Volume 128 Spring 2018 Roundup Issue 8

2 doubles teams and 3 singles players move on to state tourney

After no tournament play for two consecutive seasons, tennis made a comeback, taking the

Western State West Conference Doubles title on Friday, April 13. Gavin Dail and Darvel Lossangoye are the WSC Doubles Champions, defeating Priyank Soni and Adrien Etiemble of Ventura College, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 15-13.

Gavin Dail lost in the semifinals for the WSC Singles title to Ventura College’s Solal Cherqui.

Although Gavin Dail did not win the singles title, he still advances to the Ojai State Tournament alongside teammates

Lossangoye and Siraj Dail. Doubles teams Gavin Dail and Lossangoye and Siraj Dail and Daniel Garcia also advance to Ojai.

The state tournament starts with the Men’s California Community College Team

Championship on Wednesday, April 25, at the Pierpont Racquet Club in Ventura, Calif.

The Brahmas find out the date of when the singles and doubles matches on in the days prior to Thursday, April 26 in Oxnard, Calif.

The tournament ends on Sunday, April 29, with the Men’s Doubles Semifinals at 8 a.m., Men’s Singles Finals at 11 a.m. and the Men’s Doubles Finals at 2 p.m.

A big community on a small stage

UMOJA hosts open mic opening up a creative platform

Sherrie Bradford delivered an original poem about the struggles and successes that she and her family faced, which led many people in the crowd to stand and

cheer while wiping tears from their faces.

Bradford was one of many that performed Thursday, April 12, during UMOJA’s first open mic. The event was a outlet for different types of expression including musical performance, poetry readings, dance performances, artwork displays and food submissions.

Editor-in-Chief Katie Elliot of literary magazine Directions was excited to witness people on campus bold enough to

be on stage to share their stories.

“[The open mic night] is just such a vulnerable place and a place where rough drafts are okay and where messing up is okay,” Elliot said.

UMOJA counselor Melody Smith said all of the 13 participants did great and she appreciated their bravery in getting up on stage and was excited to see everyone encourage the performers.

“I felt like the community was really

Cast your ballet online ASO elections are next week starting

select a Pierce presence to represent you, not only on campus, but also on the state level,” Conrady-Wong said.

Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga said that students who run for election show initiative and care for the college and its community.

April 23

are encouraged to vote on behalf of each campus they are enrolled in.

“You’ll see the candidates for your campus and the student trustees. If you’re taking classes at Harbor, Valley and Pierce, you get to vote on all of those campuses, but only one trustee,” she said.

there and there was a lot of support in the audience for the students going up,” Smith said. Smith said that part of what UMOJA is doing with events like this is reaching out and finding different ways to get involved on campus. Smith said that the open mic night created an opportunity for students to have an outlet to express themselves creatively.

Pierce’s literary magazine Directions joined in collaboration with the event and presented a confession booth where students wrote down and submitted anonymous submissions.

Elliot said she created the confession booth to catch the students that wanted to express themselves but did not feel confident enough to go onstage.

Students seeking representation on campus will have the opportunity to amplify their voices and cast their ballots for Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) new student trustee and the 2018-19 Associated Student Organization (ASO) officers on April 23.

Student Engagement Coordinator Lara Conrady-Wong said the elections will span the course of a week, beginning April 24, and students will vote online.

“Voting is a privilege. I would encourage all students to be engaged in this opportunity to

“They have this commitment for what they want to do in this world, and they want to play a role in making our campus better,” Astorga said. “It prepares them to really think about future opportunities when they transfer from a community college to a four-year university. Hopefully it can grow to other opportunities in the future.”

Conrady-Wong said once students receive an email asking them to vote, those interested may log into a web portal using their SIS password.

Conrady-Wong said students

The physical ease of the voting process should encourage more students to vote, Conrady-Wong said.

Conrady-Wong organized a candidate forum in the Student Engagement Center on Wednesday, April 11 to introduce students to the faces and platforms of their tentative leaders.

Marek Jansin, the candidate for ASO treasurer, and Janvi “Isha” Pasricha, the candidate for ASO president, were in class during the forum and had their statements read in their absence.

Shae Hammond / Roundup

Sherrie Bradford reads a poem in front of the crowd at the UMOJA Open Mic event in the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on April 12, 2018.

Quote gathered by Danielle Padilla. Photo by Natatlie Miranda

In sports, everyone has their role. Players play, coaches coach, and, at the college level, the athletic director oversees it all.

They all have full plates on a daily basis. But what happens when they’re asked to do even more? Whose responsibility is it to inform the public and media that a game has been rescheduled or moved? Who gets the scores online for those that weren’t at the game?

Pierce is lacking a key piece to the athletic department, a sports information director/specialist.

An SID/S is the public relations specialist for athletic departments, who, according to the LACCD, “Performs a variety of paraprofessional and technical public relation duties designed to publicize, promote, and document inter-collegiate athletic programs, games, events, and athletics at a college, build campus spirit, and enhance the visibility of the athletic program with local media outlets and the public.”

