By Guadalupe Barriga
Future transfer students were acknowledged by the Transfer Center on Monday night.
The event was organized by the Transfer Center members. East Los Angeles College students who are transferring to a four-year university, along with their family members and the faculty participated.
It was a two hour event from 6-8 p.m.
The celebration started in the middle of building S1 and S2.
Each student was able to bring one member of his or her family due to lack of capacity in building S2, however students were welcome to bring more than one family member.
Family members, students and faculty ate and took pictures before the ceremony. Everybody celebrated the students’ success.
It was ELAC’s 4th annual Transfer Reception, so members of the Transfer Center wanted to make it bigger and more entertaining.
When the ceremony started, each student was shown through a slide show with his/her name, photo and future four-year university. Parents and faculty were able to see where students will spend the next four years of their lives.
The crowd was excited and happy to watch the students succeed in community college. Each student worked hard to earn their credits in community college to finally continue their majors in a four-year university.
All students received a certification with their name printed. Those students who will be walking the stage during graduation will also be acknowledge for transferring to an university.
ELAC faculty was also recognized during the ceremony. Every student voted for the staff that helped the most during their paper work to transfer. The staff who was nominated and won received a medal for helping out the students. “The staff changed the students’ lives,” Frankie said.
Students hope more staff gets involved in helping students fill in paper work and help them follow every step to transfer to a four year college. Staff is very important in this situation and their help is needed.
ELAC President Marvin Martinez was also present during the ceremony. He celebrated and honored the future transfers.
Being part of this event wasn’t hard, the student just had to show prove of their transfers. If said that they are eligible to transfer, student only had to sign up and get his/her name on the system to get his or her certificate.
The transfer center wants more students to participate in future ceremonies. For this occasion, the staff passed down flyers to students to get the ceremony known by others. They also had meetings and passed the word with clubs and programs.
There is a deadline and students must register by the deadline to participate.
It is different than graduation because it is another special way to applause the students who have a pass to a four-year university. The Transfer Center believes those who worked hard to be able to transfer should be honored for their dedication at ELAC.
The transfer center hopes to continue the tradition and acknowledge students every year.
There were food, drinks and decorations all provided by the Transfer Center. The ELAC mascot was also present to recognize the future transfer students.