This year El Camino College will celebrate its 20th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival from 1-2 p.m. March 31 on the Student Services South Plaza. The annual "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 20 years ago, one of the many programs she supported during her 34-year career at El Camino 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. American Honda Motor Co. donated the cherry trees and representatives will join the celebration, along with Dr. Donald Hata, a retired faculty member from CSU Dominguez Hills and the husband of Dr. Nadine Ishitani Hata.