March Newsletter
- si6304
- Apr 10
- 16 min read
Updated: Apr 11
UPCOMING EVENTS
Midnight Madness
Cabrillo’s very own student senate will be presenting a dance for us on Friday, April 11th from 6pm-9pm in the Cafeteria. We hope to see you there for what’s sure to be a fun time filled with great music and even better people.
STUDENT SENATE ELECTION!
Student senate is an incredible way for students to become involved with campus initiatives, build connections with peers, and even enact change on a state level. If you’re interested in becoming a student body representative, apply now!
Applications for student senate are open, but they’re closing soon.
Deadline to apply is April 18th.
Pre-Earth Week Exhibition: "Our Earth, Our Future"
March 17-April 18, Cabrillo Gallery
Upcycling Fashion Show with Fashion Teens Santa Cruz
Check out Fashion Teens Santa Cruz for more information.
April 18th, 6:30 pm, Rio Theatre
City of Santa Cruz Earth Day
For More Information: https://scearthday.org/.
April 19th, Cooper St and Abbott Square
Earth Week Expo
Students will showcase class sustainability projects and lead attendees through a planting event.
April 22nd, 11-2, near the Aptos cafeteria
Sustainability Showcase & Fair
Join us for activities to celebrate our Mother Earth! Students will showcase projects; local organizations will have tables with information.
April 23rd, 3-5pm, Watsonville Campus
Earth Week Expo
Students will showcase class sustainability projects and lead attendees through a planting event.
April 27th, 12-3 PM, Watsonville Plaza
City of Watsonville Earth Day, "Our Power, Our Planet"
See Watsonville City Earth Day for more information
April 29, 5-7 PM, Horticulture Center
Food Film Showcase Feature: "Gather"
This final screening in the Food Film Showcase series features a take out dinner plate prepared by students in the Hort 160B class alongside and led by Chef Lonewolf of the Esselen Harvest Festival.
WHAT IS EARTH DAY?
Earth Day, celebrated every April 22, started back in 1970 when people in the U.S. began waking up to the damage pollution, oil spills, and pesticides were doing to the planet. Inspired by the anti-war movement, Senator Gaylord Nelson and activist Denis Hayes organized the first Earth Day as a nationwide teach-in. Over 20 million people showed up—students, families, workers—all calling for cleaner air, water, and a healthier Earth. It worked: the event helped launch the Environmental Protection Agency and led to major environmental laws like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.
Since then, Earth Day has gone global, with more than 190 countries now taking part. Interestingly, Earth Day is intentionally held on April 22 to maximize student participation—it falls between spring break and final exams for most U.S. colleges and universities. But while the movement has grown, so have the challenges. The Earth is under serious pressure—from rising global temperatures and mass extinction to pollution and resource depletion. We’re using up natural resources faster than the planet can renew them, pushing Earth beyond its carrying capacity. That means we're threatening the systems that support all life—including our own.
Earth Day isn’t just a celebration; it’s a wake-up call. It reminds us that environmental conservation isn’t optional—it’s survival. Whether it’s protecting forests, cutting carbon emissions, or reducing plastic waste, our choices now will shape the future of the planet. We all have a part to play, and Earth Day is a powerful reminder that change is possible when people come together.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY?
See Cabrillo College’s upcoming events here.
Or check out these…
Ways to Take Action for Earth Day
Small steps lead to big change. This is the only home we have—let’s take care of it.
Join a Cleanup: Help pick up trash in parks, beaches, or trails.
View the Save Our Shores Event Calendar Here
Volunteer: Plant trees, build gardens, or assist local green groups. Check out these resources!
Support Indigenous Land Defenders: Follow, donate, and amplify.
The Santa Cruz area is home to several Indigenous organizations dedicated to land stewardship and cultural preservation.Here are some key groups:
An initiative of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, AMLT focuses on accessing, protecting, and stewarding ancestral lands integral to their identity and culture. Their efforts include ecological restoration and cultural revitalization projects.
A community group based in Santa Cruz that collaborates with Indigenous communities to protect sacred sites and support environmental justice initiatives.
