By Anna Ortega
Contributing Writer
Filled with passion and experience, Joyce Garcia is the bookstore manager and the new manager at the Husky Store. Garcia has been the bookstore manager for the last three and a half years. She loves to work with students. They are her passion, and to be able to help them is her pride.
She became the cafeteria manager six months ago when the ex-manager, Christina Gaytan retired. She knew that being in charge of the three stores it would not be easy. Garcia said “ it is not difficult, but it is a lot of work.”
Garcia started working for East Los Angeles College 30 years ago as a student worker when she was 15 years old. A few years after, she became a secretary. This position was a part-time job, so she had a second job at Marie Calendar’s.
The opportunity to get a full-time job arrived. Garcia was offered a position as an assistant manager at the bookstore and she loved it. It was the beginning of Garcia’s career. For 10 years, Garcia stayed on this position, learning everything about the bookstore. She said her managers taught her everything she knows.
Garcia was unable to go to a university, but she received a certificate in Business Administration. She always encourages her student workers to pursue their education. She did not need a Bachelor’s for her career, but she knows that having a degree on one’s resume can open doors for better jobs.
One of the Bookstore’s workers, Ben Almeida, said, “Joyce is wonderful, creative, a motivator and she is looking for ways to help students.” He also said Garcia would drop whatever she is doing to listen to her workers and assist if she can. Almeida also said that Garcia understands students are going through difficult times and a simply clean table could make them feel better.
When Garcia became manager of the Husky stores, she proposed to sell during the East L.A. Classic football game. She considered it important to get the profits for the school instead of letting them go to outside vendors. The rain that night put a damper on the profits expected.
Garcia also said that in about two years, there are plans to build a three-floor building where the F5 building is now located. The first floor of the new building would be split in half. One half would be dedicated to the bookstore and the other half would be for the cafeteria.
Garcia believes Elans are very respectful compared to students at some of other colleges. She has only ever worked at ELAC, but after many years of service, she has pride in it. To her, this is the best college.
[Editor’s note: The current version of this story has been changed and edited from the original posted version.]