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Volume 2, Issue 32: May 2022
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For college administrators, faculty and classified professionals across the state, June marks the end of academic year and an opportunity to celebrate the academic achievements of our students. Moreno Valley College will be celebrating, not just our 2022 graduates, but graduates from the past two years who missed the opportunity to walk due to the pandemic.
The College will celebrate commencement on Friday, June 10, beginning at 5:30 pm. There is a lot to celebrate. First, the Riverside Community College District leadership announced the suspension of the vaccination requirement on commencement day. Secondly, the sixth consecutive year, Moreno Valley College’s graduating class surpassed the 1,000 mark with 1,648 students scheduled to receive either a degree or certificate. Of the 1,648 graduates, 1,167 students will earn associate degrees. The 1,167 students amassed 2,309 degrees. Many graduates can earn multiple degrees due to classes satisfying requirements in different degree paths. The remaining 481 graduates, making up the 2022 graduating class, earned 690 state approved certificates.
Moreno Valley College had 312 students earn Distinction (GPA of 3.3 or higher) and 189 earn Great Distinction (GPA of 3.7 or higher). And, for the third consecutive year, Middle College saw 100 percent of the program’s high school seniors graduate with at least one associate degree.
This year’s commencement will also mark a first as the student commencement speaker is an 18-year-old Middle College student. Graduates will also hear from RCCD Board of Trustee member Tracey Vackar. After eight years as a RCCD trustee and 22 years as a board member of the Moreno Valley Unified School District, Trustee Vackar will retire from public service.
Last month, the College celebrated its transferring students. I’m excited to share that a Middle College student, after earning three associate degrees from Moreno Valley College, secured a four-year scholarship to California Institute for Technology to study physics and computer science. You can read about him as well as the Middle College commencement speaker in this month’s newsletter.
The College was also able to celebrate its staff with its annual Employee Service Award ceremony and Classified Week. After celebrating virtually, the last couple of years it was nice to gather face to face. Our faculty and classified professionals are key components in the overall success of our students and the College.
Take good care,
Robin Steinback, Ph.D.
President
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RCCD Colleges to Celebrate Graduations In Person
The Riverside Community College District has suspended the vaccination requirement and testing requirement for June 10 commencement ceremonies at its three colleges. The decision aligns with the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) guidelines. The CDPH does not require proof of vaccination, nor a negative COVID test, for outdoor events with less than 10,000 in attendance.
Moreno Valley College will hold its commencement on Friday, June 10 at 5:30 pm.
“We understand how special and important college graduation is to our students,” Wolde-Ab Isaac, chancellor of RCCD, said. “The mandating of proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test would have adversely impacted some families looking to celebrate their student’s accomplishment.”
The decision aligns the District with other higher education institutions in the area. Although a negative test is not necessary, testing will be made available on commencement day and is available Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 5:30 pm at each college. Testing will be solely voluntary, said Isaac. This decision was led by the Safe Return Task Force in consultation with the District’s constituency groups.
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Moreno Valley College Middle College Student Selected as Commencement Speaker
Moreno Valley College Middle College student, Gianine Ariane Nocum Umali, has been selected as Moreno Valley College’s 2022 commencement speaker. Soon to be a graduate of Orange Vista High School, Umali, 18, also earned the right to serve as her high school’s valedictorian. After earning her high school diploma, Umali will receive six associate degrees from MVC.
“When I was younger, I always wanted to speak at my graduation,” she said. “I wanted to be able to go on stage and thank a lot of people and be able to share a special message with my fellow graduates.”
After hearing about the opportunity to speak at MVC’s graduation, Umali said it provided an opportunity to fulfill her dream.
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Riverside County Workforce Development Funding Fire, EMT Cadets
Riverside County Workforce Development has created a program to fund Public Safety students.
Currently, Moreno Valley College is educating 37 fire cadets and 15 EMT cadets that are fully funded by Riverside County Workforce Development at a cost of $125,000.
“As the region continues to emerge from the COVID pandemic, public safety agencies have found themselves behind in hiring new personnel due to retirements, promotions and retention,” Phil Rawlings, dean of Instruction for the School of Public Safety, said.
CALFIRE/Riverside County Fire Department reports there are currently 70 firefighter paramedic vacancies and additional local agencies are reporting a hiring need in the classification. In fact, CALFIRE announced the need to hire 1,800 firefighters throughout the state in the next few years to meet a growing demand and to help offset retirements.
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Middle College Student Earns Four-Year Scholarship to California Institute of Technology
Jude McLean, who will be graduating from the Moreno Valley College Middle College program in June, has been awarded a four-year scholarship to California Institute of Technology (Caltech) through the QuestBridge Scholars Network.
From MVC, McLean, 18, will receive three associate degrees — Math & Science, Social & Behavioral Studies, and another in Humanities. He plans on walking in the College’s June 10 commencement ceremony.
“I applied to the Middle College program because it offered higher-level math and physics courses than were available at my high school,” he said. “The program was everything I could have hoped for and more. I was no longer relegated to yearlong courses with no tangible benefits. I could pick and choose exactly what I wanted from an expansive course list geared towards my major.
