Cerritos College News Release

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 Wednesday, May 7. The banquet will recognize 66 graduating Project HOPE students, all of whom are transferring to four-year institutions including UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UCLA, USC, and Cal State Long Beach to continue their education in the healthcare field.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. America Bracho, executive director of Latino Health Access in Santa Ana, California. Dr. Bracho worked as a physician in her native Venezuela for several years, and came to the U.S. to obtain a master’s degree in public health at the University of Michigan. Her public health specialty is health education and health behavior. She is recognized at the local, regional and national levels as an expert in the area of Latino health issues, health education, minority women, cultural competency, community organizing, diabetes education and HIV. She has received several awards for her contributions to the Latino community.

Project HOPE is hosting a banquet both to recognize its graduates and to invite business partners, civic leaders, community members and friends to sponsor tables at $1,000 each or individual seats at $150. Support for this event will ensure the continuation of Project HOPE and provide scholarships for low-income students heading into health professions.

Premier sponsors include Health Net, Orange County’s Credit Union, Verizon, Office of Supervisor Don Knabe. Event sponsors include Aetna, Cerritos College Foundation, Coast Plaza Doctor’s Hospital, College Access Foundation of California, Interstate Poultry, Inc., L.A. Care Health Plan, Mental Health America of Los Angeles, Norwalk Lions Club, The California Wellness Foundation and Caceres Medical Group.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Cerritos College Student Center
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA 90650

A map of the campus is available at www.cerritos.edu/guide

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Graciela Vasquez at (562) 860-2451 ext. 2788 or gvasquez@cerritos.edu.

COST: Tables are $1,000 each; 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 serves 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 South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 200 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently nears 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.

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Cerritos College

Releases 2008