Week of November 13, 2023

Hi Clovis Fam,

How is everyone? I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend. As you know, I sent out last week’s Reflections and Activities early, but there were more things that happened. Also, you will probably get this report early as well because I am leaving for a meeting in Indian Hills right after the SCCC Foundation Board meeting. I will give a brief mention of what I will be doing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

So lets begin, last Thursday evening after I submitted my weekly reflections and activity report to Bonnie, I had the esteem honor and pleasure to join several of us from Clovis as we said a very public thank you to Jami De La Cerda for giving over $110K to the college. Jami has been a major supporter of our athletics programs. Just last week we honored her by placing her company’s name on our score board. We proudly unveiled the name during the men’s last home soccer game. I was very proud of the way that our Coaches, students, colleagues, Academic Senate president and state representatives came out to help us celebrate Jami. We presented her with an autograph signed picture of the 2023 women’s soccer team. The women’s coach and one of his players got up and spoke about the impact and importance that her contribution has made on the team. I was also given the opportunity to thank her and to express how what she does for our athletes will make a difference for a lifetime.

Last Friday was simply a fabulous day. I came to the women’s soccer last home game to celebrate and say good-bye to my graduating sophomores. It was wonderful to see all the freshman athletes shower their sisters with flowers and gifts, and to take pictures with me and them. The flood of parents and friends coming up to take pictures and cheering on their students was thrilling and exciting. It set the tone for the game. This was sophomore night at our house and the students, and the crowd wanted to win. You could feel it all over the field and college. This was extra special for me because these women presented me with a signed ball at the first home game and I have been at every home game possible. It was a good game against Merced. The score was 0-0 in the first half. We scored the first goal several minutes into the second half. The other team almost scored twice. We then scored our second goal with just a few minutes left. We clinched the win and the Central Valley Conference 2023 championship!!!! The mood and emotion were electrifying. The crowd was screaming; the women were screaming, high fiving and fist bumping and hugging. I was out there hugging and fist bumping too. And they said, ’THIS IS OUR HOUSE”!!!! I yelled back this is “OUR HOUSE”!!!! This was the first time this season that I did not go into the huddle after the game. I thought I would get trampled and die. They were so excited. I was then given the honor of placing the medals on each woman. The Coaches handed me the trophy. Is it mine??? We now have to find a place to publicly display this beautiful recognition of all the hard work the team, coaches, trainers, and AD put into the season. The parents stayed for a long time, in the dark taking pictures with their student and the trophy. We NEED lights y’all. Over the speaker they played CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES Come on and We are the Champions. Celebrate we did and yes, we are the champions! I proudly brought the trophy back to my office and left to get a massage (random fact lol).

Last Saturday was the official day of celebration of our Veterans. I started my day by going to get a bierock from the Bierock Shop that Derek told me about last week. The place was packed for lunch. I had a homemade shredded roast (with cabbage and onions) bierock combo meal (salad). The homemade bread was warm and smelled like how grandmas used to make it. I then went to the farmer’s market. I was looking for local candles but bought none. I then had the privilege of going to the Clovis Veteran’s Day celebration with Jordan Anderson (Navy), our Clovis Veterans Club President. We had VIP seats and sat at the table with Senator Jim Patterson and LTC Joel Maxwell (Army). I got to introduce him to all the dignitaries there and/or their representatives. This young man has his own insurance company and there were some resources for veteran entrepreneurs that we became aware of. I also told him to contact Rich Mostert for more opportunities. He met the CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District, Lorenzo Rios, and talked about ways to get more resources and opportunities for our veteran students. As we talked, I found out that his grandmother makes bierocks.

On Sunday, I went to church and some of my church members gave me bags of clothes for our Clothing Closet. I took the 4 bags of clothes and shoes to the Herndon Campus and discovered that there was no drop off box located outside. So, I came back on Monday morning before coming to work to make sure that I delivered the bags of clothes.

On Monday, I attended the President’s Council meeting and then drove to the District Office to attend a special meeting with the Chancellor prior to Chancellor’s Cabinet. At Chancellor’s Cabinet, we reviewed enrollment and looked at first and second read ARs and BPs. After Chancellor’s Cabinet, I went to the Veterans Day Student Award Program. I attended the event with Natalie Minas, Veteran’s Services Specialist. We talked about funding and all the wonderful ideas that she had. We then got to see the art contest winners from kindergarten through sixth grade, as well as the essay contest winners from 7th and 8th grade, get medals, and be recognized. I also got to see the digital contest winners and the grand prize for the art, essay and digital contest winners get trophies. The program was beautiful and somber as we went through the Gold Star Remembering Ceremony. But I think the most memorable aspect of the night was when they said the words that went with the playing of ‘Taps”. I never knew there were words, and, the words were touching.

