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Arson attack hits ECC buildings
EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Classes canceled for two days after arsonist starts fires in Chemistry Building, Bookstore dock Student
By Rosemary Turay
F ires were started by a suspected arsonist at the El Camino College Bookstore loading dock and in the Chemistry Building on Sunday, Oct. 5, according to college officials.
The Gardena Police Department arrested 26-yearold Joshua Anthony Chavez near Marine Avenue at 3 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6 on suspicion of causing the fires.
Sanchez is currently being held at $75,000 bail in the Torrance City Jail and was previously charged with a misdemeanor in 2018, according to the Inmate Information Center.
A fire at the Bookstore was reported to the ECC Police Department on Sunday at approximately 7:19 p.m., according to a Timely
Warning notice.
ECC Chief of Police
Matthew Vander Horck said the suspect attempted to break into the Bookstore before setting the fire.
Vander Horck said no structural damage to the Bookstore was reported except for impact damage to the store’s front glass, near
the automatic doors.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., ECCPD received a fire alarm from the Chemistry Building, alerting it to the second fire.
“We didn’t have access to him [the suspect] at that point in time, we were concentrated on getting the fire put out [behind the Bookstore],”
Kerri Webb, director of public
information at ECC, said. Black smoke from the fire visibly scarred the brick wall close to the cardboard compactor behind the Bookstore.
Combustibles in the recycling and trash bins including cardboard, paper
College faces Title IX scrutiny after cutting sports
Coach seaks to reinstate tennis, badminton teams
By Sydney Sakamoto
El Camino College is under scrutiny after suspending its women’s badminton and tennis programs, prompting former coach David Levin to demand their reinstatement on behalf of the female athletes pursuing a Title IX complaint.
The teams were eliminated in May 2025, and Levin says the cuts deny female students equal opportunity to compete in intercollegiate athletics.
“These women worked hard to represent their college with pride,” Levin said. “All we’re asking is for El Camino to follow the law and give them back the chance to compete.
Title IX exists to protect opportunities like these.”
Female athletes make up only 29.4% of varsity athletes, compared with nearly 49% of the student population, according to ECC data.
Levin filed a public records request under the Freedom of Information Act with ECC President and Superintendent Brenda Thames on Monday, Oct. 6, asking for all documents regarding the decision to cancel the teams.
Under law, the college has 10 days to respond to the request.
Levin also warned the college could face legal action if the teams are not reinstated, citing similar recent federal cases in Texas and California.
In letters dated Aug. 4 and Aug. 18, Levin urged the Board of Trustees to act quickly, calling the situation a legal
imperative.
“The situation at El Camino is undeniably similar to recent Title IX cases,” Levin wrote.
“Rather than risk an injunction, reputational damage and potentially costly litigation, ECC has an opportunity to lead with foresight.”
El Camino College President Brenda Thames acknowledged receiving the letters in an email on Aug. 20.
“This brief email correspondence is being sent to acknowledge receipt of your August 17, 2025, email correspondence and attachment,” Thames wrote.
“The District continues to consult with legal counsel in the review of your request. The District will follow up with a formal response when this review is complete.”
Abi Francisco, the college’s
director of athletics, said the issue is still under review and declined to provide further comment.
“We are still collecting a lot of information internally, but we will be able to discuss it at a later time,” Francisco said.
Carlos Lopez, a college official, emphasized the school’s history of supporting women’s athletics.
“El Camino College has a long-standing tradition of supporting women’s athletics,” Lopez said. “If you look at the last 54 years, we brought on 10 athletic teams, nine being women’s athletic teams.”
The women’s badminton team recently won the state consolation title in May at the City College of San Francisco, where Anya Gore and Montila Winyaworapon represented the Warriors in doubles.
By Keandra Lee
A man suspected of fondling women on and off campus last week was arrested by El Camino College police on Monday, Oct. 6.
George Jay Runnels, a 21-year-old ECC student, was walking by the Communications and Behavioral and Social Sciences Building when he was taken into custody at 10:22 a.m.
“Someone had recognized the suspect from last weekend,” ECC police chief Matthew Vander Horck said. “Our unit arrived on scene, and he was still walking in the area.”
The arrest comes after the ECC police department issued a Crime Bulletin Friday, Oct. 3 at 1:13 p.m.. The bulletin was seeking information about the suspect after “three incidents of sexual battery” were reported on campus.
A fourth incident took place off campus on the 210 Metro bus.
The ECCPD is asking victims to come forward.
“We know we have a couple other victims because we’ve seen things on our CCTV, but we haven’t identified them,” Vander Horck said. “We know he has more [victims] because he’s admitted to us that this is something he’s been doing for quite some time.”
If you have information about this case, please contact the ECCPD at (310) 660-3100.
