Long before I was a college president, I was a faculty member teaching students how to build an argument, weigh evidence, and actually listen to someone who saw the world differently. That work taught me democracy isn't a spectator sport. Foothill's mission calls us to equip every learner with the critical thinking to address complex societal challenges and to engage in a life of inquiry, and our values of love & compassion reminds us that inquiry only works when people feel safe enough to disagree well. The Civic Commitments give that mission a shared, practical framework. Joining College Presidents for Civic Preparedness means standing with peers who are just as serious about teaching students to bring people to ideas and ideas to people outside of an algorithmic framework, work our democracy needs now more than ever.
- Kristina Whalen
Activation Plan
Below is an overview of some campus activities:
- Foothill College hosts our annual Research and Service Leadership Symposium in May 2027, involving several hundred student presenters. At its core, the Symposium is about service to our community. Students are mentored by faculty and staff and present on broad topics, from voter participation to innovative solutions to climate degradation. Students bring their solutions to today’s problems to the campus for discussion. (Free Expression)
- Commonwealth Club Speaker Series: This year, we’ll start a new student-led speaker series in collaboration with the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. One student coordinator will be selected to develop this speaker series, and we’ll be bringing speakers to discuss civic engagement, ethics and science, and identity and politics up to campus. The series is focused on the free exchange of ideas, a concept at the core of Foothill and the Commonwealth Club’s missions. (Free Expression and Civic Development)
- Culture pods are small, intentional groups where faculty, staff, and administrators gather to learn, experiment, and drive meaningful change. The 5-8 people in a Culture Pods will be supported to move purposefully and thoughtfully from inquiry to implementation, document what they learn, and share effective practices with the broader institution. The goal is to address how we can transform our college into an institution where success is the result of love, not luck. We engage in dialogue and encourage our community to improve systems and sensibilities that do not serve our students. (Free Expression)
Highlights:
Foothill College’s commitment to civic engagement and responsibility is writ large in our Mission Statement: “Embracing inclusivity and building strong communities, Foothill College serves diverse learners and equips its students with critical thinking skills to address complex societal challenges, to thrive in the global workforce, and to engage in a life of inquiry.”
We are a college that is recognized for its innovative culture. Service Leadership has always been at the core of our identity, with student clubs devoted to public service, organized annual service trips (like the Medical Brigades to Central and South America), and faculty and student economic development projects.
The Foothill AI Fellows is an 18-member group made up of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Key developments for this year include completion of a college-wide AI survey, upcoming community forums on AI, development of new training programs through Coursera, and the creation of a new non-technical AI course (CS49) that could serve as a gateway for student AI literacy. The Policy and Guidance group is preparing recommendations for shared governance groups, while the Technology subgroup is working on establishing proper processes for AI tool adoption and evaluation across the campus.
Foothill College is honored to be part of the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity project, which includes 64 colleges across the country. The central goal is to ensure that more students complete programs that lead directly to jobs that pay a sustaining wage or transfer and completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Related articles:
Below is an overview of some campus activities:
- Foothill College hosts our annual Research and Service Leadership Symposium in May 2027, involving several hundred student presenters. At its core, the Symposium is about service to our community. Students are mentored by faculty and staff and present on broad topics, from voter participation to innovative solutions to climate degradation. Students bring their solutions to today’s problems to the campus for discussion. (Free Expression)
- Commonwealth Club Speaker Series: This year, we’ll start a new student-led speaker series in collaboration with the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. One student coordinator will be selected to develop this speaker series, and we’ll be bringing speakers to discuss civic engagement, ethics and science, and identity and politics up to campus. The series is focused on the free exchange of ideas, a concept at the core of Foothill and the Commonwealth Club’s missions. (Free Expression and Civic Development)
- Culture pods are small, intentional groups where faculty, staff, and administrators gather to learn, experiment, and drive meaningful change. The 5-8 people in a Culture Pods will be supported to move purposefully and thoughtfully from inquiry to implementation, document what they learn, and share effective practices with the broader institution. The goal is to address how we can transform our college into an institution where success is the result of love, not luck. We engage in dialogue and encourage our community to improve systems and sensibilities that do not serve our students. (Free Expression)
Highlights:
Foothill College’s commitment to civic engagement and responsibility is writ large in our Mission Statement: “Embracing inclusivity and building strong communities, Foothill College serves diverse learners and equips its students with critical thinking skills to address complex societal challenges, to thrive in the global workforce, and to engage in a life of inquiry.”
We are a college that is recognized for its innovative culture. Service Leadership has always been at the core of our identity, with student clubs devoted to public service, organized annual service trips (like the Medical Brigades to Central and South America), and faculty and student economic development projects.
The Foothill AI Fellows is an 18-member group made up of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Key developments for this year include completion of a college-wide AI survey, upcoming community forums on AI, development of new training programs through Coursera, and the creation of a new non-technical AI course (CS49) that could serve as a gateway for student AI literacy. The Policy and Guidance group is preparing recommendations for shared governance groups, while the Technology subgroup is working on establishing proper processes for AI tool adoption and evaluation across the campus.
Foothill College is honored to be part of the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity project, which includes 64 colleges across the country. The central goal is to ensure that more students complete programs that lead directly to jobs that pay a sustaining wage or transfer and completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Long before I was a college president, I was a faculty member teaching students how to build an argument, weigh evidence, and actually listen to someone who saw the world differently. That work taught me democracy isn't a spectator sport. Foothill's mission calls us to equip every learner with the critical thinking to address complex societal challenges and to engage in a life of inquiry, and our values of love & compassion reminds us that inquiry only works when people feel safe enough to disagree well. The Civic Commitments give that mission a shared, practical framework. Joining College Presidents for Civic Preparedness means standing with peers who are just as serious about teaching students to bring people to ideas and ideas to people outside of an algorithmic framework, work our democracy needs now more than ever.
- Kristina Whalen