Glendale Community College

Commencement 2023

The 94th annual commencement was held Saturday, June 17, celebrating the graduating class of 2023. The class includes:

• 1,208 individuals who have earned 1,870 degrees and certificates of completion – a record number for the second year in a row.
• 678 of those are associate degrees in arts and sciences and 682 are associate degrees for transfer.
• The youngest graduate is 17 and most senior is 77 years old.
• There are 36 graduates of the GUSD Hoover High School Early College Academy including four who have received their high school diploma and associate degree.

Check out this year's program, photos, and video.

Transfer Student Celebration

The Transfer Center hosted the Transfer Student Celebration on June 1 in the Student Center. It was held to congratulate GCC students who have been accepted to transfer for fall 2023 to a four-year college or university. The attendees were given Transfer Cords that could be worn at GCC Commencement. Many wore apparel from their transfer universities. And there was a dunk tank! See it here.

Mentoring Students of Color

The GCC Student Equity Department offers two mentoring programs for students of color. They are:

1. Mentoring Men of Color (MMC). This program is designed for men of color students at GCC and through its objectives supports students' sense of belonging, heightens students' sense of self, enhances their critical thinking and leadership skills, and supports motivation and success. The mentor-mentee partnership is cultivated over the course of one academic year.
2. Mentoring STEM Students of Color (MSTEM). This program matches STEM students with STEM faculty who provide engagement opportunities and professional guidance in the student's respective major and career interest. Mentors collaborate with their mentees on hands-on, experiential projects that encourage critical thinking and engagement for the students.

The ultimate goal for both mentoring programs is to support students’ growth in their areas of interests, promote opportunities for self-discovery and leadership, and provide brave spaces for mentors and mentees to be creative and inspire change for themselves and for GCC as a whole.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about the program or in signing up to become a mentor can visit glendale.edu/mentoring.

Check out photos from the 2022-2023 MSTEM and MMC Culminating Events held May 26  where mentors and mentees presented their final products, talked about their experiences in working on their projects, and shared their challenges and successes from those experiences.
 

Honors and Awards Banquet 2023

This year, 1,766 scholarship applications were submitted to the Scholarship Office with 524 students receiving scholarships for a total of $352,000. Donors, recipients and students of distinction were celebrated at the annual Honors and Awards Banquet held June 2 on Plaza Vaquero. See highlights of the festivities here.

Retirement/Service Awards Luncheon

The annual Retirement and Service Recognition Luncheon was held June 7 in the Student Center. Presentations were given to retirees and to employees who reached GCC service anniversaries of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years. A list of service award recipients can be found here. Enjoy photos of the event!

Congratulations to this year's retirees!
Roger Bowerman
Lisa Brooks
Colleen Daly
John Gerz
Ophelia Gonzalez-Carrasco
Lina Gupta
Sonik Hakopian
Susan Henry
Patricia Hironymous
Marcia  Irvin
Wendy Kazanjian
Sharon Lencki
Robert B. Liddiard
Mark Maier
Anahit Makhmuryan
Levon S. Marashlian
Ara Melikian
Robert Walter Mott
Sang Soo Nam
David Nelson
Beth Pflueger
James Henry Perkins
Susan Ryan
Arturo Segura
Juliet Sulian
Lois Tedrow
Debra Thompson
Mark S. Wessel

Tenured Faculty Event

A reception was held on May 16 before the Board of Trustees meeting honoring the faculty members who have received tenure. See them being celebrated here.

Newly tenured faculty are:
Hassina Baharloo – Student Services – General Counselor
Paolo Banaag – Student Services – General Counselor
Jason Bender – Business Division – Business Administration
Diana Carrillo – Student Services – DPS Counselor
Martha Cuevas – Dual Enrollment Counselor - Student Services
Deborah Diehl – Visual & Performing Arts Division – Media Arts
Cynthia Flores – English Division
Caroline Hallam – Library and Learning Support
Gagik Labadzhyan – Physical Science – Chemistry
Luis Labra Bahena – Mathematics
Jason Marshall – Physical Sciences Division – Physics
Simon Mirzayan – Business Division – Computer Information Systems
Vladimir Paransky – Business Division – Computer and Information Systems
Maite Peterson – Social Science Division – History
Susanna Semerdzhyan – Noncredit ESL Division
Mayra Sierra – Mathematics Division
Michelle Stonis – Social Science Division – History

Faculty Awards

The Academic Senate presented the annual Faculty Awards at an event held in May. The Distinguished Faculty Award (DFA) recipient is Stacy Jazán, Professor of Spanish and Faculty Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness. The Dr. William L. Parker Exceptional Service Award recipient is Ellen Oppenberg, Learning Disability Specialist, DSPS Accommodation Resource Center.  Academic Counselor Cynthia Vasquez is the recipient of the Exceptional Adjunct Faculty Award (EAFA). Photos from the event can be found here.
 
More information on the faculty awards are available through the Academic Senate.

Connecting with...Jason Plourde

Meet Jason Plourde, an adjunct instructor, Wellness Coordinator and Fitness Center Lab Technician in the Kinesiology Division. He keeps GCC employees informed about wellness and fitness opportunities through the OUR Wellness Program, including Mindfulness Monday, faculty/staff Lifestyle Fitness Center hours, Zumba, yoga, chair massage and the Steps Challenge.

Why did you choose to work at GCC?
It’s all Chris Cicuto’s doing. I had just finished grad school and was coaching baseball at Valley College. I had never taught before and was looking to gain some teaching experience. I couldn’t get any teaching at Valley, so I reached out to Chris. He said he could get me some classes and I could coach for him. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.
 
Do you have a favorite memory working at GCC?  
I have a lot of great memories working at GCC, but the one that gives me goosebumps (comes up on my Facebook memories every May) is from when I was coaching baseball here in 2011. One of our players hit a walk-off homerun to beat Rio Hondo College to put us in the Super Regional Championship game, which we won, and advanced to the State Final Four.
 
One thing about you that might surprise your co-workers.
I umpire high school baseball in my spare time. I was lucky enough to be chosen to umpire the 2021 Division 3 Championship game.
 
Favorite movies/TV Shows?
The Outsiders and anything baseball related.
 
Favorite book?
The Giving Tree – I know it’s a kids book but I’ve loved it since I first read it as a child.
 
Favorite food?
Cabbage rolls.
 
Favorite sport to watch or play?
Baseball and college football.