Hispanic Heritage Month 2026 “Unidos, Somos Más” (“Together, We Are More”)
Every year from September 15 to October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to honor the rich tapestry, histories, and ongoing contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Far from being a routine calendar observance, the 2026 celebration arrives at a moment of significant cultural transformation and growing civic influence across the United States.
The official national theme for 2026, "Unidos, Somos Más" ("Together, We Are More"), captures the spirit of community and shared purpose that defines the modern Hispanic experience. Designed by artist Meleny Gomez for the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM), the theme emphasizes unity across generations, origins, and backgrounds.
How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping Higher Education
On Wednesday, September 26 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Don Daves-Rougeaux will present an in-person session on AI in Higher Education at the Weed Campus Board Room.
Don Daves-Rougeaux is the Senior Advisor to the California Community College Chancellor on Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships, and Generative AI, where he aligns workforce initiatives with Vision 2030, leads strategic partnerships for the system, and serves on the systemwide AI Council as part of the Chancellor's Office AI leadership team. During an extensive career in education spanning over 30 years, he has held significant roles including: Student Affairs administrator and adjunct faculty at UC Santa Barbara, Associate Director of Admissions at UC Office of the President, VP for Higher Education and Employer Engagement at the Linked Learning Alliance, National Executive Director for AP & SAT Policy at the College Board, and Regional K14 Technical Assistance Provider for the Bay Area Community College Consortium, where he led equity-driven workforce initiatives and managed $28 million in CTE funding. In the philanthropic sector, Don served as President of the Fund for Santa Barbara and a member of the Santa Barbara Foundation Roundtable, and currently serves as an Ambassador for Battery Powered, which distributes $4.5 million annually to social justice and climate nonprofits globally. This multifaceted experience as an educator, administrator, community leader, and coach informs his approach to revolutionizing education policy through strategic leadership.
Website Redesign Update
Work on the new website continues, and Anne-Marie and Michael from Weblinks have been working hard to convert our current website to the new platform. The next several months will be especially important as we get closer to our go live date. Anne-Marie and Michael will be reaching out across campus to schedule meetings with departments to review content and finalize any new web pages.
In the meantime, everyone on campus is encouraged to review their current web page content and make sure it is accurate, current, and up to date by November 30. The month of December 2026 will be dedicated to final website fine-tuning, with the new website scheduled to go live on January 4, 2027.
Thank you all for your time, assistance, and continued support as we prepare for this exciting transition to our new website!
Creating Flyers, Programs, and More
Beginning April 24, 2027, all newly created digital content representing College of the Siskiyous must comply with ADA Title II accessibility requirements, particularly content posted on the college website and social media platforms.
To support campus compliance efforts, we have been meeting with individuals and departments that regularly post on social media and create promotional materials regularly. These meetings provide an opportunity to review the new requirements and share helpful guidance, examples, and best practices for creating accessible digital content.
In addition, all publicity, promotional, and marketing materials must be submitted to the Public Relations Office (pio@siskiyous.edu) for review prior to being posted, printed, or distributed on campus or within the community. This includes images used in social media posts as well as materials for print and other publications. The review process helps ensure that all materials meet the college’s branding and accessibility standards.
To help the campus community learn more about ADA Title II requirements, we have also developed an Accessibility webpage for the institution. The webpage provides resources, guidance, and helpful information to assist individuals/ departments as they work toward compliance with the new accessibility standards.
If you have questions or would like assistance, please email us, call the office, or stop by for a conversation. We are happy to meet with you and discuss ways we can support your department’s accessibility and compliance efforts.
Come Join Our Team
We are always looking for new volunteers to join the Eagle's Nest team. Volunteers work as cashiers, screening items as they come in, price merchandise, repair items, research antiques, etc. There is never a dull moment at the Eagles Nest. If you know of anyone who may be interested in volunteering have them call (530) 938-4663 or stop by the Eagle’s Nest Shop to speak with Angel Keen, Shop Supervisor.
Upcoming Activities & Events:
Event dates, times, and locations based on information available at the time of publication and are subject to change.
September
October
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Information and updates regarding the project is posted on the Construction Projects webpage as it becomes available.
