Ink THE INQUIRER MAGAZINE WINTER-SPRING 2019
CHOOSING DVC OVER D1
Ink Editor-In-Chief Luis Lopez
Assistant Editors Phillip Cordero and Emma Hall Staff Members Carolina Cabrera, Edwin Chen, George Elias, Samantha Laurey, Sean McKenna, Max Miller, Gavin Rock, Isabel Villalobos Correspondant Ethan Anderson Advisor Mary Mazzocco Contact Us www.dvcinquirer.com Twitter: @dvcinquirer www.facebook.com/dvcinquirer Email: inquirer@dvc.edu
Letter from the editor Dear Reader, This semester was a unique challenge for the Inquirer staff. After seeing all but one of last years staff members graduate, a virtually whole new staff came onto the scene. As Editor-In-Chief, and the only returning staff member, it was my pleasure to help the development of this new staff, and to watch their love for reporting blossom. This staff did an amazing job at taking their newly acquired skills and using them to report on various stories that are not only important, but will matter to students. In this semester’s issue of Ink, we have the introduction of DVC’s newest Vice President, the first, and hopefully annual, rock and hip hop concert from Dr. Terence Elliott’s music program, along with taking a look into the United Nations career of Dr. Amer Araim. Outside of campus we take a look at what goes down at a local boba spot that we’re sure students will want to see. However, perhaps the most important thing we can do in this magazine is to simply say thank you. Our great journalism advisor, Mary Mazzocco, is retiring after years of teaching students the joy of reporting. We can only hope that this issue is the last “Good God Martha!” moment of her amazing journalism career. So we here at the Inquirer want to thank you for picking up an issue and taking interest in the program. We understand the responsibility we have as reporters and want to make sure we fulfill that responsibility everyday when we step into the newsroom. Sincerely, Luis Lopez, Editor-In-Chief
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New VP, Mary Gutierrez makes her start
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It’s a tea party
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DVC’s rock and hip hop groups spead ruckus on campus
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DVC over D1
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Dasha Bukovskaya, a scholar of all trades
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Exploring an aquatic wonderland
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Amer Araim profile
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Going beyond resume mediocrity
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Cheap places to get textbooks
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“A Good Boy” (Comic)
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New VP Mary Gutierrez makes her start Story and photo by Emma Hall
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his Fall, Diablo Valley College was graduate students at our house all the time introduced to Mary Gutierrez, too. I saw that my parents were important to the new vice president of instruc- their students and their families.” tion, who has been described as a visionary, While she saw many of the virtues of teachfriendly, approachable, and always student ing, she was also exposed to the profession’s centered. vices. Gutierrez did not go into college as an With 34 years of experience in teaching, education major. and the determination to help students, Growing up with educators was a double Gutierrez hopes to support students with edged sword for Gutierrez. While she saw their journey at DVC. many of the virtues of teaching, she was also Gutierrez’s primary role is to integrate in- exposed to the profession’s vices. struction in student services and to provide riginally she was primarily an Enunits for each instruction at DVC. glish major and was discouraged Overall, Gutierrez’s role, along with the into going into teaching because other vice presidents at DVC, is to work to- while both of her parents were important gether and support students effectively. in their students’ lives, both of their careers “She came with a wealth of experience,” bled into her childhood. said DVC President Susan Lamb. “(She was) “The phone always rang during dinner really engaged with student and student suc- (from student calls),” said Gutierrez. “It cess. She came in with engaging conversa- seems like either one of those two were tions of how do we help students be more pulled away by those calls.” successful.” Despite this, Gutierrez Throughout Gutidecided to try a career in “I grew up watching education after she strugerrez’s life, she has been surrounded by gled to find employment and appreciating education. with her English degree. aspects of education Growing up, both After Gutierrez went of Gutierrez’s parthrough student teachas a kid.” ents were educators. ing, she truly fell in love Her mother was a with education and what Mary Gutierrez kindergarten teacher it means to be a teacher. Vice President of Instruction and her father was a With the role of vice prescollege professor. Beident Gutierrez plans to cause of this, Gutiersupport students alongrez was at the forefront of seeing the life of side the college by supporting Assembly Bill an educator. 705 which will reduce the number of courses “I grew up watching and appreciating as- and time that a student would take or spend pects of education as a kid,” said Gutierrez time in a pre-level college course. “It seemed that every night my mother would According to Gutierrez, this means that a come home and tell either a funny story or a first-time student will take and be required to sweet story about her students, her students’ complete a college leveled English and math parents and working. My dad always had class in their first year.
