The 2027 Central Valley Higher Education Summit next year will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Consortium set for April 22 and 23.

CVHEC today announced the dates that includes its 2027 Spring Board of Directors meeting and Summit Welcome Reception on Thursday, April 22 before the day-long summit on Friday, April 23.

“With 25 years of advocating for Central Valley’s higher education community under our belt, we plan to make the 2027 summit a very special event,” said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director. 

“With the board in full gear on its current new strategies, we anticipate very meaningful discussion on how we will continue to both increase our college going rate as well as ensuring the best environment for the success of the 250,000-plus students served by our 28 member institutions.”

The annual CVHEC Summit is presented by the consortium Board of Directors – made up of the chancellors, presidents and campus directors of the 28 higher education institutions – with main funding support from College Futures Foundation. Last year for the first time sponsors were secured to help ensure the growth of the free event. 

Following its board meeting, the chief executives of the valley’s colleges relax at the reception on Thursday night before stepping in full force at the summit Friday with colleagues, partners and community supporters for interaction, discussions and showcasing education issues pertinent to the consortium’s 10-county service region.

The 2026 summit drew between 150-200 higher education officials and educators, legislators and partner representatives.

The consortium was incorporated Aug. 5 2002 after then-Fresno State President John D. Welty began marshaling the valley’s college leaders to unite and work towards common goals beginning in 1999.

In a video documenting the CVHEC story released earlier this spring, he said students in the Central Valley have benefited and that CVHEC is positioned to do even more.

“To current presidents and future presidents, keep it alive. Keep looking at how you can work together because higher education needs to play a major role in the future of Central California,” said Welty who retired in 2013 after 22 years as Fresno State’s seventh president.

Additional details about the summit, including registration info, will be available in the upcoming CVHEC newsletters as well as CVHEC social media platforms and the consortium website.