Volume 120 Spring 2014 Roundup Issue 8

Sunday, April 27.

A walk on the wild side Annual farm event brings campus and community together

Marissa Nall

News Editor Jessica Boyer

Arts & Entertainment Editor

This year’s Farm Walk brought less revenue than previous years but more student groups were in attendance to experience all the agriculture program has to offer.

Leland Shapiro, chair of the agriculture and natural resources departments said that he tried to make this years event different from tradition in that he involved more campus organizations, bringing informational booths and groups into the department.

“My goal was to make this an open house for the whole school because we’re all Brahmas,”

Shapiro said. “I love being a Brahma.”

The event was open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and student workers arrived hours before the opening to prepare the farm. People of all ages attended the event including local families with small children and students from the college.

“I worked twelve days straight,” said Shapiro. “I’m too old for that. But I enjoy it. I love those little kids, looking at their smiles.”

The event was hosted by the agricultural department and money was raised to fund the various programs within the department such as animal sciences, veterinary sciences and plant sciences.

Thirteen different departments from the college attended the event, including the Foundation of Pierce College.

“I used to be a Brahma,” Shapiro said. “I was

a Pierce student. I think I saw that excitement among the chemistry, physics life science and nursing. The choir was fabulous, the Brahma bull with the cheerleaders, it was all great.”

Community members could walk the entire farm circuit, with hands-on events and informational booths where they could learn more about what different Pierce programs are doing.

“I love working with the animals and it’s what I want to do,” said volunteer and student Tamara Clark. “I’m an RVT major which is registered vet technician and it’s essentially like a registered nurse. We’re required to learn about all species. They teach us how to hold the chickens properly and a little bit about their system.”

KTLA reporter highlights career

Speaker focuses on importance of networking

Jessica Boyer Arts & Entertainment Editor

Pierce College students received insightful networking information from KTLA reporter Kimberly Cheng at the final Media Arts Department Speaker Series event for the semester.

“I wanted to come here today because I really wanted to give you guys some information that could really help you because that’s what helped me when I was in college,” Cheng said. “When speakers would come in, I would keep notes from their lectures.”

More than 100 Pierce College Media Arts students attended the lecture in the Great Hall on Monday, April 28.

“I want to know what I can do to help you,” she said.

To begin the event, Assistant Professor of Journalism Stefanie Frith introduced Cheng to the audience and directed them to tweet questions from their phones to Cheng’s personal twitter including the hashtag “#ChengPierce.”

“I wish that someone had talked to us [in college] more about the power of networking,” she said.

“The best thing that you can learn is how to build a relationship.”

Her main focus in the lecture was to inform students of the importance of networking and creating relationships with potential employers.

“What can you do to help me grow and what can I do to help you,” Cheng said. “It might be

as simple as being excited and interested in how the person got to their position.”

She described how students should start building relationships as soon as possible to create lifelong connections.

“I would put aside a few hundred dollars every year to meet people for lunch, dinner, coffee, if they could just talk to me on the phone for ten minutes,” Cheng said. “I would email people, I would ask my friends, colleagues, fellow students ‘Do you know someone who is in this business who can help me, just talk to me for ten minutes.”

Cheng discussed how working on her connections and persistence in communication helped her get every job as a reporter.

College

Hour

being considered for campus

Time dedicated to engaging students outside of the classroom curriculum

Marissa Nall News Editor

Administration is looking into the possibility of implementing a “College Hour” at Pierce College, which would enhance the student life on campus.

Having an hour dedicated to hosting student activities and engaging students beyond the classroom greatly improves academic success, according to Earic Peters, vice president of student services.

“We have wonderful ideas and wonderful intentions,” Peters said. “The issue that I’ve seen being here for six months, that many other colleges have, is when do we do it? When is there a collective time when we can really strategically look at how we’re going to engage students? This college hour is a time which we set aside for people to help plan, engage, and get involved with our students.”

Having a College Hour would mean using block scheduling, setting aside an hour so students could gather for club activities, social events or one-on-one time with professors.

Some classes could be taught during this time but would probably be single-unit classes and labs, taught by adjunct professors according to Peters.

“The research unanimously says that one of the best ways to increase student success is to get them involved with your activities beyond the classroom,” Peters said.

Other campuses have implemented college hours with varying guidelines.

“While I agree that there are so many different ways that we can engage students socially, please do not discount the importance of that face-to-face because that is really, really important,” Instructor of Nursing Connie Tiu said.

Arguments were heard against the College Hour, saying it would be a waste of Pierce’s time and resources.

“I came from a place that had

a college hour and it was a dismal failure,” Instructor of Political Science, Economics and Criminal Justice Anthony Gabrielli said. “I just don’t see how that will succeed.”

Others were interested in the idea but decided to withhold judgement until more research was done.

“I would really love to see some evidence about the impact that this is going to have on the number of students,” Angela Belden, instructor of psychology said. “In part of that campus climate, we need to have things on campus for students to do, places for them to eat. So this is part of an overall climate that needs to shift.”

Peters thinks the hour will be an effective way for students to network with one another and with faculty outside a set curriculum.

“There’s not a lot of research in exactly ‘College Hour,’ but there’s a ton of research in engagement,” Peters said.

Gabrielli is worried that students are less interested in making personal connections and focus more on networking digitally.

“Students will start to schedule their classes opposite of college hour. They’ll come Mondays and Wednesdays and they’ll just have work Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he said. “My students would rather see me on Twitter than face to face. They’d rather see me on Facebook than face to face.”

The discussion was far from unanimous, with many expressing concerns over the marketing, scheduling, and use of such an hour on campus.

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

Jimmy McGill rounds up cattle into groups as part of a rodeo competition at the Farm Walk at Pierce College on

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

KTLA reporter Kimberly Cheng gives a presentation for the Media Arts speaker series in the Great Hall where more than 100 students were in attendance for the discussion on Monday, April, 28.

“We have wonderful ideas and wonderful intentions.”

-Earic Peters Vice President of Student Services

Students on training at Pierce

Pierce offers students more than just core classes

Pierce College offers many classes. Some are meant for students to transfer quickly while others are meant to further education in particular fields of study before transferring to a four-year university.

Pierce not only offers the core classes students need, they also offer a wide variety of classes from addiction studies to welding.

These lesser-known classes should be promoted as an alternative for when students do not get into core classes. It would be a great way for undecided students to discover themselves or just satisfy their curiosity.

Price should not be a worry for the student as Pierce already provides an affordable education and an elective, if needed, to transfer.

The beauty of these classes is that students are not required to take

Succeed with a learning disability

aren’t what you need.

Nearly everyone struggles in one class or another at school, but if you have autism or any disability, whether physical or mental, you are eligible for help from Special Services.

“Dear Kate, What do I do if I have a grouchy teacher who won’t help me when I am struggling in a class? I have autism.”

Struggling Student

Dear Struggling, to put it simply: college can be difficult. Professors expect more from you than your high school teachers did, and you need to put in a lot more time to do well in your classes.

Some teachers can be unhelpful, unapproachable, and sometimes downright rude.

This is a good time for you to learn how to be responsible and navigate through whatever life throws at you.

A good option for every student in every class is to find a study group. If the professor isn’t helpful or willing to explain things to the extent that you need, having a group of peers that have to learn the same things and study for the same tests can be extremely helpful. Often, someone in your group will be able to help you understand the material more fully.

You also can and should seek help from a tutor on campus.

But sometimes those options

If you suspect you have a learning disability but haven’t been diagnosed, there is a learning disability specialist that can test you in Special Services according to the program’s website, which also gives the warning sign for a learning disability: doing well in most classes but very poorly in some.

Having a learning disability and being a part of the Special Services Program does not mean teachers will make class easier for you or lower the workload compared to other students. You will still be graded with the same standard as every other student, but there are accommodations that can be made to help you succeed, such as extra time on tests, and being allowed to record lectures according to the website.

If you are struggling in classes and have not sought help from Special Services, you should talk to one of their counselors and see what accommodations can be made for you. They are located in the Student Services building.

Whatever you do, make sure you try your best and stick with it. Sometimes you may have to repeat a class, but that’s OK. With hard work, you will succeed.

them, but can if they wish to do so. Students who are interested in playing badminton can at Pierce. Coach Cox can teach the skills and students get the opportunity to play with other beginners, all while working toward their degrees or transfer requirements.

Students looking to join a gym could take the weight lifting, conditioning or yoga classes Pierce has to offer. It would be cheaper than a gym membership and one wouldn’t have to sign a contract since the semester is only six months.

