California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV) has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state, which both reflects and perpetuates the region’s economic challenges. Yet it could […]
New PPIC report shows the San Joaquin Valley with lowest
college enrollment and completion rates in the state
Panel to discuss strategies for strengthening college-going pathways in the valley
UPDATE AUG. 15 (Public Policy Institute of California):
Dr. Benjamín Durán, executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, will join a virtual panel of experts discussing a new report to be released next week by the Public Policy Institute of California, “Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley,” showing California’s San Joaquin Valley has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state.
The panel, set for Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to noon, is presented by PPIC and will explore how institutions, educators and policymakers can expand support for college-going pathways in the valley.
Joining Dr. Durán on the panel — moderated by Dr. Olga Rodríguez, director of the PPIC Higher Education Center and a senior fellow at PPIC — will be Dr. Orquidea Largo, associate vice chancellor and chief outreach officer for the Center for Educational Partnerships, University of California, Merced; and Tressa Overstreet, executive director of College & Career Readiness for the Fresno Unified School District. (See detailed bios on the PPIC event page).
The report, which PPIC will release Aug. 15, notes that “with its youthful, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks, the San Joaquin Valley could be on the verge of dramatic improvements in college enrollment and completion.”
Durán said PPIC’s work helps shed light on an issue CVHEC has tackled head-on since its inception 22 years ago this week.
“We applaud PPIC for undertaking this valuable work focusing on ongoing issues and barriers we sometimes encounter that too often still impede student success,” Durán said.
“It is important for valley educators to continuously confront these barriers and address the value of creating meaningful pathways such as dual enrollment courses supported by wrap-around services like our Math Bridge Program and to implement initiatives like our Transfer Project that complement those pathways, all leading to more student success.”
A question/answer session the final 15 minutes will close the PPIC panel. To submit questions: ppiceventquestions@gmail.com
Registration is now available for the free Zoom event.
The PPIC research and its panel event are supported with funding from College Futures Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Sutton Family Fund.
For report and panel event questions:
PPIC EVENT CONTACT: Sal Beeby, events associate (415.291.4426)
PPIC MEDIA CONTACT: Steven Bliss, director of Digital Strategy (415.291.4412)
CVHEC Media Contact (for Dr. Durán): Tom Uribes, cvhecommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu (559.348.3278)
Summer break provides pause for reflection
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
I welcome you to the mid-summer edition of our CVHEC newsletter. We hope you are having a restful and enjoyable summer and taking time to recharge and prepare for the upcoming fall semester.
This time of the year we try to step back, take a breath and highlight the great work that has been taking place on our member campuses by the dedicated faculty and staff.
As you visit the entries, you will get a sense of the efforts across the Central Valley in the last six months to improve access, retention and completion of students at our CVHEC member institutions in the region.
We also acknowledge ongoing transition in the region’s higher education scene with CEO changes at WHCCD, Porterville College, Fresno City College and Clovis Community College. One of those changes is the departure of Dr. Claudia Habib who left her Porterville presidency this month for the Ventura College presidency. We thank President Habib for her service to her students and to the CVHEC board.
All the best Claudia …as well as to Dr. Kristin Clark whose retirement as chancellor of WHCCD takes effect Aug. 8. We are especially appreciative of her service as the chair of the CVHEC board the past few years. We said our goodbyes to Kristin at our recent board executive committee meeting and also at a farewell reception for her July 26 at Lemoore College.
Speaking of the board, members should have received detailed info about our upcoming quarterly meeting in early September. If you have not received anything, please do contact Angel Ramirez at centralvalleyhec@gmail.com ASAP.
Finally, please allow me to close this summer message with a Happy Birthday greeting to … US! It was on Aug. 5, 2002 that CVHEC became formally incorporated under the leadership of then Fresno State President John D. Welty. Watch for more about our history in the near future.
We hope you enjoy our newsletter and continue enjoying your summer.
Among the many dignitaries participating in the historic UC Merced Medical Education Building groundbreaking May 14 with Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz were Dr. Ivan Gomez of UCSF Fresno, Dr. Angel Reyna, president of Madera College, Dr. Kenny Iban of UCSF Fresno and Dr. Rosa Manzo of UC Merced who will be the first faculty member hired for the B.S. to M.D. Pathway, SJV PRIME+ Program.
Special edition: medical education
CVHEC members delivering medical doctor degrees to
produce more healthcare professionals for our region
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
First, let me congratulate our consortium members – 28 colleges and districts across the Central Valley — for completing another spring semester highlighted by the always joyous commencement season. It has been delightful seeing all the media reports on your graduations.
Now, it is my pleasure to present you this month’s special issue of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium e-Newsletter that focuses on the universities and medical schools in our membership delivering medical education and training leading to medical doctor degrees that will counter the shortage of healthcare professionals in our Central Valley region.
Our three main stories feature California Health Sciences University (CHSU), the University of San Francisco School of Medicine, Fresno Campus, (UCSF Fresno) and the University of California, Merced.
