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December 8, 2023

Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season

Happy Holidays to our wonderful students, staff, and community at American River College. We hope you take this holiday season as an opportunity to recharge, spend time with loved ones and reflect on the accomplishments that have made this academic year memorable.

Here's to a festive holiday season and a new year filled with endless possibilities and shared accomplishments.

Giving Thanks for Giving Tuesday

Nearly $25,000 was raised for Los Rios students during Giving Tuesday this year! Thanks to generous donations from across the district, the Los Rios Colleges Foundation raised an incredible $24,910, far surpassing our goal of $15,000. These funds mean that many of our most vulnerable students will have the support they need this holiday season through Los Rios Cares. Under the Cares programs at the colleges, students have access to services such as the Emergency Hotel Program, the Student Emergency Fund, textbook scholarships, our food pantries and so much more.

End of Fall Semester

The Fall 2023 semester ends Thursday, December 14. Final exams for full-term classes begin Friday, December 8 to Thursday, December 14. See all dates and deadlines related to enrollment, dropping classes, and petitioning for pass/no pass by visiting our Fall 2023 Academic Calendar webpage.

Congrats to Mid-Year Grads

This is a special shoutout to all of our Beavers graduating at the end of this Fall 2023 semester! During a time like no other, you have achieved an important milestone in your life. Know that the American River College community, your family, and friends are all incredibly proud of you.

As you get ready to start the next chapter in your story, we hope you pause to reflect on your time at American River College and celebrate your success. We hope you make time to commemorate your journey and this moment for yourself and everyone who has cheered you on along the way.

Congratulations!

Gear up for an enriching Spring 2024 semester by adding one more class to your schedule before it officially kicks off! This is your chance to accelerate your academic progress. Whether you're aiming to graduate early, exploring new subjects or looking to challenge yourself, now's the time to add one more class. 

Maximize your schedule and free up time in future semesters by spreading out your workload. The process is simple—log into eServices, browse the available classes for the upcoming semester, and select that one extra class that piques your interest.

Did you know...

You can put your desired courses in your enrollment shopping cart in eServices before your enrollment date and time. Ready, set, enroll!

Registration Station

Need help enrolling in your classes for the Spring 2024 semester? Join us in the Learning Resource Center to get assistance from the Homebase Success Teams with finalizing your registration. The teams will be available on Monday, December 11 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm! All students are welcome!

Textbook rentals are due back to the store by the last day of finals, Thursday, December 14, 2023. Check out the Los Rios Bookstore webpage for hours and information specific to your college. 

While book buybacks are an ongoing service, Finals Week is the best time to fetch the best returns for your books. Please note, a valid Student W-ID number is necessary for selling back textbooks. Seize the opportunity, and let your textbooks find new life while you put some extra money in your pocket!

Student Spotlight

At just 13 years old Alan Daniel started the long journey to fulfill his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. 

“Exploration of the human body. It’s pretty cool actually. How it works, how it functions. The brain especially,” Alan said while talking about why he is pursuing medical school and ultimately a career in neurosurgery. 

Alan, now 14, enrolled at American River College as a biology major, taking some initial pre-requisite classes while working to complete his high school graduation requirements. Starting with the Spring 2023 semester, Alan plans on becoming a full-time ARC student where he will focus on completing his transfer requirements. He hopes to be transfer-ready at 15 and to start the next phase of his education journey at UC Davis or Sac State.

From the lively nature of the college-level classes to a welcoming environment, Alan finds that classmates don’t mind his young age and has found great joy and fun in taking classes at ARC. 

“There is a lot of open room for discovery between peers and teachers.”

By using ARC to complete important prerequisites and become transfer-ready, Alan plans to complete his undergraduate degree and medical school by 22. For other students who want to get a head start on a degree, Alan encourages them to go for it.

“Don’t be afraid of the age gap. Everyone is accepting here,” Alan says.

Finals Stress Management

Finals week signals the near-end of the semester and all the hard work you’ve put into making it successful. While that may be cause for celebration, it’s often clouded by lots of stress. Now is the perfect time to apply positive self-care practices to manage stress and end your semester strong. Here are our top 5 stress reducing tips for finals week.     

