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Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook arrived for her first day on the job on July 1, 1988. Aside from herself, some colleagues and the board members who hired her, no one could possibly have imagined how this new superintendent-president’s passion, energy and influence would reshape College of the Canyons.
The clues were certainly there, notably an L.A. Times story whose headline proclaimed: ‘Fireball’ to Take Helm of College of the Canyons. That headline would prove accurate, although the “fireball” moniker could easily and, perhaps more accurately, be replaced by “mover,” “shaker” or “builder.” Certainly, she has also been been a “motivator” and “developer” of people, places, possibilities and potential.
When hired, the then-37-year-old dean of the Lake Tahoe Community College District was the youngest person ever to serve as a district-level community college CEO in California and, at the time, one of only five women of the 70 CEOs in the state. She hit the ground running and has never looked back. Twenty-five years later, College of the Canyons resembles its former self in name only, having been transformed into one of the leading, most innovative and widely respected community colleges in the nation.
Numbers help put such a radical transformation into context. The college’s budget, for example, has grown from approximately $8 million in 1988 to nearly $181 million today. Enrollment has grown from 4,000 to a high of 27,000 students. And physical space has quadrupled, climbing from just under 200,000 square feet to today’s 812,000 square feet across two campuses, with additional construction this year that will boost square footage even more.
While numbers can provide context, they can also obscure what this progress really means, which is this: Dr. Van Hook’s leadership has driven a quarter century of cross-generational momentum at College of the Canyons. This commitment has provided all manner of cutting-edge educational and training opportunities for all who have sought to better themselves. It has embraced innovation and excellence in education. It has instilled hope, and turned dreamers into doers. Her efforts, passion and unrelenting resolve have transformed not only the college, but the lives and livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of people who have embarked on an educational journey here.
When Dr. Van Hook arrived in 1988, the college was housed in eight major structures. Today, more than a dozen additional major facilities have been built or expanded, including: the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, the Library and TLC (The Learning Center), Mentry Hall, the Family Studies and Early Childhood Education Center, Aliso Lab and Aliso Hall, Pico Canyon Hall, Hasley Hall, the East Physical Education Building and tennis courts, and, of course, the Canyon Country campus and its first permanent facility, the Applied Technology Education Center. Construction has begun on a new Student Services & Administrative Center, and a groundbreaking for the new Institute for Culinary Education is expected later this year.
If one were to ask Dr. Van Hook to reveal her secret of success, she would most likely repeat a familiar mantra that she has widely shared within the campus community: “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you dream it, you can do it.” It’s a philosophy that has been taken to heart – and is at the core of most, if not all, college initiatives that bear her trademark of excellence and innovation. It also drives the adventurous, entrepreneurial spirit behind so many successful programs – and a track record that other colleges can only dream about.
“People who believe in themselves and the power of teamwork inspire vision, energy, commitment and courageous leadership at every level,” Dr. Van Hook said. “Those qualities propel College of the Canyons to new possibilities and exciting outcomes.”
Dr. Van Hook is not only the longest-serving community college CEO in the state, she is a widely respected visionary and leader – the go-to CEO of California’s community colleges. Named chancellor of the Santa Clarita Community College District in 2008, she is widely regarded as a strong, knowledgeable and consistent advocate for community colleges statewide and nationally. Her experience, expertise and passion for higher education have contributed to her receiving every statewide recognition that can be bestowed on a California community college CEO.
“At every stage, Dianne has been a leader in terms of innovation, always thinking outside the box, and always with the perseverance and ability to rally people around an idea and see that idea expressed in reality,” said Jack Scott, immediate past chancellor of California’s community colleges. “She has left an indelible imprint upon all of California’s community colleges – particularly on College of the Canyons and the entire Santa Clarita Valley.” |
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