From the Class of 2026, we鈥檝e chosen Maria Madrigal, Rosario Damian and D鈥橝ndre Johnson to share with this community how they discovered their talents and their futures at 吃瓜头条.

Willing Herself to Bilingualism

Two years ago, Maria Madrigal accepted work as a student ambassador with the 吃瓜头条 Extended Opportunities Programs & Services (EOPS) Office.

Let us be clear: The native Spanish speaker accepted the job communicating with current and future EOPS students even before she was fluent in English.

鈥淚 had offered to help with Halloween decorations, and then I got to know everyone there,鈥� Madrigal said. 鈥淭hen they offered me a position. I was scared because my English wasn鈥檛 great. But they gave me that opportunity. They were very welcoming.鈥�

Madrigal worked hard. She wrote everything down at first, so she could read and memorize the information and practice her pronunciation.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I learned English, me talking to students who are interested in EOPS and helping them get into the program,鈥� she said.

The young woman who had failed English courses at Modesto Junior College during the pandemic was now guiding fellow students in two languages.

鈥淚t was a rough start, but I鈥檓 proud of myself,鈥� Madrigal said. 鈥淒uring my first year here, I always needed a translator. A year later, I was translating for EOPS staff and other departments and doing well. It made me so happy.鈥�

Becoming bilingual unlocked so many doors, like her childhood passion for science. Madrigal joined the MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) program, which supports minority STEM students. By the time she took physics, she knew the game and vigilantly attended office hours to get ahead.

鈥淢y professor was so patient,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he explained everything in different ways until I understood. She made me feel comfortable. That was important, because at that time I didn鈥檛 talk in class.鈥�

Madrigal, 23, graduated with an AA in Mathematics and an AS-T in Physics. She鈥檚 transferring to UC Merced to study electrical engineering, and she hopes to eventually work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Los Angeles and get into space exploration.

As a girl in Mexico, people would laugh at her when she said she wanted to be an astronaut. Then, she found out that the first Mexican woman in space was Katya Echazarreta, an electrical engineer, in 2022. Echazarreta worked at the JPL.

Madrigal has unlocked the doors to her childhood version of a fulfilling life.

鈥淎s a kid, I always looked at the stars,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was obsessed with the sky and space and wanted to go there. In Mexico, I would share my dream, and people would say it was impossible. Now they believe me. Now I believe me.鈥�

Embracing the Work and Finding Hope

For the first time in a long time, D鈥橝ndre Johnson, 36, knows the power of hope.

Johnson earned the right to feel hopeful after acing a 14-class curriculum to become certified as an electrical technician while also earning an AA in General Education from 吃瓜头条 earlier this month.

Two years ago, Johnson began studying to be an electrician, because he wanted a stable future.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a field that doesn鈥檛 die, it only evolves,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know for a fact I will always have a job. I didn鈥檛 necessarily like it at first, but it grew on me. Once I learned some things, I was like, 鈥榊eah, I get it. I can do this.鈥欌��

Johnson is searching for a job as we speak, but he has already signed up for more electrician courses in the fall in case he鈥檚 still searching. He鈥檚 protecting his future.

鈥淩ight now I have the time to get myself all the way together,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to take advantage of my chances. I have to do it now.鈥�

Johnson鈥檚 life plan includes owning a home and maybe starting a family. He had time to figure out exactly how to build that future while serving eight years in prison from 2015-2023.

鈥淎ll you can do inside prison is think,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can think about what happened and think about what鈥檚 next. When I started thinking about what鈥檚 next, I asked myself if I wanted to continue how I was going or take a different route. I realized can鈥檛 no one change me but me.鈥�

Once enrolled at 吃瓜头条, Johnson joined the Rising Scholars program for formerly incarcerated students. There he found people who understood his past and who had experienced it themselves.

鈥淩ising Scholars helped me with everything,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a safe space. You can go there and sit and if you鈥檙e not having the best day, you can take a seat and collect your thoughts and then go back to what you were doing. They let you be yourself.鈥�

Johnson earned this new chance because he has put distance 鈥� and tangible achievements like his certification and a college education 鈥� between a troubled past and a brighter future.

鈥淚 definitely feel hopeful,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 only a right way and a wrong way. I had to learn the hard way to find the right way. As long as I believe in myself and stay on the correct path, then yeah, I鈥檓 hopeful. One hundred percent.鈥�

Honoring Second Chances

Rosario Damian thought she was done with education when she dropped out of high school and later earned her GED 23 years ago.

But at 40, battling emotional challenges and working hard hours with the elderly as a caregiver, a scared Damian turned to family, friends and her pastor for advice.

They all said, 鈥淩osario, go back to school!鈥�

After securing her permanent resident status in 2024, Damian took a human services course at 吃瓜头条.

鈥淏ut I never thought the class would go as deep as it did,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e covered topics that had never crossed my mind before. Like how can we care for people from different cultures when we don鈥檛 know those cultures? I have had so many strong conversations with Professor Samantha Prado-Robledo that opened my mind and eyes to the world we live in.鈥�

Seeing the world clearly has empowered Damian. Three years ago, she was an illegal immigrant in the U.S. who had suffered domestic violence. She moved to Los Banos with her three children to get away, then began working as a caregiver, but she remained financially vulnerable.

Then, one night, her daughter begged her to read her a book. Depressed and dozing off, Damian replied, 鈥淣o, no, you read to me.鈥�

Hearing her daughter鈥檚 sweet voice jolted Damian awake. She felt like a horrible mother.

What am I doing?!

Soon thereafter, a stranger invited her to church.

鈥淕od started working through me,鈥� Damian said.

The community at Los Banos Word of Life Church took her in. She reconnected with her husband, who had experienced his own awakening. They recommitted themselves to the Lord and to each other.

The couple have served as youth pastors for three years, and Damian has inspired three youngsters there to enroll at 吃瓜头条.

鈥淭he pleasure knowing I鈥檓 helping them to not make mistakes like we did is huge,鈥� she said. 鈥淕uiding them to the Lord makes me feel great.鈥�

Damian completed AA degrees in Administrative Medical Office Professional, Human Services, and Administrative Office Professional this spring. She was also one of 59 graduates to receive Superintendent鈥檚 Honors (4.0 GPA, 36+ units).

