In the January edition, we reported how the CVHEC Board of Directors last August identified four areas as the foci of the consortium for the next three years or so: Artificial Intelligence, Regional Data and Research, Workforce Alignment, and Enrollment and Reengaging Stopped-out Students.

Now we are delighted to share that these four streams we are exploring will include regional sub-groups – advisory boards – with representatives from our colleges and universities as well as liaisons from our CVHEC team. 

See how we are keeping former board members (retired chancellors and presidents) Tom Burke, Kristin Clark, Stan Carrizosa and Lori Bennett busy in their retirement doing one of their favorite things: advancing higher ed for students in our 10-county region by serving as our team liaisons for the four priority areas.  

In this edition, we are also spotlighting the annual 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit scheduled for April 24 in Fresno – one of the highlights of the year for the consortium and its members.  

This year, we are planning to include a panel of the leaders of the four segments of higher education in California: The University of California, the California State University system, the California Community College system, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.  We anticipate continuation of the robust and honest discussions begun at last year’s summit regarding the current state of education in the state and the nation.  We are also looking forward to again include a panel of Central Valley legislators who will update us with their insights and thoughts about higher education in the state and the region. 

Much has happened in the past year and if nothing else, we must remain diligent vanguards for higher education.

And we are happy to share with you the impact CVHEC has in national higher ed circles as noted by Complete College America in its January newsletter, in the section “Alliance Member Spotlight: Central Valley Innovation Takes Center Stage.” CCA shines its national light on the consortium by linking to coverage in our January newsletter of our two CVHEC panels at the national convening in November that also touts the great work CVHEC member institutions’ faculty and staff are doing in the region. 

It is a tribute to the great work going on in Central Valley colleges and universities to be acknowledged at the national level especially by Complete College America, a national non-profit organization founded in 2009 that works with states, systems and institutions to significantly increase college completion rates and close attainment gaps for underrepresented students.   

CVHEC was once the Central Valley’s best-kept secret but in the past five years we have made breakthrough progress in telling our story far and wide through our communications campaign, with much more to come!  

In addition to that acknowledgement in the CCA newsletter, CVHEC has also been invited to present at statewide convenings and next we will present at the 2026 California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference on March 17 in San Diego where we will provide a focus on rural students. 

CVHEC’s session, “Random Acts to Roadmaps: Dual Enrollment in Rural Schools,” will highlight best practices and equity-driven strategies that have enabled rural and under-resourced schools and colleges across the Central Valley to build sustainable, high-impact dual enrollment pathways. That session will be led by CVHEC’s dual enrollment co-leads: Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emerita of the West Hills College Community District; and our grants coordinator Elaine Cash who as a retired superintendent of Riverdale School District brings the K-12 perspective to our initiatives. I would advise you to check out this important statewide event but it is SOLD OUT! No problem, watch for our coverage.

And we know you will enjoy this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” blog featuring Dr. Denise Whisenhunt, Fresno City College president, presenting a wonderful success story: her path to the presidency in the inspiring spirit of Black History Month.   

Until our next issue, thank you for your continued support of CVHEC and its member institutions. Hopefully we will see you in person at the CVHEC Summit in April … remember, if you haven’t already, sign up today before we also declare SOLD OUT even though it’s free to attend thanks to our event sponsor College Futures Foundation. And, on that closing note, we welcome you to also join us as a partnering sponsor, the first time we are offering such sponsorship opportunities to advance higher ed in our region!