Student Spotlight: Lori & Trent Kalscheuer

South Bay Mother and Son Find Academic Success at El Camino College

Lori Kalscheuer returned to college after a 23-year absence; Trent Kalscheuer is a recent high school grad set to transfer to UCLA in the fall. Their individual journeys were different, but the mother and son graduated together with the Class of 2018.

“I just ran out of excuses, so I mustered up the courage and started with just one class,” said Lori, who works full time for American Honda Finance Corporation, where she has been employed for the past 13 years. “I had not set foot inside a classroom for more than 20 years; I was scared, and I was nervous. I wasn't sure I could do it. It took so much personal inner strength to get to that point and once I got there – I just focused on the work and found that I could do it. And I liked it. Then, I became determined. Now, I will be the first in my immediate family to earn a college degree.”

Trent said that ECC helped him reinvent himself as a student by providing opportunities to excel. He enrolled in ECC’s First Year Experience (FYE), an award-winning program designed to challenge and support students during their first year of college.

“El Camino College gave me a new perspective on who I am – I became a different, better student,” said the history major, who plans to focus on museum studies. “Going from a B/C average in high school to UCLA straight out of two years in community college – I never would have guessed that I could do that. ECC helped me meet my goals. The confidence I have in myself overall and my academics is amazing and has helped me become a great student. I feel ready for the challenges of UCLA.”