Bedside manners See Page 6
Aftermath of the fire that took place at the El Camino College Bookstore loading dock, located at the back of the store, is visible Monday, Oct. 6. Photo by Axel Hernandez Spinning
Suspect image as seen in a campus advisory sent Oct. 3. Photo courtesy of
and other recycling materials, were burned and plastic bins were melted.
Webb said the scene was “a big mess.”
The second fire is believed to have began in Room 112 and moved to Room 114 before the fire suppression system kicked in, closing the doors to contain oxygen once the smoke was detected.
“Room 112 and 114 were both damaged. Room 112 was heavily damaged. It’s basically a loss,” Webb said. “Everything is charred. That office ... [is] totally done.”
However, due to the early stage of investigation, where the Chemistry Building fire started is not confirmed.
Both rooms belonged to faculty members and suffered significant smoke and water damage — about six inches deep — due to the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s efforts.
The Chemistry Building is used as storage for different chemicals, and due to the potential hazard, the LACFD was arrived on scene with hazmat suits.
Vander Horck said the ECCPD was able to positively identify Chavez through CCTV footage that showed a clear indication of his clothing.
“[Chavez] had broken into the Chemistry Building by breaking into the glass of these [campus building] doors, and
Police Beat
By Frankie Jimenez
The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, 8:28 a.m.
Lewd conduct reported near Music Building. Contempt of court, or resisting court order, and a trespass warning reported at Lot C. Suspect arrested. The case status is reported as neither open nor closed.
Monday, Sept. 22, 9:29 a.m.
Attempted vehicle burglary, drug law violation and a trespass warning reported in Lot B. A suspect was arrested near Facilities and Receiving. This case is neither open nor closed.
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7:58 a.m.
Trespassing reported near the Arts Complex and the Behavioral & Social Sciences Building. The suspect was arrested.
Thursday, Sept. 25, 1:20 p.m.
Stalking and dating violence reported near the Humanities Building. The suspect was referred for discipline.
Monday, Sept. 29, 1:20 p.m.
Petty theft of a cellular device reported in the general area of the Math Business Allied Heath Building area. This case is open.
because of the great camera footage, we were able to get a photo of him,” Vander Horck said. “The clothing he was wearing was very distinct.”
Chavez was seen wearing a blue vest with gray reflective tape, resembling an Amazon work vest.
ECCPD released these details to surrounding neighborhood agencies, including the Torrance Police Department, Gardena Police Department and the Inglewood Police Department.
There is no indication from the ECCPD that Chavez was enrolled as a student.
All information regarding the arson incidents were sent out through Timely Warning email alerts that are sent by law “to inform the campus community about an incident that may pose a serious or continuing threat.”
Carl Turano, ECC’s mail and material handler, said the cardboard compactor at the Bookstore was also damaged and the college may have to start looking into purchasing a replacement.
“It’s done for,” Turano said.
A notice was sent out Monday at 11:42 a.m. by the Office of Marketing and Communications advising students that classes in the Physics and Chemistry buildings were canceled.
Natural Science Division faculty were advised to work remotely from home.
After an administration
meeting took place Monday at 2 p.m., another notice was sent at 4:54 p.m., announcing that classes would remain canceled Tuesday.
The Life Sciences Building and Physics Building will reopen Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 a.m.
Classes in those buildings will resume as regularly scheduled, but the Chemistry Building will be closed until further notice.
Those classes have been moved online or to classrooms in other buildings, according to an email sent by the Office of Marketing and Communications on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Webb said no injuries caused by the fires were reported, noting that the campus was closed Sunday.
“We’re very, very blessed. At the end of the day, it is a total loss for that one room, but if you compare it [to] all of these areas [structures and classrooms] here — that’s a blessing,” she said.
All damaged buildings and equipment are covered by the college’s fire insurance policy.
Vander Horck talked with Fire Chief Captain Michael Grofsky of LAFD Engine 518 to estimate the damages, and Grofsky said the cost of repairs and replacements would be around $130,000.
There have been six prior incidents of arson associated with the college — five on campus and one off campus — between 2022 and 2024, according to ECC’s 2025 Annual Security Report listing crime statistics at the college.
For more photos and to access more coverage on this story and other news, visit the website at ECCUnion.com and follow The Union on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Nextdoor for updates.
ECCPD hires new officer, trainee to combat understaffing
By Samuel Pizzati
El Camino College has hired two new officers to fill vacancies in its understaffed Campus Police force.
Officer Shahbaz Zaidi and police officer trainee Ryan Brown joined the ECC Police Department in August after a lengthy application process beginning in 2024.
“They’re very community oriented, they have the right attitudes, they have the right aptitude, and they have the right training experience and education,” ECC Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck said.
Brown attended ECC, was a campus security officer, and worked previously at the Los Angeles Police Department.
