Spring 2015 Issue 16

press GOLDEN GATE

May 20, 2015 ISSUE 16 VOLUME C GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Serving the San Francisco State community since 1927

A GRADUATION OF PROPORTIONS

GIANT

Take a look

Inside:

Beyond Borders

Summer Music Fests

SF State’s first annual Beyond Borders Graduation ceremony commemorates undocumented students.

As festival season approaches, take a trip down the Golden Coast for the season’s hottest music festivals.

PAGE 3

Senior Mvps With a year of Gator sports in the books, see the Golden Gate Xpress’ picks for top graduating athletes.

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PAGE 14

EMMA CHIANG / XPRESS

OUT OF THE PARK: (from left) SF State graduating seniors Stephanie Vanni, Horst Carreno-Bauer, Rosheen Ahmadi, Amil Hasan and Allison Taylor pose for a portrait at McCovey Cove in front of AT&T Park Wednesday, May 13. The University will hold the commencement ceremony at AT&T park for the first time Friday, May 22.

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2 News

MAY 20, 2015

Expenses add up for graduating students AVERY PETERSON averylp@mail.sfsu.edu

Kinesiology major Deanna Johnson has saved every cap and gown she has ever worn, but this year the high cost of graduation will leave her collection one short.

“It’s ridiculous, I wanted to buy my cap and gown, but it’s over $200 just for just the gown,” Johnson said. “I have my cap and gown from preschool, high school and my junior college and wanted to add to my collection but I can’t afford it.”

Graduation fees quickly add up for seniors like Johnson, who said her greatest expense was the 18 tickets needed for her large family to attend her department graduation. At $15 per ticket, Johnson spent a total of $270 on tickets alone.

“They only give you six tickets to the regular ceremony; that’s why everyone has to go to the department graduation and not the one at AT&T Park,” Johnson said.

“I’m kinda bummed because I am a huge Giants fan and I wanted my family to be with me, they are huge Giants fans too.”

While some students save money by choosing to skip the ceremony, all graduates must pay a $100 application and filing fee in order to graduate, according to Jesse Chen, the administrative assistant at the Bursar’s Office. Application payments are made at the bursar’s office and students who miss the deadline will be charged an extra $5. Chen said he has not encountered any students who are unable to pay the fee.

“For the most part, if students have to graduate they pay the application fee,” Chen said. “Third party, outside organizations like the Veterans Affairs Office can cover certain portions if the students qualify. Sometimes they just cover tuition and sometimes they cover other fees like graduation.”

To obtain information on the graduation application, students must first complete an exit survey on the registrar’s website, according to Chen. The Bursar collects the application fee, while the actual application is submitted to the registrar.

Dietetics major Michelle Manalo has

spent under $200 on graduation and said the $100 application was her biggest expense.

“It’s not bad, but I don’t like how if you make a mistake or have to reapply you have to pay the $100 application fee again,” Manalo said. “But overall I think (graduation) is affordable for most students. It’s doable.”

Students participating in the commencement ceremony are required to wear SF State-specific academic apparel, according to the SF State commencement webpage. The purple cap and gowns made by Indianapolis-based Herff Jones can be rented through the school bookstore. The bachelor’s set includes a cap, gown and tassel that can be rented for $45, while the master’s set for $70 also includes a hood. Students must return the gown and hood after graduation, but may keep the cap and tassel.

“I’m renting my gown, but I get to keep the cap and tassel,” Manalo said. “I really don’t mind because I don’t need a gown — it would just end up in my closet.”

Monica Ordozgoiti, a SF State bookstore employee, said eligible students can purchase honors cords to wear at the ceremony for an additional $13.

“People think that with a high GPA they automatically get the cord, but it’s not that way,” Ordozgoiti said. “We can check if people are eligible, but it’s up to them to purchase it.”

According to Ordozgoiti, graduation packages were offered to students at the Graduation Fair held in April. The packages include the cap and gown rental and a diploma frame discounted by 20 percent.

“The incentives are the discounted frame and that you get to bypass all the lines when you come pick up your order,” Ordozgoiti said. “There are multiple lines that can get pretty long and when people get out of class at the same time it gets packed in here.”

While tickets are free for the ceremony at AT&T Park, students must pay for tickets for families and friends to attend their department graduations. Tickets for each ceremony vary in cost depending

.

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

SF STATE GRAD COSTS CAP AND GOWN RENTAL BACHELOR’s

MAster’s

$45

$70

HONORS CORD

$13

APPLICATION & FILING FEE

$100

DIPLOMA FRAME

$135 OR $250

GRADUATION TICKETS

GRADUATION PARKING

$15 TO $85

$15 INFORMATION GATHERED FROM SF STATE WEBSITE INFOGRAPHIC BY KATRINA ANDAYA / XPRESS

upon the department. Josh Sadsad,22, said he purchased six tickets for the Hospitality Graduation at $35 apiece, totaling over $200. He said he will end up spending a total of $400-500 on graduation.

