Office of Student Services Update – June 2025

On Behalf of Kira Tippins, Vice President of Student Services:

Hello Crush Community!

May was such a busy and exciting month full of celebrations. I had the privilege of attending the Communication Department’s Speech Night, the Early Childhood Education Graduation Celebration, the Art and Music Open House, the GSA Rainbow Celebration, the LFSA Latino Graduation Celebration, the EOPS/CARE/NextUp, CalWORKs, and TRiO Celebration, the BAASE End-of-the-Year Celebration, the Leon S. Peters Honors Program Celebration, and of course…Commencement!

We also celebrated our outgoing Department Chairs at our last meeting in May. A huge thank you to Rachel Garcia, Carole Sullivan, Scott Phillips, and Melanie Sanwo for your leadership and service over these last couple years! I have greatly appreciated working with and learning from each of you.

While I am sad to lose a couple great employees in Student Services, I am also very proud and excited to share their achievements.

I want to congratulate Erica Riggs, Financial Aid Analyst, on her appointment as Director of Financial Aid at Southern Oregon University. I hired Erica many years ago at FCC and was excited when I learned she was joining the Clovis team. Erica is extremely competent, hard-working, and will do very well in her new role!

I also want to congratulate Stephen Guenzi, EOPS Program Assistant, on his new role as a Librarian with the San Joaquin Valley Library System. Stephen has only been with CCC for about a year, but in his short time here, he has made significant improvements to program processes and has been amazing to work with!

Please see exciting updates from some of our programs below.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid has expanded into AC-2 149B! This is where the Veterans Resource Center was housed and is right next door to the existing Financial Aid Office in AC2-141. Students will now be seen in this new room and will have access to computers for assistance with completing applications and paperwork.

DSP&S

DSP&S hosted the Annual Advisory Board Meeting on May 27, where program data and department updates were shared, and some time was spent brainstorming future department goals.

Outreach

Outreach continues to assist new students who are enrolling for fall and summer classes, especially high school enrichment students.

Currently, the staff is focusing on hiring to replace the ambassadors who are leaving, as they are transferring this fall. The ambassador team had nine graduates, including two Dean's Medalists and a Tom Crow Scholarship recipient!

This next month includes community events, such as the Pride Parade and Festival in downtown Fresno. The team is also preparing for ambassador training in July – thank you in advance for all of you who come to train our new staff on your areas, we appreciate you!

Beginning on June 9, find us in AC3-158 as the Welcome Center relocates for the upcoming network project.

Central Valley Higher Education Basic Needs Collaborative

  • We’re proud to share that Clovis Community College will host this year’s Central Valley Higher Education Basic Needs Collaborative on Monday, June 24. This all-day, in-person meeting will bring together local Basic Needs practitioners from the California Community Colleges (CCC) and California State University (CSU) systems.
  • Hosting this event is a meaningful opportunity for our college:
    • It highlights our role as a local leader in student equity and support, highlighting our commitment to Basic Needs by sharing how we are addressing food, transportation, housing, and other essential requirements that affect student success.
    • We will welcome administrators, food pantry coordinators, counselors, classified professionals, and student success coaches from colleges throughout the Central Valley, providing a space to establish partnerships and share ideas.
    • This is an opportunity for our staff to engage in relevant conversations and explore best practices that may be implemented on our campus.
    • The goal of this event is to develop and improve strategies that help our students stay enrolled, persist, and thrive academically and personally.

The Crush Pantry

The Crush Pantry had a busy month in May, and we appreciate everyone's support.

  • Crush Pantry: 1,070 visits
  • Crush Cupboard Snack Stations: 2,576
  • Diaper Bank: 28 parenting students with 32 children served

CalFresh Outreach

The Crush Pantry team hosted various CalFresh Outreach events during the spring semester. Students were able to learn about eligibility requirements, benefits, and application assistance. This summer, CalFresh assistance is also available through virtual or in-person appointments. Eligible students can receive up to $292 a month for groceries.

Clothing Swap Supports Parenting Students and Launches New Initiative

Clovis Community College recently hosted its first Clothing Swap for parenting students and caregivers, providing a welcoming space to access free children’s clothing, diapers, and family-friendly resources. The event was part of the college’s emerging Parent and Caregiver Success Initiative, which aims to support student-parents with practical resources and community-building opportunities.

The event was both festive and impactful, with a special appearance from our college mascot Crush, giveaways, and dinner for attendees. Leftover items have been added to the new children's section of the Crush Clothing Closet, ensuring ongoing support. The event will return this fall, just in time for the seasonal change, and campus partners are already planning ways to expand services and engagement.

Student Success - Clovis Community College at Big Sandy Rancheria Native American Reservation

We are proud to share an exciting milestone in our outreach and educational partnership efforts. Clovis Community College recently completed the first-ever Student Success college course offered directly to members of the Big Sandy Rancheria Native American Reservation. This historic initiative marks the first time a college-level course has been held on-site for the community.

The course served as more than just an introduction to higher education, it became a powerful exchange of knowledge and culture. While our instructors provided valuable guidance on preparing for and navigating college life, we also had the privilege of learning from a vibrant, engaged community eager to expand their educational horizons.

Many of the participating students expressed strong interest in continuing their academic journeys, with aspirations to grow personally and professionally. Their enthusiasm and commitment underscore the immense potential this collaboration holds for future educational opportunities, and this course represents a meaningful step forward—not only in supporting student success—but also in building a lasting, supportive relationship between Clovis Community College and the Big Sandy Rancheria community.

Title IX Update – Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Training

After a busy month full of celebrations and graduation, our classified professionals, students, and faculty had the opportunity to participate in Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training, presented by our own State Center Community College District Police Officers, who are certified RAD trainers. RAD is a self-defense program for women, children, men, and seniors. They provide a holistic approach to self-defense education. Each session includes educational components comprised of lecture, discussion, and physical resistive strategies. All sessions end with simulated scenarios for students to practice their learned skills.

Currently, the training is only offered to our female staff and registered female students on campus.

Last week’s RAD session, which was our sixth session since the training began in spring of 2024, had nine individuals who participated. All the participants received a certificate of completion and will be able to attend other future trainings offered on-campus and across the nation. We also had a returning student drop-in, who wanted to brush up on her skills during this session.

The next RAD training session will be at the end of the fall semester, tentatively the week of December 15, 2025, after finals week. We encourage everyone to consider participating in the training in the fall.