2020 Archive

Archived news releases from the Public Information Office

JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC

December

Board Holds Organizational Meeting

December 22, 2020 - The Board of Trustees received recognitions for service, swore in recently elected board members, named new officers, and set its 2021 meeting schedule.

Edison Awards Fire Tech Scholarships

December 16, 2020 - Ten College of the Canyons fire technology students have received $1,000 scholarships from Edison International to cover tuition, books and school-related fees.

MLT Class Passes Certification Exam

December 9, 2020 - While it's not the first time an entire College of the Canyons Medical Laboratory Technician cohort has passed the American Society for Clinical Pathologists National Board Exam on the first try, the Class of 2020 will go down in history nevertheless.

Athletics Will Not Compete in Upcoming Season

December 3, 2020 - Citing COVID-19 related health and safety concerns posed to student-athletes, coaches and support staff, College of the Canyons teams will not participate in the upcoming California Community College Athletic Association spring 2021 season.

Pandemic-Themed Production 'Virtuality' Goes Live

December 1, 2020 - Bringing‌ ‌to‌ ‌life‌ ‌the‌ ‌national‌ ‌conversation‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌trials‌ ‌and‌ ‌tribulations‌ ‌of‌ ‌2020,‌ the College ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Canyons‌ ‌Theatre‌ ‌Department‌ will present its ‌devised‌ ‌production‌ ‌"Virtuality: the 2020 Tournaments,"‌ Dec. 4 and 5.

Registration Under Way for Winter Session

December 1, 2020 - Registration is underway for the College of the Canyons winter session, which boasts more than 300 class sections.

November

College to Open Multicultural Center

November 25, 2020 - On Monday, Nov. 30, College of the Canyons will host a virtual soft opening of its Multicultural Center, which will provide safe and brave spaces for historically minoritized and marginalized groups to increased diversity, equity and inclusion.

'Woyzeck' Now Streaming

November 20, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Theatre Department's recorded production of "Woyzeck" will be available to stream online for free from Friday, Nov. 20 to Saturday, Dec. 12.

College Named Bellwether Finalist

November 12, 2020 - College of the Canyons is one of 30 community colleges selected by the Bellwether College Consortium as a finalist for a 2021 Bellwether Award, widely regarded as one of the nation's most competitive and prestigious recognitions for community colleges.

ECE Closed Due to COVID-19 Case

November 9, 2020 - College of the Canyons closed its Early Childhood Education Center for three weeks effective Monday, Nov. 9 after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

Assisting Student Veterans

November 9, 2020 - Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center continues to meet the needs of student veterans.

Thanksgiving Food Drive for Students

November 6, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Basic Needs Center (BaNC) and Rotary Club of the Santa Clarita Valley have partnered to host a Thanksgiving holiday food drive for students.

October

College Hosts International Youth Forum

October 30, 2020 - For the second year in a row, College of the Canyons will host an International Forum on Youth from Nov. 16 to 19 that will highlight the challenges faced by today's young people through lectures, scholarly presentations and other virtual events.

Public Artist Talk for 'Out in the Blue'

October 29, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Art Gallery will present a public artist talk with Brooke Sauer to accompany her solo virtual exhibition "Out in the Blue" at 2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9.

College Ranked by 'Hispanic Outlook'

October 27, 2020 - College of the Canyons has been ranked nationally No. 22 and 26 in The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine for enrolling the largest number of Hispanic students and granting the most degrees, respectively.

Students Chosen for Design Exhibit

October 26, 2020 - Three College of the Canyons architecture and interior design students have been selected to participate in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Los Angeles 2x8 Student Competition, Exhibition and Scholarship program.

Virtual Artist Talk with Eric Whitacre

October 23, 2020 - College of the Canyons proudly welcomes Eric Whitacre as the first featured guest in the School of Visual & Performing Arts Industry Insight Series on Monday, Oct. 26.

University Center Offers Open House

October 22, 2020 - The Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center will host a virtual open house event on Friday, Oct. 30 for prospective students interested in earning a bachelor's or master's degree through the center's partner institutions.

Star Party Scheduled for October 23

October 14, 2020 - Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the College of the Canyons Canyon Country Campus will host its fall 2020 star party virtually from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.

College to Host Green STEM Summit

October 12, 2020 - College of the Canyons and the Santa Clarita Environmental Education Consortium (SCEEC) will virtually host the 2020 Green STEM Summit on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the purpose of introducing students to green careers.