The College Sports Information Directors of America offers a far more in-depth description of what an SID does for a school. Editor, publisher, statistician, historian, event manager, media liaison, budget manager, webmaster and publisher are all hats frequently worn by an SID.

These are all tasks that are otherwise put on the shoulders of people with many other responsibilities.

While no school in the district employs one, the LACCD lists the job of Sports Information Specialist on the salary schedule with a salary of about $50,00060,000 per year. Taking the initiative of being the first in the district to have an SID/S could separate Pierce athletics from the other eight schools in the district, giving an advantage in recruiting local talent.

In the Western State Conference, nine of 18 schools

-Corrections-

Volume 128, Issue 7:

Page 2: Streetbeat photos were taken by Natalie Miranda

Page 3: "The virtual world of counselors" was written by Rosa Ortega.

"Efficent with solar panels" was written by Cameron Kern.

Page 9: In "From ASL to EIC and ESPN" Edward Aschoff's name was mispelled.

See any corrections we missed?

Email us at newsroom. roundupnews@gmail.com

employ someone in the sports information director/specialist/ officer role. A tenth, Allan Hancock College, has a director of public affairs and communications for the athletic department.

Quite often, even when it is a small program, athletics are the visible aspect of a school. Success in sports has shown an increase in enrollment at universities, known as “the Flutie effect,” named for quarterback Doug Flutie, who, in 1984, led Boston College to a last-second victory

KARAN KAPOOR Reporter @KaranRoundup

against the University of Miami. BC applications increased by 30 percent, according to an article from forbes.com.

According to that same Forbes article, teams with unexpected runs in the NCAA men’s basketball championship also see an increase in enrollment. While these are seen on a greater scale than the community college level, any increase would be beneficial.

An SID/S would put the success of Brahmas sports, both current and former, front-and-center,

Pro: Give me all the politics

students change their major at least once prior to graduation,” Friedman wrote.

possibly drawing in both more athlete and non-athlete students. Enrollment numbers and finances are down, so any boost to the student body would be a positive. Pierce athletics lacks an online presence as well. There is no social media account for the athletic department as a whole, and few individual sports have a presence. The department website hasn’t been updated in nearly two years. Pierce’s main website has issues that need addressing as well. The athletic site should not be dumped

onto the same IT plate if any progress is expected on either.

It’s not a matter of someone not doing their job. Coaches aren’t full-time employees at Pierce, and Athletic Director Moriah Van Norman has a laundry list of responsibilities. An SID/S would take excess work from the rest of the department and put Pierce athletics on the radar of prospective athletes, students and the general public.

newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

A primary goal in college is to explore a diverse environment that assists one in developing a sense of self and widening their horizons.

College serves as a location that provides a plethora of ethnicities, sexual orientations and, perhaps most importantly, political ideals.

Student politics are vital in providing college students with information on issues happening on and off campus.

The First Amendment of the Constitution allows for us to speak freely and express our ideas without presenting a clear and present danger. Doing so also allows students to constantly spread messages to their fellow peers and open their eyes and ears to issues that directly affect them.

The time a student spends in college is crucial in sparking one’s interest in a particular field and discovering one’s true identity.

Liz

Friedman,

author of The Pennsylvania State University article, “The Developmental Disconnect in Choosing a Major: Why Institutions Should Prohibit Choice until Second Year,” writes that many students enter college unsure of which field to study.

“An estimated 20 to 50 percent of students enter college as ‘undecided,’ and 75 percent of

Students who are undecided upon entering college need an outlet of information to serve as motivation for choosing a specific major. That outlet can be student politics.

Student politics not only act as an agent of socialization that broadens student’s understanding on what is going on in and outside of their individual communities, they also help students decide their career goals, and act as tools for unification.

During the a march against gun violence on March 14, many students all over the country, regardless of their political views, joined together to protest gun reform. They did it in honor of the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who lost their lives in a senseless act of violence.

Many will look at politics as a gateway to the inevitable — opposition. But not enough people see the positives politics can provide.

Indeed, we all have the right to refrain from politics, but it will never hurt to open your mind to others perspectives, especially if you are still a young college student, still maturing and trying to find your place in the world.

Photographers:

DOMINIQUE DUNGO Reporter @dominiquedungo

Mentioning politics on a college campus is not the main focus of an education, and is therefore unimportant. Including student politics to college campus life is unnecessary and a distraction to what students come to school for.

Student-run politics on a college campus screams “out of control.” The responsibility the students take on and the actions that they are expected to take are stressful.

Students go to school to attend their classes and continue their day by working or going home to complete additional tasks. Adding an additional extracurricular activity, like student politics, overwhelms their schedule and isn't a good idea.

