The LMC Community Education Program features fee-based, not-for-credit courses that are designed for personal and professional growth and enrichment. You do not need to be a student of Los Medanos College to take part in our programs.
We are passionate about serving our East County communities with innovative enrichment programs that help our participants find inspiration and motivation. We offer life-long learning lectures, online fundamental skills, online career training, and entrepreneurship workshops.
www.losmedanos.edu/communityed
LIFELONG LEARNING CENTER
Our program offers lectures on specialized topics to provide life-long learning opportunities for those who are seeking enrichment opportunities. Our lectures are taught by Los Medanos Professors who are experts in their field and passionate about the topics they are addressing. Lectures are typically 2 hours in length and are taught on a variety of subjects including history, economics, art, politics, current events and more.
The Brentwood Coal Mine: Boom and Bust
August 21, 2024
In 1858, a Coal Rush followed the Gold Rush in East County near Antioch, California’s largest coal discovery. Despite initial success, the Los Medanos Coal Operation led by Alice Marsh, Charles Marsh, and Charles Sanford ended in bankruptcy by 1875. Sanford, integral to Brentwood’s development, contributed land, granted a railroad right-ofway, and established a depot before financial setbacks.
Mystery of the Great Stone House
August 27, 2024
Local author, Dan Hanel, will share a multimedia presentation about the fascinating history of John Marsh and his Great Stone House. Marsh was California’s first doctor and the first American to settle in Contra Costa County.
Death at the Healing Waters
September 10, 2024
Dan Hanel, a local author, will give a multimedia presentation on the history of Byron Hot Springs Resort, once a famed healing waters retreat in the western U.S. It transformed during WWII into a secret interrogation center, later becoming a Greek Orthodox Church retreat.
John Marsh and the Grand California Rancho
September 18, 2024
John Marsh, dubbed the “Meanest man in California,” was the solitary settler in Central California around 1836, living outside mission protection. A Harvard-educated mountain man, arrived via the Santa Fe trail, served alongside Abraham Lincoln, and played a role in smallpox relief. Marsh’s legacy includes saving Los Angeles from smallpox, acquiring 40,000 acres near Mount Diablo, and hosting John C. Fremont.
Introduction to Swing Dance
September 18, 2024
Introduction to Swing Dance is a beginner-friendly course teaching the basics of this lively dance style from the 1920s-1940s. Learn steps, rhythms, and techniques, along with its history and cultural significance. Suitable for complete beginners or those with some experience, this course will get you moving to the exciting rhythms of swing music.
Ghosts of Black Diamond
September 24, 2024
Local author, Dan Hanel, will share a multimedia presentation about Black Diamond Mines. Learn how tombstones in Rose-Hill cemetery still show evidence of connections to mystic symbols and secret societies.
Creating the Intimate Connection - Class 1, 2, 3, & 4
October 2, 9, 16, & 23, 2024
The 4-part “Creating the Intimate Connection” series will guide those who are trail-blazing the new frontier that the institution of marriage is going through today. You will receive practical, straightforward concepts and tools for breaking with the old and creating a new and real intimacy that is vital and alive. Through these classes participants will see that having a long-lasting, intimate marital relationship is not just a romantic fantasy.
Beneath the Tangled Vines
October 8, 2024
Local author Dan Hanel presents on Winehaven, once the world’s largest winery, rising after the 1906 earthquake. Learn about its role in the California wine wars, the thriving wine industry, wealthy financiers, Chinese immigrant laborers, secret tunnels, and mysterious bone boxes.
Ghost Stories from the San Joaquin Delta
October 16, 2024
Discover California’s haunting tales, with legends like the Ghost of Joaquin Murrieta lingering in Vasco caves. These stories blend international folklore into local settings, such as Welsh mining ghosts at Black Diamond and La Llorona at Big Break Shoreline. The Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow appears in Knightsen, while eerie encounters reminiscent of the “Twilight Zone” occur near Empire Mine Road’s old Slaughterhouse.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and the Arts
October 24, 2024
This Lecture will survey artistic work reflecting artists’ experience of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. It will draw examples from 1800 to the present and include baskets, architecture, poetry, fiction, painting, and photography. In addition graphic representations of artifacts will be presented.
The Folk Singers & the Bureau
October 31, November 7, 14, & 21, 2024
Broadcasting live from Los Angeles, this lecture delves into the surveillance and suppression of twentieth-century folk singers such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, who were political activists linked to the American Communist Party. Through music, videos, and FOIA records, it exposes how these artists were extensively monitored and suppressed by the FBI and other entities, shedding light on government actions during that era.
Oakley: Railroads and Packing Sheds
November 20, 2024
Oakley, a thriving California railroad town in the San Joaquin Delta, quickly became a hub for land speculation, agriculture, and immigration. By 1900, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian immigrants settled there, enticed by land speculators. Over the years, wars, food production, and evolving transportation reshaped Oakley’s tight-knit community, reflecting broader trends in small Western towns.
Holiday History as Experienced through Real Photo Postcards
December 18, 2024
The Golden Age of Postcards, fueled by advances in German color printing technology, brought beautiful holiday greetings and personal images to the United States for just a penny postage. Itinerant photographers sold real photo postcards, allowing people to share their successes in the West, while valentines and love postcards also flourished. This romantic era of postcards ended abruptly as Europe went to war in 1914.
