El Camino College Students Awarded Scholarships from Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach
While fulfilling her lifelong dream to pursue a college degree, Rebeca Garcia Aquino juggles parenting responsibilities while running a household, working, completing her classwork, and creating plans to start her own business one day. The single mother and El Camino College student is motivated by her children to keep going and inspired by her late fiancé, who always encouraged her to go back to school.
“I always wanted to go to college, but I didn’t have a pathway or the guidance to get here,” she said. “I was struggling and lost; then I was lucky enough to have people show me the way. And now look, here I am, I’ve almost graduated from El Camino and I’m going to transfer to Cal State Dominguez Hills next spring. I can hardly believe it myself.”
Aquino’s efforts were recently recognized by Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach with the Live Your Dream Award. She is one of six El Camino students to win this substantial education award for women who provide the primary financial support for their families so they can improve their education, skills and employment prospects. Every year, Soroptimist distributes more than $2.9 million in education awards to over 2,000 women all over the world. Award recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, child care, tuition and transportation.
Aquino is a member of the CARE program on campus, which, along with EOPS, help keep students informed about scholarships and workshops, while connecting them to important on- and off-campus resources.
Lolah Gomez is another recipient of the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award. The mother of three earned a degree in social and behavioral science from El Camino last spring; this year she will graduate with a second degree in Spanish and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, San Marcos. Gomez is part of EOPS and the CARE program; both have made a tremendous difference in her life.
“CARE helped me reach goals I didn’t even think I could achieve,” she said. “It opened so many doors for me and showed me so many resources. The CARE team suggested I apply for the Soroptimist scholarship. So, I did some research and attended some events. I found a welcoming environment, with amazing people. Even if I was not awarded a scholarship, it is such an awesome group, with very supportive people. I was happy to be involved with them.”
An honors student who is the first in her family to graduate from college, Gomez plans to explore careers as an investigator in law enforcement, or maybe as an advocate for immigration policy. She’s also considering starting a small business and is currently working on a memoir. Whatever she decides, she wants to be a voice for others and assist whenever she can.
“I feel like my future has so many possibilities,” she said. “I am dedicated to serving my community; I think it’s my calling to help others. And I am not afraid to try new things; I insert myself in spaces that I never thought I would belong in. I want to go where I am needed.”
Registration is now open for summer and fall 2025 at El Camino College. Hundreds of in-person, online, and hybrid courses are available to help students meet their academic and career goals in a welcoming educational environment.
The schedule of classes, in both digital and searchable formats, can be viewed online: www.elcamino.edu/admissions/schedule.asp. Students may register online 24 hours per day at www.elcamino.edu by clicking on MyECC. Financial aid is available to qualifying students – go to www.studentaid.gov/ to apply. For more information, view www.elcamino.edu or call toll free 1-866-ELCAMINO.
More information about El Camino College’s EOPS and CARE programs, along with other important resources, is available online: www.elcamino.edu/support/resources/.