A Message from President Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza
We change the future together!
Welcome to West Valley College! I am so excited that you chose WVC as the educational institution to help you realize your full potential. You are joining a college community that is intentional in assisting you in exploring exciting opportunities along your educational journey.
Education quite literally has the power to move a family out of poverty; it has the power to improve economic potential and status; and it has the potential to establish economic viability and stability within whole communities. I speak from my own personal experience, knowing firsthand the impact community college education has on families.
This year, the college celebrates 60 years of excellence. It all began in June of 1964, when the college sent out its first schedule of classes and the response was so immediate that hundreds of students enrolled for classes. On September 14 of that year, West Valley College served its first students at Campbell Grammar School with over 3200 students and 60 faculty and staff to welcome them.
We are here to serve you, our local community of Saratoga, Los Gatos, and Campbell; our school districts within these cities; our young adult learners, our seniors, and our future generations of K-12 students enrolled in dual enrollment courses. It is also a pleasure to host a myriad of non-profit organizations whose additional services support the community.
WVC prides itself on being a premier destination with one of the highest transfer rates of all of Silicon Valley and Bay Area colleges, offering a variety of degree and career education certificate programs. Additionally, we offer recreational and self-development classes for credit or non-credit. West Valley offers a wide array of options in various modalities—online, in-person, or a combination of both. We support you in a variety of ways and, in turn, we thank you for continuing to support us in our mission to provide the best curriculum, faculty, staff, and state-of-the-art facilities.
We offer a variety of student resources on campus including a food pantry, The Cohn Family Food Pantry, a free-of-charge food market providing groceries to students and the community. The Closet, a multi-gender career closet, helps students dress for success. And students enjoy free technology and textbooks through our TNT (Textbooks n’ Technology) program in the library along with free personal well-being counseling, free Wi-Fi hot spots, and emergency funding to support housing and other living costs for those who qualify.
In addition, we have cultural programs, identity centers, learning communities, and support services to promote representation, inclusion, and a sense of belonging for students. While you are here, I encourage you to have fun, enjoy campus life, and get involved as much as you can. We have a variety of student clubs, activities, and on-campus events. With over twelve intercollegiate sports, you can usually catch a game and cheer on your fellow Vikings! And, as you may have noticed, our campus is a beautiful place to be. I hope it inspires your learning and serves as a haven amid the fast-paced world we live in.
Welcome to the West Valley family! Make a brighter day for yourself and all of us!
Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Ph.D.
President, West Valley College