Volume 138 Spring 2023 Roundup Issue 3

Music instructors take the stage

The Pierce College Samba Club is open to anybody who loves music and culture

BY NICOLE KHAIT Reporter

With surdo bass drums beating and striking sounds of Agogo bells ringing, the percussive sound of Brazil made its way to the hills of Pierce College.

The Pierce Faculty Recital Concert was held at the Performing Arts Building Thursday, playing Brazilian samba music and classical pieces as well.

The performers included clarinetist Ryan Espinosa, percussionist Kevin Good and pianist Jason Stoll.

The recital’s opening number premiered the new Pierce samba club, which included four students playing alongside Good.

Good said that he wanted to make sure people know the cultural context of the music.

“It's music that's meant to be played by a community, not necessarily trained musicians,” Good said. “It's just coming with the spirit of wanting to learn new things, learn about this music, and play with other people.”

Good teaches percussion classes at Pierce and wanted students to have the opportunity to learn new instruments and explore different cultural music. Good also started the

Pierce Samba Club, a new percussion club that focuses on Brazilian samba music.

“I love teaching that music and love playing that music,” Good said. “I just wanted to be able to do more with it. So I suggested in our rehearsals, if people were interested, maybe we could continue it as a club. And eventually, maybe make it into a class.”

Espinosa, the applied music instructor, played two clarinet solos.

Espinosa teaches clarinet at Pierce and will be the musical director for the upcoming Pierce production of “Rent.”

“The things that I sort of bring to the campus are my own musical

experiences. I go perform out and I bring those experiences to students,” said Espinosa. “When you’re a musician, a lot of times you bring your outside professional experiences back to the classroom.”

Stoll accompanied Espinosa in an melodic instrumental duet. The combination of the lyrical piano tone, and the sharp, rhythmic sound of the clarinet emerged smoothly. Both musicians played with passion and force, leaving the room filled with ecstatic energy.

“It is a very challenging piece so we had to do it slowly a few times and kind of workout ensemble issues,” Espinosa said. “But a lot of the fun in doing that kind of work

and being collaborative is that we run into issues that we don't get to do in our solo practices. So preparation wise, I felt pretty confident in the concert today.”

Pierce student Maurice Klein attended the faculty recital, as he said he is a music lover himself. He expressed his passion for music and live concerts.

“I enjoy concerts and the more I come, the more interested I get,” said Klein. “I picture myself sitting on stage, performing for people, and it has been my hobby ever since I was little.”

Espinosa shared a few words of encouragement and wisdom for

young, aspiring musicians at Pierce College.

“All the little things that you're doing right now in preparation for your next performance is a step to your future,” Espinosa said. “They're not there to expect perfection. They're just expecting excellence, and that's your role to have. Strive for excellence, not perfection.”

The Pierce Samba Club is open to anyone who wants to learn about Brazilian music and the culture surrounding it, and no prior musical context or background is required to join.

Academic Senate Meets IRL

For the first time in three years, meetings are back in person on campus

BY JENNIFER TANZIL & SOPHIA CANO

Reporters

The Academic Senate at Pierce College returned to campus Monday, marking their first meeting in person since Covid restrictions shut down schools.

The meeting was held live in the 600 Building as well as on Zoom to discuss curriculum policy updates as well as other items on the agenda.

Interim President Ara Aguiar discussed updates on the campus pools, which were shut down in October due to damages.

Aguiar didn’t have an exact answer on when the pools would be fixed, but she was able to give some more information as to where the repairs stand.

“They’ve completed one level of assessment,” Aguiar said. “They’ve established that there are some chemical title agents that

are negatively impacting all of the infrastructure.”

The pools are expected to go through more levels of assessment to find out how much damage there is and to determine the costs of repairs.

Academic Senate Treasurer Alex Villata proposed a budget that is almost $3,000 higher than the 20212022 school year budget.

“You can see the differences this year from last year due to price changing and inflation,” Villata said.

He also added that a yearly $3,000 check from the ESA is still available and must be spent before the Mar 30 deadline.

Villata and others proposed that in the future, the Senate will have to consider increasing academic dues and make hard choices on expenditures. Currently, there isn’t much participation in paying academic dues.

