This year’s cohort includes five MSJC students: John Assadi, Tanner Garvin, Lauren Mole, Jake Olson, and Ana Noel, who will spend the coming year immersed in advanced stem cell and regenerative medicine research environments.

The program, funded through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), provides students with access to cutting-edge research experiences that prepare them for careers in medicine, biotechnology, and scientific research.

For Jake Olson, the opportunity represents the next step in a journey that began unexpectedly.

“I was first interested in biology in high school,” Olson said. “I came here to MSJC, where a biology professor introduced me to the honors program. Through the honors program, I started a year-long project doing genetics research, and from there, I was introduced to the stem cell internship as an opportunity after MSJC.”

Olson, who plans to transfer to the University of California, San Diego after completing his studies at MSJC, hopes to pursue an MD-PhD in regenerative medicine. During the internship, he expects to conduct research involving vascularized neural organoids using advanced 3D-printed structures.

“My advice for incoming students, if you’re unsure of exactly what you want to do, is to take as many different kinds of classes as possible,” Olson said. “One of them you’re going to get interested in. And when you do, when you feel that, go for it.”

For Tanner Garvin, the program opened doors to possibilities she had never previously considered.

“I came into the college as a nursing major, but upon taking microbiology, I got really inspired by my professor,” Garvin said. “A research career didn’t really feel like an accessible path to me at first, but hearing about research made me realize this was something that I could do.”

Garvin credits MSJC faculty and the Honors Program with helping her discover new opportunities.

“I thought that I was just going to go into nursing,” Garvin said. “But because I allowed myself to think about other things, I was given this opportunity.”

Returning to encourage this year’s cohort was MSJC alumna Joia Miller, who currently works at a San Diego research laboratory focused on disease modeling.

“This program has been very rewarding,” Miller said. “I couldn’t be more grateful because now I’m marketable on the job market.”

Miller encouraged the new cohort to stay organized and embrace the experience.

“For students going into the program, stay on top of your lab notebook,” Miller advised. “If you start with your notebook, then everything should be okay.”

Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent/President of Mt. San Jacinto College, said the continued success of MSJC students in the program demonstrates the power of community colleges to create life-changing opportunities.

“Programs like CIRM Bridges demonstrate what is possible when talented students are provided access to mentorship, research opportunities, and pathways that connect education with real-world experiences,” Schultz said. “We are incredibly proud of these students and excited to see how they will continue transforming lives through science, research, and innovation.”

Through partnerships like CIRM Bridges, MSJC continues expanding opportunities for students to participate in research experiences typically associated with four-year universities while building pathways into high-demand STEM careers.

To learn more about this program, watch the students’ interviews: https://youtu.be/rSqqoF65JqE

####

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Roughly 40% of California community college courses are now offered online, according to CalMatters. The format has become especially important for students balancing school with jobs, caregiving duties and other responsibilities — a reality familiar to many students across Southern California and the Inland Empire.

But educators say online learning can also leave students feeling disconnected. Classes that lack face-to-face interaction may be harder for some students to navigate, particularly when courses are asynchronous and require students to manage their time independently.

Di Xu, a professor at UC Irvine’s School of Education, said online courses demand strong “self-directed learning skills,” including a high level of time management. In traditional classrooms, she said, interaction tends to happen more naturally.

“In an in-person environment interaction happens naturally,” Xu said. “But in an online environment, especially asynchronous, that opportunity needs to be embedded. Otherwise, the student will feel very lonely.”

Despite those challenges, demand for online courses remains high. Students often prefer the flexibility, and colleges can generally offer online classes at a lower cost than in-person instruction.

Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy, director of program and strategy at the College Futures Foundation and a former executive with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, said colleges must adjust to the needs of today’s students. Among the ideas she described as promising are shorter course formats and programs that better connect coursework with the work experience many adult students already have.

Some faculty members are also looking at specific subjects where online instruction may not provide enough preparation. Julia Simon, a French professor at UC Davis who chairs a university task force on languages, said students in online foreign language courses may not get enough speaking practice.

Simon said that can leave students underprepared once they arrive at UC Davis. Because the university cannot require students to repeat classes they have already completed, she said one possible solution would be to offer conversation courses as a form of additional support.

The effort reflects a broader challenge for California colleges: preserving the convenience and access of online education while improving student engagement, interaction and academic readiness.

Original source: CalMatters

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More than 2 million students attend California community colleges — about 60 times the undergraduate enrollment of UC Berkeley. Yet since COVID-19 forced colleges online, a large share of instruction has stayed there. About 40% of community college classes in California are now offered online, according to Melissa Villarin, a spokesperson for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

College leaders say online courses have opened doors for working adults, parents, caregivers and students who otherwise could not fit college into their daily lives. But students and faculty also describe serious tradeoffs: less interaction, weaker engagement, loneliness, uneven teaching quality and, in some cases, courses that feel more like a checklist than an education.

