According to Vitalant, the College is currently the No. 1 blood donor in the region.
“Every blood donation is critically important, and achieving 100 donations is incredibly rare”, Dr. Julie Penley, Vice President of Research, Accreditation & Planning said, “Dr. Stroud’s donations have helped countless individuals in our region, and are great examples of EPCC employees’ commitment to and involvement in our community. His is a goal every eligible donor should strive to achieve.”
Fifteen years ago, Dr. Stroud was appointed by the President of EPCC to turn the blood program around. Historically, the college of about 28,000 students was only contributing about 700 pints of blood to the community yearly. Now, the college has consistently increased blood donations and averages now 2,500 donations annually.
EPCC has contributed 1,762 donations in the 2018-2019 year thus far which helped as many as 5,286 people in need, as one donation can often help as many as three people.
In 2014, Dr. Stroud was selected as the recipient of the Donor Recruiter Volunteer Coordinator of the Year and was awarded the Best School Blood Drive Award for his effectiveness in spearheading the blood drives at EPCC.
Dr. Stroud was “pleased to have the opportunity to donate [his] 100th pint of blood and help as many as 300 people especially being a universal donor with type O negative blood of which there is always a shortage of in El Paso.”
He plans to continue to donate for the rest of his life, donating every 2 months or 6 times a year, and hopes that the EPCC faculty, students and community will follow in his footsteps.
For more information on blood drive dates at the EPCC campuses please visit the schedule webpage, for more information about Vitalant, visit their website.
“It is an honor to be selected by my peers to serve as Chair-Elect for the Board of Directors of the Association of American Community Colleges (AACC). I look forward to working with Dr. Bumphus and his team to continue AACC’s commitment to advance the recognition and importance of community colleges,” Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President said.
“EPCC, like community colleges all across our nation are the pathway to the American Dream and the premier developers of the workforce. I am proud to continue the important work of advocacy, leadership and service for community colleges.”
The AACC is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges representing nearly 1,200 2-year associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.
“Based on the work he has done, especially for us in the El Paso area and what he’s done for the region, he will be a great advocate for community colleges across the nation,” Brian Haggerty, EPCC Board Chair said. “On behalf of the board, I’d like to congratulate Dr. Serrata on this great achievement.”
AACC is governed by a 32-member Board of Directors. The board represents member community colleges, maintains a vision and performance standards for AACC.
24 members are elected by the AACC membership three institutional at-large members and three public at-large members, representing constituencies such as boards of trustees, business or government, are elected by the board itself.
The chair is elected by the Board and serves one year as chair-elect, one year as chair, and one year as past chair.
Serrata was originally nominated and elected to the board in 2017 and has served on the Executive Committee since 2018. On the Executive Committee, Serrata chaired the Committee on Community College Advancement.
As part of as part of the Operation College Bound Initiative, officials with El Paso Community College and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) partnered with Ysleta Independent School District (YISD) to assist seniors in registering for college.
“EPCC is proud to partner with the school districts and UTEP to ensure graduating seniors in our region go to college,” EPCC President Dr. William Serrata said. “Operation College Bound helps students enroll and receive the information they need to make a successful transition from high school to higher education.”
Operation College Bound day at the YISD high schools provided seniors the ease and convenience to enroll in college in a familiar environment with assistance from representatives from the college and university.
“The success of our students is of paramount importance at the Ysleta Independent School District,” said YISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre.
“It is our privilege to partner with UTEP and EPCC to host Operation College Bound Days at our high schools, which supports our work to provide students with the opportunity, academic skills, and access toward realizing their dreams of postsecondary education. This allows our students to begin the transition from high school to college in a setting that is familiar to them, with resources for one-on-one assistance that they might not otherwise seek out on their own.”
Operation College Bound took place for Parkland High School on April 15th, the remaining YISD schools will be visited during April.
El Paso Community College’s 50th Anniversary: Honoring the Past, Building the Future at the museum will give visitors an opportunity to see memorabilia and learn about important milestones in the college’s history.
“We are excited to host such a commemorative event in honoring this momentous occasion. Knowing how well established EPCC is within the community, this exhibition highlights not only the institution’s successes, but the importance of education made accessible to the El Paso community and beyond,” said El Paso Museum of History Director Dr. Vladimir von Tsurikov.
