Husky Herald: September 2024

This is the first issue of the Husky Herald Newsletter. This newsletter will be published monthly giving ELAC faculty, staff, and students a fun way to see what is happening on campus. 

The office of Marketing and Communications is responsible for the content in this newsletter and if you have any story ideas or events you would like to be added to next months issue please reach out to the College Public Relations Manager Kevin Jimenez at @email. 

Welcome back to campus for our new academic year!

Scotty Hong: From Army Veteran to MIT-Bound Scholar

Scotty Hong's journey from a U.S. Army veteran to an accomplished student at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) is a testament to perseverance and the power of education. Hong, a former Preventive Medicine Specialist who served in the Army for five years from 2017 to 2022, found his way to ELAC after seeing the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U: Basketball.

Hong's decision to join the military came from a chance encounter with an Army recruitment van. This spontaneous choice led to five years of service, during which he gained valuable life experiences, traveled the world, and developed leadership skills. The idea of pursuing higher education struck Hong during a challenging land navigation exercise. Inspired by successful veterans who excelled in college, he decided to embark on his own academic journey.

Initially apprehensive about mathematics, Hong began his studies at ELAC as a Business and Economics major. However, a transformative experience in a Philosophy class and summer research prompted him to confront his fears and switch to a Mathematics major. During his time at ELAC, Hong demonstrated exceptional academic prowess:

• Completed the Honors Program in just one year 
• Selected to present at the 2024 Honors Transfer Council of California Research Conference 
• Participated in a research internship at Yale University 

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) at ELAC played a crucial role in Hong's success. He credits the VRC staff, particularly Jessica, Razi, Sal, and Reuben, for providing a supportive community and valuable resources. Hong also benefited from the Warrior Scholar Project (WSP), a unique national program that empowers student veterans. ELAC's partnership with WSP has enabled numerous student veterans to attend summer programs at prestigious universities across the country. 

Hong's hard work and dedication have paid off spectacularly. He has committed to attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study Computer Science and Engineering. To fellow veterans starting their academic journey at ELAC, Hong offers this advice:

• Utilize the resources available at the VRC 
• Choose classes and professors wisely 
• Seek guidance from VRC staff members
• Take advantage of organizations such as Service to School and the Warrior Scholar Project 

Scotty Hong's story exemplifies the potential for success when determination meets opportunity. His journey from the military to MIT serves as an inspiration to veterans and students alike, showcasing the transformative power of education and community support. 

At the start of this semester, we wanted to share some of the best tips and tricks for using Microsoft Outlook. Hopefully, after reading this you can get the most out of Outlook and increase your daily productivity. These tips and many others were taken from the Outlook development team. Go to the following article to learn more.

4 Ds of Processing Emails 

When reading your messages, decide whether to:

•   Delete it. 
•   Do it (respond or file for reference). 
•   Delegate it (forward). 
•   Defer it (using categories and flags) for a second review in your task list. 

Folders

Set up a series of folders in your inbox that can help you to file and arrange messages. Best practice is to create folders based on projects, offices, contact groups, etc. This can help you when you are sorting through your inbox with the 4 Ds of processing emails.

You can also mark folders as favorites that way they are at the top of your folder list when you first open Outlook

Categories 

Categories in Outlook allow you to manage items in many different ways. There are three main types of categories that we recommend creating:

•   Project (can include people) 
•   Topic 
•   Location or activity 

Categories aren’t a required aspect of this system, but they will make your life easier if you are diligent about using them. For example, they can help you more easily identify what you can do now and help you group similar tasks so that you can do them all at once.

To create categories, do the following:

 In any view, on the Home tab, in the Tags group, select Categorize, and then select All Categories.

Font and Color Choices

When it comes to customizing your emails there are countless color and font options for you to select but often times simpler is better for those who are on the receiving end of your emails. Most people spend no more than 12 seconds scanning an email so if your color or font choices make it harder to read it will slow down the recipients' ability to understand your email.

For font choices stick to one of the following choices. These fonts are used in every email provider service today and are easy to read.

• Arial
• Helvetica
• Times New Roman
• Georgia
• Tahoma
• Verdana
• Courier New
• Trebuchet MS

When it comes to color select black in almost all cases besides blue for URL links. This color contrasts well with the white background and makes your message easier to read.

Avalanche's Scoop is your monthly insight into the minds of Gen Z students. These short articles will be about current events or trends that our students are talking about. This section is named after our fearless ELAC mascot Avalanche.

Avalanche's Scoop: Bottle Battle

You’ve probably noticed that students nowadays carry one of two popular water bottles: the Stanley Cup or the Hydro Flask. The Stanley Cup, thanks to a viral TikTok trend, is everywhere. Its handle and straw, plus the ability to fit in car cup holders, make it super convenient for students on the go. There are even fun accessories to decorate it, making this a style statement and a sign of belonging to a certain group.

On the flip side, Hydro Flasks are still in style for their sleek look and bright colors. They’ve become the top choice for students who are into both trendy designs and eco-friendliness. So, there’s more to the choice between a Hydro Flask and a Stanley Cup than just staying hydrated; it’s about making a statement. Hydro Flasks offer a modern, personalized touch, while Stanley Cups bring retro charm and durability, appealing to those who value style and practicality. Keep an eye out on students' desks this month to see which side they resonate with most, and who knows, it might be a fun way to start a class discussion :)

Woof Woof Avalanche Out!