Volume 122 Spring 2015 Roundup Issue 6

ROUNDUP

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 | Volume 122 - Issue 6 | Woodland Hills, California | One copy free, each additional copy $1

Basketball teamʼs smallest player uses quickness to overcome size

ELECTION

ASO, trustee ballots open

Student government to get four new members

SCOTT PREWITT

News Editor @s_prewitt

Ballots close Thursday in Pierce College’s student government election, to determine which candidates will take over key positions in the Associated Student Organization’s leadership.

Eight candidates have run campaigns this month in races for four executive positions in Pierce’s student senate. All of Pierce’s roughly 22,000 students will be able to vote online for the ASO’s president, vice president, treasurer and club council president.

“I think the role of student government and committees have become blended in a way where it’s not really working,” said Albert Thakur, engineering major and one of three candidates running for ASO president. “Number one, the students don’t know what’s going on. We have all these committees, and nobody knows.”

Thakur joined the Navy when he was 17 years old, where he was a nuclear reactor operator. He was an E3 rank when he left the service, is currently both an actor and part-owner of an oil and gas company based in Pennsylvania, and said he would like to be the first U.S. senator of Indian descent. He is a writein candidate in the election, and his name will not appear in online ballots.

“What I want to do is create an openness and rapport that we don’t currently have,” Thakur said. [See ASO, pg. 3]

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Thursday concert series plays again

Funding issues solved, 35-year tradition continues

SCOTT PREWITT News Editor @s_prewitt

The Pierce College Thursday Concert series returned last week after issues with funding earlier this year caused the program to be put on hold.

The concerts, which have been a Pierce tradition for about 35 years according to music instructor and event organizer James Bergman, resumed in the newlyrenovated Performing Arts Building on Thursday with a performance by the Argus Quartet.

“It was awesome, I liked it,” said Rebecca Maltby, a music and guitar student, and attendee at the concert.

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#PIERCEWIRE

Use #piercewire to connect with us on social media.

-Compiled by Seth Perlstein

Academic Senate election ends Friday

The last day for faculty to vote in the Academic Senate election is Friday, April 24. Results will be announced Monday, April 27. Read more about the candidates and election on page three.

Share your thoughts about the the Academic Senate election with #PierceSenate

“Super Swap Meet” replaces this monthʼs Vintage Market

The Topanga Vintage Market will do something unusual for its next event. Instead of its monthly vintage-only market, it will have a “Super Swap Meet” that will feature all types of items.

The “Super Swap Meet” is Saturday, April 25, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Lot 7. The Vintage Market will return Sunday, May 24.

Will you check out the “Super Swap Meet” Let us know on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceSwapMeet

Getty

Amy Hood, Senior Communications Specialist for The Getty, will talk about the world of public relations and journalism as part of the Media Arts Department’s speaker series.

Hood’s presentation is Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall.

Will you attend the talk? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceSpeakerSeries

ASO, college to plant trees for Arbor Day

Pierce will plant trees in Rocky Young Park to honor Arbor Day. Director of Facilities Paul Nieman will lead a demonstration about how to plant trees on Thursday, April 23 at 9 a.m. There will be a welcoming at 10 a.m. before the tree planting which is from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Do you plan to plant a tree? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceTrees

Ag department will teach cow milking at Farm Walk event

“I played flute too, so I have a musical background. I understand the dedication, especially to play string instruments.”

The quartet played two pieces Thursday, the first of which was the classic “String Quartet Op. 80,” composed by Felix Mendelssohn two months before his death in 1847. Mendelssohn composed the piece in dedication to his sister, who had died less than six months earlier. One need not know the history of the piece to pick up on the tragic tone. Profound sadness rings from the highs and lows in each measure. There are moments of brightness, particularly in the third measure, which seem to try to hold back the overwhelming darkness of

the piece. But by the fourth and final measure, it is clear during the crescendos that Mendelssohn’s moments of hope in the darkest moments of his life were but fleeting thoughts.

Jason Issokson, one of two violinists in the quartet, attempted to explain the thought process of a person as they play a piece as deeply emotional as “String Quartet Op. 80.”

“That’s a tough one to field, honestly,” Issokson said. “It’s sometimes a lot and sometimes not anything at all. It’s hard to say, I mean I don’t know, it’s a different kind of consciousness when you’re playing.”

Diana Wade, who plays viola in the group, said it was

[See CONCERT, pg. 5]

This year’s Farm Walk will feature cow milking, sheep shearing, and a petting zoo.

There will also be barbecue, deserts and ice cream at the event.

The Farm Walk is Sunday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the farm.

Admission costs $5 for adults. Children under 12 years old and parking are free.

Share your thoughts about the Farm Walk on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceFarm

Marquee deadline set

The college is now accepting names of transfers and graduates to display on its marquee in June.

Send your name, student ID number, and either the name of the college you will transfer to or the name of the degree or certificate you’ve earned to news@ piercecollege.edu by June 5.

#PierceMarquee

PHOTO ESSAY

American Cancer Society hosts 7th Annual Relay for Life

Joseph Rivas/Roundup

Diana Wade plays the viola at the Argus Quartetʼs performance at the Pierce College Performing Arts Center in Woodland Hills, Calif. April 16, 2015.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” to open, stage hands prepare

BEAT

Participation shouldnʼt be graded

Class participation shouldn’t be mandatory for a student’s grade. Not only is it too ambiguous to grade, but it also punishes and creates a hostile environment for shy and introverted students.

Should college athletes get paid?

“The players put a lot of time and

Particularly in the liberal arts, discussion is greatly valued alongside instruction. Class discussion is used to stimulate the students’ minds and connect them to the curriculum. Instructors find student discussion so crucial, and sparse, that it is totaled into students’ grades as an incentive to participate.

To grade participation fairly, an instructor would have to consistently record every instance of participation, per student, and gauge its worth to the discussion, during the discussion. This would distract the instructor away from lecture, and because this meticulous recording is hardly ever done, participation grades end up being purely subjective.

