A former professional baseball player who became an El Camino College dean is approaching the end of a nearly 30-year career working to support students.

Cheers and applause from the dean’s family, El Camino administrators, faculty and staff engulfed the East Dining Room as he smiled, took in the moment and was adorned with a retirement sash.

Robin Dreizler, dean of enrollment services, entered the room on Wednesday, April 17 a few minutes after 2 p.m. for the baseball-themed retirement celebration.

At the celebration, some faculty and staff took the opportunity to take group photos with Dreizler before he started his speech.

After working at El Camino for 29 years, Dreizler’s last work day will be on Tuesday, April 30. He began his tenure at the college as a student worker in 1975 before joining the staff full-time in 1995.

Dreizler said he enjoyed working for the college and telling people about El Camino when he started as a recruiter before working his way up to be the director of outreach and school relations, and then the dean of enrollment services.

“Looking back I think of the tens of thousands of students that I’ve either spoken to or advised,” Dreizler said. “I feel if I could make a difference on a daily basis with one student then that’s a successful career.”

At the front table, there was a giant baseball card of Dreizler for attendees to sign. The room was filled with balloons with his face on them while monitors displayed photos of him at several points in his career at El Camino.

While a student at El Camino, Dreizler played baseball and would later play professionally for a few seasons in the Major League Baseball minor leagues for the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies.

Once everyone arrived, the room was filled with attendees standing against the walls after the 10 tables with chairs became occupied.

In his speech, Dreizler thanked everyone he has worked with and those who have mentored him in his time at El Camino.

Dreizler said his first boss at El Camino, Mary Ann Keating, the college’s former director of public information and marketing, and his former journalism professor Jolene Combs were important mentors to him.

“They both let me fail,” he said. “They didn’t really say ‘Here’s how you’re supposed to do things,’ they said ‘Here’s what needs to be done, now you figure out the best way to do it.’”

At the end of his speech, Dreizler started to slow his words and tear up. He jokingly said he was glad he didn’t go over time and thanked everyone who came to the event.

Current and former El Camino faculty and staff then spoke some words of appreciation for Dreizler and gave him some gifts

Recently retired Vice President of Student Services Ross Miyashiro gifted Dreizler a retirement shirt and mug. He said his time working with Dreizler was fantastic and hopes he gets peace and relaxation.

“Working with someone who cares about students as [Dreizler] did is rewarding because he changed students’ lives, that’s what teaching is about,” Miyashiro said.

El Camino President Brenda Thames acknowledged Dreizler’s wife and three daughters at the front table, thanking them for their support while he worked at the college.

His daughter Lindsay Dreizler, a resident doctor in emergency medicine at LA General Medical Center, said it was beautiful and emotional seeing her dad be celebrated by his peers at El Camino.

“I know what an amazing dad he is, it was so surreal seeing people talk about him the way we know him, seeing how many people he has impacted,” she said.

In his retirement, Dreizler looks forward to spending time with family and getting back into photography, which he has been interested in since taking pictures for the newspaper at Redondo Union High School while attending.

He recently bought a new 500mm zoom lens for his Nikon D5200 camera to help take more shots of nature and wildlife.

After the celebration ended, Dreizler said he felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable listening to what everyone has to say about him.

“It’s not just about me but El Camino,” Dreizler said. “I had a lot of helpers and guides when I was here.”