Founding College President Passes Away

​​​Richard Tworek, Ph.D., founding president and provost of Moreno Valley College, passed away on September 5 after an extended illness. 

Tworek, who graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champagne with a doctoral degree in Health Sciences Education, became interim provost on June 6, 1997, after four years as dean of Instruction. On March 7, 1998, he was installed as the permanent provost of the College. He was one of six provosts in MVC's history. On March 1, 2006, Tworek assumed the title of president, a position he held until June 30 of that same year. 

In July of 1992, MVC was designated the “beacon campus" for health science programs due to the announcement of a new Riverside County Regional Medical Center that was to be built within two miles of the campus. It wasn't until November of 1993 when at the urging of Tworek that the emergency medical technician program moved from Riverside City College to MVC. 

Today, MVC offers one of the largest mixes of allied health and public safety programs in Southern California.

Tworek, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the State University of New York at Buffalo and SUNY at Albany, was the founding president and chief executive officer for the Beacon College of Health Sciences, a company he founded. He also served as a director for the March Health Development Board for nine years and dean of Health Services Institute at Cook County Hospital for just over 16 years before coming west to the Inland Empire.

In retirement, he remained active, serving as a board member for the Riverside County Regional Medical Center Foundation and other local nonprofits.

“Dr. Tworek had a profound effect on Moreno Valley College in the early days of its development," Robin Steinback, Ph.D., president of the College, said. “He loved this institution and worked hard to ensure it provided learning opportunities for generations of students in the Valley. Even in retirement he kept in touch and worked to better the community by working with several nonprofits in the area."

Currently there has been no announcement regarding a celebration of life or services, however, an announcement will be made when they become available.