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Cerro Coso Community College is paying tribute to the significant contributions of generations of African Americans. In 1915, Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Rev. Jesse E. Moorland set out to research and bring awareness to the largely ignored, yet crucial role black people play in American and world history. The son of former slaves and the second black person to receive a degree from Harvard University, Carter Woodson understood the value of education. He also felt the importance of preserving one’s heritage and, upon his urgings, the fraternity Omega Psi Phi created Negro History and Literature Week in 1920. In 1926, Woodson changed the name to Negro History Week. He selected the month of February for the celebration as a way to honor the birth of two men whose actions drastically altered the future of black Americans. They also hoped to educate African American people about their cultural background and instill them with a sense of pride in their race.

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College students spend more than $1,000 on books and supplies every year, according to a 2018 College Board study, but a program at Cerro Coso Community College is making those costs less daunting.

Open Educational Resources (OER) allow students to save money on textbooks by providing free online resources.

Cerro Coso was one of 26 California Community Colleges and 19 CSUs to receive a grant to save students money by empowering professors to adopt high quality, free, and open educational resources for course materials.

The second round of AB 798 Textbook Affordability/OER grant funding has made a tremendous impact on reducing textbook costs as faculty replace expensive textbooks with OERs. Second round funding allowed 101 class sections to convert to OERs, affecting 2,974 students for a total savings of $428,178.

Combined with round 1 grant funding, a grand total of 146 class sections adopted OERs to reduce or eliminate textbook costs; 4,281 students were impacted, collectively saving students a total of $603,004 in textbook costs between Fall 2016 and Fall 2019.

Cerro Coso’s goal is to further increase OER adoptions in additional courses and save students even more money.

Studies show that reducing textbook costs allows student to move through their programs quicker because they can afford to take more classes instead of paying for costly textbooks. Some students avoid taking a class due to the cost of the textbook or attempt to complete a class without purchasing a textbook.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Thanks to the community’s support, Cerro Coso’s first “Hunger Free” Food Drive was a huge success.

“I want to personally thank everyone for their support and donations to this year’s ‘Hunger Free Food Drive’ to help stock the Hunger Free pantry for college students this spring,” said Outreach Director Katie Bachman. “The generosity of the community far exceeded our expectations and is a blessing to our efforts to ease food insecurities among our students.”

For many students today, food insecurity is just a few missed paychecks away. A 2018 study found that 36% of college students are experiencing hunger and lack stable housing. During an Ohio State University 2017 study on Collegiate Financial Wellness, it was discovered that 58.7% of Cerro Coso students worry about not having enough money for food to get them through the month. Feeling insecure about where to find the next meal can have huge psychological and academic effects on college students, including poor physical and mental health and a decrease in completion, persistence, and credit attainment rates.

Tackling hunger is a big job. The Hunger Free Campus program at Cerro Coso was created to address food insecurity among students. 

“Generous donations like these go a long way in the college’s efforts to see that no student should have to learn on an empty stomach. We are so thankful,” concluded Bachman.  

Picture Caption: Cerro Coso students (l to r) Francis Yu, Audra Elroy and Marisol Fuentes collect food items for the college’s Hunger Free food pantry.

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All Cerro Coso Campuses will be CLOSED Monday, January 20, 2020 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday!

The beginning of the spring semester starts Tuesday!

Online Classes: Students can begin logging into full-term, online classes after noon on Friday, January 17. You must login by 8:00pm Pacific time on Tuesday, January 21, or you will be dropped from the course to allow waitlisted students to be added.

To log in to your online class: Go to insideCC (or insidePC, or insideBC, depending on your email address extension), or visit www.cerrocoso.edu/login for a tutorial on logging in to your class on the Canvas learning management system.

On-Campus Classes: You must attend the first class meeting if you are registered or on the waitlist for an on-campus class, or you will be dropped from the class or waitlist. Full-term on-campus classes begin the week of January 21, 2020.

Bookstore: If you have not already done so, visit the on-campus or online bookstore for texts and materials: http://cerrocosocollegebookstore.com/

Navigate: Let Navigate help you stay updated on important deadlines, events, and activities; explore majors and careers; schedule your classes around the rest of your life, based on your preferences; and register with ease. All at no extra cost to you!