Instructors consider only students who raise their hands and speak in class as actively participating, while the quiet students, who prefer to listen, lose points. Discussion, fundamentally a conversation, has two main components: a listener and a speaker. The apparent universal class participation rubric punishes the listeners. Listening and reflecting on ideas discussed in class is a form of participation, albeit one that may not be easy to notice.

It’s understandable that an instructor would want to develop the public speaking and interpersonal communication skills of his or her students, but a lone instructor, for the duration of a semester, won’t be sufficient to relieve students of any fears or insecurities they have about speaking in class. Mandatory class participation exacerbates this fear by pressuring the student to act in ways that are uncomfortable.

–LE

Class participation is not an indicator nor the only method of measuring a student’s knowledge. A student’s understanding of the subject may be reflected by test scores, and although great, the student’s grade may still suffer because of a lack of participation. Students who consistently perform well in exams, study, and complete all assignments are alienated by the participation requirement. Quiet students are punished for their personalities, and otherwise ‘A’ students become ‘B’ students.

There are more precise ways to measure a student’s understanding of the material. Instead of discussing an assigned reading for points, a quiz would provide a fair and accurate measure of retained knowledge.

To encourage discussion, an instructor can offer extra credit to students who participate in class. Because participation grades are whimsical and the most easily argued-against grades, they shouldn’t be mandatory in students’ overall score.

ER TO THE EDITOR–

ASL teachers should be hired full-time

Thank you for your April 1, 2015, article “Sign language duo educates future interpreters, shares pay” highlighting the excellent work of American Sign Language (ASL) co-teachers Kathy Goodson and Stephanie Durand.

I had the pleasure of having Stephanie for ASL 1, and she is a truly gifted instructor, with a genuine love and appreciation not only for the

subject matter she is teaching, but for her students, as well. If the Modern Language Department at Pierce wants to see its ASL program come to be recognized as leader in the field of ASL Interpreter training, it would do well to bring more educators like Stephanie on full-time, and not insult these individuals by paying them half of what other instructors

are paid.

Kudos to Kathy and Stephanie, and their dedication to their students and to ASL Interpreter training. There aren’t many who would be willing to give 100 percent in the classroom while receiving only half pay. Thank you both!

-Marcie Kraft, Westlake Village

Should instructors require social media use for class?

outlets. Plus, students can ask questions on social media groups and get quick answers from their teachers or classmates.

Students that aren’t savvy with social media can also benefit from the experience.

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–CORRECTIONS–

BRITTTANY HENDERSON bhenderson.roundupnews@gmail.com @BrittanyJanai

Social media has become an important part of life for many people and it’s rare to meet a person that doesn’t have a social media account.

Teachers should require students to use social media outlets for class because it would prepare students for the world they are living in today.

Students check social media outlets daily by logging in on their phones and computer devices, so encouragement from teachers to incorporate social media into their schooling shouldn’t be difficult.

If a social media group is created exclusively for students in a particular class, then it will protect the students’ privacy and give them access to assignments, as well as the opportunity to communicate with one another.

Students who created the account only because the teacher required it can delete it once the course ends.

Teachers can be more accessible to students if everyone is connected through social media

From a professional standpoint, there are employers that require applicants to submit information online for a job. The requirements may include creating an account for a specific company’s employment website. If students have the opportunity to learn how to create proper accounts, it can give them an edge professionally.

Social media outlets such as LinkedIn are popular among professionals that look for connections and jobs, and it proves that social media has more to offer from a career aspect.

Access to wireless Internet is now free for everyone in public places, so students will have the chance to use the Internet whenever it is needed. The excuse of wireless Internet not being available is nearly impossible to use. Computers are available to students in the library and throughout the Pierce campus if they do not have personal devices to use.

In addition, universities and community colleges have social media outlet accounts created for their schools, which allows people to follow them for updates, so it shouldn’t be an issue for teachers to make it a requirement for students to create one.

Social media is available for everyone to use, but teachers should not incorporate it into their classes.

Some teachers require students to use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr for group projects, homework and some in-class activities or presentations.

Social media can create distractions for students and divert them from their studies. Some students might favor checking friends’ statuses or composing posts instead of actually paying attention in class.

People don’t inherently associate social media with school or education. Instead, it’s seen as a means of communicating with friends and family.

There are also people who don’t want to use social networks at all. If a class required some sort of social media interaction, then these individuals would feel forced to create accounts that they may have never opened under their own free wills.

From a statistical point of view,

Pew Research Center said that as of January 2014, 26 percent of adults do not use any social media. This not only forces students to create social media profiles but network with classmates who could potentially invade privacy.

Using social networks for classes can also be seen as an invasion of privacy since making a Facebook group or mass tweet on Twitter requires you to be added by whoever created the group or added by the teacher to stay informed about the class.

Furthermore, bringing social media into classes can cause disturbances. Occasionally, people get careless with language and semantics while online, or their messages get misinterpreted, which could lead to people getting offended and grades being lowered.

Social media should not be used by teachers since its name alone gives off the connotation that it’s meant for socializing with others, and socialization can clash with teaching and learning if it’s incorporated improperly.

Also, if students and teachers follow each other on social networks, there could be awkward situations caused by the personal content they post. Such situations can make people uncomfortable and possibly cause students to shy away from their peers or instructors and vice versa.

Social media shouldn’t be inserted into classrooms until it’s optimized for learning environments.

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.

Editorial Policy:

The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.

Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup.

The college newspaper is published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.

Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.

Editorial Board deems not to be a letter.

effort in, so to help cover the cause of what its like to be a division one athlete when they got to travel and all the work they do, why not give them some money.”

- BOB LOFRANO Athletic Director

“The NCAA schools make a lot of money off their athletes but the athlete doesn’t see anything and they are getting full tuition and a full ride for free, in terms of that I don’t think they should be paid.”

