Mt. SAC News Current

Some professors just teach and have no impact to a persons life, while some professors are appreciated not only for their teachings, but for their personality and human aspect as they help shape and mold the future for many.
“Tammy is an amazing instructor. She not only wants her students to succeed in school but in life,’ said Jennette Lovelace, 20, radio broadcasting major. “She takes a genuine interest in each student. She has introduced me to the people who will help me advance my career and makes sure I stay on track. For me she’s not just a professor but a friend and roll model.”

This is how Professor Tammy Trujillo has affected the lives of the Radio Broadcasting Program and more specifically, for the students of the Mt. SAC internet radio station, Audio8ball.com.
“It is because of what I have learned from Tammy that I have been able to successfully intern at a radio station KCXX – X103.9 FM in San Bernardino for seven months and an internship at KOST 103.5 FM,” said Cheri Hunter, assistant and Mt. SAC staff member.
“She’s been a mentor, a professor and more to me. Words cannot express my true gratitude for the woman named Tammy Trujillo. It’s been my honor and my pleasure to be her assistant for the past three years.”

Having been in the entertainment industry since the age of two, Trujillo has been a part of the radio industry for the past 25 years as a familiar voice to the Los Angeles area.
“I love that fact that she is always blunt and straight forward, because that’s how it the real world of entertainment will treat us too,” said Samreth Kagnoeung, , radio broadcasting major. “There is not a day in class that when I go in that she doesn’t amaze me with either great news or information that will lead me to my future career.”
Although she has most recently been an evening anchor at radio station KFWB, she has been on many other radio stations in the LA area, including POWER 106, KNBC, Channel 4 news, and TV shows. Trujillo is a full time Professor at Mt. SAC and the head of the Radio Broadcasting Program.

“I look up to Tammy. I see her as a model as to what I must be as a broadcaster,” said Charly Pura, 18, radio broadcasting major. “Even if I have a long way to go to be as good as Tammy, she makes me feel like I can actually do it and succeed in this industry despite the many challenges the entertainment industry can bring.”
Here, she molds the minds of young students in the field of broadcasting teaching the fundamentals and instruction on how to be on the air at a radio station, so students can get hands on experience.

“I knew I wanted to be in entertainment and Tammy said I could do it,” said Ray Holdridge, 19, radio broadcasting major. “If she thinks you can do something, she’ll push you.”
Professor Trujillo lectures several classes including, Introduction to Broadcasting 101, Broadcasting Practices, Radio-TV newswriting, beginning and advanced Commerical Voice-Overs, Beginning Radio Production, and heads the official Internet Radio station of Mt. SAC called, Audio8ball.com.

“She not only teaches you skills, but gives us insight we can’t get from a text book,” said Alan Bailey, 19, radio broadcasting major. Trujillo has demonstrated her commitment to her students by going above and beyond her duty as a teacher. As a humble person, she refuses to take any credit for her students’ successes.

“If we win awards, she never expects credit either. She always says, ‘I didn’t do anything. This was all you,’” Bailey said. “Her reward is, she wants to be able to turn on the radio someday and hear us on the air.”

This year, Trujillo has entered four of her students from the Audio8ball.com program in the 60th annual Golden Mike Awards contest. This year is the first time this program is entering the contest hosted by the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.

“I couldn’t afford to enter myself, but she paid to enter us in the Golden Mike Awards,” said Christy Flores, 25, radio broadcasting major. “I got the dates mixed up and I was almost late making my Golden Mike entry, so Tammy stayed with me all night to make sure my entry was finished.”

by Michael Jaramillo