Make your vote count!
California has 115 community colleges serving more than 2.1 million students, making it the largest public education system in the world. And Santa Clarita is home to one of the finest community colleges in this system…College of the Canyons!
As a lifelong resident of Santa Clarita I am proud to be a part of a vibrant and thriving community, and to support this great educational institution.
I have devoted most of my life to providing educational opportunities to some of our most vulnerable populations. As president of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita, I have seen firsthand the power of education to transform lives.
For this reason, I have decided to run for the board of trustees of the Santa Clarita Community College District, because I believe everyone, regardless of their background, deserves a quality education. Whether it is a single mother, seeking skills to enter the workplace, the veteran who has just returned home from active duty, the dislocated worker, in need of specialized training, or the first-generation student, who is uncertain about their future, COC is the place where anyone can learn, grow and achieve.
I have been humbled and honored by the many endorsements and letters of support I have received. Your support not only is a great encouragement to me and my family, it also sends a loud and clear message that you desire to see leadership that brings a new and fresh perspective to COC that includes building bridges, closing the achievement gap, fighting for free tuition and expanding access.
For nearly 50 years, COC has been synonymous with educational excellence. Recently it was ranked among the top 50 best two-year colleges for adult learners by Washington Monthly Magazine.
As COC expands its campuses to serve our ever-growing population, it will need leadership that is student-focused, innovative and accountable to the community. As a local business owner, a mother, and president of the board of a nonprofit organization, I have developed the qualities needed to provide that kind of leadership: I listen, invite people into dialogue, and find common ground. As a trustee, I will advocate for the district to receive its fair share of funding to continue to build and thrive as an institution of higher education.
I understand that to be an effective board member, one must commit to do the following: contribute to the board’s functioning as a team; bring ideas and maintain an open mind; learn about and understand all interests in the community; promote the “public good” over single interests; learn about community colleges and the governing responsibilities of trustees; adhere to the standards of practice and ethics adopted by the board; avoid conflicts of interest; and advocate for the district in the community, state and federal governments.
As a board member, I will embrace and fulfill these responsibilities so COC can continue to deliver the promise of education today and in the future.
On Nov. 6, our great nation will pause to exercise one of its most cherished rights…the right to vote. Now more than ever before, it is important to make your vote count!
Some of you will have the opportunity to elect a member to the board for the Santa Clarita Community College District. It is critical that this individual understands and embraces the innovation, growth and commitment to excellence that makes COC a truly great institution. I am that person.
If elected, I will bring a commitment to the value of education, an attitude of service, optimism about our future and a determination to improve the entire community.
To ensure that COC has the resources it needs to build on its tradition of innovation and academic success, I need YOUR help. I respectfully ask that you vote Ann-Marie Bjorkman for the Santa Clarita Community College District board of trustees.
Thank you for your support!
Ann-Marie Bjorkman
Santa Clarita