The shift matters across Southern California and the Inland Empire, where community colleges serve large numbers of working students trying to balance school with jobs, family obligations and long commutes. It also matters financially for colleges. California’s community colleges are funded largely based on enrollment, and surveys show many students prefer the flexibility of online classes, giving colleges an incentive to keep expanding them.

The result is a system still trying to answer a difficult question: Can online education be as effective as learning in person?

For some students, the answer depends heavily on the instructor.

At San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, student Lupe Archundia said her online microeconomics course relied on prerecorded lectures, some of them more than 10 years old. Quizzes were multiple choice and graded by computer. She said the professor made quiz answers available before students took the tests.

“I am a 39-year-old woman,” Archundia said. “It’s not like I just finished high school and I want easy test answers.”

Archundia works full time as a secretary and has two children. She often studies at night, using cardboard boxes to turn her dining room table into a makeshift standing desk. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree with hopes of advancing in her career.

At first, she said, she spent about three hours studying before each quiz. After realizing the answers were available, she began taking shortcuts. She earned a high score on the online exam, but said she still does not fully understand some of the material, including elasticity.

She said she feels partly responsible. “I’m responsible, too,” she said.

Research on online education remains mixed. A 2025 study found that students generally perform worse in online courses than in face-to-face classes, though the gap has narrowed. Di Xu, a professor at UC Irvine’s School of Education, said online classes can also help students stay employed while attending school and may improve their chances of eventually finishing a degree.

But online learning places heavy demands on students, Xu said. It requires strong time management and the ability to direct one’s own learning. In a classroom, interaction happens more naturally. Online, especially in asynchronous classes where students watch recorded material on their own schedule, that connection has to be intentionally built into the course.

“If not, the student will feel very lonely,” Xu said.

Most online classes at California community colleges are asynchronous, meaning students do not meet live with an instructor at a set time. Surveys by the RP Group, an education research nonprofit, show students tend to prefer that format even over live online courses.

Archundia said she would rather take classes in person, but evening options are limited, particularly for the English courses she wants. She dreams of becoming a writer and is considering changing her major from business administration to English, but said she is unsure which classes she needs.

When she contacted a counselor in April for help choosing courses, the next available appointment was roughly three weeks away. She still had not found a counseling time that fit around her work schedule.

Alex Breitler, a spokesperson for Delta College, said online courses expand access for students juggling major responsibilities and for many who otherwise could not attend college. He acknowledged that counseling appointments are often booked weeks in advance because demand is high. The college, he said, is trying to respond with online question forms and drop-in counseling options that do not require appointments.

Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy, director of program and strategy at the College Futures Foundation and a former executive at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, said advising and support are especially important for online students. But she said colleges need to do more than move traditional classes onto a digital platform.

Online courses should be redesigned for the format, she said, with different structures, stronger support and approaches that recognize many students are adults with work experience and full-time jobs.

“That is the difficult part for community colleges and other institutions,” Ruan-O’Shaughnessy said. “Frankly, they don’t have the incentive to do that level of work, because that’s a lot of work.”

In San Diego County, Cyndi Cunningham enrolled at Palomar College in San Marcos in 2022 after the pandemic disrupted her retail job at a local mall. She was starting college for the first time and took mostly online general education and introductory courses.

She struggled to focus and manage her time. She said she wanted more in-person options but often could not find them.

“I only ended up taking one class in person per semester — not because I didn’t want to take in-person classes — but because I couldn’t find them,” Cunningham said. “I felt like I wasn’t learning; I was just kind of doing tasks.”

She said she also noticed shortcuts from instructors. Two Chicano Studies courses she took were taught by the same professor, and she said he used the same lecture in both classes.

Cunningham has since transferred to Cal State San Marcos, where she is majoring in ethnic studies and plans to become a high school teacher. The difference, she said, has made clear what she missed.

“Even engaging with other students is so much different in person than on a discussion board,” she said. “I realized more how much of a disservice the online classes did.”

Online courses can reduce some expenses for colleges because they do not require classroom space and can enroll more students, Xu said. But quality online instruction often requires additional investments, including faculty training, course design support and specialized counseling.

Online education “has the potential to save a lot of cost,” Xu said, but only if colleges are “willing to sacrifice a lot of the quality elements that are important for students.”

Some disciplines face particular concerns. Julia Simon, a French professor at UC Davis and chair of a university task force on languages, said foreign language instruction is especially difficult to move online. Language classes are typically small and depend on regular speaking practice and cultural exchange.

At the same time, she said, community colleges and UC campuses are expanding online language offerings. Sacramento City College, for example, is offering four French classes in fall 2026, all of them fully online and asynchronous.

“It’s an enormous problem,” Simon said.

Students who complete online language courses may arrive at UC Davis without enough speaking practice, she said. But the university cannot require them to repeat courses they have already passed. Simon said she is considering creating conversation courses that would function as remedial support.

