Valley’s higher ed CEOs to convene at CVHEC Summit 2025
Complete College America will provide national perspective; summit topics announced
BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications Coordinator
As educators across the nation face an urgency to re-imagine higher education to meet the needs of today’s students and society, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Summit 2025 this spring in Fresno is shaping up with topics that present voices from policy makers and practitioners nationally, statewide and from throughout the Central Valley’s 10-county region.
With the theme “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era: The Central Valley Way,” registration is now open for the CVHEC summit set for Friday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. The event is open to the higher education community who register in advance with breakfast and lunch included. Registration is free compliments of the College Futures Foundation, event sponsor.
The CVHEC 2025 Summit will bring together chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 Central Valley institutions of higher education — who make up the CVHEC Board of Directors – with other educators and policy makers including elected officials who develop litigation that affect the region. Various CVHEC board members will moderate the panels that are planned.
CVHEC’s Welcoming & Networking Reception will be the day before the summit, May 8 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., at the convention center’s Valdez Hall Breezeway to provide an opportunity to connect with other attendees and the CVHEC Board of Directors in an informal relaxed setting.
Dr. Brandon Protas, Complete College America
One of the panelists participating this year will be Dr. Brandon Protas, assistant vice president for Alliance Engagement at Complete College America, a national alliance of higher education institutions and organizations including CVHEC in California, Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, announced.
“Join us as we convene with national, state and regional colleagues, partners and friends for a full day of discussions and showcases related to higher education in the valley that lead to degree completion for our students,” Durán said.
Topics to date include an overview of CVHEC efforts such as the Central Valley Transfer Project; the Master’s Upskilling Project, dual enrollment initiatives; and math alignment measures such as the CVHEC Math Task Force and the Central Valley Math Bridge Program with College Bridge.
Also featured will be a “Legislative Update” with federal legislators providing the latest about higher education laws; a student panel “What Does this Mean for Students?” and a panel with the four segments of higher education in California.
Dr. Protas will be a panelist on the “The Central Valley Landscape: Honing in on the Data” panel.
The CCA vice president, who guides the planning and management of the CCA Alliance to support institutions, systems and states in their efforts to improve student success, will participate on the data panel providing insights to CCA’s nationwide data compilation efforts. CCA works with states, systems, institutions and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success.
Durán represents CVHEC as an alliance lead responsible for providing oversight and coordination for local initiatives as well as CCA-sponsored projects and in November, he led a consortium delegation to CCA’s three-day conference which drew 800 participants from throughout the country. He said the CVHEC summit provides a regional and state version of CCA’s national gathering.
“The CVHEC annual summit always draws interest from our region’s higher education community, but this year brings a difference sense of urgency as we learned at the Complete College American national conference last fall,” said Durán, president-emeritus of Merced College, referring to the national conference’s keynote address delivered Nov. 19 by Dr. Jamie Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all which also provides support to CVHEC.
“We both see the urgency of reimagining higher ed to meet the needs of today’s students and today’s society,” Dr. Merisotis’ said at the conference regarding the partnerships between Lumina and CCA. “And we both put special focus on reaching those who have too often been left out.”
CVHEC featured that keynote as the “What the CV-HEC is Happening Blog” in the consortium’s January newsletter and Durán said Merisotis’ message fuels the CVHEC summit as well as the CEOs of its member institutions from San Joaquin County in the North Valley to Kern County in the South Valley.
“I hope that this national education leader’s words generate some dialogue between you and your colleagues and we encourage you to share those conversations, as we will at our 2025 CVHEC Summit and on our various consortium social media platforms,” Durán said in setting the tone for the summit.
- Event questions: contact Ángel Ramírez, operations and finance manager, at CVHECinfo@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.0576.
- Media inquiries: Tom Uribes, CVHEC communications coordinator, text 559.348.3278 or cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu
- For event updates: see the Summit event page, subscribe to the free CVHEC monthly e-newsletter or visit CVHEC social media platforms.
ABOUT CVHEC
The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a California non-profit made up of 28-instutitions of higher education in the ten-county region from San Joaquin to Kern that is the size of some states. Through CVHEC, higher education professionals and academicians in the Central Valley address difficult and complex initiatives, scaling them up across the region for mutual effectiveness to serve our students and communities.
