To all of our honored guests this evening, welcome to the President’s Gala of 2004! Your continued support of East Los Angeles College is greatly appreciated. With your help, our college is moving into the 21st century as an educational leader for our community. Our college is rooted in the community that we serve. From our inception more than a half century ago, we have sought to serve a constantly growing diverse population. East provides educational opportunities to students representing a vast array of cultural backgrounds in the heart of the most diverse region in the world. Believing that there is strength in diversity, our college has always been dedicated to using this valuable resource in all of our programs. The results of this commitment have been most gratifying. As our student population has grown in recent years from 13,000 to 30,000, ELAC has been recognized as the number one community college in the state for both transfer and graduation of Hispanic surnamed students. We are ranked second nationally in these categories. Our diversity has truly “put us on the map.” Our community has recognized how the college has become a centerpiece of education in our service area. In two recent elections, and despite all of the current budgetary problems in the state, bond measures were overwhelmingly approved for new construction on campus. Thanks to the belief in us by our community members, we have already embarked on projects that will either replace or remodel every structure on campus. As diversity is the strength of our student population, our alumni also reflect the many divergent cultures of our community. We are proud that our graduates occupy positions in politics, law, education and entertainment. Tonight’s honorees reflect the broad range of backgrounds that East represents. Corporate Citizen of the Year, Philip A. Cohen; Alumnus of the Year, Ki Suh Park; Patrons of the Year Grete and Willy Norup; and artist Milford Zornes present an amazing array of cultures, ages and interests. I believe that, as an institution representing such a variety of cultures, we are truly a community college. We are directly connected to our service population. Our alumni serve as living evidence of our success. The East Los Angeles College Foundation is also an integral part of the diversity of our college. The Foundation represents our community and board members actively seek to assist and support the college in many positive ways. Their assistance was invaluable in the passage of the bond measures that will transform our campus into a state-of-the-art educational facility. They have taken leadership roles in many projects that have moved the college forward. Through fund raising for scholarships and other campus activities to providing insights into solving campus problems, the Foundation has proven to be an indispensable asset to East. They have been praised as the most active and supportive Foundation in the Los Angeles Community College District. At East Los Angeles College we understand that the only thing that is constant is change. The college is dedicated to meeting the challenges of community education. Thank you again for helping us to meet the ever changing needs of a diverse student population!

Ernest H. Moreno
President, East Los Angeles College