Students can take an art class on water color painting or a pottery class if those classes don’t fit the bill. Take a swing at a creative writing class or take a trip to Middle Earth with professor Krikorian in his English class. These classes do more than foster curiosity, they can also lead students to find their passion or career choice.

Educational investment impacted by interest rates

and fees in the state and stands in the top 10% in the country. Additionally, the amount of student loans needed vary greatly from junior colleges to universities, and even greater for private schools.

Opinion mnall.roundupnews@gmail.com

Writing a resume these days may have more to do with how much debt has accumulated than skills and experience, considering the price that is being levelled for education.

Struggling to get through school in the allotted four years, many students find themselves taking out loan after loan just to pay for tuition, much less the cost of living while studying full time.

Marissa Nall

Getting an education may be widely considered one of the best ways for young adults to advance their careers and expand their understanding of the world, but it’s also one of the best ways to get into debt.

With student loan rates fixed between 3.86% and 6.41% depending on the level of education, those who have taken out loans may not realize how much debt they are racking up year after year. Especially when taking into consideration that terms for loan repayment plans can be anywhere from 10-30 years, according to staffordloan.com, with interest piling up all the while.

However, with the price of even public education steadily increasing, there aren’t many other options for those who wish to get a degree and have any hope of entering the field of their dreams.

Luckily for students, Pierce is one of the cheapest schools for tuition

Still, students who attend junior colleges are statistically less likely to receive state and campus grants than university attendees, despite being more likely to need aid, according to projectonstudentdebt.org. Juniorcollege-goers are also less likely to find and take out loans, making it even more unlikely that they can pay for all the costs of school, with books, travel costs and fees taken into consideration. Those who transfer to a fouryear college have an even greater chance of needing to take out loans, averaging $29,400 of debt.

It often takes more than four years to get the degree, making it even more likely that students will need to take out loans and wind up strapped for cash.

It is obvious that education needs to be more affordable for students, especially since it is one of the only ways for students to enter the occupations they really want. Lowering interest rates on loans would be a start, but real progress is going to require more support for students and the facilities they attend.

Student loans are pitched to prospective graduates as an investment on their future, but federal aid and private loans need to start looking at the students themselves as investments, rather than cash cows. And educational institutions should be looking for ways to lower costs for students so that drowning in debt isn’t the only option for education.

-COMIC STRIP-

kind of questionable. There’s no real opportunities to work outside the classroom, such as internships.”

Barrara

“I’m taking physics here for engineering and it’s very challenging. I feel like it is preparing me.”

-Patrick Schuetterle electrical engineering major

Photos by Diego Barajas. Quotes gathered by Tim Toton.

Cartoon by Maria Salvador.

Hidden classes on campus offer learning opportunities

Lesser known courses foster student development with di erent skills needed to ful ll transfer requirements

Richard Zamora Roundup Reporter

Looking through the Pierce College course catalogue can be overwhelming and in a haste to find that English or Math class students frequently overlook some of the more intriguing courses that our campus has to offer.

Professor of Geology Stephen Lee, 64, teaches oceanography, a course that incorporates aspects of geology, chemistry, biology and physics to explain how a major part of our world works.

“Being California residents, it’s hard to imagine not having some interest in the ocean,” Lee said. “What we try to do is take a look at the ocean from a scientific point of view, but also what local conditions are like and what the local ocean is all about. So hopefully it’s about how our home works and what conditions are like here.”

Certain classes are part of a larger program that earns a certificate designating qualification in the field of work. The Industrial

Technology department offers certificates in its automotive and welding courses.

Tom Fortune, 59, is an Associate Professor of automotive technology and Chair of the Industrial technology department where ten basic core classes make up an automotive certificate. Several more courses go beyond the core including hybrid technology, alternative fuels and fabrication classes with additional certificates.

“If you like cars there are great careers in automotive,” Fortune said. “We have an articulation agreement with Cal State LA and the major would become industrial technology power and transportation.”

Many even begin working right out of Pierce with an associate degree.

The courses also make up the necessary foundation to expand into what Fortune calls “clean work.”

Many car systems are now managed by a computer said Fortune.

“There’s a lot of electronics, electronic diagnostic work where you’re sitting inside a car and with a laptop and you’re online with the

factory and you’re solving problems that are really software problems,” Fortune said. “It’s not just about changing oil and tires but there’s that aspect too.”

As for the welding courses the certificate adds a level of credibility and value to its holder in the work force, according to Gary Wheeler the senior welding instructor.

“Just been doing a little research on the average pay for a welder that is not certified and it stems from about $16 an hour to about $37 and once you become certified it goes up from there,” Wheeler said. “Some welders are making $150,000 to $200,000 a year by using the skill they’ve learned in colleges like this.”

The welding courses have been able to offer more sections and conduct safety tests on campus.

“We give an overview of all the different types of processes and some people choose to work towards a structural steel certification,” Wheeler said. “We have established last year a testing facility for the LA department of building and safety test lab.”

This semester there are Saturday

classes and classes will be offered during summer, which is a great time for students to get introduced to welding to see if they would like to continue it into fall, said Wheeler. Addiction studies is another program that leads to a certificate and has the option of continuing toward an associates degree.

-Tom Fortune Associate Professor of Automotive Technology

“The focus is on much more than just alcohol and drug dependence. It’s a clinical psychology program designed to train students to become clinical counselors,” said Allen Glass II, 34, faculty adviser to for the addiction studies program and Assistant Professor of Psychology.

“There is an emphasis on

Kindergarten class meets their baby cow

Heni Sirchi Roundup Reporter

A kindergarten classroom raised money toward the feed and care of the animals on campus, in a fundraiser started by Haynes Elementary teacher Mindy Levine.

The children donated the money that they raised by doing chores for the agriculture program, presenting it at this semester’s Farm Walk.

More than $600 were donated Sunday toward the feed and care of the animals on campus.

The children were also able to

see the animals they were helping to feed, visiting the cow and goat pens that were set up for the event.

Three years ago, Levine, an owner of several animals including horses and donkeys, heard that they might need to close the Pierce College Farm. Because of her huge passion for animals, it was unacceptable to her.

“I wanted to do something that would make a difference,” said Levine.

She also wanted to involve the children in her class, to teach them the values of hard work and community involvement.

“I think it’s important children realize that there are things even five years old can do and make a difference in the world,” said Levine.

Since the kids were so excited about the idea, she contacted their parents to set up a chore system. The first year they raised $800 for donation and $500 the following year. “They do chores for their parents to raise money for animals so that we don’t have to sell them. It makes me cry,” said Shapiro.

The children did household tasks like loading the dish washer,

addiction but addiction covers a wide range of both behaviors and substances and in general mental illness and mental health challenges,” Glass said.

The certificate program consists of 36 units. Upon completing those units students are then eligible to take the state certification exam.

“Once they complete those 36 units of the program and pass the exam and they complete 2,240 hours of fieldwork experience they become certified counselors as recognized by the state of California,” Glass said.

The fieldwork requirement can be fulfilled by things such as record keeping, group counseling or individual counseling, discharge planning, screening, assessment, and treatment planning.

“It’s very similar to what you’d be required of the Board of Behavioral Sciences for a social worker or MFT (marriage and family therapy) license,” Glass said.

Another little-known class teaches broader, less technical skills. Mia Wood, an associate professor of philosophy, teaches symbolic logic, whose subject is not

as obvious from the name alone.

“Symbolic logic is a course devoted to the study of language in relation to deductive modes of reasoning,” Wood said. “The general goal is whoever comes out of the class has, among other skills, developed the skill of reasoning in a strategic and logically correct fashion.”

A majority of those who take the class, are pre-law and computer science majors but being able to reason well is something useful across all disciplines, said Wood.

“Studying how to reason in a very technically correct and sophisticated way is going to aid you in anything you do,” Wood said. “I wouldn’t want a surgeon who couldn’t reason well.”

Registration is open for summer sections.

Oceanography: OCEANO 001

Automotive technology: AST 001, 002, 041, 044

Addiction studies: ADDICST 001,007

Symbolic logic: PHILO 9

News briefs

Summer and Fall Registration begin [open now]

Registration is now active for three separate class sessions of the summer semester. They go from June 16 to July 19, July 21 to August 23 and June 16 to August 9. Fall registration is also open and the Semester begins September 2.

Transfers to be praised on marquee [6/6]

Students transferring to a fouryear college of university in June of 2014 can have their names posted on the electronic marquee on the corner of Winnetka and Victory. To give your information, students can email news@piercecollege.edu with their name, ID number and the school to which they will transfer by Friday, June 6.

Final drop day is May 11 [5/11]

The last day to drop classes without receiving a “W” is Sunday, May 11.

