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MiraCosta College Director, Community Education & Workforce Development Linda Kurokawa Earns Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award Linda Kurokawa, director, community education & workforce development at MiraCosta College, is awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Community & Continuing Education (ACCE). Kurokawa embodies the award’s requirement of excellence, dedication, and innovation as she applies best practices and embraces new opportunities. “We call her the little BIG boss. She has been referred to as “tiny, yet mighty” and “like the energizer bunny and federal express all rolled into one.” She is the kind of woman who doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and is the first to pitch in flipping burgers on the grill for graduations and the last to stay late helping wash dishes. She is kind and generous and really understands and gets to know the people she works with,” explains Frances DeNisco, president of the Association of Community and Continuing Education, who presented the award to Linda. A mentor and role model for others in their field, Linda is a trendsetter with her vast community and civic engagement. Upon receiving requests from various San Diego companies in need of employees with specific technical skills, she took a concept and fostered it to fruition. Beginning with no capital funds, no facilities available to use for labs, no equipment, no curriculum and no instructors, she was able to succeeded in launching MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI). Today, the TCI incorporates work-skills and technical-training programs to help meet the industry’s demand for labor. “Linda is passionate about helping students prepare for high-skill, high-wage, high- demand jobs in our region,” explains MiraCosta College Superintendent/President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke. “She loves working with business partners and our students to ensure we collaboratively develop a talented workforce.” Through the implementation of the America’s College Promise grant, she has worked with employers to design and deliver impactful training programs, using evidence-based strategies to increase completion rates, employability, and earnings. Linda’s achievements are not just focused on job retraining, as she also plays a prominent role in the community. Starting a program called College for Kids at Palomar College, and then later expanding and growing that program at MiraCosta College, which gives kids the opportunity to come onto the college campus in the summer and take academically challenging yet fun classes. Introducing children to the college environment fosters a college-going culture, as children no longer feel intimidated. About MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) is part of MiraCosta College’s Community Education & Workforce Development department. TCI offers the local community members the opportunity to enhance their lives and their careers with low cost, hassle-free classes, workshops and programs. From enrichment classes to job training programs, TCI provides the types of classes that make it easy for students to reach their goals, no matter what age. All of our programs and classes are fee based and not-for-credit. About MiraCosta College The MiraCosta Community College District has served the coastal North San Diego County area for over 80 years. More than 17,000 credit students per semester in over 70 disciplines enroll in associate degrees, university transfer and workforce readiness certificate programs. The college also serves a wide spectrum of educational needs in the region ranging from programs for adult education, basic skills, and ESL to a California Community College pilot program offering the nation’s first baccalaureate degree in biomanufacturing. MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
MiraCosta College Director, Community Education & Workforce Development
Linda Kurokawa Earns Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award
Linda Kurokawa, director, community education & workforce development at MiraCosta College, is awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Community & Continuing Education (ACCE). Kurokawa embodies the award’s requirement of excellence, dedication, and innovation as she applies best practices and embraces new opportunities.
“We call her the little BIG boss. She has been referred to as “tiny, yet mighty” and “like the energizer bunny and federal express all rolled into one.” She is the kind of woman who doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and is the first to pitch in flipping burgers on the grill for graduations and the last to stay late helping wash dishes. She is kind and generous and really understands and gets to know the people she works with,” explains Frances DeNisco, president of the Association of Community and Continuing Education, who presented the award to Linda.
A mentor and role model for others in their field, Linda is a trendsetter with her vast community and civic engagement. Upon receiving requests from various San Diego companies in need of employees with specific technical skills, she took a concept and fostered it to fruition. Beginning with no capital funds, no facilities available to use for labs, no equipment, no curriculum and no instructors, she was able to succeeded in launching MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI). Today, the TCI incorporates work-skills and technical-training programs to help meet the industry’s demand for labor. “Linda is passionate about helping students prepare for high-skill, high-wage, high- demand jobs in our region,” explains MiraCosta College Superintendent/President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke. “She loves working with business partners and our students to ensure we collaboratively develop a talented workforce.” Through the implementation of the America’s College Promise grant, she has worked with employers to design and deliver impactful training programs, using evidence-based strategies to increase completion rates, employability, and earnings. Linda’s achievements are not just focused on job retraining, as she also plays a prominent role in the community. Starting a program called College for Kids at Palomar College, and then later expanding and growing that program at MiraCosta College, which gives kids the opportunity to come onto the college campus in the summer and take academically challenging yet fun classes. Introducing children to the college environment fosters a college-going culture, as children no longer feel intimidated.
About MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI)
MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute (TCI) is part of MiraCosta College’s Community Education & Workforce Development department. TCI offers the local community members the opportunity to enhance their lives and their careers with low cost, hassle-free classes, workshops and programs. From enrichment classes to job training programs, TCI provides the types of classes that make it easy for students to reach their goals, no matter what age. All of our programs and classes are fee based and not-for-credit.
About MiraCosta College
The MiraCosta Community College District has served the coastal North San Diego County area for over 80 years. More than 17,000 credit students per semester in over 70 disciplines enroll in associate degrees, university transfer and workforce readiness certificate programs. The college also serves a wide spectrum of educational needs in the region ranging from programs for adult education, basic skills, and ESL to a California Community College pilot program offering the nation’s first baccalaureate degree in biomanufacturing. MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.