Berkeley City College Awarded First AANAPISI Grant
Berkeley City College (BCC) was awarded a $2.5 million, five-year U.S. Department of Education / Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) / Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) Title III Part A Cooperative grant. The funding is granted in partnership with the Laney College (Laney) Asian Pacific Student Success/AANAPISI Project.
The purpose of the new collaboration is to enhance mental health services, academic, and student support services for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, which includes immigrant students, first-generation college students, and English Language learners. This is Berkeley City College’s first AANAPISI grant.
BCC President Dr. Angélica Garcia shared, “the submission and subsequent award of the AANAPISI grant is a reflection of our colleges responding to AAPI student voice. My President’s Equity and Racial Justice task force facilitated listening sessions during the spring 2022 semester. During one of those listening sessions focused on our AAPI community, students shared the expectation of not being seen and perceived as being ‘okay.’ The programming in our collaborative grant with Laney will support our colleges to clearly message to the AAPI community we see you, we welcome you, and we will center mental health and wellness in a culturally relevant and affirming process.”
The timing of the grant is especially important as Berkeley City College undertakes its 2024-2028 Educational Master Plan. In the environmental scan presented by Senior Research and Planning Analyst Dr. Phoumy Sayavong, AAPI students make up an increased percentage of the population of K-12 students in Berkeley City College’s service area. The additional resources provided by this grant will be of crucial importance in effectively serving this community.
“This grant will encourage us to examine the diversity among our AAPI student population to better understand the challenges they face and provide culturally appropriate social support systems that help them reach their educational goals,” said Dr. Sayavong.
The new grant will fund efforts to strengthen and scale up mental health services, particularly for AAPI students on both BCC’s and Laney’s campuses through the creation of a new program known as AAPI Healthy Transitions. AAPI Healthy Transitions will hire additional mental health specialists and staff and will fund additional professional development and training that is culturally grounded for faculty, staff, and administrators.
“We recognize AAPI students are not a monolith. The colleges have been making steady progress towards inclusion, diversity, racial equity, and access for AAPI students,” said BCC Associate Dean, Dr. Martín De Mucha Flores, a co-author of the grant application. “This grant award provides us funding to intentionally lift multiple voices and stand in solidarity with our AAPI community. The funding and programming that will come out of this grant will support our colleges to match our commitment to Stop Asian Hate and stopping the marginalization of the AAPI community in our region.
Additionally, the Cooperative grant will support both college’s Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) and Guided Pathways goals including retention, certificate and degree completion, transfer to a four-year university, and career and job training support.
BCC and Laney have several clearly specified goals with this new grant. Including one to integrate and elevate culturally responsive asset-mindset-based prevention and intervention strategies into the fabric of the colleges to create an emotionally safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for AAPI students. Other goals include one to increase the number of AAPI and ESOL students enrolling in CTE certificate and degree programs. Another important goal is to increase asset-based mindset mental health programming for AAPI and underserved students and provide more AAPI students access to mental health services.
Campaign for College Opportunity Recognizes BCC’s Associate Degree for Transfer Efforts
Berkeley City College is pleased to announce that we have been named a 2022 Champion of Higher Education and a 2022 Equity Champion for Latinx Students by the Campaign for College Opportunity. The awards recognize BCC’s work in awarding Associate Degrees for Transfer overall for four consecutive years, and special recognition for increasing equitable success among Latinx ADT awardees for two consecutive years.
“It is an honor to be recognized for Berkeley City College’s faculty, classified professionals', and administrators' tireless work in supporting students who pursue an ADT,” said President Angélica Garcia. “These awards are an affirmation of our collective work in supporting all students’ success, and the continued recognition is a benchmark for our future goals in equity and completion.”
The awards recognize Berkeley City College as a top statewide performer in the total percentage of Associate Degrees for Transfer in the 2020-21 academic year. The Equity Champion for Latinx Students specifically lauds BCC for supporting over 65% of Latinx associate-degree earners who earned an ADT on our campus.
Tune into the live 2022 Champions of Higher Education Celebration virtual event on Zoom on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 from 10:00am-11:30am to see BCC accept this award. You can register for the virtual event here.
