Honored for expanding student access, advancing workforce innovation and strengthening educational excellence.
The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) congratulates Dr. Julius O. Sokenu, president of Moorpark College, on being named Man of the Year by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Sokenu will be recognized at the Chamber’s annual Recognition Gala — Journeys of Excellence — on Friday, May 15, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Westlake.
The award recognizes Dr. Sokenu’s nearly two decades of service to Moorpark College and his commitment to expanding student access, strengthening workforce readiness and advancing the region’s educational infrastructure. He has served as college president since 2021, leading a campus of over 400 faculty and staff that serves more than 14,000 students annually.
“Dr. Sokenu has spent nearly two decades making sure that students in this community have a real path forward,” said Chancellor Rick MacLennan of the Community Colleges of Ventura County. “That work — building programs, opening doors, connecting people to careers that provide real stability — is exactly what our colleges are here to do. We are immensely proud of him and of the recognition he has earned.”
Under Dr. Sokenu’s leadership, Moorpark College has launched two bachelor’s degree programs — Applied Biomanufacturing and Applied Cyberdefense and Network Operations (ACNO) — designed to create affordable, local pathways to high-skill, high-wage careers for working students and community members. The college is also a National Security Agency-designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyberdefense. Moorpark College was named an Aspen Institute Top 10 Finalist for Community College Excellence in both 2023 and 2025. The college was also selected as a semifinalist in the 2027 award cycle, placing among the top 25 of nearly 1,000 community colleges nationwide.
“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce,” said Dr. Sokenu. “But the work that has made this recognition possible belongs to our faculty, our staff and most importantly our students. Every program we have built, every pathway we have opened, has been in service of making sure that students who live and work in this community have a real path forward — right here.”
Before becoming president, Dr. Sokenu served as Executive Vice President and Vice President of Academic Affairs, and earlier as Dean of Student Learning — all at Moorpark College. He previously served as president of the California Community College Association of Occupational Education (CCAOE), reflecting his longstanding commitment to career and technical education at the statewide level. He holds a doctorate in education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Teaching from Boston University, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Arizona State University and bachelor’s degrees in Business and English from the University of Southern California.
A published poet and writer, Dr. Sokenu’s work has appeared in Hayden’s Ferry Review, Nimrod: The International Journal of Prose and Poetry and the Savannah Literary Review. His essays on teaching and learning have been published in The Community College Journal.
The Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce Recognition Gala celebrates outstanding individuals and organizations across the Conejo Valley for their leadership, innovation and community impact. Dr. Sokenu is one of many dedicated leaders across the Ventura County Community College District working every day to expand access, strengthen communities and help students reach their goals. To learn more about the Community Colleges of Ventura County and the programs they offer, visit vcccd.edu.