Tag Archive for: media
CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (Summer 2025)
Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director (right), moderated the final panel of the day, “What the CVHEC is Happening in the Central Valley,” at the CVHEC Summit held May 9 in Fresno. Panelists were Dr. James Zimmerman, University of California administrator who served with CVHEC’s Transfer Project team; Dr. Lynn Cevallos, founder and president of College Bridge, the lead partner in the Math Bridge Program with CVHEC and the Rand Corp.; and Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emeritus of West Hills Community College District who is now CVHEC’s Dual Enrollment lead.
A spring of productivity in uncertain times
Focusing on our mission to stimulate a college-going culture in the Central Valley
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
I hope you are all enjoying a well-deserved summer break and that your 4th of July with family and friends last month was a wonderful time. This traditional national holiday is especially important to us all today in these uncertain times.
With the launch of our summer edition of the CVHEC e-newsletter, we reflect on an eventful and impactful spring semester and summer recess as we head into the 2025/26 Academic Year. In this first half of the year, CVHEC colleges and universities engaged in several initiatives and projects that emerged organically in the region from faculty, staff and leaders who are dedicated to student success in all its forms. These productive efforts support our mission to stimulate a college-going culture for the improvement of the lives of our students and their families as well as improving the economic and social well-being of the Central Valley – the very essence of the CVHEC mission.
It is rewarding and heartwarming to see faculty and staff in the CVHEC region from the state’s four segments of higher education — community colleges, California State University campuses, University of California campuses, and our independent partners– all working collaboratively to implement strategies that reach across our ten-county region.
It is especially rewarding to see this power of collaboration through the eyes of an out-of-state partner and observer who joined us at our CVHEC Higher Education Summit in May: Dr. Brandon Protas from our partner organization, Complete College America. In addition to serving on a summit panel regarding the importance of data, Dr. Protas authored this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog where he aptly shares his thoughts on what he has experienced working with CVHEC. I know you will enjoy reading about his national perspective of the unique culture he observes in the CVHEC universe.
Also, in our annual mid-year review, you will see a recap of the great work our intersegmental partners produced in these first six months around such initiatives like a regional transfer project that is a statewide model; and implementation of dual enrollment throughout the valley. This includes collaboration with K-12 partners towards student success in gateway courses like math and English by providing upskilling opportunities for high school teachers to earn master’s degrees in those two subject areas thus qualifying them to teach dual enrollment community college courses at their respective high schools).
We are looking forward to the second part of this year and all that the fall semester promises to bring.
To further strengthen our internal structure and objectives so we can support our consortium member institutions, the CVHEC Board of Directors will meet this summer to strategically plan for the next three years. These valley higher ed leaders will identify and deliberate new initiatives and approaches to serving and continue lifting our student populations as they pursue their academic goals.
The board will also examine how the region can come together to deal with the current national environment that is hostile to higher education and the decades-long mission of universities and colleges in the United States. Stay tuned with our fall newsletters for updates regarding the direction of the consortium for the rest of 2025-26 and beyond.
I truly hope you enjoy this summer edition of the newsletter and find it worthy of your time. We encourage you to forward it to colleagues and urge them to subscribe to become part of the communications network we are building in the Central Valley for higher education professionals and partners locally, statewide and nationally.
Until the next issue, we wish you a productive but restful and enjoyable summer.
CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (June 2025)
CVHEC board meeting and summit: ‘reaffirming
the power of regional unity in advancing student success’
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
Welcome to our June newsletter as we close out another academic year in the Central Valley. We wish all our colleagues a Happy National Higher Education Day on June 6!
This year, especially the last five months under a new Administration in Washington D.C., has been a tumultuous and challenging year in higher education. That is why it was appropriate for the consortium to wrap up the year with our annual The Central Valley Higher Education Summit May 9 under the theme, “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way.”
In keeping with that theme, the CVHEC Board of Directors met the day before the summit and hosted a virtual presentation on the current state of higher education in the nation delivered by Jon Fansmith, senior vice president of Governmental Relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). His presentation and interaction with the presidents and chancellors of our region’s higher education institutions were well received and insightful.
On summit day, May 9, we continued the conversations hearing from our legislative partners: Congressmembers Jim Costa (21st District) and Adam Gray (13th District), both from the U.S House of Representatives; and California State Assemblymember Esmeralda Zamudio Soria (District 27). The three legislators shared their perspectives on the current state of the nation and specific areas and initiatives they were involved in to improve the higher education landscape in the country.
The summit further showcased much of the work valley college and universities undertook this year to improve student access and success in the current environment. Panels for the day, including representatives from the state’s four higher education systems, highlighted the great efforts of faculty and staff in the region to make the Central Valley a great place for higher education as well our students and their experiences in addition.
The event ended with a conversation between summit attendees and California State Attorney General Rob Bonta, who joined us virtually to share his thoughts and comments about California’s role with other states in combatting the challenges coming from the current Administration. He was able and willing to answer some questions from the floor.
The board meeting and summit came at a pivotal time. Our region continues to navigate pressing challenges — from enrollment shifts to financial aid changes — while national policies are quickly evolving in ways that deeply affect our students. As challenges in higher education continue to evolve — particularly for our rural and underserved areas — CVHEC remains a critical force in ensuring that the Central Valley’s colleges and universities not only adapt but thrive.
With continued collaboration and a shared vision, the consortium board meeting and summit reaffirmed the power of regional unity in advancing student success. Bringing our leadership together in one room to engage in this dialogue is essential for shaping a voice for higher education the Central Way as we move forward.
Now, with the completion of another commencement season, we hope you enjoy our blog this month featuring Class of 2025 graduate Ellie Oliva recounting the joys of walking for two degrees in less than one year. This is why we do it all!
We wish all our colleagues a Happy National Higher Education Day on June 6 with our photo galleries (summit and board/reception) … as well as a great and well-deserved summer break. We hope you all have an opportunity to find some time to rest and reflect on another productive year as we prepare to meet new challenges for the advancement of our students. Now, enjoy the warm months ahead!
CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (March 2025)
Spring excitement in the valley’s higher education scene
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
With the spring 2025 semester now in full swing, welcome to our March newsletter. We are excited about all that is going on in the Central Valley region beginning with our annual CVHEC Higher Education Summit set for May 9, 2025.
Registration is now available as we continue preparing for the summit. We welcome and encourage your participation this year.
In this issue, please read about some of the summit topics we will be covering. Among those topics will be the work that the CVHEC Math Task Force has been undertaking to deal with the changing math requirements in higher education throughout the state mandated through Assembly Bill 1705. They will be holding a follow-up convening March 28 that will include a presentation by two valley community college math professors who traveled to Atlanta for a national math conference where they shared the “Central Valley Way” underlying the task force’s work the past two years.
Also, this issue we are excited to feature the recent California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento where I led a delegation of team members and high school educators for a panel we were invited to present, “Using Dual Enrollment as a tool for Math Alignment and Increasing Instructor Capacity in the Central Valley.”
Speaking before a very interested audience of educators from throughout the state on Feb. 24, we discussed how our Master’s Upskilling Program — generously funded by our partners: the Fresno/Madera K16 Collaborative, the Kern K16 Collaborative and the We Wil K16 Collaborative – is providing approximately 225 high school teachers from throughout the Central Valley with the opportunity to earn Master’s degrees in English or mathematics making them eligible to teach dual enrollment courses. In addition to the upskilling program, we were joined by College Bridge and two valley educators to discuss how our Math Bridge program is working collaboratively and creatively with secondary and post-secondary educators to systemically align college and high school math programs, creating a seamless transition for students.
Also, enjoy this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog from our guest contributor, valley native, Dr. Iliana Perez. She is the executive director of Immigrants Rising, an advocacy group based in San Francisco that has been assisting member colleges of the consortium, as well as throughout the state, with information regarding the current status of undocumented students in higher education and resources available to them. Once a dreamer student herself at CVHEC-member Fresno State, Iliana presents a remarkable academic journey that now has her giving back to her community in a significant manner in support of vulnerable students.
We are also happy to welcome Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emeritus of West Hills Community College District, who joins our CVHEC Team as dual enrollment lead, just in time for Dual Enrollment Week March 10-14. Welcome Kristin!
May your spring semester be fruitful and enjoyable and what better way than to join us at our higher education summit May 9?
CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (February 2025)
Dr. Sonya Christian, California Community Colleges chancellor (second from left), and Central Valley Higher Education Consortium executive director Benjamin Duran (third from left) greeted high school student panelists at the Dual Enrollment In the Central Valley Convening 2025 – CVHEC/CVDEEP where she delivered keynote Feb. 3: Jonathan Alfaro and Ailyn Morales of Mendota High School with Principal Travis Kirby; and Isaac Dircio and Andres Medina Zapien of McFarland High (McFarland Unified School District) with Jill Jimenez and Jordynn Jimenez of McFarland High School Dual Enrollment.
CVHEC: power of collaboration – the ‘Central Valley Way’
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
This February edition of our Central Valley Higher Education Consortium newsletter continues sharing with you the great work that the boots-on-the-ground folks at our member institutions are doing to serve our students.
You will read about two convenings, the recent Central Valley Dual Enrollment Convening with 140 attendees and the Central Valley Math Task Force Convening scheduled for March 28. These two high-powered collaborations showcase the work our colleges and universities are doing in both the expansion of dual enrollment providing opportunities for high school students to take college courses while in high school, and addressing the challenging college level math courses that are essential for them to be successful in college.
Also, please make sure you read about our unique-to-California Central Valley Transfer Project. The project has provided academic transfer pathways for Central Valley community students from our regional community colleges to the three California State Universities in the valley and UC Merced. The outcomes from these efforts have been impressive in terms of dramatically improving transfer rates while closing the gaps between the general student population and valley students of color. The project was designated a California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Demonstration Project in 2023, by Chancellor Sonya Christian. We are proud to report to her that it is now ready to be disseminated to the rest of the state as a model that is ready to be replicated.
This month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” blog is an entry by a local attorney, Ashley Emerzian, about the legal aspects around hazing on higher education campuses. Please enjoy her entry and we hope you learn more about the topic as you peruse the article. Ashley has graciously offered to submit articles highlighting higher education legal issues relevant to our region for future CVHEC newsletters as well.
This CVHEC Board of Directors also has a busy schedule this spring as its members – the chancellors, presidents and campus directors of our 28 member institutions of higher education in the valley — prepare for the spring quarterly board meeting and a strategic planning retreat.
Additionally, as they move forward under the leadership of CVHEC Board Chair, UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, we look forward to the annual CVHEC Higher Education Summit scheduled for May 9. Please mark your calendars and stay tuned for further details. We look forward to having you join us to continue collaborating “the Central Valley Way!”
Please enjoy our newsletter and feel free to share it with your colleagues and friends and encourage them to subscribe.
MATH BRIDGE UPDATE: providing tools for postsecondary journeys
Nathan Savig teaching a Math Bridge prep course to students at Mariposa High School in the fall 2024 semester. These students are part of the 332 program enrollees who will take their first Math Bridge college class this spring at their respective high schools.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Since the Central Valley Math Bridge program was funded in late 2022 in partnership with the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the Rand Corporation and several community college members of the consortium with funding from the California K-16 Collaborative (Central – Fresno, Madera, Kings Counties; and We Will! – North Valley), its small but energetic College Bridge team has made headway into 18 high schools in the consortium’s 10-county region. The first Math Bridge cohort at 13 of those schools began in the fall with a prep course and now the 332 high school students enrolled in the program at those schools will be taking their first college course this spring (see list below). The other five schools will start in fall 2025. This update submitted by Audra Burwell, College Bridge communication coordinator, presents the program’s 2024 progress as it moves into 2025 with its first cohorts.
‘… facilitating meaningful discussions about
how math applies to the real world …’
As we step into spring 2025, College Bridge is making significant strides in expanding its Math Bridge project to reach more high school students across the Central Valley.
This innovative initiative aims to ease the transition from high school to college-level mathematics by offering a rigorous college-level math curriculum alongside the support of high school and college instructors. This collaboration is laying the foundation for academic success and providing students with the tools they need to succeed in their postsecondary journeys.
Across classrooms, high school math instructors are teaming up with college faculty who bring their credentials and college-level expertise to the learning environment. Together, they combine their knowledge and experience, brainstorming examples, solving problems, and facilitating meaningful discussions about how math applies to the real world.
