SCCCD hosts 23rd annual Mega Conference to encourage professional development for classified staff

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Many students may be out of class for Spring break, but the learning continues.

Staff from all campuses of the State Center Community College District gathered Tuesday at Fresno State for the 23rd annual Mega Conference.

Nearly 300 classified staff attended.

They are employees who are not professors at the colleges but support student success in many other ways.

Organizers Puma Jones and Jame Yang say the purpose is to promote professional development.

The theme of the conference was "Classified Dreaming."

"Whatever your biggest dreams are, thoughts about your career, anything in life, we're trying to encourage that here today," Jones said.

The event kicked off with speakers, prizes and a college mascot dance-off.

"This is a great opportunity just to welcome everybody, have everybody just kind of network and get to know each other and bring that sense of community," Yang said.

Some attendees have been to the conference before, but for others like Lindsie Sabol, who works at Reedley College, this was her first time.

"We're all at our separate campuses, but then this is a unique opportunity to remind us that we're all still in the same district and we're all still on the same team," Sabol said.

Everyone took part in different learning sessions.

"Sign and Shine" gave professionals a chance to learn the basics of sign language and deaf culture.

"Avoiding Riptides" gave employees the chance to learn about self-defense.

Movement was encouraged in "Chillax and Flex," which taught chair yoga.

Organizers say the conference is an important event to make sure the staff know their valued.

"Classified professionals are really the backbone of the district, and we just want to make sure that we are celebrating them and letting them know how important they are," Yang said.

Staff took part in 3 different sessions on Tuesday.

They will return to work Wednesday and organizers hope they will be reenergized for their positions.