Foothill College Drone View

Board Reports

Home>President's Office > Board Reports

Reports to the Board of Trustees

Each month, President Kristina Whalen gives a report on college activities, honors, and achievements during the regular meeting of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees.

August 10, 2026

Awards & Honors

Milpitas Highschool Ceremony 2026

Milpitas Internships

Milpitas High School  successfully completed a three-week Summer Study Internship Program. This program is offered in collaboration with Pivotleft, S4CA, Milpitas Unified School District, and Foothill College.
In collaboration with the Santa Clara County Construction Careers Association (S4CA), Pivot Left, and the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD), we had 28 junior and senior students from MUSD participate in and complete a three-week Summer Study Internship Program at the Foothill Sunnyvale Education Center. During the program, students explored careers in construction through field trips to the Northern Sound and Communication Training Center and Therma. They also completed courses in career planning, CPR and First Aid, soft skills, and OSHA 10.
Upon completion of the program in July 2026, students received an $800 stipend, OSHA 10 certification, CPR and First Aid certification, and a digital badge from Foothill College.
 
 
Foothill College collaborates with Western Digital, Applied Materials, and Nokia to offer an Apprenticeship Semiconductor Processing Technician certificate pathway. Students in the program work full-time at these semiconductor companies while attending school part-time in person at the Sunnyvale Education Center for nine months. On July 21st, we celebrated our third cohort of seven graduates who successfully completed the program. The graduates participated in a graduation ceremony held at Nokia in Sunnyvale.

2026 Semiconductor Process Technician Graduates

Foothill College collaborates with Western Digital, Applied Materials, and Nokia to offer an Apprenticeship Semiconductor Processing Technician certificate pathway. Students in the program work full-time at these semiconductor companies while attending school part-time in person at the Sunnyvale Education Center for nine months.
On July 21st, we celebrated our third cohort of seven graduates who successfully completed the program. The graduates participated in a graduation ceremony held at Nokia in Sunnyvale.
Judy Walgren photography instructor at Foothill College

Photography Instructor Honored

Photography instructor Judy Walgren was inducted into the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Hall of Fame.  With the original 1909 meeting at Baylor, the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) became the oldest state collegiate press association in the nation and has grown into one of the largest and most respected collegiate groups in the country.

Cake celebrating Radiology 2026 class

Radiologic Technology Class of 2026 Continues Stellar Exam Pass Rate

Program Director Rachelle Campbell sent news--announcing that all 28 graduates passed their ARRT national boards on the first attempt! 

Events

Los Altos Fine Art Picture

Foothill Students Participate in Los Altos Fine Art in the Park

August 8–9, 2026

Foothill College student artists participated in Los Altos Fine Art in the Park on August 8–9, showcasing and selling their work alongside professional artists from throughout the region. The event provided students with valuable real-world experience presenting, discussing, and selling their artwork directly to the public while building confidence as emerging professional artists. Community response was very positive, and the event also provided an opportunity to promote Foothill’s Lifelong Learning offerings to local residents, including credit and tuition-free noncredit classes for adults interested in continuing to learn, create, and stay connected. The event highlighted the talent of Foothill students while strengthening the college’s visibility and connection with the surrounding community.
Kickstart event

Kickstart Your Path to Success

Thank you to Dr. Laurie Scolari and Student Services

August 5 & 10, 2026 

Foothill welcomed 160 returning and 335 new students to campus for Kickstart: Your Path to Success, Priority Registration Days. During the event, students received personalized assistance with every step of the enrollment process, from submitting an application to registering for classes. By connecting students with essential resources, academic planning support, and enrollment services, Kickstart equips participants with the tools, guidance, and information needed to begin the quarter with confidence and a strong foundation for success. 

Invitations

MESA/SLI Summer Internship Final Presentations

MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement) SLI (Science Learning Institute)

The Foothill community is invited to support our interns and learn more about their summer experiences during two presentation sessions:

Thursday, Sept. 3, 1–2:30 p.m. | Hybrid, Room 4502 and Zoom

Friday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Zoom

Zoom Link

Twenty-three Foothill College students are completing their summer internships through the MESA/Science Learning Institute (SLI) Summer Internship Program. The experience will culminate with final presentations, giving students an opportunity to showcase their work, share what they learned, and celebrate their accomplishments.

The presentations highlight the valuable experiential learning opportunities MESA/SLI provides to help students connect their academic studies with future educational and career pathways.

List of FLI-SLI Summer Interns

Anysia Alvarez
Marisol Arreola Jurado
Dustin Ayala
Annie Bento
Elia Byrd
Alexander Cabrera
Alfonso Coronado
Karen Dao
Jesus Garcia
Hillary Gutierrez
Emely Guzman Salguero
Semra Hidic
Maddison Kahn
Leon Li
Natalia Lopez Rodriguez
Thandar Nyunt
Francisco Plans
Natalia Rodriguez Giraldo
Moses Sanchez
Cristian Vasquez
Manuel Vazquez
Allison Villeda
Yuritzia Zaragoza

Students Register for Welcome Day

New Student Welcome Day

September 15, 2026

New Student Welcome Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15. Details on opportunities to represent your department and table at this event will be sent out by the Office of Student Affairs and Activities. Please invite and direct new students to the RSVP page linked above. 

