The Union
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
Presidential scholars recognized at reception
EL CAMINO COLLEGE
with outstanding academic
a 3.7
Increase to parking permit fee considered
El Camino price is low compared to other community colleges in the state
By Joseph Ramirez
El Camino College brought back parking permits and fees for students in fall 2024 and is now considering additional changes, including increasing prices and upgrading its permit machines.
While students currently pay $20 for semester parking permits, they are much cheaper compared to other community colleges in the state.
Currently the maximum amount students can be charged for semester parking permits is $72, as set by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Parking at ECC used to be free prior to 1988, according to past catalogs.
Debate over the pros and cons of charging students for parking first appeared in the December 1987 issue of the ECC newspaper, The Warwhoop.
The first ECC catalog to list parking fees was fall 1991, when semester parking was just $20. By 1993, that fee was raised to $30. Semester parking was then raised to $35 in 2005 and stayed that way until parking was made temporarily free from spring 2022 to spring 2024.
Students pay a 2.33% decrease in their payments for parking.
Staff do not pay for parking unless they use special reserved parking for $10 per month, according to Interim Vice President of Administrative Services Loïc Audusseau.
Officer Mitchell Kekauoho said 6,447 students purchased a parking permit for the spring 2025 semester, generating a revenue of $128,940.
There are discussions happening at ECC to decide whether to keep the current prices or to raise them.
“I have been researching the other community colleges in California and seeing how
El Camino College Police Department Cadet Gabriel Staley, 19, places a parking ticket on a student’s car in Parking Lot J on Thursday, April 24. Lot J, located on the south end of campus, is for staff parking only and students who park there will be ticketed. Photo by Joseph Ramirez
much they charge their students for parking to see what we might be doing with our parking fees,” ECC Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck said.
There are discussions of also changing the college’s parking permitting system.
“I am looking at companies that could install parking management systems at our college and their prices,” Vander Horck said.
Vander Horck said parking
Longtime coach, Hall of Famer demoted
Coach of the Year removed due to program revamp
By Jaylen Morgan
Women’s basketball coach
Steve Shaw has been removed from the team due to a revamp in the program at El Camino College.
Shaw has been at ECC for 26 seasons, was awarded Coach of the Year seven times and led the women’s basketball team to victory in the South Coast Conference five times.
Shaw said that he was shocked when he heard that he wasn’t coming back.
“I think it was April, 10, 2025, I had a zoom meeting with the Health Sciences and Interim Athletics Dean [Jeffrey Baumunk] and Interim Athletics Director [Abi Francisco]. They informed me of the decision,” Shaw said. “I never had any discussion with any of the college administrators.”
In 2005, Shaw won South Coast Conference Coach of the Year and led the Warriors women’s basketball team to its first-ever conference championship.
He last received Coach of the Year in 2018.
“I’m pretty sure it’s seven. I didn’t really keep track,” Shaw said.
permit revenues would be used to buy and implement a virtual parking management system.
“Students and visitors alike would be able to purchase daily parking permits inputting their driver’s license information and would not have to go back to their car with a physical permit which would be flexible for events like graduation,” Vander Horck said.
He also won back-to backto-back South Coast Conference Championships from 2017-2019.
Shaw began coaching the men’s team in 1990 for five years, then returned three years later for the 1998-1999 season, taking over the women’s basketball team. Since he’s been coaching the women’s program, the team has been a regular contender in conference championships and playoffs.
SEE
El Camino College 2025 Presidential Scholar awardees, who each represent a different academic division, receive their certificates in the East Dining Room on Thursday, May 29. (L-R) Music major Isaiah Williams, 23; anthropology major Luke Chambers, 19; radiologic technology major Thi Dan Hanh Pham, 22; English major Luka Ardon, 19; paralegal studies major Frank Davis, 30; computer science major Diego Gonzales, 23; and biology major Wai Yan Htun, 20. Architecture major and Presidential Scholar Michael Lamberd, who serves in the California Air National Guard, was unable to attend. Awardees, who are all graduating students
merit and
GPA or higher, each receive a golden medallion and $2,000.
Photo by Nikki Yunker
History in the making See Page 12
Prioritize ECC staff See Page 4
El Camino cuts tennis, badminton and golf programs
Men’s and women’s sports teams will not return in the fall 2025 due to budget cuts and low numbers
By Sydney Sakamoto
El Camino College made the decision Wednesday, May 28, to indefinitely suspended four athletic programs: the women’s badminton team, men’s golf team, and both the men’s and women’s tennis teams.
The decision has left students and coaches stunned.
Badminton coach David Levin said the women’s tennis and badminton teams have acquired a Title IX advocate, Nancy Hogshead-Makar, former Olympic champion, Civil Rights Attorney and CEO of Champion Women, a nonprofit focusing on ending sex discrimination in athletics.
Title IX is a law that bans sex based discrimination in any educational program or activity that receives federal assistance.
“The school is responsible for giving women equal opportunities,” HogsheadMakar said.
The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act is a federal law passed in 1994, requiring universities and colleges receiving federal assistance to report data on their athletic programs focusing on equality.
According to the EADA, ECC has 106 unduplicated
Police Beat
By Eleni Klostrakis
The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.
Sunday, May 11, 3:13 p.m.
Grand theft of cameras and a tote bag occurred in Lot K. The case is open.
Wednesday, May 14, 7:40 a.m.
Petty theft occurred at the Humanities Building. The case is open.
Wednesday, May 14, 11:44 a.m.
A Campus Security Authority report was filed for a stalking incident in Lot B.
Thursday, May 15, 5:41 p.m.
A hit and run occurred at an unknown time during the day in Lot C. The case is open.
Thursday, May 15, 11:10 p.m.
A hit and run occurred in Lot C, between 9:35 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. The case is closed.
Monday, May 19, 7:36 a.m.
A hit and run occurred near Lot B at the reported time. The case is open.
Monday, May 19, 1:49 p.m.
A reckless driver was issued a warning and released in Lot H at the reported time
women participating in sports compared to the 254 unduplicated men participating in sports.
“This is a difficult time for the ECC suspended badminton program. It is my goal to do everything possible to facilitate the return of the 3C2A badminton team to the El Camino campus,” David Levin, badminton coach said.
Badminton was first introduced in the 1970s, the program was suspended for decades before being reinstated
around 2000 by John Britton.
The ECC Badminton Club currently has around 50 active members. At least seven female students were planning on joining next season.
“Oh, I was very disappointed, because I wanted to be in the team,” Giovanna Ganci, 21, psychology major said.
ECC joins one other college in suspending sports this year.
Compton City College cut women’s cross country and women’s badminton this year.
“It definitely sucks - not being
able to be an El Camino athlete anymore,” Joshua Martinez, 21, kinesthesiology major and future co-captain of the golf team said.
Many players use their time at two year colleges to grow as athletes, and earn scholarships.
“But not being able to play golf might make me transfer. It’s still up in the air right now,” Martinez said.
ECC golf coach Stacy Komai declined to comment on the golf program cuts.
Carlos Lopez, vice president
of academic affairs, declined to comment after canceling a meeting with The Union less than 30 minutes before a scheduled interview at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 30.
Jeffrey Baumunk,interim dean of athletics, canceled his meeting with The Union through its advertising manager.
Abi Francisco, interim athletic director, confirmed the school is suspending all three programs but declined to comment.
The closest remaining community college tennis team is at Santa Monica College. “Coach was fighting for us. We held a tennis camp and tried recruiting more players. We did everything we could to save it,”
Tarik Hossain, 19, automotive engineering major and tennis player said.
Though he plans to keep playing casually, the loss of organized matches and training means his experience at ECC will feel noticeably different.
“It’s difficult for me because tennis is in my DNA,” Sergiu Boerica, head coach of the men’s and women’s teams, said. “It’s difficult for me to accept the total destruction of tennis as a sport.”
