A Berkeley City College graduate who went on to become a Rhodes Scholar was honored at the Oct. 21 Peralta Trustees meeting. BCC President Deborah Budd read the accomplishments of the former Peralta student, Tenzin Seldon, as the trustees and Budd posed for photos with the Tibetan scholar.
Seldon graduated with her associate of arts degree in 2009. She then went on to Stanford University to graduate in Comparative Studies, with an emphasis in education and global justice. She has completed her master’s degree at Oxford University. Seldon will now go on to work at the United Nations in New York City. She cofounded and is an executive member of the Climate Justice League, composed of the top youth leaders, the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and other distinguished women concerned with climate issues.
When given the microphone, Seldon had the chance to speak about her college career and the trustees’ efforts to better the Peralta district. “It showed me that within the five years that I have been out of community college, the changes and the progress, the misconception, which turned into awareness about community college. None of that would be possible without you all, it really would not have been possible without your efforts in continuing to promote community college as a pathway.”
She was the first Tibetan to be awarded the Truman Scholarship, and was a senator in the Associated Students of Berkeley City College. After Dr. Budd and trustee member Abel Guillen spoke of these distinctions, it was Seldon’s words about the importance of community college and Berkeley City College’s 40 year anniversary celebration that came to her mind.
“I remember at the 40 year anniversary celebration that a mother came up to me. And she said, after I got done speaking, that she was actually very fearful that her daughter was going to be entering community. But after hearing the stories and the plight of many students she actually felt very encouraged. And she is now going to encourage her other children to do the same, to also attend community college.”
Trustee, Linda Handy, took time in the meeting to commend the Student Ambassador Program. Its function is for students with a 3.25 GPA or greater, who demonstrate leadership abilities. These Ambassadors represent the Peralta district at fairs and student activities, also engaging in high school student recruitment.
“The community that has been created for students who have no family, sometimes no community, one of the things Tenzin said is that she did not have a place before coming to Berkeley City. And the community that was formed through the Ambassador Program has been the only time she has felt that sense of community,” said trustee Handy.
Other action taken by the trustees at the meeting included a pay raise for Timothy Gibbon, from $20,000 to $55,000. After discussion from the trustees, it was clarified by the Vice Chancellor of Education Services, Dr. Michael Orkin, that Gibbon had been providing 24/7 moodle service and tech support for the past three years. He has been paid $55,000 the prior years, so the action approved by the trustees will make his position official. Gibbon will continue to provide online support for the Peralta district by unanimous vote from the trustees.
The meeting also heard from Jake Sloan, a consultant for the Project Labor Agreement, who requested more time to come back with written document to be voted on and discussed. The P.L.A. is looking to find students from the carpentry department, and people in the local area, to work on the building project at Laney College. The contractor will also be selecting people from the union to work on the building project, but the agreement the trustees seek is a plan to give more apprenticeships to locals.