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Southwestern College News
A New Voice for Students: Orlando Vicente-Lazo Joins Governing Board
By: Stephanie Kingston
For newly elected Student Trustee Orlando Vicente-Lazo, Southwestern College is more than a place to earn a degree. It's the community that helped him find direction, belonging, and a path toward his future (...)
South County's Time Is Now: Leaders Rally Behind AB 664 at Southwestern College
By: Stephanie Kingston
Elected officials, students, faculty, staff, and community leaders gathered at Southwestern College on June 5 to support AB 664, legislation that would authorize the college to offer bachelor's degree programs in four high-demand fields and expand access to higher education in South San Diego County (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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