The Tri-Valley’s economic success is based on a wealth of resources. They include a culture of innovation that can be traced to the region’s two national laboratories, and a highly educated and skilled workforce that has helped create a thriving business community. Another critically important resource is top-ranked Las Positas College.

The community college has long been recognized nationally as well as regionally for providing a quality two-year education. The college has been rated the number one community college in the Bay Area and the third-best in all of California by the Niche education website. It is ranked fifth in California for its student transfer rates to four-year colleges and universities. For six consecutive years, Las Positas awarded the highest number of Associate Degrees of any community college in the state.

New Scholars Program

This past spring, the college announced the Las Positas College President’s Scholars Program. The new program awarded full scholarships to 20 graduating public high school seniors from within the Livermore, Dublin, and Pleasanton Unified School Districts. Each scholarship makes up a package of benefits valued at more than $8,000. The scholarships cover tuition, fees, parking, and text books for the next two years. Those accepted to the program will also receive additional academic, leadership, service, and mentorship opportunities.

“We have amazing and talented students who are graduating from our local high schools every year,” says Dr. Dyrell Foster, who became President of Las Positas in February 2020. “We thought this was a perfect opportunity to attract the diverse talent  that we have in the Tri-Valley but more importantly to alleviate the burden of the financial cost of an education. Especially coming off the pandemic, many of our students have had to face challenges in their personal lives. We also wanted to recognize their grit and perseverance through this program as well.”

All Things to All People

Las Positas students are a diverse group. They range in age from younger than 19 to older than 50. Some of them attend the college to earn a two-year Associate Degree only. Some plan to transfer to a four-year college after completing their Las Positas education. Others include older adults looking to change careers, and adults who want to finish earning a college degree that they began years earlier.

Las Positas has a broad range of educational options to meet the needs of its diverse student body. It offers 57 associate degrees for two-year college students, 27 associate degrees for transfer students who plan to move to four-year colleges, and 89 certificate programs. Certificate programs prepare students for direct employment, according to officials. While some certificate programs need more time to be completed, many can be finished in one year. Industry-specific certificate programs available include Automotive Technology, Business, Computer Science, Fire Service Technology, Horticulture, Occupational Health and Safety, Viticulture and Winery Technology, and many more.

In terms of education, “Las Positas is all things to all people,” says Dr. Foster. “We are an open access institution, so if you are coming straight from high school and you want to explore and try to find your career, we provide those opportunities and support. If you are coming straight from high school and you know exactly what you want to do and where you want to transfer, we have guaranteed transfer programs to get you on that path and help you achieve that goal. If you've been out of work and want to start a new career or change careers, we have opportunities for you to do that.”

Las Positas describes itself as “an inclusive, learning-centered, equity-focused environment that offers educational opportunities and support for completion of students’ transfer, degree, and career-technical goals while promoting lifelong learning.” 

Dr. Foster describes the college as being career-focused. “What I want our community to know is that we are focused ultimately on helping our students identify and enter their chosen careers while creating pipelines and easy educational paths for students to achieve it.”

That career focus embodies a number of programs and opportunities. Working adults may be able to earn credit as they study through the college’s work experience program, for example. “We are looking to create those opportunities for our students to earn while they learn, and so there are plenty of opportunities for our business and industry partners to engage with the college,” says Dr. Foster, who notes that the college has “a great collaboration with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory” and is “constantly looking at creating more of those opportunities for our students.”

There are many reasons why Las Positas ranks so highly as a community college, Dr. Foster says. In addition to the academic programs and a commitment to student success, he cites a strong student life department that allows students to connect with one another outside of classes through events, clubs, and athletic programs. The staff at Las Positas, including those who teach, are also a huge factor in helping students thrive.

“We have amazing faculty, and that's one of the things that really makes a huge difference,” according to Dr. Foster. “Our faculty members are dedicated and really care about student success.”

Some institutions might be content with the long list of accomplishments already achieved by Las Positas. But according to Dr. Foster, college officials and faculty members are working to make the institution even more welcoming, effective, and supportive for new and existing students. That includes the first group of incoming President’s Scholars. While students are the initial beneficiaries of the educational excellence provided by Las Positas, the community as a whole benefits as well.

As Dr. Foster notes, “Las Positas is committed and well-positioned to be a leader in preparing individuals for jobs in the Tri-Valley. We have and will continue to contribute directly to the strong workforce in our region.”

For more information about Las Positas College, please visit www.laspositascollege.edu.