SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946 EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Student musician jams for local band
Music major Jun Ukita, 18, plays his guitar while on his way out of campus Wednesday, Sept, 3. Ukita plays guitar and bass for a local band called The Off-Keys, who covers songs from the likes of Iron Maiden, Metallica and The Cure. This five-member band, including Johnathan Diaz, Jose Reynoso, Leonardo Schmitt and Melody Garcia, plays at venues and events across the South Bay with some of their past performaces being held in San Pedro and Palos Verdes. Their first recording session dates back to 2023 and they currently have an Instagram following of over 230 people. The Off-Keys are set to perform at the Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro on Saturday, Nov. 1 after 5 p.m. Follow them on Instagram @the_off_keys for specific times and future performances.
Panic at the El Camino parking lots
Delayed URL creates confusion for new parking permit system rollout
By Erica Lee
T
hird-party vendor’s delay to send URL needed to set up new parking system on campus caused confusion and miscommunication during first week of the semester
Students were surprised and frustrated on the first day of the fall 2025 semester when they found out the Bookstore would no longer sell parking permits.
El Camino College has now partnered with Honk Mobile, a Canadian virtual parking management system, to sell and monitor campus parking passes.
The switch to an online parking permit system was announced in a campus-wide email sent three days before the first day of classes and which did not mention that the Bookstore would no longer be selling the permits.
“A lot of people were trying to purchase [parking passes],”
Jazmin Mateos, a 20-year-old student worker at the Bookstore, said. “I don’t think people really read the emails because they kept coming in.”
Mateos estimates that close to a thousand people tried to buy the permits in person during the first week.
By the second week, QR codes were posted in the Bookstore directing customers to the website where they can buy the passes.
“I wasn’t sure how to go about [buying the parking pass] because I usually purchase inperson,” communications major Nina Michelle Pagdanganan, 20, said.
In-person, cash-based purchases of the virtual permits are now possible at the Campus Police station for $20.
When students purchased the passes online, they were charged a $3.50 processing fee on top of the $20 fee for the pass itself.
El Camino College rad tech student Virginia Argueta, 19, gets out of her car in Lot C on Monday, Sept. 8. While parking permits for the semester are now being handled by Honk Mobile online, daily permits are still available at kiosks found in on-campus parking lots. Photo by Erica Lee
It wouldn’t be until Monday, Sept. 8, that students who paid the $23.50 fee would see $3.50 refunded to their accounts.
The move to sell the permits online marks the first time a third-party vendor is handling parking permits on campus, with enforcement from the ECC Police Department.
Proceeds from the sale of the parking permits, as was the case with previous semesters since the passes were reinstated
in spring 2025, would go to the ECC parking fund.
While plans for a virtual management system had been in development, it wasn’t until the appointment of Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck that the project gained traction.
“There had been a lot of projects that had been started and were in limbo…
New AI program seeks to weed out fraudulent students
By Eleni Klostrakis and Nikki Yunker
El Camino College joins 116 other community colleges across California combatting enrollment fraud, as the system faced over 1.2 million fake applications in 2024 alone, according to a report by the Associated Press.
LightLeapAI, an artificial intelligence software that detects fraudulent applications before they enter the student information system, found that up to 30% of applications at ECC since the 2023-24 academic year were potentially fraudulent.
The numbers were revealed during a College Council presentation by Vice President of Equity and Student Services
Jeff Stephenson.
“For every fraudulent student that’s in a class taking a seat, or on a waiting list, that’s a slot that isn’t available to an actual student,” Carlos Lopez, the vice president of Academic Affairs, said.
David Brown, assistant director of Financial Aid and Scholarships, said fraudsters will use real social security numbers from identity theft victims to apply for federal financial aid and student benefits.
“So they’re actually hacking student emails, and they’re using that email to send out these messages to other students”, Brown said. “They’re trying to get some private information.”
The Campus Police warns against falling for these
Photo by Oriana de Quay
Club Rush Takeover
Warriors kick off win
AI combats enrollment fraud at ECC
emails and has support available for victims of identity theft.
“We would encourage anybody who’s been a victim to come in. We can redirect people to the right departments, to the right resources,” Sgt. Ruben Lopez said.
Brown said the goal of the fraudsters is to receive their first Pell grant disbursement.
Federally-funded Pell grants help low-income undergraduates pay for college and necessities. In June, the U.S. Education Department announced it would strengthen verification processes to prevent financial aid fraud in the fall 2025 semester.