– Compiled by Marissa Nall

“Unity in Diversity” celebrated on campus [5/1]

Pierce’s Diversity Committee in conjunction with the Direction Literacy Magazine will host Diversity Day in the Great Hall from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 5. There will be free food, prizes and a student open mic activity.

UCLA and CSUN advisors coming to campus to speak with students [5/8]

Representatives from UCLA and CSUN will be on campus Thursday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Mall outside the Great Hall. Students looking to transfer can speak with them about requirements for various departments and receive help choosing majors.

ATMs break down from overuse [4/23]

The first day of financial aid distribuition led to heavy traffic at the ATMs on campus, resulting in both of them going out of order.

cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming floors and making breakfast.

They also refused to buy candy with their earnings and instead saved the money for the Pierce Agriculture department.

“They are learning to volunteer and to be a part of community,” said Kristina Roman, mother of fiveyear-old Haily.

“It is a huge learning experience for all of us and I think the kids get so much out of it and what can you do better than paying forward and doing it with animals?” said Levine.

Levine plans to continue her efforts with her class next year.

Children visit the Farm Walk to see animals they raised money to feed and care for

Nelger

“If you like cars, there are great careers in automotive.”

Biologist speaks on supplements

Presenter tells students of

andharmfulpopular

chemicals

Aprofessor of chemistry and biochemistry from California State University, Northridge came to Pierce College on Friday, April 25 to speak on the dangers of antioxidants and natural supplements.

Gagik Melikyan has been fighting for the protection of the American public against companies that try to pass off dangerous compounds as medicine. He has a Ph. D of science, has written an award-winning book, and educated an entire generation of chemists and biologists.

“Natural supplements are sold to the public with various claims,” Melikyan said. “There has to be an established need. The impact needs to be measurable.”

the body, according to Melikyan.

Even things like green tea and red wine that are often considered healthy can be varying degrees of unhealthy to ingest too much of.

Red wine contains resveratrol, a compound touted to extend life. There is, however, no proven evidence showing that it can do this.

Resveratrol is dangerous on a few levels. Melikyan points out that it is an estrogenic compound and a potential carcinogen because it’s status as a phenolic compound.

An overabundance of estrogen can cause breast and cervical cancer in women. Too much estrogen can affect men negatively as well, causing testicular cancer and other medical issues. This is on top of the already carcinogenic potential of resveratrol.

it all. Supplements, if taken unnecessarily, can also cause problems. An overabundance of any specific chemical in the body, even so-called good ones, can be harmful and throw the chemistry out of balance.

Companies have taken an interest in pushing supplements because they are easy to create and sell, according to Melikyan.

“Why are companies interested in supplements? It’s difficult to develop drugs,” Melikyan said.

Drugs need to go through a battery of tests and approvals over a period of 10-15 years, which amounts to millions or billions of dollars spent into one drug.

These all lead to supplements being pushed onto the public that could possible be dangerous, especially if people are uninformed.

Corinne Browne, a Pierce student who attended the meeting, said she has been taking supplements for a long time and wanted to see what he had to say.

“I find it interesting and I definitely feel like not taking resveratrol or green tea, because he’s obviously done research on that,” Browne said. “If something is bad for me, I want to know.”

April 13 - 19 – Compiled by: Marissa Nall 4-29 Student incident-Deputies were called to resolve an altercation between two students in the Student Services building.

Council makes changes to student registration PCC works to integrate students

Ethan Hanson Assistant Editor

Under the Student Success Act, 524 students will be qualified to register early for classes at Pierce College according to the Vice President of Student Services Earic Peters at the latest Pierce College Council session.

“In order for students to be qualified they must have three requirements.” Peters said. “We have an online orientation , we have an assessment center to go and take the assessment test and then we have a counselor for the student to work with.”

who are not assessed properly and students who are not oriented to the college do not do well. Students who do all these things have been shown to do well and can continue their education.”

Even beyond the new law, Student Services wants to pull students into the campus experience by working with clubs, sports and activities on campus.

“My job is to develop a more comprehensive student program,” Peters said. “We have been reaching out to the clubs and ASO and we want to expand more and reach out.”

Supplements are often sold under the guise of preventing illness, but taking them when they aren’t needed can cause damage to

“This is the only body we have,” Melikyan said. “Nobody will replace it.”

This is only the start of

Supplements are advertised as “preventive” and therefore aren’t classified the same. They can be approved within several months, and don’t have an efficiency check from the FDA -- only a toxicity check, according to Melikyan.

Veronica Liverato, another Pierce student is currently studying computer applications, and has a culinary arts degree. She said that she now knows moderation is necessary, depending on what is ingested -- even if it is natural.

“I’m always interested in nutrition and food,” Liverato said. “I mean, I drink green tea. That was pretty mind-boggling.”

Software project for students coming to completion New functions of the Student Information System to be available by Spring 2015

with the current SIS interface.

what they do,” Mata said.

buy one instead, prompting Pierce’s decision.

Peters thinks that the law, which was passed in 2012, will help students graduate at a quicker pace. He also thinks that students need an educational plan to succeed and move on to a four year school.

“The law is focused on making sure students are successful,” Peters said. “One of the issues that we have seen, and that research shows, is that students who do not have an educational plan, students

During the council, Paul Nieman also announced that construction might be finished on the performing arts building by this July.

“There is going to be new seating and there will be ADA compliance,” Niemann said. “There will be new lighting and sound equipment, a new stage floor and there will be an under-stage storing area and use it as a trap room. The lobby is bigger and different, there will be larger bathrooms, a whole lot has been done to it.”

Students and faculty across the entire LACCD can look forward to an entirely new Student Information System being completed in Spring 2015, according to Professor of Computer Applications, Joe Perret. The new renovation will streamline many functions currently available in the SIS and will be accessible through many mobile devices, said LACCD Chief Information Officer Jorge Mata.

“We’re going to improve and modernize the way students register, get their grades, pay their fees, check their financial aid, and to bring it into the internet world,” Mata said. “You’re going be able to do more things from any place and from any device.”

Distance Education Coordinator, Wendy Bass, said it will be able to do a few things that are not possible

“It’s going to be able to tell students if a class is full or not when you’re trying to register, what classes are open. It’s going to have a lot more information,” Bass said.

The project had a budgeted amount of $40 million according to Mata, who was heavily involved in overseeing the technological aspect of the upcoming SIS.

“When the project is done we’ll have a total amount and that includes hardware, consulting, planning, design, software, and finally the implementation,” Mata said.

The speculation for the project started as early as 2006 but preparations and cost projection began in 2007 with the passage of Measure J which provided the money to produce a new SIS.

“We still haven’t finished the project. There is always the possibility that the district wants to reduce what they do or increase

The project has been in development for five years because it had to be executed with a lot of thought and had to be of great quality, according to Mata.

“The SIS is the most important software that the students deal with.

It’s also the software that keeps track of all the grades, transcripts, really important stuff,” Mata said. So we needed to be very careful and do a lot of planning on it.”

Perret said the current SIS, which was built on a software called COBOL, can no longer be kept running and forcing the colleges collectively to make the decision to move on and use a newer system.

“It’s based upon old software that a lot of people don’t know how to program anymore,” Perret said. “It’s a collection of different programs put together rather that an integrated solution.”

UC Berkley made an attempt to create their own SIS and decided to

Students and faculty can rest assured that the upcoming SIS will be of high quality, but its planned time of arrival might be postponed.

“If something is wrong… we will move it to next fall, not this one but the following,” Mata said. “We’re not going to turn something on that’s not ready for the students.”

I honestly liked how Cheng would tell us the key to getting a job is making relationships,” said Samira Zamara, a Pierce student.

Cheng also described her typical day at work, beginning at 3 p.m. and ending at 11 p.m. She and her team would use most of the day to find stories, track down sources and put together the package for the 10 p.m. show. If she had to cover a breaking news story, the package would have to be done by the 6 p.m. show.

“I learned a lot about starting at the bottom and working your way up from this lecture,” said Aiman Lawwad, a Pierce student who heard of the event from his broadcasting class.

Cheng’s favorite stories to cover are breaking news. She tends to cover crime and fatalities earning her the nickname “Kim Reaper” among her friends in the KTLA newsroom.

“It’s really exciting,” Cheng said. “You don’t know what you’re going to do and you feel like you’re camping everyday. You have to have an extra bag with clothes, fire clothes, rain clothes, power bars, things like that.”

She began in the number 142 market in the United States, Palm Springs. Her second market was number 12, Phoenix, Arizona, and now she works in Los Angeles, the number two market.

