Donate to DVC Supporting the Foundation 99% of our assets are restricted gifts that satisfy program requirements and restrictions. To enable us to be responsive to emergent student needs like new program creation, emergency response, and other unanticipated expenses, we rely on unrestricted gifting! From these funds, we direct a response to where the need is the greatest . Thank you for your continued support! “While I am unsure what will happen after I graduate from a four-year institution, what I do know for sure is that this scholarship and your generosity will be very helpful in assisting me to pay for tuition and living fees next year as transferring to a four-year is a very large financial commitment.” - Nathan M., Continuing Student Donate All Donations are tax-deductible, straightforward to set up, and profoundly meaningful! Empower Dreams. Bridge Gaps. Create Opportunity. Change Lives. Without Unrestricted Gifts ... We Cannot Function. Promote Your Business, Empower Our Students The Benefits of Partnership Enhance Brand Visibilty Showcase your company's commitment to education and community development. We feature our partners on our website, at events, and in our communications. Join a community of leading businesses dedicated to empowering local students. As a DVC Foundation sponsor, you'll gain valuable exposure for your brand by connecting with thousands of students, faculty, and community members. Your tax-deductible contribution directly bridges financial gaps, creates opportunity, and changes the lives of students right here in our community! Become a Sponsor Today! View Our Packages Below Title Sponsor Named "Title" sponsor of chosen sport, club, or program Receive prominent logo placement on campus, website, and social media VIP tickets to special events Performance by the Viking Ensemble at your company event Preferential access to DVC's premier meeting and event spaces $10,000 $7,500 Patron Sponsor Named "Title" sponsor of chosen sport, club, or program Receive prominent logo placement on campus, website, and social media VIP tickets to special events Performance by the Viking Ensemble at your company event Preferential access to DVC's premier meeting and event spaces $5,000 $3,750 Champion Sponsor Named "Title" sponsor of chosen sport, club, or program Receive prominent logo placement on campus, website, and social media VIP tickets to special events Performance by the Viking Ensemble at your company event Preferential access to DVC's premier meeting and event spaces $3,000 $2,250 Contact us at dvcfoundation@dvc.edu to lock in these deals! Thank You to Our Campus Wide Sponsors for Supporting Student Success! Mail Check The DVC Foundation 321 GOLF CLUB ROAD PLEASANT HILL, CA 94523 Gifts of Stock, Bonds, & other Securities The DVC Foundation accepts gifts of stocks, bonds, and other securities. For any inquires or to make this type of gift, please contact us at jblair@dvc.edu Legacy Giving Include the DVC Foundation in your will, life insurance, or other estate planning options. Learn More Electronic Funds Transfer Donations made via electronic fund transfers (EFT) to the DVC Foundation are easy, secure, and fast. Please contact us at dvcfoundation@dvc.edu IRA Giving You may be able to lower the taxes from your IRA's required minimum distribution by making a donation from your IRA to the DVC Foundation. Learn More In-Kind Gifts The DVC Foundation accepts in-kind donations in the form of any product, service, or other non-cash item of monetary value. Please contact us at dvcfoundation@dvc.edu While we encourage donors to give unrestricted gifts as this allows us to focus support fluidly where the need is the greatest, such as when we had to adjust everything we did to assist students during the pandemic, we understand that some donors prefer to direct their giving to personal interests and desires. You can do so through our Directed Giving Menu !

Student Success Stories <- Back to News & Articles Each Person Has Their Own Story! DVC Alumni Spotlight: Karrington’s Journey from DVC to Oxford Celebrating the Ongoing Impact of the DVC Retirees' Association Student Leadership at DVC: Growing What Lasts Honoring the Legacy of Michael "Mickey" Ganitch Finding His Way Back: Jim Blair, Executive Director at the Foundation DVC Alumni Spotlight: Brandon Brookshire Journey