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Gutierrez also supports guiding pathways, a system made for students who have difficulty identifying what they want their major to be. Students choose a cluster of disciplines that interest them and from there, they are supported to pick a major through feeling out different aspects of the pathway. Gutierrez hopes to reach and support student success through her approval of these two systems. “Sometimes when you get a vice president of instruction, they’re only thinking about instruction,” said Lamb. “What I love about how she approaches things, she approaches it with ‘how do we truly support students in their classes?’ Whether it with supplemental instruction or counseling.” efore coming to DVC, Gutierrez worked as the dean of liberal arts at Skyline College in San Bruno. While working at Skyline, Gutierrez was a strong supporter of guiding pathways and meta-majors. “She was a dedicated Dean who supported the faculty and staff in her division fully,” wrote Cherie Colin, the director of community relations and marketing at Skyline in an email interview. “She demonstrated her commitment to social justice and equity for our students through her leadership.” Overall, Gutierrez is excited to be working at DVC. She hopes to make a positive impact not only on students but to the campus community. “There’s a unique sense of what it means to be a DVC student and take a class at DVC. The faculty has a very clear vision of what that means, and I see that being articulated in many different ways and in very different disciplines,” said Gutierrez. “DVC really matters to the community.”
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It’s a tea party Dancers bring their passion to the community at Milk Tea Lab
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Story by Samantha Laurey and Isabel Villalobos
ilk Tea Lab in Pleasant Hill holds an event that has everyone talking. It’s Boba Battles. This is a new event that began in Fall 2017 and will continue through 2019. Boba Battle was created by 26-year-old Milk Tea Lab employee and Flow Alliance member Lee Pascual. His dance group, Flow Alliance, runs the events and invites different freestyle dancing groups to compete from all around the Bay Area. This event is made for boba lovers and all who have an interest in dance. Pleasant Hill is considered a middle ground for a lot of dance groups around the Bay Area making Pleasant Hill’s Milk Tea Lab a perfect spot to hold an event.
But why Boba and dancing? “I’ve been around freestyle dancing for quite a long time... I’ve been basically trying to create something in this area because normally when I go out to freestyle jams it’s either in Sacramento, San Francisco or San Jose, rarely in middle places like Vacaville or Vallejo,” said Pascual. This event was inspired by three dance jams that Pascual went to around the Bay known as, Legends in the Making, Night Walkers and Kill Offseason. Pascual wanted to make an event like these, but with a place that everyone didn’t have to travel too far for. That is when the Milk Tea Lab owner Kaman Loi suggested they hold an event at Milk Tea
Lab in Pleasant Hill. Loi knew Pascual was a dancer and wanted to help him and his group Flow Alliance. He hopes to profit from the Boba Battles by funding it, providing the space, selling boba tea, and advertising them at each location he owns. This event is exclusive to Pleasant Hill’s Milk Tea Lab. Boba Battles are open to all groups and individual dancers who do freestyle. The two main groups from the Bay that compete in this event is One Up and Mafia. Pascual, his Flow Alliance group and Milk Tea Lab employees help out in the event by setting up brackets, making everything runs smoothly and selling Boba. Pascual sets up a live video of the event on Facebook, helps fund some of the payment for the judges, host and winners pot. Loi is the one who uses his profit from Pleasant Hill and San Jose Milk Tea Lab to be the main funder for the whole event to happen. Though Flow Alliance runs the event and occasionally will judge they do not compete in Boba Battles due to being a choreographed group. The group has been together for five years. They were known as Flow Agencies in 2013, then changed the name to Flow Alliance in 2015. The dance group is known to compete in K-pop and anime dance competitions. They have this event to raise money for their group and bring all the dancing communities together. This dance competition takes a lot of planning and funding from Loi and Pascual so it is hard for them to have a set schedule for Boba Battles. They plan to have it happen at least three more times next year and the next one will be in March 2019. Boba Battles have set up a new system, for every winner of Boba Battle they will be automatically seeded in the top 8 events for the final battle that will take place in 2019.
