Merritt College Hosts Clean Slate/Record Expungement Event

On Friday, March 24, our Street Scholars Program sponsored a Clean Slate/Record Expungement event for our students and community members. The program was held at the Love/Moss Center in partnership with The Access Project (TAP), whose mission is to complement and support the work of nonprofit organizations around the state by reimagining the relationship between the pro bono and legal services communities.

During the presentation, students learned the process to change their records after convictions through dismissals or reduction of felonies to misdemeanors. We also provided Live Scan services so that participants could obtain an official record of their arrests and convictions. Finally, students learned how they can receive assistance with preparing their legal cases, as all costs for reviewing records, preparing petitions, and filing court documents will be covered by The Access Project. Special thanks to Biancca Parazo (COSER Department Chair) for helping to make this happen!

Merritt College to Host Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit.

On Saturday, April 1, Merritt College will host the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit. We are co-sponsoring the program with Kaiser Permanente, and this is the first time this event has been held in the Bay Area. First conceived in 2013 as a response to the decreasing number of Black men applying to medical school, Black Men in White Coats has worked closely with medical schools, high schools, colleges, and physicians to provide inspiration and mentorship to our youth who may be interested in healthcare as a profession. Since then, their reach has expanded beyond reaching out to young Black men, and this Saturday’s event is open to middle school and high school students, college students, post-baccalaureate students, parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and community leaders of all genders.

Attendees can avail themselves of educational breakout sessions covering an array of topics including study skills, mental health, support for parents, and educational guidance from local counselors. We look forward to an exciting day of mentorship, hands-on activities, and networking as we strengthen the future of healthcare!

Merritt College Congratulates Phi Theta Kappa All-California Community College Award Recipients

Merritt is pleased to congratulate three of our amazing Merritt Students! Jasmine Buckley-Williams, Laura Savre, and James Toalu were all just named as 2023 Phi Theta Kappa All-California Community College Award Recipients. This recognition underscores the tremendous work of our PTK Chapter, and serves as a reminder of the outstanding scholarship/community service in which our students are engaged. The Community College League of California will honor these students in an official 2023 PTK Award Yearbook and celebrate their accomplishments on social media as well.

Ms. Buckley-Williams recently completed her studies here at Merritt College and now attends San Diego State, where she is pursuing degrees in legal studies and business administration. Ms. Savre is working to complete an Associate of Arts degree in Social and Behavioral Science and an Associate of Arts Transfer degree in Psychology. She is an “A” student, was accepted recently to Sacramento State University, and aspires to earn a doctorate one day. Mr. Toalu studies Cybersecurity at Merritt, and currently serves as the ICC representative to the ASMC. He is also a candidate for the Phi Theta Kappa’s Regional Vice President of Technology Office.

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 28, 2023. To view it as a pdf, click here