Laney Puente, Latinx Students/Colleagues Celebrate with Dia de Gracias, End of Semester Events

Tuesday, November 22 was a great day at Laney College, as the Puente Program gathered to have its own Dia de Gracias as an advance celebration of the coming holiday. The event was attended by around 30 students, alumni, family members, and Laney colleagues, giving it the richness of true Puente events. Special thanks to Counseling Faculty Member Laura Gomez-Contreras and Professor Maya Chinchilla, under the leadership of Associate Dean Gary Albury, for a great event and energizing this critical program. Thanks to their efforts, what was once a cohort with barely 5 students a few years ago is now becoming a program full of students.

The Puente Program at Laney supports Latinx and other students with a dedicated English class centered on Latinx and multicultural curriculum, support courses and tutoring, and a Counseling class that supports students on their educational journeys. Puentistas also learn about and achieve transfer to a U.C. or other 4-year college thrive and do so in an environment that includes familia, or the support of their families and friends. Professor Gomez-Contreras appeared on a recent episode of Dr. Besikof’s radio show, The President’s Desk, which may be heard at https://www.kgpc969.org/the-presidents-desk, on iTunes, or on iHeart Radio.

Also, on December 8, the Latinx and Puente groups gathered in the Bistro to celebrate reaching the end of a successful semester at Laney. Thanks to all colleagues and students for making both of these gatherings well-attended events, both testaments to the growing opportunities for students at Laney!

Laney College Hosts Student Employment Services Fall Internship Fair

Laney's Student Employment Services held its Fall Internship Fair in November. We had over 100 students visiting 11 organizations offering internship opportunities. The Quad was filled with students looking for spring and summer internships from: Kaiser Permanente, Lawrence Livermore Labs, Penumbra, BART, Union Bank, Unity Council Summer Internships, Lao Family Summer Internships, The Oakland Museum, and Cuberg.

Laney College Hosts Housing Workshops through its Employment Services Office

In partnership with Oakland's Unity Council, Laney's Student Employment Services Center hosted 5 lunchtime workshops in November focusing on Housing and Homelessness. The following topics were covered: Rental Listings; Affordable Housing; Fair Housing; What to Do When You Have a Housing Opportunity; Resources for the Unsheltered. In addition to the workshops, students in need had the opportunity to work with a Housing Coach to resolve their credit issues and other housing challenges.

Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, TX) Visits Laney

Laney College was thrilled to host President Melva Williams and members of her recruitment team at Laney on November 29 in the Laney College Bistro as part of a collaboration with Outreach and the College’s UMOJA/Ubaka Program. The day was much more than an info session, as on-the-spot acceptance and even scholarships were awarded to Laney College students who attended. Thanks to the many areas of Laney that provided both welcome and support as the college embraces its new HBCU partner!

Laney Sends Team to Statewide Basic Needs Conference

Laney was among the 115 colleges selected to do a “coaching” presentation at the December 8-10 Statewide Basic Needs Conference in San Bernardino California. Representatives from the Guided Pathways-Driven SOAR program, the Student Life Office, Food Services, and Student Services facilitated a presentation on Fall is Free and the light it is shedding on Basic Needs as well as the need to promote awareness about Financial Aid. Laney congratulates all those who have made the Fall semester a success, not only in enrollment but also its equity-driven approach to reaching our community.

This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Rudy Besikof, Laney College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 13, 2022. To view it as a pdf, click here.