Cheng cites networking with her producer as one of the most important steps to getting the job.

She said that her next goals are to focus on her personal life after working for six years to reach her position at KTLA.

“I want to have a baby and get married,” Cheng said.

To ask Cheng further questions about her work as a reporter or advice to get into the journalism field, tweet the question to @ KimberlyChengTV and use the hashtag #ChengPierce.

Caleb Johnson / Roundup

Professor Gagik Melikyan shares information on the bad side of antioxidants Friday, April 25.

Jesus Castro Roundup Reporter

Caleb Johnson Features Editor

“This is the only body we have. Nobody will replace it.”

-Gagik Melikyan

Professor of chemistry and biochemistry, California State University Northridge

[From JUMP, pg. 1]

“We do have programmers but the reality is we’re not a software company and our job is helping students”

-Jorge Mata

LACCD chief information officer

Wednesday, April 30

Alpha Gamma Sigma meets at 1 p.m. in BUS 3206.

The Psychology Club meets at 1 p.m. in the ASO Conference Room.

The Political Science Club meets at 1 p.m. in the ASO Office.

The Philosophy Society meets in the ASO Conference Room at

Student hero fights for civil rights

Cosplay enthusiast works to ensure the rights and liberties of the LGBT community

Kitty Rodriguez Roundup Reporter

For many college students, being a full time student and working a part time job is enough to overwhelm them, but this is just the beginning of a busy schedule for one 19-year-old student.

Karina Perez is a political science major, and has been president of the Gay Straight Alliance on campus and involved as a member since 2012.

She is one of a number of students on campus who work toward bringing awareness among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community as a full-time student at Pierce College. She also cosplays with other comic book fans, dressing up as superheroes. Starting her sophomore year at her high school, Perez felt a need to support the LGBT community and co-found their current program at her school, the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).

Union, whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights of citizens granted by the constitution.

After her sophomore year in high school with GSA, she continued lobbying. She even went to Sacramento to train with service providers that have degrees in conserving the rights and liberties of the community.

“She was just naive and innocent, but she can kill anyone she wants,” Perez said, noting that she took gymnastics after seeing how flexible and acrobatic Harley Quinn was. “I think she is so hyper and bubbly.”

online on Facebook.”

Ryan Collins, a former Pierce student, talked about how he met Perez about a year ago during Club Rush. They came across each other at the Robotics Club booth.

“There are so many things wrong with the society and it seemed like there wasn’t anything to do about it,” Perez said. “I decided to stand up and do something about it.”

Perez took initiative in educating others about the LGBT community, and the American Civil Liberties

“There was a need. A lot of people were being bullied and that’s why I founded the GSA network,” Perez said. “I applied for their activist camp and went through rigorous training where they scouted me and told me I would teach others.”

Perez said she was a preppy girl on campus, but always loved Harley Quinn from Batman.

Perez found an interest in cosplay after a friend invited her to the Las Vegas Comic Exposition. She wore a Harley Quinn costume that ended up winning her first prize -- a signed comic book.

Facebook has been a great way for Perez to reach fans, letting her gain a large audience within the first few hours of opening the page.

“First two hours I received over 250 likes,” Perez said. “With 600 likes now and over 1000 friends

“My biggest impression of her was that she seemed accomplished far beyond her years,” Collins said.

Collins was taken aback by Perez when he found out she was much younger than what he thought, but was impressed by her involvement in the LGBT community.

Edward Murillo met Perez through GSA about a year and a half ago, and has seen her grow to become their vice president.

“She’s a very dependable person,” Murillo said. “When she

says she’s going to do something, she’s going to do it. Her current goal is to finish her general education and transfer to University of California, Los Angeles, or to University of California, San Diego within the next few years.

In her spare time, Perez enjoys dancing jazz and ballroom. Although it has only been six months since she started to cosplay, she has enjoyed the opportunities that she has had to collect memorabilia along her journey. “Comic books, CDs, and recently a signed shield from the cast from ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ at their world premiere,” Perez said.

Throwing ideas back and forth, researching their interests, and finding understanding in stories of injustice, oppression and inequality, the Feminism Club works to bring information and events to students.

Members can be found every Tuesday afternoon, meeting in the ASO office beneath the Library and Learning Crossroads to quietly discuss historical and contemporary issues in the feminist movement.

This isn’t the only place they can be found. With three years of experience under their belts, the club members are frequently setting up panels to bring their discussions to students as well as doing fundraisers and working alongside other clubs in campus events.

“The panels are for the students

and we had a student who actually was on the panel last time and a student moderating the panel, too,” said Denise Robb, professor of political science and club adviser.

“They participate in a lot of different activities. It’s all student run.”

This semester, the members have already held one panel on the history of feminism and are gearing up for another.

“We discussed the issues that went on at that time that made them the waves that they are,” Club President Michelle Allen said.

Michelle Borsco, one of the founding members of the club, said that the attendance was good, with more than thirty guests, but next time they expect a bigger turnout.

“Our next panel will probably have more because it’s about sex positivity,” Borsco said.

Bernard Hanamichi, who has been a club member since its

formation three years ago, said they try to appeal to the interests of the students with the topics they present and they tend to draw bigger crowds if the students can relate.

“We just call it the ‘sex positive panel’ so that will probably catch people’s eye and have more of a turnout,” Allen said.

Also on their agenda is the upcoming Day of Politics event, which they are co-sponsoring with other campus organizations.

Events like the Day of Politics are one of the biggest ways for the club to promote its ideas, but they also use classroom announcements, Facebook posts, emails and posters around campus to get the word out. The club also had an all-day fundraiser with Pizza Rev on Thursday, April 24.

Changing restrictions on campus groups

New rules cause di culties for student organizations

College District (LACCD) and the administration of Pierce sets the rules and regulations for the student government and clubs, according to Curtis Smith, adviser for the ASO.

Clubs can add culture to campus life. They can be a way for students to connect with others outside the class, uniting them in a variety of ways from hobbies, to religion, sexuality and more.

Pierce College has nearly 50 clubs on campus, which are listed on the website for the Associated Student Organization (ASO).

But some club officials believe that acquiring money to keep their clubs running is more difficult than it needs to be.

“It certainly is a problem. The school does nothing for us. They need to keep us appraised of how much we have,” said Noble Eisenlauer, adviser for the Anthropology Club. The Los Angeles Community

“It’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of money. It’s discouraging but I guess it’s necessary,” said Catherine Vileisis, co-president of the Psychology Club.

Every time a club wants money from the ASO, they have to fill out various forms. This can be a difficult task for students. They have to collect signatures and submit the forms to the ASO Office.

“It’s not very student friendly. It’s almost as if they were employees of the college,” said Gus Sandoval, president of the ASO.

The money clubs make from fundraising goes into accounts that were created for them by the business office at Pierce.

If a club wants to use its money,

it must submit a request to the ASO. Wait times for a request to be approved can take up to seven days.

“It bothers me that we don’t have easy access to our own funds,” said Jacob Billings, president of the French Club.

Even though the money is tracked by the ASO and the LACCD, the clubs still have the ability to choose what they with the money. Some clubs do fundraising, other clubs have different events, and some even offer scholarships.

“I believe that students can do more to be involved with fundraising and events,” said Lisa Martinez, a public policy major and co-president of the Sociology Club.

There is no word on whether or not Pierce administration and the LACCD will change this process.

“I think the district can do more to lighten up on the students,” Eisenlauer said.

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

Student Karina Perez, pictured here as Marvelʼs Black Widow at Berkeley Avenue Productions with photographer Craig McNelley in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. on Tuesday, April 8. Perez has won multiple awards for her work with the LGBT community.

“My biggest impression of her was that she seemed accomplished far beyond her years.”

-Ryan Collins

Friend of Karina and former Pierce College student

walk this way

The Farm Walk on Sunday April 27 drew students, faculty, staff and families to see the livestock and activities presented by the Agriculture department. The event took place in front of the Agriculture Science building and was comprised of a curcuit of sights, ranging around the hills where the animals are penned. Some of the activities that were available were face-painting, sheep shearing, a pie-eating contest and a barbecue where visitors could eat. Animals such as cows, goats, chickens, a donkey, horses, and a fully grown lizard were attractions for adults and children alike, with experts there to educate them about how the animals live. The event was held to provide funds for the department and its programs, raising roughly $11,000. Informational booths were also present, for the first time, at the annual event, representing various student groups. Mounted sheriffs volunteered for the day and the several of the students who ran the event donated their time for more than twelve hours to make it a rich experience for those who came. Buses were provided to shuttle visitors to the Farm Walk as the campus also played host to the monthly Vintage Market.