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com
Increase to parking permit fee considered Long-time coach demoted
→ PERMITS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Many other community colleges in California are charging more than ECC currently is.
According to an email response from California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, community colleges are not allowed to charge more than the maximum fee of $72.
The chancellor’s office declined to speak by phone for an interview regarding permit fees and would only respond to questions by email.
Citrus College charges $70 for semester parking and Glendale Community College lists their parking permits at $75 online.
The Glendale Community College Police Department declined to be interviewed about why they set their price above the maximum cap of $72.
According to the chancellor’s office, Glendale Community College has not collected parking fees from students since 2020.
Glendale has not updated their website to mention that parking is free.
Santa Monica College charges their students $50 a semester for parking permits.
Mitch Heskel, dean of Education Enterprise at Santa Monica College, explained
some of the factors that determine their pricing.
“The City of Santa Monica has an 18% parking tax and we absorb that, and in addition, we built a new parking structure in 2018, creating more parking spaces for our students,” Heskel said.
Heskel said 4,734 students purchased a parking permit for spring semester 2025. Staff at Santa Monica College also pay $50 per semester for parking.
However, after the recent fires earlier this year, there has been a drop in student attendance.
Statewide, the median price ranges from $30-$40 for parking permits at California Community Colleges.
San Diego Community College and Cerritos College charge $40 for parking, while American River College in Sacramento charges $41 for semester parking.
Many ECC students interviewed seemed to be content with the current parking prices after the end of two years of free parking.
Some of them have friends and family attending universities where they are paying hundreds of dollars for parking permits.
“The parking permits are very reasonable and I have a sister going to Cal State Long Beach paying $150 per term,” business administration major Maggie
Carrera, who declined to give her age, said.
Felicidad Perez, 24, a radiology major and student worker, shared similar feelings.
“I am glad we have the cheapest prices for parking and the parking is abundant at El Camino,” Perez said.
Private universities including USC charge students $585 for semester parking and state universities, including California State University, Long Beach, are currently charging students $259 for spring semester 2025.
ECC is studying other colleges who have transitioned to using virtual online parking.
Audusseau is working together with Vander Horck in communicating with the other colleges.
Long Beach City College is one of the colleges who have recently transitioned to this new process. They are in their second semester of using a digital parking permit.
“We first started talking to Cerritos College who started using online parking permits before we did, how it worked for them and now all our students are using it,” Lubert Iglesia, LBCC coordinator of Parking Services, said.
Currently, semester parking permits cost $30 at LBCC.
“All ideas are in discussion,” Audusseau said.
→ COACH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The team faced struggles this season, ending with a record of (4-22), but won their last two games.
Warriors guard and nursing major Marley Zermeno, 19, said Shaw always pushed her as a player.
“He’s always taught me to never give up, no matter what the score is,” Zermeno said.
Shaw played basketball and volleyball at ECC in 19741976. While playing basketball, he received AllConference Honors two times, in 1975 and 1976, and earned All-State recognition after his sophomore season.
Shaw was inducted into the ECC Warriors Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997 for basketball and volleyball. Francisco, also the senior athletic trainer, said it was a tough decision to let Shaw go.
“We didn’t want to let him go. He’s impacted both the men’s and women’s basketball programs. He also helped with the new gymnasium,” Francisco said.
His daughter Carla Shaw has coached as an assistant for 11 seasons with him.
Steve Shaw will return in the fall teaching physical education classes.
El Camino College badminton coach David Levin reconvenes with players Anya Gore and Montila Winyaworapon during a match Wednesday, April 23. Gore and Winyaworapon competed in doubles and won the consolation title at the 3C2A State Championships on Saturday, May 10. Photo by Erica Lee
ECC to see funding cuts
K-12 education prioritized over two-year colleges for funding due to state deficit
By Kaitlyn Gochez
Community colleges will receive less funding in the state’s updated budget, El Camino College officials said at the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, May 27, in the Kenneth A. Brown Board Room.
Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revision, the annual update to the January Proposed Budget, there is reduced funding for community colleges under Proposition 98, and a Transitional Kindergarten shift diverging funding away from two-year colleges.
$492.4 million funding from Proposition 98 toward California Community Colleges has been discarded, according to supplemental information from the presentation.
Loïc Audusseau, interim vice president of Administrative Services, presented on California’s $12 billion in budget cuts this fiscal year.
“Community colleges, including El Camino, will receive a smaller share in 2025-
26 [year] than previously projected,” Audusseau said.
California schools and community colleges will suffer from a $4.6 billion reduction in funding from Proposition 98.
Proposition 98 is a state constitutional amendment that guarantees minimum funding amounts for K-14 education, calculated using three different tests, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Proposition 98 funding this year has been shifted in favor of K-12 education, leaving out community colleges.
“The reallocation reflects a structural change in how the state prioritizes early education funding, which now favors K-12 systems over [California Community Colleges],” Audusseau said.
“Statewide there’s going to be a lot of issues with the community college system and obviously El Camino is going to face that,” Wesley Marshall, Associated Students Organization Student Trustee, said.
Primary causes for the state’s deficit include the Cost of Living Adjustment being reduced from 2.43% to 2.3%, federal tariffs, Medi-Cal cost overruns and Los Angeles firesrelated emergency responses.
Audusseau explained the budget’s impact to El Camino College and recommended next steps, including reforecasting its
multi-year budget, monitoring enrollment and preparing for deferred funding payments from 2025-26 to 2026-27.
The El Camino Community College District is currently facing a budget deficit of $19 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, according to an April 24 presentation by the Planning and Budget Committee.
“I think we’re doing a good job right now of resolving this deficit. I think we’re prepared to face any more cuts in the future and going forward, I think our college will be more ready for anything like that,” Marshall said.
Ricky Gonzalez, Student Development Office director, shared optimism regarding the budget challenges at ECC and how it can bring opportunities.
“I think there are a lot of moving pieces, but I think it’s an opportunity for us to reimagine how we work with our students, how we work within our offices and it’s an opportunity to collaborate across campus,” Gonzalez said.
To read more news about El Camino College’s budget, visit the website at ECCUnion.com and receive updates from The Union on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
By Tina Talley
Initial steps to turn part of the El Camino College Bookstore into a student space were approved by the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, May 27.
Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Inc., a design firm also known as HGA, will receive $76,400 to provide plans and cost estimates on partially turning the Bookstore’s first floor into a student lounge and activity space while keeping the store operation.
The second floor is also proposed to be remodeled into an office and meeting area for the Associated Students Organization and student clubs.
“I believe that it would be positive for the college as a whole,” political science major Jake Smith, 20, said.
The Communications Building basement has been the meeting space for student
government and clubs
“It would be nice to have a bigger space and to not have to stay quiet all of the time, like in the [Schauerman] Library,” Smith said.
Audusseau said the initial survey of the project has three stages.
“The first is a consultation. We invite them to come on site and [if we approve them], they will be designing structures for these spaces,” Audusseau said. “My recommendation is to talk to the students first. I believe that is fundamental.”
The project will bring a dedicated student space back to campus after the old Student Activities Center was demolished in 2020.
“If we could have a space for students, then that would be great,” Trustee Trisha Murakawa, president of the Board of Trustees, said. “Like [others] said, if the Bookstore has space that isn’t being used, the students need a place.”
Pay for campus leaders varies across two-year colleges
earn more than state governor
By Rosemarie Turay Presidents and vice presidents
Data shows disparities in pay for top administrators at California community colleges — even among institutions of similar size.
The Union reviewed 2023 salary data for presidents and vice presidents at El Camino, Cerritos, Santa Monica, Long Beach City, San Diego City, Los Angeles Pierce, Riverside City and Antelope Valley colleges, as reported by Transparent California, a public pay and pension database.
At ECC, President Brenda Thames earned $345,171 in total pay in 2023, including $25,008 in other pay she received.
ECC is the sole institution of the El Camino Community College District.