Cultural Festival Goes Virtual

October 9, 2020 - Since pandemic restrictions prohibit in-person gatherings, a number of College of the Canyons departments collaborated to organize and host the virtual 2020 Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Cultural Festival to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Virtual Job Fair Begins October 27

October 8, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Career Center has reformatted its annual fall Job Fair to an online three-day event to connect qualified candidates with companies looking to expand their workforce.

Foundation Executive Director Appointed

October 7, 2020 - The Santa Clarita Community College District and the College of the Canyons Foundation have announced the appointment of Michelle Rey to the post of Executive Director.

MakerSpace Donates Face Shields to UCLA Health

October 6, 2020 - The MakerSpace at College of the Canyons donated 100 face shields to UCLA Health Santa Clarita on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

September

College Recognized for Student Voting

September 16, 2020 - College of the Canyons was one of two California community colleges recognized as one of "America's Best Colleges for Student Voting" by Washington Monthly magazine for its commitment to inspiring students to vote and actively participate in community decisions.

Spring 2021 Remote Instruction

September 14, 2020 - College of the Canyons will continue with distance education through the end of the Spring 2021 semester, Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook announced in a message to the campus community.

Donation to Fund Auto Technology

September 11, 2020 - College of the Canyons has received a $20,000 donation from the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealer Association (GLANCDA) in support of the college's automotive technology program.

August

Remote Services to Support Students

August 25, 2020 - With campuses largely closed to students and the public for the fall 2020 semester, a wide range of student services are available remotely to support learning.

Free Classes Offered this Fall

August 21, 2020 - The School of Personal and Professional Learning will offer a tuition-free personal trainer certificate program and new math support classes this fall.

Online Training for Hart District

August 14, 2020 - The college provided a three-hour training session for 45 William S. Hart Union High School District instructional coaches and administrators to help them transition to online learning.

Chief Instructional Officer Named

August 10, 2020 - Dr. Omar Torres has been named chief instructional officer at College of the Canyons.

July

CARES Act Grants Still Available

July 30, 2020 - Emergency grants through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act are still available for College of the Canyons students.

Remembering Baseball Coach Gillespie

July 30, 2020 - Legendary baseball coach Mike Gillespie, who led the baseball program at College of the Canyons to three state titles before winning an NCAA National Championship with USC and later reestablishing the baseball program at UC Irvine, died July 29. He was 80.

Chancellor Named to 'Valley 200' List

July 28, 2020 - College of the Canyons Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook has been named to the San Fernando Valley Business Journal's "Valley 200" list.

Theatre Department Goes Virtual

July 21, 2020 - As the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered playhouses and theaters across the country, the College of the Canyons Theatre Department has found a way for the show to go on.

Registration Under Way for Fall Semester

July 20, 2020 - College of the Canyons has moved most of its courses to online and distance learning for the fall 2020 semester, ensuring students can access the classes they need.

June

Proposed State Budget to Protect Funding

June 24, 2020 - Governor Newsom and state legislative leaders reached an agreement on an amended state budget that prevents specific cuts to California community colleges.

Chancellor Joins Education Sector Work Team

June 9, 2020 - Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook has been appointed to L.A. County's Education Sector Work Team, which create a framework for reopening of colleges and universities.

Physics Student Finds Path at College

June 3, 2020 - If Leonardo Martinez were to trace his journey from graduating from Saugus High School to his College of the Canyons graduation on June 5, the line would be anything but linear.

Nursing Student Overcomes Setbacks

June 3, 2020 - Lianne McMahon will be become the first person in her family to graduate college when she receives her associate degree in nursing on June 3.

Honoring the Class of 2020

June 1, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Class of 2020 is truly unlike any other in the college's 50-year history.

May

From Graduation to the Frontline

May 29, 2020 - For the 60 graduates of the College of the Canyons Registered Nurse Class of 2020, entry into the world of nursing will be baptism by fire.

Fall Semester to Be Delivered Remotely

May 20, 2020 - To provide as little of a disruption as possible for students faculty and staff, College of the Canyons has announced that the fall 2020 semester will be primarily remote and online.

Virtual Graduation Announced

May 14, 2020 - In light of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, College of the Canyons will be holding a virtual commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Friday, June 5.

Summer Registration Under Way

May 12, 2020 - College of the Canyons will offer a robust schedule of four summer sessions to help students reach their goals during this unprecedented time. Classes start June 8.

District Communications Recognized

May 8, 2020 - The College of the Canyons District Communications Office has won three Paragon Awards from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations.

