Report to Board: September 2024

West Fresno Center

The West Fresno Center continues to increase enrollment with over 1,300 students attending classes this semester. Over 70 percent of students who are registered for classes at WFC also take courses at FCC. There are several student services available including counseling, financial aid, business office, admissions & records, learning resource center and cafeteria services.

Inaugural Dental Hygiene Degree

Thirty students are making Fresno City College history this fall as part of the inaugural class of the Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene. Their expected graduation date is Spring 2026. The students entering the program have completed 60 units of pre-requisites and general education. An additional 60 units of upper-division coursework will be completed with nine units of general education and 53 units of dental hygiene courses which are new to our curriculum. Fresno City College was approved by the California Board of Governors, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) to offer a Baccalaureate Degree in Dental Hygiene. The associate degree in Dental Hygiene will no longer be offered.

Financial Aid Reaches Record Number

As the college enrollment increases, so does the number of students receiving financial aid. Due to the efforts and hard work of the classified staff who work in the Financial Aid Office, they disbursed over $11.3 million in Pell Grants. They have seen an increase in disbursements for the 2024- 2025 academic year and distributed over 9,000 checks to date.

Scholarship Reception

The annual FCC Scholarship Reception was held on August 30 in the OAB Auditorium. This year, there was a substantial increase in the number of awards with more than $585,000 in scholarships distributed to over 400 students for the 2024-25 academic year.

9/11 Ceremony

FCC will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 with a ceremony on Wednesday, September 11 in Veterans Square at 9:00 a.m. The ceremony will include a memorial wreath march featuring retired biology instructor, Scott Porteous, playing the bagpipes. Peter Cacossa, FCC Fire Academy Director, will be giving the keynote address.

Welcome Black Week

The FCC UMOJA Program will be hosting the 4th Annual Welcome Black Week from September 16 – 20. The week is designed to celebrate, welcome, and engage FCC African American students by building a sense of belonging and purpose on campus. The events include a Community Celebration on September 16, at 11:00 a.m. at the University Mall, Umoja Cookout on September 18 at 4:00pm at Veterans Square and a Thankful Thursday event on September 19 at 10:30 am at the University Mall.

College Night

The annual Fresno Area College Night will be held on September 11. This year’s fair will be held at the Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Hall with thousands of students and their families learning about their options in higher education from colleges and universities across the country. Fresno City College’s booths and displays will include counselors, faculty, outreach specialists, and Student Ambassadors. FCC counselors and staff will also participate in various workshops to provide information on college, financial aid and the admissions process.

Welcome Week

Thousands of students were helped during Welcome Week and were provided information and resources to assist them during the first week of the semester. Information included classroom locations, department and office hours, and technology resources (Canvas, Self-Service, and student e-mail access). In addition to the main information booth, there was Ram Pathway booths throughout the campus to assist with questions regarding majors and career paths.

Kerman Shuttle

For the second semester, a free shuttle is available for FCC students living in Kerman. Funding for this project is made possible through the support of the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission and the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. There are two scheduled times each morning (Monday – Friday) for students to ride the shuttle from Kerman to FCC and two times in the afternoon when the shuttle returns to the Kerman Community Center.

Biz Bikes

Through a new partnership with the Transformative Climate Communities Program (TCC), facilitated by the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, electric bikes are available for FCC students this fall. For a small fee, students can save time getting across campus by renting a Biz Bike. Bike hubs are also available in the Tower District and Downtown Fresno. For students who live in the 93706 or 93721 zip codes there are greater discounts through a special TCC monthly membership.

Student ID Cards and Free Bus Pass

The Fresno Area Express (FAX) transit system and FCC will again offer free bus passes for students. To obtain a free bus pass, students must pick up a student ID card, now free to all registered students in the Student Lounge. The cards provide several benefits to students including the free FAX Bus Pass, discounts at local businesses, game room access, free BBQ Lunch each semester and $1.00 Admission to FCC home sporting events.

Speakers Forum

Join us on Wednesday, September 25 at noon with Julian Castro, the former US Secretary of Housing & Urban Development and the current CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. The event is free and will be held in the Old Administration Building Auditorium.

EOPS Book Bash

The EOPS Book Bash is an annual event held for all EOPS, CARE, and NextUp students to purchase their required textbooks prior to the start of the semester. In collaboration with Bookstore, Student Activities, and the Ram Pantry, the EOPS/CARE/NextUp students were given special hours to search for books, obtain a student ID card, and gain early exposure to campus resources. The goal of the event was to prepare students by providing access to the materials they need for the new semester.

FCC Alumnus Honored

FCC alumnus Maxie Parks is an honoree at the FCOE Honors Gala on Sept. 21 in the Old Administration Building. Maxie was a star track athlete at FCC and a gold medal winner in the 4x400 m men’s relay in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He will also be honored for his work for the West Fresno Resource Center, renamed after him in 2017.

Women's Conference

FCC will once again participate at the 2024 Central Valley Women’s Conference to be held at the Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Hall on September 17. The college will feature information booths that will include program information. Emmy Award winning actress and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph is the keynote speaker.