SDCCE Annual Report 2022-23

2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT

Demystifying Noncredit Education Every adult can benefit from noncredit education. Free education does not mean low quality, and it certainly does not mean one size fits all.

San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) offers a model for successful, comprehensive noncredit education.

At SDCCE, we put equity at the forefront of our efforts in supporting students from all walks of life in reentering the workforce, preparing for good-paying jobs, or getting ready to transition to college through tuition-free noncredit certificate programs and classes. We serve large populations of students who are among the most vulnerable adult populations in the state, including first generation, low-income, formerly justice-involved, dreamers, military veterans, and students Dr. Tina M. King President from underrepresented communities. Noncredit education can make the difference between permanent housing insecurity or food insecurity and upward mobility and generational change.

SDCCE’s free career training programs include areas within priority workforce sectors such as automotive, skilled and technical trades, business and accounting, digital media, information technology, healthcare, child development, clothing and textiles, culinary arts, and hospitality.

In addition to helping students enter and advance in the workforce, noncredit education helps students learn English, earn their high school diplomas, and gain citizenship in the United States. Additional free courses at SDCCE include lessons preparing students for a high school diploma/equivalency exam.

Once enrolled at SDCCE, students have access to SDCCE CARES (Commitment to Accessible Resources for Educational Support), a comprehensive basic needs program designed to help meet fundamental needs of food, housing, transportation, childcare, and mental wellness. Students also are connected to accessible and timely resources to support them while they complete their educational goals. We also proudly celebrate our diverse community with events such as Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Juneteenth, Pride, and much more.

Supporting Students to Ensure Success • A record-breaking 227 students at the San Diego College of Continuing Education were provided $80,000 in scholarships and awards at the 15th annual Stars on the Rise scholarship and awards event on April 21, 2023.

• A dedicated Immigrant-Based Support Program resource center opened in fall of 2022 at SDCCE’s César E. Chávez Campus in Barrio Logan. The program, paired with free ESL, Citizenship, and High School Diploma/ Equivalency courses, is helping refugees and immigrants increase their earnings and apply for college.

• Career and College Transitions held more than 15 hiring events during the 2022-2023 academic year across our seven campuses, connecting hundreds of students with employers and a pathway to a brighter future.

• Launched a strategic marketing campaign demystifying noncredit education and promoting the tremendous impact noncredit education is having on our region.

At SDCCE, we are all moving forward together.

"The Gateway to College and Career program made me realize that there are people out there who cared about what I was going through and cared about my future,” she said.

“It was nice to see that I didn’t have to do this by myself.” - Frida Martinez 1

2022-2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

BY THE NUMBERS

15,562 $80,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED and

2,000 NEW PICTURE IDS ISSUED TO STUDENTS

SCHOLARSHIPS and AWARDS TO STUDENTS

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NUMBER OF COHORTS G R A D U AT I N G F R O M T H E S D C C E PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

$600,000 10,537 GRANT TO SERVE 50 PATHWAYS PARTICIPANTS

CERTIFICATES CONFERRED

SDCCE REBRAND C A R E S AN INSTITUTIONAL

CONCURRENT

WITH A NEW VISUAL IDENTITY

PROGRAM

PROGRAM WITH SAN DIEGO UNIFIED

NONCREDIT

$35-MILLION RENOVATION AND

AWARENESS

CAMPAIGN

MODERNIZATION

OF THE HISTORIC ECC THEATRE

CNA ENROLLMENT

NONCREDIT TO CREDIT ALIGNMENT STRENGTHENING

NCAL PATHWAYS: KICK-OFF SYMPOSIUM

HIGHLIGHTS OPENED A

N E W S T U D E N T RENOVATED THE

MODERNIZED AN

EMPLOYEE

1,500 410

LOUNGE

PROFESSIONAL

AT THE ECC

DEVELOPMENT CENTER

DEVELOPED A

EXTENSIVE MEDIA COVERAGE

RESOURCES PROGRAM

AT N O R T H C I T Y

NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED VIA BASIC NEEDS

2

DIPLOMAS AND

INITIATIVES LAUNCHED

FA C U LT Y PA R T I C I PAT I N G IN FLEX OFFERINGS

T O TA L I N G 4 , 6 7 0 H O U R S

RESEARCH CENTER

BREAK LOUNGE AT T H E E C C

O F S T U D E N T S , P R O G R A M S,

AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mission Statement San Diego College of Continuing Education commits to student success and community enrichment by providing tuition-free, accessible, equitable, and innovative quality education and support services to diverse learners in pursuit of lifelong learning, training, career advancement, and pathways to credit college.

