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Jan. 15 marked a year since Gavilan College’s Hollister campus began offering classes, and everyone from school administrators to community supporters celebrated the occasion with appetizers, wine from Besson Winery, and music.
Galvin College President Dr. Pedro Avila, serving as the school’s eighth president, said everyone is very excited about the anniversary.
“Last year,” he said, “we served over 1,000 students in one year, which is almost double what we were serving in the Old Briggs Building downtown.”
Avila said Gavilan started in 1919 in Hollister, and in the 1950s, the state changed the funding requirements for community colleges, requiring a population density that Hollister didn’t have.
The state was going to close the colleges and stop funding them, Avila said, so the board members from Hollister called it “San Benito Junior College” from then on.
The college eventually expanded its district to south Santa Clara County, including Gilroy, Morgan Hill and parts of South San Jose, and it was agreed that the college would be relocated to Gilroy to be closer to a more centralized location.
Last year’s long-awaited opening of the Hollister campus marked the college’s return to San Benito County on a permanent site.
“The students are proud of these facilities,” Avila said. “We wanted to build a school that provided state-of-the-art facilities. If they transfer to the University of California or wherever they go, they won’t be intimidated.”
Avila said he thinks the campus looks beautiful, and the school is extremely proud of what’s been built. He said the community tells them how proud they are of the campus.
Instructional Site Director at Gavilan College, Judy Rodriguez, said her job is to ensure the campus runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis.
“I love it, the campus looks beautiful,” Rodriguez said. “It’s welcoming to students, it brings a comfortable environment so that students feel welcome to study.”
Hollister resident Ruth Erickson said the school is in her backyard, so, of course, she wants to know what’s going on with Gavilan College, since she has known it for 40 years.
“I saw some of the classes being taught,” Erickson said, “I was quite impressed, and I’ve known Judy Rodriguez for 40 years.”
Besides the classroom facilities, the campus has support services, a food pantry, and cafe which is open to the public.
“We have English classes, history, psychology, chemistry and statistics,” Rodriguez said. “I just want the community to know that we are here to serve with a smile, (and) to welcome them to come to learn and have lunch in our cafe.”
Hollister resident Ruth Erickson gets some wine from Besson Winery at one-year anniversary event. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Attendees exploring Gavilan College’s Hollister campus. and hors d’ouevres Photo by Adam Bell. 
Gavilan’s Capital Projects director Serafin Fernandez speaks at celebration. Photo by Adam Bell. 
Instructional Site Director Judy Rodriguez speaks to attendees. Photo by Adam Bell.
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