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Lavonn Ambeau Changed Her Life at CCC
Lavonn was a stay-at-home mom. Her twins were born prematurely and their medical problems required special care. “I was on welfare,” she remembers, “living in the projects. I knew I wanted more for my kids. They couldn’t even go outside to play. But I knew nobody was going to hire me, because my skills weren’t…
Trixy Arambulo Found Her Calling at CCC
Trixy Arambulo wasn’t sure what she wanted to do when she first came to Contra Costa College. She’d been studying kinesiology at San Jose State University, but decided it wasn’t for her and moved back home to San Pablo. Inspired by friends who struggled with addiction and mental illness, Trixy decided to take a Health…
‘Pay It Forward,’ Says Health + Human Services Grad Keith Hall
For years, Keith Hall struggled with drug addiction and mental illness. “Three things come out of that lifestyle,” he says. “Jails, institutions or death. You’re looking over your shoulder for the cops, you’re looking over your shoulder for people trying to rob you. It’s no way to live.” Now, Keith is a mental health professional…
Auto Services Professor Laura Salas Came to CCC as a Student
Laura Salas grew up around body shops. Her father has been a collision service tech for over forty years. “He took me to work with him one spring break,” she remembers, “and I got to experience a full body shop work week. I was in love.” Laura knew exactly what she wanted to do with…
CCC Helps Healthcare Pro Better Connect with His Clients
Michael Sarvi already had a bachelor’s degree from UC Davis and was well on his way to medical school when he decided to come to CCC. He was working as a Reproductive Health Specialist at Planned Parenthood and felt he wasn’t connecting with patients as well as he’d like. While looking into local programs, he…
CCC Journalism Alums on Pulitzer Prizewinning Team
Two CCC grads were integral to a recent Pulitzer Prize win for Breaking News by the East Bay Times for their outstanding coverage of the Ghost Ship fire tragedy. Craig Lazzeretti, the East Bay Times metro editor, lead the coverage that began around 4:00 a.m. on December 3, and continued for two full weeks. He also had…
Carmen Santana Is the Kind of Role Model She Needed as a Kid
Growing up in Richmond, Carmen Santana struggled with poverty, domestic violence and hopelessness. Her parents never graduated high school, and didn’t know how to help her succeed. She had to work a lot just to buy basics like clothing, and missed so much high school that she got kicked out of more than one. She…
Former Comet McKinley is ‘Star of the NFL Draft’!
2013-2014 CCC defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley will soon be playing for the Atlanta Falcons. USA Today declared McKinley “the star of the NFL draft” as the 2017 NFC champions swapped first-round and gave up third- and sixth-round picks to snag him. McKinley became an instant fan-favorite at the draft, when he met reporters with a large, framed…
Liberal Arts Major Wins Prestigious, $320,000 Scholarship
CCC’s own Sasha Graham is one of 55 students nationwide to win the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Graham is a single mother of a nine-year-old son who also sits on CCC’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Advisory Board. She’s already been accepted to the Universities of California, Davis and Santa…
Andrew Almacen is Off to UCLA Nursing
Meet Andrew Almacen, a CCC graduate from the class of 2016! Some fast facts about Andrew: Grew up in Pinole Attended Ellerhorst Elementary, Pinole Middle and Pinole Valley High Schools Studied at Contra Costa College from 2013 – 2016 At CCC, Andrew was a Student Ambassador, USDA Scholar, Anatomy Teaching Assistant, tutor (in calculus, statistics, chemistry, and…
