COLLEGE GRADUATES
The following students graduated from their respective universities: Michelle Donar of Encinitas, Austin Overman and Pietro Lanza di Scalea of Carlsbad at Miami University in Ohio; Madison Gaines and Austin Nguyen of Oceanside, and Johnathan Cobden-Nolan, Nathan Duggal, Katherine Huang, David Lee, Xin Liu, Devam Shrivastava, Steven Zhao and Alec Zhou of San Diego from Georgia Tech.
DEAN’S LIST
Krish Patil of San Diego made the spring dean’s list at Georgia Tech.
FACULTY HONORS
The following Georgia Tech students earned faculty honors in the spring, which is awarded to students who have earned a 4.0 academic average for the semester: Garrett Warner of Encinitas, and Kian Chakamian, Mika Okamoto, Sahil Samar and Devam Shrivastava of San Diego.
GARDEN SCHOLARSHIP
The Vista Garden Club awarded its annual scholarship to Carmen Lorne, a recent Mission Vista High School graduate, for her outstanding academic achievements and passion for environmental studies. The scholarship supports local students pursuing education in horticulture, botany, environmental science, or related fields.
HONOR ROLL
Quinn Harder of Carlsbad made the spring student-athlete academic honor roll at the University of Alabama. He is on the track and field team.
PILOT LICENSE
Julian Schiff of San Diego earned a pilot license from the United States Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Flight Academy in Mississippi.
CITIZENS OF THE YEAR
Three Carlsbad residents were recognized as Citizens of the Year by the City of Carlsbad for their service to the community: Gunnar Biggs, a bassist and music educator who has been a key figure in the region’s jazz scene for decades; Bonnie Biggs, a lifelong librarian and retired educator who helped launch the Cal State San Marcos library program and helped to establish the college’s first Tribal Communities Task Force and Native Advisory Council; and Patricia “Maureen” Simons, who has volunteered for the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club, the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, the Assistance League of the North Coast, Carlsbad Republican Women Federated, and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.
NATURE COLLECTIVE
Jennifer Bright is the new chief executive officer and executive director of Nature Collective, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to conservation and science education.
CHANGING TIDES
Carolyn Saunders has been appointed as executive director of the Changing Tides Foundation, an Encinitas-based global non-profit dedicated to empowering women and promoting gender equity, social justice, and ocean health.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond’s office honored the Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland in July for its efforts to fight human trafficking. The organization has worked to raise awareness and seek solutions through its annual Human Trafficking Awareness Walk in Vista and its regular North County Anti-Human Trafficking Collaborative meetings. The next meeting is on Oct. 9 and the 20th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Walk is on Jan. 10, 2026.
NURSING SHORTAGE
MiraCosta College has secured a $1.2 million state grant to help close a 46% gap in the local nursing workforce. The funding will grow the nursing program by 26%, launch a new LVN-to-RN apprenticeship, and improve clinical training with advanced simulation tools. It will also strengthen transfer pathways to CSU campuses.
TRAIL DEDICATION
Last month, the City of Oceanside has dedicated of the segment of the San Luis Rey River Trail from Pacific Street to Benet Road in memory of Jensen Taylor Hughes, a beloved local resident who lost her life during a cycling accident on the trail. Jensen was a graduate of El Camino High School, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
ARTS FELLOWSHIPS
New Village Arts in Carlsbad has launched several fellowships, internships and apprenticeship opportunities that will be open for applications throughout August: two administrative internships in production and marketing and the inaugural Phifer-Collins Stage Management Fellowships. The application for the College Acting Apprenticeship has already closed. For more information, contact Artistic Producer Kali Boston by email at [email protected].
ROOFTOP SOLAR
A new 1,350-panel rooftop solar system was installed on the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, which will help offset a significant portion of the stadium’s energy storage.
SPIRITUAL MEMOIR
Solana Beach Author Edward A. Siegel has launched his new book, “A Spiritual Journey to Know the Creator Despite Limitations of the Brain.” Siegel is a psychiatrist, author and musician. To learn more, visit www.edsiegelmd.com, and the book is available on Amazon.
SENIOR READERS
The Senior Readers Theater group is looking for interested individuals to join in performing children’s stories to school groups and fostering literacy in children. The group will begin rehearsals on Sept. 8 for the 2025-2026 school year performances. Those who are interested should contact [email protected].
BEST MUSEUM
The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park was selected as the best museum in the annual Best of San Diego awards.