“It’s kind of crazy that in the last year here, they are pulling more money out of you,” Sadsad said. “It’s your last year; you studied hard and worked hard. I guess

I don’t mind; I just want to finish because I’ve been here for five years already.”

Sadsad said he has cut corners to save money on graduation.

“All the pictures I wanted I didn’t buy, I really just bought the tickets and paid for the essentials,” Sadsad said. “I didn’t go all out.”

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NEWS 3

MAY 20, 2015

PRIDE: Ana Morales looks out at the stage with tears in her eyes during the first annual Beyond Borders Graduation for undocumented students Sunday, May 17.

TATE DRUCKER / SPECIAL TO XPRESS

Ceremony celebrates undocumented students AVERY PETERSON

U

averylp@mail.sfsu.edu

ndocumented students celebrated with their friends and families at the first annual Beyond Borders Graduation held at the SF State Annex May 17.

Improving Dreams, Equity, Access and Success, a student organization founded in 2008 to help undocumented students with issues related to AB540, coordinated the graduation. IDEAS worked in collaboration with Project Connect, a program that helps students develop professional leadership skills, and the AB540 Educational Equity Task Force, a coalition that supports educational goals of undocumented SF State students.

AB540 exempts eligible undocumented students from paying much higher out-of-state tuition at public colleges in California. Fear of deportation often makes undocumented students reluctant to disclose their immigration status to their school or counselors, preventing them from receiving proper educational and financial advising, according to the AB540 website. Students who choose to disclose their status and qualify for AB540 are eligible to pay in-state tuition. At SF State, the savings amounts to more than $372 per unit, according to the University’s fees and expenses webpage.

The ceremony, which was the first of its kind at SF State, celebrated the accom-

plishment of 25 graduates with close to 300 friends and family in attendance. The smaller setting created a unique, more personal atmosphere, according to IDEAS advisor Nancy Jodaitis.

“It’s more intimate, so people tell their personal stories,” Jodaitis said. “The stories are all different, but the challenges and struggles are very similar and this is a safe place for them to share.”

IDEAS has recently gained visibility and grown in size, according to Jodaitis, who has been the program advisor for six years. She said that this year, the graduation ceremony was a celebration of students’ resiliency and strength.

“We now have 25 graduates and are giving them the recognition they deserve,” Jodaitis said. “They all have unique struggles, but the support of their families, the task force and Project Connect have helped them succeed.”

Jodaitis said that she was inspired by how DREAMer students pushed forward and opened doors for themselves.

The term DREAMer is derived from the DREAM Act, which provides temporary legal status for immigrant students, then makes them eligible for permanent legal status and citizenship if they attend college or serve in the military, according to the National Immigration Law Center.

Jose Reyes Ramos, 25, said AB540 and resources at SF State have helped him and many other DREAMer students reach graduation.

TATE DRUCKER / XPRESS

EXPECTANCY: Undocumented graduates line up in anticipation to receive their diplomas at the first annual Beyond Borders Graduation in the Annex Sunday, May 17.

TATE DRUCKER / XPRESS

PREPARATION: Ana Morales, president of Improving Dreams, Equity, Access and Success and one of the undocumented graduates participating in the first annual Beyond Borders ceremony, gets ready with her mother, Marcela Alvarez, at her house Sunday, May 17.

“If AB540 didn’t exist, we would have to pay double the tuition and we don’t qualify for FAFSA because of our immigration status,” Ramos said. “There are also other programs that offer help, like Project Connect, which lets you borrow books for free.”

Graduating president of IDEAS, Ana Morales, said she was proud to participate in the first ceremony.

“This really creates awareness and solidarity among undocumented students,” Morales said. “Folks misunderstand what it means to be undocumented and they need to see for themselves to understand.

This event demonstrates the capabilities of undocumented students.”

Morales said the ceremony celebrates not only the graduates, but their families, who offer students their continuous support and had the courage to immigrate to the United States.

“I think I speak for all of us in saying that it would not be possible for us to be here without our families and their choice to make the journey to the U.S.,” Morales said. “This graduation is not just ours, but our families’ too.”

The ceremony has special meaning for undocumented students and their families who have overcome additional challenges

in order to graduate, including difficulties qualifying for financial aid, being charged out-of-state tuition and an abundance of misinformation, according to IDEAS’ graduation coordinator Jacqueline Ledezma.

“These students are so proud,” Ledezma said. “They are usually first in their families to graduate and it’s very emotional. You can see tears everywhere. Their families are very proud to make it this far.”

Organizations like IDEAS provide DREAMer students with support and resources, Ledezma said.

“At IDEAS we basically create a family who goes through the same struggles and obstacles to get to where you are,” Ledezma said. “It’s hard to be an undocumented student and IDEAS meetings help you create a family bond with students, faculty and staff.”

Eurania Lopez, the Step to College Program director at SF State, said she hopes events like the Beyond Borders Graduation will call attention to the need for resources for undocumented students. Lopez said she is excited to see what the future holds for DREAMers.

“These graduates should know the sky’s the limit and not to lose hope,” Lopez said.

