The Union
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
Speech policies spark debate
Student
gatherings and posters could be limited under new proposal
By Elsa Rosales and Nikki Yunker
Proposed policies on when anyone can exercise free speech on campus have faced opposition from the El Camino College community.
Under the policies, all posters must be placed on designated bulletin boards and include the author’s name.
Charlene Brewer-Smith, Academic Senate president and cosmetology professor, said that faculty will be unable to place their own posters
facing outwards on their office doors or windows.
“If I’m limited with what I can put [on my door] because the college thinks it’s political, I think that’s a limitation, not of my academic freedom, but … [of] my freedom as a human being,” Erica Brenes, English professor, said.
While the college has a current policy regarding speech, the new policies address prior and current events occurring on campus and nationally.
“It’s just intended to take a
content-neutral approach to some issues that we’ve had in the past, so we don’t have them moving forward,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said.
Monica Delgado, student success coordinator at the Social Justice Center, said that the policies are a barrier to exercising free speech or having gatherings on campus.
“Having those two policies there, it’s like saying no without saying no.”
At their Tuesday, April 1 meeting, the faculty Academic
Senate paused discussion of the policies and formed a committee to present their position to the college president and College Council.
Art history professor Alireza Ahmadpour said the policies were drafted by the college’s legal counsel without input from the campus community.
“They are trying to limit your freedom of speech, they are trying to limit your academic freedom,” Ahmadpour said.
The College Council will vote on these proposals at its meeting Wednesday, April 21.
Employees want to talk with college leaders more
By Jamila Zaki
Results from a recent survey show that employees want better communication from college leadership.
Enforcement returns on parking permits
By Seph Peters
Parking without a permit will now result in a $40 ticket, campus police said.
Visitors may purchase $3 day passes at the yellow cash-only kiosks and $20 semester-based parking permits from the Bookstore.
Enforcing parking permits aligns with new Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck’s effort to bring the campus police more operational revenue.
“I didn’t know that the former chief had told them not to cite the students, and so I said, ‘No, you need to cite students and faculty,’” Vander Horck said.
Nearly half of the police department’s budget, which is about $2 million before salaries and benefits and $200,000 after, comes directly from parking permits and citations.
In contrast, Cerritos College Police Department has a budget of about $5 million.
Future updates to the parking system would allow for rates to fluctuate based on events by replacing kiosks with scannable QR codes linking to a website where students can pay for parking, similar to those used at Cerritos College.
“That’s more revenue for the school, and that gives a lot more flexibility than having to do just the one rate and those daily boxes that don’t work all the time,” Vander Horck said.
“We take those findings and we share them with the different bodies that need to take care of these findings,”
Viviana Unda, director of research and planning, said.
Administrators, faculty and staff responded to the Campus Climate Survey administered by the college’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning.
The response rate was 52%, a 17-point increase from the last survey done in 2021.
As the top concern, 225 out of 1,391 respondents said that communication between management and employees needs improvement. Yet, workplace relationships
and team dynamics is the top area where the college excels. Out of 1568 positive comments, 318 said that they like the team and department which they work in at ECC.
Studio arts major Kylie Hobrecker, 19, views flyers on the bulletin board near the Art Gallery on Thursday, March 27. The board outside of the Art Gallery is one of the college’s four bulletin boards, which were installed in fall 2024. “I’m glad that it’s allowed here, for students to voice their opinions, I think that it should be allowed on campus,“ Hobrecker said. Photo by Eddie Inclan
A parking kiosk in Lot H waits for visitors Wednesday, March 26. Photo by Drex Carratala
College facing $12 million deficit
are imminent
By Nikki Yunker
To combat an increasing budget deficit in the next academic year, the Planning and Budget Committee introduced a proposal for across-the-board budget cuts at its meeting Thursday, March 20.
Under the proposal, each division and department at El Camino College will reduce spending by 6.25%, with additional targeted cuts occurring where necessary.
“We believe that this is the best approach for El Camino,” Loic Audusseau, interim vice president of Administrative Services, said.
The college is currently in an $11.6 million projected deficit and despite cost-saving measures, like the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan, saving the district $5 million annually, expenses continue to grow.
“[The proposal] is pretty practical, because at least we have somewhat concrete suggestions on how to get there, and it’s not just this larger like, ‘Where do we cut from?’” Kristina Martinez, acting dean of Enrollment Services, said.
The reduction factor of 6.25% was calculated through a formula which divides the projected deficit for the next fiscal year, $12 million, by the college’s total expected expenditures, $192 million.
“That $12 million projected
Police Beat
By Eleni Klostrakis
To read more, visit eccunion.com
Thursday, March 13, 1:01 p.m.
A disturbance from a challenge to fight occurred in the Schauerman Library at 1:01 p.m. The individuals were referred for discipline.
Monday, March 17, 1:54 p.m.