In many classrooms, high school instructors are also dual-certified, holding credentials that allow them to teach at the college level. This professional development is often made possible through the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium’s (CVHEC) Master’s Upskilling Program, which equips educators with the tools and expertise to teach college-level material to high school students.
In 2024, thanks to the dedication of educators, counselors, and administrators, Math Bridge expanded its reach to serve 13 high schools across the Central Valley (see list below). But College Bridge isn’t stopping there—2025 marks a year of even greater growth. Five new schools will join the Math Bridge initiative, helping to expand the program’s impact across the region. Le Grand High School, El Capitan High School, Merced High School, Dos Palos High School, and Gustine High School will be the newest members of the Math Bridge network. These new partners will help ensure that even more students have access to the support they need to succeed in math, breaking down barriers to higher education.
This expansion is made possible thanks to the WE Will! K-16 Educational Collaborative grant, which helps provide additional resources for high school students preparing to enter college. The partnership between K-12 and higher education institutions is creating a more seamless transition for students into postsecondary education, and the inclusion of these new schools is expected to further enhance the success of the program.
Beyond Math Bridge, College Bridge remains committed to supporting students’ overall educational pathways. One of the key components of this broader support is the concurrently with the Math Bridge program.
CT Bridge is designed to provide students with the tools and information they need to succeed in their transition to college such as filling out applications; making their fall college schedule; accessing their college portal; understanding FAFSA and financial aid options; gaining career advice; and how to access college support services—all in just 10 hours of course material per year. By offering students insights into both academic and career pathways, CT Bridge is helping them prepare for success not just in their math courses, but in their future college and career endeavors.
As College Bridge continues to evolve and expand, the organization remains focused on ensuring that students have access to the resources and guidance they need to thrive. In the coming months, College Bridge will be hosting several Student Info Sessions to encourage high school students to apply for the Math Bridge program for the 2025/2026 school year. These sessions will provide students with a chance to learn more about the opportunities offered by Math Bridge and CT Bridge, as well as how they can benefit from these programs.
Additionally, College Bridge will continue hosting Planning and Strategy Sessions for Central Valley educators and counselors
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to move forward with these vital initiatives!
Math Bridge Cohorts 2024-2025
(Breakdown of 332 students currently enrolled in the Central Valley Math Bridge Program at 13 high schools,
listed by community college partners that are CVHEC members):
DELTA COLLEGE
Stagg: 24
Weber: 26
MERCED COLLEGE
Buhach Colony: 18
Atwater: 26
Golden Valley: 36
Livingston: 33
Mariposa: 34
REEDLEY COLLEGE
Dinuba (2 sections): 34
Orosi: 23
Sanger: 30
Sanger West: 11
TAFT COLLEGE
Taft: 12
Riverdale: 25
(Five additional high schools will onboard in the fall semester: Le Grand, El Capitan, Merced, Dos Palos and Gustine).
CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (January 2025)
2025: ‘higher education is at a crossroads’
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
It is a delight to welcome you to 2025 on behalf of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium member colleges and universities as well as the CVHEC staff that has the privilege of working with our members on the impactful work they undertake in our Central Valley region – work that strives to improve the well-being of our students, their families and the communities we live in.
Before we proceed, let me join you all in wishing our colleagues and students from our sister colleges and universities in Southern California safety, security and well-being as they deal with the horrific and unimaginable fires raging. It is heartening to see those higher education campuses in the region serving as sites joining in efforts to assist the victims. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
In our last edition, we shared with you the successes and highlights of the previous year. In this, our first newsletter of the year, we are happy to share some of the events and initiatives planned in the coming months.
First, you will note that Dr. Sonya Christian, chancellor of the California Community Colleges and Central Valley native, will join us Feb. 3 as the keynote speaker for our convening “Dual Enrollment — the Central Valley Way.” At this event, with educators and policymakers in our 10-county region, we will showcase the successes achieved throughout the Central Valley in the delivery of dual enrollment courses to regional high schools by our community colleges and examine what is ahead so that we work in unison, as one voice, as much as possible.
