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Artesia City Hall
18747 Clarkdale Avenue
Artesia, California 90701
562-865-6262
Artesia News
Cerritos College Project HOPE to Host Second Annual Banquet Honoring Healthcare Students
Project Increases Success of Latino Students in Health Careers
Cerritos College’s Project HOPE (Health Opportunities & 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 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.
Keynote speaker for the event 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.
“Latinos represent more than 30 percent of the state’s population, yet they only represent 4.8 percent of physicians, 4.6 percent of dentists, and 3.3% of registered nurses nationwide,” explained Graciela Vasquez, director of Project HOPE.
“This disparity among health care professionals in a community that represents such a significant percentage of the state’s population is alarming. It requires that we immediately invest in the future of health care professionals so as to guarantee adequate health care access and workforce diversity in California.”
Vasquez further explained that Project HOPE is committed to remedying the Latino health professional shortage.
“Latino youth are not having the success in education that is needed to fill the pipeline leading to professional careers,” she said. “One of the biggest impediments to education for a population such as Latinos is financing their education.”
This year, 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.
“Financial support from our community would truly make an immediate difference in the lives of our students,” said Vasquez.
An industry-supported advisory committee for the program consists of representatives
from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, VERIZON, and Orange County's
Credit Union.
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 first annual
Project Hope graduation banquet entitled, please contact Project Hope at (562)
860-2451, ext. 2788 or by e-mail at gvasquez@cerritos.edu.
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, Bell Gardens, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Norwalk, 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.
Event Contact: Graciela Vasquez, Project HOPE (562) 860-2451, ext. 2788.
Media Contact for Cerritos College: Kristen
Habbestad, Public Affairs; (562) 860-2451, ext. 2287
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