El Camino College

CommunityNewsSpring 2012Volume XV No. 3

Inside:

Renovated Social Science Building Opens

$5.6 million Measure E project completed for fall 2011– page 5

Student Success StoriesClass of 2011 – Education changing lives – pages 6 – 7

Career Advancement AcademyNew education and training for high-demand careers – page 9

Alumni NewsFive outstanding ECC alumni honored – page 13

Contact Us! Admissions . . . . . . . . . .310-660-3414

Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . 310-660-3545

Counseling . . . . . . . . . 310-660-3458

Financial Aid . . . . . . . . 310-660-3493

Honors Transfer Program . . . . . . . . . .310-660-3815

Scholarship Office . . . .310-660-6541

Testing Office . . . . . . . 310-660-3405

www .elcamino .edu

1-866-ELCAMINO

The El Camino Community College District is committed to providing equal opportunity in which no person is subjected to discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identification, national origin, religion, age, sex, race, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or retaliation.

m.elcamino.edu

El Camino College Goes Mobile

El Camino College is now available 24/7 – via smartphones and tablets . The user-friendly

ECC website for mobile devices offers access to an online calendar of events; financial

aid and scholarship information; a virtual map; hours of operation for student services;

important deadlines; transportation information; direct links to online social media

networks; and contact information for academic divisions and student services .

MOX is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, BlackBerry,

and Android users . On your smartphone, visit the

App Store, BlackBerry App World, or Android

Market to download MOX . Choose El Camino

College from the list of colleges and

universities, and you are ready to

go mobile!

Making the Grade: ECC Math/Science Leaders Three El Camino College Math, Engineering, Science

Achievement (MESA) students received prestigious National

Science Foundation scholarships totaling $33,500 this

past spring . Students are awarded based on academic

performance, leadership, MESA involvement and financial need .

A “Rising Sophomore” scholarship of $12,500 was

awarded to Gilberto Hernandez, a mechanical

engineering student from Lawndale . Gilberto

plans to transfer to the University of California,

Berkeley in the fall .

“Transfer Ready” scholarships, each for $10,500,

went to: Brett Lopez, an aerospace engineering

major from Inglewood who transferred from ECC

to UCLA this past fall, and Mario

Cabrera, an aerospace engineering

student from Hawthorne, who transferred from

ECC to California Polytechnic University, Pomona .

A Closer Look at MESAThe MESA program at El Camino College provides

mathematics, engineering and science academic enrichment .

Through tutoring and mentoring, extra study sessions, transfer

counseling and a study center, MESA provides an environment

that helps students succeed in math and science as well as

assisting in navigating the transfer system .

For MESA information: www .elcamino .edu/academics/

mathsciences/mesa/ .

Gilb

erto Hernand

ezB

rett Lopez

Mario C

abrera

2

2 Making the Grade: ECC Math/Science Leaders

El Camino College Goes Mobile

4 Message from the President

5 Renovated Social Science Building Opens

6 Student Success Stories

7 ECC Completes Historic Endowment Campaign

8 Journalism Program Wins 20 Awards

9 Career Advancement Academy Welcomes Students this Fall

Robotics Program Highlights

10 Warrior Athletics

Coach Featherstone Honored

11 2011 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

ECC Alumnus Drafted to MLB

12 Faculty Highlights

13 Alumni News

2011 ECC Scholarship Reception

14 Boundary Review Committee Presents New Trustee Areas

15 News & Notes

16 Transfer News

contentsEl Camino College

Community Newsletter

Spring 2012 / Vol. XV, No. 3

El Camino College Board of Trustees

William Beverly, PresidentMaureen O’Donnell, Vice PresidentMary E . Combs, SecretaryKenneth BrownRay GenJoshua Casper, Student Member

El Camino College Administration

Thomas M . FalloSuperintendent/President

Francisco ArceVice President, Academic Affairs

Jo Ann HigdonVice President, Administrative Services

Jeanie NishimeVice President, Student and Community Advancement

Barbara PerezVice President, El Camino College Compton Center

Lynn SolomitaInterim Vice President, Human Resources

Community News is a publication of the El Camino Community College District, Office of Public Relations & Marketing, Ann M. Garten, Director, Community Relations. For more information about El Camino College, visit our website: www.elcamino.edu.

