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).
This fall, 51 proudly concluded a yearlong celebration marking four decades of educational excellence, innovation, and community impact. As we celebrated Founder’s Day on October 22, we took time to reflect not only on our humble beginnings but also on the remarkable journey that has shaped IVC into one of California’s premier community colleges.
Appointments can be conducted in-person, by phone, or virtually depending on the needs of the student.
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.”
In response to the will require California Community colleges to annually train their incoming students on Hazing. The training includes components on identifying hazing, hazing prevention, and bystander intervention strategies. All incoming Students are required to complete the annual training within 9 months of the beginning of the academic year.
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.
Amid our recent celebratory events—such as Latinx Heritage Month and AANAPISI Week—the U.S. Department of Education announced it will withdraw $350 million in grant funding for Fiscal Year 2025. This funding supports many Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and others.