5 Things to Know Weekly Update

December 1, 2025

photograph of gwc president meridith randall. Meridith is leaning against a railing with her hands crossed in front of her. She's wearing a dark sweater and top and glasses, and is standing in front of large windows.

Dear Colleagues:

First, thank you for letting me take a break from Five Things last week while I was visiting my son – although I admit it felt very strange not to communicate on Monday. Second, I hope you all had great holiday breaks, wherever you went. I am sharing a picture of what Midway Airport looked like on my way back, and yet I still made it in time to see our football team continue its winning streak on Saturday (setting up another playoff game here on Dec. 6 at noon). So now our students and ourselves are in sprint for the next two weeks, and let’s do all we can to help them finish the semester successfully AND get enrolled for spring. Just remember to take some time for upcoming events – more on those below – and also time to take care of ourselves.

Meridith

Snow-covered airplane seen through an airport window on a gray, foggy day. The nose and wings of a blue aircraft are coated in white snow, with ground crew equipment and orange cones visible on the wet tarmac. Another plane’s wingtip appears in the background, and faint holiday lights are reflected in the window.

There are two highly-anticipated events today that you should attend if you can: first, our groundbreaking ceremony for the solar project in the north Gothard Lot at 2 p.m., where you can find out more about the project. And yes, it’s already messing up parking – we know! We warned you! (Stick to the Edinger and Goldenwest sides for spring). And then at 7:30 p.m., Dawn Brooks will present a vocal concert called “Soul Celebration,” which promises to be very enjoyable, as always.

Flyer titled ‘Soul Celebration’ with large white text over a bold, abstract background in red, yellow, and green brushstrokes. The lower half of the flyer contains event details in green text on a red and black patterned background, though the text is not fully visible in the image. The design evokes themes of culture, music, and celebration with vibrant colors and energetic paint streaks.

Wake up early tomorrow for the annual art sale that is only on December 2 and 3 – I have so many beautiful pieces, but there is always room to get more. They make perfect gifts for daughters-in-law (or anyone).

To finish helping you plan your week: we have the symphonic band concert Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., the dance concert on Thursday at the same time, and the rescheduled Patrons Movie Night on Friday to raise money for scholarships – so don’t plan on going home and watching Jeopardy this week.

“Flyer for Golden West College’s Drive-In Movie Night on December 5, 2025, from 5:30–9 PM. The design features a night sky with stars, a crescent moon, palm trees, and Santa’s sleigh flying overhead. Event details list food, treat bags for each car, kid activities, and a silent auction. A QR code invites guests to make a donation. A movie screen illustration shows posters for Elf and Frosty the Snowman with a banner reading ‘Double Feature.’ A cartoon car with two people watching the screen sits in front. A Santa hat overlays part of the design. Text at the bottom notes that the event is hosted by the GWC Patrons, with proceeds supporting scholarships for GWC students

Everybody loves a good underdog story, but we also like invincibility, too. We have both going on this semester: the invincible side is Scott Taylor and our men’s water polo team, who took home their 9th straight state title before the break (beating some college whose name escapes me for the moment….). And the underdog story is our women’s soccer team, who were ranked #12 and are now advancing to the state championship rounds – congratulations, Coach Barone and your players! And congratulations to our women’s volleyball team, who made to the regional finals.

I don’t recognize the support for all of our teams and athletes enough – so many thanks to the administrative team Danny Johnson, Nicole Woimberghe, Tim Bremen, and Kim Blair, as well as our athletic trainers Patrick Frohn, Kirsten Marony and Christopher Chau, and our equipment managers Julio Bravo and Andrew Iupati. Your hard work is much appreciated!

Group photo of the Golden West College men’s water polo team outdoors on a sunny day. The team stands and kneels together on a pool deck, all wearing matching white championship T-shirts and medals. Several players hold up a large trophy, and many are smiling and making celebratory gestures. The background includes pool facilities, light poles, and scattered clouds in the blue sky.

Women’s soccer match in progress on a sunny day. A player in a black jersey (number 23) kicks the ball toward a group of players in white and blue uniforms who are scrambling to block it. Another black-jerseyed player and a white-jerseyed player collide nearby. A teammate in white (number 17) approaches from the left. In the background, coaches, substitutes, and a green ‘Golden West Athletics’ canopy are visible along the sideline.

Busy, busy week for all of us – I’ll be bringing forward faculty requests to the District on Monday, attending the annual Counselors’ Breakfast on Tuesday and also finalizing our choice for foodservice provider, and presenting at the State of the District event at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, followed by the kickoff with Lauren Sosenko of our Early College Academy at Bolsa Grande HS in Fall 2026. I am tired thinking about it – but energized too! Hoping the same feelings for all of you!

GWC Mission Statement

Golden West College provides culturally affirming educational opportunities for our students and community to achieve upward mobility. Our academic excellence, exceptional student services, and community partnerships empower students to achieve personal and academic goals and contribute toward an inclusive and equitable society.