After four terms spanning 16 years on the Southwestern College Governing Board, Trustee Terri Valladolid retired.
Board members and staff said their good-byes to Valladolid and welcomed Governing Board Member-Elect Griselda Delgado at the Nov. 12 meeting.
Valladolid was honored by local government officials. The City of Chula Vista and the County of San Diego declared Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 Terri Valladolid Day.
Trustee Norma Hernandez said she appreciated Valladolid’s commitment to her job.
“Her passion for empowering students, parents and workers has been her life’s work,” she said.
CSEA President Andre Harris said he hoped Valladolid is successful in her future endeavors.
Valladolid said if it were not for the support she received over the years, she would not have had this “amazing opportunity.”
“It was (my mom) and my dad’s motivation and encouragement to go to college,” she said. “I was the first one from my family to go on.”
Valladolid said higher education needs to be affordable.
“When a labor leader asked do you believe in quality education, do you believe that every individual should have the opportunity for an affordable quality education, if the answer is yes you should consider running for a school board,” she said.
Valladolid congratulated Delgado and offered parting words of advice.
“As long as we realize that every student who walks through that door will be guaranteed an affordable quality education and as long as we work together everything will be okay.”