Clarion 10/11/2022

CLARION

Fair trade:

Event lets students see what different universities offer

BY HEILY GARCIA STAFF REPORTER HGARCIA @ CCCLARION.COM

A transfer fair helped students speak to school representatives about the universities they are hoping to attend.

Citrus College’s transfer fair was held Sept. 28 at the Campus Center Mall for students to receive information about the transfer process, financial aid and what other campuses offer.

Upon arrival students received a bag with a sticker, notepad with post-it notes, transfer center business card and QR code for an events calendar.

Students were also encouraged to fill out an evaluation form and return it for a chance to enter a raffle. Winners were notified over the phone.

The form also contained sample questions to ask the representatives.

Business administration major Kamal Virdi and computer science major Carla Villanueva Huerta shared what they hoped to find at the transfer fair and what their experience being there was.

Hoping to get information on Cal Poly Pomona and University

of California, Riverside, Virdi said attending the event helped open her eyes to the more campus options available that align with her goals. The representatives were helpful in hearing what their schools had to offer, she said.

The Transfer Fair was well set up,

College hosts transfer fair

Grab and go food pantry

Campus-wide pantries available to students and community

BY HEILY GARCIA STAFF REPORTER HGARCIA @ CCCLARION.COM

Citrus has resources available for students and community members struggling with food insecurity.

Student Life Supervisor Rosario Garcia and Basic Needs Coordinators Alexis Silva and Dianne Chow help keep these food services available.

Huerta said. She found information about UC campuses such as San Diego and Santa Barbara.

Many campuses were available for students to speak to and they were easy to find.

The fair is designed for students to find information about financial

aid, the campuses they want as well as open their eyes to other options for their major.

Representatives for each school are there to answer questions students have about the fair.

University representatives declined to be interviewed.

New plans bolster public transit

BY RACHEL MILLS NEWS EDITOR RMILLS @ CCCLARION.COM

The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments hosted a presentation over zoom to discuss the future of public transit in the San Gabriel Valley focusing on building out the public transportation system on Sept. 20.

Multiple bus rapid transit lines were presented by the board as future plans to make San Gabriel Valley’s network work more efficiently and to attract new riders.

Two options were put forth for operating service between the L Line’s(formerly Gold Line) most southern eastern terminus in East Los Angeles at Beverly Boulevard. and Atlantic Boulevard., to Pomona Transit Center in Pomona.

Five other north-south running options were being considered; the first most important option according to ridership numbers was a line running down Rosemead Boulevard.

The other three options are not going to be addressed first but are being looked at for service improvements to help speed up and provide a higher quality transit options. These lines studied could be of great help to Citrus College students who rely on public transit to get to school. Options to improve and make new lines run along Myrtle/Peck, Azusa Avenue,

The presentation presented the Citrus line would start its route at the APU/Citrus College L line stop. It would head south down Citrus Avenue to Workman Avenue. It would head east to Grand Avenue where it would continue heading south down Grand Avenue passing Mount San Antonio College. It will head west down Valley Boulevard and then south down Brea Canyon Road passing the City of Industry Metrolink Station to Pathfinder Road and Brea Canyon Road. The line continues south down to the edge of Los Angeles County and Orange County.

The long-term plan by the SGVCOG is to connect the line with Orange County’s public transportation network, also

known as the Orange County Transportation Authority. SGVCOG has plans that OCTA will continue to run the line down from the Brea Mall, in Brea, to Anaheim.

Nothing specific about the frequency of trips was said about the bus line, but the other bus lines in the presentation were expected to have service be between 10 to 15 minutes.

The presentation noted that the stops would be less than an average bus line to increase speed and help with frequency.

Other topics covered in the presentation were the concept of making the bus stops better and more accessible with boards displaying the bus lines and when the next bus would be arriving.

A community member asked the board if most of the bus lines would have shelters and seating to attract ridership. The SGVCOG members giving the presentation repeatedly brought up the desire to make these bus lines have transit hubs where one could connect with other transit services easier.

“I’m always for more public transit,” Gabriel withheld his name, a student said while also expressing that the line wouldn’t really affect his commute much as he lives in Glendora.

Similarly, Lorena Galeano, another student, said she would not be affected by the new bus service as she lives too far from it. Galeano believes it would help her friends who also attend Citrus.

The plans are not solid yet, as the SGVCOG is having a public comment and continuing feasibility studies. If one wants to contribute input to the future plans plenty of ways to leave comments are available.