He must still go through the police academy to complete qualifications at the ECCPD.
There is a six month training program, and after the training program, a one year probation is given to the officer.
Zaidi, the new officer hire, has already passed academy training and is currently in the 6-month training program.
Prior to Vander Horck joining the force in January 2025, the ECCPD was understaffed in officers by 50%.
The ECCPD, which needed 12 officers in order to be fully staffed, had been looking to hire six new police officers.
Despite the need to hire more people, strict qualifications to become a police officer have to be kept.
“Every candidate and every applicant here has to go through an extremely vigorous hiring practice,” Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck said.
Applicants must pass multiple evaluations needed in order to join the ECCPD as an officer, including meeting the minimal requirements to apply and pass written and physical agility tests as well as a polygraph test.
Prospective hires also have to go through a mandatory background check on top of a physiological and a medical
exam before they can be invited to a panel interview with the hiring committee, which includes the ECC police chief.
After applying in 2024, Zaidi and Brown were two of the candidates hired in August 2025 after an application process that took eight months.
Currently, the ECCPD is processing 50 applicants for the remaining positions as officers.
Vander Hock is hoping to bring the hiring process down to six months for the remaining available positions.
Vander Horck previously worked as the assistant director of personnel at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and said processing the number
of applicants was challenging.
“For every deputy that was in the academy, they were less than 10% of the total applicants. It’s one of the hardest positions to get,” Vander Horck said.
Before Vander Horck became ECC’s police chief, the average time to hire new officers was about a year.
“So I know that anything that we can do to make the process go faster than the higher quality caliber personal applicant that we’ll be able to accept, and that’s the goal,” Vander Horck said.
To reach the campus police station, call 911 for emergencies and (310) 6603100 for non-emergencies.
El Camino College Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck, Sgt. Ruben Lopez and a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad survey the Chemistry Building on Monday, Oct. 6, after a fire was set by an arsonist in the building Sunday, Oct. 5. Photo by Nikki Yunker
Cars and trailers used by the El Camino College Police Department line the back of the Campus Police station Thursday, Sept. 11. Photo by Oriana de Quay
Delays in textbook deliveries impact classes
Students and faculty face unexpected issues after Bookstore moves sales online
By Chelsea Alvarez
Students and faculty at El Camino College are facing shipping delays and unexpected costs, or are having to change how they teach classes after the ECC Bookstore moved textbook sales online.
During the July 28 session, the Board of Trustees approved the transfer of textbook operations to MBS Direct, following the retirement of three Bookstore staff members.
“The committee decided to go with MBS Direct to move the textbook operations online because we thought that it would offer more opportunities or more options for students and faculty,” Crystle Martin, dean of Library and Learning Resources, said.
MBS Direct is an affiliate of Barnes & Noble where students can purchase textbooks online and download digital copies.
While the Bookstore continues to sell snacks, school supplies and merchandise, shelves, which once carried textbooks, are bare.
Students are now dealing with shipping delays and unexpected costs with the move to MBS Direct.
Gabriel Preston, a 20-yearold civil engineering major, ordered the textbook needed for his AutoCAD class during the first week of the semester. He didn’t receive it until the fifth week of the semester.
“I thought there would be a physical copy at the
Bookstore,” Preston said.
“When I went there, I found out it was empty. The book was $50, but with the UPS shipping fee alone, it was about $97.”
Morgan Mastiga, an MBS Direct customer service representative, said the delays are caused by a rush of orders.
“Whenever we get into the fall season, and we are a big company with many clients from K-12 schools, colleges and other institutions, things get behind in responding to emails,” Mastiga said. “The company hires extra help to keep up with the influx of orders.”
Faculty members, such as
Women’s flag football program coming 2026
ECC joins national sports trend
By Sydney Sakamoto
Women’s flag football will be a sports program available at El Camino College starting spring semester 2026, according to the college’s press release.
Jeffrey Baumunk, interim dean of Kinesiology and Athletics at ECC, said the athletics department is in the process of hiring a coach and making the sport official.
“The team will begin as a club sport, but we’re ready to transition to competition as soon as the 3C2A finalizes its rules,” Baumunk said.
Flag football, a no-contact version of American football, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.
There are 230 U.S. colleges and universities with women’s flag football programs,
according to data compiled by Matthew Dixon for Collegiate Flag Football’s website.
Other California community colleges that have or are starting flag football include Cypress, Golden West, Irvine Valley, Mira Costa, Norco, Saddleback, Santiago Canyon, Southwestern and Ventura.
The sport will also debut at the Los Angeles Olympics in the 2028 games.
“We’re excited about bringing on the new sport,”
Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said.
“With so many local high schools adopting it, we know there’s a strong recruiting base.