As California's first land trust, Sempervirens Fund works to protect redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains, acknowledging and collaborating with Indigenous communities in these efforts.
A coalition of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color leaders working collaboratively to advance racial equity in Santa Cruz County.
Join a Climate Movement: March, strike, or rally with like-minded folks.
Provides information on electrification and other climate solutions.
Focuses on local and global climate issues.
Advocates for climate legislation.
Engages in direct action on the climate emergency.
Develops programs for energy, transportation, and water to help communities build resilience to climate change.
A hub for the national Sunrise movement, nurturing a new generation of climate leaders working for Environmental Justice and building a Green New Deal.
Attention Biology and Oceanography Seahawks! Have you ever heard of the Cabrillo plankton lab, Bio 450? Well, it’s one of the most exciting and impactful courses Cabrillo has to offer.
What is Bio 450?
Bio 450 is a field-based course at Cabrillo that engages students in community science. Participants visit several local sites, including the Santa Cruz Wharf, Capitola Wharf, and Santa Cruz Harbor, to collect critical environmental data. Students monitor plankton diversity and blooms, water conditions such as salinity, turbidity, pH, and temperature, and environmental conditions such as weather and wildlife.
The data collected is transmitted to NOAA, a federal database dedicated to ocean observation and protection. By taking this course, Cabrillo students directly contribute to sustainability efforts and real-world scientific research. While universities like UCSC offer similar courses, Cabrillo is one of the only colleges on the West Coast providing students the opportunity to monitor zooplankton alongside other phytoplankton species. This holistic approach gives us a clearer picture of water health.
Why Plankton Matters
Plankton serves as an indicator of environmental health. If plankton populations bloom or change dramatically, it often signals larger ecosystem disruptions. For example, shifts in plankton populations can impact marine wildlife, including seals, birds, and shellfish. Through this course, students monitor natural processes like coastal upwelling—a phenomenon where strong winds blow away top water, allowing cold and nutrient-rich water to rise to the surface, fostering plankton growth.
Harmful algal blooms, often linked to climate change, are becoming more frequent, and their impact can be problematic for the broader environment. Understanding the conditions that lead to these blooms is crucial for predicting and mitigating their effects. With the current upwelling season bringing stronger winds and larger blooms, this research is more relevant than ever.
Unique Opportunities & Hands-On Experience
Beyond field research, Bio 450 offers enriching opportunities such as exclusive tours of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s water filtration system and jellyfish cultivation exhibit. The course provides hands-on experience in oceanography and marine biology, builds essential lab skills, and offers a rare opportunity for active fieldwork.
The lab fosters a unique level of student engagement, passion, and community building while deepening our connection to the environment. With all collected information being sent to NOAA, students contribute to essential ocean conservation efforts.
How to Get Involved
Interested in joining the Bio 450 team? Add the course to your fall semester plan! This is a no-fee, no-credit course, but students who complete it earn a certificate of completion, confirming proficiency in using research equipment and data analysis. No prerequisites are required, making it accessible to anyone with an interest in marine science. After a semester of Bio 450, you can enroll in Bio 451 and be a team lead for a sampling site.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to make a difference while gaining real-world scientific experience. Sign up today and become part of a dedicated team working to protect our oceans!
Interested in learning more? Check out the Pacific Plankton Program Here!
STUDENT RESOURCES
FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS
PROFESSORS:
Meet Cassidy Sterling
Cassidy Sterling, one of Cabrillo’s professors of psychology, comes highly recommended with a 4.4/5 rating on Rate my Professor. His teaching style is typical, but what really hooks you into his classes is his obvious care and compassion for his students. Not only does he want every student in his class to succeed, but to be as interested in the topics he’s talking about as he is. With multiple comments on Rate My Professor claiming he was the best professor they’ve ever had. Sterling has taught all over the Bay for many years, with classes engaging students and creating a passion for topics such as Cognitive Neuroscience; Brain, Mind & Consciousness, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Learning & Memory, Statistics, and Research Methods. He is one of the sweetest people, and is always welcoming any form of conversation in his office hours. He has clearly shaped many students' academic careers, with many students hoping to be like him when they grow up. He is an inspiration to even the most checked out student. A student submission from Rate My says, “Cassidy knows his Psych and has found the balance between humor and professionalism. He is a straight shooter who spits truth.” Another student from this year left a comment saying, “Dr. Sterling was the best teacher I have ever had. This class was very interesting & he will engage you in wanting to learn this material. I have never forgotten him, as I have now transferred to UCSC. Some professors never leave you, and Dr. Sterling was that for me. As a Psych major, he was the one person that inspired me to want to be just like him.”
