Welcome to Commencement 2012  

Welcome to Dr. Cinna Toy-Wohlmuth, El Camino College graduate and doctor of medicine, as the guest speaker for the 65th Annual El Camino College Commencement Ceremony, scheduled at 4:00 p.m. June 8 in Murdock Stadium. Parking and admission are free – no reservations required. We invite everyone in our college community to this celebration and wish congratulations to all our graduates! For more info on commencement, click here.

Dr. Toy-Wohlmuth first attended El Camino College as a high school junior, taking advanced placement classes. She continued as an ECC student after graduating from high school and spent the next two years excelling at academics, while participating in a variety of clubs and activities. After graduating from ECC in 1979, Dr. Toy-Wohlmuth transferred to Loma Linda University where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a medical degree. She is now Assistant Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Loma Linda University and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Program Director at White Memorial Medical Center. More...


Her faculty experience is accented with completing a Fellowship in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California, and receiving the National Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education in 1998 and 2011. She continues working with organizations that promote academia and medical education, such as the Los Angeles Obstetrical & Gynecological Society (past president), the Pacific Coast Obstetrical & Gynecological Society’s Los Angeles Caucus (chair), and the OB GYN Assembly of Southern California (executive committee). Dr. Toy-Wohlmuth is a recipient of the 2011 El Camino College Distinguished Alumni Award, honored for outstanding achievement in her chosen career and service to the community.

Celebrate Project Success! 

Gerard RobinsonProject Success will celebrate a quarter of a century of helping students reach their goals at a 25th Anniversary Awards Dinner set for June 7 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Torrance. Students will be honored for their outstanding work at El Camino College, and graduates, staff, faculty will also be recognized for their contributions to student success. The guest speaker for the 25th Anniversary Awards Dinner is Florida Commissioner of Education Gerard Robinson, ECC grad.  Robinson transferred to Howard University, earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy and anthropology. He then returned to Los Angeles to teach fifth grade and help with a program in Compton. Robinson continued at Harvard University where he earned a master’s degree in education. Tickets to the 25th Anniversary Project Success Awards Dinner cost $50 per person. To make a reservation, or for more information, please contact Brian Mims at extension 6037 or [email protected].

A Celebration of Students: Scholarship Reception  

Scholarship RecipientsCongratulations to the 424 El Camino College students who will receive a scholarship this academic year. The annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony and Reception on May 10 featured Melanie Lundquist, alumna of Los Angeles Valley College and dedicated El Camino College supporter as keynote speaker. More than $600,000 in scholarships will be distributed in amounts from $500 to $4,000 throughout the year to outstanding students. A record number of students applied for scholarships this year using the online system. This spring also marks the first year that El Camino College will receive a full distribution from the Osher Scholarship Endowment of $139,000, which will continue each year. More…

Classified Professional Development
Week: May 21-25  

Team FusionThe Third Annual Team Building Extravaganza on May 25 was a great success! Teams competed against each other in a “Friendly Feud” game show. Audience members were polled on a variety of college-questions while team members tried to guess the top answers. Congratulations to Travis Martin, Nancy Fong, Jennell Allen, Michelle Martin, and Alice Mitchelle of Team Fusion from ECC Compton Center for taking first place! Second place honors went to HeRoes, the ECC Human Resources team of Maria Smith, Roxanne McCoy, Lisa Yaguchi, Valerie Jeffrey, and Martha Lopez.


All participants received a commemorative T-shirt. Classified Professional Development Week also included a variety of interesting personal and professional development activities, including workshops on fitness, xeriscape gardening and estate planning.


Be sure to visit or participate in the Creative Hobby Showcase, where employees will show off their creative side. Are you a quilter, knitter, painter, photographer or other type of craftsperson? Share your talent and display some of your masterpieces at this fun event, scheduled for May 22. Please contact the Staff Development Office to reserve your showcase space. We also look forward to Thursday, 5/24 for the Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day Reception, an El Camino College tradition where we thank the campus community for their dedication to the college and the students we serve. Everyone is encouraged to participate in Classified Professional Development Week activities! More info here.

Thumbs Up for ECC!

A recent survey confirms what we already know: El Camino College is a premier, highly regarded educational institution, recognized as a valued part of the community. After decades of achievement, nearly everyone in the South Bay has a connection to El Camino College, whether via taking classes or attending an event or performance. In fact, the survey shows that 99 percent of those interviewed had heard about ECC before taking the survey and the majority said they had heard a lot about the college. And what they are hearing is quite positive. According to the survey, El Camino College received high marks regarding its reputation in the community – in this area of educational confidence, survey participants ranked ECC on par with UCLA and USC.

