From the President's Desk | Black History Month Culminates in Campuswide Celebration | IVC Student Ofelia Veisalov Receives Three National Academic Honors | Lunar New Year Celebration Honors the Year of the Horse | Partnership with Girls Inc. to Support STEM and Leadership Programs | Women's Basketball Wins OEC Championship, Earns Top Conference Honors

Colleagues: 

Building on last year’s districtwide, 10‑month effort to develop a 10‑year strategic plan, members of our college community spent this past fall engaged in a semester‑long process of previewing, gathering feedback on, and ultimately affirming our IVC Inspire 2035 goals and priorities. Through approximately 50 presentations and conversations across shared governance councils and committees—including sessions with the Classified Senate, Academic Senate, Student Government, and a collegewide town hall—our community came together to thoughtfully and boldly shape the college’s blueprint for the next decade. Read More from Dr. Hernandez »

IVC concluded its month-long celebration of Black History Month last week with a campuswide event that brought together students, faculty, classified professionals, and community partners. A highlight of the celebration was interactive dance lessons, where students and employees joined together to learn new moves and celebrate in community. The event marked a joyful close to the month’s activities, honoring the contributions, resilience, and cultural richness of the Black community. View Black History Month Celebration Photos »

Ofelia (Lia) Veisalov has earned national recognition after being selected for three prestigious Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) academic honors that recognize outstanding community college students for their academic achievement, leadership, and campus engagement. Lia was named to PTK's 2026 All-USA Academic Team as well as being named a New Century Transfer Scholar, and Guistwhite Scholar. Read More About Lia's Honors »

IVC celebrated the Lunar New Year on February 11 with a campuswide event honoring the Year of the Horse. The celebration featured a gallery walk highlighting traditional artwork and the symbolism of the Lunar New Year, offering attendees an opportunity to deepen their cultural understanding. The event was co-hosted by the Office of Student Equity and the ELEVATE AAPI program and reflected IVC’s ongoing commitment to honoring cultural traditions and fostering a welcoming, inclusive campus community. View Photos from Lunar New Year Celebration »

IVC has partnered with Girls Inc. of Orange County to formalize a collaborative partnership that expands access to high-quality, girl-focused educational programming for families in Irvine, Tustin, and Santa Ana. Through the collaboration, IVC will host STEM camps, college readiness workshops, parent engagement programs, and leadership initiatives while connecting participants to the college’s academic pathways and student support services. 

Congratulations to the Irvine Valley women’s basketball team for capturing the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) title with a  77–53 victory at Fullerton! The championship marks IVC’s first conference title since the 2021–22 season, when the team went 12–0 in conference play and advanced to the semifinals of the state tournament.

The Lasers continued their strong postseason run with a 59–47 victory over Chaffey last weekend, advancing to the Regional Final. Irvine Valley will host Fullerton on Saturday, March 7 at 7 pm.

IVC also earned a sweep of major OEC postseason honors. Sophomore guard Symantha Barnett was named the 2025–26 OEC Most Valuable Player, Kivonni Williams earned Defensive Player of the Year, and second-year head coach Claire Gocke was named OEC Coach of the Year.

Celebrating Excellence Silent Auction 
Now – Friday, March 6 at 7 pm 
Place Your Bid »

Caring Campus Ambassador Nominations Due 
Thursday, March 12 at 5 pm 
Submit Nomination »

Spring Break – Classes Not in Session 
March 16 – 22

Classified Employee Spring Break – Campus Closed 
March 19 – 20

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