BCC Students Attend Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Congress
A delegation of Berkeley City College students joined other representatives of the Peralta Community College District in traveling to Washington, D.C. for the Congressional Black Caucus 51st Annual Legislative Conference. The event spanned Wednesday, September 28th through Sunday, October 2nd. PCCD’s involvement has been ongoing for the past 18 years with support from Trustee Linda Handy and Representative Barbara Lee.
This year’s Annual Legislative Conference theme was “Advancing Our Purpose. Elevating Our Power.”The conference focused on sparking Black civic engagement ahead of the November midterm elections.
BCC’s representatives were ASBCC President Mazin Saeed and Noel Arikew. They were able to meet with local politicians and lawmakers such as Rep. Lee and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, as well as out-of-state lawmakers such as Rep. Rashida Talib and Rep. Ilhan Omar. “They’re both Muslim, and as a Muslim myself, being able to connect and meet and greet them with the traditional Islamic hello, it was cool to have a connection,” said Saeed. “You’re used to seeing these leaders on TV and to be able to finally meet them is a different experience. It was inspirational to see people in your community are really leading.”
They described the excitement of meeting with legislators and their staff members, and being involved in policy discussions that engaged them. “It was exciting taking a lot of the conversations and advice from different state officials and being able to connect with them with questions,” said Saeed. “I was able to take a lot of leadership advice from them and implement them in my role with ASBCC and use it to influence the BCC community.”
We thank BCC’s EOPS Coordinator Ramona Butler, as well as Chancellor Jannett Jackson, Trustee Linda Handy, Doris Hankins, Atheria Smith, and Devine Hardy for coordinating this experience.
BCC College Transfer Fair
Hundreds of students visited with representatives from four-year institutions during BCC’s College Transfer Fair on Thursday, September 29th. Over 36 state and private universities were on hand with brochures, swag, and information for BCC students interested in transferring. The atrium was buzzing with students asking questions and getting answers about potential transfer destinations.
Simone Ocampo, a first-year BCC student, is interested in transferring into a biology program. She met with 6 or 7 schools that day. “I have always had my eyes on UC Berkeley, but it was cool meeting with other schools that offer internships while I get my degree,” said Ocampo. “I know it’s a while away, but it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it.”
Students were also treated to breakfast pastries and a raffle was held with prizes hosted by the BCC Career and Transfer Center. We thank Andrea Williams and Gail Pendleton for their work in organizing the event, and all the universities for showing up.
Educational Master Plan Update
On Monday, October 3, BCC hosted its first EMP Steering committee meeting, endorsed by the College Roundtable for Budget & Planning, to guide the production of the 2024- 2028 Educational Master Plan. The EMP Steering Committee reviewed the role this process has to impact BCC’s overall Institutional Effectiveness. The group reviewed the (8) preliminary themes/goals, as well as the environmental scan data conducted by Dr. Phoumy Sayavong (IR) and Dr. Becky Gee (Science faculty).
The EMP Steering Committee composition includes President Dr. Angélica Garcia, Vice President of Instruction Kuni Hay, Senior Research and Planning Analyst Dr. Phoumy Sayavong, BCC Faculty representative Fatima Shah, ASBCC representative Kristiyan Klichev, Classified Senate President Andrea Williams, and President’s Executive Assistant Djenilin Mallari.
Current data collection for the EMP includes focus group interviews with faculty, classified professionals, students, and administrators, as well as data from Comprehensive Program Reviews, ACCJC reports, and student success & completion data. The EMP Steering Committee will meet twice per month throughout the process of finalizing the EMP.
“Maverick Award for Poetry” Winner- Sharon Coleman
Berkeley City College English instructor Sharon Coleman was awarded the Maverick Award for poetry by the Ruth Weiss Foundation. Coleman has taught poetry, creative writing, and composition at BCC since 2022. Coleman’s submission, titled “was it for this,” is a section of a longer manuscript she’s been working on for four years titled “hand-me-down.”
Coleman describes the poem as an autobiographical piece, exploring memories of growing up in San Carlos with her family on a dairy farm with a garden. She was inspired to submit this particular poem because of the grant application’s call for how the artist’s work encompasses the spirit of the maverick, along with the Ruth Weiss Foundation’s focus on the natural environment.
She will use the grant money to join her husband, a printmaker, for a collaborative exhibition in Chilé titled Taller 99. She will work alongside printmakers by adding poetic texts and also help create collaborative exercises.