Articulation Officer Cristina Rodriguez announced that the school will receive word on decisions made regarding the courses that were

submitted for General Education (GE) review in May.

The new California General Education Transfer Curriculum (CalGETC) requirements are also set to be revealed then. “A memo from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges was released indicating that the CalGETC will be the only general education pathway for the Associate Degree for Transfer,” Rodriguez said.

She also mentioned that the California State University (CSU) system, however, has no plan to discontinue the CSU GE breadth pattern.

More information on transfer degree requirements will come in May.

Associated Student Organization President Qais Azizi provided a reminder about ASO meeting times, which are Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in the ASO conference room.

ASO will be holding elections for the fall semester. The election will include senator, officer and student representative positions. In addition to attending the ASO meetings, the elected students will also be expected to attend the academic senate meetings.

“If you happen to know any students, or maybe if you want to spread the word, that’d be great for whoever wants to get involved in student government,” Azizi said.

Azizi encourages students who want to participate in student government and committees to join.

PHOTO BY DANIELA RAYMUNDO.

participate at the first in

PHOTO BY JAY ABRIL. Kevin Good performs at Pierce College Performing Arts Building in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 9, 2023.

PHOTO BY JAY ABRIL. Ryan Espinosa performs on stage at the Pierce College Performing Arts Building in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 9, 2023.

PHOTO BY JAY ABRIL. Jason Stoll plays the xylophone at Pierce College Performing Arts Building in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 9, 2023.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY SHELLMIRE. The Aquatic Center competeitive pool is closed due to copping falling, at Pierce College in Woodland hills Calif., on

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EDITORIAL: From the desk of the Roundup

School should provide gunshot wound kits

Pierce College is a safe campus, but violent acts, such as shootings, can still happen. According to Sandy Hook Promise, 12 children are murdered and 32 are injured daily in America. At this rate, it is only a matter of when the next incident will occur.

LifeSecure said that a gunshot victim can bleed out and die within less than five minutes, making it essential that gunshot wound kits are readily available on campus. The cost of each kit that includes professionally approved items

“RosaParksforwhatshedid.Shefought forherrightsandchangedtheworld.”"

- EstevenAcevedo,architecturemajor.

is approximately $200. Most kits contain but are not limited to: nitrile gloves, EMT scissors, QuickClot hemostatic gauze, gauze pads, Blood Stopper bandages, self-adherent wrap, SWAT-T tourniquet, permanent marker, petroleum gauze, medical tape, moist towelettes and biohazard bags.

This is a small price to pay to keep someone alive until they get to the hospital. Government funding should be sought to cover the cost of the kits and the necessary training to use these resources for

employees and students at Pierce.

During the Saugus High School shooting in Santa Clarita, a student ran into a classroom after being shot. The teacher had a gunshot wound kit and saved the child’s life.

According to World Population Review, there have been 164 school shootings in California in 2023. It is still March.

Providing gunshot wound kits that are typically located by the door or teacher’s desk will improve anxiety levels for students, faculty, and staff. Equipped with supplies for gunshot wounds, these kits help

prevent people from bleeding out if they are impaled by a bullet.

After the 2019 shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, a couple of students who survived created kits specifically meant to be used in case of another school shooting. Pierce needs to be prepared and take responsibility for providing as much protection as possible for every member of the Pierce community. Students, faculty and staff need to be aware of these kits, which could help increase in-

person attendance because students will feel safer. Who would want to have the deaths of others haunting them at night?

By providing gunshot wound kits, there will be less of a chance that Pierce will be on that long list of schools that have lost lives due to shooters.

Paid maternity leave should be a right

BY RUEBEN SANTOS Reporter

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-YasminGonalez,pre-vetmajor

State-mandated paid maternity leave should have existed since the big bang. It just seems unfair to have to go back to work shortly after giving birth for a number of reasons such as sleep deprivation, anxiety, even depression.

An article by Christopher J. Ruhm, entitled “Policies to Assist Parents With Young Children,” says that the idea behind brief maternity leave is meant to promote women’s labor force attachment, whereas longer job absence could endanger women's labor market situation due to the scrutiny of human capital.”

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According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, firms employing at least 50 people within 75 miles of

the work site are required to offer eligible workers 12 weeks of job-protected but unpaid time off work to care for newborn or newly adopted children. However, the firm size and work history requirements imply that only around half of the employees are eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act leave.

