RCCD Earns Gold and Bronze Professional Awards, Showcases Thought Leadership at Statewide Conference
05/06/2026
The Riverside Community College District (RCCD) proudly announces it has earned both a Gold in the category note/card/invitation-print and a Bronze Professional Award for promotional viewbook at the 2026 Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO) Conference, recognizing the Districts excellence in advancing innovative, student-centered communications.
These professional honors highlight RCCD’s collective impact across Moreno Valley College, Norco College and Riverside City College, reflecting a shared commitment to strategic storytelling, innovation and practices that support student success throughout the region.
In addition to receiving statewide recognition, RCCD professionals contributed to the conference program through presentations that engaged colleagues from across California.
Leslie Vargas, public affairs officer at Moreno Valley College, presented “From Stress to Storytelling: Transforming Workplace Pressure into Creative Power,” delivering an engaging session to a packed room. Her presentation offered practical strategies for navigating the fast-paced demands of higher education communications while transforming pressure into creativity, storytelling and meaningful impact.
Jessica Vierra, public affairs officer at Riverside City College, presented “Restoring Trust and Rebuilding Enrollment: A co-creation Approach to Higher Education Branding,” sharing research on how institutional branding influences student decision-making. Attended by California Community Colleges Foundation participants and communications professionals statewide, the session generated strong interest, with attendees expressing enthusiasm for the depth and real-world application of the research.
For the past four years, Vargas has served as the Southern California regional representative, where she played a key role in strengthening connection and collaboration across the region. In this role, she coordinated Southern California gatherings and led the planning of educational workshops that created space for professional development, networking and shared learning. In addition to her regional leadership, Vargas previously served as awards chair, overseeing the coordination of the organization’s awards night and ensuring the meaningful recognition of members’ contributions. Building on this strong foundation of service, she is now stepping into the role of communications chair, where she will continue to elevate engagement and visibility across the organization.
“These recognitions reflect the strength of our district and the talented professionals who continue to elevate the work happening across our colleges,” said Chris Clarke, executive director of external relations and strategic communications. “Through innovation, research and collaboration, RCCD is helping shape the future of communications in higher education.”
Hosted in Paso Robles, the CCPRO Conference brings together public relations and marketing professionals from community colleges across the state to share best practices, celebrate excellence and advance the field.
RCCD’s recognition with both Gold and Bronze Professional Awards, along with its strong presence in conference programming, underscores the district’s leadership in advancing equity-centered, student-focused communications.
For more information about Riverside Community College District, visit www.rccd.edu.
Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications