Los Medanos College Students Acknowledged By Scholastic Honor Society

PITTSBURG: Three Los Medanos College (LMC) students received scholarships at the recent annual convention of Alpha Gamma Sigma (AGS), the California Community College Scholastic Honor Society. Students Deborah Van Eckhardt, Gloria Duarte and Rosanna D. Clark were presented their scholarships for excellence in academic achievement and/or community service on April 13, 2013.

AGS holds an annual convention each spring, at which the organization awards scholarships to students who excel in academics and/or community service. This year's convention, held in Ontario, CA. had 545 attendees representing 43 college chapters. At the award ceremony on Saturday, 49 student members of AGS were awarded scholarships totaling $36,500.

Ms. Clark, a resident of Antioch, received the very prestigious Robert Mantovani Award, which recognizes not only high academic achievement but leadership and service as well. She has taken five years of Spanish and varied business courses in order to better serve the growing Hispanic population in the community, by helping them to find resources in regards to affordable healthcare, education, and housing options to help their families thrive. In addition to her academics, Ms. Clark in the process of developing LMC's first Breast Cancer Awareness event for the East Contra Costa County community on October 12, 2013. All proceeds will fund two new scholarships at Los Medanos College to support a cancer survivor and a student currently undergoing treatment.

Ms. Duarte, of Bay Point, received the Kathleen D. Loly Award for exceptional academic accomplishments. As a first generation college student, she grew up in rural Mexico. She not only has excelled academically at LMC, but also is a student ambassador with a focus on helping Spanish-speaking students. She has contributed to enriching the college's new student orientations, Summer Bridge Program, and Transfer Day. In addition, she helped coordinate a fundraising run for two local non-profits, one for victims of domestic violence and another for a local youth program that creates leadership opportunities for at-risk teens. Proceeds from this event also provided scholarships for single parent students at LMC.

Ms. Van Eckhardt, of Brentwood, won the Charles Bell Scholarship for the highest level of service to our campus and community. She is currently the District Student Trustee on the Contra Costa Community College Governing Board, elected by not only LMC students but students at Diablo Valley College and Contra Costa College. She has been extremely proactive on providing a student-centered environment supporting success at Los Medanos College; serving as an Associated Student Senator and represented the student body on several faculty committees: Professional Development Committee, the Exito Grant Committee, the Measure A Bond Committee, and the AVID Committee. Debora has been quite involved with the college's Transfer Day/College Night, high school orientation, student leadership efforts, fundraising for various causes such as cancer and children's youth program as well as fostering programs focusing on equity and social justice.

 


Los Medanos College (LMC) is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. LMC prepares students to excel and succeed economically, socially and intellectually in an innovative, engaging and supportive learning environment. It provides quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities to serve the needs of a rapidly growing and changing East County while enhancing the quality of life of the diverse communities it serves. LMC is located on 120 acres between Pittsburg and Antioch, with an additional education center in Brentwood.