Follow a manual added link
CVHEC executive director Dr. Benjamín Durán (center), led the CVHEC delegation presenting the consortium’s initiatives at the California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento Feb. 23-26: Angel Ramirez CVHEC (panel visuals); Seth Williams, Sanger High School; Ginny Sandhu, Sunnyside High School (Fresno Unified); Taft High School Principal Mary Alice Finn; Taft math teacher Oscar Nuno; and Owynn Lancaster, College Bridge (Math Bridge Program). See photo gallery below.
CVHEC presents Master’s Upskill, Math Bridge programs
at California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference 2025
BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications Coordinator
Over 650 educators, presenters and sponsors met at the 3rd annual California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento Feb. 23-26 including a Central Valley Higher Education Consortium delegation that presented a panel on two dual enrollment initiatives: the Master’s Upskilling Project and the Central Valley Math Bridge Program.
The statewide conference featured pre-conference sessions; two full days of keynote — including a virtual message from Dr. Sonya Chistian, California Community Colleges chancellor — and breakout presentations; and site visits to high schools in the region. It was co-hosted by the California Alliance of Dual Enrollment Partnerships (CADEP), the Career Ladders Project and the Education Trust–West.
Taft High School Principal Mary Alice Finn answers questions with the CVHEC panel: Ginny Sandhu; Seth Williams; Owynn Lancaster; and CVHEC executive director Dr. Benjamín Durán.
CADEP, an affiliated chapter of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), is a unified coalition committed to the advancement of equity, student success and quality in dual enrollment programs in California. Its vision is “to unite individuals, state agencies and organizations committed to dual enrollment in California to promote and advance quality dual enrollment programming across the state.”
Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, led the CVHEC delegation of nine with six presenting on the panel, “Using Dual Enrollment as a tool for Math Alignment and Increasing Instructor Capacity in the Central Valley.”
CVHEC is a 28-member strong consortium that is “blurring the lines” between community colleges and their K-12 partners to provide equitable dual enrollment opportunities for students.
“Removing barriers to access is a driver for CVHEC’s dual enrollment work,” Durán said. “CVHEC serves a quarter-million students across a 10-county region and works toward impactful and transformational solutions by leveraging partnerships.”
He said he was delighted to see talented community college faculty and our K12 partners from the Central Valley showcased in a statewide convening.
“Our session was a huge success evidenced by the interest from the audience and the in-depth questions of the presenters that followed,” Durán said. “It was encouraging to see the Central Valley recognized as a statewide leader in the delivery of dual enrollment classes and pathways for students from rural areas of the region.”
Durán moderated the panel which began with a discussion about how CVHEC’s Master’s Upskilling Project is increasing dual enrollment instructor capacity by upskilling existing high school teachers to meet the minimum qualifications to teach dual enrollment courses at their high schools.
CVHEC took two valley high school English teachers who participated in the program to share their experience earning a Master’s degree and now teaching dual enrollment: Seth Williams of Sanger High School and Ginny Sandhu of Sunnyside High School (Fresno).
For the Math Bridge component of the panel, CVHEC partner College Bridge was represented by the organization’s vice president of Academic Strategy, Owynn Lancaster, who was joined by Mary Alice Finn, principal of Taft Union High School, and one of her Math teachers, Oscar Nuno.
They discussed how College Bridge is bringing together secondary and post-secondary educators to work collaboratively and creatively through Math Bridge systemically aligning college and high school math programs and creating a seamless transition for students.
Also attending the conference were CVHEC team members Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC Operations & Finance manager, and Tom Uribes, Communications coordinator.
At the conference, Durán, Ramirez and Sandhu were also interviewed for the “Bridge to Success” Podcast by Diane Crum of the Californian Department of Education that was posted March 6.
In addition to CVHEC’s panel, the Central California region was represented by Jill Jiménez, a counselor for the McFarland High School Early College Program who discussed evidence-based practices that have been the driving force in the school’s dual enrollment initiative by creating processes and procedures to enhance student participation and sustainability.
Jiménez also presented at CVHEC’s Dual Enrollment Conference held Feb. 3 in Fresno.
