Campus Updates from Dr. Avila
Greetings Gavilan Community,
We have had a good start to the semester, aside from our traditional campus-wide power outage. It has been great to see both campuses busy again and our students back in class.Thank you to everyone who helped us prepare for the semester and who welcomed our students with patience, enthusiasm, and care.
This fall, we will begin moving into the new Library and Student Resource Center while continuing the work already underway across the college and in our community.
Thank you for all you do for Gavilan and our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Pedro Avila
Welcome Week Starts the Semester on a High Note
Student Services organized a wonderful Welcome Week to help students connect with one another and learn more about the support available at Gavilan.
Thank you to Sarah Garcia, Diane Padilla, Rachel Nuyen, Daisy Jimenez, and everyone who helped coordinate the week’s activities.
Our new Puente students also received a warm welcome to Gavilan. Thank you to Scott Sanders, counselor Fernanda Renteria, and the entire Puente team for creating a strong and supportive community for our students.
The LSRC Move Is Approaching
Preparations are underway for Student Services and the executive team to move into the new Library and Student Resource Center before the end of October.
If everything remains on schedule, we expect to hold the November Board of Trustees meeting in the LSRC. The initial move is an important milestone as we prepare for the building to fully open to students in spring 2027.
Program Relocation Schedule - October
| Group 1: October 7-12 | Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, Welcome center |
| Group 2, October 14 -19 | Counseling, Career Transfer Center |
| Group 3, October 21-26 | AEC, EOPS, CalWorks, DREAM Resource Center, Veterans Resource Center |
Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Recent conversations with Gilroy’s new chief of police, Brandon Sanchez, focused on campus security and continued collaboration between Gavilan College and the Gilroy Police Department. Thank you to Eddy Medel for helping coordinate this important work.
The college will also conduct safety drills during the semester. These drills are an important part of our emergency preparedness efforts and give students and employees an opportunity to practice how to respond during an emergency.
Information will be shared with the college community before each drill.
Building Connections Across Our Community
Gavilan College is working with the Santa Clara County Office of Education and Morgan Hill Unified School District to create new opportunities for paraeducators to become special education teachers. This partnership will help working paraeducators continue their education while strengthening the local pipeline of credentialed special education teachers.
Gavilan was also invited by Commonwealth Central Credit Union to speak at a recent Gilroy Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Thank you for the opportunity to share college updates and connect with local business and community leaders.
In Hollister, Trustee Rachel Perez was recognized during the Visionary Women’s Luncheon. Congratulations, Rachel, on this well-deserved recognition!
Korean Women Artists Reconnect at Gavilan
A new exhibition organized by art instructor Max Rain brought the work of 12 Korean women artists to Gavilan College.
The artists attended Ewha Womans University’s College of Art and Design and later reconnected in the United States. Their exhibition celebrates that connection and gives the Gavilan community an opportunity to experience their work.
Thank you to Max for bringing this special exhibition to campus.
Help Bring Wrestling to Gavilan
Gavilan College intends to launch men’s and women’s wrestling in 2027, creating a new opportunity for students in a region with a strong wrestling tradition.
We are asking our community to help build these programs from the ground up. Contributions will support the equipment, facilities, and resources our future student-athletes will need to compete and succeed.
Support Men’s and Women’s Wrestling at Gavilan
Every contribution will help lay the foundation for the program and welcome a new generation of student-athletes to the Rams family.
Men's Soccer Off to a Great Start
The Gavilan men’s soccer team opened the season undefeated through its first six games, including a 3–1 victory over Woodland. It may be one of the best starts in the program’s history, and we congratulate our student-athletes and coaching staff on their hard work and success.
As the season continues, we encourage everyone to come out and cheer on the Rams. Our student-athletes put countless hours into training and competition while keeping up with their coursework, and seeing colleagues, classmates, and community members in the stands means a great deal.
Join us in supporting men’s soccer and all of Gavilan’s athletic teams this fall. Invite a colleague or friend, and make plans to catch a game.
Explore Updates from each area through the links below
Human Resources - Lucy Alvarez
Administrative Services - Marilyn Morikang
Student Services - Newin Paul C. Orante, Ed.D.
Academic Affairs - Dr. Moaty Fayek
Kind Regards,
Dr. Pedro Avila
Superintendent/President
5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard | Gilroy, CA 95020
instagram.com/gavilanprez
facebook.com/gavilanprez