On Tuesday, we wore our PJs to work as part of our #GivingTuesday events. It was fun to not only see all of you wearing your PJs, but to see the smiles of you and our students as we walked by. I had to change clothes really quick to accept the Campaign for Higher Education Award for Transfer at their virtual celebration. I gave a 2 minute speak talking about how all of you work together to provide our students with a holistic student-centered approach to success and the unwavering commitment of academic excellence as the reason that we are being recognized for 6 straight years. The president of Fresno State texted me right after I spoke to say that he is glad we are on the same team.

I was able to replace my joy from last week of my hissing coach roaches with penguins. I learned that they do not exist in the South Pole, only the north pole. So, our students are engaging in a campaign to do a foreign exchange program where they send a penguin to the South Pole. The penguin would be transposed in all pictures of this campaign program (to me its kinds like Where’s Waldo 😊) especially since we know they are not actually native to this part of the world. The next series of this project may be to have a native creature from the South Pole, like a seal, migrate to the North Pole and we can follow their adventures as well. The creativity and inclusion of students in this journey is outstanding and just reminds me of the great things you all are doing to stimulate critical thinking and innovation for our students. It was great to share with you about Polar STEAM. Thank you, Janice, for filling me in on the great work you and your students are doing and how you are integrating this great work into a comic book so even children can get as excited about this as you, your students and I have become. I ended my day hosting my African American Advisory Committee where we talked about funding and the Integrated 2035 plan as well as programing and plans for activities.

On Wednesday, I attended the SCCC Foundation Board meeting where we talked about our mini grant priorities and our ask for the institutional $30K for the umbrella. In the afternoon, I was able to provide a tour of our Clothing Closet to the SCCC Foundation Board members. Dianna was there to walk them through the Clothing Closet and explain to them how the Closet leads to providing other resources such as resume writing, interview skills as well as use of the food pantry. They were impressed with what Dianna, her vision and her team did with their $30,000 investment. During the SCCCF Board meeting, I presented our this year’s $30,000 request for new canopies. I talked about how it is part of an overall plan to beautify our campus and that in our integrated 2035 we talked about the students wanting more access to green space as a way to increase engagement opportunities. The request for the full amount was approved. During the president’s comments, they shared our Board highlights and I informed them of our Campaign for Higher Education 2023 Champion for Transfer recognition, the clinching of the 2023 Central Valley Conference for Women’s Soccer, and that we just unveiled the naming of our scoreboard – SCCC Foundation, Diamond Learning Center in appreciation of Jami de la Cerda. During the meeting James Sewell emailed to let me know that one of our donors had committed to giving $5000 in scholarships for Giving Tuesday. I then left to go to Indian Hills, CA for the California League new CEO Conference and training. We focused this last session on Board relations and media.

On Thursday, I attended the Community College League of California New CEO Workshop Part II. It was facilitated by Drs Frank Chong and Helen Benjamin. We had a conversation with Rocky Young, who was the retired Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. He authored a book on leadership; “A Walk-Through Leadership” and on community college issues, “Harvest from the Vineyard”. We had a session on legal issues facing CEOs, with a focus on the Brown Act, California Public Records Act and Conflict of Interest and Ethical Leadership. We had additional legal training on CEO and Board member relationships. We ended the workshop addressing how to deal with media and the importance of the PI.

While sitting in the airport to return to Fresno, I received an email from James Sewell giving the update to the outstanding season that our soccer teams had. There are only eleven total 3C2A NorCal First Team selections in the northern section and we have three of them (plus Orlando). There are no other school that had more than one.

Central Valley Conference:
Valeria Quintero – Co-Player of the Year
Carly Tynan – Goalkeeper of the Year
Reigan Rose – Defender of the Year
Orlando Ramirez – Coach of the Year

First Team:
Vicky Cuellar
Kendall Preston
Alyssa Ruelas
Paige Smith

Second Team:
Emma Cypher
Natalie Galicia
Linda Jiminez
Autumn Moreno
Celeste Suarez

3C2A NorCal First Team
Valeria Quintero
Reigan Rose
Carly Tynan
Orlando Ramirez – Coach of the Year

On Friday, I spoke at the East Fresno Kiwanis and attended the Fresno Center 27th Annual Giving Thanks Gala.

On Saturday morning, I drove to Bakersfield, on the invitation of Congressman Kevin McCarthy to serve on his Service Advisory Committee helping interview students.

Well, that was my week. I hope all of you have a great weekend filled with time to be surrounded by loved ones and friends. If you are off all next week, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and for those of you who, like me, will be working, have a great weekend and know that in three days or less, you too will be off.

Take care and know that every day, I am proud to serve you.

In service,

Kim E. Armstrong, Ph.D.