“College-level physics, calculus, chemistry, and the like were now within reach, so I grabbed hold of them. In high school, there was no linear algebra, no calculus-based physics, and little chance to truly elevate my education. Middle College gave me that.
McLean, who will also graduate from Rancho Verde High School in May, will be studying physics and computer science at Caltech
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College Celebrates Employees
Moreno Valley College celebrated employees who have contributed 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 years of service to the College. The in-person ceremony was the first in three years. Below is a list of employees who were honored at the Employee Service Award ceremony, which was held during Classified Appreciation Week. Faculty who were recently bestowed the Rank of Professor were also celebrated.
“After the last few years, it was comforting to come together to celebrate our employees,” Robin Steinback, Ph.D., president of Moreno Valley College, said. “The ceremony lends itself to the kickoff of end-of-year festivities that take place as the academic year comes to a close.”
The Classified Appreciation Week celebrated classified professionals “who support the goals of our campus through the use of their many talents and expertise. This is our heartfelt way to say thank you and ‘I see you’ for all you do,’” Steinback added.
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One Book, One College Announced 2022-23 Selection
Moreno Valley College’s One Book, One College team announced its 2022-23 selection: All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis. Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, this anthology collects the works of women who have contributed to climate change advocacy.
The program will include three campus events in the fall, culminating in a final event — Student Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony — in the spring. The event will celebrate the winners of the One Book’s Call for Projects, which will include awards of $250. The 2022-23 One Book, One College program will also include a panel of faculty addressing problems and solutions to climate change issues.
“This year’s One Book selection is especially timely given the recent release of the RCCD sustainability plan,” Kathryn Stevenson, associate professor of English, said. “Our hope is to have rich, interdisciplinary conversations about climate change in general and a range of subtopics, such as representation, decolonizing climate change advocacy, and local solutions to climate crises.”
The One Book, One College program is open to the community, faculty, classified professionals, administrators and students.
Here are the key dates for the One Book, One College program:
September 29 • 12:30-2 PM, SAS 121 — Book Giveaway: Interested parties are invited to a book giveaway and introduction of the book’s central themes.
October 19, 12:30-2 PM, SAS 121 — Deep Dive: This event will dive into selected works and findings from All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, asking questions such as how to talk about climate change and why we need to decolonize climate change advocacy.
October 27, 12:30-2 PM, Student Services Building, Room 101 — Faculty Panel exploring problems and solutions to local climate issues.
May 5, 12:30-2 PM, SAS 121 — Student Research Symposium: Winners of the Call for Projects will present research related to the One Book selection and receive awards.
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Rivas Joins Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships
Rosalinda Rivas, Apprenticeship director, has joined the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship Information Technology/ Cybersecurity Committee.
The Committee was established in the Shelley-Maloney Apprentice Labor Standards Act with the passage of Senate Bill 235 (2018). The Committee holds open quarterly meetings to provide advice and guidance to the Administrator of Apprenticeships and Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards on apprenticeship programs, standards and agreements that are not within the jurisdiction of the California Apprenticeship Council.
Of the Committee's 12 members, six are appointed by the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development for four-year terms: two represent management, two represent labor, and two represent the public. The remaining six are ex-officio members representing the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, the Executive Director of the California Workforce Development Board, the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations, the Executive Director of the Employment Training Panel, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
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Student Health and Psychological Services Update
Moreno Valley College has partnered with the Riverside University Health Systems Behavioral Health (RUHSBH)/College Campus Collaboration. RUHSBH was awarded the Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services grant from the state of California.
“I am so proud to have worked with Riverside County to successfully secure this grant,” Tracy Bennett, director of Health Services, said. “The goal of the BHJIS Collaborative is to provide timely crisis intervention support to students, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and arrests, and connect students with ongoing support and services. The collaborative is focused on providing care with compassion, facilitating safety and recovery, illuminating resilience, and focusing on prevention to enhance and stabilize students’ behavioral health and wellness to assist in successful educational outcomes.”
Funding will place clinical therapists on specific campuses for behavioral health crisis response. MVC will have a clinical therapist stationed on campus.
“Goals will be accomplished by dedicating a mental health professional (MHP) to the Moreno Valley College campus and providing preventative education to staff, faculty, and students,” she said. “The MHP will partner with campus therapists and campus police to respond to crises, reducing the need for interactions with outside law enforcement. Additionally, the MHP will work to connect students with ongoing support and services.”
MVC also serves as a professional training site for Brandman University, Cal Baptist Riverside, Cal State San Bernardino, and La Sierra University. Health Services completed interviews for 2022-23 marriage and family therapist trainees and social work interns. Three family therapists and two social work interns were hired. Onboarding will commence during the summer.
Interviews are also planned for interns with degrees. These interns will serve as holistic case managers for students’ wellbeing. Masters level trainees provide individual therapy and group sessions to students. Counseling is provided in person or virtual appointments based on the student’s preference.
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College Installs Solar Carousel Seats
Moreno Valley College recently installed 30 Carousel Seats with USB solar powered ports. The Carousel Seats, which have been distributed across the campus, come in an array of colors. The College plans to install another 10 in the coming months. The College is also installing a shade structure to create an outdoor learning environment.
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