Volume 122 Spring 2015 Roundup Issue 8

ROUNDUP

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 | Volume 122 - Issue 8 | Woodland Hills, California | One copy free, each additional copy $1

/theroundupnews @roundupnews /roundupnews /roundupnews www.theroundupnews.com

Chancellor withdraws

president

Kathleen Burke, Pierce College president, was offered the position of vice chancellor of Educational Programs and Institutional Effectiveness last week by Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez, but Rodriguez withdrew the offer Tuesday.

Burke had not yet accepted that position and declined to comment on whether or not she had planned to accept. Instead, she sent out an email to faculty members requesting privacy.

“I’m really talked out about it,” Burke said. “It was all in my email to the college last night.”

According to the district website, the position oversees the district-wide accreditation process in addition to accounting for campus attendance, conducting institutional research for the district’s colleges and coordinating student success programs.

The job of selecting a replacement for Kimble falls on Rodriguez, who said he had looked at “a pool” of possible candidates for the position before he offered his recommendation to Burke.

“The vice chancellor for educational programs and institutional effectiveness is currently occupied by an interim vice chancellor, Bobbi Kimble,” Rodriguez said. “We went out and conducted a search for the permanent vice chancellor for that position.”

According to Kimble, she will vacate the position because of a state educational code rule which says the role can’t be held on an interim basis for more than two years.

“I’m in a limited position. It was always an interim position, and I serve at the pleasure of the board and the chancellor,” she said. “So I stay or not at their pleasure.”

In her time as vice chancellor, Kimble has worked closely with the board to supervise the accreditation process for all nine LACCD campuses. That task ultimately determines the validity of a degree from a college based on the performance of its faculty and students in meeting standards set by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

Getty publicist talks journalism at Media Arts Speaker Series

Classic tale holds value

Racially-charged story remains relevant

Cries of racial injustice can be heard from Ferguson, Missouri to Baltimore, Maryland, but Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” goes back to a time when racial inequality was widely accepted and protected by law in the south.

Equality has come a long way since the days of the Black Codes, which restricted the freedom of African Americans, and Jim Crow Laws that justified segregation. The journey to racial equality hasn’t reached it’s final destination, but Lee’s story is a reminder of how far we have come.

Excerpts read center stage from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel were delivered as invitations

to the memories of a young girl during a time of hardships and racial injustice.

The classic 1960 novel was adapted as a play by Christopher Sergel in 1990, which was presented by the Pierce Theater

Road to The Getty Museum runs through Pierce, UCLA

Department for the first time on May 1. The opening night performance was commendable.

Birds sang in the day and crickets chirped at night, while the projector screen provided visual accompaniment

to the transitions of daytime to night. A noticeably missing sound was the melody of locusts, whose crescendo starts at dusk and lasts through the night in Alabama during summer.

[See MOCKINGBIRD, pg. 3]

-Compiled by Seth Perlstein

Theater department matriarch dies

Ellen Albertini Dow, who was a theater instructor at Pierce and donated $150,000 to the department, died Monday, May 4. The Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania native and Cornell University graduate acted in film and TV roles including “Seinfeld,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “The Wedding Singer.”

A plaque in her name sits in front of the Performing Arts Building. Dow was 101 years old.

Last W drop day nears

The last day to drop a class with a W instead of an F is Sunday, May 10. This drop date applies to semester-length classes only. Shortterm classes that meet for less than 16 weeks, such as PACE and offcampus courses, have different drop deadlines that are available from the class’ instructors.

All drops must be processed online, according to Pierce College’s website.

The Pierce College Sheriff’s Department will increase its enforcement and ticketing of vehicle code violations, such as driving faster than the speed limit and failing to stop at stop signs, according to the Work Environment Committee.

The Avenue of Champions in front of the gyms has been a problem area, the committee said. #PierceSheriffs

Annual student art

show returns

The Pierce College ASO and Foundation-sponsored student art show opens Thursday, May 7, and runs through Tuesday, May 26 in the Art Garden.

The show’s award ceremony and reception is May 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

When will you go to the show?

Tell us on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceArt

Speaker to discuss fast food, immigration

Eudelio Martinez will talk about fast food and immigration in Orange County at the Anthropology Colloquium Series on Wednesday, May 7, from 1 to 2 p.m. Should the minimum wage be increased for fast food workers? Tell us what you think on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceAnthropology

Sheriffs to step up violation enforcement ʻBen

Charlotte Fullerton, who was the head writer for the television show “Ben 10,” and local, award-winning artist Nilha Magruder will speak at the open mic night on Saturday, May 11 in the Great Hall. They will speak from 1 to 2:30 p.m., while the open mic and art activities will run from 2:30 to 4 p.m. There will be free food and prizes. For more information, contact Christine Valada at (818) 710-3354.

Tell us your plans for the open mic on Facebook and Twitter with #PierceTalent

day promotes awareness of sexual assault

Denim

-File photo by Seth Perlstein

Lynn Levitt / Special to the Roundup

From Left: Dil (Gannon Hays), Scout (Elyse Hamilton) and Jem (Matthew Markham) watch the trial of Tom Robinson from the colored section of the courtroom in Pierce Collegeʼs production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” Friday, May 1. Woodland Hills, Calif.

Incident Report

Town Hall a first

Students tackle social crises after months of research and preparation for event

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Roundup Reporter @vrodriguez2100

At an event based on a similar program at California State University, Chico, Pierce College held its first Town Hall meeting Friday where hundreds of students researched and discussed solutions to pressing social issues.

Before the May 1 event began, professors partnered with real world professionals to lead groups through talking points students had developed, which related to one of the six different topics. Topics covered were homelessness, climate change, immigration, gender equality, mental health, and disparities in the criminal justice system.

“It was pretty good, I learned a lot,” said Jacquelyn Lowe, an English major who participated in the gender equality section of the Town Hall. “I felt that the expert was helpful in engaging the whole classroom in a balanced discussion.”

Pierce president will not become vice chancellor

“I think we, the district office and everyone in it, have worked very hard,” Kimble said. “We’re all kind of rowing the boat in the same direction. So we are really hoping for the best.”

Before the chancellor’s statement rescinding the recommendation, Steve Springer, media contact for the LACCD, said that Burke was indeed considered as a replacement for Kimble, but that no decision had yet been made.

“As of now, she’s the only one they’ve talked to,” Springer said. “Nothing has been decided, and it would be premature to say what is going to happen.”

