In the graduation joy that enveloped the Cal State Fullerton campus at its May 27 commencement, it was a group of 30 Orange County elementary school teachers and a proud professor who experienced perhaps the greatest collective sense of elation and accomplishment. This has changed my life. The ultimate beneficiaries of Project ExSEL are generations of local elementary school students who will explore new horizons in science, thanks to their teachers' enhanced training and knowledge of the field. Rosenberg beamed as he read the names of each Project ExSEL candidate during commencement ceremonies for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Each candidate had completed 30 units of graduate course work.
Most candidates are in the process of completing a required special project.
Along the way, one teacher was forced to drop out because of severe medical problems. Another participant underwent facial surgery and almost quit the program. Fellow teachers rallied around her and convinced her to continue. Others had similar stories. Over the three years, many friendships were formed, study groups were organized, and the teachers encouraged one another to continue and succeed.