Week of September 29, 2025

Hi fam,

Hope everyone had a rejuvenating weekend. Thank you all for coming back again this week to practice and live our collective and personal mission to “create opportunities one student at a time”. To do our part in helping all who seek an education to have access to achieving and earning their certificates or degrees is what we are here for.

This week I didn’t get as much time to reflect as I would like, so this week’s message may be more of what I did, and as I have an out of town meeting at the end of this week, perhaps during my drive time, I will be able to enjoy the solitude and use the quite time to reflect.

Monday, I had my weekly meeting with the other presidents. We talked about budgets, KPI slide decks, ICE trainings, and preparation for the Board meeting this week. I spent some time reviewing the AgTec grant, and I ended my day at Chancellor’s Cabinet where we reviewed the Board agenda and reviewed ARs.

Tuesday morning, we had Communications Council, and we spent a lot of time reviewing the Board agenda and the order of items on the agenda, as well as a discussion about the budget by Vice Chancellor David El Fattal. I had the chance to tell Nico Happy 16th Anniversary of his work anniversary here at the college. He has done a great job keeping up and helping to problem-solve issues that require IT innovation. I came back to the College and had our President’s Cabinet where I updated them on the ARs discussed in Chancellor’s Cabinet. I submitted the College’s Kresge Foundation interim report as the deadline was September 30th. We met the deadline. There were a few technical issues with the District’s Financial Report, but we got the report submitted. I then went to the men’s soccer game for a few minutes and ended my day with my African American President’s Advisory meeting. I want to thank Clark-Lauren Richard for presenting on the BAASE program.

I started my Wednesday doing blood work for a 6month check-in. I started my workday at Herndon as I had done every day this week . I then went to the Habitat for Humanity Greater Fresno Area Luncheon. I sat with a young man who works at the Fresno Rescue who was highlighted for getting his house. Also, I met with the CEO of the Fresno Housing Authority who wants to continue working with us on developing strategies to get more of his residents into college. The lady next to me was a real estate agent who helped others get into their homes but could not qualify for her own was also a recipient of a Habitat home. Needless to say, I didn’t have a dry eye, and I was strengthened in my resolve to creating opportunities one student at a time for each and every one of our students.

I ended my day having my Business Industry & Community President’s Advisory meeting. We updated them about SBDC. Rich gave a wonderful presentation, and we talked about the increase in young people wanting to pursue their own small business or business on the side post COVID. Rich will be an incredible resource for these leaders as they encounter people who want to start a business. James presented on our F3 and AgTec program. We educated them on the terms and meaning of CPL and CBE.

Thursday morning, I started at the Clovis Unified State of the District Superintendent’s Breakfast. We met at the new Clovis South campus. Wow! What a facility and the pride of the students, faculty and staff was amazing. I sat with Trustee Ikeda, met with the Superintendent and Senator Shannon Grove. I left encouraged that our new sports complex and Kinesiology building will meet the needs of these Clovis South high school graduates. I left early so that I could attend our Clovis ICE on campus training. The training was facilitated by our legal team. There were several questions about process and timelines. What will be our process for Herndon? What is our process for evening and weekends? I am in the process of developing our protocol based on the strategies outlined during that meeting.

We then had College Council where we had constituency and committee reports. We took another look at the goals of College Council, and we affirmed that we would continue with the ones from last year. We talked about timelines for the Enrollment Management Plan as well as the Technology Plan because now that both the integrated 2035 and the College’s Strategic Plan are completed, we need to complete these plans and assure that they are in alignment. We reviewed ARs and the list of mini grants to be submitted to the Foundation for review and approval.

I had a welcoming visit from Janice who stopped by to let me know that both of her conference proposals on Polar STEAM had been accepted and she was also selected to serve as chair. Congrats Janice! You are doing amazing work. And our Speech and Debate team is starting off with a great season as well. Congratulations to all of our coaches and students. I am looking forward to a stellar year.

Friday, I started off in Madera at the Madera President’s State of the College address. We were at the new AGAVE Distillery site. It is beautiful and the morning was very good. I then spent 4 hours at a District meeting with our team and the team from Reedley and Fresno City to build capacity on CBE with the consultants from Career Ladders Project. I left and had the pleasure of spending time at the Child Development Center with parents, their children, and the Basic Needs and Clothing Closet teams. I left there and caught the last half of the women’s soccer team winning their game 1-0. The women are looking really good this season. Coaches and trainers are doing a great! I missed Anna singing the national anthem, but I know she was great.

Saturday, I attended and spoke at BWOPA 4th Annual Fannie Lou Hamer Rally. I was there with the Mayor of Kerman, Congressman Jim Costa, Assemblywoman Soria, Dr. Goldsmith, President Whisenhunt and Deputy Chancellor Holt-McDonald. I came home and walked my dog.

And Sunday after I attended church, I attended the Central Valley Black Nurses Association Tea Party. It was a “high tea” party. People had hats and gloves. Sorry y’all I did not. Next year I will do a better job representing you. I sat next to the keynote speaker, a nationally renowned nurse leader and we talked about building a partnership between what she does and our pre nursing and allied health initiatives.

Throughout the week I texted and talked to Jami De La Cerda about the groundbreaking event. She is so very excited and while I celebrate with her, I mourn the loss of one of my other donors Adam who passed Wednesday from cancer.

This week, we have our Board meeting in Madera and our groundbreaking on Wednesday. I hope many of you will be able to join us. As soon as the groundbreaking concludes, I will be traveling to Irvine to attend the state’s Collective Equity Institute. I will return and immediately repack to go to the HBCU tours where I will be meeting with several presidents about our HBCU transfer agreement as well as our Faculty Intern Training program. The following week, I will have the pleasure of spending some extended time with my mom and it will be my first opportunity to do so since my dad passed. I am looking forward to doing whatever she wants to do.

I will miss you all but I know you will handle things in my absence as you are the most student centered and passionate group of professionals, I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Bonnie has the list of Administrator in Charge during this time, and I will always be available in the event of an emergency.

Take care of yourselves

In service,

Kim E. Armstrong, Ph.D.