Volume 124 Spring 2016 Roundup Issue 10

The Endless Summer Student balances competitive swimming with school and modeling

GABY SORIANO Staff Gsoriano.roundupnews@gmail.com

As Eryn Krouse dives into the pool at the Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center, she sheds the day’s troubles while gliding through the cool waters. For Krouse, this is where she finds peace. This is where she abandons the constraints of school and work, and melts into the shifting depths.

Nicknamed “shark” and “dolphin” by her followers on social media, Krouse balances her life as a swimmer and as a model.

Krouse, 20, began taking swimming lessons as a young child. Soon after, she started competing in swimming competitions at the age of 8. On her growing list of pastimes, Krouse is a serious surfer, and also indulges in free-diving.

The full-body workout and teamwork of competitive swimming challenged Krouse both mentally and physically, which attracted her to the sport.

“When you’re able to push yourself to what you think is your limit, but then you push past that – it’s just a great achievement, and that’s why I found it interesting from both the physical and mental aspects,” Krouse said.

Krouse credits her ability to withstand the robust physicality of long-distance swimming to her time in the ocean, which has kept her stamina going throughout a race. Krouse’s swimming stroke is the backstroke, and admits that it came to her from natural ability from her body type and her movements.

Being part of the Pierce College women’s swim team, Krouse’s hard work was noticeable among her teammates and coaches. Her diligence and drive was a key component in helping the team when they competed against opponents.

“She’s one of the fastest people on the team and one of the top

When Pierce gets political Students get an opportunity to engage with participants in local government

SHIR NAKASH Staff Snakash.roundupnews@gmail.com

Pierce College is inviting all interested students to drop by the Great Hall, and participate in its spring semester Day of Politics from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 12

Professor of political science, Denise Robb, has been in charge of organizing this event every semester for the past five years. The event’s content changes from year to year, depending on what elections are coming up. However, regardless of the content, Robb started Day of Politics to generally give students an easy incentive to get more politically involved.

“On this day, students can meet candidates who are running for office and learn about the propositions on the ballot,” Robb said. “They can gain debate skills and learn what’s going on in their city, their state, their county, and the central government.”

This semester, the event will start out with District Director Ron Rubine hosting an hour long teachin on the Porter Ranch gas leak. The teach-in will include a discussion with panelists organized by Rubine. He was unavailable for comment on who the panelists are exactly.

The main event is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. when Pierce College and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) are co-sponsoring a debate among five of the six candidates running for District 27 State Senate. The debate will be moderated by Professor Anthony Gabrielli who said that, though he has been teaching political science at Pierce for the past eight years, this is his first year getting involved with Day of Politics.

“We’re going to ask questions on a broad range of issues,” said Gabrielli. “Some questions will be on local issues in the district and some will be on bigger, overarching issues because, even though all elections are local, [they] still have to show that [they] have a grasp of the bigger picture.”

The primary election for State Senate District 27 will be held on June 7, 2016. The general election

Bookstore Manager Grigor

Hogikyan, they are currently waiting for the new logo to be approved before they can purchase new furniture and appliances with the Brahma Cafe logo.

“For summer, we close at 3:30 [p.m.] and sometimes at 3 [p.m.], and we close on Friday,” Hogikyan said. “We don’t have enough employees to cover those [evening shift] shifts.”

There is no official date when the cafe renovation will be completed, but according to Hogikyan, their estimate is before the end of the semester.

“Freudian Sip“ turned “Brahma Café”

SAMANTHA BRAVO News Editor Sambravo.roundupnews@gmail.com

Students will never order an iced coffee in Pierce College’s Freudian Sip again. Instead they will get their drinks from the new Brahma Cafe.

Brahma Cafe is the new name of the coffee shop on campus after the

Pierce College Student Store did not renew its contract with California State University Northridge’s (CSUN) Freudian Sip franchise when it expired in April.

The Student Store took down the old sign on Thursday, May 5, and put up a temporary Brahma Cafe sign. Assistant Bookstore Manager Candy Van said they are waiting for

the new logo to be approved by the legal department, and have put up the sign in the meantime.

“We’re planning on changing the whole look,” Van said. “We’re moving forward.”

Shant Varazian, senior cashier at the student store, is excited to be able to make more choices and not be limited to food and drink

options.

“It’s nice to have something with the school name and school spirit,” Varazian said. “Hopefully we can get away from the other franchise name and see where it can take us. Now that we are in charge of everything we can be more creative and think of our own drinks.”

According to the Assistant

will be held on November 8, 2016, the same day as the presidential election. The winning candidate will succeed Democratic Senator Fran Pavley.

Following the candidate debate for State Senate, Assemblymember Matt Dababneh, who represents the 45th Assembly District, will be hosting a meet-and-greet and a Q&A session from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. A financial education and literacy booth will also be available.

Assistant Director for State Government Relations Chaitanya Komanduri, who has been working with UCLA for the past five years, will be the UCLA representative at the event. Komanduri said that UCLA often co-sponsors forums throughout LA County, but this will be the first time they collaborate with Pierce.

“We heard about [Pierce’s Day of Politics] and they’ve had a lot of notable politicians show up in the past, including the mayor,” Komanduri said. “It’s a very visible event in the San Fernando Valley and it gets a lot of community engagement, so we reached out to participate.”

Robb said that in addition to UCLA’s co-sponsorship, she also received help from ASO and from the Dolores Huerta Labor Institute. All organizations said they’re hoping for a big turnout and Robb said they’re expecting about 200 people to be present at any given time.

Day of Politics is a free event and, while there is no need to register ahead of time, the city of Los Angeles will be registering voters at the event. Robb wanted to send out a general reminder that you won’t be able to vote in the presidential election if you’re not registered to vote by the second week of May so she strongly encourages students to come by and register if they haven’t already.

“Due to social media and technology, our society is becoming singularly issued and people don’t take time to go out of their little circle; if they’re interested in economics or fashion, they’re not going to know about politics,” Gabrielli said. “So the biggest thing that I think can come of this day is for people to just broaden their horizons and know what’s going on in the world next door.”

