(SEPT. 10, 2026) — The return of fall again brings the buzz and excitement of a new academic year that is underway throughout the Central Valley — whether it’s a first day of college for a recent high school graduate, a move into a residence hall or a returning student taking another step toward a degree or certificate.

For the 28 institutions of higher education that make up the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the opening of the 2026-27 academic year is bringing a familiar rhythm to campuses across the region: students arriving, faculty welcoming new classes, support programs reconnecting with students and institutions rolling out new initiatives designed to help more people succeed.

CVHEC’s membership includes community college districts and colleges, independent universities and public four-year universities. Collectively, the 28 members of the consortium serve more than 250,000 students across the Central Valley’s 10-county region that differ in size, mission and structure. 

They are:

College of the Sequoias Community College District, Merced Community College District, San Joaquin Delta Community College District, West Kern Community College District/Taft College, Kern Community College District (Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College, Porterville College), West Hills Community College District (Coalinga College, Lemoore College), State Center Community College District (Clovis Community College, Fresno City College, Reedley College, Madera Community College), Yosemite Community College District (Columbia College, Modesto Junior College), California Health Sciences University, Fresno Pacific University, National University, University of the Pacific, California State University, Bakersfield, Fresno State, Stanislaus State, University of California, Merced and University of California San Francisco-Fresno.

Their back-to-school stories for this fall 2026 semester  share a common thread and getting students through the door is only the beginning.

Transportation, housing, transfer opportunities, belonging, financial aid, career preparation, technology and health workforce development are increasingly part of the equation, says Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director and president-emeritus of Merced College.

“That makes the opening of the 2026-27 academic year more than a return to classrooms,” Dr. Durán said. “Across the Central Valley, it is another opportunity to connect students with the people, programs and pathways that can help them stay in college, earn a degree, a certificate or a credential and build a future close to home.”

For CVHEC, that shared work remains at the center of its mission, Durán said, “bringing the Valley’s higher education leaders together to improve college-going and degree and certificate attainment across the region.”  

Each CEO of the 28 CHVEC members – the chancellors, presidents and campus directors – serve as the CVHEC Board of Directors creating a rare solidarity of higher ed leadership working as one voice to advance life opportunities for the Central Valley’s 10-county region from San Joaquin in the north to Kern in the south.  

Here is a glimpse of how the new academic year opened as reported by the communications teams of CVHEC member institutions on their respective digital platforms in recent weeks. 

“Taken together, the fall updates from CVHEC’s membership offer a snapshot of a higher education landscape that is advancing along with the region it serves,” said Durán:

Central California’s South Valley

In the South Valley the three campuses of the Kern Community College District, under interim chancellor Dr. Sean Hancock, entered the fall with programs and services focused on access, career preparation and serving students close to home:

• At Bakersfield College, the first week of fall was marked by Welcome Week activities, with welcome tents, student events and opportunities for new and returning students to connect with campus resources. The college also brought hundreds of new students and families together for its annual New Student Convocation in preparation for fall instruction that began Aug. 22. And community leaders, local dignitaries and Bakersfield College administrators gathered Sept. 3 for a reception that officially introduced BC President Dr. Stacy Pfluger to the Kern County community.
• Cerro Coso Community College used its annual “Cerro Coso Rocks” event to kick off the semester, offering students and families campus tours, counseling assistance, student resources, games and other activities. Fall classes began Aug. 24.   Dr. Corey Marvin, CCCC interim president, and his team now look forward to the college’s Astronomical Star Party & Barbecue presented by the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation Oct. 2.
• At Porterville College, fall instruction also began Aug. 24, with President Primavera Monarrez welcoming students back as the campus adjusted to the return of regular academic activity.  Porterville College also introduced its Transfer and Career Resource Center with an open house event marking the official rollout of the college’s partnership with fellow CVHEC member Fresno State and its Bulldog Bound Transfer Guarantee Program, a monumental step in streamlining university pathways.

Also in the south, the Kern region’s other CVHEC member —   Taft College under President Dr. Sam Aunai in the West Kern Community College District — also began instruction Aug. 24 and presented several new courses such as Modern Criminal Justice Pathways — Criminal Justice Administration/Administration of Justice Program; the Disability Services Noncredit Certificate Program; and Political Science for Transfer: Associate in Arts.

Cal State Bakersfield President Vernon B. Harper Jr. and other administrators and staff welcomed students to the campus where  preliminary campus enrollment was 11,367, up 1.6% over last year on the first day of the fall term. 

 

Central California’s Mid Valley

In the Mid-Valley region, three community college districts – College of the Sequoias, West Hills Community College District and State Center Community College District – opened classes in early August along with the California State University campus at Fresno State.