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he Final Battle will be tournaments style, where all the winners from the past Boba Battles come together for the championship at College Park High School. In this series, first place gets $250, second place $100, and third place is $50. The final battle will be winner gets all and the winner will get $1,000. Pascual picks the judges based on different dance groups he knows and never gets two members of the same dance group to take away any bias. They have made a new rule that the winner from each Boba event will be one of the three judges for the next Boba Battle event. So far, there are two winners of Boba Battle who will compete in the Finals, Hector “Intricate” Asencio, who won the first battle, and Xavier Comeaux ‘Lil Outrage’ the
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“We want to make sure the dance community thrives for the next generation.” Jimmy Nyguen Participant
winner of the second battle. Anyone can compete in this event, it is a $10 registration fee and you can register online through Boba Battle’s Facebook account or in person. The event starts at 6 p.m., but the registration for the event is at 5 p.m. This event is an all-night event and ends when a winner is crowned. About 100-150 people
Images courtesy of Teena Bernardo showed up to the last Boba Battles to watch and compete. Boba Battles is aimed on helping all dancers have the courage to get out and go experience the dance community for what it truly is. This competition is a way for amateur and experienced dancers to learn and grow from one another through the connections you make at this event. Jimmy Nyguen participated in the 2018 Boba Battles and strongly encourages that any new dancers should go out, join, have fun and ask questions about dancing at this community event. Nyguen urges dancers to practice as much as they can, to apply themselves to competitions and always keep trying if they did not win. “We do boba battles, not just for the competition, but to support each other and the dance community,” said Nyguen.
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Rock and hip hop groups spread ruckus Story and photos by Ethan Anderson
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or the first time in Diablo Valley College history, the music department held a concert that molded together the genres of rock and hip hop.
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n Nov. 10, the auditorium in the music building was dark. Only the instruments were under light at center stage. People had to stand in the isles waiting to see the first set due to the
large crowd. “I thought it was going to be more of like a learn how to be a roadie class, but it turned out to be a learn how to perform class,” said lead guitar and vocalist Dillon Brookey. He had been discussing how the live production course led to his performance. Brookey had one of the standout sets that night, which left such an impression that two DVC students followed him backstage after the concert. One of them was speechless, but when her friend finally spoke, there was only praise for Brookey’s voice. The Rap Rock Ensemble Concert was created by Dr. Terence Elliott, DVC’s music professor. He teaches rock theory improvisation
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“The main thing that brought everyone to the class and then made Dr. Eliott want to lead the class was the sense of togetherness based around music.” Kolbe Hockel
DVC student drummer
and live production with stagecraft, both of which had student performers at his concert. What Elliott’s accomplished within the music department goes further than promoting student musicians; even though he’s had a history of connecting independent artists with the music industry. As stated by performers who’ve taken his course.
The classes Elliott teaches were originally founded by Steve Sage, renowned guitarist and professor of music at DVC. Sage passed away in 2017, leaving a void in the music department. Sage had been struggling with cancer for over a year, and when he passed, Elliott had an opportunity to pick up the mantle. “Dr. Elliott, this is the second semester he’s actually brought this class back, and it’s just bringing original music from kids at DVC, and it gives them a platform to speak what’s on our mind and so I’m about it,” said lead vocalist Tj McCarty. McCarty embodied the alternative musical blend envisioned by Elliott. His song, “One and Only,” was an amalgamation of a couple genres, but mainly R&B. On the front of the pamphlets handed out at the ticket booths, “Spreading Love,” can be read in bold. It was also the title of their closing song.
The event was an array of different artistic visions, emulated through creative clothes worn by some of the performers. ands like K.P. Gram$ and the Funky Metal Alliance also brought a unique sound to their audience. From rock fused folk in Brookey’s performance, to R&B mixed with hip hop by McCarty, the Metal Alliance ushered in a completely new tone. There came a wave before and after Metal Alliance’s set, where bands utilized a new method. Some of which involved heavy metal screams, while others rapped the usual bars of hip hop. “The main thing that brought everyone to the class and then made Dr. Elliott want to lead the class, was this sense of togetherness based around music,” said Kolbe Hockel, one of the drummers. An example of that unity was
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created by Cole Barberini, Robert Bullock, Chris Breeze, John Jennings, John White, Abbie Vanskike and Claire Gonsalves in their performance of “Forged by Fire.” It was inspired by the fires that have been set ablaze across California. The crowd fell silent over the cords strung, while footage of houses burning and families rushing to safety played on the overhead projector. Their performance revealed how hard times can still bring people together When McCarty was asked what he thought about the positivity shown at this event, he ended with another piece of wisdom. “I mean I love it, first and foremost, anybody that knows me knows I love to laugh. I love to have a good time and I’m just about the good vibes,” said McCarty.