The exhibit highlights all aspects of college’s history from its beginnings at Logan Heights at Fort Bliss to all the growth and accomplishments that have helped more than 80,000 students earn degrees.
“El Paso Community College has a legacy of excellence and a real commitment to serving students,” said El Paso Community College President Dr. William Serrata. “I am proud of the work that our board of trustees, faculty and staff have done throughout the past 50 years to facilitate this success which is celebrated in this exhibition. EPCC has a long history of serving this community, serving the state, and ultimately serving the nation by helping students in our region earn the degrees and certificates that they need to achieve their dreams.”
“We invite the community visit the exhibition, to explore the vibrant past of EPCC as well as to look forward to the future we will build together,” said External Relations and 50th Anniversary Co-Chair Associate Vice President Keri Moe. “This is a real opportunity for us to honor the great work that has been done and to understand the power of education in our community.”
Established in 1969, EPCC is a nationally recognized community college that offers a variety of academic programs, continuing education classes and workforce training.
Today, EPCC serves more than 28,500 students and offers 145 degree and certificate programs.
The exhibition will be on view until September 29. For additional information on the history of EPCC or other events, visit the college’s special anniversary website.
EPCC Phi Theta Kappa students nominated the president for this distinction.
“It is an honor to be recognized for supporting student success, it is even more meaningful to be nominated by students,” Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President, said. “Ensuring students have the support to enter college, graduate and achieve their dreams is our focus at El Paso Community College.”
This recognition is given to college presidents who have shown strong support of student success on their campus by recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students at their colleges.
Students nominate recipients and presidents are only eligible to receive the award once over the course of their career.
“He’s so inspirational, everything he does, he’s always leading by example and he’s always very supportive,” EPCC student and Phi Theta Kappa President Rachel Williams said.
Named in honor of the late Dr. Shirley B. Gordon, Phi Theta Kappa’s longest-serving Board of Directors Chair and a founder and long-time president of Highline Community College in Washington, The Shirley B. Gordon Award is Phi Theta Kappa’s most prestigious award for community college presidents.
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders.
More than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations make up the Society; to learn more, visit ptk.org.
“I am very honored to receive the BRLA Librarian of the Year award.” Kristin Sanchez said. “The students inspire me to continue to learn and grow as a librarian so that I can help them on their path to success.”
Sanchez is an El Paso Community College (EPCC) Professor/District-wide Library Coordinator and Rio Grande Campus Head Librarian.
“Kristin is generous with her time, her talents and her willingness to help and do for others.” Paula Mitchell, Interim AVP Instruction and Student Success said.
“She is most definitely service oriented and makes me and other librarians feel good and proud to be part of a profession that helps so many who present diverse and unique informational needs.”
The Border Regional Library Association (BRLA) is an organization founded in 1966 for the promotion of library service and librarianship in the El Paso/Las Cruces/Juárez metroplex.
Current membership includes over 100 librarians, paraprofessionals, media specialists and library friends and trustees from all types of libraries in the tri-state area of Trans-Pecos Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Chihuahua.
In addition to the new partnership, Marathon Petroleum presented EPCC officials with a $167,000 grant, that will go to support Welding and Machining Technology programs housed at it Advanced Technology Center on the Valle Verde campus.
“Education and ongoing training are required for today’s workers and the success of our community,” Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President said. “EPCC fills a vital role for our region’s employers to ensure that their employees have the skills they need to be successful in the workplace.”
With the grant, EPCC will expand its Welding and Machining Technology programs, offer additional credentials for students to receive advanced certifications and fund the latest equipment to train students in these high-demand fields.
“At Marathon Petroleum, we value the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and are committed to collaborating with our stakeholders to create cleaner, safer, well-educated communities where we operate,” Billy McClain, Marathon Petroleum Vice President of Refining said.
“One way we believe we can make a difference is to invest in initiatives that better prepare career/technical education (CTE) students for professional and academic success by increasing access to high-quality educational resources and instruction. We are pleased to partner with El Paso Community College toward this objective.”
EPCC officials added, “Certified graduates will also expand the skill base of our regional workforce, by being prepared for work with training in the professionalism and safety required in modern industry.”