Whereas, at Cerritos College — another single-college district, with comparable student enrollment numbers — President Jose Fierro received a total pay of $455,076 in 2023, including $63,096 in other pay.
His total compensation was 31.8% more than Thames’, making Fierro the highest-paid president among the eight colleges The Union analyzed.
Presidential salaries at the other colleges were lower than
Thames’ and Fierro’s pay.
LBCC President Michael Muñoz earned $332,133, SDCC President Ricky Shabazz earned $289,629 and Pierce College President Aracely Aguiar earned $290,567 in 2023. Aguiar was interim president in 2023, as the data indicates. She became the permanent president of Pierce College on July 1, 2024, according to the Los Angeles Community College District.
SMC President Kathryn Jeffery received a total pay of $385,508 in 2023, which is 11.7% more than Thames’ compensation. Jeffery declined to comment on her salary. These salary rates are comparable to those for positions outside of the community college system.
Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass had a total pay of $300,154 in 2023, while Governor Gavin Newsom made $201,553 in 2023.
However, at the University of California, Los Angeles, President Michael Drake made $976,325 in total pay in 2023.
Student leaders at ECC say that the student body can be indifferent to salaries.
“Confusion, if anything,” student trustee Wesley Marshall, 20, said. “A lot of our students aren’t used to seeing people they know making that much, but I think they get paid that because their roles are so critical.”
ECC Board of Trustees
President Trisha Murakawa emphasized the hiring process.
“We worked with a search firm that helped draft the job
description and managed the entire process with a stakeholder committee,” Murakawa said.
ECC follows a formal hiring process for the president as laid out in Administrative Procedure 2431.
The process includes the formation of a Superintendent/ President Search Committee, composed of faculty, staff, students, administrators and community members.
Final candidates are interviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Murakawa said ECC’s vice president of Human Resources works closely with the search firm and the committee.
ECC Director of Human Resources Maria Smith said all positions have a starting salary range, depending on the needed experience, the position’s difficulty and the pay offered at similar colleges.
“It’s competitive to hire a college president,” Smith said.
Pay differences are also clear among vice presidents.
ECC Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez earned $275,547 in total pay in 2023. His compensation is 19.6% more than Cerritos Vice President of Academic Affairs Frank Mixson, who earned $230,433 in 2023.
Former Riverside Vice President of Student Services FeRita Perna Carter earned $271,328 in total pay in 2023. She became the interim president of Moreno Valley College in June 2024.
Carter’s compensation was
10% more than Cerritos VP of Student Services Robyn Brammer, who earned $246,610 in 2023.
While salary differences between colleges and positions like president and vice president are notable, public policy experts wonder how taxpayer dollars are being used.
“It’s a concern to see how high the salaries have become when taxpayers are really so beleaguered and cities and schools are struggling for revenue,” Susan Shelley, vice president of communications for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said.
ECC and the community college system will continue to be faced with questions about how colleges balance leadership costs with their missions to serve their students. To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com.
President Brenda Thames introduces Rep. Maxine Waters, who represents California’s 43rd Congressional District, at an event in the Haag Recital Hall on Thursday, March 20. Thames was appointed by the Board of Trustees in May 2021 and earned $345,171 in total pay in 2023. Photo by Nikki Yunker
Administration should prioritize its faculty
By Union Editorial Board
Though not exclusive and not alone, El Camino College tends to hire outside consulting companies to assemble a pool of candidates, usually from outside areas, to fill vacant administrator positions.
ECC administrators, as well as the Board of Trustees, should keep in mind the capable, qualified and deserving employees already in house and support academic programs instead of paying for costly consultants.
The college has been contracting with PPL Pros, Inc., a consulting firm founded by retired community college executives in 1978, since 2020.
Fees for PPL Pros’ services have ranged from $15,000 to $35,500, and more recently $27,457 a month — based on a daily fee of $1,193 in January — when Bob Miller from PPL was contracted to serve as special assistant to the superintendent/president and professional expert on Administrative Services.
Miller’s contract was extended monthly until April 29, when he entered into an employment agreement as a classified administrator for the position of interim vice president of Administrative Services/assistant superintendent-retired annuitant-extra help. His contract runs through Dec. 31, with an option to extend the agreement for an additional six months as needed.
All of this may not be unusual for a community college seeking to fill vacancies. However, reading through PPL’s website reveals that Miller is not only vice president and secretary, but also one of the owners.
Why ECC would hire one of the owners of a consulting company that on more than one occasion has chosen candidates for ECC to hire from is difficult to comprehend.
This time, they chose themselves.
Furthermore, in February, the El Camino Community College District contracted with PPL for the services of six subcontractors to assist with a variety of issues from March 3 to Aug. 31, with the option to extend the agreement for the completion of the services, for a total cost $212,856.
This gives the impression that El Camino administrators are not capable or not qualified to fill the vacancies on their own.
Even worse, this gives the impression that ECC administrators think that there is no one at ECC or in the South Bay that is qualified to fill the position. This is concerning.
On a rare occasion in recent years, a next-in-line candidate was selected to fill a vacant, permanent position.
Dean of Humanities Scott Kushigemachi, former associate dean of Humanities, was rightfully promoted after former Dean of Humanities Debra Breckheimer retired in June 2023.
With the exception of the vice president of Human Resources, the Top 6 administrators at ECC — superintendent/president, assistant superintendent and four vice presidents have been at ECC for less than five years, but still have enough experience to rely on their own expertise.
President Brenda Thames has led the college since July 1, 2021. Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez has been at ECC since Aug. 1, 2022. Vice President of Human Resources Jane Miyashiro has been at ECC since July 3, 2017. Vice President of Student Services Jeff Stephenson has been at ECC since July 2023.
The VP position for Administrative Services was vacated after Bob Suppelsa, who served from June 2022 to December 2024, left ECC. He was a candidate previously selected by PPL Pros.
The position is now filled by interim placements — Miller, in addition to Loïc Audusseau, formerly the Chief Technology Officer at ECC.
In contrast, as of March 10, interim Athletic Director Abi Francisco is filling the void left by former Athletic Director Jeffrey Miera, who left ECC for Cerritos College, as others in the Athletics Department have done in the past.
Francisco has proven to be an asset to the department and the college with her years of dedicated service.
There’s no need to pay consultants to fill a position at ECC. Save the money for academic programs and promote more next-in-line Warriors into administrator positions.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
79, No. 10 June 5, 2025
EDITORS
OPINION EDITOR
Nikki Yunker
Savannah Anderson
SPORTS EDITOR Jaylen Morgan
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Elsa Rosales
Senior Staff Writers
Nick Miller
Staff Writers
Drex Carratala
Sydney Sakamoto
Kaitlyn Goches Tina Talley
Seph Peters Jamila Zaki
Isaac Ramirez
Katie Gronenthal
Erica Lee Eddy Cermeno Mario Trejos
Osvin Suazo
Illustrators
Ada Axenti
Kim McGill Drex Carratala
Catherine “Koi” Yugay
Moon Khalfani
Yufu Suen
Daimel Garcia
Erica Kusaba
Eleni Klostrakis
Abigail Morey
Keandra Lee
Alyson Kilduff
Eddie Inclan
Interns
Vincent Lombardo
Bret Fast
Nicolas Tomsio
Bridget Colbert
Taheem Lewis
Erica Kusaba
Melissa Palmer Oriana de Quay
Special to The Union
Rosemarie Turay
Bailey Meacham
Greg Fontanilla
Elise Fauni
Angel Pasillas
ADVISERS
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF gburkhart@elcamino.edu
ADVERTISING MANAGER Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS jdifazio@elcamino.edu
Photographers jemartinez@elcamino.edu
JOURNALISM PROFESSOR
Jessica Martinez Gerard Burkhart Joseph Difazio
Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu
CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.
EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN POLICY: No more than two guest columns from the same person will be considered for publication or online use in the same semester, and 60 days must elapse before a second column is published. Guest columns should generally run 300-450 words. Letters to the editor should generally run no longer than 200 words. All columns and letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. They must be free of libel and in good taste. Publication or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board.
