Current Students

Are you interested in legal research and writing?

Interested in being a paralegal or an attorney?

For those aspiring to work as professional paralegals or legal assistances, Cerro Coso’s Paralegal Studies Certificate program prepares graduates for the workplace as well as for national examinations in the field. The focus is on investigation methodologies, data analysis, legal document preparation, and pretrial materials.

Cerro Coso Community College is offering Paralegal Legal Research and Writing (PARA C112) at the Ridgecrest Campus this fall. 

PARA C112 Legal Research and Writing-I class is running on-campus this fall with instructor Laura Vitale. The class will be on Tuesday/Thursday from 6:10-7:35 pm. This course provides students with the knowledge and tools to properly complete legal research. The class examines both primary and secondary sources. Students learn to use correction citation form and complete several research assignments. There is also emphasis on researching Federal and state law using both Internet sources and electronic databases. 

If you are interested in the law and think you’d like to explore your options to work as part of a legal team, Cerro Coso’s Paralegal Program of study can help. With classes in law, civil litigation and legal research, you’ll gain the foundation you need to work under the direction of attorneys. You can use your certificate as the first step toward an associate's and bachelor’s degree. 

Now registering for fall 2021 classes that begin August 23, 2021. Affordable. Accredited. Convenient. A leader in online education since 1997. 

Don’t delay call today: 760-384-6219. More information available at www.cerrocoso.edu.

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All Cerro Coso campus hours are:

May 17 - August 13, 2021
Monday – Thursday: 7 am to 6 pm
Fridays: CLOSED

CLOSED the Month of July
Bishop Campus
Mammoth Campus
Lake Isabella Campus

Please contact the Ridgecrest Campus at 760-384-6219 for assistance.

Counseling: counseling@cerrocoso.edu
Student Services: studentservices@cerrocoso.edu
Financial Aid: cc_faid@cerrocoso.edu
Bookstore: Use Contact Form (at bottom of this page)
Library: reference@cerrocoso.edu

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Coyote Howler - June 2021

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College Success Online Classes for Summer 2021

For more information call 760-384-6219

 

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It was a unique scaled-down celebration, but no less important for Cerro Coso Community College’s Class of 2021. 

“Celebrating the accomplishments of our students is one of our favorite times of the year, and the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t going to take that away from us,” stated President Sean Hancock to the graduates who marched across the stage one at a time in groups of 10 on Friday, May 14, 2021. 

Fully masked, their names were called, photos taken, and degrees conferred in front of a small group of family and friends. They then proceeded out the door to the courtyard where they were met with shouts of congratulations, more photos, cupcakes, and reunited with friends and family.  Balancing safety and tradition, speeches were aired over the big screens in waiting areas throughout the building, and the event livestreamed on the college website. “It was an all day affair, but we were excited to be able to provide that for our graduates.”

A total of 426 graduates earned 824 awards. This includes: 363 Associate of Art Degrees, 74 Associate of Science Degrees, 163 Associate Degrees for Transfer, and 222 Certificates of Achievement.

Graduates came from 7 states and 2 from other countries. 

Among the graduates were 48 Phi Theta Kappa members of the international honor society for community colleges and 7 from the college’s Honors Program.

The college also recognized the following 14 CCCC Foundation Presidents Award recipients for maintaining a cumulative 4.0 GPA to meet all graduation requirements: Athena Baca, Madalyn Batchelder, Makenna Batchelder, Catherine Gacho, Emily Hunsaker, Samantha Jones, Velma Kinney, Makenna Kumlue, Janis  Kunz, Jennifer Kunz, Isla Lackey, Nicole Lemons, Allison Vankirk, and Julissa Villalobos. 

Baseball player Michael Doerr was the recipient of the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation, Inc. Athletic Academic Achievement Award for the athlete with the highest GPA. 

“Obtaining a college degree or certificate is no easy feat,” said Dr. Hancock.  “Students face challenges in any number of ways: financially, academically, personally, socially, intellectually, and physically.  Now throw a pandemic on top of all that?  It was a tumultuous year, but you have proven adaptable and resilient.  You persisted in the face of adversity – you did it. Thank you for making Cerro Coso Community College a partner in your education.”

