Raquel Campos
Staff Writer
The LaFetra College of Education hosted a community college leadership symposium for its leadership development series on May 7 at the Hillcrest Senior Living Center in La Verne.
Guests and leaders gathered from different universities and community colleges to highlight the importance of community college. They also discussed a variety of different career paths for college graduates. Speakers talked about their time in college, the strategies they used to guide them through their education and more.
Among the speakers were Jamal Cooks, the president of Chabot College in Hayward; Barbara Dunsheath, board president of the North Orange County Community College District; and Alberto J. Roman, a University of La Verne alumnus and chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. They highlighted the opportunities community colleges offer.
Micah Rhodes, an administrator for the dual enrollment department, talked about the impact of his experience during the event. Chaffey’s dual enrollment program allows high school students to take college classes while still in high school.
“I was most excited about being involved in a leadership ideation,” Rhodes said. “A lot of these people are stakeholders for the education in the state of California and seeing what they’re doing, how they’re succeeded, what challenges they face. It was cool to be there and get some leadership knowledge.”
Activities for participants allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of how these leaders came to be and what they do for the community. A student commented about her opinion on events like these and how they serve her as a student.
“There are so many options for education, and these events are important to have because seeing their experiences gives us an idea of how to become figures like them, and they serve as role models in a way,” Leslie Covarrubias, freshman business major, said.
Senior education major Jaquay Williams said she found the event inspirational.
“They just give you insight into the types of careers,” Williams said.
Roman was honored with an alumni award that recognized his hard work and passion for community colleges. He spoke about the opportunities he took during his upbringing, which have propelled him to where he is now.
Dee Sigh, freshman physics major, also reflected on the meaning behind these events and how he felt they could serve the community and fellow peers.
“A lot of people think that you have to go to four years to be successful, but there’s always so many other options, and this helps people see that,” Sigh said.
Raquel Campos can be reached at raquel.campos@laverne.edu.
Raquel Campos is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations, and a staff writer for the Campus Times.