Illustration by Catherine «Koi» Yugay
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Camila Jimenez
Nikki Yunker NEWS EDITOR
ECC Campus Viewpoints
How budget cuts on sports and enrollment will impact students
Graduation Viewpoints:
Students share their thoughts on walking at Commencement
“I really wanted to go to the ceremony because I’m a first generation graduate.”
“It [walking at graduation and Commencement] didn’t really matter to me.”
Lange will be walking to enjoy the significance of his accomplishments.
“School is really tough.”
“I’m excited to walk in the ceremony because I want to make my mother proud since I am [a] first generation graduate.”
Jayla Townsville, 23, early childhood education major
“I would be a little disappointed, I grew up doing track a lot, if the track team was cut, I would be upset.”
Calimlam, 21,
“I found tennis a year ago, I wanted to compete, and I fell in love with it, and just for it to be cut is heartbreaking,” Calimlam said. “Many of us have to let the sport go.”
India Wilson, 19, emergency medical technician major
“It would drop enrollment a lot because of people come here for the sports I came for volleyball.”
Darin Dunn, tennis coach and professor
“I know financially and in that kind of aspect it can cost some, but it wasn’t that long ago that we also had a state championship.”
Fernando Silvia, 27, child development major
“The enrollment would drop, people would be more stressed because people can use sports as an outlet to destress.”
Arroyo, 18, business major
“I’m not interested, but like, if they’re going to cut it, I feel like for those people that are interested in that, it’s kind of like, bad.”
Montila Winyaworapon, 26, kinesiology major
“I’d be sad; disappointed. I know three girls that want to join next year, and there’s only six of us on the badminton team.”
Anthony Aldana, 19, administration of
“It’s just too inconvenient for the athletes involved, they are going here,” Aldana said. “They weigh out their options, so to make them go somewhere else is changing too much for them.”
Guest column: A more accurate catalog
My degree doesn’t match my achievements
By Michael Pigon
Iamwriting to bring attention to an academic issue that I, along with potentially other students, have encountered at El Camino College.
As a current student, I have recently discovered discrepancies between the degrees listed in the college catalog and the degrees awarded by the Registrar’s Office. These inconsistencies have raised concerns regarding clarity and accuracy in the degree awarding process.
Specifically, I was awarded the A.S. Early Childhood Education degree, as indicated in the catalog. However, I am also in the process of completing the A.A. Child Development degree, which includes two courses that are not required for the A.S. Early Childhood Education degree. Yet, Academic Records
Evaluator, Karina Franco, mistakenly states that these two degrees are equivalent, when in fact they are not.
Additionally, the catalog lists a degree titled “Liberal Arts (Elementary Teaching), AA”or Liberal Arts: Teacher Preparation, but when the degree was awarded to me, it was simply listed as “Liberal Arts”—without any mention of the focus on elementary teaching or teacher preparation.
Furthermore, the catalog offers six General Studies Areas of Emphasis, such as “Arts and Humanities” and “Fine and Applied Arts”, but the degree awarded does not reflect these emphases. Instead, it was simply listed as “General Studies,” omitting the specific area of emphasis I completed. These discrepancies have serious implications, especially when it comes to job applications and resume
building. For example, the watered-down mislabeling of my degree in General Studies could lead potential employers to overlook the specific training and qualifications I have acquired in General Studies: Fine and Applied Arts (I’ve worked as Dance Instructor). Without the proper degree designation, my professional resume may not accurately represent my academic background, potentially affecting my chances of securing relevant positions in my field.
Two Certificates of Achievement with High Honors are overdue on my transcripts. This misalignment between advertised degrees and those actually awarded can create confusion and undermine the transparency of academic records. As students, we rely on the accuracy of the catalog to make informed decisions about
our academic paths. These discrepancies may not only affect my personal academic journey but could also affect others in similar situations.
Michael Pigon, 60, is a currently-enrolled El Camino college student majoring in recreation.
Students and campus community members are invited to send guest columns to The Union.
To submit a guest column or letter to the editor, please email eccunion@gmail.com.
Daelyn
mathematics major
Oscar
justice major
Joselyn Gallagher, 22, general studies major
Clayton Eiland, 19, nursing major
Jason Lange, 25, business administration major
Andrea Martinez, 19, business major
Students pay $15 activities fee with limited benefits
Local colleges offer more student support for the same cost
By Camila Jimenez
Students at El Camino College pay a $15 student government fee each semester but compared to nearby colleges, the benefits they receive offer fewer practical resources aimed at supporting academic and career success.
A review by The Union compared student government fees and the benefits they provide at six community colleges—ECC, Orange Coast, Santa Monica, Mt. San Antonio, Cypress and Fullerton College.
The review found that while fees range from $10 to $26, many colleges offer services such as free scantrons, professional headshots, career wardrobe items, grooming services and technology loans.
ECC’s $15 Associated Students Organization fee gives students free scantrons and bluebooks, and discounts to theater performances, athletic events, and some amusement parks. It also helps fund groups like clubs, the Inter-Club Council and events hosted by the ASO or ICC.
“It [the fee] doesn’t just go to vendors off campus that you can get discounts from,” Student Activities Advisor Austin Toney
ECC
said. “It also makes it so these organizations… can host events free of charge to students.”
During the 2023-2024 year the total amount of revenue that was spent was $346,047.19 from the ASO benefits fee and of that amount, $242,396 was used by the Associated Students Organization itself, while $53,000 went to the InterClub Council.
The Union interviewed seven ECC students and none of the students knew what the pass was or that they had paid the student fee.
Butch Oxendine, executive director of the American Student Government Association, said there are 4,300 student governments including community colleges, private institutions and public universities in the United States, and collecting fees is a common part of college life nation-wide.
“One of the fees you pay supports clubs and organizations and there’s tons of evidence that when you’re involved on campus, you’re more likely to stay enrolled,” Oxendine said. “Student government manages part of student life—that’s where it fits in.”
Most student government are
called “Associated Students,” while ECC uses “Associated Students Organization.”
Fullerton College fee is $15. Students receive free scantrons, bookstore discounts and professional headshots for LinkedIn profiles.
Students can also access the Career Closet, which provides free clothing and accessories to students to help prepare them for jobs or interviews.
Students are able to collect up to five items, and those who pay the $15 fee can receive up to three additional items.
Fullerton College recently partnered with its cosmetology program offering grooming and salon services.
“We have a new benefit with
our cosmetology program where students can receive discounts on haircuts and pedicures,” Emily Kim, Fullerton College associated students president, said.
While the ASO fee helps fund student government and events, Toney says students can play a larger role in shaping what those benefits look like.
“They [ASO] want people to show up to meetings and say, ‘I’d like to see this on campus,’” Toney said. “That’s what ASO is here for… to listen to what students would like to see on campus.”
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com
health center offers more services than students realize
Free therapy, exams and contraceptives are avaliable—but many students don’t know
By Bailey Meacham
El Camino College offers free resources including virtual and in-person mental health therapy, contraceptives, chiropractic services and workshop events; however, a minority of students utilize them.
Students pay a $26 health fee each semester, or a $20 health fee each summer term, entitling them to receive services from ECC Health Services.
The fee also provides several resources for reproductive care and sexual health, including condoms, birth control pills, Plan B and free-once-persemester testing and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections.
Susan Nilles, Student Health Services director, hopes more students will take advantage of the resources offered.
“I’m always looking for ways to try to get our students to know about their benefits,” Nilles said. “I hear constantly, especially at our tables, that I didn’t know they existed, which is unfortunate.”
Compared to five other community colleges located in Southern California, ECC is the
only one that offers chiropractic services to students.
Chiropractic services are also the most used resource at ECC’s health center, Nilles said.
These services are available on Thursday mornings under the expertise of Roni Megro, a general and athletic chiropractor.
Megro is aided with help from five to eight students who intern at ECC through a local university, Nilles said.
