Sabina Fernandez Named MVC 2026 Classified Employee of the Year

When a student calls the Division of Academic Affairs unsure where to turn, or when a faculty member needs answers about a course approval deadline, the path often leads to the same person. Sabina Fernandez may work behind the scenes, but her institutional knowledge and steady presence help keep the college's academic work moving forward in ways many never see.

This year, her colleagues made sure that work did not go unnoticed.

Fernandez was selected as Moreno Valley College's 2026 Classified Employee of the Year, a prestigious annual recognition honoring permanent classified professionals who demonstrate exceptional service, leadership, professionalism, and a commitment to student success and equity.

Selected through a peer nomination process, the award is among the California Community College system's most respected recognitions for classified professionals and celebrates those whose work extends beyond expectations and leaves a lasting impact on their institutions.

For Fernandez, that impact reaches nearly every corner of the college.

As curriculum program coordinator in the Division of Academic Affairs, Fernandez facilitates curriculum and academic processes, serves on the Curriculum Committee, coordinates the Instructional Assessment Committee and supports professional development opportunities for faculty. Her work often takes place out of public view, managing systems and processes that shape the educational experience students ultimately encounter.

At the college's recent service awards celebration, Moreno Valley College President Rudy Besikof, Ed.D., spoke about the role classified professionals play in higher education and the influence Fernandez has had on campus.

"In the community college world, classified professionals are the heartbeat of our institutions," Besikof said. "They are the first voice a student hears when they do not know where to go. They are the last person in the building making sure everything is ready for tomorrow. They are the steady hand that holds the operation together every single day."

He described Fernandez as someone whose work requires navigating complex systems while keeping service at the center.

"She coordinates the complex, she keeps timelines moving, and she does it all while keeping a spirit of service at the center of everything she does," Besikof said.

Those who work alongside Fernandez say her contributions stretch beyond job responsibilities. Nick Sinigaglia, associate professor of philosophy and faculty co-chair of the Curriculum Committee, said her work has become essential to the college's academic foundation.

"Sabina is absolutely instrumental in the development, implementation and presentation of our college curriculum," Sinigaglia said. "Her attention to detail at each step of the process has been exemplary."

He noted that her communication, professionalism and institutional knowledge help guide colleagues through processes that can often feel overwhelming.

"Sabina's professionalism, positive attitude and deep institutional knowledge has been essential in keeping the college moving forward, and we're all very fortunate to have her on board," he said.

On college campuses, some of the most consequential work rarely happens in front of an audience. It happens in meetings, timelines, approvals and conversations that quietly shape the student experience long before students ever see the outcome. And often, the people guiding that work remain known only to those who depend on it.