An individual was given a trespass warning near the Communications Building at 1:54 p.m. and released.
Monday, March 17, 7:30 p.m.
A report of petty theft was made regarding shoelaces being stolen at the Athletics Complex around 7 p.m. The case is closed.
Monday, March 17, 8:15 p.m.
Grand theft of a laptop, backpack, and other miscellaneous items occurred at the Athletics Complex, between 6:30 p.m. and 8:04 p.m. The individual was arrested.
Thursday, March 20, 4:30 p.m.
General threats were reportedly made by an employee in the Facilities and Receiving Building at 2:52 p.m. The case is open.
president of Administrative
deficit is only as good as today’s numbers are good,”
Audusseau said. “We’re already doing some work to somehow reduce that projected deficit as much as we can.”
Although a proportional budget cut quickly addresses the deficit, it may adversely affect departments which already have minimal funding or “lean budgets,” according to the presentation.
“The VPs will be here to assist with making this process work for all departments that have already very lean budgets,” Audusseau said.
Audusseau said that the definition of a lean budget, as it
applies to each department, will be determined by the college’s vice presidents.
“The mandate from the board, and certainly from the superintendent/president, is to do everything we can to present a balanced budget this year,”
Bob Miller, special assistant to the superintendent/president and professional expert on administrative services, said.
However, while the proposed budget cuts will help lower expenses, it will not cure the college’s structural deficit, which is where its ongoing expenses consistently exceed its ongoing revenues.
“This idea, that zeroing out
Study abroad in Spain
Program is accepting applications
By Drex Carratala
Students have the chance this summer to participate in a sixweek study abroad program in Madrid, Spain, and earn transferable college credit while exploring the city’s culture, language and history.
The program lasts from June 23 to July 14 and costs $3,230, excluding airfare, tuition fees and meals. This year, a grant from the El Camino College Foundation lowered the price by $670.
Four courses offered in the program include Spanish 1, Elementary Spanish; Spanish 52A, Spanish for Native Speakers; Ethnic Studies 5, Chicano Culture; and History 154, A History of Mexico.
“I would say for a lot of people, this has been a lifechanging experience,” social science professor Xocoyotzin Herrera said. “Students are exposed to a lot of the artwork and historical sites of Spain.”
Led by Herrera and Spanish and dance professor Argelia Andrade, the program also partners with Accent Global Learning, a London-based organization that works with U.S. colleges for study abroad programs in Europe.
Taking two courses over the six weeks is encouraged to balance coursework and extracurricular activities.
Coursework being completed online on Canvas will have some assignments that will push students to engage with the culture, such as observing historical monuments and visiting museums.
“Out of all the programs that I’ve been a part of, this one has been the most successful,” Andrade said.
Classes are held Monday through Thursday, with Mondays and Thursdays being days for class excursions throughout Madrid.
Program expenses cover apartments for student residences throughout Madrid
while having a balanced budget, ... does not address the structural deficit. It buys us time,”
Audusseau said.
Zero-based budgeting, a budget-planning method used by colleges, requires expenses to be justified, but is difficult to implement quickly due to it being time and labor-intensive.
“I feel that zero-based budgeting is the unicorn of budget development at community colleges. That is the one thing that everyone is aiming for, but very few have successfully implemented it,” Audusseau said.
While the committee recommends a universal 6.25%
budget cut for the 2025-26 academic year, a transition to priority-based budgeting is planned for future years.
Priority-based budgeting aligns spending with a college’s priorities and can be implemented quickly, but it requires clear criteria and some departments may resist budget cuts, Audusseau said.
“What we’re doing now … isn’t necessarily addressing the core problem. The only thing that’s going to address that is to drive the revenue higher, at this point,” Miller said.
The next Planning and Budget Committee meeting is set for Thursday, April 24.
Spanish for Native Speakers class at El Camino College on Wednesday, March 26. Photo by
and studies at the Accent Global Learning Study Center.
“Some of our students haven’t lived on their own yet, so when they go to Spain, they’ll have their own apartment,” Christina Gold, dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences, said.
Students are allowed to travel outside of Madrid on weekends, as long as they have notified the program leaders.
The first three weeks are spent abroad, where students focus on academics while participating in class
in Spain.
For the last three weeks, students can either stay in Europe and continue their studies in Europe or return home and complete their coursework online.
“They’re learning not just about the culture, they’re getting immersed in Spanish culture and learning about what it means to live with people different from themselves,” Gold said.