It’s another example of our long-standing commitment to women’s athletics at El Camino.”
history professor Hong Herrera Thomas, are reporting that their students, unable to purchase their books through the Bookstore, are resorting to other methods to get the materials they need.
“All my students have complained about being unable to order their books through the Bookstore,” Herrera Thomas said. “They either obtained the books from an alternative vendor or have not purchased the materials. It is the end of week five and it has been a nightmare.”
Herrera Thomas went on to point out how moving textbook purchases online creates an
equity issue in the classroom. Students who rely on Extended Opportunity Programs and Services book vouchers are unable to redeem them and they can’t enter the payment information required.
“The inability to obtain materials needed for class directly relates to success in the classroom,” she said. “This is a huge equity issue, particularly for students in programs that provide book vouchers. These students cannot go to an alternative site and purchase textbooks.”
While some professors are struggling, others have adjusted by eliminating class textbook
requirements or offering zerocost options.
“I do not require a book in my course,” Vince Phamdo, a computer aided design professor, said. “One reason is that in my class, we learn and work together, and I provide my own paperwork for them. The other reason is the cost.”
Martin said she plans to alert her team to inform students ahead of time for midterms and the winter session, so they can order books earlier.
While waiting for their materials, many students are relying on each other, professors and free online resources to keep up.
Martin added that the Schauerman Library offers various services to meet students’ needs, including reserving textbooks for twohour rentals.
“Mary McMillan, our digital resources librarian, and other librarians work with the faculty to adopt [Open Educational Resources],” she said.
Open Educational Resources include free, digital textbooks.
Martin noted there are plans to explore long-term improvements, but El Camino College will continue with MBS as the college’s partner in providing textbooks.
“As the semester continues, I think part of it is getting used to not having the textbooks on campus,” Martin said.
News editor Erica Lee contributed to this story.
ECC hydraulics pipeline gets emergency repairs
By Eleni Klostrakis
Emergency repairs for a hydraulic pipeline are currently underway near the Art Gallery and Schauerman Library at El Camino College, according to the college’s administration.
“We know that our pipe infrastructure at El Camino is old — really old,” Loic Audusseau, interim vice president of Administrative Services, said Wednesday, Oct. 1. “And we know it needs to be replaced.”
A hydraulic pipeline is part of a series of underground pipes used to carry liquid.
Audusseau said the pipeline is related to heating and cooling in campus buildings.
While a partial replacement is underway, ECC is currently investigating a full replacement of the hydraulic pipelines to occur across campus this year, a project which will cost about $12.5 million.
About $9.5 million in funding will come from the state and the college’s own
Fund 42, which contains the college’s Measure E bond revenue, will contribute about $3 million.
“Each of those funds comes with very strict and rigid spending guides — the project has to qualify for the particular fund,” Audusseau said.
Funding from Fund 42 can only be used for used for construction or replacement of facilities, furnishing and equipment or real estate, according to the college’s 2024-25 budget.
El Camino College Bookstore cashiers ring up customers on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The ECC Bookstore is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Photo by Mikesha Traylor
Fencing surrounds a construction site near the Schauerman Library on Thursday, Oct.2. Photo by Donovan Harris
The campus community deserves to protect itself
By Union Editorial Board
El Camino College students have the right to feel safe on campus, but how can they if they don’t know what those rights are to begin with?
The college could create a culture of safety on its campus by better promoting the means students can use to defend themselves, from what tools they can carry to the classes they can enroll in.
In this issue’s Campus Viewpoints, students and faculty attending classes after 8 p.m. were asked about campus safety after hours.
The viewpoints revealed that students and faculty employ a variety of methods to stay safe, from walking in groups to being aware of their surroundings to carrying items that can be used to defend themselves, if the situation calls for it.
At least five individuals, all women, said they carry pepper spray.
According to California state law, anyone can purchase and use pepper spray as long as they are not a felon and it is being used as a means of self-defense.
However, El Camino College’s policy is less clear.
If someone types “can you carry pepper spray at El Camino College” into the Google search bar, the first result they see is an artificial-intelligence generated response stating that “No, you cannot carry pepper spray at El Camino College.”
It then links the user to an April 2024 article published by The Union student newspaper.
In the article, former police chief Michael Trevis said that weapons including tasers, stun guns and pepper spray are a “liability to permit use on campus.”
Despite the former chief’s policy, pepper spray was never officially prohibited to use as far back as 2016.
“Pepper spray, tear gas under two and a half ounces is allowed by law,” current ECC Police Chief Matthew Vander Horck said. He also added that kubaton keychains and noise makers such as Birdie devices are okay to bring as well.
As ECC moves into the midterms season, students feeling stressed out can become vulnerable.
Stress and other distractions including listening to music with earbuds can negatively affect a person’s ability to pay attention to their surroundings.
