Imperial Valley College
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| Motto | Where Success Begins[citation needed] |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college |
| Established | 1962 |
| President | Lennor M. Johnson |
Administrative staff | 151 full-time |
| Undergraduates | 7,000 |
| Postgraduates | N/A |
| Location | , U.S. 32°49′41″N 115°30′14″W / 32.828°N 115.504°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Red and black |
| Nickname | Desert Warriors |
Sporting affiliations | CCCAA – PCAC |
| Website | www |
Imperial Valley College is a public community college in Imperial County, California. It was founded in 1962 and enrolls around 7,000 students per year. The main campus is located on a 160-acre (0.65 km2) site in the city of Imperial with extended campuses in El Centro and Brawley.
History
[edit]Early origins (1922–1950)
[edit]Imperial Valley College traces its origins to 1922 with the establishment of Central Junior College, located on the campus of Central Union High School in El Centro. In 1924, Brawley Junior College opened at Brawley Union High School, expanding access to post-secondary education in the northern part of the Imperial Valley.
Both institutions saw growth until World War II, when student enrollment declined significantly. As a result, Brawley Junior College closed in 1947 due to insufficient attendance. Central Junior College continued operating and awarded its first Associate in Arts degree in 1934.[1]
Name and district formation (1951–1960)
[edit]In 1951, students and faculty advocated for a name that would reflect the broader community the college served. The board of trustees approved the change and the institution was officially renamed Imperial Valley College.
By the late 1950s, enrollment increases and space limitations prompted local leaders to pursue a dedicated campus. On October 6, 1959, voters in Imperial County overwhelmingly supported the creation of a countywide junior college district, with a record-setting vote of thirteen to one in favor of bonds to finance a new campus.[1]
Campus establishment and growth (1960s–present)
[edit]Following the bond measure, a 160-acre site at the intersection of Highway 111 and Aten Road was selected for the new campus. The campus officially opened in 1962.
In 1971, the district was renamed the Imperial Community College District to reflect its close relationship with the region it serves. The college has since expanded its academic programs and student services.[1]
While Brawley Junior College officially closed in 1947 due to low enrollment, the original building continues to serve students as part of the classroom facilities at Brawley Union High School, preserving a tangible connection to the region’s early post-secondary education efforts.
During the construction of the Aten Road campus in the early 1960s, IVC classes were conducted in temporary buildings at Imperial High School. These structures were later moved to the Aten Road site and remained in use as classrooms for approximately five decades.
The building that once housed IVC on the Central Union High School (CUHS) campus continued to serve as a high school facility until it was demolished to make way for a new STEM building, which opened in 2021.
Superintendents and presidents
[edit]Since the formation of the Imperial Community College District in 1960, Imperial Valley College has been led by a series of superintendents and presidents responsible for overseeing academic programs, administrative operations, and community engagement.
| No. | Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milo P. Johnson | 1960–1963 |
| 2 | Terrel Spencer | 1963–1978 |
| 3 | Dan Angel | 1978–1981 |
| 4 | John A. DePaoli | 1981–1995 |
| 5 | Gilbert M. Dominguez | 1996–2002 |
| 6 | Paul Pai | 2003–2007 |
| 7 | Ed Gould | 2008–2011 |
| 8 | Victor M. Jaime | 2012–2018[2] |
| 9 | Martha Garcia | 2018–2021[3] |
| 10 | Lennor M. Johnson[4] | 2024-present[4] |
Athletics
[edit]Mascot
[edit]Because of the desert location, the mascot "Arabs" was originally chosen. However, the college's leadership later intermittently considered changing this because the mascot became a distraction for athletic teams traveling out of the valley.[5] An unsuccessful push to change the mascot was launched during the spring 2009 academic semester.[6]
In March 2021,[7] after a Town Hall meeting to consider the matter, held in October 2020[8] featuring vociferous community and student objection to retaining the "Arabs" mascot, the board of trustees voted to change the school mascot in June 2023, with the new mascot being the "Desert Warriors".[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Facts & History". Imperial Valley College. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Newspaper, ANDY VELEZ Special to This (April 6, 2019). "IVC dedicates bench in recent president's honor". Imperial Valley Press Online. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ "Dr. Martha Garcia leaves IVC, ventures on to lead College of the Desert". The Desert Review. July 16, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ a b "About Lennor M. Johnson, Ed.D." www.imperial.edu. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ "IVC Council meeting minutes Feb 23, 2004". Archived from the original on June 1, 2004.
- ^ "Imperial Valley College".
- ^ "Imperial Valley College Mascot Identity Taskforce".
- ^ "Imperial Valley College Discusses Mascot Changes, KYMA News".
- ^ "Imperial Valley College Press".
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- Schools in Imperial County, California
- California Community Colleges
- Brawley, California
- El Centro, California
- El Centro metropolitan area
- Imperial Valley
- Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Universities and colleges established in 1962
- 1962 establishments in California
- Two-year colleges in the United States