While still in high school Dawn Charman had a goal in mind.

She was going to pursue healthcare.

At 18, following her high school graduation, Charman enrolled at El Camino College, where she went on to pursue and receive her degree in radiologic technology in 1979.

Folloing that, the ECC alumni went on to teach at Chaffey College, worked as a radiologic technologist and eventually made her way back to El Camino and became the director and program coordinator for the radiologic technology program in 2003.

Charman has been the director and program coordinator for radiologic technology for the past 20 years.

“It’s been rewarding,” Charman said.

Charman plans to retire by spring 2024. Her successor will be Michele Perez, a full-time professor for the radiologic technology program.

Charman has a deep-rooted history at El Camino, going back farther than some think; her father graduated from the college back in the ’60s. Her son graduated from the El Camino Fire Academy.

Charman has left a lasting impact on the surrounding community, particularly in healthcare.

“Most of the faculty that I have, have been my students, my graduates,” Charman said. “I would say 80 to 90% of the techs that are working in the local hospitals are my graduates.”

While at times she can get overwhelmed with her work, Charman says the completion ceremony at the end of the year makes all the frustrations worth it.

“It’s my reward to see that they’ve completed and that they are going to go on and have great lives,” Charman said.

Eric Villa, full-time clinical coordinator with the radiologic technology program, said he attended El Camino and got accepted into the radiologic technology program in 2006.

Villa recalls Charman being the director when he was in college, and said that she has always been “very helpful.” Villa recalls that Charman would make a lot of sacrifices for her students with her dedication.

“[When I was a student] I respected her. I wanted to make sure that I did everything that I needed to do,” Villa said. “[Now as an employee] I still have this high level of respect for her but [her role] was a different thing to see.”

Villa recalls that Charman would make a lot of sacrifices for her students with her dedication.

“Seeing how the whole operation worked behind the scenes, it gave me even more of a respect for how difficult it is to run such a program at a high level with a high success rate,” Villa said.

As previously reported by The Union, the radiological technology program has had a 100% success rate with students passing their American Registry of Radiologic Technologists tests on the first try, and with a 100% student success rate for job placement post-graduation.

Charman’s leadership consists of a good balance, Villa said, with an assurance that everyone will stay in line. Under Charman’s leadership, faculty understand what it is that they need to do, and students know their expectations as well.

“[Charman] can discipline and remediate as needed,” Villa said. “She also has a soft side to her where she can really feel sympathetic and empathetic for students, for faculty. When it’s needed, she can be a good support system for anybody she comes across.”

Michele Perez, a full-time professor for the radiologic technology program, and the new incoming director and program coordinator said that Charman has been a great leader and mentor to her.

“[Charman] extends herself to us, to faculty and students, beyond what she probably should,” Perez said.

Perez said that once she settles into her new role it will all be okay, but as of now, she is gathering all the information and “little details” she can learn from Charman.

At the beginning of her new chapter, Charman said that she looks forward to spending time with her husband, son, and grandchildren, as well as being able to try new things including “playing pickleball, because I’ve never tried it.”

“We’re really gonna miss her. She’s really an incredible human being in general, so much more beyond just being a director,” Perez said. “She’s worked in healthcare since she was 18 years old… so she has a lifetime dedicated to communities and students.”