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Citrus College

San Gabriel Residents Vote Citrus College Best Community College in Region

San Gabriel Valley residents have voted Citrus College as the best community college in the region, adding to the numerous accolades recently awarded to the college, including being named one of the top 50 community colleges in the nation and being selected by the Aspen Institute to compete for its $1 million prize for excellence. It was recently announced that Citrus College is one of 10 finalist institutions in the running for the prize. Media contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

Former Citrus Singer to Make Debut in Sting’s Upcoming Broadway Play

A former member of the internationally renowned and universally celebrated Citrus Singers is set to make her debut on Broadway this fall. Shawna Hamic – who graduated from Citrus College in 1998 and has performed in regional productions such as "Pirates of Penzance" and "Once Upon a Mattress" – successfully landed a role in a new Broadway musical written by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, who composed a number specifically for the Citrus College alumna to sing during the show. "The Last Ship" will open on Broadway in October, following a pre-Broadway world premiere from June 10 to July 13 at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre. Photos of Hamic are available. Media contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

Citrus College’s ‘Café Con Leche’ Event to Inspire At-Risk Students

Citrus College, in partnership with the City of Azusa, will present its annual “Café Con Leche” event aimed at empowering at-risk students and inspiring plans for a brighter future. The event, taking place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, will include 80 high school students and their parents from the Azusa Unified School District. It will feature keynote speaker Sen. Dr. Ed Hernandez and a special tribute to Jaime Escalante by one of his former students. Students will also listen to powerful and touching stories from individuals whose lives have changed as a result of attaining their college education, as well as learn about college and career options. There will also be break-out sessions on the affordability of a community college education and accessibility. Media contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

Citrus College Cape OWLS Selected for Shell Eco-Marathon Challenge

Follow-up Story: Follow-up Story: They may have been new to the competition, but that didn’t stop the Citrus College CAPE Owls from making an impressive showing at the 2014 Shell Eco-marathon Challenge, where their engineering, physics and automotive technology skills were put to the test. Dubbed the New Kids on the Block, the Citrus Automotive and Physics Eco-marathon (CAPE) Owls – an interdisciplinary research group composed of seven students – was one of 126 student teams from across North, Central and South America to compete at the eighth annual global competition, which took place April 24-27 at the Discovery Green Park in Houston. In a race to determine whose student-built vehicle could travel the farthest distance using the least amount of energy, the CAPE Owls ranked in 27th place out of 41 in their category. Photos are available. Media contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

High School Students Explore the World of Arts & Entertainment at Citrus College

Follow-up Story: Follow-up Story: Nearly 1,000 area high school students delved into their creative passions on March 26 when the Citrus College Fine & Performing Arts Department hosted its 9th Annual Open House, which featured opportunities for students to get a glimpse into the world of arts and entertainment, from acting and singing to sculpting and painting. There, students were exposed to the array of respected instructional and career education programs Citrus College offers, including fine arts, dance, instrumental music, theater technology, recording arts and photography. Photos of the event are available. Contact: Juliette Funes, (909) 447-2404 (office)

Citrus College RISE Team a Finalist for Lakers Youth Foundation $5,000 YOU Grant

The Lakers Youth Foundation has announced that the Citrus College Research In Science and Engineering (RISE) Team is one of five finalists selected to compete for its January 2014 $5,000 YOU Grant. The research program is composed of three teams – the Rocket Owls, Space Owls and CAPE Owls – each of which work independently on a STEM-based research project and compete in intercollegiate national and international competitions, as well as conduct monthly outreach activities at local K-8 schools. Contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

Citrus College Student Who Grew Up in Foster Care Sets a High Bar

Josielyn “Josie” Mercado entered the foster care system when she was 11 years old, shuffling from school to school every few months and never having a place to call home. However, while the Azusa resident's home life was in a constant state of flux, the now 18-year-old never let the circumstances under which she lived limit the ambitious goals she could set for herself. After enrolling herself in Citrus College’s Foster/Kinship Care Education and Resources Programs, Mercado is now a first-year, full-time student with a 3.5 GPA and plans to become a registered nurse or physician’s assistant. She was recently selected by California Youth Connection to attend a “Day at the Capitol” in Sacramento, where she advocated for improving the foster care system. Photos are available. Contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)

Citrus College Learns Lessons from Santa Monica College Tragedy

Follow Up Story: As tragedies unfold on school campuses across the nation, Citrus College is taking proactive measures to ensure that campus safety and emergency preparedness are a top priority for both faculty and staff, who were recently challenged to imagine the unthinkable. During a staff development day on Feb. 18, Citrus held two workshops on how to respond to real-life mass shootings on campus. The all-day event also included a panel discussion presented by Santa Monica College staff who dealt with a tragic shooting last year and what they learned from it. Citrus College then presented its own emergency preparedness plan. Photos of the event are available. Contact: Juliette Funes, 909-447-2404 (office)