The campus is going to upgrade the furniture and appliances, as well as new computers, televisions and electronic message boards for menus inside the cafe.

“It would be easy for customers to see [the menu], and would be easy to update and change,” Hogikyan said. “We could put some pictures and partner with different departments to advertise.”

The generated funds that the student store has accumulated will be used to upgrade the cafe, according to Hogikyan.

“It’s not just because we decided to close early, when we review the sales, we find out that after 3:30 p.m. we’re not making profit because of labor,” Hogikyan said.

The Pierce College Student Store paid CSUN $25-36,000 a year for the franchise since 2006, according to assistant bookstore manager, Candy Van. Those fees will stay in the budget and help pay for the new logo, according to Hogikyan.

“We don’t have to pay any fee’s for it, it’s going to be a campus logo,” Hogikyan said. “More profit because we’re not going to pay the franchise.”

“Once the logo is approved and all the furniture arrives, we’ll have a grand opening,” Hogikyan said.”

Travis Wesley / Roundup

Eryn Krouse swims freestyle in the Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center at Pierce College on Monday, May 9, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

[See Making waves, pg. 8]

“When you’re able to push yourself to what you think is your limit, but then you push past that – it’s just a great achievement, and that’s why I found it interesting from both the physical and mental aspects,”

-Eryn Krouse Student swimmer

Taylor Arthur/ Roundup

The Student Store ended it’s contract with the Freudian Sip franchise on April 1, 2016, and became the Brahma Cafe. At Los Angeles Pierce College on May 9. 2016.

Mohammad Djauhari Editor in Chief mdjauhari.roundupnews@gmail.com

Letter from the Editor

Acting professionally is an important lesson that every college student is taught so that they can make it in the real world. The Roundup has published editorials regarding its importance, and there are many real world examples of people being fired after an employer finds questionable material posted on personal social media accounts.

If being professional is a skill that students must learn to make it in the real world, and that we will be held accountable when we are not acting professional, we should hold those same standards to instructors, staff and administration.

Not too long ago, a staff member who was not happy with a story that was published, confronted a Roundup reporter to express his dissatisfaction. Although the encounter was brief, the aggressive tone that was expressed by the college staff member caught the reporter off guard.

This kind of interaction between staff and student is unprofessional and should never be acceptable.

The Roundup has published thousands of articles throughout the semesters since the publication’s inception. Some of the stories have received positive reviews from readers, while others were met with criticism.

Our job as students who are learning to become journalists is to report on news as accurately as possible, regardless of whether or not the subject of the story is portrayed in a positive or negative light.

There are avenues in which a person who is not happy with a story can express displeasure. Readers who are not happy with a story, or need to clarify an issue, are encouraged to send a Letter to the Editor. But never should a student, staff or faculty member ever need to confront a reporter in an angry manner over a story.

When help is out of reach STREET

Pierce College sits on 426 acres of land, filled with students trying to learn, faculty and staff trying to make a living, and one, particularly small, Sheriff’s office to ensure all of our collective safety.

Currently, the Sheriff’s office sits between the South gym and the Baseball field making dispatches to the other end of campus quite a long trek. An ideal solution is to create

Should we have a Transfer Day on the mall once a semester?

“I think it would be very helpful for people who need the information. It would help me because I don’t know anything about transferring and I’m going to have to register in August, actually, so it would be helpful to have people there to tell you what to do.”

-Ronit Chavol 23, marketing major

“Absolutely, I think that would be educating to people on campus. That could change the course of somebody’s entire life. People want to get educated and they want to move up. Educating them with this event could lead to a snowball effect of fortunate opportunities.”

-Sofia Galuz 15, music major

“Definitely, most people are kind of like me; they don’t know what to do and they don’t know which school they want to go to. If schools come you can get an idea of what kind of school you want, what’s a good place for you to go to, and then it would definitely help to get information on how to go there. If it was more than once a year, more people would probably participate, too.”

-Jasmine Valle 18, undecided

Corrections

Volume 124, Issue 10:

Page 1: The article “No longer in the books” was written by Gaby Soriano and Max Sullivan.

a second outpost for campus security, effectively cutting response times in half. With more than 20,000 students coming and going as they please throughout all hours of the day, having a satellite Sheriff’s office near the Child Development Center between parking lots 7 and 8 creates a better chance at covering situations on campus. Scattered across the campus are the emergency poles that shine a bright blue

light that allow instantaneous communication regardless of the distance from the Sheriff’s office. A number of the safety poles are constantly out of service. Even if all the poles were in proper working order, it doesn’t eliminate the issue of response time. The Sheriff’s office sends out units to patrol from time to time, but even then there are some parts of the campus that seldom get searched.

We’re not asking for another fully-stocked fullyoperational seperate Sheriff’s office, just another location to more efficiently send help where it’s needed. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, maybe the department could work out of one of the empty office spaces adjacent to the Child development Center. Two locations for the Sheriff’s office to plan, collaborate and work from is a benefit to everyone.

RANDI LOVE Staff

rlove.roundupnews@gmail.com

Government funding and tuition are the primary ways colleges receive money. Advertising is way for Pierce to increase income beyond the traditional. Colleges need ways to make money besides fundraisers that are hard to organize and funding from the government. Paid ads can be in print, posted around campus or interactive online.

Online ads can target large crowds and be cost effective in the ways to generate awareness and attract prospects. The placement of print ads in high traffic areas on campus can also generate attention, and students and faculty may be interested in what the ads offer.

Ads are an easy way to promote a product, service or gain information because people see ads everywhere. Ads are on television, billboards, busses and many other places. Allowing paid ads on college campuses would help the campus with money and build consciousness for different brands.

Having incentives on the online ads landing pages, and listed on the print ads can improve the chances of having successful ads.

According to Ruffalo Noel Levitz 2015 E-Expectations Report, more than one-third of prospective students have clicked on a paid interactive ad from a college website.