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories The Viking Ensemble: Making Music and Careers with Experiential Learning April, 2025 This fall, Diablo Valley College is buzzing with more than just students headed to class—it’s alive with music, collaboration, and career preparation, thanks to a unique experiential learning program: the Viking Ensemble Associate Fellow Program. With support from DVC Foundation donors, six music students are selected each academic year to serve as Associate Fellows in this dynamic, student-led performance group. These students aren’t just playing music—they’re building their careers. From planning campus concerts and coordinating logistics with community partners, to rehearsing and performing at local nonprofits and DVC sponsor locations, these Fellows take on real-world responsibilities that mirror the creative and collaborative demands of professional life. September, 2025 Under the guidance of music faculty mentors and seasoned industry professionals, the Viking Ensemble experience blends artistic growth with project management, event planning, and leadership training. Each Fellow receives a stipend—made possible through donor support—that allows them to focus on learning and performing, rather than balancing additional jobs or unrelated work-study roles. “This experience helped me build confidence as a performer and a leader,” shared one participant. “It’s something I never would have had access to without the support of the Foundation and its donors.” The Ensemble performs at least eight events per semester , infusing both the campus and community with live music and demonstrating what’s possible when education is paired with hands-on practice. These performances are more than concerts—they're proof points that student talent, when supported by opportunity, thrives. And that’s exactly what DVC’s experiential learning mission is all about: preparing students for life beyond the classroom with experiences that make them career-ready, community-connected, and creatively inspired. The Viking Ensemble is just one of many programs where your support makes a difference. Thank you for helping DVC students turn passion into purpose.

Campus Wide Stories <- Back to News & Articles See How Your Help has Affected DVC! The Viking Ensemble: Making Music and Careers with Experiential Learning Campus Corners: The Student Veteran's Resource Center (SVRC) Legacy Giving: The Charitable Gift Annuity Campus Corners: The Brand-New Engineering and Technology Building Fall Giving: A Season of Momentum and Meaning Alumni Pulse: Networking, Networking, Networking!

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories Fall Giving: A Season of Momentum and Meaning April, 2025 November, 2025 Fall at DVC always feels a bit electric. The air is crisp, the leaves turn, and the walkways fill with purpose. Students bounce between classes, clubs, and campus events. The hum of activity says it all—this is a season of momentum. You hear it in the rhythm of our Viking Ensemble students, who are turning passion into purpose by performing across campus and in the community while gaining hands-on skills that set them up for professional success. You see it in the buzz of our Student Union, where students gather not just for food pantry access and basic needs support, but for the sense of belonging that sustains them. You feel it at our groundbreaking ceremonies and alumni mixers, where new construction and renewed connections promise something lasting. Even the postseason echoes with that energy. While we won’t detail every stat, just know that Viking football, water polo, and cross country have all had a fall to remember. And that matters—not just for the athletes, but for the spirit it stirs in everyone else. But with all this energy comes the reminder that not all student needs are visible ... On November 10, the DVC Foundation hosted the first-ever Industry Invitational at Oakhurst Country Club—a day of community, generosity, and purpose. Proceeds from the tournament support Fueling Futures: One Meal at a Time, an initiative providing 1,000 meals to students and their families this holiday season. It’s part of our broader commitment through the Student Safety Net Fund, which helps students stay enrolled and succeed by providing emergency grants, food, housing support, and more. “It was just a great day,” said event co-founder JB Balingit. “Everyone came together to support students and their families—and to give DVC culinary students a chance to gain real experience while making a real impact.” And quietly, consistently, the Diablo Valley College Retirees Association (DVCRA) has been part of that impact for decades. Behind the scenes, the retirees and the DVCRA have made sure that students have a pathway to success—funding more scholarships than any other single group at DVC. These aren’t just financial gifts. They’re acts of belief. Each scholarship awarded tells a student: you belong here, and we believe in where you're going.