Members of the CVHEC’s delegation provided comments about the conference:
Angel Ramirez, CVHEC Operations & Finance Manager
“The conference served as a great, and sometimes needed, reminder that we are not in this dual enrollment work alone. It also showed me that the collaboration and sharing we have in the Central Valley are unmatched and are what propel what we do forward.”
Seth Williams, English 9 teacher – Sanger High School (community college adjunct professor – Fresno City College)
“As a dual enrollment and adjunct instructor, it was good to hear about all of the progress that is being made in helping high school students get ahead in college and to create equitable opportunities to try and level the playing field for some of our students. As I heard from districts and areas that are beginning their implementation of dual enrollment, I appreciated how far the districts I work for –Sanger Unified and State Center Community College District — have come to create a thriving program. That being said, it also showed some of the areas that we can work on to support our students even better so that there are more opportunities to help our students achieve their goals.”
Ginny Sandhu, English teacher – Sunnyside High School (Fresno Unified School District)
“At the 2025 Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento, I had the privilege of sharing my journey as a Dual Enrollment English 1A instructor at Fresno City College. My presentation highlighted the transformative impact of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Upskilling initiative, which funded my master’s degree and enabled me to bridge the gap between high school and college for underrepresented students. Through this opportunity, I was able to empower students who might not have otherwise accessed higher education, reinforcing the critical role dual enrollment plays in advancing educational equity.
“Beyond presenting, I gained invaluable insights from the keynote speaker and various sessions that shed light on state-level dual enrollment initiatives and their far-reaching implications. These discussions underscored how dual enrollment serves as a catalyst for student success, particularly for historically marginalized communities. Engaging with educators, policymakers, and advocates reaffirmed my commitment to this work, emphasizing that expanding access to college courses in high school is not just an educational strategy but a necessary step toward equity and social mobility.”
Owynn Lancaster, vice president of Academic Strategy – College Bridge
“My thoughts, as a person supporting equitable dual enrollment implementation, it was really exciting to hear more success stories from folks all across the state who are now also in their implementation. It’s also really validating to hear some common challenges and hiccups that are happening for everyone and have this amazing opportunity to come together and learn from each other.”
Mary Alice Finn, Principal – Taft Union High School
“The opportunity to learn alongside other professionals at the Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento is always a treat. The innovative ideas happening up and down the state truly highlight the creativity, tenacity, and perseverance of our students and educators to ensure they each have the voice and the support needed to be successful. As a presenter, it is an honor to share the journey TUHS has been on and help provide some ideas to those that may find value in a similar path.”
See related story: CDE Podcast featuring CVHEC
CCC Chancellor Sonya Christian to deliver keynote at
Central Valley Dual Enrollment Convening Feb. 3 in Fresno
Agenda includes pre-conference session for schools new to dual enrollment
Dr. Sonya Christian, chancellor of the California Community Colleges, will keynote the “Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley” Convening set for Feb. 3 in Fresno, when more than 100 secondary and postsecondary educators will address challenges and barriers to dual enrollment success that can pave the way for high school students statewide leading to a degree or certificate.
Presented by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium and its Central Valley Dual Enrollment for Equity and Prosperity (CVDEEP) Task Force, the convening will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
Registration is free, with breakfast and lunch included, at https://bit.ly/CVHECDualEnrollConvene-REGISTERweb.
Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, announced this week that Chancellor Christian, a former member of the CVHEC board of directors, will discuss the CCC dual enrollment commitment that is part of CCC’s “Vision 2030 – A Roadmap for California Community Colleges” plan and how the Central Valley is an active leader statewide.
According to the CCC DataVista website, the Central Valley has reported the highest share of community college students simultaneously enrolled in K-12 schools of any region in the state.
“Dual enrollment is a game changer in bringing college to first-generation students whose parents did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education,” said Chancellor Christian.
“Central Valley colleges have shown tremendous momentum in expanding dual enrollment pathways,” she continued. “The work led by The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium in collaborating, facilitating, and realizing dual enrollment is truly a gold star standard for the rest of the country. This area is leading the state in the number of students earning college credit while still in high school. Their phenomenal effort ensures equity in access, a key pillar in the work we are doing with our Vision 2030 plan.”