Find the latest El Camino College news on:

m.elcamino.edu

3

Message From the President

This year, El Camino College celebrates 65 years serving the South Bay! That’s 65 celebrations of student success; 65 opportunities to honor students for their hard work and dedication; and 65 years of offering the education and services students need to accomplish their goals .

El Camino College transfers thousands of students to the University of California and California State University systems each year . El Camino College frequently ranks #1 in the admission rate to UCLA in all of Southern California . El Camino College also ranks in the top 10 in the state for transfers to the University of California and California State University campuses .

We invite you to read about the many outstanding students featured in this magazine . In this issue you will also learn about new programs recently established to give students cutting-edge career training . If you haven’t been to campus recently, this newsletter provides updates on the new classrooms and labs that have opened since the passage of our facilities bond, Measure E, in 2002 .

Please feel free to visit us at any time – we are your community college . Thank you for supporting El Camino College for 65 years . We look forward to the next 65 .

Thomas M . Fallo

Veterans Center Grand Opening A grand opening for the new El Camino College Veterans Resource Center was recently held . The celebration acknowledged students who have served our country . The new Veterans Center offers a welcoming place where students may gather and access the many student services available at the college . Support services

available at the Veterans Center include access to computers, computer assistance, a study area, workshops, and referrals to a variety of resources, both at the college and in the community . Staff assists students with paperwork regarding their educational benefits, as well as helping them be successful in the college environment .

44

El Camino College’s newly renovated Social Science instructional

building opened just in time for the fall semester . The $5 .6 million

project is one of numerous facilities improvements supported by

funds from Measure E . All of the building’s systems have been

completely replaced, with entirely new plumbing, electrical, air

conditioning, fire alarms, and data/communications . The elevator

was also upgraded for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance .

The building’s energy-efficient features include dual pane glazing

on the windows, providing plenty of natural lighting; high efficiency

air handlers; and the use of recycled and eco-friendly materials

wherever possible .

All 21 Classrooms Include “Presentation Stations”

• deskcomputer • audioamplifier

• digitaldocumentcamera • mediaswitcher

• videoplayer • lavalieremicrophone

• laptopconnection • widescreenformat

multimedia projector

Renovated Social Science Building Opens

Facilities UpdateIn addition to the opening of our newly renovated Social Science instructional building, many Measure E-supported improvements are happening to our campus . Construction on our $36 .9 million Math Business Allied Health Building continues and is scheduled to open for Fall 2012 .

Our $11 .6 million electrical and data conversion project is expected to be completed this spring and will connect all campus buildings to the new electrical substation and also provide an expanded data network .

Other projects completed in 2011 include:

• VeteransCenter. Students have access to support services such as computers, assistance with paperwork, workshops, and referrals to a variety of resources .

• Bookstore Modernization. This work upgraded the building infrastructure, improved accessibility, and converted a portion of the upper level into multiple offices and conference rooms .

• Restroom Accessibility Renovations. Modernization and improved accessibility to 24 restrooms in 12 buildings .

• International Student Center. Remodeled center improves student access and provides a place for staff to better assist students .

• Fitness Center. The newly remodeled state-of-the-art Fitness Center is open to the public (enrollment is through the ECC Community Education program) and features Cybex exercise equipment, free weights, and yoga/stretching area .

5

Tilo Lopez: UC Berkley

After beginning his high school

career with lackluster grades,

Tilo Lopez entered his junior

year of high school by making

changes . As the oldest of five

children with a single mother, he

decided that it was up to him to

transform his family’s education

trend, hoping that his brothers

and sister will follow .

Lopez’s higher education

dreams are coming true – the

history major graduated from

ECC in 2011 as the first in his

family to earn a college degree .