ECC offers different in-person mental health workshops weekly for students, including services like therapy dogs, journaling and grief workshops.
Ida Salusky, medical social science research expert at Northwestern University, said in-person mental health services are important for college students because developmentally, college students are transitioning from a child with no independence to a young adult with independence.
“There are a number of factors that contribute, but certainly COVID-19 impacted students’ mental health,” Salusky said. “What the data
shows is rates of chronic distract-like symptoms of depression and anxiety were increasing in the college-age population, and the COVID-19 pandemic impacted that because of both the isolation and the trauma.”
Although ECC opened in 1946, health fee charges didn’t occur until 1991 and started at $7.50, according to archives from the Schauerman Library. The original cost is equivalent to $17.87 in April 2025 when adjusted for inflation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ online Consumer Price Index
Inflation Calculator.
After 2017, the fee began increasing every one to two years. A $26 in 2025 is a 246% increase from $7.50 in 1991.
El Camino Health Services received an estimated $590,255 in fall 2024 with a student enrollment of 22,702, according to student enrollment data from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Data Mart.
Student fees fund the health center and receive yearly funding from the chancellor’s office to support mental health services, with ECC receiving $445,522 for such, according to the 2024-25 CCCCO Compendium of Allocations and Resources report.
The health center’s full-time staff includes the director, a registered nurse and three front desk employees. There are about 20 part-time staff, including nurse practitioners and nurse psychologists. About five are student workers.
“I’ve used my benefit twice at the health center,” undecided major Navonna Hupach, 19, said. “I went in and saw a nurse practitioner who was able to help me with those questions for sure.”
(L-R) El Camino College Student Activities Advisor Austin Toney and Student Trustee Wesley Marshall meet with the Associated Students Organization Finance Committee in Communications Room 109 on Tuesday, May 27. Photo by Elsa Rosales
(L-R) Pre-neuroscience major Bryan Cortez, 23, and biology major Jackie Avias, 18, study for their Biology 110 class outside of the Health Services Building on Thursday, April 10. Photo by Nikki Yunker
High schoolers excel in college-level classes
Dual enrollment programs grow, students yield high success rates
By Elise Fauni
Avery Thomas begins her day bright and early at 8 a.m. at El Camino College.
With deadlines in mind, she knows she might have to skip her afternoon soccer practice.
But until then, she’s off to high school.
Thomas, a 17-year-old junior at North High School, is currently in her third year of dual enrollment at ECC.
High school students are able to enroll in college courses through dual enrollment, a growing program at California community colleges, according to a report by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office with dual enrollment data.
Thomas’ experience with dual enrollment has taught her a lot about what it’s like to be a full-time college student in the future, she said.
“Overall, it’s been very exciting, enriching, and really valuable,” Thomas said. “I’m able to ease myself into the experience that so many people struggle with after they leave high school because they’re experiencing college workload and college schedules for the very first time.”
Though only accounting for
about 9% of ECC’s student population, high schoolers have the highest course success and completion rates, according to the college’s Course Success and Completion Dashboard. Among other local California community colleges, ECC has the third highest dual enrollment course completion rate for the 2023-2024 school year at 86%.
ECC is just behind Cerritos
College at 87% and Cypress College at 94%, according to the report.
Dual enrollment yields a course completion rate of 82% at Pierce College and of 74% at Los Angeles City College.
Dual enrollment students are able to graduate high school with an associates degree.
From the 2022-23 school year to the 2023-24 school year, ECC saw a 52% increase in
dual enrollment, similar to increases at other colleges.
In dual enrollment, Cerritos college saw a 177% increase, Pierce College saw an 84% increase, Cypress College saw a 15% increase and Los Angeles City College saw a 18% increase.
For most of these schools, the increase in enrollment also saw an increase in successful course completion, aside from ECC
and Pierce College, which saw 2.3% and 5.7% decreases, respectively.
Tuition fees are waived for dual enrollment high school students, but class materials and texts are not covered.
Dual enrollment programs are funded by the state. Colleges receive more funding from increased student counts due to dual enrollment.
On top of state funding, by implementing a dual enrollment program, the college maintains a deeper partnership with K-12 school districts, Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said.
“We dedicate a lot of service and resources at ECC to dual enrollment because we have a pretty large district here in the South Bay — we cover nine school districts,” Lopez said. Michelle Arthur, ECC dual enrollment coordinator, said dual enrollment supports students who are historically underrepresented in college.
“Dual enrollment is, first and foremost, an equity program,” Arthur said. “There’s a lot more support. It’s no longer ‘Oh, this is meant for the gifted and talented AP student’ — it’s really a democratization of education.”
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.
Athletes move to California for two-year college sports
International and out-ofstate students join athletic team rosters
By Jaylen Morgan
The number of out-of-state and international athletes playing at community colleges have been growing over the past five years.
Experts say athletes choose the community college route because of the age gap and more opportunities. At community colleges, athletes usually are 18-22, while the age range at four-year universities is expanded to 18-25.
Next College Student Athlete College Recruiting coach Luis Cortell said the community college level benefits out-ofstate and international athletes in many ways.
“At the four-year universities, athletes go up against others who are older and are not prepared. Also it’s more expensive for international athletes as well and at the community college level it’s less expensive and athletes are in their age range,” Cortell said.
Several community colleges such as ECC, Cerritos, Long Beach, East Los Angeles,
Orange Coast, Santa Rosa, Mt. San Antonio and Riverside all have out-of-state and international athletes in their athletic programs.
At ECC, the number of international and out-of-state athletes have increased in several sports.
Out-of-state and international players pay a different tuition than the average student.
For a non-California resident at ECC, the tuition is $391 per unit. Non-resident students taking 12 units per semester have to pay $9,384 in tuition and annual fees.
These trends mirror what is happening in the professional sports leagues, which have all seen increases in international players on teams.
ECC’s football team had a 32% increase in out-of-state state and international athletes over the past five years.
In the 2018-2019 season, the team started with 14 out of 37 on the roster being either outof-state or international students, compared to the 20232024 season with 23 out of 37 on the roster, according to the ECC Warriors website.
Warriors football coach Gifford Lindheim recruits outof-state students.
“I look for talent, and talent comes in all shapes and sizes. We’ve had players from all over play for us and moved on the Division 1 and the professional level,” Lindheim said.
Vincent Lombardo
At Cerritos College, the football program has seen a significant decrease in these players since the 2018-2019 season. Their numbers of nonresident athletes have decreased by 53% in the past five years.
Long Beach City College also saw a significant decrease in non-resident players over the last five years. The decrease was 44% in the last five years with their football program.
ECC’s women’s basketball team also gained an increase with out-of-state and international players over the last several years. Of the women’s basketball programs reviewed, ECC’s women’s basketball program
saw the greatest increase in non-resident athletes in the past five years.
The team started five years ago with zero non-resident players, and ever since they have had one or more, showing a 0.18% increase.
Steve Shaw, ECC women’s basketball coach, said it can be difficult to recruit out-of-state and international students for the women’s team, although he would like to.
“Last season we had two outof-state/international players, this season we had none. It’s a process that can be a factor as well but we would love to have them come,” Shaw said.
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com.
Warriors women’s basketball students scrimmage during class at El Camino College on Tuesday, May 20. Photo by
North High student Genasyn Bantad, 15, and her family listen to presentations at the Dual Enrollment workshop Saturday, May 4, 2024, in El Camino College East Dining Room. Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, who represents the district from Gardena to San Pedro, hosted the event.
Photo by Kae Takazawa
Music department gives choral director farewell
By Kaitlyn Gochez
Joanna Medawar Nachef, El Camino College professor and director of choral and orchestral activities, took her final bow after 30 years alongside Kenner Bailey, piano accompanist for 25 years, who are both retiring.
The ECC Symphony Orchestra, Chorale, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorus and the Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers combined for “A Legacy of Excellence - 30th Anniversary Celebration” at 8 p.m Saturday, May 31, in the Marsee Auditorium.