Clockwise from left: Kenna McInerny, 26, majoring in equestrian science, rides her horse at the Equestrian Education Center. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Farm Walk visitors walk around the Pierce College farm hills during the 22nd Farm Walk. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Frank is painted to demonstrate a horse’s skeletal system on his left side and the organ system on his right. Photo: Nicolas Heredia.

Shannon Hurwitz, a 29-year-old equestrian science student, grabs hold of two horses during the Farm walk in the Pierce College Equestrian Center.

Photo: Nelger

Copy by Marissa Nall

Top left: Deputy C. Heartsch and Deputy Bausmith from the Sheriff Deparment ride their horses around the Pierce College farm hills. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Middle left: Brittney Duff, 24, member of the American Teaching Zoo, displays exoctic animals. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Bottom left: Matthew Pemberton, 5, looks closely at one of the donkeys while visiting with the rest of the family. Photo Nelger Carrera.

Top right: Liam Carter, age 2, visits the Pierce College farm facilities during the Farm Walk with his parents. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Bottom right: Horse saddles stored in the back of a horse trailer. Photo: Nelger Carrera.

Tales of the traveling teacher

English as a Second Language professor’s experience abroad allows her to relate to her students

Stacey Arevalo Roundup Reporter

With an upbeat tone, the slim, blonde-haired professor greeted her students, wearing a bright tangerine top that reflected her enthusiastism.

“Are you ready for the best day ever,” Jamie Ray said excitedly, enunciating every single word and integrating hand motions that emphasized certain words. “Today we are having a quiz and writing assignment.”

Ray is a thirty-year-old assistant professor of English as a Second Language at Pierce College. She grew up in Barstow, California and attended California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Ray said. “I really started to like teaching my first language and that’s what got me focused on choosing to be a teacher.”

She now lives in Los Angeles, but worked as an adjunct professor for five years at three different community colleges around Pomona prior to being hired as a full-time professor this spring.

“I used to drive a 100-mile loop is what it seemed like in between three schools every single day,” Ray said. “So now I can’t complain, at all, ever again.”

Ray said she always dreamt of having her own office and having a greater impact on campus.

“I love decorating. I always thought ‘If I ever get my own office, this is where I’m going to put all the

positive and encouraging while also maintaining high standards for her Ray, who compared the Pierce campus to Disneyland because of the many different parts of it, said “Having a full time job doesn’t mean that I end. It doesn’t mean that I’ve worked so hard enough to stop and now I’m good -- I have to keep adapting,” Ray said. “I think the reason why it took me three years to become full-time was because Pierce was just waiting for me and I

Marc Dionne / Roundup

Magical mystery Pierce student and magician hits the big-time by dazzling the crowds on and o campus

people as possible.

Arts & Entertainment 9

Weekly Concert: pianist performs phrygian piece

Students listen to trance music at show

Jeffery Howard Roundup Reporter

This week’s Concert at Pierce event featured pianist Frank Garvey, who took the stage to perform in the Music Building at Pierce College, showcasing his talents by playing the tranceinducing works of John Adams.

Originally from Ireland, Garvey played the meticulous music pieces “China Gates” and “Phrygian Gates,” two complex forms of contemporary work with delicate use of different sound levels in the same region of the piano, creating a hypnotic effect.

Friend of Garvey and adjunct instructor of music James Bergman was delighted to see the recital, noting that he does not often perform solo.

“He’s usually accompanied by someone,” Bergman said. “It’s going to be something very different.”

It has been said that all one needs is a bit of magic, and this Pierce College student makes the magic happen.

John Accardo, a 20-year-old history major and junior magician, is performing in the Close-Up Gallery of The Magic Castle at the end of May.

“My dad had an interest in magic,” Accardo said. “He had about 10 books and DVD’S so when I got into this I had a whole library in my house I could go to. That’s how I kept growing until I found out about the Junior Program at The Magic Castle.”

While continuing to practice his craft in hopes of joining the Junior Program, Accardo began to frequent magic shops where he found a postcard of magician Shoot Ogawa advertising lessons.

“If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have got into the Junior Program,” Accardo said. “It was all him.”

Accardo grew to see Ogawa as a mentor and was invited to Ogawa’s home country of Japan in 2011 to compete in the Magic Masters

Open where he won the junior competition.

“He is very talented and such a good person,” Ogawa said. “We need young talent that can show passion and have influence. I’m really happy because he’s a student of mine and we recognized him early on.”

That passion translates to every day life for Accardo and he is excited to share his talents everywhere, even on the Pierce College Mall. He performed a brief card trick for students Naama Abraham, 22, and Paniz Chavol, 20.

The trick involved Abraham writing her name on a card which was then folded into quarters, while Accardo wrote his on another. As she held her card in her clamped hands, Accardo turned his card face down and tapped it against her hands, and poof: they had switched.

He now had her signed card in his hand and in her hands she held his card folded up.

“That was so good. I have no how idea how he did that,” Abraham said. “That was amazing.”

Audience reactions like that is one of the many reasons Accardo loves to perform. He wants to share that thrilling feeling with as many

“Magic is so unusual,” Accardo said. “I think that feeling you get when you see a truly amazing effect that just completely baffles you, just an incredible effect, is unlike any other feeling in the world. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

The Academy of Magical Arts recognized Accardo’s talent as a performer at The Orpheum in Los Angeles April 13 where he and three fellow junior magicians were given the Junior Achievement Award.

“This year is his last year in the program and he was being recognized for being an exceptional junior magician,” said Donna Accardo, chair of the English Department and John’s mother. “He takes so much joy in performing and has such a fascination with magic.”

Last year Accardo performed at The Magic Castle for seven days, a rare feat considering evening performers have to be 21 and at the time he was only 19.

The Magic Castle has once again invited him to perform another engagement at the age of 20, from May 29 through June 1.

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]

Garvey also used the help of a slideshow of different environments and locations to match the sudden changes and twists called ‘modes.’

“It’s a long piece,” Garvey said. “So it’s good to have visuals to compliment the music.”

For the first piece, “China Gates,” Garvey presented a slide that explained why the composition constantly shifts in rhythm and configuration.

“What John Adams does in this piece is separate them into ‘modes,’” Garvey said. “He called this a perfect palindrome.”

These palindromes are meant to make the piece sound exactly the same played forward as it would backwards, which creates a trance effect for the listener.

The second and longer piece titled “Phrygian Gates” had many similarities to “China Gates,” except for the type of mood that they both presented.

While “China Gates” brought about a very calm demeanor, “Phrygian Gates” was a very erratic, unsettling piece with

relentless and precisely timed echoing and tolling.

“It’s the recipe for producing trance,” Garvey said. “As a listener, you will hear all types of patterns, some that don’t link up or sound more accented.”

Although the two pieces were immensely complex and required a great deal of endurance and dexterity, the constant change in rhythm and lack of harmony provided no melody, but rather the sounds of natural surroundings translated through piano.

Michael Bovshow, a 20-yearold business major, operated the slideshow and expressed the importance displaying the different environment that went along with the compositions.

“John Adams wrote this piece with a certain visual in mind,” Bovshow said. “It was difficult to find the correct slides to correlate

to the music.”

The next Concert at Pierce event features the pear-shaped stringed instrument called the Oud and percussions presented by artist Wahid on May 1.

Top 10: Things to do over summer break A comprehensive list of things to keep college students occupied during the long summer months

Jessica Boyer Arts &Entertainment Editor

Summertime is a wonderful time of year when college students are set free from the ball and chain of school work and set out to find love, endless fun and lots of tanning lotion.

While this may be the common stigma associated with the threemonth break we call summer, many of us want to find a better definition of “endless fun” that doesn’t just mean going to the beach everyday. Here are ten things to keep Pierce College students busy during the break.

1Amusement parks

If dropping 400 feet at 85 miles per hour or witnessing the essence of beauty captured in a water show sounds like paradise to you, then Amusement Parks are the ticket. With more than twenty of these parks in Southern California, there should be plenty of fun to go around. Encompassed in this category includes Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, the Los Angeles Zoo, Knott’s Berry Farm and Aquarium of the Pacific. Many of these parks have specials during the summer and offer discounts to veterans, students and seniors.

The great outdoors

2

Grab the bug spray and sunscreen! Los Angeles is surrounded by extremely diverse areas, many of which have beautiful hiking trails. From Griffith Park to Eaton Canyon Trail to Vasquez

Rocks, the city has plenty of breathtaking and oftentimes free nature trails to explore. Many of the nature parks that accompany the nature trails, such as Placerita Canyon Nature Center, have museums and tours that are often free.