 

One participant noted: “It’s easier to get to a university from El Camino College. They get you ready for a university academically; they counsel you and work with you.” As the 65th commencement ceremony approaches, it is reassuring to know that in spite of increasing budget cuts, El Camino College continues to serve the South Bay by offering transfer opportunities to prestigious colleges and universities, as well as outstanding career and technical education programs leading to high-paying jobs.

HTP Success at Annual Conference  

HTP Success

Students Kevin Hopp and Natalie Stumph recently received Exemplary Student Scholarships from the Honors Transfer Council of California (HTCC) Student Research Conference at the University of California at Irvine, just two of 20 students in the state to receive this award. Twelve El Camino College HTP students presented research at the conference in various fields, ranging from earth science to psychology. In addition, El Camino College HTP co-director Joe Holliday presented the honorary director's award to ECC Professor Robert McLeod for his work in establishing and leading the HTCC during the 1990s.

Public Relations & Marketing Wins Six Awards, Including Gold and Silver!

Five Years of SuccessKudos to our Public Relations & Marketing team for winning six awards in national and state competitions! ECC Matters, the online college newsletter, won a Gold Medallion Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at its annual conference. In addition, a Silver Paragon Award in the Government Relations or Community Relations category was given to the “El Camino College Compton Center: Five Years of Success, Report to the Community.” The prestigious Paragon Awards is the only national competition of its kind that honors excellence exclusively among marketing and PR professionals at two-year colleges. This year, more than 80 judges from around the country reviewed nearly 1,800 entries. All entries for this prominent awards program are judged by a panel of industry leaders in advertising, public relations, marketing, design, and other related areas. NCMPR is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges and includes more than 1,550 members from more than 650 colleges across the United States, Canada and other countries. More...


The Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO) gave a first-place award to the newly redesigned ECC college-outreach and marketing folder. Second-place awards were given in the Social Marketing category for ECC’s social media plan, including the successful Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages, and in Radio Advertisement for a 60-second ad for KFWB’s “On Your Corner” live radio broadcast. ECC also won third place for the brochure “El Camino College Compton Center: Five Years of Success, Report to the Community.” More than 300 entries from California community colleges were judged by industry leaders in publishing, printing, graphics, writing, web and social networking, and photography. CCPRO is a professional development and service organization that serves as a central resource of information and provides counsel and assistance relating to the advancement of community colleges statewide.

ECC Student Headed to UC Berkeley
for Summer Research  

James LoChemical biology student James Lo will attend the prestigious Transfer-to-Excellence Summer Research Program in the Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley this summer. During this eight-week research experience, James will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on research projects guided by faculty sponsors and graduate student mentors, attend seminars on preparing for a career in science and engineering, and have access to guest speakers, lab tours, and field trips. His room, board and travel costs will be covered through this program, and he will also receive a stipend. James hopes to transfer to UC Berkeley in the Fall of 2013; ultimately he plans to pursue a career in medical research.

Student Art Show 2012 

Student Art ShowThe El Camino College Art Gallery will present its annual showcase of student artwork May 14 through 31. All of the works in this exhibition were selected by instructors as some of the best examples of student work produced at the college. The Student Show includes a variety of works created in a wide range of media. The exhibit provides a glimpse into the educational and aesthetic philosophy advocated by the ECC Art Department and shows a diversity characteristic of the contemporary art world. The majority of the works in the gallery are grounded in an academic approach to art study and training. More…

Fabulous Fashion 

Fabulous FashionThe 30th Annual El Camino College Fashion Show is scheduled for June 1 in Marsee Auditorium. Each year ECC students produce and create this style showcase, featuring the designs of students in the college’s draping, patternmaking, advanced sewing, fitting and alterations, and tailoring classes. The show also puts the spotlight on student designs from area high schools and younger sewers from the community.

Computer Science Honors

Computer Science HonorsThree outstanding El Camino College computer science students recently won first place awards in a recent computer programming contest at California State University, Los Angeles. Dubem Enyekwe, Alan Williams, and Grant Walker won the awards in the contest’s junior college division. Each student was recognized with certificates and a plaque that will be mounted on the wall in the ECC CompSci Lab. The contest was sponsored by Cal State LA’s College of Engineering, Computer Science and Technology and features an annual programming challenge that offers high school and community college students the opportunity to solve college-level and real-world programming problems by applying the principles of computer science.

