The Biz by LASA Ezine

THE BIZ

December 2016

Facing discrimination at work

Are you a teen who needs a job?

An inside look at local Austin businesses Do AP classes save you money? Startups vs Large Businesses. Which fits you?

contents 6 Local Austin Businesses

28 Start Ups vs. Large Businesses

Stories of local Austin business owners and their businesses. A spotlight on whether somebody coming out of school should work for a small business or a large corporation, specifically in the technology industry, and the pros and cons of each.

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Where to start if you want to get a job as an adolescent.

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14 Teen Jobs

20 Advantages A feature on how taking AP of AP classes can affect college, particularly if it saves money and Courses how that interests people.

How minorities are treated in the workplace.

Letter from the Editors

Get informed about business

nowledge of business is essential for the younger generation. In seventh grade, I kickstarted my first business, a DJ service. Through business, I have been opened up to a world of opportunity and have met many nice people. As a businessman/entrepreneur you must have the drive to

overcome the challenges ahead of you. It is this drive that myself and many of my peers enjoy so much. Contrary to what you may think, it is not hard for you to find a place in the business world as well. Turning a skill you have and enjoy into a moneymaking business is not hard. All it takes is being informed about the steps you need to take to become successful in the business world. In this issue, Savanna and I intend to supply you with the information necessary to make the right decisions to become employed in Austin. This issue will also teach you how AP classes can help you save money, the differences between working at a startup and at a large company, and an inside look at Austin businesses. You will also learn how teens can find the right jobs in Austin and how discrimination affects you in the business world. It is essential to inform teens about the business world and we hope this issue will achieve this. Now go get yourself the right job.

Patrick Connor Editor-in-Chief

Savanna Tucker Assistant Editor

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Savanna Tucker, 15, spends her free time immersed in a good book or going on new adventures with her friends. She loves to travel the world; Italy being her current favorite place. Advanced Placement classes have always been intriguing to her because of the standard high school idea that AP classes kill a student. So she wondered what the hype was all about.

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Adrialys Luna is a freshmen at LASA High School. She is from Edinburg, TX; she moved to Austin, TX when she was thirteen. When she moved to Austin she noticed how different races interacted with each other. Coming from a small town with not much diversity it fascinated her how one person could impact another person of a different race. Lila Breston is a 15 year old at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. She has lived in Austin her whole life. She spends a lot of her week at the gym doing gymnastics. She likes hanging out with her friends. She decided to write about local Austin business because she loves her city, Austin, and is interested in entrepreneurship. 4 | The Biz | Dec 2016

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The Biz Editors & Writers

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Josie Shannon, 14, is a freshman at LASA high school. She was adopted by two loving moms when she was 10 months old. Denise Shannon and Shannon Batson raised Josie in a loving home in Austin, Texas. She spends most of her time riding horses competitively at Switch Willo Stables, and focusing on school. She wanted to write about teen jobs because when she was considering getting a job she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to start. She wanted to give teens, like her, an easily accessible way to gain enough information to get a job. Specifically trying to get a job that can work with a busy schedule.

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Austin Businesses Learn about three authentic local business. By Lila Breston

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hen you think of Austin, you picture cute local stores lining the street of South Congress and found on corners and neighborhoods alike. You taste hot coffee you bought from the cafe down the street where you had a genuine conversation with the owner. You smell food made daily at restaurants and food trucks, and you hear music Mike Rypka’s favorite tacos floating over Town Lake. Austin made by Torchy’s, the Green is authentic, fun and unique. Austin Chillied Pork and the Baha is weird because it’s local business- Shrimp. es radiate different vibes, unique vibes, Austin vibes. A locally owned business is a business that is started and operated in a city and provides to that city. Local businesses can range from small to big, with locations outside of the city, such as Torchy’s Tacos. Torchy’s The Owner of Champions Tacos started in Austin and now has locations throughWestlake, Gretchen, looking out Texas and in two other states. This article features out over the mezzanine at the gym. three locally owned businesses loved by the Austin trampoline program, and an adult fitness class. community, Torchy’s Tacos, Book People, and ChampiGretchen’s love for coaching started at a young age. ons Westlake. In high school she realized that she would be in Austin is great place for local businesses, when college at the same time as her older sister and twin you drive around the town you can find a variety of local brother. Knowing this would be a huge stores and companies. Austin is grow- “We have to think on financial toll on her family, she started ing so much as more people move in. a backyard gymnastics program. Her It is becoming more urban, and there our feet a lot so, in a is more foot traffic for local businesses lot of ways, it’s been a business attracted kids from down the street. The program took place in the to attract to their stores. Steve Bercu, summers when her practices weren’t a co-owner of Book People, described lot of fun.”-Mike Rypka as intense. Gretchen was on her high Austin as, “One of the hottest cities school gymnastics team, and later received a scholin the country.” Austin continues to grow as about 110 arship to the University of Texas in Austin for gympeople move to Austin per day. Mike Rypka, the owner nastics. This was at a time when UT had a gymnastics of Torchy’s Tacos said, “I do, I think it’s a great town to team, now they have a club and they practice at her start a business. I just think the attitude here is that peogym. Gretchen was a gymnast and a cheerleader at ple really support people that want to do that. People UT at a time when someone could do both. In injury don’t like, you know, people are more apt to try someher sophomore year, Gretchen was devastated when thing different and new versus going to the same kind she had to leave her sports, and give up her scholof big box retail type of stuff.” When you buy local, arship. There she was again, having to find a way to you support the community. Rypka also said, “Any time pay for her college education. Gretchen started a people are willing to step out and do something fun small gymnastics program in Georgetown to help her and different and they’re passionate about is a good parents pay for college. She would drive to Georgething.” town and teach classes there after school. Coaching Gretchen Huddleston is an Austin local busiwas such a big part of Gretchen’s life, that when she ness owner. She started Champions Westlake in 1996. moved back to Austin, it just made sense to her to Champions Westlake is gym that provides opportunities start a gym. for a wide range of ages from babies, with their momGretchen started Champions Westlake with a mission my and me classes, to adults, with their Nova fitness to make every child feel like a champion. Gretchen class. The gym features a variety of programs includexplains, “We wanted to make sure that we had a ing competitive and recreational gymnastics, cheer, gym where recreational mattered and that they (the parkour, tumbling classes, a competitive tumbling and ton res

