Press Releases Fall 2005

CONTACT: Cathy Summa, Director, Marketing & Communications
(831) 479-6158
casumma [at] cabrillo.edu

August 23 , 2005

Cabrillo Celebrates Enrollment Services Center Grand Opening

APTOS, CA—Cabrillo College will celebrate the opening of its new Enrollment Services Center in the John D. Hurd 100 Building, on August 25, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos.  The Enrollment Services Center Grand Opening will feature a brief presentation by Cabrillo College President Dr. Brian King and others, followed by refreshments, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hands on demonstrations of new technologies, and guided tours of the new center. The event is open to the public and is free of charge.

The new Enrollment Services Center consolidates a number of essential student services in one convenient location. Previously, students needing admissions, counseling, financial aid, transfer, career, Puente Program, international student, or articulation services had to visit several buildings scattered around Cabrillo’s sprawling 162-acre campus.

Plans have been in the works to complete an expanded Enrollment Services Center by approximately 2009, which would consolidate all student services. However, meeting the needs of Cabrillo’s students now is a top priority.

"At Cabrillo, our focus is on putting students first, and the Enrollment Services Center project is a good example of what can happen when an entire college is committed to serving our students," said King.

In order to make room in building 100 for additional services, King and other top administrators moved to smaller temporary quarters in the 800 building. “Our students have busy lives. The new center will help us provide better service and that is worth the effort,” said King.

Many Cabrillo College students are working full-time and have family obligations. Traversing the campus while visiting several offices can be a daunting experience.   

Melissa Molino has been a part-time Cabrillo College student since 1999, majoring in social and behavioral sciences. She is planning to transfer to CSUMB next spring. “When I first enrolled at Cabrillo, it was hard to get time off from my job and I was really nervous about all of the things I had to do in order to enroll,” said Molino.  “The departments were far apart and had different hours. If you were motivated, it wasn’t impossible, but it was difficult,” she explained. The new center will help students like Molino save time. “As a working student, it will make my life much easier to have services in one place,” said Molino.

The opening of the new center is part of a project aimed at improving the services that the college provides. Many processes behind-the-scenes have also been revamped and streamlined, reducing the time that it will take students to register.

Vice President of Student Services Manuel Osorio is the administrator overseeing the improvement project. “It is an exciting time for all of us in Student Services. I think that we all feel energized by the experience and I am very proud of what has been accomplished so far by everyone involved,” said Osorio.

In addition to the new center, the college will offer an innovative Student Ambassador program providing new students with additional support services.

Francine Van Meter, Director of Enrollment Services, has been one of the driving forces behind the project’s success. “With our new Student Ambassador program, improved access to technology resources, and consolidation of essential services under one roof, we truly have a center that puts students first,” Van Meter said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also will feature Cabrillo College co-presidents for the day Richard and Theresa Crocker, who were given the honors as a result of their generous donation to the Cabrillo College President’s Circle.

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