“Immigration changes will happen and they will happen soon.”

4 NEWS

MAY 20, 2015

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Senior establishes aid for West Africa LULU OROZCO

ohlulu@mail.sfsu.edu

The U.S. Department of State provides up to 55,000 Diversity Visas to countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S. For 25-year-old physiology student Pingdewinde Sam, his chance of coming to the United States was greater than he thought.

Sam was among the 7 percent of applicants who were chosen to receive a diversity visa, also known as a green card visa, from his home country of Burkina Faso in West Africa through a randomized computer drawing in 2008.

The high school graduate said he left his country at the age of 19 to make his way to the U.S. Sam said his older brother forced him to apply in hopes that both would be selected, but only Sam was chosen.

“My brother was excited for me, but I still didn’t want to come,” Sam said. “My parents said ‘You have an opportunity to go, so go and give it a try.’”

Education has always been important to Sam’s family. Sam said his father made sure his four children attended private school despite the cost when public schools were overcrowded.

Sam has upheld his father’s devotion to education and will graduate from SF State this spring and attend Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the fall, where he will pursue a doctoral degree in cellular molecular physiology.

Before transferring to SF State from City College of San Francisco in 2012, he spent eight months working at the intensive care unit at the University of California, San Francisco, which he said ultimately helped shape his future.

EMMA CHIANG / XPRESS

RESEARCH: Pingdewinde Sam, graduating biology senior, poses for a portrait in Blake Riggs lab Monday, May 11. In June, Sam will attend Johns Hopkins University’s Ph.D. program in cellular molecular physiology. under the school of medicine.. Physiology under the school of medicine.

While at UCSF, he met his long-time mentor and advisor Dr. Linda Noble-Haeusslein, professor of neurosurgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation science “While he came into the lab untrained in the methods that we used, he also showed an impressive commitment to the project and enormous enthusiasm to learn and grow as a scientist,” Noble-Haeusslein said in an email. She said she once saw him reading a scientific paper with its margins entirely filled with notes and a dictionary by his side.

Sam’s first English teacher was his uncle Béniwendé Kabré, who also came to the U.S. on a Diversity Visa in 2005

and attended the University of California, Davis. Sam said he didn’t know how to say “Nice to meet you,” in English before moving in with his uncle in San Francisco.

“Every young person in Burkina Faso wants to come to the U.S. It’s another opportunity,” Kabré said.

Frank Bayliss, Director of the Student Enrichment Opportunities Office, a program of the college of science and engineering at SF State, said he has seen Sam work hard and focus on to becoming a research scientist.

“He has managed to get to the U.S. from a very underdeveloped country and

find his way to excel in everything he does,” Bayliss said. “Imagine coming to the U.S. with no family or help and starting your higher education at a community college with little more than a strong desire.”

Besides developing his own education, Sam said he wanted to give back to his community and the people of Burkina Faso.

Sam founded an organization in 2011 called Teêbo, which means hope in Moore, the national language in Burkina Faso. The non-profit organization helps provide educational assistance and humanitarian aid to the people of Burkina Faso, according to the Teêbo website.

“I founded Teêbo from the desire to serve and love my people,” Sam said. He said instead of providing money to those in need, he provides them with educational tools that can help them succeed.

Besides working with Teêbo, Sam’s long-term goal is to supply more educational and medical assistance to the 18 million people living in Africa, he said.

“My main goal is to own a lab and do research — that’s the first thing — but at the same time I want to be part of scientific research in Africa as a continent and in developing countries,” Sam said.

Sam said he believes SF State has better prepared him as a student and future scientist and wants to continue to give back.

“Malaria and tuberculosis still affect a lot of people in my country of Burkina Faso and other countries,” Sam said.

“There has been a lot of improvement compared to five years ago, but I feel like I have something to give back to my community.”

Congratulations to the journalism department’s graduating class of 2015!

Jourdon Mirunae Ahn Nelson Ernesto Amaya Farnoush Amiri Katrina Danielle De Leon Andaya Michael Daniel Barba Mariana Barrera Tamara Marie Benedict Jennifer Rose Butler Lisa Claire Carmack William Raphael Carruthers Jessica Christian Andrew Cullen Kyle Andrew Da Silva Rebekah Anne Didlake Airha Abisai Dominguez Dayvon Gerome Dunaway Alec James Fernandes Bradley Mark Focht Elisa Forsgren Anais Fuentes Jannelle Angelica Garcia Chantel Genest Samantha Varnia George Annastashia Goolsby April Ann Villanueva Halog Angela Santos Hathaway Michael Alan Hendrickson Philip James Houston

DAVID HENRY / XPRESS

Jordan Hunter Danielle Kathryn Hutton Hyunha Kim Frank Allen Ladra Frank Allen Leal

Julian Darro Lim Taylor Alexis Lonigro Ivane F. Lund-Soyombo Derek Luke Macario Erica Christine Marquez

