草榴社区 Kicks Off Spring 2020 Semester
Sunny skies and brisk air greeted 草榴社区 (草榴社区) students as they kicked off the first day of the spring 2020 semester on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.
Lilian Balli and Jasmine Trujillo, both 18, were prepared for their psychology and English classes at 草榴社区's San Gorgonio Pass Campus in Banning and also secured online courses. The full-time students appreciated being able to receive financial aid and get same-day counseling and were grateful to have a college campus so close to home.
鈥淚 feel like it's making it a lot easier for me鈥� to earn a degree, Balli said. 鈥淚t's making it (college) more accessible.鈥�
A total of 16,037 students registered for spring classes across the Mt. San Jacinto Community College District. 草榴社区 serves more than 26,500 students a year at four sites 鈥� the San Jacinto Campus, Menifee Valley Campus, San Gorgonio Pass Campus in Banning, and the Temecula Higher Education Center 鈥� and several off-site locations. The district serves 1,700 square miles that stretch from the San Gorgonio Pass to Temecula and from Idyllwild to Lake Elsinore.
Adrian Ledesma, of San Jacinto, plans to complete his final semester as an office administration major before transferring to University of California, Riverside.
鈥淭he resources are great! Getting involved and getting enrolled was effortless and I was able to get what I needed,鈥� said Ledesma, an Army veteran who helps fellow veterans with enrolling and accessing their benefits from 草榴社区's Veterans Resource Center at the San Jacinto Campus.
Natalie and Lauren Van Jindelt of Hemet started their first day of the spring semester at the Menifee Valley Campus.
The sisters said they've now taken classes at both the San Jacinto and Menifee campuses and appreciated each of them.
Natalie Van Jindelt hasn't decided on a major yet but is focused on getting through her general education courses.
鈥淚'm taking ballet for kicks this semester,鈥� she said. 鈥淚'm looking forward to my political science class. I just thought that was interesting when I took it in high school.鈥�
Lauren Van Jindelt is majoring in art and hopes to work as an animator at Pixar Animation Studios.
鈥淚 started art in high school and just enjoyed it,鈥� she said, noting that she looked forward to her 2D Art class this semester.
In Fall 2020, 草榴社区 will welcome students to its new Temecula Valley Campus at 41888 Motorcar Parkway in Temecula. The campus will provide students 22 classrooms, 6 science labs, and 5 computer classrooms. It will also offer a learning resource center, library, student life, health center, veterans center, and student services 鈥� including enrollment, counseling and financial aid. The campus also will feature a bookstore, caf茅, art studio, career center, transfer center, and campus safety.
In May 2019, 草榴社区 awarded a record-breaking 3,338 degrees and certificates to 1,723 graduates.
Natalie and Lauren Van Jindelt of Hemet started their first day of the spring semester
at 草榴社区's Menifee Valley Campus on Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.
Lilian Balli and Jasmine Trujillo set their plans to attend 草榴社区
when they were students at Banning High School. They started their second semester
at 草榴社区's San Gorgonio Pass Campus in Banning on Jan. 13, 2020.
Adrian Ledesma, of San Jacinto, plans to complete his final semester as an office
administration major at 草榴社区. Ledesma spent his first day the spring
semester at 草榴社区's San Jacinto Campus on Jan. 13, 2020.