The College of the Sequoias began its fall semester Aug. 10, with its Visalia, Hanford and Tulare campuses welcoming students. Under President Brent Calvin, an alumnus of the college, fall resources include expanded student-support hours and continued transfer advising. Also construction of COS’ new University Center is underway at the Visalia campus. It is designed to expand access to four-year and graduate-level education for Tulare and Kings counties students while creating new opportunities for local workforce development.

In the State Center Community College District, fall enrollment efforts continue to emphasize helping students navigate registration, financial aid, career planning and academic pathways as a search in underway to replace the retiring Dr. Carole Goldsmith:

• Fresno City College President Denise Whisenhunt delivered her State of the College Address Sept. 4 when she outlined her college goals and strategic initiatives for the coming year as well as updates on academic accomplishments and President Whisenhunt’s vision for creating a college going culture in the central valley.

• Clovis Community College President Kim Armstrong will deliver her State of the College address to  community and business leaders at the 2026 President’s Luncheon on Oct. 7, at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. This annual event celebrates student success and raises funds for scholarships that make college possible for many CCC students. 
• Reedley College welcomed back its fall students as President Jerry Buckley announced Sept. 2 that RC’s Federation for Advanced Manufacturing (FAME) program was awarded over $1.3 million dollars to expand existing earn and learn training program for advanced manufacturing technicians (AMT’s). As part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s California Jobs First Regional Investment Initiative, these funds will enable the college to create good-paying jobs, drive sustainable growth, and strengthen the local industry.  

• Madera Community College, like its sister SCCCD campuses, kicked off the new semester to the news of  a new partnership with Fresno Pacific University  designed to make the transfer process easier and more predictable for local students pursuing four-year degrees. President Angel Reyna joined his SCCCD presidential counterparts Aug. 31 to celebrate the signing of the Sunbird Flight Plan: Direct Route to Admission, an agreement that guarantees admission to Fresno Pacific University for eligible transfer students from State Center’s colleges.

The West Hills Community College District and its two colleges began the semester under new strategic plans announced in July to guide them over the next five years. The West Hills Community College District Strategic Plan, under Chancellor Robert Pimentel, establishes four districtwide priorities — Digital Infrastructure, Access and Learning; Student Success; Community Engagement; and Access and Affordability — and is supported by the core commitments of Fiscal Sustainability and Workforce Alignment.  These plans provide a roadmap for strengthening student success and responding to the evolving educational and workforce needs of California’s Central Valley:

• At Coalinga College, under President Carla Tweed, the new strategic plan focuses on delivering high-quality teaching and learning, eliminating equity gaps, providing holistic student support, strengthening campus and community engagement, and improving institutional effectiveness. The plan emphasizes student achievement while positioning the college as a driver of regional economic growth through innovation and strong partnerships with business and industry.
• Lemoore College’s Strategic Plan, under President James Preston, builds upon its successful Strong Framework, expanding the student journey from Get Strong, Start Strong, Stay Strong, and Finish Strong by introducing a fifth pillar: Fly Strong. This new pillar builds on the college’s commitment to what happens beyond graduation by focusing on workforce readiness, economic mobility, alumni engagement, and community vibrancy, so student success continues long after students leave campus.

At Fresno State, President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval used the opening of the academic year to point to several developments aimed at strengthening the student experience. More than 3,100 transfer students were registered for fall, while more than 250 first-generation students participated in the Launchpad freshman program. The university also highlighted new student housing, a new supercomputing center and The Forge, an innovation hub connecting students with emerging technology and industry opportunities.  The university is also opening the Student Success and Belonging Center, a new home for personalized student support, mentoring, affinity groups and connections to campus resources. The president even took time out from his  busy beginning-of-semester schedule to meet students personally at his President’s Connection booth in the Free Speech Area, the heart of the campus the first week of school. 

At Fresno Pacific University, the annual Fall Convocation marked the formal beginning of the academic year, bringing students and faculty together for a campus tradition focused on community and purpose. President André Stephens noted that FPU – in its 82nd year – welcomes over 1,000 new students across its undergraduate, degree completion, graduate and seminary programs.  The university has also strengthened an existing partnership with the State Center Community College District (SCCCD) during a signing ceremony on August 31, 2026. The “Sunbird Flight Plan” is a partnership with all four SCCCD colleges — Madera Community College, Reedley College, Clovis Community College and Fresno City College. The agreement creates a clearer pathway for local community college students to continue their education at FPU, including guaranteed admission for eligible students.

