Juan Cebreiros

Nothing but smiles shine across President Pamela Ralston’s face during speeches given at her welcome reception.

The sound of jazz echoed, and the reuniting of familiar faces filled the room with smiles and laughter. Members of Los Medanos and the local community came together last Thursday to celebrate the seventh permanent president of the college, Dr. Pamela Ralston.

After years in a virtual space, the welcome reception brought back the first honorary event for the president since the pandemic. The evening was filled with congratulatory remarks from students, professors and governing members, as well as an investiture to welcome the new president with a medal.

Bringing the event to life was a collaborative effort for members across the college. The moderator of the event and leader of the planning process, LMC Interim Foundation Manager Leetha Robertson, exclaimed a “heartfelt thank you to those who participated and attended.”

“It was a lot of work,” said Robertson. “It’s interesting that Dr. Ralston didn’t want anything formal, but I think it was something representative of her style, and I hoped we lived up to that.”

There were formalities at the Oct. 19 event, but mainly focused on allowing the community to “show their appreciation for [Ralston],” according to Robertson.

A panel of diverse voices spoke highly of the president, featuring Contra Costa Community College District Interm Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh, Governing Board President Fernando Sandoval, LMCAS President Jacob Boyle, Academic Senate Co-President Adriana Simone, Classified Senate Vice President Cesar Reyes, and Pittsburg Mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston.

In Reyes’ speech, he emphasized how Ralston leads with “empathy and kindness” as his experiences working with her have always been positive as “she has been someone you can talk to and have those tough conversations with.”

Another strong theme noted in Mayor Scales-Preston’s remarks was the importance of having women in leadership. Together, they have been developing workforce programs, participating in events for historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., and finding new ways to open the college to the community. Scales-Preston’s work with Ralston has been a “wonderful experience” as she has been “very involved in the city.”

“I think it is important for young ladies to see women in leadership so they can know they can do it too,” said Scales-Preston. “You can do whatever you want to do, you can persevere in any career.”

Ralston’s parents, Jennifer Ralston Blare and Mike Blare exclaimed how “very proud” they were of their daughter and the success of the evening.

“She will harness the energy we saw here tonight,” said Jennifer Ralston Blare. “I think Los Medanos has done a lot already, but I think it is going to see an even greater future.”

Ralston notes how “happy” and “thankful” she was for the support showcased by the community, her close friends and family. Throughout the event, a bright smile stretched across her face and illustrated such excitement for her recognition and motivation for the college future.