The Accrediting Commission for Community Junior Colleges recently featured Woodland Community College’s Lake County campus as part of its regular newsletter, “ACCJC On The Move.”
In this newsletter, 137 ACCJC agencies share stories about the impact their agencies, programs, and people are having on the individuals they serve, as well as the life-changing practices they are using both inside and outside the classroom.
During the visit, Accreditation Committee Chair Mac Powell highlighted the Environmental Technology – Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment Technology program, which he noted during previous visits.
“This unique program offers a certificate and associate of science degree designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills essential for careers in environmental management,” said Woodland College President Dr. Lizette Navarrete.
“This certificate and degree will help prepare you to take and pass the water treatment and/or wastewater treatment examination administered by the California Department of Public Health,” Navarrete said.
Powell has served as chair of the accreditation committee since mid-2022. He previously served as president of three colleges, including John F. Kennedy University, where he led successful efforts to make the university a service-learning institution and a federally recognized and funded Hispanic-serving student-serving institution.
Powell wrote in the newsletter that he toured the main campus in Woodland with Navarrete and Yuba Community College District Chancellor Dr. Shauan Pang, and in addition to touring the new performing arts center and culinary institute, “he also had a great time behind the microphone in the college's e-learning studio, which helped with the college's transition to online learning.”
“One of WCC's most unique programs is the new Environmental Technology – Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment Technology program on the Lake County campus,” Powell wrote. “Certified students can become water and wastewater treatment operators, which is the first step to working in the water/wastewater treatment industry. Students who complete their associate's degree are prepared to become supervisors or managers for water departments and water treatment operating companies.”
Navarrete told Powell that key features of the program include a comprehensive curriculum covering principles, regulations and technologies related to drinking water and wastewater management; instruction in “industry-relevant skills”; collaboration with experienced faculty and industry professionals; and “establishing strong connections with local water and wastewater treatment facilities, providing students with valuable networking opportunities.”
“Many of the program's graduates have gone on to hold key positions in water and wastewater management agencies and have had remarkable career success,” Powell wrote, noting that hiring partners include Clearlake Oaks Water District, Lake County Borough, Kalayomi County Water District, Highlands Water District, Lower Lake County Water District and Upper Lake County Water District.
“Connecting directly with local employers contributes to the success of this program and opens doors to the communities where students live and attend school,” he said.
“The program attracts many non-traditional students. More than half of the students enrolled in the program are over 30 years old and come from diverse backgrounds,” Powell added.