Vision Statement To be the leader in innovative education where students transform their lives and communities.

Partnering to Help Heal the World Students at select San Diego Unified School District high schools are now able to train as certified nursing assistants (CNA) through the San Diego College of Continuing Education, with classes counting toward required CNA preparation by the time they graduate high school.

The program, which launched in 2023, initially opened to students at San Diego High School’s MedTech Academy and the School of Biomedical Science and Technology at Kearny High Educational Complex. Lab classrooms at SDCCE mirror a hospital setting to prepare CNA students for careers at hospitals, medical centers, skilled nursing facilities, or in-home health.

“The San Diego College of Continuing Education is excited to partner with the San Diego Unified School District in this career-training opportunity that will not only prepare high school students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become registered CNAs, but also set them on a healthcare career pathway that can lead to becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse or a Registered Nurse and livable wages,” said SDCCE President Dr. Tina M. King.

Certified nursing assistants are playing a critical role in the growing healthcare industry and earn an average wage of nearly $40,000 annually in San Diego County, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. CNAs work under the direction of on-site licensed nursing staff in performing duties ranging from measuring and recording vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure, to feeding patients. In addition to nursing, expanded career opportunities for CNAs can include nursing management and leadership.

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It’s All About Teamwork and Culture • Completed schematic designs for the $35-million ECC Theatre renovation project following input from the Classified Senate, Academic Senate, students, and the larger community. Enhancements to the 275-seat theatre, made possible by a grant through state Senate Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins will include modern acoustic panels, sound and lighting controls, updated entries, foyer areas, and seating. Completion is tentatively set for early 2025.

• To strengthen our sense of team, we embarked on an assessment of the overall culture at SDCCE, with an eye toward focusing on strengths and weaknesses, in helping us grow College of Continuing Education pride.

• We launched a culture climate survey to assess our seven unique campus environments as we develop strategies for each.

• Did we mention our Dream Team, comprising leaders from each of our campuses, to bring a sense of excitement and commitment to our initiatives?

• We brought on board a professional development coordinator, with the help of an In-Person Instruction grant, to develop a second-to-none professional development infrastructure.

• Two deans are better than one. That’s why we created a successful co-dean model – with a Dean of Instructional Services and a Dean of Student Services – at each campus.

• We embarked on a staffing study for an objective assessment of needs at each of our campuses.

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Ten Reasons the San Diego College of Continuing Education is for YOU 1.

At the San Diego College of Continuing Education, YOU come first.

2.

Students completing a certificate program at the San Diego College of Continuing Education earn, on average, $4,700 more annually than someone with just a high school diploma. That comes out to nearly $132,000 in additional earnings over a working lifetime.

3.

Our award-winning programs are cost-free and short-term.

4.

Students receive extensive wraparound services that include access to childcare, food pantries, transportation vouchers, and mental health services.

5.

Noncredit to credit alignment lab pathways (NCAL), we are leading this initiative for our district and the state to follow.

Students that take and complete our noncredit programs will earn credit towards a degree program at City, Mesa or Miramar College.

6.

Career training certificates are available in high-demand sectors such as Healthcare, Information Technology, and Welding.

7.

Our graduates are working at Michelin-star restaurants, top IT companies, and as successful entrepreneurs.

8.

Our Automotive Technology program is equipped with the latest hybrid and electric vehicles.

9.

Our Gateway to College and Career program supports former foster youth with paid internships, connections to industry, assistance in securing a high school diploma or equivalency, and more.

10. Our career education programs pump nearly a quarterbillion dollars annually into the regional economy.

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The Making of an All-Star Chef Thanks to the knowledge she gleaned while enrolled in San Diego College of Continuing Education’s Culinary Arts program, Sarah Ramos is now lead pastry at Addison, which, at the end of 2022, earned its third Michelin star — the only restaurant in Southern California to boast this coveted dining accolade and the only restaurant in America to do so since 2019.