The daylong session will feature two panels and two interactive breakout sessions concluding with recommendation summaries. A student panel will provide first-hand testimony about dual enrollment successes and barriers. (CVHEC plans to release the full agenda Jan. 22).
Also new this year will be a pre-conference session, “Dual Enrollment Primer,” from 9-10 a.m. that will provide information for high schools and colleges new to dual enrollment, which is a strategy that allows secondary school students to earn college credits during high school. In some cases, students are able to actually complete associate degrees before their high school graduation.
Durán noted that CVHEC’s dual enrollment convening is unique because it features intersegmental collaboration at a regional level. It will be highly interactive and will engage audience members with panel presenters from valley colleges and high schools, including practitioners, and topped with student success stories, he added.
“CVHEC’s dual enrollment convenings help ensure that the outcomes from the ongoing dialogue between community colleges and their K-12 partners in the Valley will continue,” said Durán who will welcome the educators in the opening session.
“The convening also continues the CVDEEP Task Force’s advocacy efforts to institutionalize dual enrollment as a strategy that blurs the lines between high school and community college for those students who can benefit from taking college courses and get a leg up on their quest for a college degree or certificate.”
But Durán said the highlight of the event will be Chancellor Christian “who is a dual enrollment trailblazer in her own right leading initiatives that are part of the Central Valley’s highly successful dual enrollment landscape when she was with KCCD from 2013 to 2022.”
Dr. Christian served on the CVHEC Board of Directors — made up of sitting CEOs of higher education institutions in the valley’s 10-county region — when she was president of consortium member Bakersfield College from 2013 to 2021 and when she was chancellor of member Kern Community College District from 2021 to 2022 before assuming the CCC top spot.
With her appointment by the CCC Board of Trustees Feb. 20, 2022, Dr. Christian made history as the first woman and first Asian-American — as well as a first-generation college graduate — named chancellor of the state’s community college system.
The chancellor will discuss the “Vision 2030” dual enrollment strategy which calls for the preparation of high school students to choose a workforce pathway earlier in their academic journey so they see themselves as college scholars. Its “ninth grade strategy” works toward a future in which all California high school students enroll in community college transfer, career or apprenticeship pathways and complete high school with at least 12 units of dual enrollment credit.
“This dual enrollment opportunity must be available to all high school students and particularly tailored to those who have historically not been provided these opportunities,” the plan states. “In so doing, California’s youth will receive a self-development and career-exploration opportunity that will increase their interest in and understanding of college and career. As high school students engage in tailored dual enrollment programs, they will learn how to develop a college education plan, how to access financial aid and other support programs and explore possible careers for their futures.”
Chancellor Christian said early exposure to college and career is particularly important for historically underrepresented students and will equip colleges to utilize dual enrollment as a tool to close equity gaps, something she said is evident in the valley’s 10-county region.
Among the CVHEC initiatives are the Master’s Upskilling Program that provides a path for high school English and math teachers to earn a master’s degree required to teach community college dual enrollment courses at their respective schools (this was one of the outcomes of CVHEC’s first two dual enrollment convenings), and the Math Bridge Program with College Bridge.
Event information: Angel Ramirez, CVHEC finance and operations manager, at centralvalleyhec@gmail.com.
CVHEC media inquiries about the convening: Tom Uribes via text 559.348.3278 or cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu
CCC media inquiries (Vision 2030): Melissa Villarin at 916.327.5365 or mvillarin@cccco.edu.
Check for updates and follow-up at the CVDEEP Convening event website.
See press release full version online: https://cvhec.org/dual-enrollment-convening-2025-keynote-speaker-ccc-chancellor-christian/
and https://bit.ly/CVHEC-DualEnrollConv25
-30-
BACKGROUND
This is the third convening of the Central Valley Dual Enrollment for Equity and Prosperity (CVDEEP) Task Force since it was formed by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium following legislation in 2016 when a new dual enrollment option was introduced through Assembly Bill (AB) 288, amending Education Code (EC) 76004, and creating the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP). This legislation enabled more high school students to take college courses taught by college professors on their high school campuses. California AB 30, signed by Governor Newsom in October 2019, expands and protects dual enrollment through 2027.