Maternity leave is essential. Besides the fact that parents want to bond and care for a newborn, recovery time after pregnancy and birth is also essential.

Director for Health System Transformation

Sarah Coombs said that for the three out of four people who take leave each year for reasons other than maternity or paternity leave, paid leave is also critical.

“Other reasons include caring for other family members or addressing their own serious health

conditions,” Coombs said. “The introduction of paid maternity leave in states such as California, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, & Rhode Island, led to the reduction of both low birth weight and preterm births.”. Coomb also mentioned that the actual length of paid leave does have an impact on maternal and infant health.

“Less than eight weeks of paid leave is linked to a reduction in overall health status and increased depression.” Coomb said. “Longer paid leave significantly increases breastfeeding initiation and duration, which has innumerable benefits for moms and babies, this includes improvement in the function of the digestive and immune system of the child, and reduces risk of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and obesity for the mother.”

America lags behind in paid period leave

BY NATHALIE MIRANDA Reporter

The United States needs to follow in Spain’s footsteps and give American workers the right to paid period leave.

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-JuanParada,photography

In February, Spain passed some sexual and reproductive rights laws, one of which gives workers paid period leave for up to three days to those who deal with painful menstrual cycles. Spain is the first European country to pass such a law, but paid period leave is something that has already existed in a few countries. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Zambia, Indonesia and Vietnam already have paid period leave laws.

The United States does not have anything similar but according to a Washington Post article titled, “Need time off work for period pain? These countries offer ‘menstrual leave,’” individual companies are starting to introduce it. And the rest of the country needs to follow suit.

Periods are painful for many women who have them.

Dysmenorrhea is the term for pain experienced during periods, and according to an article excerpt posted by the

American Academy of Family Physicians, “Dysmenorrhea is fairly common, and it may be severe enough to interfere with daily activities in up to 20 percent of women.”

This pain makes it hard for people who menstruate to stay productive. An article from the British Medical Journal(BMJ) titled, “Menstrual symptoms linked to nearly 9 days of lost productivity throughout presenteeism every year,” discusses research taken from over 30,000 women that shows just how much productivity is affected during menstruation.

According to their research, more than a third of the respondents have to visit a doctor because of menstrual symptoms and around one in seven respondents had to take time off school/work because of period pain. The research concluded that menstruation causes people to miss work or underperform at least 23 days a year because of their pain.

Paid period leave would stop forcing those going through such pain to continue working. It would also combat many of the stereotypes that surround periods. Many people who don’t menstruate still don’t think that periods can get incredibly painful. Having an

Kelly Wallace and Jenn Christian of CNN Health took a deep dive into what are not just the short term, but also long term benefits of paid leave.

“Women who took longer than 12 weeks maternity leave reported fewer depressive symptoms, a reduction in severe depression and improvement in their overall health,” Wallace and Christian said.

According to Maurcio Avendano, Associate Professor of social science, health and medicine at King’s College London, “Women who were exposed to a more generous maternity leave policy were 18% more likely to suffer from depression 30 years later when they were 50 or older.”

Wallace and Christian also touch on the effects that paid parental leave has on fathers.

“When Looking at fathers

in the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark and Australia, dads who took paternity leave of 10 days or longer were more involved with their children and child care activities in comparison to men who took no leave,” Wallace and Christian said. State mandated paid maternity leave should be a right. It’s not a woman's fault that her body goes through certain things after giving birth. It’s human nature. Paid maternity leave benefits mothers and their children and gives them time to spend with each other. We are all human and we all deserve to enjoy the little things in life (no pun intended).

rsantos.roundupnews@gmail.com

official law that gives paid period leave will show that periods are painful enough and that the pain should be taken seriously.

The same BMJ study also showed that only about one in five women who had called out of work or school because of their period pain told the real reason for their absence. Additionally, around twothirds of the respondents said that they wished for more flexibility in their work or school schedule during their periods.

People who menstruate already know that their period pain is often not taken seriously and this study shows that it needs to be.