State lawmakers and education officials have spent millions of dollars since the pandemic to improve online instruction. New rules are intended to increase interaction between students and faculty. Colleges have also expanded training for online teaching and hired staff to help design digital courses.

Still, a 2024 RP Group survey found that most faculty members who had taught at least one online class preferred teaching in person.

For Tina Rocha, a 55-year-old Delta College student, online learning has been both a lifeline and a frustration. Rocha began college in 2024 after recovering from three strokes in 2020. Because of her disability, she sometimes needs reminders to submit assignments and accommodations for certain lights or sounds that can affect her vision and cause twitching.

Her creative writing professor, she said, spent a sabbatical studying ways to better teach students with learning disabilities. Rocha said the effort showed. The professor has been patient and accommodating, making the online class a positive experience.

Online education can be a “wonderful alternative,” Rocha said.

Her home reflects the discipline required to manage school remotely. She studies nightly at her dining room table, surrounded by notebooks. A calendar on the wall is filled with notes, and a whiteboard near the entrance lists the week’s responsibilities in color-coded lines.

But another online course, a film class, has been much harder. Rocha said the professor keeps a lava lamp in the background that casts patterns on the ceiling. The visual effect can trigger symptoms for her. When she asked him to turn it off, she said he told her he tried but could not, without explaining why.

Now, when he speaks on screen, Rocha places a sticky note over the image to avoid the effect. She tried to switch into an in-person film class, but by then, only online sections were available.

“It all depends on the professor,” she said.

Original source: CalMatters

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Among the graduates this year were Naomi and Nayana Velardi, 22-year-old twins from Romoland who are both on the autism spectrum and earned certificates in Digital Media after pursuing studies in animation, video production, and graphic design with support from MSJC accommodation services and life coaches.

The ceremonies also highlighted the remarkable range of ages and experiences represented within the graduating class. Alyssa Nicole Gumms of Perris, age 16, was recognized as the college’s youngest graduate this year. Alyssa began her college journey through dual enrollment and graduated with an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts: Mathematics and Science while serving as this year’s Tassel Turner.

At the other end of the spectrum, Jacqueline M. Al-Rauf, a 75-year-old student from Hemet, was recognized as the oldest graduate in the Class of 2026 after earning her Associate of Science degree. Jacqueline has served as an emergency room registered nurse since 1982 after previously attending MSJC to earn her nursing degree. She returned to college decades later to earn an additional degree required to teach Licensed Vocational Nursing courses, reminding attendees that learning, growth, and service to others can continue throughout a lifetime.

The ceremonies also celebrated students whose educational journeys reflected resilience and determination across decades. Melissa Lopez, a 48-year-old first-generation student from Murrieta, first enrolled at MSJC in 1995 before putting college on hold while raising four children as a single mother and working full time. This year, she completed two associate degrees: one in Behavioral Sciences and another in Administration of Justice.

“Coming back to college after all these years was something I did not think I would ever accomplish,” Lopez said. “I wanted to show my children that no matter how long it takes or what life puts in front of you, you can still achieve your goals. Earning these degrees means everything to me and my family.”

Students at the Temecula Valley Campus know Lopez well through her work at the campus café, where many affectionately refer to her as their “second mom” for the encouragement and kindness she brings to campus each day.

Esteban Valdes, a first-generation college student, returning student, and DREAMer from Lake Elsinore, was also recognized for overcoming hardship and becoming a student leader, mentor, and Supplemental Instruction Leader while preparing to transfer and pursue a future in business and finance.

“MSJC didn’t give us all the answers,” Valdes said. “But it gave us the space to ask the questions. To try. To fail. To change our minds. To grow into versions of ourselves we didn’t even know existed when we first got here. And I think that’s one of the most powerful things about this place. We found parts of ourselves we didn’t even know we were missing.”

Student Trustee and commencement student speaker Claudia Walukouw, a 32-year-old returning student, also reflected on the transformative impact of her time at MSJC.

“When I think of education, I think of the night that I chose to go back to school in pursuit of a nursing degree,” Walukouw said. “Older, non-traditional student, convinced that this was my last chance and not knowing that my time here at MSJC would have such a deep impact on my personal journey of finding my passions and finding the community I never knew I was missing.”

“These students remind all of us that there is no single path to success,” said Roger Schultz.

“Every graduate carries a story of perseverance, sacrifice, growth, and hope. Watching students transform their lives through education has been the greatest privilege of my career.”

This year’s commencement ceremonies also reflected the tremendous growth of Mt. San Jacinto College and the communities it serves.

When MSJC held its first commencement ceremony in 1965, the college graduated just eight students. Sixty-one years later, the college awarded 3,881 degrees to 2,952 graduates during four ceremonies over two days, underscoring the institution’s continued growth throughout one of California’s fastest-growing regions.

During Schultz’s nearly two decades as Superintendent/President, the college experienced significant transformation, including the expansion of college facilities by half a million square feet, increasing access to higher education opportunities across the region.

