As I write this, College of the Redwoods is getting ready for the end of the semester.  Over the next several days, our students will be studying for examinations and putting finishing touches on their term papers. On top of helping students with subject matter, our faculty will be working with colleagues to modify the curriculum and participating in shared governance committees that will get us ready for next year. It is a busy time for us.

As always, during the holiday season, my thoughts turn to gratitude—gratitude for what each and every one of my CR colleagues do to contribute to our educational mission and gratitude that, as I mentioned in my last column, we are lucky enough to be in a community that believes in us and supports us in our purpose.

We have support from our industry partners who serve on our program advisory boards and support from our high school partners and the Humboldt County Office of Education who encourage students to continue their educational journeys past high school and into higher education. We also have support from our partner, Humboldt State University, which recently announced big plans of a possible transition to a Polytechnic institution, which could revitalize our economy and bring new opportunities to young people in Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity Counties, not to mention offer new paths of transfer for CR students.

It seems that this support has never been more important than this year when we saw a global pandemic, an economic recession, and political and cultural upheavals that left many people feeling isolated and uncertain. This has made it even more important for us to ask “what brings us together?” I think, for us, the answer is that we all want to see the young people in our community excel and prosper. We want to make sure that anyone who wants an education can get one and that education in turn opens up news doors and new opportunities for individual students but also our community as a whole.

All of our educational institutions were tested this year, and we were forced to make rapid and repeated adjustments to an ever-changing COVID-19 influenced reality. However, even in light of this turmoil, over 135 students have petitioned to graduate this semester, many of whom are transferring to a four-year institution.

Additionally, because we were able to work closely with the Public Health Department and others to develop a comprehensive plan to update our labs and protocols so that our students and faculty remain safe and healthy, we are now in the final weeks of the semester and none of our classes – online or face to face – have been cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreaks. At the end of this semester, all of our learning outcomes will have been met and students will be ready for the spring semester and the next stage of their education. 

Moreover, although the numbers coming out each day seem to indicate that we are not winning the fight against the pandemic, as a county we still have one of the lowest per-capita infection rates in the California – a state that is doing much better than most in the country. This means that, as a community, we worked together to limit the spread of the disease, to prevent our healthcare system from getting over-run, and to prevent even more businesses from closing.

In light of the conditions, these are actually remarkable achievements. While we will undoubtedly see more challenges in the spring, I find myself just as grateful for how we are working together through these uncertain times as I am hopeful for all the wonderful things we can make happen together in the future. As we continue to engage and dialogue with one another openly, respectfully, and with a shared desire to forge a better way forward, College of the Redwoods and our local community will only grow stronger. 

Lastly, I would like to say how grateful I am to all our wonderful students who have shown such grit and tenacity this semester. I know it has not been easy for any of them. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and administrators at CR, I hope this holiday season affords you some time to reflect upon and rejoice over the graces in your life. Thank you again for your commitment to College of the Redwoods and our mission.