West Valley College Receives $50K Grant

The Los Gatos-based Valley Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to enhance its health care technology programs.

Fred Prochaska, dean of career education and work force development, said the money will be used to improve its health careers programs that prepare students to work as medical assistants, orthopedic technicians, message therapy and pharmacy technicians.

The funds will also help the college expand its current laboratory at West Valley College and add a laboratory to the Campbell West Valley College campus, located at the EDD office on South Bascom Avenue. Starting in June, the campus will move to the Campbell Community Center, Prochaska said.

The foundation, one of the leading philanthropic organizations in Santa Clara County, has given the college several grants in the past, Prochaska noted.

"It was a logical place to apply for funds because we were looking to expand our lab space and capacity," Prochaska added.

The grant will also allow the college to add between 200 and 300 students to its health technology programs. The programs currently have an enrollment of about 300 students, he said.

The college learned it was receiving the grant in December after applying for $100,000 in August of last year. Foundation representatives visited the college before making their decision. The check arrived in January and the West Valley Mission Community College District Board of Trustees approved the funds in February.

"West Valley College is thankful to be recognized and supported for the quality work we do to train the next generation of health care workers. This grant will help us attract and teach more students for jobs right here in Santa Clara County," said Peter Anning, a spokesman for the West Valley-Mission Community College District. 

West Valley College in Saratoga and Mission College in Santa Clara enroll more than 26,000 students annually. The district serves residents of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara and is governed by the seven-member board. 

Started in 1984, the foundation began after Los Gatos Community Hospital closed about two decades ago, Prochaska said. The foundation seeks to improve health care and medical services for lower income households within Santa Clara County, according to its Web site. Phillip R. Boyce serves as foundation chairman.