MJC Distinguished Alumna for 2017

Marian Kaanon, Class of 1994

My MJC story is one rooted in a dream – the American dream that I believe is still alive for many who come to this country.

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq and my family began their immigration journey to the West when I was five years old, ultimately landing in Modesto, California – home to a thriving Assyrian community.

I am the product of local schools, graduating from Fred C. Beyer in 1992. While I loved learning, I was not very involved in high school activities, preferring to focus on academics. My family was middle-income but did not have any money set aside to support my college aspirations. However, the goal to attend college was woven into our family fabric from the moment we immigrated to this country.

Our family not only believed in the American dream, we recognized that the American dream can be realized through higher education.

I applied to Modesto Junior College and began as a freshman in the fall of 1992, and became an active ‘student citizen’ of MJC. I joined the Associated Students of Modesto Junior College under Nancy Singer at the time, eventually becoming the VP of Inter-Club Council. I studied under the brilliant tutelage of Professors Higginbotham and Elam and others. I made lifelong friends who inspired me. And I began a steady progress towards my own version of the American dream.

I transferred from Modesto Junior College to UC Davis in the fall of 1994 to pursue a degree in Communication Studies. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I worked for a period of time in broadcast journalism, then transitioned to marketing and public relations as well as lobbying and legislative affairs. I moved back to the Modesto area in 2005 to start a family and was named Vice-President of Marketing for Community Hospice, a position I held for eight years before being named CEO of Stanislaus Community Foundation.

I now reside in Modesto with my two elementary school age children, Olivia and Luke. With my team at Stanislaus Community Foundation, we invest over $1 million annually in grants and scholarhips to help build up our region. I love Modesto and think our hometown has so many natural assets worth celebrating – and one of our community’s prized assets is Modesto Junior College.

I have built a career around championing the rights of others, in recent years specifically advocating for the right to a quality education from kindergarten to career. I have experienced first-hand the importance of a quality education, and thanks to my time at Modesto Junior College, I know the value of a ‘good start’ to one’s career and college goals.

Modesto Junior College provided me a launching pad to my career and ultimately, to my community work too. I owe so much to this remarkable institution, which I consider a ‘catalyst for good.’ I am honored to be the MJC Alumna of the Year.

- Marian Kaanon, Class of 1994