25 Years
In the coming months, Norco College celebrates an important milestone: It will be 25 years since the College opened its doors. Under the support of RCCD, college classes were regularly taught at various locations in Norco-Corona as early as the 1970s.
Riverside Community College leaders first began to dream about a branch campus in the area at about the same time. On June 4, 1985, that dream was realized when more than 141 acres of U.S. government-owned land—the site of what would become Norco College—were acquired by RCCD for one dollar to build a satellite campus.
Message from the President
It is hard to believe that Norco College celebrated its silver anniversary on March 13, 2016. A campus that opened in 1991 with approximately 500 students enrolled is now home to over 10,000 students, and counting.
Since the beginning, Student Success and Excellence has been the focus in everything we do. To fulfill our motto of “Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Leaders” we continue to emphasize high academic standards, a dynamic learning environment, and the importance of treating students as individuals.
Our alumni are the foundation of this college and its rich traditions. It is important to reflect on our history and reconnect with alumni to strengthen community ties. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to share your favorite Norco College story by clicking on the ‘Alumni Stories’ tab above.
Take a moment and browse through the highlights of our history. I invite you to join the celebrations as the College remembers the past, present, and future of excellence in education and training throughout the academic year.
Monica Green, Ph.D.
Interim President
Vice Presidents
Diane Dieckmeyer, Ph.D.
Vice President, Academic Affairs
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Beth Gomez
Vice President, Business Services
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Norco College: A Brief History
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Norco College, one of three colleges in the Riverside Community College District, became the 112th and newest California Community College on January 29, 2010, when it was granted initial accreditation. Its history dates at least to the 1970s, when college classes were first regularly taught in the Norco-Corona area under the auspices of RCCD, and when Riverside Community College leaders first began to dream about a branch campus in the area. In many ways, however, its history is even older than that.
The land on which the College now stands was once home to semi-nomadic bands of Tongva Indians, some of whom built villages along the nearby Santa Ana River and may have gathered roots and nuts where the campus stands today. They must have come to the area for the resources that mattered most to desert people a thousand years ago: water, game, and edible plants. These were the people who greeted (and resisted) the Spanish, and whose land became part of the nearly 18,000-acre Rancho La Sierra (Sepulveda) in 1846, where their descendants probably worked for generations. For the next 50 years, through a succession of owners, this was open range, pasture land for the Rancho cattle and sheep.
In 1908, eight years before Riverside Junior College was founded, most of the Rancho was bought for a half million dollars by James W. Long, who formed the Orange Heights Water Company and began to subdivide it into small fruit and vegetable farms. In 1921, the 15-squaremile area that includes the site of the present-day campus was acquired by Rex Clark, who named it “Norco,” after his North Corona Land Company.
Like the Native Americans and Rancho owners before him, Clark was a dreamer. In 1923, according to Norco city historian Bill Wilkman, he placed an ad in the Los Angeles Times with the headline, “Norco, the Vale of Dreams Comes True.” In Jeffersonian fashion, he envisioned a place where urbanites could find refuge from civilization as small farmers. He laid out the streets of the city, ensuring that travel on horseback would be as easy for citizens as travel by car—a feature of “Horsetown U.S.A.” preserved even today. But three years later, he was distracted from realizing some of his dreams when he discovered a hot mineral spring about a mile from where the campus now stands. So he began to dream a new dream, and built a 700-acre “resort supreme” that included a 250,000-squarefoot hotel, 60-acre lake, golf course, air field, and Olympic-sized pool. The resort opened in 1929 (shortly before the stock market crash) and was for a brief period a playground for film stars and famous athletes, before the economic downturn forced its closure in 1933. A day after the Pearl Harbor attack, it was bought by the U. S. Navy for use as a hospital.