鈥淚 believe anyone can do what I鈥檝e done when you put your mind to it and you鈥檙e working with the right support system like I did at 吃瓜头条,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never dreamed I could earn awards. But studying at 吃瓜头条 has been like a dream. Do not give up on your dreams!鈥�

The post Unconventional Paths End in Success for Class of 2026 Grads appeared first on 吃瓜头条.

The cousin who enrolled at 吃瓜头条 before her. The mother who is her guiding light. The sister who died in 2022.

Bess鈥檚 family members have helped spur a metamorphosis that saw this young mother of seven, who felt stuck in 2023, become the 吃瓜头条 Student of the Year in 2026.

鈥淚 wish I could have gone to college sooner, but it鈥檚 my story,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd better late than never.鈥�

Bess, 32, just graduated with AA degrees in Social & Behavioral Sciences, Health Sciences, and Psychology, and completed her RN and LVN prerequisites this spring. She鈥檒l continue taking classes while studying to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam this fall and preparing nursing school applications.

鈥淔or me to be able to get to school every day and do this with the 18-, 19-year-olds, yes, I have shocked myself a little bit,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 even put words to what I鈥檝e been through. I鈥檓 really proud of myself. I鈥檓 thankful to 吃瓜头条 for helping me get to this place.鈥�

She began her journey in Spring 2024, feeling unprepared for college-level STEM courses some 13 years after the last time she sat in a classroom.

But Bess, often with 4-year-old daughter E鈥橪ayJah on her hip, sought as much one-on-one time with Chemistry Professor Denisha Dawson and Biology Professor Cary Coburn as she could. Her vigilance helped her battle insecurity.

鈥淲hat sets Taiquanijanique apart is her unwavering commitment to excellence,鈥� Coburn and Dawson wrote in their nomination of Bess for Student of the Month earlier in the academic year. 鈥淒espite significant personal challenges, she consistently sought support, used office hours, and maximized every learning opportunity. She often stayed late in the lab and requested prompt grading to address her performance anxieties. She constantly aimed to improve, even when doing well.鈥�

Bess needed a push to even get on the 吃瓜头条 campus in the first place. Her first child Brandon, whom she had at age 14, motivated her to finish high school on time, against all odds and expectations.

Then she had a long break from school. She was finally ready for the next step after watching her cousin Geniquewa Shaw, herself now a mother of four, enroll at 吃瓜头条 in 2023.

鈥淪he reminded me that it is not about how long it takes, but about finishing,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淭hat belief has helped me overcome doubt and step into my potential.鈥�

Shaw is also working to become a nurse. The two cousins lean on each other.

When asked how she managed to care for seven children, do school drop-off and pick-up, study, and go to her own classes, Bess said she had to trust in God鈥檚 grace to see her through the toughest times.

鈥淚 would think, 鈥業鈥檓 almost there, almost there, too late to stop now,鈥欌�� she said.

She wasn鈥檛 alone at school or in her home life.

Bess鈥檚 mother Benita Jetton has been her secret weapon. Jetton casts such a long shadow because she became a registered nurse 17 years ago. She is Bess鈥檚 hero and mentor.

鈥淚 see my mom living her own dreams, and it keeps me motivated,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淚t reminds me every day why I鈥檓 on this path.鈥�

Jetton started as an RN in a hospital and now works as a school nurse at Kirk Elementary in Fresno.

鈥淭here鈥檚 something about the way my mom works, how much compassion she has for patients,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淭he way people react to her, I just thought she had a lot of friends. No, it was that she helped her patients so much. She鈥檚 so good at connecting to them. I鈥檝e always wanted to help others like that.鈥�

Bess might have toyed with the idea of nursing growing up. But her ambition to become an RN materialized in a real way after her beloved sister Kalia Bess died in a tragic car accident on Sept. 15, 2022.

It took about a year for Bess to emerge from the darkness of that loss.

Remembering that Kalia died just weeks from finishing her nursing school prerequisites at Fresno State has made Bess鈥檚 own goals burn more urgently inside her.

鈥淚 carry that with me every day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can turn my pain into purpose. It gave me the push I needed to start moving forward.鈥�

Bess now focuses on improving the future for herself and her four boys and three girls, who range in age from 9 months to 17 years. She wants to eventually serve as an OB nurse in postpartum care.

鈥淚 am not just doing this for myself,鈥� Bess said. 鈥淚 am doing it for my children, to show them that no matter where you start or what challenges you face, you can always rise and pursue your dreams.鈥�

Bess has a year to work and prepare her applications for nursing school at 吃瓜头条, Fresno State and Cal State Stanislaus. She is waiting for her cousin to finish her own studies at 吃瓜头条 so they can move on to nursing school together to continue to support and push each other.

Bess added, 鈥淢y story is still being written, but I hope it shows others that it is never too late to follow your purpose.鈥�

The post Student of the Year Found Motivation Through Family, Grief appeared first on 吃瓜头条.

He鈥檚 been eager for this project because the Fong family lore, since they immigrated from China, echoes Asian American and U.S. History in the 20th and 21st centuries. Unexplored, it鈥檚 catnip for a historian.

鈥淚鈥檝e loved history since I was a high school sophomore studying Western Civilization and the Tudors of England,鈥� Fong said. 鈥淚 realized that if you understood the story of one family, you could understand the history of a country.鈥�

We caught up with Fong 鈥� along with classified professionals Nang Thao, Meuy Saechao and Rosalie Kekahuna 鈥� to celebrate the work of Asian American and Pacific Islanders on campus during AAPI Heritage Month in May.

Nang Thao (Hmong)

As the Student Support Coordinator in the 吃瓜头条 AgTEC program, Nang Thao recruits students for the Ag Systems Certificiate program, an innovative competency-based education (CBE) initiative.

The program empowers field workers and others by recognizing and building upon their existing work skills while developing new competencies to help them succeed as the ag industry evolves. Thao, herself an immigrant eldest daughter, reaches out to other immigrants every day, offering a brighter future through the certificate program.

Thao鈥檚 Hmong parents sought the same. After the Vietnam War, Thao鈥檚 father Xai Toua Yang disobeyed his own father by fleeing Vietnam, quietly crossing the Mekong Delta to avoid Communist patrols, and escaping through the jungle to a refugee camp. Nang was born in that camp in September 1987.

Her family then arrived in Texas in December 1987 before making their way to California.

