy

From April 22 to 26, 11 Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Arts students and graduates volunteered as Culinary Coaches for the third annual Junior Chef Academy (former Maple Master Chef Competition) at Commonwealth Elementary School in Fullerton. This event was organized by teacher Melissa Zaucha, and is the third time that Cypress College has helped mentor the budding bakers and cooks. 

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

California Community Colleges Honor Four
With Classified Employee of the Year Award

Four classified professionals, committed to equitable student outcomes, have been honored with the Classified Employee of the Year Award from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

The honorees, Yvette Garcia, Melissa Jauregui, Amanda Mellett and Anissa Mitchell were recognized at the Board of Governors meeting in Sacramento on May 20.

» Read more!

*****

AP: Community colleges offer clean energy training
as climate-related jobs expand across America

West Los Angeles College student Sarah Solis was featured in a recent AP piece about clean energy job training at community colleges.

“The 1,000-acre Inglewood Oil Field, near West Los Angeles College, where she first enrolled, was what pushed Solis to pursue environmental studies. She later switched to the school’s climate change degree, which was new at the time. Its climate offerings have grown since then; it now hosts the California Center for Climate Change Education.“

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From BOG Member Harry LeGrande:

Spent the morning at David Weir Elementary School in Fairfield assisting Principal Guerney handing out K-2 Awards for attendance, academics and citizenship. Totally inspiring to see parents and students there. Then went Teacher Julie Bictor’s 2nd grade class and signed and handed out promotion certificates to her class. Her class has Cal as it’s adopted college. Thanks to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office for providing the swag. Several second graders used the notebook to capture me and Ken Montgomery’s signatures to document the day.

*****

From Mission College:

What a wonderful time it was celebrating our international students at their Graduation Luncheon put on by the International Student Center on Wednesday, May 22! It was an inspiring event where we honored the incredible journeys and achievements of our students!

*****

From Compton College:

This past Sunday, our Head Baseball Coach, Shannon Williams, was the recipient of the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers Teacher Appreciation Award!

Former and current student athletes he mentors, along with some our athletic staff, joined to celebrate and watch the head coach throw the first pitch for the LA Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds game

*****

From Folsom Lake College:

Today we were excited to welcome a team from Mercy Hospital of Folsom including President/CEO Lisa Hausmann to discuss FLC’s Allied Health career education programs, bridging Mercy Folsom and FLC’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts and improving access to healthcare for the Hispanic community, exploration of partnership opportunities, and touring the campus and the new science building.

Blast from the Past

Four years ago, I shared this video letter with my Bakersfield College colleagues following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day 2020:

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts Campus Stories: Voices of AANHPI Scholars at Bakersfield College

In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, BC’s Student Government Association recently hosted Campus Stories: Voices of AANHPI Scholars at Bakersfield College.

The event featured a panel of three BC faculty and staff members and two BC students and was moderated by Bryan Hirayama, Professor of Communications at BC, all of whom are of AANHPI heritage. Each panel member shared stories from their individual experiences and answered questions about their families, cultural backgrounds, and educational and career journeys. Their stories of perseverance, overcoming obstacles, and personal achievements were truly inspirational and resonated strongly with those who gathered in the Renegade Events Center for the afternoon.

» 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

Happy New Year 2024. Seize Every moment of every day.

Uncategorized January 6, 2024 Comments: 5

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a beautiful start.

Mine certainly has – winter has arrived!