-VICTOR DIOS

Political Science Major

“I feel that they bring in a lot to the campus because popular schools like USC sells sports merchandises and they are making money, so they should pay them. ”

- ASHLEY REYES

Business Major

“It depends because tuitions wise and having a free education gives a little bit more benefit and more doors open for them. ”

- DANIEL GALLEGOS

Political Science Major

Quotes gathered by Christopher Escobar | Photos by Joseph Rivas

“I think so,because it takes a lot of effort to be able to give a sport 110 percent and to be able to go to school and pay for your books and education.”

- IZZY CALDERA

Biochemistry Major

122, Issue 5

4: ASL teacher Stephanie Durand’s quote “I love seeing people wanting to be apart...” should have been “I love seeing people wanting to be a part...” in the seventh paragraph of the second column in “ASL teachers collaborate to sign.”

5: English Professor Marra Kraemer’s name was misspelled as Kraemar in the sixth paragraph of “An opportunity to shine.”

Faculty to vote in senate race

Presidential candidates speak about platforms

SCOTT PREWITT News Editor @s_prewitt

The last day for full-time faculty members to submit Academic Senate presidential election ballots is Friday.

Anna Bruzzese, associate professor of sociology and the senate representative for the philosophy and sociology departments, is one of two candidates for president.

“I have a lot of experience in leadership roles on campus,” Bruzzese said. “I served two terms as senate secretary.”

Bruzzese said she chose to run because of doubts she has about the senate’s current leadership.

“I think I would be much more inclusive,” she said. “My style of leadership is noncombative, non-confrontational.”

Incumbent Kathy Oborn served on the senate for nine years and took the position after her predecessor left in 2013. When the seat opened, Oborn initially declined the position via email, but reconsidered before the president’s official resignation.

“At one point in the conversations I said it doesn’t look like I can do it,” Oborn said. “Nobody knew what was really going on, so I changed my mind.”

According to Oborn, certain members of the senate were upset with that decision, but she said she’s worked closer with the senate than Bruzzese.

“My opponent hasn’t been to any statewide or districtwide meetings,” Oborn said. “I take the job seriously because I know there’s a bigger picture to all of this.”

Oborn said Bruzzese is more concerned with following the agenda than with the duties of the senate.

“Her reason for running is her recollection that two years ago, the senate got through the agenda. That’s not what the focus should be,” she said. “I don’t care about the agenda like my opponent. I care about the students.”

Academic Senate nominations and elections committee member Jill Binsley said emails have been sent out to voters, and multiple ballot boxes are available.

ASO online elections begin

“My driving force behind this is to bring some of the knowledge, some of the contacts and some of the skill sets that I’ve developed through literally doing this, and slawing through the mud getting my dreams done.”

Thakur said that if elected, he would work to fix Pierce’s Wi-Fi, improve the sanitation of restrooms, and implement a discount program for Pierce students who patronize local businesses, an idea he compared to a similar program at California State University, Northridge. Thakur also said he would like to work with Texas Instruments to provide calculators for math students.

Ali Asghar is an ASO senator representing the English department, was formerly the chair of the rules and lobby committee, and is now running for the position of president. Asghar is a political science major and is currently serving his second semester in the ASO.

“I sit on important committees on campus, such as the accreditation committee,” Asghar said. “I am the delegate of Pierce College to the Student Senate of California Community Colleges Region Seven.”

Asghar said his top priority as president would be resource allocation, and said the most notable resource for students are the classrooms.

“I want to make sure our students have the best resources available to them. Resources have to be efficient to serve the needs of our students,” Asghar said.

“When I mean classrooms, I mean maintenance of the classrooms, I mean technology, supplies. You need all those things to make Pierce a better place.” A proposal Asghar supports calls for solar charging stations, similar to those found at Mission College.

“This is what I was born to do, actually. As a political science major, you learn about campaigns, you learn about mobilization, you learn a lot of things,” he said.

“This is what I have, and what my opponent doesn’t have, which is political science skills, which are helping me.”

Asghar said he would like to see the campus do more for students at Pierce who have served in the armed forces.

“We need a veterans’ center on campus. Not a booth,” he said.

The final candidate in the student presidential race is David Do. Do currently serves as the

the temporary ban on food trucks on campus.

“As ASO we spearheaded that. We wanted to fight for our rights, show that we had a voice,” Do said. “We came back, and we have the food trucks back. So that was a success.”

Two candidates will appear on the ballot for vice president, Noura Hervani and Barbara Lombrano. The vice president’s job is to chair the ASO meetings, and oversee all of the senate’s committees.

Lombrano currently serves as club council president, is a member of both the Phi Theta

take her outreach skills and apply them in her role as vice president, and would boost ASO recruiting and increase the size of club fairs.

“I’ve always been a part of my community, a part of my school,” Hervanis said. “I really want to change how people view the school. I’m pretty much running because nobody knows what the ASO is.”

Hervani said she holds her opponent in high esteem.

“She’s a very, very wise woman,” she said.

Carlos Castaneda is the only candidate for club council president, the main duty of which is to promote student involvement in Pierce’s clubs and to represent their interests to the ASO.

ASO vice president and has represented Pierce’s ASO at the district-level during meetings with the board of trustees.

“I have a lot of respect for our current president, and so there’s not much that I don’t think that he’s not doing right,” Do said of ASO President Alex Oloo, whose seat Do seeks to fill. “I think we can reach for more, and I think our main focus needs to be the student success.”

Do said student involvement and engagement is his top priority, and he would use student surveys to increase that involvement. He mentioned plans to address food options for students. The plan involved a discount program at local restaurants, similar to that proposed by Thakur.

At the meeting of the L.A. Community College District Board of Trustees in January, Do stood and spoke to the board about Pierce’s lack of food and

Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma honors societies at Pierce, and served in the Navy for 13 years and was an E5 rank when she left. As with other candidates, she would like to promote awareness of and involvement in student government.

