Guided Pathways Retreat Charts an Inclusive Path Forward to Greater Student Success and Fiscal Stewardship

On July 7, 2022, CoA Guided Pathways members, Deans, Vice Presidents, and the College President met with facilitators for a half-day retreat charting the next phase of Guided Pathways (GP) work.

CoA President Nathaniel Jones III gave opening remarks focusing on the importance of incorporating the essentials of equity, community, sustainability of resources, campus climate and culture, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) in achieving the College’s Guided Pathways goals. The theme of the retreat was Aspiration: College of Alameda as a Port of Opportunity and Success (COA-POS).

Dr. Jones presented an overview of a robust path forward that incorporates the important work of Guided Pathways as the basis for developing a new College Educational Master Plan (EMP) in fall 2022 and operationalizing that plan starting in spring 2023. He postulated that inclusive excellence is an imperative value and that organizations that foster diversity and integrate inclusion can realize greater institutional success and excellence.

Maeve Katherine Bergman, JD, and Dr. Monique Greene, Ed.D., co-facilitated the retreat. Ms. Bergman currently serves as one of four Guided Pathways Regional Coordinators (GPRC) for the San Francisco Bay Area region with the Foundation for California Community Colleges. She was an inaugural member of the Bay Area-based GPRC team serving twenty-eight colleges for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in 2018.

Dr. Greene has extensive experience designing engagement centers and student success teams at Riverside City Community College where she serves as the Guided Pathways Coordinator and also is a tenured counseling faculty member. She has had many years of success co-leading her college's GP work, including team development with a focus on student needs and equity; collaborative development of team roles, responsibilities, timelines, and approaches; and professional learning, particularly in the area of data-informed decision making.

CoA Launches Puente Summer Bridge for Cohort Three

On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, the College of Alameda's Puente Program launched its first Summer Bridge for the third Puente cohort. Puente Summer Bridge is a four-week course that supports the transition from high school to community college for first-time college students. Taught by Professor Johanna Carranza, the course provides students with the tools that they need to succeed in their fall 2022 courses and throughout their academic studies. This summer Puente students will learn how to create a sense of community with their peers, meet with staff and faculty, and develop skills that will help them successfully navigate the complexities of college life. The program has been designed to improve retention and completion rates. A total of 20 students are participating in this cohort of Puente Summer Bridge.

Community Partners Co-Host Job Fair at College of Alameda

The College of Alameda Career and Employment Center, in partnership with the Alameda County Social Services Agency, the Alameda County Workforce Development Board, and the Oakland Housing Authority co-hosted a Job Fair at CoA on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. The event took place in the beautiful atrium entrance area of the new Liberal Arts Center, Building H.

Over 60 eager job-seeking students and community members attended the event. This was the first campus job fair since the pandemic began in 2020, and it was the largest campus job fair in over four years. The events previously were restricted by the lack of useable space for large-scale community events, but the new Liberal Arts building provides adequate facilities for hosting in a warm and inviting environment.

Twelve employers were represented at the job fair. In addition, PCCD Human Resources Analyst Vivian Farmer hosted a table promoting District job openings.

The event was organized by Career Center Director of Workforce Systems Stefanie Bradshaw and her hard-working team. Special thanks to the CalWORKs/EOPS Team of student workers for setting up and staffing the event; and also to CoA's Custodial staff for their assistance with planning and logistics.

This article is an excerpt from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Nathaniel Jones III, College of Alameda President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. To view as a pdf, click here.