By Olivia McCloskey
Meet Nick Rowell:
Nick Rowell, one of the two political science teachers at Cabrillo, is one of the best teachers on the campus. He is extremely understanding, caring, and sensitive to students and there differentiating needs. He is so passionate about what he teaches, that every day it feels like he is teaching a subject for the first time that way he talks about it, meanwhile it is his 10th year teaching. His courses include International Relations, Comparative Politics, and American Government. The notion that government may be boring is completely annihilated in his classroom, the way his lectures are run leaves no room for boredom. Nick holds a 5/5 on Rate my Professor, and deserves every bit of it. Majority of his reviews on Rate My claim that he provides complicated information in an easy to understand way. He answers questions with a smile and sense of happiness that students are engaged enough to even be asking. His energy is contagious, and whenever his lectures may end early, students are staying until the end of class with questions. A students comment on Rate My details that, “Nick is the best teacher! Really works to empower each student and I feel great and educated every time I leave the classroom. He has a great, realistic outlook on student life and simply asks for communication when you are in need of help.”
By Olivia McCloskey
Meet Nina Kotelyan:
Nina Kotelyan, one of Cabrillo’s public speaking and communication studies teachers, brings enthusiasm and a playful energy to her classroom. She cares about her students, and wants everyone to succeed, allowing for a bit of leeway in the potentially anxiety provoking speeches students must give. She creates an environment that feels safe and welcoming, and her lectures are easy to understand and chalk full on information on how to perform well. She goes out of her way to make personal connections with students, and while this class is mandatory for one’s G.E’s, it is a class many would take just for the sake of having her as a teacher. She takes jokes well and does a great job at ensuring people take the class seriously without getting too stressed out. She holds a 4.6/5 rating on Rate my Professor, with a student reporting “Professor Kotelyan is an excellent teacher who is passionate about her job. I enjoyed every minute of this class and I highly recommend this to any student who wants an engaging and fun experience taking a communications class. I think her class is doable yet challenging enough. She is always there to help if you have questions. Excellent!”
By Olivia McCloskey
Meet Alta and Jasmine Northcutt
Alta and Jasmine Northcutt, a mother and daughter power duo who are behind so many student initiatives and activities, helping Cabrillo’s student engagement be what it is.
Alta Northcutt, Cabrillo’s Director of Student Services, is a powerhouse of what's going on in the student life at Cabrillo. She has been an employee of Cabrillo for approximately 25 years and encourages student engagement daily. When given the chance to be around Alta or work with her, her contagious attitude reels you in to feel connected and important at the task you are working on together. She blends together a professional atmosphere in which real work gets done, with laughter filling the room every step of the way.
Jasmine Northcutt, her daughter, replicates a similar feeling when in a room with you, of course with her own twist. She has been an employee of Cabrillo for 4 years maintaining the role of administrative assistant to the dean of student services. Both of them started as student workers, becoming short term workers and moving up to classified staff members. Both of them got bachelor's degrees at UCSC, Alta receiving a masters and bachelors while working at Cabrillo, receiving degrees in leadership and professional development, and educational development. “I took what people told me was a skill, and got my degrees in that. I wanted to tap into what felt natural.” Says Alta when detailing her personal educational journey.
Upon being asked about the most initiative they’ve seen from the student senate, Jasmine shares that this year's students senate has been the most robust, disruptive and full student senate in her four years here. Alta follows Jasmine's comments detailing how this year's senate is challenging the status quo, in a professional yet impactful manner. Laying down the framework for future students to build on, keeping the students as the priority, and fighting the fights for those who may not have the means to fight themselves. The faculty and administration of Cabrillo has had to find ways to work with the students, and through years of different student senators, that connection has really been carved out.