In the CHSU article, you will learn about the newest medical school in the Central Valley that just celebrated its first commencement, graduating 66 new Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine. Established in 2020, and based in Clovis, the medical school – now with 500 students – recently received a full seven-year accreditation. And fittingly, our CVHEC board member, Flo Dunn, was recognized with an honorary doctorate degree for her service as the CHSU founding and current president. Congratulations Dr. Dunn!
You will also read about the exciting initiatives being delivered by the University of California San Francisco Fresno campus creating pathways to the medical field for students in the Central Valley including an update on the California Medical Scholars Program. Among those initiatives are 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 as well as its efforts in mental healthcare training.
In the UC Merced contribution, the medical education program has developed over the years to help breach the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals in the Central Valley with its most recent exciting development: the groundbreaking for the new Medical Education Building held earlier this month. Slated for completion in fall 2026, the new facility will house the SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway mentioned above in addition to other efforts UC Merced is pursuing to create cohorts of students and direct many of them into the medical field in the region to help address the shortage of medical professionals.
And, as National Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close this week, we are pleased to present a community perspective in this medical education movement with our monthly “What the CV-HEC is Happening Blog” by Juan Garcia, Ph.D, executive director of Integral Community Solutions Institute (known as Community Counseling Services). Dr. Garcia articulates this non-profit organization’s work addressing mental healthcare in underrepresented communities in partnership with CVHEC members UCSF Fresno and Fresno State through the Bienestar Wellness Early Intervention Program.
In closing, we extend a special thank you to West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clarke, Taft Community College Superintendent/ President Brock McMurray and Porterville College President Claudia Habib for their service to the students of the Central Valley during their tenure as higher education leaders in the region. Chancellor Clark and President McMurray will be retiring and entering the next phase of their lives while Dr. Habib will be taking the presidency at Ventura Community College. We wish them all well. They will always be part of the CVHEC family.
Thanks again to you and your institutions that have brought statewide and national attention to the Central Valley.
We look forward to meeting and welcoming new CEOs in the region at our next CVHEC Board of Directors meeting tentatively set for August when we also will introduce new intersegmental regional initiatives we will be launching in the near future.
Thank you for reviewing this special edition showcasing some of our CVHEC member institutions efforts combatting the historical shortage of health professionals in the Central Valley. Have a great summer 2024!
A mission of math continues in the Central Valley
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
Welcome to our April newsletter as we are a month or so to closing out another academic year in the Central Valley. We are particularly pleased to shine a spotlight on our community college board members for National Community College Month. Our Central Valley community college leaders are dedicated to serving our students with great pride.
You will note that this issue focuses on mathematics education activity in the Central Valley. Our CVHEC partners — College Bridge and the Charles A. Dana Center from the University of Texas at Austin — have been working with our regional partner community colleges and high schools to build pathways and eliminate barriers for our students looking to navigate the challenge of completing their gateway courses in college math.
You will get a glimpse of the work that the Central Valley Math Task Force members will be undertaking at their April 19 convening. Also, an update by Dr. Nicole Korgie highlights the progress College Bridge has made with implementing the Math Bridge project to enroll high school students in college level dual enrollment classes.
But our big news on the math mission front is the awarding of two grants to CVHEC from the Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Programs by the WE Will! K-16 Collaborative that will expand our Math Bridge and Master’s Upskilling projects into the north valley. Congrats CVHEC-members: University of California, Merced (WE Will’s lead agency); Merced College; Modesto Junior College; San Joaquin Delta College; and California State University, Stanislaus for your leadership.
And in our News section, we welcome new presidents to two of our CVHEC member institutions:
- Britt Rios-Ellis was named by the California State University Board of Trustees as the new president at CSU Stanislaus effective July 1.
- Dr. Rafe E. Trickey will begin his tenure as superintendent/president of Taft College May 3 after his appointment by the West Kern Community College District.
We look forward to having President-select Rios-Ellis and President-select Trickey join us on the CVHEC Board of Directors.
Thank you all, I hope you enjoy this April issue.
The winds of a prospering education scene
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
Welcome to spring 2024 and our March e-newsletter.
This issue carries some interesting articles beginning with a very unique situation in the South Valley where our regional lead, Tom Burke, provides a perspective from his role as chancellor-emeritus of the Kern Community College District regarding the unprecedented winds of change in five major Kern County education institutions in the past year alone.
In previous issues, we have noted the appointments of Kern Community College District’s new chancellor, Dr. Steven Bloomberg, and Bakersfield College’s new president, Jerry Filger. Now we welcome them as both began their respective terms this month as well as their terms on the CVHEC Board of Directors. They are part of that transitioning educational leadership in Kern County that Chancellor-emeritus Burke presents in this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog.
Also, you will see our participation in the recent Digital Dual Enrollment Week campaign by the Dual Enrollment Coalition of California. We highlighted our Master’s Upskilling programs and recent graduates; one of the alumna of that program now teaching dual enrollment at Sanger West, Mrs. Jade Martinez and her students; our dual enrollment video with student success stories; and the work of our Math Bridge Program with partner College Bridge as they conduct student recruitment this spring.
We also congratulate and welcome two new members of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors who make their homes in the Central Valley and are associated with two of our CVHEC member colleges: congratulations Cirian Villavicencio of San Joaquin Delta College in the North Valley, and Kern Community College District trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
The latter represents the first South Valley representation on the highest governing body in California’s community college system that advocates for nearly 2 million students at 116 colleges across the state, including our 15 CVHEC community college members. We thank them for the service they will be performing for this community.
And last but not least, we bid “farewell” to a cherished team member, Ms. Pricila Villanueva, our administrative coordinator since 2018 who moves into a fulltime position with Equitable Bank Standards, Beneficial State Foundation where she will continue her work as a champion for equity. Pricila, we wish your and your family all the success in the world!
As you can see, there is so much more in this issue as our e-newsletter continues to grow and provide a communications platform for the great higher education work underway in the Central Valley. Please enjoy!
Priscila Villanueva at the 2023 CVHEC Summit with Angel Ramirez and two student panelists, Hailee Guerra (left) and Jesús López Nuñez (right).
This issue brings another melancholy moment as we bid farewell to a key star of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium team, Priscila Villanueva, our administrative coordinator since 2018.
Priscila will start a new position as community associate for Equitable Bank Standards, Beneficial State Foundation supporting community engagement for the Equitable Bank Standards initiative.
She has been instrumental in CVHEC’s mission with a focus on increasing educational equity in the Central San Joaquin Valley, said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
“Priscila became an important part of our CVHEC family and will be dearly missed,” Durán said. “Her dedication and commitment to our mission was evident in all she did for us. We wish her and her family all the best.”
Ángel Ramírez, director of operations and finance and Priscila’s immediate supervisor, credited her with playing a major role in the consortium’s increased growth the past eight years.
“Priscila always took care of the everything behind the scenes that most people don’t get to see, but her role with CVHEC allowed us to run smoothly, efficiently, and worry-free these last eight years,” Ramírez said. “I am eager to see where this new position takes her.”
Priscila said that from day one, “Dr. Durán and Angel set the pace for a dynamic and collaborative team. I have been privileged to have had a front seat to the CVHEC initiatives and all the good CVHEC has done in the Central Valley.
“I cannot thank Dr. Duran and Angel Ramirez enough for their leadership, constant support, care and love. I leave CVHEC having built invaluable relationships and connections. I will treasure and miss my work and team, but I am excited to see where they go next!”
CVHEC has announced a job search to fill the position as soon as possible, Ramirez said.
See Application.
CVHEC members’ ongoing mission for
students’ successful academic journey
Greetings and welcome to 2024 from the CVHEC Team,
Welcome to our February CVHEC e-newsletter as we share how our Central Valley colleges and universities are ensuring that the academic journey of our students is successful and rewarding for their individual experience and growth.
I hope you enjoyed the days of note this month: President’s Day and Valentine’s Day. But we especially observe African American History month and the many contributions of African American educators past and present. Thank you for all you do for our communities.
As you read on, please note how the Central Valley Math Task Force continues its valiant work addressing issues around high school and college math pathways such as AB1705 implementation with another successful convening in January. We now look to the follow-up session April 19 as faculty from both systems undertake an unprecedented partnership that will provide leadership for this important endeavor and deliver a meaningful experience in the classroom for our students. We call it “the Central Valley Way.”
Also illustrating this professional collaboration amongst faculty members is our “What the CV-HEC is Happening” guest blog by Owynn Lancaster of College Bridge. Student recruitment is underway and Owynn updates our joint Math Bridge Program and how the work of colleague Dr. Nicole Korgie and her team impacts targeted high school students in the region helping them embark on a journey to successfully complete college level math through dual enrollment courses. We are encouraged by the success rates of those students and their performance once they get to our local community college.
We are also delighted to share that Fresno State has joined California State University, Bakersfield, Stanislaus State and the University of California, Merced in working with our regional community colleges in the Central Valley Transfer Project which is unique in California. This innovative approach is the only one in the state that includes a University of California campus collaborating with California State University and community college partners — all members of the consortium — in establishing transfer pathways for Central Valley students to get them into and through college in a timely manner.
And last but far from least, congratulations to Dr. Kristen Clark, our CVHEC Board of Directors chair, who recently announced her retirement as chancellor of the West Hills Community College District effective June 30 which means she will be stepping down from our board as well. Please see my statement about Chancellor Clark, who is truly a champion of higher education for all.
Please enjoy this edition and look for some of the new initiatives fueling up on our launchpad in the months to come, such as Online Educational Resources/Zero Textbook Costs that assists our students with the high cost of getting educated in today’s environment.
As always, thanks for joining us.