Thanks to a transformational $1-million gift from philanthropist Roger Frey, the San Diego Community College District is ensuring students completing healthcare degree and certificate programs can start their careers immediately.
Connie Renda, MA, RHIA, CHDA, Program Director and Assistant Professor for Health Information Technology and Management, was recognized by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) with the prestigious Leadership Award.
We are excited to share the members of Generation Hope's California Presidents Circle, the first in a new national initiative designed to equip higher education executives with tools, data, and peer support to truly champion parenting students and their families.
June 2, 2022
San Diego, CA. — On Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 12:00 p.m., the World Arts Council of the San Diego Mesa College Foundation and sponsored by the Friends of the Central Library, will host a reception for the Echoes of Africa art exhibition, that will run through August 20, 2022.
Echoes of Africa celebrates the material culture of Africa and the Diaspora, reconnecting historical artifacts with contemporary artistic practices. Embedded in each piece is the connection between African and African American identity which is often underrepresented in the diaspora. This reconnection of ancestors and their descendants is captured in the pieces produced by contemporary artists coupled with African artifacts.
The exhibition celebrates classical and contemporary artistic traditions in metal, pigment, wood, ceramics, beadwork, and textiles. Local artists were invited to respond to the materials, symbolism, and creative process expressed in African art housed in the Mesa College World Cultures Art Collection. This interaction provided an opportunity for an artistic exchange resulting in artwork that echoes the creative impulse and cultural heritage embodied in African and African American art and culture.
The exhibition was curated by Dr. Denise Rogers and features work by Angie Jennings, Christopher Lloyd Tucker, Maxx Moses, Andrea Chung, and Jermaine Adeshola Williams. The reception event and exhibition is free and open to the public.
Date/Time: Opening Reception: Saturday, June 4, 2022, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Exhibition: June 4, 2022 - August 20, 2022
Location: Reception: 1st floor Courtyard of the Library and 9th floor Art Gallery
Exhibition: Central Library Art Gallery, 9th floor
330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-238-6690
Visuals: Speaking Program
Performance by The World Beat Center Drum and Dance group
1:1’s with Artists, Mesa College Foundation Curator Dr. Denise Rogers
Art on display in the Central Library Art Gallery
The World Cultures Art Collection
The World Cultures art collection at Mesa College was initially assembled to introduce Mesa College students to art created for use in Africa. Over the past few years, the collection has expanded to include works of art from Asia, the Americas and the Pacific regions. The collection was established in 1976 by Art Historian Dr. Barbara Blackmun, when a few pieces of African Art were gratefully accepted from generous donors. The first large donations of African Art established the nucleus of a growing collection between 1983 and 1988, which continued until Dr. Blackmun's retirement in 2010. At that time, Art Historian Dr. Denise Rogers took over managing the collection to ensure that Mesa students as well as the larger community continue to have access to this valuable resource. With the ongoing generosity of donors, the collection has continued to grow over the years and currently there are over 1,300 pieces in the collection from Africa, the Pacific Islands, MesoAmerica and the continent of Asia.
The World Cultures Arts Council
Dr. Denise Rogers, Chair, Kathy Lamb, Secretary, Nell Clark, Treasurer
Edith Andrew-Akita, Bea Barraza, Andrea Chandler, Charlene Glacy, Zulma Heraldez, Dr. Bennetta Jules-Rosette, Jennifer Kearns, Dr. Peri Klemm, Bill Lerach, Rick Matheron, Nancy Nenow, Patrizia Richardson, Dr. Teri Sowell, Claudia Thompson, Tara Yousefi
About the San Diego Mesa College Foundation
The San Diego Mesa College Foundation is dedicated to empowering students to reach their educational goals by increasing resources, raising funds, and creating friends and partnerships to support the mission of San Diego Mesa College. Our vision is to transform lives by supporting the educational dreams of our students and the communities we serve.
Tags: Press Release
Jennifer Nichols Kearns
Director of Communications
[email protected]
(619) 388-2759
SAN DIEGO — San Diego Mesa College has expanded access to bilingual educational services through a partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego, providing weekly, in-person support to community members through the Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa.
San Diego, CA — September 15, 2025 — Today, San Diego Mesa College received the 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award from Insight Into Academia magazine. The annual HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and community-building across all levels of campus life.
SAN DIEGO, CA — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded San Diego Mesa College a TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,762,655 ($352,531 annually over five years) to increase retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities.
