Features

For the first time in history, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors will have a representative from the Southwestern College attendance area. Former state Assemblywoman and former Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month to serve on...

Nicolette (Nikki) Monique Luna emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic with some pretty impressive accomplishments under her belt. While a 16-year-old student at Bonita Vista High School, she also helmed the Southwestern College Sun newspaper and El Sol magazine into another award-winning year, earning recognition...

A recent trip to Ghana provided a new perspective on Africa for San Diego County community college educators and students and ignited a push to highlight the important role that the continent and its people have made to the world. "It was the experience of...

Mexline Garcia calls Southwestern College’s Dreamer Center a place that not only empowers undocumented students to step out of the shadows, but also helps them find their voices. As a recent graduate of Southwestern College, Garcia earned a paid fellowship through the Dreamer Center last...

Almost 50 years ago, in 1974, Salvador Barajas and a group of muralists changed the fabric of Chicano Park forever. Before Chicano Park was a tourist attraction for people all over the world, it was an underfunded community park with gray pillars ready to...

It was literally history in the making when Southwestern College students Joaquin Arreola and Khamani Griffin sent the Southwestern College debate team to this year’s 75th National Debate Tournament. The team of Arreola and Griffin received a second-round bid to the invitation-only tournament and...

Southwestern College is expanding its basic needs support for students at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many inequities and insecurities affecting students and their success. Under the umbrella of SWC Cares and a new basic needs coordinator, Southwestern College is strengthening...

For decades, Southwestern College’s learning communities have created unique and equity-focused education and opportunities for Southwestern College students.  This fall semester, Southwestern College added one more student learning community to expand its mission to build community and advance equity inside and outside the classroom. CHEL...

One day, Anna Sanchez was walking through Southwestern College to drop something off to her fellow-student/husband when she was having a tough time with her youngest child. They had a public outburst and caused a scene on campus, and Sanchez was feeling a little...

For students like Matthew Manrique, Southwestern College’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is critical to his success as a student. Manrique, his mom and brother left Colombia three years ago because of scarce job opportunities and almost no higher education opportunities for folks...