According to the presentation given future “pop-up” events that will have representatives to answer questions and take feedback will be organized.

If not able to attend an event,people can contribute comments through email sgvtransitstudy@sgvcog.org, telephone 888-574-8264, or go to: https://www.sgvcog.org/transitstudy-community-input to submit comments.

The food pantry is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Campus Center for currently registered students, all they need is their student ID.

“At the food pantry, we usually have meals that are ready to eat,” Garcia said via email. “They just have to microwave it or add hot water.”

Since the pandemic, more students have been using food assistance programs, Garcia said in an email. Their grants have also been heavily used, Chow added in an email.

Silva said via email that the food pantry allows students to grab what they need without feeling as though they are being judged. The food pantry does not only offer food — toiletries are available as well.

Garcia said plenty is available for students to grab what they need as they please.

“This semester the food pantry has been getting 40-60 visits a week,” Garcia said in an email.

Another resource available is the monthly mobile food pantry, which provides monthly visits open to the public.

“For the mobile food pantry, students get items like chicken, canned goods, produce, peanut butter or a nut butter, bread, yogurt,etc.,” Garcia said in an email. “However, it varies.”

The mobile food pantry also provides a box of food that can last many weeks, as opposed to the daily food pantry, Garcia said in an email.

“We encourage students and staff to share information with anyone they believe may benefit from visiting the mobile food pantry,” Silva said in an email.

Upcoming mobile food pantry visits for the current fall semester are from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 7 and Dec. 5 in the Campus Center Mall.

For more information, visit food assistance under Resources for Students in Need.

HEILY GARCIA - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Students speak to university representatives Sept. 28 at the Campus Center Mall.

RACHEL MILLS - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Foothill line 284 drives down Citrus Avenue on Sept. 26. The line could become a transit corridor according to a reccent presentation by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.

Too much time spent online is preventing students from finishing homework on time

BY ROBERT DAVIS

EDITOR

@ CCCLARION.COM

If students are on social media, chances are they’ve gotten a no tification, went to check it and 30 minutes later, they’re still on their phone wondering where all their time went.

Students say social media can be a major distraction when trying to get work done, it can be addicting and can cost them countless hours that would be better spent on more productive things.

Citrus freshman Nathan Sorchi ni said social media is a “big dis traction.” Sorchini estimated that he spends about six hours on his phone, mainly on social media, ev ery day.

“When I’m supposed to be doing my homework I’ll stop real quick because I get a notification and then next thing I know 40 minutes goes by,” he said.

Citrus freshman Brianna Aya la agreed with Sorchini, but said she spends even more time on her phone.

“I spend around like seven hours, sometimes even eight because I’ll get the thing on screen-time and it will be like eight hours or some thing like that,” she said.

Ayala said social media negative ly affects her job performance.

“Even when I’m working I’m al ways on my phone, and sometimes I’ll get distracted and bump into things,” she said “…I feel like when I’m at work, time goes by so slow ly but when I’m on my phone time goes by so quickly.”

Citrus student Deven Gunaward ane said social media is addictive, even going so far as to compare so cial media to nicotine.

Social media restraints

“It’s a habit your brain forms,” he said “It’s just like hitting a vape, it’s just like dopamine.”

Although Gunawardane manag es to keep his time on social media to a minimum, lately he’s been hav ing an increasingly difficult time doing so.

“(I spend) like 30 minutes a day,” he said “the past few months it’s been bad, more than an hour a day.”

Citrus sophomore Vee Ma gallanes shared some strategies she uses to stay off of social media.

“I put my phone on to not dis

turb; it will just be off and I’ll put it in my pocket or in my bag,” she said.

Citrus psychology professor An drew Kim said that overuse of social media can be a serious problem.

“Social Media can be addictive in a similar way that activities like gambling and compulsive shop ping can also become addictive. … (They) all work through the same reward circuit in the brain.” he said in an email.

Kim wrote that apps with infinite scroll features like TikTok, Insta gram and YouTube can be particu

larly time-consuming.

“The app lets you swipe endlessly at a never ending series of new con tent,” he wrote “There are no ‘end of chapters’ reminding us that it’s a good time to close out and come back later. Instead, users can easily lose track of time as they swipe vid eo after video.”

Citrus freshman Serena Hernan dez said social media “definitely” gets in the way of doing homework, and she estimates she spends about six hours per day on TikTok.

