The College of the Sequoias is inducting three new Hall of Fame members on Thursday, October 13th: Debbie Bervel, Percy Carr and Tom Link. The induction ceremony and dinner will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Dr. Thomas S. Porter Field House on the COS Visalia campus.
The public is invited. Tickets to attend the dinner and induction ceremony are $50 and may be purchased online at COS.edu/Foundation or by phone by calling 559.730.3861.
Inducting an individual into the COS Hall of Fame is one of the highest awards COS can present to alumni. It is reserved for those that have made significant accomplishments to the betterment of the school, the community and society in general. The contributions take many forms, but always reflect positively on the college. Each honoree has uniquely met these criteria.
2016 Inductees
Debbie Bervel: Debbie attended College of the Sequoias from 1977 to 1979. She received her A.S. Degree in Biological Sciences. At COS Debbie played on the women’s basketball, volleyball and softball teams. While attending COS she was awarded Giant of the Year and All Conference /All Tourney Teams in basketball. In 1979 she was chosen Giant of the Year for all athletics. Also, in 1979 she received the Bank of America Award NorCal Winner for Science-Math-Engineering and Academic Achievement Award in Physical Science. After COS she continued her education at Fresno State from 1970 to 1982 and graduated with a B.S. Degree in Microbiology. While attending Fresno State she played on the women’s basketball team from 1979 to 1981. Debbie went on to attend Loma Linda University from 1982 to1986 and graduated with an M.D.
Debbie is a member of the American College of Emergency Physician (ACEP) which is an organization providing resources and support to emergency medicine physicians in the United States. She has worked at San Antonio Regional Hospital in Upland, CA. as an Emergency Medicine Physician; as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences; as a Medical Director of the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA and an Emergency Medical Services Director for San Bernardino City Fire Department. She currently continues to work for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at their search and rescue academy as an instructor.
Percy Carr: Percy attended elementary, middle and high school in Tulare. He went on and attended College of the Sequoias then transferred to Fresno State and graduated with a B.A. degree in Liberal Arts and Masters in Kinesiology. During his college years he played on the college baseball team.
Currently, Percy is employed at San Jose Community College as the Head Basketball Coach. He is entering his 40th year as Head Basketball Coach for the Jaguars. Percy is the all-time winningest college basketball coaches at any level with over 800 wins.
With over 800 career wins Percy holds the record for the most wins in California community college history. In Percy’s tenure, the Jaguars have gone to the playoffs 33 of 37 years. He has guided eight different Jaguar teams to the State Championships, claimed 12 Conference Championships, and has produced 17 first team all-state players. In 1989, he was honored as Santa Clara County Coach of the Year. In 1994, Percy was honored as the Sacramento Kings Northern California Coach of the Year. In March 1998, he was inducted to the California Community College Basketball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame and was ranked 6th junior college coach in the USA by Basketball Times in, August 1998. In September 2000, Percy was honored by the 100 Black Men of the Silicon Valley Organization as the Educator of the Year.
Tom Link: Tom was born in Visalia, CA. He attended K-12 schools in Visalia. He was involved in football, basketball, track and swimming. After graduating Visalia High School, Tom attended College of the Sequoias, San Jose State and graduated from Fresno State with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. College activities included being a member of Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity and the Ski Club. He also was on the swim and gymnastics teams.
Tom was a co-owner with his father and brother of Link’s Men’s and Women’s Wear in downtown Visalia. The business was in existence from 1941 to 2014, 73 years. Tom is very active in the community. He has served in the Army National Guard Reserves for six months and Air National Guard Reserves for five and a half years; President of the Visalia Host Lions twice; past chairman of the Visalia Rescue Mission, Visalia YMCA, Boy Scouts Finance Committee, Visalia Parks and Recreation Commission, California Parks and Recreation Commissioners, Downtown Visalian’s. Also served as advisory committee member for the Superintendent of Visalia Unified School District, board member of the Downtown Visalian’s property owners association, past member of the COS Foundation, COS Facilities Review Committee and the COS Hall of Fame Committee.
Currently, Link is serving on the Tulare County School Board, Chairman of the Visalia Public Cemetery, Board of Directors for the Tulare County Historical Society, Moderator of the San Joaquin Presbytery (20 churches), and an elder and deacon for the First Presbyterian Church in Visalia. Tom has received the following awards: Visalia Chamber of Commerce “Man of Year”, Boy Scout Distinguished Citizen of the Year, Visalia Host Lions “Lion of the Year” and Phi Delta Kappa “Friends of Education.