Campaign for College Opportunity has named Moreno Valley College as a 2022 Champion for Excelling in Equitable Course Placement in Campus-wide English Enrollment, Latinx English Enrollment, and Black English Enrollment. With new placement measures implemented, Moreno Valley College has increased first-time college going students attempting transfer-level English from 41.5 percent in 2016 to 60.9 percent in 2020. 




Through coordinated efforts, Moreno Valley College also increased successful completion for transfer-level English coursework. The English faculty (both full-time and part-time) take part in a Community of Practice that provides ongoing professional development centered on Racial Equity and Social Justice, where policies, procedures, and teaching practices are examined and changed to close equity gaps.

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Education leaders gathered in Riverside on April 13 to encourage students to apply for the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program – a new opportunity for California college students to serve their communities in critical issue areas such as climate action, education, and food insecurity. 
 
This groundbreaking program intends to unite young Californians of all backgrounds in service, and specifically creates opportunities for AB 540 eligible Dreamers to serve their communities.
 
“Moreno Valley College has a long history of service learning, and we are prepared to join Governor Newsom and our colleagues in higher education to support our students as they become the public service-oriented, problem-solving leaders of tomorrow through active engagement in their own communities today,” Robin Steinback, Ph.D., president of Moreno Valley College, said.    
 
Students, who complete 450 hours of service with College Corps, can receive $10,000 ($7,000 stipend, provided in monthly installments, and a $3,000 education award) for completing a year of service, plus gain academic credit, work experience, training and networking opportunities. 
 
The application period opened April 1. The three colleges — Moreno Valley, Norco and Riverside City — will participate in the pilot program. Moreno Valley and Norco colleges will have 10 college fellows. Riverside City College will have 30.  
 
“The colleges of the Riverside Community College District are thankful for the opportunity to participate,” Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D., chancellor, said. “This program provides both the means and the opportunities for college students to deepen their knowledge of the needs of our local communities and strengthen their commitment to work with partner organizations to provide relevant service to our communities.” 
 

Each year, faculty are eligible to apply for the Rank of Professor. At the last Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees meeting, four Moreno Valley College instructors were honored with the title of Rank of Professor. 
 
The four who received the Rank of Professor were: Sean Drake (Mathematics), Frankie Moore (Coordinator, Student Activities), James Namekata (Mathematics), and Valarie Zapata (English).
 
“It is truly an honor to join the rank of elite professors at Moreno Valley College. A professor understands that not all students are equal; however, they motivate, inspire and push students to their full potential in their class.” — James Namekata
 
“I am honored to join the rank of full professors in RCCD.” — Sean Drake
 
“I have spent my entire adult life in the field of higher education working with students to empower them to be productive citizens and servant leaders with a commitment of service and leadership. I am extremely honored and humbly appreciative of recognition as a professor by my colleagues in the Riverside Community College District and specifically Moreno Valley College.”  — Frankie Moore

In all, 20 District faculty members were honored by the Board with Rank of Professor.  
 
Eight Moreno Valley College instructors received tenure and the title of associate professor: Fernando Nahon Valero (Spanish), Kasey Nguyen (CIS), Emma Pacheco (English), Carrie Patterson (Communication Studies), Cynthia Ramirez (Counseling), Denise Van Holland (Dental Hygiene), Joel Webb (Technology Services & Digital Asset Librarian), and Sara Yerushalmian (Psychology). 
 

Moreno Valley College held its annual Diversity Summit, April 19-22. The sixth annual event brought together classified professionals, students, faculty and administrators. Led by the Committee for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, the College community heard from presenters on diversity of its workforce; how organizations can share power, access and resources with its workforce; social inequality and economic differences between groups; how differences impact individuals’ daily lives and future life options; and learned transformational learning strategies. The College’s iMAKE Innovation Center was featured as a means for experiential learning opportunities. 
 
The week also celebrated National Poetry Month which was launched 25 years ago by the American Academy of Poets to celebrate the literary genre. Francine Cepeda Blacksher, Ant Black and Poetic Moment, and TRIO alumni were featured.
 
Michelle Taylor, known professionally as Feminista Jones, delivered the opening keynote address. Jones has written for The Washington Post, Salon, Time, and Ebony. She authored Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminism is Changing the World from the Tweets to the Streets.
 
Tim Wise, an activist and writer on the topic of race, offered the week’s closing. In 1990, Wise started working as an anti-racism activist after receiving training from the New Orleans-based People's Institute for Survival and Beyond. Today, Wise says that existing institutions continue to foster and perpetuate white privilege, and that subtle, impersonal, and even ostensibly race-neutral policies contribute to racism and racial inequality.
 
Also, CPS HR Consulting, which provides integrated human resources solutions, hosted a debrief to create a space of healing and reflection after a week filled of intense topics. Additionally, the keynote speakers and special guests reviewed the College HOTEP Equity Audit results as a means to continue Moreno Valley College’s progress on best practices, policies and procedures to remove barriers for student success. 
 

In May, Moreno Valley College will mail a 16-page booklet to each household in the Valley highlighting the eight schools, programs, financial aid opportunities, and steps for enrollment in order to combat the drop in enrollment. 
 
A number of College departments have also been active in student recruiting, including Admissions & Records which sent over 56,000 emails and 42,809 text messages in March to former students. Additionally, Outreach connected with adult and high schools, held tabling sessions during lunch hour, and participated in a high school career day and a community career fair. Through these community outreach activities, the Outreach staff connected with 630 participants. 
 
