2. Table of Contents
Demographics----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
Voting Results----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
Award Winners---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
Speaker Excerpts----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
Evaluation Responses----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13
Participant Commitments to Action----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14
Testimonials-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15
Participant Blogs----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Partners, Sponsors, and Supporters---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
Target 2020 California Summit Report
3. Demographics
Gender % Total
60
Female 55 48 3%
50 Male 44 39
Transgender 1 1
40 No Answer 0 0
8% 10%
30 55%
20
44% 6%
10
1% 15%
0 10%
7%
50
Age % Total
41%
18 to 19 years 25 22
41% old
40 20 to 22 41 36
23 to 25 18 16
26 to 27 3 3
28 to 30 6 5
31 to 34 6 5 Ethnicity % Total
30 35 to 40 0 0 African-American 10 9
25% Over 40 years 0 0 Asian 15 13
old Latino/a 41 36
Pacific Islander 7 6
20 18% White 10 9
Mixed Ethnicity 6 5
Other 8 7
Declined to State 3 3
10
6% 6%
3%
0
Target 2020 California Summit Report 1
4. 13%
36% School Location % Total
18% Central Valley
Sacramento Area
13
18
11
16
San Francisco & 33 29
East Bay Area
Silicon Valley (Santa 36 31
33% Clara and San
Mateo Counties)
Education Level % Total 80 74%
In High School
High School
1
0
1
0
70
Graduate 60
High School 1 1
Diploma/GED 50
Attended 4 Year 2 2
College 40
Community 18 16
College-PT 30
Community 74 66
College- FT 20 18%
Other 3 3
10 2% 3%
1% 1%
0
2 Target 2020 California Summit Report
5. Question 1: What challenges do community college students face in completing their education?
Avg. Top Challenges (As presented by Target 2020 California Participants)
9.2 Financial barriers.
The lack of awareness of campus resources (financial aid, tutoring, child care, work study) and available
8.5 opportunities and how to utilize them in order to succeed.
8.2 Access to student support, services, and classes.
A lack of relatable, reliable, and accountable guidance. Students, specifically our generation, don’t really
8.1 know what’s going on when we come into school. We need to try to lead students toward actual goals. Hire
more diverse counselors who have different perspectives in life and who encourage students to flourish
and have more dreams.
8.1 Better distribution of funds into increasing/ building awareness of and advancement of resources.
First year experience awareness programs that include information about “finding your identity” and
8.1 finding awareness of resources on campus.
Academic support from faculty and counselors, including mandatory orientation and part-time and full-
8.1 time office hours. Support with guidance.
Motivation from instructors, students, faculty, staff and administrators. Everyone should exude more of a
8.0 “we’re all a part of this” mentality.
Lack of communication between counselors, teachers and clubs. This involves students who have a
7.8 responsibility in asking for what we need. But we need to be aware and acknowledge the difficulty/
intimidation in doing this.
Access to information and resources through open minded support and guidance. Sometimes counselors
7.5 don't see us on our level - they try be too involved. We need extended hours with counselors and resources
need to be more accessible and available.
Target 2020 California Summit Report 3
6. Question 2: What can government officials do to improve college completion rates in California?
Avg. Top Solutions (As presented by Target 2020 California Participants)
9.1 Prioritize education at the top of the agenda.
8.9 Acknowledge and give more credit to community colleges and community college students.
Reforming financial aid standards for students who barely reach the financial income cutoff and for students
8.8 who are excelling academically. International and undocumented students dont qualify for aid at all.
8.6 Make education free by increasing taxes for the top 1% of California and by finding sustainable streams
of revenue.
Make all community college students who represent a the entire constituency a priority by proposing,
8.4 taking action, supporting and implementing programs such as the CA and Federal Dream Act.
Transform the regulation criteria for financial aid for documented and undocumented students, federal
8.2 and state. (The current federal and state level regulations are unfair and financial aid requirements trap
students in conditions that need more open standards. The Board of Governors Fee Waiver is complicated
and needs to be simplified.)
Increase funding for community college academic courses and support services like TRIO, EOPS, DSPS,
8.2 CARE, CALWORKS, RISE, and UMOJA.
Civic engagement. Be more available, involved, and hear issues on campus and in society to take action
8.0 on citizen concerns.
Help us understand where the money goes. Change because when we know we are empowered to so we
7.7 know when we need to act.
4 Target 2020 California Summit Report
7. Funding for 24/7 study hall facilities to accomodate different schedules and learning styles on campus with
7.4 support tools, printers, computers, etc.
Help support organic, grassroots resolutions by college students to create a democratic form of legislation
7.0 to be on ballots.
Question 3: What can administration officials, faculty and staff at academic institutions do to help
improve completion rates at our schools?
Avg. Top Solutions (As presented by Target 2020 California Participants)
8.7 Stand up for the “whole” student body. Create an AB 540 Student Success Program like EOPS.
Mandatory workshops for teachers refreshing their teaching skills, updating them in latest technology, and
8.3 teaching them to better engage with students today. (ie - professional developments days that focus on
curriculum building and skills to engage with students)
Administrative officials, faculty, and staff need to be more open, engaging, receptive - never stop learning,
8.2 always seek to innovate, be flexible and accessible. Be up to date on information and take initiative.
Have teachers and counselors reviewed and evaluated every year. Invite students into the process and
8.0 take their input into consideration.
Hire teachers that care about what they do, offer more office hours, and are willing to go the extra mile
7.8 to help a student succeed. Evaluate teachers based upon their demonstrated history and experience that
shows their commitment and determination. More pay for additional office hours - have schools encourage
volunteer extra hours as well... take into account the student experience in the teachers’ classroom.
7.8 Standardize the bridge between high school and college.
Target 2020 California Summit Report 5
8. Mandatory evaluations of professors by students in the middle and end of the semester and place results
7.7 on teacher’s biographies or online profiles.
Mandatory student-run conferences, events and summits for administration staff. Faculty, staff and officials
7.6 should be compensated to develop a more diverse curriculum.
Performance based budgeting (teachers, administration, faculty and staff should be paid based on
7.6 performance. Incentivize good performance, evaluate poor performance, and include students in reviews
and bargaining for all positions.
Mandatory specialized and focused attention to students that fall below a certain academic threshold/are
7.5 on academic probation. Create programs that specifically help these students to make sure that they raise
their grades.
Question 4: What can students/Millennials do to ensure we achieve our individual and collective
academic goals?
Avg. Top Solutions (As presented by Target 2020 California Participants)
Create a Peer Mentoring Program with community college students trained on financial aid, education
9.6 planning, and tutoring.
9.5 Create a mentorship program where students mentor incoming high school students.
Implement “Major” awareness week where each week would highlight a different major. Throughout the
9.5 week, students and the school would host workshops and professional speakers to develop a network of
support for the major and have people available to speak with students about the major.
6 Target 2020 California Summit Report
9. Develop social/academic programs to help build communities within each community college that would
8.4 bring together all student bodies to resolve issues pertaining to transportation, book loans, tutoring
services, etc.
Be PRO-ACTIVE: prioritize your education, seek out the help and resources you need to achieve your goals
8.3 so you can then help others. Make a web page for the clubs you’re on. Send tweets and quick messages
about school issues.
Take ownership and responsibility. Get involved. Seek out the resources you need to achieve your goals
8.3 so you can then help others. Make a web page for clubs you’re in. Sent tweets and quick messages about
school issues.
If anything blocks your goals (i.e. being AB 540) don’t give up, stay motivated, organize (use technology,
8.2 lobbying with people that support your goal, network) in order to ensure your success.
Create a collaborative effort led by students to use teacher resources and organize monthly resource fairs
7.9 on campus that educates students about available resources, workshops, and connects teachers with
students.
Take ownership and action as an individual and a community by standing against all obstacles such as
7.8 aggressive competition, by organizing and empowering the student body.
Find your own motivation for learning. Be in school to learn, be challenged and grow. Don’t just look for
7.5 the easy A’s and a one-way exit to a four-year school. Strive for proficiency, don’t make short cuts and
dont live off excuses.
Student Empowerment
Avg.
Before I came here, I felt that my level of empowerment to create change at my school was... 6.3
After the end of the Summit, I feel that my level of empowerment to create change at my school is... 9.3
Target 2020 California Summit Report 7
10. Target 2020 California Summit Evaluation
Avg.
9.8 When we leave here, make sure that we put these ideas to work, don’t give up, know that everyone
matters, and keep up the fight. (Participant Addition)
9.5 Overall, we had a successful Target 2020 California Summit.
9.5 The voting technology was used effectively and benefitted the Summit.
9.4 I am excited about bringing this work/these ideas back to my ongoing work/school.
9.2 I am going to partner with another participant, school, or group that I connected with at the Summit.
9.2 The Summit gave me an opportunity to have my voice heard on an important topic.
8.5 The Summit was well organized/designed effectively.
*Top answers are prioritized using a 1 to 10 agreement/importance scale.
8 Target 2020 California Summit Report
11. Target 2020 California Award Winners
Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) Student Outreach Team
Project Managers: Jose Ivan Arreola, Osvaldo Cordero
Community Organization: Educators for Fair Consideration
E4FC will train undocumented community college students for the E4FC Outreach Team. The training will help them
develop leadership skills and create a network of supportive, motivated college students throughout the Bay Area.
The E4FC outreach team will then go into schools and organizations (including community colleges) to help educate
students, parents, faculty and staff about challenges and opportunities for undocumented students. The community
E4FC is building is not only important to the emotional well being of its students, but has a direct correlation to increased
academic performance, civic engagement, transfer rates and internship/research opportunities.
Institutional Aid for Undocumented Students
Project Managers: Shaila Ramos, Anaruth Hernandez, Raul Martinez, Oraly Heraz, Nahui Quetzalcoatl, Aurora Aguilar,
Cristian Aguilar, Claudia Barajas, Angie Esquivel, So Choi
Community College: DeAnza College
The students at De Anza college are empowered to continue their education but students whose status is “undocumented”
have particular issues with success that other students do not have. Institutional Aid for Undocumented Students will
provide tools to create a sustainable future for all. It will give undocumented students that face both financial challenges
and emotional stress the support they need by giving them a place where they can go talk to someone, print their
papers, use the internet, gain moral support with fellow peers who understand how it is to be an undocumented student.
This will be a place where they can also go to get scholarship information, ask questions and gain answers that will help
them navigate the California higher education system.
Target 2020 California Summit Report 9
12. Transitition from Foster Care to College
Project Managers: Cherrie Moore, Ralph Hall, Marqui Walker
Community College: Chabot College
Partnering with Extended Opportunities Program & Services, city programs and Admissions
and Records of Chabot College, Transition from Foster Care to College seeks to establish a
mentorship/ counseling program that would help foster care children properly transition into
college life.
Supporting Student Voices
Project Managers: Ricardo Aguilar, Adriana Sanchez-Pillot, Alexey Dolotov
Community College: Chabot College
Students often have great ideas that can help build a better community on their campus. It can
include new ideas, or new solutions to old problems, but many times students have trouble
getting the word out to a very busy and diverse student body. Supporting Student Voices will
offer complete video and editing support for student organizations on our campus who are
doing good work but who have trouble making their ideas/solutions visible. Supporting Student
Voices will also offer on-campus, creative and marketing consultation to student organizations.
The Robyn Hood Project
Project Managers: Lena Carew, Samia Zuber, Carlos Martinez, and Juan Segundo
Community Organization: Students Supporting Students, City College of San Francisco
The Robyn Hood Project’s ultimate goal is to help close the higher education funding deficit in
California by educating students on how to advocate for sustainable solutions like AB 1239,
which increases taxes on wealthy California citizens and AB 656, an oil severance tax. The
Robyn Hood Project will include an education campaign, lobbying to legislators, and creating
alliances with faculty unions, statewide student governments, and non-profit organizations. The
team will also launch an online campaign, focus on networking opportunities, and participate in
campus budget and student equity hearings, and its campus’ shared governance system.
10 Target 2020 California Summit Report
13. Virtual Tutoring for Skyline College (Mobilize.org Seed Investment Winner)
Project Managers: Tina Ha
Community College: Skyline College
Many students are unable to utilize the academic help they need to succeed in classes. Due to limited hours offered at
the center, busy class schedules and other personal responsibilities, they are unable to access tutoring services offered
on campus. Virtual tutoring will offer free online tutoring, specifically for subjects students tend to struggle in (like
science and math), that revolves around student schedules, specifically in the evenings/nights and weekends when on-
campus tutoring is not available. Using Facebook to schedule tutoring appointments with students, Virtual Tutoring will
hold these group tutoring sessions through online video chat on Skype and tutors will receive training through a Skyline
Learning Center.
¡Fuerte! (Mobilize.org Seed Investment Winner)
Project Manager: Maria Guerra
Community College: San Jose City College
¡FUERTE! will address the lack of supportive reception and orientation services for incoming freshman at the community
college level, specifically new and recent Latino high school graduates. By working with established student clubs at San
Jose City College, ¡FUERTE! will coordinate student-led orientations and freshman workshops.
Viewer’s Choice Award
12 You Tube Videos
More than 800 views
Winner:
Project Unity
Project Manager: Crystal Rodriguez
Community College: Sierra College
In an effort to reverse the high dropout rates of students of color at Sierra College, Project Unity will help keep African-
American and Latino students on track to graduate on time, successfully transfer to a 4-year university, and improve
their math and english skills. The program will be modeled after the Umoja SANKOFA Scholars Program that currently
exists on community college campuses around the state.
Target 2020 California Summit Report 11
14. Speaker Excerpts
"We believe that the degree to which there can be a more common sensibility among students is the
degree with when you leave the college you'll have the capacity to fight for each other beyond the college."
-Dr. Brian Murphy, President of De Anza College
"Sometimes risk is a fancy word for mistakes."
-Deborah Rappaport, Rappaport Family Foundation
“Why are vibrant young people here on a Friday afternoon to talk about student success? Because you
know it matters…You have a say in your education.”
-Steve Ngo, San Francisco Board of Trustees
"Education is not a cost, it’s an investment."
-Dr. Jack Scott, California Community Colleges Chancellor
Following the Target 2020 Summit, Dr. Scott responded to additional questions via email. His responses
were posted on the Mobilize.org website. Below is an excerpt from his response:
Question: If the state did not use tax dollars to subsidize community colleges, what would the real cost
per unit be for community college students in California to attend school? How does this compare to
other states?
Answer: The real cost of funding a full-time student in California is approximately $5,000 per student per year… This is
less expensive than most states. Probably, the principal reason is the efficiency gained by the large number of students
California educates in its community colleges.
12 Target 2020 California Summit Report
15. Evaluation Responses
• 85 percent of summit participants were extremely satisfied with their overall summit experience
• 90 percent of summit participants were extremely satisfied with the speaker selection
• 72 percent of summit participants were extremely satisfied with the use of technology during the summit
Participant Commitments to Action
“I am committed to transforming the success rates of students in community college and to make community college
students aware of all of the resources that are available to students, and involvement in career building.”
“I will do everything I can to reduce African-American dropout rates all across California - eventually the world.”
“After this weekend’s summit I’m committing to work harder to support AB540 students just like me. I will make access
to financial support accessible for students that need it. I will not only help my college, but also my community and
everyone who needs it. I will mobilize. Before I followed the 3 P’s: Passion, Perseverance, and Patience in order to get
something done. After today it is PPM: Passion, Perseverance, and Mobilize.org.”
Target 2020 California Summit Report 13
16. Participant Testimonials
“I’m so glad to be part of this great gathering. It brings me to tears of joy that I’m around so many caring, passionate
and professional people.”
“I thought that my low knowledge in English wouldn’t let me to express myself. I thought nobody would listen to me
and I just felt shy and intimidated. But this weekend I felt heard and in some way I could express myself. Now I think
that I can make a change in my community, even with my limited English.”
“Everything was great, especially getting to know different people and feeling in a safe environment.”
“Mobilize.org gives that spark of motivation to be an active, engaged citizens in continuing our education.”
Partner Testimonials
“Thank you so much for the impact you created at our college and in our region. [As a result of Target 2020], a group
of students have also been meeting regularly to establish a student club called VOICES - Voices Of Inspired Committed
Engaged Students. We hope to carry the reverberations forward for a long time to come. ”
- Jennifer Mair, Public Dialogue Consortium
“You are all awesome and inspirational! Keep it up and let me know how I can get involved with Mobilize!”
- Jamil Malik, American River College
“Congratulations on a great weekend. I talked with Lynn Wright and the other network coordinators [at 3CSN]. I’ve
also talked with Jennifer from Public Dialogue Consortium. [After seeing the student dialogues at the summit], we’re
thinking about using the model you all used to invite student voice into professional learning and development.”
- Cleavon Smith, California Community College Success Network (3CSN)
14 Target 2020 California Summit Report
17. Participant Blogs
Putting Our Community First
by Maria Guerra
San Jose City College
M.E.Ch.A. Club President
As down and out as our nation seems concerning recent school budget cuts and lacking reassurance
from the school administration and the government, a student can always turn to their community
for academic encouragement. In turn, the individual student needs to commit to their society, even
expanding the boundaries of such, in order to help mobilize people as a whole; this responsibility is
especially important for the community college student.
I attended the Target 2020 education summit without the support and even acknowledgment of my school, which is based
in the city of San Jose, where the summit was held this past April. The seemingly ironic disregard of my school about me
attending, not to offend, could testify for their overall sense of apathy and neglect for student support programs, as well
as solutions for the significant issues we are facing in the California community college system as a whole. Specifically,
our students have seen a hike in their fees, paying more and more for classes while seeing fewer services offered to
them, an absence of available scholarships and guidance which ultimately discourages high retention rates.
Despite all, I approached the conference with an open mind, expecting to connect with a hundred student leaders from
the other 100-plus community colleges throughout the state in an effort to both identify the problems we shared and
also to create solutions, programs, and a unity in an effort to improve our situation; I’m happy to report that they, the
students, did not disappoint me as much as my school’s administration. In only two days at the conference, I met others
that were active within their communities and schools. They had ideas different from my own, yet they sought the same
resources: a bit of funding, a new way to move the masses, network with other schools…but most importantly, we all
sought inspiration from each other to not simply trudge through academic struggles, but to stand up straight, united, in
order to achieve our endeavors.
The end of this historical forum saw the creation of a student-based contingent— the united students of the California
community college system who vie to improve our educational situation, our community in its entirety, financial setbacks
and all—and we have made a vow to not give up, to stay connected, and work together in order to help achieve the
collective dream of education and equality for every curious student, regardless of citizenship status, family situation or
social class.
Target 2020 California Summit Report 15
18. I’m more confident in the entire community college system, and I’m confident in the student body of 2.8 million that have
an obligation to serve their communities throughout California. We are an impressive number, span the entire scope
in terms of ethnicity, culture, race, and all present a different story— a different struggle. We have a responsibility to
look at ourselves not just as students, but as parents, veterans, workers, and community leaders. We are the Millennial
generation that is responsible for changing the times for the better, and we will achieve that by obtaining affordable and
adequate education first at community colleges, then at the University level and beyond.
Undocumented but Not Alone
by Jose Arreola
Foothill Community College
Educators for Fair Consideration (Target 2020 Award Winner)
I arrived to the Target 2020 California Summit, Friday afternoon with the understanding that I would
contribute to creating innovative Millennial-led solutions to the challenges we face as community
college students. After so many political discussions, inspirational speakers and powerful stories, I
believe we achieved that goal. Yet as I was walking out of the hotel on Sunday afternoon, what lingered
within me was a profound vision of what it truly means to fully participate in a democracy. This vision was especially
overwhelming to me because, as an undocumented immigrant, I am not afforded democratic participation in our society.
As a result of my immigration status I do not know what it feels like to vote nor can I legally work, which essentially
means that I am not granted an equal voice. My needs and the needs of my community are often disregarded, overlooked
and ignored. As an undocumented student, I am not eligible for state and federal financial aid. This additional challenge
makes community college the most accessible institution of higher learning for undocumented students. But even at
community college, we find it challenging to cover costs and find support networks. Yet during the Target 2020 California
Summit, I was given a seat at the table, a microphone to voice my concerns and a vote to express my will for a better
and more just society. No one at my table cared whether or not I was a citizen of this country.
It is difficult for me to put into words what it felt like to be surrounded by a community of people- most of whom were
not undocumented- who not only recognized the struggle of undocumented students, but thought it was important
enough to merit a Democracy 2.0 Award. I was moved to tears when I witnessed the courage and resilience of the other
undocumented students at the summit. I left the summit with the knowledge that, despite the grandeur of the obstacles
we face, we have so many allies in the struggle.
I am deeply grateful to all the Mobilize.org staff for their hard work and dedication. I want to thank all the funders,
speakers and hotel workers who contributed to our experience and made it possible. And I want to give a very special
thanks to my peers and colleagues for believing in the work that we do at Educators for Fair Consideration. Thank you
for inviting me into your lives and involving me in your struggle.
16 Target 2020 California Summit Report
19. Target 2020 California Partners, Sponsors and Supporters
Community College
League of California
Target 2020 California Summit Report 17