DVC D1 OVER
Mike Darr and DVC football have a long list of Division One transfers. What is it that makes players choose the Vikings over D1 opportunities? Story and photos by Luis Lopez
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layers that come through head coach Mike Darr’s program hen looking at high school football, the games most elite see that he has a proven track record of giving players the players usually share a common goal. opportunities they want at the next level, as some have seen That goal? To make it to the next level. Regardless of the walls inside his office covered with pictures of players he’s sent its a Division one, Division two, or NAIA opportunity, be it with a to the next level. scholarship or preferred walk-on, the desire to play at a higher level “I saw how many people they got out, it just seemed like it was a of competition is there. good opportunity for me to play early as a freshman,” said Ross. Some, however, want to expand their choices and put themselves Ross isn’t the only player that has chosen DVC over D1 opporin the best situation possible. tunities. According to Darr, there are 159 players in total who For players like Diablo Valley College wide receiver Justin Ross, have chosen DVC over some form of a D1 opportunity during his that situation is exactly what he strives for. tenure. “I just wanted to get out as quick as possible Current players like defensive backs Darryl “We try to get guys Walker and find what place would give me the best and Antwuin Prowes also saw DVC as one on one and say the better route. opportunity to do that,” said Ross. The former Bishop O’Dowd standout is one “I just thought I could do better than the ‘hey, whats important schools of the latest players to play for DVC football and that were giving me opportunities, to you?’” try to expand their opportunities for scholarcoach Darr made it seem like it was a good idea ships at the next level, and for players like Ross, that I come get better, and get a better opportucoach Mike Darr’s program felt like the best fit. nity out here” said Walker. Mike Darr Coming out of high school, Ross had received In some cases, junior college is the last Head Coach some division one offers, including a preferred chance players have to get to D1, and in a situawalk on opportunity from Wyoming of the tion like Prowes’, DVC provided that chance. Mountain West conference. Wanting to expand his opportunities “I didn’t have good grades to get to the D1 I wanted to go to, to give himself the best environment, Ross gave the junior college so this was a better chance to develop as a football player and get route a chance, and after looking at his choices, it was DVC that everything I needed to get done, here” drew him in the most. Prowes has had an amazing year on both sides of the ball for the “I looked at a lot of schools, I looked at Laney, San Francisco City Vikings. As a defensive back this past season, Prowes had 15 tackles, College, College of San Mateo, but I took a visit at DVC, when I along with two touchdown receptions and 250 receiving yards as a came up on my visit, I liked how invested they were and it seemed wide receiver. like they really cared about their players,” said Ross. The idea of coming to DVC to “get better” is a simple, yet effec-
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tive topic that Darr discusses with his recruits, and in the case of Ross, it was something that proved to work. “Its one of the things that we hope DVC will be for everyone in the program, (Ross) was able to step back and take a look and not just jump at the glamour and the glitz of a division one program,” said Darr. “That gives him the opportunity to hopefully better his choices, no disrespect to the programs that were recruiting him, it’s just a matter of he was looking at the situation and he thought that coming here he might be able to develop his skills and possibly open some other doors.” When the program is able to recruit players that want better opportunities, who not only help the program but add on to the list of players that DVC has been able to send to the next level, it gives Darr examples for players to look at when thinking about DVC.
“We try and get guys one on one and say ‘hey, what’s important to you?’ sometimes that’s it, with guys like Kyle Trego, I can point to them and say ‘hey here are other guys who have done exactly what you’re trying to do,’” said Darr. Kyle Trego is a former Vikings safety from the 2015 season and is now playing for the Colorado Buffaloes of the Pac-12 division. Trego is one of many examples Darr points to when trying to recruit players to DVC. arr has created an environment that players can thrive in while also creating better opportunities for themselves. For Ross, the additional benefit of choosing a junior college over a D1 school includes not being pressured by the fans and the media along with the mentality of being at a bigger school. “I think, it’s like the perfect step between high school and college because it can really prepare you for the next level, it’s more serious, harder than high school, but it’s not all the same pressures and stuff as like a division one school.” Without those pressures, Ross has thrived. This past season, Ross had 17 catches for a total of 272 yards, averaging 16 yards per catch including an 81 receiving yard performance against San Joaquin Delta in week four. “He’s come up with some huge catches, you see him getting better and better each week,” said Darr. For Ross, joining the Vikings program has been a perfect match, and when asking him if he made the right decision, he’ll let you know. “I did, I believe in the team, I believe in the coaches, I like it here at this school, I like the teachers, if you like all those then you couldn’t have made the wrong decision”
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Antwuin Prowes (far left), Darryl Walker (above), and Justin Ross (left)
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A scholar of all trades
