You've probably heard of ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages but are you familiar with VESL? That stands for Vocational English as a Second Language. This term refers to English language programs that specifically integrate job skills and workplace competencies to improve the employability of students. Our colleague Jamille Teer (District Service Center Department of General Services and 4CS Board Member) recently attended a Laney VESL graduation ceremony and found it to be a moving experience.

Meet Anne Gormley, College of Alameda EOPS student, and future Doctor of Occupational Therapy! Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is a state-funded program designed to provide support services to low-income and academically-disadvantaged students to become successful in college.

The first ever Peralta Pumpkin Pursuit 5K Run & Walk, a fundraiser benefiting the Peralta Colleges Foundation, was held on October 18, 2025, a crisp sunny Saturday morning at Merritt College in the Oakland Hills. It might have been the first, but it won't be the last as too much fun was had by all who participated!

It has been a heavy season — in our region, in our nation, and in higher education itself. The deployment of federal agents to Coast Guard Island, the threats to undocumented and mixed-status families, and the dismantling of Federal programs like HSI, AANAPISI, and TRIO funding hit close to home. They are more than policy decisions; they are an assault on the very idea of education as liberation — as a pathway to belonging, dignity, and opportunity.

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.

College of Alameda (CoA) has welcomed an exciting new discussion group to campus: the Health through Humanities (HTH) student club. Launched in September 2025, HTH provides a unique, interdisciplinary forum for students interested in exploring the moral, philosophical, and economic underpinnings of medicine and healthcare.

Welcome to the Peralta Colleges – we're glad you’re here!  Here's some info that might be useful in your first week of the Fall 2025 Semester.

OAKLAND, CA — In a bold step toward expanding access to union careers, Laney College—part of the Peralta Community College District—is offering students a direct pathway into high-demand construction trades through a new pre-apprenticeship program. Developed in partnership with the Alameda County Building Trades Council (ACBTC) and the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative (CTWI), the program is already transforming lives and strengthening ties between education and labor.

Classified professionals from across California came together in Sacramento this June for the 2025 Classified Leadership Institute (CLI), the largest professional development gathering dedicated to staff working across the state’s 116 community colleges.