鈥淢y dad talked about the blood, sweat and tears it took to get our family to America,鈥� Thao said. 鈥淗e reminded us growing up that every day, we have an opportunity to do something with our lives. It makes me tearful thinking about it, even 10 years after my dad passed away.鈥�

Thao鈥檚 parents succeeded. Four of the five Thao children, including Nang, are Stanislaus State graduates, and the fifth earned a degree from the University of the Pacific.

鈥淢y parents were immigrants, and it was so hard for them to navigate life in the U.S.,鈥� Thao said. 鈥淪o for us, they were a compass, pointing us in the right direction. My dad taught us to always ask the right question, to read between the lines, so we could get to where we needed to go.鈥�

Thinking about how her father enrolled at 吃瓜头条 later in his life, and had to drop out to support his family, keeps Thao focused on what鈥檚 important in her job.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful concept,鈥� she said about the CBE program. 鈥淪omeone like my dad who wanted to go to school can go now without having to stop work. These low-income, migrant families maybe never thought they鈥檇 have a connection to college. And now they do.鈥�

Meuy Saechao (Mien)

Payroll Specialist Meuy Saechao, an alumna with an AA in Accounting, will celebrate 25 years working at 吃瓜头条 in June.

鈥淚 consider it a privilege to have worked here so long,鈥� she said.

Saechao has that privilege because her family, which comes from the Mien ethnic group in Thailand, immigrated to Oregon when she was 11. Landing in Aloha, Ore., was a bit of luck, since she then attended a Mien Christian youth camp in Redding, Calif., every summer.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I met my husband,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 from Merced. I ended up in Merced because of marriage.鈥�

Those American experiences helped Saechao to thrive after a tough start, caring for her five siblings with no formal education when the family arrived in the U.S. in 1989.

鈥淚鈥檇 look out the classroom window and wonder what the teacher was saying,鈥� Saechao said. 鈥淪ometimes I鈥檇 cry. I had to repeat fifth grade because I hadn鈥檛 learned anything. But that was a good thing. It gave me time to grow.鈥�

Saechao feels grateful for the difficulties she overcame.

鈥淚 realized my life here was different than in Thailand,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ike at school, during Thanksgiving, we鈥檇 have turkey and all the trimmings. Most American kids take that for granted, but I enjoyed it so much. For me, it was a whole new world.鈥�

Saechao, now mother to a 10-year-old son, connects life in a poor mountain village in Thailand to the humility and compassion she feels now while working in the 吃瓜头条 payroll department.

鈥淓veryone comes from a different family dynamic,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone has tough times. I have to remember that. I remind myself to just serve our people. In Mien they say, 鈥楾o be a leader, you have to be a worker first.鈥� So I always tell my husband, 鈥楪od sees everything we do, even the little things.鈥欌��

Rosalie Kekahuna (Hawaiian)

Growing up on the mainland, Rosalie Kekahuna learned to love her Hawaiian roots thanks to her mother Agnes, who is half Hawaiian and half Portuguese.

As an adult, Kekahuna stayed connected to her Hawaiian side by keeping the Hawaiian last name of her late father, U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Paul Kekahuna, a Korean War veteran buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Kekahuna, now an Administrative Coordinator in Student Services a mother to three sons and a daughter, has gotten creative to ensure her children appreciate their lineage.

She remembers working with a young Black woman in another department years ago, talking about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and thinking, 鈥淚 wish we had something like HBCUs for my kids to tie to their Hawaiian roots.鈥�

Then the light bulb went on and she remembered Kamehameha Schools. The private school system in Hawaii, anchored by a $15.8-billion endowment and a sterling academic reputation, is committed to immersing Hawaiian students in their culture and language so both survive.

Native Hawaiians have enrollment priority; mainland students with Hawaiian heritage, like Kekahuna鈥檚 children, find it difficult to get in. But her son Kaneen graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 2019, and her daughter Kanalani will be a high school senior there next fall.

Kekahuna has sacrificed time with her children to ensure they get that specific education. Working in counseling, she maintains a similar vigilance for the big picture.

鈥淎s the youngest of 11 in my family, I had to navigate my own education,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 big part of what I do is to make sure our students can do the same with the proper support system.鈥�

Kekahuna, in her 20th year at 吃瓜头条, now honors her Hawaiian blood by respecting racial, ethnic and cultural diversity.

鈥淥ur 吃瓜头条 students often question their race and identity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have learned how not to make assumptions about them. I try to approach students with openness and to listen to their experiences so they feel comfortable and seen and heard.鈥�

Adam Fong (Chinese)

Five years ago, Fong developed and began teaching a course on the History of Asian Americans. Ever since, his motivation to research his own family has grown, because he realized how much history they鈥檇 experienced.

His grandfather served in World War II, and at least one uncle served in the Korean War. His mom, a San Francisco State college student in the late 1960s, experienced student protests led by Black students and eventually teaming up with Asian and Latinx students. That campus unrest led to the creation of the first College of Ethnic Studies in the U.S.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if my family is the central piece to that history,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I understand that the history my family witnessed 鈥� their stories about those times 鈥� might open up different ways to analyze our collective history.鈥�

Fong will interview 43 family members over the age of 18, including himself. The interviews, followup conversations, analysis, and documentary research 鈥� the National Archives at San Francisco, located in San Bruno, holds immigration records for Angel Island, a.k.a. the Ellis Island of the West 鈥� will take up most of Fong鈥檚 sabbatical year.

The work will help Fong enrich and personalize the courses he already teaches. He plans to produce a reference of his findings for his family members, so 鈥渢he stories don鈥檛 get lost.鈥�

He is also open to making the larger time commitment to publish his work in scholarly journals or a future book chapter.

鈥淭his is the discovery phase,鈥� he said. 鈥淚ntegrating my research into a larger narrative would be the next project.鈥�

Fong, 52, said he hopes the work will help illuminate what has happened to California families that endured beyond the immigrant generation and experienced things like bilingual households and multicultural marriages. He hopes to begin showing what the fourth generation experiences now.

He feels gratified to have reached this career crossroads.

鈥淭eaching at 吃瓜头条 has been so great for me personally,鈥� Fong said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been given the ability to create new courses. I鈥檓 starting a sabbatical. I very much appreciate the support.

