SDCCD: Leadership And Innovation: Creativity That Inspires

Press release from San Diego Community College District:

February 23, 2022

With ordinary no longer considered ordinary, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting move
to remote learning throughout the San Diego Community College District opened the
door to creativity and innovation. Leading the charge of re-imagined opportunity was
San Diego Mesa College fine art and museum studies Professor and Gallery Director
Alessandra Moctezuma.

In November 2020, with classes still being taught remotely, Moctezuma, along with
the students taking her Museum Studies course, launched Mesa College Drive-In: An
Outdoor Art Exhibition — a free, unique exhibition that provided visitors the opportunity
to view artwork from the safety of their cars as they drove through Parking Lot 1.

“Even in an outdoor exhibition, students are still learning how to select a theme,
put out a call for artists, select the artwork, engage in the marketing and communications
component, post on social media, create a webpage,” she said.

The event was so popular, its run was extended an extra week. 

In 2020-21, Moctezuma wasn’t the only one in the District leading the charge with
drive-in inspired events. For commencement ceremonies in the spring, each of the colleges
created virtual programs, as well as “carmencement” events where graduates could drive-thru
various campuses with friends and family safely inside their cars while receiving
degrees, awards, and certificates to the tune of fanfare from cheering faculty, classified
professionals, and administrators. To ensure access to the event, golf carts were
available for students who wanted to participate, but didn’t have access to a car.

Based on the popularity of the first drive-in exhibition, Moctezuma introduced a second
outdoor event. The Heavy Duty: A Steamroller Printmaking Exhibition Drive-in featured
large-scale prints created by 16 artist printmakers whose carved relief woodcuts were
driven over by a steamroller as a moving printing press to transfer ink onto fabric
for display. 

- At the end of the academic year, Chancellor Emerita Constance M. Carroll, Ph.D.,
said farewell after leading the District for 17 years — the longest tenure of any
chancellor of the SDCCD. Ahead of her departure, the Board of Trustees led a comprehensive
nationwide search. Then, in March, the Board named San Diego College of Continuing
Education President Carlos O. Turner Cortez the next chancellor of the SDCCD. Dr.
Cortez stepped into his role on July 1, 2021.

- P. Wesley Lundburg, Ph.D., started as president of San Diego Miramar College on
July 1, 2020. The Coast Guard veteran previously oversaw the Ammerman Campus at Suffolk
County Community College on Long Island, New York.

- Gregory Smith stepped into his role as vice chancellor of Human Resources on October
15, 2020 to support nearly 5,000 employees across three credit colleges and a large
noncredit division. Smith was previously the interim assistant superintendent/vice
president of Administrative Services at Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Community College District.

- On November 1, 2020, Susan Topham, Ed.D., was named vice chancellor of Educational
Services. In the newly established position, Vice Chancellor Topham’s responsibilities
include oversight of all District educational planning services encompassing student
services and instructional programs.

 - In April the District welcomed new Director of Information Technology Services
Peter Maharaj. With more than two decades of information technology and business-related
experience, Maharaj joined the District after serving as manager of Technology Services
and Academic Computing for Cypress College in Orange County. 

- In March, the SDCCD expanded a partnership with San Diego State that further opened
the door to students looking to pursue a bachelor’s degree. As two of SDSU’s “microsite”
locations, Mesa College (which already offers its own bachelor’s degree in health
information management) now offers pathways to bachelor’s degrees in business administration
and applied arts in communication, and bachelor’s degrees in applied arts in communication
and child development are offered at San Diego City College.

- A first-of-its kind collaboration between the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC)
and City College, the Homelessness Program for Engaged Educational Resources (PEER)
course, commenced in October to provide specialized education, training and job placement
assistance to develop the workforce needed for programs and services that help San
Diegans experiencing homelessness.

This press release was produced by San Diego Community College District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.