In the U.S. News article, “Research Campus Politics to Find Right College,” author Briana Boyington wrote that being a college student who is in a minority group is difficult enough without added stressors.

“Add campus protests, controversial federal policies and violence against black, brown, Muslim and LGBT students and safety and poor emotional health also became issues,” Boyington wrote. It is important to share political

Cartoonist:

views, especially as a college student. But giving students the free will to say and do what they want because of student politics can be thought of as going overboard.

Students attend college and take classes that are needed for them to further their education. As soon as politics are added into students lifestyle’s, it is yet another distraction added on to busy schedules.

Giving all students an opportunity to speak and protest about how they feel about a certain subject going on in their campus can be unpredictable and disruptive.

Many students wish they could change things on their campus, but not enough put effort into helping one another or starting any kind of protest or movement.

Students who are free to share and take action of their political thoughts and views hold a sense of power that they will be able to use and take advantage of.

Giving students the freedom which exists within the student politics present at colleges is a distraction and doesn't help the way college is supposed to function.

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 Noah Goldbloom

Photos by Natalie Miranda

"Theagriculturalside[of campus]needstoberedone. Itlooksveryunorganized, and it could be better and tended to."

-BrysonWesley,22,Dance

“Classroomsareprettysmall. There are 45 students and notenoughseats.Iwould probablychnagethat. "

-NaomiRaepowdrell,20,Music

“I want the school to be holisticandforeveryoneto feelliketheybelonghere."

-KimberlyCamacho,22, AnthropologyandBiology

*For advertising call Matt at (818) 710-2960

Con: A political nightmare

"Firstandforemost,Iwould saytoreducethepriceof thecafe,becauseIcango thereforeightdollarsornine dollars.Asastudent,thatʼs notcheap."

-AbhijitChhabra,21, Accounting

Cartoon by Randi Love

Gym facility remodeling

$400,000 project

CAMERON KERN Reporter @ckernroundup

The North and South gyms were reconstructed after a student reportedly slipped and fell, Director of Plant Facilities Paul Nieman said.

“We looked at the flooring, especially in the South Gym. The products that were chosen by the architectural team didn't do well when they got wet, and that expanded into the locker rooms and showers,” Nieman said.

The completion of the project cost more than $400,000 and took about 2-and-a-half months for both gyms. There will be some minor touch ups in spring, Vice President of Administration Services Rolf Schleicher said.

KYA was hired to fix the gyms’ flooring. According to the company’s website, KYA is “an industry specialist in surface solutions, sports fields, athletic courts and sustainable plantscapes.”

Nieman said that this was KYA’s first installment in California.

“This is a product we got under a master agreement, which is wonderful. It has about a 50-year life on it. It’s tested by a lab and it showed a slip coefficient that was higher than what's been required,” Nieman said.

The construction initially began with the pool deck and the pathways to those areas. Nieman said they have also reconstructed the North Gym’s locker rooms and showers, the bathrooms near the pool deck and the South Gym hallways.

“It helps with potential slippage and cuts down any bacteria and viruses that can be on the flooring, which we know can be harbored in water sources,” Schleicher said.

Norman Thatch, a Pierce College student studying theater, said he agrees that Pierce needs to fix the flooring. He said he is frustrated about how his previous schools decided to allocate their funds.

“I can’t stand it when they spend the money on books. We need to improve our school,” Thatch said.

Schleicher said fixing the gym floors is a positive change for students and faculty.

“We are happy it's done. It's a very bureaucratic process we have here. We work through the angles the best we can,” Schleicher said. “Work is never done fast enough to our desires but we do what we can.”

Jansin, who like Pasricha will run unopposed, said in his statement that he hopes to facilitate student success by providing clubs and individuals access to the funds they need to operate.

Pasricha said in her statement that her experience as ASO vice president and a former student senator serves as proof of the dedication with which she will serve her peers.

“I am the kind of person that doesn’t settle for the bare minimum. I have read over and studied the Brown Act,” Pasricha said. “I want to make our campus a place that students not only need to come, but want to come.”

ASO President Efren Lopez said it would be an accomplishment to serve as the next ASO president. He hopes that they will carry on with whatever was accomplished this spring semester.

“What I focus on the most is what we are doing. Whoever the next president is, hopefully they carry on whatever was accomplished. Whether it is the food pantry, or the environmental stuff, or the DACA stuff, hopefully it carries on to the next year,” Lopez said.

Accounting student Raysa Chavez, 22, was one of five peer mentors that occupied the otherwise empty orange couches facing the eastern entrance of the ASO during the candidate forum.

“I am here because, as a peer mentor, I want to get students involved in student activities,” Chavez said. “We have a lot of events, but our students choose

not to get involved. There are free resources, but students choose not to use it.”

Erin Baker, a student senator and president of the Vegan Club, said she too felt listless upon her arrival at Pierce, but that quickly changed after a friend encouraged her to become more involved.

“A lot of people just tell me that no one puts themselves out there.

