Mt. San Jacinto College Board Chair Joshua Rivera announced his resignation during the regular September 14 Board of Trustees meeting as he is moving outside of his service area with his new wife.

During his heartfelt statement, Rivera praised the college district for shaping his life. He met his wife, Gabriela Alaniz, while he was a student at the MSJC and married her this year. Rivera served Trustee Area 2 covering San Jacinto, Hemet, and surrounding communities. His resignation is effective September 15.

“This has been a highlight of my life to serve this district. MSJC has been my life for almost two decades,” said Rivera, who graduated in 2017 and was elected to the board in 2020. “I’m just going to say, once an eagle, always an eagle” referring to the college district’s mascot.

The Board will call a special meeting in the coming weeks to determine whether to appoint an interim or to call for a special election.

Superintendent/President Roger Schultz praised Rivera for his passion, integrity, and his dedication to students.

“I think you embody all that is great about higher education,” Schultz said.

Brian Sylva, whose Trustee Area 1 covers the San Gorgonio Pass and reaches from Idyllwild to a portion of Temecula, said he was pleased the two were able to forge a friendship and bond.

“I am certainly grateful for your service,” Sylva said.

Rivera has been a lifelong resident of San Jacinto. As a youngster, he and his two brothers participated in MSJC’s Upward Bound program, which provides eligible youth with support to succeed as college students. He continued with the MSJC dual enrollment program, which allowed him to complete MSJC courses while still attending San Jacinto High School. Mr. Rivera served in the military and then returned to MSJC to complete his associate degree in liberal arts. He transferred to the University of California, Riverside and earned a bachelor’s degree in Chicano Studies. 

Rivera’s occupational background includes being a small business owner, working at the University of California, Riverside and serving as a Riverside County park ranger. 

Rivera has proudly volunteered to serve as a mentor with MSJC’s Puente Program.

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The Mt. San Jacinto Community College District Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a tentative 2022-2023 budget at its meeting on Thursday, June 23.

The college’s tentative general fund budget calls for $132.2 million in spending and anticipates the same in revenue.

The tentative budget reflects California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal in his May revise on May 13. The college will now continue monitoring the state’s budget progress and revenue assumptions before presenting a final proposed budget.

The MSJC Board of Trustees will consider adopting the final 2022-2023 budget at its Sept. 8 meeting.

Registration for MSJC’s Fall 2022 semester begins July 5. Classes begin Aug. 15.

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Brian Sylva (Area 1) and Joshua Pablo Rivera (Area 2) both won four-year terms on Nov. 3 and took the Oath of Office prior to the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday. Trustee Tom Ashley (Area 5) ran unopposed and also won a four-year term. They join Vicki Carpenter (Area 3) and Ann Motte (Area 4) on the Board of Trustees.

“We welcome Brian and Joshua to the board. They are no strangers to MSJC and we look forward to their leadership, thoughts and ideas to carry us into the future,” Superintendent/President Dr. Roger Schultz said. “We welcome back, Tom, and have valued his voice and leadership over the past eight years.”

Mr. Sylva stepped down from his seat on the Beaumont Unified School District board and vacated his seat on the Mt. San Jacinto College Measure AA Citizens’ Oversight Committee to take on his new role on the board of MSJC.

Mr. Rivera is an alumnus of Mt. San Jacinto College who transferred to the University of California, Riverside to receive a bachelor’s degree in Chicano studies.

Mr. Ashley was first elected to represent the Murrieta and Temecula area on the board in 2012 and has served in the board president and clerk roles. He served as board president most recently in 2018.

Leaving the Board of Trustees are Sherrie Guerrero (Area 1), who served five years, and Dorothy McGargill (Area 2), who served 16 years.

“We can’t thank Dorothy and Sherrie enough for all that they’ve done for the students at MSJC,” Schultz said. “Their leadership has helped guide us during a period in which we’ve seen record graduation rates and an expansion of facilities that will welcome students in the coming years. We thank them for their service.”

During its annual reorganization meeting Thursday, the Board of Trustees also selected Trustee Carpenter as its new president and Trustee Ashley as its new clerk.

Mt. San Jacinto College serves about 27,000 students in a district covering 1,700 square miles from the San Gorgonio Pass to Temecula, with campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee, Banning and Temecula.

-MSJC • Contributed

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