ECC was ahead of the curve in contracting LightleapAI in March 2025— paying $54,000 for a one-year subscription to detect rising levels of enrollment fraud since 2023, according to previous reporting from The Union.
“I think last year, we weren’t necessarily prepared for the influx in it, so we learned a lot of lessons this year. There were still pockets of fraud, but we were able to be more proactive in how we addressed it,” Martinez said.
However, as of as of July 1, 2025, the Chancellor’s Office will cover the majority of LightLeapAI subscription fees for all 116 community colleges, according to the California Community
Colleges Foundation’s CollegeBuys program.
“That relationship [with LightleapAI] is set to continue not just for El Camino, but for all California community colleges,” Martinez said.
Individual districts will only need to contribute just $3,000 and N2N Services, the developer of LightleapAI, will assist early-adopting colleges including ECC in transferring to the new funding model.
Before LightLeapAI, faculty often took the brunt of dealing with bot students, according to previous reporting from The Union.
Students and faculty
are encountering less fraudulent students
Faculty teaching online classes were asked to have a weekly assignment for students to post a picture.
“At that time… that was thought to be something only a human could do… so if someone didn’t post a picture, then we would assume that this person might be an AI bot or something,” Schwartz said.
Inside the classroom, students are having an easier time registering for classes this semester than during spring semester 2024.
Such is the case for radiology major Marisela Ibarra, 28, who
faced problems registering for her classes in the spring.
“By the time it came for my appointment time, most of my classes were full… I kept checking the class to see if any spots were available,” she said.
With the implementation of LightleapAI, ECC hopes to take the front-line burden of detecting fraud off the faculty.
“Now we’re really trying to make our faculty the last line of defense because our faculty should be teaching the students that are actually in the classes, not trying to catch up with fraudulent enrollment,” Lopez said.
Other avenues to fight
fraudulent enrollment are still being explored, including a fee policy by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
A $10 fee for applying to a community college was proposed to deter bad actors, and although it was generally rejected, the idea is still being considered.
“They’re doing it in mass … sending out fishing lines and they’re trying to get as many bites as they can but if they had to pay $10 for every line now, then that’s going to deter them from actually taking that risk,” Brown said.
New virtual parking permit rollout causes confusion for El Camino
There was a need for a virtual parking lot management system,” Vander Horck said in a Tuesday, March 26 meeting with ECC journalism students.
Other management companies considered were iParq and T2 Systems.
“Ultimately, we chose Honk Mobile because, one the platform was a lot cleaner and newer than iParq and it was a little bit cheaper,” Vander Horck said.
The Board of Trustees voted to approve the contract for Honk Mobile during their Tuesday, June 26 session, the last of the academic year.
Police Beat
By Samuel Pizzati
The sudden change in the parking permit system caused confusion and sparked concerns among students, staff and faculty.
By July 7, the Information Technology Services division began providing technical support services for Honk Mobile, including Single SignOn technology.
Plans were put in place to test the new payment system over the summer.
It was not until the final week before the fall semester that Honk Mobile sent the link for ECC students to begin buying the permit.
The Union reached out to Honk Mobile for an interview,
Friday, Aug. 15, 8:58 a.m.
Stalking was reported at the Student Services Building. The case is open.
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 9:04 a.m.
but the company did not respond to the request.
On Friday, Aug. 22, an email sent by the Office of Marketing & Communications informed students that permits could now be bought through a website set up by Honk Mobile.
“I would have loved to have sent that out sooner,” Director of Public Information Kerri Webb said, citing that she did not receive the link until 5 p.m. that Friday.
A similar email alert was sent to staff and faculty.
While employees have always had free parking, the flier they received from Marketing & Communications said that “permits may also be
A hit-and-run with a car was reported at Lot C. The case is open.
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6:08 p.m.
A hit-and-run with a car was reported at Lot C. The case is open.
purchased by going to your MyECC portal and using the link at the top of the page.”
It wouldn’t be until several days into the fall semester that the campus would begin to acclimate to the new parking permit system.
One of the changes made was to update the MyECC website with a link to the payment system in the top bar as well as in the “Payment and Fees” bar.
Radiologic technology major Justin Player, 19, doesn’t see a difference. “Parking hasn’t been too hard,” he said. “I got the app and it’s been going good.”
How to change license plates on Honk Mobile
1. Go to Honk Mobile website at parking.honkmobile.com. 2. Tap the Menu in the top left corner of the page.
3. Choose the Vehicles tab 4. Add license plates.
Pro Tip: You can add up to two vehicles on your parking permit, but only one car can be used at any time.