Sarah Ramos Head Pastry Chef at Addison

Her schooling has had a profound impact. Ramos said that before becoming an elite pastry chef, trying to bake something as simple as a batch of chocolate chip cookies with more taste than what you could find at a grocery store often made her feel like a failure. “I read many cooking books and would borrow books just to learn,” she said.

Her baking prowess was transformed beginning in 2019, when she decided to enroll in the Culinary Arts program at the College of Continuing Education, earning a certificate in 2020.

“The fundamentals of French cuisine are a major part of the curriculum. French techniques translate to every culture,” Ramos said. “Once I learned this, it all made sense to me, I started to really understand the chemistry behind cooking and baking.”

The free Culinary Arts program is a study in success. Students spend 10 months on cooking principles, including sharpening knife skills and learning basic safety and sanitation standards. That’s followed by two more months of advanced-level cuisine preparation, lessons on nutrition and diet plans, molecular gastronomy courses, restaurant operations, and food and beverage management.

The preparation made Ramos a perfect fit for the Carmel Valley restaurant where, for the past 16 years, Executive Chef William Bradley has been refining his craft of contemporary Californian cuisine that the Michelin Guide calls “playful yet polished.”

While at College of Continuing Education, Ramos studied under Chef and Associate Professor Megan Leppert, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University and three-time American Culinary Federation Medalist, and Chef and Associate Professor Lee Blackmore, a California Culinary Academy alumnus and Culinary Educator of the Year.

“I have the least experience on the line at Addison, but the College of Continuing Education gave me the confidence to be here,” Ramos said of the kitchen she joined in June 2020.

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Where Kids Come First It’s all about the kids. That’s the mantra at San Diego College of Continuing Education’s Child Development program, where the curriculum covers infancy through adolescence and everything in between.

Students learn about the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children at various stages of life as they prepare for new careers in an in-demand profession.

“This is where you really develop your experience in different age groups,” said Associate Professor Stacy Surwilo. “What a year-old toddler needs is completely different from what a 3-month-old baby needs.”

The Child Development program at College of Continuing Education is a career education pathway designed for adult learners. Classes are offered on campus, online, and in a hybrid format. Select Child Development certificates are eligible for college credit through credit by exam and count toward an associate degree at San Diego City, Mesa, or Miramar colleges.

Eleven tuition-free certificate programs are offered, ranging from Infant Care Specialist to 3- to 5-Year-Old Specialty Curriculum. While certificate programs prepare graduates for careers in early childhood education and after-school programs, select classes include opportunities for parents to learn with their children in developing effective parenting techniques. The one-to-one ratio and parent involvement are key differentiators at College of Continuing Education. Every child in the class has a parent or caregiver attending to them. “An average daycare might have five children to every adult, and a preschool might have up to 12 students for every one teacher,” Surwilo said.

Indoor and outdoor learning labs are located at four College of Continuing Education campuses, including the César E. Chávez Campus in the heart of Barrio Logan, West City Campus in the Midway District, Mesa College, and Miramar College. Each campus comes with a specialized playground, a community garden, and an imaginative learning environment that promotes literacy, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Off-site locations offer the same courses at Park de la Cruz in City Heights and the Harold J. Ballard Parent Center in Old Town.

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Learning a Trade The San Diego College of Continuing Education is building our community. Literally.

The award-winning program provides students with 1,800 hours of high-quality welding training, protective gear, clothing and tools — at no cost, attracting student welders who are proving that the skilled and technical trades are for anyone, of any age, from anywhere. Students can opt to specialize in one to five free welding certificates: Shielding Metal Arc Welding; Gas Metal and Flux Cored Arc Welding; Gas Tungsten Arc Welding and Pipe Welding. Those completing the program are prepared to take the American Welding Society qualification test, receive a welding certification and can enter union apprenticeships and work for General Dynamics NASSCO or other employers.

Jocelyn Uribe said the SDCCE Welding program has been a godsend. Uribe’s father worked at the shipyards as a mechanical engineer. That experience inspired Uribe, 28, to learn a trade at the College of Continuing Education.

