Higher Education in Marina

By Margaret-Anne Mary Coppernoll

The two recent developments of an MPC campus in Marina, together with trustee selection by district for the first time, provide new opportunities for Marina voters to have a voice in the operation of our own Marina campus.

In addition, an MPC Education Center hass now opened, here in Marina, just off Imjin Road, on the former Fort Ord. The campus now consists of several small, temporary classrooms, with a larger, permanant Marina campus to be completed by 2011.

These two developments make for a unique opportunity. Marina voters, those who live in CSUMB housing, and some Seaside voters, now have their own nearby community-college campus AND can vote for their own MPC trustee.

As MPC Trustee I will advocate for extended networking provided through the community college networking system that develops partnerships with business and industry, encourages small business assistance programs, and co-op work programs that bring student and workplace together. I am confident the new Marina campus, as it expands in enrollment from 600 to 2500 students, and as it completes its new planned facilities, will result in the creation of quality jobs. In addition, the new planned health facilities in Marina will bring new opportunities for MPC nursing students, as well as students preparing for the workplace in other related health fields such as dental assisting, EMT training, massage therapy, psychology, mental health, etc. I want to work toward a significant increase in the educational levels of Marina residents and those who travel to Marina to attend courses at MPC. To date, Marina has a high level, relative to other nearby areas, of people without a high school diploma and people with a baccalaureate degree. The new MPC Education Center at Marina, along with the new Marina High School, and the Marina/Seaside-based university, CSUMB, will change the calculus of this educational model. MPC can provide the bridge for people to complete general-education requirements that prepare them to transfer to four- year colleges. MPC can assist those without high-school diplomas to complete related course requirements, and, ultimately, associates' degrees.

In addition, MPC credentials 80% of our county's homeland security workforce in firefighters, law enforcement, and EMT's, and it trains 70% of our nurses. As trustee I want to continually strive for excellence in education and high success rates for MPC students. I will continue to support the MPC Foundation that supports quality faculty, student scholarships, interfacing with local businesses, and fundrasing.