Bill Mulrooney Honored for Distinguished Service

Bill MulrooneyCongratulations to ECC Director of Admission & Records William (Bill) Mulrooney for receiving the highest honor possible from the California Association of Community College Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACCRAO). Bill was honored with the Robert Brown Distinguished Service Award at the 35th Annual CACCRAO Conference in Sacramento. This annual award recognizes a commitment to leadership, innovation and professional standards by members who work to further the profession of admissions and records in the 112 California Community Colleges. Bill is the 16th recipient of the award from CACCRAO, which offers regional workshops and other training opportunities to communicate best practices, legislative updates, and innovative trends in technology. Bill has worked in education for 22 years, and will celebrate his 12th anniversary at El Camino College in June. More...


On his first day at ECC, Bill agreed to participate on a committee sponsored by the Chancellor’s Office to develop an online application for admissions for the entire community college system. Two weeks later, he attended the first meeting of the newly formed task force; by 2003, he was chairman, serving four years and then again for two years. With ECC as a pilot college, the committee created CCCApply, an online application now used by 105 of the 112 California Community Colleges. More than two million students use CCCApply each year to apply to college.

In addition, Bill led the way in an electronic transcript project sponsored by the Chancellor’s Office, with El Camino College once again serving as a pilot college. The electronic transcript, now called eTranCa, is used in more than 60 California Community Colleges, along with most of the schools in the California State University and University of California systems, as well as some private colleges and universities, such as USC.

Bill most recently worked with the Chancellor’s Office on a committee involving MyEdu, a planning tool for students in the California Community College system. He was recently elected to chair the newly formed steering committee of MyEdu.

Throughout his career, Bill has presented on a variety of topics at the state and regional level regarding admissions issues such as repeats and withdrawals, residency, and best practices in office operations. At El Camino College, he led the implementation of CCCApply, eTranCa, Web registration, online transcript requests, online adds and drops, and a new degree audit process, in addition to other programs. Bill also guided the efforts for a new Veterans Resource Center and a new International Student Center at the college.

“El Camino College has been a leader in many admissions and records innovations because our Admissions & Records staff is so experienced, so knowledgeable, and so dedicated to their jobs,” Bill said. “In addition, the support of the administration has enabled the department to take many big steps forward. I am very fortunate to work with these people.”

Honor Society Scholarships and Awards   

Honors Society AwardsEl Camino College honor student XiaoQin Li recently won an $850 scholarship from Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS) at the academic honor society and service organization’s annual convention. At the event, attended by 540 students representing 44 college chapters, $38,400 in scholarships was awarded to 54 students who excel in academics and/or community service. XiaoQin, who serves as publicity chairwoman for the Alpha Phi chapter of AGS at El Camino College, won the Virginia Coffey Award. Also honored at the conference was ECC AGS adviser Jeannine Barba, who was awarded the Outstanding Adviser Award by the AGS organization. Jeannine was nominated by her students and chosen by the Advisory Board Committee of the AGS statewide organization for this award.

ECC Kid’s College – Summer Classes 

ECC Kid's CollegeRegistration is now open for Kid’s College this summer! From pirate camp to princess camp and from math review to creative writing, Kid’s College has something for all area youngsters in first through 12th grade. Archeology, LEGO lessons, dance, music, cheerleading, puppetry, sports, science – the list goes on! Classes are offered from June through August. Sign up now for some serious learning fun! Click here for the summer schedule.

Guitar Fest  

Guitar FestHundreds of musicians attended ECC’s Third Annual Guitar Festival for two full days of concerts, clinics, and master classes featuring representatives from guitar programs from nearly every college and university in the area. All was free and open to the public. The event offered workshops, career discussions, and “Guitar Frenzy,” a concert featuring more than 20 Southern California college/university guitar ensembles of varying styles.

ECC Child Development Center
Open for Enrollment  

Enrollment is now open at the El Camino College Child Development Center (CDC) for its fee-based preschool program. Flexible schedules are offered in this high-quality, year-round program, which is open to children ages 2 to 5. All students must be completely toilet trained.

 

The CDC is centrally located in the South Bay area, and offers a warm and inviting environment for children preparing for kindergarten, housed in a building specifically designed for preschoolers. More...


Teachers at the CDC are academically well prepared, all are mentor teachers certified by the State of California, and all have been on staff an average of 11 years. The CDC is also a “laboratory school,” where future teachers are trained in best practices. The developmental curriculum prepares children cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically and linguistically. The preschool encourages exploration, discovery, making choices, and play, along with social interaction to foster self-esteem, competence, and autonomy in children. Breakfast and snacks are provided. Parents are encouraged to participate in their child's education, and an open door policy is maintained throughout the center. The El Camino College Child Development Center is licensed by the State of California, Department of Social Services. For more information, call the office at 310-660-3720, or go to the CDC website

ECC Alumni Named Coach of the Year  

Le Valley PattisonVolleyball Coach Le Valley Pattison was recently named Coach of the Year by the California Community College Coaches Association. Pattison has been head coach of the ECC women’s volleyball program for more than 20 years. She attended Mira Costa High School and is an alumna of ECC. Pattison earned a master’s degree from National University and a bachelor’s degree from California Dean LofgrenState University, Long Beach.

