Our Spring 2004 Graduates
Marilyn Grunwald
Originally from Scotland, Marilyn Grunwald came to the San Fernando
Valley via New York in the mid 1980's. She is very involved in
her community and serves the City of Los Angeles as Vice President
of the Disabled Access Appeals Commission, which is part of L.A.
Dept. of Building and Safety. She is looking forward to using
all that she has learned from the Paralegal program and she plans
to continue onto law school. She is most proud of maintaining
a 4.0 GPA in the Fall 2003 semester while also working on the
No on the Recall political campaign for five weeks.
After years of raising a family and working for herself as a writer
and event organizer, it became necessary for Marilyn to find steady
work. Since she was already trained as a legal secretary she was
intrigued by Mission College's course, especially since it was
mostly all on-line.
Marilyn is married to David Grunwald, a copy editor of the L.A.
Daily Journal. They have two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Robert,
courtesy of their daughter and her husband, Maria and Chris Agazaryan.
Linda Bogue
Linda was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. As a single
parent she raised (3) children. Her eldest son is
is a Captain in the U.S. Airforce currently living in North Carolina
with his wife and their two children (her only grandchildren).
Linda's daughter will be graduating from CSUN this June. Linda
recently retired from Verizon, ending a 32 year career in customer
service. After completing the paralegal program, Linda looks forward
to a second career
as a paralegal. Linda also has a BS in Business Management from
Pepperdine University and a California Real Estate Sales license.
As a result of her interest in Real Estate, she owns condos in
Hawaii, Las Vegas, Lake Arrowhead and in the San Fernando Valley.
Edward Kyle
Edward was born in the state of Indiana and attended Los Angeles
High School. He has overcome a lot of obstacles along the way
to receiving his paralegal certificate. Edward is a a man of compassion
and understanding and wants to be known for making a change in
society starting with himself, and for this reason he chose to
enter into the field of law. He is an advocate and absolute believer
in the principles of the U.S. Constitution. He would like to live
in a world where the constitution is upheld for all people regardless
to race, color, or creed and is now dedicated and focused on fulfilling
his dream of one day becoming a Lawyer. He sincerely feels that
he is better able to achieve this goal because of the courses
that were offered here at Los Angeles Mission College. I now am
a father and have a one year old son, Elijah, who will be looking
up to me to fulfill my goals and dreams so that he can have the
push that I never had.
Astrid Nord
Astrid became a student at LA Mission College after the insurance
company she was working for Prudential, sold out to Aetna, who
in turn sold out to ING and layed off many employees. Her entire
department was dismissed 15 employees at a time. She was in the
last group to go, but was no less unemployed when it was over.
By this Fall she will have earned her Associates Degree at Mission.
She only has 10 credits left (which includes Health Education
and Gymnastics). She finds the Law interesting and plans on using
her certificate to continue with Law School. She has almost finished
writing a book about the life of an individual and is trying to
get it published and/or made into a movie. If all goes well you
will see it at the theater in a couple of years.
Vardoui Amalyan
Vardoui was born in Armenia. In 1990 her family moved to the US
for her brothers and her to have a better future. She graduated
from Hollywood High School and started working at a middle school
as a teacher assistant. She recently got married and is very happy
with her husband and new life. She will be receiving her Associates
Decree this semester along with her Paralegal Certificate. During
the summer, she is planning on looking for a job as a paralegal.
She is looking forward to using what she has learned to help other
people.
Michelle Herrera
Michelle was born in Los Angeles and moved to the San Fernando
Valley when she met her husband. She is a stay at home mom now
and attending Mission College full time. She has 3 boys ages 16,
11, and 4, and has been married for 16 years and with the help
and support of her family she has made it through the paralegal
program successfully along with an Associates Degree. She has
worked in the mortgage banking business for 7 years and after
she had her son, she decided to go back to school for a career
change while she stayed home to raise him. She plants on returning
to work after she graduates and work in the paralegal field. She
plans on continuing her education in the field of law and earn
a Bachelor Degree.
Elizabeth Galvez-Morales
aka "Lisa" Morales
Lisa was born in El Paso, Texas but has lived her whole life in
Southern California - She is a mother of two kids, a son age 3
1/2 and a daughter who just turned 2. Lisa spent over 10 years
in early Childhood Education working as a Preschool Teacher. Just
5 months after the birth of her daughter, Lisa decided to change
careers and headed back to school. She started the paralegal program
here at Mission in the fall of 2002. Working part-time while raising
her two kids and going to school full time has been Challenging
but it has already paid off. In February of this year, Lisa accepted
a paralegal postion with the Walt Disney Company in the special
events department of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. She thanks
all her family and friends for all the support and love she has
received in these past two years.
Cynthia Freeman
Born and raised in beautiful southern California, Cynthia has
spent the first twenty years of her professional life as a Cosmotologist.
She returned to school to study her real love.....LAW. Constitutional
law is a special interest. Her three daughters have been totally
supportive of Cynthia in every way, including dictating notes
to her, reading to Cynthia from her law books. She owes a debt
of gratitude to her daughters. Between all the family life crisis,
chicken pox, school projects, and divorce, she has managed to
maintain a good GPA, and graduate. Her daughters also hold high
GPA's and awards in language arts/reading comprehension. (due
to reading all those law books!) She is graduating this
Spring 2004 with her Associates Degree. She will be continuing
her education in law...
Erika Denton
Erika is a California native born and raised. After graduating
from Loyola Marymount (10 years ago?!) with a bachelor's in film
and chicano studies she began in what is now her 8th year working
for Walt Disney Pictures in the business and legal affairs department.
As an administrator who obtain's third party permissions, she
felt if she was doing the work of a paralegal, that she should
have the certificate too! Erika is excited to be graduating and
can't believe she finished in a year and a half while working
full time. Erika though only living blocks away from Mission found
out about the school and it's program from the internet.
Miguel Quiros
Originally from Habana Cuba, Miguel come to U.S. via Mexico in
1971. Miguel worked at the San Vincent Medical Center, and then
27 years at Budweiser Anheuser Busch Co. in Van Nuys. Mike is
a profesional musician for many years including his own group
in N.Y. City. The reason Mike started the paralegal program was
because his Air Conditioner, and Electrical Contractor License
required the understanding of some business law. Mike is married
to one of the most wonderful woman in the world Mirta for almost
35 years, and he has two children, Michael and Isabel .
Michael's son will be graduating from CSUN this June and Isabel
by 2006. Mike says "Thanks to all the professors. To the
future paralegal students in the program, IF I DID IT, you can
do it "
dated: 6/29/04
Profj. J.