Kristen Nicole Martz Jayda Terri McClendon Gavin Stephon McIntyre Julia Louise Middlemiss Ida Jane Mojadad Samuel Kale Molmud Alexander Cole Montero Katherine Patricia Mullen Hannah Azee Mullins Nicole Anne Paradise Danielle Elizabeth Parenteau-Decker Nadine Claire Quitania Daniel Maurice Rivera Thomas Michael Rizza Rhys William Robinson Emilia Elizabeth Rosales Madison Ann Rutherford Lorisa Renee Salvatin Lauren Rose Seward Hillary Marie Smith Timothy James Smith Deborah Lynn Svoboda Curtis Akira Uemura Catherine Castillo Uy Lissette Vargas Shawn William Whelchel Natalie Nicole Yemenidjian Olympia Zampathas

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NEWS 5

MAY 20, 2015

Journalism professor retires after 15 years FRANK LADRA

fladra@mail.sfsu.edu

Yvonne Daley is no stranger to investigative journalism. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, the SF State journalism professor said she was always asking the deeper questions from a very early age.

“I was always trying to find out the secrets, to get the story behind the story,” Daley said. “Being the youngest of dozens of cousins, my family history happened before me so I had all that (investigative) training at home.”

With her five children, six grandchildren and sports writer husband Chuck Clarino, who lives in their Vermont home, Daley prepares for retirement from SF State after establishing a bit of her own history.

Daley has developed an extensive resume, including five nonfiction novels and more than 5,000 articles appearing in major publications like Time, People, Life, the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. She has earned more than 40 awards in feature writing and investigative journalism. She splits her time between Vermont, where she directs the Green Mountain Writers Conference, and San Francisco, where she has embedded herself into local communities like Hayes Valley, Noe Valley and SF State.

“The second I came here, I knew it was the right place for me,” Daley said. “When I came from Vermont and walked on this campus and was hearing 12 languages and

DANIEL E. PORTER / XPRESS

DEVOTION: Yvonne Daley laughs at something a student said during her feature writing class

Wednesday, April 22. This semester marks the end of her teaching career in the journalism depart-

seeing people in all colors and clothing, genders and piercings and tattooing, I was like ‘I love you.’”

During her 30 semesters of teaching, Daley has inspired students as well as instructors, who recently contributed personal stories for a special edition Xpress Magazine that highlights Daley’s SF State career.

“Over the years, I’ve taken many cues from Yvonne, particularly tips on how to effectively teach skills that don’t always come naturally to people,” said journalism instructor Venise Wagner in one of the written pieces. “It’s one thing to know how to do it and quite another to show students

the steps to committing good journalism.”

Former journalism professor Jim Toland, whose office was directly across the hall from Daley’s, wrote that he had a front seat to witness her devotion to many in the journalism department.

“It was obvious that she cared about students and wanted to see them succeed,” Toland said. “She openly shared her experiences with students and her critiques, while pointed, were always constructive.”

Journalism graduate Poh Si Teng, who now works for the New York Times, said she was nervous about integrating herself into American culture at the age of 19 when she moved to the U.S. to attend SF

State. She said Daley’s bold guidance to be unafraid was her most valuable lesson in becoming a journalist.

“Apart from all the fearlessness that (Yvonne) projected, speaking to her you could feel she was very kind and compassionate,” Teng said. “That’s so important for a young journalist to learn – be fearless but be kind as well. Yvonne brought that to class all the time.”

Daley has two books in the works, including her highly-anticipated memoir “My First Murder.” She said she is looking forward to upcoming travel that includes Italy and Mexico, where she will participate in the San Miguel Writers’ Conference.

As she departs from SF State, Daley said she has high hopes for journalism students today who have been given an educational opportunity to make the world a better place and make journalism essential.

“We’ve kind of lost our way in this country and in this city,” Daley said. “We need journalists to remind us that material demands are destroying San Francisco values of openness, equality, diversity, opportunity for all.”

While staff, students and faculty have said they will miss Daley, she will depart SF State leaving behind a legacy of excellence.

“I came at journalism in a way I hope I teach as well,” Daley said. “It’s not just the who, what, where, when and why. It’s ‘how do we get here and where do we go from here?’”

6 Lifestyle & Culture

MAY 20, 2015

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tunes and tents: A guide to summer music festivals JESSICA CHRISTIAN / XPRESS

BEATS: A woman at Outside Lands Music Festival dances in a large crowd of people Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014. The festival will return to San Francisco for its eighth year this summer.

KALANI RUIDAS kruidas@mail.sfsu.edu

NOrthern Nights Piercy, CA

July 17-19

$169

YES

Gold Panda, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Goldfish, Slow Magic, Autograf, GoldLink

At the end of the claustrophobic tunnel of final exams, projects and term papers, a tiny ray of summer sunlight holds the promise of better times to come. With festival season straight ahead, the Golden Gate Xpress has compiled a guide to 2015's most anticipated summer music festivals, spanning from the northern forests to the southern desert.

PIERCY

Nestled among towering Redwood trees and winding rivers, Northern Nights offers a comprehensive camping experience that includes four stages of music, art, burlesque, comedy and yoga workshops.

