College of Behavioral & Social Sciences

Behavioral and Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni

2016 Distinguished Alumni

John H. Rivers 

BA, Sociology, 1968

Honor Year: 2016

Current Position: Associate Faculty, Butte College and Yuba College

With more than 45 years of experience in teaching, community outreach, program design, and diversity program creation, John H. Rivers has spent the past 12 years as an associate faculty member of psychology at Butte College and Yuba Community College. During his time at Chico State, Rivers served as freshman and sophomore class president, was a member of the football team, and went undefeated as an intercollegiate boxing champion in 1961 and 1962. He was also instrumental in helping re-establish and grow the campus’s KCSC radio station. He worked as founding director of the Education Opportunity Program from 1967 to 1970, and then as president and founder of the Northern California Federation for Human Education and Development. He has also worked as an administrator at CSU, East Bay; Cuesta College; and Monterey Peninsula College. He is currently a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Association of University Administrators, and the National Association of Student Affairs Personnel.  He has volunteered on boards including the California Children's Home Society of California

He has volunteered his free time to serve on boards like the California Children's Home Society of California; as a founder and board member of the Butte County Black Caucus, chairman of the board of Young Adults for Action and Manufacturing, in Monterey; Monterey Peninsula YMCA; and Monterey County Cultural Arts Council. Rivers lives in Oroville with his wife Jackie and is a proud father to two Chico State grads, Stephanie Hunter and John H. Rivers, Jr.