4. The Community Today And Tomorrow: Profile Of The District’s Service Area
4.1 District Boundaries And Description Of Service Emphases
Victor Valley Community College District serves an area of the High Desert encompassing about 2,200 square miles. The region includes four incorporated communities: Adelanto, Hesperia, Victorville, and the Town of Apple Valley. Major communities include Phelan, Wrightwood, Helendale, and Lucerne Valley. The region contains about 190,000 residents.
Characterized as a rural setting, the High Desert is in the midst of a transition to a suburban economy. The closure of a major military installation has impacted the economy of the region; however, some of that impact has been mitigated by the recent accelerated expansion of correctional facilities. The relative low land costs and good transportation grid have served to stimulate a housing boom of sorts and the region has experienced recent significant population increases.
As the only public higher education institution in the region, Victor Valley College must play a variety of roles for its service area citizens. Certainly the institution represents the only local two-year college providing core academics, transfer programs, and comprehensive vocational and occupational education. In addition, the college offers a significant array of community service offerings and life-long learning programming.
The college plays an important role in the provision of arts and culture. Its performing arts program represents the largest source of performing arts, cultural arts, and musical entertainment in the High Desert. The institution offers one of the largest arrays of athletic and sporting events. The community often utilizes the vast recreational and athletic facilities of the campus on weekends.
Victor Valley College recognizes its important role in the economic advancement of the region and has long offered a strong array of economic development technical assistance services, workforce preparation programs, and advancement initiatives. It has undertaken some of the most comprehensive studies of the economy of the region and is a strong participant in area small business development centers, one stop centers, and regional program coordination initiatives.
The college works diligently with other higher education institutions to develop articulation agreements and special compacts that facilitate the transfer of VVC graduates to area state universities. Similarly, the college works with local K-12 districts, tech prep programs, and regional occupational centers to look for ways to better prepare high school students and ease their transition to the two-year college.
By every measure, Victor Valley College is attempting to meet its diverse responsibilities to the residents and constituencies of the High Desert. It offers a comprehensive array of majors, programs, facilities, and services. Through constant and comprehensive planning, the College is positioned to continue to meet the challenges of leadership well into the next millennium.