To add a license plate: 1. In the Menu, tap Sessions. 2. Choose Current Permit. 3. Tap Change Vehicle and add plates.
9:38 p.m.
Motor vehicle theft (e-bike) was reported at the Student Services Building. The case is open. Dating violence was reported at Lot F. The case is closed.
An attempted motor vehicle theft was reported at Lot C. The case is open.
Two stalking incidents were reported to Petty theft was reported at the Schauerman Library. The case is closed. A hit-and-run with a car was reported at Lot H. The case is open.
El Camino College students rest in the Student Services Building on Thursday, Sept. 11. Photo by Oriana de Quay
ECC may lose $1.1 million in federal grant funds
College Council discusses end to Hispanic Institution grant, Pell grant changes
By Nikki Yunker
El Camino College may no longer receive payments for a $2.9 million federal grant, according to the federal government’s press release Wednesday, Sept. 10.
The U.S. Education Department intends to end discretionary minority-serving institution grants, including the Hispanic Serving Institution grant, which ECC was awarded in 2023.
Faculty professional development, tutoring and Supplemental Instruction coaching in math for all students are funded by the grant, which requires a college’s student body to be at least 25% Hispanic.
Carlos Lopez, vice president of academic affairs, said during the College Council meeting Friday, Sept. 12, that funding under the grant will continue until September 2026.
“They didn’t pull our money from this year ‘cause they couldn’t legally, and we don’t believe they will be able to pull our money long term either,” Lopez said during the meeting.
ECC will lose out on about 40%, approximately $1,173,480, of the award if the funding, which comes in five installments, ends in September 2026.
“It’s very early on, they’ve [the Education Department] made a lot of decisions that they’ve had to reverse,” Lopez said during the meeting.
Maricela Sandoval, assistant dean of Library and Learning
Basic Needs Center relocates to new building
Resources, said offering math support has become more crucial amid recent statewide legislative changes for college level math.
“There have been so many shifts in particular along the lines of math in community colleges in California, that any and all support is hugely necessary,“ Sandoval said.
Crystle Martin, dean of Library and Learning Resources, said that contingency plans are being developed if the funding is lost.
“We’re looking at what [the
programs] would be if the funding was taken away, we only learned yesterday,” Martin said Friday, Sept. 12.
Pell grants for students hang in the balance
An impact to federal Pell grants, which help low-income students pay for college and necessities, may result from the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law July 4.
“[The One Big Beautiful Bill] actually will affect some financial aid,” Stephenson said during the meeting.
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Everybody is trying to work through that on how it impacts our students.”
At ECC, 10,500 students, about 33% of the college’s students were Pell grant recipients in the 2023-24 academic year, according to the college’s Annual Factbook.
Fraudulent enrollment, involving the use of stolen identities to apply for and receive financial aid including federal Pell grants, has already impacted disbursement.
The U.S. Education Department
began an effort in June to prevent financial aid fraud nationwide by strengthening verification processes in the fall 2025 semester.
Studio art major Ray Lashley, 21, had a Pell grant for two semesters, receiving over $2,000 each time.
“It’s just so helpful, [...] it helps me be able to eat and like afford necessities, like I was able to get my laptop, get my drawing tablet,” he said.
To read more of this story, visit ECCUnion.com.
Online classes to get random check-ins in spring 2026
Anonymous faculty team to peer-review random online ECC classes
By Jaylen Morgan
Anonymous El Camino College faculty will randomly peer-review asynchronous online classes next semester after research revealed many professors were not interacting with their students enough.
Moses Wolfenstein, distance education faculty coordinator, said at the Academic Senate meeting on Sept. 2 that the check-ins are a response to a campus study showing insufficient student and professor interactivity in online classes, according to the presentation.
“After our 2020 accreditation, we realized we had to do something,”
In 2020, ECC received a recommendation from its
accreditor to provide consistent “Regular and Substantive Interaction” in the college’s distance education classes, according to the presentation.
Out of the 30 online classes randomly checked, only 11 professors sufficiently communicated with students in alignment with the study’s standards.
All of the classes combined were far behind the 85% communication fulfillment rates required to demonstrate sufficient interactivity.
Business major Xavier Quiroz, 18, said professors reaching out to their online students is helpful.
“From my experience, I had a class online and my professor really communicated with the class, and they made announcements about what was due,” Quiroz said ECC’s Peer Online Course Review team, consisting of faculty members trained to review online classes, will review randomly-selected online classes.