He was accepted to both UCLA

and the University of California

at Berkeley and now attends

UC Berkeley – one of about 85

ECC students admitted to the

selective Northern California university .

“I really believe everything happens for a reason; I couldn’t leave

and go to Berkeley right out of high school,” said Lopez, who is

majoring in history, with a minor in peace and conflict studies .

“We have always struggled financially at home . Ever since high

school, I was the financial backbone of my family . Now I feel good

about being away, knowing that my younger brothers can help

out . I’m definitely nervous about doing well at Berkeley, but I’m

ready to take what they have to offer .”

Student Success StoriesThe Class of 2011 – Education Changing Lives

“ I love El Camino College. I plan to transfer to UCLA and I feel prepared for the university level. “

— Sheila

“ El Camino College is a whole new experience every day. There is a diversity of professors and students and it’s interesting to meet new people.“

— Aysha

“ College is all about not only finding what you want to do in life, but finding out who you are as a person. El Camino College helped with that, and more.“

— Kenji

“ There are so many ways to succeed and expand your knowledge at El Camino College.“

— Josian

6

Solimar Flowers: UCLA

Solimar Flowers was waiting to make a change in her

life . The thought of going to college was always in the

back of her mind, but for the past 18 years she was

busy raising her two daughters while working as a

nursing assistant . Two years ago, when her job was

coming to an end and her teenage daughters were

ready for more independence, it was time for change .

That’s when she enrolled in El Camino College .

In spring 2011, Flowers graduated with honors and is

now a sociology major at UCLA, one of approximately

175 ECC students admitted in fall 2011 .

“It is possible to do it all – with a lot of hard work and

El Camino College helping, I made it,” said Solimar, who won the 2011 ECC Presidential Scholar Award

for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Division by maintaining a 4 .0 grade point average each semester .

“I started in the counseling center and asked a lot of questions and spoke to a lot of people . There are

so many resources available at El Camino College; you just have to know how to use them . And I did!”

ECC Completes Historic Scholarship Endowment Campaign Osher Initiative Reports a Successful Finish

A historic fundraising campaign for the nation’s

largest-ever scholarship endowment for a

community college system recently came to a

successful end . More than $66 .5 million was raised

for the California Community Colleges Scholarship

Endowment, enough to fund at least 3,325

statewide full scholarships every year, in perpetuity .

ECC Osher Success

At El Camino College, Osher funds

exceeded the original goal by 83%, for

a total of $1,630,159 . These funds will

be matched by the Osher Foundation

for a total of $2,445,338, which will be

permanently endowed for scholarships .

The endowment will generate $122,000

annually to fund at least 122 scholarships

in the amount of $1,000 each .

In May 2011, at the annual El Camino

College Scholarship Awards Ceremony

and Reception, 13 new “named” $1,000

Osher scholarships were added and

37 ECC students received Osher

scholarships .7

The El Camino College Journalism Department received 20 awards at the Journalism Association of

Community Colleges (JACC) Southern California Conference last spring . ECC students competed

against about 350 students from 30 community colleges . Of the 20 awards, The Union newspaper

and Warrior Life magazine each won a General Excellence Award .

Students participated in on-the-spot writing, design, and photography contests at the conference held

at California State University, Fullerton . They also attended workshops led by professional journalists,

covering every aspect of the field .

The accolades from the JACC regional conference follow a successful national JACC convention in

2011, where ECC students won the prestigious Pacesetter Award, given to colleges that “set the pace”

for the rest . The Pacesetter was only awarded to four out of the 45 journalism programs represented

at the convention . El Camino College previously won the Pacesetter Award in 2009 . Journalism

department advisers are Lori Medigovich and Kate McLaughlin .