• Prioritize your goals, avoid unnecessary stress.
• Make a study plan and include breaks.
• Stay hydrated and eat regularly.
• Get support from on-campus resources.
• Stay positive and stay active.

You’ve made it to the end of the 2023 semester, stay focused on your goals and finish strong Beavers!

The Power of Persistence: Los Rios Student Gillian Medeiros Finds Support, Encouragement through TimelyCare

“I am creating the life that I deserve.” That’s the affirmation Gillian Medeiros lives by and models for fellow students at American River College. As a first-generation student on the autism spectrum, Medeiros says she is fortunate to have a supportive family in her corner, but she also has experienced anxiety, financial stress, and housing insecurity. 

Medeiros had seen posters and fliers around campus for TimelyCare, so she downloaded the app and scheduled her first counseling visit with a licensed clinical social worker in California. They typically meet by video call on Saturdays, when Medeiros has more time to take care of her own needs outside of the demands of school and work. She takes most of her sessions at home on her phone – often sitting on her bed and wearing pajamas – where she’s comfortable and can focus on her mental health.

In between her scheduled counseling sessions, she uses TimelyCare’s TalkNow service when she needs on-demand emotional support, Peer Community when she needs to know she’s not alone, and Self-Care Journeys when she wants to develop skills on her own to cope with common challenges students face.

“In the Peer Community, it’s nice to see other people going through the same things that I am. It’s very refreshing to see, ‘I know what you’re feeling and I’m in the same boat,” she said. “I feel very thankful and kind of like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

Okta & Multi-Factor Authentication is Coming, Register Early!

Description: As part of the Los Rios Community College District’s ongoing efforts to combat cybercriminals and safeguard student and employee data, Los Rios has launched a new Identity and Access Management System called Okta and requires all students to utilize Multi-Factor Authentication. Beginning January 4, 2024 every student will need to complete a one-time Okta setup process the first time they attempt to log into most Los Rios applications (e.g. eServices, G-Suite/Gmail, Alma). This is a simple, guided process that takes 3 minutes to complete and only has to be done once.

Setup Okta Early: Early registration is now open, students can save time and ensure a seamless transition by setting up Okta early. Although early registration is not required, it does provide an opportunity for students to verify everything works so they do not run into problems when the Spring semester begins. During the early registration period, students will still have the ability to use the current Single-Sign On (SSO) page without going through multi-factor authentication until January 4, 2024.

Instructions: Step-by-step instructions and videos on how to setup Okta including how to setup your multifactor authentication can be found at the following link: Okta Information Page.

Contact for Assistance: Live chat support will be available to all students through January 31, 2024, to quickly help users troubleshoot any issues encountered. Click the following link to access the live chat feature: Okta Live Chat Support.

Live Chat is the recommended support channel for the quickest response. However, if you are unable to access live chat for any reason, please reach out and call (916) 484-8667 or submit a ticket in Service Central.

Live Chat is a temporary support channel that will only be available for Okta related questions or issues, this channel will be discontinued on January 31, 2024 at which time users can request support through servicecentral.losrios.edu or the Help Desk phone number.

Rhythm n’ Motion

Dance Show



Don't miss the Rhythm n' Motion Dance show this week! Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the ARC Main Theatre. Tickets are available for $5 at the door.

Get Your Tickets for the 2024 ARC Athletic Alumni Association Crab Feed!

Come out and enjoy great food, great drinks, a silent auction, and amazing music at the 2024 Athletic Alumni Association Crab Feed on Saturday, February 3 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm at the ARC Student Center. All funds raised will go towards supporting our American River College student-athletes.

Winter Recess

This is the final issue of the Beaver Bites for the Fall 2023 semester. For continuing students – we look forward to seeing you in the Spring 2024 semester beginning the week of January 13, 2024. For our graduating and transferring students – Congratulations, we will miss you! 

Reminder: All American River College offices will be closed for winter recess from Friday, December 22, 2023 to Monday, January 1, 2024.

Offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. 

Enjoy your well-deserved break, Beavers!

ARC Events Calendar