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kids) wanted to stay in and that gymnastics was their thing. And so that’s kind of how the Bravo team started. And so originally, the whole idea was, as far as a mission, was where every child is a champion. And we wanted every child that came in their to have victories in gymnastics no matter how small, even if they weren’t going to go the competitive route. We wanted them to feel great about what they were learning.” Champions Westlake started in the back of a church where Gretchen would take out her equipment every morning and put it away at the end of each day. Now the gym is in a shopping courtyard in Westlake and soon to be in Circle C. Huddleston feels that the new location is necessary. She is excited to see how it impacts the community and glad that she can give more opportunities to her staff. “You know, I mean, that’s been awesome. I feel like when I first started, it was just like a little mom and pop thing and again it was sort of financially moThe owner of Champions Westllake, Gretchen Hudtivated. I needed to help with the family and help, you dleston, sitting at our desk. know, figure out a way to help bring in some extra income. So, it just kind of felt like this little mom and pop tween a successful gym to a thriving taco shop. Torchy’s operation that was just going to happen, a little gymTacos is another local business of Austin started by Mike nastics program in the afternoons, and if someone had Rypka. Mike Rypka was born in the North Virginia, D.C. told me at the time, ‘Okay, you need to grow it to be area. He then worked in Houston before being moved this many square foot, feet, and this many students and by his company to be the executive chef for Dell headserve this many families and have this many programs,’ quarters. Then, in 2006, Rypka started Torchy’s Tacos. I would have said, ‘You have the wrong person’. So He wanted to be in business for himself and “Do somethat’s been, that’s probably been my greatest, single thing that was fun with tacos that other people weren’t greatest accomplishment, to look doing.” back and see that.” A fond memory “And that I get to work Rypka finds the most challengthat reminds herself to recognize ing part of his job finding and keeping in what was my childhow far she has come is when she good people, although early on, it was was doing a recital a the small gym, hood passion, you know, finances. Although he has had his chaland a woman pulled her to the lenges, Torchy’s Tacos is a huge sucall the way through, is corner, and pointed out to her, as cess. It started as a single food truck the music played in the background such a privilege. And I and now there are more than 40 locaof the crowded gym decorated in tions serving tacos to happy customballoons, the smiles on the faces of am so grateful. I love my ers. Rypka explains what it has been the adults and kids, and how far she job.”-Gretchen Huddleston like experiencing such vast growth as, had come. This is a memory that she “You know it’s been stressful, but at the same time it’s still appreciates today, that someone took the time to been fun and exciting. Uh, there’s a lot of moving parts acknowledge what she had accomplished. and a lot of challenges just to tackle every day. We have Overall Gretchen loves her job and the fact that it is all to think on our feet a lot so, in a lot of ways, it’s been a about what she loved in her childhood. Gretchen loves lot of fun.” Rypka loves calling the shots, providing opto walk out on the mezzanine and be able to watch portunities for people and most definitely, serving damn gymnastics any time that she wants. “And that I get to good tacos. work in what was my childhood passion, you know, all Another locally owned business is Book People. Steve the way through, is such a privilege. And I am so grateBercu is CEO of the group of owners of Book People. ful. I love my job.” He is the only one that actually works in the store. Book There is such a variety of locally owned busiPeople started in a small space on 17th and San Antonesses in Austin, and a perfect example is the range benio Street in 1970. Then it moved to a larger place in

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Brody Oaks in 1985, and is now in it’s current location downtown, where it moved to in 1996. Bercu loves books and has always loved them. “My mother has always read voraciously,” he said. “She’s always read a minimum of ten books a week, and my entire life, I have been around that, ever since I was a A headshot of the founder of Torchy’s Tacos, Mike Rypka child. I never got a gift, the entire time I was a child, that wasn’t a book. Put it that way. That’s all my mother ever gave me.” He loves his work environment which includes the authors and publishers he gets to meet , and the people he works with every day. He is also the founder of the Austin Business Alliance. One of the owners of Book People, Steve Bercu, surrounded by book The ABA was started 15 years ago and currently has shelves. about 800 members, or local business owners. Bercu said, “The idea is to promote locally owned business, nal fire that happens.” Rypka’s advice is, “If you’re and so, we do as much of that as we can.” Bercu also going to go into something, you got to get some served as the president and vice president for America’s experience in that field first.” and to “ find something Booksellers Association, which provides classes to indeyou’re passionate about, find something you love pendent bookstores and provides educational programto do because it’s going to be a lot, a lot of work.” ing for them. Owners can learn valuable “I never got a gift, the Lastly Bercu’s advice is, “The most skills such as staffing book signings, and important thing if you’re going putting on big events. entire time I was a child, to start any business is to have Book People definitely has a unique some idea of what your market vibe. It is fun and edgy, and you can feel it that wasn’t a book.” is and what it needs because it is when you walk in. The store is jam packed -Steve Bercu not what you want that works in with a variety of genres and the stairs are a store, it;’s what the customers want. And you have lined with unique trinkets. Once upstairs there is a great to figure that out and that’s not simple, but that’s the kids section with a giant booth for storytelling that job of anybody who is starting. You have to find out kids can crawl under. Bercu says, “Well, it’s essentially, who the customers might be, and what their needs the vibe of the place that makes it different than most are so that you are filling some need, as opposed of places bookstore places. We just offer a lot, that a lot of doing something that you think is cool.” places don’t. Our camps in the summer.” They are one So go out and support Austin’s local business owners. of the only book stores in the country that offer sumExplore stores and try new things that are made lomer camps. Also, the amount of authors that visit their cally. There is a lot you can learn and so many things store is “different than anything in central Texas”. Book you can experience. People is very different than the larger, big brand name stores and offers a lot more. Rypka, Huddleston, and Bercu also have some business advice to give to young entrepreneurs. Gretchen’s advice is “The main thing is to follow your passion. Like to look at things that you have done in your life that jazz you eternally. You know, where you are just like, I love that. If you love what you do, it never feels like a job, you know. And it’s just something that kind of comes out of you naturally, and there is sort of an eterre s

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Take these quizzes and find out what local businnesses you should vist based on your food and drink preferences.

What is your favorite type of drink?

Smoothie/ Juice

Coffee/Tea

What do you prefer?

A cozy environment with pretty views.

What do you prefer?

A small homie place located in a fun neighborhood.

Mozart’s Coffee Located on the lake, there are beautiful views you can enjoy with your friends or date. It is a calming spot to catch up on homework while sipping on some tasty coffee.Located on the lake, there are beautiful views you can enjoy with your friends or date. It is a calming spot to catch up on homework while sipping on some tasty coffee.

Milkshake/ Soda

A funky place to get delicious smoothies and healthy juices.

Cafe Medici

A small cafe, with a homey vibe, Cafe Medici is a nice place to stop to buy a delicious drink. You can find it in the Clarksville neighborhood, among dog walkers, and friendly neighbors.

Yummy coffee in the middle of a thriving Austin street.

JuiceLand

JuiceLand has is a fun and upbeat juice bar. They have healthy and delicious smoothies and juices. Not only do the smoothies energize you, but just the general energy in the store.

