Alumni
Meet some of the alumni of Mission College.
Taryn Fowlds, RN, BSN, CCRN
Associate Degree in Health Sciences from LAMC- 2014
Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Minor in Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary's University- 2017
I currently work as a Registered Nurse at UCLA in the ICU and recently obtained my CCRN in critical care. I am also apart of the Nurse Resident Mentor Program where I assist new nurse residents in their transition from novice to competent professional nurse during their first year in the clinical environment.
I would not be where I am today if it weren't for the amazing professors at Los Angeles Mission College and all of their help along the way. Thank you all for everything that you do!
Ritchell Braganza, BSN
- Associate Degree in Health Sciences from Los Angeles Mission College - 2011
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount St. Mary's University - 2014
- Pursuing Master's Degree in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner
- Currently, fourth year as a cardiac nurse, preceptor to new graduates, mentor nursing students, and charge nurse. Work with patients with heart disease, stroke, renal disease, or respiratory failure.
Daniel Roth Weinitz, RN, MSN
I am currently a Registered Nurse in the ICU at UCLA and most recently have graduated with my MSN from UCLA’s MECN program. I was inspired to pursue nursing after finding out what it entailed after my father had passed in the ICU and was totally enamored by how knowledgeable nurses were.
I knew I wanted to have an impact in someone's life and be more directly involved with patient care! The STEM programs at Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) not only prepared me for the fast paced accelerated program I was about to enter, but helped me flourish and help others with the materials and knowledge provided by LAMC. I can’t stress enough how incredible the program is and how well they prepare you to help others! Thank you LAMC!
Dr. Julieta Aguilar
- Born in Mexico City and grew up in the San Fernando Valley
- Associates of Arts in Liberal Arts form Los Angles Mission College - 2001 - (Completed science courses with Professor Reynolds)
- Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and minor in Chemistry from California State University, Northridge
- Ph.D. in Microbiology at University of California, Berkeley
- Postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Diego - investigated the potential use of a beneficial bacteria Bacillus subtilis to control human pathogens, which often infect humans after colonizing produce
- Currently Biology and Microbiology professor at Los Angeles Trade Tech College.
Onyeka Igweze
Recipient of Carla Bowman Scholarship 2019
Melanie Bocanegra, PhD
As the Associate Dean of STEM and Equity Programs at Santa Monica College, I direct the Title III Hispanic Serving Institutions STEM grant that was used to create the SMC STEM Scholar’s Program. This program supports Latinx and African American students interested in science fields.
The SMC STEM program continues to grow and receive support from the NSF, NASA and other grant agencies. I also serve as the administrative lead of Student Equity planning at Santa Monica College. Our committee works to implement institution-wide strategic planning processes to address student racial equity gaps at SMC and communicate equity-focused recommendations to SMC committees, administration, the SMC board of trustees and external constituents.
As a first-generation student and Los Angeles Mission College graduate, HSI STEM programs provided the foundation for my life-long love of science. Without these programs, I would have never been able to transfer to UCSD and eventually earn a PhD in Cancer Biology at Stanford. I am passionate advocate for students in community college that are often overlooked based on academic performance alone. I enjoy building programs that give students the tools they need to become the superstars they were meant to be.