OUTSIDE LANDS

NAPA August 7-9

San Francisco, CA $135 - $695

SAN FRANCISCO

NO CAMPING

Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, Porter Robinson, Sam Smith, Tame Impala, The Black Keys Outside Lands calls for lots of layers to stay warm in San Francisco’s distinctively foggy summer. The festival promotes art, music and eco-friendly living.

BRADLEY

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE Bradley, CA $260

May 21-25 YES

PoMONA LOS ANGELES

Flume, SBTRKT, Odesza, RL Grime, Tycho, Panda Bear Lightning in a Bottle is a celebration of music, art, community and sustainable living.

Along with experimental electronic music performances, the festival features “immersive environments” ranging from burlesque workshops and improv acts to vintage frontierstyle trading posts.

BOTTLEROCK

FYF FEST

Napa, CA

May 29-31

Los Angeles, CA

$99 - $275

NO CAMPING

$109 - $329

HARD SUMMER August 22-23 NO CAMPING

Pomona, CA $169

August 1-2 NO CAMPING

Imagine Dragons, No Doubt, Robert Plant, Foster The People, Passion Pit, Snoop Dogg

Death Grips, Mac Demarco, Flume, Solange, Neon Indian, FKA Twigs, Frank Ocean

The Weeknd, Ratatat, Boys Noize, Bro Safari, Caribou, Chromeo, Die Antwoord

BottleRock emulates the world-class taste of Napa Valley. The festival pairs the biggest names in music with Napa’s choicest selection of food and wine.

In the last weeks of summer, F*ck Yeah Fest is an indie fan’s dream. FYF attendees can float through Los Angeles State Historic Park visiting each of the festival’s four stages for their last hoorah before fall.

Hard Summer is a wild mixture of electronic dance music, sweltering LA heat and festival culture. This year’s event will incorporate more hip-hop acts in past years, with performances from Fetty Wap, Young Thug and ILoveMakonnen.

ILLUSTRATION BY KATRINA ANDAYA / XPRESS

8 SPOTLIGHT

MAY 20, 2015

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GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

PEACEFUL PROTEST: MEChA graduates raise their hands in solidarity for victims of police shootings for a portrait at the Malcolm X Plaza Friday, May 8.

Graduates are invited to raise their hands when they attend commencement.

KATIE LEWELLYN / XPRESS

Grads to protest police brutality

A

s graduating students prepare for commencement, some will use the opportunity for a final feat of student activism by putting their hands up to show solidarity for the victims of police shootings.

The Black Student Union and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán are organizing students

ANGELINE UBALDO aubaldo@mail.sfsu.edu

to participate in the “Hands Up Don’t Shoot Graduation” during several 2015 commencement ceremonies at SF State. They hope to support the national movement that has raised awareness of the issue of police shootings, according to broadcast and electronic communication arts senior and main organizer, Xavier Galindo.

From Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson in August 2014 to

KATIE LEWELLYN / XPRESS

HANDS UP: SF State MEChA students, Walter Russ and Thandiwe Cato write the names of Michael Brown and Oscar Grant to honor them and other victims of police brutality in Malcolm X Plaza Friday, May 8.

Freddie Gray’s more recent death in Baltimore in April, protesters nationwide have led actions calling for justice for victims of police negligence. Students demonstrated solidarity at SF State during the National Day of Awareness Against Police Brutality last October when students dropped “dead” at a die-in demonstration.

“I don’t think we’ve done enough,” Galindo said. “This has been happening for what, a year and a half? This issue of police shootings. I believe the University has a long history of activism and I don’t think we’ve seen enough from college students here in terms of what happened.”

Students who participate in social movements and protests are willing to risk more since they don’t face the same consequences their parents do, according to political science professor Robert Smith.

“Over the years, young people tend to have more freedom than their elders,” Smith said. “That is, they don’t have responsibilities like mortgages or loans.”

Anthony Amaro, graduating psychology student and BSU member, said he plans to put his hands up at the ceremonies he’s attending to bring awareness and unity to the issue of what he calls an oppressive system against people of color.

“People of color are being affected negatively by systems and policies put in place that seem to really affect a certain type of people,” Amaro said. “People of color really need to unify on that and really start to be aware of just what we’re against.”

KATIE LEWELLYN / XPRESS

SOLIDARITY: (from left) SF State MEChA students Thandiwe Cato, Walter Russ and Julia Hernandez write the names of victims of police brutality on each other’s hands at Malcolm X Plaza Friday, May 8.

Amaro said that it is particularly important for SF State to show solidarity with the victims of police shootings, considering the history of activism on campus. He credited BSU’s collaboration with other organizations in the 1960s with forming the College of Ethnic Studies.

BSU and the Third World Liberation Front led a major fivemonth campus strike in 1968 that resulted in the creation of the ethnic studies department, according to an SF State news brief.

“We created something– the (College of) Ethnic Studies,” Amaro said. “If we want more of that on a grander scale, we have to come together on a grander scale. This was campus unity.”

