March Madness Comes to Laney as Lady Cagers Make Playoffs for a Third Straight Year!

Laney Women's Basketball was named Bay Valley Conference Co-Champion for the 2023-24 season. The league includes not only Bay Area Colleges but those as far east in the state as Yuba College in Marysville! This was the third straight year that women's basketball won the BVC Championship, with this year being the first time the title was shared.

Celebrating Black History: COA Kicks Off a Month of Festivities

College of Alameda launched its Black History Month (BHM) festivities on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Professor Jody Campbell, chair of the Ethnic Studies department, served as the master of ceremonies. The event began with a customary tribute to ancestors through libations, led by Professor Campbell, followed by a blessing delivered by Classified Senate Secretary Shawn Foster.

Women’s Career Panel at BCC

On Thursday, March 7, the Berkeley City College Women’s Leadership Club, STEM club, and Sustainable Business Club collaborated to present its second Women’s Career Panel. The panel featured local female professionals Jonelle Basso of the Department of Education Genome Institute at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, professor and consultant Leslie Forman, BART Chief Communication Officer Alicia Trost, Art Program Manager Jennifer Easton, and research associate and BCC alum, Molly Fischer.

Merritt Hosts Event for Post-Conviction Students

On Monday, February 26, Merritt College welcomed students to the Love-Moss Center for Re-Entry and Empowerment for the opportunity to receive free post-conviction legal services. Under the auspices of The Access Project (TAP), and the leadership of COSER Department Chair Biancca Parazo, students received assistance with everything from navigating the expungement/dismissal and felony reduction process to learning how to approach the final hearing of their case.

Laney College Takes Convention Center by Storm at 21st Annual Oakland Black Colleges Expo

Laney College was among the approximately 100 higher education institutions to feature its programs at the National College Resources Foundation’s Black Colleges Expo on February 18. The day featured many events and speakers (including Councilmember and Laney College Champion Treva Reid, pictured below with President Besikof), along with a concert-style dance jam that had hundreds of area high schoolers, parents, and supporters dancing on the convention center floor.

COA Music Professor Glen Pearson Wins a 2024 Grammy Award

COA Music Professor and Performing Artist Glen Pearson, alongside the esteemed Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Music Director Scotty Barnhart, achieved the pinnacle of recognition in the music industry by clinching the Grammy Award for “Basie Swings the Blues” in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category.

Black History Month and Lunar New Year Celebrations Continue at Berkeley City College

Berkeley City College’s joint celebration of Black History Month and Lunar New Year continued with a packed two weeks of events during college hours in the BCC Atrium. On Tuesday, February 13 the Oakland Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club visited Berkeley City College.

Merritt Hosts Landscape Horticulture Tour

On Wednesday, January 31, Merritt's Landscape Horticulture Coordinator Molly Sealund led a tour of 50 seventh graders from Ascend Middle School.

Laney College Joins Community Partners at the Oakland Chinatown Lunar Year Bazaar

For the third consecutive year, Laney College participated in the Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Bazaar on January 27 and 28. Our warmest thanks to the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce for inviting Laney to their 32nd year of holding this wonderful event. Activities included tabling as part of as well as remarks offered by President Besikof.

Chancellor Gilkerson Explores Innovation at College of Alameda

On Friday, January 12, 2024, College of Alameda students, faculty, and staff were delighted to welcome Peralta Community College District Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson for a special visit to the campus. The day commenced with meetings with COA's administrative team and leaders of student, faculty, and classified professional constituency groups, offering a platform for introductions and direct exchange of ideas with the diverse voices that contribute to COA's unique identity.