Memories of O-CJC

Oceanside-Carlsbad Junior College, in my day, consisted of a group of WWII barracks that had been brought into the eastern edge of the High School campus. This was before the age of Technology. We did have cars and electric lights and running water but over seas Radio was the height of technology. TV was in its infancy and very few homes had sets so we were little influenced by it. Computers had not been heard of, we used manual typewriters and AT&T held the monopoly on the telephone industry. No cell phones. It was another era.

At that time Oceanside JC was a football farm school for UCLA and we had such people as Jamie Russell (Jayne’s brother) and Robert Culp and Joe Sabol playing football for us. There were also lots of WWII veterans going to school on the GI Bill. The college education of those millions of ex-service men made a change that affects our society to this day. My future husband, Marshall Gresham, was one of those veterans so O-CJC will always be close to my heart.

We were a social bunch with dances and football games and sororities and fraternities. The classes were small and the teachers were some of the best in my college carrier. What I learned stood me in good stead when I went onto San Diego State and took my degree in Microbiology.

The school has always had a special welcoming air about it and over the past 60 years has continued to grow and thrive and fulfill a vital role in our community.

I actually grew up on campus

My mother is Benita Gleason who has been teaching at Mira Costa (and still does) since I was a baby. She taught dance for many years, I actually can remember the "old old old" gymnasium before it was a two level gym with separate rooms. I remember my mom teaching the football players in her dance classes as part of the regimine from the football coaches wanting the boys to have better coordination! I remember walking all over the campus and hearing the ever "famous" bells as the 1/4, 1/2 and hour times pass. I am now 37, and it was many years ago, I did get my AA from Mira Costa after graduating from HS in 1989. I graduated in 1991 from MCC and in the ceremony I was lucky enough to have my own mother hand me my degree as I walked across the graduation platform, what a special memory that will always be for me! I am very fond of my MCC days not only as a student but as a little girl lucky enough to "grow up" on campus.Alumni-Class of 1991 Julie Lopez

Re: Tell Us Your Story

I grew up in Hollywood and graduated from San Fernando Valley State. Married, moved to Costa Mesa, then to Oceanside. My formal education is in counseling and dance. After moving to Oceanside, I wanted to continue dancing. I came to the college in search of classes and was referred to Dr. Keith Broman’s office. We discussed my professional training and the fact that he wanted MCC to begin a dance department. We struck a conditional deal. He would hire me as MCC’s first dance instructor if I would take on the 2nd lead in a play he was producing at Carlsbad’s Twin-Inn restaurant called Pajama Game. The play was a grand success and I had the amazing opportunity of founding our MCC Dance Department. That was back in 1968 and I have taught here every year since.
My daughter Julie was born at Tri City Hospital in 1971. When she was very young, she would come to class with me. She performed in a summer drama workshop with Larry Jorgensen, MCC Dance Productions, and after high school she completed her AA and CSULB transfer credits at MCC. We both were featured in a book that showed us roller blading on campus.
It was Mary Jennings Smith who later hired me as an adjunct Counselor. Thank you Mary! In our counseling department, my deep appreciation goes out to Mike Deaton, and Jessie Lomeli. In PE/Dance, my kind supporters included John Sealey, Tom Shields and Roxanne deMick. Then there was Julie Hattoff, beloved by all, and someone who was always there for me. The years also blessed us all with a support staff (Kaz, Lori, Donna, Diana, and…) that made us all feel more like a family. It has been 40+ wonderful years here and I have had the privilege to work with some truly remarkable people along the way.
Two of my favorite and lasting memories are:
Watching my daughter perform on our MCC stage and then being allowed to hand her degree.
Watching Dr. Broman, wearing his French beret, as he was being lead by his cocker spaniel across campus.
Mira Costa is home for me…and I wouldn’t want to have worked anywhere else.
Bonnie Gleason

Re: Tell Us Your Story

My story with MiraCosta began when we moved back to California from beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico. When our plane landed in the smog filled airport in San Diego, we had no idea of where we would locate our young family. Job opportunities brought us to North County. Just entering my forties, I enrolled at MiraCosta taking a Library Research class and was encouraged by Librarian Marion Forrester that I was a good student and should continue my studies. I had a small problem; I had never graduated high school and had little over a 9th grade education. I took a year studying to get my GED and began classes at MCC with the intent to someday fulfill my mother’s dream for me to have a college education, to me it seemed hugely unrealistic and so far away.
I knew right away that my math skills were so poor that I would have to start from the beginning. I spent most of my time at MiraCosta in the Math Learning Center, and made the move with them to the Information Hub. I saw the turnover of the MLC staff for 6 years, and grew to appreciate the constant discipline that was required to pass difficult course materials with the help of Beth Hempleman/Powell and her very sensitive and caring staff, I’m especially thankful to Jim, Dan and Carmella who let me cry on her shoulder. Carol Congleton is an instructor that Beth recommended who helped me push past a math mental block when I finally got out of the MLC and took a real math class, (Sorry Beth, I mean I went to a classroom with a lecture and students, and group studies). I took the same math class over and over and I finally passed! And then it was time to take the next level math class, which again I had to repeat. I was blessed to have Beth present me with my Associate in Arts degree at my graduation, 7 years after I started my educational journey.
During the time I was enrolled at MCC, we moved 6 times, my dad had a stroke, my arm was injured and I had to use the disabled student services, my best friend (who I got to attend MCC) suddenly died, my mother got sick with ovarian cancer and passed away, and my children began attending the college-my son met and married an international student he met on campus! The biggest lesson I learned was that life happens, and you can’t let anything sabotage your quest for getting your education.
An avid art student, I enjoyed taking watercolor classes with Diane Adams, and painting with Leslie Nemour and Nan MacMillen. I took the ceramics course 4 times! Arlee Zolynas, my English 101 instructor so inspired me that I took her American Literature class even though I didn’t need to. My online courses were perfect for me because I was working and raising a family. My favorite was History 111 with Lisa Lane, she made it so interesting, even when I was completing my work mostly at midnight. When I got serious about graduating, my counselor Wendy Horton kept me right on target, and continues to do so with my children. My dear husband shouldered the financial burden and cost of education for our entire family and really celebrated when I finally finished!
I feel like I grew up in MiraCosta. I was here about as long as kids are in high school and college combined. My whole educational experience has been reshaped and grown because of the encouragement and excellent instruction I received here at MiraCosta College. It has been my joy to in turn encourage other mature individuals that they too can get an education at any age, to just begin now.
Roxy Sue, MiraCosta graduating class 2007
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis
"Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it." William Durant