Graduates from all of West Coast University’s campuses gathered in North Hollywood to celebrate the 2019 Alumni Awards ceremony this October.
2019 Award Winners
Young Alumni: Shanna Jackson & Nune Stepanyan
Distinguished Alumni: Jonathan Llamas
WCU Proud: Barbara Brown, Erin Choe, Jessica Corral, Nikki Danna, Justin De Leon, Maricelle Dingcong, Jeff Foster, Nicole Foster, Nicole Hessabi, Kevin Lopez, Audrey Ochoa, Arlene Ouevado & Ashley Wiese
WCU Alumni Foundation Award: Booney Te & Salinee Kamoljaratsopha
Outstanding Faculty and Associate: Alicia Banks, Michelle Payson & Shawn Thursby-Palmer
Department Award: University Career Services
Supporter Award: Tuan Chung, Logan Nichols & Claudia Palomino
Outstanding Campus Award: WCU-Ontario
Some attendees traveled great distances including notable alumni from the WCU-Dallas and WCU-Miami campuses. JD Buchert-Bayes, the 2018 Distinguished Alumni award recipient, represented the Dallas campus this year. Having missed the previous year, Buchert-Bayes said he was ecstatic to join his peers in celebrating the Alumni Network.
“The thing that I’m most excited about is that we have two people from the Dallas chapter who are getting awards and I wanted to be here to support them,” Buchert-Bayes said. “I think alumni support is not only for your school, but for your mates that you graduated with, and I think that’s the biggest thing.”
The Alumni Network had a lot to celebrate during 2019. The network launched the Alumni Scholarship Fund awarding 19 current students and alumni with scholarships. In addition to continuing education, the network introduced two more Alumni chapters. The WCU-Los Angeles and the WCU-Ontario Alumni Chapters were launched in September with the goal of bringing alumni from surrounding areas together to connect.
Along with their accomplishments, the Alumni Network also boasts a number of grads who are now faculty at WCU. Individuals who returned to their alma mater to give back to the current students received special recognition at the ceremony.
“It’s really important for our alumni to become faculty because they get to educate the next generation of healthcare providers and WCU provides such great educational opportunities,” WCU Alumni Relations Director Marina Harrison said. “We just want them to continue to give back.”
For more information about the Alumni Network, visit our website.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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