If someone is in so much pain that they have to visit a doctor, they should not be forced to work. This is something that most people can agree with and it needs to extend to periods.

nm.miranda.roundupnews@gmail.com

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-MarianaVillarreal,microbiology major

Brahmas Men’s Soccer is back

After four decades, men’s futbol has returned to campus

BY JOEL ROBLES SPORTS EDITOR

In a short amount of time, the Athletic department has brought back two different sports. One is women’s softball, and the other is men’s soccer.

After more than 40 years, men’s soccer will make its anticipated return to athletics.

There hasn’t been a coach appointed or a group of players formed. All that is known is the team will take the field in the fall.

Dean of Student Services Claudia Velasco said she can’t wait for the sport to begin.

“I am super excited to bring men’s soccer, and see the team compete and hopefully win in our college,” Velasco said. “As a Latina, I grew up watching soccer with my dad. Thanks to him, I learned to enjoy and love soccer.”

Bringing back a sport that is in high demand can be immense.

Athletic Director Susan Armenta said that this process has been brewing for a while.

“We’ve been monitoring requests from students, faculty, and the community, and there is strong demand to host a men’s team,” Armenta said. “We’ve been discussing it over the past year with Dean Claudia Velasco, VP Jason Cifra, and with President Aguiar, and felt it was about time to bring back men’s soccer. We brought up the idea with the Western State Conference and it was approved last year.”

It’s been a lengthy period of time since men’s soccer has

been in athletics.

It’s been so long that the last time Pierce had men’s soccer, Women’s soccer head coach Adolfo Perez said his brother was playing for the team.

“I had a brother that ironically played at Pierce. He played in 1980 and I think that was the last season that took place,” Perez said.

The return of a sport of this caliber is not to be taken lightly.

Perez said this news and program will be big.

“It’s going to be huge. I know the interest has been crazy and every time they do a survey at school, what would you like that we don’t have– it’s always men’s soccer,” Perez said.

Perez has coached the women’s team for over 20 years and has been very successful in making the playoffs for several years.

Perez said he thinks the men’s team could be as successful as the women’s but will take some time.

“I think it’s going to take work. Obviously, it will take a lot of dedication but I think the results will speak for themselves,” Perez said.

Perez has also confirmed he will be the assistant coach for the men's team.

Bringing back a sport like this will help the college in several ways.

Armenta said that bringing back a sport with this much support will bring more students to sign up for Pierce.

“It will help boost enrollment first and foremost. We will have full-time

students that will be served by various student services such as College Promise/financial aid, EOP&S, and Center for Academic Success,” Armenta said. “Additionally, as a Hispanic Serving Institution, we will be serving a student population that has been identified as an equity gap in learning.”

Not only will this improve enrollment but also attendance for games.

Perez said he expects attendance rates to drastically rise.

“Soccer is big, and we’re going to get a lot more people going to games. And I know a lot of kids that were going to go to four year (colleges) are now going to two year (colleges) just to play soccer,” Perez said.

In addition to helping students, this can also benefit the community.

Velasco said that we should expect tons of support from everyone.

“We should expect to have great numbers of students that will want to play competitive soccer, we should expect that we will have more student-athletes attracted to Pierce due to the new sport,” Velasco said. “We should expect more involvement of the community and Pierce community coming to watch the games, and of course full support from administration.”

Velasco said that the Pierce athletic department has always put students first.

“Our culture in athletics is to always make sure our players are students first and athletes second. Academics

Velasco said.

Fall 2023 will mark the long-awaited debut of men's soccer.

higher education,”

Pacesetters: The Roundup cleans up Media Arts students bring home awards and connections from JACC

BY NATHALIE MIRANDA Reporter

This past weekend, the Journalism Association of Community Colleges(JACC) held its annual conference in San Francisco where five members of The Roundup and The Bull staff came home with new connections, experiences and awards.

Pierce Media Arts students have not been able to attend the conference in a few years due to the pandemic, so getting to send students this year was something that they were looking forward to.

“It was a really good experience for the students,” adviser Jill Connelly said. “I was really impressed that they did so well in the ‘on-the-spot' competitions because it’s a lot of pressure.”

The conference was a collaboration between JACC and Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) which extended the conference to include student journalists from four-year colleges. Students were able to participate in educational workshops and live competitions.

The Roundup staff won a JACC Online General Excellence award, fourth place in Magazine Design/Layout and both The Roundup and The Bull placed in ACP Best of Show.

