East Los Angeles College (ELAC) is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...

Monterey Park, California Monterey Park is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future". Mo ...

, a suburb of Los Angeles. It is part of the California Community Colleges System and the

Los Angeles Community College District The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is the community college district serving Los Angeles, California, and some of its neighboring cities and certain unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Its headquarters are in Downtown Lo ...

. With fourteen communities comprising its primary service area and an enrollment of 35,403 students, ELAC had the largest student body campus by enrollment in the state of California as of 2018. It was located in northeastern

East Los Angeles East Los Angeles ( es, Este de Los Ángeles), or East L.A., is an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 118,786, a drop of 6.1% from 2010, when it was 126,496. For statistical purpo ...

before that part of unincorporated East Los Angeles was annexed by Monterey Park in the early 1970s. ELAC offers

associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. The fi ...

s and certificates.

History

At the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, another city college was needed, due to a great numbers of returning servicemen. At the time the first and only city college during the 1940s was

Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campu ...

(LACC). Transportation was limited and costly, lowering the number of students able to attend LACC while at the same time the Eastside rapidly becoming an industrial center. Arthur Baum, editor of the East Los Angeles Tribune, headed a citizen's committee, a group of presidents of all clubs and organizations in the community, Principal D. Raymond Brothers of Garfield, County Supervisor Smith, Superintendent Kersey and various industrial leaders. The group presented the proposition of a Junior College to the Los Angeles City Board of Education in a special meeting on March 1, 1945. The Los Angeles Board of Education voted to establish a Junior College to become Elac on the Garfield High School campus. East Los Angeles College would be the second city college (or junior college) existing in the Los Angeles area. The Los Angeles City Board of Education established East Los Angeles College in June 1945. The college opened for classes on September 4, 1945. It opened on the campus of Garfield High School with an enrollment of 373 students and a faculty of nineteen, although the school board authorized a faculty of 25, selected from the faculty of LACC. 107 students attended college classes at Garfield, while 266 attended at L.A. County Hospital in health careers, primarily nursing. The junior college was part of the Los Angeles City Public Schools (

L.A. Unified School District Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a State school, public school district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the List of the largest scho ...

today). On September 19, 1945, the first edition of the Campus News (temporary paper) of the college was issued, while on September 25 a constitution for the Junior College was adopted and presented at an assembly. The college would have to deal with the overwhelming numbers of returning servicemen (veterans) coming in and using the

G.I. Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

. About 50,000 men were being discharged in the state every month. The college was moved to its present site on Avenida Cesar Chavez in February 1948. The college is located six miles from the Los Angeles Civic Center. A part of the 2005 Goal! movie was filmed at the ELAC

Weingart Stadium Weingart Stadium (formerly East Los Angeles College Stadium or ELAC Stadium) is a 22,355-capacity multi-purpose stadium located at East Los Angeles College, in Monterey Park, California. It was built in 1951 at a cost of $3.1 million, and followin ...

. The ELAC men's basketball team is featured in the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

series ''Last Chance U: Basketball'', a spin-off series of ''

Last Chance U ''Last Chance U'' is an American documentary streaming television series that is produced and premiered by Netflix. The six-episode first season explores the football program at East Mississippi Community College, which features several colleg ...

'', which aired on March 10, 2021. East Los Angeles College will offer the state's first community college program in

Central American Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Cen ...

studies.

College presidents

South Gate Campus

The East Los Angeles College (ELAC) South Gate Campus is an extension of East Los Angeles College. South Gate campus was created to extend East Los Angeles College's academic services to the southeast corridor of Los Angeles. Construction of a new South Gate campus started in 2019 on the former site of

Firestone Tire Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a tire company founded by Harvey Firestone (1868–1938) in 1900 initially to supply solid rubber side-wire tires for fire apparatus, and later, pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheele ...

and Rubber Co. It is expected to open in fall 2022. On March 22, 2021, the

California Community Colleges The California Community Colleges is a postsecondary education system in the U.S. state of California.California Education CodSection 70900(added to the Education Code by Chapter 973 of the California Statutes of 1988Assembly Bill No. 1725 secti ...

Board of Governors approved the South Gate Campus as an official "education center".