Planting the seeds for what has eventually led to CVHEC’s slogan, “The Central Valley Way,” the CVDEEP Task Force was formed with about 60 community college and K-12 educational leaders who deliver dual enrollment services valley-wide. CVHEC brought them together after community college leaders approached the consortium to provide assistance surrounding dual enrollment in 2019.
In June 2020, CVHEC released a 16-page report, “Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley, Working Toward a Unified Approach for Equity and Prosperity,” a blueprint to strengthen dual enrollment delivery in the Central Valley; and for the 2022 convening, the consortium produced a dual enrollment video, “Blurring the Lines Between High School and College: Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley,” that underscores the CVDEEP drive by featuring the success stories of several area students whose voices put the task force educators’ endeavor in perspective.
RELATED LINKS:
CVHEC ‘Dual Enrollment Convening – the Central Valley Way’ Feb. 3
CVHEC Video: ‘Blurring the Lines Between High School and College: Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley’ CVHEC report, “Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley, Working Toward a Unified Approach for Equity and Prosperity” and press release.
CVHEC Website Feature: Dual Enrollment Page
Dual Enrollment Convening: Face-To-Face Space for K-12 and Higher Ed
‘Dual Enrollment Upskilling Teachers Master’s Program’ Advances Equity
North Valley Masters Upskilling Program begins recruiting — info sessions set
The CVHEC blog by former CVHEC Strategies Lead Virginia Madrid Salazar, Esq., providing a parents perspective on dual enrollment.
CVHEC Executive Committee sets sights on 2025 planning
Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of University of California Merced, is the new chairperson for the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors beginning a one-year term this month.
As chair, Chancellor Muñoz leads the executive committee of the CVHEC board which is now preparing for the consortium’s upcoming Central Valley Higher Education Summit tentatively set for May 9. Two board meetings are planned this spring, said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
He succeeds Dr. Kristen Clark who retired from her position as chancellor of West Hills Community College District in August, an action that also vacated her seat on the CVHEC board and ended her time as board chair.
“We appreciate the energy and contributions from Chancellor-emeritus Clark as CVHEC board chair the past three-plus years,” Durán said. “We now look forward to Chancellor’s Munoz’ leadership of one of the most unique collaborations in the nation: the CEOs of a region’s colleges and universities working in unison as a consortium board for the success of more than 250,000 higher ed students in our 10-county service areas.”
“I am excited to serve as incoming chair of this important consortium with a proven history of fostering dynamic partnerships, driving impactful innovation and intentionally expanding access to transformative educational experiences for students and their families across the Central Valley,” said Chancellor Muñoz. “I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues and their institutions to further align our collective efforts in creating a brighter and more equitable future for all.”
The CVHEC board consists of the chief executive officers of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region that comprise the consortium membership. The executive committee is selected from board members representing the state’s four higher education segments,
“The CVHEC board’s executive committee conducts business on behalf of the board when it is not available, especially for timely or urgent matters,” said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC operations and finance manager. “It also helps sets the agenda for board business.”
Per CVHEC bylaws, each higher education segment has a set number of representatives on the committee who are selected by the full board of directors. Executive committee members serve three-year terms beginning in October the first year.
The membership of the 2025 CVHEC Executive Committee by segment with their terms noted is:
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITIES (2)
President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Fresno State (2022 –2025)
President Britt Rios-Ellis, CSU Stanislaus (2024 –2027)
• CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES (3)
NORTH – President Chris Vitelli, Merced College (2024 –2027)
CENTRAL – Chancellor Robert Pimentel, West Hills Community College District (2022 –2025)
SOUTH – President Brent Calvin, College of the Sequoias (2024 –2027)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (1)
Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, UC Merced (2022 –2025) — 2025 CVHEC Board Chair
• PRIVATE/INDEPENDENT (1)
President Andre Stephens, Fresno Pacific (2024 –2027)
The first executive committee meeting under Chair Muñoz is being set for late January / early February at UC Merced (date to be announced), and the second will be May 8, the day before the CVHEC’s higher ed summit, said Ramírez.