Student Dasha Bukovskaya goes above and beyond
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Story by Gavin Rock and photos by Ethan Anderson
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hether she’s managing her course load, facilitating class as a teachers assistant, tutoring two different subjects, participating in speech and debate or representing the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society at Diablo Valley College, it’s clear Dasha Bukovskaya embodies success and determination at DVC, all with a smile across her face. Bukosvkaya began her academic career at DVC Fall 2017 after moving to California from Washington during summertime. Being a natural extrovert, Bukosvkaya knew from the get-go that communications would be her field of study, saying “It’s a major that (plays) to my strengths, and it’s very applicable into a number of fields.” After her first semester, Bukosvkaya chose to join AGS Honors Society the following spring while juggling a normal class schedule. Around this time, the amount of effort put into her work and dedication towards her studies was picked up on by her professors. Both Dr. Julia Willsie, oceanography professor, and professor Robert Hawkins, the speech and debate coach, requested Bukosvkaya’s presence in their respective fields the following semester Regarding her work ethic, Willsie said “[Bukosvkaya] was visibly excited about what she was learning, both in lecture and lab, sharing her enthusiasm with her fellow students every day. She came to office hours with questions that showed she was thinking about aspects of Oceanography in new ways and trying to expand upon what She was learning in class.” As the official Public Relations representative for AGS, a role she took on this semester, Bukosvkaya promoted the society in the beginning of the semester, often setting up information tables and contacting professors for in class presentations. Her exertion of energy as the rep. earned Bukosvkaya the accolade “Member of the Month” in October, a feat she’s extremely proud of. When Bukosvkaya can be found in oceanography on Tuesdays, her fellow TA and business major Ryan Muller described how even though the students sometimes lack enthusiasm and engagement regarding class, Bukosvkaya always enters with the goal of furthering their education. “She’s like a really good server, she’ll bounce around to each person and make sure they’re doing ok,” said Muller. Alongside her studies, Bukosvkaya keeps several journals and runs a blog, which includes personal photography and writing. “It’s a portfolio of creative writing, art and photography, it’s a personal blog. It helps me express my creative side.” Bukosvkaya was born in California in 1998 to two Russian citizens, Elena Kopjar and Anatoly Bukovsky, making her a first-generation American.
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“My dad did this As a child, Bukosvkaya claims there was always a thing when I was book in her hands, to the younger where he point where she’d walk around the house and streets would put his hand while reading. on my head and “My dad did this thing when I was younger where steer it in he would put his hand on my another direction, head and steer it in another direction, cause I’d read my cause I’d read my book and walk into walls.” book and walk into said Bukosvkaya t a young age, Buwalls.” kosvkaya learned how to craft jewDasha Bukovskaya elry from her mother Elena, Student and also learned to read, write and speak in English, French and Russian. However, life took a turn when her mom and dad split up. Bukosvkaya described the experience of living with a single mom as difficult. This situation changed drastically after Elena married her current stepfather, Dr. Branko Kopjar, which saw them
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move to the prestigious Mercer Island in Washington. “(Dr. Kopjar) made a lot more money than my mom, he’s a highly respected doctor, statistician, and professor at graduate school for University of Washington,” said Bukovskaya. “I had a room to myself, a closet with clothes in it, I got a car when I was in high school. It was a very good life.” hough Bukovskaya had experienced a lifestyle shift, the new affluence didn’t alter her motivation to succeed. During her schooling at Mercer Island High, she took two honors classes, AP French, an elevated math course, and completed two community college earth and space science courses. Bukosvkaya eventually left Washington for California in March of 2017 to live with her father, Anatoly, as a result of emotional troubles, saying “I was having a hard time in Washington, I was pretty depressed, I needed a fresh start and my dad lives out here so I started a new life.” Upon arriving in California, she began working as soon as possible, managing a 50 hour per week schedule, and has used the money earned to pay for her education at DVC. Bukosvkaya described the transition as one of the more difficult times in her life, as she had little free time to meet new people, and until DVC, wasn’t sure where to go to meet like minded individuals.
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Once Bukosvkaya trans“I enjoyed having fers from DVC with an asher as a sociates degree, she plans to obtain a B.A in rhetoric, student. She was preferably from one of the actively involved, she UC’s. But rather than pursue did the work, and I a masters right after, she wish I had more needs a break to relax and do things that have been students like her.” on her back burners since college began. Some of the Jacob Van Vleet activities include taking a Humanities professor year to research and write her book, traveling more frequently, and spending vacation time with her best friend, Daniil Mudrov. Effort, determination and a positive attitude have been a part of Bukosvkaya’s repertoire since she was young. As her former humanities professor Jacob Van Vleet said, “I enjoyed having [Bukosvkaya] as a student. She was actively involved, she did the work, and I wish I had more students like her.”
