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Senior Administrative Assistant for Technology Services Stefanie Alvarez has been named Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s 2023 Classified Employee of the Year! As the first person that many people communicate with when they call Â鶹´«Ã½, Stefanie treats each person with respect and kindness.  She believes in Â鶹´«Ã½â€™S mission of equity, inclusion, and access being that she too was an Â鶹´«Ã½ student. She experienced and appreciated what it was like to be a student and receive help on the other end.

Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Manager of Outreach Services Frank Rivera has been named the 2023 Manager of the Year! Frank has led the Outreach department since January 2021. He is recognized by his colleagues for demonstrating exemplary collaboration and innovation, including his leadership in the development of a new signature event, Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Preview Night. This successful event, first held in 2022, was held again in March 2023 with over 1,830 attendees present.

Congratulations to Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Teachers of the Year for the 2022-23 academic year who were recognized at Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Employee Recognition Ceremony on May 8, as well as the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees on April 24. The Teacher of the Year program identifies and honors exemplary teachers and highlights educational innovation, student learning, and the rewards of teaching.

Winnie Dinh: Outstanding Full-time Teacher of the Year

Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Puente Program recently held a ceremony commemorating the accomplishments of its members, celebrating Puente transfer students, and recognizing the current cohort's completion of Phase One. In attendance were current Puentistas, their loved ones, Puente mentors, faculty and staff, department deans, community members, and President Hernandez. The event included speeches by guest speakers such as Â鶹´«Ã½ alumni, award-winning author, and literary arts advocate Sarah Rafael García, and transfer Puentista Frieda Sophia Lopez.