Last week was another eventful week here at SBVC. By the end of October, we will have completed 39 of our 100 events celebrating 100 years at Valley College! 

 

The Poncho Sanchez concert on Sunday was a truly special event. It was powerful to see one of our students, Caleel Grimes, and one of our faculty members, Giancarlo Anderson, perform with Poncho Sanchez and the Poncho Sanchez Band. Equally powerful, I really appreciated the community on campus with a crowd of approximately 700 people.

We are proud to provide cultural events for our community and we seek opportunities for the community to join us on campus. I will be working with the affinity groups to explore Valley College providing community events throughout the year that celebrate the diversity of the communities served by the College.

 

This evening, I attended the San Bernardino State of the City. Let’s have an incredible week!

 

1. CASH FOR COLLEGE WORKSHOP - OCTOBER 11 

On Saturday, we were pleased to host a Cash for College workshop to promote financial aid to our local high schoolers. Thank you to Rosie Esparza, Interim Director of Financial Aid, for spearheading this effort and helping future Wolverines plan for their college journeys!

2. NATIONAL VOTER EDUCATION WEEK 

Last week was National Voter Education Week, and the SBVC Votes task force organized four great events designed to help people register to vote, learn more about the process, and prepare for upcoming elections. Thank you to Marie Maghuyop, Maria Notarangelo, Lisa Henkle, Connie Leyva, Justin Verduzco, Vanessa Wiarco, and Alexis Buzenes-Argo for all their hard work! Learn more: valleycollege.edu/sbvcvotes.

3.  REIMAGINING SBVC TOWN HALLS THIS WEEK

It has been a pleasure to meet with you during this week's Town Hall sessions as we reimagine San Bernardino Valley College. This college-wide reorganization requires all of our input.  We have already received some excellent comments and questions, such as the details of Library faculty supervision, the compliance requirements for Honors Programs, more information about the Valley Up Initiative, more information about funding sources for new positions, the proposed location of Economics, and how the classified reclassification study will impact the reorganization.  I want to especially remind the College that this collegewide reorganization is not about shuffling seats—the College will collectively redefine our work with intentionality to improve student success and student equity.  We will prioritize student outcomes, accountability, and return on investment for a number of areas at Valley College.  Sessions are scheduled this week and next week – more information is available here. Thank you for sharing your voice as we Valley Up the college for the next century! 

4.  THANKS TO EDISON FOR $50,000 FOR THE HYBRID/EV TECH PROGRAM

Edison International has awarded the San Bernardino Valley College Foundation a $50,000 grant for the Clean Energy Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (EV) Technician Program. Thanks to our awesome partners at Edison for supporting students in this vital program!  Thank you to the SBVC Foundation for leading this effort.

5. SBCCD OLYMPICS FRIDAY! 

Let’s go for the gold! SBVC brought home the silver at the last SBCCD Olympics, and now it’s our turn to host. Join us Friday, October 17 for the next round at SBVC. 

 

✔ RSVP to receive a limited-edition Valley Up! shirt and help turn the event into a Blue Out.
✔ Fuel your spirit with tacos, churros, and ice cream.
✔ Stay afterward to cheer on men’s soccer at 4 p.m. and women’s volleyball at 5 p.m.

RSVP here: Event Form »

 

This year, SBVC will host a Dodgeball Tournament + Shootout, Relay Race, and Tug of War.

 

Representing the Wolverines will be Oscar Rodriguez, Edgar Ortiz, Botra Moeung, Keenan Giles, Yvonne Gutierrez-Sandoval, Gabriel Martinez, Amber Martin, Marie Maghuyop, Keynasia Buffong, April Dale, Jeff Demsky, and Nick Mendoza. Also serving as alternates will be Antonio Monroy, Maritza Portillo, and Lacee Domon.

 

6. GREAT CALIFORNIA SHAKEOUT – OCTOBER 16 

SBVC will be participating in the Great California Shakeout on Thursday, October 16, at 10:16 a.m. We will have a 15-minute drill triggered by our mass notification system, which will include phone announcements, texts, and voicemail. Thank you to Chief Blake Bonnet, Keith Bacon, Sergio Zazueta, and our building captains for helping to make our campus more prepared. This year, we will assess and include improved, more robust tabletop emergency exercises next year.

7. UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT ACTION WEEK 

This week is Undocumented Student Action Week, and our Dreamers Resource Center is hosting events and sharing resources to support our undocumented, AB540, DACA, and mixed-status students. Thank you to Evelyn Ruiz-Trujillo, DRC Coordinator, and the team for their work advocating for equity and student success. 

8. POLYNESIAN CELEBRATION - FOOTBALL HOME GAME 

Join us for a Polynesian celebration at Saturday’s home football game vs. Santa Monica College! Kickoff is at 12:00 p.m. and will feature student performances and cultural showcases. Special thanks to Barbara Bray, Bethany Tasaka, Ula Matavao, and students Maliana Tahi and Lahaina Teava for bringing this celebration to life. Go Wolverines! 

9. FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

October is Filipino American History Month, and SBVC is proud to celebrate with the theme “Celebrating Generational Joy: Food, Music, Laughter, and Love Across Generations.” Don’t miss the Centennial Barrio Fiesta on October 28 and other events throughout the month. Thank you to Rangel Zarate, Marie Maghuyop, and everyone else who contributed to help SBVC honor this rich heritage.

10. CENTENNIAL MOMENTS – VIDEO RECAPS 

We are continuing to capture and share the lived experience of SBVC’s 100th year through highlight videos, event recaps, and campus stories. Watch the latest Centennial Moments on SBVC's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@sbvalleycollegeyt.

 

11. WHAT DOES ‘VALLEY UP’ MEAN TO YOU?  

Tell us what “Valley Up” means to you! Film a response and we’ll share it at Valley Up! — San Bernardino Valley College. Submit your response here.  

Thank you for making this special time at SBVC possible for your colleagues, alumni and our students. Have a great week!

Valley Up!

Gil