Laney Fall Fest 2023 Emphasizes Student Support, Campus Life

On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, Laney College hosted the mid-semester Fall Festival at the Laney Quad from 11:30am-1:30pm. Now in its third year of existence, the event has shifted its focus from promoting enrollment to highlighting student life activities. Along with outstanding Classified Professional leaders at Laney, the ASLC and student club organizations have added their dedication to what has become a bustling event that happens twice a year at the midway point of the semester.

This year the Laney Fall Fest focused on motivating students to finish the semester strong, connecting with faculty, and informing students of all the campus resources available. Thank you to the different Departments and Disciplines that were present at the quad.

• Tutoring Services
• Canvas Support
• Health Services
• Basic Need/Eagle’s Nest
• Cal Fresh
• Counseling
• Employment Services
• Learning Communities
• Undocumented Community Resource Center (UCRC)
• Student Clubs
• Peralta Foundation: Scholarship Time!!
• Latinx Cultural Center
• APASS
• EOPS/CalWorks/NextUp
• Financial Aid

Laney College Student Leaders from Mongolia meet with President Besikof

On November 7th, Mongolian student leaders and APASS Ambassadors Battuya Nergui and Narmandakhn Suurinburneebaatar along with Shine Od Nasan, Ariuntua Butsukh and Nandintsetsey Batsaikhan, Laney staff member Diana Davaasuren and APASS Director David Lee, APASS staff Joan Su and John Lau met with Laney College President Rudy Besikof to invite him to the first December 2nd Mongolian Student Bridge Event at the Laney Bistro between 9:00am-3pm.

Twenty-two Mongolian students enrolled for the first time at Laney College this Fall. Over fifty new Mongolian students interested in enrolling in the upcoming Spring Semester will attend the December 2nd event. President Besikof spoke to the group of students and recorded a video greeting in Mongolian and a welcome message. President Besikof said that he was pleased that Laney College provided such a supportive environment for Mongolian students and that this large community was coming to Laney in increasing numbers.

APASS Director David Lee thanked APASS Ambassadors Battuya Nergui and Narmandakhn Suurinburneebaatar for their leadership in helping Mongolian students feel welcomed and supported at Laney College. Thanks to their hard work, Laney APASS will be holding a Mongolian Spring Festival on campus and also helping to launch a Mongolian student club.

To learn more about APASS services, visit us at www.laney.edu/apass

Laney College Veteran Resource Center Holds Resource Fair, Celebratory Luncheon

In observance of Veteran's Day, the Veteran Resource Center (VRC) hosted a lunch and resource fair last Wednesday, November 8th, 2023, for our veteran students. The event was held in front of the VRC located in the E Building Room 260 and featured a variety of services both on and off campus that are available for our veteran students. As an added surprise, President Besikof, KGPC Station Technical Director Felicia Bridges, and Journalism major Randi Cross recorded episode 56 of the Laney College President’s Desk Podcast/Simulcast remotely, taking over Veterans Resource Center Coordinator Jean Carey’s office for about 90 minutes while Ms. Carey, student veterans, and a host of other supportive Laney colleagues from Employment Services, the Wellness Center, the Basic Needs Center and others got on air to join the fun.

The episode will air and be posted online the week of November 13 at https://www.kgpc969.org/the-presidents-desk. Special thanks again to Jean Carey, Kimm Blackwell, and all who support our students who have given service.

Sustainability in America by Johnson Controls International (JCI) at Laney

On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, with roughly 200 in attendance counting students, employees, and industry/community partners, Laney College welcomed panelists from global industry leader, Johnson Controls International (JCI), to discover new trends and career opportunities in sustainable and smart infrastructures. Laney is proud to partner with JCI, as support from this partner now includes resources for outreach & curriculum development, mentorships for students, and scholarships.

The evening began with a welcome from Professor Sappho Su, who has revitalized the Environmental Control Technology (ECT) program with her hard work and dedication. What followed was a lively discussion facilitated by our JCI partners, with a myriad of questions from the audience both during the program and afterward. Also on hand was the Peralta Colleges Foundation to provide further information about scholarship opportunities.

Thanks to the faculty and staff who attended, but special recognition goes to Professor Su, Dean Alejandria Tomas, Kim Gonzales, and Raya Zion for an event that was very successful. Also, special thanks to the many Career Education faculty who promoted the event and assured it would be well-attended.

Laney College Umoja Program Received Unexpected Award!

The 19th Umoja Conference took place from November 2nd to 4th in San Francisco. Laney College brought together 12 students and 3 staff members to participate in this event. The conference's central theme was to engage in a critical dialogue about the challenges impacting African-American students and the enduring legacy of the African Diaspora.

During the conference, Laney College received a surprise statewide award, being recognized as the "Most Improved Program" in recognition of its remarkable efforts to develop a sustainable program and establish a cohort of student leaders who are advocating for positive change.

We would like to extend our special thanks to Shanice Millican, Program Specialist, Dr. Kassie Alexander, Program Co-coordinator, and Janelle Tillotson, Program Co-coordinator, for their exceptional work in supporting our students. A special acknowledgment to Dr. Kimberly King, this award is a culmination of her 10 years of work, even through a pandemic.

Laney continues to advance its efforts through the work of our many learning communities, who bring a home-like feel to so many students as they navigate the challenging, ever-changing experience of attending college in the 2020s. These programs serve students under the leadership of Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Marlon Hall, and Dean of Student Success and Equity, Mr. Gary Albury, leveraging stateallocated resources such as statewide Student Equity and Achievement funding.