“I always tried to go back to school, but couldn’t afford it, it’s expensive,” said Uribe who had to drop out of high school in ninth grade. Now as a mother of two, Uribe wants to be an example for her kids. With no barriers of cost, she is working toward earning a Shielded Metal Arc Welding certificate while taking high school equivalency credential courses through the GED Testing Service. “The clothes and supplies needed to take the welding program were provided to me. I did not have to buy anything, which allowed me to do this,” she said. “Welding is an accomplishment and a great example that will encourage and motivate my children to be successful and passionate.” Uribe plans to go to work as a structural welder.

Welding is among the highest paying skilled trades in the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for Ironworkers was $47,010 per year in 2021.

Free welding classes are located at the Educational Cultural Complex in the San Diego neighborhood of Mountain View. The SDCCE’s state-of-the-art welding facility features 100 welding booths and Miller and Lincoln inverter power units.

The San Diego College of Continuing Education Welding program received preliminary notice that it will be the recipient of a $1.75 million grant to expand its ECC facilities.

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CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION by the numbers

$244.9 million

2,956

Annual economic impact of the San Diego College of Continuing Education’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The number of regional jobs supported by San Diego College of Continuing Education CTE programs, alumni, and students.

$9.10

$209.4 million

The amount received by taxpayers via added tax revenue and social savings for every $1 invested in career education.

Annual impact that CTE alumni are having on the regional economy.

$3.10 The higher future earnings for every $1 students invest in their education.

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Enrollment Management San Diego College of Continuing Education achieved remarkable progress in enrollment management during the 2022/23 academic year, a year marked by notable accomplishments in multiple areas.

• For the first time, SDCCE hosted an Enrollment Management Symposium, a collaborative effort led by vice presidents with participation from the Executive Vice Chancellor. This symposium highlighted SDCCE's dedication to Strategic Enrollment Management and laid the foundation for continued institution-wide conversations about this topic.

• The Offices of Instructional Services (ISO) and Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness (PRIE) introduced the beta version of the Productivity Simulator. This tool demonstrates SDCCE's dedication to leveraging research and technology for practical solutions.

Its ongoing evolution will allow practitioners to manage and optimize complex enrollment scenarios.

• SDCCE was accepted in the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Strategic Enrollment Management Plan. A cross-departmental group of SDCCE employees in Instruction, Student Services, and Research will examine data to inform our strategic enrollment practices, engage with other colleges on promising practices, and develop and implement strategies at SDCCE. • The reorganization of the Student Services Division will enhance student satisfaction through one-stop centers that will facilitate enrollment at each of our 7 campuses. Additionally, the recently created Admissions and Records Office will be vital to materializing the efforts to streamline the institution's enrollment process and the CCC Apply implementation.

The effectiveness of enrollment management strategies implemented in the last year was demonstrated in solid enrollment growth. Spring 2023 recorded a remarkable 22% surge in enrollment compared to the previous year, alongside a 28% increase in students served. Special recognition is needed for all programs for this effort, especially the ESL team; they played a crucial role in driving enrollment growth, doubling ESL's student headcount from approximately 3,100 students in Spring 2022 to over 6,700 this spring.

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Gateway to College and Career Programs supporting former foster youth trying to stay on their feet as they transition to adulthood received a significant boost in June of 2023 thanks to a $1.4 million grant to the San Diego College of Continuing Education and nonprofit Promises2Kids.

The $1.4 million was directed to the College of Continuing Education and Promises2Kids through California State Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego), who was a featured speaker at a June 23 check presentation.

The grant will help Promises2Kids’ Guardian Scholars program and the College of Continuing Education’s Gateway to College and Career in building a seamless system of support for former foster youth seeking education and careers.

Guardian Scholars provides wrap-around services that include individualized case management, one-on-one and group mentoring, and financial assistance to help youth on their journey to independence. Gateway to College and Career offers paid internships, connections to industry, assistance in securing a high school diploma or equivalency, and a college and career readiness course aimed at helping youth find viable pathways to a productive future.

Plans call for 30 youth being served in the first year of the two-year grant and 60 being served in year two.

