East Los Angeles College

East Los Angeles College is a community college, of the Los Angeles Community College District, located in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park. It compliments 14 communities comprising its primary service area. It was located in northeastern East Los Angeles (hence the name) before that part of unincorporated East Los Angeles was annexed by Monterey Park in the early 1970s. ELAC, as it is known, is located in the southern area of Monterey Park where it is primarily populated by second generation Mexicans/Hispanics/Latinos (the areas north of the hills are heavily populated by second generation Chinese Americans). ELAC is a two year college, offering associate degree programs in over 25 fields as well as both academic transfer courses which prepare students for admission to the University of California and California State University system and occupational programs which prepare students for careers in two years or less.

ELAC is considered by many as the primary accessible higher education stepping stone for East Los Angeles (East LA) and its surrounding areas e.g. Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights, City of Commerce, Montebello, Bell, Bell Gardens, Maywood, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Vernon; as well as the South West San Gabriel Valley areas of Alhambra and Monterey Park. ELAC offers high school students that did not acquire the GPA, grades, or missed the college/university deadlines an opportunity to acquire and/or further develop the necessary Math, English, study and discipline skills, explore majors and career fields, and be able to research four year colleges and universities that grant B.A./B.S. degrees.

Associated Students Union

The Associated Students Union (ASU) is an organization that emphasizes social and cultural programs representative of the varied student body. Campus clubs have open membership to students who are members of the ASU.

Theatre and Arts

ELAC is the home to the Vincent and Mary Price Gallery and the Vincent Price Art Museum, the repository of the art collection of famous actor Vincent Price.

Future developments

Construction of the new Performing and Fine Arts Complex will house the Vincent Price Art Museum, The Fine and visual Arts Building and the Peforming Arts Bulding.

* The Vincent Price Art Museum will be three stories high and the basemen will include an 8,000 ft vault used for storege. To protect all the art work special heating and cooling system will be installed in the building.

* The Fine and Visual Arts Building will be the largest of the three structures. It will house the Art, Music, and Dance departments.

* The Performing Arts Building will contain two separate performing theaters.

Trivia

ELAC's football field is the site of graduation ceremonies for local high schools such as Garfield High School in East Los Angeles.

In 1984 ELAC hosted Olympic field hockey matches.

Also, ELAC's football field is also famously known as a location where the film Forrest Gump was filmed in particular when Forrest Gump is mowing the football field at his Alma Mater, while the football field can be clearly recognized as ELAC's football field in the background.

Notable alumni

* Antonio Villaraigosa - Mayor of Los Angeles
* Leroy D. Baca- Sheriff of Los Angeles
* Gloria Molina - Los Angeles County Supervisor
* Art Torres - California Democratic Party, Chairman
* Bob Pacheco - Former 60th District Assemblyman

External links

* [http://www.elac.edu East Los Angeles College official website]
* [http://www.elac.edu/collegeservices/vincentprice/index.htm The Vincent Price Art Museum at ELAC]
* [http://www.elac.edu/departments/library/library/ East Los Angeles College Library]