Saratoga, Calif., June 13, 2024—West Valley College was among 25 community colleges represented in a historic signing event today honoring the creation of seamless pathways for transfer students into the nation’s first Black Honors College at Sacramento State.
The ceremonial signing event took place during the opening day of the second annual Juneteenth Symposium hosted by California State University on the Sacramento campus.
“As West Valley’s first Black president I am committed to provide this opportunity for highly motivated students,” says West Valley College President Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza. “The partnership with Sacramento State’s Black Honors College gives students a place to further develop their passion to grow as courageous leaders, paving the path for the next cohort of transfers.”
West Valley entered a formal agreement to partner with Sacramento State and other community colleges in April. The Black Honors College will welcome its first students in fall 2024. The college is designed for all students interested in Black history, life, and culture.
“We are creating an institution within the institution that is specifically designed to serve the academic, co-curricular, and psychological needs of Black students,” says Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood.
Qualified West Valley students will receive guaranteed admission. Students wishing to enroll must have a minimum 3.8 GPA, be eligible for admission to Sac State and demonstrate a commitment to learning about Black history, life, culture, and contributions. The first cohort of transfer students will begin in the Spring 2025 semester.
Black Honors College students will have their own specialized coursework, with smaller classes and faculty members who have a demonstrated record of success in teaching and serving Black students. Weekly seminars, experiential learning opportunities, internships, and dedicated academic support that will create an enhanced college experience for students.
In addition to showcasing the excellence of the Black Honors College’s curricula, the purpose of the partnership is to foster improvement of completion. Based on California Proposition 209, the Black Honors College is open to students of all races and backgrounds, but it emphasizes programming and curricular efforts specifically designed for the Black and African American experience.
The Memorandum of Agreement West Valley joined represents a step toward a longer-term partnership. Program teams at participating community colleges and at the Sacramento State Black Honors College are expected to begin deeper collaborations toward mapping out plans such as potentially linking activities with Umoja programs, developing faculty exchanges, sharing student support practices, overnight trips for special lectures or weekend intensives, and related opportunities.
For more information about Sacramento State’s Black Honors College program, visit: https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/black-honors-college/
About West Valley College
West Valley College is a public California Community College, located in Saratoga, CA and is part of the West Valley-Mission Community College District. The college provides students with degrees, certificates, and transfer opportunities to meet the workforce demands of our community. WVC is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges/Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
About Sacramento State
California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State), is a four-year, regional comprehensive university located in the capital of the state with the fifth-largest economy in the world. As part of the California State University system, which is the largest public university in the world, Sacramento State is the sixth-largest campus with over 31,000 students, 91% of whom are undergraduates. Sacramento State’s mission is to “transform lives by preparing students for leadership, service, and success.” Sacramento State is a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and Black-Serving Institution (BSI).