Author Archives: mreed

Career Day at American Career College

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American Career College’s mission is to build communities through transformative education that develops the knowledge, skills, and professionalism required in today’s workplace. One of the many advantages of attending American Career College is the use of our Career Services Department. Career Services is staffed by professional Career Services Specialists, who spend their day connecting with and fostering relationships with numerous employers throughout Southern California.*

At a recent ACC Career Day, employers were interviewed to share their experience hiring ACC graduates.  In the video below, see employers discuss the value that ACC graduates have brought to their companies, the broad range of hired ACC graduates and their attributes, and messages to potential employers about ACC graduates.  Here are a couple quotes from ACC’s current employers:

 

 

“At ACC, I’m going to get people who are well trained and come out of this with a love of what they’re doing.”

Chris Binkley
Region Developer
Massage Envy

 

“ACC graduates stand out because of their preparedness. They are willing and eager to implement the skills that they’ve learned.”

Glenda Wellington
Director, Patient Care Services
Sonnet Home Health

 

“Like many, our health care company is expanding. We’re always looking for new employees. That’s why we keep coming back to American Career College.”

Luis Barrera
Senior Staffing
Rainbow Home Care

*ACC does not guarantee employment.

Anissa Perez: One Person, Making a Change and Making a Difference

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It began simply enough. As Christmas approached, Anissa Perez, Director of Vocational Nursing at American Career College’s Los Angeles campus, suggested organizing a food drive to help those in need. Before she could say deck the halls, the effort had morphed into a spirited, compassion-driven competition, with students and entire classrooms throughout the campus jockeying to see who could collect the most food.

“I was simply amazed by their generosity,” says Anissa, who has worked for ACC for six years. “Our students carry very heavy workloads, and even during the holiday season they made time in their busy schedules to help the less fortunate in our community. The success of the food drive says a lot about the quality of students ACC attracts, and it reflects the culture of kindness and concern for others the school has created.”

The food was delivered to the LA Food Bank a few days before Christmas. “I had originally hoped that we’d be able to collect around 1,400 cans,” Anissa says, smiling. “We exceeded that in just a few days, and when the drive ended on December 21, we had a mountain of more than 5,400 cans.”

Lara Chahinian: One Person, Making a Change and Making a Difference

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“I am smart.”  “I am hardworking.”  These simple yet powerful affirmations can be found on hand-painted murals at Hooper Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, thanks to Lara Chahinian, who inspired her fellow instructors and students at American Career College to join her in a one-day volunteer event at the school last spring.  Lara, a Health Claims Examiner-Medical Billing instructor at ACC’s Los Angeles campus, organized “Project Hope,” sprucing up the landscaping, adorning walls with beautiful murals, creating a playground and distributing food and clothing at Hooper Avenue Elementary School.

“Maybe the field of medical billing attracts people with kind hearts.  All I know is, my students and others from ACC were more than eager to join me and other instructors in giving generously of their time to help the school’s children and families,” says Lara, who has taught at the college for four years.  “It makes an already wonderful job even more enjoyable.”

Several years ago, Lara was inspired to do something to help young people, and the idea for “Project Hope” was born.  “At ACC, I have the privilege every day of encouraging young adults to learn new skills that will impact their lives in huge ways,” she says.  “Maybe through our community volunteer efforts, we’ll give children hope and inspire them to also follow their dreams.  Who knows – maybe I’ll see them in my classroom one day at ACC.”

Agie Madrid: One Person, Making a Change and Making a Difference

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For the past 16 years, Agie Madrid has served as Financial Aid Director for ACC.  But to thousands of others, she is perhaps better known as a “Madonnari,” which means street artist in Italian.

For several years, Agie has used her remarkable skills as a painter to benefit children by participating in the “I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival,” held annually at the Old Mission in Santa Barbara.  Proceeds from the popular springtime event – which features hundreds of beautiful sidewalk paintings painstakingly created with chalk – benefit the Children’s Creative Project, a non-profit arts education program operated by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

“I’m very fortunate that both my professional position with ACC and my passion as an artist can be used to benefit students and children,” says Agie, whose oil paintings capture the beauty and essence of people, animals, still life and also include abstract art.  In a tribute to ACC and its mission to help students achieve their life dreams, Agie has incorporated elements of university learning into her “I Madonnari” festival masterpieces.  And recognizing a gifted painter when they see one, the leadership at ACC recently commissioned Agie to add some artistic flourishes to the college’s administrative offices.

Melissa Pouey: One person, making a change and making a difference

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In her spare time, Melissa Pouey, Assistant Director of Admissions at American Career College’s Orange County campus, volunteers as an advocate for special needs children, helping family and friends structure learning paths that enable their children to succeed.

“It’s so inspiring to help a child who is trying their hardest to learn and overcome obstacles,” says Melissa, whose own daughter struggled with severe learning disabilities growing up and now teaches autistic children. “I believe that if you give people the tools and the support and the encouragement they need, everyone can succeed.”

Melissa says she enjoys her job at ACC so much because the college’s philosophy toward students mirrors her own. “I believe that ‘can’t’ is not a word, and ACC shares that philosophy through its outstanding hands-on approach to learning, combined with a wonderful culture of caring and support for our students, who are working so hard in many cases to reinvent themselves and improve their lives.”