SANTA ANA : College Teacher Gets Leadership Award

Rancho Santiago College instructor Gloria Guzman has received the highest honor awarded by the Assn. of Community College Trustees for her work on behalf of young children.

Guzman, chairwoman of the college’s Human Development Department, has been named the 1992 recipient of the William H. Meardy Faculty Member Award, recognizing leadership in academia as well as on the local and state levels.

“It’s very thrilling,” said Guzman, 53. “For 15 years at Rancho, I’ve operated on all of these levels. It’s exciting to have it recognized. I prayed for this.”

She added that the award should bring increased attention to the field of child development.

She will formally accept the award in Anaheim at the Oct. 23 convention of the Assn. of Community College Trustees, an international organization with members throughout the United States and Canada.

Guzman said that she hopes to influence the 3,000 trustees attending the convention by focusing their attention on children during her acceptance speech and by emphasizing that “children are the resource for the future and that we must assure their best development.”

At Rancho Santiago College, Guzman has been secretary and is currently president-elect of the Academic Senate. She also serves on the curriculum council.

In addition, Guzman has served on the executive boards of numerous state organizations, including the California Child Development Administrator’s Assn., California College Early Educators Assn., California Child Development Coalition and the advisory committee of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

A Rancho Santiago College staff member since 1977, she holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Smith College in Massachusetts, and a master’s degree in education from State University of New York.

She also completed graduate course work at UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton.