Back to Fall at Laney College: A Strong Start for 2025

Laney College welcomed students, faculty, and staff back to campus with energy and optimism for the Fall 2025 term. Total enrollment reached 9,681 students, marking a 4% increase over last fall, a promising indicator of the continued growth and engagement within our community. Students can choose from 582 sections of classes, offering a wide range of opportunities to pursue academic, career, and personal goals.

The start of the semester was celebrated with a vibrant Welcome Week packed with events to help students connect, explore campus resources, and get involved. From interactive workshops and club fairs to social gatherings and student services orientations, Welcome Week set the tone for a semester of success and community.

New MC3 Pathway Launches at Laney

Laney College, in partnership with the Alameda County Building Trades Council and the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative (CTWI), launched the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) pre-apprenticeship program with support from High Road Construction Careers funding.

Thanks to the leadership of the Career & Technical Education team, more than 50 students have already completed the program—gaining industry certifications and direct connections to union apprenticeship opportunities.

Laney Hosts APIs Mobilize Youth Leadership Program

Laney College proudly hosted the 2025 APIs Mobilize Youth Leadership Program graduation at the Laney Bistro in July. Over six weeks, the program brought together 21 East Bay high school juniors and seniors for leadership training, civic engagement, and community empowerment at the college.

The celebration featured student speakers, scholarship presentations, and keynote remarks from Oakland City Councilmember Charlene Wang, with President Dr. Rebecca Opsata affirming Laney’s support for youth leadership. Program highlights included sessions led by former Mayor Jean Quan, Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, and other guest speakers, offering students valuable insights into history, equity, and public service.

Laney College President Joins Oakland Workforce Development Board

Laney College President Rebecca Opsata has been sworn in as a member of the Oakland Workforce Development Board (WDB). The WDB helps shape employment and training programs that meet local labor market needs.

President Opsata brings the community college perspective to ensure Laney’s programs continue connecting students with skills, certifications, and career pathways that lead to strong futures.

Making College More Affordable: Laney Grows ZTC Pathways

Textbook costs put a huge burden on students, sometimes making them choose between purchasing books and other necessities. For that reason, Laney has made a commitment to increasing Low Textbook Cost and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) classes, supported by the efforts of the Affordable Instructional Materials Committee and statewide ZTC grants.

In Spring of 2025, 49% of classes were either Low or Zero Cost, a dramatic increase over even the previous semester.

Faculty are now taking the next step and creating entire Certificates and Degrees that can be completed without purchasing a single text. Commercial Music and Media Communications are making a completely ZTC Certificate by creating their own cuttingedge online materials and texts which keep up with changes in the industry. Engineering is developing a ZTC degree, bypassing very expensive commercial texts to focus on texts that are free, and more student centered. The materials being developed by Commercial Music and Engineering will not only help our future Laney students, but will also be used at campuses across California and the country.

The college is marketing ZTC Certificates to students by putting ZTC Badges on the department website to let prospective students know. 5 ZTC Certificates are currently badged and the goal is to double that in the next year.

Laney College Students Transform 5th Ave Building with Mural

Laney College art students, guided by instructor Fred Alvarado, have completed a vibrant new mural on the District Service Center building near the Laney football field. What was once a plain wall is now alive with color, community symbolism, and student pride.

Created over several weeks, the project beautifies the neighborhood and deters graffiti, while giving students hands-on experience in public art.

The mural was celebrated by Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson and district leaders, highlighting the transformative role of creativity in education.

Laney Students Explore Science at the Smallest Scale

Laney College students experienced cutting-edge nanotechnology during a summer field trip to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Molecular Foundry and National Center for Electron Microscopy. Led by Machine Technology Department Chair Adam Balogh, the group explored clean rooms, scanning electron microscopes, focused ion beam instruments, and the one-of-a-kind QSPLEEM device.

Students connected with a Laney alum now working at the lab, showing the pathways from Laney classrooms to world-class research. The trip underscored Laney’s commitment to providing hands-on opportunities that link education with real-world scientific discovery and advanced career possibilities.