“It’s just like an addiction,” she said.

“Social media can be addictive in a similar way that activities like gambling and compulsive shopping can also become addictive. …(They) all work through the same reward circuit in the brain.”

Andrew Kim Citrus psychology professor

Monkeypox lulls as vaccinations increase

Los Angeles County opens availability for monkeypox vaccine

BY RACHEL MILLS

EDITOR

CCCLARION.COM

Los Angeles County determined the first death from monkeypox in the county Sept. 12.

Shauna Bigby with the Stu dent Health Center said students should arm themselves with infor mation. For more information visit LA County monkeypox and CDC monkeypox.

Bigby says it is important be cause any potential public health problems affect the campus.

New guidelines from the L.A. Department of Public Health have opened up the monkeypox vaccine to more groups.

The cases of monkeypox have plateaued. The number of infec tions reported by Los Angeles County was 1,966 as of Sept. 16.

The eligibility for vaccination has expanded to more groups in the community. Los Angeles County Public Health Department.

The vaccination is free to the public and there is no need for identification or proof of claim that one meets the criteria according to L.A. Department of Public Health. It is only suggested that the name given for the vaccination record

L.A. County Public Heatlh Department eligibility guidelines

n Any man who is gay, bisexual, or a transgendered person, who has sex with another man or transgender person is eligible.

n Commerical sex workers regardless of gender or sexual orientation is also now eligible.

n HIV positive persons are now eligible for vaccination.

n A person who knowingly had skin to skin contact or other exposure to someone with a suspected case, even if the case has not been confirmed by the health department, now is eligible.

match the person’s identification if traveling or have other need to have proof of vaccination in the future.

Anyone feeling ill or having symptoms of monkeypox is ad vised against showing up to a vac cination site.

Instead it is advised to seek testing from a medical provider for confirmation of monkeypox or to call the public health center at 833-540-0473.

Vaccination information can be found at LA County Monkeypox vaccination for a list of sites pro vided by the county. Other online booking options may be found through My turn CA.

ROBERT DAVIS - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Charile Davis stares at his social feed late into the night. Social media can be both addicting and distrating for young adults.

Why Measure Y?

College seeks to make major improvements over the next 5 years

BY MARK SNOW EDITOR IN CHIEF MSNOW @ CCCLARION.COM

The Measure Y sequencing plan looks to overhaul and improve the college campus.

Citrus College Measure Y infor mation webpage said the bond, which was approved by 58% of vot ers in November 2020 and allocates $298 million to the school, will be used for, but not limited to: nClassroom and laboratory up grades to job training, science and technology

nMeeting safety requirements for earthquake, fire and clean drinking water nResources for students/veter ans to prepare for transfer nRemoving leaky roofs, mold and lead paint

Stakeholders, facility, adminis trative service and external consul tants looked over the needs of the college in an 18-month process.

The process is laid out through the 2020-2030 Educational and Learn ing Facilities Master Plan, the Cit rus website said.

Measure Y is supposed to help the economy by creating jobs and expanding the college’s training partnerships, Citrus College said.

The bond will bring state-of-theart facilities and update access to existing ones, EFMP Task Force member and SuperIntendent/Pres ident Greg Schulz said in an email.

“Measure Y will make Citrus Col

lege even stronger than it is today,” Schulz said in an email.

Citrus College is held account able through a citizen oversight committee. The committee has to disclose all spending publicly and has annual financial and perfor mance audits.

The Measure Y sequencing plan was approved in October 2021 by the Physical Resources Commit tee. This committee is responsible for mainitng a responsible and safe campus. The sequence plans lay out the buildings, improvements to the campus, wand buildings sched uled to be built quarterly through the next five years and when more funding is rweceived.

The EFMP task force said this se quencing plan might change due to economic conditions.

The sequencing plan is currently under review because of economic changes which include California not being able to match funds with Measure Y, Schulz said in an email.

The EFMP said the improve ments provide 21st-century facili ties, a welcoming and inviting cam pus, and address over/under-used spaces as reasoning for the new facilities.

