Gavilan College

{{Short description|Community college located in Gilroy, California}}

{{Infobox university

|name = Gavilan College

|image = Gavilan College logo (horizontal).jpg

|image_size = 300px

|motto =

|established = 1919

|type = Public community college

|endowment =

|staff =

|faculty =

|president = Pedro Avila

|provost =

|principal =

|rector =

|chancellor =

|vice_chancellor =

|dean =

|head_label =

|head =

|students = 7,303{{cite web|url=http://datamart.cccco.edu/Students/Enrollment_Status.aspx|title=California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office - Data Mart|website=Datamart.cccco.edu|access-date=15 November 2017}}

|undergrad =

|postgrad =

|doctoral =

|profess =

|city = Gilroy, California

|country = U.S.

|campus = Suburban

|free_label =

|free =

|former_names = San Benito County Junior College (1919–1963)

|colors = {{Color box|navy|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|red|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|white|border=darkgray}} Navy blue, red, and white

|sports_nickname = Gavilan Rams

|parent = CCCS

|footnotes =

|website = {{URL|www.gavilan.edu}}

|coor = {{Coord|36.9736|-121.5690 |format=dms |type:edu_region:US-CA |display=inline,title}}

}}

Gavilan College is a public community college in Santa Clara County, California.

History

File:Gavilan College campus in autumn.jpg.]]

The college was established in 1919 as the San Benito County Junior College. It operated as such until 1963, when a new community college district was drawn that included both San Benito County and southern Santa Clara County. The college moved to its present main campus in 1968.

Campus

File:Gavilan_College_Campus,_2024,_front_view_with_library_and_humanities_buildings.jpg

The main campus is in Gilroy, California. In 1997, satellite sites were added in Hollister and Morgan Hill to augment offerings on the main campus. In 2008, land was purchased in Coyote Valley and San Benito County for the future development of additional campuses. In 2017, Phase 1 of the Coyote Valley Center was completed, becoming Gavilan's newest instructional site and the home for South Bay Public Safety Training Consortium police and fire academies.

Academics

Gavilan College offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, and certificates in a variety of career fields. Gavilan College is also the only community college in northern California offering degree and certificate programs in Aviation Maintenance Technology.

=Gilroy Early College Academy=

File:GECA_logo.png, founded in conjunction with Gavilan College on its campus.]]

Gavilan College hosts an early college high school, Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy (GECA), ranked as one of the best high schools in California and the United States as a whole.{{cite web|url=http://geca-gusd-ca.schoolloop.com/|title=Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy: Home Page|website=Geca-gusd-ca.schoolloop.com|access-date=15 November 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/community/trustee-tj-owens-dies-after-stroke/article_0d379eea-d09f-5a8f-8cb2-f9dc884f1dc4.html|title=Trustee TJ Owens Dies After Stroke|website=Gilroydispatch.com|date=18 October 2005|access-date=15 November 2017}} Founded in 2007, GECA students are able to complete two years of college in their four years of high school by taking advanced placement and honors classes, as well as Gavilan College courses alongside Gavilan students, and can graduate with up to 60 transferable units.

Student life

Fine and performing arts opportunities include theater, children's theater, gallery art, mural art, ceramics, Folklorico dance, choir, instrumental ensemble, symphony, and vocal ensemble.

=Athletics=

The Gavilan College athletic teams are called the Rams. Intercollegiate sports include men's football, baseball, basketball, and soccer, and women's basketball, softball, volleyball and beach volleyball. Their mascot is the Ram.

=Student diversity=

African American: 3%
Asian American: 7%
Hispanic: 43%
International: 0%
Native American: 1%
White: 36%
Unknown: 9%{{cite web|url=https://colleges.niche.com/gavilan-college/student-body/|title=Explore Gavilan College|website=Colleges.niche.com|access-date=15 November 2017}}

Notable alumni & faculty

Luis Alejo, former California State Assemblyman and Mayor of Watsonville{{cite news|title=Gavilan College alumni shine on election day|url=http://www.gavilan.edu/pio/pressrelease.php?pr=516|access-date=28 February 2017|publisher=Gavilan College|date=11 November 2010}}
Jeff Garcia, professional football player{{cite news|last1=Purdy|first1=Mark|title=Jeff Garcia wants to coach San Jose State football - and would be a good choice for the Spartans|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/29/purdy-jeff-garcia-is-the-man-for-san-jose-state/|access-date=28 February 2017|work=The Mercury News|date=29 November 2016}}
Bob Kampa, professional football player
Debbie Klein, Fulbright scholar
Frank LaCorte, professional baseball player{{cite news|last1=Powell|first1=Mark|title=Being Frank|url=http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/community/being-frank/article_0fc49c99-a26a-572e-b0ec-e6e84e7fd85d.html|access-date=28 February 2017|work=Gilroy Dispatch|date=24 March 2011}}
Louis A. Mackey, professional football player
Jeff Ulbrich, professional football player{{cite news|last1=|first1=|title=Jeff Ulbrich - ESPN page|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2217/jeff-ulbrich|access-date=|work=|date=}}
Josh Wallwork, college football player