The Special Education Department (SPED) College and Career Fair was held at San Bernardino Valley College on November 4, 2023 and drew over 75 participants. It was the 3rd Annual SPED College and Career Fair and demonstrated the successful collaboration between the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) and SBVC’s Student Equity Division.

 

This year's event was held at SBVC for the second consecutive year and was “a resounding success,” said division dean Maria Del Carmen Rodriguez. The idea for the event had originally been proposed by a former SBCUSD student who wanted to ensure that students with special abilities were not excluded from support services and opportunities available to them on campus or after graduation. SBCUSD reached out to various vendors to showcase their programs and services, and parents and students were able to attend a range of educational workshops with SBVC's student support services, including Student Accessibility Services (SAS), the High Tech Center, Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOP&S), and the CSUSB SAIL program, as well as community workshops that highlighted the opportunities available to students after graduation.

 

The event's highlight was the student panel, in which successful SBVC alumni spoke about the services they had taken advantage of while attending SBVC that enabled them to transfer and continue their education at universities, such as the California State University of San Bernardino. The speakers emphasized the importance of seeking assistance and taking advantage of the available opportunities for students at SBVC.

Over 75 participants attended the annual SPED College & Career Fair held at SBVC on November 4.