BOARD NEWS: SCCCD announces interim presidents at Fresno City and Clovis Community Colleges

Armstrong to serve as FCC interim,

Chahal is Clovis interim

The State Center Community College District announced two interim presidential selections in the wake of Fresno City College President Robert Pimentel’s appointment as West Hills Community College District chancellor in June:

Dr. Monica Chahal  

Dr. Kim Armstrong  

• Dr. Kim Armstrong will serve as the acting president of Fresno City College. Dr. Armstrong, currently serving as the president of Clovis Community College, will bring her wealth of experience and her extensive leadership qualities to continue the excellent work at Fresno City College.

• Dr. Monica Chahal, vice president of Instruction at Clovis Community College, will step into role of Interim College President with Dr. Armstrong’s transition to Fresno City College. Dr. Chahal’s dedication to educational excellence and student success makes her well-equipped for this interim leadership position.

Also, the Fresno City College Vice President of Administrative Services, Dr. Omar Gutierrez, has been appointed as the Chief Business Officer at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. Ms. Glynna Billings will assume the role of Interim (Provisional) Vice President of Administrative Services at Fresno City College until the position is advertised and filled. Ms. Billings currently serves as District Accounting Manager, where she supervises State Center’s accounts payable, payroll, and other vital financial operations.

The District will open the position of Interim Vice President of Instruction at Clovis Community College for which internal candidates across the District may apply.

State Center Chancellor Dr. Carole Goldsmith said, “I have full confidence in our leadership team and the entire District as we navigate these transitions and continue our mission of providing quality education and support to our students. These strategic appointments reflect the District’s deep commitment to maintaining positive momentum and our focus on advancing equitable student access and achievement across the district. We are fortunate to have such talented and versatile individuals in our District.”

MEMBER NEWS: CHSU Accreditation Celebration set for Sept. 10

The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has reaffirmed Accreditation of California Health Sciences University for a period of six years, Dr. Florence T. Dunn, CHSU founding president announced July 18.

To mark the accomplishment, CHSU will hold an Accreditation Celebration Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Clovis.  The open house event will include Simulation Center tours, refreshments and other activities.

“Our university, medical school, master’s program, and simulation center are all accredited by their respective accreditation agencies,” President Dunn said. “We have invested many years, and an incredible amount of work towards achieving these important goals.”

The formal invitation with details will be forthcoming, said Richele C. Kleiser, vice president of Marketing & Communications (rkleiser@chsu.edu).

 

 

 

Also see: 

CHSU Newsroom

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): CHSU – opportunity to attend an accredited medical school in Central Valley

 

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): UCSF Fresno expands access

UCSF Fresno: expanding access to
medical school degrees for Central Valley students

 

BY BRANDY RAMOS NIKAIDO
Office of Communications — University of California San Francisco Fresno Campus

The UCSF School of Medicine Fresno Regional Campus (UCSF Fresno) extends the reach and impact of the top-ranked UCSF School of Medicine to Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley, and Central California. UCSF Fresno’s mission is to improve health in the region, state, and beyond through teaching, patient care, research, and public service and community partnerships. This includes a commitment to providing high-quality medical education in the region and expanding access to a medical school degree for Valley students.

A great need exists for both primary and specialty physicians in California. In the San Joaquin Valley, the need is even more urgent. There are 47 primary care physicians in the San Joaquin Valley per 100,000 population, in contrast to the recommended 81.

The path to becoming a practicing physician is long and rigorous, taking 11 years or more after high school, depending on the specialty. UCSF Fresno is involved at almost every step of the way – from our longstanding Doctors Academy for high school students who are interested in medical careers, the new SJV-MedBridge pathway for community college students, the recently launched SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway in collaboration with UC Merced, UCSF Fresno residency and fellowship training programs, and UCSF Fresno’s robust continuing medical education portfolio.

