Dear Friends,

It's hot out there! We hope you are staying cool and enjoying the summer season. As we gear up for the 2026-27 Academic Year, we hope to see you visiting our Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings or strolling through the shaded pathways on campus. LAVC is one of the first community colleges to have received a Tree Campus USA® designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. Enjoy our urban forest and beat the heat!

Last month, the Foundation received two donations benefiting our Basic Needs Center. Thank you to the Studio City Resident's Association and Blue Shield California for their generous support. These gifts will help obtain provisions for LAVC's Food Pantry and ensure ongoing emergency stipends for LAVC students facing food insecurity.

Thank you also to the Greater Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which continues to ensure LAVC's Mobile Food Pantry contains fresh fruits and vegetables and remains open to our community.

If you would like to support our Basic Needs Center, please click here.

Sincerely,

Andrea Schmitt

Director

The Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program is dedicated to creating exceptionally prepared transfer-ready students in calculus-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Pictured Left to Right: MESA Program Staff Vivian Vy Le, Program Staff Sandy Illescas, Program Director Pamela Byrd Williams, Program Staff Dr. Fay Sheikholeslami, and STEM Counselor Meline Aramyan Keoseian.

Student Spotlight: Chelsea Zavala

Chelsea Zavala addresses the Class of 2026 at Commencement

When Chelsea Zavala first arrived at LAVC, she was searching for a better future for herself and her son. Returning to school after spending years away from education was not easy. Like many student parents, she struggled to balance classes, work, responsibilities at home, and the emotional pressure of trying to succeed while raising a child. There were moments when she questioned whether she was “smart enough” to make it through college.  

Still, she refused to give up. “Valley gave me an opportunity to start over and prove to myself that I was capable of more,” Chelsea said.  At first, she mostly kept to herself on campus. She doubted her voice and often felt unsure of where she belonged. Over time, however, her journey began to change through her involvement with the Family Resource Center and Associated Student Union. Helping student parents, participating in campus activities, and taking on leadership roles slowly helped her grow more self-assured.  

“One of the biggest turning points for me was becoming involved on campus,” Chelsea said. “It helped me become more confident in speaking up, leading others, and believing that I belonged in spaces where I once felt intimidated.”  For Chelsea, the Family Resource Center became more than a campus resource. It became a place where she felt supported and understood by people facing many of the same struggles. “I met people who supported me and reminded me that I was not alone in my journey,” she said.  

Now studying Communications and Political Science, Chelsea plans to continue her education and become a college educational counselor. As a first-generation college student and student parent, she hopes to help students who may feel lost, overwhelmed, or unsure of themselves, just as she once did.  

Looking back, Chelsea says her experience at Valley shaped her into someone “more confident, resilient, and driven.” Beyond academics, it taught her how to balance responsibilities, continue moving forward during difficult moments, and believe in herself in ways she never had before. 

Faculty Profile: Holly Batty

English Department

Holly Batty

Chair of LAVC English Department

For Holly Batty, teaching is not only about delivering information. It is about creating a space where students feel safe, welcomed and connected. Growing up, she always loved English. Reading, discussing literature, and connecting with others through ideas felt natural to her.

After enrolling at Valley, Holly started working as a tutor at the Writing Center, where she discovered how powerful it felt to help someone understand something for the first time. Her journey continued from tutor to coordinator then English professor, and finally to Chair of the English Department. She describes this journey with one simple word: “Roots.” For her, Valley is a place where she planted herself and grew over many years.

One of the most meaningful parts of her work was coordinating LAVC's Puente Program. Through this experience, she learned more about many students’ struggles, which changed her perspective and teaching style. Instead of focusing only on rules, she focused on people. She saw that connection and support are not extra things in education, but they are essential. It is her belief that teaching must adapt to better accommodate students.

Holly believes strongly in the power of community colleges, describing them as "warm, caring spaces where students are not just numbers". Faculty and staff work hard to understand students’ backgrounds, challenges, and needs in order to create a sense of family and belonging. This is especially important for first-generation students, who may feel lost at the beginning of their academic journey. 

Today, she emphasizes skills like critical thinking, research, and the ability to form strong arguments. In a world with AI and easy access to information, she believes students must learn how to question, analyze, and think independently about the information they are receiving. Whether in the classroom, through programs, or in one-on-one support, Professor Batty continues to create spaces where students can grow not only academically, but also personally. 

L to R: West Los Angeles College Foundation Director Jerry DeFelice, Foundation for Los Angeles Community Colleges Executive Director Kelly King, Los Angeles City College Foundation Director Martha Esparza, Los Angeles Valley College Foundation Director Andrea Schmitt, East Los Angeles College Foundation Director Armond Aghakhanian.

Last month the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation, the Los Angeles Community College District, the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges and the Los Angeles County Office of Education hosted the LA County Philanthropy Summit, a day-long conversation on advancing resources for public education. The event served to spark fresh ideas, share practical tools and build a supportive community in service of expanding philanthropic resources for LA's students. Attendees were able to attend multiple breakout sessions as well as a plenary featuring leaders from the California Community Foundation, Weingart Foundation, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.