Prospective students are more inclined to click on ads listed on google or other search engines, but if the motivation to click on ads on college web pages is high enough, they may decide to click on them even more often.

One of the best ways to advertise

Photographers:

to students in print is in the school newspaper. It allows the ads to be in the hands of the students and faculty when they pick up the paper.

According to NAM Youth Marketing, college newspapers have a 95 percent readership. College newspaper advertising is a marketing tool that can reach the majority of students frequently, while increasing sales and generating brand awareness. Interesting stories on the front page bring students, faculty and staff to read the newspaper. Once these people have begun reading the paper, ads can be easily seen as they flip through the pages. If clubs, organizations, departments or outside vendors want to post information about upcoming events on or off campus, they should pay to post them. The fee could generate funds.

Paying a fee to the business office for posting their ads for upcoming events for a certain amount of time can help raise money for the campus. The longer the ad is posted, the higher the fee should be.

These three ways to use paid ads on campus could benefit the school in a positive way. Ads like Chic-Fil-A, Microsoft or Amazon could be good ads to be placed on campuses because they offer discounts to students, and the incentive can generate more awareness. Many clothing stores, websites, food locations and apps offer students discounts, and the lure allows for more exposure while benefitting both the brand and the person using it.

KELLAN

BRADLEY Campus Lifestyle Editor

Pierce College should not allow Ads on campus because it’s pointless to let vendors advertise their product when it’s just going to distract the students from their work. It will affect the student’s learning and make them not care for their work.

We have seen enough ads here and there. What’s the point of shoving more of them up in schools? Students have seen enough ads through watching television, playing games or just scrolling down their Google search results. Just the thought of dealing with ads on school grounds is ridiculous enough.

Some students are trying to save up cash for personal reasons, not waste it on persuasive ads they’ve seen while walking out a restroom stall to wash their hands. They’re already trying hard enough to prevent their own impulses to buying useless junk. Besides, why make them go through their own wallet and see how much cash they’ve got on them when they should be focusing more on school?

Advertising works, that is why companies do it. The ideology of education and the ideology of advertising are polar opposite. Education is about enlightening a person so can become critical and creative thinkers. Advertising is a deliberate manipulation to promote a product. In this day and age, we cannot hide from advertising but we can certainly create environments to encourage them to learn. Those who

say yes to advertising in schools must have a limit to how much advertising at least? Where does it end? Do we have ExxonMobil writing the science program? McDonald’s creating the the nutritional education? Ads may contain inappropriate messages. This could lead to children buying stuff that is not for them. This could lead to bad habits. This could cause students to not only not be successful, but also won’t let them have a sufficient job. If there aren’t ads in schools, then it would not cause a distraction towards their education. Ads are pointless distractions. The ads are things that people just want to skip and want to get rid of. If schools were to have ads, they would become a distraction really quickly. Don’t bring ads to schools so the students can gain focus and concentration. They are just horrible and annoying.

publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter. 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.

Quotes gathered by

Shir Nakash |

Photos

by Taylor Arthur

Up in smoke

DONNA ROLBES Staff drobles.roundupnews@gmail.com

The use of tobacco in all forms, including electronic cigarettes and vapes, will be banned at California community colleges and state universities, effective 2018. Most community colleges and universities have a no smoking policy, but they have designated areas where students and members of the school community can smoke. In a fact sheet provided by Arwen Chenery, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty’s chief of staff, it explains that the current smoking policies at California Community Colleges and Cal States allows students to smoke within 25 feet from building doorways, windows and any sources of ventilation.

McCarty (D-Sacramento) wrote the legislation AB 1594 that will require all California

community colleges and state university campuses to be free of tobacco. With a vote of 4124, the bill was passed by the Assembly on April 25, 2016, and it is moving forward to be heard at the California State Senate, according to Chenery.

“We need to promote a safe and healthy environment for the campus staff, students and faculty. This bill helps address the harmful health effects that come with smoking and secondhand smoke on our college campuses,” McCarty wrote. The Fact Sheet also adds that there could be civil fines for

anyone who will violate the said legislation.

“Across the board, people are violating the tobacco regulation .”

- Beth Benne Director of Health Center

“Civil fines for violating the smoking policy shall not exceed one hundred dollars and shall be determined by the Trustees of

the California State University or the governing board of the community college district.”

Beth Benne, the director of the Student Health Center at Pierce College, supports the legislation. According to her, regardless of whether being a student, faculty, or staff, the bill creates an equal playing field to everyone on campus.

“I don’t see anything negative about it. It takes everything out. I don’t mean to be punitive but our non-punitive nonsmoking policy hasn’t worked and it’s frustrating. We have a smoking policy in this campus that restricts any kind of tobacco use

including vapes and e-cigs to the students parking lot 1 and student parking lot 7. I can walk anywhere on this campus and see cigarette butts. Across the board, people are violating the tobacco regulation,” Benne said.

Benne also suggests that students and other smokers would turn to something healthier than smoking to relieve stress while they are on campus.

“I would hope that they would turn to the health center for more help. I would hope that they would do something healthier for them like support groups, coming and requesting supporting services in that regard. I understand stress, but I think it’s healthier to take a walk around campus than to go to your car and smoke a cigarette,”

Benne added.

Kathleen Burke, president of Pierce College, holds her comment on the issue of tobacco banning.

“I will postpone my comments until I have an opportunity to review the legislation,” Burke wrote in an email.

The 27-year-old dance major, Drew Stern, contradicts Benne’s suggestion and is against the bill of banning tobacco in colleges and universities.

“I think that’s stupid and they should at least let us have the parking lots to smoke in. I can understand why they banned us inside, but at least try to give us the parking lots. I understand that [turning to other stress relievers], but at the very least people might turn to drinking,” Stern said.

Incident Report

May 2 - May 4

5/2 - Petty Theft

Suspect stole a computer from a class room in ART 3804 around 12:30 p.m

5/2 - Drug Paraphernalia

Found white tissue paper with black residue substance and broken glass in North Gym men's restroom around 7:30 p.m. No needles or biohazrd material were reported.