Applications for the program are due Tuesday, April 15.
excursions
(L-R) Julieta Aramburo, director of Outreach and School Relations; Kristina Martinez, acting dean of Enrollment Services; Shobhana Warrier, assistant to the vice president of Administrative Services; Bob Miller, special assistant to the president and professional expert on administrative services; and Loic Audusseau, interim vice
Services; attend the Planning and Budget Committee meeting Thursday, March 20. Photo by Nikki Yunker
Spanish and dance professor Argelia Andrade, co-coordinator of the study abroad program, teaches a Spanish 52B,
Drex Carratala
New associate of science degree offered this semester
Students will have the chance to assess and manage financial risks
By Tina Talley
Actuarialscience is a new associate of science degree introduced this semester at El Camino College, which is the first community college in the country to offer this degree.
In the program, students prepare to become actuaries, which determine financial risks in industries including insurance, finance and healthcare.
“[An] actuary is a professional that models and measures risk, and risk can go in different forms,” Marlow Lemons, dean of Mathematical Sciences, said. “You can talk about risk in terms of automobile accidents, insurance, so actuaries can go in [a] variety of areas.”
Actuaries are projected to experience a 22% growth rate in the job market between now and 2033, which is significantly higher than the 4% average for all jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The course load for achieving the degree at ECC includes statistics, calculus, communications, economics, human development and computer science.
“It takes courses from the Business Division, [from] the Behavioral and Social Science [Division], and it takes from Mathematical Sciences, so it is
an interdivisional degree,” Lemons said.
After a total of 60 units and 16 courses, actuarial science students will be eligible to graduate, mathematics professor Robert Eleuteri said. Obtaining the degree can prepare students for entry-level positions as actuaries, or more commonly, to transfer to a university in order to obtain their bachelor’s degree.
The concept behind creating
the actuarial science degree at ECC began around 2022.
A representative from the Society of Actuaries, an organization which offers exams for certification and professional development programs, contacted ECC and asked them if they’ve ever considered having an actuarial science program.
Lemons said ECC realized it was a good opportunity to collaborate and build better
partnerships with organizations and institutions including SpaceX, the Society of Actuaries and California State University, Fullerton.
Once the decision was set in stone to create the actuarial science degree, Ketmany Sundara, associate dean of Industry and Technology, was asked to get approval marketing data for the new program.
“I was approached by the dean and professor to ensure
that it was a viable program [for the college] and that it would provide a career pathway,” Sundara said.
She attended a meeting held by the Los Angeles Regional Consortium, one of many regional consortiums established by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office that seek to improve career and technical education across all California community colleges.
ECC is one of 19 colleges affiliated with this consortium, and from there Sundara got the approval marketing data.
Sundara said if there is any new academic program created by one of the colleges, it needs to get LARC’s approval.
The next steps to fund this program are to petition the National Science Foundation for funds adding up to $6 million in scholarships, which will support and sustain up to an estimated 20 to 25 students yearly.
“It is a continuing technical education, which means it gets funding,” Lemons said.
The median pay for actuaries in 2023 was $120,000 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“I think this is going to be a great opportunity for our students, [and] a good program for El Camino College,”
Wi-Fi expected to improve across campus by May
Parking lots will increase the number of further access points installed
By Kaitlyn Gochez
Upgrades to El Camino College’s WiFi networks are in their final phase and are expected to be completed across campus in May to improve speed, stability, and coverage.
The Wi-Fi 6 Upgrade Project will replace the current Wi-Fi 5 standard and will increase the number of outside access points, which extend coverage, from 42 to 115.
“Increasing access points by adding more outside, we’ll have parking lot coverage and seamless roaming between buildings without disconnection,” William Carter, interim chief technology officer, said.
An additional 73 internet access points will be added outdoors, expected to improve coverage by 174%, and 889 access points will be upgraded inside buildings, hallways, and classrooms throughout campus, totaling over 1,000 access points.
Murdock Stadium will also see coverage improvements, with 25 access points being added in total. Student parking lots will also have additional access points installed.
The Wi-Fi 6 upgrade is a two-phase project. The first phase surveys the
campus locations that need Wi-Fi coverage improvement, while the second phase covers the hardware and equipment installation.
An annual student satisfaction survey revealed dissatisfaction with the campus Wi-Fi in 2023.
In interviews with The Union, multiple students recently reported issues with the Wi-Fi around campus.
“In the MESA [Natural Sciences] Building, there is hardly any reception or Wi-Fi,” biology major Arely Alonzo, 18, said. “It’s difficult to submit assignments, meet deadlines, or connect to Zoom meetings.”
Other students mentioned the issues they have accessing the Wi-Fi in different buildings on campus.
“The Wi-Fi works perfectly fine, but when I switch to a different building, I see how it weakens slightly,” computer science major Gudimella Lahari, 19, said.
While Wi-Fi 7 is the current standard today, it was not yet the standard when the upgrade project started.
Loic Audusseau, interim vice president of Administrative Services, said that in order to have time to test the newer technology, the college will have to
upgrad to the Wi-Fi 6 standard first.
“When it comes to technology upgrades, you do not want to jump directly to the latest and greatest,” Audusseau said.
