Testimonials
“My experience with P2P has been enriching and inspiring. To have a brave space where mentors and mentees can nurture and grow with each other and learn from some of the brights and best in our system is an environment that can produce the necessary fruits that will change our system radically. P2P is truly a pathway to prosperity for Black faculty wishing to enter California Community Colleges.“
– Dr. Abdimalik Buul
San Diego City College
Counseling Faculty
P2P provided me the opportunity to experience life-changing workshops and engagements with mentees and peers that have impacted me at every level as a teacher, a leader, and a mentor. Thank you, P2P!
– Ajené Wilcoxson
Riverside City College
Prof. Business Administration & Entrepreneurship
My experience with the Pipeline to Possibilities Program, (P2P), was a completely enriching and life-changing experience. I learned so much during each session about teaching and guiding students from the Black perspective. It gave me the opportunity to learn from colleagues as well as share my own knowledge with the fellows. As educators, it’s easy to get caught in the routine aspects of teaching year-to-year; the experience with P2P disrupted many of the things that I had been doing in the classroom and gave me a profound sense of my role as a Black educator. The strongest aspect was the depth and breadth that each guest facilitator brought to the group. They each were highly knowledgeable, supportive, and passionate and presented their topics with the highest degree of professionalism. The love and realness from which they spoke was refreshing. Working with the mentees was a unique experience that allowed me to help prime the “pipeline” for the next generation of Black educators and administrators. It was very satisfying to work with a group of extremely intelligent and talented, young Black PhDs. Their contributions to the P2P program were immense and brought-to-bear the greatness of the Black mind. In working with them, I believe the P2P program has reached far into the future – and set in motion change that will affect generations beyond our comprehension. Thank you P2P!
– Avery Caldwell
Golden West College
Professor of Digital Media
I am honored and privileged to be a mentor for this wonderful organization Pipeline to Possibilities (P2P). Working to empower our next generation of black educators allows me to give them the tools needed to be successful personally and professionally. Empowerment, Confidence, and black brilliance are just some of the words that describes the P2P experience. Look forward to meeting you.
– Christopher Williams
River City College
Assistant Professor/Counselor
Serving as a P2P mentor for the past two years has been an amazing experience to say the least. The intentional efforts of the program to prepare prospective faculty of color for positions within the California Community College system is remarkable. As a faculty of color who serves in this system of higher education, I know and understand why work such as this is vital not only for potential faculty members but also for the students who attend colleges within this system. What I find most rewarding about my experience is that I have the opportunity to give back to my community by sharing my experiences with hopes that those experiences are providing a foundational framework to those that I reach. Additionally, I love being a part of an innovative movement, P2P, grounded in the work of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
– Dr. Danielle Lendor P2P Mentor
My experience with P2P has been truly amazing. Getting a chance to serve as mentor in working with our future black leaders and scholars is what makes this program truly special. This program is what is needed for our people and I hope we find ways to make this permanently funded so that many more students can benefit from all the dynamic speakers that the P2P staff bring.
– Dr. Amanuel Gebru
Moorpark College
Vice President of Student Support
“My time as a mentor for P2P has been life changing. After being selected to serve as a mentor in 2021, I thought it would be like other mentor/mentee programs I have encountered. Meaning, you get to meet your mentor and occasionally ‘check-in’ to check off a list. However, the actual experience has proven to be everything except ordinary or typical. For one, there is a unique bond between all of the mentors. It becomes apparent, almost immediately, why we have each been selected to serve in that capacity. I feel like I can reach out to any of the other mentors for guidance, help or advice even in my own matters as an educator. I also believe that every mentor has the same goal to be a resource to anyone, especially black folks, in our communities.
When it comes to pairing with interns, I think the program has an almost fool proof strategy in pairing interns with mentors. I have been so honored and humbled by the interns I have worked with directly and indirectly. And the relationship extends beyond the program as I know that I have a bond with them that will continue well beyond ‘program requirements’ and that makes the P2P experience extraordinary for me.”
– Ebony Tyree
San Diego City College
Professor English
My experience with P2P was an amazing community-building endeavor that I plan on being a part of for many years to come. As a mentor, I wanted to provide a knowledge base for my mentee regarding my educational experience in the California Community College system. I learned as much from my mentee as he did from me. Our in-class time was enriched with guest speakers that were outstanding orators, storytellers, deans, presidents, consultants, and business owners. My P2P experience was life-changing and I want to thank my cohort, the facilitators, and the P2P committee for allowing me to be part of such an incredible journey.
Robert Alexander is a counselor, educator, and author. He enjoys helping young students realize their full potential, whether going to college or picking a major. The Hood To Higher Education Organization exposes youth of color to different college options and careers while building on their own cultural awareness through critical literacies. Learn more about Robert Alexander’s books and organization at Hood To Higher Ed.
– Robert Alexander
DeAnza College
Professor of Counseling and Instruction
As a young black female in STEM, navigating the community college system can be quite difficult when there is a lack of Black mentors to help show you not only how the system works but how to navigate it as a Black professional. Working as a mentor for Pipelines to Possibilities has been an amazing way to look out for future Black professors who are also trying to see where there is space for both their professionalism and their Blackness.
Being able to provide support, guidance, and examples of various experiences is necessary when trying to increase Black faculty retention. By normalizing the idea of Black educators, and having a community to lean on, the P2P mentees are able to make mistakes that lead to growth in a space where they are met with love and assistance. As a Black woman, I have enjoyed being able to give back to the California Community College system by helping to train and empower the next generation of Black professionals who are willing and able to make the system better for all students, including our most vulnerable students.
– Trishana Norquist
Southwestern College
Asst. Professor of Human Anatomy