SWC News Center

Roaring Into 65 Years at Southwestern College

By: Stephanie Kingston - September 5, 2026

A new academic year is underway at Southwestern College, bringing nearly 20,000 students back to campus and welcoming new faces as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

For some, fall semester is the next step toward a degree or certificate. For others, it is a path to a university, a new career, a new skill or a personal goal. Whatever brings them to Southwestern College, students are an integral part of a story that has shaped South County for 65 years.

That makes this fall especially meaningful.

Throughout the 2026-27 academic year, Southwestern College is celebrating its 65th anniversary with the theme, “Celebrating 65 Years: Transforming Lives and Communities.” The theme was selected with input from students, employees and community members and reflects the college’s longstanding role in the region.

“For 65 years, Southwestern College has been woven into the fabric of South County,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez. “We have grown and evolved alongside the communities we serve, expanding access to higher education, responding to workforce needs and creating opportunities for generations of students. This anniversary is a chance to celebrate all that we have accomplished together and look ahead to what comes next.”

Since opening its doors in 1961, Southwestern College has grown to serve students throughout South County and the broader Cali-Baja region. Today, more than 32,000 students take classes throughout the District each year, up from approximately 22,000 when Sanchez arrived at the District seven years ago.

But behind those numbers are individual stories of lives changed.

Stories like SWC alumna Viry Martino. Twenty years ago, Martino was a student at Southwestern College, where she participated in the MESA program, played on the women’s tennis team and worked as a math tutor in the Academic Success Center. She transferred to the University of Southern California, earning degrees in civil engineering and construction management.

Currently, Martino works with Turner Construction as a design manager on the New Terminal 1 project at San Diego International Airport. She has also remained connected to the college, even establishing a scholarship to support students pursuing careers in architecture, construction and engineering.

“It’s a privilege to give back to a place that gave me so much. And it’s even more rewarding to see the next generation beginning their own journeys,” Martino said.

That sense of giving back, and paying it forward,has become part of the Southwestern College story.

“This anniversary is really a celebration of the people who have made Southwestern College what it is,” said Governing Board President Kristine Galicia Brown. “For 65 years, students have walked through our doors with dreams for their future. Faculty and staff have helped them find their way, and our community has continued to invest in the college. We are proud of that history, but we are equally excited about the future.”

As Southwestern College celebrates its history, another familiar member of the Jaguar family is getting a fresh look.

Jonny Jaguar, the college’s iconic mascot, has been updated as part of the anniversary celebration. The new design honors the tradition and pride behind generations of Jaguars while giving Jonny a fresh, modern identity.

“In many ways, the updated Jonny reflects Southwestern College itself,” Sanchez said. “We are rooted in tradition, but we are always willing to transform and evolve.”

The community can celebrate the milestone with Southwestern College at Jaguar Spectacular on Saturday, November 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chula Vista campus.

The free, family-friendly celebration will bring together students, employees, alumni and community members for a day of festivities and experience which makes Southwestern College such an important part of South County.

“Jaguar Spectacular is going to be a celebration for everyone,” Brown said. “A full day of entertainment and student performances, food, classic carnival games, train rides, a Ferris wheel, and opportunities for families to explore our Planetarium, programs and services.”

The anniversary celebration will continue throughout the academic year with events and activities honoring the college’s history.

For Sanchez, who is beginning his final academic year as Superintendent/President before retiring in June 2027, the anniversary has added significance.

“Our 65th anniversary is not simply about looking back,” Sanchez said. “It is about recognizing the people who built Southwestern College, celebrating the students and employees who make it what it is today and looking forward to imagining what the next 65 years can look like.”