East Los Angeles College

Big news for ELAC students! Our Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) program saved students an estimated $6,062,700 during the 2025–2026 academic year. That's real money staying in our students' pockets!

With 60,627 enrollments in ZTC courses across Summer 2025 through Spring 2026, ELAC continues to lead the way in making higher education more affordable and accessible.

A huge thank you to faculty champions Mandy Concoff Kronbeck and Maria Betancourt, whose dedication to promoting ZTC courses on campus has made this incredible impact possible.

Want to save on textbook costs? Search for ZTC courses at bit.ly/SearchZTCatELAC

Read the full story here: https://www.elac.edu/news/elacs-zero-textbook-cost-program-saves-over-47-million-2025-2026

ELAC Huskies are making us PROUD!

We are thrilled to celebrate five incredible students from the ELAC Honors Program who represented us at the 2026 Honors Transfer Council of California (HTCC) Building Bridges Conference at UC Riverside, and absolutely crushed it!

⭐ Fatima Raad — HTCC Exemplary Achievement Award Winner & Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Semi-Finalist
⭐ Lucy Zhuo — HTCC Exemplary Achievement Award Winner
⭐ Noor Raad — Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Semi-Finalist
⭐ Derek Lee — Presented original research on air quality solutions for LA communities
⭐ Edith Ung — Presented research connecting air pollution to women's cancer outcomes

From food insecurity and environmental justice to neuroscience and the law, these students are tackling REAL issues with REAL research. And they're doing it from a community college.

Read the full story here
https://www.elac.edu/news/elac-honors-students-shine-statewide-research-conference

Shoutout to ELAC's own Daniel Lambert, Adjunct Associate Professor of English, for representing ELAC!

Professor Lambert spoke at the Future of Writing Symposium at USC, where he tackled one of today's biggest questions: How is AI changing the way we write and teach? He delivered lightning talks on teaching dystopian fiction and writing pedagogy that hit close to home for ELAC students.

He also presented original research at the SFAM Speculative Fiction Conference in Monterey Park. This is a deep dive into Harlan Ellison and Sherlock Holmes that's now published on The Strand Magazine website.

Science fiction isn't just fun to read, it's a lens for understanding climate change, AI, and the world we're living in. That's the kind of forward-thinking scholarship our students deserve.

Interested in writing or speculative fiction? Keep an eye out for Professor Lambert's courses or follow him

Sociology professor Dr. LaQuita Jones was selected as one of only 8 faculty members nationwide to participate in the prestigious 2026 CAORC Overseas Faculty Development Seminar in India!

Through this fully funded program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Jones traveled to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Agra, diving deep into topics like sustainability, cultural heritage, and global social issues. She's back at ELAC and already bringing those experiences into the classroom — developing new assignments, activities, and case studies that will give our students a truly global education.

She'll also be sharing what she learned with fellow faculty at Opening Day and the Social Sciences Department Summit, and is looking forward to an exciting collaboration with the National University of Law in Jodhpur to connect ELAC students with peers abroad.

We're so proud of Dr. Jones for representing ELAC on the world stage.

https://www.elac.edu/news/elac-sociology-faculty-member-selected-prestigious-india-seminar

🎶 ELAC, we have something special to celebrate! 🎶

Our very own Professor Dr. Lucy Nargizyan is performing at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Tuesday, April 21 at 8:00 pm with the LA Philharmonic! 🎹✨

She'll be performing Schumann's Quartet alongside LA Phil musicians Mark Kashper, Leticia Strong, and Jason Lippmann — and we couldn't be more proud!

Dr. Nargizyan has performed across the globe, won international competitions, and has dedicated her career to inspiring students right here at ELAC. This is YOUR chance to see a true Husky legend on one of the most famous stages in the world! 🐾💚

🎟️ ELAC students get in for just $12!
To grab your student discount, create a student account here first:
👉 https://www.laphil.com/concerts-and-events/packages-and-ticket-info/student-discounts

Then grab your tickets here:
👉 https://www.laphil.com/events/performances/3767/2026-04-21/beethoven-schumann

📅 Tuesday, April 21, 2026
🕗 8:00 pm
📍 Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Let's pack the house and show Dr. Nargizyan some Husky love! 💚🐾 Tag a friend who should come with you!

🐾💚 ELAC FAMILY, we have a Husky headed to the NFL Draft and his story will give you chills!

Meet Max Iheanachor, a former East Los Angeles College offensive lineman who is expected to hear his name called at the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23–25! Draft projections have him going anywhere from the late first round to the middle of the second, with one mock draft projecting him as the #28 overall pick.

Here's what makes his journey truly remarkable 👇

🏀 Max never played high school football — he was a basketball player at King/Drew High School in South LA.
💡 ELAC Athletic Director (and former football coach) Bobby Godinez saw his potential and gave him a shot on the gridiron.
📈 Max developed his skills at ELAC, transferred to Arizona State, and became one of the hottest OL prospects in the country.
⚡ His basketball background is a REAL advantage — scouts rave about his footwork, agility, and pass-blocking technique.
🏟️ He turned heads at the NFL Combine with one of the fastest 40-yard dash times among all offensive linemen and impressed everyone at the Senior Bowl.

From the courts to the quad to the biggest stage in football, this is what ELAC is all about. Opportunity, development, and Husky Pride! 🐾

The whole ELAC family will be cheering for you, Max! 📺 Tune in April 23–25 for the NFL Draft!

https://www.elac.edu/news/elac-nfl-max-iheanachors-remarkable-rise

✨ From high school dropout to healthcare professional — Vanessa Holguin's story is one you need to read.

After dropping out during her senior year of high school, becoming a mom, and later losing family members during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vanessa made a life-changing decision: she was going to pursue her dream of working in healthcare.

A single email about ELAC's Medical Assistant Program changed everything.

Today, she works full time, raises two kids, and is still enrolled full time at ELAC — just six classes away from earning TWO associate's degrees. 💪

Her advice to future students? Persevere. "If you're here today, it's because it's meant to be for you."

We are so proud of you, Vanessa! 🎓❤️

📖 Read her full story: https://www.elac.edu/news/perseverance-and-purpose-how-elac-helped-one-student-build-her-future-healthcare