Once the upgrades are completed in
May, improvements to the new infrastructure will be put in place by Information and Technology Services. “We are going to keep building up on top of where we are now. It’s going to keep getting better,” Audusseau said.
Students attend a class session of Math 191, Single Variable Calculus 2, taught by mathematics professor Robert Eleuteri on Tuesday, March 25 in the Math Business Allied Health Building. Math 191 is one of many courses at El Camino College in which students must take in order to graduate with an associate’s degree in actuarial science.
Photo by Tina Talley
Anna Verkholiak, 18, psychology major, studies in the Industry Technology Education Center at El Camino College. Photo by Kaitlyn Gochez
Campus should be free to express itself
By Union Editorial Board
Restrictive policies proposed by the El Camino College administration continue to leave the campus concerned for its rights to freedom of speech and expression.
Administrative Procedure 3900 and Board Policy 3900 state the time, place and manner procedures for when, where and how freedom of speech can be exercised on campus.
Through ECC’s website, the “Flyer Posting Policy,” detailed under the Student Development Office section, presents the basic information that the policies discuss.
The policy lays out the designated areas on campus where flyers can be posted, the approvals required from the SDO and the non-designated posting areas like windows, pillars and doors.
Time, place and manner restrictions are legal as long as they are reasonable, Jonathan Falk, education law attorney at the Student Press Law Center, said. The campus also has the opportunity to appeal to the board and request more areas for posting content.
Carl Turano, mail and material handler at Facilities and Planning Services, said the administration was already enacting this policy within his department.
“They [the administration] said that they wanted to take down everything and anything that was offensive to anybody around the campus,” Turano said. “I had all kinds of jokes and pictures of old employees and all that stuff had to be taken down and thrown away.”
Some faculty even use posters and stickers on their doors and windows to establish a welcoming, safe space on campus where students feel comfortable coming in and interacting with different parts of the campus.
If the administration isn’t even allowing employees to keep personal photos and posters in their offices, what can the campus feel comfortable enough to post outside of that?
The director of the SDO, Ricardo Gonzalez, is responsible for reviewing and approving the content waiting to be posted around campus, which begs the question, why is the SDO in charge of approving content before posting?
If the SDO is in charge of overseeing student success, why would they have authority over what employees post to their doors and who granted that office this authority?
The Union attempted to approach Gonzalez with these concerns, but he was unavailable for comment.
Art history professor Alireza Ahmadpour criticizes ECC’s administration for making decisions without consulting the rest of the campus.
“One of the major problems at El Camino, which was even acknowledged by groups who come here for accreditation, was collegial consultation,” Ahmadpour said. “Collegial consultation at El Camino is nothing but a joke.”
It’s just not specific enough, which keeps the campus in this gray area of not knowing what’s allowed and not, or what the college wants and what the campus is legally entitled to.
Laura Beltz, a member of the policy reform team at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, recommends that the language of the policy be altered for clarity.
For instance, BP 3900 states, “Masks or disguises intended for intimidation or evasion are prohibited,” which doesn’t clearly define what would be considered an intimidation or evasion in the absence of a crime.
California Penal Code section 185 bans the use of masks within the context of an individual “evading or escaping discovery” in the event of a public offense.
Without specific definitions or referencing any laws, the college could be deterring individuals from their right to remain anonymous. Beltz suggests that the campus has at least one designated area where individuals can remain anonymous.
Faculty came together during the Academic Senate meeting on Tuesday, April 1 to discuss their perspective on the policies, and formed a committee that would present these concerns to President Brenda Thames in a future meeting scheduled for May 6.
As censorship continues on campus, the administration needs to update their policies with the understanding that they are not responsible for the individual views of the community.
THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
79, No. 7
EDITORS
ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR
Nikki Yunker
Rosemarie Turay Savannah Anderson
SPORTS EDITOR Jaylen Morgan
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Elsa Rosales
STAFF
Senior Staff Writers
Nick Miller Osvin Suazo
Katie Gronenthal
Daimel Garcia
Mario Trejos
Eddy Cermeno
Bret Fast
Ada Axenti
Elsa Rosales
Nikki Yunker
Erica Lee
Erica Kusaba
Melissa Palmer
Illustrators
Kim McGill Drex Carratala
Catherine “Koi” Yugay
Yufu Suen
Staff Writers
Drex Carratala
Sydney Sakamoto
Kaitlyn Goches Tina Talley
Seph Peters Jamila Zaki
Isaac Ramirez
Daimel Garcia
Interns
Vincent Lombardo
Erica Kusaba Bret Fast
Eleni Klostrakis
Abigail Morey
Keandra Lee
Alyson Kilduff
Oriana de Quay
Bridget Colbert Nicolas Tomsio
ADVISERS
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu
Gerard Burkhart
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS jdifazio@elcamino.edu
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF gburkhart@elcamino.edu
Joseph Difazio
Jessica Martinez
Photographers jemartinez@elcamino.edu
ADVERTISING MANAGER Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
JOURNALISM
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 Ada Axetli
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Camila Jimenez
PROFESSOR
The soundtrack of my life
How music shapes my mood and mindset
By: Rosemarie Turay
On the way to work, school or even just doing simple tasks like going downstairs and opening my mailbox, there’s a song playing in my ears.
