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51����’s newest sports team isn’t fighting it out on the field or contending on the court. They’re rallying in rows of 27-inch ViewSonic desktop monitors, locked into the intense graphics glowing on their screens.  

The IVC Laser Esports Arena is home base for more than 100 students and various faculty who participate in the College’s revolutionary esports program. You’ll find the impressive “lounge for the leet” on the 51���� campus, located in the Student Activities Center. 

51����'s men's soccer team stood out on the field and in the classroom during the 2021-22 season. The team has received a state scholar-team of the year award in men's soccer from the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). The accolade is especially significant as 2021-22 was the last season for legendary coach Martin McGrogan who retired last summer after starting the IVC program 31 years ago. The squad will officially be recognized on March 29 at the CCCAA state awards luncheon in Sacramento.

As of February 22, what was formerly known as IVC’s Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) is now named Disability Support Programs for Students. The name change has been in the works since 2017 as discussions throughout the state proposed having a person-first naming convention versus disability focused.

51���� welcomes new Director of Economic and Workforce Development Martha Payán-Hernández. Martha is a multi-faceted professional with experience implementing and managing grant initiatives focusing on Career and Technical Education (CTE) and workforce training projects/programs.  She has built a rewarding career in post-secondary education with extensive experience in CTE, workforce development, and adult education in both credit and noncredit areas, as well as adjunct teaching experience.

Students from nine local high schools had an opportunity to learn more about IVC’s when they took a field trip to the campus on February 10. The nearly 300 high school students spent time touring the school and rotating into classrooms to learn more about the programs offered at the campus. IDEA faculty provided a brief overview of programs they teach including design model making and prototyping, drafting technology and engineering, electrical/electronic technology, and biotechnology.

IVC kicked off the celebration of Black History Month in February with the introduction of the Black Student Success Scholars (BSSS) program. BSSS is a new program started by IVC Counselors Heather Johnson and Taliah Chatterfield. The mission of the program is to connect students from the African Diaspora to experience Black Excellence through a safe and welcoming environment.

Hasim Sevinc took a step into the business world while he was a student 51���� and hasn’t stopped since. In 2019, while studying 51����, he started his own company, Ephesus, that specializes in mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs. He transferred to UCLA in 2020 and will graduate this winter with his degree in economics.  

Hasim, who is the eldest son of an immigrant family, says he was driven to start his own company as a means to provide a stable future for he and his loved ones. 

From elementary school librarian to scene-setter for high-profile Disney projects, Stephanie Frazier’s career journey itself could be mistaken for the plot of a classic Disney story.

A detail-oriented model maker working in scenic fabrication for Disney, Frazier’s story began in the stacks. And while the aspiring artist always had designs on something grander, the result was something she could never have imagineered.

Ben Franklin once said, “Energy and persistence conquers all things.” This quote couldn’t ring truer for Dilara Abudureman’s experience at 51����.

When Abudureman came to the United States in 2016, she was looking for more than an education — she was looking for an opportunity. She began her studies by earning her bachelor’s degree in music at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in Shanghai, China. After graduating, Abudureman knew she wanted to aim higher.