MESA Sweeps Awards!

Kudos to a record-breaking number of El Camino College students who recently won nine out of this year's 45 NSF-MESA S-STEM Scholarships in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics.

Ranging from $10,500 to $12,500, the awards given to El Camino College students were more than twice as many as any other college in the 2008 national MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) consortium. The nine scholarships total $102,500. Congratulations to all award winners including: Cody Gonzalez, Mario Gregory, Jose Guardado, Mintoh Konlani, Motunrayo Onafalujo, Efrain Plascencia, Hadasa Reyes, Jose Torres, and Tizita Zewdie.

Dr. Nachef Attends Peace Event

Choral director Dr. Joanna Medawar Nachef was recently selected to attend the U.S. Institute of Peace 2008 Community College Faculty and Administrators Seminar in Washington, D.C. this spring.

Joanna is an award-winning professor who has twice conducted in Carnegie Hall and has toured the world, conducting performing groups. In addition to serving as director of choral activities at El Camino College, she is also on the faculty of California State University, Dominguez Hills, CAMS, and is the artistic director for Los Cancioñeros Master Chorale. As a church musician, Joanna is also choir director at Peninsula Community Church.

ECC Robotics

ECC was connected to seven championship robots at this spring Los Angeles Regional FIRST Competition. ECC students, faculty and staff from machine tool technology supported area high school teams -- all ECC-supported teams made the playoffs.

Teams and ranking in the seeded round: Metal Crafters, Hawthorne High School, No. 8; Beach Cities Robotics, Mira Costa and Redondo Union high schools, finalist and No. 24; Beach Bots, Hope Chapel Academy, regional winner and No. 1; The Nerd Herd, CAMS, No. 3; Bagel Bytes, Culver City High School, No. 17; Los Platanos Fritos, City Honors High School, No. 36; and SMERT, PV Peninsula High School, No. 5.

CDC Students Cross the Bridge

Our El Camino College Child Development Center (CDC) has planned a graduation ceremony for the preschool students who are headed off to kindergarten in the fall. The "Crossing the Bridge" event is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. June 13 at the CDC playground.

Presentations will be made by students in each classroom and each child leaving the CDC program (headed for kindergarten) will cross a bridge from their teachers to their parents. Refreshments will be served after the ceremony. The CDC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serves children ages 2-5. Congratulations to our youngest graduates!

Compton Career Workshop

A recent career development workshop at Compton Center was a great success! Coordinated by Joseph Lewis, employment development specialist, and Dr. Lisa Raufman, counselor and Region 7 representative to the Chancellor's Office Statewide Advisory on Career Development, the event showcased the many careers available in today's tech-focused world.

Twenty-five Region 7 career counselors, career center coordinators, and career center staff participated in the workshop that included a technology and a Web site "hands-on" session in one of the computer labs in the Voc Tech Building. Participants received a warm welcome to Compton Center.

Distinguished Faculty and Staff

Congratulations to our El Camino College 2008 Distinguished Faculty and Staff members, professor Mercedes Thompson and staff member Patricia Witherall. Both were honored at a May 22 reception for their dedication to the college, students and colleagues.

Mercedes, a professor of Spanish and Chicano/Latino literature, is widely known as a dedicated advocate for students, a consummate professional in her field, and an inspiration to all students who enter her classroom. Patricia, the college's lead PBX operator, is known by many as the "voice of El Camino College;" and known by all as a caring, dedicated friend and colleague.

Compton Academic Winners

Congratulations to Compton Center graduates recently honored at the annual Academic Awards Tea, celebrating the success of students graduating with honors. Kudos to Magdalena Arreola, the student with the highest GPA at Compton Center.

Awards were given to: Ofelia Arias, Magdalena Arreola, Foluke Dele Ayo-Ariyo, Liliana Castillo, Connie Denise Celestine, Gwendolyn T. Comeaux, Mayra F. Contreras, Dalia Cornejo, Doris Ekhator Council, Hilda Gaytan, Fredwill Hernandez, Anthony O. Nkwuaku, Olivia Ortega, Isela Ornelas, Susana Rivera, Amparo Sanchez, Maria Villalobos, and Eva Fabiola Villarreal.

On Course Conference

ECC was recently the host institution for the On Course National Conference, bringing together more than 400 faculty from across the country to discuss developing active and responsible learners. ECC is a recognized leader in On Course and nearly 200 ECC faculty from all eight divisions have been trained in the program - more than 25 attended the conference and several made presentations.

Outstanding feedback came from many involved in the conference. Thanks to our conference committee and other ECC faculty and staff members from all areas who pitched in to help put the event together.

China Presentations

Recent presentations by our delegation of faculty members that visited China were a huge success, with record turnout! Dr. Miranda's introductory remarks set the stage for a great event; Blair Gibson gave a scholarly discussion on "Chinese state origins;" Marianne Waters shared information on different minority groups; and Sue Dowden's humorous and informative presentation evoked laughter and grabbed attention.

A collection of photographs taken by the faculty is on display in the ECC Anthropology Museum (Art B 301). The museum is open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.