Wednesday, October 8 | 3:30 pm–4:45 pm
- Student-Led: FoundationCCC Student Ambassador Program as a Statewide Model for Holistic Empowerment
Strand: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Regency A
This session will highlight the FoundationCCC Student Ambassador Program as a leading peer-to-peer model advancing basic needs access, holistic student support, and empowerment across the California Community Colleges system. The program uplifts student leaders from historically underserved backgrounds, including undocumented students, former foster youth, and justice-impacted individuals, to lead outreach, build community, and advocate for institutional transformation. Participants will hear directly from student ambassadors and program leaders on how the initiative amplifies student voice, raises awareness of safety net resources, and promotes leadership rooted in lived experience. This session is ideal for educators, administrators, and student services professionals committed to strengthening support systems and partnering with students to lead meaningful, equity-centered change on their campuses.
Presenters: Yuriko Curiel and Marisela Hernandez, Foundation for California Community Colleges
- Loyal to the Soil: Cultivating Experiences for Men of Color
Strand: Strategic Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campuses
Room: Regency B
Men of color in higher education face unique challenges, including feelings of isolation, low self-efficacy, and a lack of mentorship, all contributing to equity gaps in retention and completion rates. At the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCD), programs like Black and Brown Scholars at Skyline College and Brothers Empowering Brothers at College of San Mateo have been designed to intentionally address these challenges.
Presenters: Andy Gomez, College of San Mateo; Joseph Jaballa, Albin Lee, Adam Rodriguez, and Manny Verdin, Skyline College
Work-Based Learning Improves Student Outcomes: Replicate Our Methodology Using ChatGPT
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom
Room: Regency C
Work-based learning (WBL) enhances student success through internships, clinical placements, and on-the-job experiences. In the San Diego Community College District, WBL students achieved higher completion and success rates. This session explores the WBL data dashboard, student outcomes data, key terms, methodology, and the SG21 framework, adaptable for any college. Presenters will demonstrate a customized GPT tool loaded with SG21 resources. One of the presenters will be a faculty member who will share how they use WBL to improve their outcomes. Participants will complete a hands-on tutorial to begin planning their own WBL data process. Attendees will leave with tools and a roadmap to replicate SDCCD’s model to drive improved outcomes in their own colleges or districts using effective data practices and faculty-engaged data collection strategies.
Presenters: Edward Matthews and Sunny Xu, San Diego Community College District
From Insight to Action: Embedding Student Voice in Designing Student Supports
Strand: The Compassionate Campus: Creating Support Systems for Students and Employees
Room: Harbour
Effective student supports must be designed with students, not for them. This session will explore how colleges can integrate student voice into support systems, featuring an example from an institution that successfully used student input to improve their programs. Attendees will engage in facilitated discussions to brainstorm challenges and co-create strategies for more student-centered support.
Presenters: Cristina Sandoval-Lazaro and Sherry Shojaei, Career Ladders Project
CREATing a Culturally Responsive College Through Faculty Development: Data, Reflection, and Collaboration
Strand: Professional Learning and Leadership Development: Building Culturally Relevant, Humanizing Practices
Room: Sandpebble C-E
This session highlights one college’s faculty development program, which is called the Culturally Responsive Educators Academy & Training for Equity (CREATE). The program features will be provided, such as its purpose, outcomes, structure, initial student outcomes data, and participant survey results. Core CREATE activities will be shared, such as faculty-driven data analysis, self-assessment of curriculum, literature study, and informal peer teaching feedback. The session will also include space for interaction and discussion among attendees and presenters so that participants can consider their own college’s faculty development programs for equity and race-consciousness, adapt ideas, and cultivate connections for best practices.
Presenters: Nessa Julian, Denise Maduli-Williams, Stefanie Johnson Shipman, and Xi Zhang, San Diego Miramar College
Analyzing Equitable Pathways: Strengthening K12 Dual Enrollment & CTE With DataVista
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities
Room: Bayside
This session explores how K12 Dual Enrollment and Career Technical Education (CTE) create equitable pathways to college and career success. Using DataVista, California’s new statewide longitudinal data system, we will examine student outcomes by demographics to identify success gaps and opportunities for improvement. Participants will learn how to leverage data to strengthen Dual Enrollment and CTE programs, ensuring they serve as structured, accessible pathways for historically underserved students. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, attendees will reflect on their local contexts, compare trends, and explore strategies for enhancing student access and achievement. This session provides practical tools and insights to build robust, equity-driven programs that prepare students for both postsecondary education and workforce opportunities.
Presenters: Terrence Willett, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office; Erik Cooper and Adriel Garcia, WestEd
Revolutionizing Institutional Effectiveness Through Hands-On Digital Collaboration
Strand: Professional Learning and Leadership Development: Building Culturally Relevant, Humanizing Practices
Room: Cypress B
In this highly interactive session, participants will explore how digital collaboration tools can accelerate strategic planning, enhance student success initiatives, and foster an equity-minded campus culture. Attendees will engage in a live, hands-on demonstration, experiencing firsthand how these tools support student journey mapping, holistic well-being initiatives, campus inclusion efforts, and alumni engagement. Real-world case studies will illustrate how institutions have used visual collaboration to break down silos, amplify marginalized voices, and drive meaningful change. Participants will leave with customizable templates and practical strategies to implement at their own colleges, ensuring more effective planning, stronger stakeholder engagement, and data-driven student support solutions. Join us to discover innovative approaches that streamline decision-making and create more inclusive, student-centered institutions.
Presenter: Gregory Stoup, Cuyahoga Community College