The citizen committee that over saw Measure G spending was re elected to ensure Measure Y has proper citizen oversight, Board of

Measure Y sequencing plan

n Campus-wide improvements (Quarter 1, 2022) s Ingress & egress, safety items, signage, landscape n Offsite Conference center (Quarter 4, 2023) s 40,000 square feet s $24 million n Student Union/dining hall (Quarter 4, 2023) s 30,000 square feet s $29 million

s Replacing BK and IS buildings n Career Technical Education building (Quarter 3, 2025) s 79,000 square feet s $71 million

s Replacing PC, TC, AA, DT1 and DT2 buildings n Classroom building and Veterans Success Center (Q IV 2025) s 44,000 square feet s $34 million s Replacing LB and IC buildings n STEM/science building (Quarter 3, 2027) s 58,000 square feet s $53 million s Replacing LS, LH and PS buildings n Library/Learning Resource Center (needs funding) s 56,000 square feet s $44 million s Replacing LI building n Kinesiology building (needs funding) s 65,000 square feet s $51 million s Replacing AP, AQ and PE buildings

Trustees minutes from the Febru ary 2021 meeting show.

The Bond management team is responsible for everyday oper ations as well as finance, design, construction, and execution from

beginning to end, Schulz said in an email.

The Citizen’s Oversight Com mittee appointed by the Board of Trustees, “oversees all of the proj ect-relations work and budgets”

relations to Measure Y, Schulz said in an email.

The committee is tasked with en suring the bond is being appropri ately used and serves the interest of the community.

Citrus to open Pride Center

Area focused on LGBTQ+ community at Citrus to start soon

BY LINA CARDINAS FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR LCARDINAS @ CCCLARION.COM

The LGBTQ+ community is getting its own safe haven on campus.

A pride center has been on Citrus College’s bucket list for years now. With the chancellor’s office approval and new state funding, the dream is finally becoming a reality.

The new Pride Center will be within the Campus Center in room 127. Currently the room is vacant with no more than a few tables and fake plants. Furniture has been ordered and the new Pride Center coordinator position is expected to be filled within this fall semester.

Expect access to the center as soon as next semester.

According to the 2022 National survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health conducted by The Trevor Project, 60% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care insurance in the past year were not able to get it.

The Pride Center gives students access to any of the other help centers, including the Student Health Center that provides students with medical advice, mental health support, or referrals.The Trevor Projects survey

reveals as of last year 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide and 14% died by suiside.

Citrus is supporting students

by giving by giving a safe and welcoming environment to within the community. A key finding in last year’s national survey is that LGBTQ+

youth that found their school to LGBTQ+-affirming reported lower rates of attempting suicide.

Any students in need are welcome

to come in and see the coordinator. Whether they just want someone to talk to, or are in a more dire situation, the coordinator will be knowledgeable of all things relating to this community and can connect them to options specific to their needs.

Tolano-Leveque said students with a multitude of problems can be connected to any of the other Citrus campus centers depending on their issue, including healthcare, basic needs, food assistance and transportation.

She also said the center is expected to hold group talks relating to LGBTQ+ struggles.

After its launch, students can reach the center at pride@citruscollege. edu or pop in personally to see the coordinator.

Tolano-Leveque said the Pride Center’s coordinator will become the heart of the center.

Tolano-Leveque said in addition to providing services to the struggling students, this person will train and teach the staff in an ally training program about all things relating to the topic, informing the teachers and staff on how to actively help and understand where students who are a part of this minority are coming from.

Staff who have completed this training will receive a Citrus pride pin as well as a sticker that they can wear or stick to their door to let students know of their support.

Source: Citrus College Board of Trustees meeting agenda

“Measure Y will make Citrus College even stronger than it is today.”

Greg Schulz EFMP Task Force and Superintendent/President

PHOTO LINDA CARDINAS, CLARION, ILLUSTRATION BY MARK SNOW, CLARION

Winner, winner, chicken dinner wars

BY ROBERT DAVIS MANAGING EDITOR RDAVIS @ CCCLARION.COM

Ground Rules

n Sandwiches will be judged head-to-head by the grand master of chicken n Sandwiches judged in original form n Sandwich will be judged alone, no combo meals n Bun, Sauce, toppings, breading and chicken will be scored individually n Bonus points for size, price, presentation and chicken to bun ratio n Categories and bonus will be given flavor score of 1-10 n Overall flavor score will determine winner

Be sure to follow updates to series at www.ccclarion.com/ chickenmasterschoice

Chicken dinner wars round 2!

KFC and Popeyes battle all out in close call to advance in tournament

Round two of the Chicken Dinner Wars has been served!

In this bout, the KFC Chicken sandwich and the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich face off! This week’s contestants brought the heat!