What do you prefer?

Old fashioned and delicious treats.

Naus

Naus is an old fashioned candy store. In the back of the vintage shop, you can get yummy milkshakes and root beer floats.

Spunky, Circus themed place to get candy and other sweets.

Big Top

Is a candy shop located on South Congress. Circus inspired, the atmosphere is very interesting and quirky. There is a variety of sweets including milkshakes and a soda fountain.

Blenders and Bowls Blenders and Bowls is a great place if you want a smoothie, or something even more substantial like a acai bowl. If you’re hungry and want something sweet, but still healthy , then this is a great Jo’s Coffee Located on South Congress, it is surrounded by a variety of fun things to do. While you sit on the benches place to go. and enjoy your drink, you can watch people walk down the busy street and visit unique stores. It is a great place to stop for coffee and take a cute, instagram worthy, pic at the iconic “i love you so much sign”.

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What is your favorite type of food?

Pizza

What do you prefer?

A quick stop with good burgers.

P. Terry’s

A casual quick A casual quick place to get place to get a a burger burger or aor a veggie burger veggie burgerand andfries. fries.You Youcan can get quality food get quality food quickly. quickly.

What do you prefer?

There is more of a restaurant vibe with a variety of unique burgers.

Quirky place with good pizza that you can get quickly.

Delicious pizza located on the thriving Austin South Congress Street.

Hopdoddy’s

A more of a sit down place, Hopdoddy’s has a variety of unique great burgers.

What do you prefer?

A unique place where you can get healthy food.

A delicious salad bar where you can get salads the way you want quickly.

Get ice cream and cookies together in a cute artsy atmosphere.

Leaf Home Slice

HomeSlice Home Slice isisaa fun environment with delicious New York style pizza. It is located on South Congress and is a fun place to go to.

East Pies

A unique place with delicious New York Style pizza that you can get quickly.

Ice Cream

Salad

Leaf is great for people who like things their own way. You can chooses between something on the menu or make your own salad. The salad bar has great options and there is a variety of dressings to choose from. It is quick and delicious.

Blue Dahlia

Blue Dahlia has unique and delicious salads. They are healthy and fresh and it definitely something you should try.

Sandy’’s

Burgers and Fries

A classic soft serve place with creamy soft serve.

Moojo

Moojo is an awesome place to get ice cream and have it sandwiched between two delicious gooey cookies. It is a hip environment to get dessert. The seats are swings and there is a unique light sign inside.

An old-fashioned soft serve place. There is a drive through, making it good for people who want a quick creamy delicious treat.

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Teens Jobs

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Breaking down teen jobs with experience from employers and employees

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By: Josie Shannon

ast summer I wanted to make some money, but soon gave up because I had no idea where to start. What job can a 14 yearold get? Can teens in school balance school work, an athletic schedule, with a job? Every job ad I looked at on websites like snagajob.com needed requirements that I don’t have. Part time and summer jobs seem like the best options for people in high school. Age requirements, driving capability, and time consumption expunged every last drop of hope I had of finding a job last summer. Now, I’m back school being talking to students who did get summer jobs lifeguarding at community pools, working at summer camps, lawn care, pet sitting, babysitting, or as a bagger at stores like Trader Joe’s and Walgreens. How did these students get those jobs, I wondered? My friend Annie Drew, a senior from Westlake High School was luckier than me. Drew marched into Walgreens and asked for a job application. After breezing through an interview with her natural charisma, she was hired. She stocks the shelves, takes inventory, and helps customers for $9 an hour. She has worked at Walgreens for more than a month now. Drew’s schedule

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is always full between school, horseback riding, and working. She has been a competitive equestrian for 10 years, and is at the barn four days a week, one less day than before she started to work. She misses going to the barn as much, but admits that it doesn’t cut off of her actual riding time. “It doesn’t affect my riding time, or my skill level,” Annie says. “I’m just so used to being around the barn. I mean I love being at the barn a lot more than being bossed around by a man in a sweater vest.” Her working hours and driving consumes a plethora of time. To make it more complicated, Drew has to do homework and college applications. Every week homework takes 2-3 hours out of her week. All of her activities combined can be a really big stressor, however, she thinks that the job is a good responsibility. “I would tell high schoolers to get a job so they can be ready to graduate and stuff like that,” said Drew. She recommends starting with a summer job because of driving and balancing homework. Janine Rosen, a camp director at Switch Willo Stables, is used to getting requests from teens like Drew, who have worked for her over the summer.

She ends up writing a lot of recommendation letters for new teen employees. Many employees of this camp start working in middle school. Rosen pays 14 and 15-year-olds $4.50 an hour, and 16-year-olds are paid minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour. She believes teenage counselors help bridge the age gap, and is more entertaining for the campers. Rosen hires people as young as 12 depending on maturity level. She said she has hired younger after sitting down showing themselves to be responsible, level headed and experienced with horses. That’s where Rosen’s interactive interview comes in handy. She takes out one of the nicest horses from the barn, and she asks them to show her how to groom and put tack on the horse. “You’d be surprised by what the people have done,” said Rosen. It’s not important to Rosen if they mess up a few things, as long as they seem open minded and aren’t scared of the horse. In fact, she will totally eliminate a candidate that seems timid. It’s also very important to Rosen

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“I would take a person with no experience with no experience who is willing to learn over a person that has experience but doesn’t wnat to do it the way that we want it to be done.”

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“They are going to be responsible for your children for three or more hours. It’s kind of a big deal.”

that they are good with kids. She expects counselors to be patient, and tolerate campers by the end of a 100-degree days. Camp Switch Willo is primarily a summer camp, but it is also a takes place for a week in the winter and spring. Rosen emphasizes counselors don’t have to work every week, and that they get to choose what week they want to work. “I would definitely take a job like this if I was in high school,” says Rosen pointing out the opportunity this kind of job offers. Beth St. Paul jumped on a different common teen job when she was a teen; she made money from babysitting. Now she is the mother of two boys and uses babysitters herself. So far she has only hired adults to babysit because her twin boys have a lot of energy. “I honestly don’t know if we are completely ready comfort wise.” St. Paul said. Before she hires a teen she says the boys need to calm down. St. Paul says her and her wife, Shannon Hinshaw might

end up hiring two teens at a time because she describe her boys as a “tag- team effort.” “I think because we have multiples, which is different, we would probably hire two teens so they wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.” St. Paul said. For many teens the challenge is worth it because the going rate for babysitting it $10-$15 an hour, due to the enormous responsibility. “They are going to be responsible for your children for three or more hours,” St. Paul points out. “It’s kind of a big deal.” St. Paul, says she would look for a mature teen who is responsible, and relaxed, because multiples can be a handful. “Little kids are going to push buttons,” said St. Paul, “so you need to be a calm person.” That’s why St. Paul asks for references and experience. She wants to see why you want to have that job, and needs to know about who you are as a person. Although interviews sound straight forward, they are not. During job interviews, your natural instinct is to give the employees the answer you think they want. From all the people I talked to, it’s important to answer the questions truthfully. If not, you could be stuck with a job that isn’t right for you. Practice your answers to common questions like,

