Merritt Announces New Director of Hispanic Serving Institutions Program

Mr. Jorge Murillo has been appointed as Merritt College’s new Director of Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program. Working alongside faculty, classified professional staff members, and administrators, Mr. Murillo will take the lead on building and implementing the College’s Aspira Project, which will be funded by a five-year, $2.9M grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Title V Program.

Laney Shares Free College Success Stories with Partners at Oakland Rotary

One of the chief collaborative partners of Laney College have been members of Oakland Rotary #3, who come to campus and support students in a number of ways, especially with members giving their time to help with food distribution efforts. Additionally, at events such as One Stop Saturday and last Spring’s Employee Appreciation event, Rotarian John Claussen and others have brought a corn dog machine to campus to serve students, showing a true connection between the campus and those in the community who are working to address food and other insecurities among students.

A New Internship Pilot Program Is Launching this Semester at CoA

CoA’s Internship Pilot Program is set to kick off this Fall 2023 Semester. The initiative marks a significant milestone for the College, as it is one of only two community colleges in the state of California participating in the Internship Pilot program to support the Learning Aligned Employment Plan (LAEP). This partnership not only benefits CoA students but also contributes to the growth of the local economy.

Presidential Finalists Meet with BCC Community at Public Forum

Berkeley City College and the Peralta Community College District hosted a Public Forum for three finalists selected to serve as the next President of Berkeley City College. The three finalists for consideration are Dr. Denise Richardson, Dr. John al-Amin, and Dr. Rafe Trickey, Jr.

Photo courtesy of Tracey Sato

By Tracey Sato, Aviation Maintenance Technician Program Student

The skies above Hayward came alive on September 24, 2023, during the annual Hayward Airport Open House, which saw an impressive turnout of over 7,500 attendees. The event transformed the airfield into a bustling hub for aviation enthusiasts, families, and thrilling experiences. Among the standout attractions that made this year's event truly exceptional was the active participation of the College of Alameda's Aviation Maintenance Technician Program. It was a day filled with aviation wonders, education, and inspiration.

Former Merritt College President Dr. Robert "Bobby" Adams has passed away

Current Merritt College President Dr. David M. Johnson shared this message with the Merritt Community:

It is with a heavy heart that I share some very sad news. Our former Merritt College President Dr. Bobby Adams passed away this weekend. Dr. Adams served this college faithfully from 2007 until his retirement in 2012. I do not have any additional details at this time but will share them as more information is made available.

Good morning, Merritt Community.

I am writing with great news to share! I am pleased to announce that Mr. Jorge Murillo is our new Director of Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (HSI Director). Now that he has had a few days to settle in, I encourage you to reach out and/or stop by his office to give him a warm Merritt College welcome! We are working with the District to create his email address, but in the meantime, he can be reached at aspira.merritt@peralta.edu. His office is R-113G.

Merritt College Safety Day

On Thursday, September 7 Merritt held its inaugural Safety Day. The event provided faculty, classified staff members, and administrators with the opportunity to share their concerns and suggestions related to public safety.

Fall/Spring is Free at Laney College: More Students Enrolled, Stayed through the Semester, and Re-enrolled in 2022-2023!

Laney College experienced a strong enrollment rebound in 2022-2023, during the Fall is Free and Spring is Free semesters. Fall to spring student persistence numbers -or continuation into the next semester- during these two terms was higher than it was during COVID and is heading back toward pre-COVID averages. In real numbers, 901 more students persisted from term to term in the “Free” year than in the year before, an increase of nearly 1%.

CoA Kicks Off Fall Semester with a Series of Robust Flex Day Activities Focusing on Future Shaping

The CoA Staff Development Committee, led by Chair Drew Burgess, planned a series of forward-looking Flex Day activities focusing on the topic of Future Shaping, and themes of hope and team building. The innovative series of workshops took place on August 18, 2023. Flex Day was offered in a Hy-Flex format with many participating in-person as well as online via Zoom.