College News

The first time Margarita Hernandez walked into a college classroom, she already knew she was behind. She had planned to take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, but a placement test put her directly into general education classes.

Lynnette Sullivan juggled two jobs, full-time classes, and caring for her younger sisters, all while preparing for motherhood. For a first-generation Mexican American, pursuing higher education felt both daunting and essential, as it was a way to break the cycle of poverty.

Sabrina Lopez’s return to college began as a practical decision but quickly became a journey of self-discovery. After years working as a traveling oral surgery assistant across Southern California, the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to reassess her life.

A $150,000 grant awarded for the 2026–27 academic year will provide additional scholarship and emergency financial aid support to students working toward degree completion, certificate attainment, or transfer to a four-year institution.

The 13th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Celebration brought together students, educators, and community members to reflect on the responsibility of building a more just and equitable society through intentional action, centered on the theme “Blueprint for Change."

Julissa Mota is turning her classroom experience in Applied Digital Media into real-world impact through a hands-on internship with Riverside County. Since beginning the internship in Dec. 2024, Mota has contributed to live design projects, gaining practical exposure to the creative industry.

Through an eight-week Experiential Technology and Engineering Cohort hosted by the iMAKE Innovation Center, 68 Middle College students from Wendy Sharkey’s fifth and sixth period classes engaged in hands-on instruction in emerging technologies this fall.

A sustained commitment to serving student veterans has placed Moreno Valley College among the top-ranked community colleges for military-connected students in the 2025 Military Times “Best for Vets” rankings.