“My first order of business would be to promote ASO, to engage more students by getting the information out there,” Lombrano said. “I think first and foremost there’s a huge lack of getting the information out to our students.”

Lombrano said she would try to implement Pierce’s mass email system to inform students about the ASO’s governance and sponsored events.

Hervani, Lombrano’s only opponent, serves on the ASO’s student outreach committee which aims to increase involvement with student government. She said if elected, she would like to

Roxanne Keramati will be the only name on the ballot for the position of treasurer, but a writein candidate, Charles Zabala, is also running. The position oversees the ASO’s roughly $40,000 budget, and determines the allocation of funds for student-related causes, events and activities.

“The most important thing for the treasurer is to keep record of the budget that we have to work with,” Keramati said. “One of the things I want to do as treasurer is make sure that I’m in touch with the money that we have, because previously I think, since last year, the actual treasurer wasn’t keeping track of the budget.”

Keramati said she would also like to change the way the campus handles food, possibly relaxing restrictions on which vendors the ASO can pay to serve food and cater events.

The election will be conducted entirely online, and will take place between April 21-23. Students who wish to vote should do so through their LACCD email accounts.

Additional reporting by Harry Bennett and Victor Rodriguez.

4/15—Petty Theft An iPad Mini was stolen from the Library / Learning Crossroads at about noon.

4/14—Arrest A suspect was arrested at around 7 p.m. in Parking Lot 7 for possession of burglary tools.

4/14—Petty Theft An office chair was reported stolen from faculty office VLGE 8401 on March 30.

4/8—Battery Victim reported being attacked by a man with three off-leash bulldogs at the Pierce cross country course at around 10 a.m. Sheriffs are seeking the public’s assistance in locating the suspect.

“I think the role of student government and committees have become blended in a way where it’s not really working.”

-Albert Thakur Candidate, ASO President

Statistics taught with a fun twist

The use of comedy helps students learn in an innovative way

MARC DIONNE

The course description for statistics may seem dry or unappealing, but in the hands of a lighthearted teacher, it can be fun and accessible.

Psychology and statistics may not seem like they mesh, but professor Angela Belden seeks to prove otherwise. Belden has taught both psychology and statistics classes at Pierce College for five years.

Belden is an assistant professor of psychology and statistics who began her collegiate journey at a community college.

“I wanted to come to a community college because I started in a community college,” Belden said. “Community college students are awesome. I get to focus on my teaching. I don’t have to do a lot of research, and I don’t have

to apply for grants that would take away from my teaching.”

Belden loves to teach and said she always treated it as “a priority.”.

She started out in community college but later transferred to University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she received a B.A. and M.A. in psychology before going to Oklahoma State University to get her Ph.D. in lifespan development.

Before coming to Pierce, Belden taught at Woodbury University and Eckerd College for three years.

Belden is also known for her comedic sense and uses that humor in her classes.

“I think if I am funny the students might pay attention to me more. They would laugh at the joke which would solidify some of the material a bit more,” Belden said.

One of Belden’s statistics students, Spencer Fuller, said Belden is both funny and helpful.

“She is very funny but constructive,” Fuller said. “She has so much passion for her students.”

In addition to Belden’s humor

she’s also very demonstrative and brings a lot of energy to her students in the classroom.

Chadwick Snow, chair of the psychology department, lauded Belden for her commitment to

students.

“She is outstanding,” Snow said. “She is always working with her students. I know one course in particular that she teaches that I see students coming in all the time

looking for that extra assistance is statistics.”

Belden’s incorporation of comedy into her classroom is key to her reaching the standard she sets for herself as an instructor.

“She has a great sense of humor,” Snow said. “It gets people energized and charged. Whenever students keep coming back, that means they are coming back because they are getting good help.”

Hiking club promotes healthy lifestyle on a variety of nature trails Adventures throughout Los Angeles encourage exercise, appreciation for outdoors

experiences with the club. Barrera believes that every student that joins the club will not regret their decision.

challenging hikes throughout the semester.

On a sunny Saturday morning in the mountains of Los Angeles, Pierce College students experienced the lush green trees and the serenity of one of the city’s few waterfalls. Healthy living and an emphasis on nature have been the core principles for the Pierce College Hiking Club, which meets every other Saturday.

William Yeromian, the founder of the Hiking Club, promotes a healthy lifestyle through the organization.

According to the Hiking Club, membership in the club will change your life for the better, and is a club that explores nature and living healthy which combined offers a greater well-being.

The club was established last year. Yeromian was part of a hiking club at his alma mater. He enjoyed the club so much that he decided to create one of his own at Pierce.

Hikes take place all over Los Angeles and explore waterfalls, scenic views, and campsites. Last semester the club visited the Malibu area and saw a 50-foot waterfall.

“The most beautiful thing that hikers get to experience is a waterfall. The club has been to quite a few waterfalls in the past and we hope to go to even more in the future.” Yeromian said.

Rocio Barrera, a member of the Hiking Club, described her

“I have found that this club is my safe place. I really enjoy all the people,” Barrera said.

Club meetings occur every Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. in BUS

-William Yeromian Hiking Club Founder

3201. Fundraisers and future hikes are planned during the meetings.

There are no requirements to join the club. Yeromian encourages that Pierce students bring their friends and families along with them on the hikes.

The club encourages members to have the correct hiking supplies. This includes hiking shoes, hiking sticks, water, snacks and a hiking backpack.

Each semester starts with easy hikes but progresses to more

“I love nature and I love to hike,” said Kris Edwards, who joined the club in support of his boyfriend William.

“We went on a hike and stumbled upon a puddle. In the puddle were two frogs. I told everyone to be quiet and we all just listened to them and took in all the nature,” Barrera said.

This semester the club hopes to raise enough money to fund a camping trip at Point Mugu State Park. They hiking club hosted a fundraiser on March 19 at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in Woodland Hills, located at 20968 Ventura Blvd. 10 percent of the proceeds went to the club.

