Dr. Dotson succeeds Dr. Roger Schultz, who retired after 25 years of service to MSJC, including 18 years as Superintendent/President. She becomes the first woman to serve as Superintendent/President of Mt. San Jacinto College and assumes leadership of one of California’s largest community college districts, serving approximately 30,000 students annually across Riverside County.

Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Dotson has earned a reputation as an innovative leader, collaborative partner, and passionate advocate for student success. As she begins her tenure, she plans to spend time listening, learning, and building relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community partners across the District’s campuses and service region.

“The Board sought a leader who would honor MSJC’s strong foundation while embracing the continued evolution of an institution that is already thriving,” said MSJC Board of Trustees President Tom Ashley. “We found that leader in Dr. Dotson. She brings a thoughtful and forward-looking vision that reflects the values that define our college—excellence, integrity, access, and, above all, a commitment to student success.”

In a video message released on her first day, Dr. Dotson acknowledged the excitement and the uncertainty that naturally accompany change while inviting the MSJC community to embark on the College’s next chapter together.

“As an educator and leader, I believe community colleges were created to complete a promise to our students and our community,” Dr. Dotson said. “That promise begins with open, equitable access, continues by helping students succeed through persistence, retention, and completion, and culminates in opportunities for great careers and successful transfer pathways. I hope to join you in building on that strong foundation, accelerating momentum, amplifying accomplishments, and driving student success.”

Dr. Dotson emphasized that her first year will focus on listening and learning from the people who make MSJC exceptional while working collaboratively to shape the College’s future.

“I’m going to start by listening and learning about what we value and appreciate about what we do at Mt. San Jacinto College,” she said. “Collaboration is important to me because, as the proverb says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'” Over the coming weeks and months, Dr. Dotson will continue visiting MSJC’s campuses and engaging with faculty, staff, students, educational partners, elected officials, and community stakeholders throughout the region.

Dr. Dotson assumes leadership at a time of continued momentum for the College. This year, MSJC awarded a record 3,881 degrees and certificates, continues to expand educational opportunities throughout Southwest Riverside County and the San Gorgonio Pass, and is advancing major initiatives that support student success, workforce development, university transfer pathways, and regional economic growth.

Members of the community are invited to hear directly from Dr. Dotson by watching her first-day message at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3zESKLGF9x4.

As Superintendent/President, Dr. Dotson will oversee the College’s three campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee, and Temecula, leading the institution’s mission of transforming learners, communities, and lives through accessible, high-quality education.

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Everybody wants to be a leader in our society these days. Even bookstores have shelves and shelves of books on being a leader – “Dare to Lead” – “She thinks Like a Boss” – and “The Rising Leader” to name just a few. There’s even a leadership book for children called, “The Little Leader.” I was able to find one on ‘following’ – “The Art of Followership: How Great Followers Create Great Leader.” – which brings us right back to leadership.

But interestingly, Jesus calls us to be followers. In fact, Jesus used those exact words 21 times in the Bible. In Luke 9 Jesus said: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way take up your cross daily and follow Me.” Those who heard those words and had that invitation often ran off to their friends & family and flatly stated, “We’ve found the Messiah – come and see.”Jesus was a faithful, trustworthy, and reliable leader – easy to follow someone like that.

Frank believed that 5 was his special number. He was bon on May 5th, had 5 children and lived at 555 East 55th Street. At the track on his 55th birthday, he was surprised to find a horse named Numero Cinco running in the 5th race. So 5 minutes before the race, he went to the 5th window and put 5 thousand dollars on Numero Cinco. Sure enough, the hose finished 5th. Poor Frank. His trust was in a number or the fortune behind a number. Often we don’t find that the path we’re taking is not trustworthy until it’s too late.

Those who would follow Jesus must be intentional – it’s a calculated decision to follow – not just an emotional choice. Authentic discipleship doesn’t follow salvation automatically – always a choice. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wisely noted: “Salvation without discipleship is cheap grace.” And there’s nothing cheap about what Jesus did on the cross for us! So – let’s check out that Luke 9:23 verse again in the Message Bible: “Anyone who intends to come with Me has to let Me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat – I am.” So the art of ‘followship’ is a very intentional resolve.

General Eisenhower used to demonstrate the art of leadership with a piece of simple string. He’d put it on the table and say, “Pull it and it will follow wherever you wish.