News and Articles Campus Wide Impact Stories Learn how your donations impact our campus! From scholarship developments to new student initiatives, learn how your support fosters creativity! View All Student Success Stories Get updated on students who have received scholarships! We follow up with many of our students to see how your support has helped them! View All

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories Campus Corners: The Brand-New Engineering and Technology (ET) Building April, 2025 November, 2025 Walking across campus from the Veterans Resource Center to the Student Union, you get a real sense of how much is changing—and how much is being built, both literally and figuratively, at DVC ... Just beyond the Veterans Center, where our student veterans find camaraderie, counseling, and a sense of belonging, the fenced-off area ahead marks a different kind of commitment: a new 32,500-square-foot Engineering Technology Building, now officially under construction. I like to stand on the top of the steepest stairs in county each morning and watch the construction unfold. It’s a great view from there and not because I’m winded. The groundbreaking ceremony held on October 15 marked the beginning of a bold new chapter in DVC’s investment in innovation. Funded by the 2014 Measure E bond, this $56.8 million facility is scheduled to open in fall 2027 and will house programs in engineering, construction, architecture, electronics, energy systems, and industrial design. With dedicated labs for 3D printing, CNC and CAD technology, robotics, and more, the building is designed to deliver hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for in-demand careers in automation, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. DVC President Dr. Monica Chahal described the project as a direct investment in California’s innovation economy, supported by key partnerships with employers and industry advisors. If you're interested in seeing the build, you can monitor progress here: Live Cams | Clark/Sullivan Construction . As I continue my walk toward the Student Union, the scene shifts—but the energy doesn’t. Inside the Union, students gather at the Basic Needs Center to access the food pantry, get referrals for housing and transportation assistance, or just find a quiet space to catch their breath. This is where wrap-around support lives—in a place where students don’t just survive college, but are supported in every aspect of it. And in nearby corners of the campus, learning labs continue to come alive—places where students are not just studying, but doing. Whether through music, engineering, or peer mentoring, they’re practicing the skills that will shape their futures. Today’s short stroll—from the place where we honor those who’ve served, to the place where students find daily support, to the structure now rising in between—says a lot about who we are at DVC: a college building strong foundations while helping students launch into what’s next.

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories Alumni Pulse: Networking, Networking, Networking! April, 2025 By: Charley Daly, Alumni Manager November, 2025 Fall always feels like a fresh start. New classes, new faces, and a campus full of people trying to find their footing. It’s the perfect time to talk about something I’ve believed in for decades—networking. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting classrooms and student clubs to run Fun with Networking, a workshop built from forty years of experience. Nothing complicated. Just honest stories, simple tools, and a lot of practice. Students usually start off quiet and unsure. But by the end, they’re talking, laughing, and meeting people they didn’t know an hour earlier. Half the time, I have trouble getting them to stop so we can wrap up. This fall, we took it one step further and held a full networking session on campus. The point was to give students a real place to practice and to connect them with DVC alumni working in all kinds of fields. When students meet alumni who sat in the same classrooms and walked the same halls, it changes how they see their own path. It shows them what’s possible—and it gives them real examples of how successful people built their careers. Around 50 people joined us. A great mix of alumni and students, light refreshments, and a room full of conversations. Students tried out the skills they learned, and alumni stepped in with encouragement and advice. That’s exactly why these sessions matter: students learn how to network, and alumni get to inspire the next group coming up behind them. We’ll do it again in the spring. I hope to see even more of you there!

