Tyler McGee/ Roundup, Gianni DiCrosta/ Roundup
Pierce College’s Graduation day began with the Student Awards Brunch outside of the Campus Center at 9:30 a.m.
The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Dr. J.S. Noble Eisenlauer.
Ari Cohen the “Scholar Athlete of the Year” and a Tennis star this year for Brahmas was excited for his award, but more so for Pierce.
“I feel very happy that I was able to make Pierce look good. It means more that I make Pierce look good rather than myself,” said Cohen. Cohen received a 4.0 GPA.
Cohen who is originally from Santa Barbara will be transferring to UCLA in the fall while majoring in Economics and Political Science.
The following awards were given to students during the Student Awards Brunch today.
President’s Award:
Cindy Gerges
President Rocky Young Student Award:
Marisol Osorio
Academic Senate Scholarship:
Consistent Excellence Scholarship
Ryan Peretz
Most Improved Student:
Daniel Prescott
2010 Student Marshalls for Graduation:
Kian Bemanesh and Myrna Mora
Associated Students Organization (ASO)
Anne Gelvoria Memorial Scholarship:
David Hill
Michelle Smith Memorial Scholarship:
Matias Ruhweza
Eleany Busta Outstanding ASO Service Award:
Cindy Gerges
ASO Outstanding Student Award:
Barbak Zaker Sharak
Theatre Arts
Odis Ball Award:
Maggie Littrell
Geography
Gail Hobbs Memorial Scholarship:
Chris Boyte
Philosophy and Sociology
Betty Odello Perpetual Scholarship:
Hillary Elizabeth Chesler
Arash Najibfard
Robert Brennan Park
Cheryll Pyot
Philosophy and Sociology Student Leadership Award:
George Diez
Adrian Jules
Ishpreet Sidhu
April Vilgera
Black Student Success Alliance (BSSA)
BSSA Community Leadership Award:
Adrian Jules
BSSA Campus Leadership and Academic Achievement Award:
David Hill
BSSA Outstanding Academic Achievement Award:
Amber Dupree
Political Science and Economics
Sol D. Kaufler Memorial Scholarship:
Cynthia Brunt $1500
Donna Rumaldo $1500
Phillip E. Brotherton Scholarship:
Young Hye (Martina) Chun
Paul Muhumuza
Computer Applications and Office Technologies (CAOT)
Outstanding Beginning Keyboarding Student:
Alice Young
Outstanding Beginning CAOT Student:
Marisol Garcia
Most Improved CAOT Student:
Kaylon Clark
Outstanding Word processing Student:
Silvia Jabagchourian
Outstanding Computerized Accounting Student:
Anita Ravani
Teresa Caruna Memorial Award:
Patricia Suarez
J. Dean Arbogast Award:
Simin Javedani
History
History Department Scholarship Award:
Charanjit Singh
Lif
e Sciences
e Sciences
Shari Heller Memorial Scholarship:
Rico Ardy
Media Arts
Outstanding Radio Program Director:
Natalie Yemenidjian
Outstanding Assistant Radio Program Director:
Jeff Sandstoe
Excellence in Multimedia:
Adriana Acre
Excellence in Podcasting:
Robin Anderson
Most Dedicated Roundup Fall 2009:
Anibal Ortiz
Most Dedicated Roundup Spring 2010:
Andre Fuller
Emily Kelley
Best Cub Reporter Roundup Fall 2009:
Jeff Sandstoe
Best Cub Reporter Spring 2010:
Gianni DiCrosta
Alyssa Wejebe
Top Gun Photographer Fall 2009:
Louie Heredia
Best Cub Photographer Fall 2009:
Victor Stephen Kamont
John Gallo Scholarship Award Fall 2009:
Louie Heredia
Tor Gun Photographer Spring 2010:
Amber-Rose Kelly
John Gallo Scholarship Award Spring 2010:
Amber-Rose Kelly
Business Administration
Wall Street Journal Outstanding Business Student Award:
Michael Losurdo
Agriculture
Ron Weschsler True Horsemanship Award:
Carmen Wolfisberg
Malibu Garden Club Scholarship:
Kelly Fernandez $250
Justin Kurpjuweit $250
West Valley Garden Club Scholarship:
Julie Jorgenson $500
Ken Rathjen $500
Robert Goldsmith Horticultural Excellence Award:
Stacy Perlman $1000
E Deming Williams Horticultural Award:
Pat Cullen $500
Madeline Pyo $150
Rita Kathlyn $150
Speech
Excellence in Public Speaking Award:
Linda Salgin
Athletics
2010 Outstanding Scholar Athlete of the Year:
Ari Cohen 4.0 GPA Tennis
2010 Scholar Athletes of the Year:
Ryan Dayton 3.9 GPA Football
Samantha Velasco 3.7 GPA Women’s Basketball
Rento Santiago 3.6 GPA Men’s Swimming
Micea Pitariu 3.6 GPA Men’s Swimming
Natasha Wilroy 3.6 GPA Women’s Volleyball
Renya Rochin 3.6 GPA Women’s Volleyball
Christopher Suard 3.5 GPA Football
Zachary Wagner 3.5 GPA Baseball
Gina Piazza 3.5 GPA Women’s Soccer
William Chapman 3.5 GPA Baseball
Zachary Gilula 3.5 GPA Baseball
Child Development
Child Development Academic Achievement Award:
Nahid Farahani
Tracy Hovsepian
Bruce Reback
Outstanding Child Development Student of the Year:
Tracy Hovsepian