Note: Check our website often as new lectures are scheduled throughout the spring semester. www.losmedanos.edu/adultlectures
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101
In partnership with the City of Oakley Entrepreneur Program, we offer free, not-for-credit Entrepreneurship workshops that are focused on helping local small businesses in our community grow and expand their economic impact. We design our workshops to be hands-on and tailored to the businesses and industries we are serving. Our instructors are industry experts and entrepreneurs themselves.
How to Start a Business / Franchise vs. Self-Creation
August 16, 2024
Explore the possibilities for creating a small business such as auto detailing, crafts or artwork, freelance writer, wedding consultant and more. Perhaps purchasing an existing franchise or opening a new franchise operation is appealing. This is a simple, easy class to get started and no computer required! If you have the will, there is a business opportunity for you! Learn about business licenses, resale permits, insurance and trademarks. This course is an overview of the many considerations and challenges that are encountered when starting a new business from your home, truck, shared space or office/shop.
How to Start a Business Part II / Business Organizations: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Corporations, nonprofits, LLPs, and LLCs
September 20, 2024
Choosing the right legal entity for your business in California is crucial for your operations, tax, and estate planning. For new, low-risk ventures, a simple structure might suffice. If you have assets and liability concerns, consider an LLC or corporation. For those aiming to formalize their business and avoid IRS issues, proper registration is key. If your goal is to “do good by doing well,” a nonprofit organization might be ideal. This workshop will help you explore various legal entities and their implications.
ONLINE CAREER COURSES
Guerrilla Marketing and Branding
October 18, 2024
Marketing leads to more customers and more customers means more revenue! Guerrilla marketing techniques are low or no cost techniques designed to bring attention to your business, services or products. Use social media or traditional media to enhance your 4Ps of marketing: product, place, price and promotion.
Social Media for Business Owners/ Research and Demographics
November 15, 2024
In this course, business owners will learn to build effective social media accounts on key platforms, create engaging posts, schedule content, and integrate analytics to understand their clientele. Success in marketing comes from understanding customer desires and demographics. Follow the Kaiser Sand andz
Los Medanos College in partnership with Ed2Go offers not-for-credit online career courses and training programs that are a perfect fit for students looking for the flexibility of online instruction. All courses and programs earn a certificate of completion issued by the Los Medanos College, and many prepare you for industry-recognized certifications as well. We are here to help you reach your career goals!
• Arts and Design
• Business
• Computer Applications
• Computer Science
• Construction & Trades Health & Fitness
• Hospitality
• Information Technology
• Language
• Legal Math & Science
• Introduction to Interior Design
• Spanish for Medical Professionals (Self-Paced Tutorial)
• Introduction to SQL
• Business Budgeting for Beginners Creating a Successful Business Plan
• Start Your Own Online Business
• Introduction to Google Analytics
• Start Your Own Arts and Crafts Business
• Medical Terminology Series Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My! (Self-Paced Tutorial)
• Creating Mobile Apps with HTML5
Important Note:
These not-for-credit courses are for professional development only. For academic credit opportunities at Los Medanos College, please visit our Get Started with LMC page.
• Arts and Design
• Business
• Computer Applications
• Computer Science
• Construction and Trades Health and Fitness
• Hospitality
• Information Technology
• Language
• Legal Teacher Professional Development
• Writing
• Medical Billing and Coding
• Certified Paralegal
• Pharmacy Technician
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)
• Adobe Certified Professional
• Freight Broker/Agent Training
• Clinical Dental Assistant
• Veterinary Assistant CompTIA A+ Certification Training
• Certified Residential Interior Designer
• Certified Medical Administrative
• Certified Professional Life Coach www.losmedanos.edu/entrepreneurship
Assistant with Medical Billing and Coding
GET INVOLVED! PROPOSE A COURSE
LMC Lifelong Learning Adult Lectures
Lifelong Learning Adult Lectures are fee-based, not-for-credit classes on specialized topics that are designed for personal growth and enrichment for attendees. Lectures are taught by individuals who are experts in their field and passionate about the topics they are addressing. Classes are typically 2 hours in length and are taught on a variety of subjects including history, economics, art, politics, current events and more. Classes may be presented on the main college campus in Pittsburg, at the Brentwood Center or on Zoom.
Proposing a Course:
LMC Community & Contract Education staff will review your completed Course Proposal Form and notify you by phone or email if it is approved. Keep in mind that the process for review can take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks depending on the date of your submission.
Consideration will be given to the appropriateness of the subject, its relevance to the mission of the program, availability of facilities, your qualifications, etc. Our intent is to offer a varied, balanced program that meets the needs and interests of the mature adult population. Classes shall not be used to promote political positions or candidates nor to sell or promote products or services.
Compensation:
Part-time and full-time faculty, as well as non-LMC employees, are compensated per Contra Costa Community College District Salary Schedule Appendix C-8, College Program Assistant VII, Range 1009, at an hourly rate of $80.72. Any lecture/course with fewer than ten paid registrations is subject to cancellation.
Individuals participating in not-for-credit Community Education instruction may wish to contribute compensation towards Los Medanos College Foundation scholarships and/or program needs. We invite you to contribute your time, talent, and passion in a way that is both meaningful and rewarding to you.
Community & Contract Education Coordinator (925) 473-7397
