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PCC President Endrijonas Speaks at Rotary Club

Erika Endrijonas
Erika Endrijonas

She may be new, but she’s gearing up to usher Pasadena City College into its centennial and beyond.
Erika Endrijonas, the new superintendent and president of PCC, spent much of her introduction to the Rotary Club of San Marino recently outlining her, well, outline for developing the next decade’s institutional master plan and revisiting the facilities master plan, all in preparation of the school’s 100th anniversary in 2024.
“We are focused on our very rich traditions and our history within the community, but it’s also time to think about what we want to be as we enter our second century,” she said. “The story of PCC is basically the story of excellence.” Continue reading “PCC President Endrijonas Speaks at Rotary Club”

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PCF Scholars Find Nonprofits Have Their Back at PCC

Pasadena Unified School District graduates Ramon Cano Cristobal, Mario Nicasio, Hannah Tellez, Kevin Morales, Mahely Cedillo Lambaren, Abigail Vides, Jaylin Jenkins and Alejandra Anaya Dia are attending Pasadena City College this fall as PCF Scholars. The Pasadena Community Foundation will support each student at PCC for up to four years.
Photo courtesy Pasadena Community Foundation
Pasadena Unified School District graduates Ramon Cano Cristobal, Mario Nicasio, Hannah Tellez, Kevin Morales, Mahely Cedillo Lambaren, Abigail Vides, Jaylin Jenkins and Alejandra Anaya Dia are attending Pasadena City College this fall as PCF Scholars. The Pasadena Community Foundation will support each student at PCC for up to four years.

As students across the region head off to college this fall, a contingent of Pasadena Unified School District graduates is proudly donning backpacks to attend an institution right here in town­ — Pasadena City College — in a quest to achieve a quality higher education at a lesser cost. Continue reading “PCF Scholars Find Nonprofits Have Their Back at PCC”

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School Board Considers Increasing Ties to PCC

Javier Carbajal-Ramos
Photo by Zane Hill / OUTLOOK
Javier Carbajal-Ramos, assistant director of educational partnerships and programs at Pasadena City College, gives a presentation on dual enrollment to the San Marino Unified School District Board of Education last week.

San Marino High School students might be a step closer to dual-enrollment opportunities at Pasadena City College, depending on whether the local school board and PCC can procure a memorandum of understanding.
The San Marino Unified School District Board of Education took in a presentation on dual enrollment at its meeting last week, hearing from Javier Carbajal-Ramos, assistant director of educational partnerships and programs at PCC. SMHS has had students enroll concurrently at the college, meaning they take PCC classes on campus with PCC faculty. In dual enrollment, however, students would take PCC-approved coursework in the high school’s classrooms with PCC-approved SMHS teachers.
“These classes are really working with the school, working with the faculty at the sites, working with the administrators to ensure that we have the classes that the community is interested in,” Carbajal-Ramos said. “It doesn’t require your student to have to leave your high school and then enroll in something different; it’s part of their day.” Continue reading “School Board Considers Increasing Ties to PCC”

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Local Agencies Share $50K Grant From Literary Alliance

Members of the Pasadena Literary Alliance’s Open Book Series committee include Julie Daniels (front row, from left), Teresa Payton, Liz White, Shelley Thompson and Carmie Rodriguez. Back: Katie Poole, Kathleen Waller, Peggy Gregerson, Jennifer Bigelow, Sarah Hunter, Emily Vitan and Georgia Jeffries.
Photos courtesy Pasadena Literary Alliance
Members of the Pasadena Literary Alliance’s Open Book Series committee include Julie Daniels (front row, from left), Teresa Payton, Liz White, Shelley Thompson and Carmie Rodriguez. Back: Katie Poole, Kathleen Waller, Peggy Gregerson, Jennifer Bigelow, Sarah Hunter, Emily Vitan and Georgia Jeffries.

Celebrating its mission to support literary programs, the Pasadena Literary Alliance recently announced $50,000 in grants awarded in keeping with its mission of supporting literary programs.
The group awarded one $10,000 grant each to Pasadena City College (for writers in residence and its summer creative writing academy), Pasadena Senior Center (for its Masters Series lifelong learning program), Pasadena Public Library (for its One City, One Story program), PEN America (for its Emerging Voices Fellowship stipend) and WriteGirl (for its high school student writing seminars). Continue reading “Local Agencies Share $50K Grant From Literary Alliance”

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Advanced Math Class at LCHS Takes Step Forward

An advanced math course at La Cañada High School is a step closer to reality as the La Cañada Unified School District and Pasadena City College are making plans to collaborate.
“We are excited at the possibility of partnering with Pasadena City College to offer advanced math classes as well as possibly other subjects at La Cañada High School,” said LCUSD Governing Board President Brent Kuszyk in an email. “This will come before the board for discussion at our March meeting and we will be considering a MOU [memorandum of understanding] with Pasadena City College.” Continue reading “Advanced Math Class at LCHS Takes Step Forward”

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A Reason to Give Thanks: Pantry Sustains PCC Students

OUTLOOK photo Pasadena City College’s Lancer Pantry supplies food to students in need so that more of them can enjoy good nutrition. Student worker Xavier DuBose and food pantry coordinator Nick Tobin keep the shelves stocked.
OUTLOOK photo
Pasadena City College’s Lancer Pantry supplies food to students in need so that more of them can enjoy good nutrition. Student worker Xavier DuBose and food pantry coordinator Nick Tobin keep the shelves stocked.

As families prepare for their abundant Thanksgiving feasts, Pasadena City College’s Lancer Pantry is again calling attention to an overlooked population it has discreetly served for nearly two years on campus: Students who suffer food insecurity.
Citing recent studies that show that up to 14% of local college students are homeless, and another 22% do not have enough food to sustain a healthy life, the campus has created a program to directly help those on campus with a food pantry that provides bags of groceries and consistent, healthful snacks. Continue reading “A Reason to Give Thanks: Pantry Sustains PCC Students”

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PCC to Offer Courses at John Muir High School

Photo courtesy Pasadena City College Pasadena City College Superintendent/President Rajen Vurdien meets with Pasadena Unified School District trustee Berlinda Brown.
Photo courtesy Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College Superintendent/President Rajen Vurdien meets with Pasadena Unified School District trustee Berlinda Brown.

In a bold move designed to bring services directly to the heart of one of its most supportive communities, Pasadena City College will establish a satellite campus this fall at John Muir High School in Northwest Pasadena.
The agreement with the Pasadena Unified School District, which received final approval by the PCC board of trustees, gives the college permission to establish full-time operations in Building D on Muir’s campus. The 53,000-square-foot facility will allow the college to offer courses, academic support and career guidance directly in Northwest Pasadena, bringing college that much closer to local residents.
Continue reading “PCC to Offer Courses at John Muir High School”