SWC News Center
Southwestern College News
Angel Baby, Forever: Southwestern College Honors Rosie Mendez Hamlin
By: SWC Staff
Before she became a music icon admired around the world, Rosie Mendez Hamlin was a teenager from National City with a remarkable voice and a dream bigger than the barriers around her.
Growing up as a young Latina in the 1960s, Rosie came of age during an era marked by segregation and redlining across San Diego County. But where others saw limitations, she found music (...)
Removing Barriers, Expanding Access: SWC Advances Zero Textbook Cost Initiative
By: Ko Inouye
At Southwestern College (SWC), access to education is being redefined—starting with the cost of course materials.
Through its Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Initiative, the College is working to ensure that all students have free, immediate access to instructional materials on the first day of class, eliminating one of the most common financial barriers to success (...)
What They Couldn’t Take From Anthony Ray Hinton
By: Stephanie Kingston
The Performing Arts Center at Southwestern College fell into stillness as Anthony Ray Hinton, American activist, author and community educator, stepped to the podium.
He did not begin with statistics on capital punishment or legal arguments. Instead, he began with a gripping story.
“On one of the hottest days I can remember in Alabama…” he said (...)
Student Voices
Part Asian, Fully Me: Navigating My Mixed Asian American Identity at Southwestern College
By: Troy Andrew Bash and Tristan James Kately
On May 1, 2026, Southwestern College (SWC) hosted the first San Diego Region 10 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Research Summit with students from City of College of San Diego, Mesa College, and Miramar College. Our keynote speaker, Malaka Gharib, gave us insight on the struggles of someone who is mixed-race (...)
Connecting Our Canoes: Finding Belonging, Visibility, and Purpose in Higher Education
By: Ella Concepcion, Emily-Joy LeonGuerrero, Adrian Moster, Luke M. Schwenke, and Ale’a Tufaga
For many Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students, higher education can feel isolating. NHPI representation is limited, cultural understanding is often overlooked, and belonging can feel distant. Thanks to funding by the Southwestern College (SWC) Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) (...)
Speed, Accuracy, and Discipline: Inside the World of a USPSA Competitor While Being a Student
By: Jiro Salvador
Southwestern College (SWC) found me, a United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) competitor, born and raised in San Diego. My decision to attend began with encouragement from family members who are proud SWC alumni (...)
Get In Touch