Author: Raul Rodriguez (Raul Rodriguez)

I recently had the honor and pleasure of attending the pinning ceremony for this year’s graduating class of nursing students from Evergreen Valley College. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the pinning ceremony dates back to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale was awarded for her service during the Crimean War. The ceremony...

Our state is facing a shortage of more than 1 million workers with bachelor’s degrees by 2030, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Failure to meet this need for skilled workers could have dire consequences for the state’s economy, so it’s imperative that all of California’s higher education sectors work together to ensure...

I recently had the distinct honor and pleasure of participating in Joint Venture Silicon Valley‘s State of the Valley Conference, which brings together leaders from across multiple sectors to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Silicon Valley. My participation included a panel discussion led by Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, during which I and...

It is no secret that California Community Colleges experienced a significant decline in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are numerous reasons for this and just as many different ways the state’s 116 community colleges are working to address the decline. Community colleges play a vital role in our local and regional economies, and it’s...

It is no secret that California is experiencing a housing crisis. The lack of affordable housing is particularly pronounced in the Bay Area and college students—especially community college students—are among the hardest hit. According to a 2021 California Assembly report, about 20% of the state’s community college students reported experiencing homelessness in the previous year....

Issues of equality, fairness and fundamental rights continue to impact the LGBTQ+ community locally, nationally and globally. While last month’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act by President Joe Biden offers some federal protections for marriages that are valid under any state law, it’s apparent there is still a long way to go before...

I recently had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Lab for Nature-Based Living—the flagship garden of the California Native Garden Foundation. Located at 76 Race Street near downtown San Jose, the foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to create a new land-use model in order to “leverage urban spaces for education, workforce development and...

As the higher education system that enrolls the largest number of undocumented students in the United States, California Community Colleges are instrumental in ensuring every student, regardless of their citizenship status, has the opportunity to pursue their career and professional goals free from institutional barriers and discrimination. Undocumented Student Action Week is a joint effort...

A key aspect of higher education most people don’t spend time considering is accreditation. For many people, as long as the college or university they attend or graduate from is accredited, that’s all they care about. But the process of accreditation, its history and future play a key role in ensuring a high-quality education and...

Since opening its doors to students in early 2017, the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District (SJECCD) Milpitas Extension has served thousands of students and community members, bringing higher education classes and services to Escuela Parkway in Milpitas and creating one of the first locations anywhere in the United States where a kindergarten-to-college pipelines exists within...