TORRANCE, Calif., May 24, 2018 -- El Camino College (ECC) recently received a $50,000 pledge from American Honda Motor Co., Inc. as a lead gift to create the South Bay Promise Endowment fund to support the South Bay Promise, a program that provides affordable access to a college education. This pledge from Honda will be the catalyst for providing long-term funding in perpetuity for students in the South Bay.

The pledge was made during a May 11 signing ceremony for the South Bay Promise at El Camino College. At this event, 130 educational leaders, elected officials and community partners joined together to sign resolutions in support of the South Bay Promise, and reaffirm their commitment to this program that provides access to college.

A longtime partner and steadfast supporter of El Camino College, Honda has helped students succeed through many activities including the annual Onizuka Space Science Day event for area youth and several scholarships supporting deserving El Camino College students. A computer lab in the new Student Services Building will be named for American Honda in recognition of its support when the building opens this fall.

"Access to an affordable college education is a top priority at El Camino College," said El Camino College President Dena P. Maloney. "Thanks to the generosity of Honda, students will have even more support from the South Bay Promise program. Education changes lives, and we plan to ensure that everyone who wants to pursue a college education at El Camino College is able to do so. We are making sure this is a promise we can keep."

ECC's South Bay Promise will expand this fall to include 500 high school graduates from all seven school districts in the El Camino Community College District. Through this program, high school graduates from the class of 2018 who attend ECC full time after graduation will have enrollment fees waived for the first year. Eligible students must enroll in El Camino College directly after graduating from a high school (public, charter, private, or home school) located within the district, which includes El Segundo, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance.

"American Honda is proud to support El Camino College in its efforts to make education more accessible for our South Bay youth with the South Bay Promise," said Alexandra Warnier, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility for Honda. "As a company, we realize that tomorrow's educated workforce relies on the accessibility of education today."

Through the South Bay Promise, students not only have access to higher education, but also to the services such as tutoring, counseling and other support programs that they need to be successful and transfer or graduate and enter the workforce.

Many South Bay students face a variety of challenges while pursuing their education. For example, more than half of ECC's students are the first in their families to attend college, so they are often on their own as they navigate the higher education experience.

The South Bay Promise began four years ago as a pilot program with 12 students. The program has grown significantly since then, with community partners supporting the college's efforts to break down barriers to success so that students can complete their education and transfer to a university or begin a rewarding and high-paying career.

El Camino College recently joined the new "Promises that Count" initiative supported by the California Community Foundation. As one of seven Promise programs selected to participate in the initiative's centerpiece "Community of Practice," the El Camino College team will share information about the South Bay Promise and learn from others in the group. That includes joining a "Promises that Count Alliance," designed to share best practices and strategies across programs. This countywide alliance will convene several times a year to discuss common challenges and innovative solutions to improving and sustaining College Promise programs throughout the Los Angeles area.

For more information about the South Bay Promise at El Camino College, view: http://www.elcamino.edu/student/studentservices/southbaypromise/.

View news coverage of the South Bay Promise Signing Ceremony at the following links:

Torrance CitiCable:
https://youtu.be/PJ8xHHxC0Z0?t=12m38s

Hawthorne Community TV:
https://youtu.be/_gpMHRgmseI?t=4m41s