Journalism Program Wins 20 Awards

from left to right,

back row: Ashley Curtin, Kate McLaughlin (adviser), Lori Medigovich (adviser)

front row: Matt Simon, Eman Elshiyab, Samantha Troisi, Viridiana Vaca-Rios

8

Career Advancement Academy Welcomes Students

A new Career Advancement

Academy opened this past fall at El

Camino College, offering students

education and training for high-

demand careers . The one-year

program focuses on machine tool

technology and welding . Books,

workbooks and a variety of career

workshops are also provided for enrolled students . An electrical utility

technology program was added this spring .

Part of a statewide initiative, the Career Advancement Academy

combines career technical education with basic skills in high-

demand career areas where new workers are needed immediately .

The program is funded by a $662,700 grant from the California

Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and also has technical

support from the Career Ladders Project, which provides statewide

educational and career advancement opportunities to Californians .

Career Advancement Academy: www.elcamino.edu/academics/

indtech/career-advancement-academy/index.asp or 310-660-3589

A group of El Camino College

students recently completed the

Fanuc Robot Certified Training Pilot

Program . Students were required

to work through online curriculum,

simulation, and tests then apply

skills to programming an industrial

robot . A Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Mathematics

(STEM) grant supported training at

the Fanuc faculty, offering students

valuable career skills . Fanuc is the

largest automation company in

the world, with 100,000 robots

sold in the United States . Many

Southern California manufacturers

are currently using industrial robots

in the workplace . Through this

training program, ECC students are

prepared to help local businesses

become more competitive .

Robotics Program Highlights

9

10

2011Warrior Athletics David Cardona

David Cardona is a four-time state champion and

1,500/5,000 ECC record holder who transferred

this past fall to California Polytechnic University,

San Luis Obispo on a full scholarship . During the

2010 track & field season, David won South

Coast Conference titles in both the 1,500m

and 5,000m and went on to win the Southern

California 1,500m title and state 5,000m title,

with his time making the ECC All-Time Top 10

List . During his sophomore cross country season,

David went undefeated . In 2011 track & field, he

was the ECC record holder in the 5,000m and the

fastest California community college runner at that

distance in more than 20 years, while also placing on

the ECC Top-10 List in the 3,000m steeplechase and

3,200m relay .

Shalé Garland

During Shalé Garland’s freshman year, she was a state leader

in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and long jump while earning

a spot on the ECC Top 10 List in the 100m, 200m, and

long jump . She scored in the state championships

in the 200m, 400m, and 1,600m relay . In her

sophomore year, Shalé immediately placed

herself higher on the ECC All -Time Top 10 Lists

in the 200m and 400m and led the state in

both, while also leading her top-ranked team

to state in both the 400m relay and 1,600m

relay . A Scholar-Baller during her academic tenure

at El Camino College, she transferred this past fall

to the University of Arizona on a full scholarship

where she is studying kinesiology and continues

to compete .

Warriors’ Coach Featherstone Captures 200th Win!

The El Camino Community

College District Board of Trustees

recently recognized Coach

John Featherstone for his career

accomplishments and his 200th

victory as ECC Warrior football

head coach . Featherstone’s

contributions to the Warrior

football program start with his

time as a student-athlete (1967–

1968) and continue into his ECC

coaching career, which began

in 1985 . During his 26th season,

Featherstone recently secured

his 200th victory coaching El

Camino College football; his

winning percentage is the highest

of any current community college

football head coach with a

minimum of 20 years experience .

2011Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

ECC Alumnus Drafted to MLBECC 2008/09 alumnus pitcher Kellen Moen was selected in the

seventh round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Players

Draft by the Kansas City Royals . In 2009, Kellen was named South

Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year, posting a 6-3 record with a

2 .51 ERA . Kellen then transferred to the University of Oregon where

he had eight saves, 43 strikeouts and a 3 .05 ERA as the Ducks’

primary bullpen closer .

Tedd Wall 1954, 1955 Wrestling, Football

Photo Credit: Michael Ciaglo, Oregon Daily Emerald

Jaymie Baquero 1997-1999 Soccer, Softball, Badminton

Guy Bunyard 1983,1984 Football

Steve Obradovich 1972-1975 Men’s Volleyball

Gary Debeaubien 1967 Wrestling

1111

Faculty Highlights English Honors

English Professor Sara Blake recently received

the 2011 Nina Theiss Award for Outstanding

Service to the Teaching of English . The award

was presented at the biennial conference of

the English Council of California Two-Year

Colleges (ECCTYC) in Burlingame, California .