From 2008 to 2026, MSJC experienced an average annual graduation growth rate of approximately 4.7%, rising from 1,681 degrees awarded in 2008 to 3,881 degrees awarded in 2026.

At the conclusion of the academic year, Schultz will retire after leading 18 graduating classes at MSJC.

“This year’s commencement felt especially meaningful,” Schultz said. “As our Eagles prepared to soar into their futures, I found myself reflecting on how far this college has come—and how much potential still lies ahead for both our students and this institution.”

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For the thirteen graduating seniors in the ensemble, the achievement represents years of dedication, perseverance, and growth together. Many of the students began playing music in middle school and have spent the past four years developing not only their musical abilities, but also friendships, discipline, teamwork, and confidence through the SJHS band program.

When the final ratings were announced, seniors described the moment as “Finally,” “Emotional,” “Bittersweet,” and “Our hard work paid off.”

The accomplishment is especially meaningful for Band Director Mr. Patrick Harris, who joined San Jacinto High School four years ago with a vision of elevating the program.

“I knew I had my work cut out for me,” Harris said. “But I pushed them, believed in them, and knew they could do it. All the hard work was worth it.”

Students performed some of the most challenging high school band literature possible, including Grade 5.5 music, demonstrating exceptional musicality, precision, and commitment. Their performance qualified the Tiger Symphonic Band for the California State Band & Orchestra Festival at Sonoma State University in 2027, one of the state’s most prestigious music performance events.

Beyond the awards and recognition, students shared that band provided unforgettable memories through performances, competitions, and travel opportunities. Several seniors hope to continue their musical journeys after graduation by performing in college or professional bands, symphonies, or wind ensembles. As they move forward, Mr. Harris hopes they carry one lesson with them: “Believe in yourself regardless of the naysayers.”

The Tiger Symphonic Band’s achievement reflects the continued growth and excellence of music education throughout San Jacinto Unified School District and the dedication of students committed to reaching their highest potential.

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For decades those were often the only options. But in recent years, California has expanded opportunities for teachers to get paid training for work at high-need schools, namely through special grants and through programs known as teacher residencies. This fall, the state will launch its first registered apprenticeship program for teachers, which means it gives students a chance to earn a wage and a teaching credential at the same time.

These programs are promising, but they’re set against a troubling backdrop, said Mary Vixie Sandy, the executive director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, in a state hearing last month. “More teachers are entering the profession, but too many are leaving,” she said, adding that there is a “continued reliance on underprepared personnel, emergency-type permits, and substitutes to fill persistent vacancies.”

In the last academic year, almost 16,000 teachers in the state entered the classroom underprepared, about 5% of the total teacher workforce, according to the most recent report by the commission. It’s a significant increase compared to the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years. Areas in California’s Central Valley, the far north, and rural parts of the state, such as near the Sierra, have some of the highest rates of underprepared teachers.

Being a teacher is burdensome and for many, cost prohibitive, even in areas with a lower cost of living. California requires teachers to get a credential, which can cost over $30,000, in addition to a bachelor’s degree. Students also have to spend at least 600 hours in a classroom, often unpaid. As a result, many teachers carry student debt for years, according to an analysis from the Learning Policy Institute, an education research nonprofit.

While cheaper education and training programs exist, and some teachers in high-need areas are granted temporary permits to work without a full credential, it can take years to pay off the college debt. Starting salaries for teachers are low, often around $63,000 a year. Many new teachers quit, and retention rates are especially low for those who lack the proper credentials.

Nationally, both Democrats and Republicans have supported teacher apprenticeship programs. In his gubernatorial campaign in 2018, Gov. Gavin Newsom promised he’d create 500,000 apprenticeships over the next 10 years, many of them in fields where apprenticeships didn’t exist before, such as teaching. President Donald Trump said he’ll expand apprenticeships, too.

Still, to be recognized as an apprenticeship program by the state, employers and local agencies must go through complicated planning and vetting. The Tulare and Santa Clara county offices of education spent roughly two years setting up the first teacher apprenticeship programs, which will serve just eight students in the first year.

A teacher prep program with ‘divisive’ ideologies

In 2024, the Biden administration awarded the Tulare County Office of Education roughly $18 million to expand and improve teacher training, including designing future residencies and apprenticeships.

The Trump administration abruptly cut that funding last year, saying the grants promoted “ divisive ideologies,” such as diversity, equity and inclusion that no longer fit the U.S. Education Department’s “priorities.” The Hanford Joint Unified School District, about an hour south of Fresno, was one of many school systems affected by the federal cuts. Hanford has about 55,000 people, surrounded on all sides by dairy, nut and fruit farms or manufacturers who support them. Most people in Hanford have never finished college, making it particularly difficult for the district to find qualified teachers.

The district often temporarily waives the education and training requirements for new teachers, in some cases allowing them to take on a classroom alone with no prior experience. These emergency-style waivers or permits are especially common for teachers in math, science and special education.

