Cerritos College Foundation Awards $18,000 in Scholarships

35 Students Get Assistance with Their Educational Pursuits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2009

Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 860-2451 ext.2287

NORWALK, Calif. - December 3, 2009 - The Cerritos College Foundation awarded 35 student scholarships totaling $17,950 during its Board meeting on Thursday, November 19.

Among the organizations presenting scholarships were the Habib American Bank, the Woman’s Club of Artesia-Cerritos, GST, Norwalk Woman’s Club, and the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association (SMCDA).  A number of scholarships awarded were established by private individuals as well.

The $500 Guadalupe Sanchez De Hernandez TRAC Scholarship was presented to Kesia De La Campa of Downey.  Established in memory of Guadalupe Sanchez De Hernandez, the scholarship is awarded each fall to a non-native English speaker newly admitted into the Teacher TRAC program.

The Alice Wang Scholarship, an award of $500 each, was presented to Natalia Contreras of Pico Rivera, Zobaida Yasmin of Norwalk and Rita Munoz of Baldwin Park.  Established by J.P. Wang, Foundation board member and owner of GST, in honor of his wife Alice Wang, the scholarship recognizes a single mother majoring in child development.

The $500 E. Maude West Scholarship was presented to Guadalupe Rios-Ramirez of Buena Park.  The scholarship was established by long-time Artesia resident E. Maude West, who was renowned in the community for her charitable work and her commitment to women's issues and the pursuit of educational goals.

Isabelle Maciel, of Norwalk, was presented with the $750 Ellen Carver Re-Entry Scholarship, which was established by the Woman’s Club of Artesia-Cerritos in memory of club member Ellen Carver.

Woman’s Club of Artesia-Cerritos member, Joanne Witt, presented the Woman’s Club of Artesia-Cerritos Scholarship, an award of $750 each, to Lori Dominguez of bellflower, Chung-Mi Chang of Lakewood, and Martha Aguilar of Norwalk.  The scholarship is awarded to female students re-entering the academic world. 

Dominguez got some more help with completing her educational goals with a $500 scholarship from the Norwalk Woman’s Club, which is also awarded to a female re-entry student.

Tom Jackson, Cerritos College Trustee, presented Sylvia Guzman, of Pico Rivera, with the $500 Cerritos College Retired Faculty Association (CCRFA) Teacher TRAC Scholarship.  This scholarship is awarded to a student newly admitted into the Teacher TRAC program.  Jackson, a retired Cerritos College accounting professor, is a member of CCRFA.

The $1,000 Cheryl A. Epple Memorial Scholarship was presented to Chavonne Mosqueda of La Habra and Marie Marroquin of Pico Rivera.  The scholarship was established in 2004 by Bob Epple, Cerritos College Trustee and husband of the late Cerritos College Trustee, Cheryl Epple, and his family to honor Cheryl and recognize students who are committed to service in the community.

Another scholarship established by a long-time Cerritos College Board of Trustees member, the John Moore First Step Scholarship, was presented by Moore to Ramon Garcia of Bell, Brandon Carr of Downey, and Astrid Anaya of Long Beach.  The scholarship was established by Moore, a now-retired 19-year member of the Board, to help first semester college students who show the promise of succeeding.

Carmen Bramasco, of Norwalk, was presented with the $700 Golden Girls Scholarship. Established last year by five women, the scholarship helps female re-entry students.  The “golden girls” decided that instead of spending money on birthday and Christmas gifts for one another they would instead put the money into a scholarship fund. 

Debra Moulton, of Artesia, received the Carmen Solis Pratt Re-Entry Scholarship, an $1,600 award, presented by retired Norwalk Superior Court Judge Dan Pratt.  The scholarship was established by Judge Pratt in memory of his mother who valued education, but was never able to attend college herself.  

The $500 Broderick/Commeford Scholarship was presented to Christina Campos of Lynwood. The scholarship was established by the late Cerritos College reading professor, Dr. William Broderick, and named in memory of Broderick and his father-in-law.

The Jeannie M.T. Yang Scholarship, a $500 award was presented to Hector Arellano-Garcia, Jr. of North Hollywood and Luis Bautista of Hawaiian Gardens. Established in memory of Dr. Jeannie M.T. Yang, a community college professor who had a great passion for education, this scholarship awards promising students in the automotive department at Cerritos College.

Another automotive scholarship, the SMCDA Automotive Technology Scholarship, was presented to Alexis Rumbo of South Gate, Juan Arreola of North Hollywood, and Danny Quazada of Paramount. The scholarship gives a $600 Tool Voucher to automotive technology students.  Automotive technology students usually need to have their own tools which can exceed $30,000.  This scholarship allows its recipients to get a jump-start on their toolbox.  

SMCDA also presented the $1000 SMCDA Northwood 3rd Year Scholarship to Gabriel Gutierrez, Jr. of South Gate. This award assists Cerritos College students who have completed their first two years in automotive technology training and are pursuing their bachelor’s degree through Northwood University’s program.  

Anna Mariel Francisco, of Bellflower, received the $1,000 Habib American Bank Business Scholarship.  The scholarship is awarded to a qualified student who is a declared business major.

The Robert W. Collins Scholarship for Administration of Justice Students was presented to Fernando Arroyo, of Bell Gardens, who received a $500 award. A $250 award was received by Victor Nevarez of Paramount and an award of $200 each was presented to Briana Newman of Norwalk and Chien Ting Liu of Los Angeles.

Additionally, Adrian Vega, of Paramount; Kimberly Reyes, of Norwalk; Valerie Zavala, of Norwalk; Arisdelzy Villanueva, of Norwalk; and Joanna Hall, of Buena Park, each received $100 in recognition awards.

This scholarship was established in memory of administration of justice faculty member John Collins’ father, Robert W. Collins, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, who rose through the ranks to become chief of police for the City of Monterey Park.

“The Foundation exists to support these students who are pursuing their dreams of a better education and an improved life,” said Steve Richardson, executive director of the Cerritos College Foundation. “These award winners are fine examples of the caliber of students we have at Cerritos College.”

 

The Cerritos College Foundation, a non-profit organization, serves as a charitable vehicle for the community, individuals and alumni, to assist with financial support of Cerritos College. Visit the Foundation online at www.cerritos.edu/ccf.

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages nearly 23,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at http://www.cerritos.edu/.

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