Alta recalls a past student senate, and quieter one who made huge strides in Cabrillo’s policies. She brings this student senate up as an example of progress being made in a way that wasn’t loud, highlighting that change can occur in many shapes and forms. In this current political climate, it is easy to forget that you can fight a battle without violence or yelling, there are strategic methods. This group was into how we focus as a campus, and do what is best for students all the way. They brought in the sustainability policies, the bike co-op located under the cafeteria, which eventually became combined with the sustainability council. They looked at what students needed, and used their funds to bring all of their efforts in. This put a pressure on the college themselves, as Cabrillo saw the value in what the student senate was doing, and began to match funding and efforts. Student senate started the Latinx graduation, which at first was just the club Nuestra, they paid for the screens on campus that provide information, and helped fund ceremonies. The charger station for E cars and bikes was evoked by the student senate, the free food pantry had senators rallying behind it in its early days when it was just a tiny room with very limited resources.
It is clear these two women love what they do, and when detailing their favorite aspects, Jasmines spoke about participating and working with the students, finding the engagement and process of it all the best part of her job. As for Alta’s favorite part of her all encompassing job with many caveats, she shared “The absolute best part of my job, in the space that I am in, is the unique privilege I have to work with my daughter.” The second favorite aspect of her job is that no two days are the same. She has the joy of being able to work specifically with students and have different experiences each time, allowing for an enriching day every time she clocks in at Cabrillo.
Alta and Jasmine are some of the sweetest and most efficient business women I have met, with an impressive ability to keep people in check, as well as feeling welcome in whatever space they are occupying.
Each of them inspires me daily on how to run my life, where I want to go with it, and who I want to be as I navigate this world. To get the privilege of working as close to them as I have, join the student senate next semester and help make the changes you and your peers desire!
Editorial by Olivia McCloskey
Club highlight:
Shutterbug: The Shutterbug Club has recently come back in full swing at Cabrillo! After roughly five years of not being up and running, they now welcome students of Cabrillo to explore the world of film photography and developing. Shutterbugs main activity is doing photoshoots together, attending events, going on fieldtrips, and then developing the photos in the lab. They recently went to Carmel, and have a trip to San Francisco coming up, where they shoot film, and enjoy other works of photography at museums. There is no skill level needed to be accepted by them, and their group is fairly diverse, feeling as though they might as well be an extension of the GSA. Students learn the development process, in which they bring their 35 millimeter film to the lab at Cabrillo and watch the magic as photos get developed through a series of chemicals and testing exposure. You can make photos as small or large as you want, and they just finished working on a photograph mural. Resources are available, and they want to help students as much as they can, so don’t be steered away if you hear “film” and can only think of the cost. They offer fun movie nights in the art history lecture buildings, doing things they can to ensure a community bond. At any level you are at in photography, they will ensure you have a good time! Shutterbug Club meets every Tuesday at 2:30 PM in room (VAPA ROOM UNSURE) for approximately half an hour, and you can expect the meetings to consist of the club discussing the events and trips coming up. The best way to hear about events and how to be a part of them is to join their mailing list! There is a sign up sheet in front of the lab, or you can reach out to them on their instagram, @cabrilloshutterbugs. Their work is featured in this newsletter, be sure to look through to see what kind of work they get up to!
Construction Co-Op
Much of the work the Construction Co-Op does is volunteer based and community focused. One of their goals is to work with the community to support local projects, this gives our members a chance to build their skill set while also positively contributing to the world around us. With that in mind, our most recent projects have been building an art installation frame for the new exhibit, Hostile Terrain 94, as well as constructing a stage and fabricating a sign for the EMT graduation. This club will be having a special event April 24th, 3-6pm at Watsonville. We will be building small planter boxes in celebration of Earth Day, there will be a tour of the workshop and lunch provided by the club. See you there!
