PRESIDENT'S CORNER - Cerro Coso Community College
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June 2021
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Commencement is arguably the most joyful occasion on any college campus. The graduating
classes of 2020 and 2021 adjusted to remote classes, social distancing, isolation, mask
mandates, and countless Zoom meetings as the pandemic disrupted in-person learning and
campus activities, but they persevered and achieved their goal. Cerro Coso was determined
not to let it rob graduates of the commencement experience they deserved. The college held
two in-person ceremonies to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students while
protecting the health and well-being of graduates, their families, and our dedicated staff and faculty. Between the two ceremonies, we
had close to 140 graduates participate, with over 600 guests. This is a generation of dreamers, realists, visionaries, and mobilizers. They
are the change the world needs, the solutions to the next big challenge, and the force that will drive our nation’s success. I am sincerely
grateful to our supportive college community that made these ceremonies memorable for our students and their families. Go Coyotes!
Commencement means more than a graduation, it also represents a beginning, this is as true for our institution as it is for our
graduates. I’m excited to begin the journey with Cerro Coso as we embark on a renewed commitment to student success and equity. In
collaboration with our new chancellor, Dr. Christian, districtwide leadership is pulling from our exceptional pool of talent throughout
KCCD to form collaborative teams charged with improving enrollment, student success, and equity. Capitalizing on our commitment
to Guided Pathways, these teams will look for opportunities to increase students entering the path, staying on the path, align efforts
with economic and workforce needs, and provide the technology and human resources necessary to support this work. Cerro Coso has
proven time and time again that it has what it takes to meet any challenge, and I’m excited to be a part of working alongside you as we
engage in this transformational work.
Classified Employee Appreciation Week is also celebrated every year in May. Education is essential to the future of our community, state,
country, and the world; our classified professionals are the backbone of our institution. Our classified staff give their very best to make
sure our students achieve their fullest potential, and I am thankful for the passion and commitment they bring to work each and every
day. Please don’t forget to thank them for all that they do to support our students, faculty, administration, and each other. They are the
heroes, working long hours to make sure our college gets through these unprecedented times. Their demonstration of genuine care and
kindness go a long way in making Cerro Coso’s values come to life. We could not do it without our classified staff. We truly appreciate all
they do!
Inside this Issue
President’s Corner 1
Class of 2021 In-Person Commencements 2
Dr. Marvin Recognized by KCCD Management
Association 2
Suresh Showcases at HTCC Student Research
Conference 3
BC Names Zav Dadabhoy Interim President 3
Student Awards Ceremony 4
Classified Staff of the Year Awards 4
Green Named KRV Student of the Year 5
Foundation Feature:
Congratulations to the Class of 2021! 5
REGISTER NOW FOR
SUMMER AND FALL CLASSES!
2 COYOTE HOWLER
Class of 2021 In-Person Commencements
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.”
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.
426 graduates earned 824 awards, 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.
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 14 CCCC Foundation Presidents Award recipients for maintaining a cumulative 4.0 GPA to meet all
graduation requirements.
Baseball player Michael Doerr was the recipient of the CCCC Foundation, Inc. Athletic Academic Achievement Award for the athlete
with the highest GPA.
All CDC, national, state, county, and local guidelines were followed during the events.
Dr. Marvin Recognized by
KCCD Management Association
For the month of May, the KCCD Management Association Board unanimously voted to
acknowledge and recognize the work, leadership, and achievements of Dr. Corey Marvin,
Vice President of Instruction at Cerro Coso Community College. Dr. Marvin’s nominating
colleagues wrote, “Dr. Marvin has a revered history of leadership at Cerro Coso Community
College. Colleagues working directly with Dr. Marvin recognize and appreciate his kindness,
patience, flexibility, and breadth of knowledge in matters related to the college. Colleagues
most notably recognize his recent leadership in: Guiding the college through the transition
to off-campus services during the pandemic and now our return to in-person instruction
and establishing safety protocols; Supporting the growth and establishment of the
incarcerated student education program (ISEP) and chairing the ISEP committee; Providing
high-level support to college schedulers’ efforts to identify opportunities for district-wide
alignment of best practices; Serving in interim positions as College President and Dean
of Instruction during 2020; Successfully managing the ACCJC accreditation process; and
developing cross-functional teams to improve the College’s guided pathways efforts. It is
an honor for members of the Association to work alongside exceptional professionals such as Dr. Marvin. On behalf of all members of the
KCCD Management Association, we express our ongoing appreciation for his leadership.
COYOTE HOWLER 3
Suresh Showcases BC Names Zav
at HTCC Student Dadabhoy Interim
Research Conference President
Bakersfield College
President, Dr. Sonya
Christian announced
the appointment of
Dr. Zav Dadabhoy
to serve as Interim
President of
Bakersfield College
three weeks after
Christian was
selected to be the
sixth chancellor of
the Kern Community
College District
(KCCD). Zav has
served as the Vice
President of Student
Affairs and the
senior-most member
of the Executive
Team at the college
since November 2012. He has been at the core of numerous
The Honors Transfer Council of California (HTCC) organizes the innovative student success programs and has driven numerous
HTCC Student Research Conference every year in conjunction enrollment growth initiatives for the college. His responsibilities
with the University of California, Irvine to give community college include program management and supervision of over 140 faculty
honors students the opportunity to present their academic work. and professional staff, and direct budget responsibility of over
The multidisciplinary conference showcases outstanding research- $50 million-plus management of $80 million in pass-through
based inquiries by students into the humanities, sciences, arts, disbursements. Congratulations Zav!
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 sends
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.