Roundup Editor-in-Chief Fabiola Carrizosa competed in the Critique, Opinion and Audio categories and won first place in the audio on-the-spot competition where she was tasked with making a twominute audio story. “I was just very happy to

have the opportunity to go,” Carrizosa said. “I got to hear different tips and tricks and advice from different writers and seasoned professional journalists.”

The Bull staff photographer David Pashaee won first place in the on-the-spot Creative Portrait category for his portrait of Keynote address speaker Odette Alcazaren-Keeley and an Honorable Mention in Magazine Photo Story-Essay. The Bull Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Hanson placed in 10 awards. Hanson won first place in Feature Photo for his photo of 1-year-old Leib Kluwgant petting a goat at Pierce College. Hanson placed second in onthe-spot News layout and third in on-the-spot Sports Photo.

The Bull Managing Editor Rachael Rosenberg took charge of the on-the-spot Social Media competition; live tweeting Hanson’s photos, making TikToks and taking selfies with the Alcazaren-Keeley.

The team earned an Honorable Mention.

Photo Editor Daniela Raymundo competed in the Creative Portrait.

The team competed together and won second place in the onthe-spot multimedia category for a video on a Free Palestine protest that was occurring near the hotel.

Former Roundup Staff photographer Michael Moreno won first place in News Photo for his photo of LA Sheriffs at Pierce. Pierce earned the JACC Pacesetter Award, given to the schools that earn the most awards during the conference.

Overall, the trip was a success. The students had fun and they also were able to take home some awards. The conference gives opportunities

to network and make friends within the journalism community and that’s exactly what The Roundup staff were able to do.

“All I wanted them to do was have fun,” Advisor Jeff Favre said. “I didn’t expect them to win anything, it’s always fun

when they do but I never really care about the winning stuff. But all five of them loved it and they all did great.”

for all of us are very important, as they can move on to successful careers by obtaining

File Photo by Scott Vlha

From the archives: Jose Perez (r) attempts to beat Ramon Ulloa in this photo from the Nov. 5, 1980 issue of the Roundup.

Photo by David Pashaee David Pashaee won first place on-the-spot Creative Portrait with this photo of Odette Alcazaren-Keeley.

Photo by Benjamin Hanson Benjamin Hanson won first place Feature Photo for this shot of 1-year-old Leib Kluwgant petting Greta the Goat.

Photo by Michael Moreno

Michael Moreno won first place News Photo with this image of LA Sherrifs deputies during a training event at Pierce.

Silence, tout le monde! The French Film Festival Is A Go

French cinema is back after a 3 year hiatus

KYANNA HOJATI Reporter

Pierce College is making strides in a postCovid era, eliciting more on-campus events to encourage student and community interactions as the school slowly succumbs to normalcy.

It seems only appropriate that the Spring semester leads towards the reimplementation of the French Film Festival which kicks off Thursday, March 16.

The festival, which will be held for the third time on campus, began as a step by step process last summer under the leadership of French professor Denis Pra and English professor Donna Accardo.

Accardo, who had watched the work accumulate starting from last year, was in awe of the thought and dedication Pra exhibited towards the event.

“The reason this event is here is because of his spirit and his work.” said Accardo, noting the work Pra did to get a grant from the French Embassy. “The fact that this is our third time receiving that award is due to Professor Pra.”

To qualify for the festival, Pierce went through an application process with the French Embassy, gaining the prestige and financial ability to host the event on campus.

“The first step was the grant. We got a grant from the French Embassy. We were selected among three colleges in LA County,” said Pra, who was also the event organizer. “With the money, we pay for the license and rights to present the movies

and promote the event.”

After being awarded the grant and licensing by the French embassy, Pra was sent a list of 50 movies that were sponsored and able to be shown at Pierce. These movies included French classics like “400 Blows”, and the Césarnominated movie “Gagarine.”

“My goal is to bring the French experience on campus, and so students will be able to experience the French cinema, as well as French food because we have the support from Pascal Patisserie and Cafe,” Pra said. The group participation in preparation for the event doesn't end there. French Club President Anna Rull talked about how the club supported the event.

“Our club has posted various flyers around campus. We’re also posting on social media to spread the word,” said Rull. “I’m looking forward to new films from francophone countries and how different cultures share similar values or messages shown in these films.”