5/2 - Employee Incident

UCLA/CSUN transfer day took place at the Pierce College Mall on Thursday, May 5, 2016, in

Celebrating success on the Mall

Gabay is transferring next semester and attended the transfer celebration and thought it was successful event to honor students who are transferring.

TANYA CASTANEDA

Staff

tcastaneda.roundupnews@gmail.com

A transfer celebration event took place on the Brahma Mall, Thursday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to honor transferring students and encourage students motivation.

Transfer students had the opportunity to write their name the school they will be attending next semester and words of wisdom for students continuing at Pierce in the Fall.

They also had a scrapbook displaying photos of last year’s transfer students and added new photos. In addition, they had games set up such as bean bag tosses and a basketball hoop, which was set up at the last minute after the weather threatened plans for a dunk tank.

The purpose of organizing the Transfer Celebration was to honor those continuing their education at four-year universities, according to transfer director Sunday Salter.

Pierce College student, Omri

UCLA transfers

MAX SULLIVAN News Editor msullivan.roundupnews@gmail.com

Transfer admission rates to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) from Pierce are some of the highest in the state at 38

“First of all, it’s really nice for people who are already transferring. It’s rewarding them for their accomplishments, which is positive reinforcement

-

psychologically,” Gabay said.

Graduating students did not have a fun way to honor them as the only tradition at Pierce was graduation itself. With students requesting a celebration to Salter, she decided to make it happen.

This was a contributing factor to combining the transfer celebration with the yearly UCLA and CSUN day. With both days being annual events, the Transfer Center believed that there were many benefits to having representatives from both universities present during the celebration.

percent in 2016, which is 10 percent higher than the state average, according to Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter.

At the Academic Senate meeting on Monday, Salter said the reason for the success of Pierce students is that they have higher GPAs and have completed their course work, which sets them apart in the admission process.

“This is becoming really critical that we encourage the students to

TANYA CASTANEDA

Staff

tcastaneda.roundupnews@gmail.com

Aside from the fact that the transfer students might spark some desire for all other students to begin asking questions, most Pierce students transfer to either UCLA or CSUN so this was also an opportunity for students to get familiar with the programs they will be joining next semester.

With preparations for the event beginning one year in advance due to securing funds from the ASO, it takes much dedication from Salter to make the event possible. Planning begins in December for the transfer director in order to ensure that both UCLA and CSUN representatives from each department are present.

UCLA student affairs officer

Dylan Sarnowski was impressed with the way the event was organized.

“This is by far one of the best fairs. I’ve done a few of these and this is by far one of the best one that I’ve been to,” Sarnowski said. However, not only was honoring those who are transferring but also encouraging other students to get more informed and motivated to do so themselves.

“These types of events just stir up an awareness in a lot of our students who wouldn’t usually come in and say ‘hey, I need to figure this out.’ This at least reminds them ‘oh yeah, I should be doing something about this,’” Salter said.

finish as much as they can here,” Salter said. “[Students should] use the assist website, but more importantly to meet one on one with a counselor and develop a plan that encompasses all the school they are considering.”

“If they apply with just their IGETC, just their general ed, they are not going to get in,” Salter said. “That goes for UCLA and almost every UC.”

Town Hall is an event where students from various classes come together to discuss important topics going on in our world today. Each student is required to research and form an opinion on any societal issue they choose from a list provided by their professors.

Town Hall occurred Friday May 6, at 10 a.m. with introductory speeches in the Great Hall.

Pierce College student Tanisha Saunders gave those participating in the Town Hall a speech on her own experience with the event last year. She believes the event has helped her find her voice and hopes that students will get involved by realizing they can make a difference.

“You are somebody, you have a voice,” Saunders said.

Political Science professor and event coordinator Denise Robb sent students to their assigned areas to discuss their topics with encouraging words.

“Go get em and change the world,” Robb said.

Each student was assigned a classroom to go to depending on the subject they chose to research.

In each classroom there was an expert in the area various topics were being discussed. Students believed there were many purposes of the event. They believed it was to become more aware of societal issues and to learn how to problem solve and listen to other’s perspectives on the same issues.

“Our opinions are based on our own experiences,” Saunders said.

This means that no two people are going to have the same exact views on important issues.

However, that did not discourage students. In fact, it did the opposite. They believed the event was a good way of listening to other’s perspectives while also talking about their own.

Pierce College student, Samira Goldarreh attended Town Hall and was interested in learning about other students beliefs and viewpoints.

“I would say we’re getting more of a social interaction so we’re getting to see different people’s perspectives and you also get to say yours,” Goldarreh said.

Aside from hearing other student’s outlooks, some are looking forward to broadening their horizons and potentially find others willing to take action after the event to make a difference.

Pierce College student Samerra Green attended the Town Hall event and learned about others opinions and perspectives.

“It would be cool to see if others would bring those up to see that there’s a wider view and that maybe, possibly, things can be changed,” Samerra said.

“Maybe people are willing to do outside work like petition and contact our congressman to try and get some things sorted out,” Samerra said.

An employee found a used condom in her personal locker in the South Gym female locker room at 7:30 p.m.

5/3 - Ill Student

Paramedics were called for a student who was not feeling well around 1 p.m.

5/3 - Vandalism

A classroom was vandalized and an air conditon thermostat was stolen from room 8344 around 6 p.m.

5/4 - Battery

Two students were fighting near the business education men's restoom around 9 p.m.

5/6 - Petty Theft

A wallet was stolen in the North Gym Women's Locker Room around noon.

The Sheriff's Office declined to provide any additional information on the incidences when requested.

Pierce College Sheriff’s Station

General Information: Emergency: (818) 710 - 4311

Reported by: Samantha Bravo

Laura Chen / Roundup

Woodland Hills, Calif.