RSVP to Attend

July 13, 2026

2025-26 The Year In Review

Opening Day at Foothill College

2025 Opening Day

On September 18, 2025, Foothill College Opening Day was centered around "Empowering One Another Through a Culture of Care." The keynote speaker, Dr. Durryle Brooks, whose scholarship and practice remind us that social justice is not just about systems and policies but also about how we show up for one another with compassion, courage, kindness and love. 

Alumni Hall of Fame event at Foothill College

Alumni Hall of Fame

October 4, 2025

Foothill College hosted its first ever Alumni Hall of Fame on October 4, 2025. Over 230 attendees gathered to celebrate the five inaugural inductees along with former Santa Clara County Supervisor, Joe Simitian, who was honored for his career-long support of education. The event raised over $150K for Foothill College’s experiential learning campaign 
Foothill College Campus View

Selected for Aspen's Unlocking Opportunity

Foothill College is honored to be part of the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity project, which includes 64 colleges across the country. The central goal is to ensure that more students complete programs that lead directly to jobs that pay a sustaining wage or transfer and completion of a bachelor’s degree. 
Read More
Blueprint for Success Event at Foothill College

Blueprint for Success

Launch Party, Jan 28

The Foothill College Strategic Educational Plan, Blueprint for Success: Foothill 2030, was officially launched on January 28. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators gathered to celebrate the publication of our guiding document and to discuss the two transformational goals. The four VPs each talked about their goals and objectives and team leaders were introduced. 

Marvin Flores Profile Picture

Student Poet Laureate

Marvin Flores served as Foothill College’s first Poet Laureate last year. His tenure kicked off with a wonderful speech at the 2025 Commencement Ceremony and included poems written for a variety of campus events, including Dolores Huerta's appearance at Foothill.
Explore More
Student searching in her phone for a class at Foothill College

Year-long schedule completed

The Foothill College Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) team worked on establishing a year-long schedule and the college was able to publish its very first year-long schedule on our website in April. 
Searchable Schedule
Jean Thomas Building at Foothill College

Jean Thomas Building Dedication

April, 2026

On April 23, Foothill College dedicated the Jean Thomas Student Success Center. It was a joyous occasion with many alumni returning to Foothill to celebrate the memory of Dr. Jean Thomas. This building dedication is the first in the Foothill-De Anza District to honor a Black woman. 

Student builder working at a construction

3rd Bachelor's Degree Approved

February / March

On February 19, 2026 Foothill College was awarded a third bachelor’s degree in Building Trades Management, after a lengthy approval process. Foothill College is proud to be able to offer this degree starting in the fall of 2027. 

Press Release—Feb. 25, 2026
Palo Alto Middle College High School Graduation Ceremony

Palo Alto Middle College —1st Graduation

May, 2026

The Palo Alto Middle College High School celebrated its very first graduation in Foothill’s Smithwick Theatre on June 2. The students will be matriculating to universities across the globe, and over 30% of them have elected to stay at Foothill and transfer from here to their schools of choice.
Foothill College Campus View

Full accreditation for the remainder of the cycle

June, 2026

After reviewing Foothill College's Follow-Up Report, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCCJC) reaffirmed Foothill College's accreditation until 2031. A huge thank you to the faculty, staff, and administrators who worked to ensure a successful follow-up report. 
Find Out More
AI lab at Foothill College

AI Fellow's Summary of Work

The Foothill AI fellows, an 18-member group made up of students, faculty, staff, and administrators has had a very productive year. Key developments for this year include completion of a college-wide AI survey, upcoming community forums on AI, development of new training programs through Coursera, and the creation of a new non-technical AI course (CS49) that could serve as a gateway for student AI literacy. The Policy and Guidance group is preparing recommendations for shared governance groups, while the Technology subgroup is working on establishing proper processes for AI tool adoption and evaluation across the campus. 
Love Your Learning Graphics

Kickoff of "Love Your Learning" Campaign

Following extensive research and work with students in multiple focus groups, the college marketing team is proud to go live with our “Love Your Learning” campaign. This slogan comes from our students who love Foothill. It also supports President Whalen’s principle that our students will be successful because of love, not luck. 
The Meaning Behind
Foothill College Commencement Ceremony 2026

66th Annual Commencement Ceremony

June 26, 2026

More than 900 graduates were recognized in this year's Commencement Program as family, friends, faculty, staff, and supporters gathered to celebrate this unforgettable milestone. The ceremony began with inspiring performances and heartfelt remarks that reflected the perseverance, determination, and bright futures of this year's graduates. From the opening procession to the final cheers, the day was filled with pride, joy, and moments that will be remembered for years to come.
photo album

Image Description

Keep Exploring

Love Your Learning at Foothill College.

Career & Academic PathwaysWorkforce ProgramApprenticeship Programs