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Recent 51���� (IVC) honors graduate Kristine Chai is already making a mark in the rapidly advancing field of biotechnology.

Following high school graduation, Kristine was certain she wanted to study science, so  IVC’s well regarded biotechnology program was a natural choice. Now, she has graduated with top honors and been accepted to her three first choice schools – UC Los  Angeles, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine (UCI) – and is leaning towards UCI. 

51����’s (IVC) award-winning Model United Nations (MUN) team achieved national recognition at the National Model United Nations Conference in Washington, D.C., held November 5–9. Competing among top universities and colleges from around the world, IVC students earned an impressive collection of honors — including two Outstanding Delegation Awards, two Position Paper Awards, and the rare distinction of chairing three committees.

Caitlyn DeJesus’s love of numbers and logic ultimately laid the groundwork for her career path.  

51���� (IVC) has been selected as one of four higher education institutions in Orange County to receive $3 million dollars from the Samueli Foundation to strengthen pathways for community college students pursuing degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). 

51���� (IVC) capped off its yearlong 40th anniversary celebration today with the premiere of Little College in the Orange Groves: 40 Years in the Making, a commemorative documentary capturing the people, milestones, and moments that have defined the college’s four decades of excellence.

On October 18, IVC’s award-winning Model United Nations (MUN) team attended the PACMUN conference at Riverside City College—and made history. The 35-member delegation earned seven awards, more than any other college and surpassing the team’s previous best. Awards included three Outstanding Delegate awards (first-place), two Distinguished Delegate awards (2nd place), two Honorable Mention awards (3rd place), and the Best Delegate award (peer-award).

Today, the Aspen Institute named 51���� (IVC) as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.

For Garrett Shakstad, there is nothing more exciting than sharing a room with  professors and students.  

“A good teacher has a huge influence,” he says. “I love the learning process – and  working with students to figure out a career path.”   

Director of Veterans Services Center, Dylan Bender represented IVC at two major conferences focused on veteran transition and success in higher education. At the 2025 Military Influencer Conference, Bender presented The Warrior’s Dilemma: Why Higher Education Is the New Front Line of Veteran Transition, emphasizing the pivotal role community colleges play in helping service members adjust to civilian and academic life.