To better coordinate and increase the success of existing pathway programs, in summer 2022, UCSF Fresno established the Office of Health Career Pathways (OHCP) within the Department of Undergraduate Medical Education. OHCP provides administrative oversight to all UCSF Fresno pathway programs.

Thanks to long-standing partnerships, state funding, and new collaborations, including with UC Merced, Fresno State, and Valley community colleges, UCSF Fresno is widening the path for local students to become physicians and serve the region that they call home.

 

UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy

With a focus on addressing the increasing health professional shortage, the Doctors Academy program was established in 1999, by Katherine A. Flores, MD. The program began as a partnership between UCSF Fresno, Fresno Unified School District, and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. The first graduating class from the Doctors Academy was in 2003 from Sunnyside High School. The first Caruthers High School graduating class followed in 2010. Middle school programming was introduced through the Junior Doctors Academy program and currently has four school sites that host the program, including Caruthers Elementary, Kings Canyon Middle School, Sequoia Middle School and Terronez Middle School. The UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy programs continue as a partnership with contracting schools. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply.

All graduating students in the Doctors Academy programs at Sunnyside and Caruthers High Schools received admission to post-secondary institutions. Several Doctors Academy graduates are medical students in the SJV PRIME and three have been accepted into the SJV PRIME+.

“The dedication and commitment from our school sites and community partners are the catalysts that allow us to offer students and their families a wide range of services and opportunities for academic excellence and clinical mentorship experiences,” said Dr. Flores.

“It is because of the collaborative efforts of these strong partnerships that the Doctors Academy students continue to attain their academic goals and are successful applicants to colleges and universities, most with continued aspirations to enter a health profession.  We are extremely proud of all our students’ accomplishments and look forward to having them join our Central Valley’s health care provider team in the future.”

 

San Joaquin Valley Med-Bridge (SJV-MedBridge) 

San Joaquin Valley-MedBridge (SJV-MedBridge) is an outreach-focused program that connects community college students in the San Joaquin Valley to the resources, avenues, and mentors that will help them reach their goals and further allow them to explore the world of medicine.

SJV-MedBridge was developed by UCSF Fresno and launched in the fall of 2023, with the encouragement and support of Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Executive Director Ben Duran, EdD, and in partnership with Fresno State, community colleges in the San Joaquin Valley, California Health Sciences University, and multiple medical education programs.

The program was made possible through Senate Bill 40, which was proposed by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (then D-14) in 2021. A native of Sanger, Sen. Hurtado (SD 16) helped fund the establishment of the California Medicine Scholars Program, which is administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

SJV-MedBridge aims to extend and highlight access to various workshops related to medicine and support transfer efforts from community colleges to four-year institutions. The program also encourages and provides networking opportunities to and with experts in the pre-medical community, while fostering a community-focused environment for individuals with a shared interest and passion for medicine.

Each month, students participate in a virtual session and an in-person session, including a simulation day at UCSF Fresno where they learn about CPR, wound care, and ultrasound.

Currently in its first year, the program has enrolled two cohorts for a total of 102 community college students from across eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley.

“We try to eliminate as many barriers as possible to get into SJV-MedBridge,” said Sydney Farnesi, program supervisor. “Qualifications include interest in medicine and completion of 12 units in community college within the San Joaquin Valley. We specifically look for students who do not have a previous bachelor’s degree.”

The goal for SJV-MedBridge is to enroll 50 students each year. Current community college students in the San Joaquin Valley who are driven and seek opportunities to advance into the medical field with a goal of becoming a physician are encouraged to apply to the program. Applications for the next cohort will open in the Summer of 2024.

 

UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education 

 

The UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV-PRIME) is a tailored track at the UCSF School of Medicine for students from the Valley who are committed to working with underserved populations in the region at the individual and community levels.

SJV PRIME started in 2011 as a partnership among the UC Davis School of Medicine, UC Merced, UCSF School of Medicine, and UCSF Fresno, with UC Davis serving as the degree-granting institution. UCSF became the degree-granting institution in 2018.

