Dear Berkeley City College Colleagues -
I'm proud to share that The Campaign for College Opportunity announced Berkeley City College is a 2023 Champion of Higher Education and an Equity Champion for Black students, gaining recognition for its work in equitably awarding Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) in the 2021-22 academic year. This is the sixth year Berkeley City College has been recognized as a Champion of Higher Education by the Campaign for College Opportunity for our work awarding ADTs.
The Citizen, available online at www.peraltacitizen.com, is the student-run publication of the Peralta Community College District. This article comes from Eleni Gastis, advisor to The Citizen and the Journalism Department Chair at Laney College. Thank you, Professor Gastis, and congratulations to you and the student journalists who earned this well-deserved recognition.
Photo credit: Michael Moya
Berkeley City College graduate and Umoja Leader Eneni Frank was this year’s BCC recipient of the Peralta Association of African American Affairs Scholarship. Frank, who will be transferring to UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, was awarded $750 along with 4 other PCCD scholars at the PAAAA Scholarship Award Ceremony on Thursday, May 4 at the Peralta Community College District Atrium.
The Peralta Association of African American Affairs (PAAAA) hosted a lovely event in honor of seven outstanding students on May 4th, 2023, at the Peralta Community College District headquarters in Oakland. Dr. Lawrence VanHook (PAAAA President) led attendees through the program that included Libations by Dr. Marlon Hall (Laney College Vice President of Student Services) and a thrilling performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by Laney College student Alison Fletcher.
Yumeus Taylor is an Oakland native, but everyone calls her Missy. She has been fascinated with fixing cars since she was a little girl watching her uncle and dad work on their vehicles. After graduating high school in Oakland, she enrolled in Laney College for general studies courses and then started taking automotive classes at the College of Alameda. Missy is a single mom with two sons, and when she isn't working part-time as a technician at San Leandro Hyundai/Kia, she is joining her mom and sister to give back to the Oakland community by volunteering at the Bay Area Mega Center in Oakland.
The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society has recognized Merritt College President Dr. David M. Johnson with its Paragon Award for New Presidents. The national award is given to college presidents who have been in their positions for less than three years, and who “have shown support of student success initiatives leading to stronger pathways to completion, transfer, and employment.”
The Campaign for College Opportunity announced Berkeley City College is a 2023 Champion for Excelling in Equitable Course Placement, receiving awards for Campuswide English Enrollment, Latinx & Black English Enrollment and Black Math Success.
Peralta Community College District recently received three awards from CCPRO, the Community College Public Relations Organization (http://ccprocalifornia.org/). The CCPRO 2023 Annual Meeting took place in Los Angeles on April 12th - 14th and was attended by Thomas Rizza (Public Information Officer at Berkeley City College), Marcus Creel (Graphic Design Specialist at the district) and Mark Johnson (district Executive Director, Marketing, Communication & Public Relations). The conference awards ceremony took place on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Congratulations to Berkeley City College students Nia Roberson-French and Ian Strieter for their recognition as Phi Theta Kappa All-California Winners. This year, 112 students were chosen from across the California Community College system in recognition for their grades, leadership, and community service.