The clubs goal is to break down barriers of access so people of all backgrounds can gain practical construction skills for whatever goals they have, whether becoming carpenters or building garden beds. To attend a meeting, join them the second Saturday of the month for our team meeting at the Watsonville campus in room D101. The time changes every semester so stay updated by following us on instagram or reach out to us to join our mailing list. Email us at cabrilloconstructioncoop831@gmail.com, DM us on Instagram at @cabrilloconstructionclub or reach out to our advisors Kenny Murray (kemurray@cabrillo.edu) or Bruce Greenstein (brgreens@cabrillo.edu). A club member details how being a part of the Co-Op has affected their student life, “Being a member of this club has opened up my world and connected me with some incredible students, staff, faculty and community members. It has been inspiring to work alongside such diverse and passionate people who each bring their unique contribution to the club. I can’t wait to see what we do next!"
By Olivia McCloskey
General Assembly
Over spring break Cabrillo College’s Student Senate attended General Assembly 2025! With 117 community colleges attending, the atmosphere was full of passion and interest in student needs. To prepare for the General Assembly, each senator read 132 resolutions and voted on the ones they felt needed to happen or not. Many resolutions went through, but not before going through a rigorous process of pro and con debate, and a lot of questions.
All the senators from campuses across California spent 3 days starting at 8:00 AM listening to what other students cared about. There were resolutions being passed that come from such a diverse set of voices, and it was such an inspiring event to attend. Resolutions included topics pertaining to safe water access, establishing DREAM resource centers, making STEM centers disability friendly, expanding menstrual care, and so many more. There were veterans fighting for their voices, artists fighting back against the use of AI to create logos, increasing overall accessibility for students with disabilities.
Before the resolution voting process took off, we had the treat of keynote speaker, Linda Sarsour a Racial Justice and Civil Rights Activist. Her interactive and inspiring speech empowered all who listened. She spoke with an intensity that she admitted to not all liking, but would force them to listen, and it did. Her words sank into the ears of our future generations, the people who are fighting for everyone at community campuses. Linda Sarsour is an award-winning civil rights activist, community organizer, and co-founder of MPower Change and Until Freedom. A Palestinian Muslim American and Brooklyn native, she has led transformative movements, including the fight for Breonna Taylor and co-chairing the historic Women’s March on Washington. Recognized by Time’s 100 Most Influential People and Fortune’s 50 Greatest Leaders, Linda has received numerous honors, including the 2025 Vanguard Award from the Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz Center. Author of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders, she will share insights on activism, resilience, and collective action in the fight for justice.
We all listened to a student-led panel, where community college students asked selected questions, focused on the topic of Empowering Students Across All Identity Groups. The panel’s conversation was on solidarity, shared struggles, and collective empowerment among students from diverse identity-based programs and organizations, including Umoja, Puente, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander, and other cultural and affinity groups. Panelists explored how community, culture, and advocacy intersect to create meaningful change on campus and beyond. This session will highlight the importance of uplifting one another, building cross-cultural alliances, and ensuring all voices are heard in the fight for equity and justice. Students will leave inspired to connect, collaborate, and lead with purpose.
There were workshops for students to attend, including one led by one of our own Student Trustee, Cody Jarvis. These workshops were to help again, empower students. Providing information and tactics of how to make lasting change, channeling all of our passion into a movement. Jarvis led a workshop titled “Student Trustees and Student Governments Advocating Together”, in which he and a few colleagues taught how to create a strong advocacy network between the Student Trustee and the Student Government. In this workshop, everyone got a brief overview of the Student Trustee’s role in the Board and how Student Governments can collaborate to advocate for their Students. By grouping up students with similar roles, they will be able to network with one another to come up with key issues in their area of expertise, and each student will be able to share their advocacy story thus far. There was a workshop centered on empowering student parents, a workshop focused on turning legislation into law, lessons in community building and so on.
Editorial by Olivia McCloskey
Cody Jarvis went up for the seat of Vice President of Regional Affairs for Region V, and won the election! Congratulations Cody.
Another one of our student senators, George Little, ran for Communications Officer for Region V, and won! Congratulations George.
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