El Camino Faculty Member Honored for Leadership, Dedication to Student Success

The Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) recently named El Camino College counselor and Transfer Center Coordinator Dr. René Lozano as the recipient of the 2025 John Vasconcellos Faculty of the Year Award. This award is presented each year to a faculty member whose leadership at the campus or district level significantly benefits faculty.

As a dedicated FACCC member and former Region C Governor, Dr. Lozano identified a critical gap in leadership and successfully advocated for the creation of the FACCC Counselors Committee. This statewide committee has become an essential forum for community college counselors to collaborate on key policy issues. Lozano’s efforts have been pivotal in shaping FACCC’s advocacy on critical legislation such as AB 928, AB 1111, and reforms to districts’ academic renewal policies.                                                                               

Since joining the El Camino faculty in 2008, Dr. Lozano’s leadership and unwavering commitment to empowering faculty and improving student outcomes has focused on helping students succeed by serving as a Puente mentor, Transfer Center and Honors Transfer Program counselor, HTP Advisory Council member, and Human Development instructor. He is also the former adviser to the UndocuWarriors Club.

As coordinator of the Transfer Center, Dr. Lozano has guided countless students through the transfer process and into the college or university of their dreams. Statewide, El Camino regularly places in the top 10 for transfers to the University of California and in the top five for transfers to the California State University system.

Lozano earned a doctorate from Loyola Marymount University, a master’s degree from San Diego State University, and a bachelor’s from UCLA. Congratulations to Dr. Lozano!