Transfer celebration took place to honor graduating students

Societal issues disscused at Town Hall

397 students participated in this year’s Town Hall to discuss solutions to societal issues

Alan Castro / Roundup Pierce College criminal justice student Brian Humpay smokes a cigarette with a tar filter in the faculty and staff parking lot in front of the South Gym on Thursday, May 5, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

“It’s rewarding them for their accomplishments .”

Omri Gabay Pierce College Student

E.N.C.O.R.E The Details are in the Pattern

The E.N.C.O.R.E program offers an opportunity for members of the community to take non-credit quilting classes at Pierce College on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Rita Strimer, quilting instructor of more than 30 years, believes that

her class allows students to learn basic techniques designed to mould them into advanced quilters.

Jo Ann Leeds, a first time quilting student, wanted to make her daughters a blanket out of her mother’s clothing.

“The detail is just

wonderful,” Leeds said. “I want to make a quilt that Rita cannot find errors on.”

Projects vary semesterly and students are often encouraged to contribute their learned skills to charity organizations.

Kaiser Permanente asked Pierce’s quilting

students if they would donate 20 small handmade baby blankets to hospitals.

Strimer never tires of teaching her students to quilt, “I won’t stop until they carry me out on a gerney.”

Right: E.N.C.O.R.E instructor Rita Streimer cuts strip of fabric to create patches for a quilt. Her students Jo Ann Leeds, Fran Coman, and Renee Colin watch and learn. On May 6, 2016. At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Middle Right: E.N.C.O.R.E instructor Rita Streimer pushes a strip of fabric through her sewing machine to create the seams for a quilt on May 6, 2016. At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Above: Jo Ann Leeds holds up her bag of fabric in an E.N.C.O.R.E quilting class on May 6, 2016. At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Upper Middle Right: E.N.C.O.R.E student Cheryl Johnson holds up one of her completed quilts made in class. At Los Angeles Pierce College on May 6, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Hills, Calif.

Bottom Right: E.N.C.O.R.E quilting students Barbara Kennedy and Edna Harris study a quilt made by Rita Streimer on May 6, 2016. At Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Photos and copy by Taylor Arthur

Stars, galaxies and planets, oh my!

KELLAN BRADLEY Campus Lifestyle Editor Kbradley.roundupnews@gmail.com

Telescope night will provide the opportunity to view Jupiter, the moon, birthplaces of stars, binary stars and a galaxy or two on Thursday, May 12 from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on the second floor patio of the Center for Sciences.

“This is a chance for anyone to go outside and look through a telescope,” said Department Chair of Physics and Planetary Sciences Dale Fields. “Everyone should get a chance to look through a telescope.”

Fields said as time progresses into the event, you will be able to see more bodies in space.

“We’ll get a chance to look at Jupiter and Mars and maybe Saturn if people stay late enough,” Fields said.

According to Fields, the last time they had a telescope viewing night was over a year ago. Weather conditions have caused Fields to cancel viewings in the past.

“The last three times that I’ve

attempted to do a telescope night, those three weeks that I have tried to do them have had six days of clear skies and one day of rain,” Fields said.

Fields said the Physics & Planetary Sciences Adjunct professor, Carolyn Mallory, said the moon’s light and cloudiness affects what you can see through a telescope.

“I like giving [students] the opportunity to experience planets and galaxies,” Mallory said.

Fields first became interested in astronomy when he looked into his dad’s telescope at age 7 and has been passionate about it since. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with students who are interested in astronomy.

“It’s the biggest science of all possible sciences,” Fields said. “If you want to know more about everything, then you pick astronomy.”

All are welcome to Telescope Night and sometimes various groups come by such as scout troops and elementary schools, according to Fields.

“Actually an astronomy class is going to be there, so we’ll set up some [telescopes] for both groups

and makes sure that everyone get’s a chance to use them,” Fields said.

Although there are only eight main telescopes and four other specialty telescopes as well as solar telescopes, Fields wants to make sure everyone gets a chance to look through them and experiences everything the same.

Fields is typically not around much during summer but tries to

plan events in the beginning of every spring and fall semester.

“We always try to have two planetary shows and two viewing nights,” Fields said.

All ages can take what they learn and be inspired by how vast the universe is and how they shouldn’t stress over the simple things.

“Part of it gives you a sense of where we are in this universe, how we fit into everything,” Fields said. “When you realize our sun is a star and you look through a telescope and see a fuzzy patch of light that has millions of stars spread throughout, it could be a great perspective lift.”

There is no official astronomy club on campus, but Fields encourages students who are interested in joining to check out their facebook page where they post events such as Telescope night.

“Seeing is believing and you can actually know this stuff is happening and get a sense of where we came from and where we’re going,” Fields said. “Also find where we are not only in space, but in time.”

Nelger Carrera / File photo Roundup

Maxwell Ward looks at the planets through one of the viewing telescopes during a Viewing Night on Friday, March 7, 2014.

“Part of it gives you a sense of where we are in this universe, how we fit into everything,”

-Dale Fields

Department Chair of Physics and Planetary

Building his dreams on a firm foundation

Student returns from Japan to pursue a degree in architecture

TIFFANY BERWAGER Staff tberwager.roundupnews@gmail.com

The demands of balancing parenthood with full-time school and an acting career can be a handful. However, for Rudolph “Rudy” McCollum, it is a welcomed challenge.

McCollum, 39, was born in Long Beach, California, but experienced a nomadic childhood.

Before moving to Los Angeles when he was 19, McCollum had lived in Northridge and Compton.

The force that drove McCollum to LA was his dream of pursuing a career in acting. He credits his father, Robert McCollum, with igniting this passion.

“As a child I would accompany him to his classes that were in Hollywood, and I would walk up and down the street, and look at the [Hollywood] stars,” McCollum said. “Being a native in Los Angeles, it kinda pulls you in.”

The first part McCollum landed was a television spot while he was still in junior high.

“I got invited to an audition by a friend who was already in that business,” McCollum said. “It was a commercial for a television show called ‘Pump It Up,’ which was L.A.’s first hip-hop TV show.”

Despite this, McCollum did not take acting seriously until he began performing with his father.

