Earlier this month, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) presented Allan Hancock College’s SACNAS chapter with its prestigious Role Model Chapter for Outstanding Community Service award at its annual conference in Seattle.
The organization promotes networking and mentoring among successful working professionals and students.
“We are one of the smaller SACNAS chapters, but also one of the strongest, especially when it comes to mentorship and student achievement,” SACNAS advisor and mathematics instructor Irene Wong said in a press release.
The Hancock chapter was also recognized for its outstanding community service in 2008 and was named in 2011 the first-ever Community College Chapter of the Year.
“These awards are very competitive, and I’m so proud of our chapter members who have given so much to the community and to the college,” Wong said in the release.
At the same conference, students Eddie Triste, Elida Gonzalez, and Shane Nourizadeh presented their summer internship research. Triste and Nourizadeh studied nanosystems technology at U.C. Santa Barbara, and Gonzales took part in breast cancer research at U.C. Los Angeles. All three students were able to participate in their respective research projects because of connections made through the SACNAS organization, Wong said.
For more information about the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, visit sacnas.org.
Managing Editor Amy Asman compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at aasman@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 20-27, 2012.