Music is my escape.
Drowned in the chaotic sounds of traffic — the blaring and distracting sounds of horns and the loud screech of tires against the pavement — the distant chatter of conversations suddenly disappear within the sweet melodies of R&B.
I am grounded in a moment of peace.
Adults throughout the world listen to music for an average of 18 hours per week, with music being heard between 44% and 68% of the time during people’s waking hours, according to the National Library of Medicine.
A playlist filled with slow, rhythmic, nostalgic lyrics helps challenge my thoughts and validate the feelings I might suppress.
The upbeat and fast tempo of a rap playlist helps when I need
a boost of energy, when I’m cleaning my room, giving myself advice or walking around the block.
I turn to music when I need a song that can mirror my feelings or the particular mood I’m in. No matter the emotion, music covers me like a familiar embrace, reflecting emotions that words often fail to do.
The environment around me determines the song to come next as the day progresses. Soft acoustic melodies help me concentrate as the gentle sounds guide me through assignments.
The right song can make any setting my own space where only music and my thoughts remain.
The stories sewn into music compel me. Simply listening beyond the lyrics, I find myself unraveling embedded experiences of the artist and songwriter(s).
The deep engagement with music enriches my creativity, inspiring me to not only express my thoughts, but also influences my identity, from the clothes and accessories I wear to how I present myself in my everyday
life. It affects my walk and even my demeanor. Every song helps exude confidence in my posture based on the artist or genre.
Even in moments of complete silence, a familiar tap of a beat fights against my quiet thoughts. The internal sound carries countless songs, each connecting me back to a memory, an emotion, a feeling.
Music is more than a series of sounds. It’s the clear lens that I see the world in, but through my ears.
Helping me cope with the chaos of life — guiding me
through moments that feel almost unclear — music is always there, providing that sense of clarity in a world of noise.
It’s a companion that shapes my experiences and builds the rhythm of my life.
Guest column: Course registration should be simpler
By: Victor L. Corpora
I’vebeen a student at El Camino College since 1968, when it was El Camino Junior College. In 1971, I graduated and transferred to California State University, Long Beach, where I majored in English and creative writing. I graduated with a Bacherlor’s of Arts in 1975.
A few years later, I returned to ECC and took music, piano and Spanish classes. I was passing time between jobs.
In the early 2000s, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I decided to take adaptive fitness and swimming courses with professors Russell Serr and Mark Lipe. I took Adaptive Bowling when it was available. I’ve kept up this regimen up until the present.
What happened to the simplicity of registration?
Only a few semesters ago, when it came time to register, you entered your student email
address and your password. You logged in, and off you went to select courses.
Your password was good for more than one semester.
To the confusion and distress of today’s ECC students and their teachers, a dilemma has occurred that lingers into the present.
Today, you’re faced with the hassle of having to log into your Microsoft Account first (how many of us older folks have one?) Recently, I tried several times only to get the message “We’re sorry, but there’s a problem.”
If you’re fortunate enough to overcome this hurdle, you have to enter a code that is sent to your email address. Eventually, you’re able to register for classes.
During the start of the winter session and Spring 2025 semester, the system has been deluged with problems, making this once-easy process difficult and unnerving, especially for
seniors. Many students, especially those with disabilities, do not possess the knowledge of the younger tech-savvy wizards. Some don’t have computers, and the words “online” and “upload” are foreign to them.
As a result, a situation now exists where it frequently becomes necessary for instructors to register students themselves.
What can be done to rectify the ongoing situation?
If the ECC Administration and faculty focus on this problem, I’m confident a solution can be found that will simplify the registration process. A solution would provide a measure of security for all concerned.
Education comes with its own brand of stress. Why make it harder for students who just
want to get a head start preparing for their future?
In closing, let’s hope this message resonates with those who have the ability and authority to make decisions which will benefit both students, faculty and ECC.
Illustration by Yufu Suen
Educating and inspiring generations
El Camino College honors women whose dedication and contributions inspire future generations
By Eleni Klostrakis
Laughter, applause and empowering stories fill the room.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, El Camino College hosted its 28 annual Distinguished Women’s Awards Reception on Thursday, March 27.
“This wonderful tradition is part of El Camino’s Women’s History Month activities. It gives us the opportunity today to celebrate seven remarkable, inspiring, and distinguished women,” Brenda Thames, president of ECC , said.
