Dear Peralta Community,

These are challenging times. The Peralta Colleges Basic Needs staff are aware of the federal government shutdown's impact on SNAP/EBT/CalFresh. And we are here to help.  Please view this PDF with relevant information as of October 27, 2025.

“Kudos to Ahyan Malik and Léo Migliaccio, who demonstrated their leadership by organizing a mixer for Associated Student Government leaders,” said Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson, Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, during her Report to the Board on October 14th. The mixer took place at Merritt College on Monday, October 6th, and included nearly 30 student participants from Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College.

The CIS/Cybersecurity Department brought the best of the industry to campus with a powerhouse Employers Day on Friday, October 3, 2025! 

Merritt College is embarking on a new digital chapter. The college has launched a completely redesigned website that sticks to its core mission: put students first. Making it easier than ever to access resources and support, the new website offers more accessibility than its predecessor.

Jasmine Bledsoe from Merritt College's Student Services Department shares her inspiring experiences at Merritt College. She emphasizes that it is an incredible opportunity for her to serve the community she grew up in and attended before transferring.

September District Service Center Roadshows

On September 10th and 11th, the District Service Center leadership joined me in visiting each of the colleges. It was a great experience engaging with colleagues about our strategic vision to create a unified, equity-centered district, streamlining programs, aligning resources, and forging clear, student-first pathways that remove barriers, accelerate success, and set a new standard for community college excellence.

Last month, three Peralta student leaders, Kosi Ugeh (Merritt College), Davina Malbrough (Merritt College), and Njemah Khan (College of Alameda), participated in the 2025 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

The Peralta Community College District Children's Centers (located at Laney College & Merritt College) are currently recruiting and enrolling new families with children ages 2-5 years. The centers provide free/low-fee, high-quality childcare. Visit our website at https://www.peralta.edu/admissions/student-resources/child-care or scan the QR code in the flyer below to apply.

Here in the East Bay, we live in an earthquake zone, so it’s important that we all know what to do to keep as safe as possible during a quake.  The Great California Shakeout on October 16, 2025, at 10:16 am, is an opportunity to test our emergency preparedness in case of an earthquake.  On that day and time, the Peralta Community College District will test our emergency communication system, Rave, by sending you all a text and email message advising you of the Great Shakeout emergency earthquake test.