If you didn’t catch last week’s match-up, scroll down to the bottom of the page for a refresher on the rules!

With that out of the way, let’s dig in.

Popeyes and KFC both performed remarkably well in this close batte. The individual elements scores were neck and neck, but in the end, only one winner will come out of this razor-close battle with its reputation intact.

The bun on the KFC Chicken Sandwich was evenly toasted, soft and delicious. It was thicker than a typical fast food bun, which complemented the sandwiche’s chicken-to-bun ratio nicely, earning a score of 8.

The Popeyes bun was not as evenly toasted but it was nearly identical to the KFC bun in terms of texture. However, the Popeyes bun was much more flavorful, bringing its score to an 8.5.

In the sauce category, both

sauces exceeded the expectation of a usually tasteless fast food mayonnaise. Both sauces were nearly identical but the Popeyes sauce was slightly more flavorful, bringing the sauce scores to 5 for KFC and 5.5 for Popeyes.

Both sandwiches’ toppings consisted solely of pickles, but KFC proved that sometimes, that’s all that’s needed. The KFC pickles were like little crunchy refreshing vinegar circles. They were by far the best fast food pickles I’ve ever had, earning a 9.

The same cannot be said about Popeyes’ pickles, which were a to-be-expected flimsy, mostly tasteless pickles, earning a score of 6.

Onto the make-or-break component of the Chicken

Dinner Wars, the chicken patty.

The KFC chicken patty’s breading was not as flavorful as was expected, especially considering the famous 11 herbs and spices it apparently contains. However, it was crispy and evenly coated, earning a solid 7.5.

The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich took the breading element and ran with it. The breading of the patty was a thick, heavily seasoned, crispy flavor layer coating the Popeyes chicken. The breading was significantly more flavorful than that of the KFC chicken sandwich, earning it a perfect 10.

In the chicken category, both sandwiches shined for differing reasons. The KFC chicken was remarkably tender and flavorful,

earning 8.5. The Popeyes chicken was juicier than the KFC chicken but was not as tender, also earning an 8.5. The extra points category was dead even.

Both sandwiches were priced at $3.99 meaning no extra points will be awarded in this category.

Popeyes earns a customer service point for the worker asking me if I wanted any extra sauce, which was denied due to the rules of the Chicken Dinner Wars prohibiting any modifications.

While the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich was slightly biwger, KFC earns a presentation point for a perfect chicken to bun ratio, which I (the grand master of chicken sandwiches) decided is a more valuable element of a chicken sandwich.

This battle came down to less than a point, with KFC earning an overall flavor score of 39 and Popeyes barely scratching out a win with a remarkable overall flavor score of 39.5! Meaning that the Popeyes chicken sandwich will advance to the next round of the Chicken Dinner Wars!

While KFC put up a good fight, it was not enough to pass to the next round and it will join McDonald’s on the Chicken Sandwich wall of shame!

Be sure to catch our next battle between The Habit, and Tournament favorite, Chick-fil-A!

Round 3 of the chicken dinner wars!

The Habit and Chick-fil-A meet in a fiery clash of sandwich mayhem!

One of the most highly anticipated matchups of the Chicken Dinner Wars has come to fruition!

Tournament favorite Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwich faces off against the wildcard, The Habit’s Golden Chicken sandwich, in the most shocking chicken dinner battle yet!

If you didn’t catch last week’s match-up, scroll down to the bottom of the page for a refresher on the rules.

This battle’s sauce category came with some tangy drama that needs to be addressed before the official scoring is laid out.

To maintain an even playing field for all sandwiches, the official Chicken Dinner Wars rules state that no modifications can be made to any sandwich in the tournament. This created a problem in dealing with the fact that Chick-fil-A serves their chicken sandwiches with sauce on the side.

Fill out this bracket and follow along to see if your choices match the chicken master’s!

Grand

Chaos coordinator takes helm

A new director of the Health Sciences starts new role in October

BY RACHEL MILLS NEWS EDITOR RMILLS @ CCCLARION.COM

She sits at a desk with a sign that reads: Chaos Coordinator. It seems a juxtaposition to the calm, collecte, and confident woman sitting behind the desk.

Dr. Noemi Barajas will transition from the title of interim director to official director of the health sciences on Oct. 18 once the Board of Trustees votes her in. The interim title came to Barajas on Sept. 14.