The past few years, I’ve shared the books I read the past year. Today I’m sharing a few of the books I read in 2023:


The Covenant of Water
By: Abraham Verghese

“Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, known as Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.“

***

The Last Animal
By: Ramona Ausubel


“The Last Animal takes readers on a wild, entertaining, and refreshingly different kind of journey, one that explores the possibilities and perils of the human imagination on a changing planet, what it’s like to be a woman in a field dominated by men, and how a wondrous discovery can best be enjoyed with family. Even teenagers.“

***

One Hundred Years of Solitude
By: Gabriel García Márquez

“One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendiá family. Inventive, amusing, magnetic, sad and alive with unforgettable men and women—brimming with truth, compassion, and a lyrical magic that strikes the soul—this novel is a masterpiece in the art of fiction“

***

I Love Learning; I Hate School
By: Susan D. Blum


“In “I Love Learning; I Hate School,” Blum tells two intertwined but inseparable stories: the results of her research into how students learn contrasted with the way conventional education works, and the personal narrative of how she herself was transformed by this understanding. Blum concludes that the dominant forms of higher education do not match the myriad forms of learning that help students―people in general―master meaningful and worthwhile skills and knowledge.“

***

Superintelligence
By: Nick Bostrom

“If machine brains one day come to surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on us humans than on the gorillas themselves, so the fate of our species then would come to depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence.

But we have one advantage: we get to make the first move. Will it be possible to construct a seed AI or otherwise to engineer initial conditions so as to make an intelligence explosion survivable? How could one achieve a controlled detonation?“

***

How to Know a Person
By: David Brooks

“Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity and his determination to grow as a person, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience and from the worlds of theater, philosophy, history, and education to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.“

***

And from previous years –

2022 Books
» Read my January 8, 2023 post – Rain Bathing CA in Glee

  • Cry of the Kalahari by Mark and Delia Owens
  • The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs 
    by Madeleine Albright
  • The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human 
    by Siddhartha Mukherjee
  • The Distance Between Us: A Memoir by Reyna Grande
  • Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  • The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa Yoko Ogawa
  • The Loneliest Americans by Jay Caspian Kang
  • The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh
  • Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs 
    by Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker

2021 Books
» Read my January 8, 2022 post – KCCD CEOs welcome you to the new semester

  • The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
  • Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard
  • The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  • Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer
  • Post Corona by Scott Galloway
  • The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
  • Divided we Fall by David French
  • Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon
  • Untamed by Glennon Doyle
  • The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • The Guest List by Lucy Foley
  • Deadliest Enemy by Michael Osterholm
  • Grace and Grit by Lilly Ledbetter

Good morning California.
It is January 6, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Yale University Honors WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education

Yale University recently included West Los Angeles College‘s Center for Climate Change Education in its list of significant milestones in climate-related issues for 2023.

» Learn about WLAC’s Center for Climate Change Education!

West Hills College Lemoore Awards Nearly $200,000
in NSF S-STEM CORES Scholarships to STEM Students

West Hills College Lemoore recently awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM CORES Scholarships to 20 STEM students studying Biology, Engineering, Physics, and Math. The scholarships, valued up to $10,000 annually per student ($5,000 per semester) for a maximum of four semesters, are part of WHCL’s commitment to developing future STEM leaders.

» Read more!

MiraCosta College Receives Prestigious Department of Energy Grant to Bolster Clean Energy Workforce Training

MiraCosta College is proud to announce its selection as one of the new Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This prestigious recognition positions the MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) at the forefront of energy innovation and workforce development.

» Read more!

In Case You Missed It

Workforce and Economic Mobility
Ready – or Not: Will California Close its Skills Gap?

George Boggs and I co-wrote a blog post this week for the Workforce and Economic Mobility blog.

The United States—including California—must accelerate educational attainment to meet the need for more advanced employment skills. By 2031, 72 percent of the jobs in the US will require postsecondary education and/or training, and 42 percent will require a bachelor’s degree. The fastest-growing industries, according to the recent report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, require workers with disproportionately higher education levels compared to industries with slower growth.”

» Read more!

*****

Diverse: Report – Adult Community College Students Make Strides

Adult community college students in degree-progressing English and math courses are nearing parity with their traditional-age student counterparts when it comes to course completion, according to a new report from California Competes.

» Read more!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Fresno City College:

All smiles We are ready to welcome thousands of students to campus on Monday

*****

From Oxnard College:

Our Associated Student Government wrapped up the semester by taking students on a guided tour of SoFi stadium! Students checked out team locker rooms and facilities while also learning about various career paths in sports. They even tested their throwing skills on the field!

