An historic day: MJC will award its first-ever bachelor degrees Tuesday
Eighteen students will receive the first-ever bachelor degrees from Modesto Junior College on Tuesday evening.
The respiratory care majors are part of a pilot project where 15 of the state’s 114 community colleges went beyond their mission of awarding two-year degrees.
MJC launched its portion in 2017 with students who already had two-year degrees and work experience in the science of helping people breathe. They spent the past 15 months learning how to provide advanced care, along with management, research and teaching skills.
It’s short of a four-year degree, technically, but the enhanced skills are welcome in a region with high rates of asthma and other lung ailments.
A bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2014 created the pilot project. The colleges taking part had to already have a two-year degree in the field and show demand from area employers for the extra training. The courses could not duplicate those at state universities.
The new bachelor degrees around the state include, for example, equine science at Feather River College, airframe manufacturing at Antelope Valley College, and mortuary science at Cypress College.
The MJC graduates are:
- Michael Barnes, Oakdale
- Bradley Brewster, Hughson
- Kristi Brisco, Modesto
- Naomi Bugayong, Sacramento
- Candace Cervantes, Merced
- Kara Conley, Modesto
- Jennifer Cook, Escalon
- Andrea Coonfield, Modesto
- Carlota Espinoza, Riverbank
- Pasobphai Keovanxat-Nguyen, Sacramento
- Danielle Lukins, Turlock
- Christopher Martin, Riverbank
- Teresa Mendoza, Modesto
- Mathew Oppelt, Turlock
- Krishnil Prasad, Modesto
- Jaclynn Smith, Union City
- Amy Vang, Sacramento
- Shani Vang-Mouayang, Sacramento
The public can attend the graduation, at 6 p.m. in the Performing and Media Arts Center Auditorium on the East Campus. It will feature student addresses by Barnes and Keovanxat-Nguyen, with remarks by administrators, as well as music. A reception will follow in the lobby.
Athletic director shines
Greg Magni of Central Valley High School in Ceres was named Athletic Director of the Year for the Sac-Joaquin Section. The award was bestowed by the California State Athletic Directors Association. The section has 198 schools in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.
“I am so happy that Greg is being given this award, as he is the ultimate professional and a valuable asset to Central Valley High School,” Principal Carol Lubinsky said in a Facebook post.
And finally ...
A leader in nursing has joined the board of Community Hospice. The Modesto-based nonprofit named Cheryl Harless, the chief nursing officer for Tenet Healthcare Northern California Group. The chain’s hospitals include Doctors Medical Center of Modesto, Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock and Doctors Hospital of Manteca.
Names of Note recognizes people and organizations for their contribution to their communities. Submit items to jholland@modbee.com.