A monthly digest of SBCC faculty and staff news
A monthly digest of SBCC faculty and staff news

Cliff Notes: June 2023

The SBCC Office of Communications invites you to enjoy the latest edition of our employee newsletter, Cliff Notes. We encourage staff and faculty to use this forum to share SBCC-related happenings that would be of interest to fellow staff and faculty members. Examples include awards, recognitions, lectures/presentations/events, and other good work you or your coworkers are doing on and off campus. Most of all, let's all use this forum to connect and encourage one another! Kindly send items of interest to marketing@sbcc.edu. Don't forget to include “Cliff Notes” in the subject line.
News & Updates

Dr. Erika Endrijonas to begin presidency

After conducting public forums and extending the search an additional month, the SBCC Board of Trustees selected Dr. Erika Endrijonas as the new college Superintendent/President. Dr. Endrijonas will start on Aug. 1. and will lead the college with Dr. Murillo assisting with the transition through September.
Said Board President Jonathan Abboud in his official announcement to staff and faculty, "Dr. Endrijonas possesses the skills and abilities we need in a leader at this point in the history of our college. She is well-rounded, highly respected by her colleagues, a fierce advocate for students, and a state and national leader. She has a strong commitment to the work we do for student access and success. Dr. Endrijonas brings a wealth of experience as a community college president, overseeing a budget of over $300 million at Pasadena City College, and served as a Dean at SBCC for nine years. She has demonstrated she is equity and antiracism focused, transparent and collaborative."
Dr. Endrijonas' experience as a college administrator also includes nine years as the Career and Technical Dean at Santa Barbara City College, where she oversaw 28 departments spread across the Business, Technology, and Health and Human Services divisions, in addition to the School of Culinary Arts and the Orfalea Early Learning Center. 
Read the SBCC press release on Dr. Endrijonas' hiring here.

Commencement '23 a celebration for the memory books

A slightly overcast afternoon at La Playa Field couldn't stop the smiles and celebration that was SBCC Commencement 2023. Just two-to-three years earlier, many of the graduates were forced to skip their high school graduation ceremonies due to the pandemic, making the Friday, May 19, event all the more special for the hundreds of graduates attending. In total, 1,472 students graduated this year, with 3,629 associate’s degrees and certificates awarded.

“Here we are on the cusp of something new for you,” said Dr. Murillo to the recent grads. “As you look forward, I want you to know you are welcome here. You are wanted here. This — SBCC — is your home.”
Along with Dr. Murillo, speakers included Student Trustee Andrianina Rajaosera and Academic Senate President Dr. Melanie Ekford-Prossor. Among the dignitaries attending were SB County Supervisor Das Williams, Mayor Randy Rowse, SB Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido, Esmeralda Estrada representing Salud Carbajal, and Goleta City Council Representative (and former SBCC administrator) Luz Reyes-Martín.
Kudos to the Office of Student Life, Transfer Center, IT, SBCC Security, SBCC Community Services, the Office of Communications, and everyone else who helped make the event so memorable for so many! 
Relieve the celebrations via the following links:
Campus Highlights

First-ever Black Grad celebrates accomplishments of Black graduates throughout South Santa Barbara County

SBCC, in partnership with the SB Unified School District, held a special, invitation-only ceremony honoring and celebrating the promotion, culmination, graduation and transfer of Black students in south Santa Barbara county, from transitional kindergarten through City College, on May 6. 
The first-ever Black Grad ceremony, hosted by the SBCC Umoja Community, was held at SBCC's Fe’ Bland Forum. Graduating Black scholars from the Santa Barbara community were honored by VIP guests including family members, administrators from local elementary, junior high and high schools, as well as administrators from the Santa Barbara and Goleta Union School Districts. SBCC Board members and selected local officials are also in attendance. The celebrations included a drum line, dancing and cupcakes from Black-owned bakery Te 'sTees.
“Santa Barbara City College is honored and excited to host an event on our campus that brings Black and African American students of all ages together to celebrate their accomplishments in community,” said Dr. Murillo. “We hope that this celebration cultivates belongingness for young scholars as they think about their future in higher education.”
Said SBCC Umoja Student Program Advisor Lelia Richardson, “SB Black Grad is a celebration of Black futures, Black joy, and a space to honor Sankofa, our living history.”
Congrats to all of the scholars from the Santa Barbara Black community who are graduating/transfering/advancing. And special kudos to Leila, Akil and Roxane for conceiving of the event and working hard to make it happen. Please enjoy photos here and check out the great coverage from KEYT News
Awards & Accolades

