Diablo Valley College

Public community college in California, US

Diablo Valley College

Type| Public community college
Established| 1949

Parent institution

| Contra Costa Community College District

Academic staff

| 670
Students| 22,000
Location|

Pleasant Hill

California

United States

37°58′17″N 122°4′12″W﻿ / ﻿37.97139°N 122.07000°W﻿ / 37.97139; -122.07000
Campus| Suburban
Colors|  Green and white
Nickname| Vikings
Website| www.dvc.edu

Diablo Valley College (DVC) is a public community college with campuses in Pleasant Hill and San Ramon in Contra Costa County, California.[1] DVC is one of three public community colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District (along with Contra Costa College and Los Medanos College). It opened in 1949. DVC has more than 22,000 students and 300 full-time and 370 part-time instructors.

## History

[edit]

Diablo Valley College was founded in 1949 as East Contra Costa Junior College. The college enrolls over 22,000 students on two sites.[2]

### Grade-fixing scandal

[edit]

In 2007, a six-year grade fixing scheme came to light with allegations that over 70 students used sex or cash as payment to student employees in the admissions and records office in exchange for over 400 grade changes.[3][4] Many of these students had transferred to universities and in some cases may have already graduated. By November 2007, 49 students had been charged with misdemeanors or felonies over the incident, and at least one had accepted a no contest plea.[5] A spokesperson for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges said that although the scandal was a negative factor it would be unlikely to lead to the school's loss of accreditation.[6]

In the first trial resulting from the grade changes, former student employee Erick Martinez was acquitted of all criminal charges on September 5, 2008. Jurors reached that decision after concluding that prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a definite link between Martinez and grade changes.[7][8]

## Academics

[edit]

Student demographics as of Fall 2023[9] Race and ethnicity  | Total

|

Hispanic | 31%  |

White | 30%  |

Asian | 16%  |

Multiracial | 9%  |

African American | 6%  |

Filipino | 5%  |

Unknown  | 3%  |

DVC is a "feeder" college to the University of California, Berkeley; California State University, East Bay; and St. Mary's College. It ranks among the top five transfer colleges in California.[10] In 2004, the top four transfer destinations were California State University, East Bay, San Francisco State University, University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis.

DVC also offers a variety of occupational specialties, including hotel/restaurant management, culinary arts, dental technology and real estate. It has an active speech and debating team.

## Athletics

[edit]

DVC offers sports including men's and women's basketball, cross country, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo, baseball, football, lacrosse, track and field (men) and soccer, softball, and volleyball (women).

Willie McGee played baseball for DVC in 1977, and would later win a National League MVP award in 1985.[11] Pitcher Doug Davis also played in the majors from 1999 to 2011.

Demarshay Johnson, a former DVC basketball star who went on to play for the University of Nevada, was named California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) first team All-State after the 2004–05 season. That season he led the CCCAA in blocks, averaging 5.2 per game, and was named Bay Valley Conference MVP.

The DVC Viking men's lacrosse program was the first junior college club in California, forming in 2008. In 2013, DVC won the California Junior College Lacrosse Association (CJCLA) championship.[12]

## College newspaper

[edit]

The Inquirer, the college's student-run newspaper, is produced on campus by the Journalism 126 class.

The newspaper was forced to produce its paper off-site at the Contra Costa Times newsroom when a bomb-threat on October 24, 2006, closed the campus and access to the newsroom was restricted.[13]

The Inquirer won General Excellence awards from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) in 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The newspaper also won a Pacesetter award from JACC in 1999.

## Sponsors

[edit]

The student union at DVC is named for Margaret Lesher, widow of Dean Lesher, founder of the Contra Costa Times and cofounder of the Margaret and Dean Lesher Foundation.[14]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

In addition to the athletes named above, notable alumni of Diablo Valley include:

* Corey Luciano, professional football player
* Joey Aguilar, college football player
* Lauren Beck, film producer
* Daniel James Brown, author
* Amit Elor (born 2004), freestyle wrestler, 2024 Olympic champion and 8x world champion[15]
* Kyle Gass, musician
* John Gesek, professional football player
* Dennis Havrilla, professional football player
* Eva Marie, model and professional wrestler
* Willie McGee, professional baseball player
* George Miller, politician
* Ron Turner, professional football coach
* Matt Overton, professional football player
* Katharine Ross, actress
* Robert Scott, author
* Julie Strain, model and actress
* De'Ondre Wesley, professional football player
* Timothy P. White, academic administrator
* Greg Wilson, professional football player

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Campus Locations". Diablo Valley College.
2. ^ "All About DVC". Diablo Valley College. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
3. ^ Lee, Henry K. (May 4, 2007). "Cash-for-grades scandal rocks campus at Diablo Valley College". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
4. ^ Krupnick, Matt (June 12, 2007). "DVC grade scandal widens, may have involved sex". Contra Costa Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
5. ^ Lee, Henry K. (November 30, 2007). "15 more charged in Diablo Valley College grade scheme". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 2, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
6. ^ Krupnick, Matt (June 15, 2007). "DVC could lose accreditation". Contra Costa Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
7. ^ Krupnick, Matt (September 5, 2008). "DVC grade-scam suspect acquitted". Contra Costa Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
8. ^ Lee, Henry K. (September 6, 2008). "Ex-Diablo Valley College worker acquitted of grade-changing scam". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
9. ^ "Annual/Term Student Count Report". California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
10. ^ Drummond, Marshall; Perry, Patrick (2007-03-19). "Focus on Results: Accountability Reporting for the California Community Colleges" (PDF). California Community Colleges System Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
11. ^ "Willie McGee - CCCAA Hall of Fame". CCCAA. 1993.
12. ^ "DVC Captures 2013 CJCLA Championship". CJCLA. 2 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
13. ^ Jones, Carolyn; Lagos, Marisa (October 24, 2006). "DVC classes canceled on bomb threats suspicious locations". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
14. ^ Cabanatuan, Michael (March 17, 1998). "Walnut Creek Plans Honor for Margaret Lesher". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
15. ^ "18 Things to Know About Jewish Wrestler Amit Elor," Hey Alma.

## External links

[edit]

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