Birding for peace and conservation Features Tuesday March 10, 2015
Retention focus of STEM program
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
CSUF baseball to host Toreros Tuesday 4
Sports
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Volume 97 Issue 23
Owners gather to flaunt and fly antique wartime aircraft
Funding to be used to stem attrition from two colleges ALEX GROVES Daily Titan Cal State Fullerton has started a new program to bolster retainment and increase graduation rates in two of the university’s colleges by getting science, technology and math students engaged with their coursework. The Academic Success through Curriculum Enhancement and Nurturing program, also known as ASCEND STEM, will use $375,000 received through a grant to foster a variety of initiatives. These initiatives are meant to challenge students in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Engineering and Computer Science to think about their majors differently, said Robert Koch, special assistant to the provost. The ASCEND STEM program is part of a larger Cal State University STEM Collaboratives Project, which will play out at seven other campuses in addition to Fullerton. The overarching program is funded by a $4.6 million grant from a charitable trust. On a yearly basis, a large proportion—roughly 25 percent—of first time students from the two colleges move to different colleges within the university or leave the university altogether, Koch said. The end goal of the ASCEND program will be to increase retainment of students going into their second year in science, technology, math and engineering programs to about 90 percent. SEE STEM 2
AMANDA SHARP / DAILY TITAN
Military training planes that were used during flying practice in the ‘30s and ‘40s are now owned privately and are displayed monthly at the Fullerton Municipal Airport. James Norman owns the yellow 1952 Cessna 170B aircraft (above).
Fullerton airport hosts monthly historical show MARICELA GOMEZ Daily Titan Motors blared in an otherwise calm Orange County sky. The sounds complemented aircraft that stalked over runways and others that basked in the sun capturing the sight and sound of aviation lovers. The Fullerton Municipal Airport held its free monthly antique aircraft display, Sunday, where visitors, pilots and aviation enthusiasts marveled at a blend of retro and contemporary aircraft models. About 24 aircrafts over 35 years old roamed the sky and landed on the elongated runway to park in a “festival seating” style throughout the transient lot. A plethora of yellow, white, blue, grey, red and even zebra prints pigmented the exhibited aircrafts that carry historical
and meaningful stories behind them. The 86 acres of land the planes are displayed on was once a pig farm established in 1927 and also a former sewer for the city according to the Fullerton Municipal Airport website. It currently accommodates 600 planes essential to departments within the community, including the Anaheim Police Department and the Fullerton Fire Department. The California Highway Patrol also has a base within the airport, said Chuck Davis, 65, the aircraft event coordinator of four years. Three military training planes from World War II were present. One of them, a Piper Cub, that the U.S. Navy used to practice flying MARICELA GOMEZ/ DAILY TITAN during the ‘30s and ‘40s, Davis said. Despite its sim- The U.S. Navy used this Piper Cub for practice in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The craft (above) has a pinup ple exterior, a vibrant vin- painting inside that can be seen when the window opens. tage pinup painting was exposed as the glass win- aviation pilot Jackie DaCos- blue lines throughout its private pilot license. She latdow opened. The military ta, is the owner of a small body and wheels. DaCosta er obtained an instrument flyaircraft with room for two, training 1972 Cessna 150 learned to fly in 1986 at the ing license and upgraded to a goes up to 70 mph, Davis aircraft model named Olly. Fullerton Municipal Airport, commercial license, she said. said. Olly’s luminous white exte- where she completed 4,000 SEE AIRCRAFT 4 Davis’ wife, another rior is stroked with red and flight hours, granting her a
De Leon flourishing in second year Tennis star bucking the sophomore slump trend CECILY MEZA Daily Titan “Ace, fault, love, scratch, topspin.” These terms may be foreign to the average person, but to Camille De Leon, these words are second nature. De Leon is an active member of the Cal State Fullerton women’s tennis team and has grown up with a passion for the sport. In her younger days, De Leon was heavily influenced by her father and uncles. Her father would take her to the park and hit balls on the court, De Leon recalls. De Leon became intrigued with tennis after watching the sport with her father and thought itwould be a fun and intense challenge. After her father
realized the talent she had, she began playing competitively at 8 years old—in tennis academies and individual tournaments. Once she began attending Troy High School in Fullerton, her skills began to show. De Leon played on the varsity squad all four years under Head Coach Donna Judd. In 2012, as a senior at Troy, she won the Freeway League girls’ singles championship. She had previously won the Freeway League girls’ singles championship as a sophomore in 2010. As a junior at Troy, De Leon was a finalist in the Freeway League girls’ singles and was also named league player of the year. When it came to the recruiting process, De Leon kept in constant contact with former CSUF Head Coach Bill Reynolds. De Leon emailed him as to when her high school matches were. Reynolds gave De Leon two dates that he would come out to
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officially scout her. When it came to deciding where to continue her education and tennis career, De Leon had a criteria when searching for the right fit. The two most important things were what the tennis program had to offer and a major within her interest. Reynolds offered her a scholarship for CSUF, which she would later commit to and accept. At CSUF, De Leon has had to learn to balance a rigorous schedule, workout sessions and game days, especially when gearing up for a game on the road. “You just need to be on top of your (studies),” De Leon said. “It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of time management.” Now a sophomore at CSUF, De Leon plays higher up on the lineup, holding the No. 2 spot for singles and the No. 1 spot in doubles with her partner Megan Sandford. SEE DE LEON
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CECILY MEZA / DAILY TITAN
Sophomore tennis star Camille De Leon has stepped up this year, competing in the No. 2 singles slot and the No. 1 doubles spot with Megan Sandford. De Leon is 6-3 this season as the No. 2. VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM