CVHEC DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (May 2023): Extraordinary times!
Winding down an extraordinary
academic year in the Central Valley
Greetings colleagues,
As we welcome you to the May issue of our newsletter, we take this opportunity to thank, congratulate and salute all the CVHEC educators who have dedicated themselves to sending off another group of Central Valley students into the next phase of their academic and or professional lives. This annual commencement season is truly a magical time of the year and reminds us all why we chose careers in higher education.
In this issue we present more about Math Bridge, the math pathways initiative launched May 18 by bringing together representatives of six regional community colleges and their partner feeder high schools. At this kickoff held in downtown Fresno, these dedicated and determined professionals began the process to jointly create college level dual enrollment math courses targeted at underrepresented student populations that will allow them to complete a college math course before graduating from high school. This innovative project is unique because of the intersegmental collaboration between high school and community college math faculty members working together to ensure their students’ success.
You will also have an opportunity to visit the CVHEC board meeting held May 11 in Fresno. Board members heard a joint presentation by Dr. James Zimmerman, senior associate vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Education at UC Merced, and Dr. Lynn Cevallos, president and founder of College Bridge. They addressed the evolution and overlap of two CVHEC endeavors, the Central Valley Transfer Project and the Math Bridge initiative, that helps clear pathways for students getting into and through community college and onto the university of their choice.
We also bid farewell to two dear colleagues although one will remain well in sight, Dr. Sonya Christian who served on our board as chancellor of the Kern Community College District but now moves up to chancellor of the California Community College system. And joining us one last time at the meeting was the esteemed Dr. Ellen Junn, Stanislaus State president whose retirement is effective next month. We know you join the board in thanking them for their service to higher education in general and the consortium in particular. And you may read about our newest board additions in the story and photo gallery about the board meeting.
Please enjoy this issue as well as the conclusion of this extraordinary semester.
