#cccommunity3: Leaping into the 2021 New Year

Happy New Year 2021! It’s the season where many are looking back at how far we’ve come, as well as toward the future. With optimism and excitement for twenty-twenty-fun, check out what’s new in the new year for community colleges.

1. Looking Back: How Far the Community has Come in 2021

From Community College to Metro Reporter

A drive on the first day of 2021 reminds this alum of community college.
Andrew J. Campa, @campadrenews
on Twitter.
Jan 1
It is weird to drive around a somewhat empty Pasadena on New Year's Day, but it never gets old rolling by Pasadena City College? Show me a better community college facade. #CommunityCollege — *Andrew J. Campa is an L.A. Times Metro reporter and Pasadena City College grad. For him, New Year’s day was for remembering where the magic all started. @campadrenews on Twitter*

For L.A. Times Metro reporter Andrew Campa, New Year’s was a day to remember his roots. While a student at Pasadena City College, Campa was the editor and chief of the school’s newspaper, The Courier. He also helped the school to win the 2003 Los Angeles Times Best Community College Newspaper in Southern California award.

He’s gone on to win multiple awards in his field for covering education, news and sports. But he’ll never forget when he started at community college over 20 years ago!

From Science Shy to Doctorate

In the first week of 2021, this scientific researcher remembers her start at community college.
Dr. Ann Willis, @watershedwillis on Twitter.
Jan 3
Loved this bilingual learn sign encouraging people to register for classes at our local #communitycollege. Taking classes at
@buttecollege
was the best start for me when I wasn't even sure I could hack it as a science student, let alone a scientist. CC made all the difference! — *A sign to enroll at Butte College takes this researcher back to her community college days. @watershedwillis on Twitter.*

Dr. Ann Willis is a senior staff researcher and communications director at the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis. But before she was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to pursue her doctoral degree in 2016? Her roots grew strong at Butte College. According to Ann,

“Build your confidence by starting wherever you need to. For me, that was taking introductory science and math classes at Butte Community College. Succeeding there gave me the confidence to keep trying the next thing, whether it was advanced mathematics, fluid mechanics, and ultimately, my master’s program at UC Davis.”
Ann’s advice on life. From the UC Davis News Center 2016 article, “Meet Ann Willis – Recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship”

You heard it from Ann: community colleges make all of the difference!

A Serious Throwback: 2021 to 1980

To kick off the new year, some colleges looked way, way back!

2021? What about 1980!

Bergen Community College Posts on Twitter as @BergenCC:

It's #NationalTriviaDay! Can you guess which former #NY football player taped a television show at Bergen in the 1980's? — *Answer? Former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms taped a periodic television show at the College in the 1980s. How cool is that? @BergenCC on Twitter.*

Art Break: Photo Documentary

To celebrate the New Year, NJ Community Colleges are looking back with creativity:

NJ Community Colleges to make an online photo gallery in 2021.

NJCommunityColleges posts on Twitter as @NJCommColleges:

INTRODUCING: The New Jersey Council of County Colleges Photography Series

The NJCCC will highlight the #ProvenCreativity of the members of our #ProvenCommunity in an online photo gallery on its Facebook page. — *Introducing The New Jersey Council of County Colleges Photography Series.* *@NJCommColleges on Twitter*

The Age of COVID-19 Photo Documentary makes meaning of 2020 through the lenses of New Jersey community college students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Participants can post entries on Facebook, tag @NJCommColleges, and use #ProvenCreativity for a chance for photos to be highlighted in the online photo gallery. So keep your eye on the hashtag because there are sure to be some interesting photos!

2. New Year, New Semester

So long, 2020! These community college students are ready to turn over a new leaf in the new year.

2021, here we come!

dmaccpix of Des Moines Area Community College posts on Instagram:
Happy New Year, #DMACC family! We can't wait to see what each of you and all of us together will dream, create, accomplish and achieve in 2021. — *Des Moines Area Community College Students are excited about springing into spring semester! @dmaccpix on Instagram*

themccbookstore of Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY posts on Instagram:
???? In a little bit you get to start writing the latest chapter of your life. ???? We, and our partners, like the MCC Bookstore, Child Care, Dining, FYE, and many others, are privileged to be somewhere in your story. ???? We can make 2021 a great one together! ????

