Merritt College is very proud to share another success story from the ranks of our classified professional staff. Ms. Maria Valencia currently works in the Office of Instruction as the assistant to the VPI. She describes herself as a first-generation student from a very impoverished background, but also as someone who always had a strong desire to earn a college degree.
Over the past two years, several Peralta instructors along with educators from OUSD and BUSD came together to conduct research in South Africa and develop original curricula addressing the overarching theme,
Transforming Inequality: Examining Racial, Economic, and Social Justice Movements, Public Health, and Culture in “Post-Apartheid” South Africa.
The program was spearheaded by Project Director, Dr. Siri Brown (former Vice Chancellor of Academic Services/Professor of
African American/Ethnic Studies-Merritt College
) and Project Coordinator, Professor Danea Martinez (African American Studies Department-Merritt College).
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.
The following article is written by Brock Drazen, Athletic Director at Merritt College and Head Coach of the Merritt College Track & Field team, and is used by permission from an announcement sent to all Peralta employees on May 22, 2022.
Our season has come to an end with 2 more state champions this past Saturday at Modesto Junior College. Isela Ochoa won in the 400 hurdles making that 2 for 2 in 2022 and 2023 and Kwaku Owusu won in the 400m for his first state championship.
The quote “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle” may have come from self-help author Napoleon Hill, but it certainly epitomizes the approach that Ms. Esperiza Kimble (affectionately known as Carmela) has taken to achieve her academic goals. Arriving in the United States from the Philippines at age 17, seeking a better life for herself and her daughter, Carmela had to overcome many obstacles—challenges that included poverty, depression, and self-doubt.
Below is a list of the top finishers at the 2023 Northern California Championship and our California State Championship qualifiers:
The Peralta Colleges are often mentioned in news media outlets. Recently, our colleges have seen a lot of positive press from national news outlets, such as when Dr. Angélica Garcia was appointed to a presidential committee including celebrities resulting in the mention of Berkeley City College in publications ranging from InStyle (12 Million readers) to Telemundo Puerto Rico (471 Thousand readers). Here are a few other recent news items mentioning our colleges.
Merritt College Selected to Participate in Leading From the Middle (LFM) Academies
The RP Group and the State Chancellor’s Office have joined forces to develop Leading From the Middle (LFM) Academies to provide college stakeholders an opportunity to delve into relevant research and develop new ways to lead. Using themes from the Merritt College equity plan (and at the suggestion of faculty member Lowell Bennett), VPI Denise Richardson submitted an application on behalf of Merritt College. On April 28, we were notified that Merritt was selected.
The Northern California Championship Trials are in the books and Merritt College Track and Field is moving on to the NorCal finals this coming Friday with strong showings across the board. Both the 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay teams advanced to the final 9 which is always nerve-racking and satisfying because the precision and teamwork of the relays often impacts all the rest of the individual performances (dramatic videos below).
The Peralta Community College District is proud to celebrate the granting of tenure to seven members of our faculty by the Board of Trustees in March, with tenure taking effect with the 2023-24 academic year. These seven join the ranks of tenured faculty at our four colleges, adding ever more experience and talent to the core of our distinguished faculty, the foundation of our ability to help our students reach their educational goals. Congratulations to all for earning this distinction and for your dedication to our students.
To view all the photos taken during the event, click here.