EPCC officials said the center is designed to help “college students from the beginning of their college experience and guide them to a successful graduation.”
“Student success is our goal,” Sandra Lujan, Early Alert Coordinator said. “As a result, students will develop essential career skills, such as team work, study skills, public speaking and oral presentations in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fashion.”
Students visiting the center will also receive the assistance of academic advisors and peer academic coaches. The peer academic coaches are students who provide mentoring support to help students successfully navigate the demands of college life.
The center will have access to state-of-the-art technology, resources, and multimedia equipment.
“The First-Year Experience Center provides innovation and an abundance of resources that makes our students successful,” Diana Villegas said. “As a peer coach, I am present in classroom settings, assisting instructor, providing stress management workshops, and am able to coach a cohort of students.”
Early Alert helps address obstacles students face in an outside of the classroom so they can stay in and excel in their classes.
The Early Alert Program and the First-Year Experience Center at EPCC rests on the collaborative efforts of faculty, counselors, advisors and academic support services working together.
The First-Year Experience Center is located at EPCC Valle Verde Campus, room A2433.
Students, faculty, staff, administrators and board of trustees attended the opening of this innovative center which operates in conjunction with EPCC’s Early Alert Program.
“Being ranked #1 for 2-year degrees awarded to Hispanic students exemplifies EPCC’s role as a national higher education leader and our reputation for student excellence,” said EPCC President Dr. William Serrata. “It reflects our commitment to open admissions with high expectations for the students we serve, and as a result, EPCC is strengthening our community, the state, and the entire nation.”
For the 14th year in a row, EPCC has earned the nation-wide distinction of being the #1 granter of associate degrees by 2-year schools.
According to data presented in the Top Community Colleges for Hispanics issue of the Hispanic Outlook Magazine, EPCC awarded 3,128 associate degrees to Hispanic students. EPCC ranks #2 for total degrees and certificates combined awarded to Hispanic students, with 3.437 granted.
The College also ranks #2 among the Top 25 Community Colleges with the most Hispanic enrollees, with a Hispanic population of 24,537 students totaling 85% percent of the total student enrollment.
These rankings are just one of EPCC’s many national recognitions that EPCC President Dr. William Serrata is particularly proud of earning.
Serrata credits the work of faculty and staff for facilitating student success that helps students cross the stage at graduation and earn that degree or certificate. As a first-generation community college student himself, he says it is extremely important help all students, including Hispanic students, and others underrepresented in higher education get degrees since higher education is the only path to the middle class.
The annual ranking is based on several factors, including the percentage of Hispanic students in attendance, total student enrollment, two-year schools awarding the most associate degrees to Hispanics, and the percentage of Hispanics awarded associate degrees by two-year schools.
“The capability of our students is exemplified by this ranking and we are especially proud of their dedication and success,” Steve Smith, Vice President of Workforce and Continuing Education said. “This is evidence of our commitment to affordable and high-quality education, and is also testament to the efforts our excellent faculty, staff and administration who strive every day to provide our students with powerful educational opportunities.”
Data for the rankings is from the NCES IPEDS Database for community colleges granting the most associate degrees in 2017.
The award presented to Zamora during the awards banquet following the annual Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, is named in honor of Dismas’ founder.
Zamora is responsible for the development of a national initiative whose goal is to create internships in all Dismas Charities programs across the nation. His relationship with numerous universities have seen the company’s Internship Program grow quickly.
Many of the students become permanent employees of Dismas.
Education officials refer to Dismas as an ideal location as it is a controlled environment with multiple challenges. “Hector Zamora challenged me, constantly providing great feedback and being patient with me,” wrote one intern. Another offered that Zamora was “encouraging and supportive, and a positive step in my learning, ability, and progress.”
The criteria for the award states that the “recipient demonstrated exceptional motivation toward the betterment of the community through direct, active, and frequent action. They improved the quality of life of their fellow man and/or the citizenry by their leadership. They took on difficult issues and challenges, followed them through to successful fruition, made a brighter day, and offered hope for the future of his fellow man. The award-winner instilled a sense of belief and faith in others, pointing the way and offering encouragement and support and proved their honesty and integrity are at the forefront of every decision, and acted without thought of personal gain. Dismas Charities gives men and women releasing from state and federal incarceration the skills and motivation to re-enter society as contributing members. The work of Dismas is to end the cycle of victimization and to heal the human spirit.”
