Our Students & Your Generosity Create a Better Community

ONE MAIN STREET

Advancing a Shared Vision

In a press conference on July 9, 2925, the Hartnell College Foundation and the National Steinbeck Center announced they have formally assumed ownership of the CSUMB Salinas City Center from Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB). The building will be renamed One Main Street. This marks a significant step in strengthening downtown Salinas through expanded educational access and regional partnerships.

The CSUMB Salinas City Center, home to the National Steinbeck Center, has served as a central hub for learning, cultural programs, and community engagement since 1998. Under the Hartnell College Foundation’s leadership, One Main Street will continue to support expanded programming, provide community and industry event space and create opportunities for nonprofit collaborations and social innovations, all while remaining an anchor for downtown Salinas.

“The Hartnell College Foundation, CSUMB, and the National Steinbeck Center have worked together for over two decades to serve the Salinas Valley,” said Dr. Jackie Cruz, vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the Hartnell College Foundation. “With this transition, we’re building on that foundation to meet the evolving needs of nonprofit organizations, students, professionals, regional economic drivers, and community members through expanded workforce development, continuing education, entrepreneurship, and short-form learning that aligns with local economic needs.”

The National Steinbeck Center will continue to operate within the building, preserving its role as one of the nation’s foremost literary museums dedicated to the life and legacy of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. The National Steinbeck Center will continue to serve its members and expand its youth programming at One Main Street.

“We are thrilled to embark on a new chapter for our community and the Steinbeck fans from around the world who come to Salinas to visit the National Steinbeck Center,” said Steve Emerson, president of the National Steinbeck Center. “Our collaboration creates the opportunity to revitalize the National Steinbeck Center with enhanced bookstore and museum experiences, expanded programming for all ages.”

Several key initiatives will also be headquartered at One Main Street, including:

Hartnell’s K-12 STEM Programs, engaging nearly 10,000 youth annually in robotics, coding, and science learning.

Bright Futures Monterey County, the county’s cradle-to-career partnership.

El Pájaro Community Development Corporation – kitchen incubator and entrepreneurship support for local food-based small businesses.

Monterey County Office of Education- temporary relocation of meal service operations, ensuring continuity of warm meals for thousands of students.

Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce – expanded business support and reignition of community events impacted by the pandemic.

“We have big dreams for One Main Street,” added Cruz. “In the long term, we envision creating a community biotech lab, a space for local talent to innovate with tools and technologies usually only found in larger cities. We’re planting the seeds for regional economic vitality.”

“This transfer strengthens our ability to support economic development efforts in downtown Salinas and to offer more accessible education and training to the current workforce,” said Michael Gutierrez, superintendent/president of Hartnell College. 

CSUMB President Dr. Vanya Quiñones affirmed the university’s support for the transition and added, “This move reflects our strong partnership and shared commitment to serve the region.”

The building purchase was made possible through the generous philanthropic support of Taylor Farms, Harden Foundation, D’Arrigo Charitable Trust, and the Hartnell College Foundation Board.

“At Taylor Farms, we believe in investing in the future of our community through education, innovation, and collaboration,” said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Taylor Fresh Foods.

NASA MAA SUMMER

Record Number of High Schoolers See Future in STEAM

Hartnell College Foundation K-12 STEAM program celebrates the culmination of another successful NASA MAA (Murep Aerospace Academy) summer program.

This summer, the program started with more than 170 high school students who aimed to participate in the program over the course of six sessions held each week on Fridays, of interactive lessons and hands-on activities focused on acoustic damping in aerospace engineering. Students met at the Hartnell Alisal Campus daily with one cohort of 14 youth in King City.

“It has been my absolute pleasure to be part of this initiative over the past three years—a collaboration that truly reflects the shared mission of the Hartnell College Foundation, Hartnell College, and NASA,” said Ana Ibarra, director of K-12 STEAM program at Hartnell College Foundation. “Engaging students through meaningful projects and field trips has been a deeply rewarding experience.” 

Over the course of three years, students have engaged in topics of hydrology, lunar rovers, and acoustic damping. They went on field trips to Elkhorn Slough, Monterey One Water, Farm NG, Joby Aviation, and the WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca.

Hartnell College was one of only nine academic institutions selected to receive the NASA MUREP Aerospace Academy grant, and one of just two community colleges chosen nationwide. Thanks to the NASA award and the support of Chevron, Hartnell College has played a pivotal role in expanding youth exposure to careers in STEM. This grant has funded the summer program for high school students since 2023. However, Hartnell’s partnership with NASA dates back to 2011, when it first received a NASA MAA award aimed at engaging 300 elementary students in aerospace careers. Over the years, this initiative has grown to impact thousands of students.

PROVEN IMPACT TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION

This year, two student Lead Technicians participated in the coordination of NASA MAA, Michael Oliver and Celeste Romero.

“If it wasn’t for programs like this, I would not be where I am today,” said Michael Oliver, 18, UC Berkeley. “As a lead now, I can show other students what NASA MAA is and where it can take them.”

“I love it and it’s fun,” said Romero, 20, University of Phoenix. “At first it can be intimidating but once you start playing with things you start to learn how everything works – that’s how it happened with me.”

In the next five years, NASA anticipates needing one million workers to fulfill different projects and missions. With NASA MAA, the goal is to discover in youth talents they did not know existed in them and with or without a college degree, provide opportunities for hands-on control over the future.

Join us at the 2025 Gala for the Arts!

The 2025 Gala for the Arts will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Hartnell College. You are invited to enjoy a joyful evening of delicious food and drinks, a silent auction, an uplifting program, and the toe-tapping Bluegrass music of Hilltown. 

And the honorees are:

After the event, guests are invited to attend Bright Star, a heartwarming musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the 1920s and 1940s. You are also invited to join the festivities early 4:00 – 4:30 PM for a sneak peak of the newly renovated Hartnell Art Gallery.

Interested in being a sponsor? Learn more here or contact Celeste DeWald at cdewald@hartnellcollegefoundation.org or (831) 755-6810.