Dear Andrea,

"April showers bring May flowers" is certainly true these days. Everything is in bloom, including our beautiful campus! The spring semester is well under way with graduation just around the corner. The coming months are full of celebrations and milestones for our students. At the Foundation, we are busy planning our Annual Scholarship Dinner which will take place on May 15th. This event allows our scholarship donors to meet their recipients and learn about their educational journey. It's one of my favorite nights of the year, and we can't wait to honor this year's scholarship recipients and thank our generous supporters.

Happy Warrior Wednesday!

Andrea Sala

Executive Director

Celebrate Education, a program of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, brought together students, educators, and community members to spotlight the impact of programs that connect education to real-world learning and career pathways in the South Bay. El Camino College was a Distinguished Sponsor of the event.

Avery Thomas, who is a junior at North High and enrolled in El Camino's Early College program, served as the panel moderator. The Early College program allows students to earn their high school diploma AND associate's degree at the exact same time. Mimi Iglesias, an El Camino nursing student, was awarded a Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation scholarship. Congratulations to both exceptional students!

Photo: Back row from L to R; Kerri Webb, Michelle Arthur, Julieta Aramburo, Dr. Brenda Thames, Andrea Sala, Heidi Wang and Jason Barquero. Seated in front; Mimi Iglesias, Avery Thomas and Mrs. Thomas.

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual State of the State event, offering the community valuable legislative updates directly from state representatives. Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi spoke on key issues impacting the Torrance area and local businesses, including fire recovery efforts, education, and economic development.



Photo: Assemblymember and ECC faculty member Al Muratsuchi (center) with from L to R: Andrea Sala, Dr. Brenda Thames, Ann O'Brien and Heidi Wang.

El Camino College is currently accepting applications to fill two open positions on its Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee; a Community Representative and an active member of a Senior Citizens organization.

As part of the campus modernization effort made possible by voter-approved Measure E bond funds, the El Camino Community College District Board of Trustees established a seven-member Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee. This committee is charged with actively reviewing bond revenue expenditures and informing the public about those expenditures. Applicants must live within the El Camino Community College District (the communities of Inglewood, Lennox, Hawthorne, El Segundo, Lawndale, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach).

These volunteer positions require regular attendance at the four quarterly Committee meetings and provide constituent feedback. Employees, students, and vendors of El Camino College cannot serve on the Committee. The Committee’s next meeting is Wednesday, July 16 at 3:30pm in the Kenneth Brown Boardroom in the Administration Building.  

Individuals interested in applying should email a one-page letter of interest and a one-page resume outlining qualifications by May 30, 2025 to:

Brenda Thames, Ph.D.

Superintendent/President

rsandro@elcamino.edu

We are proud of our strong community partners and this includes our partnership with West Basin Municipal Water District. West Basin has supported the El Camino College Foundation for over 7 years, supporting our Community Partners program, career fairs, and sponsoring Foundation events.

During the months of April and May, West Basin will be participating in various Earth Day activities within its service area, to help promote a sustainable future. And throughout the year, West Basin continues to raise awareness of water conservation and water use efficiency. Check out West Basin's Calendar of Events to learn about upcoming local community events.

The El Camino College Foundation (EIN 95-3874302) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to fund and support student success programs at El Camino College.