For Barajas, it has been years in the making. Barajas remembered the first time she knew she had a calling toward the nursing profession. Her grandmother and father each suffered from diabetes and needed help with giving themselves injections. Unlike most, Barajas was intrigued by the task. She recalled she would find herself practicing injections.

Barajas came to the U.S. when she was 7 years old, she said.

Teaching and educating others came from positive experiences with educators throughout her primary and secondary education,

Barajas said. The teachers she said she remembers most are Ms. Armstrong and Mr. Taylor, and many great nursing counselors.

From high school, Barajas received her licensed vocational nurse degree from Los Angeles Unified School District. Her bachelor’s degree came from California State University Dominguez Hills. To teach, she got her vocational teaching credential from the University of San Diego. Her next major educational milestone came when she got her master’s degree from Mount Saint Mary’s College. Her crowning achievement of becoming a doctor in nursing practice was obtained in 2019 from California State University Fullerton. These accomplishments bring Barajas an even greater sense of pride as she is a first-generation graduate.

An element that gave Barajas a unique advantage to her position is an extensive history of being a nurse. Barjas gained experience and knowledge while working in

various clinics and hospitals. Her first job was at the King/Drew Medical Center. Her work there mainly focused on perinatal care. Barajas’ employer Emmanuel Health Care Center, a skilled nursing facility, was a place where she had a supervisory role providing her the experience of being in a position of power in regards to delegating duties and handling problems for the nursing staff.

A strong memory Barajas has of her time working as a nurse was an incident involving a woman who came into the emergency room pregnant and with what appeared to be bruises in her abdomen. The woman was not fluent in English, and Barajas helped translate for the medical team. Later it was discovered that the woman was bleeding internally. The cause of the bruising, which came out later, was a violent kick from her partner.

The woman, Barajas said, had children at home and was extremely scared and distraught over the safety of herself and her unborn baby. Barajas helped the woman as she was being prepared for an emergency cesarean section. Barajas’ shift was supposed to be coming to a close, but the woman’s fear at being alone during the surgery drove Barajas to stay

London has tasty treats

World cuisine and food markets excite student life in Europe’s international city

BY SYDNEY PARKER FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR SPARKER @ CCCLARION.COM

When most Americans think of British food, they think of beans for breakfast and fish and chips (with mushy peas, of course).

While those foods are popular and play an important role in London life, one of the first things that Citrus College students noticed when settling into their new homes in London for the semester was the wide variety of different cuisines and food options available around the city.

Citrus student Raquel Acosta was excited to scope out restaurants, including places serving Turkish and Lebanese food, which she’s never had before while living in California.

“It’s a lot more diverse than even what you would find in Los Angeles,” Acosta said. “I’m having to really keep tabs on everything I want to try.”

Many students, including Emily Stevenson, have quickly become big fans of artisan bakeries such as Gail’s, Paul, and Bread Ahead, which have become London staples in recent years as the city’s demand for freshly baked sourdough bread and French patisserie has grown.

“It’s so easy to grab coffee and a pastry before class and there’s always something new to try,” Stevenson said. “There’s a time and a place for Starbucks, but this is mostly not it.”

Another major player in the food culture of London is curry. Chicken tikka masala is “widely considered

the national dish,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica, and is one of the most well-known examples of British-Indian fusion cuisine.

Acosta recalls having dinner with several other Citrus students during their first week in London at Memories of India, a North Indian restaurant in Kensington.

“I had the chicken korma and it was so delicious,” Acosta said. “I immediately wanted to go back, and I definitely will sometime later before the semester is over.”

The American Institute for Foreign Study staff have recommended that students with a few hours of free time who are looking for something to eat head to Brick Lane in London’s East End, which is known for its curry houses stretching as far as the eye can see. It’s also home to Brick Lane Market, one the best known of London’s dozens of street food markets and food halls.

Other popular locations to grab a quick bite and enjoy the busy and

colorful atmosphere include Seven Dials Market, a trendy spot in a converted 19th-century cucumber and banana warehouse; Borough Market, one of London’s oldest food markets, claiming medieval roots; and Camden Market, which is on the picturesque Regent’s Canal.

Vegetarian and vegan food ofw all kinds is also hugely popular in London. Chain restaurants and small family-owned businesses alike will typically have a few options available for customers who don’t eat meat.

“It definitely makes it easier to go out with a group,” Stevenson said. “There’s less compromising and more of a sense that everyone is included.”