With the collaboration from offices such as Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Student Services, ASO, the French Club and individuals like Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga, and support from local businesses such as Pascal Patisserie, Pra and Accordo’s mission to bring the experience of French cinema and culture came to fruition.

Students can reserve seating on the festival website and as well as show up on the day of the screening, either way the experience is completely free. In addition to the films, students can look forward to raffles and prizes, with gift certificates

to Pascal Patisserie and live performances from the band “Guys and Doll.”

Despite having last minute setbacks in venue, the event smoothly transitioned from the Great Hall to the Multicultural Center, which made its grand opening last month. The center encapsulates what the film festival needs, a more intimate setting meant to share in the various cultural experiences.

Astorga said that the event was another exciting opportunity to try and capture an on-campus event that could expose students to something other than what they already know.

“Part of my job is to really consider the outside the classroom experiences for students and I thought it was a magnificent opportunity to expose our students to culture outside of what they are normally exposed to,” said Astorga. “I don't speak French, but I myself am so caught up in these movies, and at the end they can discuss them with the Q&A panels.”

According to Astorga, the Q&A panels are a way for students to really discuss and collaborate on the varieties of French culture and how the films capture the very same human experiences, even though they are from across the pond.

Accardo said there are many of these stories that she thinks will bring up the same issues that students have. Questions like: Where do they live? How can they protect themselves? How can they come to terms with trauma and loss in their own lives? How do they speak up to have rights as a woman or a minority?

Professor Pra said that even though the event is to express the importance of French cinema and culture, it is also an event that involves various educational departments in order to connect with different facets of the school.

“This is French cinema, but this is also an interdisciplinary event, so as you can see all the movies are connected with different departments. The first one is connected with the Music Department, because of Celine Dion,” said Pra. “Slalom is connected with the Departments of Physical Education because it highlights the abuse in sports.”

With the festival highlighting French films from various francophone regions, like Quebec and African countries, as well as over 50%fifty percent of the films selected being directed by women, it demonstrates the importance of representation in every aspect of art.

Pra said that even though students are aware of the differences that French culture shares, they may still face a little weariness from something that is uncommon to their cultural experiences.

“In the end, students have to be open to discover something different. French movies are not run the same way as traditional American cinema,” said Pra, noting the different portrayals of violence between American and French movies. “Alternatively, French cinema may have more nudity.”

khojati.roundupnews@gmail.com

Brahmas for the Win

Pierce Theatre reflects on their success in Vegas

LINDSEY WHITTAKER Reporter

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But for the Pierce College Theater Department, what happened in Vegas is just the beginning.

The Kennedy Center American College Theater

Festival IV National Irene Ryan

Acting competition in Las Vegas started out with about 300 college students across the Western United States in February.

By the end of the event, the semi-finals were down to 16 students.

Nine of them were Brahmas. Pierce actor Dale Van Slyke went on to the finals, while Tomas Ciriaco was selected as an alternative and Jordyn Kieffer achieved Honorable Mention for set design.

According to Theatre Arts professor Shaheen Vaaz, it was the first time in over two years that students were able to compete in-person.

“Everyone was very happy to be back together,” said Vaaz, who was also the co-director of the Irene Ryan competition. “Students were happy to be performing and participating live and I think that sort of dominated the festival.”

Typically, one student from each school makes it to the semi-

A Masterclass in Choir

expects it to have a profound effect on her students.

finals. This year, nine Pierce College students advanced to the semi-finals and one made it to the finals.

It was the first time students were able to compete in person for over two years, according to Vaaz.

The happy vibes were not the only thing to dominate the festival.

Theater major and actor Dale Van Slyke was a finalist in the acting portion and came away from the competition filled with humility and gratitude.

“To be able to perform your work in front of people is usually a blessing all on its own,” said Van Slyke. “Especially postCOVID, it's so nice to be able to be in front of people to share a communal space and do this ancient art in front of people and have some people like it. That's ultimately what you hope for.”

The competition took place in the convention halls of the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas, which are not typically set up for theatrical performances.

Vaaz said that the stage itself had to be designed and built specifically for this competition which proved to be a challenge.

“They did great,” said Vaaz. “I almost wish I'd had more time to work with them in those spaces, because they're very different.”

