President’s Roundtable Meets for First Time Since Pandemic
The College of Alameda President’s Roundtable held its first post-pandemic breakfast meeting on April 19, 2023, at the College’s Liberal Arts Center Conference Room. The Roundtable was formed in 2015 to include key individuals from business, industry, government, education, and the philanthropic sector who would serve as the College’s strategic advisors and play an important role in helping ensure the success of College programs and students. Roundtable Members also participated in the virtual College’s 50th Anniversary Online Gala in 2020. The last time that the Roundtable met in person was in October 2019. Participants included: CoA Acting President Diana Bajrami, Alameda Youth Basketball Board Member Marianne Carter, Dean Shalamon Duke, Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3 Senior Policy Advisor Cesley Frost, Vice President Business Services Augustine Gil, Dean Eva Jennings, President/Founder Alameda Community Fund Ed Kofman, Interim Vice President of Student Services Mildred Lewis, Associated Students of College of Alameda Representative Natay Myers, Alameda Chamber Ambassador Reuben McElligot, Faculty Senate President Andrew Park, Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi, Marketing and Communications Consultant Cathy Summa-Wolfe, AUSD Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway Specialist Felicia Vargas, Alameda Boys and Girls Club Chief Executive Officer Richard Watters, and Peralta Community College District Trustee Bill Withrow.
The agenda featured a brief special presentation by Dr. Bajrami titled “Strengthening Our Community Partnerships to Best Serve the Educational Needs of Our Students and to Align with Community and Industry Labor Needs,” followed by a tour of the Apparel Design And Merchandising (ADAM) Program hosted by Department Chair Derek Piazza.
Umoja Students Enjoy Camaraderie and a Movie
Students from the College of Alameda Umoja program come together to create a sense of community and camaraderie on campus while enjoying a movie day. The students loved the event and are looking forward to even more exciting occasions in the future. Food, entertainment, and laughing were all in attendance. The event was organized by Umoja Counselor Valarie Carey and attended by students Saji Muanza, Chanceline Zannou, Muhammad, and Kholood B.
The CoA Mobile Outreach team and Umoja program representatives visited Island High School on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, to help students with enrollment applications and provide information about matriculating to the College of Alameda. In addition, team members answered inquiries about financial help and continued to establish connections with members of the community. Umoja Counselor Valarie Carey helped spearhead the event, which was staffed by student workers and college staff.
WorkAbility III Supports Students with Disabilities
WorkAbility III supports students with disabilities to develop their work readiness skills by learning effective job search techniques, and workplace professionalism.
The program provides comprehensive job-related preparation services to students with disabilities whose goals include obtaining and retaining employment. WorkAbility III helps students with disabilities overcome barriers to employment to find, apply for, get, and keep meaningful jobs. Students can be referred to the program by counselors, instructors, or staff members at College of Alameda, Laney College, Merritt College, and Berkeley City College.
WorkAbility services include:
- Job search skill building and practice
- Campus internship opportunities
- Referrals to employment and job sources
- Transition to work and worksite support
- Employer education and resources
For more information call (510) 543-2476 or email nagarwal@peralta.edu or visit the website: https://alameda.edu/students/student-accessibility-services-sas/workability-iii/
This article is an excerpt from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Diana Bajrami, College of Alameda Acting President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. To view it as a pdf, click here.