“Why do you want this job?” You should also put together a resume of things that support your level of responsibility. This resume can be constructed with accomplishments in school, and out of school. Don’t forget to do your research. You should know what position you want, and the qualifications you need to obtain a job. Be prepared with your personal information, including your social security number, and some form of ID. If you’re a student looking for job, you might have to take action like Annie did by marching into a store and asking for an application. Summer jobs and part-time jobs such as lifeguarding, summer camps, stores like Trader Joe’s and Walgreens, lawn care, pet sitting, or babysitting are perfect jobs for teens talked about on the penny holder.com. To get these jobs you can sign up for websites that advertise you like care.com. If you are still struggling try hanging up some posters in your neighborhood, and ask your parents to give you a hand. So don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! “I would take a person with no experience who is willing to learn over a person that has experience, but doesn’t want to do it the way that we want it to be done,” said Rosen.

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Try Again

Open yourself to the possibilities.

tab

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Are you looking for a year long

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Can you drive?

Delivery Driver

Do you enjoy driving?

Pet sitting jobs

Are you looking for a once in a while job?

job?

Are you good at swimming?

Are you Observant?

Are you looking for a summer job?

Are you looking for a constant reliable

Are you good with animals?

Do you like children?

By: Josie Shannon

Are you good with a lot of kids?

Are you good with animals?

Fast Food

Are you ok with working around food?

Are you good with money?

Babysitting

Are you good at teaching things to other people?

Retail Services

Camp Counselor

Tutoring

Intern

Nanny after school

Animal Shelter Worker

Are you older than 16?

Are you an organized person?

LifeGuard

Can you work with a team efficiently

Cashier

Teen Job Search

To find what job suits you best, follow the lines to see where you end up. Then go and get the job that fits your personality. Yes No

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 19

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The Advantage of Advanced Placement Classes An inside look at admissions and the financal aspect of Advanced Placement courses By: Savanna Tucker

“[Advanced Placement], in some ways, has become a badge of honor for schools,” says Christine Bowman, Dean of Enrollment at Southwestern University in Georgetown. Bowman explains, the Advanced Placement [AP] curriculum, originally created around 60 years ago, allowed teachers to teach creatively and offered students the ability to learn higher level material. Although some teachers now structure their classes according to the exams. Generally however, AP is a good option for students who want to go above and beyond. The AP curriculum offers students the opportunity to earn college credit for taking a college level class while still in high school. This allows the student many advantages when they attend college. AP can enable a student to graduate early, which saves money, or if a student decides to stay the full four years, they may be able to dou-

ble major or study abroad. Students who are offered AP courses have more options and flexibility in their college degree plan. What is the best option for you? Jamie Kocian, the college counselor at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin says the best path in high school is to align courses with the student’s career interests while still exploring different options to find their passions. To gain additional experience and learn about career opportunities, Kocian recommends summer enrichment programs to her students. Many colleges, such as the University of Texas, Rice University, and Texas A&M University, offer the summer programs that college counselors, such as Kocian, suggest for students. These programs address some students’ concerns about having an impressive college application. When asked if colleges prefer students who have taken AP classes over those who

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 21

have not, Kocian continues, “I think if the high school offered AP classes, [colleges] would definitely want them to take advantage of those AP classes and take those AP tests, because the way colleges look at it, when students are applying, they want to know that the student has taken advantage of the most demanding curriculum offered at their school.” The AP curriculum is standardized so students all over the nation can learn at a higher level and still stay in sync with other students taking the same AP classes elsewhere. On the other hand, dual credit, another type of college level course, varies depending on where a student takes it, and what a student takes. In that light, dual credit may be viewed as less rigorous. LASA offers both. “A student can’t get out of LASA without taking AP credit, but they could get out of LASA without taking dual credit,” says Kocian. Students at LASA utilize dual credit from other institution for their particular interests that LASA does not offer. “The style of teaching [for AP courses] is going to be different, but [it has] the same information, the same content, and the same content mastery expectations. That course is preparing [a student] for going off to college,” says Kocian. “We hope you will challenge yourself in your areas of passion, we hope that you will challenge yourself in courses that will engage you in unique ways,” says Christine Bowman as she gives an inside look at what colleges want to see from high school students when they are applying.

“[Colleges] want to know that the student has taken advantage of the most demanding curriculum offered at their school.” -Jamie Kocian

Photo Credits: Glada Munt, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at SWU

Christine Bowman Southwestern University’s Dean of Enrollment, recounts a student’s story. 22 | The Biz | Dec 2016

Photo Credits: Glada Munt, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at SWU

While taking and failing an AP course won’t help a student get into college, it will show colleges like Southwestern that the student is prepared to challenge themselves. As Bowman knows, many students at LASA are challenged with stress and anxiety. She responds to this by saying, “I don’t expect you to take 20 AP courses and kill yourself over the course of four years. I would rather you have a balance along the way.” On the other hand, Bowman would “be concerned about a student who hadn’t challenged themselves in the sciences and math if they wanted to go pre-med.” That being said, Bowman would “hope to see a smattering of AP courses throughout a student’s career,” but the circumstances for each applicant can vary drastically. Bowman sees each student differently, each one with their own strengths and weaknesses. “So that’s the hardest part of our job. What we see on paper is one thing. What you do with what you’ve been given in your education is completely different.” Bowman acknowledges students with all different educational backgrounds. She never evaluates one student the same as another. The Advanced Placement exams are in May every year. The AP exams evaluate a student’s comprehension of the subject. The AP exam test take two to three hours to complete, and while you can retake an AP exam, all of your AP exam grades will be reported to the college for evaluation. However, these AP exams are only offered once every year. The AP exams include free response sections and multiple choice sections. Like

James Gaeta, Director of Financial Aid at Southwestern University gives details on scholarships.