The ECCPD released its annual Clery act report, a list of crimes reported in the last year and information about campus safety services Wednesday, Oct. 1.
This report includes a chapter on General Risk Reduction for a variety of scenarios including “On Campus” and “On the Street… While Walking.”
The “On Campus” tips do not mention carrying pepper spray, while “On the Street” does.
It gives the impression that students can’t carry it while on campus, but they could on the sidewalks that borders its perimeter.
ECC should better promote a culture of campus safety by making clear what students can do to protect themselves by clarifying what they are allowed to bring on campus as well as by better promoting classes such as PE-219A, which teaches basic self-defense.
Here at The Union, we encourage our readers to practice situational awareness and to take matters of personal safety into their own hands.
Whether you are walking back to your car with classmates or making sure that a 2.5 oz canister of pepper spray is safely tucked into your pocket, stay safe these midterms and beyond.
Editors’ thoughts: Thumbs up, thumbs down
Quick intervention from first responders during the weekend’s incidents.
Keeping ECC students informed of Chemistry Building class changes.
Ongoing wi-fi issues across campus making it difficult to stay connected.
Students facing delays in getting the books needed for their classes.
EDITORS STAFF
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INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS jdifazio@elcamino.edu
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Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu 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.
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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 Farimah Dahaki
FEATURES EDITOR Rosemarie Turay
Staff Writers
Eleni Klostrakis
Giselle Jimenez
Madison Moody
Ryan Hirabayashi
Angel Stormborn
Paula CunninghamGillabrothar
Cecilia Herrera Farimah Dahaki
Frankie Jimenez Kai Lambert
JOURNALISM PROFESSOR
Taheem Lewis
Erica Lee
Seph Peters
Chelsea Alvarez Philip Kozel-Lopez
Michelle Begdahl
Late night safety edition for night classes
Campus Viewpoints
Students and faculty express their thoughts on campus life after dark
By Erica Lee
For many El Camino College students, their school day doesn’t end at 5 p.m. in the evening.
Hours after counseling offices, administrative buildings and on-site eateries close, classrooms remain open
Kathleen Muniz, 34, liberal studies/ elementary education
“ I am kind of scared. That’s why I park very close to my class after 6. I wouldn’t want to park very far. Last time, I had to call the police to escort me to my car. Last time, when I was a fashion major, I had scissors and other heavy duty items so I felt safe. I also took self defense, tae kwon do.”
to accommodate those enrolled in night classes.
About 10% of students enrolled in 171 evening classes offered at ECC during the 2024-25 academic year, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Data Mart and the college’s Academic Program Review Dashboard.
Sabrina Faxel, 22, nursing
“Pretty safe, there’s a lot of cameras so I think that’s helpful. I have a keychain on my backpack that has pepper spray and a taser as well as a seat belt cutter and a windowbreaker, a lot of safety things just in case.”
The Union sent a reporter to talk to people on campus between 8-10:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, to find out how they feel being on campus at night and the measures they take to protect themselves in this special, after hours edition of “Campus Viewpoints.”
Paul Haitkin, physics professor
“I am definitely more aware walking around at night; I try to keep my distance between me and everyone else when it’s dark. I don’t mess around, I don’t wear headphones. They’re weird places, you know, a public place but it’s eerie and strange. Maybe that’s what’s scary about it.”
“Pretty safe, actually. I have pepper spray in a reachable pocket in my bag and I carry my keys.”
“I feel fine because I live pretty close so I don’t have to stay on campus very long. I typically call someone pretty consistently at night. Just in case, I have so many supplies in my bag, like my water bottle, ruler, a lot of stuff for architecture, as self defense.”
To read more viewpoints, visit the website at ECCUnion.com.
“There’s always cops patrolling the area, so it’s pretty safe and secure. I always carry pepper spray on me.”
Tivana Flickstein, 20, chemistry
The Industry Technology Education Center, where many night classes take place at El Camino College, is illuminated Monday, Sept. 29. About 10% of students enrolled in 171 evening classes offered at ECC during the 2024-25 academic year, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Data Mart and the Academic Program Review Dashboard. During that year, there were roughly five times more day classes offered at ECC than night classes. Photo by Erica Lee
Ryan Nguyen, 18, architecthure
Gwen Chavez, 18, adminstration of justice
Top: Nursing instructor, Laura Bulatao, 42, Teaches lab skills and clinical procedures to students who are in the nursing field and programs. In this class, students have lab exams where they demonstrate what they've learned throughout the course with tasks like IV tubing and IV insertion for patients who need their fluid bags changed. Photo by Madison Moody
Left Bottom: New full-time nursing instructor Laura Bulatao, 42, teaches students how to make sure they have all the right steps taken and the right supplies needed for prepping to start the procedure on a patient. "In the nursing field, time management is an important factor as well as educating your patient," said Bulatao. Photo by Madison Moody
Top Right: Laura Bulatao, 42, is a Nursing Instructor who teaches lab skills and information on how to function in the nursing field. This class offers a room that replicates a hospital where students can test and practice on fake patients to get a better understanding of how to be a nurse and how procedures need to be done. Photo by Madison Moody
From clinicals to classrooms: Alumna brings her experience and more to the ECC Nursing Department
ECC and Chamberlain University graduate joins nursing staff as a full-time nursing professor
By Rosemarie Turay
Nursing books stacked on her desk have started to line the shelves above.