Dismas Charities is a not-for-profit company that operates 35 Re-Entry Centers nationwide. In New Mexico and Tennessee, it is known as Diersen Charities.
Attendees included Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President, Dr. Diana Natalicio, UTEP President and Richard Castro of McDonald’s El Paso.
For 2019, McDonald’s El Paso will be awarding $50,000 in scholarships to qualifying El Paso students who wish to attend UTEP or EPCC during the 2019-2020 academic school year.
The academic institutions will be supporting this initiative by matching the scholarship amounts for a grand total of $100,000 in scholarships–attesting to its outstanding commitment towards education and the community of El Paso.
“The initiative’s sole purpose is to provide financial support to local, dedicated students who don’t have the financial means to realize their academic goals and seek an opportunity to better their lives through education,” said Richard Castro founder of the McDonald’s El Paso Scholarships program. “By partnering with UTEP and EPCC we take this initiative to a whole new level, enabling the cause to cover the tuition of a student’s entire academic year.”
The application process begins February 4th and ends March 11th. Students can go online to apply and get more information.
The Foundation for EPCC will match the money received from McDonald’s El Paso creating 11-$4,000 EPCC scholarships for graduating El Paso high school seniors to use in the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters.
“The scholarships will help students get off to a great start in their college career,” Dr. Dolores Gross, Executive Director of the Foundation for EPCC said.
Dr. Gross added, “McDonald’s El Paso is showing its leadership by investing in El Paso’s future.”
The Foundation for El Paso Community College purpose is to raise funds to provide scholarships to EPCC students.
EPCC officials say, “The Foundation envisions a greater border community where all individuals pursue learning and improve their quality of life through education.”
The Tejanos baseball team in their 24th season and the Tejanas softball team in their 22nd season are members of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The teams play their home games at the EPCC Valle Verde campus, located at 919 Hunter.
The Men’s Baseball team begins their season on the road against Scottsdale Community College on January 25. The Tejanos’ first home stand will be versus Pima Community College February 1 and 2.
The Tejanos’ head coach Cesar Romero, is in his 2nd season at EPCC.
The Women’s Softball team begin their season on the road in Beeville, Texas at the Coastal Bend Community College Tournament. The Tejanas’ first home game is February 15 against Cisco Community College.
The Tejanas’ head coach is Kathryn Gutierrez and she is starting her 10th season at EPCC.
“This consideration is a statement to the hard work and dedication of the current and former students in the Culinary Arts program at EPCC,” Chef Jonathan Nickerson, SCS Manager said.
The program hires and trains students in the real work environment for future reference related to their major.
“STS has a positive impact for students to succeed at EPCC,” Debbie Aguilera, STS Manager said.
The STS and SCS programs were two of 10 finalists in the instructional programs and services category. The 2019 Bellwether awards
received over 200 applications.
STS is the student employment arm of the Instructional area of El Paso Community College. STS, managed entirely by students, is a program that empowers decision-making, budget management, and customer service.
Meanwhile, SCS provides hands on training and instruction to increase preparation skills in the culinary arts and restaurant management for students in the program.
The winners will be announced at the CCFA Annual Meeting on February 5, 2019 in San Antonio.
CCFA recognizes effective programs in the area of workforce development, instructional programs and services and planning, governance, and finance.
“Kindness has come from the donation from PepsiCo to the Tejano Food Pantry,” Jones Arvis, Director of Student Leadership & Campus Life said. “This will go a long way in fighting food insecurities among our college family.”
Dr. William Serrata, EPCC President; Texas State Representative Mary Gonzalez; Rebecca Acuña from PepsiCo; Arvis Jones, Director of Student Leadership & Campus Life and EPCC Student Government Association President, Bryan Mena attended the check presentation at the EPCC Administrative Services Center
The Tejano Food Pantry, a service created by a student for the students, is operated by the Student Government Association at EPCC.
EPCC officials added, that the Tejano Food Pantry “aims to minimize hunger among our students by providing free, accessible and nutritious food.”
The pantry is located at the Valle Verde Campus, 919 Hunter Drive in room C102.
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