Student Spotlight: Yehor Kalmykov

When Yehor Kalmykov was looking to build a career in business analytics, he chose El Camino because of the college’s strong transfer programs and outstanding track record for helping students move to four-year universities.

After he began taking classes, Kalmykov soon found opportunities to put his studies into practice. As a student worker in ECC’s Honors Transfer Program office, he assists with student data and support program activities. At one point he noticed that many tasks were done manually, so he created Excel tools with formulas and macros to help organize data and speed up key processes.

“These tools helped staff save time and made the workflow more efficient,” said Kalmykov, a business major. “This experience showed me how I can use my background in business automation to help organizations work more effectively. And, as a bonus, this also helped me better understand the transfer process while preparing for my own university transfer.”

Kalmykov’s hard work was recently recognized by the highly selective Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship program, which named him one of three semifinalists from El Camino. The prestigious national award supports students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability and achievement, leadership, and perseverance.

After graduating from ECC, Kalmykov plans to transfer to a California university and study business analytics.

“My goal is to work in business automation and data analysis,” he said. “I want to develop technology solutions that help organizations improve efficiency and simplify complex processes.”

Choosing El Camino has made a huge difference in his educational journey. Through EOPS and CalWORKs, he found invaluable academic and personal support, and he said financial aid helps make his education possible.

“In addition to these programs that help students stay focused on their education and future goals, El Camino College provides strong academic preparation and guidance for transferring to a university,” he said. “The support from professors, counselors, and transfer programs helps me stay focused on my long-term academic and career goals.

“To me, being a Warrior means persistence and determination. It means continuing to move forward even when the path is challenging and using education to build a better future.”