Len Falter for West Hills College District Board of Directors

Let’s face it. The West Hills Community College District is a force to be reckoned with. The Lemoore campus, at one point in its history, was once the equivalent of a one-room school house on the edge of town. No more.  Just 25 years ago, a meager handful of students might register for classes at WHC Lemoore - while this semester alone nearly 3,500 students enrolled for classes, including over 640 online students.

The West Hills College Lemoore campus has become our diamond in the rough, our “shining city on a hill” a magical place that promises opportunity and rewards for those of us who seek such things.

Twenty-five years ago, had you asked a classroom of Lemoore High School students in which community college they were hoping to enroll, most of them probably would have chosen Fresno City or College of the Sequoias. For many students interested in beginning their post-secondary careers, West Hills sadly, just wasn’t part of the equation.

But enter a classroom in 2015 and nearly all of those students say they’re going to West Hills College.

Oh how times have changed. It simply took a little leadership and a belief in the community. And boy have people noticed.

Just recently USA Today named the West Hills College Lemoore campus the No. 1 community college in Northern California based on transfer rates, student-faculty ratio, affordability and distance education. Just how did a small community college district transform itself into one of the most respected schools in California, if not the nation?

The District is also innovating, from unique full-year registration programs (Reg365), to implementing new programs like engineering, nursing, and culinary degrees that promise exciting new careers for young people or passing bond measures to wire the local campuses for the 21st Century, ensuring that our local students have the technology needed to be successful.

It took leadership, commitment, and an unbridled belief in the people of Lemoore, Coalinga, Avenal, Hanford that the education of our young people is important. Over the years, the District’s residents have approved multi-million bond measures to transform the district. Recently the Lemoore campus broke ground on a $13 million student center, which will open in late 2016. Just a few years ago the District built a multi-million event center, the class of the community college system.

It took leadership, from local residents to the typical student, teacher, and administrator - and of course the leadership of the West Hills College District Board of Directors, the elected body that sets the policy that led to the district’s amazing success.

Lemoore residents have an opportunity next week to choose a new board member or of course to preserve the status quo, which in this case has worked very well.

Last year Lemoore resident Len Falter was appointed to the board to replace the venerable Bill Henry. Since then Falter has added his voice of reasonableness to the discussion. His role has been and will no doubt continue to be that of a director committed to continuing the magic and progressive attitude of the West Hills College District.

Falter has a long association with Lemoore and Kings County, having brought a wealth of real-world experience related to training and educating adults in their chosen career paths. He also brings a significant business and financial sense after serving in leadership positions within the telecommunications industry as well as a number of years in the U.S. Air Force.

It is for these reasons that The Leader supports the election of Len Falter to the West Hills College Board of Directors.

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