Huntington Beach, Calif. — Golden West College Professor of English Keisha Cosand has been named a 2025 Teacher of the Year by the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE). Cosand is one of six educators selected for this honor and she will have the opportunity to apply for the California Teachers of the Year program later this year.
OCDE representatives, including Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ramon Miramontes, arrived at GWC on a big yellow school bus on May 2 to congratulate Cosand on being selected as a finalist in the program. They were joined by program sponsors, members of the media, College officials, students and loved ones who watched as Cosand was presented with an apple-shaped award and check for $25,000, courtesy of the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation.
“To be recognized in this amazing way for doing a job that I love is an overwhelming honor,” Cosand said. “My head is still spinning a little.”
On Nov. 1 Cosand will join the other five OC Teacher of the Year finalists at a dinner gala at the Disneyland Hotel, where they will be formally honored.
“Professor Cosand is beloved by her students as well as her colleagues.” says GWC President Meridith Randall. “She brings a true passion to her teaching and strives to help all students succeed.”
Cosand has taught at Golden West College for nearly 25 years, where she has earned a reputation for positively impacting students’ academic growth. Throughout the campus, she is admired for her kind and passionate approach to teaching English composition, literature and creative writing. As an English professor, Cosand focuses on aiding students in improving their writing skills and fostering critical thinking while encouraging students to approach literature with deeper analytical insight. She has committed her career to supporting the skills and ambitions of each new student enrolled in her courses.
“I get to be a small part of every student’s dream. I get to show them that someone cares and will help them rise to the challenge,” Cosand said. “This is why, after twenty-six-years of teaching, I still drive into the parking lot of Golden West College, look up at the sky, and say, ‘Thank you!’”
Before joining the Coast Community College District faculty in 1999, Cosand earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University, Fresno. Her impact on student success earned her GWC’s Faculty Excellence Award in September 2023.
Professor Keisha Cosand (center) and her family (far right) pictured with College officials and faculty. Coast District Board President Lorraine Prinsky and Chancellor Whitney Yamamura, and OCDE Deputy Superintendent Ramon Miramontes.
*Professor Cosand was surprised in her classroom on Thursday, May 2 by a group led by OCDE Deputy Superintendent Miramontes, who presented her with an apple-shaped OC Teacher of the Year award.