Fifty years after the resort supreme closed, another visionary saw a new use for land that had once been the Tongva’s. In 1983, Wilfred Airey led his Riverside Community College Board of Trustees colleagues on a tour of the U.S. Navy property, part of which was still being used as a “Fleet Analysis Center.” They were looking for a potential site for a satellite campus to serve the growing populations of Corona, Norco, Eastvale, and western Riverside. On June 4, 1985, more than 141 acres were acquired for a dollar from the General Services Administration to build the College.
A December 1986 Los Angeles Times article describes Riverside Community College administrator and head planner Mike Maas standing on the newly acquired land and seeing “lecture halls, ball fields, and business students.” He had, in other words, a new dream. The campus was expected to open in 1989, but funding and construction delays pushed the date to 1991. On March 13 of that year, two classrooms in the Student Services and Little Theatre buildings were ready for students, and 15 or so short-term classes in economics, philosophy, public speaking, and a handful of other traditional academic disciplines were held on campus that spring semester. (Approximately 100 other classes that began in January were taught in Norco area high schools and a church, as they had been for years.) The formal opening of the full campus (with two more classrooms, Science and Technology and Humanities) took place in fall 1991— coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Riverside City College.
The early years of Riverside Community College-Norco Campus were exciting ones. Funding constraints in the early 1990s impeded growth, but the campus enrolled over 3,000 students its first year and 5,000 within several years after that. (The head count for Fall 2013 at census was 9,819.) Two new buildings were completed in 1995, the aptly named Wilfred J. Airey Library and an Applied Technology Building. The dozen or so full-time faculty from that early period (seven of whom still teach at the College) considered themselves pioneers at an institution they felt they could help shape. There were so few of them that they could fit into a single semi-circular booth when they went to lunch together at a Hamner Avenue restaurant, as they sometimes did. Students (several of whom went on to become professors at the College) shared in the excitement of being at a new campus that was always part construction zone. No one seemed to mind much the occasional attacks by swarms of flies (dubbed the Norco air force) from the nearby dairy farms. Those farms have since mostly given way to subdivisions, some of whose residents attend the College today.
From the beginning, Norco had been envisioned as an institution that would emphasize programs in technology, a counterpart to its sister campus Moreno Valley’s focus on the health care fields. Among its first structures were the Science and Technology Building, the Applied Technology Building, and the Center for Applied Competitive Technologies. In 2009, these buildings were supplemented with the Industrial Technology Building. CTE programs at Norco today with technology emphasis include Logistic Management, Commercial Music Performance, Engineering Technology, Digital Electronics, Game Design, Game Programming, and Game Audio. Several of these programs (e.g., Simulation and Gaming, Commercial Music Performance, Engineering Technology, and Supply Chain Technology) flourish in part because of support from a series of HSI grants totaling nearly 15 million dollars.
Over the past 22 years, the College has also developed a strong reputation for its programs in more traditional academic areas. In 2013, 238 students graduated with A.A. degrees in Social and Behavioral Sciences, 137 in Math and Science, 84 in Humanities, Philosophy, and the Arts, 68 in Administration and Information Systems, and 38 in Communication, Media, and Languages. New Associate Degrees for Transfer are being added. All Norco College students have benefited in recent years by the opening of additional buildings: the West End Quadrangle classrooms (in 2007), the Center for Student Success (in 2010), and the Network Operations Center (in 2013). Other buildings have been refurbished or repurposed with the help of Measure C funds. A recently completed soccer complex with artificial turf realizes Maas’s dream of “lecture halls, ball fields, and business students.”
Old dreams—by people like Maas, Airey, Clark, and (one must imagine) the Tongva whose names have not come down to us—give way to new ones. Some of these newer dreams are captured in the strategic plans and facilities master plans that envision Norco College growth five, ten, and twenty years from now, and if realized, will result in a campus unrecognizable to those who only saw it in 1991. But most of these new dreams are dreamed every day by students who enroll at the College—by the young woman who wants to teach elementary school, the young man who sees himself helping to create computer games, the returning student who always wanted to learn Spanish or study art. Norco remains a vale of realizable dreams.