Individual class results will only be communicated to the faculty member whose class
was reviewed, according to the study’s proposal.
The idea of the classes being reviewed came from Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez.
“I came from Moreno Valley College and I brought up the idea because it was very helpful when I was there,” Lopez said.
Faculty at the meeting voiced concerns that students’ grades are not up to par in the
asynchronous classes and that students are not learning all class material.
Faculty also have concerns that students are saving course information to pass on to their peers for the next semester, so subsequent students just copy information and pass the class.
Wolfenstein said the idea of the classes being monitored is for both students and professors so students can pass their
classes and for professors to guide students to make it simpler for them.
Some students feel that asynchronous classes should stay how they are because everyone is on different schedules and working on their own time is the reason why they take those types of classes.
Parks and recreation major Rodolfo Costaneda, 22, said he likes to work at his own pace.
“I feel like professors should only communicate with students who really need it, and if a student is doing fine in an asynchronous class they should let it be,” Costaneda said.
Some professors prefer the students to be on campus or live online so students can have a hands-on class experience and be focused on learning.
Argelia Andrade, a world language professor, said she prefers students on campus but she does teach online classes where she requires students to do oral presentations and final projects live online.
“I rather have students in the classroom because I feel like they do better when they are in class,” Andrade said.
(L-R) Basic Needs Center staff Jocelyn Rivera, 31; Christian Bustillo, 34; Eden Kate Aglipay, 22; Cecilia Herrera, 19; and Ben Andre Pineda, 20, service students and community members at the center’s new location in the El Camino Commons near Lot L. The Warrior Pantry and Warrior Wardrobe are open Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesdays and Thursdays
Photo by Oriana de Quay
El Camino College Distance Education Faculty Coordinator Moses Wolfenstein leads the accreditation discussion in the Academic Senate meeting Tuesday, Sept. 2, in ECC’s Distance Education Room. Photo by Oriana de Quay
Rollout of online parking permits was a bumpy ride
By Union Editorial Board
The new online parking system was introduced abruptly this semester, causing chaos and confusion on campus. Notification regarding the change was sent just the Friday before the semester started — leaving the question, what was the rush for this new system?
The online parking permit company and app Honk Mobile was approved on Thursday, June 26 by the Board of Trustees to improve the parking situation and eliminate the need for physical tags. El Camino College knew two months in advance that the changes would be made, but students and employees didn’t.
The college wanted to make things easier with parking. Instead, things became more confusing with the new system. Students and faculty have complained about how this was rushed and could have waited. Some didn’t know there was an app because of how last-minute the change was introduced.
Linda Olsen, administrative assistant for the Health Sciences & Athletics Division, said her colleagues had nothing but complaints.
“They’re telling me it’s irritating and frustrating, those are the words they’re using and another arduous process to do. They prefer the little hanging ones that they can just take off and put somewhere else,” Olsen said.
A lot of things weren’t made clear, including how Honk Mobile has an app that can be used.
Some students have experienced technical difficulties with adding additional license plate numbers to their permit.
Honk Mobile is a Canadian company located in Toronto, Canada, and they have a 1.7 star rating on Google.
The Union reached out to Honk Mobile but never got a response back from the company.
ECC had other vendors to choose from, including T2 Systems and iParq, but went with Honk because it cost the least.
Adding to the confusion, the link for Honk Mobile wasn’t sent out until Friday, Aug. 22, three days before the fall semester started.
“I wish I was able to send it sooner, the link went out around 5:30 p.m. that Friday,” Director of Public Information Kerri Webb said.
ECC Police Chief Mathew Vander Horck said the link was supposed to be tested over the summer.
“It was ready to go for a test, but because of lawyers and legal terms, it got delayed,” Vander Horck said. In the first couple days of the new launch, students paid $23.50 for parking permits when semester parking was previously $20.
The additional $3.50 was later refunded to students who paid it. Meanwhile, faculty and staff were left questioning whether they had to pay or not due to a lack of instruction from emails.
The links that were sent out weren’t very descriptive and were all over the place.
The emails students received didn’t explain what to do and or how to access Honk Mobile.
While accessing the MyECC portal, finding where to pay was confusing.
If the college wanted to make things easier, why not just hold off until later?
Campus police said there’s no grace period for not having the parking permits, and if cited the fee is $40.
The campus police should give a grace period because of the late links being sent out and students being new to campus.
A grace period of a week or two, as previously done when semesters start, would have allowed the campus to adapt to the change before being stuck with a $40 ticket.