(Let’s hope we can go back to Opening Weekends like the one in this ????!) — At Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, students look forward to the day when opening weekends can look like this again. School spirit is strong for the coming semester! @themccbookstore on Instagram.

rrcc_edu or Red Rocks Community College of Colorado posts on Instagram:
There is still time to register for the Red Rocks Spring 2021 semester. Choose the method that works best for you: remote, hybrid or online learning and take a class that will change your life!

Register at: bit.ly/RRCCregister — *This foxy mascot encourages students to sign up for the Spring semester at Red Rocks Community College in Colorado. @rrcc_edu on Instagram.*

A Make Break: Sac City College Makerspace

Sacramento City College's Makerspace posts on Instagram as makerspacescc:
What are you making?? We know it’s been difficult to stay focused lately. Learning evolved more than ever in 2020, but maybe it was the push #makercenteredlearning needed. Makerspace believes in problem solving and design thinking and working on teams to think of some pretty innovative solutions. On a less heady note we also like to make all sorts of stuff. From music videos and podcasts to scarves and delicious hallacas. — Sacramento City College’s Makerspace puts out a call to know what followers made in 2020. The Makerspace is a place for hands-on design, science, technology, arts and crafts, engineering, mathematics, medicine, physics and so much more! @makerspacescc on Instagram

3. Looking Ahead to 2021: Innovation Acceleration

There are New Year’s resolutions, and then, there are GIANT goals. For the College of the Sequoias Giants, community college is where their dreams are going to come true this year.

It is NYE 🎉 And it is time to start 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣ with new goals and new perspective 🧡 What are your goals for the new year 🌳 GO GIANTS pic.twitter.com/wd95XL0IuQ
— CollegeoftheSequoias (@COSGiant) December 31, 2020

College of the Sequoias students are pumped to meet their goals for the new year. Be sure to watch the video—their enthusiasm is inspiring! @COSGiant on Twitter.

Brand new in the new year is Allan Hancock College’s podcast! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the students and staff that make the College home.

The show cannot be stopped this year at Antelope Valley College. Virtual auditions for the comedy rolled out just in time for 2021!

Antelope Valley College posts on Instagram as antelopevalleycc:

AVC Theatre Arts Department is now accepting digitally-recorded audition videos for the spring Theatre for Young Audiences production of Don Zolidis’ 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine.

The production will be presented via online streaming. To audition, email a video of a one-minute comic monologue of your choice — *Despite social distancing, the show must go on! @antelopevalleycc on Instagram*

10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine by Don Zolidis is part self-help guide, part laugh-a-thon. As the playwright’s website says,

“If you’re spending a long time at home, it can be a challenge to keep yourself occupied. Luckily, 10 Ways to Survive Life in a Quarantine is full of handy solutions, from putting on a musical with your dog, to becoming an announcer for a made-up sport, to falling in love with an inanimate object… This flexible new play written by Don Zolidis especially for actors to perform online is sure to bring a laugh to anyone who finds themselves unexpectedly indoors.”
From donzolidis.com

Plant Break: Happy Horticulturists Start at Community College

Everyone knows that cutting-edge careers start at community colleges. But what about keen cacti?

Frank(ie) Obregón @yolobregon on Instagram.
A fierce-looking Ferocactus I grew from seed planted ~4-5 years ago. The seed came to me via my favorite Junior College professor tossing me a fruit at a botanic garden and saying "Frank!! Take this back to the unit for seed!" @longbeachcitycollegehort knew my morality couldn't stand up to the promise of cool new plants, so, I stashed the fruit in my backpack and the rest is history! ???? — *Long Beach City College Horticulture program inspires a love of pokey plants. Five years later, this grateful grad showcases a cactus that started along with his new horticultural career* *at community college. Posted by alum Frank Obregón @yolobregon on Instagram.*

The number "2021" illuminated in light. — *Twenty-twenty-fun, here we come!*

Cheers for the new year! That concludes the January edition of #cccommunity3. We’re looking forward to what’s in store for 2021. If you’re looking for more, check out Top 10 Stories of the Year: 2020 Edition and #cccommunity3: A Delightful + Awesome Holiday Sing-a-Long!

Do you have a personal best you’d like to share? Then please send your good news to reachout@interactcom.com for a chance to be featured in our next #cccommunity3!

By Rachel Rosen-CarrollPublished On: January 14, 2021Last Updated: April 4, 2022Categories: Blog ArticlesTags: Social Media