Recipients were selected for their impact on women’s and girls’ initiatives in education, mentorship and leadership, specifically at the college and community level.
“What’s particularly notable about this group is that they all represent the many different components of education, from a classroom setting to programs and activities that support students throughout their academic journeys,” Thames said.
This year’s National Women’s History Month theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.”
Mildred E. Black is an ECC alumna and a first-generation college student and mentor with Much More Bounce Inc., a nonprofit that works with young women to improve
their lives through education, mentoring and career support.
Autumn Blakley is an educator, mentor, advocate and full-time tenure-track counselor for the Black Student Success Center.
“When I look at the faces of my students, especially the black women I have the privilege to guide, I see a bold and boundless future. I see it in them, reflecting their ancestors’ deferred dreams and their soaring aspirations,” said Blakley.
Blakley envisions young Black and brown women viewing education not just as a career path but as a noble pursuit that expands the mind.
Patricia Fairchild is a professor in the ECC automotive collision repair and painting program.
Fairchild joined the faculty in 2009 and co-organized “Girls in the Garage,” a car show that showcased classic vehicles owned by women, she said.
“I wanted to create a safe space for women to ask their questions, get confident using tools, basic maintenance,” said Fairchild.
Ivory Freeman is the founder and CEO of the Bessie Morris Foundation, that is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2005 in honor of her grandmother, Bessie Bernice Morris according to Freeman.
Freeman’s offers leadership development training, health
education, mentorship, personal development, character building programs for at-risk underprivileged girls, according to The Bessie Morris Foundation.
“My primary focus is to work with young ladies and try to lift them up, let them know that they are seen, they are heard, they are beautiful and we do that in multiple ways,”
- Ivory Freeman
Passionate about supporting students affected by the criminal justice system, Isabel Gonzalez is a student specialist for the college’s Formerly Incarcerated Reentry Program.
“I’ve had the privilege of helping build a program from the ground up, something I had never done before,” said Gonzalez, dedicated and committed to giving back by helping formerly incarcerated students navigate their education journey.
Similarly, Maribel Hernandez plays an essential role in student support as a counselor and co-coordinator of ECC’s Puente program.
“I know they’re amazing in
their way and I’m amazing in my own way, and that’s what I try to instill in my students. You’re amazing, in your own way,” Hernandez said.
Amina Humphrey is a social science instructor at ECC, who has a master’s degree in arts from Henderson State University and a doctorate in race and ethnic studies from the University of California Los Angeles.
Humphrey’s work centers around media and book advocacy, dealing with the local and global educational empowerment of young women and their future.
“Her work is astounding. Her class is a transformative experience...when I had the opportunity to nominate a professor... I just had to give Dr. Amina her prompts. It was amazing, she inspired me to become a better person,”
Frankie Davis, 30, a paralegal studies major at ECC and a student of Humphrey’s said.
Each recipient gets their portrait installed in the Women’s Hall of Fame in the Schauerman Library, along with their names engraved on a perpetual plaque.
Blakley reflects and honors the strength and wisdom passed down from the women who came before her, having endured challenges and shared knowledge.
“They taught me resilience, integrity, and an immeasurable worth of curiosity, and though their
names may not appear in academic journals, I stand here as evidence of their unwielding legacy,”
2025 Award Recipients
Mildred E. BlackECC Alumna
Autumn BlakleyBlack Student Success Center counselor
Patricia FairchildAutomotive collison repair and painting instructor at El Camino
Ivory FreemanFounder and CEO of Bessie Morris Foundation
Isabel GonzalezFIRST Program Student Specialist
Maribel Hernandez
- Puente counselor and co-coordinator
Amina HumphreyProfessor of social science at ECC
Autumn Blakley, El Camino College Distinguished Women’s Wall of Fame Honoree, and her mother, Mitzi Cunningham, at the awards reception in the East Dining Room. Photos by Melissa Palmer
Left: Honoree Maribel Hernandez recieves an abundance of flowers at the honoree recieption. “My students are my life; I dedicate my life to them,” Hernandez said.
Above: (R-L) Honoree Amina Humphrey with former students Darryl King, 38, and Frankie Davis, 30, during her acceptance speech.
SHAPING CLAY AND MINDS
Sculpture professor retiring after 23 years firing clay and melting metal
By Jamila Zaki
Living off just $50 a month. Teaching in a small, secular village near the jungle of Paso Ancho in Jalisco, Mexico.
Colorful plantations of papaya and vegetables surrounded his living grounds and workspace.
This sounds out of the ordinary for California-native art, sculpture and design professor Russell “Russ” McMillin, who has taught art classes at El Camino College for the past 23 years.
“Everybody has amazing creativity inside of them and my job is to just help unlock that for them, to unlock their voice,” McMillin said.
McMillin is among faculty at ECC taking part in the Supplemental Early Retirement Plan, or what he calls the “golden handshake,” making spring 2025 his last semester.