There is currently no definite timeframe for when a new vice chancellor would be appointed, and no other candidates have yet been put forward.

During the opening ceremonies, California state assemblyman Matt Dababneh, of the 45th district, delivered a brief speech in which he went over the underlying lessons the Town Hall was meant to teach.

“Unfortunately, too often young voters and students are left out of the decision making process,” Dababneh said. “Some of the ideas that I’ve gotten from my legislation this year came from students.”

Dababneh continued with a reminder of where the power stems from in a democracy.

“Elected officials have an ability to pass laws, and be in a position of leadership, and they are given that opportunity by the people they serve,” Dababneh said. “I serve all of you and I work for all of you.”

The event began outdoors at Rocky Young Park, where the the heat caused, students, instructors, experts and attendees to take refuge in the shade. After the brief opening ceremony, students prepared to engage in in-depth discussions and to look for practical solutions to integrate into society.

“I think that it helps students have applicable, hands-on

experience, and be a part of the political community, whereas otherwise we could only have access to that information in theory and not through actual practice,” Lowe said. Event coordinator and associate professor of political science Denise Robb said she was happy with the overall turnout and plans to hold another Town Hall next year.

“I was impressed with the students I was impressed how they were interacting, the experts had a good time,” Robb said. “We’re gonna try and do it again next year, I made notes of all the things I did wrong. Just little things.”

Denim Day gives voice to victims

Survivors of sexual assault, abuse share experiences to promote sex crime awareness

The annual Denim Day event, when people come together all over the world and wear denim during the events as a reminder that your clothes don’t determine consent, took place on the Mall in front of the Great Hall at Pierce on Wednesday, April 29.

Event coordinator Holly Hagan has experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, and believes that there’s something to be learned from victims’ stories.

“I’m a survivor of both sexual assault and domestic violence,” Hagan said. “If something bad happens to you, bring awareness.”

Denim Day began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction. The court ruled that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have assisted in taking them off, making it consensual and not rape.

One of the ways the event brings awareness is through the Clothesline

Project, which uses t-shirts to tell the stories of people who have suffered violence or abuse. Messages written on the shirts, which were hung on clotheslines, told the stories of students who had been victims of sexual and domestic violence. The display served as an outlet for survivors and brought awareness to these issues.

“The Clothesline Project allows students who were victims or survivors of rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, same sex issues and stalking to tell their stories,” Hagan said. “They write their stories on t-shirts, and we display the shirts for awareness,” Hagan said.

Students and faculty took notice of the shirts along the Mall. Kariann Coe, psychology major, was one of many who stopped to read them.

“I suffer from anxiety and depression myself, and I know what it feels like to be scared and not know what to do about it,” Coe said.

“Of course it’s nothing compared to what some of these people have gone through.”

Sexual assault, domestic violence

Guaranteed Transfer Guaranteed Transfer

and rape aren’t gender-specific crimes. While women are more commonly the victims of these crimes, men aren’t impervious to these acts of violence.

“We’ve had quite a few stories from men, and you’d be surprised at how often this happens to men,” Hagan said. “They’re just less likely to report it.”

Hagan said she is especially moved when she sees men stop to discuss the display.

“One of my favorite things during the event is when I see a group of young men crowded around the shirts and talking about it,” Hagan said. “It’s hitting them too, and the victim could be their sisters or their

mothers. It really brings a great amount of awareness, and that’s what we need.”

Sociology major Jose Moran is a member of both the Feminist Club and the Gay Straight Alliance. Moran said he has experienced abuse in relationships and believes it’s important to seek help.

“I’ve been in a couple of relationships where I was physically and mentally abused, but I had the opportunity to get out of them,” Moran said. “Relationships aren’t supposed to be abusive or controlling.”

Moran said he supports the Denim Day event, and hopes it encourages victims to reach out.

“People should seek help and find

resources. I’m glad they have this event,” he said.

Giselle Mendez, an intern at the Student Health Center, was one of the volunteers who assisted with the event. In addition to handing out t-shirts that students could write their stories on, organizers also handed out rape whistles and brochures from various organizations.

“It’s great that these students who were victims, or know someone that was a victim of sexual violence, are speaking up and saying it’s never too late to speak up or fight,” Mendez said. “They’re saying we’re strong and this is not something that should stop us, but something we can grow from.”

Chancellor visits Pierce Foundation

Senior district administrator speaks with foundation board about plans for preservation of Farm Center land

KATERINA CHRYSSAFIS Roundup Reporter @KatChryssafis

Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez attended Tuesday’s Foundation for Pierce College meeting, where board members pushed for a renewed focus on fundraising as a way to mend strained relations with Pierce administrators.

Foundation Chair Denise Robb commended Rodriguez for his continued support of the foundation, which faces a rift with campus administration and is currently being audited for the second time in a year.

“The Chancellor is showing his support for our foundation,” Robb said. “He is a very pro-foundation person. Last year, everyone left and I’ve been trying to rebuild it.”

Robb said she would like to see the foundation focus on on fundraising and reconciliation

with the administration.

“We are hoping to have a really good relationship with the district and the administration so that we can raise some good money,” Robb said. “Once we build up our endowments, I think we can do really well.”

Rodriguez said he attended the meeting in order to meet the new members of board and discuss several issues and ideas that were brought forth.

“Today was about making an introduction, as well as figuring out how we can best serve and support the interests of students and their success,” he said.

Rodriguez addressed recent concerns about the future of the farmland and said he plans to use the land for educational purposes.

“There clearly was an issue and consideration of what was going to happen to the Farm Center once it’s returned to the college,” Rodriguez said. “I think there is strong consensus from the college community that it should be returned to its original purposes

of agricultural land activities geared toward supporting the academic programs here at Pierce College.”

Rodriguez also discussed Senate Bill 850, now in effect in the LACCD. The bill allows the district to offer one of 15 careerfocused bachelor’s degrees.

“It’s already starting and has been enabled through statewide legislation,” Rodriguez said. “These bachelor degrees through community colleges will be piloted over the next six to eight years from beginning to end. Our district is one of the approved programs.”

Associated Students Organization President Alex Oloo said that although the foundation and the ASO are separate organizations, their ultimate goal remains the same.

“Every time we need each other we always work together,” Oloo said. “We work together for the betterment of our students and for the betterment of Pierce College as a whole.”

Victor Rodriguez / Roundup State Assemblyman Matt Dababneh speaks during the opening of the Town Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. May 1.

