On Thursday, May 1, 2025, on a glorious spring day in Oakland, we kicked off “Smile Season” and the month-long celebration of student successes throughout the district. Following the tradition of Libations by Kimm Blackwell, Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson warmly welcomed attendees to the Peralta Association of African American Affairs (PAAAA) Scholarship Awardee Reception, expressing her joy in celebrating the extraordinary student scholars. She began by acknowledging and thanking the PAAAA Scholarship Committee for their dedication in making the event possible.
A dedicated group of faculty representatives from the Peralta Community College District recently joined colleagues from across the state at the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) 2025 Spring Plenary Session.
by Vila Phetsilasack, Merritt College Class of 2025 Graduate
This is a story of resilience, a refusal to let someone else’s prophecy become my reality.
I came to the U.S. at 13 years old, stepping into a life that was supposed to offer opportunity. But early on, someone said, "Raising someone else’s child is a bad idea." That wasn’t just a comment, it became a curse they tried to fulfill. Every barrier thrown at me felt like it was placed there to prove them right.
Here's a quick update and some videos from our late-season competitions.
Adam Moore competed at the Northern California Decathlon Championship at Santa Rosa Junior College on April 8-9, and qualified for the state championship at College of San Mateo, finishing 5th overall, scoring 5581 in 10 events over two days. Adam competed in the 100m, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump, and 400m on day 1 and came back in the 110 high hurdles, Discus, Pole Vault, Javelin, and 1500m on day 2.
At the April 8th Board of Trustees meeting, Peralta Community College District Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson proudly recognized five exceptional classified professionals as the 2025 Classified Employees of the Year. These individuals, representing Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, Merritt College, and the District Service Center, were celebrated for their unwavering dedication, professionalism, and profound impact on our district and the wider community.
The Peralta Community College District recently celebrated its third Classified Professional Symposium of the school year, themed “Rethinking Our Possibilities.” The event benefited from beautiful weather, both within the welcoming Laney Student Center and in the surrounding outdoor spaces.
Recently, both the Laney College and Merritt College Child Care Centers were reviewed by the Oakland Head Start Program. Both centers exceeded expectations and received glowing reviews! The reviewer even commented, “A few families did not know why I was there but made a point to let me know their child loves their teachers and I was lucky to be observing the best classroom at the school."
Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson, Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, highlighted the celebration of Women's History Month across the district's colleges in her report to the Board of Trustees on April 8th. Following her March 8th report, which concluded with a video celebrating the women leading the Milvia Street construction project at Berkeley City College, the Chancellor noted that the recognition of women's contributions continued throughout March with various events.
Karin Nguyen from Merritt College emphasizes her love of Merritt's services and students. She explains that Merritt College's food pantry and its supplies, such as clothing and basic necessities, are very helpful for students' daily usage. She very much enjoys what Merritt College offers and is proud to be a Merritt student.
Merritt College Celebrates 40-Year Legacy with Oakland PAL Track Meet
Merritt College recently commemorated our long-standing partnership with a remarkable community organization led by one of our most beloved colleagues. On Saturday, March 22, the Oakland Police Activities League (PAL) celebrated 40 years of track and field by holding its annual Oakland PAL Community Meet here at the College.
