LONG BEACH, CA – Victor Valley College (VVC) President Dr. Dan Walden credits Caring Campus and the Caring Campus Academy (CCA) with helping transform the college’s culture and fueling its emergence as the fastest growing college in California.

The CCA offers tailored sessions for higher education staff, faculty, and administrators to learn about the Caring Campus behaviors designed to strengthen student belonging and success, whether for new hires first learning about Caring Campus or seasoned professionals seeking fresh ideas and strategies.

“The Caring Campus Academy was the real turnaround for our college,” Walden said. “The employees we sent came back completely inspired and became champions of this Caring Campus work. They loved it immediately and that has just continued to grow.”

After attending the CCA, VVC established a participatory Caring Campus Committee, co-chaired by administrative coordinator Jan Espinoza. Thirteen Victor Valley College employees then attended another cohort of the CCA together.

“Attending the Academy as a team was invaluable,” Espinoza said. “It built a shared understanding of what a Caring Campus culture looks like and gave us a shared vision, practical tools, and the momentum to strengthen a culture of care at Victor Valley College with employees and students.”

The Caring Campus Committee brings multiple perspectives from different constituent groups, helping to raise awareness of Caring Campus and its commitments across the campus and resulting in more intentional interactions that support student success.

VVC also regularly hosts events focused on fostering student success through care, including its “All College” In-Service Day, where hundreds of employees attend breakout sessions centered on Caring Campus practices.

The college has also taken steps to ensure employees remain approachable to students by wearing visible name badges featuring large first names and photos, with the badges doubling as key cards that provide access to campus buildings.

“As a student here on campus, one of the things I like about Caring Campus is the fact that we tend to break stereotypes,” VVC Associated Student Body president Hailey Reyes said in a VVC-produced Caring Campus video. “We are able to meet with our faculty, staff, and administration and build those campus connections early on, and know that we have someone there supporting our journey.”

VVC’s Call Center is another shining example of care in action. Student support specialists answer every call directed to the college, ensuring callers connect with a real person rather than an automated system. Last year, the Call Center handled over 200,000 calls, with an 80-85 percent first-call resolution rate. Calls requiring additional support are resolved within 48 hours.

The college’s caring culture has coincided with remarkable institutional growth and improved student outcomes. Over the last four years, VVC has experienced a 78 percent increase in unduplicated headcount. The college also reported the highest successful course completion rate in its history during the 2024-25 academic year.

“Victor Valley College has fully embraced the importance of human connection and care in student success,” Caring Campus founder and CEO Dr. Brad Phillips said. “Their success demonstrates what is possible when institutions intentionally build cultures of belonging. The Caring Campus Academy provides the tools and inspiration colleges need to make that vision a reality.”

The spring CCA cohort begins the week of April 13 and is open to institutions nationwide.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

IEBC_VVC1: Victor Valley College president Dr. Dan Walden attributes Caring Campus as one of the leading factors behind the institution becoming the fastest growing college in California.

IEBC_VVC2: Victor Valley College’s Call Center is a shining example of care in action, with student support specialists answering every call directed to the college, ensuring callers connect with a real person rather than an automated system. 

IEBC_VVC3: Victor Valley College’s caring culture has coincided with remarkable institutional growth and improved student outcomes.