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.
March 26, 2026
San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College has been selected as one of eight institutions to receive funding through the College Futures Foundation’s Unlocking Economic Mobility for Adult Learners initiative. Mesa was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 223 applicants, recognizing the college’s commitment to advancing equitable outcomes for working adult learners.
This initiative supports innovative, learner-centered strategies that help adult students complete credentials that lead to meaningful economic opportunity. Mesa College’s project is focused on fully embedding Work-Based Learning into the adult learner experience, ensuring that non-traditional students can directly translate their education into career advancement and economic mobility.
The college’s approach is anchored in two key strategies. First, Mesa will establish a partnership San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) through Advancing San Diego to align education with industry demand—leveraging a proven, employer-led model that connects students to high-quality, work-based learning opportunities including paid internships with local employers. Second, the college will build intentional infrastructure to better serve adult learners through the Mesa Interdisciplinary Program (MIP) and Career Services, strengthening pathways from education to employment.
“Being selected for this initiative affirms our commitment to building systems that truly see and work for adult learners. At Mesa, we recognize that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. This work is about closing that gap by intentionally connecting adult learners to meaningful, wage-based experiences that lead to real economic mobility,” said Dr. Ashanti Hands, President of San Diego Mesa College.
Over the next two years, Mesa College will collaborate with fellow grantees across California to test, refine, and scale solutions that address key barriers such as affordability, flexibility, and the alignment between education and workforce outcomes. The initiative also includes participation in a statewide learning community to share insights, strengthen partnerships, and inform broader systems change.
To learn more about the initiative, visit: https://collegefutures.org/announcing-the-unlocking-economic-mobility-for-adult-learners-cohort
College Futures Foundation: https://collegefutures.org/
Jobs for the Future (JFF): https://www.jff.org/
Tags: Press Release, Adult Learners
Anabell Pulido
Public Information Officer
[email protected]
(619) 388-2759
San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College has been selected as one of eight institutions to receive funding through the College Futures Foundation’s Unlocking Economic Mobility for Adult Learners initiative. Mesa was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 223 applicants, recognizing the college’s commitment to advancing equitable outcomes for working adult learners.
San Diego, CA — U.S. Department of State has recognized San Diego Mesa College as a Top Producer of Gilman Scholars for 2001–2025, highlighting the college’s leadership in supporting students who successfully apply for scholarships through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.
SAN DIEGO — San Diego Mesa College has received approval from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to launch a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant, marking the college’s second bachelor’s degree program and expanding access to advanced healthcare education in the region.