McCollum briefly attended Pierce College to study Japanese.

In 1999, he met his wife, Yuko Morikawa, who was studying dance in Granada Hills.

Morikawa grew up in Sapporo, Japan, but moved to California for school. She now works as a pastry chef at Neuehouse patissiere in Hollywood, Ca.

McCollum remembered how when first he saw his wife, he saw the face of their future daughter, before they even started dating.

In 2006, the couple and their children moved to Japan where

McCollum taught English to over 4,000 students whose ages varied from 2 to 75 years old.

While he knew teaching in Japan to be different than teaching in the U.S., McCollum was surprised by how stark the contrast was. Most notable was how he didn’t need a teaching degree because it wasn’t a requirement.

“During that time [in 2006] you could just show up and teach what you know out of the [English] textbook,” McCollum said.

“When I came back from Japan, I was socially awkward. If you spend [enough] time in a country, it starts to rub off on you.”

wonder if they are learning,” McCollum said. “You just come in, you teach them, and it’s over.”

During his free time, McCollum was involved in Japanese entertainment. He was cast to act in Japanese commercials, movies and television shows.

“I worked in their industry and I also did their movies,” McCollum said. “In Japan, I did ‘Space Brothers’, ‘The Sushi Prince’, and lots of dramas but I forget their names.”

McCollum’s reason for moving to Japan was his desire to learn their acting method. He felt that by expanding his knowledge of their entertainment industry, he would become better at his trade.

-Rudolph McCollum Architecture major

to the states,” McCollum said.

Back in California, McCollum became a Lyft driver while attending Pierce College for the second time to study architecture. This choice of employment was flexible enough that McCollum could concentrate on his studies and see his family.

It also helped him relearn American social etiquettes.

“When I came back from Japan, I was socially awkward,” McCollum said. “If you spend [enough] time in a country, it starts to rub off on you.”

“Being a native speaker, we do have some degree of experience with the language. But I think the rules have changed now; I believe they’re much more strict.”

McCollum called the Japanese instruction system “English Engineering because of how copy and paste” it felt. The severity of detachment between the teachers and their class was evident in the way the two would interact.

“English in Japan is like a business. In a way, it makes me

“Here, in Hollywood, we’re more animated and there [in Japan], their style is more internal—it’s all in the eyes,” McCollum said. “They’re very subtle people, and I felt that that would help me with my acting career.”

After seven years, McCollum left Japan. While he enjoyed the time he spent there, McCollum felt restricted by the uniformity demanded by their social system.

“I found that, over time, they’re very limited in creative aspects and I’m a creative person. So I knew that I would be coming back

McCollum admits that he became more introverted after living in Japan. He credits Lyft for helping him relearn the English language and open up to others.

“You give like ten or fifteen rides a day, that’s ten or fifteen different conversations on topic matters that wouldn’t dare be discussed in Japan,” McCollum said.

Japan was a source of inspiration for McCollum in different ways, but he began to lose his creative drive. McCollum wanted to take the knowledge and experience he gained in Japan and apply it to creating a better life back in the U.S.

Mustangs, stallions and show ponies

Equine Science major turns her love for horses into a way of life

NADINE GOSTANTIAN Staff ngostantian.roundupnews@gmail.com

The buzzing of flies, smell of manure and extreme heat that blankets the grounds of the Pierce College farm is a departure from a four-wall work environment. Tending to the horse’s overall health and keeping the stables clean is a demanding job.

But for Ana Quintanilla, the chores are an opportunity to be close to the animals she loves.

Quintanilla, 21, is the president of the Boots and Saddles club, which competes in competitive horseback riding off campus. Quintanilla was a member of the California Rangers Drill Team, where she won for four consecutive years at the California Horsemen’s Association in Ceres, Turlock from 2007 to 2010. She has also worked at the racetrack at Santa Anita Park. Now, Quintanilla is a member with the Flor de Dalia, a Mexican side saddle for Escaramuza.

“I started riding when I was 6 years old. I like riding horses because it’s a different kind of intimate relationship. It has a lot of working together because it’s a 1200-pound animal, so I have to really communicate with them with body language and other similar things,” Quintanilla said.

Before she started riding horses, Quintanilla remembers how she was always surrounded by animals. She had dogs and chickens, but her favorite animals are horses. When she was 12, she received Charlie, a 7-year-old Quarter Horse, as a birthday gift from her parents. Charlie is now 16 years old.

Danielle Moore, 22, also an Equine Science major, is the vice president of Boots and Saddles club. She was once a

rival of Quintanilla’s, but now she is Quintanilla’s best friend of two years, and one of the people that Quintanilla spends most of her time with.

“We grew up on horseback riding teams that were rivals. She was on Blue Shadows Drill Team, and I was on California Rangers Drill Team. Our teams have been rivals since the beginning and we actually competed against each other in 2009, and now she’s someone who taught me more than most people on how to improve my

riding skills,” Moore said. “It’s funny because she’s younger than me. She’s taught me a lot. I learned so much from her. She helps me with my horse or I’ll go riding with her. I’ll ride her horse and she teaches me.”

Quintanilla’s love for horses took her a long way. She had the opportunity to work at the racetracks in Santa Anita for a year, while she was a part-time student, where she had direct interactions with horses that went on the races, and she was able to learn more about her

passion.

“It was really fun. I learned a lot, that’s for sure, especially because they’re a lot crazier than the horses from school. They’re a lot younger. I learned how to care for horses in the racetrack industry and the certain feeds that they eat. It was a really cool experience,” Quintanilla said. However, she had to leave her job at the racetracks to go back to being a full-time student at Pierce, where she became the president of Boots

and Saddles. According to Moore, the club has improved since Quintanilla became the president.

“Before she was president, it was a lot less organized. We didn’t have as many meetings. We didn’t have as many events going on, and emails weren’t sent to the club members. A lot of stuff weren’t happening that should have been happening, and good things have been happening since she became president,” Moore said.

