header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 29
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys


Angeli Francois, a College of the Canyons English adjunct instructor, has received a 2023 Hayward Award for ‘Excellence in Education’ from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges for her dedication and commitment to serving and empowering students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Francois was one of four California faculty members to receive the prestigious statewide award at the Board of Governors meeting held on March 20 in Sacramento.

“I was in awe of my colleagues and peers just to nominate me and send my name forward to qualify for the award,” said Francois, who started teaching at COC in 2016. “It’s such a collaborative effort to do equity work. It can’t be done without collaborating and the school has given me the space to do that.”

Sponsored annually by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the Hayward Award recognizes community college full-time and part-time faculty members who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to their students, college, and profession.

“I wish to congratulate Angeli Francois for her passionate equity advocacy at College of the Canyons,” said Chancellor Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook. “Her work has helped pave the way for more inclusivity, which is of vital importance for the success and well-being of our entire campus community. She does what she does from her heart and with dignifying care and high standards.”

Award recipients are nominated by their college academic senate for also having a record of outstanding performance of professional activities and on-campus participation.

In May 2022, Francois was honored by the COC Academic Senate with its own local excellence in education award. Andrus said the Academic Senate’s Executive Committee voted unanimously to forward Francois’ name for consideration of the statewide Hayward Award.

“On behalf of the Academic Senate and the entire faculty, I want to offer my congratulations to Professor Angeli Francois for being honored with the Hayward Award recognizing excellence in education,” said COC Academic Senate President David Andrus. “Because over 100 community colleges are eligible to nominate faculty for this award, the honor is quite significant.”

Francois says the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 inspired her to get more involved closing equity gaps by creating spaces for students to celebrate their identity and help them succeed.

“As a person of color, it’s something that I have to deal with every day,” said Francois. “When I started to see all those students and people in the streets in 2020 and they were just so moved by that loss of life and by the fact that things just weren’t fair or equal, it just motivated me. I just turned all that I had into it because it felt so dire. It still is, but it was so vital and dire at the time to amplify voices.”

In 2020, COC also started laying the groundwork to create alliances, which are affinity groups where students learn to navigate college, connect with faculty and staff mentors, meet with resource specialists, and discuss issues in a safe and brave space.

Francois was instrumental in the creation of the STEM Equity Alliance and Native American Indigenous Alliance.

“Professor Francois distinguished herself by her ability to create an inclusive and effective learning environment in multiple teaching modalities,” said Andrus. “She has continually exhibited a commitment to her students by founding two student alliances, leading efforts at creating sustainable learning communities, collaborating on new course designs intended to broaden the cultural competency of students, as well as many other student-centered efforts. She is an excellent educator and even better person.”

Francois also served on the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee and worked to help launch the Multicultural Center, which provides safe and brave spaces for historically minoritized and marginalized groups on campus with the goal of increased diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the college’s fabric.

“I would like thank COC for providing the space to work through that,” said Francois. “These were tough conversations, tough work that we all had to pull together to do, and to just have the space and flexibility for an organization to support that.”

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


HIGHER EDUCATION LINKS
LOCAL COLLEGE HEADLINES
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
California State University, Northridge is partnering with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and the Tataviam Land Conservancy to battle the impact of climate change in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Fernando Valley by establishing “urban forests.”
Monday, Mar 25, 2024
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special joint meeting with the Associated Student Government in open session from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024
Holly Hitt-Zuniga has been selected to represent COC and the National Science Foundation’s Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education in Iceland.
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024
When you enter the main floor of the west wing of the California State University Northridge library, you’ll soon notice a new mural blending art, nature and the Indigenous history that the campus sits on.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys
Los Angeles County Public Works is updating the Los Angeles County Bicycle Master Plan.
April 16:  County Bicycle Master Plan Virtual Community Meeting
College of the Canyons mens golf got back on track during its return to conference play on Monday, carding a five-man score of 370 to top the eight-team field at Brookside Golf Course and maintain its unblemished conference mark.
Cougars Win Again, Keep Conference Streak
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, reminds property owners that the second installment of the 2023-24 Annual Secured Property Taxes becomes  delinquent if not received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time or United States Postal Service postmarked on or before Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
County Treasurer Reminds Property Owners of April 10 Due Date
Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence is seeking “Allies” to support Santa Clarita youth who are aging out of the L.A. County foster care system.
April 16: FYI Seeks Volunteers To Pair With Local Foster Youth
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today unveiled the latest L.A. County Health Survey, which gathers vital data on health behaviors, conditions, neighborhood settings, and the needs of L.A .County residents, informing future public health policies and programs.
Public Health Unveils the 2023 L.A. County Health Survey Findings
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
SCVNews.com