Meanwhile, Student Financial Services identified 460 Pell grant eligible students who received financial aid in the fall term and who were not enrolled in spring. Targeted communication was sent prompting them to enroll in GR8-weeks and assisted with receiving Pell grant funds they had been awarded. In March, Student Financial Services disbursed $1,791,750 in CARES/HEERF emergency funds to 4,778 students who were auto awarded based on previous need-based eligibility criteria. In addition, Student Financial Services disbursed $518,383 in Student Success Completion Grant funding to 474 students who were eligible due to meeting Cal grant eligibility criteria and being enrolled full time for the spring term. 
 
The engagement centers in partnership with counseling have called or texted 226 Latinx/ Hispanic students who were enrolled in the fall, but not enrolled for the spring semester. First-Year Experience/College Promise has been recruiting for the Summer Bridge program. Thus far, 150 students have been contacted and the program has a goal of onboarding 500 students. Middle College High School finalized the recruitment for its 2024 class. Between the two high school districts, 288 sophomores applied to the program. In the end, 105 were selected and will start during the summer term. And lastly, Disability Support Services visited 10 high school special education classrooms at the two unified school districts in order to assist 105 interested college-bound students with the department’s intake process. 
 

Last month’s César E. Chávez Arts Scholarship Competition awarded seven students, four from local high schools, with scholarship monies. In honor of Dolores Huerta, the competition theme recognized the crucial contributions of female activists to the United Farm Workers movement. 
 
¡Con ellas, sí se puede! — "With women, it is possible!"
 
Behind every transformative male leader, there is a community of individuals, often women, who are equally essential to the fight for change but who are frequently underrecognized. Students were invited to create visual and creative works of art that explore and expand on the theme in innovative ways. Submissions might address, but were not limited by, the following:

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At the California Community Colleges Public Relations Organization (CCCPRO) conference, Gio Cardenas, staff photographer for External Relations & Strategic Communications, received a Silver Award for a photo of Moreno Valley College’s Fire Academy’s Family Night demonstration at the Ben Clark Training Center. 
 
Riverside Community College District was also honored with a Bronze Award for its 2020-21 Annual Report, and Public Information Officer Peggy Lomas was presented the Association’s All-Pro Award. Lomas, an eight-year employee of RCCD, has had a distinguished career in media, marketing and public relation fields. She has over 27 years of experience in the public relations field. Alumnae of Riverside City College, Lomas holds a master’s degree and has taught communication courses.
 
CCCPRO is a statewide professional development and service organization that seeks to promote excellence among California's community college communications and public relations professionals. The organization serves as a central resource of information and provides counsel and assistance relating to the advancement of community colleges statewide and the professional growth of its members. 

Moreno Valley College lost a colleague with the passing of Gary Morris, a 23-year District employee, on March 28. Morris, 54, was a maintenance mechanic for Moreno Valley College at the time of his passing. 
 
He began with the District in 1999 as a part-time employee. Previously, he had worked with Barnhart Construction. During his career with Barnhart Construction, he had assisted with concrete installation for the College’s Humanities Building foundation. In 2002, he became a full-time employee and transferred to Moreno Valley College.
 
“On behalf of our entire team,  we are deeply saddened in the loss of a friend and co-worker Gary Morris,” Ron Kirkpatrick, director of Facilities, said. “Gary took much pride in his workmanship.”
 
Morris’ interest included the beach, specifically Laguna Beach and Dana Point, and fishing at Bridge Port and Mt. Lessen. 
 
Morris is survived by his mother, Judy, and brother, Ron. The California School Employees Association, Chapter 535, has established a  memorial fund for the family. Anyone wishing to donate should contact Tony Ruiz by email.
 
Services were held at Pierce Brothers Mortuary on April 21.

Riverside Community College District and community leaders, artists and community activists celebrated the grand reopening of the Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties on Friday, April 8. 
 
Since its original opening, the Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties has told stories of individuals and families who were committed to social justice causes in the region during the 20th century. The College community is encouraged to contact Tracy Fisher, Ph.D., director of the Center, for opportunities to build learning opportunities.
 
“I believe that art and creativity expressed in the exhibits which are presented in this building will inspire changes – in perspective – in the diversity of voices we hear, and ultimately in the way we treat each other,” Wolde-Ab Isaac, Ph.D., chancellor of RCCD, said. “Visitors and learners of the Center for Social Justice and Civil Liberties will learn to value human rights, respect foreign viewpoints, and discover the importance of social justice. 
 
“Celebrating, studying and promoting the uniqueness of different people and populations will lead to more informed discussions and decisions that can benefit everyone. More perspective gives us better solutions.” 
 
Today the Center supports educational activities in partnership with K-12 schools, and colleges and universities. The Center is currently hosting an exhibit entitled, Black Lives Matter: Voices of Protest, Activism, and Art until July 8.
 
Fisher, who joined the District as director of the Center in 2021, is on a mission to bring cultural and historical experiences as they relate to social justice and civil liberties.
 
“I am so pleased that we decided to kick off the grand reopening of this Center with the Black Lives Matter exhibit,” Bill Hedrick, president of the RCCD Board of Trustees, said. “This is a recognition of the importance of this movement in our community, the state, this country, and our world.”
 
For more information about future events, please visit socialjustice.rccd.edu.