December 11, 1998
By Elizabeth Posadas
One of the first students to enroll at the
Southwestern College Education Center at San Ysidro in 1988 was
the keynote speaker at the tenth anniversary celebration in November.
Felix J. Izarraras graduated from Southwestern College in 1990.
He described the path he took from working in the computer lab
as a student worker, then as an instructional aide, eventually
graduating from the Academy of the California Highway Patrol in
1997.
Since 1988 he has seen the development of the education center progress into an influential academic site for students who choose to begin or extend their schooling at the San Ysidro Center.
After receiving his associate of arts degree in general studies and a certificate in microcomputer applications, Izarraras' first full-time job was working for Casio Manufacturing Corporation in Otay Mesa where his position was production control assistant. He credited his associate degree as making a critical difference with his employers at Casio. He quickly became a quality control supervisor, "I was hired because of my computer knowledge and experience, and because I had an associate degree from Southwestern College," he said.
His experience as an instructional aide in the computer lab is of current benefit to him as he is now a computer instructor for his fellow officers. "I was selected computer instructor because of the work and education obtained at Southwestern College," Izarraras said.
He believes his Southwestern College education provided the basis for his career as a CHP Officer. Izarraras works in West Los Angeles, patrolling the area where he also lives with his wife, Esther Izarraras and their eight-month-old son, Daniel.
Izarraras' career was made possible because of the educational support received from Southwestern College. "My education at Southwestern College became the key to opening doors for me," explained Izarraras.
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