鈥淲hen my mom passed away in 2024, she knew about the research I wanted to do. Then my sister passed away at the beginning of this year. So this all feels very timely. I鈥檓 excited to start this project.鈥�

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More than 120 graduates crossed the stage at the Los Banos Campus ceremony, and nearly 675 more took part in the Merced ceremony. A total of more than 2,300 individual students were on track to earn a record-setting 4,087 degrees and certificates at 吃瓜头条 in Spring 2026, pending final administrative review.

President Chris Vitelli opened both ceremonies by recognizing not only the graduates鈥� academic achievements, but also the persistence it took for many of them to reach commencement.

鈥淎s you leave here tonight, you鈥檙e not just taking a degree with you鈥攜ou鈥檙e taking proof,鈥� Vitelli told graduates. 鈥淧roof that you can do hard things. Proof that you can adapt, adjust, and keep moving forward even when things don鈥檛 go as planned.鈥�

Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira, a 吃瓜头条 alumna, served as the keynote speaker for both ceremonies. Silveira, who began her own higher education journey at 吃瓜头条 before attending San Diego State University and earning her law degree from California Western School of Law, told graduates that her experience at the college helped shape her path forward.

鈥淐oming to 吃瓜头条 was the best thing that ever happened to me in setting me on the path to the life I lead today,鈥� Silveira said. 鈥淚t was at 吃瓜头条 that I developed and strengthened the two attributes that I believe will carry you through anything in life.鈥�

Los Banos Campus

The Los Banos Campus hosted its fourth annual commencement ceremony Thursday evening, marking another milestone for the growing Westside celebration. This year鈥檚 graduates from Los Banos and surrounding communities represented 774 degrees and certificates earned, another record.

The ceremony included remarks from student speaker Paschina Weedling, who graduated with an associate degree in public health. Weedling, an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma, helped establish a PTK presence on the Los Banos Campus, served as a tutor in the Student Success Center, and gave back to the community as a junior varsity girls basketball coach at Pacheco High School.

In her address, Weedling reflected on the many different paths students took to reach commencement.

鈥淪ome of us came straight from high school, ready to take our first steps into adulthood, while others came back to school after life took them in another direction,鈥� Weedling said. 鈥淪ome of us are transferring to four-year universities, while others are stepping into careers. But no matter how we got here, we all share one thing in common: We kept going.鈥�

She told her classmates that their accomplishment was about more than diplomas.

鈥淲e are proof that success doesn鈥檛 come from a perfect path, it comes from persistence,鈥� Weedling said. 鈥淭o my fellow graduates: Never stop pushing yourselves. Never stop motivating yourselves. Never stop being proud. Not just of the diplomas we鈥檙e about to receive, but of the people we became along the way.鈥�

The Los Banos ceremony also featured student poet Amal Marouf, a health science major, Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma member, library assistant at the Los Banos Campus, and student reporter for the Westside Express.

Marouf, who was recently named Poet Laureate at the Phi Theta Kappa Nevada/California Region Spring Convention, shared her poem 鈥淎 Letter from the Future鈥� during the Los Banos ceremony.

鈥淵ou thought you were only surviving, but the future was forming in quiet mornings, in roads you almost took, in every moment you paused and still kept going,鈥� Marouf read. 鈥淲e are here now. Not perfect. Still standing.鈥�

Merced Campus

The 63rd annual ceremony at the Merced campus was held Friday evening on Don Odishoo Field at Stadium 鈥�76.

The ceremony included remarks from student speaker Evelyn Cisneros, a dedicated student, athlete, campus employee and full-time mother from Atwater. During her time at 吃瓜头条, Cisneros balanced a full academic course load while competing on the women鈥檚 soccer team and serving as a Welcome Center ambassador.

Cisneros told graduates that she first came to 吃瓜头条 after graduating from Atwater High School in 2021, but stopped attending classes before returning with new purpose after becoming a mother.

鈥湷怨贤诽� didn鈥檛 just give me an education鈥攊t gave me a second chance,鈥� Cisneros said. 鈥淚t gave me direction, confidence, and a future I am proud of.鈥�

Before the presentation of diplomas, the college also honored Violette Pearl Walker, an El Capitan High School senior who passed away in January. Walker, who began taking 吃瓜头条 classes in the sixth grade through the college鈥檚 dual enrollment program, was set to graduate this spring with two associate degrees and had earned a 3.9 GPA, qualifying for honors.

During Friday鈥檚 ceremony, the college awarded Walker a posthumous Associate in Arts degree in Social and Behavioral Science and an Associate in Arts degree in History for Transfer, inviting her family to cross the stage in honor of her achievement.

Across the two ceremonies, 吃瓜头条 recognized 427 graduates eligible for honors distinction, 59 graduates earning President鈥檚 Honors, 82 Phi Theta Kappa graduates, 20 Alpha Gamma Sigma graduates and 15 Alpha Delta Nu honor society graduates.

Cisneros encouraged her classmates to keep growing beyond graduation and to carry forward the confidence they built at 吃瓜头条.

鈥淚f I could leave you with one piece of advice, it would be this: Find yourself, love yourself, and build a life you are proud of,鈥� Cisneros said. 鈥淕rowth doesn鈥檛 happen overnight, but if you keep showing up for yourself, it will happen.鈥�

The post Record-Breaking Graduating Class Celebrated at 吃瓜头条 appeared first on 吃瓜头条.

In October 2022, 吃瓜头条 received a federal grant that challenged educational institutions to remove any barriers that prevented underserved students and K-12 families from having reliable, high-speed internet access.

In November 2025, the college successfully completed the $2.6-million grant from the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that addressed that gap. It donated computers and iPads to local people without them, connected hundreds to broadband, and educated over 1,000 people in digital skills and artificial intelligence.

吃瓜头条 was one of 93 institutions鈥攊ncluding Hispanic-Serving Institutions like itself, Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges and Universities鈥攕elected to lead the effort to make the power of the internet more accessible to all.

Digital Skills Training

Dondi Lawrence, now Director of Rising Scholars at 吃瓜头条, led this effort starting in February 2023. By August 2023, she had an instructional design team in place to construct the Digital Skills Training curriculum by gleaning best practices from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and consulting regularly with the California Emerging Technology Fund (CTEF), which works to bring broadband to unserved and underserved communities.

By September 2023, the grant staff included three part-time academic counselors, two UC Merced students who manned the help desk, and a group of student digital navigators who were trained by Lawrence and others to teach those digital skills.