The federal grant would have provided a pipeline for teacher residents in Hanford. Residents get full training and mentorship before they are in charge of a classroom and, as a result, have significantly higher retention rates than teachers with emergency-style permits or waivers, said Melanie Leung-Gagné, a researcher with the Learning Policy Institute.

Of the teachers who started at the Hanford school district without the proper training during the COVID-19 pandemic, about half have since left, according to local teacher data reviewed by CalMatters.

An easier hire but at what cost

Hanford West High School is a collection of long, single-story concrete buildings near the train tracks, which run north-south through the town. In Luis Garcia’s special education classroom, long chains of colored paper and posters cover his wall — his students recently decorated the classroom to celebrate his Teacher of the Year award.

But Garcia’s excellence is an exception in more ways than one. When he started teaching in 2018, he didn’t have the proper qualifications. For the first few years, such underqualified teachers are often called interns but are treated similarly to regular employees — handling an entire classroom on their own —- complete with a full-time salary. They are expected to simultaneously enroll in a program to gain their teaching license.

“In a pinch it’s much easier to hire an intern but at what cost,” said Brooke Berrios, who oversees some teacher preparation programs at the Tulare County Office of Education, including many at Hanford West High.

In retrospect, Garcia said more robust training, such as the residency or apprenticeship model, would have better prepared him for the job. “It was difficult because I was on my own,” he said while tidying the decorations before class one morning last month. He mentors both residents and interns now and said he can see clear differences in the quality of their training.

Trump cuts put a student’s future in flux

Unlike during Garcia’s internship, resident teachers aren’t responsible for a classroom their first year. Students co-teach with the help of a mentor while enrolled in a teaching preparation or graduate program. Residents receive a stipend of up to $40,000 during their first year of training. The new apprenticeship program will work similarly, at least in its first year. The main difference is that apprentices will also have jobs as substitute teachers, allowing them to earn more money on top of their stipend.

Last spring, Hayden Pulis was finishing his bachelor’s degree and helping coach football at the University of Central Oklahoma when he decided to return home to Hanford and become a teacher. “I didn’t have any teaching experience before,” he said, stepping away from his class and letting his mentor supervise the students. “Personally, I wasn’t ready to take over a classroom.” He applied to join the residency program at Hanford High School, 2 miles on the other side of the railroad tracks from Hanford West High, where Garcia teaches.

But a few weeks later, he learned in a meeting that the money was cut, putting his future in flux. In an average year, the Tulare County Office of Education supports about 20 residents, said Berrios. With the federal grant, the office was planning to serve almost 100 students, including Pulis, in collaboration with other county offices.

For weeks the district scrambled to find a solution for its incoming class. Using other state funds, Berrios said the school district was able to fulfill its commitment to Pulis, though his stipend was reduced to $35,000.

It was a “weight off my chest,” Pulis said. If the program hadn’t come through, he said he’d probably still be coaching football.

An opportunity to build wealth

All told, California has spent roughly $2.1 billion over the past decade to address teacher shortages, often through grants to make credentialing programs cheaper and make the training better. The largest pot of state funding goes toward residency programs, including the stipends.

There’s also the Golden State Teacher Grant, which gives students up to $10,000 toward the cost of their teaching credential. In return, aspiring teachers commit to working in schools, such as Hanford West High or Hanford High, where the students are majority low-income, English learners or foster youth. Pulis used the money to cover much of his tuition. The grant program is set to end this year, unless state lawmakers approve new funding in the upcoming budget.

Starting this summer, the state is launching a new grant that pays student teachers $10,000 for the hundreds of hours of classroom work during their preparation.

For Pulis, just thinking about the impact of these programs on his life makes him emotional. The grants allowed him to get a head start on building wealth, he said, speaking for himself and his wife, who is working as a waitress while in nursing school. In the past year, Pulis got married and moved to California — major expenses that would have been much harder to bear, he said, if not for the Golden State Teacher Grant and the $35,000 residency stipend.

Many of these grants and programs didn’t exist when Garcia was starting as a teacher in 2018. The internship was the only feasible route financially, he said, since other programs required him to study or work without a salary.

Internship programs, such as the one Garcia did, often pay more than more rigorous training programs, such as residencies, though Berrios said she intends to continue bringing those costs down.

Garcia still has about $30,000 in debt from the graduate-level teaching program he enrolled in as an intern. He also has another $50,000 in debt from his bachelor’s degree at Sacramento State.

Still, he said he had no regrets and was proud of his recent Teacher of the Year award. “Am I rich? No. But it’s nice that your colleagues see your hard work and your students praise you.”

When asked if the award came with a cash prize, he laughed and said no. “I’ll gladly take a donation.”

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The Tigers advanced through a competitive playoff bracket, demonstrating consistency, teamwork and strong in-game execution throughout their run. Their performance culminated in a finals appearance that underscored both the players’ dedication and the program’s development in a short period of time.