Without any grace, the quick change capitalizes off of the community’s confusion.
The new system shouldn’t have launched this fall semester with all the issues going on and the frustration students and faculty have.
It should have launched later in the semester or waited until the next spring semester so it could run more smoothly.
The launch of the new system could have waited since the college knew it would be delayed. Why force the change when students and employees would be left in the exhaust?
The Union
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
Vol. 80, No. 1 Sept. 18, 2025
EDITORS STAFF
Nikki Yunker
EDITOR Jaylen Morgan
Oriana de Quay
Keandra Lee
Illustrators
Interns
ADVISERS
Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF gburkhart@elcamino.edu
Elsa Rosales
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER
PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
Kate McLaughlin kmclaug`hlin@elcamino.edu
Gerard Burkhart Joseph Difazio
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS jdifazio@elcamino.edu
Jessica Martinez
Photographers jemartinez@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 Michelle Bergdahl
FEATURES EDITOR Rosemarie Turay
Staff Writers
Eleni Klostrakis
Giselle Jimenez
Oriana de Quay
Erica Lee
Madison Moody Nikki Yunker
Ryan Hirabayashi
Angel Stormborn
Paula CunninghamGillabrothar
Cecilia Herrera Ananya Iamcharoen
Frankie Jimenez Kai Lambert
Michelle Bergdahl
JOURNALISM PROFESSOR
Taheem Lewis
Erica Lee
Seph Peters Chelsea Alvarez
Philip Kozel-Lopez
Letter to the editor:
El Camino must restore women’s sports teams
By David Levin
As the former head coach of the El Camino College women’s badminton team, I am deeply disappointed by the college’s decision to eliminate both the women’s badminton and tennis programs.
At a time when institutions nationwide are expanding opportunities for women in athletics, El Camino has moved backward—cutting programs that empowered generations of diverse student-athletes.
These teams cost little but delivered tremendous value in leadership, discipline, and community. Their removal, without transparency or consultation, reflects a serious failure of leadership — and violates Title IX, which requires equal athletic opportunities.
If El Camino truly values equity and student success, it must act accordingly. Restore these teams and demonstrate that women’s sports matter here.
David Levin is a former coach for El Camino College’s women’s badminton team and currently teaches Physical Education 204: Badminton.
Students and other members of the El Camino College community outside the journalism staff are invited to submit guest columns and letters to the editor for consideration.
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.
Unless the editorial board determines that an exception should be made, no more than two guest columns or 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.
Similarly, no more than two letters to the editor from the same person will be published in print or online during a semester, and 60 days must elapse between the first and second letter.
Email submissions to eccunion@gmail.com.
Campus viewpoints Charlie Kirk’s death, safety and free speech
By Nikki Yunker
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated by a single gunshot Wednesday, Sept. 10 at a tour event taking place at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, according to the Associated Press.
A 22-year-old Utah man who allegedly opposed Kirk’s views, Tyler Robinson, was arrested for the murder as of Friday, Sept. 12, according to the Associated Press.
Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, was known for hosting “Prove Me Wrong” tables at college
Olivares, 18
“I was just kind of shocked that that happened, especially on a school campus. I mean, I think we all know about, like, school shootings and everything, so just seeing someone get shot on a campus is kind of scary.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Yunker and interns
Frankie Jimenez and Ananya Iamcharoen contributed to this story.
campuses, debating controversial topics with students and the public.
TPUSA is a non-profit organization that promotes conservative politics at high schools and college campuses across the nation.
A representative of the organization visited El Camino College’s campus briefly on Sept. 10, independently tabling during the last day of Club Rush.
The organization left around noon PST, an hour after Kirk was shot.
Students attempted to start a TPUSA chapter at ECC in fall 2024.
Former club president
“I was generally against his ideas, and I first found out about him when we debated with Dean Withers, and a few minutes ago, I heard someone say that Charlie Kirk was just Dean Withers on the opposite side, and he did not deserve to get shot for his ideals.”
Kumayl Nazary, 32, said the club faced hurdles and was told by the Student Development Office that it could not have meetings after its faculty adviser resigned.
“We were active and we were official,” Nazary, who no longer attends ECC, said.
“Everything was done in an official capacity following the instructions given to us by El Camino College.”
The club’s first adviser resigned.
