Governor Newsom Visits Shasta College

REDDING, CA  – Shasta College was honored to host Governor Gavin Newsom, his staff, and distinguished guests for a press conference held in the campus’ welding department lab. Governor Newsom chose Shasta College’s Industrial Technology area as the backdrop to unveil California’s new Master Plan for Career Education, highlighting expanded career and educational opportunities for Californians, including a focus on veterans.

Shasta College’s selection as the site for this announcement reflects the institution’s achievements in innovative programs, including North State Together (NST), Dual Enrollment, and industry partnerships within its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. Representing Shasta College’s faculty, students, and staff were Dr. Frank Nigro, Superintendent/President; Dr. Kevin O’Rorke, CEO of North State Together and Associate Superintendent of Shasta College; Billy Miller, Dean of NST and Extended Education; and Mirena Guillot, a Shasta College Fire Academy alum and current CAL FIRE employee.

As part of his visit, Governor Newsom was welcomed with a live fire demonstration at Shasta College's Regional Public Safety Fire Training Center, showcasing the skills and training of Shasta College fire cadets. The demonstration was coordinated by Chief Don Lacy, Dejon Slape, and Matt Loughran, with participation from five Shasta College alum. Assistant Chief and Program Administrator for CAL FIRE Redding Training Center Keith Dietz, Division Chief CAL FIRE Redding Training Center Program Administrator and Catherine Frazer, Staff Chief - Training Program, representing CAL FIRE, provided insight into the successful collaboration between CAL FIRE and Shasta College, emphasizing the value of this model partnership.

Following the demonstration, Governor Newsom participated in a roundtable discussion with local leaders invited by the governor’s office. During this session, Dr. Nigro, Dr. O’Rorke, and Dean Miller shared the successes of the $18 million K-16 Collaborative Grant awarded to NST, Dual Enrollment, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships with organizations such as CAL FIRE and Sierra Pacific Industries. Alum Mirena Guillot offered a compelling perspective, sharing her journey of earning an associate degree in science before discovering her passion for fire service through Shasta College’s Fire Academy.

The visit concluded with a press conference in the welding lab, where Governor Newsom shared his vision for expanding access to educational pathways that align with workforce needs.

Shasta College leadership extends its gratitude to the faculty and staff whose efforts, under short timelines, helped make this event a success. Their dedication ensured a warm and professional welcome for Governor Newsom and his guests. Dr. Nigro reflected on the event, stating, “We were honored that Governor Newsom selected Shasta College as the site to unveil his plan for the future of CTE in California. Our nationally recognized programs have established us as a regional leader in workforce education, and we were thrilled to share our successes with other north state education leaders. By working together, we can better serve our students and communities. The innovative programs and collaborative industry partnerships we have developed in the north state continue to drive positive student outcomes and strengthen our local economies.”