Push it and it will go nowhere at all. It’s just that way when it comes to leading people. They need to follow a person who is leading by example.” So basically Jesus is calling us to be followers who will then lead others by our example. It’s lead, follow, or get out of the way! “Lead” (take the initiative in guiding others – “Follow” (support the leader’s vision) – or “Get Out of the Way” – (step aside if you’re not contributing effectively.)

A story is told about a young salesman who was disappointed about losing a big sale. As he talked with his sales manager he complained, “I guess it just proves you

can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” The manager replied, “Son, take my advice – your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty.”

And thanks to the Holy Spirit we really have an easy job. All we have to do is testify and be a witness and He will do the rest. As Acts 1:8 so wonderfully tells us – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” To the ends of the earth…think Hemet fits that bill?

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information you may contact them at Dpcitychurch.org

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   Patton first saw combat and gained fame chasing Poncho Villa in 1916. He earned a Purple Heart in 1918 for combat wounds while under German machine-gun fire. And interestingly, his grandfather – Benjamin Davis Wilson – was the second elected major of Los Angeles (1851) – Mt. Wilson is named after him.  

   Gen. Dwight Eisenhower was aware of Patton’s fighting style and aggressive tactics, but also considered him “indispensable to the war effort.” A situation arose in 1945, around taking the city of Trier. Here is how the dialogue went between these two generals: Gen. Eisenhower: “You are to bypass the city of Trier, as it will take four divisions to capture it.” Gen. Patton’s reply: “Have taken Trier with two divisions. What do you want me to do? Give it back?” Classic George!

   Taking territory is an interesting endeavor and even more so when considering exactly what type of territory we’re talking about. Let’s understand that God’s territory and economy doesn’t operate by the same principles that the world runs on! 

   There was once a king in the Bible – Jabez – who prayed this prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil.” God granted him what he requested. But notice what Jabez didn’t pray for – he didn’t ask for more power, more wealth, or more troops. He asked that the Lord would enlarge his territory. So what is that exactly?

   As it pertains to us, I would venture to say part of gaining territory is winning the lost to Jesus Christ. But gaining territory also means asking for more opportunities to share our good news. Romans 10 asks: “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Hint: The simple rule of evangelism = Those who know, tell those who don’t.

   The story is told of a famous evangelist who was preparing for a meeting in a large city. He wrote a letter to the major asking for names of individuals who had a spiritual problem and needed help or prayer. The major responded with a copy of the city directory. 

   Lord – enlarge our territory – take us out of our comfort zones as we shop for groceries, stand in line at the post office, or go to the gym. The next time you wait in your car at a red light, watch the pedestrians as they cross in front of you and pray for them. It’s not that difficult. Enlarge your territory! Ask God for courage like Moses, a fervor like the believers in the early church, an obsession for showing Christ to others like the Apostle Paul, and a radical desire to spread the faith like Peter! 

   Once, while waiting in a cemetery for a funeral service, evangelist Charles Simeon (1759-1836) walked among the graves, reading the markers. He found one that especially caught his eye: “When from the dust of death I rise, To claim my mansion in the skies, E’en then shall this be all my plea- “Jesus hath lived and died for me.” 

   Simeon was so impacted with this gospel message that he looked for someone to share it with. He saw a young woman, obviously distressed, and shared it with her. He visited her the next day and found poverty & squalor. Her aged mother was dying and her two small children were dirty and trying to warm themselves by a small fire.

   Simeon visited again the next day, this time bringing assistance. Later, the young woman told him that she had been in the cemetery for five hours, trying to work up the nerve to take her life. Needless to say – Simeon’s interaction with her not only saved her life but I suspect her soul as well. It doesn’t get much better than that!

   Please – never forget – you may well be the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read!

Bob and Susan Becket pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno, who also represents one of the sponsors Altura Credit Union, emceed the event. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.

October’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Brooklynn Batlle, Maximus Pimentel, Shonclee Rene and Cyclaly Hernandez Villa. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for October are Stephanie Alcala, Kristi Chadha and Calvin Maxwell.