*****

And check this out – the College of Alameda Dance Department performing at the SF International New Concept Film Festival last November:


Blast from the Past

As colleges across California celebrate their opening days, I remembered the Bakersfield College Opening Day back in 2016 –

And From the Home of the Renegades

Bakersfield College – IDA Endowment Fund Recipient

Three years ago, automotive professors Andrew Haney, CD-SV, and Rick Range, CD-SV, ASE Master | L1 and California State Smog Technicians and state license certified instructors, embarked on a mission to enhance the Automotive Technology training program at Bakersfield College (Bakersfield, California, United States) by introducing automotive detailing. Their combined expertise and extensive experience in the automotive repair industry set the stage for a transformative addition to the curriculum.

The crowning moment for the program came in 2023 when Andrew applied for and received the IDA Founder’s Endowment Fund Grant, a $2500 boost that propelled the initiative to new heights. With unwavering support from Bakersfield College’s administration, the grant was strategically invested in upgrading the automotive training program’s wash bay.

» 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

CA CCs on the move

Uncategorized September 23, 2023 Comments: 2

What a busy week! Across the country and back.

On Saturday, headed out to Morgantown home of West Virginia University where my best friend from high school teaches in the Life Sciences department.

On Sunday headed with the team to Washington DC to elevate the visibility of the work being done at California Community colleges. The team included – Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales and Vice Chancellor of Government Relations David O’Brien; from the Board of Governors, President Amy Costa & Pamela Haynes; from the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Executive Director of Workforce Development Tim Aldinger.

Then headed to San Diego for the DEI Conference and then back home Friday night.

Here are some photos:

Morgantown visiting my friend who cooked great Kerala dishes and event packed some food for the road…. yuuum.

A delicious Kerala meal for the road
At the Kennedy Memorial, Morgantown

***

Washington DC visit

Department of Education:

Department of Energy:

Department of Labor:

Senator Alex Padilla:

A must-do photo of the Washington monument every time I visit DC:

Check out Little Amal who visited DC. Little Amal represents a fictional nine-year-old Syrian girl, representing displaced children today. The giant puppet was created by the South Africa-based Handspring Puppet Company.

“The Walk” tells Amal’s life story, her search for her mother and her flight to safety.

Check out this video from Georgetown University about it:

Goodbye for now DC

David O’Brien, Pam Haynes, Amy Costa
Daisy Gonzales, Sonya Christian, David O’Brien, Pam Haynes at Dulles. Heading out to San Diego

*****

After a few jam-packed days in DC, we headed to San Diego for the DEIA in Action Institute.

At the conclusion of my talk, I invited the leadership at the Chancellor’s Office to come up on stage with me – John Hetts, Daisy Gonzales, Pamela Haynes, Marc LeForestier, Lizette Navarette and Aisha Lowe. Check out the photo.

John Hetts, Daisy Gonzales, Sonya Christian, Pam Haynes, Marc LeForestier, Lizette Navarette, Aisha Lowe

What a wonderful week!

Good morning California.
It is September 23, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

CCC Presidents Selected for Aspen Presidents Fellowship

Tawny Dotson, Michael Gutierrez, Jim Limbaugh,
Claudia Lourido-Habib, and Julius Sokenu

The College Excellence Program announced the cohort of college presidents for the 2023-2024 Aspen Presidents Fellowship. Several of our California Community College Presidents were selected:

  • Tawny Dotson, Yuba College
  • Michael Gutierrez, Hartnell College
  • Jim Limbaugh, West Los Angeles College
  • Claudia Lourido-Habib, Porterville College
  • Julius Sokenu, Moorpark College

Congratulations to all!

» Read more about the 2023-2024 Presidents Fellows

Las Positas College Hosts Black College Day

Las Positas College hosted its first annual Black Family Day. “It really ties into our educational master plan, which is to be the destination campus for Black students and other students of color here in the Tri-Valley,” said LPC President Dr. Dyrell Foster.