Blake joined the El Camino College faculty in

1986 and currently serves as the division’s

faculty coordinator for the college’s Basic Skills

Initiative . She has a master’s and bachelor’s

degree from San Diego State University and

an associate degree from Palomar College .

Also on the conference program were English

faculty member Pete Marcoux and First

Year Experience’s Cynthia Mosqueda, who

highlighted ECC’s innovative pilot program

of accelerated learning in reading and writing

to improve student success and retention .

The ECCTYC is one of the chief professional

organizations in California for community college

instructors of English .

On the Radio

“The Shark is in the

House!” So begins Sharkie

Zartman’s new radio talk

show on the South Bay-

based HealthyLife .Net

Radio Network . Zartman, a

physical education professor

at El Camino College, launched her “Sharkie’s

Pep Talk” last summer with the goal to inspire

listeners through discussions on empowerment,

fitness, yoga, and anti-aging . The hourlong

show, billed as “your weekly ‘get up and go’

fix!” features guests who share their words of

wisdom about living a healthy lifestyle . Zartman

has taught health, fitness and volleyball at ECC

for more than 30 years . She is an ECC alumna,

and a former member of the U .S . National

Volleyball Team and the World University

Games . At UCLA, where her jersey was

retired, she was a member of the first national

championship team .

Art History

Longtime art history

instructor Mary Drobny

recently returned from an

international conference

in Cuba where she was

invited as a guest lecturer

for the second year in a

row . Drobny presented a lecture on the history

of archeology in Mesoamerica at the fourth

annual International Symposium of Architectural

History . Her lecture mainly focused on Central

America, Guatemala, and Honduras; she also

discussed recent excavations around Tikal,

Guatemala and Copan, Honduras . Drobny also

spoke about her trip this past summer to China,

where she saw the famed Terracotta Warriors .

For the past 10 years, Drobny has worked with

the Archaeology Department of Havana, Cuba

and has worked on digs throughout the city and

underwater on shipwrecks .

1212

Alumni News

Donald Brann is the former

superintendent of the

Wiseburn School District in

Hawthorne . In his 40 years

as an educator, he held

teaching and administrative

positions, in addition to other

superintendent assignments .

Pat Furey is employed as

Los Angeles County Principal

Deputy County Counsel

assigned to the Children’s

Services Division . He is also a

Torrance city councilman and

has served on various civic

committees for many years .

Michael Montoya is the

director of grid advancement

for Southern California

Edison’s Transmission &

Distribution Business Unit . He

has 36 years of utility industry

experience, including 30 years

of smart grid technologies .

Distinguished Alumni Awards

David Benoit is a Grammy

nominated jazz pianist,

composer and producer

who studied music at ECC .

In addition to his jazz career,

Benoit is also music director for

the Asia America Symphony and

Asia America Youth Orchestra .

Cinna Toy-Wohlmuth is

an Assistant Clinical Professor

in Obstetrics and Gynecology

at Loma Linda University . She

is also the Obstetrics and

Gynecology Program

Director at White Memorial

Medical Center .

More than 325 El Camino College students were

recognized for their academic achievements

at the annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony

and Reception in 2011 . More than $350,000 in

scholarships, in amounts ranging from $500 to

$5,000, was distributed to outstanding students .

2011 El Camino College Scholarship Reception

Five outstanding alumni were honored at

the ECC 2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards .

Honorees were selected by a committee, and

represent the fields of art, medicine, politics,

business, and education .

13

El Camino Community College District Presents New Trustee Areas

The El Camino Community College District (ECCCD) Board of Trustees established new Trustee

Areas at its February meeting and has changed from “at- large” to “by-trustee area” elections .

