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 We are pleased to invite you to nominate a student for the inaugural MCCAAF Founders Scholarship, honoring Joseph “Joe” Chirra and Albert “Al” Nyman, MCCAAF's founders and former presidents.

We will award two $500 scholarships to MiraCosta College students who demonstrate unity, advocacy, perseverance, service, equity, and support for others. Recipients will be recognized at the MCCAAF Social Brunch on December 12, 2026.

Honoring Our Founders: Joseph Chirra and Albert Nyman

More than two decades ago, Joe and Al helped organize MCCAAF as the first employee group to unionize at MiraCosta College. For many years, MCCAAF remained the college’s only employee union. Their early leadership established a tradition of associate faculty standing together to advocate for fair working conditions, professional respect, and a stronger college community—all grounded in the understanding that supporting faculty ultimately supports students.

Joseph “Joe” Chirra began teaching Political Science at MiraCosta College in 1976 and devoted decades to teaching, faculty leadership, and advocacy for associate faculty. A founder and the first president of MCCAAF, Joe helped build an organization dedicated to representing and improving the working conditions of MiraCosta’s associate faculty. His service extended throughout the college, including many years as an elected associate faculty representative on the Academic Senate and as a mentor and advocate for associate faculty. Joe became the first associate faculty recipient of MiraCosta’s Leon Baradat Service Award in 2018 and received the Community College Association’s David B. Milroy Award for Part-Time Faculty in 2024. With his wife, Joe established The Joseph Chirra and Gloria Floren Endowment for Peace at The Pennsylvania State University. Its purpose is to provide a humanities-based, multidisciplinary program that explores war, conflict, and peace and peacebuilding to enrich understanding of the importance of peace in today’s society.

Albert “Al” Nyman, a U.S. Marine veteran, longtime law enforcement professional, and associate faculty member in Administration of Justice, also helped found MCCAAF while building a distinguished career devoted to education and public service. Al was instrumental in developing MiraCosta’s Criminal Justice Program and has spent decades mentoring students and serving the college and broader North County community. His community service includes pioneering a juvenile justice program designed to connect young people with supportive services and opportunities. Al received the Medgar Wiley Evers Award from the North County NAACP, was named Carlsbad Police Department Volunteer of the Year, and followed Joe as the associate faculty recipient of MiraCosta’s Leon Baradat Service Award in 2019.Joe and Al’s legacy extend beyond the organization they founded. Their teaching, advocacy, mentorship, leadership, and community service demonstrate the principles that continue to guide MCCAAF today. These scholarships carry that legacy forward by recognizing students who reflect those same values in their educational journeys, relationships, and communities.

Who Is Eligible?Any currently enrolled MiraCosta College student may be nominated, including:

• Credit or noncredit students
• Full-time or part-time students
• Students in any academic, career education, adult education, or noncredit program

There is no minimum GPA requirement. Academic excellence may be part of a student’s story, but this is not primarily an academic achievement scholarship. We especially welcome nominations highlighting growth, perseverance, contributions to others, or a commitment to education that traditional academic measures may not fully capture.

How to NominateEach associate faculty member who is a current MCCAAF member may nominate one student for the 2026 scholarship. Faculty who are not currently members are not eligible to submit nominations. Students are nominated by faculty rather than applying themselves.Please submit your nomination through the Scholarship Nomination Form by November 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.Key Dates

• October 13: Nominations open
• November 13, 5:00 p.m.: Nominations close
• November 14–19: Selection committee reviews nominations
• November 19 - 20: Selection committee meets
• November 30: Recipients announced
• December 12: Scholarships presented at the MCCAAF Social Brunch

Thank you for helping us recognize students whose stories reflect the spirit of MCCAAF. Your nomination is an opportunity to celebrate their efforts and remind them that their contributions matter. Not a member? Join at mccaaf.org.