Professional Development Opportunities 

Here's a list of upcoming opportunities to learn more about how to support Rising Scholars.

Friday, Sept. 29:

Almost Home – Life After Incarceration

  • 10-11:30 a.m.
  • Facilitator: Chelsea Esquibias 
  • Presenters: Dr. Nora Kenny, Bill Wisneski 
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Join us to view the feature-length documentary that follows Rising Scholars as they navigate post-incarceration. This tight-knit group shares their inspiring stories and illustrates how access to resources transforms lives, opens doors, heals trauma,and uplifts entire families and communities. The film was created by the Palomar College Television (PCTV) documentary team, has won two Emmy awards, and premiered at the TCLChinese Theater in July.

Thursday, Oct. 5

History of Gangs and Healing in Community

  • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 
  •   
  • Facilitator: Javier Rodriguez 
  • Presenters: Deanna Cherry and Ricardo Vidal 

Join us in our part two series of understanding thehistory of gangs and how the gang identity intersects with theidentity of our formerly and currently incarcerated students.

Wednesday, Oct. 11

Financial Aid for Juvenile Justice Impacted Students

  • 10-11 a.m.
  •   
  • Facilitator: Kellie Nadler 
  • Presenters: California Student Aid Commission and Youth LawCenter 

Join to learn from financial aid experts on the financial aid opportunities available to juvenile justice impacted youth in and out of custody. Learn about newly available money and receive updated information on existing grants and scholarships.

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Landing the Job in Your Field of Study

  • 10-11 a.m.
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  • Facilitator: Chelsea Esquibias 
  • Presenters: Melissa Stewart and Vanessa Rojas 

A leading talent acquisition strategist in California and a gainfully employed formerly incarcerated student will lead a discussion on the necessary strategies to becoming gainfully employed in your field of study.

Friday, Oct. 20

Trauma-Informed and Neuroscience-Backed Strategies 

  • Facilitator: Kellie Nadler 
  • Presenter: Dr. Kate Messina, PhD, LCSW 
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This two-part training series will provide insight into how trauma impacts neurodevelopment and will walk practitioners through proven strategies for working with young people who have experienced high levels of trauma.

Monday, Oct. 30

Improving the Lives of Boys and Men of Color

  • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
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  • Facilitator: Javier Rodriguez 
  • Presenter: Arnold Chandler 

This model examines ecological factors, human development dimensions, and institutional milestones that contribute to life outcomes. It serves as a framework for better understanding social problems as well as developing interventions and solutions that will result in improved life outcomes for people of color and low-income communities.

Friday, Nov. 3:

Accessibility and Disability Needs for Juvenile Justice-Impacted Youth

  • 10-11 a.m.
  •  
  • Facilitator: Kellie Nadler 
  • Presenters: The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) 

DOR can provide robust accessibility and disabilitys ervices to juvenile justice impacted youth in and out ofdetention. This training will introduce these services and outlinehow a college can form a partnership with their local DOR office to integrate accessibility and disability needs into their Youth Justice work. 

Tuesday, Nov. 4:

Intentional Partnership with Umoja and Pathways to HBCUs

  • 10-11 a.m.
  •  
  • Facilitator: Chelsea Esquibias 
  • Presenters: Dr. Karen McCord and Dr. Tonya Williams 

Join a discussion about why partnership with Umoja is important, how to effectively refer students to Umoja, and how to create pathways to HBCUs.

Friday, Nov. 17:

Trauma-Informed and Neuroscience-Backed Strategies, Part 2

  • 10-11:30 a.m.
  •  
  • Facilitator: Kellie Nadler 
  • Presenter: Dr. Kate Messina, PhD, LCSW 

This two-part training series will provide insight into how trauma impacts neurodevelopment and will walk practitioners through proven strategies for working with young people who have experienced high levels of trauma.

Monday, Nov. 27:

Underground Scholars Empowering Futures

  • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
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  • Facilitator: Javier Rodriguez 
  • Presenters: Ryan Flaco Rising and Danny Murillo 

The Underground Scholars Ambassador program hires and trains formerly incarcerated community college students across the state. The credible messengers initiative is the transformative power of academically driven credible messengers—scholars who have emerged from similar backgrounds and mentor those youth incarcerated facing similar challenges.

Friday, Dec. 1

Designing Pathways from Prison to Campus

  • 10-11 a.m.
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  • Facilitators: Chelsea Esquibias and Kellie Nadler 
  • Presenters: Kirstin Pickering, Dr. Windy Martinez, and Cory McNeil, Mt. Tamalpais College 

Mt. Tamalpais College offers workshops on how to transition home to a new college post-release from San Quentin prison. Their leads will provide a run through of those workshops and will share successful strategies for supporting incarcerated students who are released to communities outside of the home college’s district. 

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