Despite the challenge the student actors made it work.

For Department Chair of Performing Arts Michael Gend,

one of the defining features of the competition this year was that each student was competing, not as a representative of their school, but as themselves.

“When they introduce themselves they don't say what school they're from, so it's a great equalizer,” said Gend. “Regardless of whether you're a student who's at a community college or a grad student in a private school, as long as your school enters the competition and you are nominated, you can compete.”

When the competition is blind it helps keep the focus on the student actors and their skills instead of where they go to school, according to Van Slyke.

“It's us performing as opposed to Pierce College performing,” said Van Slyke. “Especially when you're up against a bunch of four year conservatory programs or people who are getting their master's degree, it takes all of that out of the equation. It allows you to be you and for them to judge you based on your ability and what you're bringing to the table.”

When Gend heard that one of his students was a finalist, he knew he had to be there. So he jumped in the car and drove down to Vegas to see Van Slyke’s final performance.

“Fortunately, I don't teach on Fridays, so I was able to pull that off,” said Gend. “It's a long drive but anytime I discover we're

doing that well, I want to see it in person.”

Networking with professionals as well as faculty and students from other schools is an important part of the competition.

“I hope it gave them grit,” said Vaaz. “I also hope it gave them a sense of perspective and what else is out there.”

Now the student actors are back on campus training and rehearsing for their upcoming shows.

Even though he didn’t win first place, Van Slyke has big things in the works and said he learned a lot through the experience.

Van Slyke said he’s now putting all his energy into his performance as Mark Cohen in the department's upcoming show, Rent.

“I know I'm a different artist now,” said Van Slyke. “I see what I can work on and I see the next step because of it.”

Choir music follows a tradition that dates back to even before the Middle Ages. The earliest forms of recorded music comes from the notations of Gregorian chants from 930.

Hundreds of years later, choir still continues to be taught, and Pierce College was given a lesson from someone whose experience includes working with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra, and Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony.

Conductor Jo-Michael Scheibe lectured and conducted the Pierce Choir on Wednesday, March 8.

Scheibe, who was the former chair of the USC Thornton School of Music Department of Choral and Sacred Music, provided feedback and singing instructions to students as they sang songs such as “Help,” by the Beatles and “Wana Baraka,” a spiritual folk song from Kenya.

“I always found that it was important to connect with the four-year colleges and the advanced institutions because these students need the opportunity of hearing from us,” said Scheibe, who also taught at Long Beach City College. “We need to be in their classroom to talk about why we do what we do and to promote the art form. I’ve really enjoyed the experience of being on this campus and visiting again.”

The class was buzzing with excitement as Scheibe spoke and led the choir. From the beginning of the lecture to the end, the choir improved their performance after taking direction and notes.

Choir professor Garineh Avakian valued the visit and

“Dr. Scheibe is one of the most influential and hot names in the choral conducting and choral music community,” said Avakian, describing his expansive biography which includes working abroad with the Formosa Singers in Taiwan. “He can be influential for some students that are considering becoming music majors in the future. A lot of our students do not declare music as a major because they are still trying to find out what they want to do. Having influential people and professionals in the field like Dr. Schiebe coming to Pierce is beneficial for them.”

Music major Babak Rostami held Scheibe’s input and expertise in esteem.

“Singing is one of the main bases of music and Dr. Scheibe is a professional voice instructor so his presence in the class was a useful experience for every student,” said Rostami. “Especially for those who seriously follow the singing. His guidance for producing the right sound and tone for each phrase was very productive and interesting for me as guitarist.”

Other than Scheibe’s visit to the class, the music department has many other events in the near future for the remainder of the Spring 2023 semester.

“We hope to have you guys all come to a lot of our concerts at the end of the semester,” said Avakian. “And we also have the ASO afternoon concerts on Thursdays at 1 p.m. that are free and open to the community. And we will be having more of these kinds of sessions in future in this semester.”

MARJAN SHARIFI Reporter

USC Conductor Visits Pierce Choir Students

Jo-Michael Scheibe conducts Pierce College students in song on March 8, 2023 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Photo by Ashley Shellmire

Some students and faculty like to look good. Others like to feel comfortable. These Pierce fashionistas achieve both. Late winter attire can be found across campus before spring rolls around on March 20.