“I’m sure you’ve all seen beautiful pictures of Los Angeles from a distance or just the ocean, but imagine yourself actually seeing it. That’s what the Hiking Club shows our hikers. We show the best of what Los Angeles has to offer by simply showing you beautiful nature in and around it,” Yeromian said.

The club will also be involved in the community. It plans to participate in beach cleanups and walks for good causes. The club hopes to grow and become an outlet for students who want to live a healthy life and have fun while doing so.

“Our mission is to collaboratively promote good health through hiking and to take in the splendor that nature has to offer.” said Yeromian.

Roundup Reporter

@marc_d_photog

JULIE LUDERS Roundup Reporter @jluders_roundup

Joseph Rivas / Roundup

Professor of statistics and psychology Angela Belden uses humor to teach otherwise difficult subjects to her students at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. March 25.

“Our mission is to collaboratively promote good health through hiking and to take splendor that nature has to offer.”

Theater prepares for next show ʻTo Kill a Mockingbirdʼ premieres at Pierce May 1

SHARLA SMITH Roundup Reporter @sharlamsmith

Art will imitate life as racial inequality is examined in the upcoming play “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which opens on Friday, May 1 in the Performance Art Building. The play, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Harper Lee, will be

the first performance on the main stage since the completion of the theater renovations. Director Rozsa Horvath said the play is a great choice to christen the stage.

“We are reopening this theater, and I think it’s a great play to try out in it,” Horvath said. “It’s very timely with all the stuff that is going on in the news right now.”

The book was published in 1960 and adapted into a highly acclaimed film. It has also graced the stages of many theaters in the world. The story is set in Alabama

during the Great Depression and is told through the memories of a young girl named Scout. Life changes when her father, a lawyer, is asked to defend a black man for the rape of a young white girl, which doesn’t sit well with people in their small town.

Set designer Gene Putnam said there was a lot of research done on Alabama towns in the 1930s. The use of railings in the set scenery is to remind the audience of the courtroom, as it is a central scene in the show.

CSUN extends invitation to dance consortium

Dance department selected to attend Martha Graham Dance Company

KATERINA CHRYSSAFIS Roundup Reporter @katchryssafis

The Martha Graham Dance Company held its first performance at the Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge on Saturday, April 18.

A limited amount of dance students were invited to participate in a master class on Friday, April 17, held by the Graham Dance Company. These select few participants included students from Pierce College and CSUN.

Pierce College Dance Adjunct, Bonnie Lavin-Hughes, believed that her students were fortunate to participate in the event.

“This was a special invitation to a small number of Pierce students. The students had to be advanced in their level of dance. I gathered four participants and four observers for the occasion,” said Hughes.

In addition, the selected students were invited to stay on and audition for the training ground company.

“They had to have their resume

and their stuff in order. The audition lasted until very late last night. It was a closed audition and the students said it was pretty amazing,” Hughes said.

Participants were able to attend the performance held by the Martha Graham Dance Company for a discounted price of $15.

Director of Marketing at the Valley Performing Arts Center, Marivi Valcourt, enjoyed the variety of classic dance routines combined with updated versions for the modern audience.

“I thought tonight’s performance was stellar. It was interesting that they took a piece that was over 2530 years old and mixed it up,” said Valcourt. “Right after ‘Appalachian Spring’ they performed ‘Lamentation Variations,’ which was great. They mixed up the old and the new and I think that really thrilled the audience.”

Jenessa Reyes, a CSUN student and audience member, felt that the performance opened her eyes to the world of dance.

“This is my first dance performance that i’ve attended. Just the way that the dancers move and

express their identity through their performance is inspiring. I’ve never appreciated dance as much as I do now,” said Reyes.

Professional Dancer, Ari Mayzick, performed in three of the dances, entitled “Keigwin,” Lamentation Variations,” and “Echo.”

Despite the hard work that was put into the performance, Mayzick felt that his dedication paid off.

“There were lots of rehearsals. Probably two weeks of rehearsal just for this tour. Many hours spent at the gym, class, and of course mental preparation,” Mayzick said. “Overall I feel amazing. The show is always like a high. We had a great theater, great space, the dressing rooms were amazing and the audience was great.”

Mayzick joined the company when he was 21 years old. After a 10-year hiatus, he decided to come back. A dancer for most of his life, there is nowhere else he would rather be than performing in front of an audience.

“You get taken away to another world when you’re onstage. You become free,” said Mayzick.

Argus Quartet debuts in concert series

[From CONCERT, pg. 1]

was the same for her during a performance.

“It can be anything from, ‘this is the first time we’re playing in this space,’ it can be something like, ‘what is the sound doing,’ ‘what is Jason doing,’” Wade said. “ Yeah of course, sometimes I’m thinking of the emotional weight of the piece, that’s more of a visceral thing that happens while I’m thinking about other stuff.”

The second act they played was an original piece written by Eric Guinivan, and commissioned

specifically for the Argus Quartet. Called “String Quartet No. 1,” it was a haunting performance, with no pause in between the three movements.

A stark contrast to the Mendelssohn piece, “String Quartet No. 1” was a suspenseful, almost Hitchcockian composition.

It brought to mind the era of noir, dark streets and darker motives.

A sense of danger pervaded all three chaotic measures, and an unshakable tensity was omnipresent. A shout at times, a whisper at others, it made one

“The set is kind of expressionistic in that it’s fairly realistic down where the actors are and then disappears,” Putnam said. “Much like a memory would, because the story is a memory of a little girl.

Natasha Wells, stage manager, thinks the play is always a good show to put on. She also recognized the parallels between the show and the existence of racism.

“It’s a well-known novel and everybody loves it,” Wells said. “Unfortunately, I think racism

is always going to be relevant, and a show like this can always speak to people.”

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is considered to be one of the great classics of American literature.