The concert consisted of various artists and choirs in performance.
“This is such a great concert, it’s her last one and I guess my last choir concert. It’s great to see such a big crowd,” Bailey said.
Nachef has been the ECC choral professor and director for 30 years and was the interim dean of the Fine Arts Division in 2016.
“I am feeling joy and yet a lot of tears to be walking away,” Nachef said.
Nachef, who received her doctorate in musical arts from the University of Southern California, has guestconducted in Carnegie Hall seven times as of May 25, 2024.
The Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers, founded in 2015, is directed by Nachef. JMNS is composed of vocalists with a variety of musical styles. Singers in the group have performed in The Voice, American Idol and America’s Got Talent.
Students, alumni, staff, faculty and former faculty attended the show. “Everybody came and we have such a full house, it’s just really exciting to experience that,” Bailey said.
The concert started off with the chorale performing “Laudate Dominum” by David Von Kampen and the choirs ended the show with “I’ll be on my way” by Shawn Kirchner.
The choirs honored Nachef with numerous flower bouquets
and a golden music stand with multiple signatures.
Nachef’s devoted passion to music leaves an impact on students, alumni, and all those who know her.
“That last bow was glorious,” Moises Lopez, 20, music student said. “I know even though she’s retiring, she will continue this act of goodness to the whole world and spread it,” Lopez said.
Fine Arts Director Soyun Kang will be the next choral director at El Camino College.
“I hope our music department will continue to do what we are made to do, equip students to be the best musicians and to give that gift that can multiply and make a difference in the world,” Nachef said.
Graduates decorate caps and reflect on their college journey
A send-off before Commencement
By Nick Miller
The Associated Students Organization and the First Year Experience program hosted an event that allowed El Camino College graduates to decorate their caps on May 28, the Student Services Plaza.
There were around 30 students at the Grad Cap Event filing in and out as they gathered around tables decorating their cap with music in the background.
The 78th Annual Commencement Ceremony will take place Friday, June 13, from 4-7 p.m. at ECC’s Murdock Stadium.
Monica Meza, 26, psychology major, said that after taking a five year break after high school, coming to ECC and being a part of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services has been a positive experience.
“I think it’s been great, knowing that I have the extra support from groups
like EOPS has been such great help,” Meza said.
EOPS provides free graduation gear, including caps and gowns, to students in the program. Students can purchase their cap and gown at the Bookstore in person or online. The cap, gown and tassel can be purchased
for $46.95. The graduation sash is an additional $44.95.
On Commencement day, the bookstore will open at 9 a.m. for graduation merchandise purchases.
Kristina Middleton, 38, administration of justice major, said while decorating her graduation gear that her time at ECC was filled with support.
“It’s been very positive. I’ve had a lot of help from my counselors and people with EOPS, so definitely helpful. I never felt like I was alone,” Middleton said. Middleton chose the community college route to save money and balance her time with work.
For Commencement day,
there will be free parking accessible in all lots, including Lots C, F and H. Lot F is recommended to guests due to it being closest to Murdock Stadium, where the ceremony will take place. Murdock Stadium will open at 1 p.m. for seating on Commencement day. Students are expected to arrive on campus for the ceremony ahead of time at around 2-2:30 p.m. Students will receive required instructions at Marsee Auditorium at 3 p.m. Kinesiology major Melia Dougan, 20, said that her time at ECC was “pretty good.”
“I think sometimes figuring out what classes work is difficult. I had to switch things a bunch of times to make one path work, and that’s kind of frustrating,” Dougan said. Dougan said she chose to go to ECC to save money and to get her associates degree, since she was unsure of what her future education plan would be.
For more information on Commencement, visit elcamino.edu
Nursing student Nicole Viramontes, 22, arranges butterfly cutouts on her mortarboard during the Grad Cap Decorating Event in front of the Student Services Building on Wednesday, May 28. Photo by Erica Lee
El Camino College collaborative pianist Kenner Bailey performs on stage at the Marsee Auditorium on Saturday, May 31. Bailey is set to retire from ECC by the end of this semester after 25 years of service.
Photo by Mario Trejos
El Camino College chorale and orchestra professor Joanna Nachef delivers a speech to the members of the ECC orchestra, chorale, choir, and women’s chorus backstage at the Marsee Auditorium as Fine Arts Director Soyun Kang (right) observes Saturday, May 31. Photo by Mario Trejos
Student leader by day, precussionist by weekend
Jake Smith balances campus politics and
By Jamila Zaki
With a tall, slim stature, one might think he’s a basketball player.
However, he can be found spending most of his time on the first floor of the Communications Building in meetings with the Associated Students Organization.
But once the weekend commences, melodic tunes spark from his fingers through the mallets he maneuvers on the marimba.
Jake Smith, 20, is a political science major at El Camino College. He plans to transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles, during fall 2025 as a political science major. He has been the commissioner of external Affairs for ASO since fall 2024 and is vice president of the Inter-Club Council.
Smith got involved with ASO during his first semester at ECC in fall 2023, initially as a division council member for Behavioral and Social Sciences.
His roles involve many responsibilities on campus,
including planning student events and activities.
“Our main goal in ASO is advocacy, which is what I do as far as legislative affairs and meeting with elected officials and lobbying,” Smith said.
Smith planted the idea of lobbying with ASO at the California State Assembly in Sacramento.
They lobbied for bills on homelessness and immigration issues known as Assembly Bill 49 and AB 90.
“This is really what he does because he’s a political science major and this is what he is really passionate about,” Nabeeha Muhammad, ASO director of external affairs, said.
Muhammad describes their collaboration efforts as always being there for each other when they need help.
Smith was a Supplemental Instruction coach for political science and a member of the Political Science Club at ECC.
While his involvements on campus display his passion for political science, his other passion is playing the marimba.
Smith began using
mastering his marimba skills
instruments in the sixth grade when he was part of a band, playing the tuba.
During his freshman year at West High School, he joined winter percussion for the 2020 season, except for 2021, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“And then my senior year, I was like, oh, I want to learn mallet percussion, which is like marimba, vibraphone and xylophone,” Smith said.
Smith played the bell set for his last year of high school.
To continue his craft, he joined the Orange County Independent, an independent percussion group.
Rehearsals are long and occur during the weekends at Gardena High School.
“He [Smith] is actually a really cool person and I like talking to him and he’s really knowledgeable on random things,” percussionist Daniel Garibay said.
Garibay said Smith’s good work ethic pushes him to practice every day, making
sure he knows all parts of the marimba for the score.
“Every single weekend we would come back, he would be way better than the weekend before,” Garibay said.
“Part of being human is being varied in what you do.”
- Jake Smith, vice president of Inter-Club Council
Balancing school with OCI is a challenging but worthy experience for Smith.
“I just try to be really mindful of how I spend my time and being proactive about finishing stuff,” Smith said.
This season, they performed “From the Bottom,” which is about addiction, but not any
specific type of addiction.
“It’s more about the idea of trying to escape something and then being sucked back into it,” Smith said.
For the 2025 season, OCI won seventh place with a score of 94.7 at the Winter Guard International World Championships for independent marching open held in Dayton, Ohio.
He recently bought his own marimba and looks forward to keeping it in his room to play.
When Smith transfers to UCLA, he will consider joining their marching band even though they do not have percussion.
Regardless, he still plans on playing the marimba.
He hopes people know that that they can do many things at once that are not related and still be good at it.
“Part of being human is being varied in what you do,” Smith said.
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com.