Discover Karrington's inspiring alumni success story from DVC to Oxford, showcasing resilience and achievement. <- Back to Student Success Stories DVC Alumni Spotlight: Karrington’s Journey from DVC to Oxford At Diablo Valley College, we believe in the promise of each student’s journey—wherever it begins and wherever it leads. This month’s Alumni Spotlight features Karrington, a 2022 graduate whose academic path is now taking her across the Atlantic to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. Karrington began her studies at DVC in 2019, finding her footing as the world around her shifted due to the pandemic. “I had a great time at DVC, even amidst the pandemic,” she reflected. “The transition to online classes was seamless, and the community was very supportive.” Those early years not only provided a strong academic foundation but also helped her clarify her sense of purpose. Raised in San Ramon, Karrington described growing up in a place that was “super nice,” yet at times isolating. As one of the few African-American students in her community, she often felt like an outsider. “It was home at the end of the day,” she said, “but definitely, as a kid, it was difficult always being an outsider.” That sense of otherness sparked a deep curiosity—one that would grow into a passion for service and advocacy. At first, Karrington was on a nursing track. But a pivotal internship at Stanford changed her trajectory. “Coding and data analysis felt like building Legos,” she said, a nod to the joy of discovering something new that connects to who you’ve always been. That internship helped her uncover an interest in mental health policy—something that felt urgent, personal, and full of possibility. Scholarships, including the Kennedy-King Memorial Scholarship, helped open doors, and Karrington transferred to Cal State East Bay. There, she was awarded the prestigious Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service—an experience that allowed her to travel the country, studying how different communities address mental health access. “That scholarship gave me the chance to learn directly from people in cities like D.C., Atlanta, and New Orleans,” she shared. “It deepened my commitment to advocacy, policy, and community building.” This fall, Karrington will begin graduate studies in health policy at the University of Oxford—on a fully-funded scholarship. She sees this opportunity not as a finish line, but as a way to continue giving back. “This is a dream come true,” she said. “It’s a chance to bring back insights that can help make mental health more accessible for everyone.” When asked what keeps her going, her answer was simple but powerful: “You only have one life. Just do your best. No one has ever directly told me I can’t, so why should I believe otherwise?” Karrington’s journey is a reminder that meaningful change often starts quietly—in a classroom, during a conversation, or through an internship that opens your eyes to something new. Her story speaks to the power of persistence, of being open to change, and of staying connected to the communities that shaped you. We’re proud to celebrate Karrington as a member of the DVC alumni family. Her story—like so many others—is one of purpose, resilience, and hope. Click here to listen to the full podcast!

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories Campus Corners: A Walk to the Student Veterans Resource Center November, 2025 April, 2025 Our path today takes us just across from the Library, at the base of Science Hill, to the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) on the Diablo Valley College campus. In Contra Costa County alone there are over 53,000 veterans living in our community. Across California, more than 55,000 veterans, active‑duty service members or dependents are enrolled in community colleges each year. These figures remind us that the SVRC serves not only a classroom, but a chapter of lives in transition. When I stepped inside the SVRC, I was greeted by Marine veteran Andres Garcia, who shared: “The SVRC has given me purpose and made it possible to be involved both in the community and on campus. It has also connected me with incredible resources and services that help me succeed.” Nearby, another Marine veteran, Jose Maya Magdalena, didn’t hesitate: “I truly believe I would have dropped out if not for the SVRC. The community and safe space it provides keeps me going.” Their words resonate because they reflect the heart of the SVRC’s mission: a place of support, connection, and academic renewal. As I walked among the study nooks, resource stations and informal gathering areas, it became clear the center is more than a facility—it’s a community anchor. Here at DVC, we cultivate a campus where veteran students are seen, supported and celebrated. And as the data show, the numbers matter: not only for the veterans themselves, but for the strength and diversity they bring to our collective educational experience. Designate your Donation to the SVRC! Donate Next month, our walk will carry us to the center of student life—the Student Union. Stay tuned!