“I serve all of you and I work for all of you.”

-Matt Dababneh California Assemblyman

SHARLA SMITH Roundup Reporter @SharlaMSmith

Hengame Sirchi / Roundup

T-shirts featuring messages from victims of abuse and sexual assault hang on the Pierce College Mall in Woodland Hills, Calif. April 29.

[From CHANCELLOR , pg. 1]

Sixties-era play debuts

Set designer Gene Putnam was able to visually deliver in his creation of the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. It was a scene that any small town Alabamian would recognize as home.

The stage reflected a small southern town. The houses had picket fences with front porches adorned with flowers, and seats that welcomed a relaxed southern tempo. They had railings that could serve as an ever-changing playground for imaginative children.

Old friends exude Greek heritage

The Mahlis-Panos Project deliver Mediterranean grass roots to Pierce students

HARRY BENNETT Roundup Reporter @hb3reports

The Mahlis-Panos Project, a jazzy collaboration of traditional Greek music and bass play, performed atop the highest point at Pierce College Thursday in MUS 3400. The group consists of Greek musicians Dimitris Mahlis and Toss Panos, who use their shared background to blend eastern and western musical stylings with the versatility of American bass player Dan Latz. Students and faculty members filled a packed room of more than 80 audience members. After a short introductory speech by host and adjunct music instructor James Bergman, the group proceeded to perform five different musical pieces.

Panos recalled how he met the two other group members.

“Me and Dimitris met in 1988 when we were about 23 years old. We started playing in my back room in my house. It was a place for us to get together and play music even though we were not getting paid for it,” Panos said.

“All the jazz I know I learned from Dimitris in those early sessions we had. I went on to meet Dan in 1996,” Lutz said.

The group has been playing together off and on for almost five years.

“We play very sporadically,” Lutz said. “The last time we played together was probably back in early November. We didn’t get a chance to rehearse at all for today. In fact, I haven’t even seen these guys since then.”

All three artists have been able to perform individually around the world and have set

high standards in each of their strong suits. Panos began playing at the age of 6, and had his first professional experience at age 10 performing in Greek nightclubs. Lutz, who primarily works out of Los Angeles, has 15 years of experience in studio, commercial, movie and television sessions.

Mahlis, who is a master of the guitar and oud, is also a composer and sets the melody for the group during performances.

“I’m very proud to play the oud. Essentially, this instrument is the grandfather of the guitar. It is one of the oldest plucked string instruments and is an honor to play,” Mahlis said.

As the audience filed out of the room at the end of the performance, the group began breaking down their equipment to resume their personal work as artists, but said that they look to reunite for another show in the near future.

Former Roundup and The Bull editor talks journalism in the digital age

Publicist Amy Hood takes on invitational Speaker Series

“Twitter is pretty much where I live,” Hood said. “It’s how I know what’s going on, and get coverage.”

The skills Hood learned as a journalism student helped her get into public relations but would have been valuable no matter what field she decided to go into.

“I really think the kind of writing you learn as a journalism student can help you in any career,” Hood said. “I think it’s very beneficial. I wish that everyone would learn how to write that way.”

Hood learned to write like a journalist at Pierce from teachers such as Media Arts Department instructor Rob O’Neil. O’Neil, a former Los Angeles Times reporter, said journalism is also about transferable skills that go beyond writing.

“She used the term at the very beginning, ‘critical thinking,’” O’Neil said. “That’s really what I think journalism is. Critical thinking is what’s news, what’s important, what goes at the top of the inverted pyramid, what people are interested in.”

Developing that thought process has typically been the foundation for journalists, but has also been essential for publicists, according to Jeff Favre, assistant professor of broadcasting and multimedia.

Scout (Elyse Hamilton) was able to channel her inner child. She honed in on childlike innocence and curiosity. Her small stature and the raise of her brow in juvenile wonder gave the character life. Hamilton was charismatic and believable.

Lighthearted humor, mostly delivered by Maudie Atkinson (Danielle Handel), provided moments of reprieve from the darker themes of racism and prejudice.

Atkinson also provided narratives throughout the play, and when she did different covers of the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” appeared on the large screen behind her.

Bob Ewell (Matt DeHaven) was played perfectly. The dirty overalls, the contemptible squint in his eyes and the drunken stagger in his step embodied the characteristics of a detestable, backwoods racist.

When Ewell shouted, “I seen

that nigger yonder attackin’ my Mayella,” while being questioned at the court trial, it was an uncomfortable moment of truth that captured the deep-seeded hatred in his heart.

The roar of thunder and strikes of lightning were frightening, as Scout and Jem (Matthew Markham) were being hunted by Ewell in the dark. Lighting and sound design were able to inject the fear of the children into the atmosphere, which was infectious.

The Gospel Singers’ chants and songs were reminiscent of old negro spirituals that personified the way blacks from that time found strength, which was through faith in God and song.

The choice for them to sing “Lord Help Me to Hold Out” after Tom Robinson (Jean Hyppolite) was found guilty of rape was a smart use of song to express the mood of blacks whose feelings and thoughts were minimal in the play.

Their somber, harmonious songs hypnotized and added a supportive layer to the show.

This classic tale deserves to be seen. It evokes sadness, pity, hatred, laughter and hope. Senses were stimulated as sights and sounds incorporated them into the production.

The final performances of “To Kill A Mockingbird” will be May 8-10.

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

Digital publishing changed the way we consume information, but the fundamentals of good journalism and public relations have stayed the same, according to J. Paul Getty Trust publicist Amy Hood.

The former Pierce College Roundup arts and entertainment editor and The Bull editor in chief was the guest presenter at Pierce College’s Media Arts Department’s

Speaker Series Thursday, April 30. Hood told around 50 people in the Great Hall that AP style, inverted pyramid and honesty have remained the keys to journalism and public relations, despite the industry’s transition from paper press kits and press releases to online links and blogs.

“It’s daunting to see the changes in my field the last 15 years,” Hood said. “It’s sad and it’s scary to see this change, but it’s also OK.” For Hood, social media has changed how she gets story ideas and how her work reaches the world.

“I always tell people get the journalism background, because you have to be a good writer,” Favre said. “Actually, Amy said it best. ‘The Roundup and The Bull helps for everything.’”

The number of public relations jobs has increased while the number of journalism jobs has decreased in the last five years, according to Hood. However, the fundamentals of both fields have stayed the same, she said.