“It’s very Americana, and it’s a beautiful heartfelt story.” Horvath said. “It teaches tolerance, and it makes us examine our past.”

Most people read the book in school according to Horvath. She recommended that people read it if they haven’t had the chance to do

so. She believes that with advances in technology, people aren’t reading enough books, and encourages people to read more.

“Librarians recommend the Bible first as a book that everyone should read before they die, and the second book they recommend is ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’” Horvath said.

The play will run for two weekends, May 1-3, and May 8-10. Performance times for the shows on Friday and Saturday are 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. for both weekends.

Dreamt is the only word that ends in a-m-t.

With 1,025,108 other words in the English language, what are the odds? One in 1,025,109, actually. Learn even more earning a bachelor’s degree at National University. Online. On campus. Non-profit.

uncomfortable to be seated in neartotal darkness.

“I don’t normally go to performances like this,” said Essa Ammari, music student and audience member. “Some of the pieces started off intense, it looked like it was going to be in a scary movie kind of. So it was actually pretty good, I was interested.”

The next Thursday concert will be April 23 in the PAB, when the VEM Quartet will take the stage. Concerts are free, and guests should arrive by 12:45 p.m., as doors lock at 1 p.m.

Don’t think you have time to learn something new? You just did.

Heni Sirchi / Roundup

Stage hands help construct the set of ʻTo Kill a Mocking Bird.ʼ It will be the second show at the Performing Arts Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

A Celebration of life at Pierce

As kids playfully bounce around inside an inflatable castle, supporters cheer on the teams that lap around a course behind Joe Kelly Field during the American Cancer Societyʼs 7th Annual Relay For Life at Pierce College.

Relay For Life is an event that gives members of the community a chance to celebrate cancer survivors, honor loved ones who have died from the disease and raise funds to fight cancer.

Throughout the day, various bands played live music while attendees participated in activities that included musical chairs, a scavenger hunt and an eggon-a-spoon race.

As dusk rolled in, lit candles decorated and illuminated the course to symbolize the people whose lives have been touched by cancer during the eventʼs culmination.

Far Left: Mother and daughter Jeanine Wanlass and Yevette Peterson pose for a portrait at Relay for Life. Both women are two-time breast cancer survivors. “My daughter takes after me a little too much,” Wanlass said.

Left: A cancer survivor leaves her mark at the 7th Annual Woodland Hills Relay for Life.

Left: Volunteers and cancer survivors of all ages walk side by side to raise money during the 7th Annual Woodland Hills Relay for Life.

Below: 5th-grade members of the Serrania Ballroom Dance Team perform a swing dance during Relay for Life on April 18.

Triplets Bijou, Charlize and Delaney Bolton pose for a portrait during the 7th Annual Woodland Hills Relay for Life on April 18, 2015.

Photos by Skylar Lester

Baseball over everything

As a valuable team member, Bull delivers with passion

Assistant Sports Editor @S_Fariaz

Abaseball field is little more than green grass, white chalk lines and bases. But to Angel Cruz it means much more.

It’s home. Cruz isn’t a starter for the Pierce College baseball team, but his passion for the game is palpable.

For him, baseball comes first.

“Baseball is a passion of mine,” said Cruz, wearing red, white and black casual sportswear—his favorite colors, which also match those at Pierce.

Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Palm Springs, Calif., Cruz has chosen a life of baseball. While some people might play a sport recreationally or a small percentage can play it professionally, not everyone has the determination and love for the game as Cruz does. His older brother Gustavo Cruz introduced him to the game when Angel was five years old. His brother would tell him to bat lefthanded rather than sticking to his dominant right hand.

“He would just make me hit the other way,” Cruz said. “I never argued with him because I was a kid and I looked up to him.” Now he understands the statistical advantages you have when you bat left handed like being closer to first base.

In middle school, Cruz began to play the trumpet and found a love for music that he did not know existed. He loves to play and read music. He was in the school band which helped expand the music he listened to. Cruz went to Cathedral City

High School in Palm Springs where he continued playing the trumpet and baseball. He was soon faced with a decision he did not want to make. To either play the trumpet for his high school’s symphonic band, which was well known and toured to places like Germany, or to play varsity baseball in his sophomore year.

As much as he loves playing trumpet, giving up baseball wasn’t a thought in his head. From that point on he was fully committed to his school work and to baseball.

Cruz’s older sister Adriana Cruz said that he was always a quiet kid who would keep to himself but was serious about baseball for as long as she can remember.

“He would always want baseball stuff over anything else,” Cruz said. Cruz understood that in order to be great at something, he wouldn’t always have time for social events. He wanted to put in all his effort toward his passion.

Both of Cruz’s parents came from Mexico to the U.S. in their teens and have been an example to him, to work hard for what you want.

“Palm Springs is a blue collar, manual labor city, but it also has its bad parts,” Cruz said. “My parents and teachers helped keep me out of the bad environment and baseball kept me from doing any stupid stuff.”

“I think I’m the only boy in my family that hasn’t had any involvement with the law,” Cruz said.

After three years of varsity baseball and after graduating from high school, Cruz was all set to go to Cabrillo College but a friend of his told him to come to Los Angeles with him and try out for the Pierce baseball team. Cruz came and spoke previous head coach John

Player Week of

Bushart and earned a spot for the next season.

Cruz says he has never played for a team like the Bulls. He says the chemistry of the players is something he had never experienced before. But not only is it about his teammates, it’s a respect for his coaches and what they are doing.

“This is by far the best coaching staff I have ever played for,” Cruz said. “We come out here everyday

and they are complete opposites of all the coaches I have had before. They never yell at you and they treat you like an adult. They understand that failure is a part of success and their philosophies make it easier to come and play everyday.”

Cruz plays shortstop and second base but is not a regular starter for the team. He comes in and plays valuable minutes when the team needs a big play. During a home game on

Tennis captain adds professional experience

Life-changing choices lead Indian

native to Pierce

parents encouraged him to pursue a sport in order to lose weight.