Hemet Unified School District

Brooklynn Batlle

Hemet High School singled out Brooklynn this month and teacher James Walsh coached her in Mock Trial where he said she was “instantly amazing.” He also coached her in tennis where she excelled. Brooklynn said, “From a very young age, I always wanted to prove I was worthy at the opportunity of life.” Being born to a teenaged mother led to her becoming a second parent to her siblings and having to grow up too fast. “As a young woman, I admire my mother’s will to do everything on her own but as a daughter, I had so much resentment towards here,” Brooklynn said. “By age 8, I was insecure in myself and always anxious.” Her mother’s new boyfriend led to Brooklynn being a secondhand victim to domestic violence and to her mother becoming a drug addict. The family became homeless, and Brooklynn lived in and out of motels most of her young life. Eventually she went to live with her grandmother but in 2018, she and her brother were able to go back to her mother, who had given birth to another daughter. Brooklynn could not escape her feelings of helplessness as anxiety and stress continued to consume her. “I thought I was broken as a person,” she said. In her junior year, she overfilled her plate to look better to others and in March of this year, she attempted suicide as a cry for help. So far in her senior year, she holds a 4.6 GPA, is president of AVID and plays varsity tennis, along with being involved with many community service clubs. Brooklynn plans to attend Cal Poly for her bachelor’s degree in animal science and then attend veterinarian school at UC, Davis. “There is something so special about helping a being that can’t help themselves and gaining that trust,” Brooklynn said.

Maximus “Ace” Pimentel

West Valley High School Principal Gerardo Zavala said Maximus has played football all four years, serving as captain for the past two and has led the team with his competitive spirit as both a linebacker and running back. “He often says that the best part of football has been the friendships and bonds he’s found with his teammates,” Zavala said. “Off the field, Maximus excels academically with math being his favorite subject. He’s also a dedicated member of our Folklorico group, following in the footsteps of his aunts who danced at the college level.” Maximus is also involved with LINK Crew and has been on the track, wrestling and stunt cheer teams. “Four years ago, during the pandemic, my family decided to leave L.A. for a quieter and less crowded place,” Maximus said. “I felt a mix of confusion and apprehension, realized that this move would be a significant life event with a major impact on me.” He said it wasn’t easy leaving everything behind and transitioning to a new school after being in the same school district from preschool through eighth grade, surrounded by friends, familiar teachers and the support of the community. Maximus tried to find his social footing by joining clubs, sports and extracurricular activities. “It is important for me to promote cultural awareness and to show that it’s okay to engage in activities that are often stereotyped as gender specific,” he said. “I proudly joined West Valley Folklorico as the first male dancer in a class of 18 girls. Since then, other boys have followed suit. Don’t limit yourself; seek out opportunities to be selfless.” Maximum plans to major in engineering at college and said the most important lesson he’s learned is to treat his grades like a paycheck, knowing that hard work is essential for a bright future.

Shonclee Rene

Alessandro High School Principal Matthew Centofranchi introduced Shonclee as a member of the Newcomer Academy at the continuation high school that is designed for students who are deficient in credits and new to this country. “Since coming to the school, she has been a superstar,” he said. “Everybody that has gotten to know Shonclee sees her as an inspiration. She embodies characteristics that we strive to see in our students, in ourselves, in our own children. She is resilient, she is dependable, dedicated, positive and an absolutely wonderful student to be around.” Teacher Javier Zamora said that after 25 years as a teacher, he had to redo everything he thought he knew about teaching to match the needs of the students in the Newcomer program that began last school year. Shonclee speaks four languages and is enrolled in Alessandro’s First Responder CTE pathway. She is on track to graduate this month and plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College before transferring to a four-year university to pursue a career in the medical field. She said many people die every day in her home country because crime is so rampant on the streets. When she turned 18, her parents stayed behind but sent Shonclee to America. “I hope and pray God will protect them every day,” she said. “I know how lucky I am to be able to come here so I can have a better life.”

Cyclaly Hernandez Villa

Hamilton High School selected Cyclaly as their Student of the Month for October. Nominating teacher Mary Kleinvachter taught Cyclaly in her World History class as a sophomore and this year in AP Government and Politics. “When she first entered high school, she got a diagnosis that would change the course of what she would do in high school,” Kleinvachter said. “She’s taken that energy and turned it into positivity and exceling in academics.” Cyclaly said, “I believe my greatest contribution to my community is volunteering as part of NHS (National Honor Society) with blood drives and veterans’ outreach.” She plans to become a math teacher and wants to return to Anza after college to also continue her volunteer work. Cyclaly was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disease that causes muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. While it was difficult to learn this, she said it answered the questions she had long had about why she couldn’t do some of the things her peers could do. “I’ve had to change my dreams because of my disability,” Cyclaly said. She loved the sport of basketball and had hoped to play in high school but couldn’t as her condition worsened. “I’ve had to face looks and comments from peers and strangers,” she said, adding that others should surround themselves with people that will support them in their life and impact it positively.