“I also want to thank our employees for their commitment, creativity, and high standards that have allowed our students to thrive in unsetting times.  Accepting the challenges present with grace and professionalism.  Thank you for your hard work and dedication in serving the needs of our students,” he concluded. 

An outdoor drive-in ceremony was held the week before at the Bishop Fair Grounds to honor students graduating from the Eastern Sierra College Center in Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.

All of the graduates were guided by Cerro Coso’s mission to improve the life of every student it serves, and are well prepared to thrive, contribute to, and lead in a global society.  May their graduation be the beginning of a future filled with success and happiness. 

CDC, national, state, county, and local guidelines were followed during the events.   

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

The Honors Transfer Council of California (HTCC) organizes the HTCC Student Research Conference every year in conjunction with the University of California, Irvine to give community college honors students the opportunity to present their academic work. The multidisciplinary conference showcases outstanding research-based inquiries by students into the humanities, sciences, arts, social sciences, or even pre-professional programs. This year at the HTCC Conference on March 26 - 27, students presented their work virtually with interactive question and answer sessions.

Sarath Suresh, a second-year Cerro Coso student, submitted his honors project work for presentation at the Conference. His presentation was entitled ‘The Essential Puzzle Piece of Accurate Genetic Editing: Reduction of Off-Target Effects’. In his talk, he discussed the use of CRISPR in gene editing, and how this innovative technology can be affected by the high frequency of off-target effects. Such off-target effects are mutations and changes outside the targeted specific gene sequence being edited. Sarath reviewed two recent strategies: targeting unique sites, and using paired Cas 9 nickases. Both of these techniques can be used successfully to ensure high accuracy and precision in genome editing technology, which is paramount to realize its full potential as gene therapeutics.

Professors Claudia Sellers and Guck Ooi mentored Sarath in his work, which he will submit for publication in the HTCC anthology Building Bridges, published through the University of California, Irvine.

Cerro Coso Community College is a member of the Honors Transfer Council of California, and send honors students to participate in the HTCC Student Research Conference every year. To learn more about the Honors Program at Cerro Coso visit the website at www.cerrocoso.edu/academics/honors-program.

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Students Wanted!

Are you looking for a summer job?

Cerro Caso has openings for Student Workers at the Child Development Center this summer. Are you a student at Cerro Coso who is at least 18 years old, with at least a 2.0 GPA, enrolled in 3 or more units in Summer 2021, be able to pass DOJ background check, up-to-date immunizations, health screening, and enjoy working with children?

The Child Development Center is looking for student workers to assist staff 16 hours per week with the supervision of pre-school-aged children!

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing play and learning activities
• Cleaning
• Kitchen Work
• Clerical Duties

Visit: www.cerrocoso.jobspeaker.com and submit a student Worker Application today! Be sure to select the option for Child Development Center student Worker (Ridgecrest/lWV)!

Multiple positions available!

If you have any questions regarding this, please contact

Jessica Krall
Program Manager

760-384-6362 or
jessica.krall@cerrocoso.edu

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Learn American Sign Language (ASL) at Cerro Coso Community College in Tehachapi this summer.

Learning ASL takes time, patience, practice, and a sense of humor.

Like any spoken language, ASL is a language with its own unique rules of grammar and syntax.

Jessica Hess will instruct an ASL II class this summer on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from 4 - 6:50 pm via Zoom. The 8-week class begins June 7 and ends July 28, 2021.

ASL C102 – is a follow-up class to ASL C101, that allows students to continue to develop and enhance their proficiency in American Sign Language usage and knowledge of Deaf history and culture. This course encourages students’ communicative competency with emphasis on vocabulary and expressing skills through in-class and out-of-class requirements.

According to a university study, ASL is the sixth most common language in the United States.

For people who are deaf, the benefits of learning sign are undeniable. But there are many benefits for people who can hear? Not only is it a way to communicate with all ASL signers in the world, fulfill a foreign language requirement, it gives you a way to build relationships with deaf people and a way to enjoy the richness of the Deaf community nationwide.

