Central Valley Higher Education Consortium

NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION DAY: the Central Valley’s Best-Kept Secret No More

For , June 6, we take a moment to acknowledge and thank the thousands of professionals throughout our 10-county Central Valley region who are dedicated to supporting students seeking to improve their lives with a college degree or certification.

Whether its board members, trustees, administrators, faculty, professional and classified staff and many student assistants, we all serve to achieve the respective missions of the 28 institutions of higher education that make up the CVHEC membership.

As the consortium prepares to observe its 25th anniversary in 2027, we especially salute our founder Dr. John Welty and first executive director Dr. Allen Carden. They and the original board of directors set the foundation for the region’s high ed leaders to unite and collaborate for a common goal: increased degree and certification rates in the valley.

Working behind the scenes, the consortium was considered for many years one of the valley’s “best kept secrets” but that is changing. See the CVHEC story, including Drs. Welty and Carden, in our newest video: https://bit.ly/TheCVHECstory-YT

The CVHEC Story CVHEC releases new documentary video chronicling consortium’s growt...

We hope you enjoyed these past two weeks the panels and student testimonies that were presented at the CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 as featured in our May newsletter. We close with this summary recap: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jZFmsn3SzUM

We now look forward to the summer months. Please note that the CVHEC e-newsletter takes a summer hiatus in June and July but returns in August with our special Summer 2026 Edition — Mid-Year Review before resuming monthly publication in the fall.

Watch for our 2027 summit dates as we prepare for CVHEC’s 25th anniversary next year! Follow our social media and newsletter for updates.

And congrats to the Class of 2026!

CLOSING REMARKS — CVHEC SUMMIT 2026:
CVHEC Executive Director, Benjamín Durán, Ed.D.

See video of CVHEC Executive Director Benjamin Duran’s wrap-up comments for the CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 in Fresno. The consortium now begins planning for its 25th anniversary next spring. Follow our social media and newsletter for updates.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM9mnQvYky0

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

CLOSING REMARKS -- CVHEC SUMMIT 2026: CVHEC Executive Director, Benjamín Durán, Ed.D. Closing remarks for the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Summit 2026 were delivered by CVHEC Executive Director Benjamin Duran, Ed.D. “Our theme th...

REFLECTIONS — CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026

See videos featuring comments from three of the 159 participants who attended our CVHEC Summit April 24 in Fresno:

• Stacy PFluger, interim president – Bakersfield College video
• Laura Lara Brady, senior manager - WestEd Center for Economic Mobility, video
• Cary Claiborne, chief program officer – College Advising Corps, video

Summit wrap story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Student Experience 2:
“Voices of the Valley:” TOU BEE THAO

This year the CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 in Fresno featured individuals whose educational journeys reflect the experiences of students across the Central Valley.

These “Voices of the Valley” moments bring authentic perspectives to our work by highlighting the challenges, persistence and opportunity that shape the path to and through higher education.

In this second video of two presentations, the valley voice of Tou Bee Thao, San Joaquin Valley PRIME Medical student, UCSF Fresno Regional Campus is featured. UCSF Fresno Regional Campus Vice Dean José Barral Sánchez introduced Tou.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7MVmBNfBug

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

CVHEC 2026 Summit Voices of the Valley: TOU BEE THAO This year the CVHEC 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit featured individuals whose educational journeys reflect the experiences of students across th...

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Student Experience 1:
“Voices of the Valley:” LILLY UVALLE

This year the CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 in Fresno featured individuals whose educational journeys reflect the experiences of students across the Central Valley.

These “Voices of the Valley” moments bring authentic perspectives to our work by highlighting the challenges, persistence and opportunity that shape the path to and through higher education.

This first video of two presentations that day features Lilly Uvalle , a UC Merced alumna (BA-Public Health) where she now serves as Degree Completion Reentry adviser. Porterville College President Primavera Monarrez introduced her.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY3UdpTQ1kM

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

CVHEC 2026 Summit Voices of the Valley: LILLY UVALLE This year the CVHEC 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit fea...

