A special meeting of the Santa Clarita Valley Community College Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. for the purpose of approving the naming of the College of the Canyons Institute for Culinary Education (iCUE) as the Diana and Gary Cusumano Culinary Arts Building.

The meeting will be held at the Dr. Dianne Van Hook University Center in room 301, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

On Sept. 8, a Memorandum of Understanding was executed between the College of the Canyons Foundation, the Santa Clarita Community College District and Gary Cusumano. It outlines the terms of a $1 million irrevocable gift to support culinary arts education at College of the Canyons.

This gift is the largest single contribution ever received by the College of the Canyons Foundation.

The agenda item for the action reads:

“It establishes:

The Diana and Gary Cusumano Culinary Arts Endowed Program Fund and The Cusumano Family and Friends Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Per the Memorandum of Understanding, the name must be placed within three months of full payment, no later than March 20, 2026.

The name will remain in place for the useful life of the building and be subject to AP 6620 Naming of District Facilities and Properties Policy and other conditions in the memorandum of understanding. The district has followed the regulations outlined in Administrative Procedure 6620.

Diana Cusumano was an educator, artist, business owner and philanthropist in the Santa Clarita Valley community. Her passion for learning and the culinary arts inspired many students. As a Foundation Board Director, she led the iCUE facility fundraising campaign to create opportunities for students to pursue an important trade in the culinary arts and a plaque recognizing her service was previously bestowed at the iCUE entrance.

Gary Cusumano is a long-time Santa Clarita Valley resident known for his philanthropic efforts. He retired from Newhall Land in 2006, having served as President and CEO. He concluded his career as Chairman. He has a long history of community leadership, formerly serving on the boards of the California Chamber of Commerce, the University of California, the University of California Davis Alumni Association and Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.”

The meeting will be live streamed (copy and paste this link into your browser) at: https://canyonsonline.zoom.us/j/81581151731.

WEBINAR ID: 815-8115-1731

Trustee Fred Arnold will participate in the meeting remotely.