President's Office

District & Foothill Opening Week 2025

Monday–Tuesday, Sept. 15–16

Prior to our Opening Days, we're welcoming our students and parents and families. To see what's planned for students and parents, see details for Foothill Parent Night and New Student Welcome Day.

Wednesday–Friday, Sept. 17–19

Each year, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District and Foothill and De Anza colleges host Opening Week events to welcome faculty, staff and students to the upcoming fall quarter and academic year. 

View details on this page for all faculty and staff Opening Week activities.

Welcome from President Whalen

Welcome to the 2025 Academic Year.  

Our theme—Empowering Each Other Through a Culture of Care—captures both who we are and who we aspire to be as a college community. 

We stand at a pivotal moment. Over the past year, we have worked collectively to shape our new strategic plan, The Blueprint for Success. This year we move boldly from vision to implementation. These next five years will bring both exciting opportunities and real challenges. In the headwinds of a chaotic national landscape, we must urgently respond to shifting demographics, the power and panic of AI, and the evolving needs of our students. This swirl will require us to lean on one another, to collaborate deeply, and to lead with radical hope. 

In this work, the way we engage matters as much as the outcomes we pursue. Transformation can only take root if it is grounded in heart-forward care. Let’s start the year with a commitment to walk alongside each other, supporting one another, and embracing an ethic of love in our pursuit of justice and equity for our students. 

That spirit is beautifully conveyed by our keynote speaker, Dr. Durryle Brooks, whose scholarship and practice remind us that social justice is not just about systems and policies but also about how we show up for one another with compassion, courage, kindness and love. His message will set the tone for the important year of work and growth ahead. 

The work we do in academia is transformative, with its own dynamic of power and panic. It’s exciting and liberating, and also exhausting and overwhelming. We face rising attacks on higher education and rising costs of living, but as you look around the room during our opening sessions, you’ll see colleagues who understand the adversity we face, and we can lock arms to support one another and our students. Together, we can be wholly present, both physically and mentally. Together, we are not just launching another academic year, but the next phase of Foothill College's story.  

Yours in service,
Kristina Whalen 

 

Thank you for attending and have a great fall quarter and 2025-2026 academic year!