Cerritos College Project HOPE to Host Second Annual Banquet Honoring Healthcare 
Students
Project Graduates 23 Students to Help Meet Latino Health Professional Shortage
For Immediate Release: April 26, 2006
WHAT: Cerritos College’s Project HOPE (Health Opportunities and Pipeline to Education) will host its annual graduation banquet entitled “Ensuring Diversity in the Health Professions” on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the Cerritos College Student Center. The banquet will recognize 23 graduating Project HOPE students, all of whom are transferring to four-year institutions including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine and Cal State Long Beach.
Marino Branes, of Norwalk, is one of the graduates who will be honored on May 2. During his time as a Project HOPE student, Branes participated in a supplemental instruction program for his chemistry class, and for the first time in his educational experience, he received an “A” in a course.
“Everything has evolved around me in the last three years,” Branes said.
“I have found another person inside myself within the Project HOPE program.”
Branes explained that by achieving in his chemistry course at Cerritos College, he gained the foundation and confidence to excel in all of his science classes and to plan on successfully transferring to a four-year university. Branes has been accepted to University of California, Irvine and will begin classes there in the fall with the goal of becoming a physician.
Jasmine Navarrete, of Sun City, returned to Cerritos College pursue her dream to become a physician after leaving school temporarily to have a son. Now graduating from the Project HOPE program, she will be transferring to attend University of California Riverside in the fall.
“Project HOPE has changed my life," she said.
"I'm grateful to Project HOPE for inspiring me to continue forward in pursuing my goals in higher education."
Keynote speaker for the Project HOPE banquet will be Dr. Ismael Nuño, chief of cardiac surgery at LAC/USC Medical Center; Azucena Gómez, of Telemundo, is scheduled to serve as master of ceremonies.
Cerritos College’s awareness of its diverse student population and changing community needs contributed to the birth of Project HOPE four years ago through Title V funding. Project HOPE is designed to increase the number and success of Latinos and other underrepresented students entering the health professions.
Project HOPE Director Graciela Vasquez explained that the disparity among health care professionals in a community that represents such a significant percentage of the state’s population is alarming.
“We need to promote an immediate investment in the future of health care professionals so as to guarantee adequate health care access and workforce diversity in California,” she said.
Project HOPE's graduation banquet serves to both recognize its graduates and to invite business partners, civic leaders, community members and friends to support the program.
Health Net and Verizon are premier sponsors of the event. Other sponsors include Aetna, Alta Med, Blue Cross of California Foundation, Care 1st Health Plan, City of Norwalk, Intra World Wide of America, JWCH Institute, Inc., Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Mental Health Association in LA County, Office of Supervisor Don Knabe, Orange County’s Credit Union, Sav-On A Su Salud, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, UCLA and Wells Fargo Bank.
“It is with the support of the corporate sponsors that Project HOPE is able to make a difference in students’ lives,” explained Vasquez.
“Scholarships awarded at our May 2 banquet will provide assistance for graduating students to successfully transition to the university level.”
WHEN: Tuesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Cerritos College Student Center
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA 90650-6298
View a campus map
here.
CONTACT: For more information about sponsoring a table at the second annual Project Hope graduation banquet entitled, please contact Project Hope at (562) 860-2451, ext. 2788 or by e-mail at gvasquez@cerritos.edu. Table sponsorships are $1,000 each and individual seats are $150.
Project HOPE is dedicated to increasing the number of Latinos and other underrepresented groups entering, matriculating, and completing health careers. The project aims to create an academic pipeline facilitating the success of minority students in this competitive field. Program activities include: student services geared toward health careers; teaching strategies and courses that increase retention and success of Latino students and other minorities; organized workshops, conferences and research opportunities; community service venues; and peer and professional mentoring. For more information about Project Hope, visit www.cerritos.edu/hope.
Cerritos College celebrates the 2005-06 school year as its 50th anniversary in serving 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 Southgate. 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 surpasses 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at
www.cerritos.edu, and view a celebratory site honoring the college’s 50 years of tradition, honor and values at
www.cerritos.edu/50.
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