In a lifelong learning class, Nick and Deborah Carpenter crafted pieces of jewelry that can also last a lifetime: their wedding bands.
The couple has spent the past two decades exercising their creative muscles in tuition-free arts courses at Allan Hancock College, they told the school. While shaping their rings, the Carpenters engaged with other like-minded people eager to continue growing and maintaining a commitment to the arts.
Their journey through Hancock’s Community Education Department is similar to many other students. Alicia Paniagua, the department’s dean, believes the courses offer exciting ways for adults to keep busy at various stages in life. And they keep coming back.
An educated community
Allan Hancock College’s Community Education Department is located in Building S of the Santa Maria campus (800 S. College Drive). Business hours are Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about programs, call (805) 347-7553 or visit hancockcollege.edu/communityed/index.php.
“A lot of our students are students that have been with us for over 10 years, so the feedback that we hear is that they are making friends here,” Paniagua told the Sun. “They appreciate the creativity that is being brought to the community, whether it’s painting classes, whether it’s photography classes, or jewelry making classes, or sewing classes.”
There are dozens of classes students ages 18 and older may register for, and most are tuition-free with the exception of exercise classes and College for Kids summer camp. Some no-cost classes require a fee to cover the cost of supplies, but it’s given back to the students in the form of their creations. For example, an $80 fee is collected for the floral design class, which divides out to $10 per session.
Not all classes are directly based in the arts. Some instructors teach students how to do their income taxes, speak conversational English, improve computer skills, study for the GED exam, and interview to become a U.S. citizen. The department’s newest course beginning in the fall is barbering.
“We want to build possibilities for students, offer opportunities for students,” Paniagua explained.
She likes to say community education offers something for everybody, no matter how old they are or what their background is. The department is even working on changing one of the course prefixes, OLDR, to something more inclusive that represents the sentiment of lifelong learning rather than an age range.
The dean and her team are constantly collecting feedback from students and collaborating with faculty to make changes that best help individuals grow.
“Santa Maria, being a large agricultural community, has folks that want to be able to support their students with their homework, but the language barrier is there,” Paniagua said. “So, we offer low beginning classes, intermediate classes, advanced classes, not only grammatical classes, but also conversation classes.”
After building greater English skills, there are continued pathways for students to learn about child care opportunities or working as an instructional bilingual aid. Just like after taking non-credit and tuition-free fashion courses, there’s the option to enter Hancock’s degree program for the subject. Hancock is a starting point for lots of future pathways.
The importance of community education is in its name: building community. Students make friends and establish new support systems.
“I think it’s for well-being,” Paniagua said. “I mean, we recognize that during COVID it was hard to just be at home. And so, oftentimes we seek that human connection.”
For the dean, community education opportunities hit close to home. Paniagua grew up as an English language learner and remembers her family grappling with the same situations that many of her students find themselves in.
“I see students, and I see my family. I see myself,” Paniagua said. “I saw my parents with that same struggle. … For me, really, it’s seeing family in the work that I do.”
Delicia Navarette has been a community education coordinator for three years and oversees programs including career preparation, U.S. citizenship, computer literacy, art and fashion, and home economics.
“We offer estate planning, investment, and stock market basics, a woman’s guide to finance, and those are just the programs that I support,” Navarette said. “We have other programs in the department as well, but those are supported by other coordinators.”
The community education classes don’t impact transcripts or GPAs. There aren’t lengthy admissions processes or strict qualifications. Everyone is welcome.
“Students are always really happy with the programs. They love to share photos of their designs and artwork,” Navarette said. “We love to hear success stories when they’ve become employed and have changed their lives with taking our program.”
She added that the department is searching for new instructors and hoping to expand opportunities to students in Guadalupe, Lompoc, and Santa Ynez.
Team members are available to make registration as easy as possible for students. Interested participants will fill out a short, standard application form with basic information about their goals and previous experiences.
“Just the formality of the application, and then logging into their My Hancock portal,” Navarette said, “and then the possibilities are endless.”
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in June 25 – July 2, 2026.