“There were a lot of advisers who wanted to take on that role but hesitated or refrained from doing so because of the backlash they knew they were going to get from other
“It’s unfortuante that his death has been politicized, right, I also don’t agree with the sanitization of who he was as a person, [...] I have an issue with mourning the loss of somebody that was so problematic but I don’t agree in any way shape or form with the political violence,” Simkins said. “We should be able to have dialogue and conversation with one another to where it doesnt erupt in gun violence or physical violence.”
advisers, their peers and other faculty from the institution itself,” Nazary said.
Ricky Gonzalez, Student Development Office director, told The Union the club was never official as it did not find a faculty adviser nor finalized paperwork.
“They did have some meetings, but that’s how we were able to kind of catch the error because as a non-club organization, you are not allowed to have access to facilities,” Gonzalez said.
The Union spoke to ECC campus community members regarding Kirk’s assassination and campus safety and free speech in its aftermath.
Nguyen,
“When it comes to the assasination, people are too quick to assume. It’s very tragic. [...] Our world is not black and white we all have grey areas on how we deal with things. You’re bound to have someone who disagrees with you; you’re bound to have someone who agrees with you.“
To read more and find additional viewpoints, visit the website at ECCUnion.com.
Guest column: Parking Lot H is dangerous
By Victor Corpora
I’M BACK. No. I’m not The Terminator. This is a topic of concern to students and faculty utilizing parking Lot H on Redondo Beach Boulevard.
On occasion, I use parking Lot L if I need access to the north side of campus.
I saw that Lot L is equipped with speed bumps spaced throughout to protect against potential hazards. I was surprised to discover that parking Lot H is without these safeguards.
“ The powers that be should make every effort to provide a safe campus environment”
This didn’t make much sense. Was this missed or overlooked? Several times, I witnessed cars speeding all the way to the top level with little or no regard for other students’ vehicles
entering or leaving the lot.
More than once, I’ve had vehicles whizz by as I was attempting to back out.
Cars entering from the west entrance will sometimes make a quick right turn into the parking lot unaware of those that may be coming from the south entrance.
This behavior puts students and visitors at risk when approaching or exiting their cars. Some are focused on their phones or are otherwise unaware of their surroundings.
In the meantime, more patrols of Lot H by Campus Police may reduce the risk until more practical measures can be implemented.
I welcome any comments.
victorcorpora50@gmail.com
Victor Corpora is a returning student at El Camino College. Corpora last submitted a guest column in spring 2025.
The powers that be should make every effort to provide a safe campus environment which includes parking facilities (i.e. adding speed bumps where needed).
Elizabeth
Psychology major
Kenny Simkins, LGBTQIA+ Pride Center Coordinator
Yuki
20 Studio art major
Camille Kash, 17 Psychology major
Looking in : Through the lens of Club Rush
By Oriana de Quay
Lingering summer weather welcomed hundreds of students to the Library Lawn to explore clubs and find community over the course of three days. Students watched as the Salsa Cub danced, a remote-controlled robot collect balls and experienced everything from telescopes to body-building during El Camino's bi-annual fall Club Rush. From Sept. 8-10, the event saw about 30 clubs showcase their activities, Clubs including the newly formed Art Exhibition Club and many returning groups. The 2025 fall semester's first Club Rush helped make the community-focused, diversity and conversation-friendly environment built and fostered at ECC
Top: President Matteo Merlo, 19, from the Astronomy and Astrophysics Club showcasing the telescope to students at Club Rush on the Library Lawn on Sept. 8. Photo by Chelsea Alvarez
Left Center: (L-R) Teresa Gonzalez, 21 , psychology major and Josefine Cruz core advisor, introduce the newly revamped United Warriors Club at the Library Lawn on Sept. 8. Photo by Dasean Catchings
Left Bottom: Members of the US Army Educational Outreach Program participate in Club Rush on Sept, 8 at Library Lawn. Photo by Katie Dang
Right Center: Studio art major Ruth Kembay, 21, promotes a free-draw board for the Art Exhibition Club during Club Rush at the Library Lawn on Sept. 8. Photo by Phillip Kozel-Lopez
Right Bottom: El Camino College Tabletop Gaming Club members inform interested students during the three-day Club Rush event on Monday, Sept. 8, on the Library Lawn. Photo by Seph Peters
Women’s water polo falls in home opener
Warriors face undefeated LA Valley Monarchs in first game of the season
By Erica Lee
El Camino College’s Warriors women’s water polo team began their season opener with a substantial 19-10 loss against the undefeated Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
The non-conference home game at the ECC Aquatics Center saw the Warriors take on the Monarchs, who were riding a 3-0 winning streak.
The Monarchs unleashed a barrage of plays that saw them score an average of four or five goals per quarter.
