LAVC Programs We Support

Athletics

Los Angeles Valley College Athletics offers 10 competitive sports teams including Baseball, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Football, Women’s Soccer, Softball, Men’s Swimming and Diving, Women’s Swimming and Diving, Men’s Water Polo and Women’s Water Polo. LAVC Athletic teams hold many state and regional titles. They are part of the Western State Conference, California Community College Athletic Association, and the Southern California Football Association.

LAVC Monarch Athletics serve the communities of Valley Glen, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Panorama City, Pacoima, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Burbank, and beyond. Local residents utilize the facilities each week year round.

Basic Needs Center

The Basic Needs Center provides LAVC students with an array of resources related to basic needs, including housing, food, and childcare. Services include academic and personal counseling, basic needs assessments, referrals to different resources on and off campus, public benefits and CalFresh application assistance, case management, and workshops.

Dream Resource Center

The center provides support and guidance to undocumented students on accessing and paying for higher education. DREAM strives to help students in three main ways – academics, connection, and advocacy. Services include providing information about academic options through counseling, a study space, and free computer use and printing; connecting students to campus and community resources like the Transfer Center, tutoring services, and financial aid and scholarships; and partnering with on and off campus resources to offer professional development and UndocuAlly training, access to legal immigration services, and career and internship options.

Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment provides students with the opportunity to take college courses while in high school. The program enables high school students to experience college coursework, taught by college instructors, thus preparing them for college and career success. Under LAVC’s Guided Pathways Model – Career and Academic Pathways (CAP), new students will explore career and college options, choose a program of study, and develop a full-program educational plan early on. Undecided students begin honing in on a program by choosing a CAP (meta-major), such as social and behavioral sciences; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); or humanities and communication. The first-term curriculum for each CAP includes a course centered on college and career planning and success, in which students are required to research career and academic interests. The program enables traditionally underserved high school students from LAVC Feeder high schools an opportunity to gain college credits before high school completion.

Family Resource Center

The mission of the Family Resource Center is to advance social and economic mobility for families by reducing barriers to higher education and jobs through integrating supportive services. The center offers services including parent workshops, clothing and baby supplies support groups and counseling to assist student parents in their educational journey.

Guardian Scholars

The LAVC Guardian Scholars/CAFYES program is a supplemental program that joins together all campus student support service efforts to provide support for current and former foster youth and help students achieve their academic and professional goals. Support services include academic counseling, campus and community referrals, educational grants and funds, emergency funds, monthly workshops, tutoring, university tours, textbook purchasing, and educational supplies.

Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)

This program is dedicated to creating exceptionally prepared transfer-ready students in calculus-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The goal is to provide support to students who are transferring to a 4 year university as a STEM Major. MESA provides academic supports such as tutoring, mentorship and workshops to aid students who are first-generation, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged, therefore increasing the number of those historically underrepresented in STEM.

POPP

The Police Orientation Preparation Program (POPP) is a career-focused partnership between the LAPD, The Los Angeles Community College District, California State University Los Angeles and Los Angeles Valley College. The program is a two-year college degree program that combines career preparatory coursework with professional opportunities in public service. The program features guest speakers, physical fitness drills, and coursework that ensures POPP students enter the LAPD academy ready to commit to a career in law enforcement.

Puente Program

The Puente Program at LAVC is a cohort-modeled transfer-support program that aims to help bridge the gap of Latinx students being admitted to UC schools and help students transfer to universities in 2-3 years of enrollment at LAVC. Services that Puente provides for students include specialized counseling, Puente events and trips like the fall Student Motivational Conference and Noche de Familia (Family Night), cultural enrichment, university exposure, and personal mentoring.

Rainbow Pride Center

The Rainbow Pride Center at LAVC is an all-inclusive space that offers a wide range of services including academic and personal counseling, community connection with LGBTQIA+ events, Rainbow Boutique, computer lab access, class registration assistance, on and off campus service referrals (including to the Department of Rehabilitation), and CalFresh and Medi-Cal application assistance.

TRiO

The TRiO Program at LAVC aims to support first generation, low income and/or disabled students in reaching their academic, personal, and professional goals by providing a variety of services free of charge. These services include academic and career counseling, tutoring/mentoring, workshops (study skills, financial aid, financial literacy), cultural activities and university field trips, transfer information and resources, a computer lab, and complimentary school supplies.

Umoja Black Scholars

The LAVC Umoja Black Scholars Program is a mentorship-based learning community primarily focused on supporting African American students in achieving academic success, fostering a sense of belonging, and creating a holistic Afrocentric environment that promotes successful course completion, strives to increase the retention and matriculation of Black students at LAVC, and engages and develops community of Black students, faculty, and staff. Core services of the program include 1-on-1 academic counseling, career guidance and support, study jams/tutoring, culturally enriching field trips, job skills training, HBCU college tours, book grants and academic accessories, and faculty, staff, and peer mentors.
Veteran Services

Veteran Resource Center

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at LAVC is the one-stop shop for veterans and military affiliated students (active duty, reservists, and dependents) to receive support, resources, and referrals to achieve academic and career goals. Services include helping initiate educational and VA benefits, applying for admission and class enrollment, referral to off campus services, psychological counseling, tutoring, a mentor program, and a student lounge with computers, a printer, and a location for the Veterans Club.

Workforce Development

The LAVC Workforce Development Department works directly with community and industry partners to create a synced, community-wide integrated system of training, educational, and employment resources and services. To achieve their mission of opening career pathways and economic success for LAVC and community-wide members, Workforce forges partnerships to offer services such as the Manufacturing Training Academy and Biotech Training Academy, employability skills courses, job placement and training, and counseling.