“It’s very similar to write for PR and journalism,” Hood said. “I think all publicists should have journalism training.”

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.

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

Joseph Rivas / Roundup

Mahlis-Panos Project warming up before their performance at the Pierce College Music Hall on April 30, 2015 at Woodland Hills, Calif.

Lynn Levitt / Special to The Roundup “To Kill a Mockingbird” plays at Pierce Collegeʼs Performing Arts Building Friday, May 1. Woodland Hills, Calif.

SETH PERLSTEIN Editor in Chief @sethperlstein

Mohammad Djauhari / Roundup Veteran publicist student Amy Hood presents for the Speaker Series in the Great Hall April 30. Woodland Hills, Calif.

BEAT

What are some annoying things your classmates do?

General education an option

Pre-med

- REBECCA SHARIM

Business and Accounting Major

–CORRECTIONS–

Volume 122, Issue 7

Page 8:

After 12 years of education on a broad range of topics, students are usually able to determine their academic strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, students would graduate high school with an intended field of study and attend college to become specialized in that field.

There are few colleges in the country that offer an open curriculum - no additional requirements outside of major coursework. In the United States, most colleges require a rehash of K-12 classes in the form of general education. Brown University and Amherst College are colleges that successfully offer an open curriculum. All colleges and universities should follow those examples and offer general education as electives.

Proponents of general education may insist that these classes will make a well-rounded, cultural individual, but these classes are actually a waste of time, effort and money. Pierce College requires its students to complete general education classes to obtain an associate degree. General education classes are also recommended to prospective transfer students in addition to lower division classes that apply to a chosen major.

According to Pierce’s 2014-2015 Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), 34-37 units are required to complete general education requirements. If a student were to devote themselves entirely to completing these requirements, he

or she would need to dedicate more than two semesters as a fulltime student, or more than three semesters as a part-time student. At 37 units, general education is more than half of the minimum 60 units recommended for transfer. Moreover, at $46 per unit in the LACCD, these mandatory 37 units cost about $1,700 - and that’s only community college tuition.

General education classes and first-level “101” classes are highly sought after by students and are usually the first classes to be filled. With the difficulty of getting classes, mandatory general education classes put more stress on students attaining classes. College should be a time for students to practice and gain insight on their strengths, but instead, general education exploits weaknesses. Students may also view general education as an obstacle to overcome and nothing more. Students will seek “easy” classes with agreeable professors to secure a decent grade while putting in minimal effort. General education classes hinder a student’s college career because instead of trying his or her absolute best, he or she will become complacent and even apathetic toward education.

Although general education can be useful for a student who is uncertain of what field to study, students that already know should not be forced to delay their major coursework. The student will be wasting resources on classes that won’t be relevant to his or her future career.

Should teachers grade on a curve?

HARRY BENNETT hbennett.roundupnews@gmail.com @hb3reports

Grading on a curve is a highly useful tool that all professors should utilize in their classes.

Procedures that are used to grade on a curve vary among professors and institutions. Some teachers curve based on the class average of a test score while others simply bump the highest grade up to 100 percent and scale the rest of the class scores by a similar amount.

In any case, grading on a curve is beneficial not only for the student, but more importantly, the teacher.

Students who have experienced curved grading have clearly seen the upside. Their scores are boosted by a few extra points, which in turn amounts for a better test score and a higher grade in the class. Who wouldn’t want extra points on a difficult test?

As for professors, curved grading can be an extremely useful method to improve their teaching skills. It can help teachers analyze and adjust scores accordingly. If a teacher was able to assess the results of a test and come to the conclusion that the exam was too

difficult based on the class’ poor results, then grading on a curve has done its job. From this point, the instructor would be able to adjust the questions if necessary or even modify his or her teaching methods. If an entire class were to miss a certain question and the professor simply awarded the students with an extra point, then curved grading was not fully accomplished.

The root purpose of this type of grading is to learn from mistakes. At the point when the instructor redefines their lesson to make sure students know the correct answer is when curved grading is thoroughly helpful.

Grading on a curve also creates more of a competitive atmosphere for students in certain situations. The incentive with this grading policy gives students the motive to strive for the best test score, as the student with the highest score will automatically receive 100 percent.

Pupils who know they are not as knowledgeable on certain material have the relief of knowing that extra points will be awarded to their final score. This in turn creates less stress and anxiety going into an exam as a student.

Different forms of curved grading may be used effectively depending on the class and the academic level of a group of students. It is a favorable method for all students and a valuable tool for professors who use it correctly. Grading on a curve improves test scores and teaching skills across the board.

JAMES STEWART jstewart.roundupnews@gmail.com @jmstweartrn

Grading on the curve is a method of grading that is based on letter grades that are distributed on a bell curve. Typically, for an assignment or test, the average score becomes an average grade. The scores above and below the average are distributed accordingly.

This way of grading seems harmless, however, it can create imbalanced competition and learning outcomes, as well as inadequate learning achievements.

Grading on a curve was traditionally known to foster competition. Teachers who grade on a curve often create mixed emotions for a student to receive an A. The pressure of being one of the few to get a high grade is believed to stimulate students to work harder, study longer and take their class more seriously, but often the opposites happens.

Creating competition for a limited number of high grades can be more hurtful than motivational. Students want to develop a sense of self-worth instead of discouragement

with their academic success. If students can successfully compete for high grades, then opportunities for self-worth are created in the academic setting. Students who are discouraged by the lack of opportunities to get a top grade do not try hard.

In a classroom with scarce rewards, the inevitable result will be students that try hard but are not rewarded. This threatens self-worth and reduces motivation to work harder. The lack of motivation trickles down to the lack of appreciation for the subject matter, which is essentially the most important aspect of learning.

Creating a limitation also fosters self-loathing. Students are more apt to strive for success if they believe it is attainable. No one wants to continue if they do not believe they are of value. Assignments and grades should not be heavily focused on pass or fail. Rather, they should be based more on if the student understood the core concepts.

For professors, the curve system makes it difficult to compare students and gauge comprehension of the subject material. If all the students are performing poorly, even the highest scoring student may be failing to meet the class standards.

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.

“Little things happen, everyone does something, so I don’t pay too much attention unless it’s completely obnoxious.”

- DEVON TRAMMELL Computer Science Major

“When you’re trying to learn and there is a bunch of mumbling in the back and the teacher doesn’t talk that loud and all you can do is stare at them hoping they will shutup. That’s pretty annoying.”