The student navigators fanned out across Merced County to get K-12 students and families connected to affordable internet service and then deliver DST, which covered topics like the internet, security basics, social media, Google and Microsoft basics, educational pathways, banking and employment resources.

鈥淲e were working to reach individuals who were not already in the digital space or had only minimal access to it,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 advertise to those people online.鈥�

Lawrence and a student support coordinator recruited school site liaisons to push the program on site, and proceeded to learn a valuable lesson that could inform any future outreach by the college.

鈥淲e figured out that we needed to develop the mindset of our audience to reach them,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淚f the parent liaisons at a particular school were engaged with us, the community showed up for training. And if the liaison wasn鈥檛 engaged, far fewer people came.鈥�

The initial success with DST led the college to then use grant funds to offer STEM Coding Summer Camps, where three part-time teacher hires taught 96 total students how to code drones for flight in the college鈥檚 College for Kids program.

The grant has been completed, but 吃瓜头条 still offers no-cost, noncredit DST in English and Spanish both online and at the Business Resource Center in downtown Merced. Lawrence said the DST team was also able to meet with the BRC and AgTEC teams on campus to share best practices for teaching digital skills.

The grant could change lives for years, and anecdotally, its impact showed up almost immediately.

One parent reached out to site instructors to share that, using her new digital knowledge, she had identified some concerning behavior in her child鈥檚 search history. Site instructors were able to immediately help the parent address it.

Between October 2024 and November 2025, 1,445 people completed digital skills training online or in-person in one of five languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Hmong or Punjabi.

Ninety-five percent of all people who started any of the eight DST workshops completed the entire training, and 83% of participants said they could use computing devices more safely and effectively.

Grant money also went to give or loan people equipment. It paid for 342 iPads and 150 hotspots that were loaned to K-12 families and students who were doing the DST. The college also donated iPads and hotspots to 112 AgTEC students and Rising Scholars (formerly incarcerated) students who couldn鈥檛 afford their own. Student navigators helped them find affordable internet service.

The grant also paid for Starlink internet service used by the 吃瓜头条 Experiential Vehicle. The college鈥檚 outreach and recruitment teams use the vehicle wherever they need stable internet service, like when executing remote outreach events and Extreme Registration.

Grant money also purchased 325 laptops that were distributed to community organizations that service K-12 families like NAACP Merced County, the LifeLine Community Development Corporation, the Boys & Girls Club of Merced County, and the Merced Adult School through the Merced Union High School District.

Foundations of AI

Something interesting was also happening globally during the timeframe of the CMC grant. Regular folks鈥� access to artificial intelligence (AI) was rapidly expanding through apps like ChatGPT, Siri, Alexa, Gemini and others.

District leaders began seriously ruminating about what AI could do, and what it shouldn鈥檛 do. With roughly a year left on the grant, the college decided to use remaining CMC funds to empower the campus community to effectively and creatively use AI.

Dean of Innovation and Institutional Effectiveness Kody Stimpson said he and his team wanted to approach the topic in as thoughtful a way as possible. That was the genesis of the college鈥檚 AI foundations course.

鈥淲e were determined to maximize the impact of the remaining resources, prioritizing programs that would open new opportunities for learners and help bridge the region鈥檚 skills gap,鈥� Stimpson said.

Pamela Huntington, Professor of Instructional Design, put in roughly 160 hours during the summer of 2025 to design the AI foundations course and construct a shell on Canvas to deliver it to the campus.

鈥淎I with Purpose: A Human-Centered Guide for Education Work and Life鈥� launched in August 2025. The goal was to empower 吃瓜头条 students and employees by demystifying AI and showing them how to responsibly use the technology.

鈥淯sers were able to leave feedback right away, and it was all very positive,鈥� Huntington said. 鈥淚 think we are very hopeful about what executing the course means for this campus. It really helps people understand AI as a tool to help us and not replace us.鈥�

Experts say AI is expanding exponentially. Changes surrounding AI are happening so quickly that the foundation course served as a primer.

鈥淭here is just so much for everyone to learn,鈥� Stimpson said. 鈥淎lmost immediately upon finishing the class, people were asking for additional training that built on the first. Our takeaway was that people need to be able to devote time to consistently learning about AI in the context of their work and goals.鈥�

To facilitate ongoing learning, the college established several groups to lead the way.

Several individuals were selected to serve on the campus AI Taskforce. The group members all have advanced knowledge to execute critical projects and develop board and administrative policies for AI use.

Additionally, the AI Champions Network is a group of 32 AI liaisons from the college鈥檚 academic and administrative departments who can model diverse approaches to exploring this technology.

And the AI Innovation Challenge exists for faculty and staff to propose AI-driven solutions for their work and get support from the Innovation team. The goals are to help accelerate their ideas to solve problems, improve processes and enhance the student experience.

All told, the college now has a robust foundation in place to help keep the future centered on the impact AI can have on student learning and success.

鈥淧resident Chris Vitelli鈥檚 theme for 2025-26 was 鈥楥hange is greater than me,鈥欌�� Stimpson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e embracing that mindset with AI. The answer to uncertainty or fear isn鈥檛 to turn away from AI, it鈥檚 to lean in and learn. AI is everywhere, shaping industries and communities, and those who invest the time to understand its potential will be those shaping its future.

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 engage, you won鈥檛 have a seat at the table when it comes to ethical conversations that matter. At a recent AI forum, we asked everyone to consider how they could harness AI to amplify their own values, mission and goals. That鈥檚 the opportunity before us.鈥�

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鈥淭hese students who鈥檝e been told 鈥榊ou鈥檒l never be able to do that鈥� feel so empowered,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淚t wakes them up.鈥�

For his work motivating students to advocate for the all-girls鈥� in Kenya, Rivero was one of five international educators鈥攆rom India, Tunisia, Guatemala, Lebanon and the U.S.鈥攖o receive the 2025 World of Difference Award (Educator Category) from last September.

Daraja Academy is a continuing passion project for Rivero鈥檚 students. Current classes are working on a documentary about the all-girl secondary school.

They also often share their work inspired by issues the girls and the academy face at different professional conferences. When a group of Yosemite High boys made a presentation a few years ago, an attendee asked why teenage boys were so interested in women鈥檚 empowerment.

