Disabled Student Is Elected to OCC’s Associated Students Board of Trustees

Wheelchair-bound Orange Coast College student Michael Marchand, 29, this week became the first disabled student elected to the college’s five-member Associated Students’ Board of Trustees.

Marchand, of Garden Grove, will serve a one-year term on the board, which is responsible for running the college’s student government.

“I don’t consider myself a role model for disabled students,” said Marchand, who was paralyzed in an auto accident 10 years ago. “But I think it’s important for those of us who are disabled, as well as those who are able-bodied, to see ourselves as full participants in society.”

There are 200 disabled students at OCC.

The Assn. for Women in Architecture has named Blue Sandrock, 36, a second-year architecture student at Orange Coast College, winner of the $1,000 first prize in its 1988 scholarship program. She is a Mission Viejo resident.

Mary McAnena, 85, of Orange was presented the Book of Golden Deeds Award by the Exchange Club of Orange Coast for “her great personal generosity in giving of her time, energy and money to feed . . . homeless people in Orange County.” McAnena, who prepares soup and other food for the needy, lives on a small pension and Social Security.

Registered nurse Kate Reeves, administrative director of St. Joseph Hospital’s emergency department, which treats 40,000 patients a year, has received the Carl W. Bull Foundation Excellence in the Profession of Nursing award. The award is given yearly to a nurse who demonstrates professional commitment.

The award includes a $2,500 cash grant that Reeves said will be used to establish an emergency room procedure for pediatric patients. She has worked at the hospital in Orange for 24 years.

Waymond Rodgers, assistant professor in the UC Irvine graduate school of management, has been selected to a Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship to fund his research on decision-making, which he will conduct at the University of Michigan. He will focus on the decision-making processes of tax court attorneys and judges.

Veteran insurance broker Gwen Hayden of Santa Ana, who was named Insurance Woman of the Year in 1987 by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Orange County, was elected president of Insurance Women of Orange County for 1988-89.

Four women from Orange were presented “Women Helping Women” awards by Soroptimist International of Orange for using their resources, talents and influence to help other women achieve their potential, improve their quality of life and broaden avenues of opportunity.

The honorees are Jonnie Wesley, Jeanne Favreau-Sorvillo, Elsa Olsen-Blazovic and Sara Lundquist.

The club also presented Women of Distinction awards to Pat Buttress, Nicky Calagna, Judy Reynolds, Dr. Dawn Ahart and Susan Davidson. The awards recognize women with outstanding leadership ability who serve as role models for other women.

Wendy Lozano of El Toro and Jan Robertson of Santa Ana have been named to receive awards for their work at Cal State Long Beach by Friends of Women’s Studies, a support group that recognizes outstanding performance on behalf of women.

Lozano, who teaches sociology courses, will receive the award for excellence in teaching; Robertson will receive the student award for her work on campus on behalf of women.

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