Nohemy Ornelas, the associate superintendent and vice president of Student Services at Allan Hancock College, has received another major recognition for her commitment to helping students succeed. Ornelas will receive the Honored Alumni Award from the Alumni Association of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is one of only seven Cal Poly alumni selected to receive the alumni association’s highest honor in 2016.
“I am speechless. I am very honored and humbled by the award,” Ornelas said in a press release. Ornelas earned a master’s degree in education from Cal Poly in 2007. “I see this recognition as a testament to the dedicated faculty and staff at both Cal Poly and Allan Hancock College.”
A graduate of Hancock, Ornelas was appointed the college’s associate superintendent/vice president in 2014. She oversees various support services, programs, and departments, as well as manages state and federal grants. Ornelas spearheaded the college’s Bridge to Success program to enhance student success and attract more incoming freshman from area high schools.
“The opportunity to advocate for student success on a daily basis is the most rewarding experience of my career. My goal is to open and widen as many doors to success as possible for students in our community,” Ornelas said.
Cal Poly’s Honored Alumni Award dates back more than 50 years. Each year, the award recognizes alumni from the athletics program and the university’s six academic colleges. Ornelas was selected for the College of Science and Mathematics. Past recipients include John Madden, a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame, and Peter Oppenheimer, a former vice president and chief financial officer of Apple.
“Cal Poly provided me with the necessary foundation of theory and practice pertaining to education that enhanced my ability to be an effective administrator,” Ornelas said. “Through my experiences at Cal Poly, I confirmed and ignited my passion to serve students at the community college level.”
Ornelas serves as a key member of Cal Poly’s Counseling and Guidance Advisory Board. She helps ensure that the university’s counseling and guidance program will remain cutting edge and a leader in the state. Ornelas also provides one-on-one mentorship to Cal Poly students, and is credited with helping recruit individuals from diverse backgrounds to the university’s counseling and guidance program.
“I truly hope that I can serve as a role model for others and inspire our youth to attend college and pursue their dreams,” Ornelas said.
Earlier this year, Ornelas received a Latino Legacy Award for making a difference in the Santa Maria community. She was also named to the Pacific Coast Business Times’ 40 Under 40 Class of 2016, which recognized 40 young men and women, all under the age of 40, who are part of a new generation of dynamic leaders throughout San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Ornelas and the other honored alumni will be recognized during a special awards banquet Friday, Nov. 4, in San Luis Obispo. They will also be honored during halftime of the Cal Poly football team’s game against Eastern Washington on Nov. 5. Among the other honorees will be Jim Kouf, the screenwriter behind the movies Stakeout and Rush Hour and television program Grimm; and Deputy City Attorney of San Diego Charles E. Bell Jr.
School Scene was compiled by Editor Shelly Cone. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 6, 2016.