Smith said that although the activism students participate in now is much more conventional than in the 1960s, they are still forerunners in creating social change.

“I wouldn’t expect any

powerful social movement to be effective unless it had students in some way as the vanguard of it,” Smith said.

Galindo said he strongly believed that college students have voices worth listening to.

“I want people to see that young college students care about this issue and that we also have something to say about it,” Galindo said. “We want to express our opinions about it, and hopefully that influences people in power and encourages others to join and do something about it.”

Galindo said he is dedicating his last days at SF State to helping college students realize the waves they can create in national policy.

“I just want college students to be more politicized and feel more empowered to do something and say something,” Galindo said.

10 OPINION

x NASHELLY CHAVEZ

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu

DARCY FRACOLLI

MANAGING EDITOR dfracoll@mail.sfsu.edu

RISTI TEWOLDE

ONLINE EDITOR tewolde@mail.sfsu.edu

KATRINA ANDAYA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR kandaya@mail.sfsu.edu

EMMA CHIANG

PHOTO EDITOR echiang@mail.sfsu.edu

GENESIS CHAVEZ-CARO COPY EDITOR gchavezc@mail.sfsu.edu

AVERY PETERSON

NEWS EDITOR averylp@mail.sfsu.edu

KALANI RUIDAS

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE EDITOR kruidas@mail.sfsu.edu

REID CAMMACK

OPINION EDITOR reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu

MAY 20, 2015

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Meeting life’s trials after college In the weeks leading up to the end of the school year, the prospect of a life centered around something other than academia has pushed students to work harder as the promise of summer draws near.

Students at SF State and across the country have spent the greater part of their lives progressing toward a college degree while simultaneously working part-time jobs, tackling extracurricular projects and applying for internships and scholarship opportunities along the way.

With a sigh of relief and a diploma in hand, a fraction of those students will soon say goodbye to the professors and advisors who have guided them through the four, five, even six years that it took them to reach the end of their baccalaureate and graduate careers. They will leave the campus they called home for the past few years to start anew, whether it be in a new neighborhood in San Francisco or a new country thousands of miles away.

But what happens after graduates turn the tassels of their caps, after the hugs and kisses of family members and friends are done and after commencement ceremonies come to an end? Graduates must confront the question they have been bombarded with throughout the semester by anyone who cares enough to be interested: what’s next?

Despite numerous hurdles graduates face after commencement, students feel pressure to navigate the transition from college to career Some graduates will take the opportunity to relax by traveling or picking up a short-term job while they figure out how to use their degree. Other graduates might move back home with their parents to relieve the financial stress of living on their own or paying off the loans that helped them afford college in the first place.

Regardless of what graduates choose to do with their time, they face career prospects that can be discouraging regardless of the countless hours put toward building resumes, networking and honing in on the skills needed to impress future employers.

In 2014, 83 percent of graduating seniors said they didn’t have a job lined up after graduation, a 3 percent increase from the year before, according to a study by AfterCollege, a career service for students who have completed college.

And even if they do land a job right out of the gate, statistics show there is an

increase of graduates who work part-time jobs or who are underemployed, according to a 2014 article by the Research and Statistics Group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In the article, the group defines underemployment as jobs that don’t require a post-secondary degree.

While obtaining a college degree can feel like the end of a long-fought battle, leaving the comfort of the classroom is the reality many graduates will have to face once they enter the seemingly unforgiving workforce. Some graduates will navigate through the transition from school to career easily, while others will doubt their qualifications, the timing or whether a career move is right for them.

So, what’s next? While the answer will vary from one graduate to another, we hope the curiosity and devotion to learn remains the same. College graduation is an important milestone for students and their families, especially those who had to cross additional hurdles to receive their degree. No matter what path they choose, graduates should remember to keep in touch with the SF State friends and faculty still rooting for their success after graduation. Take risks, be creative and remember to ask for help along the way.

VINCENT FAUSONE IV

SPORTS EDITOR vfausone@mail.sfsu.edu

LULU OROZCO

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ohlulu@mail.sfsu.edu

JESSICA NEMIRE

Moving back home without shame

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jdn@mail.sfsu.edu

RACHELE KANIGEL

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F

ive thousand happy SF State students will be celebrating their graduation at the 114th commencement ceremony at AT&T Park

Friday.

The six-hour-long event is going to be an exercise in patience, at least for me. Don’t get me wrong, I could not be more excited to be done with my degree, but it’s what comes after that worries me. Like many graduates, I will be moving back in with my mom and dad after my lease ends.

Upon graduation, students are thrust into the adult world, many expected to fend for themselves financially and emotionally. I commend those people for their independence.

Then there are people like myself, who, for either financial or personal reasons, move back home.

I’d be lying if I said I was moving home because I cannot afford to pay my rent or because I have no job prospects.

I’m moving back home because I miss my friends, my girlfriend and my family.

To me, there’s a stigma to moving back into your family

TIMOTHY SMITH tsmith@mail.sfsu.edu

home after spending so much time away. It connotes failure or laziness in my experience, like it was the only available option.

