CR's February 6, 2026 Times Standard Article: Meaningful Partnerships Ensure Success

Published on Feb 4 2026

Throughout our history, America has valued individualism and self-reliance. I remember as a young child learning about explorers and pioneers who led the colonization of the American West and the notable entrepreneurs and business leaders who shaped the development of the industrial United States seemingly by themselves.  

However, contrary to the American individualistic ethos, the future of higher education lies in its ability to develop and nurture beneficial partnerships. As an institution, I know that College of the Redwoods will face several “wicked problems,” a term coined by design theorists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber, that can only be addressed through collaboration with both those we agree with and those we do not. 

This idea resonates with a fundamental truth I learned by participating in competitive athletics and serving in the military, that no matter how good you think you are, you will not be very successful independently. Helen Keller reflected this truth when she wrote many years ago, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”  

I believe that College of the Redwoods’ success is dependent upon our ability to form meaningful relationships with our educational and business communities, thus ensuring that we make a lasting impact on student achievement and the economic vitality of our region. This philosophy is evident in our most recent and most innovative education master plan. One of the goals articulated in that document urges CR to partner with Cal Poly Humboldt to become its preferred transfer pathway. This goal is intended for students outside the region as much for local students, with the aim of helping students who might not have initially considered CR see it as the ideal choice if their ultimate goal is to transfer to Humboldt.  

 Like any successful partnership, the key to effective institutional collaboration is finding the right partner, one that brings complementary skills and shared goals. That commitment is especially important as Cal Poly Humboldt enters a new era of leadership, and as we look ahead to continuing and strengthening the work our two institutions have built together. 

I was fortunate to foster strong collaborative relationships with Dr. Tom Jackson and Dr. Michael Spagna, the last two presidents of Cal Poly Humboldt, with Dr. Spagna serving in an interim role. In those two leaders, CR found outstanding collaborators who believed that, when institutions from two different higher education systems join forces, we can introduce new perspectives and ideas that would not have emerged in isolation.  

As we continue this work, I want to welcome Dr. Richard Carvajal, Cal Poly Humboldt’s new president. I am excited to begin this next chapter of collaboration under his leadership and look forward to building upon a relationship that has already delivered meaningful outcomes for students and our region. 

Not only do I believe that this partnership is good for the community, but I can say without any doubt that it has helped reshape College of the Redwoods. We have focused our resources on developing academic programs that align with the most high-demand transfer pathways and developed joint academic programs such as the concurrent RN-to-BSN nursing initiative and other degree bridges. We have also strengthened advising and admissions coordination to ensure students are supported from enrollment at CR through matriculation to Humboldt. 

The collaboration between CR and Cal Poly Humboldt has led to the joint state-of-the-art Healthcare Hub in Arcata that will transform healthcare in our area, becoming the epicenter of healthcare education on the North Coast and train thousands of professionals in the coming years. It also produced agreements including guaranteed admission for CR graduates to Cal Poly Humboldt, reverse transfer options to complete associate degrees, and access for CR students to Humboldt’s new residence halls. It has produced a Memorandum of Understanding between CR, Cal Poly Humboldt, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe that recognizes tribal sovereignty and commits all three partners to strengthening college readiness, increasing transfer rates from CR to Humboldt, and providing culturally relevant support and learning opportunities to our native students. 

I believe that Dr. Carvajal brings a clear understanding of how essential strong linkages between two-year and four-year institutions are to student access and success. Through his experience in Georgia, where higher education has increasingly emphasized coordination, consolidation, and clearly defined transfer pathways to better serve students, Dr. Carvajal has worked within a system that recognized collaboration as a necessity, not an option. 

I warmly welcome Dr. Carvajal back to the area and into our partnership. I know that he is the perfect person to lead Cal Poly Humboldt into the future. I am excited to see the direction he will take the university, and I look forward to assisting him in any way I can.