鈥淭heir answer was incredible,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淭hey said, 鈥榃e all have single moms.鈥欌��

Rivero, an Atwater High and 吃瓜头条 alumnus, shows students how to find inspiration wherever they are. He shows them how to approach life like he does.

Honors and Accolades

Rivero鈥檚 work, with his student-first approach, has been recognized for years. The TIAW nod is the latest Rivero has earned while inspiring students towards social justice and environmental advocacy work.

Rivero also won the award from the California Environmental Education Foundation in 2025. In 2022, he was honored with the U.S. Green Building Council鈥檚 K鈥�12 Educator Award. In 2016, he received the national for Environmental Education, recognizing his curriculum pairing access to natural resources and global conflict.

Rivero has long contributed to the California Environmental Literacy Initiative, which makes accessible quality environment-based learning, to all TK-12 students in California. He also mentors young people in the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program to make them knowledgeable advocates for sustainability policy.

Yosemite High also features an after-school group known as the Interact Junior Ambassadors (IJA), where Rivero mentors students to do deeper research into societal problems using science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) principles.

鈥淚 have to give credit to the great teachers I had at both 吃瓜头条 and Stanislaus State,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淭hey all inspired me in this direction. And I have such great parents. Without them, none of this work would have been possible.鈥�

Connections and Collaborations

Rivero became interested in Daraja鈥檚 story when his IJA partner Chuma Ikenze introduced him to Daraja Academy around 2018.

The secondary boarding school uses education to break the cycle of gender bias that denies girls a high school education due to arranged marriages, teen pregnancy and poverty.

Inspired by what they learn about social justice and environmental sustainability, the Yosemite High students have initiated projects like recycling lithium batteries and producing the school鈥檚 first yearbook. They also worked with Merced鈥檚 to sponsor a $15,000 scholarship to give one current Daraja student a high school education.

Rivero connects with everyone he can to promote his students鈥� work.

After being named a UN Ambassador for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals program in 2019, he started the 鈥�17 and Me Show鈥� on YouTube. There, he and students have produced discussions with the likes of civil rights icon and United Farm Workers co-founder and Xploration Nature Knows Best star and host , a leading clean oceans and climate activist.

He and his Yosemite High students have also met world leaders during visits to the White House and sports legends like former San Francisco Giants manager Dusty Baker and NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.

鈥淛erry politely asked me what I do, and we spoke for 30 minutes,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淚 showcase my students to everyone I meet. And I have Yosemite High principals and a superintendent who support what we do.鈥�

The Yosemite High connection to Daraja will get stronger in the next year or two. Rivero鈥檚 digital media and history classes are producing a documentary, featuring their Sunrise Rotary scholarship recipient, to show how Daraja changes lives for girls in Africa. Yosemite students are to purchase portable video equipment and pay for travel to Kenya.

They鈥檙e also researching and developing content and questions for the Daraja student, her classmates, alumni and employees. Professional cinematographer Seth Hancock, the documentary filmmaker behind the Hulu film 鈥淟eftovers,鈥� is coaching the students on making a documentary and will consult on the project.

Subverting Expectations

Rivero happily accepts that his teaching approach is a bit of reverse engineering.

鈥淚 cannot tell you how much I have learned from my students by helping them in this backward way,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I have seen my students take ownership of whatever activity we鈥檙e doing and then tear it up.鈥�

Consider the exchange he had with a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) administrator at the QS EduData Conference in San Francisco in 2023 after being imipressed by the Yosemite High presentation.

She said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe your high school students are doing things I can鈥檛 get my college kids to do!鈥�

Rivero replied, 鈥淣ot too bad for a bunch of continuation students, right?!鈥�

Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had no idea.

Rivero has taught at Yosemite High for 30 years. Do not suggest retirement to him.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 in my prime right now,鈥� he said.

Rivero enjoys subverting expectations of strangers, potential collaborators and his students.

Like once in San Francisco, when a Yosemite student stopped cold in front of something he鈥檇 never seen before鈥攁n escalator鈥攁nd refused to step on. Or at a hotel in Anaheim when another young person, who had never had hot, running water for bathing at home, took multiple 30-minute showers during the trip.

鈥淲e have to be mindful of their experience to reach them,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淏ut, after I told my students what that important woman from MIT said, well, it was hard to fit their heads in the car.鈥�

Rivero has the daily honor of witnessing the growth of beautiful minds. His latest crop of students did a Zoom presentation for the National Green School Conference held in San Diego on Feb. 17.

It鈥檚 wonderful fuel for his own life.

鈥淚 always find myself bumping into people with dreams,鈥� Rivero said. 鈥淚 throw some gas on their fire, and then they throw some on mine.鈥�

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Presented at the CCPRO Annual Conference in Paso Robles on April 9, the award reflects Vitelli鈥檚 consistent commitment to ensuring that the story of 吃瓜头条 is shared clearly, authentically and with impact. Since becoming president in 2017, he has prioritized transparent communication, invested in building a strong External Relations team, and fostered a culture that values creativity, innovation and strategic storytelling.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored by this recognition, and especially proud of the work our External Relations team does every day to share the 吃瓜头条 story,鈥� Vitelli said. 鈥淎s we continue to innovate and expand opportunities for students, it鈥檚 critical that our community understands who we are, what we stand for, and the impact we鈥檙e making. Strong branding, storytelling and communication are key to building that understanding and advancing our vision for the future.鈥�

Under Vitelli鈥檚 leadership, 吃瓜头条 has launched forward-thinking efforts such as the Dreamscape Learn virtual reality lab and the national Bellwether Award-winning AgTEC Workforce Initiative. These and other advancements have expanded opportunities for students while creating meaningful, compelling stories that connect the college with its community and elevate its reputation at the state and national level.

Vitelli鈥檚 support has also helped establish one of the most consistently recognized communications teams in the California Community College system. Over the past four years, 吃瓜头条 has earned 38 CCPRO awards, including back-to-back years with the most awards in the state, as well as three CASE awards鈥攊ncluding two national Circle of Excellence Awards鈥攃ompeting alongside four-year universities.

