STUDENT SUCCESS

Job Placement: A total of 120 CTE students were successfully placed into internships in which they received college credits.  Of the 120 students, 38% were placed into permanent jobs during the fall semester.

Journalism Regional Awards: Los Angeles City College (LACC) Journalism students win 10 regional awards from the Journalism Association for Community Colleges (JACC).  Top awards in the Southern California region for Web Broadcast News, Video Journalism, General Newspaper Excellence and Magazine Layout and Design have been awarded to LACC students by the Journalism Association for Community Colleges (JACC). Luis Rivas won first place, Magazine Profile Feature, for his candid portrayal of the struggles of former LACC student and current "Celebrity Rehab Coach," Bob Forrest. Rivas recently transferred to California State University .Northridge where he was hired as a managing editor of The Daily Sundial. The first place award for Luis follows top honors for "Best Print Writing" from the Los Angeles Press Club for his thoughtful piece, "Communities within Communities," a look at the "tribes" within the Occupy L.A. Movement. Judges called Rivas' work, "Outstanding in its originality, informative and witty. Journalism at its best." Rivas came to LACC in 2010 from the Valley Star at LAVC. He was fully trained, but continued to grow and hone his craft at the Collegian. He is among the most talented students to come through the program, and his byline is one to watch for in the coming years. Current Collegian Co-editor-in-chief, Matthew Mullins won second place, Magazine Opinion Story, for "Photographers Still Do it in the Dark," observations on the 200 year old process of developing film in the dark room, and the teaching of process at Los Angeles City College. Richard Martinez produced, Josefina Nunez reported and Dave Martin shot the video for Collegian Wired to win second place, Web Broadcast News, covering the opening of "Welcome to the Edge," the Da Vinci Gallery's showcase of artists on the edge of L.A.'s contemporary art scene.

Journalism National Honors Pacemaker Award: El Don of Santa Ana Community College, the LACC Collegian, the El Camino College Union, the Sun, of Southwestern College and The Advocate, of Contra Costa College have been named finalists for one of the highest awards in scholastic journalism, the ACP Pacemaker Award. Five of the nine community colleges awarded Pacemaker status are California schools. The award is akin to the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism on the collegiate level. This is the third Pacemaker finalist award for the Collegian since 2008, but LACC has not won the Pacemaker since the late 1960s. The Pacemaker is awarded to the best student newspapers in the nation that produce quality coverage and content, and show evidence of sound news judgment. Newspapers must show leadership on the opinion pages, and sensitivity to controversial topics. Judges recognize newspapers that demonstrate evidence of in-depth reporting and series, as well as a look and design that is clean and contemporary. Judges also look for quality in photos and art that is technically excellent. The Collegian is also being recognized for excellence in student designed advertising. 

Nursing Students: Fall 2012 nursing students passed at 100% the state NCLEX examination, which is a requirement for California nurses to work in their profession as registered nurses.

FACULTY AND STAFF SUCCESS

Published Authors: Social Sciences Adjunct Professors, William Cuddigy and Robert P. Hager, Jr. published an article and book review, Warrantless House-To-House and Fourth Amendment Originalism and Kennedy, Crushchev, and the most Dangerous Place on Earth, respectively. Dr. Wendel Eckford, Chair of Social Sciences published an essay entitled, I'm Going to Make You Change Your Major, in Historically Black Colleges and Universities - The Book.

National Journalism Award Returns to LACC after 40 Years: Staff members of the LACC Collegian are the winners of a 2012 Newspaper Pacemaker Award - the highest recognition accorded by the Associated Collegiate Press. Twelve LACC students attended the 91^st Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisers National Convention in Chicago last week, alongside students from Southwestern College, Santa Ana Community College and eight other two-year programs from across the nation and Canada. California universities and colleges were represented in the finalist schools like San Francisco State, Chico State, U.C. Berkeley, UCLA, USC, the University of Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Loyola and Biola University. Students looked on as finalist awards went to Harvard Crimson, Yale University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Syracuse University, and Northwestern among others. LACC has been a finalist three times since 2008, but the Pacemaker award has eluded students since the late 1960s. The Pacemaker is considered the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for scholastic journalism.  The breakthrough win came as a complete surprise to LACC students who attended the convention. "I am proud of our journalists, photographers, artists and designers, and hope to have the chance to improve the quality of our work as we go forward," said Richard Martinez, Collegian co-editor in chief.

Staff Award: Ms. Carrie Apolonio, Financial Aid Technician at LACC, received the California Community College of Financial Aid Administrators (CCCSFAAA) "Making a Difference" award.  This award is presented to those financial aid professionals who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others and in their community.  Ms. Apolonio has worked at LACC since 2009, and has shown her devotion to the foster youth in many ways.  Her selfless efforts and networking of the Guardian Scholars resulted in a wealth of partner relationships that enabled the foster youth to have more beneficial living and academic experience.

PROGRAM SUCCESS

CalWORKs: The CalWORKs program served 654 students in fall 2012 compared to 757 for the entire 2011-2012 program period.  The CalWORKs program staff have streamlined their processes to position the program for success in serving students.  Each student has received an educational plan to guide their paths to academic excellence!

  

Career Technical Education/LACC Gear-up Collaboration: LACC Gear-up, in partnership with the Career Technical Education (CTE) program, welcomed 120 students from Berendo Middle School for Career Exploration Day on November 27 and December 6, 2012.  The middle school students had an opportunity to learn about the college's financial aid options, dual enrollment, and toured the Cinerma and Theater CTE departments.  The events took place at the new Student Union building.  Students also participated in a scavenger hunt to find out about various service areas and programs on campus.

 

College Readiness Academy (CRA): The College Readiness Academy (CRA) is the first non-credit to credit program at LACC that focuses on preparing students to enhance their basic skills education, and transitioning them to college level courses with the skills to succeed.  The CRA provides a comprehensive academic and social support program for first year basic skills students. In fall 2012, the CRA successfully prepared 16 students to transfer into the FYE program for spring 2013.

English Literacy and Civics: The Workforce Investment Act, Title II Adult Education - Non-credit English Literacy and Civics grant program generated 933 payment points in the instructional areas of English as a Second Language, English Literacy and Civics, Adult Basic Education and/or Vocational Education.

The program is performance based and the payment points were generated by students earning a significant gain or two level gain measured by the CASAS pre-test and post-test scores, passing the Citizenship Oral Interview, and the Government and History for Citizenship test and/or additional assessments.

Foreign Languages Department: The Foreign Languages Department hosted the Chinese American Film Festival in fall 2012 in the Student Union building.

Music Department: The Chamber Chorale and College Choir (Irene Kim, director) presented an informal performance on the new Student Union steps on  November 28, 2012. The combined chorus of over 80 singers presented selections from Vivaldi's masterpiece Gloria, plus pieces by Haydn and other contemporary composers. In November, members of the Chamber Chorale attended the Music Association of California Community Colleges (MACCC) conference to participate in a workshop led by Cristian Grases, assistant professor of choral studies at USC.  

Non-credit Skills Certificates Awarded: Los Angeles City College has awarded a total of 669 non-credit skills certificates to students who successfully completed programs for Customer Service, Entrepreneurship Training, In-Home Support Services and VSEL for Home Health Aide, and Job Readiness.

Project Accessible Hollywood Fest (PAH Fest): LACC successfully hosted its 6th consecutive PAH Fest Los Angeles in October 2012.  The event was a huge success where numerous LACC students enjoyed the experience of learning artistic expression through digital media.  Created by Christopher Coppola, the self-identified "pirate" of the Coppola family. PAH Fest is a week-long festival that introduces participants to the world of film-making following the simple motto, "think it, shoot it, share it."  This year's festival included panels by LA-based Women in Music and Microsoft - who spent three days introducing students and staff to the new features of Windows 8 and the emerging field of Application Development.

Radiology Department (Rad Tech):  In September of 2012,  the LACC Radiology program was inspected for an accreditation review by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), and received full program accreditation in fall 2012.

Theater Department: LACC and Los Angeles High School of the Arts staff and faculty hosted a field trip to the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles on November 11, 2012, to see the "Untitled Warhol Project."  The Untitled Warhol Project is a biographical play that protrays Andy Warhol's life in two different ways - as a public figure with the fame and glory in which people grew to respect and as an introverted and self-contained person who was different from the "norm."  Both high school and college students were able to ask specific questions of the actors as they pertained to their respective areas of study.  Most cast members were from the LACC Theater Academy.