Ruben Lopez has made a career out of education and it was
because, in part, that he attended San Benito Junior College that
allowed him to achieve his other college degrees and become an
educator.
Ruben Lopez has made a career out of education and it was because, in part, that he attended San Benito Junior College (which later became Gavilan), that allowed him to achieve his other college degrees and become an educator.
And both his children followed his footsteps by attending Gavilan College and then moving on to attend four-year universities and achieve degrees.
It is these experiences that made Lopez a believer in the community college system and want to run for one of two open seats on the Gavilan Board of Trustees for Area 3.
“I care about the fact I can do something to help other people who have miscued or mis-stepped along the way,” Lopez said. “They need an opportunity to get back on track. I want to see these kids go on to four-year schools.”
With a life spent teaching at public schools, Lopez is passionate about education, which he says empowers people.
“Education is power. Knowledge is power,” he said. “Gavilan has a good program and I’d like to see it stay that way, but I don’t believe in the old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.’ I feel if it ain’t broke make it better and that’s what I want to do.”
If elected, Lopez wants to see Gavilan College increase its fund-raising, something he says is available now. One idea he has is to create an alumni association so wealthy graduates such as 49er quarterback Jeff Garcia may want to donate funds to the school.
“There’s some areas there where I think the school can take advantage of some opportunities to raise additional funds that they aren’t doing right now that will help offset (the college’s) losses from the state,” Lopez said.
Lopez would also like to see the college raise the number of full-time professors that teach at the school.
One of the problems he says, is that many of the teachers work at Gavilan part-time and have to work at other outlying colleges to make more money.
“I want permanent teachers. I think there’s loyalty in permanent teachers,” Lopez said. “They become part of the community. They become part of the flow of the school and the flow of the students. I don’t like the idea of teachers having to go out and moonlight to put bread on the table to feed their families.”
Lopez also wants to do community outreach if he is elected to help with the decision-making processes of the board.