Above her desk, a calendar on the wall keeps her up-todate.
But one image stands out.
A photo of a ballerina in a pink tutu, displayed in an office that now showcases Laura Bulatao's love for nursing, reminds her of the love for dance she had when she was a ballerina herself.
Bulatao joined the El Camino College Nursing Department as a full-time professor in fall 2025 bringing both professional and personal experiences with her to continue to strengthen the program and support students.
"Opportunities like that don't always come up. So I just went for it," she said.
During this fall semester she teaches, Nursing Pharmacology, Nursing Skills Practicum and Inter Med-Surg I and II.
Before starting her new role, Bulatao led and assisted in clinicals for ECC students in fall 2024 and in spring 2025 at local hospitals.
Bulatao is a nursing practitioner with a specialty in family medicine and started working full-time in the field of family medicine in 2024.
She spent close to eight years working as a bedside nurse, primarily working at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center.
"I didn't want to leave Providence, it's my little
family, but the only way we grow is to take a leap," Bulatao said to The Union.
Even though Bulatao grew up in Fair Haven, New Jersey, she began her journey at ECC, earning her associates degree in 2018 before going on to complete her bachelor’s in 2020 and master’s in 2023 in nursing at Chamberlain University in Chicago, Illinois.
Long before she stepped into healthcare, teaching was always in Laura’s back pocket as she taught private piano lessons for about 15 years.
“I’ve always loved teaching, that’s just something that I always felt like was natural for me,” Bulatao said.
Outside of nursing, she enjoys the arts and to exercise in her free time.
During her time at ECC, she took a dance class taught by full-time dance professor Daniel Berney.
"If I could take that class again, that would be so much fun," she said.
Besides dance, Bulatao also has a love for animals.
She and her husband care for three dogs — two five-yearold German lab husky brothers that they adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the brothers is deaf, and the other has a behavioral issue.
Bulatao added the dogs are both “spoiled rotten, as they should be.”
Her third dog is a younger three-year-old "little" pup that was discovered by itself in a Target parking lot and brought to her by her friend.
“I didn’t ask my husband, he was furious and I said just
bring her over… and of course her loves her the most now,” Bulatao said.
“I want every student to succeed and it's challenging 'cause everyone has so many different learning abilities and needs and you're worried if you're delivering the message properly or efficiently,”
- Laura Bulatao
Robbie Lee, nursing director and dean of Healthcare Sciences formerly named the Division of Health Sciences and Athletics , said the Nursing Department had been short two out of 10 full-time faculty instructors before Bulatao's hire, which Lee said wasn't difficult at all because of her experience in and outside of the ECC Nursing Department. "It builds our faculty up to its maximum so we can teach our students, all of our instructors were kind of on overload trying to teach all of the classes," Lee said. The department does not plan to add to the faculty at this time until possibly next fall.
Lee was once her professor during her introduction to nursing classes at ECC.
"I remember when she was brand new and she was in my class and didn't know what a syringe was.," Lee laughs,
"So it's really great to see her get all the way," Lee said.
Over time, she would later begin to help mentor Lee’s nursing students during their clinical assignments..
As she settles into her new role, Bulatao adds that her biggest challenges are to adapt to activities and lessons while also meeting the wide range of student needs and adjusting to the culture and expectations of the college.
Lee described Bulatao as detail-oriented and attentive to both patient care and student needs.
"Those are all great qualities and everything we need as a nursing instructor," Lee said. Although they're still getting to know her, students enjoy how interactive and collaborative her class and lectures are.
"We're all kind of teaching each other and being interactive with it [the lesson material]... I think that's pretty cool how she does that," nursing major Sarah Espinosa, 22, said.
She looks forward to learning how to apply Bulatao's teachings in the classroom to hospital clinicals.
"I look forward to her teaching us how these medications work with each other and possible scenarios with actual patients Espinosa said.