-TINA CERDA Kinesiology Major

“When people walk in late. When the professor is talking, she gets pissed off at the whole class when someone walks in late.”

-SINA BASIRATMAND

Major

“The most annoying thing is when teachers give biases in their teaching. That’s my personal pet peeve. As far as students, most of them don’t do anything to annoy me. ”

- EMMA BOCK

Political Science Major

Quotes gathered by Monica Salazar | Photos by Malik Walker

“Sometimes people don’t even want to listen. Some people are just there for financial aid and not there to learn ”

Nick Kerhalus’ name was misspelled in the Brahma briefs.

Often we hear people shun community colleges, but like many things in life, you never know the true value of something until you experience it yourself.

Normally, one hopes to transfer from a two-year community college to a fouryear university and attain their degree in a four-year time frame.

For me, that was a dream that I accepted would never become a reality.

In August 2013, after finishing high school, I attended California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

I ignored all the “you’ll regret that” comments from friends, as they packed their bags to attend the various Universities of California, such as Davis, San Diego and Santa Barbara.

I never understood the staunch criticisms made by people my age regarding CSUN, but it only took me a week to find out.

With such a large campus, I felt overwhelmed, lost and merely a number in the middle of a huge crowd. In a class of over 200 students, it was difficult to connect with the professor and have your voice and ideas heard. It made me question the system and wonder why people would pay more money for larger classes and professors with less time to devote to you.

If you weren’t part of a sorority or a fraternity, you didn’t really have a social status on campus.

After three semesters, I felt lost in such a large university setting that seemed to have no time for its students.

I started attending Pierce in February 2015, and feel like a valued individual with a voice, a vote and a say in how the campus is run. I have classes with less than 40 students and the professors have the time and ability to review, help and teach in a timely and understandable manner.

The Pierce campus feels like a home away from home as opposed to CSUN, which felt like a heated concrete jungle in the valley. Also, the $100 difference in parking pass prices between Pierce and CSUN is easy to appreciate.

Pierce is a newfound home I welcome with open arms.

The smoking ban also shows that Pierce cares about the health of its students and the smaller campus means more familiar faces.

At CSUN, I was one of several students incapable of getting the journalism classes necessary to graduate, and this resulted in me taking ridiculously-priced GE classes that I could have taken elsewhere for an eighth of the price. The application process was simple and anyone could sign up, log in and add whatever classes they want.

Thankfully, the absences of classes at Northridge led me to Pierce. While moving from a 4-year to a 2-year seemed like a daunting experience at one point, it has been one of the most eye-opening and happy experiences of my student life.

Friday food options a necessity

The easy parking and quiet campus on Fridays are great, but the lack of on-campus food options makes finding lunch difficult.

The three food trucks that are on campus Monday through Thursday are typically not around Fridays, despite there being 92 Friday classes this semester, according to the school’s schedule.

The college should figure out a way to guarantee that the food trucks will be on campus on Fridays, so the hundreds of students, faculty and staff have somewhere to eat the last day of the school week.

Food options at Pierce are already limited Monday through Thursday. The college’s cafeteria, which was finished in 2013, sits empty. The Freudian Sip café offers paninis, pizza and pre-packaged sandwiches and salads, but is more often than not out of those items by the end of the week. The three food trucks, Falafelicious Catering, Hot Sauce Truck, and Hot Coffee Catering fill the gap Monday through Thursday, but are rarely on campus Fridays.

The lack of food options means Pierce is similar to a food desert, which the United States Department of Agriculture defines as a neighborhood or town that does not have easy access to affordable, fresh and healthy food. There is a neighborhood of food around the campus, but it takes time and wastes gas to walk from class to the parking lot and drive to the nearest sandwich shop or salad bar.

The Los Angeles Community College District renewed the

food trucks’ contracts through the end of this semester in December, 2014. They should have required a stipulation in the contract that food trucks must be on campus on Fridays through at least 1 p.m. They could have costaveraged the dollar amount of doing business during the week with the below-average sales the trucks do Fridays. This might not make the trucks much money, but it would give the people on campus immediate food options.

Other L.A. community colleges have on-campus food options on Fridays. For example, West LA College’s cafeteria offers its entire menu, which includes breakfast, burgers and Mexican food until 1 p.m. on Fridays. If the district leaves Pierce’s cafeteria empty for another semester, it should at least require the food trucks be at Pierce on Fridays through the early afternoon.

Should vaccines be mandatory?

decades ago, that is no longer an issue of personal freedom.

There are some decisions a parent should not be allowed to make for his or her child, and that includes anything that puts a minor at risk of injury or death.

percent are major cases where the victim ends up hospitalized, disabled or dead.

SCOTT PREWITT sprewitt.roundupnews@gmail.com @s_prewitt

In California and many other states, parents are required to vaccinate their children and provide records before they can attend a public school, with one important exception.

Parents whose religion prohibits medical treatment and those who simply do not believe in the proven efficacy of vaccination can choose to exempt their children from the required vaccinations. In fact, those who object for religious reasons are not even required to seek the medical opinion of an authorized healthcare practitioner if their religion prohibits doing so.

The state of California is considering eliminating the loophole that allows those with religious or personal belief-based objections to forego vaccinating their children before they attend public schools and community colleges.

There is nothing wrong with the government allowing people to freely practice their religion. Freedom to worship without fear of persecution is the basis of our national identity. But when a parent is allowed to expose their child, and every child around him or her, to diseases that were supposed to have been eradicated

However, if we as a society are going to allow a group of religious zealots with an tenuous grasp on medical science to endanger their own children, then we have to draw the line somewhere. That somewhere should be our public school system.

There are other options for those people who don’t care if their child spreads disease to other children, such as private religious schools for their denominations or home schooling. It’s not the place of religion to dictate public health and safety practices in federal and state-funded institutions.

It is also, admittedly, not the place of the government to force a needle into their child’s arm against their will.

The obvious and simple solution is to lay down the law, and declare that anyone unwilling to conform to regulations meant to protect other children should not be allowed to introduce dangerous pathogens into the general K-12 population.

There is no sense arguing against the logic employed by those who do not believe in vaccination, and that isn’t the point. The issue here is the safety of the children of those reasonably-minded parents who choose to listen to the science and advice of medical professionals.

There is no reason a person who cites a long-debunked study about a fictitious link between vaccination and autism should have the ability to endanger another person’s child.

Vaccines should not be mandatory for students in the United States.