Derek Galvin - pitcher

How does it feel to be named Player of the Week?

“I think it’s pretty special and it’s an honor to be named player of the week. With all my hard work, I think it is finally starting to pay off. I am just happy to be where I am with the season ending.”

You pitched a great six innings against Santa Barbara on Saturday. Can you tell me about that game and how you were feeling?

“To start off the game I felt really good. My curveball was working really well and then as the game progressed my off speed started to fail me a little bit so I really had to compete with my fastball and I was able to locate on the inner half and outer half of the plate and I was just really able to beat them. Even though it was an off day I came out on top.”

How do you feel you have performed this season? How do you think your team has done this season?

“I think I have done extremely well this season. I am very satisfied with how I have performed and played this year. I have been working very hard and that’s a lot of the reasons why I’ve done so well. The team kind of struggled a little bit, being with our relief pitching and some other aspects but we just have a really great group of guys. It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, but I think we are better staffed than some of the games that we played.”

Do you have a favorite memory while playing for Pierce?

“Probably the one-run complete game against Ventura at their place that was pretty special and it was very memorable for me and I will always remember that.”

Most athletes attend community college to further their playing careers, but 20-year-old tennis captain Manish Kumar was a pro before he ever stepped foot on Pierce’s campus.

After having his tendon removed due to an elbow injury, Pierce College tennis captain Manish Kumar continues to pursue his love for the sport while maintaining a college education.

At 16 years old, Kumar started playing professional tennis. In his two years as a professional, Kumar went world for various tournaments.

“I’m glad that I chose to play professional tennis because it gave me the chance to travel a lot,” Kumar said. “I also played for the Junior Davis Cup in India, which was a really great experience. As a whole, I have been to 22 countries and have had the opportunity to learn new cultures and make new friends all over the globe.”

Kumar decided to move from his home in India to America to continue his education while playing for the Pierce College tennis team. After attending Pierce for only eight months, Manish believes that he made a good decision starting off at a community college.

“When I was in India, I originally wanted to go to UCLA,” Kumar said. “Pierce gave me a better option to transfer and save money. It is also one of the best junior colleges around.”

When he was 10 years old, his

“Back when I first started playing tennis, I was just a fat kid who needed to lose weight. I had a couple of options but I decided to stick with tennis. I never imagined I would play professionally, but I ended up loving the sport,” Kumar said.

Although Kumar never saw himself playing professionally at such a young age, his parents saw potential in him from the start.

Kumar’s father, Pravin Kumar, began noticing his commitment for tennis.

Scott Aaronson/Roundup

Saturday, April 11 Cruz watched his team start off strong against the Ventura College Pirates. They took an early lead and the momentum seemed to be in Pierce’s favor.

“I remember thinking ‘Good job guys, I won’t have to play today’,” Cruz said.

The Pirates went on to score four runs in the fourth inning and took the lead.

Cruz began mentally preparing

himself to come into the game. He entered with the score tied up at eight apiece and the bases loaded. Cruz hit a walk-off single and his teammates immediately stormed the field.

“There is no other feeling like it,” Cruz said. “Having the team rush you, punch you, scratch you, congratulate you. That is what you play for.”

Quotes gathered by Sal Fariaz | Photo by Megan Moureaux

SALVADOR FARIAZ

In the red and white Joe Kelly Field dugout, baseball player Angel Cruz said that baseball is his passion.

Scott Aaronson / Roundup Pierce College sophomore tennis captain Manish Kumar sits in his home in Canoga Park, Calif. on Sunday, April 12.

@Roundupsports

#BRAHMABRIEFS

Softball shutout for 10th time this season

Given the mercy rule, the Pierce College softball team went five innings against Ventura College at home on Thursday, April 16.

The Brahmas were shutout for the 10th time this season, losing 10-0. Pierce head coach Danny Moore remained supportive and enthusiastic with his team throughout the game and kept its spirits high.

“The girls are getting stronger,” Moore said. “After the first inning, we ended up coughing up six runs and were playing catch up the entire time. Our pitcher, Nicki [Nicole Linderman], did an excellent job all year. Sometimes she has to pitch six or seven innings, which is kind of tough. I take my hat off to her.”

Menʼs volleyball wins last game of the season

In its last game of the season, the Pierce College men’s volleyball team shutout Los Angeles Trade Tech on the road on Friday, April 10.

Pierce won all three sets, led by sophomore libero Alex Sanchez’s 13 digs. Freshman outside hitter Garrett Degrasse and sophomore middle blocker Ike Nwachi had a combined 20 kills in the 3-0

Tennis team sends players to Ojai Tournament

After participating in the WSC tournament in singles and doubles matches, Pierce College will send two of its players to represent their team.

The Pierce College tennis team is sending three players to compete in the regional/ state championships at the Ojai tournament on Thursday, April 23.

Artiom Dimitrov will be representing Pierce in the singles category. Kiran Devaraj and Nick Kerhaus will be teaming up to play in the doubles match.

Due to cost-cutting, the regional championships and state championships have been combined into one tournament and the winners of each match will continue moving on to the next round.

Player values heart over height

Brahma point guard proves critics wrong in his last season

JORDAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Editor @JWRoundUp

At 5’8” and 155 pounds, there isn’t much that meets the eyes when you see him walking around campus. But when he steps on the court with a ball in his hands, there’s no missing JR Williams.

Usually, when you think of a basketball player, the first thing that comes to mind is stature. Williams is the smallest player on the team but plays like the biggest.

“Nate Robinson,” were the first words out of assistant coach Charles White’s mouth when asked about senior point guard and co-captain of Pierce College’s basketball team JR Williams.

Robinson, a three-time NBA Dunk Contest champion, is known for his explosiveness and speed on the court, despite being one of the shortest players in the league.

“You’re going into battle with a guy with heart, JR has a lot of heart,” White said. “Little man with a big heart.”