He began teaching at ECC as an assistant art professor in spring 2002, and was interviewed for the position by his former art department colleague, Irene Mori.
“I really think she was the main reason I got the job,” he said. “She seemed [to be] the one that got what I was.”’
His journey from learning art to teaching it was eventful.
McMillin had attended Santa Monica College as a business major, where he took various classes, describing himself as being “broadly interested in a lot of different things.”
Until one day, he visited a counselor and realized the majority of his units were in art, not business.
He later transferred to Sonoma State University as an
art major with an emphasis in drawing and sculpture.
After college, he worked in product design a subsidiary of Hallmark, creating a fantasy line of dragons, gnomes, fairies and angels made of porcelain.
He worked there before moving to Mexico to help his then-girlfriend settle in to teach schoolchildren English.
“Art is a universal language.”
-Russell McMillin professor of art, sculpture and design
But the school’s director offered him the opportunity to teach art, which he took, teaching there for a year.
“[I] never thought about teaching, just about making money from art,” he said. “The night before I started, I asked the Lord, ‘Please don’t let me mess these kids up.’”
Although there was a bit of a language barrier, he was able to connect with his students through art.
“Art is a universal language,” McMillin said.
After his time in Mexico, he got his masters in sculpture at California State University, Northridge, where he primarily focused on foundry work and bronze casting.
During his time there, McMillin met his current colleague, Fine Arts technical specialist Adrian Amjadi, who was taking his sculpture class.
“He’s taking it [retirement]
better than some of us are, he’s sad, I know that, and he really wanted to see us kind of take off in the new building before he were to leave,” Amjadi said. “We’re devastated, so it’s a different thing.”
For many years, McMillin worked at the Los Angelesbased nonprofit Hollywood Cinema Production Resources, where he taught skills in the entertainment and arts industry to at-risk youth between the ages of 15 to 21.
That work inspired the popular culture-angle behind his well-known “Future
Project,” where beginning sculpture students create a project which envisions the future using found materials and recyclables.
“Russ is always encouraging and pushing us to always do better and pursue stuff that we might like or give us more options,” Kimberly Villacreses, temporary non-classified worker for sculpture, said.
Villacreses previously took McMillin’s Beginning Sculpture, Life Sculpture and Bronze Casting classes. “I feel the school is losing that wisdom and experience from Russ,” she
said about his retirement.
McMillin’s favorite memory at ECC is the molten bronze metal pours which would occur during the art department’s annual open house events, which a couple thousand people from the campus community and beyond would attend.
“Best job I’ve ever had in my life,” McMillin said.
To read more of this story, visit the website at eccunion.com.
Top: Industrial equipment technician Zachary Miller, art professor Russell McMillin, and Fine Arts technical specialist Adrian Amjadi wear foundry suits and gear near the bronze furnace in the Arts Complex on Tuesday, March 4. Photo by Jamila Zaki
Right: Professor Russell McMillin with his work, “Power Culture Icons,” in the sculpture classroom Thursday, March 27. Photo by Katie Gronenthal
Sprinters shine at Dave Shannon Invitational
Club athletes dominate in short distance events against other community colleges
By Greg Fontanilla
The Dave Shannon track and field invitational at Murdock Stadium highlighted sprinters from non-collegiate organizations who dominated nearly every sprint event Saturday, March 29.
One of those clubs was Athlete.X, who secured a first place finish in the men’s 4x100meter relay. The quartet featured Southern California native Khalfani Muhammad, Cody Bidlow and twins Justin and Brendan Fong.
Despite a delay in the baton exchange between Muhammad and Bidlow and the team running together for the first time without practice, the group sprinted to victory in 41.38 seconds, a season’s best.
“We haven’t practiced our hand-offs between leg three and four,” Bidlow said. “I was a little concerned he [Muhammad] was going to run up on me, so I just got a little bit excited and left early.”
Muhammad, 30, a former standout sprinter at Notre Dame High School and NFL running back said a desire to stay in shape after taking 3.5 years off playing football brought him back to the track last year.
“I started running again,” Muhammad said. “The best way to keep that speed is running on the track.”
Shortly after the relay, Brendan Fong was back on the track to run in the first heat of the men’s open 400-meter dash, sprinting the quarter-mile in 48.50 seconds, placing first overall in the event.
Another dominant team at the invitational was Evo Track Club, featuring Asani Hampton, who previously ran at Mt. San Antonio College and had qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials last year.
His teammate Maureen Schrijvers, is a member of the Philippine national team and fiancee of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Nikko Remigio.
Hampton clocked in at 21.34 seconds in the men’s 200-meter dash, registering a first-place finish.
Meanwhile, Schrjivers ran 56.19 seconds in the women’s quarter-mile sprint, placing third overall, just ahead of Savanna Mullins of El Camino College, who recorded a time of 59.42 seconds.
