2016-17 Founders’ Day Honorees

In 1996 Jorge Ayala was elected Yolo County Superintendent of Schools, becoming the first elected Latino county superintendent in California. After a 41-year career in education, Jorge retired in 2014, remaining active in education commissions and organizations. A community college student himself, he is a strong proponent of K-14 education in Yolo County.  He believes in an educational atmosphere of high expectations for learners.

  (Posthumous Honoree) After retiring from a highly-acclaimed career as a teacher, principal, and associate superintendent in the Woodland school district, Harold Douglass began a six year consultancy for Yuba College, Woodland Center, focusing on developing local programs taught by local teachers and community experts in his major role as evening class supervisor.  He has a school named in his honor and was an early recipient of the City’s Community Service Award.

WCC was an important part of Diana Lizarraga’s path to becoming the Director of UC Berkeley’s NERD Program, where she employs a holistic approach  to mentoring low-income, first-generation, LGTBQ, foster undocumented, transfer and minority student by focusing on Finances, Life, Academics, Resources and Environment.  “Being at community college when I was younger gave me exposure. It taught me that there’s opportunity everywhere.”

WCC Foundation honors John Young, Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner and WCC Alumnus, for his many contributions to the college. Young serves on the WCC Agricultural Advisory Committee where he helps put WCC Student in direct pathways to lucrative careers. Young sees growth opportunities for WCC students related to niche farming, greenhouse environments, and seed science.  He supports expanding career technical education and culinary arts programs.

One of the original 12 faculty members at Yuba College’s Woodland Center, Chor taught math and computer science. He and his family in China were twice refugees from war.  With the help of an uncle and a missionary in Idaho, he sailed to America “to seek my American dream.” After learning English at the College of Idaho, earned a degree in civil engineering at UC Berkeley and his M.A.  from Stanford.  He started 28-year of teaching at Yuba College in Marysville.

Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Community Fund is dedicated to creating a healthy community through engaged philanthropy, deep community knowledge and awareness, and active leadership.  It is a major supporter of Woodland Community College’s Foster and Kinship Care Education program, helping to improve foster care for our county’s children, those who have been abused, neglected, and abandoned.