Born December 5, 1994 in Sherman Oaks, California, Williams was introduced to the sport of basketball at a young age.

“I started off watching my brother play basketball and that’s how I got involved with the sport, Williams said. “Watching him play made me fall in love with the sport even more.”

Williams said that speed has always been his greatest asset on the court.

“The majority of my playing career, many spectators and coaches thought I was too small,” Williams said. “I wasn’t the tallest or the biggest, but I was the fastest, which is an advantage for me and majority of the time I just let my play do the talking. In other words, ‘heart over height.’”

Williams started his high school career at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, where he played one year of junior varsity basketball for the Toreadors. In the 2009-10 season, Williams transferred to Cleveland High School in Reseda, where he played three years of varsity basketball and was awarded a first team all-conference position his senior year.

During his senior year, Williams’ mother Angelica was diagnosed with colon cancer, a battle she is still fighting today. Her fight is his biggest inspiration.

“My senior year of high school she was diagnosed, and now it’s an ongoing thing and she’s still battling, she’s still fighting,”

Williams said. “Her not being able to go to my games just made me that much more inspired and motivated to try and work that much harder, just so she would be able to see me play one day.”

As for his playing style, Williams said he tries to integrate all of today’s best point guards into his own game.

“I try to model my game after many point guards like Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving,” Williams said. “I try to combine all of their games into my own.”

Williams began playing for the Brahmas in fall 2012. He earned his spot in the starting lineup as a freshman and quickly became an impact player who led the team to a conference championship.

Hoping to win back-to-back conference championships, Williams suffered his first major injury of his career in a dunk contest called Midnight Madness.

Williams tore the meniscus in his left knee, which sidelined him for the whole 2013-14 season. The same injury has recently plagued the NBA. Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul are among the high-profile players that have had the same injury.

“It was tough coming back from that,” Williams said. “Physical

therapy took about three to four months and 10 to 12 hours a week, which was tiresome on my body because being out for that long, I couldn’t condition. On my way back I started working out with my brother, and that just got me back into the flow of things. Everything slowly came back.”

In his return in the 201415 season, Williams led the Brahmas to its second conference championship in three years, this time sharing the championship with Cuesta College. The Brahmas ended the season with an overall record of 18-13 and a conference record of 9-3.

In the first round of this year’s playoffs, the Brahmas played the Bakersfield Condors, a game that Williams later said was his favorite of his career. The Brahmas won in overtime 95-92 behind Williams’ 16 points and 12 assists.

In the second round of the playoffs, the Brahmas lost a tough game to the eventual state champions, the Saddleback Gauchos. This would be Williams’ last game for the Brahmas.

Looking back on his Pierce career, Williams reminisced about his favorite memory while playing for the Brahmas.

“Probably winning the first conference championship,” Williams said. “The players we

had, the team we had, we had a good team that year.”

Head coach of the Pierce College men’s basketball team Ed Babayan spoke on what the team will miss most now that Williams is gone.

“His leadership. He was the glue that kept everything together for us,” Babayan said. “He helped us defensively and he made us go offensively. His speed allowed us to put up a lot of points. He got the ball to players in the best spot possible in order for them to score.”

Williams hopes to continue his playing career by taking his talents to South Beach, or more specifically, Pepperdine University.

“I want to go to Pepperdine. It’s relatively close and by the beach,” Williams said.

Currently an undecided major, Williams plans to major in business. His dream is to play in the NBA and if he doesn’t make it, he would like to own his own store.

“Other than the NBA as a dream job, I’d like to own my own business. Probably a sports store or a clothing store,” Williams said.

“My playing career at Pierce was really fun.My teammates and coaches made everything that much smoother. It was just honestly unexplainable,” Williams said.

Bulls split series with Santa Barbara

Baseball evens conference record

CHRYSSAFIS Roundup Reporter @ katchryssafis

The Pierce College baseball team enterted a two game series against Santa Barbara City College with a .500 record.

The team was on its way to being shut out, when they faced the Vaqueros at home on Tuesday, April 11.

Trailing 12-0 until the eighth inning when sophomore second baseman Quinn Conley hit a tworun single. The game ended 12-2. Conley said that although he was able to bring the score up slightly, his team was too far behind to catch up by the end of the game.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t play very well today,” Conley said. “I

was looking for a fast ball and the pitcher was throwing pretty hard. I was able to get us the two runs, but honestly we were already down at that point.”

Although his team did not play its best game, head coach Bill Picketts acknowledged that its opponents were a strong team.

“Well, we didn’t play well obviously,” Picketts said. “Santa Barbara is a quality team. I think they are in second place in our conference, as well as ranked very high in the state. We need to play almost a perfect game to beat a team like that.”

Santa Barbara sophomore center fielder Brandon Evans homered in the first inning and said that although the team got off to a rocky start, it was able to quickly bounce back.

“My first hit in the first inning went over the fence,” Evans said. “After that we just got the ball rolling. It was kind of like a momentum shift. Once that happened, I felt that it helped our

team start to hit better. It was a little contagious.”

Despite the loss, Picketts still admired his team’s hard work and dedication to the sport.

“It gets a little frustrating when it gets out of hand like it did today,” Picketts said. “My guys still played hard, and that’s really all I want. Eventually it will pay off in the future. We have more talented players coming in and if they keep playing the way they do, we will be successful.”

The Bulls traveled to Santa Barbara on Thursday, April 14 with sophomore pitcher Derek Galvin starting on the mound.

Galvin went 6 innings, gave up two earned runs on six hits. Pierce went on to win 5-4.

Sophomore pitcher Pablo Gonzalez got his second save of the season, coming in to face the last two hitters.

Pierce is 11-11 in conference play and will play its last two games against Cuesta College on April 23 and 24.

Mohammad Djauhari / Roundup

JR Williams exhibits his basketball dribbling skills inside the South Gym. Ranked 5th in assists overall with 209, Williams helped his team make the playoffs.

KATERINA