Mullins’ teammate, freshman Laighton Scott, ranked No. 2 in California in the men’s discus and placed second overall by throwing 47.11 meters, 4.4 meters more than the statequalifying mark.
“It’s definitely a confidence booster, because that means I can hit the mark again,” Scott said.
Showing his versatility, the freshman followed up his
men’s 4x100-meter
Stadium, Saturday, March 29 at the Dave Shannon Invitational. Bidlow, a former Division I sprinter at GCU and Muhammad, who was a standout sprinter at Notre Dame High School and played in the NFL, represented Athlete.X, a track and field club.
discus throw with a burst of speed in the men’s 100-meters, letting him cross the finish line at 11.84 seconds.
On the distance side, sophomore distance runner Ty McCormick of El Camino placed second in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10 minutes and 36 seconds, just
0.19 seconds behind Andrew Kanzangian of Glendale Community College.
Focusing on developing speed through a middledistance event in the 800-meter run at the invitational, Deniya Fields of Pasadena City College, who specializes in shortdistance, crossed the finish in 2
Women’s Beach Volleyball squeeze out win
Warriors back in the win collum looking to make a playoff push
By Nick Miller
Friday’s beach volleyball doubles competitions were a rather routine victory for the El Camino College Warriors as they faced the Cerritos College Falcons on March 28.
Warriors coach April Ross said that practices have advanced as the year has gone on, resulting in wins like these.
“We have been working really hard on specific things in practice that I think can help us win matches,” Ross said. “Like for the beginning of the season, we were working on a lot of general technique, and the last couple weeks it’s been like, ‘okay this serve, this serve’ would be really effective to get us some aces.”
Cerritos set the tone by quickly winning back-to-back sets by a wide margin on Court 2 (21-7, 21-9), giving the Falcons the early 1-0 lead.
This focus seemed to be beneficial as the competition
went on for the Falcons.
After the initial loss, the Warriors would not trail for the rest of the competition, winning three straight matches and putting them in the form to win.
On Courts 5 and 3, each set was close, but on Court 1, the tandem of Scheala Nielsen and Tate Mercer won their two sets comfortably to give ECC the 3-1 lead.
The competition resulted in the Warriors winning 3-2.
Despite Madelyn Hancock and Alyssa Estrada losing a close battle in the last match of the competition (21-18, 21-19), they were optimistic about their team’s performance as a whole.
“I think like throughout the season, our communication is our biggest strength,” Estrada said. “It was very rough in the start, but we’ve been practicing, whether it’s just cheering for the points, even if we did get the point or not. Just cheering for everything.”
Hancock said she feels confident going into matches because of the effort that her teammates put into the game.
“Honestly, just straight love for my teammates, because it’s like I know that they are always trying their best,” Hancock said. “So I know the chance of us winning as a team is pretty high,
28
so I just put my faith in them, and they put their faith in me.”
Ross said that for the Warriors to build on this latest victory, they will need to stay poised and focused for their next match.
“We don’t get complacent, so we enjoy it, it was a big win for us, you know,” Ross said. “And then on Monday, we get back to reality, and we’re back focused on what we need to do to get
better.”
Warriors move to (9-9) on the season while the Falcons fall to (13-6) on the season.
The Warriors will play their next game at home against the Long Beach City College Vikings (10-8) at 10 a.m. Friday, April 4 on the ECC Sand Courts.
minutes and 17 seconds.
“I knew I didn’t want anybody in front of me and I just had to keep running,” Fields said. El Camino will be back on the track for the CCCAA Southern California Multis Championships on April 1 at Moorpark College.
Warrior Scores
Baseball
El Camino 1, Cerritos 6 (March 25, Game 1
El Camino 7, Cerritos 8 (March 27, Game 2)
El Camino 8, Cerritos 7 (March 29, Game 3)
Men’s Volleyball
El Camino 3, Antelope Valley 0 (March 21)
El Camino 0, Santa Barbra 3 (March 26)
El Camino 0, Moorpark 3 (March 28)
Softball
El Camino 11, Compton 0 (March 27)
El Camino 4, Bakersfield 0 (March 29, Game 1)
El Camino 0, Bakersfield 1 (March 29, Game 2)
Women’s Beach Volleyball
El Camino 4, Irvine Valley 1 (March 22)
El Camino 0, Mira Costa 5 (March 22)
El Camino 3, Cerritos 2 (March 28)
El Camino 5, LA Harbor Club 0, (March 28)
Cody Bidlow, left, receives a baton pass from Khalfani Muhammad during the
relay at Murdock
Photo by Greg Fontanilla
El Camino College Warriors women’s beach volleyball player Erica Griffiths serves during a beach volleyball matchup against Cerritos College on Friday, March
at the Sand Courts. Photo by Bret Fast