Akil Hill named Classified Employee of the Year

The Classified Employee of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year was announced at the May 18 meeting of the SBCC Board of Trustees. Of the five nominees total, Admission and Records Technician Akil Hill was named the Employee of the Year.
In addition to his outstanding work in Admission and Records managing athletic eligibility (working with more than 900 students for 20 teams), faculty support and incomplete grade contracts, Akil has been instrumental in supporting communities color on campus and beyond, from daily visits to the SBCC Umoja Center to facilitating the commission of the new Umoja Mural on campus, as well as conceiving and organizing the Black Grad ceremony in the Fe Le Bland Forum on May 6. Black Grad was the first-ever ceremony of its kind celebrating the promotion/graduation/transfer of Black students in South Santa Barbara county from TK through City College. He also co-founded/co-hosts the Vaquero Voices podcast, that "looks to provide SBCC staff and faculty with an outlet where their voices can be heard in an informal, relaxed setting."
Honorable mentions included Administrative Assistant III for the VP of the School of Extended Learning Erin Coulter; Administrative Assistant II for the Dean of the LRC, Library, FRC and Distance Education Cristina Garcia Otero; Lab Tech in the Chemistry Department Tracy Reynolds; and Senior Admissions and Records Technician Rosa Ruiz.
Tune into the May 18 Board meeting (3:20) to hear more about the nominees and view the award presentation. 
Please take a moment to personally thank and congratulate these stellar classified staff members for their extraordinary service to the college.

HR Longevity Luncheon recognizes longtime staff members 

On Thursday, May 11, Human Resources hosted a luncheon at Pedotti Courtyard honoring staff and faculty who have achieved milestone years of service to the college. Awards were presented to staff  by their managers, who glorified their team members with words of praise and appreciation. Of special significance was a recognition of Kathy O'Connor for a milestone 45 years of service! Congrats to all, and huge thanks to HR for organizing the event.
Please enjoy a few snapshots from the ceremony, and view the names all of the awardees in the Longevity Awards program

Office of Communications takes home two major awards at CCPRO conference

At the CCPRO (Community College Public Relations Organization) conference in mid April, SBCC and the Office of Communications received two big recognitions at the final-night awards ceremony: First place for Direct Mail or Promotional Campaign (Direct mail piece for the Re-Enrollment Day event in July); and second place for Internal Communications (for the SBCC "Stronger Together" campaign - signage around campus, new flagpole banners, etc.). The photo used on the Re-Enrollment Day mailer was taken by student photographer Asiana Weddington, and the postcard was designed by Kathy Bryant at Fritz Creative, Inc. 
Faculty and Staff

Longevity Recognitions

Each month the college recognizes the longevity and dedication of our employees and the impact that those employees have on students, the institution and the culture of excellence at Santa Barbara City College. At the May 18 Board meeting, the following employees were recognized: 
Jim Clark, Director, Information Technology Infrastructure & Security, 15 years
Yolanda Contreras, Administrative Assistant II, 25 years
Olga Jones, Network Specialist, 30 years
Juan Patino, Facilities Assistant, 35 years
Rose Mary Santillan, International Student Advisor, Senior, 35 years

That makes a total of 140 years of service to SBCC. Well done, and thank you!

Sport psychology and mental health counselor Dr. Dave Botsford joins SBCC athletics

Dr. Dave Botsford has joined Santa Barbara City College Athletics Department to provide sport psychology services and mental health counseling for all SBCC student athletes. This new position is a collaboration between Student Health Services and Athletics in an effort to increase services and support to this special population of students. 
Dr. Dave is a licensed clinical and sport psychologist and owner of Mountain Minded Performance Psychology in Santa Barbara. He has worked with collegiate student athletes for more than 15 years, including seven years with UC Santa Barbara Intercollegiate Athletics Department. Dr. Dave will be available for all SBCC student athletes, providing individual counseling, mental skills training, leadership and team dynamics workshops, injury support groups, and serving as a staff advisor for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). This embedded position is aimed at destigmatizing mental health issues and making services more accessible for student athletes. 
Welcome, Dr. Botsford!
Vaquero Voices Podcast
Webmaster Hong Lieu and and Senior Admissions Tech Akil Hill
Hong and Akil continue their casual, informal conversations with SBCC colleagues.
Latest episode: Akil and Hong welcome Coordinator of Equity, Diversity, and Cultural Competency Roxane M. Byrne, Ph.D, to the show. Roxane discusses her important role as leader of equity on campus, her experiences growing up in the San Gabriel Valley (and later, an SBCC student) ... and where to find the best Japanese food in Santa Barbara. 

Announcements

SBCC is Hiring!

SBCC Human Resources accepting applications for newly-opened positions 
Know anyone interested in working at SBCC, or wanting to make a change in your own career at the college? Check out the latest job openings here
Mark Your Calendars

Playing soon: SBCC Theatre Group presents 'Guys and Dolls' 

Mark your calendars! The Theatre Group at SBCC is excited to announce its 2023-24 theatre season beginning in July with the classic musical "Guys and Dolls, A Musical Fable of Broadway." The production, featuring story and characters by Damon Runyon, and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, runs July 14-29, 2023, in the Garvin Theatre

Grab your tickets at the Garvin Box Office and/or Click here for tickets/info.
Last, but not least ...

Employee Assistance Program

The Self-Insured Schools of CA Employee Assistance Program (SISC EAP) is available to ALL SBCC employees, dependents and anyone living in your immediate household. The program provides confidential counseling and referral services for job-related or personal problems. Up to six counseling sessions per issue per benefit year are covered at no cost. Resources for managers are also available via SISC EAP. Click here for info.  
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