(Santa Ana)—Rancho Santiago Community College District has named Anaheim resident James Kennedy, MBA, as vice president of continuing education for Santa Ana College (SAC). In this role, Kennedy is responsible for all aspects of the instructional programs and support services for the SAC School of Continuing Education.

The division provides adult continuing education to over 10,000 students per semester. Instruction is provided in English as a Second Language, citizenship, high school subjects, adult basic education, and career technical education. Classes are free and offered at Centennial Education Center, Santa Ana College, and at 47 sites throughout the community.

A variety of services are offered to ensure student success, including counseling, admissions and records, bookstore, disabled student program, tutoring, student development program, and student transitional program. The student transitional program helps ease the transition from non-credit classes in this division to credit classes at Santa Ana College. Last year, 211 students were awarded high school diplomas representing a 30 percent increase over the previous year and 1,462 Certificates of Program Completion in Adult Basic Education, Business Skills and English as a Second Language were earned by students.

With 15 years experience in academic program and enrollment management, curriculum and technology administration, and economic development with community colleges’ noncredit programs, Kennedy brings a breadth of knowledge and skills to this position. Since August 2011, he has served as interim vice president of continuing education at Santa Ana College. Prior to that, he served as dean of instruction and student services for Santiago Canyon College, Division of Continuing Education. Previously, he worked for North Orange County Community College District where he held a number of positions in the School of Continuing Education, including director of academic computing, director of the Center for Applied Competitive Technologies, director of Total Quality in Education Grant, and more.

He earned a B.A. in environmental studies from Sonoma State University and an MBA with an emphasis in technology management from the University of Phoenix. He is currently working on a Doctorate of Education in Community College Educational Leadership at California State University, Fullerton.

About the Rancho Santiago Community College District
The mission of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is to respond to the educational needs of an ever-changing community and to provide programs and services that reflect academic excellence. Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College are public community colleges of RSCCD, which serve the residents of Anaheim Hills, East Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. Both colleges provide education for academic transfer and careers, courses  for personal and professional development, customized training for business and industry, and programs to train nurses, firefighters and law enforcement personnel.