As far as I know, crashing in your old twin bed a wall away from your parents doesn’t sound particularly glamorous.

After spending the past five months stressing over my post-graduation living arrangements, I can say to anyone who’s

worried that it’s really not worth getting worked up over.

It took me a while, but I realized I’m not moving home because it’s my only option. I’m moving home because it’s the best option for me right now. It’s what will make me the happiest.

I’m a sentimental guy, and all of life’s successes don’t mean anything if I can’t celebrate them with the people I love.

WELCOME HOME A CELEBRATORY GOODBYE

ILLUSTRATION BY HARLAN FROST / XPRESS

There’s no shame in returning back to your hometown because you have loved ones there. And there’s no shame in moving back in with your parents, as long as you’re not taking advantage of their good will.

As for my career path, I have a large, loving family and a close group of friends who I miss every day and can’t imagine living without. As much as I care about them, I would never give up my career just to stay close to them, and they wouldn’t want me to.

The best part is that I don’t have to do that. That’s not really how the world works, and it’s certainly not how the business world works. If I decide to continue living with my parents, it doesn’t mean I have to give up my career – I’ll just be working in a different city.

For all the people who are moving back in with mom and dad after graduation, don’t worry. If you’re moving home for the right reasons, you have nothing to worry about, except maybe some awkward encounters with your parents that may make you feel like you’re back in high school.

.

12 OPINION The 4-year myth: Can students actually graduate on time?

MAY 20, 2015

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

REID CAMMACK reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu

The Bible warned me about temptation, sin and most bad things in the world, but it didn’t warn me about the hell of trying to graduate college in four years.

While I give my high school a lot of credit for preparing me for college, it didn’t give me a realistic view of what it would take to graduate.

During all those glamorous presentations highlighting the benefits and miracles of going to college, no one told me that a four-year degree was a myth.

Now that I'm almost four years in, I realize that graduating on time is extremely difficult, and universities need to do something about it.

Sure, it is possible to graduate in four years. It’s also possible to climb Mount Everest, but few people do it, and a lot of people fail along the way.

Students end up spending extra time in college because of broken transfer credit policies, unavailable classes and unnecessary courses, according to a 2014 Complete College America study.

Because of that, only 19 percent of full-time students end

up graduating in four years, according to the study.

Looking specifically at SF State, less than 13 percent of the first-time freshman in 2007 graduated in four years, according to the 2014 SF State Data Book.

Of those freshmen, more than 45 percent took six years to graduate.

I am currently on track to graduate on time because I’ve paid close attention to my requirements the past three years.

Regardless, my graduation date's still up in the air.

I have a very rigid schedule that I need to follow, and if I can’t get into one of the classes I

need, then I’m stuck.

I’ll be here an extra semester, and all the stress I’ve poured into my academic schedule will have been for nothing.

There shouldn’t be so much pressure for students to graduate on time, especially if they’ve followed their academic roadmap and done well in their classes.

If universities are going to continue to be considered four-year schools, then there must be changes implemented so that students can actually graduate on time.

The Complete College report suggests increased advising and stricter academic roadmaps so students

don’t end up taking unnecessary classes.

These solutions are at least worth a shot.

There’s already mandatory advising for many majors, but it couldn’t hurt to add a couple extra sessions.

One early session in someone’s college career could prevent them from taking a class that would tack on an extra semester.

If the school can charge everyone $90 a semester for a Wellness and Recreation Center that won’t even be built until most of the paying students have left, why can’t there be a fee to add a couple extra classes each semester?

I know some of these changes are easier said than done, but that shouldn't stop the school from seeking solutions.

Even though I’m almost out of college, I’m still jealous of those leaving this semester.

They already put their four, five, six years in, so they get to leave this purgatory-like campus first.

While they get their degrees and ill-fitting gowns, I'll prepare myself for another year of wondering if I’m unknowingly missing that one credit I’ll need to graduate.

ILLUSTRATION BY HARLAN FROST / XPRESS

For Latino parents, it’s more than just a diploma GENESIS CHAVEZ-CARO gchavezc@mail.sfsu.edu

W

ith graduation right around the corner, it is important to keep in mind the people who loaned us a shoulder to cry on, who sent us reminders to keep going and who value our education more than we do — our parents.

Like most immigrants, my parents came to the U.S. in search of a better life for themselves and for their kids, and that is a constant reminder every time I complain about school.

Education means so much to migrant parents who work laborious, minimum wage jobs. Education is a gateway to a better life.

When my parents arrived here from Mexico in the 1980s, my mom had a sixth grade education and my dad had only completed high school.

Without any higher education, my

parents’ only options were to work labor jobs. My mom was a waitress and my dad worked as a furniture maker.

Roughly 82 percent of Mexican immigrants in California have a high school education or less, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Growing up, my parents always told me that I had to excel in school if I didn't want to slave away at a labor job like they did.

When their work hours stretched into the night, my mother would tell me that she didn't want that life for me and that she worked so much so I didn't have to.