3L.A.’s history

Get to know the rich and long history of Los Angeles.

There are 21 Spanish Missions that are scattered along the California coast, the second worst disaster in California history, the Saint Francis Dam site, is located just north of L.A. and more than 300 stars have forever left their handprints at the TCL Chinese Theater. These are just some of the hundreds of historical sites in Southern California. Many cost nothing and often are a remarkable experience for the attendee.

4Road trip

The classic summer mustdo brings a thought of the Beach Boys with a montage of a convertible speeding along the coast and young, strangely attractive characters never having a worry in the world. Unfortunately, most people don’t live in this care-free fantasy, but a road trip is most certainly realistic. Pack a couple friends into the car, bring a week’s worth of clothes and snacks and hit the road. Drive wherever the breeze takes you, but some fun places may include the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, the Bay Area or Big Sur.

5Museums & theaters

The L.A. area has hundreds of museums that range

from art to science to history.

Some include The Fowler Museum, The Getty Museum and Villa, The Annenberg Space for Photography and the California Science Center. They offer hand-on exhibits and reveal clues to our past and future.

The city that revolves around films also has several theaters and locations to view movies, whether it be a hot date or a girl’s night out. Cinespia offers movies in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery while the El Capitan

offers Disney premieres with a character show before the movie. Many of the museums are free and many museums and theaters give discounts to students, veterans and seniors.

6City exploration

The Red Line is a subway that is part of the Metro transportation system in the Los Angeles region. It stops at several cultural, historical and entertaining locations including Universal City, Hollywood and Vine and

ultimately Union Station where you can take the Metro Gold Line to explore Chinatown. Chinatown Summer Nights offers food and entertainment. It’s a great way to really get to know more about Los Angeles and spend a day exploring with friends.

7Camping

There are more than 100 campgrounds in the state of California. Many range from forests to deserts to beaches. It’s a cheap getaway where college

students can kick back and hangout. Most of the campgrounds have group sites, so invite the whole team. Some campgrounds worth checking out include Mammoth Lake, Emma Wood State Beach and Joshua Tree National Park.

8Beaches & harbors

Make sure to grab that sunscreen and check out the beaches and harbors that make SoCal famous. Try paddle boating and window shopping in the Ventura Harbor or Venice Beach with street vendors, artists, food and more. It may be the stereotypical thing to do over summer, but nothing beats the smell of the ocean and the warmth of the sun.

9Internships & jobs

Many students need to have an internship or job experience before they graduate, so why not get a jump start on it? Most major companies offer internships and jobs just for the summer. Amusement parks often hire for seasonal staffing positions and news, agriculture, aeronautics, filmmaking, photography and hundreds of other companies offer internships to give students a head start on their careers.

10 Summer school

If all else fails, knock out some units and take some classes at Pierce. The college offers dozens of classes over two five-week and one eight-week sessions to fulfill the students’ wants and wishes. Pierce has offers everything from general education to fun, extracurricular classes.

Diego Barajas / Roundup

Frank Garvey plays the piano at the spring Thursday concert in the Music Building on April 24.

Illustration by Maria Salvador / Roundup

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

Magician and Pierce College student John Accardo lets his deck fly on campus.

Lisa Marie-DeWinkeleer

Special to the Roundup

The next Concert at Pierce event will feature artist Wahid on May 1

Concert in the Great Hall

Come check out Pierce College students pperfoming in various bands in the Great Hall on May 1. Stay after for a chance to meet the bands.

Upcoming Events

Independence Play

The “Independence” play is being put on by the Pierce College Theater Department. It is directed by Anita Adcock and was created by Lee Blessing. The performance will run May 2 through May 11 and tickets can be bought online.

– Compiled by Jessica Boyer

Weekly Thursday Concerts

The Concerts at Pierce continue in the Music Building room 3400 May 1. Arrive by 12:45 p.m. and doors close at 1 p.m. Wahid will be perfoming with the oud instrument and plans on perfoming percussion style music.

Students rock around the clock

Pierce College musicians & students connect through band house show in Granada Hills

Pierce College was represented in three of the six bands performing last Friday at a Granada Hills house show just north of the Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The show was hosted by Cardio Arts, a collective aimed at promoting local bands all artistic mediums.

Brittany Scheffer, 19, is a psychology major at Pierce and is the founder of Cardio Arts, which, along with booking bands, produces a monthly zine that contains photography, poems, short stories, drawings and just about any creative outlet that can be displayed in print.

Currently Scheffler interns at The Church on York, a music venue in Highland Park, and hopes to grow Cardio Arts into a larger scale curator for arts of all mediums.

“I started it I think mostly to bring people together,” Scheffer said. “I think the music scene in L.A. is kind of fragmented so I like the idea of booking shows where the bands are different so it’s an interesting variety of artists and everybody gets to make friends with each other and make connections so there’s sort of a networking aspect to it as well.”

So far Cardio Arts has gathered three other members that help Scheffer. Devonte Johnson, Taylor Oh, who assists with the zine and

Tone Escoto, whose house was the scene for the night’s show.

Escoto has been hosting shows at his house since the beginning of the year and while house shows aren’t uncommon, this house has been treated to help dampen some of the sound so as not to disturb the surrounding residents.

Julian Tallman-Rogantini, 19, is a mechanical engineering major interested in fabrication and metal working but has been playing music since he was young thanks to his mother.

“My mom kind of always forced music at me throughout my life whether it was guitar, piano, flute,” Tallman-Rogantini said.

It wasn’t until he found the right instrument that his focus for music took hold.

“Then I was like, ‘Mom I wanna play drums,’ and she was like, ‘No,’ but finally she caved and that was the only thing that stuck,” TallmanRogantini said. “But after I started really getting into it, all of what I learned previously started coming back and I could apply what I had learned and it just grew naturally from there.”

Cesar Atlas, a 20-year-old music major at CSUN writes the music and lyrics for the band but TallmanRogantini has full control over the drums.

“When it comes to drums, especially in the beginning, I was like, ‘dude I don’t even know what I’m doing,’ and he’s like, ‘don’t even

worry I got you,’” Atlas said. “He just makes it happen.”

Tallman-Rogantini and Atlas have been making music together since early in high school but their band The Unending Thread as it exists today began in 2012.

“That’s when we really started to take things seriously, started to record and play shows in the area,” Atlas said.

Atlas describes the sound of the band as a little bit of indie, a little bit of pop punk with funk and jazz

Stars Drive-In serves up Hollywood ambience

Richard Zamora Roundup Reporter

From its weekly Friday classic car shows to the life-size Elvis Presley that sits on a stool with guitar in hand that greets customers as they enter, Stars Drive-In on Sherman Way in Winnetka models itself after a 50’s style dinner.

The menu contains typical dishes one might expect to find at a diner such as burgers, hot dogs, and root beer floats, but also has a small selection of Mexican food and a gyro sandwich.

Breakfast options include steak and eggs, and pancakes with bacon and sausages among others and any dish can be ordered all day and all items are fair in price so money shouldn’t be an obstacle in making a decision. A garden burger is also available.

The gyro sandwich was filled with savory and tender meat, fresh diced tomatoes, and an overly

generous amount of red onions. The onion rings were hot, crisp and maintained the onion flavor without being too overpowering. The fries that came with the cheeseburger combo were lightly seasoned, the perfect balance of crispy and arrived fresh enough to feel the heat radiating off of them.

The cheeseburger itself came on a bun toasted on the grill and was well done but ultimately didn’t stand out among the many burger stands and stops that can be found in Los Angeles.

What does set Stars DriveIn apart is the atmosphere. Red and White Coca-Cola umbrellas shade the outside seating area. Headshots and posters of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean hang on the walls, but also featured are actors and actresses who unjustly don’t often get the same level of attention nowadays such as Joan Fontaine, Gary Cooper, and Errol Flynn.

Indeed it’s the little things

sprinkled throughout the restaurant that gives Stars Drive-In its charm. Each table has a mini jukebox connected to the restaurant with song choices from Chubby Checker to Vicente Fernandez and Bootsy Collins, and of course Elvis.

In a small, perhaps neglected corner dedicated to arcade games, a pinball machine is still in working order. Small tiles of Hollywood stars with the names of some of the dishes that are served hang above the counter, and these are made to look just like real Hollywood Walk of Fame stars.

The glass bottles of ketchup on the tables make for the amusing, gravity-defying struggle of applying the sauce to a dish.

More than just a meal, Star Drive-in offers a place to discover interesting pieces of Hollywood history. It’s the kind of place to go with a friend, take some quarters for the juke box and spend some time immersed in the entertaining environment.

influence.