“I think we did a really good job of keeping going, even when we were down goals,” Warriors team attacker and cocaptain Megan Perez said. “We kept playing strong and we played to the best of our abilities.”
Within two minutes and 25 seconds into the first quarter, the Monarchs’ Armine Zelveyan and Brina Brati, with assists by Alissa Wiggins and Ani Thomassian, respectively, scored two goals.
Newcomer utility player Francesca Pinillos, with assistance from utility player Alyssa Mack, scored the first goal for ECC. She later assisted attacker Olivia Mozian with a goal that saw the Warriors finish the first quarter with a final
score of 5-2.
Mozian scored two goals, one of which went unassisted, in the second quarter, which tightened the gap to 9-4.
While the Monarchs went for quantity in their shots, the Warriors opted for quality.
Warriors utility Lauren Reed and goalie Bobbie Waiolama made two unassisted shots in the third quarter hat brought their team up to speed with a 14-6 score.
In the final quarter, both teams released a torrent of shots that saw players chasing down the ball in a frenzy.
Monarchs’ Catalina Maldonado Lopez, with assistance from Wiggins and Zelveyan, made back-to-back shots before throwing the ball to Thomassian, who made the second-to-last goal.
Pinillios, who began the game with the Warriors’ first goal of the season, scored their last of the game.
While the Warriors are a team of 14 competing, it is an even mix of seven freshmen and seven returning sophomore players.
Meanwhile, the Monarchs were made up of an almost entirely new roster.
“We’re in a process of discovery,” Monarchs coach Pete Loporchio said, adding that while they have three returning players, 16 of the
19-strong team are freshmen.
For Warriors coach Shelby Haroldson , who is entering her sixth season coaching women’s water polo, the game would show how the mix of new and returning players could work with each other in a competitive setting.
“We’re just kind of seeing
Warriors women’s soccer secures
Women’s soccer get in the win column after rocky start
By Philip Kozel-Lopez
Blitzing through the defense, Warriors defender Ashley Perez netted an early lead stunning the Moorpark College Raiders less than 30 seconds into the soccer match at El Camino College on Sept. 9.
Perez’s action set the tone for the Warriors to end the game with a final score of 3-1, taking their first win of the season at the ECC Soccer Field.
Warriors coach Anton Arrache said the strategy for the game was utilize wider areas of the field.
“We had a lot of joy in [those areas] today,” Arrache said. “Services were not up to par, but the plan overall was a success.”
The Raiders responded with the tying goal, converting it after two forwards produced an effective combination, sneaking the ball past the Warriors’ defense and getting a shot off in the middle of the penalty area.
Entering the 35th minute of
the first half, Warriors forward Evie Campbell in conjunction with forward Leah Garcia would produce a 1-2 combination play.
A perfectly slotted ball toward the inside post via Garcia set up Campbell to outpace the keeper and regain a 2-1 lead.
Campbell, the leading goal scorer for the Warriors, said a high press strategy was key to the team’s victory.
“We typically are a high press team, so I led up the center, and using our speed we were able to catch the defense off guard,” Campbell said.
An even showing between both teams had spectators eager to see what would happen in the second half.
Warriors Forward Citlalli Sarahi Sanchez delivered the decisive goal of the match nearing the 90 minute mark, with the crowd ecstatic after witnessing the play she made.
Sanchez effectively cut into the middle after dribbling past a defender from the right most edge of the penalty area, setting her up for a perfect top bin goal with the left foot.
Sanchez broke her drought after numerous shots refused to enter the back of the net toward the game’s end.
how today goes from there in terms of the rest of the season and see what we need to work on,” Haroldson said. “That way, come November when it’s conference time, we’re all dialed in and ready to go.”
The Warriors women’s water polo team will have its first conference game against the
first win of the season
“I was frustrated and hungry for the goal. I kept missing shot after shot,” Sanchez said. “So I used that aggression to fuel my performance and get the goal in, I simply kept telling myself to lock in and get the ball in there.”
Arrache said Venture is typically a “top” team, and the Warriors will aim to do what they do best. “We’ve got to be good on the ball, be strong on
defense, and create opportunities and be able to finish them.”
With a win in the bag, the Warriors lost 3-1 to Ventura College on Friday, Sept. 12. The Warriors (1-3-1) next take on the Cypress College Chargers (4-1) at home Wednesday, Sept. 17. To see the score, visit the website at ECCUnion.com.
East Los Angeles Hornets at a home game on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m.
