Building the next half-century of excellence at Oxnard College
Dr. Roberto Gonzalez
2025 marks 50 years of service here at Oxnard College. For a half-century, our campus has proudly championed progress and social mobility through academic and career advancement. Although our anniversary celebration will begin in the fall semester, 2025 is already shaping up to bring some exciting developments to Oxnard College.
With our enrollments now surpassing even their pre-pandemic levels, we are poised for even further growth and advancements. From providing student housing to launching new curriculum and even a bachelor’s degree, we are addressing some of Ventura County’s most dire needs.
One of our community’s greatest challenges remains the skyrocketing cost of housing, which is why we are excited to partner with Cal State University Channel Islands this year in offering Oxnard College students the opportunity to live in university housing on the CSUCI campus all while taking classes here at OC. With access to dining halls, libraries, and university events, our students will experience CSUCI’s exciting student life all while benefiting from OC’s excellent and affordable classes. This new partnership will encourage our students to consider CSUCI as an excellent transfer destination.
We are also advancing much-needed academic and career opportunities for our region. This fall semester, we will proudly launch our first-ever bachelor’s degree, which will focus on Dental Hygiene. That’s a historic milestone for our college and great news for many dental students already earning their two-year degrees through our award-winning Dental Clinic. Ask around and you will find that many of Ventura County’s dental offices are staffed by Oxnard College’s excellent dental hygiene graduates, but those offices need even more graduates and higher levels of training.
That’s why we are excited to begin offering prospective students a pathway to a four-year degree, which will open the doors to higher-level positions in dental management, administration, teaching, and research development, among other opportunities. Similarly, our sister colleges are implementing their own their own four-year programs, with Moorpark College offering a bachelor’s in Biomanufacturing while Ventura College will begin offering its bachelor’s in Automotive Career Education this fall semester.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Our latest academic offerings include other exciting career prospects as well. This semester we are expanding our new Logistics Program, which was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and the Port of Hueneme to meet local workforce needs. This substantive program prepares students with the skills needed for careers in high-demand logistics and supply chain management.
We are also investing heavily in existing programs such as our Dual Enrollment offerings, which help middle and high school students earn free, transferrable college units. In addition, we are growing our English as a Second Language (ESL) program, which helps residents hone their English-language skills through classes offered in Oxnard, Port Hueneme, and El Rio.
Aside from these exciting areas for growth, various challenges loom on the horizon, including many of our students feeling uncertain as our nation’s divisive discourse increasingly targets vulnerable communities. That is why we are strengthening our Dream Resource Center’s efforts to serve undocumented students and families — the center offers workshops, services, and a safe space here on campus.
Additionally, the Oxnard College Foundation’s marketplace, held on campus every Sunday morning starting from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. is continuing to host its Swap Meet for Justice during the final Sunday of each month. This opportunity provides an array of free legal, social, and other services for undocumented and immigrant families.
Sadly, many other communities are also feeling vulnerable as this year begins. Back in 2021, we were proud to be our county’s first public institution to raise the Progress Flag during Pride Month and look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.
However, we also know that while symbols are powerful, they must be matched by on-the-ground work. That’s why the efforts to support LGBTQIA+ students through resources like our Rainbow Café and Resource Center, along with events like our district’s Lavender Graduation, are so vital to ensuring our Queer community feels valued and welcome during uncertain times. We must ensure similar services and programs do the same in supporting all the diverse groups who strengthen our community.
We are proud of Oxnard College’s impactful work here in Ventura County. As we celebrate 50 years of service, we are also laying the foundation for the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and change-makers who will continue strengthening our region in the years to come.
Together, we will build another half-century of excellence here at Oxnard College.
Dr. Roberto Gonzalez is president of Oxnard College. To learn more about Oxnard College, visit OxnardCollege.edu.
link
