Moreno Valley College Marks 35 Years With Open House Showcasing Career Pathways, Support Services and Belonging

3 min read

Moreno Valley College (MVC) celebrated its 35th anniversary Saturday by welcoming the community for its third annual Open House. The campus Quad transformed into a lively hub where prospective students and families gathered to explore career paths and campus resources. For many in the Inland Empire, higher education can often feel foreign or out of reach, but the event was intentionally designed to “demystify” that experience and show that every resident belongs on campus.

The day served as both an educational showcase and a community celebration. Local BBQ and taco vendors lined the Quad while the MVC Choir, mariachi groups and baile folklórico dancers performed for a crowd of more than 300 guests. Younger attendees stayed busy in the “Kids’ Corner” with inflatables, highlighting the college’s focus on supporting the entire family unit throughout the educational journey.

A major focus of the day was Career Technical Education, specifically programs that lead directly into the local workforce. MVC hosts the only community college-based dental hygiene and dental assisting programs in the immediate area.

Dental hygiene and dental assisting program representatives share information about career pathways, campus clinic services and hands-on training during the college’s 35th anniversary Open House.

Jennifer Riddle, a program specialist, highlighted the campus clinic, where students provide free X-rays, cleanings and exams to the public as part of their clinical training. While the two-year hygiene program is highly competitive — preparing graduates for potential salaries of more than $100,000 — the one-year dental assisting program offers a faster career path, with applications remaining open through mid-June.

Nearby, the Fire Academy and EMT/paramedic teams held live public safety demonstrations, including a fire engine display and a timed suiting-up presentation. These programs provide intense, hands-on training for first responders who will serve the Inland Empire. Visitors also toured the campus Makerspace and library, both of which are public facilities available for community use rather than exclusive to enrolled students.

Moreno Valley College Fire Academy students demonstrate firefighter gear and emergency response training during the college’s Open House and 35th anniversary celebration.
Community members tour Moreno Valley College’s library during the college’s Open House, which highlighted public resources available to students and residents.
Paramedic students demonstrate airway management techniques on a training mannequin during the college’s Open House.
Visitors listen during a campus tour at Moreno Valley College’s Open House, where families were introduced to academic programs, student services and campus resources.
Families and visitors take in live performances and campus activities during Moreno Valley College’s 35th anniversary celebration.

Roosevelt Charles, vice president of Student Services, emphasized the importance of “wrap-around” support available to students outside the classroom. This includes everything from financial aid workshops focused on minimizing student debt to legal services, mental health counseling and assistance for those facing food or housing insecurity. The goal is to show prospective students that these support systems are in place from their first day on campus.

“We really want our community members to see themselves here on campus, but also to understand that we work with a lot of our community partners,” Charles said. “Together, we bring in community partners and make sure that our community members know that they belong.”

As the event wound down, the overall message was best captured by the campus “You Belong” motto. Sandra Martinez, dean of Enrollment Services, said the Open House serves as an annual invitation for the community to see the campus as its own resource.

A violinist performs with a mariachi ensemble during Moreno Valley College’s 35th anniversary Open House, where live entertainment, campus tours and career program demonstrations welcomed more than 300 community members to the campus Quad.

“This is an annual event, so please join us next year,” Martinez said. “We do have lots of games, performances from around the community, including our elementary school folklórico ballet and our mariachi. We have a lot of performances going on, so we welcome you for next year’s event that happens in May. Expect our invitation.”

With commencement just five weeks away, Moreno Valley College is already looking toward its next group of graduates while inviting new students to start their own journeys this fall.