Sharing a meal with classmates has been an important bonding experience for many Citrus students throughout their first few weeks in London, with just as many late-night runs made for pizza and burgers as fish and chips, Jamaican beef patties, onigiri and takeaway curries.

past her shift. She held onto the mother’s hand all throughout surgery and the subsequent period while the mother was intubated and put into the intensive care unit.

Barajas said even though the mother spent three weeks in the intensive care unit, both she and her baby made it.

It’s the spirit that Barjas wishes to teach her students.

“You always put yourself in the patients’ shoes. How would you like to be taken care of?” said Barajas.

The one drawback Barajas said she has with her promotion is that she’ll spend less time in the classroom teaching and being with her students. She still wants the students to know that she has an open door and is willing to listen.

Some of the chaos that faces Barajas to coordinate in her new position is helping Citrus to fall in line with the accreditation board for the nursing program’s guidelines. The accreditation board wants to bring every nursing school with accreditation to a certain standardized program to make it easier for students to transfer between colleges and to make it easier for them to take classes at multiple schools if desired. To accomplish this, they want to rearrange the curriculum. Barajas said, for example, one of her tasks is to group three previously standalone classes: — pharmacology, gerontology, and leadership — and turn it into one class for students to take.

Other sweeping changes come

to the next generation of nursing students when it comes to taking their National Council Licensure Exam for board certification. The test is going from a multiple choice to a system more focused on case study and analysis.

Barajas is already gearing up to ensure that the pass rate for students is great. She is working at getting Uworld, an online software that will help the students get prepared for the new method of testing. She is also coordinating with Kaplan, the publishing company, to help get supplemental help for both students and faculty.

Barajas’ family away from home in the department has been encouraging to her through this period of change and adjustment, Barajas said.

Dean Allahbachayo had left a system in place to help and support the transition, Barajas said. Her office is covered with treasured gifts she’s received from the students and faculty members. Barajas enjoys that Citrus’ smaller program has allowed the students and faculty to have a more personal and guided learning environment.

The pride Barajas has is evident when showing off the Skills Lab on campus, a place where nursing students can come to do hands-on practice on things such as wound care and intravenous insertion.

The Chaos Coordinator of Citrus’ health sciences is capable and certainly able to carry the department into the next generation of students.

SYDNEY PARKER - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Citrus students and professor Ed Reed share a meal in London Chinatown after a field trip on Oct. 6 at Borough of Westminister in London, England.

BARAJAS

Managing Editor

Robert Davis

rdavis@ccclarion.com

News Editor

Rachel Mills rmills@ccclarion.com

Social Media Editor

Ashton Nieves anieves@ccclarion.com

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Alejandro Housen ahousen@ccclarion.com

Christine Wakefield cwakefield@ccclarion.com

Craig Thomas cthomas@ccclarion.com

Daniela Marin dmarin@ccclarion.com

Grace Gaines ggaines@ccclarion.com

Heily Garcia hgarcia@ccclarion.com

Jipeng Xue jxue@ccclarion.com

Lina Cardinas lcardinas@ccclarion.com

Marisa Duarte mduarte@ccclarion.com

Michael Douglass mdouglass@ccclarion.com

Michelle Medel mmedel@ccclarion.com

Rhys Teuber rteuber@ccclarion.com

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Sydney Parker sparker@ccclarion.com

Thomas Ruiz truiz@ccclarion.com

Yuhui Cao ycao@ccclarion.com

Clarion advisers:

Patrick Schmiedt

Stacy K. Long

The Clarion is produced by journalism students and is distributed every other Tuesday during the semester. Ads are not endorsed by the Clarion. Published opinion is that of the writer. Views expressed do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College and/or CCCBOT.

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Everything you need to know about current events in the campus community. If there is something you want us to cover, email us: contact@ccclarion.com.

Board of Trustees elections approach

Trustee Cheryl Alexander and Paul Naccachian are running for the third district of the Board of Trustees at Citrus College. The district represents areas of Monrovia, Duarte, Arcadia, Covina, and Irwindale. Alexander asks people to go to https://cheryl-alexander.com/ to learn more about her and her campaign. Votes may be placed in the general election coming up Nov. 8.

Trustee Anthony Contreaz is running uncontested for the first district which includes areas of Azusa, Covina, Glendora, and Irwindale.

Owls mourn loss of captain Luke Pruitt

Citrus College student athlete Luke Pruitt was killed in a motorcycle crash when he collided with an SUV at 11:22 a.m. Oct. 4 in Glendora.

