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2010 LMC Foundation Golf Tournament

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1996 screen grab of a photo I took of the campus for the college newspaper when I was a student in journalism

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The art department and journalism department helped me realize my interests and allowed me the time to figure it out. Many years later I came back to work and teach for LMC and found it to be one of the best places to work. Many opportunities are made here and hopefully many more!

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After nearly 40 years teaching at LMC, the time has come to look back.. field trips with students, cultural events on an off campus, graduations, opening days at LMC.. just a few of my favorite things, and people!

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Pictured: Lindy Maynes, Cherry Li-Bugg, Mary Oleson, President Peter Garcia, and Angela Lombardi

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In 2007, the LMC Foundation successfully secured numerous grants and sponsorship funds totaling $20,000 to take part in the National Endowment for the Arts “Big Read” program. The Big Read, a collaborative effort of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, aimed to rejuvenate the significance of literature in American society and introduce the enriching influence of literature to its people. The program brought together partners to promote reading for enjoyment and enlightenment. The committee overseeing this initiative included Cherry Li-Bugg, the Senior Dean; Lindy Maynes, the Executive Director of Los Medanos College Foundation; Mary Oleson, the Big Read Coordinator; as well as various community members. The selected book for the program was To Kill a Mockingbird, and with the grant funds, 1,000 copies of the book were obtained for distribution within the community. During the Fall 2007 Opening Day, all LMC Faculty, Staff, and Managers discovered copies of the book placed under their chairs. A series of events were organized throughout East Contra Costa County, inviting community members to come together and read excerpts from the book that resonated with them. Additionally, the LMC Drama Department staged a performance of the play, and local high schools were encouraged to have their students read the book and subsequently write essays about its personal significance. Furthermore, a screening of the movie took place at the El Campanil Theatre, alongside an initiative to collect donated shoes from students, faculty, staff, and community members for an art display in the Indoor Quad, entitled “Walk around in someone’s shoes”.

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I came to LMC to brush up on my clerical skills, because I didn't think I was college material. I ended up staying and transferring to SFSU for my undergrad and am now working towards my MBA. All because of incredible supportive staff and faculty. And...I never left because now I am staff!

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Linda left and Carhart in the center with tie in front of a chalkboard at a conference table.

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My CCCCD story starts back in the 60’s when I was fortunate to be employed at DVC when the plans for the new Los Medanos College campus was being drafted.  At that time my boss, John I Carhart, became the future president of LMC.
After taking time off to raise my child, I was fortunate once again to be hired (1975) at LMC staying there until I retired in  2001 ….. best times of my life!

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When I came to LMC at 17 years old, I had no plan for my future. All I wanted was a certificate and permit in Child Development, and was only "pretty sure" that I wanted to work with children. I was hired as an student worker in the child study center, and very quickly recognized my passion for early childhood development and education. After one year, I left the center and went on to work at another preschool. I quickly realized that my education was more important, and went back to the child study center for one more semester. Then I was hired as a Classified Part Time lead teacher at the center, and was encouraged to continue my education to finish my degree at LMC... So I did. I did more than I believed I could in getting my AS-T here at LMC due to the encouragement and support from the ECE faculty and classified staff at the Child Study Center. Then I couldn't believe it when they believed in me and encourage me to get a BA. So I did. Then I got my Master in Education and was hired here in 2022 as a full time Classified member, Early Childhood Education Specialist here at the Child Study Center. I started here as a student, and never left.

LMC is a place of encouragement. The Classified staff members and the Faculty here on campus support big dream, provide sincere love and warmth on those journeys to achieve, and have genuinely changed my life for the better, as well as many of my colleagues and students of my own. Thank you LMC for being here, and being committed to growth. The attached picture is me in 2019 graduating with two of my biggest encouragers, Child Study Center Director, Angela Fantuzzi and retired faculty and classified member, Margaret (Peg) O'Malley.

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My fondest memories of doing visiting group planetarium shows were

when the stars would appear and the audience would go "ooh" and "aah."

when teachers would give me thank you cards with all the students' signatures

when teachers would send me drawings that their young students made of their planetarium visit with the drawings showing the kids looking up at the stars on the dome

when students as young as first grade would walk up to me after a show and ask me specific questions about something astronomical that I did not cover

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During my first year at Los Medanos College, my colleague in Chemistry, Mitch Schweickert, recruited some of his students to help "decorate" my office. Because my alma mater is Stanford University, affectionately known as the Farm, they placed a bale of hay in the center of my office. They also used plenty of pink in their decorations to poke fun at the Stanford Cardinal Football team. The item in the center of the photo is an old LMC outdoor light pole; I have no idea why it's there! The whole thing was quite a mess, but it sure made me feel welcome. LMC is a special place!

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To contribute to the grand opening of the LMC Science Building, I performed a chemical reaction to dazzle the audience (see the photo in the LMC Experience for Sept. 19, 2008). Unfortunately, I set off the fire alarms which quickly put an end to the festivities! Later, President Peter Garcia was asked about it at a Sabbatical Leave Committee meeting, and he defended me by saying that the smoke detectors required testing!

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Renee Bravo - current student graduating in 2025

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Renee Bravo - current student graduating in 2025

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I was inspired to go back to school by my daughter that graduated from LMC. I dropped out of Community after my first year and got married very young, I never saw myself going back to school but when we moved to Antioch, I said I have nothing to lose and so much to gain. I struggled so much in school growing up and one subject I struggled with was math. When I was told I needed Statistic to graduate, I was nervous not knowing if I would graduate on time, my professor believed in me and the one thing he thought us to not have a fix mindset and believe we are capable of achieving what we put our mines to thank Professor Tue Rust.

