For decades, students in South San Diego County have faced a difficult choice: pursue a bachelor’s degree and leave family, work, and the support systems that make success possible, or stay close to home and put some higher educational goals out of reach.
AB 664 seeks to change that.
Authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez, the bill would allow Southwestern College to offer bachelor’s degree programs in four high-demand fields: Allied Health Leadership and Education, Forensic Studies, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Interaction Design.
These programs are the result of years of research with educators, employers, and community partners to identify needs that are not currently being met. At its core, AB 664 is about bringing more opportunities within reach for South County residents.
South County is home to more than half a million people, yet it remains the largest region of its size in California without a public four-year university. For too many students, earning a bachelor’s degree has meant long commutes, relocating, or leaving behind the support systems that help them succeed.
At Southwestern College, we’ve spent years working to change that.
This fall, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and California State University San Marcos will begin offering bachelor’s degree programs through our University Center on our Chula Vista campus- a first in South County history. This allows students to continue their education without leaving Southwestern College.
Those partnerships demonstrate what is possible when institutions work together with students in mind. AB 664 follows that same approach.
The proposed degrees do not duplicate programs offered by our university partners. Instead, they fill gaps identified through years of workforce research and collaboration.
The need is real.
Healthcare providers, emergency services agencies, and businesses across the region continue to tell us they need more professionals prepared for leadership and specialized roles. Our students are ready to answer that call.
For many, this issue is personal.
I recently stood beside Southwestern College student Marilynn Palomino as she shared her story. A single mother of two and an Administration of Justice and Forensic Studies student, Marilynn dreams of working in a crime laboratory. Yet California’s only bachelor’s degree program in forensic science is nearly 500 miles away in San Jose.
Moving away wasn’t realistic. Leaving her children was never an option.
Her story reflects the reality facing thousands of South County students. They are parents, veterans, caregivers, and working adults. Higher education should meet them where they are, not require them to leave home to pursue their dreams.
AB 664 is about educational equity and economic mobility. It is about ensuring that where students live does not determine how far they can go.
South County has waited long enough.
Our students are ready. Employers are ready. The region is ready.
South County’s time is now.
Dr. Mark Sanchez is Superintendent/President of Southwestern College.
