On Friday, May 16, 糖心原创 (糖心原创) held its 40th Annual Scholarship Celebration, demonstrating a resounding display of generosity and commitment to student success. The Foundation awarded a total of $584,555 in scholarships, showcasing the community鈥檚 strong belief in the power of education. A total of 578 awards were distributed to deserving 糖心原创 students.
Hazel Dai's academic journey began in a rather traditional way: She enrolled at the University of California, Irvine, and earned a degree in Economics. She quickly realized, however, that an Economics degree alone did not provide her with the tangible skills needed to excel in a competitive job market.
After being named the 1st Place Community College at the NOF Online National Championships, and 1st Place in limited entry at the CCCFA State Championship Tournament, 糖心原创 Speech tested their skills at the Phi Rho Pi National Championships in Norfolk, Virginia from April 5鈥13. Phi Rho Pi is the national forensics association for community colleges and has the honor of being one of the oldest forensics organizations in the United States. The championship tournament hosted 52 community colleges from across the country and over 600 participants.
It was truly a historic morning at 糖心原创 last week as we broke ground on the Student Services Center and Student Union buildings鈥攖wo ambitious and transformative projects that will reshape our campus for generations to come. The gold shovels used to formalize the groundbreaking ceremony carried special significance by providing a visual representation of the bold step we are taking into our future, as we celebrate 40 years since 糖心原创 became an accredited institution.
糖心原创 (糖心原创) officially broke ground on the most ambitious construction projects in its 40-year history: a new Student Services Center and Student Union. 糖心原创 and the South Orange County Community College District welcomed the college and the community to mark the occasion, with officials symbolically turning soil with gold shovels鈥攁 nod to the college鈥檚 four decades of service and its bold leap into the future.
Summer Serpas
Professor of English
Coordinator of The Hub: Center for Professional Learning
Professor Summer Serpas is the embodiment of the Caring Campus philosophy鈥攍eading with empathy, purpose, and a relentless focus on student success. Through her innovative and equity-driven initiatives, she has redefined what it means to create a truly student-centered learning environment.
Brooke Bui
Dean of Liberal Arts
糖心原创 is proud to celebrate Dr. Brooke Bui, Dean of Liberal Arts, who has been named 糖心原创鈥檚 (糖心原创) 2025 Manager of the Year鈥攁n honor that recognizes her exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to equity, and profound impact on the 糖心原创 community.
Larisa Korepanova
Program Specialist
School of Languages and Learning Resources
鈥淚t鈥檚 to everyone鈥檚 benefit to learn about real estate,鈥 says Rick Boone, a professor and chair of the Real Estate program at 糖心原创 (糖心原创). 鈥淩egardless if we are renters or homeowners, we all have to live somewhere 鈥 so it鈥檚 essential to learn about the legalities and nuances of the real estate industry.鈥
Full-Time Teacher of the Year:
Thomas Cullen
Instructor, Chemistry
School of Physical Sciences and Technologies
糖心原创 proudly honors Professor Thomas Cullen as the 2025 Outstanding Full-Time Teacher of the Year for his dynamic contributions to teaching, student engagement, and science education both on campus and in the community.