Student Opportunites Ready to build your resume and gain a competitive edge? The DVC Foundation now offers unique, project-based opportunities designed to provide students with direct, hands-on experience. Explore the projects listed below to develop the valuable skills employers are looking for and add practical experience to your resume! What to Expect How You'll Grow Our projects are designed to mirror the challenges and workflows you'd find in a professional setting. Each opportunity is a self-contained, short-term project that allows you to contribute to a meaningful outcome for the Foundation or a partner organization. You might be asked to help with anything from market research and social media content creation to event planning and data analysis. This is your chance to move beyond theory and apply your classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems, building a portfolio of work that demonstrates your capabilities. The primary goal of these opportunities is to equip you with the skills that employers value most. While working on these projects, you will inherently practice critical thinking, teamwork, and professional communication. Depending on the project, you can also gain specific technical skills relevant to your field of study. Upon completion, you will have a concrete experience to add to your resume and specific accomplishments to discuss in job interviews, giving you a clear advantage as you begin your career. How it Works It's as easy as ... 1. Browse Take a look at our current list of available projects. Each post includes a clear description of the project's goals, the skills involved, and the expected time commitment so you can find the perfect match for your schedule and career interests. 2. Apply Found an opportunity that excites you? The next step is to fill out a straightforward application. This is your chance to tell us a bit about yourself, your skills, and why you're interested in the project. 3. Begin Once you are selected, you’ll be connected with the project lead to get started. You will be on your way to gaining valuable hands-on experience, building your professional network, and adding a significant accomplishment to your resume. See Our Available Projects Below! TikTok Brand Ambassador Become a TikTok Ambassador for the DVC Foundation! We are looking for a creative student(s) to manage our TikTok account and engage with the campus community. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on social media marketing experience and build your portfolio. Learn more about the role, time commitment, and the valuable skills you'll develop. Placeholder Project Become a TikTok Ambassador for the DVC Foundation! We are looking for a creative student(s) to manage our TikTok account and engage with the campus community. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on social media marketing experience and build your portfolio. Learn more about the role, time commitment, and the valuable skills you'll develop.

<- Back to Campus Wide Stories Legacy of Service: Support DVC Students Through a Charitable Gift Annuity April, 2025 November, 2025 This Veterans Month, we’re reminded that service takes many forms. A Charitable Gift Annuity is one way to continue a legacy of giving—offering you lifelong income and tax benefits while ensuring future students at Diablo Valley College have the opportunity to learn, grow, and serve in their own ways. It’s a gift that honors the past and invests in the future. Here's why a Charitable Gift Annuity may be the right giving option for you—and how it helps Diablo Valley College students... What is a Charitable Gift Annuity? A Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is a simple agreement between you and the Community College League of California. In exchange for your gift of cash, stock, or other assets, you receive fixed payments for life. At the end of the contract, the remaining funds go to the Diablo Valley College Foundation, ensuring your legacy supports local students for years to come. Why Choose a CGA? Here are some of the advantages: • Income for Life – guaranteed payments for as long as you (or you and a spouse) live. • Tax Benefits – a significant portion of your gift qualifies for a charitable deduction, and much of your annuity income may be tax-free. • Flexibility in Giving – fund your annuity with cash, CDs, or appreciated securities. Donating stock may allow you to avoid or defer capital gains taxes. • Accessible – a CGA can be established with as little as $10,000. Make the Most of Your Retirement Funds If you are age 73 or older, you are required to take annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRA. These withdrawals are taxable and can increase your annual income tax liability. By directing all or part of your RMD to fund a Charitable Gift Annuity, you can: • Reduce Your Taxable Income – the charitable deduction from establishing the annuity can offset some of the taxable impact of your RMD. • Convert Retirement Assets into Steady Income – instead of a one-time taxable withdrawal, you receive fixed payments for life. • Leave a Lasting Legacy – the residual value of your annuity supports Diablo Valley College Foundation programs and scholarships long after your lifetime. Real Benefits at Every Age The payout rate increases with age. For example, a $10,000 gift from a 70-year-old donor could provide $470 annually, with a large portion tax-free, plus an immediate charitable deduction of more than $4,000. Why DVC? By choosing the Diablo Valley College Foundation as the beneficiary of your Charitable Gift Annuity, your generosity directly impacts students in our community. Your support funds scholarships, academic programs, and initiatives that open doors for students of every background. Leave a Legacy That Lasts A CGA is more than a donation—it’s a partnership. You gain peace of mind through reliable income and tax advantages, while creating long-term opportunities for DVC students to achieve their educational and career goals. To learn more about establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity that benefits the Diablo Valley College Foundation, please contact DVCFoundation@dvc.edu or visit the Community College League of California at www.ccleague.org .