» Check out the news coverage!

Cerritos College Hosts Event For The College Tour Episode

Cerritos College is featured in a 30-minute episode of The College Tour, an Amazon Prime streaming series. This week, Cerritos College hosted an exclusive screening of the episode at their Performing Arts Center.

» Learn more about Cerritos College on The College Tour!

Check out the video below:

San Joaquin Delta College Launches Free Public Fitness Court

Delta College celebrated the opening of a new outdoor exercise facility known as a Fitness Court, part of an initiative by National Fitness Campaign (NFC) to plan, build, and fund healthy communities across the country.

» Learn more about the fitness court!

In Case You Missed It

NANDI: Reimagining Success

The Nandi Symposium will center the voices of Black women while also creating space for all professionals and students in the California Community College System to be in community with one another. The Nandi Symposium is being brought to you in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

When: Thursday, October 5; 9:30 am – 3:30 pm

Where: Westin Los Angeles Airport

For more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nandi-symposium-tickets-700528769407?aff=oddtdtcreator

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From MiraCosta College President Sunita Cooke:

@MiraCosta⁩ representing ⁦@NCAAWA⁩ Annual Gentlemen’s Gourmet scholarship fundraiser. TY to our talented chefs, volunteers, and donors! Shout out to Trustee Raye Clendening, ⁦⁦ @RepMikeLevin⁩ ⁦ @jim_desmond⁩ ⁦ @joegreen760⁩ ⁦ @satiaaustin

*****

From CA Assembly Member & Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon:

Yes! This is exactly why we formed the paid Community College Internship for the Assembly. This is such an important program. Community college students are incredibly diverse, and have so much to offer. Uplifting them benefits everybody.

The Assembly’s community college interns are placed in Member offices (both Republican and Democrat) to learn how the legislature functions. One of these interns, Frank Arenas, works in my office. He’s an aspiring attorney, and has been a wonderful addition to the team.

*****

From Lassen College:

Thank you to our amazing students and staff for representing LCC this morning at The Out of the Darkness Community Walk. This walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.

*****

From Kern CCD Trustee Yovani Jimenez:

Grateful for an inspiring State of the College event at @PCollegePirates, celebrating their achievements and future vision with Dr. @PortervillePrez and the PC team. I am excited for what’s to come!

And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Learning Resource Center in Delano

Bakersfield College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning for the newly finished multipurpose building at BC’s Delano campus. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the college in its commitment to providing enhanced and expanded educational opportunities to students in North Kern.

» 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

CA CC Vision 2030 on the road

Uncategorized August 12, 2023 Leave a comment

As summer comes to a close, I’ve had a very busy week traveling to several of our community colleges.

On Tuesday, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for student housing at Lake Tahoe Community College. It was inspirational to see so many people come out to support this fantastic project.

Thank you to Pam Haynes for joining from the Board of Governors, LTCC President Jeff DeFranco, the LTCC Board of Trustees, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, Chris Ferguson & the CA Department of Finance team, and everyone who was present and who has made this possible.

On Wednesday, I headed down to Chula Vista for an event at Southwestern College. This event focused on the Vision 2030 goal of Equity in Access. Southwestern College showcased two projects – Dual Enrollment and AB 91 – new legislation currently in appropriations that would waive out-of-state tuition for those crossing the border from Mexico to take classes at Southwestern or other San Diego colleges.

Here is a a 2:31-min coverage of the event by KPBS.

President Mark Sanchez, BOG Member Mary Salas, Sonya Christian, Assembly Member David Alvarez
BOG member Paul Medina, Student Trustee from Miramar College Namod Pallek, Student Trustee from Mt. San Jacinto College Joseph Awad, Former Student Body President from Southwestern College Leonardo Vanegas

On Thursday, I headed to East Los Angeles College for another Vision 2030 event, focused on dual enrollment. Thank you to Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez and President Alberto Roman for hosting this event. Members of the Board of Governors came out in full strength — Vice President Hildy Aguinaldo, Pam Haynes, Adrienne Brown, Joseph Williams, and Paul Medina.

