Fall is Free in 2023 and the semester kicked off on August 21, 2023. Welcome Week at the Peralta Colleges marks the beginning of a fresh adventure for both new and returning students.  Each College was bustling with events tailored to welcome incoming students into our tight-knit community. From Ice Cream Socials at Merritt to Pancakes with the President at COA, and from the Campus Resource Fair at BCC to a Block Party at Laney,  it is safe to say that Welcome Week was a great success!

Berkeley City College

"It has been an exciting first few days at Berkeley City College! Day 2 of Welcome Week featured free Boba, and our students had a great time taking a break from their classes to meet and greet our staff and other students, " says Interim President Denise Richardson, "Berkeley City College wrapped up Welcome Week with great food and music. It was incredibly heartening to see so many students back on campus. Our new normal is looking pretty good!" 

College of Alameda

"What a great way to welcome students to a new and promising Fall 2023 semester," remarks Acting President Diana Bajrami. "From the Enrollment Festival to the Pancake with the President and Fiesta with Faculty, we got to feel the excitement of the new semester and the caring spirit of the COA Family!" 

 

 

Laney College

President Rudy Besikof, 

“Laney experienced an incredible Welcome Week to start this year, and with so many students, colleagues, and community partners on campus, it was yet another humbling reminder of the strength of our communities and  their support of  our great  colleges.”

Merritt College

President David Johnson,

“Very few things can compare to the excitement that pervades a campus during the first days of a new academic term, and the environment at Merritt College during Welcome Week was no exception. The students' energy (and enthusiasm) was palpable, and the faculty, classified staff, and administrators stand ready to help every learner achieve their academic and personal goals.”