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Exploring an aquatic wonderland DVC’s oceanography program travels to the deep blue in Monterey Story and photos by Ethan Anderson
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“The biggest take away for me was seeing the aquarium in a different perspective.” David Jimenez
Oceanography student
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ccess into the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 34-year-old spectacle of more than 35,000 animals and plants has been granted to Diablo Valley College oceanography students for Nov. 17 and Dec. 1 of this fall semester. “The biggest takeaway for me was seeing the aquarium in a different perspective,” said oceanography student David Jimenez. “Actually understanding the underlying meaning of how crucial the ocean is to us.” Jimenez attended the oceanography department’s Monterey Bay Aquarium field
trip on Nov. 17. The jellyfish exhibit on the Aquarium’s second floor produced a large crowd that day, while sea creatures seemingly levitated behind a blue window. Hardly anyone could resist pressing their hands against the glass standing thoroughly engulfed by the sea nettle jellies and pain if not for the divider. John Freytag, oceanography professor and program lead has been at DVC since 2005 and organized the field trip this semester for his fundamentals course to let students see
a marine ecosystem in person. For Jimenez and his peers, their attitude towards the ocean was elevated while being shown a hidden world necessary for our own survival. uring the trip’s inception by oceanography and marine biology instructors Diana Mathias and Bill Stephenson, Monterey Bay’s Aquarium was not the only destination considered. The Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39 and the Steinhart Aquarium at the California of Sciences in Golden Gate Park was also considered as sites for the field trip. However, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s paramount focus on California’s marine ecosystem solidified the department’s final decision. Another benefit for choosing Monterey was also the free admittance policy for school field trips of eight students or more. Out of the 3.3 acres and 320,000 square feet that make up the Aquarium, only 175,00 square feet are used for public space. The rest of that space is left up to 1,800 gallons of seawater being pumped every second through the facility and rooms that bare the sole purpose of making sure each tank runs properly, as stated on the Aquarium’s newsroom website. There are over 100 oceanography and marine biology students who attend trips every semester that are funded by an expedition and field trip budget, which covers the costs associated with an oceanic research vessel called the Brownlee stretching 90 feet long,
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according to Freytag. Green sea turtle’s consumption of algae “We feel fortunate to have the program and sea grass beds groom the environment funds to continue to offer these trips,” said while the recycled nutrients lead to the Freytag. growth of marine ecosystems. The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened Oct. The World Wild Life fund mentions on 20, 1984, and from that day on they’ve al- their website that sea grass beds function as lowed more than 2 million students to enter a nursery for fish species which humans confor free. sume, making the green sea turtle a crucial Over the last decade, DVC added to the foundation in the world’s food security. attendance while also venturing into other “Most of us honestly don’t see the harm research sites. that we do to several species. They don’t see “Freytag intended us to use what we have the animals true worth in the environment,” learned in class at the aquarium to under- said first year oceanography student Gema stand and see it through Martinez. the lens of oceanogStudents studying “Most of us honestly marine raphy,” said Jimenez. biology have There was an initial don’t see the harm we gone to Monterey Bay greeting scheduled Aquarium’s Research do to several before everyone was Institute, Moss Landspecies.” allowed to trek on anying in Monterey, and where they wanted. the Marine Mammal The open water exCenter on Rodeo Gema Martinez hibit had a single strand Beach in Sausalito. Oceanography student of light stretching from “There are a lot of the top of the glass wall great opportunities down to its corner. for college students The two story shadow acted as a curtain too, including one that I’ve just recently as each creature had a chance at becoming learned about.” wrote Freytag in an email uncovered, catching the attention of a large interview crowd. For the Monterey Bay Aquarium, opporhe exhibit housed a green sea turtle tunities are prospective. Current, and even known to be facing extinction on past DVC oceanography students met at eithe endangered list documented by ther right at the edge of the shore near the the International Union for the Conserva- member’s entrance on Nov. 17, looking out tion of Nature and Natural Resources. into what appeared to be an endless sea.
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“I reached the border and they said ‘No, you are holding a (UN passport) and you cannot leave Iraq.’”
Dr. Amer Araim: From UN to Model UN Story and photo by Sean McKenna
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rom helping African countries democratize with the United Nations to being held hostage in Iraq, Diablo Valley College is lucky to have him. Originally from Iraq, Dr. Amer Araim worked as a diplomat in Washington D.C., as well as New Delhi, India, for the Iraqi Government. Continuing his career in international relations in 1973, he was assigned as counselor with the Iraqi delegation to the United Nations. “At that time I was thinking of becoming an international civil servant. In the meantime I loved this country, and I thought that by working with the UN, I would have a chance to remain in the United States.” While working for the UN, he had a very notable career pushing for the democratization of Africa. He was secretary to the special committee against apartheid and was responsible for sanctions against South Africa. “In 1994 I went to South Africa to congratulate, with the delegation of the UN, Nelson Mandela on the liberation of South Africa.” Following the success in South Africa he would go on to help the liberation of many other African nations. “After South Africa, I began working on democracy in Africa. I was responsible for Nigeria, Liberia, and other countries in the western part of Africa.” In 1990, Dr. Araim decided to visit his homeland however, he ended up staying longer than he expected. “When I arrived in Iraq, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. (Hussein) decided to hold all the UN employees and foreigners who were in Iraq as hostages.” As a result Dr. Araim couldn’t leave Baghdad. “I went to the Foreign Ministry of Iraq and said that I would like to go out, they gave me the stamp and I could go out. But I reached the border and they said ‘No, you are holding a (UN passport) and you cannot leave Iraq.’” After he returned to Baghdad, the Iraqi ambassador to the UN said holding UN staff and foreigners as hostages is a “crime against humanity.” Shortly after, Araim was allowed to leave the country and has not since returned. For Dr. Araim, working for the UN also involved working with
students. “It was part of my work in the United Nations to lecture to students about apartheid. The question of South Africa was very popular here in the United States. Many students used to come to the United Nations and wanted to know what the UN was doing about South Africa. I used to speak to them and I liked the atmosphere of being in the University. As a matter of fact I got my Ph.D. while I was working with the UN.” Lecturing students on international issues is what would eventually lead him to teaching. Following the events of 9/11, Dr. Araim found himself traveling around the United States lecturing on Islam. “I was one of the first to condemn the terrorist attack of 9/11. Many churches, schools, even DVC, invited me to speak, they wanted to know about Islam and what the connection is between terrorism and why these people are calling them Muslims and that the Muslims are saying that they are not representing Islam. People would like to know more and more about that.” iving lectures is not the only way he has educated people on Islam, he has published a book titled Understanding Islam: Fifty Questions. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and President of the Islamic Community Outreach of California. Before becoming a professor at DVC in 2003, Dr. Araim taught at San Francisco University, Long Island University, and Dowling College. When Dr. Araim gave a lecture at DVC, the school was very impressed with his lecture and thought that he should teach Middle Eastern politics. Since then he has taught many courses, including introduction to politics, international relations, political theory, US government and politics, and the new Model United Nations course. On the topic of DVC, Dr. Araim had the following to say. “My favorite part is that when I see students are coming here to learn, to develop their capabilities. I like the writings of many students, weather in term papers or in exams. I ask all my students to present their term papers and engage other students in the discussion. That is a very interesting part of my teaching experience here.”
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Going Beyond Résumé Mediocrity Story and photo by Phillip Cordero
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ésumés. It’s a tool for many college students and young adults to have when attaining a job, usually. With it, they can either make or break a potential career that can lead towards a brighter future. Though, having a typical filled-out résumé is not enough, since it can lack uniqueness and originality. Of course, listing work experience, education, skills and qualifications, that are relevant to the job position, are obvious factors to implement. But, what about filling out the objectives? “They’re a bit obsolete,” said Charleen Earley, a journalism professor at Diablo Valley College and founder and publisher of Colorful Living Magazine. “Today’s employers want to see what you can and will do for them, as opposed to what you are looking for in employment at their company.” Essentially, having a vague statement, such as, “To build a long-term career in public relations with opportunities for career growth,” is not what companies are looking for. Earley said that for an employer, having that type of statement looks as if the applicant is using the company as a stepping stone, rather than adding growth to the business. She said that the title, “Objectives,” should be replaced with “Career Summary,” so that employers know what the candidate is bringing to the table. By listing the desired position, as well as giving relevant experience that is related to the job – such as: “Career Summary: Medical Assistant - In the industry of medical care giving, health, fitness and medical assistant arena for over 20 years with significant knowledge of customer service, certified medical assistance, and physical therapy,” – an applicant may have an advantage over other candidates. Also, keywords “should include verbiage
