San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) and California State University, San Bernardino have launched an innovative new joint student housing initiative, the Den2Den Housing Pathway Program, which provides SBVC students with the opportunity to live at CSUSB while studying at the community college.
The program officially launched on Move-in Day at CSUSB, marked with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 21 attended by officials from both institutions and the new student residents.
CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales welcomed the students from San Bernardino Valley College, and told them, “I want you to realize that this is your home — not that you're visiting, not that you're a guest — but that this is your home and that the partnership between Cal State San Bernardino and Valley is heartfelt and very real and authentic.”
SBVC students are living in CSUSB’s fully furnished residential community of Arrowhead Village. As part of Den2Den, they will enjoy the same services as CSUSB residential students, including the on-campus meal plan, a Coyote ID, and access to campus amenities such as the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, the John M. Pfau Library, and support services to assist in a student’s success in reaching their academic goals.
The requirements for SBVC students to participate in Den2Den include: being actively enrolled at SBVC; if accepted, enrolling in at least one zero-cost course at CSUSB each semester; and showing interest in transferring to CSUSB after completing their SBVC studies. All SBVC students will have their own bedroom. The total cost per student at Arrowhead Village (including housing, meals and the student fee charge) is $13,797.39 for the upcoming academic year.
For Diana Z. Rodriguez, chancellor of the San Bernardino Community College District of which SBVC is a part, the Den2Den ribbon-cutting ceremony was a homecoming of sorts — she earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing, a master’s degree in business administration, and another master’s degree in education from CSUSB. According to Rodriguez, living on campus provides a peace of mind that the students have a safe place to go home to after attending classes.
“And when you have all of that, the future just opens up to so many great things, things that you can't even imagine right now,” she said. “So, here's my challenge: Use this opportunity to its fullest. Reach out, meet people across both institutions. Make this your home. And when you succeed, because I know that you will, help someone else carry it forward. And so now for all of you that are moving in today or that are here, welcome home.” She concluded by encouraging the students to take advantage of and immerse themselves in the college experience Den2Den offers.
Gilbert J. Contreras, president of SBVC, which is celebrating its centennial this academic year, called Den2Den “the most recent example of the amazing opportunities we create when Cal State San Bernardino and Valley College work together. Den2Den is more than a housing pathway for students. It's an intentional action of how we welcome students home, as Dr. Morales said, on their journey through education in San Bernardino. It's about belonging. It's about believing in our students. It's about believing in our community.
“Thanks to this innovative partnership, Valley College students now have a chance to experience the vibrant residential life here at Cal State San Bernardino while continuing their studies at Valley College,” he said. “It's a bold step forward in how we support our students and how we re-imagine the power of a community college education.”
Information can be found at the Den2Den Housing Pathway Program webpage.