Students in the second class of the UCSF SJV PRIME took part in the 2024 Match, gathering with loved ones, faculty, and staff at a breakfast celebration on March 15 at UCSF Fresno to open the envelopes that would reveal the next step on their paths to becoming physicians.

Match Day takes place annually on the third Friday in March and is the time when soon-to-be medical school graduates across the United States simultaneously learn where they will spend the next several years conducting residency training (the hands-on clinical training under faculty supervision that is required prior to practicing independently).

Seven of the eight SJV PRIME students who participated in this year’s Match will continue their medical education at University of California campuses. Two will stay at UCSF Fresno in Emergency Medicine.

The UCSF Fresno medical residency programs that participated in the National Resident Matching Program received 8,305 residency applications and conducted 1,067 residency interviews for 75 available residency positions.

“We are very excited for our second class of SJV PRIME students on National Match Day,” said Loren Alving, MD, director of UCSF SJV PRIME. “These students are from the Valley, completed two and a half years of medical school in the Valley, and are committed to serving in the Valley. We look forward to great things from them and to one day welcoming them as faculty and as colleagues once they finish their residency and fellowship training.”

SJV PRIME students possess a common desire to provide care and to give back to the communities where they grew up. They also share a calling to promote health equity and mentor Valley students who follow in their footsteps, just as they were mentored.

UCSF Fresno is committed to developing an outstanding physician workforce that reflects Valley communities and improves patient care and access in the region and state. It has long been established that two factors play an essential role in determining where physicians practice: 1) where they grew up, and 2) where they complete their medical education.

By offering Valley students opportunities to complete medical education and training in the San Joaquin Valley, we increase the likelihood they will stay here to practice where they are needed most. Our goal is to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled clinicians and patient advocates for the Valley. UCSF Fresno is the most significant regional contributor to the physician workforce.

Many of our graduates stay in the Central Valley to provide care, continue their education, and teach the next generation.

 

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): UC Merced – ‘building the middle’

Read more

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): CHSU – opportunity to attend an accredited medical school in Central Valley

 The historic inaugural California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) Class of 2024.

CHSU: successful match rate and

historic inaugural commencement

ceremony held for 66 new physicians 

 

BY RICHELE C. KLEISER
Vice President, Marketing & Communications – California Health Sciences University

With recent commencement exercises for its inaugural class of 2024, the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) concludes a dynamic academic year as the first university of its kind in the Central Valley offering a local option for medical school and a master’s in biomedical sciences to help remedy the shortage of health care services provided in the Valley.

The spring semester alone was filled with celebrating key milestones and achievements most notably Match Day March 15 when the inaugural class of 2024 achieved a remarkable 100 percent residency match rate (medical students learn the residency specialty program they will start after completing medical school).

The university also received news of achieving a seven-year accreditation for the medical school; the first cohort of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences students graduated May 18; and college’s first doctoral medical degrees were conferred on 66 graduates at the CHSU-COM Commencement and Hooding Ceremony May 19.

Also at the commencement, CHSU Founding President Florence Dunn was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of her leadership, dedication and service to the university by Dr. John Welty and Dr. Kristin Clark, founding chair and vice chair of the CHSU Board of Trustees, respectively. (President Dunn is a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors, Chancellor Clark is the current chair of the CVHEC board and Dr. Welty, president-emeritus of Fresno State, is CVHEC’s founder and former chair of the board).

Dr. Teresa Hubka, president-elect of the American Osteopathic Association delivered the commencement keynote held at the Save Mart Center.

“The inaugural graduating class of CHSU medical students is significant because it shows local students that they can become doctors without leaving home to study and train,” President Dunn said. “We hope the opportunity to go to an accredited medical school in the Central Valley will encourage and inspire many others to become physicians.”

Accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), California Health Sciences University now has about 500 medical students in attendance and plans to grow to approximately 600 medical students in the next year. In addition to the inaugural class of 2024 medical students graduating this month, the CHSU will matriculate its fifth cohort of about 150 students in July.

