Sudents meet industry professionals in inaugural event

program and the UMOJA program.

Vice President of Student Services Earic Dickson-Peters said that the opportunities that Pierce offers play a large role in connecting students to the campus.

“Because we are a community college, students want certain things from their experience here,” DicksonPeters said.

He also said that Pierce’s Enrollment Management Committee does their best to provide aspects of the college experience that students seek out during their time here, including the new food court and the various events on campus.

Dickson-Peters said he wants to ensure that the right programs are available to students and that the environment at Pierce is optimal for learning and growing.

He also said he hopes to help increase the number of student employment opportunities on campus so students don’t have to worry about planning their classes around their work schedule.

“If we reduce the travel time between classes and work, more students will probably be on campus,” Dickson-Peters said.

Dickson-Peters said that though Pierce has already done great things for its students, there is still more to be done.

“Now is the time to start the conversation about the college experience,” Dickson-Peters said.

kberenson.roundupnews@gmail.com not had to pay the ransom, and just pulled from our backup,” Bass said. dnovazski.roundupnews@gmail.com

Jill Binsley, member of Pierce’s IT Committee, feels secure that the Los Angeles Community College District is taking the proper precautions to ensure cyber security.

“I am confident that cybersecurity is a top priority at Pierce and at the district level. I know they are doing everything possible to prevent another attack,” Binsley said.

Molecular demonstrations, infographic posters and slideshow presentations packed the Great Hall as guest speakers engaged with students during Pierce’s first STEM week.

STEM week gave students an opportunity to ask questions and connect with professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics from Feb. 22 to 23.

Counselor Lily Duong said she began working in October to bring the panel together for the opportunity to give students insight into the “real world of the STEM industries.”

One of the guests at the event was Officer Jinha Kim of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). She said LAPD is actively looking to recruit new members.

According to Kim, LAPD begins an academy course every four weeks. With many officers retiring soon,

Kim said the LAPD wants to keep their numbers full.

"We are definitely looking for more female officers, officers in the African American community and Asian Pacific Islanders. Those are the areas we are underrepresented within the department," Kim said.

Professor Nazaret Dermendjian, department chair of Civil Engineering and Construction Management at Cal. State Northridge, emphasized the idea that the world is so virtually connected that many believe there is no need for physical communication skills.

“Put the damn phones down and talk to each other, for goodness sake,” Dermendjian said.

According to Tracie Ponder, the founder and executive director of B-STEM, people still need to engage in the real world despite an increase in virtual communication. She also spoke about the importance of creating links with people who share the same interests.

Neftali Aguilera, the president of the Society for Professional Hispanic Engineers, encouraged students to push past failure, just as he had done.

“You just need to look and understand that failure is nothing to be ashamed of,” Aguilera said. “No matter if you aren’t proficient in a certain STEM field, there is always something out there.” wpesantes.roundupnews@gmail.com

Jean-Carlo Palacios works through the Center for Community College Partnerships at the University of California, Los Angeles, and said that there should be a demand from students entering STEM, regardless of its complexity. “I want to be able to have students be more enthused about getting into a field that is difficult because of the challenges that it provides and obviously, the academic rewards that it can give you,” Palacios said. Palacios said he hopes to inspire students considering a career in STEM.