Pruitt was a sophomore at Citrus and was a captain for the Citrus Owls football team, a tweet from the Citrus College Owls Twitter account said.

A defensive lineman, Pruitt played five games in 2022 with six tackles, six assists with 12 tackles, five for loss with two sacks, his player stat profile said.

Pruitt played in seven games in 2021, ending with 22 tackles on the year, five for loss and four pass break-ups and one block, his Citrus College Ows bio said.

“We send our thoughts and prayers to the Pruitt family, Luke’s friends and teammates and the entire (Owl) community,” the tweet said.

The man driving the SUV made a U-turn at the intersection of Mauna Loa Avenue and Grand Avenue when he and Pruitt collided, resulting in Pruitt’s death. The man driving the SUV was not injured, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune said in an article.

Glendora police department Sgt. Ryan Layaye said in the article from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune the police have not determined who was responsible for the collision.

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The Clarion recognizes the immense responsibility of reporting the stories of the Citrus community. We promise to deliver these stories as accurately as possible, without favor or fear of reproach.

The Clarion is knowledgeable of the power of the written word. It will shape the opinion and reputation of students, faculty and the institution. We exercise the right to publish, but also the right not to publish for the purpose of being complete in our reporting.

Smell, flavors attracts young adults to vaping

Students say flavored vapes are getting peers heavily addicted

BY ROBERT DAVIS MANAGING EDITOR RDAVIS @ CCCLARION.COM

If you’ve ever walked into a bathroom on campus and it smelled vaguely like fruit and chemicals, chances are someone was just in there vaping.

According to Citrus College 2022 Facts in Brief, 38% of students at Citrus are under 19-years-old or younger and a further 31% are between 20 and 24. Considering that over 38% of students are under the legal smoking age of 21, why and how are these students gaining access to vape products?

One reason people under 21 are attracted to vaping is how much easier to conceal vaping is compared to cigarettes.

“It’s not as revealing,” one 19-year-old student said. “It doesn’t smell bad, it doesn’t linger a smell. It’s very easy to use compared to going outside and lighting a cigarette.”

Another 19-year-old student echoed this reasoning.

“If I was in the backseat of the car I could hit, puff it a couple times and hold it in so nobody

even sees it (...) but with a cigarette you smell it, you see the cigarette spark and that’s it.” he said.

Some students even say that vaping is so easy to conceal, they see classmates vaping on campus, even though smoking on campus is prohibited.

“I’ve seen underage classmates vape on campus, even in lectures,” an 18-year-old student said.

The same student said she thinks vaping is even more common

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among people even younger than her.

“They did it even more at my high school, actually like freshman just as much as seniors there, here (Citrus College) I actually don’t see it as much,” she said.

One 17-year-old student said he thinks children are misinformed about the health risks of vaping.

“Kids, I think, do it because they think it’s not as bad for your health as cigarettes,” he said.

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Obviously, vaping is a heavy detriment to one’s health, as was written by Citrus College nurse Shauna Bigby.

“Some of the substances found in e-cigarettes (vaping) have been linked to cancer, neuro degenerative diseases, and heart issues” she wrote.

So what is influencing people under 21 to try vaping?

Four of the students interviewed for this story aged under 21 said the smell and flavors influenced them to try vaping.

“It’s how they say how flavors hook kids,” a 19-year-old student said.

Two of the students interviewed said people around them made them want to try it.

“I saw my parents doing it and I wanted to try it,” one student said.

Another said it was his friends who influenced him to try vaping.

“They (friends) have it and you’re like, oh you’re smoking? That’s kind of like the gateway,” he said.

People under 21 may be influenced by their peers to try

vaping, but they can’t legally buy them, so how are they getting vape products?

One 19-year-old student said it’s no big deal to find a smoke shop that will sell to minors.

“I got it from a shop. I found a shop that didn’t ID. …There’s a lot here in Azusa. … It’s really easy,” he said.

The Clarion reached out to seven vape shops and six declined to comment.

A smoke and vape store in Azusa said minors rarely come in to buy vapes, and when minors come in, they try to buy glassware or cigarettes.

One 19-year-old student did not reflect this sentiment.

“For me personally, I would never smoke a cigarette,” he said.

He explained that the action of vaping has an appeal to people his age.

“It’s like a certain amount of coolness that you think you get from it. … In today’s society everyone wants to get high or everyone wants to be the coolest kid at the party” he said.

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