Greetings, San Bernardino Valley College! 

It is an exciting time at San Bernardino Valley College.  Last Tuesday,  we hosted Coffee with the President’s Executive Cabinet in the Applied Technology Building.  We presented updates on enrollment, the centennial, Den2Den Housing Program, the Valley Up Initiative, 2025-30, re-organization, and the upcoming SBCCD Olympics.  I am inspired by the engagement and turnout at Coffee with the Cabinet (including a handful of students).  We fielded questions about hydration stations, student access to chrome books, addiction related support services, and interest in a Homecoming event for students.

Here are some highlights to share this week:

1. HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION WEEK, SEPTEMBER 8-14, 2025

This week, we proudly celebrate HSI Week! We join hundreds of colleges and universities across the country embracing our identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution.  SBVC is honored to champion and embrace our identity as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.  Our student body reflects the demographic backgrounds of the communities served by San Bernardino Valley College.

This fall, SBVC is home to more than 15,750 students:

  • 73% Hispanic (Latinx)
  • 10% Black/African American
  • 9% White
  • 5% Asian, Filipino, Native American, and Pacific Islander
  • 3% two or more races

 

Learn more at valleycollege.edu/hsi. Don’t miss fruta fresca and agua de fruta at the LCCC on September 10–11 from 9am–noon!  Watch our congratulatory videos:

2. CELEBRATING 100 YEARS WITH 100 EVENTS.  CENTENNIAL MOMENTS - VIDEO RECAPS

San Bernardino Valley College continues our year-long celebration of celebrating 100 years with 100 events.  We have celebrated 5 events already, including the Centennial Opening Ceremony on Opening Day, the Den2Den Housing Partnership, Women’s Volleyball fan zone, the alumni tailgate at the football season opener featuring the 1982 championship team and alumni cheerleaders, and the football fan zone.

In addition to the 100 events, our marketing team has been capturing the lived centennial experience on campus and will be sharing highlight videos throughout the year:

  • Week 2 Recap: [Watch here] – The first week of fall classes, prep for the epic Aeronautics flyover, and our unforgettable Alumni Classic Football Game.
  • Week 3 Recap: [Watch here] – Highlights from Coffee with the PEC, Pizza with the Presidents, Men’s Soccer, and other exciting moments on campus.

3. SBVC SELECTED FOR STATEWIDE STUDENT RESEARCH INTERNSHIP PILOT

Congratulations to Acting Dean Gabriel Martinez, Associate Professor Dr. Danielle Graham, and the entire team contributing to this opportunity! SBVC has been selected to participate in the RP Group’s 2025–26 Student Research Internship Pilot Program, creating structured, hands-on research pathways for students. This milestone builds on years of faculty–student collaboration in applied research and positions SBVC as a leader in developing student researchers.  Valley Up!

4. DIGITAL BRIDGE PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS 238 FOSTER YOUTH

Last month, SBVC’s NextUp team partnered with San Bernardino County Children and Family Services to host the Digital Bridge initiative, connecting 238 foster youth with meaningful resources.  SBVC’s NextUp Program partnered with San Bernardino County Children and Family Services to host their Digital Bridge Event on our campus, where foster youth participating in the Independent Living Program (ILP) ages 16 and 17 received laptops and other technology to support their educational needs. Over the course of five sessions held on three Saturdays in August, NextUp also provided a presentation, designed to inspire and empower youth to see higher education as an attainable and valuable opportunity. This meaningful collaboration not only equipped youth with essential tools but also highlighted the positive impact of working together with community partners to invest in their futures.  Thank you, Cynthia Bernal, Rocio Martinez, and Joanne Hinojosa for leading with love.

5. PUENTE DAY RECRUITMENT SUCCESS

Thank you to everyone who supported Puente Day! Coordinators Alma Lopez and Elizabeth Banuelos report a full roster of students, with even more eager to join. The day was filled with energy, belonging, and excitement for the journey ahead.  I want to thank the Executive Team for visiting the Puente Classroom and supporting our Puentistas along their journey.

6. CENTENNIAL FOOTBALL + MARIACHI PERFORMANCE

This Saturday, September 13 at 1:00 PM, our Wolverines take on Compton in the SBVC Stadium! Enjoy a special halftime performance by the mariachi group featured at Opening Day, Mariachi Juvenile Grullense. There will also be a Salute to Service & First Responders and the team will be wearing “Valle” helmets in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. Let’s fill the stands for this unforgettable centennial celebration.

 

7. REVISING SBVC COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

On Friday, the Participatory Governance Task Force met to brainstorm preliminary recommendations for a revised committee structure.  A few important criteria emerged, such as clear criteria on service credit for faculty serving on committees, removing funding from committees, and strengthening the planning/resource allocation process at SBVC.  There was also discussion about the routing process for ideas to move through the college for action.  The task force will present a draft committee structure during the Fall term at College Council, Academic Senate, Student Senate, and Classified Senate.  Thank you, Tatiana Vasquez, and the entire task force for all the hard work and thoughtful attention to our decision-making processes.

Thank you, Wolverines, for the passion and pride you bring to our campus each day. College Council meets this Wednesday with key topics on the agenda, such as reorganization, the Valley Up Initiative, and the committee structure (among others).

As we continue through our Centennial year, let us carry forward the energy of these opening weeks, celebrating our students, supporting one another, and showing our community the very best of SBVC.  The right people in the right place at the right time—we are accomplishing incredible outcomes together!

A blue and white logo

Gil