Riverside Community College District is one of the finest public two-year higher education systems in California and, indeed, the country. Our colleges’ reputations for excellence and RCCD’s rankings in the Top 25 community colleges nationwide testify to that.

With our first college established in 1916, the District has long played an integral role in higher education and workforce preparation in the inland Southern California region. Today, as a system of three fully accredited colleges, RCCD continues to expand opportunities for more than 100,000 students each year.

The fact that we are able to increase opportunities in the face of declining state funding stems from two factors: RCCD is highly regarded by the communities we serve and our colleges pursue excellence through innovation, service, and leadership. As a result, RCCD achieves successes that few other community college districts match.

In spring 2011, Riverside City College became the first community college in the nation to offer a full semester abroad study program in China. Moreno Valley College Associate Professor Joanna Wener-Fraczek recently returned from a semester Fulbright Scholarship in Chile. In 2012, MVC will welcome the District's first Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Sharmistha Banerjee from India. Norco College is using a multi-million federal grant to increase access to and prepare under-represented students for jobs in Simulation and Game Development--one of Southern California's hottest industries. In February 2011, RCCD launched a comprehensive Leadership Academy to prepare faculty, staff, and students for future leadership roles, thereby strenghtening our institution from within.

Like other colleges and universities, we face significant challenges in the years ahead due to multimillion dollar state budget reductions and over-regulation. Yet, as one of this region’s most valuable resources for higher education and workforce development, RCCD must always look ahead and plan for the future. I believe our colleges and communities are up to the challenge.

Dr. Gregory Gray