The university also offers a one-year Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS) program at its College of Biosciences and Health Professions with many of those who graduated this month already receiving acceptance into the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and other medical and dental schools.

The significance of the Inaugural Match Day is worth emphasizing. The festive occasion where the medical students, with loved ones in attendance, opened envelopes revealing the residency specialty program they will start after completing medical school marks the start of each physician’s career with post-graduate medical training.

In a nationwide process that is highly competitive, CHSU-COM’s 65 fourth-year medical students were matched with a wide variety of residencies, including 34 percent located in the Central Valley and 65 percent who will complete their residency in Primary Care, which includes family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics.

“Achieving a 100 percent match rate for our inaugural medical students is extraordinary and we are so proud of these future physicians,” said John Graneto, DO, dean of CHSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. “Having such a large number of CHSU graduates complete residencies locally, especially in primary care specialties, is an important part of our mission and will help underserved populations have more equitable access to health care.”

Shortly after came the good news that CHSU-COM was granted a seven-year accreditation by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). COCA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine.

The college had been working towards full accreditation since its inception in 2020 when it unveiled the newly constructed, state-art-of-the-art facility and welcomed the first cohort of medical students.

Based in Clovis, with gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the three-story College of Osteopathic Medicine building incorporates innovative technology throughout. The facility features large classrooms, an Osteopathic Skills lab, a library, plentiful private and collaborative study spaces, a spacious student lounge with Teaching Kitchen, and a Simulation Center.

The Simulation Center includes an inpatient area that resembles a hospital environment and an outpatient area that is like a clinic or doctor’s office. The innovative Simulation Center was meticulously planned to maximize interactive learning. CHSU’s 110-acre campus site provides plenty of space for decades of expansion. The campus could ultimately approach 2,000 students and nearly 300 faculty and staff. Further development of the campus will occur in multiple phases, as new programs and colleges are added for postgraduate health education.

“This accreditation achievement has been long anticipated and brings a sense of pride to the Central Valley,” said Dr. Graneto. “We can now offer local students the opportunity to earn a doctorate degree at an osteopathic medical school that is held to the same high standards as other programs and stay close to home to serve our community.”

To stay up to date with the latest CHSU-COM news and events, visit the university’s website at chsu.edu or follow along on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

See:

 

CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine earns seven-year Accreditation – ABC30

California Health Sciences University Celebrates Inaugural Doctors Graduation Ceremony

Sixty-six graduating doctors recognized from California Health Sciences University

 

MEMBER NEWS (May 2024): Medical training throughout CVHEC membership

This special edition of the Central Valley Higher Education e-newsletter featuring medical education in the Central Valley focuses on the medical school programs of two CVHEC members that confer medical doctor degrees (University of California San Francisco Fresno and California Health Sciences University) or partner directly (University of California Merced’s SJV Prime+ Program). Other valuable medical-related training is offered at nearly all the consortium member institutions, such as nursing and physical therapy at the 15 community colleges and three California State University campuses. At Fresno State, doctoral degrees are conferred in nursing and physical therapy.  In addition to our monthly board and member news, here are just a few highlights of what other CVHEC members have undertaken in recent years:

CSUB receives $1 million to build
Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Kern Health Systems (KHS) has announced a $1 million grant toward the establishment of a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at California State University, Bakersfield, part of a $20 million package of support made by Kern County’s largest health plan to expand access to health care, educate more primary-care professionals and narrow health equity gaps in one of the most medically underserved regions of the state.  [MORE]

University of Pacific receives nearly $1M to support future health care providers

University of the Pacific’s School of Health Sciences has been awarded nearly $1 million in state grants to further its mission of educating students who can fill the urgent need for health care providers in underserved areas. Pacific received a $2.5 million grant in 2022 to expand underrepresented students’ access to health professions and a $1.7 million grant earlier this year to increase the number of behavioral health care workers in California. [MORE]

