Laney College Basic Needs Center

The Rescue Agency (https://rescueagency.com/) hosted a March 1 CalFresh College Tour pop-up event on the Laney College Quad, where students learned more about the CalFresh Program, including eligibility requirements. CalFresh is a Federally funded program that provides a partial subsidy to qualified applicants who are struggling with food insecurity. (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/calfresh/program-information)

ESOL Holds Its First In-Person Student Orientation

In February 2023, CoA’s English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Department held its first in-person student orientation since 2020. The event was sponsored by the College’s SALAAM and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS). Approximately 100 students participated in the orientation followed by a free lunch. Financial Aid Office Specialist Laura Aguilar, Health Services Coordinator Lisa Sawadogo, Director of Hispanic Serving Institution Grant ACCESO/Puente Programs Horacio Corona Lira, and EOPS/CARE/CalWORKs/Next UP Programs and SALAAM Learning Community Project Manager Louie Martirez y McFarland, and CoA Acting President Diana Bajrami participated in the orientation. Special thanks to Louie Martirez and Malik Shabazz for coordinating the event.

Women’s Leadership Club Hosts Women’s Career Panel

Berkeley City College’s Women’s Leadership Club, in collaboration with the Electronics & Engineering Club and BCC’s Phi Beta Lambda chapter, held a Women’s Career Panel on Monday, March 6. The panel was made up of Adena Ishii (Consultant and Berkeley City College alumna), Mariza Zaragoza (IDEA [Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access] Program Manager, Bayer), Tabitha Esposito (Physics student, UC Berkeley), Nancy Ma (UX Designer), and Sapeeda Barati (Research Assistant, UCSF Ganguly Lab), and moderated by BCC Women’s Leadership Club President Dharvi Jindal.

OAKLAND, Calif., March 8, 2023 – The Peralta Community College District has appointed Paulina Gonzalez-Brito (They/Them/Elle) as its Trustee for Area 2. Gonzalez-Brito was chosen at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees on March 7, the final stage in a deliberate and thorough two-month section process.

OAKLAND, Calif., March 3, 2023 – Laney College, following its "Fall is Free" and "Spring is Free" campaigns to cover higher education costs for California students, is reporting an 18% increase in the number of students from a year ago, with 33% more African American students attending as well as a 21% jump in those identifying as Latinx.

February at Merritt College

February was truly a month of cultural celebration! On February 7, more than 70 students, classified staff members, faculty, and administrators attended Merritt’s Lunar New Year Luncheon. In addition to the amazing cuisine, those in attendance enjoyed a screening of the documentary Beijing: The Traditions of the Chinese New Year, which provided insight into the rich history and customs that make up the tapestry of the celebration.

Laney College Sees One-Year Increases of 33% and 21% in Numbers of African American, Latinx Students Served

Spring 2023 is continuing the year of change at Laney College, with 1512 more students enrolling than the year before, an 18% increase from Spring 2022. The growth at Laney is reaching the diverse communities it serves, with 507 (33%) more African American students enrolling than a year ago, as well as 494 (21%) more Latinx students.

College of Alameda Educational Master Plan (EMP) Updates

Professor Jody Campbell will assemble information and write CoA’s Educational Master Plan. He has already begun writing the document that will reflect the College’s collective work, vision, and caring spirit.

CoA’s College Council will serve as the Steering Committee for the EMP process.

Berkeley City College Hosts Second Annual Career Fair

On Thursday, February 23, Berkeley City College hosted its Second Annual Career Fair. The event was the culmination of a month of career-oriented workshops hosted by RepresentEd that focused on building a resume, interviewing skills, and building a career-oriented social media presence.