Although there is no federal law that mandates getting vaccinated, all 50 states independently require its citizens to be properly vaccinated before they are allowed to attend school.

More people benefit each year from being vaccinated than those who are negatively affected, according to the Centers for Disease Control. With that said, there are still people who have adverse reactions to vaccines every year. 30,000 people, to be exact. The CDC reports that of those 30,000 people, 10 to 15

There are a lot of ingredients in vaccines that can cause allergic reactions and many people do not know they are allergic until they come in contact with the ingredient.

Forcing vaccinations on students puts them at a risk they have no control over. This is not an argument to abolish vaccines, but an argument to allow students and parents the choice to decide for themselves if they want to take the risk.

This nation was established on the principle of freedom. Mandating vaccines would restrict our freedom. Forcing students to be vaccinated prohibits the free exercise of their religion if their religion stands against vaccines.

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe in tampering with your blood. Some members of the church have accepted vaccinations, but there are still many conservative members who believe vaccinations go

against what God asks.

What separates college learning from lower levels of school is that we are pushed to think and make decisions for ourselves. It is a place to establish where you stand on philosophy, your beliefs and any other thing that may come up. Students should be able to choose for themselves what they want to allow into their body. We have the resources to educate ourselves to the potential benefits and risks of vaccines and should be able to make a decision based on that.

Forcing vaccinations would put some religious groups in the tough spot of having to choose between the law of their country and what they believe.

TUNING IT UP

A line of cars wait to be worked on by students as the garage of the Automotive Technology Building comes alive with the sounds of air-powered, pneumatic impact wrenches, engine revs and the metallic clinks of tools being dropped on the ground.

The department offers certification and degrees within the automotive field, such as advanced-level hybrid diagnostic technician, automotive emission specialist and performance applications that provides students with the necessary skills to jump into the auto industry.

Photos by: Mohammad Djauhari

Above: Lloyd Bryant carefully places a carburetor inside a 1968 Ford V8 engine before starting its ignition.

Above right: Tom Fortune and Jordan Zhdanov check the temperature of a catalytic convertor on a 2013 Subaru Impreza.

Far Right: Automotive technology major Lloyd Bryant adjusts the alignment of a Nissan Altima on an alignment rack inside the Automotive Technology Building.

Right: Donya Bagherzadeh sits inside her 2013 Subaru Impreza as itʼs suspended on a lifting jack with the help of Jordan Zhdanov.

Donya Bagherzadeh, 18-year-old automotive technology major, checks the reading on a computer screen while Industrial Technology Department chair Tom Fortune instructs her on Tuesday, May 5.

A line of cars wait to get serviced in the Automotive Technology Building on the morning of Tuesday, May 5.

Humble road to public relations success

Pierce College media arts alum began her journey by recognizing her passion for journalism

KATERINA CHRYSSAFIS Roundup Reporter @katchryssafis

Community college can be thought of as a stepping stone, but for Amy Hood, it was a place of selfdiscovery.

Hood, a public relations specialist for the J. Paul Getty Trust, is a Pierce College alum who first discovered her interest in media arts by immersing herself in the various media-related classes offered at Pierce.

“I had done a little bit of writing in high school, but at Pierce I really found that I enjoyed the journalism classes. I felt like I really thrived and blossomed in that environment,” Hood said.

Hood eventually went on to write for the Pierce College newspaper, the Roundup. She later became the editor for the Arts and Entertainment section. In addition, she took on the role of Editor in Chief of the student-run magazine, The Bull.

“I loved staying late at night and pasting up the pages. We used to run our copy through wax and cut it out ourselves,” Hood said. “It was a lot of late nights and a lot of fun times.”

Before attending community college, Hood had no intention of pursuing a career in journalism or public relations.

“Initially, I thought I would go into the medical field. I was actually considering nursing when I first started at Pierce. I worked as a medical assistant at a doctor’s office,” Hood said.

After receiving an associate degree in journalism from Pierce, Hood went on to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received her master’s in art history.

-Amy Hood Publicist for The Getty

“UCLA didn’t have a journalism degree at the time. I was very interested in going to UCLA, and when I started taking art history I really enjoyed it,” Hood said.

Hood currently works as a public relations specialist for the J. Paul Getty Trust, where she specializes in media relations and communications.

“We each have our own areas of the Getty that we represent. I represent The Getty Research Institute, The Department of Painting, Sculpture and Decorative Arts, as well as the Specials Exhibition Pavilion at The Getty Museum,” Hood said. Additionally, Hood previously worked for several other companies, such as Ruder Finn, Arts and Communications Counselors, LAXART, and the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.

Rachel Bauch, a former colleague of Hood at Finn Partners, worked with her for several years at the start of her career.

“We hired Amy to come on board a few years ago and she was a fairly new mom at the time. She started off as a lower level accountant executive and she really rose up in the ranks with her hard work, great work ethic and wonderful personality,” Bauch said.

Bauch believes Hood’s success is greatly due to her communication skills and patience in the workplace.

“She has a great deal of inner

strength. She is able to take things in and assess them ever so calmly,” Bauch said. “Sometimes it’s like the sky should be falling, yet she is still able to keep her calm under a lot of pressure. It’s one of her greatest gifts.”

Hood continued to address how the Media Arts Department at Pierce not only prepared her for the world of public relations, but for the workforce in general.

“The kind of writing you learn in journalism helps you in any career.

Travels with Eisenlauer

Archaeology expert shares world experiences with students

an anthropologist, I am sort of trained to believe every culture is unique and you accept if for its differences and similarities and appreciate it for what it is,” he said. “I find something about every culture.”

Eisenlauer brings his international travel experiences and memories directly back to his classroom and students.

Without ever leaving the comfort of an airconditioned classroom, Noble Eisenlauer transports his students to an archaeological dig site in a far away desert.

Eisenlauer, a professor of archaeology at Pierce College, accomplishes this by recounting stories from his numerous travels in vivid detail.

Since 1996, Eisenlauer has taught introduction to biological anthropology, magical witchcraft and religion, Indians of North America and introduction to archaeology. He thinks each class offers something unique to students.

“I love them all for different reasons. I try to go into each class with an equal amount of enthusiasm,” Eisenlauer said. “Each subject has something to offer, hopefully for students as well, and so I try and plug in and pretend they are all my favorite.”

In addition to receiving a Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Caliofornia, Los Angeles, Eisenlauer’s first-hand experiences from traveling across the globe set his classes apart.

