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Hello!
Spring is here in full bloom with warm weather and sunny days. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and community partners, the ECC Foundation continues to invest in programs and opportunities that transform students’ lives.
And speaking of transformation, thank you to everyone who joined us for our Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards Dinner. It was a memorable evening celebrating the achievements of our outstanding alumni and the generosity of the community that helped them gain success.
Warmly,
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Andrea Sala | Executive Director
El Camino College Foundation
| | Congratulations to our 2026 Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Award Honorees | | |
A final round of applause to our Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Award honorees. The evening was a celebration of inspiration, achievement, and gratitude, highlighting everyone's accomplishments and the lasting value of an El Camino College education.
We appreciated the wise words of Keynote Speaker Dr. Melanie Lundquist, who used the analogy of redwood tree roots to building community. Her message that like redwoods, we are stronger together resonated with the room.
Thank you to all our event sponsors for their generous support.
| | Thank You to our Event Sponsors | | 2026 Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards Photo Album and Program Book | | |
Oh, What A Night!
Relive the evening’s celebration through these photos.
View the event's Photo Album.
Photos by Robert Cetl.
View the event's Program Book.
Enjoy!
| | MyLoc Dinh Appointed as El Camino College's Newest Trustee | | |
Torrance resident MyLoc Dinh was recently appointed by the El Camino Community College District Board of Trustees as the new trustee for Area 5, which includes Torrance and parts of Redondo Beach.
Ms. Dinh has a record of civic engagement and community involvement, along with extensive experience in public service. She will serve the remainder of the term vacated by Cliff Numark until the next regularly scheduled election for Governing Board members on Nov. 3, 2026.
Congratulations, Trustee Dinh! El Camino College is so lucky to have you!
Read more about Dinh's appointment and background.
| | Please Join the Conversation and Provide Valuable Input | | |
Thank you for being a valued member of our community. Would you take a few minutes to help us by sharing your input?
Join the Conversation is an ongoing effort to engage our community in shaping the future of El Camino College by gathering feedback on educational priorities, campus needs, and our long-term vision. Your input is essential, and we kindly ask that you participate in a short survey.
Access survey: Take the Join the Conversation Survey
We look forward to hearing from you and continuing this important community conversation about the future of affordable higher education in our region. We appreciate your time and consideration.
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Join the Conversation Road Show
As part of ongoing efforts to engage and educate the South Bay community through the Join the Conversation initiative, members of El Camino College’s leadership team have presented at many local organizations to help raise awareness and spread the word of this important campaign.
Photo: ECC President Brenda Thames, Rotary President Doug Kraus, and ECC's Ann O'Brien, at the Hawthorne/LAX/Lennox Rotary meeting. Dr. Thames accepted a check in support of the Del Fox Memorial Rotary Endowed Scholarship.
| | | TACC Leadership Torrance Visits Campus | | |
On March 10, El Camino College welcomed the 2026 Leadership Torrance class to campus for its Nonprofit and Education Day. Embracing this year’s theme, “Hearts and Minds,” El Camino College and the El Camino College Foundation highlighted the many outstanding programs at ECC and the meaningful work being done to educate and strengthen the South Bay community.
Sponsored by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Torrance is a program focused on developing effective leaders from across the South Bay. It provides opportunities for emerging leaders to take an active role in building a stronger community. The mission of the Leadership Torrance program is to develop effective leaders by encouraging community connections through partnerships with City officials and local businesses.
Photo: 2026 TACC Leadership Torrance Class visiting El Camino College, led by ECC tour leader Julieta Aramburo. Photo by Paul Rosales.
| | The 2026 Onizuka Space Science Day was Out of This World | | |
El Camino welcomed South Bay students in grades 5 through 12 on March 14 for a day of scientific fun and adventure. Onizuka Space Science Day is an annual free event where students participate in a variety of science-related experiments, activities, and demonstrations. The day is dedicated to Ellison Onizuka, a Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut who perished along with six other crew members during the tragic events of 1986.
ECC presenters like Paul Yun—one of the event’s longest-standing champions—make this day so unforgettable. He doesn’t just teach science; he launches imaginations. This sentiment was beautifully captured in a parent testimonial shared by Dr. Amy Grant, Onizuka Space Science Day Committee Chair:
"Just want to say thank you for the great lecture this weekend. My son, Randy Alicna, really enjoyed it. It's the first time he has ever asked me to take a photo of him with an instructor!... Randy's journey with this event started when he was just five years old, tagging along with his sister...who is now in high school. I still remember how mesmerized he was by the astronaut keynote speaker at that time (and is still mesmerized every year). His passion for space has only grown since then—at some point, he was a bit obsessed with dreams of becoming an astronaut one day."
- Glenda Lapitan, mother of Randy Alicna
Photo: Onizuka Space Science Day participant Randy Alicna (left) with ECC Math Instructor, Paul Yun (right). Photo by Glenda Lapitan.
| | El Camino College Welcomed Jee Hang Lee to Campus | | |
Last month, El Camino College was proud to welcome Jee Hang Lee, President and CEO of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), to campus. Mr. Lee provides global leadership to more than 500 governing boards that oversee community colleges.
Associate Dean of Industry & Technology, Katie Sundara, along with Robotics Instructor Joe Weichman and ECC Foundation staff, escorted Jee Hang on a tour of the ITEC Building and our advanced robotics labs and classrooms. His visit concluded with a meeting with Superintendent/President Brenda Thames and Executive Cabinet members, who discussed local and national topics impacting community colleges and El Camino students.
Photo: Jee Hang Lee, Katie Sundara, and Joe Weichman with ECC's underwater robot. Photo by Heidi Wang.
| | Community Partners Spotlight: SKECHERS | | |
We are grateful for the continued community partnership with SKECHERS and their generous support of our students. Their investment in education helps expand opportunities, empower student success, and reinforce our shared commitment to building a stronger future for the South Bay.
Over the last ten years, the SKECHERS Foundation has generously supported El Camino through student scholarships and event sponsorships totaling nearly $120K. Their National College Scholarship Program, established in 2017, has distributed more than $3.1 million to eligible students throughout the United States.
Additionally, the annual SKECHERS Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk raised more than $3.3 million in 2025 and funded over $3.1 million to local education foundations. Since 2009, the Friendship Walk has raised over $31 million, with more than $25 million to support the Friendship Foundation and public education.
Congratulations to our friends at SKECHERS! We appreciate all the great work you do!
| SKECHERS was a Sapphire Sponsor at the 2026 Distinguished Alumni & Gratitude Awards Dinner. Standing from SKECHERS (L to R): Amy Trell, Annie Frohoff, and Heidi Wang (ECC Foundation). Seated (L to R) from SKECHERS: Guest, Melissa McKay, Molly Galliher, Stacey McBride Irby, and Julieta Aramburo (ECC). Photo by Robert Cetl. | | |
March is a major season for giving in college and university philanthropy—often called “March Gladness.”
During this time, we turn to our alumni, students, families, and friends to support the El Camino College Foundation and help create opportunities that transform students’ lives.
Thanks for your support!
| | | 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. | | | | |