California Health Sciences University, under President Florence T. Dunn, began the year with its health care mission in sharp focus. Its College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed its seventh cohort in July, with 36 percent of the incoming class from the Central Valley. In August, CHSU and United Health Centers announced the Valley’s first physical medicine and rehabilitation residency program, creating another pathway for training health professionals in the region.  

National University Fresno, under recently named campus director Dr. Gabriel Prendez, continues its flexible, career-oriented model for students balancing education with work and other responsibilities.

And at UCSF Fresno, medical education remains closely connected to the health needs of Central Valley communities, preparing physicians and other health professionals through clinical training in the region under the leadership of Dr. Jose M. Barral Sanchez, MD, PhD, vice dean for Undergraduate Medical Education. Among its highlights this fall are UCSF Fresno and Community Partner on E-bike Safety Awareness; Injectable PrEP medications offer new options for HIV prevention; and UCSF Fresno Fellowship Provides Unique Hospice Training Across Care Settings.

 

Central California’s North Valley

Merced College began the academic year amid significant enrollment growth. The college reported an all-time high enrollment of 21,722 students during 2025-26 noting that more than 12,000 students were registered for fall as classes began. The college is offering 1,381 sections this semester, including face-to-face, hybrid and online options.  President Chris Vitelli said the campus continues to grow and innovate with major construction and development projects intended to expand opportunities for students such as the AgTEC Innovation Center and the Merced College instructional farm as well as the ongoing expansion of its use of immersive learning through Dreamscape Learn and the opening of the new South Merced Education & Workforce Center this fall. At the Los Banos Campus, planning and design are underway for a new welding building and renovation of the campus quad

At San Joaquin Delta College,  Superintendent/President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson, welcomed students back for the annual Fall Kickoff a few days before classes started Aug. 14.  Hundreds of students  enjoyed  a resource fair, food and entertainment at the Stockton main campus followed by Mustang Week, a weeklong series of events to create a vibrant sense of community on campus. Fall semester students arrived in time to see progress on Delta’s first voter-approved Measure K bond project, which includes the installation of solar panel canopies in the parking lots. See the Delta welcome back video.

The Yosemite Community College District and its two campuses are similarly beginning a new academic year serving students from urban Modesto to the foothills and rural communities of Tuolumne County. Under Interim Chancellor Lena Tran, the district’s leadership and planning activities resumed in August as the colleges launched another year of instruction and student services:

• One of the oldest community colleges in California, Modesto Junior College has two main campuses in the city of Modesto serving more than 18,000 day and evening students each semester. Under President Brian K. Sanders, the campus looks forward to many fall events such as the Harvest Party, Columbia’s annual celebration of agriculture in the Central Valley presented by the MJC School of Agriculture alumni and friends; the Hispanic Education Conference also Oct. 10; and the  Health Professions Open House Oct. 20.
• Columbia College, located near the city of Sonora in the wooded Sierra Nevada foothills, is a primary resource of adult learning for residents throughout the mother lode region – a historic 120-mile long gold-bearing zone located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains – with small class sizes and a picturesque setting climate called an ideal place for the next step in an academic and professional career. Led by Interim President Chad Redwing, Columbia engages in partnerships like the Sierra K-16 collaborative that help create a direct path from high school to a rewarding career.

At Stanislaus State, President Britt Rios-Ellis welcomed the campus community to the new academic year Aug. 18 with a message centered on momentum, shared responsibility and growth. She connected the beginning of the semester to the university’s 2026-31 strategic plan, “Cultivating Opportunity: Catalyzing the American Dream.”  See the Stan State Fall Welcome Recap video.

University of the Pacific and President Christopher Callahan welcomed students back to its Stockton campus with upgrades intended to improve campus life, including new technology and improvements around the Don and Karen DeRosa University Center. Residence halls were also filling as students moved in for the new year.  The newly constructed Southwest Hall was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 11 and a new sustainability initiative, Tiger Thrift, will function as a no-cost thrift store that is supplied, managed and used by students. California lawmakers approved early seed money for the planned School of Medicine at University of the Pacific, designed to address the severe and growing physician shortfalls across Central Valley and beyond.

At UC Merced, the region’s youngest University of California campus under Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz continues to expand its academic and research profile while enjoying record enrollment (a 32% increase in new students over last year), national research recognition, and new milestones in health and athletics. As the chancellor, who is also the chair of the CVHEC Board of Directors, moves the Bobcats into the second half of Boldly Forward: The Campaign for UC Merced, he notes that UC Merced faculty are earning the highest levels of recognition, supported by prestigious grants and early-career honors including National Science Foundation CAREER awards and UCOP fellowships. Through initiatives like the Bobcat STEM Scholars Program and Library Research Excellence opportunities, UCM students work alongside faculty on some of the world’s most pressing questions.