鈥淥ur team鈥檚 success over the past several years is a direct reflection of President Vitelli鈥檚 leadership,鈥� said Jill Cunningham, Vice President of External Relations. 鈥淗e has built a culture where communications is valued as a strategic function, where creativity and innovation are encouraged, and where we鈥檙e supported in raising the bar. That combination has allowed our team to do its best work and consistently be recognized at the highest levels.鈥�

The CCPRO Awards recognize excellence in marketing, communications and public relations efforts among California鈥檚 116 community colleges. Hundreds of entries are submitted each year and judged by marketing and communications professionals from throughout the state.

At this year鈥檚 conference, 吃瓜头条 earned seven awards, including three first-place finishes, continuing a multi-year track record of excellence. The college claimed awards in the following categories:

Gold

Annual Report 鈥� 2024 Annual Report

Email / Digital / Print Newsletter 鈥� Blue Devil鈥檚 Advocate

Photography: Mobile Device 鈥� Pool Practice at Sunset

Silver

Banner / Outdoor Media 鈥� Dreamscape Learn Billboard

Bronze

Video: Special Message 鈥� Share Something Good

Photography: Charles Cropsey Award 鈥� 吃瓜头条 Fountain

Logo Design 鈥� College for Kids

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The fourth annual Los Banos Campus commencement ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 30, and the 63rd annual ceremony at the main campus in Merced will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, on Don Odishoo Field at Stadium 鈥�76.

Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira, a 吃瓜头条 alumna, will be the keynote speaker for both ceremonies. Both events will be livestreamed at .

鈥淐ommencement is one of the most meaningful moments in the lives of our students,鈥� President Chris Vitelli said. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 graduates represent resilience, determination and a deep commitment to their goals. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and confident in the impact they will make in our communities and beyond.鈥�

This year, more than 2,300 individual students are set to earn a record-setting total of 4,087 potential degrees and certificates, pending final administrative review. That total includes 427 students graduating with honors, having earned a grade-point average of 3.50 or better with a minimum of 45 units completed. And 59 students are receiving Superintendent鈥檚 Honors for achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA with at least 36 units completed.

鈥淭his accomplishment reflects not only the dedication of our students, but the support of their families, faculty and classified professionals who helped them reach this milestone,鈥� said Joe G. Gutierrez, President of the 吃瓜头条 Board of Trustees. 鈥淥n behalf of the Board, we are honored to recognize the Class of 2026 and all they represent for the future of our region.鈥�

At the Los Banos Campus, more than 260 local graduates are eligible for this year鈥檚 ceremony, reflecting the continued growth and popularity of the Westside event.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been so rewarding to see this ceremony become such an important tradition for Los Banos and our surrounding communities,鈥� said Jessica Moran, Dean of Instruction at the Los Banos Campus. 鈥淓ach year, more students and families are able to celebrate this milestone close to home, and that sense of community makes the experience even more meaningful.鈥�

For more information about attending either ceremony, visit mccd.edu/graduation.

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Graduation for associate degree recipients are scheduled for the Los Banos Campus on April 30 at 7 p.m. and the Merced Campus on May 1 at 6 p.m.

The college is also rethinking how best to acknowledge the growing number of certificate earners who are completing programs that lead to great careers while making 吃瓜头条 ever more valuable to the community and regional workforce.

In 2024-25, 吃瓜头条 saw a 3.5% bump in total awards to 3,418, including 715 Associate Degrees, and 929 Associate Degrees for Transfer, and 1,774 certificates.

Until now, being recognized for earning certificates has taken different forms or no form at all. This year, the college has worked to standardize celebrations for certificate earners.

鈥淭he Graduation Committee has been working hard to figure out the best ways to celebrate their hard work, too,鈥� said Associate Dean of Nursing Claire Alvarez. 鈥淭here is a lot of standardization going on.鈥�

The college is also continuing to find ways to give special recognition to special populations with unique celebrations around the time of graduation. Here are just a few of the ways 吃瓜头条 is celebrating its graduates this year.

Agriculture & Industrial Technology Recognition Ceremony
IAC Amphitheater, Merced Campus, April 20, 6 p.m.

Cody Jacobsen, Dean of Instruction for Agriculture and Industrial Technology, said his area has improved the ceremony first held in December 2025 for fast-track and competency-based education certificate earners.

Autumn Gardia, Director of Special Projects and Grants, organized the initial event in December, which acknowledged certificates given for completed training in Ag Business, Ag Systems, Animal Science, Automotive Technology, Commercial/Residential Electrical, Crop Science, Dietetic Service Supervisor/Certified Dietary Manager, Environmental Horticulture, Equine Science, General Agriculture, HVAC, Pipe Welding, Pipe Welding Technology, Welding Technology, Industrial Electrical Technician and Truck Driving.

Jacobsen met a Le Grand High School friend at the ceremony who was there to support a nephew. The nephew had never graduated from high school, and their entire family was there to honor his achievement at 吃瓜头条.

鈥淭hat reaffirmed to me why we need to do these ceremonies,鈥� Jacobsen said.

The college administration also liked what it saw and pushed to add and formalize what certificate ceremonies could and should be for students. Previously, for example, welding students at the Los Banos Campus had a BBQ after their last day of class, but other students in Ag-IT programs had no celebration.

鈥淭here was no consistency; now, by echoing our ceremony, we have a standard,鈥� Jacobsen said. 鈥淎utumn did a fantastic job. Anything we put together, we want it to be first-class, because the students, families and industry people who support the college deserve it.鈥�

LatinX Recognition Celebration
IAC Amphitheater, Merced Campus, April 23, 5:30 p.m.

The LatinX Recognition Ceremony (Ceremonia de Reconocimiento LatinX) is a cultural celebration for Latino graduates and is the newest among intimate ceremonies for populations like Black students and LGBTQIA+ students (Lavender Graduation).

It鈥檚 a first for Latino students, who make up 67% of 吃瓜头条鈥檚 student population. EOPS Counselor/Equity Coordinator Cimmaron Ruiz said students insisted the event be delivered in both Spanish and English.

鈥淭he students had asked for their own recognition gathering and wanted their parents to be able to understand what鈥檚 being said,鈥� Ruiz said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 (translate) during the main graduation. It made sense. This is the parents鈥� time to celebrate their children. It was time.鈥�

Graduates will wear LatinX stoles for the celebration, and 吃瓜头条 Trustee Ernie Ochoa will speak. Class of 2026 graduate Renee Serena will give a student address about completing her LVN training and five other degrees.

Ruiz gathered a task force to craft something emotional and culturally respectful.

