Marchelle S. Fox Scholarship

Prior to retiring at West Valley College, Dr. Marchelle S. Fox established a scholarship fund at WVC that benefits re-entry students with financial needs. Dr. Fox began serving as President of West Valley College on July 1, 1996 and served in that capacity for 7.5 years. Her selection to the post, by the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees, made her the first woman to lead the 12,500-student campus. West Valley College is the largest of the two sister colleges in the West Valley-Mission Community College District.

Prior to her appointment as President of West Valley College, Dr. Fox spent over 25 years as an educator in the State of California, working with students of all ages. She began her career in early childhood education as an elementary teacher in the Berkeley Unified Schools and has also served as a preschool teacher and administrator. However, she has devoted most of her career to higher education in California community colleges. Her experience in the community colleges has been as a faculty member and administrator with San Diego City College, San Diego Miramar College and West Valley College.

During Dr. Fox's long tenure at San Diego City College, she held a tenured faculty position as Professor, Child Development. As a faculty member, she also served as Department Chair for the Consumer and Family Studies Department and Director of the Child Development Center. As an administrator, she served as Assistant to the President, and held the posts of Dean of Instruction and Dean of Institutional Advancement. Dr. Fox served as Vice President of Student Services at Miramar College during the year immediately preceding her appointment at West Valley College.

Dr. Fox held a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Social Sciences from San Diego State University. Her master's degree work in Human Development and Early Childhood Education was completed at Pacific Oaks College. Doctoral studies were undertaken at the University of Texas, Austin, where she attended the Community College Leadership Program as a Kellogg Fellow. Dr. Fox holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration.

Over the years, Dr. Fox has been a keynote speaker and conducted workshops at many educational conferences on both the state and national levels. In 1995, she was selected as one of 30 national participants in the League for Innovation's Executive Leadership Institute. Dr. Fox was honored in 1997 by The University of Texas, Austin, College of Education as a Community College Leadership Program Distinguished Graduate. She has also been recognized for her work in community college education by the Santa Clara Valley YWCA as a Tribute to Women and Industry Honoree and by Soroptimists International as a "Woman of Distinction."