San Jacinto Unified School District

Stephanie Alcala

San Jacinto High School math teacher and baseball coach Merlin Torres said he met Stephanie in her sophomore year when she started doing stats for the team at the urging of a friend and classmate. “She is one of 1,200 students I’ve had since I started teaching and I will never forget her kindness,” Torres said. Stephanie was born in Texas and moved to California when she was four. While living in Orange County, she suffered a lot of abuse and sexual harassment. She began therapy at the age of six and lived in a one-bedroom apartment with her two sisters and parents. After struggling for a few years, they moved to San Jacinto where they found better opportunities for housing and schooling. “This changed me in good and bad ways,” Stephanie said. “I was labeled a bad kid because I couldn’t sit still. It’s safe to say we all understand pain and challenges of life but the way we work through those challenges is what makes us who we are. What we have endured and what we continue to endure is what pushes us to never want to stop to reach our successes. Every student here today can understand that being a student in these times is genuinely hard. I have always been told that I wasn’t smart, and I felt that way for a long time. People may come and go but God never leaves and never fails. I am here because of him but also because of my math teacher, Mr. Merlin Torres and my English teacher Mr. (Stiven) Castillo; they really helped me up again and pushed me to want something better for my future.” Stephanie plans to earn her college degree before starting California Highway Patrol training.

Kristi Chadha

San Jacinto Leadership Academy is new to the SOM program as this is the first year it has had a senior class, making the selection of Kristi extra special. Interim Principal Vince Record said staff cites Kristi as an inspiration to others at the rigorous school. Nominating teacher Matt Corum said, “As teachers, we only get to see a little slice of our students’ lives” but added that when seniors begin to write more about themselves for college essays, teachers learn more about them. When he read through Kristi’s essays, he learned that when she saw one of her friends struggling with food insecurity, she decided to do something about it and started a nonprofit to combat the problem. “I saw that as an incredible feat of selflessness and that’s why I nominated Kristi to be our school’s first ever Student of the Month,” Corum said. Kristi said when she learned that a large percentage of residents in the San Jacinto Valley are either low income or unhoused, she felt called to help in the best way that she could. “Helping others is something I always felt passionate about and that passion led me to create Supplies for Humanity, a nonprofit focused on addressing food insecurity in this community,” she said. “With a dedicated team of student volunteers from schools across the San Jacinto Valley, we’ve been able to help the needs of our own neighbors and in turn strengthen the bonds within our community.” Kristi is the founder and president of her campus’ Diversity Club to provide spaces for open dialogue and understanding between students of different backgrounds. She also founded the Guiding Lines mentoring program, which pairs older students with younger ones to offer guidance and support to navigate school. She has a passion for medicine and hopes to attend UCLA to major in biology and eventually practice pediatric medicine. “I want to be the kind of doctor who helps children feel seen and understood and cared for during their most vulnerable moments,” Kristi said.

Calvin Maxwell

Mountain View High School’s honoree for October is Calvin, who principal Ken Swanson described as the little engine who could. “He keeps chugging along and will get to the top of that hill,” he said. Teacher Trish Ochoa noted how Calvin made a powerful choice to transform his situation. “He’s put in the effort, showing that with dedication, hard work and the right mindset, it’s never too late to get back on track,” she said. Calvin said being at Mountain View helped him a lot. “It was rough growing up,” he said. “I had a single mom, and she worked her butt off to get us help in every way possible and I love her for that. My older sister died and that put a hole in us, and it was hard to get over that.” Because of rising housing costs, the family moved around a lot and Calvin and his siblings had to attend different schools. Once they got back on their feet, COVID hit, and he found online learning to be very difficult. “During my junior year, I was told how far behind I was, and it made me give up on myself but then Mountain View helped me,” Calvin said. He plans to major in computer science in college. “Never stop believing in yourself,” he said.