Financial Aid: If you have applied for financial aid, check on your status and additional information needed through insideCC. Login using your full school assigned email address and Banner PIN. Click on Financial Aid in the black bar across the top on the right hand side. Contact Financial Aid if you do not see the Financial Aid link.

Scholarships: The CCCC Foundation offers more than $100,000 in scholarships each year. Applying is easy.

Parking Pass: Ridgecrest campus students remember to get your parking pass.

LRC Closure: Ridgecrest Campus. Due to the earthquakes, the Learning Resource Center is temporarily closed for repair. In the meantime, you can access Library Services in EW 207 & 210. The Learning Assistance Center, with tutoring and access to computers, is temporarily moved to Gym 407, and exam proctoring and make-up exams are in Gym 405. Additional workspace and computers are located in MB 217, MB 218, and the Student Center (MB 115). See this map for locations. For displaced faculty, please check the online directory.

Campus Maps: Maps for each campus are available on the campus webpages. For example, maps for the Ridgecrest/IWV campus are on the Ridgecrest/IWV campus page.

College Assigned Email:  Please check your college assigned email regularly. A Student Need To Know newsletter is sent out via email every week to keep you informed of all the activities happening around campus.  

Student Employment Outreach: January 23 and February 4, 2020 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Ridgecrest Campus Main Building Entrance for information on work study opportunities.  Or contact the Career Center more information available at https://www.cerrocoso.edu/studentservices/career-center

Welcome to the Spring 2020 semester at Cerro Coso Community College!

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Research shows that around 58.7% of Cerro Coso students face food insecurities, which means they don’t have reliable, consistent access to food. That is 9.7% higher than the sampled average of other community colleges. 

In response to the growing concern, virtually every college has established a food pantry. Cerro Coso believes that no student should have to learn on an empty stomach. The Hunger Free Campus pantry was created in 2017 to address the food insecurities of students. 

“It’s a constant struggle to keep the food pantry stocked,” said Katie Bachman, Outreach Director for the college. “We recognize that it will take the entire community to help us in this fight against student hunger.”

The college will be holding a food drive in front of Stater Brothers on Saturdays, January 11^th and January 25^th, to help stock the pantry for the upcoming semester. The community is invited to donate non-perishable food items during the collections in front of Stater Brothers, or any time by contacting the Outreach Office at 760-384- 6353.

“The impact of food insecurities on students is significant,” said Bachman. “It compromises academic performance and increases the likely hood of missing classes or dropping out of school altogether.”

As more students learn about the program and stop by to pick up food, the pantry also serves as an information system. Many students do not know about the resources available, where to get help or how to start. Outreach staff coach them about on-campus programs and share literature from local social service agencies and community groups.

For more information, contact the Outreach Office at Cerro Coso at 760-384-6353.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

All offices and classrooms at all Cerro Coso Community College campuses will be closed for winter recess from Monday, December 23, 2019, through Sunday, January 5, 2020.

Online registration will be available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through the College website. Try this easy and convenient way to register for classes. The spring schedule of classes is also available online.

The College will reopen on Monday, January 6, 2020. Most offices are open from 7:30am to 6pm Monday through Thursday and 8am to 12pm on Fridays.

Spring semester classes officially start on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. Register early for best class selection.

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December 9^th was a great day for Coyote’s softball player Annika Ramon. Surrounded by coaches, teammates, staff and employees of the college, she signed a letter of intent with William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri to play softball on a scholarship.

A native of Ridgecrest and a Burroughs High School alum, Ramon played three years of varsity softball at Burroughs before joining the Cerro Coso Coyotes in 2017. She will move on to continue her schooling and play for the William Woods University Owls. 

“Annika is a versatile athlete that has played both the middle field and the outfield at her junior college,” stated Heat Softball Coach Tracy Gastineau for WWU. “She has good speed on the bases and in the outfield; we look forward to having her join our program and University.”

Ramon was named to the All-Conference Second Team following her freshman season and the Honorable Mention team in 2019. She finished the 2019 season with a .366 batting average and seven extra base hits. She led the team in stolen bases with 25. 