“But we also aren’t afraid to get heavy,” Atlas said. “We do know how to bring the mosh.”

“That’s always fun. Being able to have two completely different sounding sets,” Tallman-Rogantini

added. “We’ll play an indie show so we’ll bring out all of our lighter stuff, all of our dancy stuff and then we’ll go to a metal show and just throw everything against the wall.”

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]

Antique boutique brings crowd

Vintage Market o cials host more than 25 vendors at event

years. Love the fact that everything is old,” attendee Shanit Nissan said. Fashion was a prominent subject for most of the vendors, although some included clothes and artwork.

Out with the new, in with the old.

On Sunday, a large crowd came out to the Vintage Market which is held every fourth Sunday at Pierce College.

The Vintage Market officials hosted more than 25 vendors at the event, some catering food while others promoted fashion.

Different vendors who attended the event displayed jewelry, furniture and even classic albums.

Sol De Cobre, a jewelry business vendor, showed off there and made items that attracted a few stragglers.

“Its good, we make handmade jewelry and we come every fourth Sunday,” said Felipe Dorantes, owner of Sol De Cobre. “The material we use on the jewelry are leather, string and copper wire for our products.”

With the admission price for the market being $2, many wandered from vendor to vendor looking in the different tents.

Jenette Jessop is a vendor who made her own professional soaps that had various flavors and aromas.

“These are handmade soaps from the bottom up. Soon it’s going to be organic,” said Jessop’s husband Tony Jessop. “We also take personal requests if someone wants to create any combination of fragrance.”

The name of the Jessop’s business is Spirit Spa. Some of the customers have dedicated years to coming to the Vintage Market.

“I love it. Every month I have been attending, for a couple of

Most of the vintage items were classics and throwbacks that are unique and not commercialized by mainstream stores.

The Vintage Market will take place again on May 25 in the Parking Lot 7 near the science building.

Nicolas Herredia / Roundup

Cesar Atlas of The Unending Thread, performs at the Cardio Arts event in Granada Hills, Calif., Friday, April 25.

Richard Zamora Roundup Reporter

Marc Dionne / Roundup A monkey statue that holds the straws at Stars Diner in Canoga Park, Calif.

Marc Dionne/ Roundup

The President from Stars Diner on sourdough with double meat lettuce and tomato, in Canoga Park, Calif. on Monday, April 21, 2014.

The next Vintage Market will be on May 25.

Lynn Levitt / Special to the Roundup Don Wippert sells found glass bottles at the Vintage Market.

Kayla Akil Roundup Reporter

Baseball team heading to playoffs

Scooby’s Corner

Sports Column

Ethan Hanson Assistant Editor

After a two year absence, the baseball team rides into the playoffs this year after being out of postseason play since 2011.

It was not the prettiest season the team could have played by any means, but the team did prove itself to be worthy of being considered a fighting team.

The reason the Brahmas made it into the playoffs had to do with the fact that they played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the Western State Conference.

Not your average workout

Defensive linemen use Krav Maga to improve in football

Ethan Hanson Assistant Editor

It is becoming more and more popular for athletes to use different methods of training to help themselves improve in their game.

Several big-name athletes have tried and experimented with different workouts to help them improve in different areas of their game.

The same goes for the Pierce College football team’s defensive line players, who have been taking a Krav Maga martial arts class to help them improve and reach the next level of their game.

Pierce’s karate instructor, Nathan Carlen, has been teaching the football team the fighting techniques and training of Krav Maga to help improve their confidence on the field.

Carlen’s goal with the class is to help the football players with their hand-eye coordination.

Krav Maga is a self defense system developed by the military army in Israel.

It is a mixture of muay thai, boxing, wing chun, and savate all incorporated into one style of martial arts.

Carlen focuses the workouts for the football players on power, speed and accuracy. The Krav Maga training techniques improve the trainees’ hand-eye coordination over time.

“We work on their striking, I teach them what they can do,” Carlen said.

The football players are not required to take the training, but some do so and must manage these extra workouts aside from their football practices and class commitments.

“There are a lot of people who don’t realize how hard these athletes work, staying on top of their class, working real hard to get to where they’re at. They work hard, they are great athletes who work to make themselves better,” Carlen said.

The football team’s head coach Efrain Martinez is pleased that some of his players have committed to improving themselves and to learning a new self-defense system.

Martinez believes the classes have helped some of his defense linemen during the football season keep their opponents off balance with their movements out on the field.

“It definitely has helped in how they played and how they moved all season during games,” Martinez said.

Pierce’s defensive linemen, Hakeem Allonce, enjoys learning the hand movements and the handeye coordination.

Allonce is most excited about learning and working on the power clocking techniques and fighting techniques from Carlen, so that he can improve himself physically and

Slow start doesn’t stop tennis team Brahmas nd success despite early season struggles

Jessica Boyer

A&E Editor

The Pierce College tennis team has almost reached the end of their season-long rollercoaster ride, with their final tournament coming in the first days of May.

The tennis team held a six game losing streak before singles player Richard Catabona won the Western State Conference tournament in early April.

“They did great for the players that we had,” said head coach of the men’s tennis team, Rajeev Datt. “I think we did a great job.”

The team was 9-10 overall against more than 10 teams in the Southern California region.

Two players dropped out at the beginning of the season due to personal circumstances.

“That hurt us,” Datt said. “The last rankings I saw, we were the number eight team in the south and we would have been higher with those players.”

Catabona is up for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association/ Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award, Thales Castro is up for the ITA Sophomore

of the Year award, Sergey Arushanyan is a freshman and is up for the Rookie of the Year award and Player to Watch award, Datt said.

“The ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of varsity collegiate tennis players,”

said Stephanie Neppl, director of communications for the ITA.

“The ITA, which is comprised of nearly 1,700 men’s and women’s varsity coaches and 20,000 student-athletes from over 1,200 institutions, has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership, sportsmanship and athletic performance. “

Catabona and Castro were both semi-finalists in the WSC tournament and both stay on their game on the court and in school.

“All of these guys, they can work on improving their grades,” Datt said. “Catabona has a 3.8 GPA and is an Honor student and Castro has a 3.2 GPA. They need to work on getting that 4.0.

Catabona also recently received an acceptance letter to UCLA to the neuroscience department, Datt said.

The team has one more tournament, the Ojai Tournament beginning on April 24 and ending April 27.

“They’re all great guys, awesome men and a pleasure to be around,” Datt said.

mentally.

“He’s a great guy. Good character. He knows what he’s doing,” Allonce said. “I enjoy the class because it’s going to help me when I reach the next level.”

Isaiah Lawrence, another defensive lineman for Pierce, said he loved the Krav Maga class because it helped him with hand placement and movement improvements.

It has also helped Lawrence with gaining leverage over opposing players in preparation for upcoming games.

Another Pierce defensive linemen Keontae Chavies said that he has seen improvements with his hands the most, and wants to improve every aspect of his game that he can.

“I look forward to learning more for the long run,” Chavies said. The class meets on Fridays from 4-5 p.m. at the football field.

Pierce had nine wins in their 16 game non-conference schedule and swept the season series against third ranked Santa Ana and also swept 11th ranked LA Mission.

For the Brahmas’ run to be successful through the playoffs, they’re going to need more than just their hitting. The Brahmas’ team ERA during the season was 5.45, which is the tenth worst of all the teams in California.

The Brahmas are going to need to improve their pitching, because let’s face it, playoff games are won and lost with how successful or unsuccessful your pitching is.

The lowest ERA for any Brahma pitcher was Brandon Ortega, whose average was 4.15. The only problem is Ortega is used as a reliever. The Brahmas cannot afford to give up huge leads early in ball games or else they will be out in the playoffs in a hurry.

Although the team has a high ERA, they have a bright spot in their starting rotation. Freshman Michael Knopf has emerged as a reliable pitcher and now is the face of the Brahmas’ starting rotation.

Summer 2014 Forecast:

Knopf finished off his last three games of the regular season going 2-1 and during those three games had an overall ERA of 3.88.

Not only does his ERA stand out, but he is also getting noticed for pitching past the fifth inning in all three of his last games. Pierce will need Knopf to account for the lack of depth, which has hurt them throughout the season.

The thing that has been lacking most this season for the Brahmas is their fielding. Their infield has been a roller coaster ride throughout the whole season.

Starting third baseman Alex Sawelson and shortstop Austin Peters combined for 32 errors the whole season with Peters accounting for 22 errors.

Head coach John Bushart, however, has stuck with Peters, who has made up for his inconsistent fielding by finishing the year hitting .341.