"Entre Hermanas" : - Oct. 9 -12:30-2 p.m. at MICASA Center (COMM 204)
"Platica con Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz": - Oct. 14 - 1-2:30 p.m. located at Social Justice Center (COMM 204)
Fall Dance Concert : - Nov 8 - 8 p.m. located at Marsee Auditorium - Nov 9 - 3 p.m. located at Marsee Auditorium
The Laramie Project - Nov. 14, 15, 21, 22 at 8 p.m. - Nov. 16, 23 at 3 p.m. All dates are located at the Campus Theatre
Speakers' Forum - Nov. 18
- 7 p.m. at Marsee Auditorium
One-Act festival returns to center stage at Campus Theatre
Subway cars to alien invasions, a night of diverse storytelling
By Rosemarie Turay
Joy, absurdities and mystery will open the El Camino College Theatre Department’s 2025-26 season with an annual festival directed and performed by students.
The return of “An Evening of One-Act Plays,” this year titled as “A Night with Friends and Family,” will take place Oct. 3-5 at 8 p.m. at the Campus Theatre.
Three student-directed comedic plays will be showcased, including “Dinner with the MacGuffins” by Chris Sheppard, “Everything You Want” by David Riedy and “Aliens vs. Cheerleaders” by Qui Nguyen.
“This year’s festival was inspired by friendship and family, all of the plays deal with bits of friends, family and connection and how all of those things meld together in different forms,” Ayla Harrison, part-time fine arts instructor and faculty adviser for the production, said.
Tickets are $11 for students with a valid student ID. And are $17 for general audience admissions.The ECC Ticket Office is open
one hour before a scheduled performance for in-person purchases. The box office is open Monday and Wednesday from noon to 4:30 p.m.
The comedic play “Everything You Want,” directed by theatre major Brent Jasso, 23, takes place on a subway car.
Jasso’s vision for the play was so that it still takes place on a subway car but also “branches out so that it’s a little bit more interesting.”
Creating connections throughout generations
snacks, drinks and playgroups for children to interact.
Child development club offers lessons through playgroups for majors and student parents
By Madison Moody
In honor of National Student Parent Month, the Child Development Club hosted a student parent social for El Camino College students and their children Tuesday, Sept. 23, on the Library Lawn.
National Student Parent Month takes place every September to celebrate,
recognize and advocate for the needs and duties of over 3 million undergraduate student parents in the U.S. juggling school, parenting and working.
Maria Lopez, president of the Child Development Club and a mother of four, organized the event and attended with her 2-year-old son, Kairo, who interacted with other children by
“It was really me thinking about how a train car is constructed and but then trying to make sure it was translated in a way where it was interesting in a way where it was interesting on stage and to an audience,” Jasso said. Jasso said that Harrison offered suggestions such as adding a prologue to the beginning. That brought Jasso to the creative decision to begin the play in the train station, later transitioning into the train car.
“I want it to have this idea of a loss of connection,” Jasso said.
In the original play a character goes to a train station at 2 a.m. in search of a friend and later does, but Jasso added his own spin on it by having his actors not actually form a connection.
”Whether it’s surface level or they don’t put effort into a connection,” he added..
When deciding on which one-act to redirect, Jasso first researched plays that had a
dramatic mood to them, but was later influenced to search for plays with a comedic feel, where he found the one-act by David Reidy.
“As I was reading it, I could see the train in my head and different ways to use physical comedies to emphasize the punchlines of the written comedies. It was something I knew I could do with the right actors,” Jasso said. To read the full story, visit eccunion.com
playing frisbee and enjoying coloring activities.
Play groups similar to this event and hosted by the club ordinarily occur the first Saturday of each month at the Library Lawn.
The next playgroup will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lopez said the event — which offered snacks, drinks and activities for children and parents to enjoy and experience together.
While sharing the space with Connections for Children, a non-profit child care resource referral agency, and will host office
hours twice a month this semester offering free oncampus assistance for ECC students who need help finding and paying for childcare services.
To read the full story, visit eccunion.com
El Camino Arts theater actress Olivia Westhead, 20, lights up the stage in her two-man drama-comedy production, “Everything You Want.”. This semester’s festival titled as “A Night with Friends and Family,” will take place Oct. 3-5 at 8 p.m. at the Campus Theatre. Photo by Taheem Lewis
El Camino College Childhood Development Club hosts an event for National Student Parent Month at the ECC Schauerman Library Lawn on Tuesday, Sept. 23. The event offered games,
Photo by Madison Moody
Spinning full circle: Warriors get fifth coach in history
Megan Hanson looks to uplift team and bring a new culture to ECC
By Giselle Jimenez
Career-ending injuries often crush a player’s dreams before they truly begin.
As a shorter player on the basketball court, Megan Hanson was faced with constant pressure.
One crucial play changed it all for her.
Jumping for the basketball left Hanson with a snapped knee as a freshman at Esperanza High School.
Her torn anterior cruciate ligament meant long months of surgeries, recovery and tough realizations of what might come next.
Instead of walking away, Hanson was recruited to play at Cypress College, where she learned the game from a coach she calls “the John Wooden of women’s basketball,” and discovered a passion that would lead her to success.