Coleman was particularly excited about her students’ response to hearing she was awarded the grand prize. She posted news of the award on her Facebook page and a number of students commented and reacted. “I encouraged my students to apply for this award. It’s great for students because it promotes emerging poets and youth poets,” said Coleman. “The exciting thing is this is it’s a sizeable monetary award, so it’s very good for young poets.”
Congratulations Sharon!
Celebrating the Life of Loretta Newsom - Sunrise: November 4, 1930 - Sunset: September 23, 2022
It is with great sadness we share that Loretta Newsom passed away Friday, September 23rd in Oakland at the age of 91.
Ms. Loretta had an impressive 51 years of service working in Admissions & Records at Peralta Community College District and nearly all 4 PCCD campuses, beginning at Merritt College in 1970 and retiring from Berkeley City College in 2021. Her dedication and impact on the district is unmatched. In her retirement letter, she wrote that she requested a doctor allow her to continue working but was advised to retire. It speaks to the love she had serving students and working alongside her colleagues, many of whom viewed her as the Matriarch of Peralta.
“Loretta warmly welcomed everyone in the morning while having her coffee,” said Charlotte Smith, PCCD Admissions and Records Officer. “She was very conscientious about her time in the interest of getting the work done. She was a team player.”
Ms. Loretta is remembered for her dedication to students and being able to communicate all the protocols and policies of admissions and records. While her interactions often came firmly and directly with a waving finger and “no, no, that’s not how it works!” it was always in the interest of making sure students and colleagues understood the correct policies and procedures so they could succeed in their endeavors. Take a moment to watch this video of Ms. Loretta, filmed in 2012, explaining her work, the evolving A&R systems at Peralta, and the rewards of working in A&R.
“I miss her and learned a lot from her,” said Hue Huynh, Berkeley City College Senior Admissions and Records Specialist. “She was a very kind and caring person, even though she often said “no!” She was one of the wisest women I have ever known. I appreciate her and her services to PCCD and our community.”
Her colleagues shared stories about Ms. Loretta’s dignified nature. Her hair was always well put together, her favorite fragrance would always signal she was in the room, and she loved wearing her red lipstick. She always kindly reminded her coworkers to take timely breaks and be ready to get back to work when they finished.
“Ms. Loretta was one in a million. She was like a mother and truly a diamond in the sky,” said Maryhelen Kaufman, Merritt College Admissions and Records Clerk. “She provided a very strong foundation for everyone in Admissions and Records across the district.”
Ms. Loretta loved to travel. She would sometimes invite her coworkers to take vacations with her and would always bring home trinkets from her travels to share with her colleagues. Work-life balance was important to her and showed up in her advocacy and involvement in SEIU Local 1021 affairs.
Ms. Loretta advocated for her coworkers’ success. She was involved in the training and elevation of numerous Peralta employees over the course of her illustrious career. Many of the staff working in Admissions and Records at PCCD, Merritt College, College of Alameda, and Berkeley City College were trained and elevated because of her recommendations or were hired by Ms. Loretta. Her imprint is felt across PCCD to this day.
Most of all, Ms. Loretta was a family-oriented person. She loved her six children and her husband Robert. She was very attentive to her coworkers’ families as well. Colleagues shared stories of her attending family functions, birthdays, and funerals.
Her attending and loving nature extended outside of the Admissions and Records office and into people’s lives.
Ms. Loretta will truly be missed by everyone at the Peralta Community College District, and we send her family our love as they process this loss.
Upward Scholars Delivers Technology for BCC Adult Education
On September 28, representatives from Upward Scholars delivered a cart full of laptops to be given to 53 BCC students in the adult education program.
Upward Scholars is a Latina-led nonprofit that provides adult immigrants the boost they need to “move up” the economic ladder. They provide support for adults who are working low-wage jobs and ready to enroll in ESL or ESOL classes at a community college or who have completed a High School Equivalency program at a local adult school.
The original goal of the partnership was to deliver 40 laptops district-wide, but thanks to the efforts of Adult Education Project Manager and Transitions Liaison Midhun Joseph and Dean Lisa Cook, BCC was able to secure a surplus of supplies for our adult education students. Great work, Midhun, and Dean Cook!
This partnership was developed through Berkeley City College’s participation in the Northern Alameda Adult Education Collective.
This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Angélica Garcia, Berkeley City College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, October 11, 2022. To view it as a pdf, click here.