The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) recently moved its office to the UC Merced Center in Fresno and named Cheri Cruz executive director of the non-profit organization aimed at promoting a college-going culture in the Valley.

Born and raised in Fresno, Cruz is a first-generation college student who has dedicated her professional career to helping young people achieve their educational goals. She is well-acquainted with the consortium’s work after having served as its associate director from 2001 to 2005.

“Our job is to show young people that college is an option,” said Cruz. “College graduates earn more, learn more and generally have more choices in life.”

One of her goals is to make college-going information more readily available to students and parents who traditionally do not have access to it.

Established in March 2000, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is aimed at increasing higher-education attainment in the 10-county area that includes Fresno, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Kings, Tulare and Kern Counties. The consortium comprises 24 public and private institutions of higher education from Stockton to Bakersfield.

One of the Consortium’s most important initiatives is establishing a guaranteed transfer program. About 15 colleges and universities are involved in the program, which puts participating students at partnering community colleges on the right path to completing their associate’s degree and guarantees them admission to any of the six four-year universities in the Valley that also are taking part in the program.

Reprinted with permission from UC Valley Connection.