But if you actually put yourself out there, you’ll get back what you put in,” Baker said.

Although only 418 ballots were cast during the election last spring, Lopez said that students’ involvement “in the civic process that controls their college experience” is increasing. He hopes for a good turnout this year.

Voting will begin on April 23

Rundown Brahma Blotter

These incidents were reported between March 27 - April 12

03/27

Student Incident

A female transient seeking shelter stayed in the Sheriff's Station lobby until morning.

03/27

and end on April 30.

All students in LACCD can vote for ASO candidates in their college and for the student trustee, who represents the students in all nine LACCD schools.

[See pg. 7 for ASO candidates]

roneil.roundupnews@gmail.com

jnathan.roundupnews@gmail.com

Call for campus community building

It's a place to relax in between breaks. It's a center created solely for students. The Student Union Building, by students, for students, can host student engagement and give them resources they need to pursue personal and academic success.

“It’s a place for students, no faculty, student-owned,” ASO Club Council President Kosar Afsari said.

Last semester, ASO proposed to create a student union building to host events, workshops, and provide a place for students to relax in between classes.

ASO created a masterplan that they’ve been discussing at meetings. Senators said they have to prove that this building would benefit the college, according to a rule that states that any building created on campus needs to have an educational purpose.

The student union center was put at a lower priority because college administration moved forward with its plan to replace the old library and create a new instructional building.

ASO President Efren Lopez said they have been receiving more information, thinking of new ideas, and discussing the issue at the senate meetings.

“As an organization, we have a lot of things to accomplish, so the student union building is a huge

initiative,” Lopez said.

ASO Vice President Isha Pasricha said petitioning for construction funds for the building may be difficult because Pierce faced a financial deficit due to low enrollment.

“We’re trying to work on doing a lot of research and trying to see how we could make this masterplan a way for them to not ignore it,” Pasricha said.

Previous ASO senates didn’t know how to approach the subject and bring it to the attention of administration, Lopez said.

“Hopefully, we can set up a framework this semester before ASO changes, to have a proper approach for next year and actually get more results that way,” Lopez said.

Petty Bicycle Theft Unknown suspect stole a bicycle from the handrail of COSC 1504 between 5:45 and 7:45 p.m.

03/28

Battery, Hate Crime

A student reported that he was punched in the face on the Pierce Mall at about 9:28 a.m.

04/10

Petty Bicycle Theft

Lopez said ASO needs to speak to the proper governing bodies of the district, which include: the Board of Trustees, the District Planning Committee, and the Facilities Advisory Committee. Parisha said that in addition to that, they need the support of the student body to be able to move foward with the plan.

Afsari said that if more students bring up this issue, if there are more complaints, and the more that faculty hears about it, then perhaps they’ll make it a priority.

“We need more student engagement. If we had more voices, we could’ve shook these pillars and made sure we had a student union building,” Afsari said.

Unknown suspect stole a wheel and a tire off a bike in the CFS between 7:20 and 10:10 p.m.

04/12

Student Incident

A female student said at 2 p.m. that she was being bothered by a male student she met years ago.

Reported by: Jordan Nathan and Rocio Arenas

Shae Hammond / Roundup

ASO Treasurer Matthew Aguilera, President Efren Lopez, Vice President Isha Pasricha, and Club Council President Kosar Afsari discuss club funding during the weekly senate meeting in Woodland Hills, Calif. on April 17, 2018. Pasricha is running for president.

Students gather in the Great Hall for a Hollywood classic screening hosted by Film Club

Director Billy

Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" showcases

Hollywood’s golden age of cinema as looked through a satirical lens, depicting narcissism, delusion and murder in a classic black and white noir.

Pierce’s Film Club delved into the world of Hollywood with the main character Norma Desmond, an aging and washed up silent film star clinging to relevance in the changing medium of “talkie” films.

The screening was followed by a Q&A session involving club members and professors. The panel discussed women in Hollywood and the themes displayed in the film.

Ken Windrum, film club adviser and instructor of cinema, said the sole purpose of holding these screenings is to educate students.

"I think college should have so many more things like this where people get together, watch something and then get to talk about it after. This event is like an intellectual forum that allows different discussion. These screenings are education," Windrum said.

Windrum said the students voted on displaying the movie they screened for the event.

"The students chose the theme

for films that were about L.A., and they thought to show an old movie about what Hollywood was like back then. This is the best classic movie about Hollywood," Windrum said.

Teryn Eikenberry, former vice president of film club and tutor, said the Q&A panel adds substance

to the screening.

“Speaking as a past panelist and as a student, this opportunity is very unique and odd. If you are someone who likes film, just to be able to study it and speak about it to people is really exhilarating.

The panel enhances the experience of the screening by offering an

intellectual basis," Eikenberry said.

Jacky Torres, sociology student, said this was her first time at a Film Club event.

"I'm not really one to watch old black-and-white movies, but this one was really cool, it really interested me. I'd like to watch more movies. I'd come again,"

Torres said.

The Film Club will be hosting a screening of “La La Land” on Monday, April 23, at 2 p.m. in the Great Hall.

gbecerra.roundupnews@gmail.com

Elliot said she wants to see events like this grow. She said the performances portrayed struggles and triumph as she was proud to see her peers stand up and be vulnerable sharing their stories.

“I think college students are so expected to have it together and we just don't sometimes. We are expected to be adults but we still feel like children and this was a place to be exactly that - to be a child in an adult role and express the challenges of that or different experiences,” Elliot said.

Student Ruth Murillo sang a piece called “Sabor a Mi” (A Taste of You). She was originally supposed to be accompanied by a friend but ended up doing the performance alone.

This was Murillo’s first open mic performance but she has sang many times at her church.

Murillo said she felt empowered and inspired by the performers and hopes to participate in more events like this in the future.

The performance that stood out the most to Murillo was Sherrie Bradford reciting an original poem over music and she shared many personal experiences.

Bradford pointed out all the people in her life and on campus that showed her support and became a part of her family.

Faith Amoussou said it was great to see all the creativity in the room and was excited to perform, support and encourage her peers. Amoussou said, “I felt really comfortable performing. It feels like a community and I am happy to be a part of it.”

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Bleu Briggs/ Roundup

Psychology Professor Jennifer Moses, English Professor Brad Saenz, and Ritchie McMullen at the panel for the movie Sunset Boulevard in the

GLORIA BECERRA Reporter @gloriab75636814

She’s present and accounted for CAS tutor shares experience of life amid Syrians armed conflicts

house,’” Hanounek said.

Poised while seated with at table of accounting students in the tutoring center, Talar Hanounek’s eye contact and bright smile suggests a focused woman. But her serenity belies a background upset by conflict and war.

Hanounek is a single mother of twin 6-year-old boys who emigrated from Syria in 2015 due in part to a difficult divorce and partly because of the war. Aside from parenting her sons Zohrab and Khoren, Hanounek tutors at Pierce College and attends her last semester of classes in her Accounting Master’s degree program at California State University, Northridge.

In spite of the ongoing conflict between ISIS and the Syrian military, Hanounek said she and her family lived comfortably in their home country and had a very good life.

Hanounek said she was born in the States, but she was raised in Aleppo, Syria by two Armenian engineers. Hanounek said she spent her summers in Kessab, a small village along the Mediterranean Sea close to all-natural loreal trees.

In Kessab, Hanounek said her father constructed 10-12 distinct homes and an organic soap factory, but didn’t imagine at the time that he and his family would have to use their vacation home there as a refuge from the conflict in Aleppo.

Hanounek said that, in 2014, the growing intensity of the war in Aleppo, including the lack of electricity, caused her family to deviate from their normal wintersummer housing rhythm and relocate to Kessab for the winter months.

“So when ISIS came, we said ‘let’s go spend the winter in that

Hanounek said her family was preparing a Mother’s Day meal two weeks after they arrived in town when friends called and shared that they had heard rumors about a potential ISIS invasion of their refuge, which was only a stone’s throw away from Turkey.

“I didn’t realize that night would be my last day at the house,” Hanounek said.

Hanounek said she and her family were awakened by another phone call.

“Our friends called us again and told us we need to leave everything. ISIS attacked, and who helped them? The Turkish army,” she said.

Hanounek said she woke up to the sound of rackets all around her and that her departure was fraught and chaotic.

“Me, my twin boys, my mom, my dad, my sister and our two servants didn’t take anything. I was wearing PJs,” Hanounek said.

Hanounek said the Syrian Army helped citizens of Kessab escape by opening roads, which allowed her and her family to return to Aleppo.

“That was the last day we were in that house. I loved that house, I have memories from my childhood there,” Hanounek said.

Hanounek said the ISIS occupation was short-lived, and two months later, when her father returned, their home was still intact, though in no shape to live in. Similarly, the soap factory was out of commision because the expensive machinery used to process the natural ingredients had been sold in Turkish markets.

Hanounek said the wrecked family piano, torn art created by her father and drowned icons were hard for her father to process upon his return, and that the messages her family received from their former gardener were unpredictably disturbing.

“He took a picture of our two dogs and sent my father the picture and said, ‘Look, I’m going to kill them.’ He said, ‘See, I’m sitting in your house,’” Hanounek said.

Now, Hanounek said she balances her identity as an accounting tutor

in her last semester of California Stat University, Northridge’s Accounting masters program. Hanounek attributes her academic success to God and a support system made up of her family and academic advisors.

Stefan Ignatovski, accounting professor, said Talar was in all of the classes he has taught in Pierce College.

Ignatovski said, in Hanounek’s case, honesty is really the best policy.