Congratulations to our Bus Driver, Johnny Wattenburg, on achieving his Technician Level 3 certification from MCI Academy. MCI Academy is the motorcoach industry's first and only Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)-accredited training program, operated by Motor Coach Industries (MCI). It provides specialized technical education and safety training for public and private sector motorcoach technicians and operators.
Did you know most people have never pulled a live fire extinguisher. Maintenance is ready now!
It is hard to believe we are already into September, and another fall semester is underway! August always seems to go by in a blur as we work to get students registered, answer questions, solve problems, and do everything we can to help students get off to a good start.
For those of us in Student Services, this is definitely one of the busiest times of the year. There are a lot of moving pieces leading up to the first day of classes, and I want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped us get the semester started. I especially appreciate our Student Services staff who spent countless hours helping students with admissions, registration, financial aid, counseling and advising, housing, basic needs, and everything else that seems to come up during the first few weeks of a semester.
I also want to thank everyone across campus who helped with Soar & Explore and our other efforts to welcome students to Siskiyous. These events take a lot of people working together, and I appreciate everyone who gave their time to help our students and their families feel welcome and prepared for the start of the year. It is asking a lot for people to give up their Saturday, but everyone was here with a smile on their faces.
We had a lot of great events right at the start of the semester that happened from Eaglepalooza. Thank you to Sam Dean for coordinating it and for the many departments that participated.
I want to acknowledge Janice Porterfield as well for organizing and putting on a fabulous International Student Orientation. We love our International Students, but it is not a small task to get them here and to help take care of all the requirements in place for them to be successful. Janice does a great job at trying to make it as seamless as possible.
Now that we have made it through the rush of getting the semester started, our attention begins to shift a little. Getting students enrolled is obviously important but helping them stay enrolled and successfully make it through the semester is even more important. The next several weeks will be a critical time for our students. This is often when we start to see students struggle with attendance, academics, finances, transportation, family responsibilities, or simply trying to balance everything going on in their lives.
One of the things I appreciate most about College of the Siskiyous is that we are small enough to notice when someone needs help. Sometimes a simple conversation with a student can make a bigger difference than we realize. Asking how things are going, helping them figure out who they need to talk to, or walking them over to another office can be exactly what they need at that moment.
If you come across a student who seems to be struggling, please send them our way. Student Services has a lot of resources available, and if we don't have the answer, we will do our best to help them find someone who does.
At the end of the day though, student success isn't the responsibility of one department or division. It takes all of us.
Thank you again to everyone who helped us get another academic year underway and especially to our Student Services team for everything you continue to do for our students. I know how much work happens behind the scenes that most people never see, and I appreciate it and so do our students.
I am looking forward to a great year and seeing what we can accomplish together.
Eaglepalooza Kicks Off the Fall Semester!
The first three weeks of the fall semester were packed with activities as Eaglepalooza welcomed students back to College of the Siskiyous.
Rather than limiting our welcome activities to the first few days of classes, Eaglepalooza stretched across the first three weeks of the semester, giving students plenty of opportunities to connect, explore campus, meet new people, and settle into life at Siskiyous.
From morning coffee and pastries and Ask Me tables to the Welcome Back BBQ, Pool Party & Pizza, and other activities throughout the three weeks, Eaglepalooza was all about creating fun and approachable ways for students to engage with campus outside of the classroom. Student Life hosted our Eagle Rec Room Game Night, as well as our Library Game Night with Escape Room! ASB had their first official monthly meeting on August 28, with our next meeting scheduled for Friday, September 25 at noon in the Library Loft. We tabled at the Resource Jam as well and hope to see everyone at the next meeting.
Behind all of those events was a bigger goal: helping students find their place at Siskiyous. Whether a student stopped by for a quick cup of coffee, asked for directions between classes, grabbed lunch with friends, or stayed for an entire event, each interaction was another opportunity to build connection and community.
Eaglepalooza also wouldn’t have been possible without the many departments, employees, and community partners who jumped in to help. Thank you to everyone who hosted activities, volunteered, shared resources, welcomed students, and helped bring some extra energy to the beginning of the semester!
And while Eaglepalooza may be wrapping up, campus life certainly isn’t. Student Life and Associated Student Body (ASB) have plenty more planned throughout the fall, with more events, activities, and opportunities for students to get involved, build community, and make their Siskiyous experience their own.
The semester is just getting started. Find your flock, get involved, and we’ll see you at the next event!
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