Left to right: Ann Garten, Dr. Dena Maloney, and Andrea Sala of El Camino College.
Wow! Writing this column for over 18 months, I have never had such a difficult time starting an article. Simply said, there are so many positive things occurring at El Camino College, I don’t know where to begin.
First and foremost, I would like to welcome Dr. Dena Maloney, a South Bay native, who was chosen as El Camino College’s president after a nationwide search. She is the sixth president in the El Camino Community College District’s 68-year history. Dr. Maloney’s enthusiasm and vast experiences will enhance and continue to increase the college’s role in the South Bay.
I was welcomed to El Camino College by Dr. Maloney, Ann Garten and Andrea Sala. Ann Garten is El Camino College’s Community Relations Director and Andrea Sala is the Executive Director of El Camino College’s Foundation. They provided information about the rich history of El Camino College, as well as a projected future of growth and success.
El Camino College has been dedicated to serving the community’s educational and cultural needs for more than 68 years. The college is well-known for academic excellence, their consistently high transfer rate to four-year colleges and universities, as well as their career training programs.
If you have not been on the El Camino College campus in the past three years, I strongly encourage you to visit. El Camino College has celebrated grand openings of brand new buildings, including a new $29.9 million CAT building: a 44,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art learning center offering modern learning facilities for students. The new facility houses the college’s welding technology, automotive collision repair and painting, automotive technology, and air conditioning and refrigeration programs.
Additionally, a 105,090 square-foot Industry Technology Education Center (ITEC) has been completely renovated to feature 70 classrooms and 24 labs that provide access to 209 new computers, training equipment, and tools for drafting, fashion, and cosmetology programs. Administration of justice, architecture, automation robotics and manufacturing, engineering technology, fire technology, emergency medical technology, electronics and computer hardware technology, and the observatory are also located in the ITEC building.
El Camino College also celebrated the grand opening of a new STEM Center. The El Camino College STEM Center supports student success, retention and graduation by serving as a hub for tutoring and academic support programs. This new $3.4 million, 9,334 square-foot learning support center is designed for students studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) disciplines.
Renovations are almost complete on Murdock Stadium, which has been a landmark at the El Camino College campus since 1949 and was named after the college’s founding president, Forrest G. Murdock. The new complex will feature a modern locker facility and a press box, as well as football and soccer fields and a 10-lane running track and field facility for college competitions, as well as an athletic training and sports medicine facility.
In addition to taking a course, strolling the campus or watching an athletic match, I strongly encourage you to see a show at the Marsee Auditorium, gaze the “night sky” in the campus Planetarium, visit the El Camino College Art Gallery or check out the Anthropology Museum.
El Camino College is a staple of the South Bay. I appreciated the time and tour that Dr. Maloney, Ann and Andrea provided. The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce wishes El Camino College continued growth and success and appreciates their 15 years of membership and partnership with the Chamber.
by Donna Duperron
Donna is the President & CEO of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce. Do you have questions about or concerns for business in Torrance? Donna would like to know. Feel free to contact her at any time.