“She knows how to work hard. She’s very motivated and she wants to take every opportunity,” Ignatovski said. “She has a strong intellect and doesn’t shy away from sharing her knowledge with others. She’s the student every professor wants.”

Hanounek said that she greatly appreciates Ignatovski’s inspiration as a teacher.

“Professor Stefan is one of the best accounting professors at Pierce. He was my advisor in everything, motivating me in everything. I owe this guy, really,” she said.

Hanounek said Ignatovski is responsible for convincing her that she should apply for her master’s degree rather than pursuing an undergraduate education she already received in Syria, where she received a bachelor’s degree in business management with a specialization in marketing.

Hanounek has maintained a position as an accounting tutor at the Center for Academic Success (CAS). Crystal Kiekel, the director of CAS, said Hanounek’s commitment to the students and the process of learning has repeatedly awed her.

“There have been multiple occasions where when I arrive to campus around 7 o’clock, Talar is already here. I will step out of my office periodically, and she seems to never move, when the day is over it appears as if she has down 8 hours of work, without stopping for a break once,” Kiekel said.

Kiekel said Hanounek’s passion for her chosen field mark her as a positive example to those she works with.

“She has a certain excitement that is transferable. She can transfer her joy for learning to others, which is a key quality of a good educator,” Kiekel said.

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When he was a reporter for the Pierce College Roundup, he attended the Journalism Association Community College Convention and won first place for best news story.

In 2018, he returned to the JACC Convention as a guest speaker to pass on his knowledge and experience to younger journalists.

Steve LeVine was the editorin-chief of the Roundup during the late 70s. He said that many of his peers at the time were veterans of the Vietnam War, and served as unique examples to younger members of the Roundup.

“They just inspired everyone. They had lived these larger-thanlife times and all of that wisdom that comes with being in those situations, and so we had really great investigative journalism, big stories and scandals on campus involving theft,” LeVine said.

LeVine said his advisors at Pierce taught him to follow their footsteps. During his JACC speech, he shared tips with young journalists on how to find big stories and be successful in investigative reporting.

LeVine said he had a big story when he was at Pierce that his advisors encouraged him to go after.

“I think it was called the sports club and it was a way for outside supporters of the sports program to donate money and support the football team and the basketball, but they were spending the money in ways they weren’t supposed to be spending it. There were strict rules on how they could spend the money. We broke that story, and

so I did that story,” LeVine said.

Michael Rosenthal, Former Sports Editor of The Roundup, said LeVine was a big influence on him during his years at Pierce. When LeVine transferred to a university in Fresno, Rosenthal and a few other members of the Roundup followed him.

“I, personally, had not been serious about much of anything until that point, and a few years later, here I am. I made a whole career out of it,” Rosenthal said. “Really, that’s where it started. That was the genesis of the whole thing.”

JACC Faculty President Judy House said she invited LeVine to speak at the convention because his experience makes him a good role model.

“He’s really smart and he’s got so much experience, and I think it’s important that he was involved in JACC. That’s where he started, and look at him now,” House said.

LeVine is now the Future Editor for a news website called Axios. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and daughters.

Stephen Nicholson / Roundup

Accounting major Talar Hanounek sits in Center for Academic Success in the Library Learning Crossroads at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Calif., on March 24, 2018.

REBECCA O’NEIL Reporter @RebeccaRoundup

ROSA ORTEGA Reporter @RosaGabOrtega

“He’s really smart and he’s got so much experience, and I think it’s really important that he was involved in JACC.”

-Judy House Faculty President, JACC

Randi Love / Roundup

Steve LeVine delivers the keynote speech for the Journalism Association of Community Colleges convention on March 22, 2018 at the Los Marriott Hotel Burbank Hotel, in Burbank Calif.

Spring into the Botanical Gardens!

During the past few years, the campus has undergone construction and upgrades to improve the look and feel of Pierce. In the center of the campus sits the Botanical Garden, which once had sewage problems and broken benches. The garden, centered between the Elm, English and Social Sciences buildings, boasts an array of native California

plants around the turtle pond, as well as new benches throughout the area where students and faculty can relax and enjoy their surroundings.

Evolution Walk is the path through the Botanical Garden, which traces a variety of animal species from the Cambrian Era to the present.

Top : A humming bird drinks nectar from a flower in the Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 19, 2018.

Middle Left : Students walk through the Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 14, 2018.

Middle Right : William Escobar reads a book while sitting on a bench in the Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 14, 2018.

Bottom Left : A turtle walks through the Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 14, 2018.

Bottom Right : A bee pollenates a flower in the Botanical Garden at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 14, 2018.

Photos by Erick Salgado. Copy by Randi Love

Meet the Candidates

Take the time to learn about the potential new ASO President and Treasurer prior to elections beginning Monday, April 23

Name: Janvi (Isha) Pasricha

Age: 20

Year in school: Going into third year

Major: Political Science

Position running for: President

Previous Political Experience: ASO Vice President, on Board of Directors for Student Senate for California Community Colleges

Future political goals: none

What made you interested in politics? It has the potential to make a difference and help people.

