The Gavilan College Educational Foundation has appointed two new members to its board of directors. Longtime community leaders Manny Bhandal and Evelia Morales Rosso will serve on the nonprofit board for the next three years starting on July 1.
“On behalf of the Gavilan College Foundation Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome our newest board members,” Board Chair Tony Marandos said in a statement. “Their leadership, experience and community connections will help strengthen the Foundation’s ability to support students, steward donor generosity and advance Gavilan College’s mission across our region.”
The nine-member foundation board raises money to support scholarships, educational programs, faculty initiatives and other student resources for Gavilan College.
Bhandal, a Gilroy resident since 2007, earned a finance degree from San José State University and is a graduate of Leadership Gilroy’s Class of 2022. He currently serves as chair of the Gilroy Planning Commission and previously served as chair and board member of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, says a press release from the Gavilan Educational Foundation.
Bhandal will help strengthen the foundation’s community partnerships, encourage philanthropic support and expand opportunities for Gavilan College students and programs.
Rosso brings experience in education, business and community service. She spent 30 years as an elementary school teacher in the Morgan Hill and Gilroy Unified School Districts, where she worked with students and families, including Spanish-speaking communities.
She and her husband, Jaime Rosso, owned Rosso Furniture stores, a family business that served South County residents for 45 years and supported local nonprofit organizations.
Rosso’s background includes involvement with a number of organizations including AAUW, the Gilroy Exchange Club, Parents Helping Parents, the Latino Family Fund and Youth & Philanthropy through the Gilroy Family Fund.
As a new board member, Rosso will help the foundation strengthen its community partnerships and support student opportunities at Gavilan, says the press release.
“The Gavilan College Foundation plays an essential role in connecting community generosity with student opportunity,” said Pedro Avila, superintendent and president of Gavilan College. “I am grateful to our Foundation Board members for their service and leadership, and I look forward to working with them to expand resources that help students achieve their educational and career goals.”
In addition to Bhandal and Rosso, current board members include Marandos, Frank Angelino, Nita Edde-Mitchell, Denise Besson, Kim Benjamin, Tom Breen and Jeff Orth.
The foundation was established in 1994 to raise private donations in support of Gavilan College students and programs.