Theater and arts

ELAC is home to the

Vincent Price Art Museum The Vincent Price Art Museum (VPAM) is an art museum located at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, California, US. The museum is named after American actor Vincent Price who donated portions of his personal art collection to the college in ...

, a contemporary art museum named in honor of American actor and art collector

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

. In 1957, impressed by the spirit of the students and the community's need for the opportunity to experience original art works first hand, Vincent and Mary Grant Price donated 90 pieces from their private collection to establish the museum, which was the first "teaching art collection" owned by a community college in the United States. The Price family ultimately donated 2,000 pieces over the course of their lifetimes and the museum's permanent collection now contains over 9,000 pieces valued in excess of $5 million. In 1974, Roberto Esteban Chavez painted ''The Path to Knowledge and the False University,'' a 200-foot mural on the East Los Angeles Community College campus, where he worked as an arts educator and chair of the Chicano Studies department. Although the mural was destroyed by the college, the mural, its impact and the political questions surrounding the destruction were detailed in two museum exhibits: "Roberto Chavez and The False University: A Retrospective" at the Vincent Price Museum and "Murales Rebeldes: L.A. Chicana/o Murals under Siege" Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA Beyond Borders in 2017.

Student life

The school uses a semester-based academic year. The student-faculty ratio is 34-to-1. The in-state tuition and fees for 2017–2018 were $1,220, and out-of-state tuition and fees were $7,746. There is no application fee. As of fall 2018 the total enrollment at ELAC was 35,403. Full-time enrollment 7,810 and Part-time enrollment 27,593. Total entering students for fall 2017 was 34,697 full-time 8,538 and part time was 26,569. Popular programs include:

Social Sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...

Homeland Security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" t ...

Law Enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...

Firefighting Firefighting is the act of extinguishing or preventing the spread of unwanted fires from threatening human lives and destroying property and the environment. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter. Firefighters typically ...

and Related Protective Services, and

Business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...

Management Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

Marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

, and Related Support Services.

Honors Program

The East Los Angeles Honors Program, which is recognized by the UC system, the

Claremont Colleges The Claremont Colleges (known colloquially as the 7Cs) are a consortium of seven private institutions of higher education located in Claremont, California, United States. They comprise five undergraduate colleges (the 5Cs)— Pomona College, Sc ...

Occidental College Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is one of the oldes ...

and Loyola Marymount, offers rigorous courses that are designed to help students transfer and successfully transition to four-year universities. The Honors Program is open to both part and full-time students and requires a 3.0 GPA to apply and be considered for enrollment. Successful completion of the Honors Program guarantees priority consideration for admission at 11 four-year universities throughout California and

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Rankings

In 2016 the school ranked 13th for Best 2-Year College for adult learners under America's Best Colleges for Adult Learners by

Washington Monthly ''Washington Monthly'' is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C. The magazine is known for its annual ranking of American colleges and universities, which serves as an alternat ...

. In 2019 it was ranked number 1 in California and number 6 in the nation in awarding degrees and certificates to Hispanic Students, according to Hispanic outlook on education Magazine.

Activity with area high school

ELAC's football field at the

the site of graduation ceremonies for local high schools such as Garfield High School in

. It has also hosted the "East L.A. Classic" football game between Garfield against Theodore Roosevelt High School, that traditionally draws over 20,000 fans.NFLHS.COM – State Stories
In 2016 even

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

candidate congresswoman Loretta Sanchez was in attendance. First-time director Billy McMillin's film documentary The Classic about the football game won the 2017 storytelling award from the

LA Film Festival The LA Film Festival was an annual film festival that was held in Los Angeles, California, and usually took place in June. It showcased independent, international, feature, documentary and short films, as well as web series, music videos, episod ...

Notable alumni

Antonio Villaraigosa Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa (; né Villar Jr.; born January 23, 1953) is an American politician who served as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Villaraigosa was a national co-chairman of Hillary ...

, former Mayor of Los Angeles *

Esteban Edward Torres Esteban Edward Torres (January 27, 1930 – January 25, 2022) was an American politician who served as member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 34th congressional district from 1983 to 1999. Early life Torres was bo ...

, former United States Ambassador to UNESCO, Special Assistant to President Jimmy Carter, and U.S. Congress Member *

Art Torres Arthur A. Torres (born September 24, 1946) is an American former politician who served as a member of the California State Legislature. He is the vice chair of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, the governing Board of the California ...