Paddy Warner, the head of Equine Department and the faculty adviser for Boots and Saddles club, knew Quintanilla since 2012. Warner is the faculty adviser for Boots and Saddles for 12 years and according to her, she saw the club improved as well now that Quintanilla is in charge of the club.

“She’s done a great job. She is self-motivated in making things happen, and she gets things done. She’s super outgoing, fun to be around, a very talented horseback rider. She’s also motivated. I see her definitely making it to the horse business,” Warner said.

Being the president of the club, a student, worker, and horseback rider off campus, Quintanilla has a lot to juggle in her hands including quality time with her family.

“One of the struggles I face is not spending time with my family. They always ask me where I’m at, and also having to sacrifice relationships is another thing,” Quintanilla said. “Honestly, my biggest fear is getting hurt, because then I would have to stop riding and it’s my job too. Maybe falling, not actual falling, but the way I may fall. Avoid getting hurt, that’s what I always say.”

Quintanilla’s dream is to become a professional horse trainer and manage her barn. She also has a message for anyone who might be in the same position as she is.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s a stupid career, because a lot of people think that horses are really down career to go into, but we’re not a very big industry, so it’s hard. Stick with your dreams. If an opportunity comes up, take it. Try to get as many experiences as possible. The more experience, the better you’re going to be, in my opinion,” Quintanilla said.

Travis Wesley/ Roundup

Rudolph McCollum arranges his model container homes in the architecture studio on April 28, 2016 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Alan Castro/ Roundup

Ana Quintanilla, equine science major and president of the Boots and Saddles club, poses with Corky the mule in Pierce College’s Equine Center on April 21, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Meet the real master of disguise

Performing Arts alum talks work, showbiz politics and the pursuit of dreams

JONATHAN HINTZ Staff jhintz.roundupnews@gmail.com

The chance to fulfill a childhood dream is said to be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

To take what is felt while watching silver screen heroes and turn it into reality is a feat that, for many, goes unrealized. For Sean Spencer, his dream of acting alongside those who inspired him as a young boy is coming full circle.

Former Pierce College student Spencer, 28, has had a dream to be an actor since childhood. During the course of his younger years, he tried other ventures, but he noticed he was not happy following them and decided to pursue acting as his career choice instead.

“At first, I started by doing voice overs, then I started doing 10 minute scenes here [Pierce College] and I loved doing that,” Spencer said. “It’s one of those things that when you know what you want to do, you know what you want to do.”

Spencer has had various acting parts on both school and professional stages. He recently received a small role as a preacher for a movie. In recent years, Spencer has portrayed Rosencrantz in “Hamlet” and Dr. John H. Watson in “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure.”

After Spencer completed his transfer requirements at Pierce, he went to the New York Film Academy (NYFA) to continue to

“It’s essential for an actor to read the room, and understand their audience both on and off the camera.”

- Sean Spencer

learn the art of acting.

Daniel Rosas has known Spencer for more than three years. The two performers met while attending NYFA. After working together on numerous occasions, Rosas thinks that Spencer has what it takes to make it in the entertainment industry.

“He [Spencer] has a lot of potential,” Rosas said. “If he is able to get the right opportunity at an audition he can really go far.”

When he is not busy polishing his acting style or observing other actors, Spencer spends time with friends. The majority of his close companions are performers and or work in the entertainment industry. Since they are from the same field of work, they share a common bond and can relate to one another.

“He is a very polite, and well meaning individual,” Rosas said. “He likes to observe things and go out with people in the world of acting, because there’s a connection within the group.”

For Spencer it is easier to

perform on camera than it is to take photographs.

“It’s easier to perform in front of a camera because I’m more active,” Spencer said.

Spencer likes different aspects of theater. He prefers to be on camera, but he also finds some positions behind the camera interesting and active as well. He likes the amount of work it takes to be a sound technician for film.

“When you’re working with sound you’re more active moving around with the camera than you would be in another position behind the scenes, and that is something I would be interested in as far as having an off screen role,” Spencer said.

According to Spencer, there are between 200-300 people who audition for minor roles in films, and it is a difficult profession to succeed in since there are many more people vying for a part in a movie or television show.

Actors are part of a labor union called the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Most of the actors who are part of this union are unable to receive significant roles for them to live off of without having another source of income because of the competition between the candidates.

“Only five percent of SAG members can make a living off of just acting alone,” Spencer said. “I don’t like to think about that statistic, but I am well aware of it. If I don’t follow through [with] my dream though, I will never know if I am able to make it in film.”

According to Spencer, actors should make themselves more

available for all kinds of roles instead of trying to stick to one type, because in acting all genres tie together. From comedy, drama, science fiction, horror, to action films. It will be better for a performer to expand their horizons, and branch off to different roles and films.

“It’s hard to point out a specific role an actor should play,” Spencer said. “An actor shouldn’t limit themselves to being able to play one part, because there are so many people wanting that role there’s a good chance you won’t receive it.”

Lynn Braem is an instructor at the New York Film Academy school, and has helped Spencer learn the art of acting.

“Nobody can say they want to just be a specific actor,” Braem said. “It’s great if they do, but there are so many people vying for the same job, and if you narrow yourself to just one type of role it is unlikely you will get the part.”

According to Spencer, one page of dialogue should take only one minute for a scene, but after reshoots for lighting or camera positioning or if someone forgets their lines, it can take up to a full day to complete.

Spencer is a fan of science fiction shows and films. His favorite show is “Dr. Who” on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) channel, and cites David Tennant who, played Dr. Who from 2005-2010, and again in 2013, as his inspiration.

Meanwhile, back at the Comic Book Club

New club charter takes art appreciation to another level

GABY SORIANO Staff

For comic book enthusiasts, graphic novels are more than a collection of pretty pictures. These visual anthologies are maps that teach readers how to create relatable heroes, memorable villains, and a world as real as Times Square, New York.

Comic readers who want a way to share their ideas with others have the opportunity to compare the comic to the films, or even create a character through the Pierce College Comic Book Club. Club president André Necochea, 18, created the club with the idea that it would bring enthusiasts of graphic novels, books, anime, films, manga and video games to share their experiences, and create a bonding because of their love for the same interest.