What do you want to accomplish if elected? I want to help start a student-ran business

What does student government mean to you? It is a privileged platform to help thousands of students to have their voices heard on state level.

What do you want the student body to know about you? My experience, time commitment and potential proves my eligibility to be President

But what about the Vice President and Club Council?

With no candidates running for the positions, the Vice President and Club Council will be elected from next semester's senate, voted on by their peers.

Name: Marek Jansin

Age: 19

Year in school: First Year

Major: Business Administration

Treasurer

Position running for:

Previous Political Experience: internship at Council member Paul Koretz’s office

ASO Senator,

Future political goals: none at the moment. I plan to stay in the private sector

What do you want to accomplish if elected? I want to use the student dollars more efficiently and really make a difference in the college environment. I also want there to be greater transparency between college leadership and the student body

What does student government mean to you? Student government is the link between the student body and the leadership of our college. Through the student government, students are able to voice their concerns and know that they will be represented and accounted for when decisions affecting them are made

What do you want the student body to know about you? I’m going to go to work for you to make sure each and every one of you has access to the funds you need to do the projects that will make our community better. I will also work hard to make sure you have the support and resources to accomplish your goals here at Pierce.

What do you need to know about the election?

• Voting is exclusively online through Votenet

• Online polls are open Monday, April 23, 8 a.m - Monday, April 30, 11:59 p.m.

• Voting across all 9 LACCD campuses is online

• Log in to SIS or portal to vote

• Students may vote for ASO board members for all LACCD campuses enrolled at, and once for Student Trustee

by Beck Shields

Swimming towards her goals

Water polo player brings her energy to the swim team

Preview:

LA Valley College

FELIPE GAMINO Sports Editor @fgamino13

The Brahmas will look to put their loss against Palomar College behind them as they face The LA Valley College Monarchs on Saturday as the rivalry is renewed between both teams.

Gabe Curtier had three runs in the game followed by Mike Scolaro, Bryce Vitt, Brandon Lewis, and Diego Harris with two. JJ Gonzalez also had a run in the game.

The team is 4-0 against the Monarchs this season as they look to continue the run in this weekend’s

fixture.

The Brahmas though did get a big win over their crosstown rival when they beat 15-1 on Wednesday, Mar. 14.

Pierce has an overall record of 1716 as they sit in second place behind the Bakersfield College Renegades with a 11-5 conference record. Brandon Lewis was the hero in their game on Mar. 17 when he scored a homerun which gave them the comeback win by a score of 5-4. The Monarchs are 13-24 overall losing to the LA Mission College Eagles 8-7 in Saturday’s game. The game begins at 1 p.m. at Joe Kelly Field.

Brahma of the Week

Morgan Wadlow

Sport: Volleyball

Position: Outside hitter

Class: Freshman

While most infants and children are learning the basics of swimming, for Cassidy Hoffman it is about improving on her times and striving to be the best in and outside the water.

Hoffman had a love for swimming when she was in the fourth grade. Her swimming skills develop her into a competitive swimmer when she joined the swim team in her freshman year of high school before coming to Pierce.

Hoffman said it was her friends that introduced her to the sport and she has enjoyed it ever since.

“I first started swimming at

the Calabasas Tennis And Swim Center,” Hoffman said. “My friends introduced me to swimming and once I started I really loved it and really enjoyed it so I have been swimming every since.”

Hoffman said that she gives credit to her high school swim coach Brandon Stevens for her success in swimming.

“He was not only a coach but he was there for me mentally and emotionally and always push me to do my best” Hoffman said.

In addition to swimming, Hoffman is also a part of the water polo team. She said its the sport that she plays the most.

“I love playing water polo a lot it is probably my favorite sport,” Hoffman said. “In my freshman year of high school I found out that water polo was in the fall semester and swimming is in the spring

semester. So I said hey I will try out for water polo and I fell in love with it every since and I can see myself playing it until I am in a wheelchair.”

Hoffman said she is undecided on what university she wants to go to after Pierce. She doesn't know what her major will be however, she is considering to major in something that deals with sports.

Hoffman is unsure whether she will be competing in the Olympics, but mentioned that she would do great if she makes it to that level.

“I am not sure if I will make it that far but if I do that would be great,” Hoffman said.

Head Coach Judi Terhar describes Hoffman’s personality and her athletic ability.

“She is an excellent water polo player and this is her first year swimming with us,” Terhar said.

“Right now we are working on getting her into shape both in water polo and swimming” Everyday she works hard and does everything we ask her to do.”

Terhar says that Hoffman knows how to put a smile on peoples face with her humor.

“She is funny and knows how to get people laughing,” Terhar said.

Assistant Coach Mircea Pitariu described Hoffman as a great athlete.

