Merritt College Celebrates Women's History Month

On Thursday, March 21, Merritt College will hold an event in celebration of Women’s History Month. To commemorate, the ASMC, Next Up, Sankofa, the Health Center, and other campus entities have organized a day that will include speakers from the ranks of faculty, classified professional staff, students, and alums! There will also be activities centered around empowerment, self-care, and women’s health, as well as music, food, raffles, and a designated play area for children. To provide a bit of historical context around Women’s History Month itself, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women organized a week-long celebration of all the contributions of women back in 1978. The National Women's History Project (now known as the National Women's History Alliance) continued to lobby each year to have March designated as Women's History Month. In 1981, Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing and requesting President Reagan to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, a resolution to formally designate the month of 1987 as Women’s History Month.

Merritt Accessibility Coordinator Returns from Disability Conference

Merritt Student Accessibility Services Coordinator/Counselor France Moy just returned from the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, where she had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of educators from Canada, Oregon, Virginia, Colorado, and various Hawaiian islands. Her particular presentation (based on a research project funded by a federal grant awarded to Merritt College) focused on strategies to enhance transition services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This project is a collaboration between Laney College and Merritt College, as well as Clausen House (a non-profit service provider), and Oakland Unified School District. Frances also had the opportunity to attend workshops that addressed such topics as discrimination, lack of accessibility, and stigma that persons with disabilities face when seeking employment and/or pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities. Merritt looks forward to availing itself of her experience as it continues to work toward creating inclusive environments and providing support services to help students succeed!

Merritt College Receives John Muir Conservation Award

Merritt College's Natural History & Sustainability Program just received the John Muir Conservation Award: 2023 Educational Institution Award - Environmental Education/Advocacy. The recognition is being bestowed by the John Muir Association, whose mission is to celebrate and promote his legacy through education, preservation, advocacy, and stewardship of the natural environment. Kudos to Natural History and Sustainability Program Director Ben Nelson, and Urban Agroecology Coordinator Elizabeth Boegel, as this award attests to the value of the work you do and the student community you have created at Merritt College. The ceremony will take place at the John Muir Birthday-Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez.