First Ever State of the College Tells the “Mt. SAC Story” and Its “AI-ready” Future
October 30, 2026 - 03:01 PM
Students were at the heart of Mt. SAC’s inaugural State of the College event, where President/CEO Dr. Martha Garcia highlighted the college’s accomplishments and outlined a vision for its next decade.
The event drew 500 attendees and underscored how one of California’s largest colleges is putting students first as it plans for the future.
Dr. Robert Hidalgo , Board of Trustees President opened the event, saying, “Behind every accomplishment we celebrate at Mt. SAC is a student with a goal — a student working toward a degree, preparing for a career, transferring to a university, learning a new skill, or creating a better future for themselves and their family.”
President Garcia gave the main State of the College address, first acknowledging that 2026 saw Mt. SAC celebrate its 80th anniversary.
“There is so much history on this campus,” she said. “Our buildings, our programs, and the many accomplishments we will celebrate today all tell part of the Mt. SAC story.”
She noted, “From fewer than 700 students in its first year, the College now serves more than 83,000 credit and noncredit students annually across 20 communities, providing 416 academic programs.”
As President Garcia spoke, videos were shown of these highlighted programs and student stories. About Rising Scholars, the Student Service affecting those impacted by the criminal justice system, she told the story of 2024 graduate Megan Lohans.
Megan spent 15 years living on Skid Row, in and out of the criminal justice system. As a Mt. SAC student, she thrived and eventually earned the most prestigious and lucrative community college scholarship in the country: the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. This award paid up to $65,000 per year for her to finish her bachelor’s degree at a four-year college of her choice.
“Never underestimate a Mt. SAC student,” Dr. Garcia commented.
Several instruction programs were recognized, including Athletics, the Communications Department’s Speech and Debate Team, the Wildland Fire Academy, and the School of Community Education’s tuition-free Licensed Vocational Nursing Program.
Speaking about the future and the Mt. SAC 2035 plan, she noted the Technology and Health Building is under construction now, as well as the Welcome Center that is due to open in the new Instruction Building.
Dr. Garcia announced that the next construction project to be undertaken, and currently in the design stage, will be the Library Learning Resource Center.
She noted this construction is only, “possible because of the tremendous support of our community.”
With Measures GO and V being the voter-approved funding sources for these projects, she thanked the community for, “believing in Mt. SAC and investing in the generations of students who will walk through our doors.”
She also announced a recently awarded $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of
Education to expand Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and make Mt. SAC an “AI-ready
institution.”
The event was colored with performances by the Cheer Squad, the Marching Band, and an appearance from the school’s mascot, Rizzly the Grizzly.
Dr. Garcia ended her speech with a call to the community and business leaders in attendance to join Mt. SAC to, “open Doors for the next generation. For a student facing financial challenges, a scholarship can mean the difference between continuing their education and putting their dreams on hold.”
Following the address, a reception was held. Mt. SAC’s own Culinary Program students catered the affair with hors d'oeuvres. The Culinary students also created a large 80th birthday cake for Mt. SAC.
The State of the College event was not funded out of school funds, but rather paid for by sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Tilden-Coil Constructors, Inc., Leadership Sponsor HPI Architecture, and Program Sponsor Foothill Transit.
Click to View Gallery (Photos: Robert Bledsoe)
