ARC Alumni Newsletter – October 2024

It’s a great time to be an American River College Beaver! I’m delighted to welcome you to your source for alumni information, the Beaver Bridge!

As we approach our 70th anniversary, we are thrilled with the progress we have made. This includes the development of our new Career Technical Education building and the acquisition of a five-year, $3 million Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) grant aimed at improving equity and fostering belonging for Latino/a/x students. Additionally, we have secured a five-year,
$300,000-per-year grant to support our Native American student population and community. Together, we have made significant strides in helping our students by expanding services and increasing access to essential resources. Our commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive environment remains central to our mission.

Our students thrive when they feel a sense of belonging; that connection doesn’t end once you leave ARC, whether you graduate, transfer, or complete your studies. We’re excited to welcome you back for professional development opportunities, guest lectures, athletic events, and artistic performances that continue to make ARC a vibrant community.

We’re especially proud to celebrate recent achievements in athletics. Our Women’s Tennis Team finished an undefeated season, claiming their second consecutive 3C2A State Championship—an incredible accomplishment! Additionally, the ARC Rugby Club earned the Northern California D1AA Champions title in its inaugural season, making ARC the only community college in the nation competing at the D1AA level. We invite you to stay connected with us and continue to be part of these exciting moments in our community.

Being involved with your alum association can take different forms, so we’d love to hear from you: how can we best support your continued journey as an ARC alum? Whether you’re interested in giving back to our community, meeting with our teams to learn more about our new programs, or attending campus events, we want to strengthen our connection with you.

We look forward to continuing this journey together with you. 

Go Beavers!

Whether you walked in graduation or just took a few classes that made an impact, we want to hear from you. Share your experience with us and you could be featured in one of our student profiles!

When Sacramento native Laura Kellen enrolled at American River College over 20 years ago, her direction was unclear. “I didn't have any real role models. I just kept showing up to school, semester after semester, taking classes part-time, sort of muddling through and doing the best I could,” recalls Kellen.

Soon, a much clearer picture began to form.

“I started to believe that I could eventually transfer to a university, and I got a student assistant job working in the college library. ARC really helped me to build my confidence,” said Kellen. While she went on to earn degrees from both Sacramento and San Jose State University, American River College’s impact on Kellen can’t be understated. “I really wouldn't be where I am today without starting at Los Rios.”

Happy and successful is how she now describes herself in her role as Outreach Librarian for the Braille and Talking Book Library, which is a part of the California State Library in downtown Sacramento. The section serves anyone in Northern California unable to read standard print due to a visual disability, physical disability, or print disability (i.e. reading disability or other "invisible" disorder.) The library holds thousands of braille volumes and over 140,000 audiobooks. “My job is to try to raise awareness that our library exists and get our materials into the hands of people who need them. Pretty sure that 99.99% of the population has never heard of us. On the bright side, that means that I never run out of work, and I always have something to do!”

Staying busy isn’t a problem for Kellen. She’s a voracious reader and frequent writer for

the California State Library Foundation Bulletin which features strikingly beautiful photos and stories of some of the library's historical treasures. She’s also the Speaker Coordinator for the Sacramento Suburban Writers Club, one of the oldest writing clubs in Sacramento.

For the past 12 years, Kellen has worked with Canine Companions, currently raising her 6th service puppy in training. The local puppy raiser chapter she works with also organizes group outings to expose the puppies to different experiences, including Disneyland, where the trainers take the dogs on rides such as “It's A Small World” and the “Jungle Cruise”. If that's not enough to make you say "awww", then know that they even get to meet the Princesses at Royal Hall!

Kellen’s canine graduates have all moved on to support individuals with specific medical needs, veterans, and children with autism.

She is also giving back to the college that helped her get her start. In 2014, Kellen established the ARC Laura Kellen Scholarship to support students majoring in business, and still wanted to do more, so designated ARC as the recipient of her estate and became a member of the LRCF Legacy Society.

ARC's BJ Snowden was selected to become the Interim Leader of the CSU Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence.

Snowden, a Cosumnes River College alum, helmed pivotal positions throughout the Los Rios Community College District since starting as a Professor of Radio & New Media in 2002. He recently served as Associate Vice President of Equity, Institutional Effectiveness, and Innovation at American River College.

Remember how you felt when you first started college—possibly nervous, shy and a little apprehensive? Assess how you feel now

—confident, eager and looking forward to the future? Join others who feel the same way and help those who are still working to get there! As an American River College alum, you are part of the ARC family and it is our goal to keep you connected once you

transition to a career and/or transfer to another educational institution. Your relationship with ARC does not have to end after you leave. Click here to learn more and join the Alumni Association! Membership in the Alumni Association is free.

Orange Shirt Day

On September 30th, American River College’s Native American Student Support and Success Program commemorated Orange Shirt Day to raise awareness about the history and ongoing impact of American Indian boarding schools. This day honors the experiences of tribal nations across the U.S. and Canada and celebrates the resilience of AI/AN peoples. The event featured testimonials, song/dance presentations, and refreshments at the UNITE Center.

The Work Experience Internship Program is a unique academic program where students apply what they have learned in the classroom to a work environment – all while earning college credit. One resource available to our students is Handshake, a job and internship platform for students. If you are an employer and have open internships and positions, learn more about Handshake.

Your gift to the ARC Alumni Fund supports college priorities that have immediate and lasting impact. Donations from ARC's Beaver Alumni help create, build, and sustain programs, ensuring that ARC continues to invest in our students and faculty.

Donate to the ARC Alumni Fund Today!