Political science major Jake Smith, 20, plays the marimba at Gardena High School, Friday, May 16. Photo by Jamila Zaki
Political science major Jake Smith, 20, is the commissioner of external affairs for ASO and is vice president of Inter-Club-Council this spring semester. Photo by Jamila Zaki
Political science major Jake Smith, 20, stands outside the ASO office Friday, May 16. Smith is the commissioner of external affairs for ASO and is the vice president of the InterClub Council this spring 2025 semester. Photo by Jamila Zaki
Physics +
Mayor of Hawthorne
Alex Vargas is part-time professor at El Camino
By Sydney Sakamoto
Before he was elected Mayor of Hawthorne, El Camino College adjunct physics professor Alejandro “Alex” Vargas helped design defense systems at companies including Raytheon and L3 Communications Holdings.
But even while navigating the world of aerospace engineering, he found himself drawn to something less predictable: public service.
Most municipal leaders follow a conventional path. Vargas has taken a different route — one that intertwines civic leadership, science and community service in uncommon ways.
“I love to serve. I love to be helpful,” he said.
In the mornings, he’s in a classroom at the Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail.
In the LA. County jail education program, Vargas focuses on teaching high school-level classes to incarcerated individuals — an often-overlooked population — through the New Opportunities Charter School.
“Some of these students look at me and say, ‘Nobody ever told me ‘Good job’ before. Nobody ever said something positive to me,’” he said. “It’s so sad that some people have never experienced someone believing in them.”
He reminds his students that despite setbacks, they all have
the potential to succeed.
“There are people who want you to fail, who want to just lock you up and throw away the key,” Vargas said. “But what if we prove them wrong?”
Among his students are individuals facing serious charges, some even carrying the designation “187,” which is the state penal code for murder.
Vargas approaches his students with the belief that education can be a turning point regardless of past mistakes.
“It’s all about helping people,” Vargas said. “Whatever the setting.”
He graduated from Saint Bernard High School in Playa del Rey in 1989, then earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 1995.
While studying at CSUDH, he interned at the prestigiousLawrence Livermore National Laboratory, located an hour north of San Jose.
C IVICS
while teaching the conservation of momentum to ECC students.
He began teaching at ECC in 2020, and although he is not teaching spring semester 2025, he is scheduled to return to the classroom in the fall.
Dean of Life Sciences Amy Grant said Vargas has consistently brought a high level of professionalism and instructional quality to the physics department.
“He’s completely professional in his duties as an instructor,” Grant said. “He’s reliable, intelligent and very personable. It’s nice to have an instructor whose public speaking skills
approximately $95 million, growth he attributes to efficiency, stability and strategic incentives.
Hawthorne has drawn the occupancy of major companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla and The Boring Company, allowing Vargas to meet at length with Musk, who shares a background in physics.
Vargas also implemented civic engagement initiatives, including the nationally recognized Coffee with a Cop program — founded by members of the Hawthorne Police Department.
“There are people who want you to fail, who want to just lock you up and throw away the key ... but what if we prove them wrong?” - Alex Vargas
He went on to earn a master’s degree in physics from CSU Long Beach.
This academic background laid the groundwork for his 14year career in the aerospace industry, where he worked on laser and optics programs at Hughes and Raytheon, and later tested satellite components at L3 Communications.
As an adjunct professor, Vargas has taught multiple physics courses at ECC, including general physics, general physics with calculus and exploring physical sciences.
Vargas is now years into a life that bridges science labs and city budgets.
He guides Hawthorne through budget overhauls,
align with those of a local politician.”
Vargas served as a commissioner on the Hawthorne Civil Service Commission from 2004 until he was elected to the Hawthorne City Council in 2009.
He was elected mayor on November 3, 2015, defeating former embattled Mayor Chris Brown, who served since 2013.
Vargas was reelected to his third term as mayor in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
During his tenure, he has overseen significant financial and civic developments.
The city’s financial reserves increased from $5 million to
Former City Council Member Olivia Valentine, who made history in 2011 as the first African American woman elected to the Hawthorne City Council and served multiple terms with Vargas.
She recalled how critical his financial decision making was during tough economic times.
“And the mayor was always concerned with how best to make decisions that were good for all of the citizens,” Valentine said.
Valentine also emphasized his collaborative leadership
“One of the things that stands out in my mind is his willingness to listen to all sides when he’s making decisions,” Valentine said. “He would ask us our opinions to make sure that whatever decision was being made, we were all involved in it and all contributing to the discussion.”
Vargas’s values were shaped early by his parents.
“My mother and father inspired me to be involved; to serve,” Vargas said. “They raised us with good Christian values, and it’s really about
networking, meeting people and serving the community.”
His mother earned a cosmetology degree from ECC and his brother, John Vargas, served on the El Camino Community College District Board of Trustees from 20132018.
Alex Vargas himself took summer classes at th college as a high school student, making his return as a part-time professor particularly meaningful.
“Things I’ve done just come down to serving,” he said. “I help the community improve their quality of life every day. It’s just been like a fusion of different acts of service.”
Vargas’ positions
• Mayor City of Hawthorne
• Board Member National Association of Latino Elected Officials Educational Fund
• Consultant Optica Strategies LLC
• Educator Los Angeles County Jail, New Opportunities Charter School
• Adjunct Professor El Camino College
ECC Classes: Exploring physical sciences, general physics, general physics with calculus
To read more of this story, visit the website at ECCUnion.com.
Mayor Alejandro “Alex” Vargas holds a meeting gavel in the council chambers at the Hawthorne City Hall on Wednesday, April 16. Vargas is a part-time physics professor at El Camino College and has served as the mayor of Hawthorne since November 2015. Photo by Sydney Sakamoto
Double duty helping athletes on and off the field
Abi Francisco serves as interim athletic director and senior athletic trainer
By Kaitlyn Gochez
Abi Francisco’s passion for athletics has never faded away and only continues to strengthen daily.
Francisco has been the senior athletic trainer at El Camino College for almost ten years and the interim athletic director as of Monday, March 10.
Francisco grew up in Torrance playing soccer her whole life.
She competed in the sport starting at 8 years old and all throughout her time at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School.
“I lived, breathed and slept soccer until I went to undergrad,” Francisco said.
Attending San Diego State University she wanted to get in its athletic training program.
“I like that my path took me back here. The South Bay is awesome,” Francisco said.
She holds a sense of honor in being a part of the athletics program at ECC.
Francisco said California always been one of the most competitive colleges in the state when it comes to sports.
In terms of competition and success rate in the past 20 years, the Warriors athletic program has always been up there.
“To be a part of this program as an athletic trainer is awesome and now to be part of the administration part of it, I get to hold a deeper sense of pride with us, with the community, LA and the college itself and its athletic program,” Francisco said.
She anticipated being in an administrative role later in life but took the opportunity once it was presented.
Warriors baseball coach Grant Palmer said his experience working with Abi has been exceptional.
“Her transitioning into this athletic director role, it’s been really a seamless transition,” Palmer said. “The biggest thing that she’s done for us, for our team and for our program is she really cares and it’s authentic.”
“I like that my path took me back here,”
-
Abi Francisco Interim Athletic Director
Palmer recognizes Francisco’s authenticity and shares that the baseball team members gravitate towards her, because of her passion and her wanting the best for them.
Francisco has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in athletic training from SDSU, and a master’s degree in kinesiology from California Baptist University.
“At heart, I’m a student. I love learning new things. Most of what I was learning was based on sports medicine and science and doing research on biomechanics and injury prevention,” Francisco said.
Throughout graduate school, she saw herself becoming an administrator in the near future.
“When I was in school
overseeing 425 ECC players
finishing up my master’s degree, I knew that eventually I would want to be the athletic director of an institution,” Francisco said.
In her career, she has worked with various administrators, athletic trainers, institutions and mentors in California.
She’s been apart of a few California Community College Committees and worked for Compton College aside from ECC when she first started.
She began her professional athletic training career at The Walt Disney Company.
She worked as an athletic trainer for four years primarily working on the medical side of prevention and injury with employees, performers,stage managers and acrobats.
Francisco enjoys learning
and being able to see the other side of how an athletics program is run as interim athletic director
“As an administrator and I have to speak to way more people it’s all really fun and interesting to see this side of athletics, instead of exclusively the medical side which is still a very fun side,” Francisco said.