ASL is a surprisingly versatile language and can be used to talk underwater, at a great distance, at a loud concert, or even in total silence.

Those interested in taking the ASL II class this summer are urged to contact the Cerro Coso Tehachapi campus at 661-823-4986 for more information.

Enjoy the journey of learning ASL at Cerro Coso this summer!

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Cerro Coso Community College is proud to announce that the Kern Community College District has granted tenure to Tim Allen, Counseling (IWV), Yvonne Mills, English (ESCC), and Alec Griffin, Anthropology and Sociology (East Kern)

Timothy Allen, Counseling—A California native, Allen is a first-generation college student and the son of immigrants and had a truly interesting childhood growing up with a combination of two very distinct cultures.His father’s family is from Sweden and his mother’s is from Mexico.Born and raised in Fullerton, CA, Allen is a product of the California Community College system having completed his Associate of Arts degree at Fullerton College.Allen holds a BA from Western Washington University and an MA from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico.

Alec Griffin, Anthropology/Sociology—Raised on a large pig farm in Northern California, Griffin attended San Diego State University for his undergrad and Cal State University, East Bay for his Master’s in Anthropology.He also received his teaching credential along the way and spent 14 years teaching every grade level from kindergarten through community college.He joined the Cerro Coso faculty in 2017 at the Tehachapi campus.He is a 2020 Cerro Coso Excellence in Education Award recipient for his role in championing the Inmate Student Education Program at the college that has received state and national attention.

Yvonne Mills, English—Mills grew up in Southern California and attended Southern California universities for both her undergraduate and graduate education.Besides spending a year as a high school drama teacher, she spent eight years teaching at Moreno Valley College before joining the CCCC Eastern Sierra College Center faculty.An award-winning actor and director, Mills has worked on stages throughout Southern California.She holds a BA in Biology and English Literature from the University of Redlands, an MA in Literature and Film, and a Ph.D.in English from the Claremont Graduate University.Her doctoral research concentrated on non-Anglophone political adaptations of Hamlet.

“The faculty at Cerro Coso Community College have exhibited extraordinary dedication to student success this year, going above and beyond to ensure students have the support they need to navigate many unanticipated challenges,” said President Sean Hancock.“I am proud to represent an institution with such high-quality faculty and I am greatly impressed with the many talents and expertise of this year’s new cohort of tenured faculty.Our students and our communities have benefited from the knowledge, enthusiasm, compassion, and dedication of these faculty.”

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Technology touches every aspect of our lives today. From downloading music, playing games, banking, to communication, and driving a vehicle… technology drives it all. As information technology continues its rapid change, businesses and organizations need professionals with the right skills and training to help them meet their needs and lead technology initiatives.

Whether you're just starting out in the IT field, or ready to advance your career, Cerro Coso’s IT programs of study can help you gain the expertise you need to succeed. Programs that meet all levels of experience. The college offers an AS in Information Technology, Information Technology Certificate, Data Analyst I Certificate (Pathway to Completion), and an Information Technology Plus Certificate.

This summer, Cerro Coso is offering a highly valuable course online for those interested in pursuing careers in the business technology field.

IT C101 – Introduction to Computer Information Systems is being offered online with Professor Valerie Karnes. This 12-week course begins May 17 and ends August 16. Professor Matt Hightower will offer an 8-week course that begins June 7 and ends July 30, 2021. The course concentrates on information systems and their role in business. The focus is on information systems, database management systems, networking, e-commerce, ethics and security, computer systems hardware, and software components. Students develop computer-based solutions to business problems and the course satisfies the certificate/degree requirements for a variety of programs including Cloud Computing, Linux Operating Systems, Entrepreneurship, Business, Information Technology, Management, Web Fundamentals, and Web Professional!

Cerro Coso Community College is offering a variety of classes in 8, 10, and 12-week formats online this summer. Now registering for summer and fall 2021 classes. Complete registration and course information is available on the web at www.cerrocoso.edu or contact the local Cerro Coso Counseling Department today.

Explore something new at Cerro Coso Community College.

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