She underwent two surgeries in her first year playing college basketball, followed by a third surgery when her body was rejecting the stitches, and had a redshirt year where she wasn’t allowed to compete but could practice with the team.
That journey has now come full circle.
Hanson, once the undersized guard batting through knee surgeries, is stepping into her biggest role yet as the new coach of the ECC women’s basketball team.
She brings not only lessons of control and strength but the perspective of a former scholarathlete and school psychologist that believes success is built on growth on and off of the court.
It was at Cypress College that Hanson formed a special connection with her coach, Margaret Mohr, a Division I athlete and health coach for the Women’s National Basketball Association.
“I feel like all of my coaching knowledge comes from her and just everything I learned,” Hanson said.
After community college, Hanson transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her bachelor’s in psychology and worked for the university.
She later earned her master’s in school psychology at California Baptist University.
She moved to San Francisco to work at Sunset Elementary School and Sanchez Elementary School.
Later Hanson returned to Newport-Mesa Unified, helping with Cypress College and Sage Hill High School basketball while assisting
athletes apply to other colleges.
She was also involved in the Cypress scout team.
“Seeing her from when we were at Cypress College [...] whenever we would ask if anybody had anything to say, she was one of the first ones that would be vocal,” assistant coach Michael Vasquez said.
Hanson’s career highlights include being named ScholarAthlete of the Year, earning the Orange Empire Conference Character Council Award, and helping Sage Hill College, under coach Kerwin Walter, to division state championship.
“She’s not a typical coach that just stands around and kind of tells you what to do, it’s like let me show you how it’s done because she played and coached at the highest levels,” Vasquez said.
Her love for basketball, along with her desire to share knowledge and build connections with young
Warriors Upcoming Schedule
Football
No.10 El Camino (4-1) vs No. 21 San Diego Mesa (2-3)
Away, Oct. 9 @ 7 p.m.
No. 10 El Camino (4-1) vs Palomar (1-4) Home, Oct.18 @ 6 p.m.
No. 10 El Camino (4-1) vs No. 5 Southwestern (5-0)
Away, Oct. 25 @ 6 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
El Camino (1-5-2) vs No. 10 Pasadena City (41) Home, Oct. 3 @ 2 p.m.
El Camino (1-5-2) vs Los Angeles City (2-4-2) Home, Sept. 19 @ 4 p.m.
El Camino (1-5-2) vs No. 3 Long Beach City (8-1) Home, Oct. 3 @ 4 p.m.
women shaped her decision to step into coaching.
“As a high school player, I wished so badly that I could have gone and played for fouryears,” Hanson said. “Being at a level where I’m going to teach you hopefully what you need to know to get to four-year is a rewarding role to be in.”
Being able to have her knowledge spread from Mohr to her athletes keeps her legacy going on.
Hanson emphasizes being a mentor to young women.
“I just love the connection that you get to build in the relationships that occur in being a coach, then continue to blossom,” Hanson said. “My gyms aren’t quiet. Communication is such a huge piece of the game.”
Hanson requires encouragement, teamwork, motivation, and high levels of perseverance from her athletes.
Knowing individuals go through challenges in their lives, she wants to be there for her players while creating the hardest workers in the gym and pushing them to greatness.
Her players notice the energy she brings.
“She comes with a lot of energy and is very enthusiastic. She gets us all hyped up to make sure we play our part as a team,” business major Aymia Smitch, 19, said.
Hanson gives gratitude from the amount of support from administration and excitement for her new position.
Read more of the story at eccunion.com
Men’s Soccer
No. 2 El Camino (5-2-4) vs Los Angeles City (3-34) Home, Oct. 7. @ 1:30
No.2 El Camino (5-2-4) vs Long Beach City (24-3) Away , Oct. 10 @ 1:30 p.m.
No.2 El Camino (5-2-4) vs Pasadena City (7-3) Away, Oct. 14 @ 1:30 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball
El Camino (5-9) vs LA Harbor (4-8) Home, Oct 10 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (5-9) vs Compton (1-9) Home, Oct. 15 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (5-9) vs East Los Angeles (1-13) Home, Oct. 17 @ 6 p.m.
El Camino (5-9) vs No.12 Mt. San Anotonio (11-5) Away, Oct. 22 @ 5 p.m.
El Camino (5-9) vs Rio Hondo (4-10) Home, Oct. 24 @ 6 p.m.
New coach Megan Hanson pictured in El Camino’s North Gymnasium on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Hanson and the Warriors’ first game will be on the road against Saddleback College on Thursday, Oct. 30. Photos by Ryan Hirabayashi
Coach Megan Hanson of El Camino women’s basketball gets involved during a practice game playing defense against guard Ay’Mia SmithMalone on Thursday, Sept. 10.