Laney Mourns the Loss of Cosmetology Instructor
Laney Professor Helen Curry passed away on Tuesday, November 16, while in the care of her family. To honor her memory, the members of the Laney College Council dedicated its meeting of November 17 meeting to her name and enduring legacy, and a Celebration of Life event was held for her on December 14 in the afternoon.
A beautiful ceremony to celebrate the success of students took place on December 1st, 2021, at the College of Alameda Automotive Technology Facility. Students, faculty, administrators, and staff gathered to celebrate the awarding of five scholarships. Steve Gilbert was there to award the scholarships he created in memory of his son Daniel Gilbert who was an ATECH student at College of Alameda.
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!
Laney College LGBTQIA+ Community, Allies Host and Enjoy Halloween Event!
On October 27, the Lavender Project hosted its annual Laney Queers Fall Costume Tea Party for employees, students and allies across the District. The group was excited to reunite since on-campus events have been scarce due to the pandemic, with students from at least three of the four campuses in attendance.. The two-hour event took place at the Laney Bistro and via Zoom, with guests enjoying light refreshments and much needed interaction. Prizes were awarded for the best costumes, and the planning and hard work that went into the event was evident for all who attended.
ASLC and The Latinx Cultural Center celebrated Latinx/Hispanic Heritage
Beginning 10/11, the ASLC and Latinx Cultural Center celebrated Latinx/Hispanic Heritage month with three days of activities.
President Besikof Meets With API Community Leaders
On September 22, 2021, President Besikof conducted a virtual meeting with Asian Pacific Islander (API) community leaders from the East Bay. The meeting was a forum to provide leaders in the API community to speak directly to the President about ways Laney College can be an effective partner and better serve the community.
The goal of the meeting was to identify ways that Laney College can be more responsive to API community needs, including career services and job training programs to help students establish careers that will contribute to the East Bay economy.
Attending the meeting were leaders from the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Lao Family Community Development, East Bay Asian Youth Center, and the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation. President Besikof invited attendees to establish and ongoing dialogue with the college, and announced future opportunities for more in-depth discussions.
Mam Group Performs at Warriors Kick-off Game
On Oct. 6, Laney's Mam group performed at the first Warriors game of the season. Henry Sales and Tessa Scott have been holding Mam workshops at Laney College sponsored by the Latinx Cultural Center for almost two years, offering a Certificate of Achievement in Mam Language and Culture as well as 3 courses (for Beginners, Intermediates and Advanced students).
They will also be performing at the Chase Center, November 11th and December 6th!
Laney College Awarded $125,000 in CAI & HRTP Grants
As announced by the State Chancellor’s Office on Sept. 16, Laney College is one of four colleges across the state that were awarded a $125,000 California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) Planning Grant. The goal of Laney College’s grant is to create a detailed pre-apprenticeship/bridge curriculum that will help guide and prepare students for careers in the manufacturing, automotive, and water/wastewater sectors.
On July 1st, 2021, the Laney College team welcomed the new Vice President of Instruction Dr. Becky Opsata. Before joining Laney, Dr Opsata served as Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation at Diablo Valley College for 15 years, and before that at California State University Northridge as faculty member in Communication Studies for 6 years. Dr. Opsata comes to Laney bringing impressive work experience and big plans for the college. On July 7th, one week after being appointed Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Becky Opsata was already engaged in some of her projects for the next year, getting students back to campus.