“When I was young, my father was a one-time world champion in Olympic-style trap shooting, and so I was able to travel with my mom and dad quite a bit,” he said. Since then, whether for archaeological work or vacation, Eisenlauer has traveled to about 90 countries. He lived in Mexico for three years and spent two summers in both in Costa Rica and Peru, just to name a few.

“I think Germany is a favorite of mine simply because my heritage on my father’s side is German,” he said. “In Latin America, Costa Rica is by far my favorite country. I like the food, people and environment.”

Like his classes, he has found a love for all the countries he has traveled to for different reasons.

In the same way he respects the uniqueness of each of his classes, Eisenlauer found something interesting about every country and culture he experienced.

“Every culture has something unique to offer, and as

Kathleen Aydjian, a 22-year-old anthropology major and a student of Eisenlauer’s, said she finds his traveling experience eye-opening and interesting.

“He shows us a lot of his own personal examples, which is really nice. One time he was showing us slides of a dig he did in Peru, and it was really interesting how he showed us his personal encounters,” Aydjian said. “For our projects, he’s very encouraging and makes us feel confidence as students.”

Eisenlauer thinks his firsthand accounts are the most memorable parts of his classes for students.

“I can actually tell students ‘I’ve been there,’ and I can give them my personal expression of what I saw and what I felt. I think my personal storytelling is the part that students retain the most,” Eisenlauer said.

Passion for field work and digging led Eisenlauer to offer his own free time to teach an archaeology field class that the district had cut due to a lack of funds.

“The district has not been able to fund some of the classes that I loved to teach and that I developed.

The principal one is the the archaeology field class,” Eisenlauer said. “They just don’t feel it benefits a large number of students to warrant paying an instructor to teach the class, so for the past five years I have taught that class voluntarily without pay in the spring.”

Eisenlauer finds importance in taking the time to network and bring communities together. The dig site, which he preferred to keep secret, has allowed current and past students to gain knowledge and experience outside the classroom.

Besides teaching at Pierce, Eisenlauer devotes his time and archaeological knowledge to seventh and eighth grade students at Chatsworth Hills Academy in the spring. He is also the treasurer on the board of directors at the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks.

I use some of the most basic skills of journalism all of the time when I write,” Hood said. “Regardless if I stayed in a media-related field, the skills you learn are extremely useful.”

Assistant professor of journalism

Jeff Favre has worked closely with Hood throughout her professional career.

“I used to write a column for The Ventura County Star and I covered the Getty. From the first time I called them, Amy was

always responsive even though she didn’t know who I was,” Favre said. “She has always helped me and treated me as if I was from a bigger publication, even though it was a smaller paper. I could tell right away she totally knew her job.”

Among all other ties, Hood shared how if it weren’t for Pierce, she would have never had the family she has today.

“I met my husband at Pierce College. We’ve been married for

15 years and have two kids. Pierce has had a huge impact on my life because I now have a wonderful family,” Hood said.

Hood encourages students to take advantage of all of the opportunities offered to them at a community college.

“Community college is a great time to experiment and try different things. That’s what I was doing as a student. It’s just a great environment to really expose yourself to new ideas,” Hood said.

Scott Aaronson / Roundup

Amy Hood, Senior Communications Specialist for The Getty Center, stands in front of one of the many well-groomed gardens on the property. Los Angeles, Calif. May 4.

“I loved staying late at night and pasting up the pages. We used to run our copy through wax and cut it out ourselves.”

Center

MONICA SALAZAR Roundup Reporter @salazarmonica8

Scott Aaronson / Roundup

Joseph S. (Noble) Eisenlauer, professor of archaeology at Pierce College, stands in front of old archaeological excavation pits in Chatsworth, Calif. May 1.

@Roundupsports #BRAHMABRIEFS

-Compiled by Megan Moureaux

Former Pierce receiver and safety head to NFL via draft, free agency

Two former Pierce College football players, originally from Philadelphia, are getting a crack at the NFL this season.

Wide receiver Jaelen Strong was drafted number 70 overall by the Houston Texans.

Strong transferred from Pierce to Arizona State University in 2012. In March, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. projected Strong to go number 18 overall , while NFL. com expected him to go in the first or second round, but he fell to the third round.

While at Pierce, Strong finished second overall in receiving yards per game with 126.3, had 15 touchdowns and 67 receptions, according to the California Community College Athletic Association.

Strong didn’t respond to interview requests, but posted on Instagram that he has chosen to wear number 11 for the Texans to represent being the eleventh receiver picked in this year’s draft.

Gerald Bowman played safety and returned punts for Pierce in 2010 and 2011 before transferring to the University of Southern California.

Bowman was undrafted, but was signed as a free agent by the Baltimore Ravens.

Bowman said in a phone interview that being at Pierce helped teach him how to get through tough times and to “stay focused on the goal.”

He said he’s thankful for all the people (coaching staff, counselors, professors and the training staff) for being supportive when he needed it.

As for fitting in with his new team in Baltimore, Bowman said he has the same “aggressive style” as the team. He wants to show the Ravens what he’s got, but still plans on

Pierce is a family tradition

Menʼs volleyball player is the newest family member turned Brahma

HARRY BENNETT Roundup Reporter @hb3reports

For the Bender family, there are two timehonored traditions. Sports and Pierce College.

Michael Bender is the newest family member to continue the tradition.

Bender, a 19-year-old sophomore who plans to transfer to the University of California, Irvine as a criminal justice major, just finished his second year as a servingspecialist for the Pierce volleyball team.

“My mom went to Pierce and so did all her sisters,” Bender said.

“My brother went to Pierce a few years ago and right now I’m at Pierce. My 15-year-old brother is going to go to Pierce. It’s part of our family.”

The Brahma blood isn’t the only thing running through the Bender family veins. Volleyball is just as apparent in their DNA.

Bender’s younger brother

Scott Bender currently plays at El Camino Real Charter High School as a libero, the one player position that wears a different colored uniform.

Bender’s older brother Evan Bender played middle blocker for the Pierce volleyball team two years ago.

Evan Bender helped the team win the Western State Conference and take third in the state championship. Evan Bender went on to receive a scholarship to play at the University of California, Santa Barbara and competes in club volleyball.

As a younger brother, Michael Bender learned a lot from Evan Bender’s previous success and current endeavours.