4 COYOTE HOWLER
Student Awards Ceremony
The Student Government of Cerro Coso Kyrie Ogloza, English and Foreign
(SGCC) celebrated the achievements of Languages;
students and faculty at all CCCC campuses Geoffrey Medel, Industrial Arts;
and across all academic programs virtually Jack Slovacek, Mathematics;
at their 37th Annual Spring Awards Cami Hales, Public Services;
Ceremony that debuted on the college Kevin Thompson, Science;
website May 12th. The following awards Daniel Westbrook, Social Sciences;
were presented: and Emma Place, Visual and Performing
President’s Outstanding Academic Arts.
Achievement Awards: Site Student of the Year:
Athena Baca, Noah Bailey, Giovanna Mendez, Wolf Milheim, Noa Lish, Eastern Sierra College Center;
Madalyn Batchelder, Makenna Batchelder, James Moore, Naomi O’Connor, Maya Plata, East Kern Tehachapi Campus;
Granvil Bell II, Eduardo Bribiesca, Sara Orlando, Rylan Orozco, Morgan Green, Kern River Valley Campus.
Christina Cardona, Richard Collins, Amelia Plumhoff, Jasmine Ramirez-Garcia,
Emily Roman, Joshua Scott, Misty Siebert, Tutor of the Year:
Sara Deberry, Ryan Dibble, Michael Doerr, Coby Roberts.
Adrian Douglass, Catherine Gacho, Jack Slovacek, Angela TeSlaa,
Joaquin Garcia, Madison Grandas, Chelsea Tjaden, Isabella Urbina, SGCC Awards for Teaching Excellence:
Patrick Griffin, Otto Gubser, Allison Vankirk, Frankie Vazquez, Matt Jones, IWV Faculty;
Quinn Guzman, Alexander Harmon, Victor Destin Yent, Bridgette Yocum, Lincoln Johnson, Adjunct Faculty.
Hernandez, Steven Honma, and David Ziehl.
CCCC Foundation President’s Award
Emily Hunsaker, Brandon Jackson, CCCC Foundation Athletic/Academic Recipients:
Michaela Jaks, Tommy Johnson, Award: Athena Baca, Madalyn Batchelder,
Sabrina Jones Farnsworth, Michael Doerr, Men’s Baseball. Makenna Batchelder, Catherine Gacho,
Samantha Jones, Satori Kalie, Department Awards for Outstanding Emily Hunsaker, Samantha Jones,
Jehonathan LeBlanc, Nicole Lemons, Achievement: Velma Kinney, Makenna Kumlue,
Mako Lentz, Noah Lish, Lydia Lloyd, Shea Omtossar Awad, Allied Health; Janis Kunz, Jennifer Kunz, Isla Lackey,
Macintire, Gabriel Marez, Melissa Reinke, Business and Information Nicole Lemons, Troy McDonald,
Carolina Martinez Calderon, Technology; Allison Vankirk, and Julissa Villalobos.
Artyom Martirosyan, Troy McDonald,
Classified Staff of the Year Awards
Academic Senate Classified Senate Classified Senate Classified Senate
“Classified Staff of the Year” “Classified Staff of the Year” “KRV Classified Staff “ESCC Classified Staff
Jessica Kawelmacher, Deborah Gregory, of the Year” of the Year”
Admissions and Records Graphic Designer Heather Bopp, Sarah Land,
Technician II at the Ridgecrest Campus. Learning Center Technician Department Assistant III
at the Ridgecrest Campus. at the Lake Isabella Office. at the Bishop Campus.
Congratulations!
COYOTE HOWLER 5
Green Named KRV FOUNDATION
Student of the Year FEATURE
The ‘Student of the
Year” award recognizes
those students who Congratulations to the
have made a significant
contribution to their Class of 2021!
own education as
well as the campus
community. Only one
student is selected
each year to hold the
title of “Kern River
Valley’s Student of
the Year.’ The process
of selecting the
recipients for the
award is a team effort
based on their drive,
dedication, and overall
academic success. Morgan Green was named the ‘Student of the
Year at the KRV Campus’ in May. Morgan started on her pathway
through Cerro Coso two years ago. Faculty were very impressed
with her focus and academic ability right from the start. Her
academic and exceptional work ethic continued and provided
an opportunity to work at the site as a student worker, where her
professional abilities shined. She graduated from the college in
May of 2020 with degrees in Liberal Arts: Arts & Humanities and
Liberal Arts: Social and Behavioral Sciences, is a member of Phi
Theta Kappa, and made the Dean’s List. “I would like to thank Lisa Making BIG Dreams Come True
Stephens, Heather Bopp, and Jeff Welsh for helping me to see
my potential and inspiring me every day,” she said. KRV staff said The Cerro Coso Community College
“Morgan is dedicated, reliable, hardworking, and always willing
to lend a hand. She is a valued student worker for the KRV site Foundation has helped thousands of men
and Incarcerated Student Education Program. She thrives when and women, many of whom never dreamed
challenged and learns new skills with ease. Morgan will succeed in
anything she sets her mind to.” Morgan says she chose Cerro Coso they could go to college, find success through
because “it was local and offered a more personable experience, higher education. Your support enables us to
more one on one with the professors.” She encourage others to
consider Cerro Coso because “it is affordable and is a good Segway meet the college’s growing needs by providing
into learning to be an adult for the first time. The school climate is scholarship assistance, upgrading facilities,
such that parents can attend as well, or take classes online making
it more easily accessible.” Cerro Coso congratulates Morgan on her and supporting “Student Success”.
achievements!
About this Publication
The Coyote Howler is a publication of Cerro Coso Community College. For more
information about the stories in this publication, or to include information in
this publication, contact
BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE Natalie Dorrell, Public Relations Director,
CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE at 760-384-6260 or email ndorrell@cerrocoso.edu.
PORTERVILLE COLLEGE
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