“Transition-aged youth who have been in the foster system often face an uphill battle in achieving their full potential,” Senator Atkins said. “That’s why I was pleased to secure $1.4 million dollars, allocated by the California Student Aid Commission, for the partnership between Promises2Kids Guardian Scholars and the SDCCE’s Gateway to College and Career. These programs provide vital services to help students succeed academically and prepare for successful and meaningful careers.”

The state award complements a recent $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Community Project Funding at the recommendation of Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) for the Gateway program.

There are more than 1,500 young adults who were in the foster care system living in San Diego County, and national data shows alarmingly high unemployment rates among transition-age foster youth. Studies show approximately 25% of former foster youth experience homelessness within four years of being emancipated from the foster care system. A USC study found that 36% of former foster youth resorted to couch-surfing to keep a roof over their head.

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A Voice of the Students In 2022, Julia Kogan became the first to serve as a student trustee representative for the San Diego College of Continuing Education on the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.

Through the advocacy of her peers at the District’s credit colleges — San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges — a fourth representing student trustee member was added by the Board of Trustees to provide a voice for noncredit college students.

“At first I was hesitant to go for the position because I thought my English language skills were not enough,” said Kogan, 37, who was born in Ukraine. “I am very thankful for my role and for the people who I have met along the way. Before I did not understand what I needed in my life, and now I have joined something so important.”

Julia Kogan Student Trustee

She first volunteered to serve her peers as the college’s Associated Student Body president at Mid-City Campus while studying English as a Second Language. Kogan was elected as the Student Trustee for the 2021-2022 academic year in a special election where all ASB presidents from the seven SDCCE campuses competed for the student trustee position. She spent the past year representing the 30,000 students enrolled throughout the College of Continuing Education.

In addition to being a student leader, Kogan is a member of the College of Continuing Education’s Immigrant-Based Support Program (ISP). The student club supports immigrants, refugees, and English-language learners transitioning to college and the workforce in the United States.

“Joining the ISP was the best experience,” she said. “Not a lot of foreign-born people have these types of opportunities coming to another country, such as taking ESL classes for free and preparing to join the workforce. I never feel alone here, I just feel opportunity.

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A Focus on Equity and Access The San Diego College of Continuing Education stands in solidarity with each of its students, employees and community members in our commitment to access, safety, dignity, acceptance, and inclusion. Which is why the College of Continuing Education participated in its first-ever Pride flag-raising ceremony on June 1 in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, raised the Juneteenth flag for the first time two weeks later, and on June 20 observe Juneteenth with a Celebration of Freedom including music, a drum call, storytelling, poetry, food and more at the Educational Cultural Complex.

The College of Continuing Education also hired 17 new and diverse faculty members; created a professional development infrastructure focused on race-evasive and culturally competent practices, and wrapped up plans to open a cultural affinity hub to house a Black Student Success Center. In addition, the college secured a $300,000 Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Practices Innovative Best Practices grant.

Above: Teye Sa Thiosanne performing at the Juneteenth Celebration. Right: Gathering for the Juneteenth flag raising.

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Established in 1914, the San Diego College of Continuing Education commits to student success and community enrichment by providing accessible, equitable, and innovative quality education and support services to diverse adult learners in pursuit of lifelong learning, training, career advancement, and pathways to college at each of our seven campuses.

OUR CAMPUSES PRESIDENT Tina M. King, Ed.D BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Geysil Arroyo Mary Graham Craig Milgrim Bernie Rhinerson Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D ACTING CHANCELLOR Gregory Smith

Cesar E. Chavez Campus

Mid City Campus

West City Campus

1901 Main Street

3792 Fairmount Avenue

3249 Fordham Street

San Diego, 92113

San Diego, 92105

San Diego, 92110

(619) 388-1910

(619) 388- 4500

(619) 388-1873

Educational Cultural Complex

Miramar College Campus

4343 Ocean View Boulevard

10440 Black Mountain Road

San Diego, 92113

San Diego, 92126

(619) 388-4956

(619) 388-7825

Mesa College Campus

North City Campus

7350 Armstrong Place

8355 Aero Drive

San Diego, 92111

San Diego, 92123

(619) 388-1950

(619) 388-1800