“I would rather you have a balance along the way.” -Christine Bowman Dec 2016 | The Biz | 23

some standardized tests, including the SAT, the AP exams penalize for wrong answers. Another important point students need to understand is their AP exam scores do not affect their application. Bowman explains, “So in the admission review process, I am pleased to see that you have challenged yourself with the coursework. You could make 2’s on everything, and I would still see you as a student who has challenged themselves by taking rigorous courses.” One question remains: How does taking AP courses and exams affect a student financially? If a student is in need of a scholarship or financial aid, AP can influence the amount of financial aid or the type of scholarship they receive. James Gaeta, Director of Financial Aid at Southwestern, says “your academic record will be perceived as stronger just for the fact that you’re taking AP courses, and that can translate into a higher bracket when it comes to determining what kind of financial aid package you will see.” Meaning taking AP classes could lead to more financial support from the student’s college choice. Another important aspect of AP to keep in mind is, “the fact that a student took more demanding courses in high school through the A.P. program is an indicator of the strength of the student’s academic record and it can translate into more scholarship knowledge.” Gaeta advises, once a student enrolls in the college and receives AP credit, “That can translate into you advancing further on in your curriculum than students who haven’t taken those courses, and might allow you to finish your degree earlier, which

“The fact that a student took more demanding courses in high school through the A.P. program is an indicator of the strength of the student’s academic record.” -James Gaeta

Photo Credits: Glada Munt, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at SWU

Director of Financial Aid, James Gaeta, at his desk at Southwestern University. 24 | The Biz | Dec 2016

Photo Credits: Glada Munt, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at SWU

in the end costs you less money.” Testing out of classes gives students an opportunity to take more advanced classes, more selective classes or not taking any extra classes at all. “You can do these different things because you will have that flexibility because you were getting credit for courses that you didn’t need to take as a result of the AP exam score,” says Gaeta. Taking Advanced Placement courses can make a student look good and stand out in the admissions process, it can open a student up to higher amounts of need-based aid, it can make a student a better candidate for scholarships and it can make a student more educated for college and the rest of their life. Kocian, Gaeta, and Bowman all agree that taking AP courses in high school is an advantage for college because colleges want to see students take the most rigorous courses and challenge themselves. Bowman concludes, “We’re not looking for reasons to say no to students; we’re looking for reasons to say yes and offer admission to students and find that potential for them [to excel in college].”

Southwestern University’s Dean of Enrollment, Christine Bowman.

“We are not looking for reasons to say no to students.” -Christine Bowman Dec 2016 | The Biz | 25

Advanced Placement Courses

Many teenagers know the pain of advanced placement courses. What in the world is worth that? Well, with this list of all AP courses and where they can go with them, students (and parents) will realize that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth it. AP CAPSTONE AP Research AP Seminar WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURE AP Chinese Language and Culture AP French Language and Culture AP German Language and Culture AP Italian Language and Culture AP Japanese Language and Culture AP Latin AP Spanish Language and Culture AP Spanish Literature and Culture MATH & COMPUTER SCIENCE AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC AP Computer Science A AP Computer Science Principles AP Statistics

ARTS AP Art History AP Music Theory AP Studio Art: 2-D Design AP Studio Art: 3-D Design AP Studio Art: Drawing

HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCE AP Comparative Government and Politics AP European History AP Human Geography AP Macroeconomics AP Microeconomics AP Psycology AP United States Government and Politics AP United States History AP World History SCIENCES AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Environmental Science AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism AP Physics C: Mechanics AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based ENGLISH AP English Language and Composition AP English Literature and Composition

26 | The Biz | Dec 2016

To recieve college credit, a student must score a 3, 4, or 5. Private colleges may only accept a 4 or 5.

Recieving college credit can allow you to skip introductory classes because you already have the necessary credit for that class.

It costs $93 to take an AP exam currently. This can save you thousands of dollars because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to pay for textbooks and other course necessities.

Graduating from high school is a necessary step in saving money from AP courses.

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 27

s n o i t a r o p r o C e g r a L . s v StartupksConnor By Patric

28 | The Biz | Dec 2016

e h t , 6 1 0 2 , 9 2 As of Feb. y g o l o n h c e t s e t a t S d e t i n U 7 . 6 d e s s a p r industry su , s e e y o l p m e million

ts, g environmen s as fun-workin p rs tu to ar ra st e refrig year. When tables and st g la n o u an -p th g yo in w re p o sh 200,000 mo tech indushat they don’t e W g r. ra e e e b av rk f o o e ll th -w re, and hard ouble fu you consider lack of structu s more than d n e ar th e is e pany in ye lo p try em ctor em ep your com se ke te to va y ri p ar e ss g start ece era if you want to that of the av for stu- n g al in e d an e ig M b . a ss s e me usin xactly g from b will tell you e ployee, it beco in at at th u d y ra an g p d m to an in a co go, then apdents going in Cyberstates and where to to o d g to in at rd h o w cc ay leave you college. A State-by-State plying for a startup firm m e iv it fin e D dustry 2016: The ter a week. U.S. Tech In ting to quit af e an th w f o is lys o Anal g Techn the Computin pTIA), published by (C ciation om o ss A ry st u d ogy In en a salary erence betwe that’s the diff d $51,600. in of $105,400 an t to graduate If you’re abou u yo , field n technology io at rm fo ly in p e th r to ap ating whethe might be deb or a startn o rporati co a at b jo d the for a con Valley an ili S e lik s w o rtray up. Sh am media po re st n ai m e th rest of

ttern. at People Pa Sitting Area hire is critical “Every single , CEO of says Ken Cho for a startup,” rn. “If you People Patte p tu ar st in st u A than you e right hire th e ak m ’t n do at, I hate e, and with th m ti f o t lo a lose money, se the, time is u d an is th y rong to sa u have the w yo d an s th n six mo at is critical al position th hire in a critic any, that of your comp to the success ht person is hiring the rig is critical, so artups, reportant for st im ly al re ly al re t.” ally importan there is says because o h C ty” in unpredictabili d an ty ili for “instab time to work st e b e th , p a startu h school right after hig one is actually e the least hen you hav or college w your life, sponsibility in re f o t n u o am risks. “I ke the biggest ta n ca u yo d an

“Every single l for hire is critica a startup,” -Ken Cho

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 29

think that’s a very appropriate time to join a startup, typically, not only from a financial perspective, but also because startups are smaller you’ll have a lot more responsibility, you’ll have access to the decision makers of the company, and so I think it’s a great way to learn, with potential bigger upside, but higher probability that these things are going to fail,” says Cho. Keep in mind, startups have a dramatically different culture than a larger corporation. They tend to have less structure and employees work in smaller teams. “I like the camaKen Cho, CEO of raderie of small teams,” Austin Startup Cho says. “I like how bePeople Pattern ing flexible at where I can impact lots of different aspects of a company, not only in just the product, but also in sales, also in marketing, also in kind of consulting projects.” Small teams mean shorter chains of command, which gives employees more decision-making power. As Cho explains it, employees in large corporations make a decision, which goes up the chain of command to different levels of management, and then you might or might not see it happen, and this creates frustration among employees. Having your ideas heard builds employee morale within startups. The fact that you can have an “impact on the direct decisions is really important and...fulfilling for employees”, says Cho. The decisions they make today “might impact the bottom-line tomorrow.” The ability for a startup to have smaller profits and less employees allows startups to maintain their unique culture. There-

Small Startups

30 | The Biz | Dec 2016

fore, as a startup grows in profits and staff size, “you will see more protocols and more structure put in place,” according to Cho. “But that is why I like the smaller startup environment, where you’re a little bit more creative and a little bit more relaxed around protocols, and that’s what I enjoy.” Though their is a relaxed environment of ping-pong and beer. Employees put in the hard work and long hours demanded of employees, each minute you put into the job is fighting to keeping the company afloat. “The hours you work at a startup or smaller corporation are probably going to be greater because there are less people to do more varied or more work,” says Peyton Brunyate-Murray, former employee of the startup known as Prodigy. He currently works at Dell Technologies “On the other hand, the type of person that usually thrives in a smaller corporation wants that, they want that excitement that you know go go go get it done type of, we don’t know how we are going to do it next, but we are just going to go figure it out. And they tend to thrive in that type of environment, but they also tend to work longer hours.” Employees at large corporations tend to have a more standardized “work day,” and thus work fewer hours than those at startups.The type of employee who would be best for a large corporation is one who likes stability. While you might think the longer hours at startups would generate greater stress, not so according to Chris Shelton, a former employee of many startups and large corporations including Dell Technologies and Google, he is currently working at a startup known as Virtuix. He

says the stress is about equal, but from “different sources.” “I think they are both

“They are both challenging enviroments if you have the right job” -Chris Shelton Chris Shelton, employee of both startups and large corporations challenging environments if you have the right job, and challenging is a good thing most of the time, assuming it is intellectually challenging and you are working on interesting problems. Those are the kinds of challenges I want in a job.” Therefore, Startups can have higher morale than larger corporations. Employee benefits, such as healthcare and retirement accounts, are very important to soften the stress and long hours required in a job. While most startups offer these benefits, though not as many as a large corporation, startups have a way of adding a more personal touch to benefits that help keep up employee morale. “When I worked for Prodigy, we had bagels,” says Brunyate-Murray. “They brought in bagels every Friday and if you have a particular type of bagel that you like, you could say ‘Hey,

I would like to make sure that they’re some of these bagels, and they would bring those in and we just called it bagel Friday.” Brunyate-Murray also said he had company happy hours, and times when his startup bought seats and private buses for the entire company to see the Yankees. There is a tradeoff in benefits at startups and large corporations. “We have a kitchen [at Virtuix],” says Shelton. “I get free drinks, I didn’t get that at Dell, but I had better healthcare at Dell.” Most people highlight job security and compensation as the main flaws of a job at a startup. Stock is how many startups pay their employees, “which is great if you work for the next Google, but bad if you work for the next company that fails,” says Shelton. According to an article featured in Monster Worldwide website written by Sarah White, three out of every four startups fail. Shelton had a personal experience with this, “I worked for a company under Austin Ventures Labs and that company could not get the evaluation that Austin Ventures wanted, and so we shut down, and then Austin Ventures Labs failed and then Austin Ventures failed,” Shelton says. Working very hard and being promised tons of stock is a common story among startup employees. “The unreliability is part of joining a startup, and that should be the expectation,” Cho says. “There is different markets, there is the Bay Area market and there is the Austin market, where the Bay Area employees like the stock options obviously… Austin tends to be less risky, and instead want a competitive salary”. Cho advises Austin employees to take less salary and take more stock options. Another important financial difference between small and large companies is your bargaining power. “[At a startup, you can control] your salary, your time off, your paid time off, your options employee stock,… [much more] than when you are at the larger company,” says Brunyate-Murray. “When I went to work with Prodigy. I really valued my time off and I would prefer that the company paid for it… I took the [base] salary… I said I

want four weeks of vacation, and then a number of stock options. In the end that definitely paid off the for me”. Another factor to consider when choosing a job is the potential for promotion. While there are more positions and a higher turnover at a large corporation, Brunyate-Murray says at startups you have almost a limitless ceiling as positions can be created out of thin air. Brunyate-Murray had such an experience, “I was there to do one thing, but I saw that there’s a better way to do it… literally a new group was formed, and I was the head of that group and I went out and hired people to fill the positions that I needed”. Although in Shelton’s case Shelton found himself one position away from CEO in a startup, and had nowhere to go. “When I am done with the position, I am leaving the company, that’s my only choice, as opposed to every big company I worked at there has always been a promotion available.” Before you can work in the technology industry you need to land a job. The hiring process for a startup is intense. Startups need the most productivity out of their employees to stay in business and for this reason, they put a lot of energy into making a hire, but are not able to afford much time on training resources. “I am hiring somebody right now and one of the discussions is I don’t have time to teach someone to be a marketer.” says Shelton. “I need somebody with some of those skills so, I am not looking for someone right out of school [without schooling in marketing], because I just cannot afford that time.” Though their is a lot of training resources at a large company, “[startups] have more breath” says Shelton. “there’s less people to do everything, so, a small corporation does most of the functions of a large corporation, just on a smaller scale. You are responsible for a lot more width.” Due to this, an employee who was successful at a startup is most likely a good employee, though at a large corporation you have to dig deeper into what a certain employee was working on to tell how good of an employee they were. Shel-

ton said he gained expertise working at his startup that he didn’t get from Google. Austin has become known for startups. Due to the young Austin market most companies are going straight from seed to high evaluations and capital funding, which means there are a lot of good startups in Austin. Cho recommends, Civitas Learning, Aceable, Spredfast and People Pattern.

Large corporations

have been famed for their cubicle culture and “more hierarchy,” says Brunyate-Murray. “[which is] a good thing because you have to have people and groups of people and larger groups of people all driving towards a common goal. So having a hierarchy allow you to segment your teams so that … each department, each group, each person… may have specific functions but they all should be working up to the higher goal… to help the company do XYZ.” Peyton Brunyate-Murray is a portfolio manager at dell and manages the programs within this hierarchy. Brunyate- Murray works under a large chain of command including many vice presidents and chairmen. Though, Brunyate-Murray had previously worked in Information Technology (I.T.) before, he felt like he “didn’t have any line of sight above the head of his department”. There was a large team of developers and programmers in the I.T division, so nobody got the individual recognition that those on the sales force were able to enjoy. Once he moved to the sales force he saw “that what we’re doing has direct impact on the business”. This made him a lot more inPeyton clined to work Brunyate-Murray, within the sales former employforce than in an ee of Prodigy, a entry level deparment like I.T. startup, current Shelton employee of Dell likes working on Technologies