“I think that she is a very natural athlete and externally talented in everything she does,” Pitariu said. “She is a great person on the team because she keep the mood light hearted and fun. Especially in a sport like swimming you need people like that to keep the team going.”

rjespinoza.roundupnews@gmail.com

High School: El Camino

Real

21 kills in the games against the Vaqueros and the Mauraders.

Team finishes undefeated in conference play. What is the feeling?

“At the beggining of the season we had a little rough start but we managed to come together as a unit."

Playoffs coming up. How do you prepare individually?

“I just go over what I have to do for that game. Who are the good hitters and where I'm at and prepare myself for Friday."

How do you feel about you overall performance in the final two conference games?

“I felt I did pretty good in those games.”

What are your plans after Pierce?

“Transfer to a four-year. I would love to play at CSUN or Concordia. Whatever God plans. Trust the process."

RICHARD ESPINOZA Reporter @EspinozaReport

Navodya Dharmasiriwardena/Roundup

Pierce College swim team member Cassidy Hoffman warming up with the breaststroke at the Pierce College swimming pool in Woodland Hills, Calif. on April 16, 2018

The man behind the team's success

Despite early struggles, Long Dao is having the best season as head coach

KARAN KAPOOR Reporter @KaranRoundup

From ball boy to head coach, Long Dao encourages his players to embrace their community college start.

Dao said he began playing tennis competitively in high school. He continued playing the sport at Pierce, where he eventually became head coach for the men’s tennis team in 2015 after spending five years as assistant coach.

Dao said his first year was rough because he was not officially named head coach until the first day of that fall semester. As a result, Dao said he was unable to advertise the program, and he was only able get the bare minimum of players to form the team.

Despite these struggles, Dao said this year has been his best season as head coach.

“We’ve slowly built the team to where we are now,” Dao said. “We’re second in the conference, and we have a pretty strong team. Half of the guys are going to the state championships with the potential of two more, so I’m pretty happy with how things have progressed.”

It took a few years, but Dao said extolling the benefits of playing at community college helped turn the program around.

“First and foremost, we wanted to show all the local players that we are here,” Dao said. “We wanted to show them that you shouldn’t have that stigma that you couldn’t make it to a fouryear if you start at a community college. From what I’ve learned and experienced, it’s such a great start that it is often overlooked.”

Dao said he started his playing

Preview:

career too late, and this is one of the reasons he decided coaching was the path meant for him.

“I knew my limits when it came to playing, and it’s not that I didn’t believe in myself,” Dao said. “I

just knew it would be a little bit tougher, so I wanted to find a way to stay within the game. Being

able to impart knowledge and the love for the sport to the younger generation just made it more fun.”

Dao said he tries to maintain an honest relationship with his players.

“The first thing I say to my players is that I’m not going to lie to them,” Dao said. “I’m not going to pump their egos or held their hand with anything. I just want them to grow as people, students and players.”

Dao said this approach allows for more openness and cooperation among team members, and offers an environment where players and coaches can communicate with one another if they have a problem or if they simply want to share something that is going well in their lives.

Daniel Vinterfeld said his love for tennis has grown under Dao.

“He’s into keeping his players on track,” Vinterfeld said. “For example, if one were to choose athletics over school, he’ll make sure to let you know school is just as important and that you can excel in every aspect.”

Gavin Dail credits Dao for helping him improve mentally as a player. Dail also said Dao’s knowledge as a player has helped him grow.

“He’s very motivating,” Dail said. “He used to be a player himself, so he knows all these tournaments and who and what to look out for. He pushes us to do our best, and he’s not too strict. He can relate to the players very well since he was in our position before.”

Dao has confidence that his players will perform well in their tournaments.

“I don’t like to say we’ll win for sure, but I am optimistic that the guys will do well,” Dao said.

kkapoor.roundupnews@gmail.com

Brahmas host Hornets in the regional round of playoffs

GAMINO Sports Editor @fgamino13

The No. 4 Brahmas host the no. 5 Fullerton College Hornets in the first round of regionals

with the winner advancing to the state tournament which will be held at Fullerton.

The volleyball team got the win over the Antelope Valley College Marauders in four sets to finish conference play undefeated.

With the win they improved their overall record to 11-6.

Cole Chea who lead the team in kills this season had 18 kills in the game against the Marauders, while Morgan Wadlow had 10.

Captain Bernardo Roese had

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Starts on June 15, 2018

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47 assists in the game including three service aces. The Hornets come into the game with a 11-7 overall record losing their game against Irvine Valley College in four sets.

Garett Geiger leads the

Hornets in kills this season with 162, followed by Kyle Young who had 134.

The previous time these two teams faced off the Hornets came back from two sets down to win the game in the final set 15-13 in

the Brahmas' home opener. The game is on Friday, April 20, at 6 p.m. at Ken Stanley Court.

fgamino.roundupnews@gmail.com

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Program Details: This non-credit

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FELIPE