Bill La is one of those wonderful hidden treasures on our campus. Because he is quiet and unassuming, and works in the ACE High Tech lab, many of us could go through an entire year without ever crossing paths with him or knowing just how much he impacts the lives of countless students and staff members.
When you engage Bill in conversation about his work, his passion exudes. He is hopelessly addicted to the excitement of connecting students with resources, calming fears and inspiring them to realize their inner potential. Because he knows education is fun and exciting and opens opportunities for you, it seems to be a personal challenge of his to get some of his students to actually like school, along with helping them in any way he can.
As Instructional Associate in the Accessibility Center for Education (ACE) High Tech Lab on the ground floor of the new Learning Resources Center, Bill is called upon to fix problems that arise, research new software, interact with students and generally make sure the lab meets the needs of those who enter. It is an incredibly fascinating place with specialized adaptive hardware and software – screen enhancers, scanning software that reads articles back to you, voice recognition software, and CCTV’s (ask Bill for a demo).
Bill began his time at GWC as an hourly in the old library’s Computer Lab in 2001, and spent some time in Admissions and Records before moving to the High Tech Lab, and finally landing the permanent full-time position in 2005. He has a BS in Information Systems from CSU Long Beach and a Masters in Rehab Counseling from San Diego SU, with a long term goal of being in Counseling, assisting students in more long-range planning. And for personal enrichment, he is enrolled in Sign 180 this semester!
On campus, Bill has been involved with the College Technology Committee; Safety, Facilities, and Land Development Committee, Planning and Budget, and Online Research. Like many others, he has an East coast component to his history, having spent 8 years in Maryland as a child after starting his life in LA. Most of his family is here now, and they are very close knit.
Outside of his job, you will find Bill outdoors – exercising, playing basketball or football, rock climbing or hiking with friends. Congratulations, Bill. We are truly blessed to have such a dedicated heart serving our students and staff here on our campus.