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 31

Large Corporations

the challenges that affect his customers most directly, but he feels that “the caliber of people at some of these large companies, it’s fast paced and there’s challenges, and politics, and there’s a lot of layers above you, a lot of working within the organization is more difficult because it is bigger”. Shelton says that it is a lot harder working at the important challenges of a business, when you have to navigate a bigger organization. Though Shelton says the tradeoff is reliability, while a startup might, “google is going to be here

“It is very obvious if I am not doing a good job at a startup” -Chris Shelton

two years from now”. At a large corporation the structure is set up where, managers can not even live in the same city as people who they manage. “Managing perceptions and relationships are harder to build [at large corporations”, says Shelton. “it is very obvious if I am not doing a good job at a startup.” Large corporations are infamous for “90s corporate, bleak cubicles, kind of culture”, what Shelton experienced at Dell technologies. Though, companies like Google can work on more interesting problems and have a more supportive culture, at least in the experience of Shelton. Due to the fact that you work in more specific areas of a company, large corporation employees tend to work less hours than those of startups. The ability to have a more standardized ‘workday’ is a major plus of working at a larger corporation. The type of employee who would be best for a large corporation is one who likes stability. A low stress, standardized environment is very appealing to these people. Startups also differ from large corporations in terms of affording good employee benefits, such as employee sponsored health care and 401k/retirement accounts. These retirement accounts include a certain amount of matching, “so if I decided to put in five percent of my Weekly income, the company would match that five percent, so their benefit there.” There’s also other benefits, depending on the performance of the company when you’re with a larger operation you tend to get bonuses at the end of their fiscal year generally tied to how well performed in that year, so if a company had certain goals they needed to meet or they wanted to meet in that year. Then as a group, as

32 | The Biz | Dec 2016

a department, and as a company how you met those goals for each would determine how much of your bonus you actually get to those are so those are some of the benefits that you get when working with a large corporation.” Peyton Brunyate-Murray said. Large corporations are known for having higher job security than smaller corporations, although this can be a common misconception Brunyate-Murray says “there is no built-in job security working at a large company.” The job security at a small startup “is really going to be based on, two factors: how you’re performing at what you’re there do and how you are to grow the company and then the second factor is how is the company growing.” He says large corporations are known to use the Twenty Percent Rule, which says “20 percent [of employees] are overperforming, 20 percent are underperforming and the other 60 percent are doing just what you think they should be doing.” Large Corporations “are always looking for ways to control expense and salary is an expense” says Brunyate-Murray. “there are not making any money off of the people working there, they’re making money off the product that those people are helping them create”. Corporations look at the bottom 20 percent as expendables and layoff these employees as a way to cut expenses. There is definitely no greater job security at large corporations then there is at a small startup. The large chain of command allows a lot of room for growth and promotions from the point at which an employee enters the company. “Large corporations definitely have the advantage here” says Brunyate-Murray. “[at large corporations] you could even the laterally from one area or one department into another department at even the same or higher position”, whereas you cannot at smaller startups. This allows for an entry level employee to have many more opportunities, even if their interests change, to change positions while still keeping the connections and relationship they have with the company. At large corporations “here’s usually more positions and there is usually higher turnovers, so more positions become available over time,” says Brunyate-Murray. “You also have a lot of people who have been at a large corporation who have been there for ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five years”. This means that certain positions may be unavailable for many years, while others are open every six months.”[at] every big company I worked at there has always been a promotion available,” says Chris Shelton. Though there is a lot more promotions available at a large corporation and better employee training, layoffs occur much more often. At larger corporations their are much more resources and expertise to both train an employee and teach them. Though Shelton says he learned similar amounts from both, small startups can’t compete with the resources larger companies can provide.”you throw out Google and your phone calls get returned,”

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 33

Shelton says. If you are trying to learn about a specific thing the cool opportunities working at a well-known corporation teach you things you cannot get at a small startup. At larger corporations “ there is more of a willingness to develop your skills”, says Shelton.” we have an intellectually capable person who has some experience and is a hard worker, as a entry level person, great we can teach them”. This is a special willingness that you don’t get at small corporations. At a small corporations everybody needs to be productive so the same willingness does not exist. The resource, expertise, and training, of a large corporation, is unbeatable. Though startups teach an employee many things as well, the amount of resources the company can spend on an employee is completely different. While Dell Technologies Inc., Google, Apple, Advanced Micro Devices, International Business Machines and Qualcomm are the largest, most wellknown, and among the best corporations in Austin. Seton Family of Hospitals, Applied Materials and Homeaway, are some of the best you can work at right now, according to an article featured on the Built in Austin website on May 14th, 2015 by Elyse Kent. Both large and small companies have their advantages and are available in Austin right now. When applying, Shelton suggests asking yourself: “Is [your potential manager] somebody who is going to try and teach you, are they a leader, what does the cash flow look like, what is the longevity of this business, will we be around in two years?”. But before even your first job, Cho recommends interning at both types of businesses. “As an intern, if you had the luxury to do both, to see both perspectives, I think would be the best of both worlds, right?” Now, go out there and get yourself a job.

“As an intern, if you had the luxury to do both, to see both perspectives, I think would be the best of both worlds, right?” -Ken Cho, CEO of People Pattern

The Virtuix Omni, a treadmil for vitural reality, allows movement in a vitural space. (Photo by Virtuix)

34 | The Biz | Dec 2016

An Employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Display at People Pattern

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 35

2016 Macbook Pro

Microsoft SurfaceBook

Pros:

The Software is optimized to the hardware Sleek and portable design Apple claims a good 10 hours of battery life Beautiful bright display Processing power to handle intensive tasks such as video editing High-end models have “touchbar” an adaptive way to interface with the computer replacing function keys. Butterfly style keyboard can be viewed as pro or con.

Cons:

Pricey starting at $1,299 Few ports, only USB-C ports, meaning adapters might be necessary to add. Lack of touchscreen

2016 School Laptop Review Laptops are becoming essential for American upper schooling. Having a powerful computer gives you a leg up at school. Which 2016 laptop computer is the best for you? 36 | The Biz | Dec 2016

Two in one system including both a tablet and keyboard Lightweight and portable design High in components including an Nvidia Graphics. Touch Screen and includes stylus Runs Windows

Cons:

Expensive starting at around $1,499 Design issues including a gap between screen and keyboard it to be visually unappealing Offers both a laptop and tablet, but isn’t particularly good at being either one.

