​After she graduated high school, Shiva Maggard explored her career options before setting her sights on medical school. She enrolled at IVC and picked biology as her major. Maggard planned to transfer to a four-year college, and like the majority of American college students, she changed her mind along the way.

She decided med school wasn’t for her. She dropped out of college and found work in the restaurant industry, as a bartender. She made decent money in that job, she said, but after a few years realized it wasn’t what she wanted long term.

The Irvine Valley College Model United Nations (MUN) program overcame the learning and logistical challenges posed by the pandemic to have another outstanding semester, winning a total of 16 awards at two conferences. Students developed transformational leadership skills by learning how to negotiate and engage with students from around the country and world in a virtual environment.

In August, the Irvine Valley College entrepreneurship department​ partnered up with the College Leap organization​, a national non-profit founded by UC Berkeley students to increase the leadership opportunities for transferring community college students. The event they were hosting was their national business plan pitch competition.

The IVC Speech Team finally had a chance to test their skills at their first tournament of the academic year at the 2020 PSCFA Warm-Up Tournament held October 3 - 4. Twenty-four colleges and universities came together to compete at the event with 11 students representing IVC.​ Despite the usual challenges of being virtual, IVC Forensics came out ahead by winning 9 awards in debate, platform speaking, and limited preparation events. Among the most notable awards were the top speaker in Open Informative Speaking and the top speaker in Novice Persuasive Speaking.​

Have you found a polling location yet? The IVC Gym will serve as a designated Vote Center this election, starting on Friday, October 30. Orange County elections are being run differently than before now with Vote Centers, offering a full-service voting experience. You can cast your ballot at any location. 

If you visit the IVC Vote Center, please enter the campus from Irvine Center Drive and park in Lot 9. 

IVC's Vote Center Hours:

October 30 - November 2
8 am - 8 pm 

November 3- Election Day

Irvine Valley College welcomed new Vice President for Student Services, Dr. Martha McDonald to the college on August 24. With over 28 years of experience, Dr. McDonald has distinguished herself in leading, managing, and supervising student support programs in higher education. She is a champion for equity and inclusion and has dedicated her entire career to serving and supporting community college students. 

Irvine Valley College student Ethan Manafi assumed the position of Student Trustee for the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) on July 21. Ethan will serve in the Student Trustee role for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Ethan, who is majoring in human biology and society with a minor in gender studies, will serve as Student Trustee to represent the students of both IVC and Saddleback College.

Irvine Valley College (IVC) welcomes new President, Dr. John Hernandez to the college this month. After a nation-wide, several months long search, Dr. Hernandez, who has been an educator for more than 30 years, takes the helm at IVC on July 30.  His appointment was approved by the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) Board of Trustees in June.

It was while attending an introductory product design class at the famed ArtCenter College of Design that Sam Denning realized he wanted to make more than just money.

Soon to graduate high school, the prospective business communications major began to question his corporate calling. A few semesters later, as he sat in an accounting class at the University of Alabama, it struck him that something just didn’t add up. His heart wasn’t in the game.

Even when his “first-choice” university declined to accept him, David Brown’s belief in himself never wavered. For the computer whiz kid turned tech-savvy teen, the sky was always the limit.

Until, one day, it wasn’t.