Also in this edition, you will read about the first cohort of Math Bridge high school students that began in the fall with a prep course and will now be taking their first college course this spring through the innovative approach rolled out in 2023 by College Bridge in partnership with CVHEC, community college consortium members and Rand Corporation.
As the spring progresses, CVHEC will hold similar convenings around other student success initiatives that are being implemented as well as to begin discussing strategic planning for the consortium. Details will be forthcoming on those events and plans but chief among them is the annual CVHEC Summit scheduled for May 9.
The summit is where the heads of the valley’s higher education institutions – the CVHEC Board of Directors – come together for a full day of showcases and discussions regarding education issues pertinent to our region. We will be joined by our colleagues, partners and friends. We look forward to hearing from our annual panel of legislative leaders from the Valley and, just as important if not moreso, them hearing from us. Watch for more details in our February issue.
In this issue, we are pleased to announce that this year the CVHEC Board of Directors will be chaired by Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of UC, Merced. Presently, two board meetings are in the works for this spring.
In closing, we also kick off 2025 with a special edition of our “What the CV-HEC Is happening” Blog: a reprint of the speech delivered by Dr. Jaime Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation, at the Complete College America Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana last November: “Progress in a time of disruption: the urgency of reimagining higher ed.”
CVHEC sent a delegation to the three-day conference where we were fortunate to hear President Merisotis issue both an alarm and a call to positive action. He warned that higher education is at a crossroads due to changes ranging from COVID, climate change effects, worldwide unrest, political polarization here in the US and a declining confidence in higher education due to distorted information.
But he calls upon our higher education community nationwide to heed a unique “opportunity to use this moment of extreme stress to pursue genuine, urgently-needed systemic change.
“Bluntly stated, this means calling BS on the outrageous distortions about higher education while also pursuing urgently-needed changes,” Dr. Merisotis told us. “These things are both possible, and not in contradiction.”
I hope you enjoy the blog and that this national education leader’s words generate some dialogue between you and your colleagues. We encourage you to share those conversations, as we will, on our various CVHEC social media platforms.
Once again, welcome to the new year and we look forward to maintaining and strengthening ongoing relationships with you as the year unfolds.
CVHEC DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (December 2024): Happy Holidays!
Best wishes for 2025 from the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium team: (FRONT) Dr. Liz Rozell,
Priscilla Arellano and Elaine Cash. (BACK) Tom Uribes, Tom Burke, Stan Carrizosa,
Dr. Benjamín Durán, Dr. John Spevak, Dr. Vikash Lakhani and Ángel Ramírez.
Revisiting an eventful year and strategies
for student success the Central Valley Way
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
Welcome to the end of the fall 2024 semester and the beginning of the well-deserved winter break!
I hope you enjoy the final edition of this year’s CVHEC e-newsletter. You will have the opportunity to join us in revisiting the highlights of this eventful year and the strategies our colleges and universities have engaged to improve the pathways to retention and timely completion for our Central Valley students. On that note, a hearty congratulations to those who completed their academic journey this month. And congrats as well to the faculty, staff and administrators who provided the academic guidance to support your success. All the best to you Class of Winter 2024 graduates!
Among the many successes of this past year is the historic mission to address implementation of Assembly Bill 1705 with our Math Task Force convening community college math education professionals from throughout our 10-county region to communicate and collaborate for strategies that benefit valley college students. We have also seen great advancement of our Transfer Project which completes its first year as a California Community Colleges Demonstration Project.
These CVHEC initiatives have established what we call “the Central Valley Way,” a movement that his gained recognition in higher education circles beyond our region. We have had the opportunity to share this great work with audiences at the state and national levels at such convenings as the Complete College America Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana along with California convenings like the Community College League of California and the California Economic Summit.
It has been an honor and a delight to shine the light on the region and our member institutions and we especially commend our Math Task Force members and Transfer Project team for their diligence this past year.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our funding partners who make it possible for us to do our work. Thanks to the College Futures Foundation, Fresno-Madera K-16 Collaborative, the Kern Regional K-16 Education Collaborative, the We Will! K-16 Educational Collaborative, College Bridge, and the CVHEC membership. These colleagues have been instrumental in transforming the region socially, economically and educationally.
As you enjoy our final newsletter of the year, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a wonderful New Year!!