IBM PC

Apple I

1976

1966

HP 2116A

IBM Portable PC

1981

1984

HP Spectre

DELL XPS 13

Pros:

High resolution touchscreen display with little bezel Visually appealing design Lots of ports

Visually appealing design Thinnest and most portable laptop on the list Above average keyboard Runs Windows Powerful with Intel Core i processors

Cons:

Extremely expensive starting at $1,649 Low battery life starting at about 8 hours (up to 14 hours)

Cons:

Lack of many ports No touchscreen

Lenovo Thinkpad 13

Pros:

Great price starting at $600 Good Keyboard Powerful All ports are there and conveniently placed Portable lightweight design Rugged Build that is rare among laptops

Cons:

Visually Unappealing Design 1080p screen slightly less resolution than other screens Poor trackpad

HP Sprout Dell Inspiron One 2320

1999

2005

iBook G3

2010

2012

2016

Microsoft Surface Pro Lenovo x41

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 37

Bullying in the Biz Discrimination is so 20th century. By: Adrialys Luna “Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at negroes in every waking moment of their lives, to remind that the lie of their inferiority is accepted at truth in the society dominating them”. This quote is still very much true. Minorities are still being treated poorly in their workplace. Cowards call them names and stereotype them from the moment they see them; just because they have a different skin color. People are not born racists; they are usually born without knowledge of racism. “I think that we are all humans and interacting and sharing our cultures could be a fun learning experience for everyone”, said Shaeleigh Crum, cash application and billing specialist, “How different cultures live all over the world is fascinating to me,especially coming from a very limitedly cultured town.” People are influenced by past generations, that thinking they should discriminate against people of different color or ethnicity. There are still non-minority people who get discrim-

38 | The Biz | Dec 2016

inated against.” I think the only discrimination I have faced was not being allowed to join race based clubs in college,” said Shaeleigh Crum. “For example, some clubs or sororities would have guidelines and if they were priding in an ethnic group, it would be a requirement to be part of the group.” Non-minorities are put aside because they do not have as many “values” as minorities, apparently they are not as “diverse”, so, their skills are not as “valuable.” “I think this leads to discrimination against caucasians,” said Shaeleigh Crum. “Employers are more likely to hire someone culturally diverse than caucasians to meet these standards.” Caucasians are being seen as limited people. Grass is greener on the other side. If they’re minorities, they are different, but if they are not minorities they are not diverse enough. However, minorities are treated much worse to statistics. They have to deal with criticism and stereotypes. “The most racial discrimination I would see in a work setting was in a customer service role back in the

hospital,”said Shaeleigh Crum. “A lot of workers would not want to help someone of a different culture and try to pass them off to the next employee.” “This happened in 2015 when I worked at Firehouse Subs as a shift leader.” said Alexys Flores, charge entry specialist. “When we would take orders we had to get the customer’s name... there were two customers with the same name. The first customer had ordered two subs and the second had ordered a meatball sub....the second customer grabbed it instead of the first. I hadn’t caught on until a few minutes later but thought nothing of it. I knew she would be back to get her correct order. So I went ahead and put her meatball sub on top of the oven to keep warm and I was even going to offer to make her a new one once she figured it out and came back. Well about 30 minutes later she comes back and she immediately threw the subs at my face and yelled that I had given her the wrong subs. She continued to yell calling me a stupid wetback and I should go back to Mexico since I couldn’t do anything right. I honestly couldn’t believe she had brought my race into this. Especially since I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, my boss wrote me up...I have a bit of a temper and had thrown the subs back at her; I don’t regret it one bit,”said Alexys Flores. People who ask for a minorities’ service, even treat them badly. “Kids used to poke fun at me being the only Chinese kid in school fairly frequently”,said Clifton Chan. “I’ve had a problem with is teenage pregnancy,” said Alexys Flores. “I suppose Hispanic women are stereotyped for having kids at a really young age. I’m 21 with no children and that surprises some people.” CHANGE should not be surprised if a person does not fit a specific stereotype. These are just a few examples of minorities being treated poorly. It a shame how people actually have to go through this. Minorities already know they’re different from the start. “I don’t really have a good memory but my mom has told me growing up I looked really Mexican,” said Alexys Flores. “You know with dark skin and black hair, only light thing in my appearance are my hazel eyes but she would hear people make rude comments.” They are reminded constantly. It’s like doing something wrong and people holding a grudge against you. Minorities have to learn to cope with this. “Be strong, take active steps to change your environment,” said Clifton Chan. “There are always people who don’t judge people because they are different. If they mind, then their opinion doesn’t matter, and those whose opinion does matter, won’t mind. It sucks that you’re in a hostile situa

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 39

Shaeleigh Crum, cash application and billing specialist 40 | The Biz | Dec 2016

Photograph by: Jessica Luna

Clifton Chan, accountant

Photograph by: Jessica Luna

Alexys Flores, charge entry specialist

tion, but it will pass and things will get better... eventually you kind of grow up and realize that a great part of happiness in life is surrounding yourself with good people, and anyone who was blatantly racist makes it really easy for me to distance myself from... I think figuring out those things myself was very important for me.” “Just for it not to bother me as much,” said Alexys Flores. “People are going to say things that hurt but it’s best to just ignore it. Keep the bad people in your life out...Probably to get out of the situation. Walk away is the best thing to do. Just ignore it and keep walking... I mostly just ignore it to be honest.” People have many strong feelings about this and many of them have different opinions about it. Although, some are more positive than others. Stopping discrimination is much harder though. People would have to be willing to change the minds of people who don’t even listen to you. Especially if they are in a higher position at work. “Fairness to each and every employee,” said Alexys Flores. “I don’t think it’s appropriate having to put my ethnicity and race in my employee profile”. Ethnicity really shouldn’t be part of how people see you in the workplace they should judge how good you are at your job. “I like to believe that people are generally empathetic and if you have to deal with minorities as they integrate into the population, they can eventually come to accept everyone as just another person,” says Chan “I would like to see more educational workshops on cultural diversity as I think they would be helpful...I think stopping discrimination in any setting stems from education.” Being mixed in with other people in an educational setting would also be very beneficial because then you would learn to work with other races. “ Culture drives and develops our thoughts, beliefs, and who we are as people,” said Crum “It takes all kinds to make this world work.” Being diverse is what makes us human. The more diverse we are the more ideas are. People need to be aware of this while going into the workplace. People need to prove to everyone that is against your race, wrong. People need to show them that people have the final say in who you are not them. People’s race or ethnicity is not only who people are that’s only a part of who they are. They just have to keep your head held high and keep going don’t let anyone bring people down with a silly little comment.

Dec 2016 | The Biz | 41

HOW PEOPLE ARE HowMANY many people

DISCRIMINATED are discriminated AGAINST? against?

People everyday are discriminated against. Sixty-one percent of Americans feel that the have been insulted! That means that 197,712,460 people feel discriminated against.

61% AMERICANS

42 | The Biz | Dec 2016

How many people of each race that feel dicriminated against. AFRICAN AMERICANS

69% ASIANS

33%

63% HISPANICS

NATIVE AMERICANS

CAUCASIANS

51% 39% Dec 2016 | The Biz | 43