Tag: Nevada County Campus

Sierra College Seeking to Fill Board Opening

Posted on October 2, 2023May 9, 2025

Area 6 Trustee to be a Provisional Appointment

Sierra College is accepting applications to serve as an appointed member of the Board of Trustees until the next regularly scheduled election for governing board members in November 2024.

Each applicant must reside in Trustee Area 6 of the Sierra Joint Community College District, which includes the west border of the district shared by Nevada and Placer counties. Each applicant must also be at least 18 years of age, a registered voter, and a US citizen.

Information and application materials are available from the Sierra College website (https://www.sierracollege.edu/administration/board-of-trustees/trustee-area-6-seat/) or the Sierra College President’s Office, 5100 Rocklin Road, Rocklin, CA 95677, (916) 660-7000.

A map of the trustee areas is available at www.sierracollege.edu/districting

The application deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, with interviews being held at a special board meeting on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 at the Nevada County Campus. The board is expected to make the provisional appointment on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at a board meeting held at the Rocklin Campus.

About Sierra College

The Sierra College District is rising to the needs of our community. Sierra College serves 3,200 square miles of Northern California with campuses in Roseville, Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four-year universities, offers career/technical training and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at www.sierracollege.edu

Sierra College Announces Passing of Board of Trustee Member Nancy Palmer

Posted on September 13, 2023July 24, 2024

Trustee Nancy Palmer

The Sierra College Board of Trustees is deeply saddened to announce the passing of valued colleague and Sierra College Trustee, Nancy Palmer.

As a long-time Grass Valley resident and community leader, Trustee Palmer was inspired to run for the Sierra College Board of Trustees after the community groundbreaking of the college’s Nevada County Campus. Having grown up in a town with a college she recognized the value of community education. Her passion and enthusiasm won her first election in 1994, and she held the District 6 seat on the Board for an impressive 29 years. During her time of service, the Nevada County Campus opened and served thousands of students by bringing higher education to an underserved area.

“Nancy cared about the college so much and her dedication as the representative for Nevada County was evident in everything she did,” said Paul Bancroft, Sierra College Board of Trustees President. “It’s not enough to say thank you to recognize her service, we are grateful for Nancy.” 

Trustee Palmer’s passion for community college extended far beyond the Nevada County Campus or the District. She coordinated trainings for fellow trustees at the state level, and one of her favorite events to participate in each year was focused on coaching student trustees from the 73 California Community College districts across the state.

Students were the heart of Trustee Palmer’s motivation. She was the keynote speaker for many Nevada County Campus commencement ceremonies where she shared a few words of wisdom from Ann Landers’ famous column on maturity, including the following quote, “Action requires courage. Without courage in life very little is accomplished.” Trustee Palmer’s accomplishments demonstrate a life lived with action and courage, leading our students, and our community, by example.

“Nancy dedicated her life to Sierra College, and I can’t imagine the college without her,” said Willy Duncan, Sierra College Superintendent/President. “We are grateful for Nancy’s service but most of all for the humanity she brought to governance, putting students first and always encouraging her fellow trustees to ask what was best for students. She was a wonderful colleague but more than that, she was a dear friend, and I will miss her greatly.” 

Donations to the Sierra College Foundation may be made in Trustee Palmer’s name to benefit Nevada County students at the following link:

In Memory of Nancy Palmer – Beloved Sierra College Trustee

About Sierra College

Ghidotti Early College High School Program Began with Gates Foundation Funding

Posted on July 1, 2016September 7, 2023

Ghidotti Early College High School Graduates, 2010 – SIERRA COLLEGE ARCHIVE

The Bill Gates Foundation provided funding to spearhead a unique opportunity for the residents of Nevada County. Nancy Palmer proudly explains the Ghidotti Early College High School program. “They select these young people in the 9^th grade. They take high school classes in the morning and college classes in the afternoon.” These students work alongside adults from the area taking college level courses. “The first year is a learning process for them, but they grow so much, and they expand because they see what these adults are doing. They think ‘I can do anything’ and they do.”

When they graduate, some of the students receive both their high school diploma as well as their two-year degree at Sierra College. The remainder of the graduates have enough college credits to be accepted into a university. Some are qualified for scholarship equaling $25,000 – $35,000.

The first year [of Ghidotti] is a learning process for them, but they grow so much, and they expand because they see what these adults are doing. They think ‘I can do anything’ and they do.
Nancy Palmer, Sierra College Trustee

Nancy has personally attended every graduation since the program’s inception. “What amazes me is they come from all walks of life, and some of these students are the first ones in their family to graduate.”

There aren’t too many of programs like Ghidotti Early College High School in the United States. But the young students of this program have proven that not only can they receive a high school and college education simultaneously, they excel in doing so.

Nancy Palmer at NCC graduation – SIERRA COLLEGE ARCHIVE

Nancy Palmer: Sierra College Trustee Helped the College Become an Integral Part of Nevada County

Posted on July 1, 2016September 7, 2023

Nancy Palmer (second from the right) – SIERRA COLLEGE ARCHIVE

Nancy Palmer, a 22-year Sierra College trustee knew the importance of education and its positive impact on the community.

I grew up in a town that had a college, and I knew how great it was.
Nancy Palmer, Sierra College Trustee

So when Nancy got wind that they were breaking ground on a Nevada County campus two blocks away from her house, she jumped at the opportunity to become involved. Never one to dream small, Nancy decided she’d get involved by being a trustee. “At the time, I had no idea what a trustee even did,” recalls Nancy. “But I wanted so badly to be part of this college that I made 500 flyers for my campaign and asked people for their vote.” Nancy Palmer’s enthusiastic spirit won her a spot on the Board of Trustees.

Nevada County Campus groundbreaking – SIERRA COLLEGE ARCHIVE

That enthusiastic spirit was on even greater display when it was time to bring a world-class education to even more students and expand the campus. “I looked people straight in the eye—at churches, at grocery stores, everywhere—and I told them, ‘This bond is important for us. Please vote for it.’ I just believed in what Sierra College was going to deliver.” The bond passed overwhelmingly, helping develop the campus with seven new buildings, repaved parking lots, repaired roads and beautiful landscaping. They enlarged the small classrooms, built seven new buildings and provided ample seating where the commencements took place. “We had quite a bit of money left over and we used that over the years to do things such as repaving parking lots, fixed the roads, and completed landscaping.”

Today, the Nevada County campus remains a beautiful jewel for the community.