LTCC President Jeff DeFranco Honored with Chico State Distinguished Alumni Award

March 17, 2026

When Jack Fox, then-director of the Chico State Alumni Association, wrote a letter of recommendation for a graduating student named Jeff DeFranco in 2000, he made a prediction.

"I am sure that Jeff will return to us one day to be recognized at our Distinguished Alumni Event, the highest honor one of our alumni can receive from their university."

Nearly 25 years later, that prediction came true.

DeFranco, Superintendent/President of Lake Tahoe Community College, recently returned to California State University, Chico to receive the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The Chico State Alumni Association has presented the award since 1994, recognizing graduates whose achievements in their careers and communities reflect the highest standards of excellence, integrity and service.

For DeFranco, the honor was deeply personal.

"It's hard for me to imagine who I would be without Chico State," he said in his remarks at the ceremony. "The mentorship and support I received there changed the trajectory of my life."

DeFranco arrived at Chico undeclared, exploring business, recreation and child development before earning a degree in psychology with a minor in child development and a certificate in outdoor education. Along the way, he led whitewater expeditions through Adventure Outings, chaired a multimillion-dollar board as Associated Students executive vice president, and found mentors who believed in him before he had fully learned to believe in himself.

He went on to earn a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Oregon and built a decade-long career in K-12 education before moving into higher education. He joined LTCC in 2012 as vice president of administrative services and was appointed Superintendent/President in 2017.

In his remarks, DeFranco spoke about what he calls the ripple effect of education.

"When educators invest in a student, they rarely get to see how far that ripple will travel. Through my career, the impact of that ripple has now touched the lives of tens of thousands of other students."

That idea is not abstract at LTCC. Under DeFranco's leadership, the college has expanded student housing, launched a high-support Promise Program, strengthened athletics and international enrollment, and worked to position LTCC as a destination campus in the Sierra.

He credited several Chico State mentors by name in his remarks, including Professor Dr. Sandra Machida, Student Services Administrator Dr. Herman Ellis, and Adventure Outings Director Rick Scott. He also returned to Fox's letter, which he still has today.

"Jack is no longer with us," DeFranco said, "but his belief in me is still alive."

Congratulations, Jeff.