To read more sports stories and view more photos from this game and others, visit the website at ECCUnion.com.
Warrior Scores
Football
El Camino 68, Santa Barbara 6 (August 30)
El Camino 17, College of the Canyons 13 (September 6)
El Camino 8, Mt. San Antomio 7 (September 13)
Women’s Soccer
El Camino 1, Norco 1 (September 3)
El Camino 3, Moorpark 1 (September 9)
El Camino 1, Ventura 3 (September 12)
Men’s Soccer
El Camino 2, Norco 0 (September 3)
El Camino 1 , Cypress 1 (September 9)
El Camino 3, Palomar 1 (September 12)
Women’s Volleyball
El Camino 0, Santa Barbara 3 (September 5)
El Camino 0, Moorpark 5 (September 12)
El Camino 0, Mira Costa 3 (September 12)
El Camino College women’s water polo attacker Olivia Mozian attempts to steal a Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs player’s ball in game Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the ECC Aquatics Center. The Warriors lost 19-10 in their season’s opening game. Photo by Oriana de Quay
Warriors midfielder Bella Phelps (right) battles it out against Mustang’s midfielder Angelina Ramos for control of the ball during the game against Norco College on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Despite an effort to make another goal, ECC would go on to tie 1-1 with Norco. Photo by Erica Lee
Warriors
football looks to reach its season end goal
Team starts the season off on a good note, trying to get to a championship
By Jaylen Morgan
The Warriors football team are off to a (2-1) start and look to keep the momentum going further along after a tough 3727 road loss to the Mt. San Antonio College Mounties Saturday, Sept 13.
Saturday’s game with the Mounties was a rematch of the final four last season, but the Warriors couldn’t get their revenge.
According to the 3C2A’s athletic website, the Mounties are ranked number two in the JCAB Football Pool as of Sept. 9 and the Warriors are tied in fifth with the Golden West Rustlers (3-0).
Last season, the Warriors finished (7-4) making seven straight bowl games and started the season (1-3) but picked it up in the middle of the season, winning six of the last eight games.
The two wins this season against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros (68-6) and College of the Canyons Cougars (17-13) have set the tone for the team.
Warriors coach Gifford Lindheim said he’s pleased with the team’s start and the culture it has.
“I think we have a structure on and off the field that players can be successful in, and we have a winning culture,” Lindheim said.
The Warriors, looking to bounce back after Saturday’s loss, will next face the Chaffey College Panthers (1-2) at home Saturday, Sept. 20.
Warriors Upcoming Schedule Football
El Camino (2-1) vs Chaffey (1-2) Home, Sept. 20 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (1-1) vs Mt. San Jacinto (2-1) Away, Sept. 27 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (1-1) vs San Diego Mesa (1-2) Away, Oct. 9 @ 6 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
El Camino (1-3-1) vs Cypress (4-1) Home, Sept. 17 @ 4 p.m.
El Camino (1-3-1) vs Mt. San Jacinto (2-4-1) Home, Sept. 19 @ 4 p.m.
El Camino (1-3-1) vs Pasadena City (4-2) Home, Oct. 3 @ 4 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
El Camino (3-1-2) vs Glendale (2-1-2) Away, Sept. 16. @ 5 p.m.
El Camino (3-1-2) vs Chaffey (4-1-1) Home, Sept. 19 @ 1:30 p.m.
Top: Warriors coach Gifford Lindheim gives his team a victory speech after their 17-13 win against the College of the Canyons Cougars on Sept 6.
Right: Sophomore defensive back AJ Anunay of El Camino gets the pass breakup against College of the Canyons wide receiver Cole Crawford at Murdock Stadium on Sept. 6. Anunay had two pass breakups to end the game. Photo by Ryan
El Camino (3-1-2) vs LA Mission (3-1) Home, Sept. 23 @ 1:30 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball
El Camino (3-6) vs Victor Valley (2-4) Away, Sept. 17 @ 5 p.m.
El Camino (3-6) vs Los Angeles City (0-7) Away, Sept. 19 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (3-6) vs Pasadena City (7-3) Away, Sept. 24 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (3-6) vs Desert (9-4) Away, Sept. 26 @ 5 p.m.
El Camino running back Jaden Moore avoids the contact and gets the 16-yard rushing touchdown at Murdock Stadium on Aug. 30. Moore and the Warriors went on to beat Santa Barbara Community College Vaqueros 68-6. Photos by Ryan Hirabayashi
Photo by Taheem Lewis
Hirabayashi