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OCC announces Chief Dan Stefano as 2025 inductee into the Alumni Hall of Fame

With a career spanning more than three decades, from reserve firefighter to Fire Chief, he credits his start at community college with providing him with a solid foundation. His dedication to the community was recognized this year when Chief Stafano was named a recipient of the 2025 California Community College Distinguished Alumni Award by the Community College League of California. The statewide honor recognizes former community college students who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen fields while demonstrating exceptional service to their communities.

“Orange Coast College played a crucial role in my personal and professional journey, both academically and athletically,” says Stefano. “It served as a vital launching pad for my career in service and my graduate studies at CSULB and USC. My approach has always been guided by a team and family environment, with faith at the core.” Read more.

OCC to Celebrate Year of the Fire Horse with Lunar New Year Celebration

OCC’s Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) team will host a Lunar New Year celebration on Thursday, February 26 in the Main Quad. Lunar New Year snacks and refreshments, festive photo opportunities and activity booths featuring red envelope decorating, calligraphy and traditional games will be available from noon to 2: 30 p.m. and the Lion & Dragon Dance performance will begin at 12:30 p.m. The Fire Horse sign, a rare combination that occurs once every 60 years, blends the energetic qualities of the horse with the dynamic nature of the fire element, symbolizing strength, passion and forward movement. More multicultural events.

OCC Celebrates Black History Month

Orange Coast College celebrates the 100th anniversary of Black History Month throughout February with a series of planned events for the month-long celebration. Complete list of events.

OCC Culinary Program earns Exemplary Status from ACF

The Orange Coast College Culinary Program has been awarded exemplary status by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the premier professional organization for culinarians in North America, and the industry standard for certification, education, and accreditation.This site visit garnered them the maximum seven years of accreditation before renewal is required. Read more.

MESA student represents OCC at Harvard for National Collegiate Research Conference

Physics and astronomy major Naol Dufera represented OCC at Harvard University in January at the 2026 National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC), the nation’s largest student-run research conference. Dufera, the only community college student in attendance, joined students from Penn State, Caltech, Howard University, Duke, and MIT to share his Giles T. Brown Student Project and Research Symposium: “Conceptual Design and Performance Evaluation of a Stirling-Driven Small Modular Nuclear Reactor.”

OCC’s Dance Team Brings Home Bronze From Nationals

The Orange Coast College Cheer and Dance team brought home the bronze medal for their Open Jazz Division performance during the 2026 Universal Dance Association (UDA) Nationals. This year's College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship was held January 16-18 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Read more.

OCC ranks among top in nationwide student math league event

OCC students competed in the Student Math League at the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) event. This marks the group's first year returning to the nationwide Math competition since before 2020. Under the advisement of professor Vu Phan, the team notably ranked third in the Southwest region and 13th among 117 schools nationwide. The second round will be held in the spring.

Witana earns overall silver at Moorpark heptathlon

Orange Coast College track and field standout, Nikki Witana, earned second place overall at the two-day, Moorpark Multi-Event Invitational this past weekend at Moorpark College. Witana, a sophomore for the Pirates out of Westmont High School, finished, the two-day, seven-event competition with a runner-up overall score of 3,531 points. Read more...

Pirates bounce back with 9-4 win over Eagles

The Orange Coast College baseball team bounced back from a tough loss on Saturday and responded with a 9-4 win over visiting Mt. San Jacinto College on Tuesday at John Altobelli Ballpark. The Pirates (5-5), winners of five of their last six games, jumped ahead early on the Eagles (5-4) and never gave the guests a chance to get back into the game. Read more...

Pirates keep rolling with sweep over Vikings

The second time looked just like the first for the Orange Coast College men's volleyball team as the Pirates completed a three-set sweep over visiting Long Beach City College for the second time this season on Wednesday night inside the Peterson Gym. Read more...

Feb. 19 — Flex Day - No Classes

Feb. 21 & 22 — Plays Made In a Day presented by the Orange Coast College Repertory Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Drama Lab, Studio 102

Feb. 24 — Spring Pirate Involvement Fair, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Main Quad

Feb. 25 — Open Forum, 10 a.m., College Center, Ballrooms B & C

Feb. 26 — Exit Report, 11 a.m., College Center, Ballrooms B & C

Feb. 26 — Lunar New Year Celebration, Noon - 2 p.m., Main Quad

Feb. 27 — Public Telescope Star Party, 8:15 - 9:15 p.m., OCC Planetarium

Since 1947, Orange Coast College has been at the forefront of higher education locally, nationally, and globally.

Tide Report

February 17, 2026

OCC announces Chief Dan Stefano as 2025 inductee into the Alumni Hall of Fame

OCC to Celebrate Year of the Fire Horse with Lunar New Year Celebration

OCC Celebrates Black History Month

OCC Culinary Program earns Exemplary Status from ACF

MESA student represents OCC at Harvard for National Collegiate Research Conference

OCC’s Dance Team Brings Home Bronze From Nationals

OCC ranks among top in nationwide student math league event

Witana earns overall silver at Moorpark heptathlon

Pirates bounce back with 9-4 win over Eagles

Pirates keep rolling with sweep over Vikings

February 17, 2026 February 17, 2026

OCC News OCC News

OCC announces Chief Dan Stefano as 2025 inductee into the Alumni Hall of Fame

OCC to Celebrate Year of the Fire Horse with Lunar New Year Celebration

OCC Celebrates Black History Month

OCC Culinary Program earns Exemplary Status from ACF

MESA student represents OCC at Harvard for National Collegiate Research Conference

OCC’s Dance Team Brings Home Bronze From Nationals

OCC ranks among top in nationwide student math league event

Pirates Sports Blog Pirates Sports Blog

Witana earns overall silver at Moorpark heptathlon

Pirates bounce back with 9-4 win over Eagles

Pirates keep rolling with sweep over Vikings

Events Calendar 📅 Events Calendar 📅