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in one’s résumé like: accomplished, created, established, produced, proved, increased, mastered, trained, solved, etc.,” said Earley. These types of words are essential in a résumé, especially for online submissions, because with software – that businesses may use – computers are able to detect and identify words that are relevant to the company. Résumés with insufficient keywords are often tossed out. However, a candidate must be aware that an employer will most likely review a résumé in under a minute. “I only look for 30 seconds before I decide whether to move on or read again,” said James Blair, a business law professor at DVC and owner of Creek Monkey Tap House. Within that short period of time, Blair looks for relevant experience. “It takes time to train someone to be able to work to capacity in any industry, but in the restaurant industry, if I’m looking for people, which I am these days, I need people that can work almost immediately at full capacity,” he said. fter that has been established, Blair looks for enthusiasm and focus, which may seem confusing, at first. Although, it’s possible to have these qualities in a résumé. He said that by having a résumé that has been proofread with descriptive words that displays excitement – while also selling oneself to an employer – interest and attention could be seen, reflecting the abilities of the applicant. With the smaller elements, Blair also said that thicker paper, with no special fonts so that he would be able to read it quickly, would be suitable. Moreover, if a résumé is submitted face-toface, one should be dressed appropriately. “If you look unprofessional when you turn it in, I will likely not take it seriously,” he
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said. For students who do not have any work-related experience, they should list the applicable course work – classes that are related to the job description – in their résumé, said Lo Ann Winkler, DVC business faculty adjunct. She stresses that having a professional email and a link to one’s LinkedIn profile, in a résumé, are a few of the key factors for contact information and additional details. Having an email, such as, hotboidripdrip510@xmail.com, would most likely discredit the candidate, costing the opportunity. Winkler said that a mailing address could be replaced for a generic area, such as, “SF Bay Area.” This way, the recruiter won’t judge an applicant based on a long commute. ther information related to the work, such as awards, licenses, and certifications, may be added into the résumé. However, professional references should not be added. According to the, “Résumé & Cover Letter Samples” resource booklet, from the career and transfer services at DVC, if an employer requires reference information, they would ask for it. This is a way to protect details, such as phone numbers and emails, in case a résumé is lost and gets picked up by unwanted eyes. Also, it says that having phrases, such as, “References available upon request,” should be avoided. Other than that, having a reviewed résumé – from a family member or a friend – is strongly recommended, whether it’s for employment or an internship. Colleges and universities should have some type of career center that could offer help with résumés, cover letters, and related information. Local libraries and community centers may also provide assistance.
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Cheap places to get textbooks
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Story and photo by Max Miller
extbooks at all colleges are expensive. Diablo Valley College’s book store carries the books that every student needs but the prices are extremely high. A DVC student is able to get five percent off their books if they purchase the ASDVC discount sticker on their ID card. Although this is a discount here are some places that are even cheaper options. Half Price Books in Concord A local store in Concord provides students the ability to find their textbooks in person rather than online. Their discounts are good and with the ability to have the store buy the book back gives students the ability to utilize local stores to their advantage. They do have a wide variety of textbooks and they also are selling international textbooks. This does not have too much pull for a lot of the local students but this gives international students a major boost for finding textbooks. These students do not have to struggle with websites and they are able to talk to an actual worker. Using Half Price Books not only supports local business but it gives students yet another way to find a cheap textbook. Amazon.com Amazon is a great place for students to look for textbook discounts. Students are able to get an Amazon Prime student discount account that makes it even easier to get textbooks. Students who use Amazon are able to not only buy textbooks but also rent. Amazon gives students the ability to return textbooks that have been shipped to them. With the ability to also get used textbooks students have an even more discounted way of getting what they need for class. Students are also able to purchase or rent the Kindle version of a textbook. Not all textbooks are available for Kindle but there is a wide variety that are. Overall Amazon’s discounts can range from ten percent to 90 percent depending of the textbook itself.
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Facebook- DVC Textbooks With social media being as prominent as it is the DVC Textbooks Facebook group is a great place for students to purchase books locally. On the page students will post pictures of their books and list prices for other students to see. The goal of the group is to limit the sellers and buyers to DVC students only. With this tool students are able to purchase books they need for their classes without having any shipping costs. Chegg Books Chegg.com is another wonderful way for students to get their textbooks cheap. Chegg offers up to 90 percent off books depending on the title and if it is used or not. Students have the ability to look up what are normally expensive books for a massive discount. Some of the most expensive books can be found on Chegg Books at an extremely cheap price. Chegg often provides their buyers with a free shipping coupon directly on their site but they do not offer it all semester long. Chegg has some of the best discounts that students can find when looking for their textbooks. Campus Book Rentals This website is another big place for student to get huge discounts on their textbooks. According to the website itself they have helped students save a total of $113,715,753.12. Now this seems like a bunch of random numbers put together but this website has been around since 2007. Campus Book Rentals is right next to Chegg Books in how good the savings are. If a student needs to find a sweet discount Campusbookrentals.com is a great place.
“A Good Boy” By Edwin Chen
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