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How GCC Has Changed My Life!
Sarah Black
PACE/Instructional Services
I was a teenage mother who did not attend college after high school. It
wasn't until I was a 27-year-old mother of three that I was motivated to pursue
a college education. In addition to raising a family I was working full-time, so
Glendale College was the right choice for me. In winter 2004, I attended my
first class, Psychology 101, with Michael Dulay. I was nervous my first weeks in
school and did not score as well on my first test as I had hoped I would. I beat
myself up and thought that my time to attend college had passed me by. Believing
I could handle work, school, and a family seemed nothing more than a pipe dream.
Professor Dulay thought differently. He took the time to talk to me, a new
student, and encourage me for my strengths. I put forth the effort in his class
that he put forth in me, and I earned an A. Because of his kindness, compassion,
and dedication to his craft, I continued my education. I was so enamored with
Glendale College that I accepted a full-time position in June, 2006. The
following year, June 2007, I walked across the stage having earned an A.A.
degree in Social Science with a 4.0 GPA. Last fall, I transferred to Mount St.
Mary's College. This fall, I will be a senior, and after I earn my Bachelor's
degree I plan to attend law school. Glendale College and its wonderful
professors (like Barbara Erfurt, Poorna Pal, Kerry Riley, Hazel Ramos, and of
course, Michael Dulay) instilled in me the strength and the courage to set high
goals and have the confidence to reach them.
Joe Denhart
Instructor of Lifelong Learning
Continuing Education
As someone
who had very critical parents, developed low self-esteem and stuttered, I was
the least likely person to become a teacher. Fortunately, a teacher at East Los
Angeles College saw something in me that was worth salvaging. He took me under
his wing, encouraged me and got me started in a college career teaching
psychology. But it wasn't until I came to GCC, where I was welcomed into this
great family of colleagues, that I really began to blossom as a teacher, a
husband, and a person. Between the love and support of my wife and the
wonderful friendships formed with my colleagues, I have gradually grown into a
more confident, knowledgeable, and caring teacher/person. More importantly, I
have found that I have been able to use my story to help others see themselves
more clearly. Although I am still a work in progress, if I was able to do what
I did then, with our help, there is hope for others who come from similar
backgrounds. Thank you GCC, you have made all the difference in my life.
Hollie
Stewart
Adjunct Instructor of English
I attended GCC from 1998-2000, studying with professors like Susan Henry,
Ida Ferdman, Michael Ritterbrown, and Peter Green. I was involved with the
Scholars' Program and benefitted from that highly academic environment. I have
to be honest: I enjoyed the lower division classes at GCC more than the upper
division classes at the university to which I transferred. Students should
realize how blessed they are to be in this learning environment.
Joanna
Saporito
Instructor of Social Science
I began as a
student at GCC in 1987 and had a very positive experience. My first class was
Psych 101 during summer session with Jessica Gillooly. Two classes I took in the
fall were with Mona Field and Drake Hawkins, both of whom hired me when I began
working at GCC. I am now celebrating my 10th year teaching at GCC, and I
continue to enjoy every minute of it! There are buildings that didn't exist when
I was a student, and yet there are classrooms where I teach that are the same as
when I was a student.
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