The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union
The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union
The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union
Ma. Gisela Ordenes

Ma. Gisela Ordenes, Editor-in-Chief

Ma. Gisela Ordenes is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Union during spring semester 2024. Gisela is an international student from the Philippines. She likes eating out, watching TV series and movies, reading books and learning new things. Her taste in anything can only be described as “eclectic.” She realized that when you set your mind on something, you can be good at it. Except math. Never math.

All content by Ma. Gisela Ordenes
Ashley Mendoza, center, smiles as she stands with El Camino College student models wearing her “Medieval Summer” collection. The medieval armor-inspired ensemble won “Best Collection” in the Fashion Department’s spring fashion show on June 23. “It’s a collection inspired by my life what felt like going to war every day trying to survive all the adversities that I had to overcome,” Mendoza said. (Eddy Cermeno | Warrior Life)

Faith in fashion: Formerly homeless student finds footing as first-gen graduate

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
November 30, 2024
George Zamora floats in the shallow pool at the Adapted Pool on Oct. 15, 2024. The pool is Zamora’s happy place and floating is one of his favorite activities. “It’s very peaceful,” Zamora said. (Angel Pasillas | Warrior Life)

Let’s get physical: Adapted exercise classes help students with disabilities get their groove back

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
November 25, 2024
Illustration by Nikki Yunker

Spoiled? American students are pampered, they just don’t know it

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
October 27, 2024
Bonjour French Pastry's bestseller, strawberry shortcake, looks too pretty to eat. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

‘Let them eat cake’: Curb cake cravings around El Camino

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 5, 2024

Fashion forward: Formerly homeless student sets her sights on the future

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 4, 2024

Team Players: LA Sparks continue partnership with El Camino College

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 3, 2024
Los Angeles Sparks forward Monique Billings, left, and guard Aari McDonald, middle, prepare to speak to the media in El Camino College’s Gymnasium on Wednesday, May 1. The Sparks rent the Gymnasium as the site for their training camp for the 2024 WNBA season. El Camino College is considering increasing facilities rentals as one of the revenue-generating strategies to address the $20-million budget deficit. (Ethan Cohen | The Union)

El Camino to slash $40 million from budget as it faces major deficit

By Angela Osorio and Ma. Gisela Ordenes
May 8, 2024
Jacob Knudsen, Moorpark College’s outside hitter, strikes the ball near the net and scores for the visitors during the men’s volleyball game at the ECC Gym Complex on Wednesday, April 4. The Moorpark Raiders won 3-0. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Moorpark College men’s volleyball team raids Warriors’ home in sweeping fashion

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
April 4, 2024
Playfully stretching with her club around her shoulders, El Camino College golf instructor Kirsten Green looks across the Alondra Park Golf Course green as she poses for an environmental portrait while teaching her 8 a.m. class on Tuesday, March 26. Green says she's been playing golf for over 30 years. She is also the assistant coach of the Women’s Cross-Country team. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Golf class returns to El Camino

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
March 27, 2024
Math professor James Stein addresses the El Camino College board of trustees during its Feb. 21 meeting in Room 150 of the Administration Building. Stein says he has taught at El Camino for 10 years, UCLA for eight years and CalState Long Beach for 35 years. He wants less asynchronous courses. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Math professor says asynchronous classes breed dishonest students and lazy teachers

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
February 22, 2024
"Many people will tell you that, slavery was 'Oh, it's so long ago, get over it.' Truly it's only 160 years ago. And there are people in their late 90s who are still alive whose parents or grandparents that they touched were former slaves." Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, says as he talks about slavery in the U.S. and why reparative justice is important. (Clarence Davis | The Union)

History lesson: State senator discusses the need for reparation laws

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
February 20, 2024
A woman walks by the Torrance Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Jeffery Davis, the man accused of attacking Junko Hanafusa by the El Camino College Gymnasium, was arraigned on the same day. He pleaded not guilty to the murder charge brought by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Man pleads not guilty to murder in El Camino College sledgehammer attack

By Angela Osorio and Ma. Gisela Ordenes
January 18, 2024
Photos of Junko Hanafusa, Parrish Geary and Norman Charles Foster Jr are on a small table in the Schauerman Library lobby. The one who set up the altar is Hana Oshita, a library technician. She said she did it last week to serve as a memorial for those who died. She asked her coworkers to contribute the other pieces on the table, including shells, flowers and candles. Her coworker, Charrissa Penn, added the water bottle to represent a fourth person, an unnamed student whom Penn said “committed suicide earlier last year.” (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Death of woman sends shockwaves to El Camino community; lack of communication from administration and police raises concern

By Angela Osorio and Ma. Gisela Ordenes
January 10, 2024
El Camino College Men's Soccer coach Michael "Mike" Jacobson, center, smiles for a photo with two of his best players, goalkeeper Donovan Palomares, left, and forward Marvin Gamez, at the ECC Soccer Field on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Jacobson is married to Nicole Bucciarelli Jacobson. "She's the all-time leading goalscorer at UC Irvine," Jacobson said. The couple has two kids: Rachel, 14, and Jack, 6. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Soccer success story: Record-breaking coach surpasses his own expectations

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
December 13, 2023
Students walk by the Admissions office in the Student Services Building on Dec. 5, 2023. (Raphael Richardson | The Union)

Human trafficking, fake students suspected in financial aid and enrollment scams

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
December 6, 2023
The El Camino College Administration Building as seen on March 6, 2023. The college lost $110,298 in financial aid last academic year to scammers who pretended to be students. (Delfino Camacho | The Union)

Fraudulent trails: Mapping college application, enrollment and financial aid scams

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
December 5, 2023
Sergiu Boerica, El Camino College tennis coach, gives instructions to his student, Jada Nesbitt, at the ECC Tennis Courts on Wednesday, Sept. 27. (Monroe Morrow | The Union)

El Camino tennis teams short on players for upcoming season

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
October 20, 2023
Compton College defender Yarely Marquez prepares to kick the ball during the El Camino College vs Compton College match at the ECC Soccer Field on Tuesday, Oct. 17. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

El Camino women’s soccer dominates in a shutout win to extend win streak

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
October 18, 2023
Academic Senate President Charlene Brewer-Smith reads an announcement during the Academic Senate’s third meeting of the fall semester on Tuesday, Oct. 3. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

El Camino facing budget cuts and hiring freeze if student enrollment doesn’t increase

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
October 5, 2023
Senators raise their hands to vote on a motion at the Academic Senate meeting hosted inside the El Camino Distance Education room on Tuesday, Oct. 3. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Faculty to vote on Academic Senate constitutional change

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
October 4, 2023
Volleyball player Leafa Juarez grabs the volleyball net at the Long Beach City College Beach Volleyball Complex on April 28. She said she prepares for each match by praying. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

Leafa Juarez — graceful as a gazelle, tough as a tiger

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 7, 2023
Dean of Humanities Debra Breckheimer leans on the railing outside the entrance to the second floor of the Humanities building on March 27. Breckheimer retires at the end of the spring semester. (Khoury Williams | Warrior Life)

Class dismissed: After 30 years in education, humanities dean retires from El Camino

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 6, 2023
International students (from left) Kae Takazawa, Hwan Joo Jeong, and Eunseo Hwang study at the Schauerman Library on Thursday, May 26. (Ma. Gisela Ordenes | The Union)

International students asked to return to campus for fall 2023

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
June 1, 2023

Grammy-winning classical guitarist to perform at El Camino

By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
April 18, 2023