First published in the May 19 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
Late last month, Pasadena City College held a ground-breaking celebration for its new Armen Sarafian Building on campus.
The building will house classrooms and laboratories for the natural and health sciences departments, as well as the Student Health Center.
The PCC Foundation and the college have joined efforts in the “Advancing Science” campaign to raise $4 million in support of fixtures, furniture, equipment and scholarships for the disciplines housed in the new building, with $2.2 million having been raised so far.
“I’m proud be here and excited to represent PCC,” said state Sen. Anthony J. Portantino, who attended the ceremony Friday. “You all know better than anybody how important community colleges are to the health and welfare and upward mobility of Californians. For me to represent PCC is an honor, and having this building named after Dr. Sarafian, who’s done so much for education and for students here at PCC, is wonderful.”
It’s students like Janet Teng, a chemical engineering major, who stand to benefit from PCC’s “Advancing Science” campaign.
“In my time here at PCC, I received many opportunities to pursue my passion for the sciences,” Teng said. “I had the chance to intern at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory last summer and to work as a research assistant at Caltech. PCC has allowed me to present my research at a congressional conference, publish in peer-reviewed journals and win the Goldwater Scholarship for undergraduates who are interested in pursuing STEM research.”
She added, “While I hope to continue my undergraduate research when I transfer for a four-year university and beyond, my experiences gained at PCC will stick with me forever. I hope those who come after me find the same opportunities I did, especially those passionate students studying in the new Sarafian Building we’re celebrating today.”
To learn more about PCC’s mission, vision and values, visit pasadena.edu/foundation.