College Receives Arts Integration Grant

May 8, 2020 - College of the Canyons has received a $4,750 grant from the California Arts Council to fund an arts integration program.

CARES Act Emergency Grants Available

May 7, 2020 - College of the Canyons has been allocated approximately $3.1 million in CARES Act Emergency Grants for students with needs related to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

April

MakerSpace Creates 3D Face Shields

April 28, 2020 - As the coronavirus pandemic escalated and personal protective equipment remained scarce, MakerSpace turned on its lights and fired up its 3-D printing machines.

College Adjusts to Remote Learning

April 27, 2020 - When COC made the decision to transition most of its in-person courses to remote delivery, recreating an online classroom environment proved no easy feat.

Easter Meal for First Responders

April 13, 2020 - On Sunday, April 12, College of the Canyons classified staff members provided 70 Easter lunches for first responders at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and the L.A. County Fire Department COVID-19 testing site in Santa Clarita.

Laptop Lending Program Launched

April 8, 2020 - To assist students during the transition to remote instruction, College of the Canyons launched a laptop lending program that has supplied 200 laptops to students.

Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported

April 6, 2020 - Two more members of the College of the Canyons community have been diagnosed with coronavirus. These are the second and third cases connected to the college.

Registration Under Way for Free Classes

April 6, 2020 - Registration is under way for more than 40 free classes offered through the School of Personal and Professional Learning at College of the Canyons.

Short-Term Classes Still Available

April 3, 2020 - More than 100 short-term classes are still open to students looking to enroll in the College of the Canyons spring 2020 semester.

College Reports First COVID-19 Case

April 3, 2020 - A member of the College of the Canyons community has tested positive for coronavirus. This is the first confirmed case with a connection to the college.

New Fuel Cell System Up and Running

April 2, 2020 - The college moved one step closer to energy independence when its Bloom Energy Corp. fuel cell system went online for the first time.

March

Nursing Program Donates Supplies to Hospital

March 31, 2020 -The nursing program has donated essential equipment to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in light of the global shortage of personal protective equipment for health care professionals.

Instruction and Services Resume Remotely

March 23, 2020 - After a weeklong pause for most classes and services, College of the Canyons resumed instruction and the delivery of student services in remote formats.

Chancellor Granted Emergency Authority

March 19, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Thursday, March 18 to discuss the rapid developments in the college's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Student Services Transition to Remote Delivery

March 18, 2020 - To protect the health and safety of its campus community, College of the Canyons is converting in-person college services to remote delivery, a process expected to be completed by March 20.

In-Person Instruction Suspended Effective March 16

March 13, 2020 - In an effort to reduce exposure to coronavirus, College of the Canyons will suspend in-person instruction effective Monday, March 16.

Events Canceled During March and April

March 13, 2020 - In compliance with the state's ban on large gatherings to curb the spread of coronavirus, College of the Canyons has canceled events that were scheduled during the months of March and April.

Classes Canceled March 18 and 19

March 12, 2020 - Classes will not be held on Wednesday and Thursday, March 18 and 19 as College of the Canyons prepares for the transitioning of in-person spring semester classes to remote learning formats. The move was made in light of concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus.

Promise Information Sessions Scheduled for March

Note: Event canceled/postponed in light of concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus.

March 6, 2020 - College of the Canyons will offer five information sessions to students, parents and community members interested in learning more about the Canyons Promise program on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

College Among Top 25 for Hispanics

March 4, 2020 - College of the Canyons has been ranked nationally No. 22 and 25 in The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine for enrolling the largest number of Hispanic students and granting the most degrees, respectively.

February

College Designated as Official L.A. County Vote Center

February 20, 2020 - For 11 straight days, College of the Canyons will operate an official Los Angeles County Vote Center for the upcoming Presidential Primary.

Free Financial Aid Workshops Scheduled

February 20, 2020 - The College of the Canyons Financial Aid Office has scheduled free financial aid application workshops throughout the Spring 2020 semester for students at the Valencia and Canyon Country campuses.

College Receives $400,000 Mental Health Grant

February 19, 2020 - The Santa Clarita Community College District has received a $400,000 grant from the California Community College Chancellor's Office to expand and enhance mental health services and awareness to students and the campus community.

Audit Confirms Bond Measures' Compliance

February 10, 2020 - The Bond Oversight Committee has accepted the results of an audit confirming that, for the 12th year in a row, the college has properly accounted for all bond expenditures.

Women's Conference Slated for March 21