Greetings, Wolverines!

We are now less than two weeks away from Commencement! Our campus has been active with recognition ceremonies and the College calendar is PACKED with events that highlight the strength, diversity, and heart of our SBVC community. I hope you are enjoying the energy and joy radiating across campus as our graduates celebrate this milestone in their lives. Your commitment has been instrumental in guiding our students to this pivotal moment in their academic journey.  I want to thank the Executive Team and the entire campus community for showing up to support our students in the numerous celebrations.

I also want to acknowledge and thank, Thomas Berry, for joining the SBVC table at the 63rd Annual Headdress Ball.  In the last Wolverine Weekly, his name did not appear along with the rest of our colleagues who attended.  Thank you for some grace, Thomas, for my oversight.

Here are this week’s highlights and updates:

1. CENTENNIAL LOGO VOTE - CAST YOURS!

SBVC is turning 100, and we want YOU to help shape the celebration. Cast your vote for the SBVC Centennial logo! Your input will help guide the look and feel of our historic anniversary. Take a moment to review the logo options and cast your vote by Tuesday at midnight (MAY 13, 2025): www.valleycollege.edu/centennial/logo.php

2. SBVC NOW REPRESENTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR STATEWIDE ACADEMIC SENATE

Please join me in congratulating Bethany Tasaka on being elected as the Area D Representative for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC)! Area D represents 35 colleges and districts across six Southern California counties: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. As Area D Representative, Bethany will coordinate two regional meetings annually (in fall and spring), bringing together local academic senate leaders from across the region for collaboration and input ahead of the ASCCC's statewide plenary sessions. This is an incredible honor that highlights Bethany’s leadership not only here at SBVC but across the entire California Community Colleges system. We are very proud to have Bethany representing San Bernardino Valley College at the state level, helping to shape academic and professional matters that impact students and faculty throughout the state.

3. TONIGHT: JAZZ & CONCERT BAND PERFORMANCE

Join us tonight at 6:00 p.m. in NH-164 (MAC) for a fantastic evening of live music from our talented Jazz and Concert Band. Come support our student musicians as they wrap up the semester with a lively performance!

4. FIRST-GEN GRADUATION CELEBRATION

This Thursday, May 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Library Viewing Room 149, SBVC will proudly host its first-ever First-Generation Graduation Celebration. This event honors and uplifts the accomplishments of our students who are the first in their families to graduate from college. Join us in celebrating their resilience, determination, and the new paths they are forging for themselves and future generations. All are welcome to attend and show support.

5. CRY-ROP STUDENT SHOWCASE

This Wednesday, May 14 from 5:00–7:00 p.m., SBVC is proud to host the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa ROP High School CTE Student Showcase and Awards Ceremony in the Auditorium and adjacent lawn. We are proud to be able to host local high school students (future Wolverines) and their families on our beautiful campus!

6. SBVC GRADS NOMINATED FOR EMMY

SBVC alumni Briana Navarro (Class of ’23) and Mariana Lapizco (Class of ’24) have been nominated for an Emmy for their work as Field Producers on the KVCR documentary Warehouse Empire. Congratulations to both students for this exceptional recognition of their talent and effort!

7. STUDENT PRESENTERS AT CSUSB CONFERENCE

SBVC students Alexa Juarez-Ramos, Katherine Rose, Jonae Espadas, Benito Barrios, and Valeria Cervantes presented original research at the A People's History of the IE Conference at CSUSB on May 3. Their stories were met with applause and appreciation. What an outstanding accomplishment and way to represent Valley!  These students provide another example of our Valley Up! momentum.

8. STATEWIDE STUDENT SUCCESS PRESENTATION ACCEPTED

SBVC faculty and classified professionals have been selected to present at the 2025 Strengthening Student Success Conference this fall. Dr. Dani Graham, Dr. Vinnie Wu, and Sam Homier will showcase a campus initiative that brings equity-centered research into the classroom. Congratulations!

9. UMOJA NAMING CEREMONY

On Thursday, May 15 from 2:00–5:00 p.m. in the Gym Lobby, Umoja will host a powerful naming ceremony honoring cultural identity and community legacy.

10. PHARMACY TECHNOLOGY PINNING CEREMONY

On Friday, May 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Auditorium, we celebrate our Pharmacy Tech graduates at their Spring 2025 Pinning Ceremony. Join us in recognizing their dedication and achievements.

11. FIRST-EVER AERONAUTICS GRADUATION & BBQ

Also on Friday, May 16, our Aeronautics students will be honored at a special graduation and BBQ from 12:00–1:30 p.m. in the Applied Technology Building. What an exciting milestone for the program!

12. NURSING DEPARTMENT PINNING CEREMONY

Friday evening, May 16 from 4:00–6:00 p.m. in the Auditorium, we recognize our newest class of Nursing graduates with their formal pinning ceremony. A huge congratulations to each graduate entering the next chapter in healthcare!

13. PUENTE END-OF-YEAR CELEBRATION

The Puente Program will host its End-of-Year Celebration on Friday, May 16 from 6:00–9:00 p.m. in B-100. All are welcome to join and celebrate the accomplishments and community built this year.

14. BLACK GRAD CELEBRATION

This Saturday, SBVC will proudly host the annual Black Grad Celebration, a deeply moving and joyous ceremony honoring the academic achievements of our Black graduates. Through music, powerful remarks, and cultural traditions, this event affirms the strength, resilience, and excellence of our Black student community. Join us as we celebrate this milestone moment with family, friends, and faculty.

15. NUESTRA GRADUACIÓN

Nuestra Graduación returns this Sunday as a celebration of cultural pride, academic success, and community for our Chicano/Latino graduates and their families. Featuring vibrant performances, heartfelt tributes, and bilingual programming, the event honors the powerful journeys of our students and the support systems that helped make it all possible. All are invited to share in the celebration of this special day.

16. COUNTDOWN TO COMMENCEMENT: 11 DAYS!

The finish line is in sight. Let’s finish the academic year strong.

As we all walk alongside our students as they CROSS THAT STAGE of this academic year, let’s take a moment to reflect on your care, commitment, and acts of support that brought them here. Your presence, mentorship, and belief in their potential was vital to making these celebratory moments possible. Thank you for being a part of their story, and of SBVC’s enduring legacy.  Remember, for some of our students, CROSSING THAT STAGE is not only defined by the commencement stage, rather it is defined by the ongoing progress for self-development. 

With gratitude and pride,

Valley Up!

Gil