• Nursing Pathway Program expands at the CSU [MORE]

• California Community Colleges Nursing Educational Programs Legislative Report 2020-2022 [MORE]

• Stan State: nursing program ranked among Top 4 in affordability by BestColleges.com [MORE]

• Fresno City College/Fresno State: federal funding to help address nursing shortage [MORE]

• UCSF School of Medicine, UCSF Fresno and Upstream USA expand access to patient-centered contraceptive care for Fresno County [MORE]

• San Joaquin Valley has a therapist shortage. Here’s how a university hopes to change that [MORE]

• Fresno State: Physical Therapy Program helps people across their lifespan [MORE]

• CSUB nursing alumni fundraiser event celebrates 50th graduating class milestone [MORE]

• UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy Programs Celebrate Graduating Students [MORE]

CHSU President Flo Dunn conferred honorary doctorate 

California Health Sciences University Founding President Florence Dunn was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of her leadership, dedication and service to the university.

Presenting the award at the university’s inaugural Commencement May 19 in Fresno were Dr. Kristin Clark and Dr. John Welty, vice chair and founding chair of the CHSU Board of Trustees, respectively. President Dunn and Chancellor Clark are current members of the CVHEC Board of Directors and President-emeritus Welty (Fresno State) is the founding chair of the CVHEC board.  [MORE]

MEMBER NEWS: UOP tackles therapist shortage in North Valley

UOP’s Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology opens to students in fall 2024 and will help addres healthcare shortage in North Valley.

 

UOP: Marriage and family counseling focus

of Benerd’s new master’s program

 

University of the Pacific’s Benerd College has created a master’s degree program that will focus on marriage and family counseling, an area with a severe shortage of services in San Joaquin County.

The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology major will open with a cohort of approximately 15 to 20 students in fall 2024.

“My sense is this will be a popular degree,” said Justin Low, program lead and associate professor. “Mental health practitioners are scarce compared to the overall population, and that certainly is the case with marriage and family counseling. The shortage is very serious in San Joaquin County.”

CalMatters detailed the reasons for shortages of mental health providers, such as counselors, in a 2022 report. They include workload and burnout, pay level and California’s cost of living.

Low said graduates of the new program can likely earn salaries starting around $90,000. Benerd College has worked to align the major with state licensing requirements.

The degree will lead to work counseling married couples and individuals as well as entire families.

“There are advantages for students with an undergraduate degree in psychology. They know the language and some of the background,” Low said. “But by the time they go through programs such as this, those who came from the workforce and different vocations fit right in. Both paths work.

“Those entering this field tend to be self-reflective. They look at their skill set and see where they want to improve. They tend to think ‘what can I do better next time?’”

The program requires 60 units—high for a master’s program, but in line for psychology-related programs, according to Low—and 280 hours of experiential work with patients. Pacific has identified agencies and adjunct professors who will work with students.

Andra Zastrow has worked in marriage and family counseling for the past 22 years in Stockton and is an adjunct faculty member at Pacific. She views the new program as a boost for a troubled system.

“This is a very important step for getting access to care because we have such a lack of resources in Stockton,” Zastrow said. “Getting an appointment can take up to a month. Beyond that, nobody is taking insurance. Many people must pay out of pocket.

“I am so excited that Pacific has approved this program. This is a positive change in a rewarding field.”

The program is part of Benerd College’s strategic move into areas of social education.

“Leadership, education and behavioral and mental health are three areas of focus within our degree programs,” said Patricia Campbell, dean of Benerd College. “We are really expanding.”

 

See:

• UOP press release

• San Joaquin Valley has a therapist shortage. Here’s how a university hopes to change that – Recordnet (Jan. 10. 2024)

MEMBER NEWS: UOP tackles healthcare shortage in North Valley

 

Pacific receives nearly $1M to support future health care providers

 

(APR 14, 2024) — University of the Pacific’s School of Health Sciences has been awarded nearly $1 million in state grants to further its mission of educating students who can fill the urgent need for health care providers in underserved areas.

Pacific will receive $540,000 for its Entry Level Master of Nursing program and more than $430,000 to create post-undergraduate fellowships for students in any health care discipline.

“We are grateful that the state is investing in our students,” said School of Health Sciences Dean Nicoleta Bugnariu. “Many are from the Central Valley and are committed to returning to their communities to provide the care that is so needed. This funding will help us enhance their education and attract more students.”

 

Nursing grant to expand training opportunities

The Song-Brown grant, provided by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, will allow the nursing program to create new training opportunities in places where there is a shortage of registered nurses.

Students currently conduct clinical training in several dozen sites throughout the Central Valley with more than half of them designated as shortage areas.

The funding also will allow the nursing program to expand simulation experiences to better prepare students for real-world scenarios.

The nursing program currently has a 1,650-square feet simulation space, which includes a lab, clinical skills area, simulators, control room and debriefing rooms. Simulation-based learning is incorporated in all clinical courses in the program.

“Human patient simulators are tremendously beneficial for student learning. They provide a safe environment for students to master the skills they have been taught,” said Nursing Chair and Program Director Ann Stoltz. “With this support from the state, we will be able to create even more practice opportunities for skill acquisition and clinical judgement to better prepare our future nurses.”

Pacific’s Entry Level Master of Science in nursing was launched in 2022 due to high demand for bedside nurses in the region. The first cohort will graduate in April 2024.

 

Supporting underrepresented students

A second grant will create paid fellowships for underrepresented students who are interested in pursuing a graduate health science degree.

“We are so grateful to have this opportunity at Pacific,” said Associate Professor and Chair of Speech-Language Pathology Derek Isetti. “This fellowship will greatly assist students from underrepresented backgrounds as they participate in clinical experiences that will help them to be successful in graduate health science programs.”

Five fellows per year will receive $15,000 each to help their transition through teaching, research, health career workshops, mentorship and other areas.

This is the third grant Pacific has received from the state’s Health Professions Pathways Program. The program is intended to support underrepresented students pursuing health care careers to create a more diverse workforce that better reflects the communities it serves.

Pacific received a $2.5 million grant in 2022 to expand underrepresented students’ access to health professions and a $1.7 million grant earlier this year to increase the number of behavioral health care workers in California.

 

 See also:

UOP Press release

UOP receives nearly $1M to support students to help fill the need for health care workers – BayCityNews Foundation

 

CVHEC BOARD NEWS: Dr. Rafe E. Trickey named Taft College president

The West Kern Community College District (WKCCD) Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Rafe Edward Trickey, Jr. to become the next superintendent/president of Taft College.

He will replace Superintendent/President Brock McMurray who is retiring after 23-plus years with the district. McMurray has served as superintendent/president since July 2022.

Dr. Rafe E. Trickey, Jr.

The board intends to approve an employment agreement at the next regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2024, with a start date to follow on June 3, 2024 when he will also become a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors made up of the heads of 28 institutions of higher education in the nine-county region.

The selection was made following a nationwide search, coordinated by Community College Search Services, that produced a strong pool of well-qualified applicants for the position.

A diverse search committee of campus and community members narrowed the list of applicants down to five finalists who presented at public forums on March 21 and interviewed with the Board of Trustees on March 22.

Taft College Board President Billy White stated, “On behalf of the Taft College Board of Trustees, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Dr. Rafe Edward Trickey, Jr. as our next Taft College superintendent/president. Dr. Trickey brings certain depth and breadth of experience and knowledge to the college in a time of transition and great opportunity.

We sincerely thank the search committee and Taft community members for their valuable time and input during this process. Please join the Taft College Board of Trustees in congratulating Dr. Trickey on his new role!”