See:
Nathan Savig teaching a Math Bridge prep course to students at Mariposa High School in the fall 2024 semester. These students are part of the 332 program enrollees who will take their first Math Bridge college class this spring at their respective high schools.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Since the Central Valley Math Bridge program was funded in late 2022 in partnership with the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the Rand Corporation and several community college members of the consortium with funding from the California K-16 Collaborative (Central – Fresno, Madera, Kings Counties; and We Will! – North Valley), its small but energetic College Bridge team has made headway into 18 high schools in the consortium’s 10-county region. The first Math Bridge cohort at 13 of those schools began in the fall with a prep course and now the 332 high school students enrolled in the program at those schools will be taking their first college course this spring (see list below). The other five schools will start in fall 2025. This update submitted by Audra Burwell, College Bridge communication coordinator, presents the program’s 2024 progress as it moves into 2025 with its first cohorts.
‘… facilitating meaningful discussions about
how math applies to the real world …’
As we step into spring 2025, College Bridge is making significant strides in expanding its Math Bridge project to reach more high school students across the Central Valley.
This innovative initiative aims to ease the transition from high school to college-level mathematics by offering a rigorous college-level math curriculum alongside the support of high school and college instructors. This collaboration is laying the foundation for academic success and providing students with the tools they need to succeed in their postsecondary journeys.
Across classrooms, high school math instructors are teaming up with college faculty who bring their credentials and college-level expertise to the learning environment. Together, they combine their knowledge and experience, brainstorming examples, solving problems, and facilitating meaningful discussions about how math applies to the real world.
In many classrooms, high school instructors are also dual-certified, holding credentials that allow them to teach at the college level. This professional development is often made possible through the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium’s (CVHEC) Master’s Upskilling Program, which equips educators with the tools and expertise to teach college-level material to high school students.
In 2024, thanks to the dedication of educators, counselors, and administrators, Math Bridge expanded its reach to serve 13 high schools across the Central Valley (see list below). But College Bridge isn’t stopping there—2025 marks a year of even greater growth. Five new schools will join the Math Bridge initiative, helping to expand the program’s impact across the region. Le Grand High School, El Capitan High School, Merced High School, Dos Palos High School, and Gustine High School will be the newest members of the Math Bridge network. These new partners will help ensure that even more students have access to the support they need to succeed in math, breaking down barriers to higher education.
This expansion is made possible thanks to the WE Will! K-16 Educational Collaborative grant, which helps provide additional resources for high school students preparing to enter college. The partnership between K-12 and higher education institutions is creating a more seamless transition for students into postsecondary education, and the inclusion of these new schools is expected to further enhance the success of the program.
Beyond Math Bridge, College Bridge remains committed to supporting students’ overall educational pathways. One of the key components of this broader support is the concurrently with the Math Bridge program.
CT Bridge is designed to provide students with the tools and information they need to succeed in their transition to college such as filling out applications; making their fall college schedule; accessing their college portal; understanding FAFSA and financial aid options; gaining career advice; and how to access college support services—all in just 10 hours of course material per year. By offering students insights into both academic and career pathways, CT Bridge is helping them prepare for success not just in their math courses, but in their future college and career endeavors.
As College Bridge continues to evolve and expand, the organization remains focused on ensuring that students have access to the resources and guidance they need to thrive. In the coming months, College Bridge will be hosting several Student Info Sessions to encourage high school students to apply for the Math Bridge program for the 2025/2026 school year. These sessions will provide students with a chance to learn more about the opportunities offered by Math Bridge and CT Bridge, as well as how they can benefit from these programs.
Additionally, College Bridge will continue hosting Planning and Strategy Sessions for Central Valley educators and counselors
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to move forward with these vital initiatives!
Math Bridge Cohorts 2024-2025
(Breakdown of 332 students currently enrolled in the Central Valley Math Bridge Program at 13 high schools,
listed by community college partners that are CVHEC members):
DELTA COLLEGE
Stagg: 24
Weber: 26
MERCED COLLEGE
Buhach Colony: 18
Atwater: 26
Golden Valley: 36
Livingston: 33
Mariposa: 34
REEDLEY COLLEGE
Dinuba (2 sections): 34
Orosi: 23
Sanger: 30
Sanger West: 11
TAFT COLLEGE
Taft: 12
Riverdale: 25
(Five additional high schools will onboard in the fall semester: Le Grand, El Capitan, Merced, Dos Palos and Gustine).