“Our father was an entrepreneur,” Michael Bender said. “My brother is working on starting up a business as well, and

it’s something that I would like to do farther down the line. Seeing Evan follow my father’s motions has made him a huge role model for me. I now know what steps to take later on and I can always lean on him for guidance.” Another tradition that the

Bonded over baseball

he was young, he would observe and assist his father.

“What I value about my father, and what I have come to appreciate over years, is how he naturally accepts what the body is telling him, which I’ve practiced and taught myself over the years,” Adam Ramirez said.

Adam Ramirez also grew up in the Pierce community. As a child, he served as a bat boy for the baseball team.

Bender brothers have kept is wearing the number 18 on their jerseys.

“When we play volleyball, all three of us wear the number 18,” Michael Bender said. “That number means a lot to us because it was the date our dad was born. Nov. 18. He passed away in 2012, but he is on our backs every time we’re on the court.”

Evan Bender left an impression when he played at Pierce, but his role as father figure made an even bigger impression on Michael Bender, and his teammates and coaches took notice.

“Michael is a great guy,” said Pierce sophomore middle Ike Nwachie.

“He always tries to do things to the best of his abilities. I played with his older brother before I met him and they have the same work habits. Off the court, Michael is one of the most focused people I have ever met. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up running for office when he’s older.”

Pierce head coach Lance Walker coached Evan Bender before coaching Michael Bender.

“The Bender name is a pretty awesome name to have in our gym,” Walker said. “When someone says Bender, it’s associated with hard-working, good team guys and great people. I’m going to miss Michael, but I’m also looking forward to coaching his little brother Scott and having another Bender on my team. Last year, Michael did a lot of the work that goes unglorified, like taking down the stats and breaking down the equipment. He’s an extremely hard worker and I am so appreciative as a coach. Any

job, big or small, Bender is going to do it right or not do it at all.”

Walker reminisced on this past season and Michael Bender’s contributions.

“The highlight of this year was when Michael came in against Santa Monica at our place,” Walker said.

“He came in and helped us get a couple points off of the serving line. That victory was something a lot of guys were proud of and I know I put Michael in a tough spot but he took care of business. If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have won that game.”

Although he is deeply rooted in the Pierce volleyball program, Michael Bender’s has aspirations of making a difference in the future.

“If I can’t play at Irvine I would love to get involved in the student organization on campus or even join the rowing team,” Michael Bender said.

“Right now at Pierce I’m the criminal justice senator for the ASO and I would love to engage in the student body at Irvine.”

Without volleyball, the Bender family would simply be missing a key component to their rich history.

Michael Bender’s soft-spoken personality, passion for the sport and respect for the game has solidified the Bender tradition at Pierce as nothing less than a legacy.

Michael Bender is hopeful that his family name can continue on at Pierce.

“We have a long-standing family history here,” Michael Bender said. “I’m just living through them and continuing their legacy. Hopefully one day I can lead my kids down the same path.”

The father-son dynamic between Lenny and Adam Ramirez can be seen on and off the field.

Lenny Ramirez has been an athletic trainer at Pierce College since 1991. Previously, he worked as a physical therapist in the Antelope Valley area.

At Pierce, Lenny Ramirez stays active all year managing the health regimens of the 12 different sports teams at Pierce. For years, he has helped players ice and stretch properly to minimize injuries.

His son, Adam Ramirez, has learned the values of maintaining one’s body from his father. When

JOB BOARD

He got to see firsthand the rigorous steps it took to be a collegiate athlete, and the dedication it took to maintain their bodies. By attaining that knowledge, he was able to apply that to his own baseball career.

Ever since he was young, he was very methodical in his pre-workout and post-workout rituals so that he would be able to perform at a high level.

Adam Ramirez credits his father for instilling these values, and because of that knowledge, he has never faced a career-threatening injury.

The only severe injury that Adam Ramirez faced was a hamstring injury he sustained in his senior year of high school, which his father treated.

After graduating high school, he attended California State University, Monterey Bay for his freshman year. That is when the tutelage he learned from his father became most effective.

When he was on his own and not around his father, that is when he developed the greatest understanding of his body.

“When I was in Northern California, I had to understand my limits,” Adam Ramirez said. “I had to know if I pushed myself to certain points, how would I and the training staff treat myself. I really grew during this time because I got to fully understand my body.”

After his first year at Monterey Bay, he decided to transfer to Pierce.

This was a familiar and comforting environment because his father was around and the closeness he had with the baseball program.

When Adam got to Pierce, he had to change his position from outfielder to pitcher.

This brought him and his father even closer because of the extreme treatment pitchers have to go through.

There were even nostalgic feelings between them because sometimes Adam Ramirez would help his father distribute ice in the training room like when he was younger.

Lenny Ramirez is a strong advocate of treating all the players objectively, and that includes his son. He takes pride on treating each individual player, and getting them back to full health.

Adam Ramirez fully respects his father’s stance on treating him as a regular Pierce athlete. He still appreciates that he can get his father’s advice during his games.

“My father will still let me have it if I’m not playing to the best of my abilities,” Adam Ramirez said. “And he has been that way my

entire life.”

This past season, Pierce baseball was filled with ups and downs.

There were injuries that contributed to the Bulls’ early season struggles, so the health of its players became more of a focal point.

Some of the players would call Adam Ramirez “Lil’ Lenny” because of the preventative exercises he knew. During some road games, his teammates would ask him about different stretches they could do to preserve their bodies.

“Adam was good for the team, especially on road games,” said sophomore center fielder Joe Moran. “The stretches he taught helped keep me very loose.”

Even though there are two athletic trainers, Lenny Ramirez

might not always be assigned to the baseball games, but he appreciates the accessibility to watch his son play.

“I might be at the softball game, but I enjoy that when that game ends, I can still walk to the baseball field and watch my son play,” Lenny Ramirez said. “When he was in Northern California, I was not able to see Adam play as frequently, so I do appreciate his time at Pierce.”

Adam is a history major and has hopes to go back to Monterey Bay or another university to continue playing baseball.

This semester may be the last time Adam Ramirez and his father could be on the same campus, but what they taught each other is everlasting.

Alan Castro/ Roundup

“I want to run for U.S. presidency. Thatʼs my long term goal,” said Pierce College sophomore volleyball player Michael Bender.

JAMES STEWART Roundup Reporter @jmstweartrn

Father-son team make it work at Pierce

Skylar Lester/ Roundup Adam and Lenny Ramirez add to their memories on Joe Kelly Field.

[From NFL, pg. 1]