I was always made aware of the opportunities I have — the language, the citizenship and the support of my parents to make a better life.

I wasn't the only one that was pushed by my parents to further my education.

My high school friends’ parents would always mention the importance of an education and would tell us to stop watching TV so that we could focus on school, because that was our best bet to

succeed in life.

As every graduation season comes and goes, my parents never cease to remind me that I am one step closer to achieving my dreams, which, to some extent, are their dreams as well.

I find myself thinking that I am doing this for myself, and I am, but most importantly I am pursuing a higher education because it would make those long work nights and early shifts worth it for my parents.

Although I’m not graduating this semester, my mom constantly reminds me that I have about one year left until that day comes and that everything she and I have worked for will pay off.

I can hear the excitement in her voice, which makes me even more eager to graduate.

"Knowing that you will graduate soon lets me know that all those years that I've worked so hard was worth the weariness and the lack of sleep," she said. "I am already so proud."

“

As every graduation season comes and goes, my parents never cease to remind me that I am one step closer to achieving my dreams, which, to some extent, are their dreams as well.

”

-Genesis Chavez-Caro

14 SPORTS Individual success elevates track team

MAY 20, 2015

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Top Gators of the 2014-2015 seasons

VINCE FAUSONE IV

vfausone@mail.sfsu.edu

The unassuming pursuit of personal bests aided SF State’s women’s track and field team as they broke multiple school records over the span of the season thus far and placed sixth overall in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

“We had a lot of growth and improvement in a short period of time,” said head coach Kendra Reimer. “I’m very proud of them. A lot was accomplished with a young roster.”

Strong performances from a mix of veterans and up-and-comers highlighted the season for a Gators squad that collectively compiled 15 individual performances that ranked in the top 10 all-time for SF State athletes. The team set seven of those marks when they hosted the CCAA championship at Cox Stadium April 30-May 2.

Seniors Hilary King and Michelle Chung concluded prolific CCAA careers with memorable outings at the conference championship. King broke SF State’s long jump record for the third time this season with a leap of 5.86 meters, placing second overall, and Chung reached the top of the podium with a discus throw of 42.98 meters.

“The season went amazing for me personally,” King said. “Breaking the school record was really the cherry on top. Everyone matured this year and I know they will break more records and take the track team to the next level and get a championship.”

A trio of sophomores – Laura Stokes, Alex Jones and Jordan Guerrero – excelled in their second-year campaigns with the Gators. Stokes and Jones were named the team’s MVPs for their performances in hurdles and shot-put respectively, while Guerrero strung together a solid season competing in the long jump and triple jump.

“We all feed off each other’s energy so when one person has a good day we all have a good day,” Stokes said. “Since our team is so small compared to others, I think we performed really well given our circumstances.”

As a team, the Gators placed at two tournaments in addition to the CCAA Championships, finishing fourth at the Chico State Twilight Invitational and eighth at the Cal State University East Bay Legacy Invitational.

Although King was the only Gator to qualify for the May 21 NCAA Division II National Championships and will be making the trip to Allendale, Michigan without any of her teammates, Coach Reimer shares her senior star’s optimism about the future of SF State track and field.

“We are already making big plans for next year,” Reimer said. “I know the girls are very excited about our future.”

.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Osakue garnered First Team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association honors as SF State’s featured forward for the first time in his two years with the Gators.

His average points per game (14.3), field goal percentage (.509) and defensive rebounds per game (3.6) were all-team highs.

Udun Osakue #21 MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS

Meet the 2014-2015 Golden Gate Xpress MVPs - six seniors that stood out in their final year as Gator athletes.

Women’s Volleyball Brice completed her stint at the setter position for SF State’s volleyball squad by ascending to fourth all-time in the career assists category (2,234) in just two years. Her back-to-back seasons with more than 1,000 assists are unprecedented in Gator’s volleyball history. Brice was named to this year’s All-CCAA Second Team.

Wrestling

Andrew Reggi 197 pounds ANGELICA EKEKE / XPRESS

Reggi concluded his career with a 23-10 record and his second trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships. The 197-pounder also earned Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors.

JACQUIe BRIce #10 PHILIP HOUSTON / XPRESS

Women’s Track and Field King finished her senior season by breaking SF State’s long jump record for the third time in the season with a mark of 5.86 meters at the CCAA Championships.

She will represent the Gators May 21 at the NCAA Division II National Championships.

Women’s Soccer

HILARY KING MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS

Vanni picked up her second All-CCAA Honorable Mention at the end of her senior campaign. The defender was part of a stout SF State unit that allowed an average of 0.95 goals per game.

Stephanie Vanni #18 GODOFREDO VASQUEZ / XPRESS

INFOGRAPHIC BY KATRINA ANDAYA / XPRESS

Baseball Lindsay capped four years as a Gator by breaking SF State’s career hits record during his last game, setting the new mark at 213. The catcher led his team in batting average (.329), hits (57) and RBIs (24). His All-CCAA Honorable Mention selection was the third of his career.

MARK LINDSAY #19 MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS