Making condom roses and safe sex supplies given out to attendees marked the grand opening of the new El Camino College Health Services Center on Wednesday, Feb. 14.
The health center moved to the north side of campus behind the Planetarium and Natural Sciences buildings.
“I think it’s a really good spot, like near the [Student Services Building] in one of the biggest parking lots,” Radiologic Technology major Jason Dycoco,19, said. “It’s easier to find.”
The old center was located next to the P.E. South Building and was inconspicuous.
Associated Students Organization Student Trustee Connor Lai said the relocation is a welcome change since the health center has become more accessible for students with its new location.
“Being in a central location is really wonderful,” Lai said. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for students especially since we want to be a community organization for the school to help serve our community.”
Four mental health therapy rooms and three exam rooms are some of the new additions to the Student Health Center. Lai said he believes these resources will help students a lot.
“It was difficult to fully utilize exam rooms in the old center because they were very tiny and [the staff] often had to give them up for [the] mental health [division],” Nurse Practitioner Julie Poepoe said.
The new health center also has a conference room, which the old center didn’t have.
In a short program before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, El Camino College President Brenda Thames said the new center represents more than just a building. “It is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of our students,” Thames said in her speech.
After students took a tour inside the new center, they gathered in the conference room and made condom roses, which was the highlight of this event.
“I think what’s really special is we have this conference room where we can do student programming,” Poepoe said. “We all have our designated space and can accommodate more students.”
Nursing major Catherine Estoya, 22, said they visited the center for their class assignment for English 1C.
“We’re doing schoolwork where we find special locations and [the center] is like one of the resources that students can use,” Estoya said.
Student Health Services Technician Jason Carrol said the new center changed visually.
“It was very dark in the old center,” Carrol said. “[With all these windows], it’s so much brighter and seems more welcoming to students.”
Board of Trustee member Nilo Michelin said El Camino has worked hard to make the opening happen.
“The whole design makes [the center] very welcoming for our students,” Michelin said.
Michelin hopes students will go to the center, be comfortable and get the services that they need.
“We welcome all El Camino students to take advantage of this,” he said.
El Camino students who have paid the health service fee have access to the health center. The fee is $26 for the fall or spring semester and $22 for the summer session.
