Santa Maria Times Guest Commentary
Dr. Kevin G. Walthers pens a guest column the first Sunday of each month in the Santa
Maria Times.
Recent Columns
2026-01-31: Hancock Is the Best Path to a Bachelor's Degree
2026-01-03: AHC Rings in an Optimistic New Year
Past Columns
2025-12-13: The Trades Are College and College Includes the Trades
2025-12-06: Don't Believe the Hype: College Is Essential
2025-11-01: The Shutdown Is Affecting Hancock Students
2025-10-04: It's Time to Listen
2025-09-06: Hancock's Role When College Gets Costlier
2025-08-02: The Economic Engine in Your Own Backyard
2025-07-05: Fraud Gets the Headlines but Congress May Deliver the Real Blow
2025-06-07: More Than a Commencement: A Year of Firsts at Hancock
2025-05-03: The Hancock Promise: A Community Investment Not a Corporate Gimmick
2025-03-29: A Historic Commitment: Bringing Four-Year Degrees Closer to Home
2025-03-01: The Fight for Hancock's Bachelor's Degree Just Got a Major Boost
2025-02-01: The Human Cost of an Educational Turf War
2025-01-04: The Central Coast's Forgotten Students: A Call for Action
2024-12-07: Distance Matters for Transfer Students
2024-11-02: Hancock's Bachelor's Degree Nears the Finish Line
2024-10-05: Forging Partnerships That Work
2024-08-31: Does Everyone Need a College Degree?
2024-08-03: A Legacy of Leadership
2024-07-06: AHC's Innovative Baccalaureate Proposal: Tailored Solutions for Central Coast Needs
2024-07-01: What a Difference a Decade Makes
2024-07-01: Changing the Odds One Grad at a Time
2024-05-04: Facing FAFSA Frustration: Bulldog Express Has Your Back
2024-04-06: Two-Year Promise Will Ensure College Stays Affordable
2024-03-02: Hancock Promise Shines Amidst FAFSA Frustrations
2023-12-03: Changing the Odds Together
2023-11-04: Addressing Poverty Expanding Degrees
2023-09-30: UnitED Central Coast: Hancock and Cuesta to Make Joint Announcement
2023-09-02: The Time Is Now for Allan Hancock College Baccalaureate
2023-08-06: Higher Education Is Not Optional
2023-06-04: Think College Is Expensive: Try Not Going
2023-05-06: Honoring Three Leaders Who Have Changed the Odds
2023-04-02: It's Time for California Education to Meet Reality
2023-03-04: Introducing the Newest Gem on the Central Coast
2023-02-04: Changing the Odds Through College Completion
2023-01-07: Community Colleges Are Key to California's Future
December 3, 2022: Expanding the Community College Mission
November 5, 2022: Take a Seat and Enjoy a PCPA Show
October 2, 2022: Raising the Bar on Accredited Colleges
September 4, 2022: Canceling Student Debt - Neither Solution nor Disaster
August 7, 2022: Allow Community Colleges to Offer 4-Year Degrees
July 5, 2022: Students Need Support? We Have Them Covered
June 7, 2022: Hancock Grads Provide Hope
May 1, 2022: Hancock Emerges from the Pandemic
April 3, 2022: Students! Watch Out for Predators!
March 6, 2022: Hancock Offers More Than You Think
February 13, 2022: Where Did All The Students Go?
January 9, 2022: John Madden Helped Change the Odds at Hancock
December 5, 2021: Building a College-Going Culture
November 8, 2021: A Local Need Requires a Local Solution
October 5, 2021: Hancock Committed to Keeping Community Safe
September 7, 2021: Community College Offers the Fastest Return on Investment
August 10, 2021: The Promise of the #RealCollege Movement
July 6, 2021 - Allan Hancock College: Changing the Odds
May 9, 2021 - Celebrating a Century Only Happens Once
April 4, 2021 - Don't Let Fear Divide Us
March 7, 2021 - Day in the Life: Hancock's Energy is Undeniable
December 6, 2020 - Forgive Student Debt? Yes, But Strategically
November 1, 2020 - Community College Paves the Way
October 4, 2020 - 100 Years at Allan Hancock College
September 6, 2020 - The Faces Behind The Asterisks
August 2, 2020 - A Return to Campus Must Consider Community
July 5, 2020 - Practicing Social Justice at Allan Hancock College
June 10, 2020 - Liberty and Justice for all?
May 3, 2020 - Two Words of Advice for High School Seniors
April 19, 2020: Public Community College Education More Important Than Ever
April 5, 2020 - College in the Age of Coronavirus
February 2, 2020 - Allan Hancock College is Best Quality, Best Value
November 10, 2019: The Hancock Promise Changes the Odds for Our Community
October 6, 2019 - The Years That Matter Most
September 1, 2019 - Hancock Provides Roadmaps to Success
August 4, 2019 - The Hancock Promise is a Local Promise
July 7, 2019: Desert or Mirage; Educational Access is Limited in North County
June 2, 2019 - Building a College-Going Culture in North County
May 5, 2019 - And Down the Stretch They Come!
April 7, 2019 - College Admissions and Student Debt
March 3, 2019 - Community Colleges a Value for Taxpayers
December 2, 2018 - The Giving Season at AHC in Full Swing
November 4, 2018 - Measure Y Supporters Deserve Thanks
October 7, 2018 - Measure Y Supports 21st-Century Careers
September 2, 2018 - Making Community Partnerships
August 5, 2018 - A Promise Made, Promise Kept
July 1, 2018 - Supporting Hancock's Future With Your Vote
June 3, 2018 - Hancock College Opens Doors to Success
May 6, 2018 - Community Colleges up to the Challenge
April 1, 2018 - Teaching Beyond the College Campus
March 4, 2018 - Hancock Prepares for New Laws
December 3, 2017 - Helping Hancock Athletes Find Success
November 5, 2017 - Pushing Back Against Student Debt Crisis
October 1, 2017 - The Value of Community Partnerships
September 3, 2017 - Hancock Promise Requires a Commitment
August 5, 2017 - Building Careers at Hancock College
July 2, 2017 - Busy Summer at Hancock College
June 4, 2017 - Safety at Hancock College is a Priority
May 7, 2017 - Graduation Time at Hancock College
April 2, 2017 - Changing the Odds at Hancock College
March 5, 2017 - Hancock College Target - Four-Year Degrees
February 5, 2017 - AHC Provides Support for all Students
January 8, 2017 - Hancock College Grateful for Community Support