Music
Michael McGee Memorial Scholarship:
Nancy Perillo
Physics
Physics Department Scholarship Award:
Erica Alyse von Buelow
Sara Grundeen
Anthropology
Outstanding Anthropology Graduate Award:
David A. Ramcharan
iv>
English
English Departmeant Scholarship:
TBA
Chemistry
Howard Mell Grenne Award:
Ryan Peretz
Anoosh Zadfar
Organic-Biochemistry Award:
Rico Ardy
Kianpreet Kaur
Ernest Kuljian Award:
Roger Blakely
CRC (Chemistry Reference Book) Award:
Sarah Lamoyne
Vasily Rozenbaum
Dan Covey memorial Returning Student Awrad:
Henry Gonzalez
Service Award:
Cornea Eisenlord
Romeo Hernandez
Kiranpreet Kaur
Adriana Ramirez
Orren Segal
Jeremy Schloss
Nursing
Sue Tokuda High Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Senior Student:
Jiane Crouch Fall 2009
Elizabeth Barrett Spring 2010
Academic Excellence Award:
Tatyana Sevastyanova Fall 2009
TBA Spring 2010
Mathematics
AMATYC Student Math League Competition:
Top Three Students
Shadi Mohaghedi
Shawn Recinos
Sina KhodadadKouchaki
Honorable Mention
Alexander Kheshvadjian
Danny Yu
Michael GI
Brian Downey
Darren Uyeda
Viken Chouchanian
Eugene R. Slattery Award:
Daniel Daskalov
The “Alice in Wonderland” themed Faculty Gala followed at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall. Pierce Interim President Joy McCaslin was dressed as Alice.
“It is a year end celebration to commerarte the yearly milestones of the faculty,” said Vice President of Accademic Affairs Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. “It is a chance to let down our hair and celebrate the end of the year.”
Margaret Wessling Associate Professor of Physics was being honored at the Gala. Wessling has been at Pierce for five years and advanced to the rank of Associate Professor.
“It has a theme every year and this year apparently it is Alice in Wonderland,” said Wessling on the theme of the Gala.
“I’ve been here (Pierce) for five years and this is the first time being recognized as part of the event and that’s pretty fun,” said Wessling.
The following awards were given to Faculty members during the Faculty Gala today.
Faculty Gala 2010
Retirees:
Susan Aminoff
John Carthew
Norm Crozer
Kathy Daruty
Anne Gibson-Lott
RoZsa Hovarth
Kate Kubach
Norm Levy
Ed Mazeika
James Rikel
Bill de Rubertis
Hayward Nominee:
Bob Martinez
ASO Professor of the Year:
Kathy Oborn
5 Years and Advancement in Rank to Associate Professor:
Kathleen Boddicker
Tom Fortune
Mitra Hoshiar
Fernando Oleas
Concepcion Tiu
Margaret Wessling
10 Years and Advancement in Rank to Full Professor:
Monique Dobbertin
Greg Gilbertson
Lauren Valdes
Advancement in Rank to Full Professor:
Robert Hart
5 Years:
Carol Kozeracki
15 Years:div>
Jennifer Martinez
Steve McHargue
Robin Sawyer
20 Years:
Karen Lakin
Kambon Obayni
25 Years:
Tom Rosdahl
Raymond Wells
Elizabeth Whith
30 Years:
Jack Ahmadian
Dick Aherns
Rob O’Neill
John Schneider
Katherine Yoshiwara
35 Years:
Bernadine Pregerson
Kathleen Reiter-Vasquez
Richard Skidmore
Larry Kraus
40 Years:
Bill de Rubertis
Gene Larson
Norm Levy
Bruce Rowe
The 62nd annual Pierce College commencement ceremony took place at Swisher Park tonight to commemorate the class of 2010.
An excess of 3,500 friends and family members attended the event to support the graduating class that consists of 1,800 recipients of various degrees and certificates.
The ceremony began with addresses from four speakers, including a speech by Student Marshall Cindy Gerges.
“The ceremony went very well,” said David Shutzer, professor of anthropology and academic senate treasurer. “The speakers were very concise and gave very pointed messages.”
Following the speakers, each graduate walked across the stage and received a certificate from Interim President Joy McCaslin, and then professors flanked the aisle as the entire graduating class marched out of the ceremony.
The sense of pride and joy was evident in the graduates as they greeted teary-eyed friends and family.
“At first I didn’t really care for the ceremony, but being here, it’s truly breathtaking,” said Michael Lenardson, 27, a computer science major.
Additional reporting by Natasha Aliabadi, Travis Vail and Jessica Conway.
Student speaker Cindy Gerges talks to her classmates and the crowd during the graduation ceremony today in Swisher park. (Victor Stephen Kamont / Roundup)
Diana Levine and Izzy Goodman present Karen Lakin with her twenty year award at the Faculty Gala 2010 held in the Great Hall today. (Victor Stephen Kamont / Roundup)