Gary Horton | Fitting Tribute to a Pillar of the Community

Gary Horton
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I attended Dr. Dianne Van Hook’s career tribute this past Sunday afternoon. Much has been written about Van Hook’s departure from College of the Canyons, but that’s not this column’s topic. Honoring Dr. Van Hook’s contribution is. 

Having arrived at the college way back 36 years ago, Dianne landed on a large, mostly dirt lot. Some 15 years old, the college consisted of four tilt-up buildings serving roughly 6,000 students. Back then, the school was jokingly referred to as, “College of the Crayons.” That didn’t last for long under Dr. Van Hook’s determined leadership. 

Dianne started out in the Santa Clarita Valley breaking through glass ceilings. That an assertive, stunningly young blonde female could run a college in a town ran by conservative men was something completely new under the sun. It took years for the old Chamber of Commerce guys to come to grips with Dianne. Women, it turns out, could do almost anything men could, and often better. Dianne wasn’t interested in being told to stay put in her place. She had visions and goals to achieve and barriers to overcome. And Dianne’s example and success helped break down barriers for women throughout California. 

Thirty-six years later, as Dianne Van Hook drove her red Ford F-150 from the COC parking lot for the last time, what she left in her rear-view mirror looked nothing like what she saw ahead in the windshield when she arrived. In Dianne’s rear-view mirror now exists 120 areas of focus, some 20 new buildings, a full-on second campus on the east side of town, and a student population of over 30,000. College of the Canyons, under Van Hook’s leadership, had become our state’s community college innovation leader.  

It takes an entire community and an extremely talented staff to build such a dynamic school. Still, fulfilled visions require visionary leaders who motivate, cajole and sometimes twist arms to bring those visions to reality. Dianne Van Hook was the Iron Lady of COC – pushing and never stopping, to the point where two beautiful campuses is what you see and experience in COC today. 

Drive by the main campus and walk around. You’ll see a community college that looks and educates like a well-funded four-year university. You’ll see incredibly unique things, like the Performing Arts Center. The iCUE culinary school. Nursing and fire programs. Countless collaborations with local industry and businesses. And the University Center – a 110,000-square-foot facility hosting four- and six-year degrees from collaborating universities. Efficiently, this same University Center hosts a local advanced high school. It’s also home to the Santa Clarita Economic Development Corp., facilitating business growth in the SCV, supplying good jobs to local workers. 

Over time, the Valencia campus began filling up. Again, Dianne’s vision for what a community college could be exploded with the advent of the beautiful Canyon Country campus, serving our community members on the east side of our growing town. Today, the SCV is anchored by accessible, local, innovative campuses on both sides of our valley. 

Dianne and her husband Roger lived for COC. They poured their hearts and souls into the hundreds of thousands of students who passed through the school’s corridors. Dianne personally oversaw all graduations, handing out each diploma and shaking every hand. Husband Roger attended over 500 COC events himself. 

Empowering people is Dianne’s greatest legacy. The beautiful campuses that remain are the physical manifestations of Dr. Van Hook’s enduring and irreplaceable legacy. But the countless tens of thousands of lives improved, of students’ goals achieved, are what really matters to Dianne and to the incredible team and staff she developed over 36 years. 

I’ve been pleased to know Dianne Van Hook personally. We were close when her beloved husband Roger died two years ago. I’ve never known a woman to mourn a husband more deeply than Dianne. Indeed, she’s still grieving – yet through all the grief, Dianne continued to pour her soul into COC. So many addresses delivered through tears. So many challenges overcome, even through tears of loss.  

I learned about love and marriage and commitment and collaboration from watching Roger and Dianne. How they lived their lives and marriage together might be one of the greatest lesson’s she’s ever taught – and this example of “oneness” has been witnessed by thousands of students, professors, staff, and community leaders. Together, their integrity and life enthusiasm remain a shining light and example for folks with decency to understand to emulate in their own lives. 

The SCV lost a pillar of integrity and progress when Dr. Van Hook left COC. Hers are huge shoes to fill. At 74, Dianne has energy few can match. Unfortunately for COC, Dianne’s gifts and contributions will now be shared elsewhere. You and I will be reading about her appointment to some highly distinguished position statewide or nationally soon. Thankfully, Dianne left behind campuses and programs that will continue to impact and assist our community and students long after most of us are long gone. 

Dianne Van Hook’s tribute was a most rewarding and happy event, with our community’s most accomplished leaders honoring one of the most amazing people to ever step foot in our valley. May those who follow in her shadow also wisely follow her footsteps and honor what she’s left for our benefit. 

Gary Horton’s “Full Speed to Port!” has appeared in The Signal since 2006. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Signal or its editorial board.

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