The team faced a formidable opponent in Franklin High School, setting up a highly competitive championship matchup. The finals were held April 25, 2026, at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where teams from across the state gathered to compete for the title.

Head coach Jeremy Murphy credited the players’ work ethic and commitment for the team’s success, noting that their ability to compete at a high level reflected the strength of the program. He emphasized that reaching the finals in such a short time spoke volumes about the players’ dedication and competitive spirit.

The CIF esports initiative continued to expand opportunities for student-athletes, providing a platform for competition while promoting skills such as collaboration, strategy and communication. San Jacinto’s deep playoff run illustrated how esports has become an increasingly important part of the educational and extracurricular landscape.

Community members and supporters rallied behind the team as they competed on the state stage, celebrating the Tigers’ achievement and the growing recognition of esports in high school athletics.

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But the rise of artificial intelligence has scrambled those calculations. The basic skills she was learning in things like statistical analysis and coding can now easily be automated. “Everyone has a fear that entry-level jobs will be taken by AI,” said the 20-year-old at Miami University in Ohio.

A few weeks ago, Timperman switched her major to marketing. Her new strategy is to use her undergraduate studies to build critical thinking and interpersonal skills — areas where humans still have an edge.

“You don’t just want to be able to code. You want to be able to have a conversation, form relationships and be able to think critically, because at the end of the day, that’s the thing that AI can’t replace,” said Timperman, who is keeping analytics as a minor and plans to dive deeper into the subject for a one-year master’s program.

Today’s college students say that picking a major that’s “AI-proof” feels like shooting at a moving target as they prepare for a job market that could be fundamentally different by the time they graduate.

As a result, many are reconsidering their career paths. About 70% of college students see AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to a 2025 poll by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, while recent Gallup polling finds U.S. workers are increasingly concerned about being replaced by new technologies.

Students seeking majors that teach ‘human’ skills

The uncertainty appears most concentrated among those pursuing degrees in technology and vocational areas of study, where students feel a need to develop expertise in AI but also fear being replaced by it. A recent Quinnipiac poll found the vast majority of Americans believe it’s “very” or “somewhat” important for college and university students to be taught how to use AI, as Gallup Workforce polling finds AI is getting adopted in technology-related fields at higher rates. Meanwhile, students studying healthcare and natural sciences may be less impacted by AI overhauls, Gallup found.

“We see students all the time change majors. That’s not new or different. But it’s usually for a ton of different reasons,” said Courtney Brown, a vice president at Lumina, an education nonprofit focused on increasing the number of students who seek education beyond high school. “The fact that so many students say it’s because of AI — that is startling.”

A recent Gallup poll of Generation Z youth and adults, between the ages of 14 and 29, found increasing skepticism and concerns about AI. Although half of Gen Z adults use AI at least “weekly,” and teenagers report higher use, many in this generation see drawbacks to the technology and worry about AI’s impact on their cognitive abilities and job prospects. About half — 48% — of Gen Z workers say the risks of AI in the workforce outweigh the possible benefits.

Part of the challenge for college students is that the experts they would typically turn to for advice, like advisers, professors and parents, don’t have any answers. “Students are having to navigate this on their own, without a GPS,” says Brown.

That uncertainty was evident last month at Stanford University, where the leaders of several prominent universities gathered for a wide-ranging panel discussion on the future of higher education. Topics of concern included the AI revolution that is transforming how students learn and forcing educators to rethink pedagogy.

“We need to think really hard about what students need to learn to be successful in the job market in 10, 20, 30 years,” said Brown University President Christina Paxson.

“And none of us know. We don’t know the answer to that,” Paxson said. “I think it’s communication, it’s critical thought. The fundamentals of a liberal education are probably more important than learning how to code in Java right now.”

Anxiety also reaches computer science majors

Computer science major Ben Aybar, 22, graduated last spring from the University of Chicago and applied for about 50 jobs, mostly in software engineering, without getting a single interview. He pivoted to a master’s degree in computer science and meanwhile has found part-time work doing AI consulting for companies.

“People who know how to use AI will be very valuable,” said Aybar, who sees new jobs emerging that require AI skills, particularly for people who can explain the complexities in layman’s terms. “Being able to talk to people and interact with people in a very human way I think is more valuable than ever.”

At the University of Virginia, data science major Ava Lawless is wondering if her major is worthwhile but can’t get concrete answers. Some advisers feel that data scientists will be safe because they’re the ones building AI models, but she keeps seeing gloomy job reports that indicate the contrary.

“It makes me feel a bit hopeless for the future,” Lawless said. “What if by the time I graduate there’s not even a job market for this anymore?”

She is considering switching to studio art, which is her minor.

“I’m at a point where I’m thinking if I can’t get a job being a data scientist, I might as well pursue art,” she said. “Because if I’m going to be unemployed, I might as well do something I love.”

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And then there’s Orick.

The picturesque town in northern Humboldt County has a historic school with five classrooms, a gym, a vegetable garden and an expansive play field. Its current enrollment: nine. Its expenses: $118,000 per student per year, more than five times the state average.