 

Track & field and cross country Coach Dean Lofgren was recently named South Coast Conference Coach of the Year. Lofgren has been coaching at ECC for more than 20 years. He enrolled at El Camino College after graduating from West Torrance High School, and went on to earn a master’s degree from San Jose State University and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Stanislaus.

 

Science Club Field Trip Adventures  

ECC Science ClubECC Science Club students traveled to Utah and Arizona during spring break, with stops and hikes focusing on geology, biology, geography, engineering, and astronomy. Students visited Zion National park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon Dam, Meteor Crater, the Anasazi ruins of Walnut Canyon National Monument, and the volcanoes of Sunset Crater National Monument. In each of these places, the club went on nature hikes where they learned the geology and biology of each area. They also saw plenty of wildlife, including elk, bison, deer, and wild turkeys. The group had a special tour and planet/star viewing at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. More...


During this six-day trip, the students camped for several nights in Zion National Park, Utah and Flagstaff, Arizona. Two big unplanned adventures took the group by surprise. First, a huge dust storm in Monument Valley canceled the camping plans, leaving the group to drive three hours for an alternative. The best surprise was on Saturday morning, when group woke up to three inches of snow that had silently fallen overnight, which was magical to the majority of students who had never experienced snow. The trip was funded by a combination of science club funds, student contributions, one faculty donation, and Interclub Council funds. The group was led by Earth Science Professor Joe Holliday, with Vice President Francisco Arce, geology instructor Robin Bouse, and physics technician Daniel Wright also attending all or part of the trip on their own vacation time.

Teaching and Making a Difference   

Darilyn RowanPhotography Professor Darilyn Rowan was recently honored for her outstanding contributions to art education in the City of Torrance. Rowan is one of four area educators who recently received a “Making a Difference Award” from the Torrance Performing Arts Consortium (TPAC), in partnership with the Daily Breeze. The award included a certificate signed by State Senator Ted Lieu, a silver medallion, and a check for $1,000 to be used for the El Camino College photography program. The awards were presented before a concert at Torino Plaza, one of several events scheduled to celebrate Torrance's 100-year anniversary. In attendance was ECC Board of Trustees Vice President Maureen O’Donnell, who also serves on the TPAC board of trustees. More...


Rowan has taught a variety of El Camino College photo classes during the last 22 years, including portraiture, intermediate-level view camera operation, gum bichromate printing, pinhole cameras, photograms, and the production of student photograph books. Rowan’s work is found in prominent museum collections and archives around the world, including Harvard University, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the New York Public Library, and the Children’s Holocaust Museum in Japan. She has been selected as a finalist in the Photographer's Forum Best of Photography Competition, one of the highest honors in her field.

At El Camino College, Rowan provides leadership and mentorship for the adjunct faculty while overseeing the daily operation and maintenance of the photography lab and lighting studio.

She has served on numerous college committees, including the Division Council, Division SLO Committee, Division CTE Committee, and the Enrollment Management Committee. She annually organizes student photography shows both on campus and in the community, works collaboratively with other departments within the division and campuswide, and has hosted photogram workshops for children as well as master classes for photography students.

In planning for the future of the program, Rowan helped to secure Career Technical Education and bond funds that relocated the program with a new digital lab in the Art Building during the summer of 2009.

ECC Compton Center Students Find Work in Growing Aerospace Fastener Manufacturing Industry

Jairo Juarez-LazoJairo Juarez-Lazo and his father, Jose Juarez, completed El Camino College Compton Center’s Aerospace Fastener Manufacturing summer training program together. After graduating from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a degree in graphic design, Jairo struggled to find a full-time position in the field and saw the program as an opportunity to start a career in manufacturing. Alternately Jose, a veteran in the industry, viewed the program as a way to advance his career. Since completing the summer program, Jose was hired at ALCOA Fastening Systems, the world’s leading producer of aluminum. And, an additional 12 ECC Compton Center students from the Aerospace Fastener Manufacturing program have been hired in the last year by PB Fasteners and Alcoa. For Jairo, the program motivated him to continue his education in the field and he is now enrolled in the ongoing Machine Tool Technology/Aerospace Fastener Manufacturing program offered by ECC Compton Center’s Career and Technical Education division.

 

Share your comments about these stories!

You can use your Facebook, Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL account to make a comment!