A unique characteristic of community colleges that distinguishes us from other institutions of public higher education is our inherent mission to serve our local community. We play an important role in training tomorrow’s workforce and meeting the educational needs of our local communities.
IVC has developed strong partnerships with our local high school districts, including Irvine, Tustin, and Laguna Beach to make an affordable college education possible for all who seek it. We offer robust dual enrollment programs at 13 area high schools, offering opportunities for high school students to earn college credit at no cost.
We want to continue expanding our business and industry partnerships to ensure we are offering relevant career and technical education training for tomorrow’s workforce. We are equally committed to making it easier for students to transfer to four-year institutions, both public and private, in a way that prepares them fully and reduces the cost of attaining a baccalaureate degree.
In this article, I want to highlight two new educational partnerships with local universities.
California State University, Fullerton Project RAISER
Cal State Fullerton received a $5 million grant from the US Department of Education to collaborate with nine local community colleges to support STEM transfer students. The funding will allow Project RAISER (Regional Alliance in STEM Education Refined) to continue operation of Project RAISER, a STEM transfer support program that enables community college students to conduct research at CSUF and helps ease the transition to the university for transfer STEM majors. Project RAISER will also provide internship and research preparation programs as well as support and peer advisors to advise and mentor STEM transfer students.
IVC has partnered with CSUF’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and its College of Engineering and Computer Science to ensure that students’ learning opportunities align with skills necessary to meet workplace needs. The new grant will host the 2022 Undergraduate Research Experience, an eight-week paid research program for community college students. Faculty members from Cal State Fullerton will work with select groups of students, assigning readings and trainings, meeting with students, and conducting research projects at CSUF throughout the program. Students have the chance to work closely with CSUF faculty, which gives them a strong foundation for future research participation, graduate school, and STEM careers.
Project RAISER staff work closely with their community college colleagues to make the transition to a four-year institution as seamless as possible. The program also employs peer advisors in STEM majors to work with community college students.
Irvine Valley College joins the following community colleges in this innovative partnership: Citrus, Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Orange Coast, Saddleback, Santa Ana, and Santiago Canyon.
For additional information on Project RAISER, contact IVC’s Dean of Guidance and Counseling Angel Hernandez.
#CaliforniansForAll College Corp
IVC has been selected to participate in the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program, joining the South Orange Consortium with Concordia University Irvine and Vanguard University. The colleges were selected among 45 new partner colleges and universities, including 18 community colleges, to launch the largest state-level investment in a college service program in California history.
The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program will start in Fall 2022 with 6,500 students statewide deployed to part-time work in areas in need, such as K-12 education disparities, climate change, and food insecurity. In exchange for completing 450 hours of service, each student can receive up to $10,000 per year, which includes a $7,000 stipend (living allowance), plus a $3,000 education award. This program specifically creates state-funded opportunities for AB 540-eligible Dreamers to serve their communities for the first time.
Concordia University Irvine, Vanguard University, and IVC have committed to placing at least 200 students per year in service opportunities in Orange County during the next two academic years, working with local school districts and nonprofit organizations. The consortium’s initial grant is two years and valued at $3.85 million.
We are truly privileged to create and participate in a program that aims to help students from diverse backgrounds build leadership skills and graduate from college with less debt, while also supporting our community.
For additional information on #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, contact IVC’s Vice President for Student Services Martha McDonald.
IVC will continue to expand or renew existing educational partnerships with CSUF, UCI, Chapman University and will explore additional opportunities with other local universities. Our commitment to expanding educational partnerships is one way Irvine Valley College is fulfilling its “community” mission. I sincerely appreciate the faculty and staff that have spearheaded these efforts and who continue to make our presence known to the communities we serve.
Best,
John