Greetings, Wolverines!

Last week was full of meaningful moments, heartfelt conversations, and progress at College Council.  My day was full of excitement last Wednesday as we hosted the farewell to the LA Building, a site visit from Umoja statewide, and the Cesar Chavez birthday celebration from our MEChA Student Club. 

Here are this week’s updates:

1. A FOND FAREWELL TO THE LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING
Thank you to everyone who joined us last Wednesday for the Liberal Arts Farewell ceremony. It was a beautiful tribute to a building that has served generations of students, faculty, and staff. As we said goodbye, we also celebrated the memories made and the futures launched within its walls. The virtual reality version of the building and 360° video walkthrough will be available this week at www.valleycollege.edu/55yearsofservice. If you have any additional suggestions to be included in the time capsule, they can be dropped off at my office until the close of the semester.

2. REFLECTING ON A POWERFUL BSI CONVENING
Thank you to all who participated in last Thursday’s Black-Serving Institution (BSI) Convening. It was an inspiring and thought-provoking gathering that allowed us to engage in a real conversation about what it means to be a BSI!  We learned about the importance of centering a Collegewide approach in this work.  We learned about the importance of calling in the community to help advance Valley College as a BSI.  We learned that we have work to do in the classroom and in support services to unite us as a Black Serving Institution.   We learned that we have work to do to define actions we need to take to truly embrace our status as a Black Serving Institution.  We learned that we have a community of people who are willing to step forward to do the work necessary!  A heartfelt thank-you to April Dale, Samantha Homier, and Carmen Rodriguez for grounding our initial conversation in meaningful data. Deep gratitude also goes to our Black Faculty & Staff Association (BFSA) for their leadership, and to every voice that contributed to the discussion.  I also want to thank Interim Vice President of Instruction, Leticia Hector, and all of the Instructional Deans for showing up to the convening!  It is our collective responsibility to champion SBVC as a Black Serving Institution.

3. BLACK WOMAN EVOLVED WORKSHOP
Another big thank you to Veada Benjamin for continuing to lead transformational conversations through the Black Woman Evolved workshops. These spaces uplift, empower, and provide a much-needed platform for exploration, growth, and healing. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this meaningful work.

4. SBVC MANAGEMENT RETREAT
I was honored to spend last Friday with our management team at EDCT, where we focused on leadership development, community building, and the bold question: What would it take for SBVC to be named the top college in Southern California?  Our team took meaningful steps to learn more about each other as people and the criteria of highly successful teams.  We unpacked the cultural shift in the management team as we fully embrace “leading with love.”  Thank you again, to Associate Vice Chancellor Nohemy Ornelas for providing administrative coverage for Valley College.

5. SPOTLIGHTING OUR SUCCESS: TIME TO VOTE!
Thank you to all who submitted nominations for the 2025 Spotlighting Our Success Awards! Now it is time to cast your vote and help select this year’s honorees. Visit valleycollege.edu/spotlighting  to view nominations and submit your vote. Be on the lookout for RSVPs opening this week so you can reserve your seat at the awards ceremony on April 25 in the Applied Technology Building.

6. SBVC + IEHP: BRINGING HEALTHCARE ACCESS TO OUR STUDENTS
This Thursday, April 3, I will have the honor of representing SBVC at the SBCCD-IEHP MOU Signing Ceremony at Crafton Hills College. This new partnership—the Inland Empire Health Plan Equitable Support Demonstration Project—brings together IEHP, the California Community Colleges, and the San Bernardino Community College District to pilot a new statewide model aimed at improving access to health care and food assistance for community college students. The goal is to connect all eligible students with Medi-Cal, Covered California, and CalFresh—ensuring that basic needs like health care and food are no longer barriers to academic success. The pilot will begin right here in our district, leveraging existing programs and integrating health enrollment services directly into the student experience. This is an exciting, equity-focused initiative, and I am proud that SBVC and Crafton are helping lead the way for other colleges across the state. Learn more about the partnership here: IEHP Partnership Announcement.

7. PRESIDENT’S EXECUTIVE CABINET RECEIVED PARKING STUDY PRESENTATION
Today, the President’s Executive Cabinet received a presentation from the DSO and consultants that included a number of short-term recommendations to increase the parking capacity at SBVC.  The team will analyze options over the next few weeks before sharing the plans to increase parking.

I want to thank our MEChA student club for an outstanding celebration of Cesar Chavez last week.  I was inspired to see so many faculty and their families support this meaningful event.  Today, we interviewed finalists for the Librarian position as we continue our work to reach full staffing by the end of this calendar year.  Vice President of Administrative Services Keith Bacon met with the City Engineer to explore the feasibility of a lighted pedestrian crosswalk on Esperanza Street connecting Middle College to the SBVC campus.  This upcoming Saturday, I will spend the day at UC Riverside supporting our students and faculty at the 25th Annual Building Bridges Conference hosted by the Honors Transfer Council of California.

Let’s keep the momentum going and finish the semester strong.

Valley Up!

Gil