An Election Waiver Request will now be submitted to the California Community Colleges’ Board of

Governors . Following approval of the election waiver by the Board of Governors, the ECCCD board will

submit the new trustee areas to the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder’s Office by October 15, 2012

in order to impact the November 2013 election .

The Board of Trustees initiated discussions in fall

2010 regarding the procedures required to modify

trustee area boundaries and change from “at- large” to

“by-trustee area” elections .

The redistricting process included establishing an ECCCD

Boundary Review Committee (BRC) to guide the effort, which

utilized 2010 census data to ensure each area was representative

of the District’s constituents . In addition, the BRC scheduled five

Public Forums this past fall to gather input from the

community . Residents were also able to

attend BRC meetings, add comments online

via the college’s website, and create and

submit maps indicating their communities of

interest through an online interactive redistricting

map . Finally, a Public Hearing was conducted at the

February Board of Trustees meeting .

The new boundaries were drawn by a mapping

consultant from Caldwell Flores Winters, Inc ., based on

recommendations provided by the BRC members and

comments from the community . To view the new Trustee

Area boundaries go to: www .elcamino .edu/administration/

board/brc/index .asp

Thank you to the Boundary Review Committee members:

•JohnAlter •NathanMintz

•HeidiAshcraft •SteveNapolitano

•MarchéBoose-Welch •SusanTruax

•NiloMichelin

14

Photography Honors Congratulations to photography professor Darilyn Rowan who showed an exhibition of her

black and white photograms this past summer in the Palm Springs area . An image from this exhibit, “A Memento Mori,” was recently selected as a finalist for the

Photographer’s Forum Best of Photography Competition 2011 and was published in the Best of Photography Annual: 2011 in December . This competition regularly draws more than 14,000 entries, with the top five percent selected as finalists .

New Fitness/Wellness Center ECC’s brand new Fitness/Wellness Center recently opened, featuring state-of-the-art Cybex exercise equipment, free weights, and a yoga/stretching area . The Fitness/Wellness Center is open and available at no charge to ECC employees and students; community members can use the center for a nominal fee . Renovations were supported by Measure E funding and also include amenities such as flat screen televisions and programmable exercise equipment with iPod adapters . For Fitness Center hours, or more information, go to www.elcamino.edu/academics/healthsciences/fitnesslab/FitnCenter.asp

Art Award from the Heart Congratulations to ECC art student Jan Davids who recently won the “best in show” award at the Barnsdall Open Call Los Angeles exhibition . The annual juried show

drew work from more than 500 artists from all over Southern California and is presented by the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery . Jan worked on this conceptual piece titled Adieu Mon Coeur or Farewell My Heart last semester while under the guidance of ECC Professor Russell McMillin .

Faculty Art Show 2011 The El Camino College Art Gallery presented the annual Faculty Art Show this past fall, showcasing an interesting mix of styles, media, and genre, while also highlighting the skills, talents, and interests of faculty members . The

exhibit provided a look at the aesthetic and educational philosophies advocated by the El Camino College Art Department and demonstrated an array of concepts and techniques currently characteristic of the art world .

Space Science DaySouth Bay youngsters are invited attend El Camino College’s Space Science Day 2012 on April 21 at the planetarium and science classrooms . This year will mark the 26th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy where Astronaut Ellison Onizuka perished along with six other crew members in 1986 . The daylong event is sponsored by El Camino College and American Honda Motor Co ., Inc ., and coordinated by the El Camino College Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Committee . It is free and open to serious-minded science students in grades five through 12 . To register, contact SpaceDay@elcamino.edu.

News & Notes

15

El Camino College

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Torrance, CA 90506

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El Camino College has a long tradition of assisting students in meeting their goals to transfer to a four-year college

or university .

Among the 112 California Community Colleges, ECC’s transfer admission rate to UCLA

regularly ranks in the top five in the state!

ECC also consistently ranks in the top 10 for transferring students to the

University of California and California State University campus of

their dreams.

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