Congratulations to the BCC students Mareen Poitras and Gail Feldman, the winners of two California Film awards for 2021! Mareen Poitras, a Video Production student, was recognized by The California Film Institute with the DocPitch Audience Award. Gail Feldman, a Multimedia Arts student, received the 2021 Berkeley Film Foundation grant. Congratulations to Maren Poitras, the director of “Finding the Money”, and Gail Feldman, director of “Orchestra from Oil Drums”

Did you know that in the FabLabs you can create almost anything? The FabLabs are spaces where you can get access to advanced and traditional tools, resources, and technologies that allow you to create almost anything you want. Do you want to know what is the coolest thing about the FabLabs? They are free, and all for you! The College of Alameda FabLab and the Laney College FabLab are getting ready to fully reopen, and you will be able to explore your creativity again!

Ravi Bhambhra is the new head coach of the Cougars Men’s Basketball team at College of Alameda. He has many years of experience coaching teams across the country, including the Bay Area, Oklahoma and Arizona. He has served as an assistant coach at New Mexico, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Florida, and California. Now, Mr. Bhambhra joins the College of Alameda and is preparing the team for the coming season.

The College of Alameda is taking a big step to support and guide undocumented students to achieve success in their lives. CoA announced in October the appointment of Juan Lopez as the first Undocumented Student Success Coordinator at the college. Juan was a transfer student in 2016. He graduated with a BA in Political Science at UC Berkeley. He has dedicated the past four years of his professional and educational career to advancing the rights of immigrant folx within the Bay Area.

Sohail Ali was awarded the Ozzie Day Scholarship today for Fall, 2021.   Sohail has been attending the College of Alameda for four years, and will complete his Associate of Science degree in Automotive Technology next semester.   He says that he’s majoring in Automotive Technology because he “loves to fix things.”    Sohail is currently attending college full-time, while--at the same time--working part-time at an independent repair shop in San Francisco.   iH His goal is to become a certified Master tech, specializing in Engine Performance. 

COA Puente Family Night

Puente Noche de Familia (Puente Family Night) is a special annual event that celebrates the families and friends of CoA’s Puente students. This year over 35 Puente students, friends, and family members celebrated together virtually on Zoom. The evening offered participants a variety of engaging activities, including important transfer information and special appreciation for those important individuals who help our Puente students stay focused on their education and achieve their goals.

COA Innovative HyFlex Data Coaching & Equitable Scheduling Retreat

Fifty-nine College of Alameda faculty, classified professionals, students, and administrators gathered for the College’s first hybrid flexible (HyFlex) event since the start of the pandemic. The event was held over two half day sessions on October 7 and 8, 2021. Titled Just in Time Data Coaching and Equitable Scheduling Retreat, the innovative event focused on data literacy, improving the scheduling process, and aligning planning with both institutional and district goals. Twenty participants attended in-person, adhering to the District’s masking and social distancing Covid-19 safety guidelines, and 39 individuals joined virtually using Zoom.

You should know Natalie Rodriguez. Her work keeps students informed about events happening at College of Alameda and across the Peralta Colleges. She is the Director of Student Activities and Campus Life at the College of Alameda, serving in that roll since the Board of Trustees approved her appointment at their April 27, 2021 meeting. Natalie has been part of the CoA team since 2017 where she has served as an Outreach and Retention Specialist for four years. She loves the East Bay and has volunteered in many educational activities throughout the community.