Although he batted ninth in the lineup this season, the Brahmas have benefited from having his depth in the lineup.

All things considered, the Brahmas success wasn’t improbable but there were indeed many questions. Out of Pierce’s 28 players, 20 of them were freshman. Also how would the Brahmas fare after starting pitcher Ritchie McWilliams went down with an early-season arm injury?

The Brahmas answered those questions by hitting the ball consistently and effectively and freshmen Joe Moran and Austin Peters proved that they could hold their own as starters.

Now the playoffs begin and it is a fresh start for everyone. The Brahmas will go on the road and face Cerritos College for a three game series. If Pierce’s defense can play with control and poise and the pitching can be good enough to keep the Brahmas in ball games, Pierce has as good of a shot as anyone in going deep this post-season.

Brainstorms EXPECTED –May through August

MAY 27–AUGUST 19 (12 weeks)

MAY 27–JULY 8 (6 weeks)

JULY 9–AUGUST 19 (6 weeks)

With a deluge of university credit courses to choose from, CSUN Summer Session can help you

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Whatever your academic goals, chances are you’ll find a class within the wide selection of courses offered—many of which are now available online.

http://summer.csun.edu

Diego Barajas / Roundup

Gerardo Garza-Figueroa, Claude Clayborne, Hakeem Allonce, Kort Huettinger, and Nathan Carlan started Krav Maga training to prepare for the football season.

James Channell / Roundup Richard Catabona hits the ball in a match against Bakersfield.

Basketball player picks up dribble

Student athlete academics,juggles basketball and two kids

Ethan Hanson Assistant Editor

For any athlete at Pierce College, the time between being an athlete and being a student is a constant balancing act. Now imagine being an athlete who trains for seven hours a day, five days a week while being a fulltime student, plus the pressures of raising two kids.

That is the challenge for Lucius Coleman every day as he manages his time as a student, shooting guard for the men’s basketball team and working 10 hour shifts at a RiteAid warehouse to make a living for his kids.

“It is difficult,” Coleman said about raising his two kids. “It is really difficult. It is not meant for everybody. A lot of men don’t raise their kids. But I’m raising two by myself.”

According to a study done by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010, 24.7 million children’s fathers are absent from their lives. For Coleman though, that is not the case as he has embraced the role of being a single father and being there for his kids.

“Growing up, I didn’t have a father or mother, I had an aunt,” Coleman said. “One of the things that my aunt always vowed for us to do, was to take care of our children no matter what the situation was.”

Coleman played high school basketball in Lancaster, Calif., and

had a scholarship offer to play at a school in Alaska. But when he was 19-years-old he found out his son Cayden had been conceived. Coleman said he could have left, like every man would but instead he stayed to care for his newborn son. “I did what God intended for me to do,” Coleman said. Being a father of two kids of the opposite sex can be a challenge but Coleman finds dealing with what he calls a case of two different personalities fun. His daughter Remedy is 2-year-old and his son, Cayden, is 5-years-old.

“The fun part about my son is that he embraces the game of basketball,” Coleman said. “I see

it as an eye-opener for him to be better because being in a situation like this, most parents give up their dream so they can watch their kids. Cayden inspires me to be a better man on and off the court everyday. He’s one of my main motivations.”

Coleman, who grew up a foster child, and was in foster care from when he was seven months old to being emancipated at 18, said that the game of basketball saved his life. Not only has basketball helped him but he said his children have also been his saving grace.

“Had it not been for basketball, I’d probably be in jail,” Coleman said. “In my family someone was always in trouble. Was it not for the game of basketball and these two

Former coach and running back to be inducted into hall of fame

carrying the coaching staff and the starting players never made it, crashing in Silver Plume, Colo.

that Fenwick saw in Kramer was recuperated in the young quarterback.

kids, you wouldn’t even be talking to me at Pierce College.”

With having two kids to take care of while going to school fulltime, things can get challenging. Coleman lives in Lancaster and has to come to Pierce early in the morning to take a Spanish class while trying to find a babysitter for his 2-year-old daughter.

“It’s always tough because I’m always late and the professor is always giving me a hard time about it,” Coleman said. “But he understands, so it’s always cool.”

Coleman’s regular day consists of him being at Pierce until 9:30 a.m., after which he heads home to take two online classes, while making breakfast for his kids who

are just waking up. By the time Coleman gets home his kids are up watching morning cartoons. This has become such a routine that he has memorized all the cartoons that his kids watch.

“Remedy’s favorite cartoon is Spongebob Squarepants,” Coleman said while rolling his eyes. “Cayden’s favorite cartoon is Sanjay and Craig, but he changes it every week. That is pretty much the daily routine.”

Coleman hopes his kids can follow in his footsteps and use basketball the way he has used it, as a lifestyle to help improve himself as a person on and off the court.

“People don’t understand the concept. That’s the reason why I

do what I do when it comes to the basketball court, because I want them to look at me,” Coleman said.

“It’s not the purpose of basketball, the point is to always strive. Strive to achieve to do what you want.”

Coleman said that he could have easily given up basketball at the age of 19 when he first found out that he was going to be a father, but knowing that he could be one of the greatest role models in his child’s life was too important. He wants to use basketball and school to teach his kids to never give up.

“I’ve been through all kinds of obstacles from the age of when I was born, to being in foster care and foster youth to being blessed to be raised alongside my brothers and sisters. The point is just to strive and respect the fact that you have kids and you treat your kids with respect,” Coleman said. “The best thing on this earth is to give a child and that is the best blessing you can have.”

Since becoming a father, Coleman says that he has learned to become a better leader and has had his two closest friends, starting Pierce point guard J.R. Williams and starting small forward Victor Evans, helping him along the way.

“Those guys are my brothers,” Coleman said. “And to be quite honest I don’t think I’d be that close with them as I am if it wasn’t for the fact that I have kids. Having kids builds leadership and character. Alongside Victor being one of the leaders of our team and having J.R. helps us come together as a unit. I’m not saying that we are the best three, but a lot of responsibility will fall on us being sophomores. We want to go out and win. So the best way to come together as a unit is bond and brotherhood.”

For full story and photos visit theroundupnews.com

There are many legends in professional and even division one schools; however, in the world of community colleges there are very few. This coming May, a legend in the world of community college football will be among those inducted into the Pierce College Hall of Fame.

Jim Fenwick, a former Brahmas running back, assistant coach and head coach led the 1984 Brahmas to not only a perfect season going 10-0, but they also won the Potato Bowl and were ranked number one in the nation for junior colleges.

In 1970, Jim Fenwick came to Pierce College to play for Head Coach Jim Pendleton where he excelled both on the field and in the classroom.

On October 2, 1970, the Wichita State University (WSU) Shockers split up their team in two airplanes for a trip to Utah State University for a football game to be played on the third of October. The plane

“One day I found myself preparing for my sophomore year at Pierce, the next thing I know I am headed to Wichita,” Fenwick said.

In the beginning of 1971 the Shockers were in the process of rebuilding their football program by recruiting players in junior colleges from across the country.

One of the players recruited was Fenwick. He not only accepted the offer to play for Wichita State but went on to become one of the team captains.

Fenwick graduated from WSU in 1974 with a degree in education. Upon graduating he returned to the San Fernando Valley to become an assistant coach at Pierce, under his mentor Jim Pendleton.

“I enjoyed playing there, but then I got to come back here to coach and work with some great players,” he said.

During the perfect season of 1984, Fenwick had the opportunity to coach a future NFL quarterback, Erik Kramer. The potential

“Jim set you up for success and if you didn’t want to be successful then you didn’t play,” Kramer said.

Kramer started at the quarterback position for Fenwick in the 1984 season.

“I was so impressed, he had so much to teach and I had so much to learn,” Kramer said. “We were a perfect combination.”

Kramer said that Fenwick guided him through the year before the 1984 season when he didn’t win the starting position.

“Jim was a humble leader with a great football mind,” Kramer raved aobut his former coach. “He was constantly doing the right thing and expecting it in return.”

Pierce’s athletic director Bob Lofrano thinks highly of Fenwick.

“Jim is a great leader and in his heart a great Brahma, even though he is the athletics director at Valley,” Lofrano said.

For full story and photos visit theroundupnews.com

Giuliana Orlandoni / Roundup

Lucius Coleman, 23, a single father who attends Pierce College full time and plays for the menʼs basketball team holds his daughter

Remedy Coleman, 2, and son Cayden Coleman, 5, on April 24.

James Channell Roundup Photographer

James Channell / Roundup Valley College athletic director Jim Fenwick will be inducted into the Pierce College Hall of Fame.