California has dozens of school districts with enrollments under 100 and higher-than-average expenses. Most of these districts are in remote areas miles from the next nearest school. But as urban districts grapple with the threat of school closures and the inevitable backlash from families and staff, rural schools face an even more heart-wrenching scenario: close the school and decimate the town.

“Close the school? It comes up all the time,” said Orick Elementary School District Superintendent Justin Wallace. “But I’d say it’s an equity issue. We have families who can’t afford a lot, and this school provides the most consistent setting for our kids. They’re safe, they’re well fed, they’re learning.”

Most of these rural towns once had booming local economies. Logging, ranching, farming, mining and other industries employed generations of families. In the 1960s Orick had 3,000 people and nearly 300 students in its school. There were seven lumber mills, grocery stores, restaurants, churches, even a movie theater.

But as California’s economy changed and jobs in these towns vanished, many communities struggled to find a new purpose. In Orick, the lumber mills gradually closed, the National Park Service claimed much of the surrounding land and residents moved elsewhere. Now, Orick has about 300 people and an average household income that’s just under $39,000 a year — a third of the state average. According to Orick School’s accountability plan, Orick residents “experience high rates of poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, domestic violence, substance abuse, and run-ins with the criminal justice system due to limited resources and high community rates of intergenerational trauma.”

‘Terrified’ of closure

In towns like Orick, the school serves as a savior, of sorts. It’s a community hub, one of the few sources of decent-paying jobs and a symbol of hope for the future. It’s a central part of the town’s identity. The school in Orick operates as a food pantry for the community, gives away clothes to families in need, hosts Narcotics Anonymous meetings and runs a toddler playgroup. The district bought a washer and dryer so residents have a place to do laundry.

Kimberly Frick is the fifth generation in her family to attend Orick School. She remembers when the classrooms were full, students won trophies and the town was like a close-knit family. Now she’s president of the school board and fights to keep the school open. Saving the school, she said, is tantamount to saving the town.

She and Wallace scour the area to find new students for the school. Every time a new family moves to town, they visit and try to persuade them to enroll their children. Other community members chip in, as well, by fixing up homes, keeping the town clean and participating in the volunteer fire department, water district and other local services.

“I feel terrified about the possibility of the school closing. I’d hate to see it happen on my watch,” Frick said. “The facility is clean, safe, well maintained. We provide a high-quality, individualized education for each child.”

Orick, whose name originates from the language of the nearby Yurok tribe, sits in a lush valley along Redwood Creek, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Ranges. A herd of about 60 elk roam through the town and are frequent visitors to the school play field. There’s a pizza truck, a small convenience store and a newly refurbished hotel. A rodeo draws crowds every July.

But much of the town is abandoned or dilapidated. A trailer park near the school is strewn with trash and broken furniture. Many of the buildings are boarded up. There’s no gas station. The post office is only open a few hours a day.

Budget breakdown

California funds its schools based on how many students show up every day. But small districts get most of their money in grants, in order to protect them from wild fluctuations in revenue. Last year Orick received $774,000 from the state and federal governments. The school gets extra money because so many of its students have high needs: all are low-income and more than half receive special education services. Some years, numerous students are homeless or in foster care.

Most of the budget goes toward salaries. The school has four full-time staff: two teachers, an administrative assistant and Wallace’s position, which includes serving as superintendent, principal, literacy coach and special education director. A janitor, cook, counselor, special education teacher and after-school teacher all work part time. Maintaining the school buildings is expensive: heating bills can cost $1,100 a month. So is transportation, because everything is far away. When the students take swim lessons, for example, a driver transports them 30 miles south to McKinleyville. Whatever funds are left over go toward student supplies and enrichment activities like field trips.

An obvious way for the state to save money would be to merge Orick School District with its neighbor, Big Lagoon Union Elementary District, 15 miles south. But the merged district would only save money on facility costs and one superintendent’s salary, totaling less than $200,000 a year, because the new merged school would have higher expenses, such as the cost of transporting students 30 miles round-trip every day.

A merger would also alienate one of the communities, Wallace said. Both communities are highly invested in their schools and prize their independence and local control, he said.

How to close a district

In the early 20th century, California had more than 3,500 school districts, each with its own school board, superintendent and unique traditions. To save money, the state gradually winnowed the number down to the 1,000 that exist today. But there are holdouts. Sonoma County, for example, has 40 school districts, some with only a handful of students.

“It’s one of the most common questions we get: Why do we have 40 school districts?” said Eric Wittmershaus, spokesman for the Sonoma County Office of Education. “Everyone in the community agrees it’s too many. The problem is that no one wants to close their school.”

California has a lax attitude toward closing under-enrolled schools. The state lets a district’s average daily attendance slip below six before it intervenes. In those cases, the county can request a temporary waiver, in hopes that enrollment increases, or start the process of consolidating the district with one of its neighbors. But consolidation rarely happens because local officials and voters have the ultimate say.

In 2011, the Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended upping the minimum district size to 100, but the recommendation was never implemented. In fact, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s current budget includes a 20% boost in funding for schools that the state deems to be “ necessary small schools,” which are elementary schools with fewer than 97 students – or high schools with fewer than 287 students – at least 10 miles from the nearest other school.

Grand juries in Santa Clara and Sonoma counties have recommended consolidating small districts to save money, but neither of those reports led to changes.

Still, some experts say that financial realities may force the issue. Enrollment is declining nearly everywhere and it might not be the best use of taxpayer money to pay for half-empty classrooms and deserted playgrounds.

“Do we need to provide a school in every community? A post office? What if that community barely exists?” said Carrie Hahnel, senior associate partner at Bellwether, an education research nonprofit. “We guarantee a free public education to every child, but do we guarantee a school in every community?”

Now and then, districts will shutter. Last year, Green Point Elementary District, deep in the Klamath mountains, consolidated with a neighboring district when its enrollment fell to three (its per-pupil spending was $108,000 a year). In Sonoma County, Kashia Elementary District, with eight students last year, is at risk of closing next year.

Schools reclaimed by nature

Enrollment in Humboldt County has been declining steadily since at least the 1990s, and isn’t expected to rebound any time soon. A century ago the county had about 100 school districts, essentially one in every mill town, but as the mills closed the districts gradually closed, too.

Some of those towns — and their schools — have been swallowed up by the redwood forests. The old logging town of Falk, for example, had a school, mill, post office, dance hall and about 400 residents. After the mill closed, the town gradually emptied out and the Sierra Pacific lumber company, which owned the land, tore down whatever buildings were left in 1979. “Aside from the rose bushes and English ivy, the town of Falk has literally disappeared,” according to the county’s visitor guide.

Michael Davies-Hughes, the county superintendent of schools, encourages small districts to plan ahead to avoid abrupt mid-year closures, which are disruptive to students, families and staff.

“We want districts to be proactive, so they have options,” Davies-Hughes said. “For some, the current model may be increasingly difficult to maintain.”

Outdoor ed and Native traditions

In Orick, older students take a bus 40 minutes every day to attend high school in McKinleyville. Wallace and Frick said it’s unrealistic to put younger children on a bus for long distances, especially in bad weather. Humboldt County has long, dark, rainy winters, with roads often blocked by fallen trees, floods or mudslides.

Besides, Frick and Wallace said, Orick School does a great job educating its students, which is reason enough to keep it open. It has an exemplary outdoor education program, with students going on regular excursions into the nearby wilderness, learning about the local flora and fauna, the seasons and forest ecosystem. They raise trout and steelhead to be released in local waterways, test water quality in the creek and watch pollywogs turn into frogs in classroom terrariums.

Wildlife is all around them. In addition to the elk, students can observe condors and falcons soaring overhead, deer and coyotes hanging around the field and even the occasional bear. Students learn to fish, camp, raft and surf.

About half the students are Native American, and the school offers a robust education in Native traditions and history. A Yurok volunteer comes regularly to teach Yurok culture through activities such collecting acorns and making mash, and extracting pine nuts from pinecones to make beads.

“I mean, come on, how many other schools are in such an incredible setting?” Frick said. “Orick is a great place to go to school.”

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The search is being conducted with assistance from the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). A committee representing faculty, classified staff, administrators, the student body, trustees, and community members reviewed applications and conducted initial interviews.

On April 7, the committee completed semifinalist interviews and forwarded four candidates to the MSJC Board of Trustees for further consideration.

The finalists, listed alphabetically, are:

Dr. Lonita Cordova: Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services at San Joaquin Delta College and U.S. Navy veteran, Cordova has more than 20 years of experience in California’s community college system. Her background includes leadership roles at Modesto Junior College and Merced Community College District, with a focus on aligning institutional operations with student access and success initiatives.

Dr. Tawny Dotson: President of Yuba College, Dotson oversees institutional operations, including instruction, student services, and fiscal management. Her career includes leadership roles across multiple states and service as a U.S. Air Force officer. She is active in statewide and national higher education leadership initiatives.

Dr. Jeannie G. Kim: President of Santiago Canyon College, Kim has more than 35 years of experience across the University of California, California State University, and community college systems. Her work has focused on strategic planning, institutional change, and the integration of technology in education.

Dr. Daniel López: President of Harold Washington College in Chicago, López has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership. His work has centered on student success, academic programs, and equity initiatives. He is involved in several national higher education organizations.

Public forums for the finalists are scheduled for April 21, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the college district’s Temecula Valley Campus boardroom (TA-301). The sessions will be open to the public and livestreamed.

A link to the livestream and a form for submitting questions and feedback will be made available on the college’s presidential search website.

The Board of Trustees is expected to select the next superintendent/president in May.

More information about the search and finalists’ bios are available at: https://msjc.edu/presidentialsearch/

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