, California Democratic Party chairman *

Ruben Salazar Ruben Salazar (March 3, 1928 – August 29, 1970) was a civil rights activist and a reporter for the ''Los Angeles Times,'' the first Mexican-American journalist from mainstream media to cover the Chicano community. Salazar was killed during the ...

, former reporter for the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

Gloria Molina Jesus Gloria Molina (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician and a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Molina broke into politics in 1982 by going agai ...

, Los Angeles County Supervisor *

Luis J. Rodriguez Luis Javier Rodriguez (born 1954) is an American poet, novelist, journalist, critic, and columnist. He was the 2014 Los Angeles Poet Laureate. Rodriguez is recognized as a major figure in contemporary Chicano literature, identifying himself as ...

, poet, novelist, journalist, critic, columnist, and Los Angeles Poet Laureate *

Ruben Quesada Ruben Quesada, Ph.D., is an American poet and critic. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In 2022, Dr. Quesada published an edited collection of essays, ''Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry'' was be published by University ...

, poet, editor, board member at the

National Book Critics Circle The National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) is an American nonprofit organization ( 501(c)(3)) with more than 700 members. It is the professional association of American book review editors and critics, known primarily for the National Book Critics C ...

Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in ''Miami Vice'' (1984–1989), ''American Me'' (1992) (which he also dir ...

, actor * Leroy D. Baca, former Sheriff of Los Angeles *

Raymond Cruz Raymond Cruz (born July 9, 1961) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series '' The Closer'' and its spinoff '' Major Crimes'', as well as his recurring role as drug lord Tuco Salamanca in ...

, actor *

Julian Nava Julian Nava (June 19, 1927 – July 29, 2022) was an American educator and diplomat. A member of the Democratic Party, Nava served as the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 1980 to 1981. Life Julian Nava was born in Los Angeles, Califor ...

, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, writer * Bob Pacheco, former 60th District Assemblyman *

Richard Polanco Richard G. Polanco (born March 4, 1951) is a former California State Senate Majority leader and member of the California State Assembly. He is known for his significant efforts in increasing Latino representation in the California Legislature. ...

, former California State Senate Majority leader and member of the California State Assembly * Susan Rubio, Member of the

California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...

from the 22nd *

Mike Fong Mike Fong (, born 1976/77) is an American politician serving in the California State Assembly from the 49th district, which includes parts of the San Gabriel Valley, including El Monte, Monterey Park, Alhambra, and San Gabriel. He was elected ...

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

from the 49th district * Katrina Dimaranan, beauty queen, actress, host, Binibining Pilipinas-Tousim 2012, Miss Supranational USA 2018, Miss Supranational 2018 1st runner-up * Kent Twitchell, muralist *

Alexander Salazar Alejandro Salazar (born November 28, 1949) is a Costa Rican-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Salazar served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 2004 to 2018. He resigned as auxiliary bishop in 20 ...

auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 2004 to 2018. *

Ben Davidson Benjamin Earl Davidson (June 14, 1940 – July 2, 2012) was an American football player, a defensive end best known for his play with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League (AFL). Earlier in his career, he was with the Green Bay ...

, former Oakland Raider *

Clarence Davis Clarence Eugene Davis (born June 28, 1949) is a former American football running back who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Oakland Raiders from 1971 to 1978, having earlier played college football fo ...

, retired NFL football player *

Antoinette Harris Antoinette "Toni" Harris (born July 29, 1996) is an American college football player who was a safety for Central Methodist University in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). She is the first woman to receive a full coll ...

, football player *

Ethan Katz Ethan Russell Katz (born July 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball Coach (baseball), coach, and former minor league baseball player. He is the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to that, Katz ...

(born 1983), pitching coach for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...

* Sylvia Mosqueda, long-distance runner * Dennis Sanchez, founder of East Side Spirit and Pride

Faculty

Judy Chu Judy May Chu (born July 7, 1953) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she has held a seat in Congress since 2009, representing until redistricting. Chu is the first Chin ...

an American politician serving as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

Notes

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control California Community Colleges Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California Two-year colleges in the United States Eastside Los Angeles Monterey Park, California Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges 1945 establishments in California Educational institutions established in 1945 * Education in Los Angeles County, California