A sophomore at Cerro Coso, Ramon proved to be a real leader for the Coyotes Women’s Softball team. She also played two seasons of soccer for the Coyotes. 

“Annika is as strong in the classroom as she was on the field,” said Cerro Coso Athletic Director John McHenry. “Her presence will be missed, but she has set a fine example for her teammates as they prepare for the next year.”

Ramon, the daughter of Durwisa and Jimmy Ramon, intends to major in management information systems.

Picture Caption: CCCC Athletic Director John McHenry congratulates Coyote softball player Annika Ramon on signing to play for the William Woods University Owls in the spring.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Cerro Coso student Zulema Nuno is the recipient of a $750 Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS) Scholarship.

A first generation college student, Nuno came back to school after becoming a single parent to two children, Luna Isabel and Joseph Daniel.

Not only is she a full-time student and working for the Counseling Department at Cerro Coso Community College, she is currently part of EOPS, CARE, and CALWORKS programs.

Once accepted into EOPS in 2018, Zulema saw the opportunities offered by the program, such as financial and counseling support. Grants and scholarships from the program made it possible for her to be financially independent and provide for her family. She received immense support from the EOPS staff for educational and personal counseling. This is where Zulema found her second family within the school community. She believes that EOPS has made her the successful student she is today.

After receiving her Business certificate of achievement in 2019, she will receive an Associate’s degree in Business Administration in spring of 2020. Zulema’s academic goals include transferring to a University in fall of 2020 for a Bachelor’s degree, and eventually she plans to go on and earn a Master’s Degree.

Photo caption: (l to r) Penny Talley, Cerro Coso EOPS & CARE Director and Professor, student Zulema Nuno, and Access Programs Director Pam Campbell.

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Cerro Coso Community College is holding a grand opening for the Career Center located on the second floor of the Main Building.

The event is Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Career exploration and readiness is a continuous process that guides individuals into successful and fulfilling occupations.

Over the years, the College Career Center has gone through many changes, but has found its new and convenient home within the recently re-modeled Main Building.

Set within a modern space on the second floor, the Career Center is a hub for personal and professional development.  Students, alumni, and community members can explore and build connections between academics, personal interests, and professional development.

“This space is going to transform how we prepare students for careers and brings us that much closer to our goal of integrating career readiness into the  student experience while they are here on campus,” said Cerro Coso President Jill Board.

The Cerro Coso Career Center is designed to help businesses find qualified workers and assist job seekers to obtain employment and training services to enhance their careers.  They also offers assistance with career exploration, one-on-one and group career counseling, and job placement services.

During the Grand Opening guests will find a vast amount of resources including job search strategies, career exploration, internships, workshops, as well as information on college Career Technical Education programs.

The public is invited to attend and explore all the career services Cerro Coso has to offer.  Refreshments will be served and parking will not be enforced.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.

Cerro Coso Community College is holding an information session on Thursday, December 5, 2019, in the Lecture Center from 2 to 4pm for their upcoming Tiny House/Earthquake Shelter Workshop.

The College is planning to offer a Tiny House/Earthquake Shelter Workshop in February that will show those who are interested what’s possible and guide them through all the options available. The two day course will serve as a guide to assist students, future tiny house owners, DIY tiny house buildings, engineers, architects, legislators, and regulators to better understand the critical issues of temporary earthquake shelters and provide housing solutions to those in low and middle-income demographics.

Gregori Niculitcheff will instruct the course and will be present at the information session to answer questions. An international entrepreneur, Niculitcheff studied engineering and design in Brazil and then moved to the United States to share his talents and expertise. After living decades in the Silicon Valley, he fell in love with and moved to the Mojave Desert where he opened a steel manufacturing plant. Witnessing firsthand the dire lack of affordable housing for the low and middle classes, as well as the homeless in the urban and suburban centers, Niculitcheff decided to find a practical and scale-able solution for this critical problem in California. 

Nothing can replace the experience of receiving a wealth of information in person, directly from an expert. If a Tiny House Workshop is of interest to you, attend the information session, meet other like-minded people, and talk directly with the expert.

For more information contact Jennifer Marshall at 760-384-6276 or Amanda Atencio at 760-384-6258.

View on the Cerro Coso College website.