COASTLINE COLLEGE

On April 26, Coastline College hosted its Scholarship Recognition Ceremony honoring student excellence. The event was held at the Newport Beach campus with over 200 in attendance including President Vince Rodriguez, Chancellor Yamamura, VP Christine Nguyen, VP Kate Mueller, and VP Isela Ocegueda. Members of the Board of Trustees were also in attendance.

Through the generosity of the Coastline Foundation and friends, the school awarded over 236 awards and approximately $325,393 in named scholarships to exceptional students. Thank you to the families, generous donors, the Foundation, and Coastline volunteers for their support and for continuing to make a positive difference in our students' lives.

GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE

Golden West College Professor of English Keisha Cosand has been named a 2025 Teacher of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE). Cosand is one of six educators selected for this honor and she will have the opportunity to apply for the California Teachers of the Year program later this year.

OCDE representatives, including Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ramon Miramontes, arrived at GWC on a big yellow school bus on May 2 to congratulate Cosand on being selected as a finalist in the program. They were joined by program sponsors, members of the media, College officials, students and loved ones who watched as Cosand was presented with an apple-shaped award and check for $25,000, courtesy of the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation.

"To be recognized in this amazing way for doing a job that I love is an overwhelming honor," Cosand said. "My head is still spinning a little."

On November 1 Cosand will join the other five OC Teacher of the Year finalists at a dinner gala at the Disneyland Hotel, where they will be formally honored.

"Professor Cosand is beloved by her students as well as her colleagues." says GWC President Meridith Randall. "She brings a true passion to her teaching and strives to help all students succeed."

Cosand has taught at Golden West College for nearly 25 years, where she has earned a reputation for positively impacting students' academic growth. Throughout the campus, she is admired for her kind and passionate approach to teaching English composition, literature and creative writing. As an English professor, Cosand focuses on aiding students in improving their writing skills and fostering critical thinking while encouraging students to approach literature with deeper analytical insight. She has committed her career to supporting the skills and ambitions of each new student enrolled in her courses.

"I get to be a small part of every student's dream. I get to show them that someone cares and will help them rise to the challenge," Cosand said. "This is why, after twenty-six-years of teaching, I still drive into the parking lot of Golden West College, look up at the sky, and say, 'Thank you!'"

Before joining the Coast Community College District faculty in 1999, Cosand earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from California State University, Fresno. Her impact on student success earned her GWC's Faculty Excellence Award in September 2023.

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE

Orange Coast College's guitar ensemble will present its final departmental recital for the Spring 2024 semester from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, in the Robert B. Moore Theatre. This semiannual showcase, led by classical guitar instructor Adam Pettit, spotlights students enrolled in Classical Guitar performing ensembles, orchestras, and solos featuring works from musical selections, including traditional folk songs, as well as an eclectic mix of arrangements of popular works by Radiohead, Chopin, and Shostakovich. The program will conclude with a performance of Terry Riley's groundbreaking minimalist masterpiece, "In C" - an indeterminate piece of music where every performance is an entirely new experience.