San Bernardino Valley College Kicks Off 100th Anniversary with Centennial Celebration
SBVC’s Centennial Opening Day procession featured gonfalons for each college division leading students, faculty, staff, and administrators to the historic auditorium.
San Bernardino Community College District Police observe as the Centennial flag is raised above San Bernardino Valley College, marking the start of the college’s 100th anniversary year.
Students, faculty, and staff take part in the Centennial Opening Day procession, marking the launch of SBVC’s 100th anniversary year.
CONTACT: Paul Bratulin, pbratulin@valleycollege.edu
San Bernardino Valley College launched its 100th anniversary year with a festive Centennial Opening Ceremony and procession during Opening Day.
Gonfalons representing each academic division led the procession, accompanied by a drumline, drill team, and mascot Blue, while student-athletes cheered and each of the college’s 100 years was marked in blue along the Centennial Walkway.
“As we celebrate our centennial, it is worth remembering and sharing with the world that San Bernardino Valley College is the model for the vision and promise of a community college education,” said President Gilbert J. Contreras. “SBVC is the first community college designed and built as a community college. All California community colleges that predate SBVC were converted from other purposes. We are also proud to be the first ‘Valley College’ in California.”
San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez, SBVC's former president, was also on hand to wish the college a “happy 100th birthday,” adding that its employees “all focus on what students need most to be successful, and that’s what’s most important.”
Along with the centennial celebration, SBVC launched its Valley Up! Initiative, a five-year strategic plan, and introduced the Centennial Giving Challenge, a fundraising competition among employees to support student scholarships and programs.
Founded in 1926 as San Bernardino Union Junior College, SBVC first held classes at San Bernardino and Colton High Schools while construction was completed on its original campus. Nearly a century later, SBVC continues to grow with modern facilities such as the Applied Technology Building, sustained enrollment growth, record-breaking graduating classes, and more degrees and certificates available than ever before.
In honor of the centennial, SBVC will host a slate of celebratory community events over the next year. For more information and a calendar of events, visit valleycollege.edu/100.