鈥淭he students need to feel our support,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want them to know that 吃瓜头条 stands behind them, wherever they end up in life.鈥�

Other population-specific celebrations this year included African American Scholars on April 14, AAPI Scholars on April 15, and Pride Scholars (LGBTQ+) on April 16.

Fire Academy Ceremony, April 25, 10 a.m.
CNA Ceremony, April 25, 2:30 p.m.
LVN Ceremony, May 4, 2 p.m.
RN Pinning Ceremony, May 4, 5:30 p.m.
吃瓜头条 Theater

These certificates denote students who have completed the state-required training and are eligible to take the national board tests for Registered Nurses (National Council Licensure Examination) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (NCLEX-PN), or the state鈥檚 Certified Nursing Assistants Board and California Fire Fighter Certification exams.

Each ceremony features a formal acknowledgement as graduates accept their new role as society鈥檚 helpers. For example, RN graduates do a pinning ceremony that is steeped in tradition: graduates dressed in white, everyone holding a lit lamp, giving the Nightingale pledge, and then being 鈥減inned.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a bittersweet moment,鈥� Alvarez said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e so proud about achieving something so big, and you鈥檙e sad to be leaving your fellow students, who have become family. It鈥檚 a relief, it鈥檚 a celebration, it鈥檚 fear of the unknown. It鈥檚 the deep hope you鈥檒l pass the licensing examination and find a good job.

鈥淵et, it鈥檚 so exciting to see your family embrace this huge achievement you鈥檝e managed. Speaking as a leader in nursing, when I go out to hospitals and other facilities and see former students taking care of their community, it makes my cup runneth over.鈥�

Transfer Recognition Ceremony
Downey Learning Resource Center 2nd Floor
April 9, 5:30 p.m.

Transfer students represent a huge portion of the student population and also a big part of the community college mission鈥攑reparing students for four-year universities.

The Career & Transfer Center (CTC) has always recognized transfer students who move on to four-year universities. CTC Director Ernesto Hernandez said with the transfer ceremony moving up to April, many transfer students are still waiting to accurately identify their next destination.

鈥淲e send 80% of our transfers to Cal State Stanislaus anyway, so that鈥檚 consistent,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淏ut campuses like UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego haven鈥檛 released their acceptance letters to transfers yet. Their decisions might change afterwards.鈥�

Some students complete transfer requirements and receive a certificate of recognition, while others earn Associate of Arts for Transfer degrees. The transfer celebration is the same for all.

鈥淢aking it a night event, and making it more formal with a buffet-style dinner upgrades the entire experience,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淭he directive was to make students feel special and valued, and to celebrate the transfer process.

鈥淚 come from a family of four 吃瓜头条 grads who transferred elsewhere 鈥� I think I just picked up my transcript and left. So this encourages me to do something special for our students.鈥�

Memories Being Made

Human beings need ceremonies to mark special moments.

鈥淲e have students with several kids and maybe several jobs who faced so many obstacles to get to the finish line,鈥� Jacobsen said. 鈥淪o I want them to remember that time their 4-year-old son or daughter watched them walk across the stage.鈥�

Ruiz went back to school in his 40s and now helps other Latinos feel gratified by their accomplishments.

鈥淚鈥檓 focused on them so they don鈥檛 become a statistic,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want them to go through graduation so they recognize themselves as successes.鈥�

Hernandez concurs.

鈥淚 want our transfer students to feel seen,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want them to be heard. I want them to be celebrated.”

Alvarez will retire in June after 18 years at 吃瓜头条 and 38 years as an RN. When she attends her last RN pinning ceremony this month, she will go to the podium and say for the final time: 鈥淟adies and gentlemen, I present to you the graduating Class of 2026.鈥�

鈥淎nd the crowd will go wild,鈥� Alvarez said. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛 help themselves. We鈥檒l all feel how meaningful it is.鈥�

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鈥淏y all metrics, we are thriving as a college,鈥� Vitelli said.

Vitelli pointed to strong performance across enrollment, completion, and student success. Over the past five years, the college has seen a 20% increase in degrees and certificates awarded, including more than 3,400 credentials conferred last year alone.

Enrollment has grown by more than 25% since 2017, with the college on track to serve more than 22,000 students this year, the highest in its history. And for first-time, full-time students, tuition is free.

Student outcomes are also improving, with course success rates increasing by more than 4% and course retention rising by 7%. Vitelli credited the work of faculty and classified professionals for driving those gains.

鈥淔or those of you in education, it鈥檚 really hard to move that needle,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 because of the innovative and outstanding work and focus of our talented team of professionals.鈥�

Career technical education programs are producing strong workforce outcomes, with about 90% of graduates securing jobs in their field within six months, Vitelli said. He emphasized the college鈥檚 growing role in the region鈥檚 agricultural economy, highlighting the development of a $22 million AgTEC Innovation Center and partnerships with UC Merced and industry organizations.

Innovation was a central theme throughout the address, with Vitelli noting recent changes designed to improve student outcomes, including a shift to a 16-week semester model and the expansion of immersive learning through Dreamscape Learn. Students participating in the virtual reality learning platform have seen an 8% increase in success rates and nearly a 4% improvement in course completion compared to traditional formats.

鈥淚nnovation is not just a buzzword here,鈥� Vitelli said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e focused on being the most innovative community college in the country.鈥�

Vitelli also highlighted the importance of student support services, noting that more than half of 吃瓜头条 students are first-generation college students. Programs supporting veterans, foster youth and other underserved populations continue to expand, helping students persist and complete their goals.

Community engagement remains a key priority, with dual enrollment growing from about 70 students at its inception to more than 700 in recent years, with local students earning college credits and even completing associate degrees by the time they graduate high school.

The college is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of its College for Kids summer program, which introduces younger students to higher education. And arts and culture continue to play a central role on campus, with a $47 million renovation planned for the college鈥檚 theater, music and arts facilities.

Looking ahead, Vitelli pointed to major initiatives that will shape the college鈥檚 future, including a joint student housing project with UC Merced. The project is designed to create a seamless transfer pathway while encouraging students to remain in the region.

鈥淭his is about transforming our community,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want our students to stay here, build careers here and help strengthen the Central Valley.鈥�

The event also marked the launch of 吃瓜头条鈥檚 2025 Annual Report, which highlights key achievements and initiatives from the past year. The report is available online at .

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