Cozy fits

LEFT: Ben Andreassen, a geology major, observes Red tail Hawks above Rocky Young Park looking dapper in his leather jacket and stiched pants. Taken March 13, 2023, at the Library at Pierce College, Woodland Hills, Calif. Photo by Wyatt Sanchez

CENTER: Anna Nicholas, a sociology professor, shows off her fashionable winter style at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Calif. Photo by: Ashley Shellmire

RIGHT: Business major Alejandra Sollrio poses at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 13, 2023. Photo by Owen Meza.

LEFT: Eleen Gregoryona, a civil engineering major and student mentor, keeps the cold out with a timeless jean trucker jacket. Taken March 13, 2023, in the ASO at Pierce College, Woodland Hills Calif.

Photo by: Wyatt Sanchez.

CENTER: Anjin Valentine, an art major, shows off her fashionable winter style at Pierce College, Woodland Hills Calif. Photo by Ashley Shellmire

RIGHT: Student David Maldonado poses at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 13, 2023.

Photo by Owen Meza.

BY JOEL ROBLES

Reporter

Brahmas baseball got dusted on Wednesday with the final score of 23-9 as Moorpark stormed through.

The Brahmas allowed the same amount of hits (13) as Moorpark did but the determining factor were the 9 total errors Pierce committed.

The Raiders scored 5 runs in the 1st inning

Baseball swing and miss once again

while the Brahmas scored 3. Moorpark continued to score in the 2nd inning and went on a dominant run in the 5th and 6th inning scoring a total of 11 runs. The Raiders never fazed and kept their lead.

Brahmas Shortstop

Ivan Castillo and Catcher Cody Ginolfi both recorded 3 hits.

Outfielder Micahel Axley recorded 2

RBIs.

6 total Brahmas pitchers were used while Moorpark used 4. Brahmas also recorded 8 HBP. The Brahmas look to bounce back as they host Cuesta on Thursday, March 16.

First pitch is at 2:30 p.m.

Brahmas defeated in straight sets

BY CLEMENTE PASILLAS Reporter

Brahmas Men’s volleyball dropped a home game against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros in straight sets.

Head Coach Joseph Arechiga said he was not proud of this performance as he thinks like the team didn’t come together at any point tonight.

“No one ever likes to lose, but this is a loss that I feel like we took a step back on, but hopefully it’s a step back ready to propel us forward,” Arechiga said.

In the first set, the Vaqueros began firm as the servers hit and scored 25 points, while the Brahmas scored only 7. As the second set commenced, the Brahmas team gained momentum and raised their previous score by 13 points. However, it faltered as the Vaqueros still scored 25.

Later, the third set began, and both teams switched to their previous designation. The fans

cheered and applauded their home players every time the Brahmas scored points.

During the third set, the Brahmas tried their best to score higher points and topped the previous scores with 14.

But it wasn’t enough.

Arechiga said he was not impressed with the game.

“It was not our best game by far,” said Arechiga.”

Opposite hitter Josh Barina,gave his thoughts on his team’s performance in tonight’s game.

“All of us were just in our heads, and we were all playing as individuals,” said Barina. “I feel like we gave up on the game a little too quickly, but knowing our team, we're definitely going to bounce back from this 100% moving forward.”

Outside hitter Anthony Baker said it was a bad game and the team needs to get back into the lab.

“The game was not good. Obviously, for SPCC, it was a good game,” said Baker. “It just showed

that we needed a lot more to work on moving forward.”

The Brahmas will go on the road to face the Santa Monica Corsairs on March 15. First serve is at 6 p.m.

PHOTO BY HUNTER HAMMEROT Outfielder Sean Mann swings and misses against Moorpark College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 8, 2023.

PHOTO BY HUNTER HAMMEROT

RHP Colin Mitchell (19) throws a pitch against Moorpark at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 3, 2023.

PHOTO BY AUDRINNA MEZA. Pierce College Outside Hitter #20 Brandon Ta rises high to score a potentional spike for his team at the Ken Stanley Court at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 10, 2023.

Sports Editor Joel Robles contributed to

PHOTO BY AUDRINNA MEZA.Outside Hitter #20 Brandon Ta preparing to score a spike for the Pierce College Brahmas on March 10, 2023