Norco College - The First 25 Years
In 2016 Norco College will celebrate its 25th anniversary. In preparation for that celebration, the Norco IMC staff is putting together a monthly historical perspective about the college and will be bringing you a regular visit to the past as they chronicle Norco's history through photographs, newspaper articles, and special events memorabilia. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into the past with Norco College - The First 25 Years
A special thank you goes out to the staff of the IMC, Wilfred J. Airey Library, and Linda Reifschneider for their support of the project. All rights to photographs and images remain the property of Norco College and the Riverside Community College District. For permission and use of these images, please contact the Office of Strategic Communication and Relations.
Previous Newsletters Below:
Events Archive
Harvest Festival - October 30, 2015
On Friday, October 30, approximately 3,300 community members and college representatives participated in the annual Fall Festival at Norco College. Over 4,800 pounds of candy were donated and given out.
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State of the College Address - Oct. 1, 2015 Norco College President Paul Parnell presented to students, community leaders, and staff at the State of the College Address on October 1. His presentation focused on the last 25 years of education and training excellence – the past, present, and future.
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Welcome Day - August 29, 2015 On Saturday, August 29, Norco College hosted its first Welcome Day. Over 500 students and their families attended the event. “I am thrilled with the successful outcome and participation from our students, partners, staff, and families,” said Paul Parnell, president at Norco College. “The atmosphere was refreshing and was a great way for our students to obtain information about their college. I look forward to hosting this event next year.”
Click
here to view recap.
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Future Projects
Multimedia and Arts Center
Project Name: MAC Secondary Effects
Project Type: Reconstruction, Replacement
Occupy Date: 2018/2019
Library and Learning Resource Center
Project Name: Library/Learning Resource Center (LLRC)
Project Type: New Construction
Occupy date: 2019/2020
Center for Human Performance & Kinesiology
Project Type: New Construction
Occupy Date: 2020/2021
Norco College Facilities Master Plan
Looking ahead, Norco College will continue to challenge and prepare its students to meet the changing needs of business and industry.
Photos/Videos
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence
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Student Alumnus of the Year Archives
College was a family affair for Rachel Spiegel, Norco College’s 2015 Young Alumna. She attended college with three siblings. It was a time of mutual support and encouragement, with a healthy dose of competition to keep things interesting.
“We always competed to see who could get the best grade in a class,” Rachel said. “We tried to take classes together or similar classes at Norco.”
School didn’t always generate such good memories, she admits. Her high school career was unimpressive; she only managed to eke out a 1.8 GPA.
Norco College’s first president, Brenda Davis, drove Rachel to try harder, to honor her own potential.
“Dr. Davis pushed me, all of us really, to achieve our goals. I remember I was struggling when I first came to Norco College,” Rachel said. “Brenda called me into her office and said, ‘Rachel, you can do better; you have the drive to do better.’ It kind of put me in my shoes and helped me focus.”
Rachel’s academic awakening was fueled by another mentor, too, kinesiology instructor Jim Winn.
“It really helped to follow his guidance,” Rachel said, adding that she still works with Winn through her volunteer service at The SPORT Clinic in Riverside.
Rachel capped her studies at Norco College with two associate degrees before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in health care management. She then paired full-time work with part-time study, earning a master’s degree in Human Resources Management. Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Business Administration, Human Resources Management from Walden University.
Today, Rachel Spiegel manages a busy chiropractic corporation in Corona, using the knowledge and many of the skills she first acquired at Norco College.
Balancing work, school, and her volunteer commitments at The SPORT Clinic and Congregation Beth Shalom present daily challenges.
“I get my motivation from my students and my employees,” she said. “Even my four-year-old nephew gives me small comments of congratulations. He’ll say ‘I’m glad you’re going to school,’ which always helps guide the way.”
Her boss, Anthony Pirritano, also serves as an inspiration. His encouragement never fails to lift Rachel’s spirit.
Rachel’s vision for the future is shaped by past challenges she overcame and present issues that she’s eager to address.
“Norco College was a stepping stone on my career path,” Rachel said. “Originally I intended to go into sports medicine. But then, I switched it up.”
Again, it was real life that provided the catalyst.
“I’ve gone from the bottom as a part-time employee to becoming general manager,” Rachel said. “I see how employees are treated and how you can help improve work lives and programs within your business.”
Eventually, Rachel hopes to act as a consultant to small businesses, but she is content with her still-evolving role with the chiropractic corporation.
“We are expanding the business, looking to do integrated medicine and possibly adding more doctors in multiple facilities,” she said. “I know my HR degrees will help immensely.”
Wherever the next years lead, Rachel’s path will always be grounded in Corona and at Norco College. Her mother is a longtime elected official in the city; her father serves as executive director of the Corona Chamber of Commerce; her siblings are successful Norco College alumni.
“Growing up in Corona, it’s been Norco College all the time for my family,” Rachel said. “I don’t see that changing.”
US Naval War College student Jonathan Trdan-Schmidt has been selected as Norco College’s 2014 Young Alumnus. A 2003 graduate of Norco College, Trdan-Schmidt, earned an associate of arts degree before transferring to Cal Poly Pomona where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2009. In 2011, he attended US Naval Post Graduate School in System Engineering, earning the Meyers Award for Academic Excellence.
Jonathan works as a Force Development Assessment Operational Analyst for the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Norco. He authored a simulator/calibrator program and is the lead designer for the aircraft development team. He also serves in the US Naval Reserve.
“Jonathan Schmidt’s story is a classic student success story for Norco College,” said college president Dr. Paul Parnell. “A student shows up for classes needing encouragement, confidence and high quality, caring instruction. As a result of receiving those essential foundation skills they go on to advanced degrees and careers. We wish him the best in his career and academic pursuits and also congratulate him on his Young Alumnus Award."
After arriving at Norco College, Omar Gonzalez quickly realized that “a sense of community” was just as important on a college campus as it was in the outside world. He also discovered that he had an affinity, some might say a calling, for helping others--particularly individuals less fortunate than himself. Soon after arriving on campus, Omar jumped into the role of student government leader. His extensive involvement in activities and day-to-day student life and issues is still remembered by College administrators, faculty and staff. A NC dean says that Omar “became part of the fabric of Norco College.” Excelling in student government and in the classroom, Omar secured acceptance to UC Davis in 2005. There, he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Chicano Studies and Political Science. Back here at home, he now serves as director of Public Policy and Prevention for Reach Out, a non-profit organization that strives to address critical issues facing today’s youth in the western Inland Empire.
As director, Omar oversees two community coalitions: Partners for Innovative Communities and the Fontana Community Coalition. These groups focus on building healthy, safe and vibrant communities. Much of Omar’s daily work is with school districts, where he helps establish curricula and programs to battle bullying and substance abuse, and oversees work that studies the codependency between alcohol abuse and violence. Ask where he thinks the future leads, Norco College’s Young Alumnus exhibits a contented ignorance, other than allowing that his life will always involve building up communities. “I’ve always cared,” Omar said. “I’m just trying to make a difference.”
Naushad Huda, CEO and Founder of XTOPOLY, attended Norco College in the fall of 1996, before transferring to UC Berkeley in 1999. A born entrepreneur, Naushad is focused on everything mobile. He bootstrapped his start-up mobile company, XTOPOLY, during his final year at Whittier Law School. Under his leadership, XTOPOLY has become a multi-award winning mobile interactive agency focusing on the fusion of creativity, innovation and technology.
Naushad is regarded as a leader in the mobile space, having spearheaded triple digit growth of his full-service mobile interactive agency in just a few short years. His experience is in creating integrated mobile strategies and tactics that extend brand stories through holistic marketing campaigns. XTOPOLY solutions are in place at small start-ups as well as big industry names such as Google/AdMob, Yamaha, Paramount Studios, Cars.com, and T-Mobile. Naushad holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Berkeley, and received his J.D. from Whittier Law School.