Cherry Blossom Festival Celebrates Friendship
El Camino College’s 15th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival opened with a Taiko drum performance and included student readings of Haiku poetry. The Dr. Nadine Ishitani Hata Memorial Cherry Blossom Festival is named after the college’s former vice president of academic affairs, who passed away in 2005. Dr. Hata was an internationally known scholar who was extremely involved in academia and community work. She was instrumental in bringing the cherry trees to the campus 15 years ago, one of the many programs she supported during her 34-year career at the college. Under Dr. Hata’s leadership, the Cherry Blossom Festival has become a college tradition – a way to welcome the spring season and celebrate friendship.