Francisco has a good relationship with ECC’s coaches and student athletes. She describes her ability to build relationships as one of her greatest strengths.
CJ Arnold, athletics specialist said she has always brought the same work ethic to the program all throughout the job titles she’s held.
“Things that have remained the
attention to detail, her passion and just her energy, you can pick up on that,” Arnold said.
Francisco hopes to continue to build upon the legacy ECC’s athletics program has.
“We have had a good amount of professional athletes that come from El Camino College I want to keep the reputation going, our legend going and whatever I can do to be a part of that, I’ll do it,” Francisco said.
Abi Francisco’s degrees
• San Diego State University, bachelor’s in kinesiology with an emphasis in athletic training
• Califronia Baptist University, master’s degree in kinesiology
same are her hard work, her
Abi Francisco, interim athletic director and senior athletic trainer stands near a dumbbell rack in the Athletics Training Facility, Murdock Stadium Room 101, on Thursday, May 1. Francisco has experience working in the medical side of athletics, focusing on injury prevention and treatment.
Abi Francisco smiles for a photograph at the Murdock Stadium on Thursday, May 1. Francisco has worked with all 22 intercollegiate athletic programs at El Camino College, serving more than 425 athletes Photos by Kaitlyn Gochez
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Warriors athletes break records and win awards in spring sports
By Jaylen Morgan
Records are meant to be broken,and breaking records leave a legacy at El Camino College.
Warrior athletes Lexi Ramirez (softball) Tilliana Wakefield-Carl, (track and field) and Iyanah Samayoa (swimming & diving) broke records this spring.
Ramirez set multiple records with most wins in a season (30), shutouts (12), innings pitched (235.2), and total appearances (41) in a single season.
Softball went on to the 3C2A State Championships finishing in fourth place and a record of a (39-9) record.
According to the ECC athletics website, she was named the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Cal-JC Pitcher of the Year.
She also received the 2025 NFCA Cal-JC Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a pitcher.
Ramirez also became the first Warriors player to ever be named the NFCA Pitcher of the Year and second player to earn a Gold Glove Award. Not only
that she also was a part of the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association AllAmerica team.
She was also named the South Coast Conference CoPitcher of the year, and she was All -SCC First Team.
Wakefield-Carl is another athlete who broke records and won many invitationals for track & field.
Wakefield-Carl broke the pole vault record on Friday, April 4 at the Moorpark Open. She took first place with a mark of 3.68 meters, breaking the previous record set by Katrina Wilbanks (3.66 meters) in 2012.
Wakefield-Carl and Wilbanks are the only women in ECC history to complete a pole vault attempt of 12 feet or greater.
Wakefield-Carl also won the pole vaulting competition at the Viking Invitational with a season-best mark of 3.40 meters (11 feet, 1.75 inches), which placed her third in Southern California and sixth in the state.
The pole vaulter was one of six athletes to qualify for the Regional Finals.
At the Dave Shannon Invitational, she tied for first place in pole vaulting with a mark of 3.50 meters (11 feet, 5.75 inches) with University of California, Los Angeles track and field club member Camila Brennan in the event.
She was the only community college athlete to record a mark
past 10 feet. Wakefield-Carl said she’s just getting back into the sport and wants to keep competing in track and field.
“I competed for two years in high school, I felt like this year, I was just getting back into it. I look forward to next year here at ECC and getting a scholarship to compete at the next level,” Wakefield-Carl said.
She’s currently looking to transfer to UC Irvine or California State University, Long Beach, to study kinesiology and public health.
“Those schools I’m really interested in because of the programs they have there and looking into their track program,” she said.
In swimming, Samayoa has broken several records and won awards in her two years at ECC.
She was named the 2025 South Coast Conference CoSwimmer of the year for the second straight year, taking home three individual awards at the SCC championships.
The swimmer took first place in the 200-yard individual medley, along with the 100 and
Athletics Hall of Fame honors former athletes and coaches
By Kaitlyn Gochez
Former and current athletes and coaches who have contributed to El Camino College’s athletic programs were recognized in a ceremony Thursday, May 29.
The 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame reception celebrated the accomplishments of thirteen inductees and four scholarship recipients in the ECC Gym Complex’s Multi-Purpose Room (216).
ECC has honored the careers of former Warrior athletes and coaches for 32 years.
Toiya Barnes attended ECC from 1984 to 1986 and was recognized in the Hall of Fame for her achievements in track and field.
Barnes set the school record with a throw of 151 feet and 11 inches in the discus. She won the Southern California and State Championship in 1986.
She describes her time at ECC as the prime of her life and recalls the camaraderie and friendships she built on the track and field team.
“I was pretty shocked when they contacted me a few months ago, so I am still taking it all in,” Barnes said.
Her discus record still stands to present day.
Antonio Chatman played American football professionally with the National Football League, and was on the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals teams.
During his seven years in the NFL he had 114 catches, 1,160 yards, and seven touchdowns.
At his time at El Camino, Chatman was named JC-All American as a sophomore in 1998. He’s ranked fourth in the ECC record books in career punt return yards and sixth in single-season punt return yards.
Tim Drevno played American football and was a coach for a number of prestigious institutions including Stanford University, the University of Southern California, University of Michigan and the University of California, Los Angeles.
He was a coaching staff member of the NFL San Francisco 49ers and member of the Super Bowl 47 champions.
Drevno is currently coaching at Ohio State University as an offensive Quality Control coach. In 2025 he won the National Championship. At El Camino he won the 1987 National Championship and he was named All-Mission Conference Team in 1988. In the same year, he was named top offensive linemen for ECC.
2025 El Camino College Athletics Hall of Fame inductees and sisters
Beverly Hazell (left) and Elizabeth Hazell point to their names on the “Wall of Fame” inside the Gymnasium on Thursday, May 29. Beverly was a First-Team All American in women’s volleyball and holds the record for most kills in a match with 33. Elizabeth made the women’s volleyball All-SCC Second Team in her freshman season and was named the ECC Athlete of the Year in 2001. Photo by Eddy Cermeno
Omarr Morgan played American football for the Canadian Football League for ten years and made the CFL All-Star Team in 2002-2003 and 2005.
He played college football at Brigham Young University where he was named First Team All-WAC in 1997 and was voted BYU’s defensive player of the year. While at BYU in 1997 he caught a closing interception against Colorado in the Cotton Bowl with under a minute to
win 19-15.
Brain Flowers was inducted in the Hall of Fame for football and he attended ECC from 2004 to 2005. Flowers is the Warriors all time leading rusher with 1,557 yards on 241 attempts, a record that has stood for 20 years and still continues.
He also earned All-Mission Conference honors and J.C. All-American honors in 2005.
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com
200-yard breaststroke for the second straight year.
In the 3C2A State Championships this spring, she captured two state championships and broke ,many records. She grabbed two wins and made a new state record at the 3C2A State Championships.
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com.
Warrior Inductees
Toiya Barnes (Track & Field, 1986)
Antonio Chatman (Football 1997-1998)
Kristi Copeland (Women’s Soccer, 1990-1993)
Keith Davis (Track & Field 2000-2002)
Tim Drevno (Football, 1987-1988)
Martina Exlervia (Swimming 2014-2015)
Brian Flowers (Football 2004-2005)
Omarr Morgan (Football, 1994-1995)
Brian Flowers (Football, 2004-05)
Beverly Hazell (Women’s Volleyball, 2004-06)
Ontario Johnson (Men’s Basketball, 1983-84)
Shannon Murphy (Softball, 2000-01)
Ivan Wilson (Football, 1990, 1992)
El Camino College Warriors Softball Pitcher Lexi Ramirez pitching during the sixth inning against Orange Coast College during the 3C2A Championship game 3 at West Valley College on May 16 in Saratoga. ECC won 10-8 advancing to play Palomar College on Saturday, May 17. Photo by Vincent Lombardo