More than 2,000 Mt. San Jacinto College students earned spots on the President's Honor Roll and were celebrated at a reception Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Menifee Valley Campus. MSJC, which operates campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee and Temecula, serves roughly 30,000 students each year.

The ceremony marked the first Honor Roll recognition for Superintendent/President Dr. Tawny Dotson, who took over the role July 1 as the college's eighth leader and first woman in the position. She succeeded Dr. Roger Schultz, who retired after 25 years.

Students who completed 12 or more units while maintaining a 3.5 grade-point average or higher qualified for the honor. Families joined the honorees at the reception, according to the college.

MSJC Trustee Calvin L. Smith and Vice President of Instruction Jeremy Brown greeted students during the event. Smith said the pride in the room was unmistakable.

"You could see the pride on the faces of our students and their families and feel their enthusiasm throughout the celebration … These students have worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone, and their success is also evidence that the educational system we have built at MSJC is working and helping our students achieve their goals," Smith said.

The Honor Roll reception comes during a stretch of recognition for the college. On Sept. 6, MSJC earned three Best of Inland Empire honors in The Press-Enterprise's 2026 readers' poll: Best Career College: Trade/Specialty School, Favorite Career College: Nursing School and Favorite Community College.

The district spans 1,700 square miles. In the 2024-25 academic year, MSJC reported a 75% student success rate, its highest on record, with withdrawal rates dropping to just under 11%. More than 2,400 students earned associate degrees and 300 earned certificates in 2025, according to college records.

When Dotson started on her first day July 1, she said community colleges "were created to complete a promise to our students and our community." That promise, she said, runs from open access through persistence and completion to career and transfer opportunities.

The college's board recently approved a $441.6 million budget for 2026-27, as we reported Sept. 14. MSJC awarded a record 3,881 degrees and certificates in the most recent year, according to the college.