South Orange County Community College District

During last night's board meeting, the Trustees recognized the Irvine Valley College (IVC) Honors Program with a special certificate and heard from faculty as well as alumni of the program. The Irvine Valley College Honors Program was established in 2003 and has continued to maintain an outstanding reputation for academic excellence and plays a key role in nurturing academic, professional, and personal growth in highly motivated students from all backgrounds. In the last four years, the IVC Honors Program has doubled in membership, with 960 members currently; it is the largest Honors Program among all Orange County community colleges. The program currently offers 55 approved Honors courses, all of which feature a smaller class size and a range of enrichments including higher-level critical thinking and a heavy emphasis on research. Honors courses are open to all students. Keep up the great work Irvine Valley College! #Honors #StudentSuccess #CommunityCollege #Research CC: Tim Jemal Julianna Asperin Barnes Carolyn Inmon Ryan Dack Dr. John C. Hernandez Rick Miranda Sharla C.

Chancellor Julianna Asperin Barnes just released her 2024 fall welcome video. She shares with the SOCCCD community her excitement to highlight Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College accomplishments as well as the development of the District Strategic Plan 2030! #SOCCCD #ChancellorBarnes #communitycollege #IVC #Saddleback #strategicplan #studentsuccess #education #fall2024 #fallsemester

Welcome back students!

Orientation Day for hundreds of new students attending Saddleback College. Chancellor Julianna Asperin Barnes, and Vice Chancellor Cindy Vyskocil and her HR team are showing Bobcat Spirit! #studentsuccess #fallsemester

Our colleges are amazing! Click the link to learn why and read what President of the Board Tim Jemal and Chancellor Julianna Asperin Barnes had to say about Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College earning top rankings in a recent WalletHub report. “This recognition affirms our district’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education that empowers students to reach their full potential,” said Tim Jemal, President of the SOCCCD Board of Trustees. “We will continue to invest in innovative programs and resources that support our students’ academic and professional success.” “We are incredibly proud of Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College for their exceptional rankings in this comprehensive study,” said Julianna M. Asperin Barns, Chancellor of the South Orange County Community College District. “These results underscore the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, and students who strive every day to achieve academic excellence and create pathways to successful careers.”

We are so proud of the commitment that Chancellor Julianna Asperin Barnes shows to SOCCCD and our students but also how she expands that commitment beyond the borders of our community. The Community College League of California just posted a message in recognition of Dr. Asperin Barnes' year of service as League Board Chair and CEOCCC President and we wholeheartedly agree. Thank you for all you do to champion student support, equity, and service!

Did you know WalletHub ranked Irvine Valley College #1 and Saddleback College #5 in California in their latest report that compared 650 community colleges in the country using factors such as cost and quality? That's right, SOCCCD colleges are ranked in the top percentile of best community colleges in America! This story is buzzing across news waves, but check out a recent feature on KTLA. #Best #CommunityCollege #Value #StudentsFirst CC: Julianna Asperin Barnes Tim Jemal Carolyn Inmon Terri Whitt

Breaking News: Trustees T.J. Prendergast and Carolyn Inmon appointed to Orange County School Board Association Board President Tim Jemal shared his enthusiasm, stating, "The appointments of Trustees Prendergast and Inmon to the OCSBA are a testament to their outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to student success. Their representation will ensure that the voices of community colleges and the broader educational community are heard and valued. I am very proud to lead such a talented and conscientious Board of Trustees. I look forward to the positive contributions they will make in these roles."

The inaugural Orange County Business Council Legislative Day was a big success! Wonderful to see Chancellor Julianna Asperin Barnes moderating a discussion with Assembly Member Diane Dixon and our Trustees Tim Jemal, Carolyn Inmon, and Ryan Dack fully engaged.

Last night's Board of Trustees meeting was packed with meaningful presentations recognizing the hard work of past and present members of our beloved SOCCCD community. In the first presentation Marcia Milchiker helped recognize the Saddleback College Mars Rover Student Competition Team for their participation in the 2024 University Rover Challenge (URC) Competition from May 29 - June 1, 2024 at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Hanksville, Utah. Saddleback College continues to be the only community college qualified to compete in the URC and Trustee Marcia Milchiker has proudly served as an advisor to the group. The coaches and team were presented with a certificate of achievement. In the second presentation, The Saddleback College Police Department recognized Michael James – Assistant Director, Facilities, Maintenance and Operations, and Curtis Guy – Assistant Director, Facilities, Capital Outlay Projects, for identifying a crime in process which led to the successful prosecution and conviction of a suspect. Because of their help, thousands of dollars worth of equipment were prevented from theft. And in the last presentation, former Trustee Nancy Padberg was honored by President Tim Jemal and the entire Board of Trustees for her service on the board from 1998 - 2015. Her daughter Nicole was presented a plaque in recognition of the indelible impact Trustee Padberg made on the SOCCCD community. We are a community college community rich with treasures of wonderful people and programs.