About Dr. Trickey

Dr. Rafe Edward Trickey, Jr. currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the North San Diego County Promise, a San Diego County inclusive collective-impact partnership that is united by a shared vision of all youth and adults reaching their fullest potential in grade school, college, career and life. The North San Diego County Promise strategically and efficiently aligns programs, services and resources to improve the social, emotional, academic and life success of service community members. The North San Diego County Promise’s intentionally collaborative, equity-focused, and data-informed work is concentrated on inclusionary systems change and ensuring marginalized communities have equitable access to educational, economic, and life opportunities.

Dr. Trickey is an experienced, empowering, courageous, visionary, equity-minded, and success-focused leader, who has enjoyed an extensive career in education, public-benefit corporations, and public service. He maintains that creating success pathways, empowering people, and expanding equitable access are very important. For over four decades, he has championed the maxim that when some among us are not succeeding, none of us is really succeeding. He has served as President of Comanche Nation College, an open-access, community/tribal college in Oklahoma, as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sisseton Wahpeton College, an open-access, community/tribal college in South Dakota, as Vice President of Student Services and Vice President of Planning and Institutional Development at the College of the Marshall Islands, an open-access, public community college in the Marshall Islands, as Executive Director of Development and External Relations at Citrus College, a California Community College, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the California-wide CHP 11-99 Foundation, and as City Treasurer in the City of Oceanside, California. Among multiple community member success supporting volunteer leadership tenures, Dr. Trickey has served as a Housing Commissioner in the City of Oceanside, as a Co-chair of the Alliance for Regional Solutions’ Racial Justice Committee, as Board of Directors Treasurer with Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence, as a Leadership Mentor and Advisor with Operation HOPE-North County, and as Board of Directors Treasurer with the Oceanside Promise.

Over the course of his leadership career, Dr. Trickey has cultivated a robust record specializing in student success, innovation, and mobilizing resources to improve educational outcomes and life opportunities. During his leadership tenures, the institutions he has served have secured new resources and realized measurable improvements in service population success. He maintains particular research and service commitments on utilizing a collective impact framework to guide collaboration focused on systems change, promoting and mentoring more women into top leadership positions (including superintendent positions, chancellorships, presidencies, executive directorships and public office), and the impacts evaluator attitudes, the role congruity biases many people consciously and unconsciously maintain, and evaluation practices have on perceptions of leader efficacy and leader success and persistence. Dr. Trickey is also committed to closing opportunity gaps for students and creating and delivering success-support pathways to individuals experiencing housing and food insecurity, as well as developing and implementing programs that uplift indigenous and other underrepresented and disproportionately impacted students.

Dr. Trickey was the first in his family line to attend and graduate college. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership degree from the University of California, San Diego, a Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Southern California, a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University in the City of New York, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an Associate of Arts degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences from Modesto Junior College, a Certificate in Fund Raising with a Specialization in the Institutional Development Process from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a California Community College Instructor Credential in Government, valid for life.

Upon accepting his new position, Dr. Trickey shared, “As a product of the Great Central Valley and a California Community College alumnus, I’m beyond delighted to begin service as Taft College’s next Superintendent/President!

I’m very eager to start engaging with colleagues and building impactful and enduring relationships with local businesses, industry, and school districts throughout Taft College’s expansive service community. I’m committed to work collaboratively for the benefit of the entire West Side, assure Taft College continues to provide state-of-the-art educational opportunities and world-class career training services, and maintain Taft College’s place as the jewel in the crown of this region.

I’m also energized about working with the dedicated members of the West Kern Community College District Board of Trustees and Taft College’s amazing faculty, staff, and fellow administrators to create success pathways, empower people, and expand equitable access. Doing so is important to me, because I believe we’re all in this together; when some among us are not succeeding, none of us is really succeeding.”

To learn more about the West Kern CCD and Taft College go to https://www.taftcollege.edu/.

