By Natalie Strain

Riverside City College administrators have addressed the death of a student who jumped off of a parking structure on April 16.

RCC highlighted how to access help through Health and Psychological services in an Instagram post. The school also sent an email to students and staff mourning the loss of Carlos Daniel Pedroza Villalobos, 24, while encouraging those in need to reach out for help. 

Riverside City College President Claire Oliveros took special concern to the situation discussing what the school has done and will continue to do to help their students. 

Oliveros addressed the school’s immediate reaction and the needs of Pedroza Villalobos’ family and close friends during times of post trauma. She additionally prioritized response to this event, sending counselors to classrooms where students were most directly impacted by the death. 

The college said it has provided physical and emotional support to those affected.

“We’ve worked with our Student Health and Psychological Services to collect and curate community resources that can support identity based students and programs like affinity based therapy for black, indigenous, people of color, students of color, Latin X, LGBTQ+, American Indian, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander students,” Oliveros said. “We’re providing culturally responsive therapy in support to students who may be in need of crisis or ongoing support while also supporting the 9-8-8 awareness and education.”

In 2018, an RCC student, Brian Perez, 36, also died by suicide in the parking structure.

Oliveros also mentioned their focus on expanding inclusivity through outreach. 

“We also want to be mindful of messaging to be bilingual in English and Spanish,” Oliveros said. “We have a high number of Latin X students that attend our CC (community college) in our district so that was an interest of ours as well to make sure that our next statements to students and employees were also bilingual and Spanish given the high number of Spanish speakers that are here at our CC and also amongst our employees.”

Mentions of mental health awareness have also been a priority of the school, according to Oliveros. 

“We’re doing an education and awareness poster. Those are in the works to be printed and put around campus that promote 9-8-8,” Oliveros said.

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act provided RCC with funding to support these programs. 

“We received funds to support increasing our mental health and wellness services through therapy,” Oliveros said. “It’s a direct service to provide students with access to online and in person mental health and wellness services.”

Oliveros also gave insight on how the college has prepared their faculty to deal with crisis and tragedy by providing “information regularly via email and our website for existing services that are available.”

“We are looking for ways to heighten that through canvas, through announcements, through poster education awareness campaigns, through word of mouth in our meetings, to do presentations about mental health services through tabling and outreach efforts,” Oliveros added. 

Employees of RCC have also been given support and resources to work through these times. 

“We have faculty leadership and academic senate and faculty leadership in our California Teachers Association, which is called the Faculty Union,” Oliveros said. “Our Classified Professional Employees Union, which is California Schools Employees Association. CSCA is also very active. Their leadership is active and wants to find ways to make information more readily available and accessible to all of our employee groups.”

Executive Director of Public Affairs Chris Clarke also spoke on behalf of the school. 

“The Board of Trustees and the administration are very committed, and I always have been to ensure that there’s public safety,” Clarke said. Clarke also stated that he wishes for students to know that he cares and understands the things they are going through.

“We appreciate our college community and district coming together during a really difficult time to be responsive and caring during this tragedy,” Oliveros added.

“We’re doing the very best we can with what we have and what we know to be proactive to support education, awareness and training during these times.”

A memorial service will be held in the RCC Quadrangle on May 9 at 4 p.m. During these hard times, the school requests the privacy of Pedroza Villalobos’ family to be protected.