Neighbors

Orange Coast College honors graduate Jennifer Collins received a

$1,000 scholarship from the Orange County-Long Beach Chapter of the

California Society of CPAs. Collins received the Outstanding Future CPA

Award for overall academic performance, excellent communication skills,

leadership ability and interest in pursuing a career in accounting. She

will transfer as an economics major to UC Berkeley in September. . . .

Margaret A. Gratton, Orange Coast College’s seventh president, will

retire in mid-July after serving six years in office. Gratton, 64, is the

only woman to have ever served as OCC’s president in the college’s

54-year history. During her tenure, Gratton hired 100 new faculty

members, aided online and service learning, expanded the honors program

and Middle College High School, and increased the college’s outreach and

transfer initiatives. A recent banquet in her honor was held in the

college’s Art Center. . . . Ryan L. Simpson, a 1998 graduate and

valedictorian of Estancia High School, has received his bachelor’s degree

in management from the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Costa Mesa resident

also received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. . . .

Cal State Long Beach has recognized both undergraduate and graduate

students who achieved academic excellence in their field. Art Montes of

Costa Mesa and Rachel Holtz of Newport Beach were inducted, along with 60

other psychology students, into Psi Chi, the university’s national honor

society in psychology. Induction into the society is reserved for

students who are ranked in the top 35% of their class in general

scholarship and superior scholarship in psychology. Shirley Furman of

Corona del Mar was inducted into the university’s international honor

society of nursing, Iota Eta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, along with 54

other nursing students and community nurse leaders. Furman was selected

as a community leader because of her demonstration of excellence in

clinical practice, education and research. The university also honored

students in the College of Health and Human Services by presenting them

with a Roger F. Greaves Scholarship for the 2002-03 academic year.

Natalie Bunzen of Costa Mesa was one of the five recipients. By

maintaining at least a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average and having

completed a minimum of 75 undergraduate units, Bunzen qualified for the

$1,000 scholarship. Bunzen received her bachelor’s degree in psychology

from UC Irvine and is now pursuing her master’s degree at Cal State Long

Beach to become a registered dietitian.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please direct

noteworthy information to Christine Carrillo via fax at (949) 646-4170,

or send e-mail to o7 [email protected] .