Features - The Oak Leaf

Lourdes Jimenez wears a cap that reads Hogar de la Educacion y la Personalidad, Sabiduria, Respeto, Jubilo, Corazon, which translates to Home of Education and Personality, Wisdom, Respect, Rejoice, Heart.

Bryan Fructuoso • December 15, 2023

Margarita Garcia, 40, overcame a childhood devoid of formal education, a border-crossing kidnapping and years of working in vineyards. Lorenzo Rivera, 44, grew up in poverty where he...

A signle SMART train car travels through the rural crossing between Cotati and Petaluma. My return journey on the train was filled with riders, including two boy scouts who sat across from me while I worked at one of the tables on the train. They got on the train in Marin and left at the downtown Petaluma stop. This area of the route seemed to have the most riders entering and exiting.

Getting wise about SMART

Rosemary Cromwell, Reporter • December 14, 2023

My first journey on the SMART Train started at the Downtown Santa Rosa Station in Historic Railroad Square. As somebody who loves trains, I’ve been waiting to ride it, and this story...

Magic the Gathering club hosts open games every Wednesdays from 5-9 p.m. and Fridays from 2-6 p.m. in the Bertolini student success center at the Santa Rosa campus.

SRJC's Magic the Gathering club

Jesus Lopez Cruz, Reporter • December 5, 2023

Students packed into Santa Rosa Junior College’s Bertolini Hall dining room on a recent Wednesday afternoon, even though the cafeteria was...

SRJC student and Resident Advisor for SRJCs Polly OMeara Doyle dormitory Jayce Kaldunski maximizes space in his room with a couch and study area surrounded by his carnivorous plant collection under a bunk bed.

SRJC's 30-second commute

Michael Combs, Editor • December 5, 2023

When most Santa Rosa Junior College students snail through evening Highway 101 traffic, Jayce Kaldunski strolls through the dormitory hallway...

Max Millan’s abuelito, Gonzalo, a native of Toluca, holds him up as a toddler as they look towards an early 2000s Mexico City sky. Along with his wife, Millan’s abuelita Teresa, Gonzalo remains a fixture in his grandsons memories. From suffering from the vices of alcoholism to evolving into a faithful Christian, Gonzalos life has inspired Millan, even more so now that he’s become his last living grandparent.

Dreaming in Limbo

Max Millan, Reporter • November 30, 2023

We often underestimate the power individuals wield over us and their command over our destinies. For me, as a DACA recipient, my status has been...

Five SRJC students tell the Oak Leaf how they selected their majors and what they hope to accomplish in their careers. Clockwise from top left: Sarah Barnett, nursing; Gabriela Andrade, psychology; Meghan OLeary, nursing; Langley Durham, mechanical engineering; Mandy Miller, filmmaking.

Major decisions

Lucas Cadigan-Carranza, Editor • November 28, 2023

“What’s your major?” That is a common question Oak Leaf reporters ask Santa Rosa Junior College students when we find them on campus...