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A Sundae Story
By: Stephanie Kingston
A little creativity, a lot of heart and a sweet connection helped Southwestern College Culinary Arts Professor, Chef Kris Saradpon, take the top prize at the 2026 Sammy’s Messy Sundae Challenge (...)
Building a Legacy: Celebrating Southwestern College’s Mariachi Program
By: Stephanie Kingston
Long before mariachi programs became commonplace in schools and colleges across the United States, Southwestern College was already listening.
A violin rising over the deep pulse of the guitarrón. Trumpets answering the calls. Lyrics describing stories of love, migration, struggle, and celebration (...)
From Performer to Paramedic: One Student’s Journey
By: Stephanie Kingston
For years, Ernest Sauceda performed on some of the world’s most recognizable stages.
He played classical violin with renowned mariachi groups, entertained guests aboard Disney Cruise Line ships, performed for audiences at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Universal Studios Japan. He even spent a year in Saudi Arabia with Cirque du Soleil (...)
Student Voices
From Building A Buggy to Building A Future
By: Javier Jorquera Estero
While walking to calculus class in the fall of 2025, I noticed a poster for the Southwestern College Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Club. While I was not familiar with Baja racing, I could tell it was related to engineering and motorsports, two things I have been passionate about since I was a child. The club stayed on my mind for months (...)
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) (...)
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