Assembly member Mike Fong was also there and recognized the importance of community colleges.

Before I started my crazy week of travel, I caught Greta Gerwig’s Barbie at the cinema. It was a fun and thought provoking at the same time – a feature of many Gerwig movies. Like some of her past work, Gerwig explores the complexities of female identity and societal expectations. Both Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken) are wonderful in the movie. Gerwig’s Ken for the most part is as an accessory to Barbie, existing for the sole purpose of winning her warm gaze, adds comedic elements to the story while also providing opportunities for emotional depth. Check out this 1:30-min “I am just Ken” fun and talented video.

Good morning California.
It is August 12, 2023.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Río Hondo College Partners with MIT to Inspire
New Wave of Inventors During Summer Program

Students from Río Hondo College and local high schools created innovative solutions to modern problems, such as using drones for campus security to report suspicious activity or adapting smart textiles to chairs to fix poor posture in office workers, during the College’s inaugural Bridge to Invention Río program.

The program, which ran from July 17 to 28, was created in partnership with Lemelson-MIT (LMIT) to guide students through the disciplines of business and engineering to create and present a product, web app or service. The program was made available at no cost to all college students and local high school juniors and seniors.

» Read more about the program!

College of the Desert Awarded M-STAR Grant Funding by NASA

College of the Desert is one of only nine colleges/universities – and the only CA Community College – to be awarded M-Start Grant Funding by NASA.

Ahmed Elshafie, Michael Gariety, Amira Elsenousy and David Jackson all collaborated on the project entitled: A Penetrolyzer for Extracting Oxygen and Hydrogen from Mars Regolith.

» Read more about the award

» Learn more at NASA

Berkeley City College NOVA Scholars Summer Program Gallery Walk

In July, the Berkeley City College NOVA & RISE team hosted a Gallery Walk in celebration of scholars in our fourth cohort of NOVA, which stands for Networking, Opportunities, Vision, & Action. NOVA is a dual enrollment pathway program designed to support Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) rising 9th graders with their transition into high school. During the event, nearly 40 scholars displayed their culminating projects and shared their stories and dreams in the company of their families and our larger BCC community.

» Read more about the program!

Foster Youth Bicycle Giveaway Brings
Opportunity, Support to Pasadena City College Students

Supervisor Kathryn Barger and One Bicycle Foundation partnered together to gift bicycles to foster youth students at Pasadena City College. The gift of 24 bikes will help them get to class, work, errands, and activities.

» Read more about the gift!

In Case You Missed It

Laist: Can Community Colleges Meet the Urgency of the Climate Crisis?

On August 7th, Laist published a piece by Bonnie Ho and Jackie Orchard about the California Center for Climate Changed Education at West Los Angeles College.

“Through its new climate center, West is developing more climate change curriculum for community colleges in California to adapt to their own campuses. Eventually, the plan is for West to educate students of all disciplines on climate change, not just what people might expect of those studying environmental science.”

» Read the article!

Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

The Community College League of California shared an update from the 2023 Student Trustees Workshop:

This year 60+ student trustees travelled from @CalCommColleges to Riverside

*****

Fresno Unified School District‘s Tressa Overstreet shared this post:

“Dual Enrollment is rolling in ⁦@fresnounified⁩ our students CAN!”

*****

Allan Hancock College shared this photo from their All Staff Day event to kick off the fall semester:

*****

Madera Community College shared these photos:

“We had a wonderful turnout this afternoon at our President’s Cabinet BBQ! Thanks to our incredible Facilities team, our students, staff, and faculty all got to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers as we close out the summer!“

And From the Home of the Renegades

Early College Convening

The Bakersfield College Early College team hosted our 4th annual Early College Convening on August 2nd, 2023 and it was a momentous day in setting forth our collective vision for the 2023-2024 school year. 

» Read more about the Early College convening!

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

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