Crafton Hills College to Celebrate 50 Year Anniversary and Honor Three Distinguished Alumni: Jim Topoleski, Ann Martgan, and Paul Barich.

Publish Date: April 26, 2022

Crafton Hills College is holding its 50th Anniversary Gala on Thursday, April 21, from 5:30 - 8 p.m.

“The 50th anniversary is a fitting time for Crafton to renew connections with the communities we serve,” stated Michelle Riggs, Director of Institutional Advancement. “We are hoping to see alumni, employers, and other community members in attendance to celebrate this milestone with us!”

The casual event will be held at the campus Finkelstein Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $100 and sponsorships, starting at $300, include a custom ad in the souvenir program. A “Through the Years” skit will be performed by current theatre students to highlight fun facts and historical markers from each decade. A live auction will give attendees an opportunity to bid on items that include a private sailing excursion in San Diego and a behind-the-scenes gelato making experience.

Tickets can be purchased at www.craftonhills.edu/gala. All proceeds will benefit the College’s Foundation, which provides scholarships and emergency grants for students and financially supports transfer, STEM, and honor’s programs. Crafton Hills College to Celebrate 50 Year Anniversary and Honor Three Distinguished Alumni: Jim Topoleski, Ann Martgan, and Paul Barich. Recently, the Foundation has begun to pay license and testing fees for graduates from the Fire Academy, Paramedic, and Respiratory Therapy programs.

Through the years Crafton has provided education and training for childcare providers, first responders, allied healthcare workers, civic leaders, and other professionals vital to our community.

A highlight of the annual gala is the recognition of outstanding alumni. Jim Topoleski, Ann Martgan, and Paul Barich will be honored at this year’s event.

Jim Topoleski

Topoleski is a graduate of the Crafton Hills College Fire Academy, EMS, and Paramedic programs. He has an extensive fire service career of over 38 years, nearly 36 spent with the Redlands Fire Department.

Topoleski has held numerous ranks within Redlands Fire including firefighter/firefighter paramedic, engineer, captain, battalion chief and fire chief. He recently retired from Redlands Fire and is currently serving as division chief with San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, Wildland and Aviation Division.Topoleski volunteers with Redlands AYSO, Redlands Youth Baseball, the Redlands Bowl, and Redlands Noon Rotary.

He continues to support the fire academy cadets at Crafton Hills College.Topoleski is truly dedicated to the fire service and the community and is truly an example of an Outstanding CHC Alumni.

Ann Martgan

Martgan is a shining example of leadership, professionalism, and mentorship, as she continually strives to aid the undeserved communities like the one she grew up in. Martgan never viewed the hardships she and her family faced as a barrier. Instead, she took the stereotypes placed upon her, such as being a young African American mother, and showed them to be a false narrative.

Martgan, who earned an EMT certificate and AA from CHC, has become a successful educator, published author, and community servant. She currently serves as EMS Operations Manager for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

Martgan continues to give back to Crafton and has even created an outreach day, partnering with the CTE departments, for the Girl Scouts of America. This event brings hundreds of young girls from under- served communities all over Southern California to Crafton every year to explore career paths in public safety and allied health fields where women are often under-represented.

Paul Barich

Redlands Mayor Paul Barich took classes at Crafton Hills College the first year the college opened its doors. He believes the time he spent here prepared him well for transfer to UCLA, where he earned a degree in history. He then returned to his hometown of Redlands to start a career in teaching before opening Barich and Associates Insurance Marketing Services Inc., which specializes in health, life, Medicare and 401(k)s.

Elected to the Redlands City Council in November 2014, Barich is currently serving as the City’s Mayor. Barich is an active member in his community, dedicating time to support the youth, businesses, and citizens of Redlands. He serves on several commissions, boards, committees, and community organizations.

He has donated his time to volunteer for Crafton Hills College, sponsoring and attending events and serving as the guest speaker at the 2017 “45th Anniversary” Friends Luncheon.