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

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Trump is a fighter. He fights hard, and he fights dirty. Some people may think he fights like a lunatic, but if one is fully committed, then the style of fighting is not important. Winning is important. Trump likes to win, even though he hasn’t won much in the last few years, but he does like to win. He keeps trying. He is tenacious. He is like the cobra—he strikes fast. His mouth is poisonous. But he is majestic in his snake-like qualities.

He likes to belittle his rivals. I wanted to say that he is like Muhammad Ali, in that he likes to taunt his opponents, but then, Ali was Black, and Trump would never like me to make that comparison. At the same time, I don’t think Muhammad Ali would be too happy either. Trump calls his opponents names, gives them derogatory titles, and insults their families. By the standards of civility, that may be wrong. But Trump has to be Trump. Civility is not his thing. It is actually beneath him to be civil, to show respect, or to be nice—especially if his opponent is a woman, even worse, a woman of color, who may be doing well in the polls and drawing larger crowds than him.

You see, crowd size does matter. Trump can’t have someone running against him who can claim to have a bigger crowd. That hits his masculinity where it hurts the most. He has to do what every man has done since the beginning of time. He has to inflate, enhance, and enlarge his crowd size via artificial means. He has to claim that it is much bigger than it really is because his followers are not going to question it, and those who are questioning it are not going to ask him to whip out his proof. Even then, he will just keep insisting that it is 10, 20, even 30 times bigger than, say, Martin Luther King’s. He just has to say it. Even if it is wrong, and even if it is not physically possible to stretch his crowd to such lengths, the news will make it to all corners of the world. If he repeats his claim enough times, it will echo throughout God’s kingdom, and people would only hear how big it is and believe it. Religion is all about blind faith, and he is our Messiah, the patron saint of imaginary crowd sizes.

He has to call her stupid. He has to say that she has a low I.Q. I can bet my bottom dollar that Trump does not even know what the acronym I.Q. stands for, but he is smart enough to know that saying someone has a low I.Q. is probably some sort of insult. He has no qualms about calling her dumb because he knows very well that his followers are dumb enough to just follow along. Even though she has two degrees, is a lawyer, a prosecutor, a senator, and the Vice President, it is okay to call her dumb just because she is running against him. Only a dumb person would run against Trump, knowing full well that Trump is going to say stupid, crazy, unhinged, irrational, outrageous, baseless, racist, sexist, and even borderline lunatic things about her. His followers would put all of her credentials aside and believe his rhetoric because that is what they want to believe.

It is not just his rivals that he likes to insult and belittle. He likes to extend that courtesy to our troops as well. He likes to say really obnoxious and insulting things about our bravest soldiers. Recently, he said that the civilian “Medal of Freedom” is better than the military “Medal of Honor,” our nation’s highest military award for bravery in combat. According to him, the “Medal of Honor” recipients are “… soldiers who’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they are dead,” while “Medal of Freedom” recipients are “beautiful and healthy.”

There are Marine veterans of almost 40 years who whine endlessly about Governor Walz and what they call his “stolen valor,” but they won’t say a thing about Trump’s complete lack of valor. Our soldiers literally put their lives on the line for our freedom, and the recipients of the “Medal of Honor” have actually given their lives for this nation, but that means nothing to Trump. He can’t really sell their lives and make money from them. Instead, those who give money to his party are better because they enrich Trump, and in return, Trump bestows upon them a “Medal of Freedom” to make them feel special and to thank them for their donations. An empty but profitable gesture from Trump. All in all, a vanity project that fits well with Trump’s personality.

Trump has every right to [S-word] on the bravery of our wounded and fallen soldiers because he was their Commander-in-Chief at one time, which gives him every right to disparage their sacrifices. If Trump were in their place, he would have never been hit by a bullet or been killed in combat. If it wasn’t for those darn bone spurs in his heels, he would have shown the world how to stay “beautiful and healthy” while fighting in a battle or trying to save your fellow soldiers. Oh, wait! As a matter of fact, he did show us exactly that when a young kid tried to take him out. The bullets didn’t even graze him.

If Trump were in Vietnam, he would not have been captured like that pesky naval aviator John McCain. He would have single-handedly won the war for us, and our military history would have been so much different, so much better. If Trump had ever been a soldier during the Civil War, as some of our “Medal of Honor” recipients were, he would have ended that war quickly and decisively. Even though it would have been the Confederacy that prevailed, Trump would have played an outsized role, as he is doing nowadays.

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