 

About Taft College

Established in 1922, Taft College is one of the oldest California Community Colleges. Located in Western Kern County, Taft College provides continuous learning opportunities for over 6,000 students through more than 50 vocational and professional degrees, transfer programs, and certificates. These innovative programs are made available at a fraction of the cost of state and private colleges. Proud to transform the lives of highly diverse students and adult learners, Taft College delivers vital pathways to advanced education and enhanced employment. In 2022, Taft College proudly celebrated its centennial year of student success.

 

See:

Taft College press release

KERO TV story

CVHEC BOARD NEWS: Britt Rios-Ellis appointed Stanislaus State president

The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees has appointed Britt Rios-Ellis to serve as president of California State University, Stanislaus July 1, 2024 when she will also become a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors made up of the heads of 28 institutions of higher education in the nine-county region.

Britt Rios-Ellis

Rios-Ellis currently serves as provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs at Oakland University (OU), a public research university in Rochester, Michigan.

“I am both honored and humbled to serve this outstanding University alongside the talented faculty, staff, administrators and students at Stanislaus State, and to be the first new president selected under the leadership of Chancellor Mildred García,” said Rios-Ellis.

“I am eager to get to know the Turlock and Stockton communities and work together to ensure that the positive impact of our students’ and the University’s overall success is felt profoundly throughout the region.”

Rios-Ellis will be the University’s 13th leader, succeeding Interim President Susan E. Borrego who has served in the role since the retirement of President Emerita Ellen Junn in summer 2023.

“On behalf of the Stan state community, I welcome Dr. Rios-Ellis,” Interim President Borrego said. “She will join a community of committed faculty, staff and students who are proud to be a part of such an amazing University.”

“Dr. Rios-Ellis is an inspirational, compassionate and mission-driven leader, guided by a commitment to inclusive excellence and student success,” said CSU Trustee Yammilette Rodriguez, chair of the Stanislaus State Presidential Search Committee. “Her wide-ranging experience, student-centered approach and commitment to broader community engagement make her the ideal candidate to lead Stanislaus State in its next exciting chapter.”

Since joining the Oakland University leadership team in 2021, Rios-Ellis has focused on student and faculty success efforts with a focus on equity, resulting in an 8% increase in retention of underrepresented students, as well as decreasing equity gaps in bottleneck courses, and time to graduation. At Oakland University, she has worked with faculty to increase research activity, with the OU Senate to strengthen shared governance, and with deans and faculty to establish new and needed academic programs. She also coordinated successful fundraising and budget realignment efforts for the university and led an initiative to secure OU’s Carnegie elective classification for Community Engagement.

In all, Rios-Ellis has led more than $59 million in student- and community-strengthening health and education-related efforts funded by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Education among other agencies, as well as in collaboration with industry partners to reinforce workforce pipelines.

This marks a return to the CSU system for Rios-Ellis. Prior to joining OU, she served as founding dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at California State University, Monterey Bay (2014 to 2020), where she led fundraising and strategic planning efforts and co-founded the Master of Science Physician Assistant Program — the first of its kind in the CSU.

From 1994 to 2014, Rios-Ellis served as a faculty member in the Department of Health Science at California State University, Long Beach. During that time, she also served as founding director of CSULB’s Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training (2005 to 2015) in alliance with UnidosUS, where she worked to promote and advocate for the health, culture and well-being of diverse communities. She was recognized with a CSULB Outstanding Professor Award in 2013 for her significant impact on Latinx health research and education, and she was named Woman of the Year by the National Hispanic Business Women’s Association in 2010 and the Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2009. Additionally, in 2008, she received the Sol Award from the Los Angeles County Office of HIV/AIDS Planning Prevention.

Rios-Ellis earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish, a master’s degree in health and fitness management and a Ph.D. in community health — all from the University of Oregon.

 

 

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Rosalee Rush 209.664.6780 or rbrush@csustan.edu

See:

CSU Stanislaus press release

Britt Rios-Ellis appointed as next Stan State president

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