Courtesy of Gavilan College:
By Kathleen A. Rose, Ed.D., Gavilan College Superintendent
Welcome to the month of March!
It feels like the college is moving into spring with growth and purpose as students prepare for midterms, a slate of spring events are underway (with Career Day occurring as I write this today in the Student Center) and the many plants and trees on campus are starting to bloom.
March is one of my favorite months in the academic calendar as it is Women’s History Month and we will be holding our annual Women in Leadership speaker panel on March 22nd at 11am. This year our panelists will be VP Kathleen Moberg, Trustee Rachel Perez, and local artist Whitney Pintello. What a powerful conversation this will be! Each of these change agents will be sharing their story of finding their voice as women in their professions, challenges they faced along the way and personal triumphs that led to strength and courage. Please join me in the Student Center Lounge for a memorable hour of inspiration. Right after the speaker panel, Jenny Grohol will be providing a presentation and discussion on “Women’s Empowerment“, focusing on the historical, political, economic and social equity of women in America. Then, stick around for the President’s Forum after Jenny’s presentation for an update from me about what’s happening in the district, with focus on state initiatives and our potential general obligation bond.
Beyond the many opportunities this month to learn about the strength and empowerment of women both historically and in the present day, I continue to be impressed by the many ways our students are learning about self-empowerment through advocacy and social awareness. Thanks to the coordination of Dr. Debbie Klein, three of our ASGC students had the opportunity to recently attend the Advocacy and Policy Conference sponsored by the FACCC in Sacramento. There they met with the state Chancellor and state legislators and learned about the many initiatives and legislation that is impacting our educational system. It was a valuable experience and one that I know will continue to strengthen the ASGC organization here at Gavilan.
Another example of student advocacy was evident in my monthly podcast in my interview with Elizabeth Williams, a psychology student. Her courage to share her personal story with a commitment to help other students start their college journey in a similar manner was truly uplifting. (The podcast also includes interviews with Doug Achterman and Bonnie Donovan — worth a listen!)
My last example of students who lead by example through demonstrated teamwork and strong values are the members of this year’s men’s basketball team, coached by Coach Dallas Jensen. This remarkable group of Coast Conference champions attended the March board meeting to be recognized for their athletic achievement, which we were delighted to do. But it was talking with the team afterward about what they were studying, where they intended to transfer and what they wanted to do next that was most exciting….no doubt champions off the court as well.
March is a great month to see leadership, student voices developing and growth all around at Gavilan College!