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Talimicus  Nowling - Graduating student 
2023 & 2024

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Talimicus  Nowling - Graduating student 
2023 & 2024

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I will be eternally grateful for the education that I received at LMC, setting the foundation for everything that I will accomplish in life.

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I wanted to share my story of being at LMC for close to 49 years. I was hired in the Fall of 1975, to teach Dance, Fitness, Volleyball, Tennis, and coach Women's Basketball, and Women's Tennis. In the next year I took on Intramural Director, and we would have teams from each department as well as buildings and grounds, compete in Basketball, and Volleyball, as well as Sand Volleyball, ( Yes we built a court just for intramurals) There were also Tennis Tournaments, Dominoe Tournaments, Ping Pong Tournaments. I also taught a Recreational Leadership class, where I trained students to referee the intramural games, and set up events. The campus was buzzing with these events. Faculty, Staff, and Students enjoyed them. Every year my students and I put on a Dance Performance in May. We also went to local high schools, and Contra Costa College to perform. I retired full time in Spring 2013, after 38 years teaching full time. I returned as an adjunct faculty in Spring 2014, teaching Pilates, and Yoga. And am currently teaching Dance and Yoga at LMC. I have loved being apart of the Los Medanos Family of incredible educators, and staff. I even met my Husband at LMC, and we are going on 48 years of marriage and 3 wonderful children, and 3 amazing grandchildren. Cheers to LMC's 50th! I count my blessings that I have been lucky enough to be apart of it. Lori Biles

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I started attending LMC as a high school senior in the spring of 1974 while construction of the main campus was still under way. I started out in the welding program and then transitioned to small engine and motorcycle repair before completing my general ed and AA degree in 1976. The small engine and motorcycle repair instructor Mike Miller suggested that I transfer to CSU Chico (Chico State at the time) when I completed my AA, and earn a BS in Industrial Arts/Automotive. Once I had my Bachelor’s degree, I could come back to teach part time at LMC as he wanted to expand the program. I graduated from CSU Chico in December 1978 just after proposition 13 passed. Unfortunately, funding reductions as a result kept the district from filling any new positions. In the meantime, I secured a job with Chrysler Corporation in Portland OR. In 2015 after 36 years at Chrysler, auto instructor Earl Ortiz contacted me and asked if I was interested in teaching a diesel course at LMC. It sounded too good to be true, and I decided to retire from Chrysler in the spring of 2015. I started teaching part time at LMC in August 2015. Since that time, I have taught the two diesel courses, as well as the electrical, engine technology, and brakes courses. Starting out at LMC and returning 36 years later to teach here has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.

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Teaching can be a remarkable vocation and sometimes you don't fully realize that til you depart from a community that helped you grow as a human being. LMC helped so many become more caring, compassionate and far more aware of one's life choices. When I first arrived at LMC it needed to grow, to expand..it was a toddler and now it has become an inspiring adult. That says everything about the people we work with and the students who inspire us to remain in the field. LMC is an extraordinarily diverse community with passionate teachers and hard working committed students in "the dunes" of far east Contra Costa County..a beautiful place to give and to receive... Muchas gracias LMC for everything you gave to me and hundreds of colleagues and students.

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Photo shared by staff member Rashaad McAlpin

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Photo shared by staff member Rashaad McAlpin

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In memory of former California teacher of the year Michael Yeoung

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I first attended LMC in the Fall of 1974 when the college opened. I played on the LMC football team for one year. In the Spring of 1975 I played on the Men's Tennis Team. I started at the bottom, #8 of 8. I spent many hours practicing morning, noon and night to become better. I beat the #1 player after many 9 hour days of practice. I became the #1 singles and #1 doubles player. I played for 2 years as the #1 player. My second year on the Men's team, I fell in love with the Women's tennis coach. But she wouldn't date me until I graduated in 1976. We started dating in the summer of 1976. It was a perfect match. So, we got married that same year in December of 1976. We've been married ever since. I went on to play collegiate tennis for Sonoma State University where I was also the #1 player. Once I graduated from SSU I was hired by LMC to teach adaptive PE, and coach the men's tennis team. I did this for three years until I found a full time job teaching Elementary Physical Education in Martinez. During that time I won numerous awards for program of excellence, runner-up Elementary Teacher of The Year in California. After 28 years I retired when Saint Mary's College hired me part time to teach in the Kinesiology Dept. and Education Dept. I completed my graduate work and my Doctorate from Saint Mary's College. Then I was rehired by LMC to teach part time, golf, tennis and Introduction to Kinesiology.

It's been a great ride and I'm still loving it.

Dr. David Biles

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For three semesters between 2015 and 2017, I was an adjunct professor at LMC in the Biology Department. I taught night classes in human biology and health. During this same period, I worked full-time at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. So, in order to arrive for my classes, I would leave the museum in Golden Gate Park at 4:15 p.m. and embark on quite the journey: MUNI to BART to Tri-Delta Transit. About three hours later, I walked into my classroom at LMC and delivered my class. Then, around 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. at night, I did the return trip (Tri-Delta to BART to Richmond). I spent more time on public transportation than I did in the classroom! I did not need the money or the job. I just immediately fell in love with LMC and its people. Now I have a full-time teaching position that began in 2019 and I am so very thankful for this community. I love being here!

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Briana McCarthy, Jill Beuttner, Nancy Ybarra

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LMC made my dream possible of building a professional development program from scratch focused on the art of teaching. Nancy Ybarra was supportive from Day 1 and helped me get this amazing program, now known as PIP - the Pedagogy Innovation Project, off the ground! I will forever be grateful to LMC, our amazing student-first culture, and former VP/Dean/English faculty Nancy Ybarra for helping this dream become realized! PIP is now recruiting its 6th cohort!