August 14, 2025

State Leaders and Education Advocates Reflect on Successful 2025 Joint Convening Event Focused on Advancing Higher Education Equity

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT NAME Meredith Curry Nuñez

DATE August 14, 2025

CONTACT ORG Northern California College Promise Coalition

CONTACT NUMBER (408) 901-0290

CONTACT EMAIL mer@norcalpromisecoalition.org

Cupertino, CA — The 2025 Joint Convening, held on August 1, 2025, at De Anza College, a part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District in Cupertino, brought together a diverse coalition of educators, policymakers, and community leaders to address California’s challenges and opportunities in higher education. The event, co-hosted by the Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC) and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), was a platform for advancing equity-driven solutions and forging stronger collaborations to support historically underserved students across California.

“As a leader of a college and career access nonprofit, it was affirming to hear that the data tells us that post-high school education, including degrees, credentials, and certifications, is still important and valued,” said Symone Morales, Executive Director for OneGoal California, event co-host, and event co-emcee. “At OneGoal, we work with schools and districts to set first-generation college students up for success by ensuring they have the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their future. It was inspiring to hear from elected officials and funders about how they are working in coalition with one another to support students holistically – from health and wellbeing to financial affordability.”

Under the theme “New Day, New Us: Leveraging Collective Impact to Respond to a New Normal,” the convening highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in building a more equitable, accessible, and affordable postsecondary future for all California students.

“It was a privilege for the UCLA CalKIDS Institute to co-host the Joint Convening with NCCPC for the first time—an experience that proved both inspiring and deeply meaningful. We are especially grateful to the NCCPC team for their warmth, vision, and partnership, and for bringing together so many leaders committed to expanding higher education opportunities that prepare young people for fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship, and thriving communities,” said Nayiri Nahabedian, Executive Director of the UCLA CalKIDS Institute and event co-host. “We look forward to continuing this important work together and making a lasting impact for future generations.”

A Unified Call to Action

The convening underscored the urgent need for systemic change in California’s higher education system. Key voices at the event, including Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (AD-26), Assemblymember Ash Kalra (AD-25), Senator Dave Cortese (SD-15), and representatives from multiple organizations, emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration in creating a lasting impact. These leaders, along with the event’s co-hosts, affirmed their commitment to expanding opportunities for first-generation and historically marginalized students, ensuring higher education is both accessible and transformational.

“The NCCPC convening was a timely and much-needed opportunity to bring elected officials, funders, and college promise programs together as we work toward a future where all students can access the postsecondary education they want and deserve. At Beyond 12, we know that this kind of alignment and coalition-building is what truly drives systemic change for the first-generation college students we are honored to coach and serve,” said Dr. Eve Shapiro, Chief Knowledge Officer for Beyond 12. “By spotlighting the exciting initiatives underway across Northern California — from cradle-to-career data systems to college savings plans — this convening renewed our energy as we continue partnering with California-based promise programs and institutions to support students through college and into meaningful careers.”

NCCPC staff, who are past and current students of De Anza College, were excited to be joined by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (D-Sunnyvale), who is also a former student. Assemblymember Ahrens said, “I am deeply thankful for the ongoing work of the Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC) to expand access and promote student success, and I was excited to be able to co-host their meeting within Assembly District 26 at my alma mater De Anza College. As a housing insecure community college student, De Anza is where I first found my footing, begun to build deep relationships, and realized the transformative impact of public education and community leadership. Now as an elected State Assemblymember, I have taken up the fight in Sacramento protecting public education funding in our state budget and expanding California’s College Promise program to part-time students. I am proud to be able to continue working with NCCPC because we know success doesn’t look the same for everyone, and California’s policies should reflect this reality.”

Keynote Highlights and Contributions

The event featured impactful contributions from leaders in higher education and community advocacy. Additional speakers included:

• Dr. René Alvarez, Dean of Academic Success and Student Equity at San José City College and NCCPC Steering Committee member
• Assembly Member Mia Bonta representing District 18
• Angela Bugayong, Chief Operating Officer for Students Rising Above, NCCPC Steering Committee Vice Chair, event co-host, and event co-emcee
• Catalina Cifuentes, Executive Director for the Riverside County Office of Education, CSAC Commission Chair, and ScholarShare Investment Board Member
• Dr. April Grommo, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management at the California State University and NCCPC Advisory Council member
• Dr. Martha Kanter, CEO of College Promise and NCCPC Advisory Council member 
• Noah Lightman, Manager of CalKIDS Initiatives with the ScholarShare Investment Board
• Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, Vice President of Community Impact & Systems Change for Sobrato Philanthropies, and event sponsor
• Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy, Director of Program and Strategy with the College Futures Foundation, and event sponsor
• David Silver, Director of Corps to Career for California Volunteers Fund and Chair of the NCCPC Steering Committee
• Dr. Alexis Takagi, Basic Needs Coordinator for Santa Clara University and CA Cradle-to-Career Data System Community Engagement Advisory Board Member

These leaders shared their visions for addressing systemic inequities and discussed strategies to make higher education accessible to every student, regardless of their zip code, income, or background.

Voices of PK-20 Leaders at the Forefront

Throughout the event, public officials, philanthropists, and education leaders shared their perspectives on the impact of the coalition’s work.

“As a proud first-generation community college student, it was an honor to be surrounded by practitioners and advocates deeply committed to advancing equity in higher education. Presenting at the NCCPC Joint Convening reminded me of the power of student voice in driving lasting and responsive change,” said Dr. Alexis Takagi, Basic Needs Coordinator at Santa Clara University. “These spaces are critical for ensuring that policies and practices reflect the lived experiences of California’s diverse population. I’m grateful for the opportunity to take part in these meaningful conversations and to amplify the voices and lived experiences of students from across California. Engaging with elected officials and funders allowed me to highlight the challenges and strengths of our communities, and I leave feeling inspired for the work ahead.”

Closing Remarks and Next Steps

As the event concluded, leaders emphasized the need for continued collaboration and action to address the ongoing challenges in California’s education system. NCCPC Executive Director Meredith Curry Nuñez expressed excitement about the future of NCCPC’s initiatives. “There is no better time than now and no better group than this coalition to collaborate with to meet the challenges and opportunities of this moment. As we launch a new academic year and reflect on the event theme ‘New Day, New Us: Leveraging Collective Impact to Respond to a New Normal,’ the NCCPC team is committed to supporting nearly 400 practitioners serving over 300,000 students across 13 counties, ensuring our communities can thrive. At the event, we launched a new Three-Year Policy Agenda and encouraged our members and attendees to socialize it with their teams and partners. We encourage everyone to explore the policy agenda at https://norcalpromisecoalition.org/policy and support our efforts to protect student data, safeguard student financial resources, build early wealth programs, and ensure racial and gender equity.”

The convening marked the beginning of ongoing efforts to address pressing challenges in California’s higher education. Follow-up initiatives and collaborations will be announced in the coming months.

About the Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC)

The Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC) is a coalition of organizations and leaders dedicated to expanding access to higher education for first-generation and historically marginalized students. Founded in 2019, NCCPC works to align programs, policies, and resources to support students from PK-12 through to higher education, ensuring they have the support and opportunities they need to succeed.

For more information about NCCPC’s mission and initiatives, click here.