State Community College Leaders to Rally Wed. at ARC

California Community Colleges leaders and students gather at American River College on Wednesday to mark the launch of California Connects, a federally funded program that will increase digital literacy and broadband access in underserved communities throughout the state.

Joining California Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (11th District) in the ARC Theatre from 10-11 a.m. are California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott, Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brice Harris, Foundation for California Community Colleges President and CEO Paul Lanning, and Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) students from participating state community colleges.

California Connects will help increase the state’s broadband users by more than 61,000 through deploying community college MESA students and representatives from the Great Valley Center to teach members of the community how to access and navigate the Internet for educational, health, and economic purposes.

The program is funded by a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Great Valley Center.