On March 17, Merritt College hosted the Career and Wellness Resource Fair. This incredible event was the product of intentional collaboration and strategic partnership development, with our Sankofa Program successfully partnering with the group Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), as well as key campus programs including EOPS, SAS &, ASMC, and the Basic Needs Center. This marks our third annual career and wellness-centered initiative designed to advance student success through career exposure, economic mobility, and holistic support services. Here is what the day yielded:
The success of this event underscores the importance of continued investment in partnership-driven programming that aligns with Merritt College’s mission and strategic priorities of equity. We are grateful for the collaboration of our campus and community partners and look forward to expanding the scale and impact of this work.
Merritt College is in the process of pursuing an incredible opportunity for our students interested in STEM. Under the leadership of our MESA Director, Christina Tinsley, we are working to develop an MOU with UC Berkeley that will allow our students to participate in Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE), which is an NSF-funded program run by the Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) at CAL. The ASSURE Program is a 10-week summer internship scheduled to run from June to August, and the agreement would allow use of MESA funds for intern compensation, while SSL would cover all other associated costs. The Merritt interns will work up to 32 hours a week engaged in hands-on learning experiences supporting engineering, manufacturing, testing, mission operations, business operations, or other functional areas of the Space Sciences Laboratory. We will keep you apprised in the weeks to come!!
I am pleased to share that we just concluded the Spring 2026 offering of ADJUS 200: Law Enforcement Pre-Academy, an intensive eight-week program designed to prepare students academically, physically, and professionally for entry into a POST-certified police academy and careers in law enforcement. The curriculum is delivered through in-person evening and weekend sessions to maximize accessibility for working students. Core instructional areas include: report writing, dispatch communication, criminal justice systems, search and seizure, ethics, background investigations, physical agility, defensive tactics, and emergency vehicle operations (as available).
At the beginning of the term, the cohort comprised 30 students—we are proud to report that 26 of these students successfully completed the program. In addition to achieving key learning outcomes, students developed strong peer connections and support networks, fostering a sense of camaraderie and professional identity that will extend beyond the classroom. This initiative represents a successful continuation and bolstering of Merritt College’s commitment to workforce development, public safety career pathways, and community engagement. We want to acknowledge the support of the following individuals in making this experience such a successful one for our students: Retired Officer Damon Gilbert for defensive tactics training; Sgt. Michael Romans-Rowe and recruiting staff for background instruction and physical agility testing; Retired Deputy Stevie Daniels for standardized test resources; and Mayor Barbara Lee and her staff for supporting the rebirth of this program. But most of all, I want to thank our very own amazing faculty member, Ms. Mildred Oliver. Without her commitment, experience, leadership, and professional network, this would not have been possible!
This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. David M. Johnson, Merritt College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. To view it as a PDF, click here.