April 28, 2025
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three student leaders, dedicated to equity and inclusion on campus and in their communities, have been honored with the California Community College’s annual Student Leadership Award.
Heather Brandt of City College of San Francisco, Priscila de Franca Moreira of Mission College, and Lucia Landeros of Cuesta College were recognized April 4 at the Student Senate for California Community Colleges 2025 General Assembly in Los Angeles.
"I am honored to congratulate Heather Brandt, Priscila de Franca Moreira, and Lucia Landeros, the recipients of the 2025 California Community Colleges Student Leadership Award. These remarkable student leaders have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advocacy, equity, and civic engagement across their colleges and communities. Their work—whether championing support for parenting students, advancing civic participation, or amplifying student voices in policy discussions—embodies the spirit of leadership envisioned in our Vision 2030 goals. We celebrate their achievements and look forward to the lasting impact they will continue to make across our system and beyond,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian.
The Student Leadership Award was established to recognize a commitment to outstanding leadership in college and service in the broader community.
“Having had the privilege of working alongside Heather, Lucia, and Priscila, I’ve witnessed firsthand their incredible growth, dedication, and impact. Each of them has not only led with heart and purpose but has inspired me to continue growing as a leader. I feel incredibly lucky to know that our system is filled with such exemplary students; their leadership gives me hope for the future of higher education,” said Student Senate for California Community Colleges President Ivan Hernandez.
Meet the Winners:
Heather Brandt, a student trustee at City College of San Francisco, is a dedicated student equity champion, advocating for increased support services for students with diverse backgrounds. Brandt has served on key committees, bringing student voices to the table and advocating for policies addressing systemic inequities. She has held leadership roles with the CCSF Associated Students Executive Council, Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), Ocean Campus Council, and Student Parents United. Brandt, a proud mother of three, was a driving force in the creation of the Parent Pathway cohort model at CCSF, which was designed to establish a supportive network for parenting students encountering challenges. She was instrumental in a resolution advocating for the California Community Colleges system to collect data on how many students are also parents, and what their unique needs are. And she played a vital role in helping CCSF implement AB 2881 and recognizing and giving rights to parents in the California Community Colleges.
Priscila de Franca Moreira is currently the Associated Student Government (ASG) president at Mission College. She is a dynamic leader who prioritizes people and drives impactful change. Moreira is actively engaged in research on civic engagement barriers among community college students and supported the creation of a civic engagement plan for the college which intentionally created events to encourage students to register to vote. She has interned with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s office, volunteered as a political data manager with We Vote, is an active member of the League of Women Voters, and has served as a research assistant intern at Stanford University analyzing election data. Moreira is currently collaborating with the TRIO program and Student Life department to create a resource fair for undocumented students. She founded and served as the president of the Sustainable Garden Club, served on the Mission College Sustainability Committee, and was a member of the Eco-Fair planning committee.
Lucia Landeros serves as president/student trustee of Associated Students of Cuesta College. She has demonstrated a high level of commitment to student leadership that is aligned with Vision 2030 and is a passionate advocate for student voice. Landeros has volunteered as Cuesta College’s delegate for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) and participated in the Advocacy Academy to refine negotiation; she’s led advocacy efforts for revised AB 1705 guidance by spearheading a grassroots campaign to amplify student voice; as Vice Chair of the Student Community Liaison Committee (SCLC), a vital mechanism of communication between Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College, the City and County of San Luis Obispo, Lucia led the development of a proposal to represent student voices at a gathering of over 300 local business and community leaders.
Each winner received a $1,250 check and a commemorative certificate.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to improve student success, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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