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Panel 4:
“Partnership and Policy: Advancing Higher Education in the Central Valley”

Now available in our May issue: videos of four panels and two student presentations featured at our CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 in Fresno under the theme, “Evolving Higher Education for an Emerging Future.” Members of the CVHEC Board of Directors -- made up of chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region -- introduced and moderated the panels.

The summit panels concluded with a policy discussion featuring state legislators presenting how government can support higher education in the Central Valley and regional disparities in educational attainment, workforce development needs and the role of policy in expanding opportunity.

Panelists included State Senator Anna Caballero and Senator Shannon Grove and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria with introductions by Stanislaus State President Britt Rios Ellis, and moderated by Merced College Superintendent/President Chris Vitelli.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRWOD8XRJk0

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

Partnership and Policy: Advancing Higher Education in the Central Valley Panel 4 of CVHEC’s 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit feat...

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Panel 3:
“AI and Emerging Technologies for Student Success: What’s Next for Higher Education across the Nation”

The third panel video from our CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 -- now available in our May newsletter -- features a presentation and discussion about artificial intelligence and emerging technologies from a national perspective featuring Dr. Dhanfu Elston, chief of staff and senior vice president for strategy at Complete College America (Indianapolis-based).

Introduction by West Hills Community College District Chancellor Robert Pimentel and moderated by San Joaquin Delta College President Lisa Lawrenson.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvucjXbPBZY

Under the theme, “Evolving Higher Education for an Emerging Future,” the summit was presented by the CVHEC Board of Directors April 24 in Fresno. Members of the board -- made up of chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region -- introduced and moderated the panels.

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

AI and Emerging Technologies for Student Success: What’s Next for Higher Education across the Nation Panel 3 of CVHEC’s 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit featured a national perspective by Dr. Dhanfu Elston of Complete College America on artificial...

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Panel 2:
“A Conversation with Central Valley Presidents: New Priorities for Higher Education in the Region”

The second panel video from our CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 -- now available in our May newsletter -- features the region's college and university presidents discussing four strategic priorities adopted by the CVHEC Board last year:

• ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: President Saúl Jiménez Sandoval, Fresno State

• WORKFORCE ALIGNMENT: President Jerry Buckley, Reedley College

• DATA SHARING: President Sean Hancock, Cerro Coso Community College

• ENROLLMENT RECONNECT: President Kim Armstrong, Clovis Community College, CA

Moderated by Modesto Junior College President Brian Sanders with introductions by California Health Sciences University - CHSU President Florence Dunn.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2ZKrSwUFDU

Under the theme, “Evolving Higher Education for an Emerging Future,” the summit was presented by the CVHEC Board of Directors April 24 in Fresno. Members of the board -- made up of chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region -- introduced and moderated the panels.

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

A Conversation with Central Valley CEOs -- New Priorities for Higher Education in the Region A central focus of CVHEC’s 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Sum...

CVHEC MAY NEWSLETTER: 2026 SUMMIT VIDEOS – Panel 1:
“Leading Together: Shaping the Future of Higher Education in California”

Now available in our May issue: videos of four panels and two student presentations featured at our CENTRAL VALLEY HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2026 held April 24 in Fresno under the theme, “Evolving Higher Education for an Emerging Future.” Members of the CVHEC Board of Directors -- made up of chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region -- introduced and moderated the panels.

This first video features top leaders from all four of California’s higher education segments — a rare joint appearance:

•Mildred Garcia, Chancellor, The California State University
•Sonya Christian, Chancellor, California Community Collegess
•Kristen Soares, President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
•Maria Anguiano, Vice Chair of the Board of Regents, University of California

Introduction by André Stephens, Fresno Pacific Universitypresident, and moderated by: Juan Sánchez Muñoz, UC Merced chancellor.

See the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-i9vB4-oeY

Full story: https://bit.ly/CVHECsummit2026wrap
See May NL -- https://bit.ly/CVHECeNL-May2026
https://bit.ly/CVHECnews-SUBSCRIBE

Leading Together: Shaping the Future of Higher Education in California CVHEC’s 2026 Central Valley Higher Education Summit was held April 24 in Fresno with four panel sessions, two student presentations and the premiere of the c...