8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 From arts and fitness to cooking and phlebotomy, Monterey Peninsula College has a diverse 40-class lineup for its continuing education program this fall. Anyone can submit a proposal for a class and teach it themselves, leading to some varied options in the schedule. The best part? It doesn’t require a teaching degree, and any skill could be turned into a class. “The program is designed to provide community members with learning opportunities,” says Alexis Bollin, MPC’s director of continuing and professional education. For proposals, applicants need to describe the topic they want to teach, how they will teach it and if it will be in person or online (along with a résumé). Then, a committee of college faculty, staff and administration evaluates them and makes recommendations to the board for approval. Continuing education has a “holistic approach” so most class suggestions come from current instructors or community members. Others are through partnerships with local organizations such as Loaves, Fishes and Computers to offer computer literacy classes for seniors or bring Lego camps for kids to the Marina campus. Instructors are of all ages and levels of experience. Khadijah El-Ayoubi, 24, who teaches crochet, is a former MPC student who is studying at CSU Monterey Bay. El-Ayoubi started crocheting after learning from YouTube videos during the pandemic. Her hobby marked her future in different ways. She switched her career path from biology to marketing, and now has a crocheting business called By the Bay Crochet. She has taught crochet at MPC since 2023. El-Ayoubi says having the idea of creating something perfect could hinder learning, so she encourages her students to keep going. “There’s nothing perfect about how we handmake things,” El-Ayoubi says. Amy Ferguson is an experienced culinary instructor who teaches at MPC’s culinary program and Monterey Adult School, as well as holding private classes. She’s teaching several classes where people will learn how to make sourdough bread, bagels and more. Ferguson says these classes are a fun way to meet new people, learn a new skill and get a glimpse of what MPC has to offer. “I try to make my continuing ed classes something that is incredibly hands-on, and people can go home and do right away,” Ferguson says. One of the classes in August was about teaching her students the secrets of sourdough. “It’s popular here in Monterey; people spend 10 or 12 bucks for a big sourdough [loaf]. How cool is it that now they can make their own for $2, right?” Ferguson says. For the first time, continuing education will offer knitting in its rotation, a class that has been sought after by many community members (classes will be held at the Oldemeyer Center in Seaside). “We were really pleased to see that we had an instructor in the area who was interested in teaching,” Bollin says. Joan Yu has been knitting consistently for more than 25 years. Her mother taught her when she was 10, noting she didn’t want her children in front of the TV empty-handed. “We were all taught how to embroider, needlepoint and knit, and we all took up different crafts,” Yu says. Yu began teaching her first class in late August at MPC. Her interest sparked after reading a newsletter from MPC. As she learned about teaching classes at continuing education, she was inspired to fill out her class proposals. Bollin later contacted her and told her she had been waiting for a knitting teacher to show up, Yu recalls. “It was just really good timing,” she adds. Bollin says that some classes they would like to offer in the future include those on financial planning and artificial intelligence. “We have an aging workforce in the area who need to gain skills so that they can remain employed or gain employment,” Bollin says. Class proposals are accepted yearround, and instructors can submit a class to be included in the 2026 spring catalog as late as October. To learn more about continuing education classes at MPC, visit mpc.edu/academics/continuing-professional-education/index.html. Got Skills Anyone can teach a class in Monterey Peninsula College’s continuing education program—only passion is required. By Celia Jiménez “I try to make my classes incredibly hands-on.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS Monterey Peninsula College instructor Amy Ferguson helps student Stephen Gutierrez learn how to make sourdough during a community class at the college. Many of the college’s continuing education classes have been designed by the public. SAVE THE DATE Friday, September 12 • Annual Leadership Luncheon presented by California Resources Corporation Portola Hotel & Spa Thursday, October 16 • Monterey Bay Business Expo presented by Rayne Technology Solutions Del Monte Shopping Center SAVE THE DATE UPCOMING EVENTS See the full schedule of events and register today at montereychamber.com REGISTER TODAY!
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==