“We want to get people together because we love graphic novels and the characters that are inside them,” Necochea said. “It is a safe space where you can talk freely about what you like, or who you like.”

Accompanying Necochea is his brother, Nick Necochea, 21, who is the vice president of the club.

“I believe that we are a very good team. I really trust him and I want to say that he trusts me as well,” Necochea said. “But family relations aside, he is a very hardworking person that goes for big goals and I like to be around people like that, that know what they want to do and don’t settle for less.”

This semester the club is mostly focusing in analyzing the characters or graphic novels that are brought up during a meeting. Their longterm goal would eventually be

to be able to create their own graphic novels, according to Necochea.

“Our goals for the club would be to attend conventions, or even go to the movies to compare the comic with the film,” Necochea said. “By next semester, our plan would be to create our own comic book seeing as we will have knowledge on how a character works.”

The group meets every Monday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in the Student Engagement Center. If a student wants to analyze a book or an anime character, they are also welcome to do so.

The club plans to have a fundraiser in May, where they will be selling baked goods. They will be doing so by the help of club member, Maria Mayorga, an animation major.

“I’m the only one with a food handler’s license, so I’m going to be baking for the club to start raising some funds,” Mayorga said. “As of right now, the cookies will be sold for $1, and will be coffee, vanilla, or chocolate chip.”

Mayorga is also helping remaster the logo for the club, because she wants the drawing to be anatomically correct. If they want to create their own

novels, they must represent something that is good, according to Mayorga.

“We have to look professional and I know we’re a beginning club, but we still have to look good,” Mayorga said.

Students interested in knowing more about the club can join their email list and Facebook page, according to Necochea.

“We trust our members on sharing the fact that they can express themselves during meetings, and afterwards with their friends so that students that want to learn about us can have a good idea of what we are all about from a friend who they trust,” Necochea said.

Necochea says that the club is a unique club to Pierce, because there must be a club that is for every student on campus.

“I truly believe that there must be a club for every student at Pierce College,” Necochea said. “We should not obligate students to create them, but I do think that we all have similar taste in one way or another. I believe that the uniqueness of the club

comes from sharing not only information but experiences within members.”

For computer science major, Jerrid Davenport, 23, comics are a way to enjoy and get lost in the culture and the heroes that get introduced.

“Comics are just simple and fun to read and I think that’s what the readers like about them. How easy they can get lost in them,” Davenport said.

Necochea said that students who are thinking about joining the club would not only be joining a club where they debate about their analyzations of a comic book, but a club of relaxing environment, a club that brings students together and a club where they are themselves.

“I think that, besides the topics we debate or the characters we analyze, we are all students that come together to share our experiences,” Necochea said. “Everyone that is a member is part of an organization of students that want to meet regularly to get some stress from school out of their minds by doing something we all share our taste in, comic books.”

Claren Flores/ Roundup Club President Andre Necochea (right), leads the club meeting in the Associated Student Organization Building at the Library/Learning Crossroads on April 18, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Abdolreza Rastegarrazi/ Roundup

Actor and former student, Sean Spencer, in front of the Performing Arts Center at Pierce College on May 5, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Claren Flores/ Roundup

Illustration by club memeber Xavier Fierro at Pierce College on April 18, 2016 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Actor and Pierce College alum

Surfer makes waves in modeling

two backstrokes which definitely helped us out in the relays,” swimming teammate Shany Ninio, who met Krouse at a swimming club six years ago said. “She was a big part of the team relays and as a team member.”

Women’s swimming coach Judi Terhar watched Krouse swim in high school and the two years that Krouse swam at Pierce.

“Eryn loves to race and she’s a great competitor. She doesn’t like other people to beat her so when it was time to race she was ready to go and I admired that about her,” Terhar said. “She has a lot of natural ability and talent.”

When Krouse graduated high school, she felt it was the end of her competitive swim racing. Her mind wasn’t in the same place it used to be, intensity wise, due to competing for so long.

“I guess I didn’t care as much about racing, but I kind of overcame that because I realized I only had two more years left of competitive swimming for the rest of my life so I wanted to enjoy the final moments,” Krouse said.

In the fall, Krouse is transferring to the University of California Santa Barbara. Having completed her competitive swimming, her focus will be on ocean swimming and modeling.

“It’s time for me to focus on other things. I’m still going to swim, but it’s not going to be at the same intensity as it used to be all my life,” Krouse said.

Krouse’s modeling hobby has become an important part of her life, which has given her opportunities. On her Instagram account she’s branded herself as a beach lifestyle, surfer girl.

Having a presence in the swimwear and bikini world has allowed her to model for swimwear and surf related products. She is a freelance model through her

Instagram, but she also has an agent which is how she also does music videos.

“It’s a hobby, but it’s definitely influenced what I want to study which is Communications or Public Relations and Marketing kind of stuff,” Krouse said. “I want to continue what I’m doing but on a bigger level such as working with more brands, growing my Instagram and maybe doing marketing for some surf brand like Billabong in the future.”

The fun part about modeling for Krouse is that she gets to travel the world to places like Tahiti, Hawaii, Jamaica, Mexico and Japan.

“My favorite place I’ve been to is Tahiti. It’s very quiet and it’s like Hawaii a hundred years ago,” Krouse said. “I love that it felt like a completely different world from Los Angeles.”

Krouse never imagined she’d be doing what she is today especially making something out of Instagram but she’s excited to be part of it.

“For the future, I intend to travel more and make an income out of something I love to do because my hobby is my job and I’m proud of that,” Krouse said. “As long as I do what I love I’ll never feel like I’m working and that’s something I keep in mind.”

Travis Wesley / Roundup Eryn Krouse puts her goggles on at the Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center at Pierce College on Monday, May 9, in Woodland Hills, Calif.

“As long as I do what I love I’ll never feel like I’m working and that’s something I keep in mind.”

-Eryn Krouse Student Swimmer