International Education

Our first program in 1978 was initiated by Dr. Donald Culton and was offered through the Los Angeles Community College District with a group to Spain. Since 1980 the program has been offered in Salamanca, Spain. Salamanca is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site, is home to a unique Plaza and nightlife, major universities, including the Pontifical University of Salamanca, where our classes our held, and authentic culture. It is centrally located on the Iberian Peninsula, close to Madrid and Portugal. It is well known as a walking city, dating to pre-Roman days, is full of history, great architecture, language schools, and great fun for college students.

Formerly, International Education has worked in close collaboration with universities around the world, including Thailand, Japan, Mexico, and Spain.

Josefina Culton

Professor Josefina Oregel Culton is a native of Mexico, born in Mexico City, but into a family with its roots in the State of Jalisco. She attended Universidad Motolinía from Kindergarden to High School. She graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with a licenciatura (Lic). She served as Head of the Office of International Affairs of the Colegio Nacional de Educación Profesional Técnica (CONALEP) prior to coming to the US, where she earned an A.A. from Harbor College, B.A. from California State University, Dominguez Hills and her M.A. from Cal State, Long Beach. She has taught at the Universidad Motolinía in Mexico City, CSUDH, CSULB, El Camino College and Harbor College, has been a full-time instructor at WLAC since 1994.

Christian Culton

Christian is currently a student at University of California Santa Cruz working towards a bachelors degree in History. He has studied long term around the world through the community college system, including in Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Thailand. His experience with study abroad runs deep as his family exposed him while young. This expertise is carried over and fosters his belief that studying abroad should be affordable and available to more people. Along with his mother, Josefina Culton, he plans on continuing the legacy of his family of over 37 years in bringing travel and language to students around the world. He is still an avid traveler who loves culture, food and music. In his free time, he practices flamenco guitar, reads, and writes.

Donald R. Culton

Dr. Donald R. Culton, came to Los Angeles from Omaha, Nebraska at the age of three months. He attended Long Beach City College, earned a B.A. at Whittier College, M.A at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. He taught at Shasta College in Redding, California for two years, and began his teaching in the Los Angeles Community Colleges in l966 at Los Angeles City College. He was Coordinator of Outreach and Evening and Assistant Dean of Evening at Harbor College when he began the study abroad program in Morelia, México in l977. In l980 he became the Director of International Education for the LACCD. He served in a similar capacity for the South Orange County Community College District before retiring from the public community colleges and devoting his time to volunteer work, consulting, and assisting with the study abroad programs offered by WLAC and Mrs. Culton. He was an avid cyclist and runner, had been a member of the Team USA National Duathlon squad at three World Duathlon Championships.