Volume 140 Spring 2024 Issue 9

Commemorating the Armenian Genocide

Presentation, music and Armenian food to educate and remember in the Multicultural Center

By Gerardo Escobar Campus Life Editor

Clad in black, the darkhaired woman approached the stage, and her voice resonated throughout the Multicultural Center as she performed two songs, “Andouni” and “Kanche Krunk,” that are about what Armenian musicologist and composer Komitas witnessed during the Armenian Genocide.

through a big historical change and have survived,” Avakian said. “The world is a very unjust place to begin with. So just to keep the stories, to keep the culture, the tradition alive amongst the new generations is kind of a responsibility on every single Armenian to carry the torch into the future.”

the war.

Avedikyan’s lecture also focused on the storytelling of the Armenian experience beyond the genocide in California, and encouraged people to share stories of Armenian people through USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies’ resource base, My Armenian Story. Avedikyan said Los Angeles is the center of the Armenian Diaspora.

Admissions and Records

The Armenian Genocide started in early 1915 during World War I (1914-1918), which included the deportation and mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire carried out by the Young Turks movement.

Evaluation Technician Isabelle Tranner attended the event because of the importance the Armenian community has in Los Angeles and to reflect.

Choir Conductor at Pierce Garineh Avakian was one of two guests at the event where she sang in an opera-style the two songs. “Andouni” roughly translates as “homeless” and “Kanche Krunk” as “call of the crane,” according to Avakian.

“He [Komitas] actually went senile after seeing and witnessing the genocide, and these are the songs that he wrote,” Avakian said.

Avakian shared why remembering the Armenian Genocide is important.

“To make the world know that we are a people, and are a people of minority, and have been

Conservative estimates put the death toll between 600,000 to 1 million Armenians, according to Britannica. Many Armenians were first rounded up and hung in the streets of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and later would be deported to the desert where many would die or be killed en-route, according to Yale University.

The event resulted from the Ottoman Empire’s defeat in the battle of Sarikamish against the Russian Empire in January of 1915, where the Young Turks shifted the blame of the loss to the Armenians, according to Britannica.

Manuk Avedikyan from the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies started the event by presenting a lecture of the genocide and how its effects extend beyond the events in World War I, and the complications faced in Anatolia for Armenians after the end of

“I’ve never heard our instructor Gaga perform, so that was really fun to hear,” Tranner said. “I definitely learned from the lecture more of the timeline of the genocide. Something that stuck with me was the transnationalism of the Armenian people and how the genocide and the displacement has displaced people around the globe, but how then how a lot of people seem to end up in Los Angeles.”

The United States officially recognized the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2021, when President Joe Biden through a press statement acknowledged the event as a genocide, in addition to two congressional resolutions. Avedikyan had two messages primarily directed at Armenian students, which can also be applied to anyone.

“Try to continue that memory through your own personal story,” Avedikyan said. “Especially for the Armenians students, in whatever you do to be the best in what you do and try to include something Armenian through your work.”

Raquel G. Frohlich / Roundup News

Manuk Avedikyan, a project manager at the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, speaks during a presentation about the Armenian Genocide in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 23, 2024.

Emil Rizkalla / Roundup News

Garineh Avakian performs songs during the Armenian Genocide Commemoration event in the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 23, 2024.

Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup We need to kick bots and take names

Before the COVID-19 lockdowns, the first week of the semester was a time of reviewing syllabi, getting an introduction to the course and getting acclimated to the work ahead. Post lockdown, it has become a time of weeding out which students are real people and not just clever algorithms in disguise.

Bots looking to siphon resources from colleges throughout the country not only harms taxpayers but students as well, in time, opportunities and money, according to an article in Forbes, “How Higher Education Became The Target Of Bots, Fake Accounts And Online Fraud.

needed to accurately advertise to prospective students, resulting in more money spent to attract fewer paying students leading to higher costs for everyone, according to the Forbes article.

This is a major problem that affects students who should have personal incentive to mitigate this behavior. Fortunately, a taskforce has been created by California Community Colleges (CCC) to find a solution. They recently began to implement one such solution that promises to slow the bleeding at the source—a potentially powerful tool largely unknown to students and faculty called ID.me.

“.edu” email address, which they then sell on the dark web. These email addresses are sought after due to the many discounts and sometimes free services offered to students.

Community colleges are particularly susceptible to these types of scams due to a lower barrier of entry when compared to four-year colleges and universities, and they have become significantly more prevalent post-pandemic due to the higher number and easier access to online classes.

bringing awareness to this new system as much as possible. This is a rare instance when all colleges in the state have a common goal and a clear path to it. For Pierce, it should be an easy decision.

Reporters

Benjamin Hanson

Fabiola Carrizosa

Marcus Nocerino

Raiden Vazquez

Spencer Fuller

Taj Robles

Xavier

Time is often wasted in class trying to form an accurate roster. Prospective students are often discouraged from enrolling in classes that appear full, affecting opportunity. Money is wasted when bots engage with college advertisements, websites or forms, skewing data

To the outside observer, the problem looks like one large scheme, but it is two with similar symptoms. The first and more obvious one is that of bots enrolling in classes to obtain student aid, most notably in Pell grants, according to the Forbes article. The more surprising one is that of scammers enrolling for the singular aim of obtaining an

Preventing car accidents near campus

Atwo-car accident occurred by the Pierce College Winnetka Avenue campus entrance at Brahma Drive on March 12. This is the same intersection where collisions occurred in May 2014, March 2015, August 2017 and November 2022.

While there is a protected left turn onto Brahma Drive from Winnetka Avenue, the recent accident highlights the need for making the protected left-turn green arrow turn on for every cycle. Drivers attempting to turn left during a full green must yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic. However, motorists tend to underestimate the speed of oncoming traffic, which could result in damages and potentially deadly consequences.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that as many as 26 percent of all traffic accidents result from drivers turning left. This is especially hazardous to inexperienced

drivers with driving permits.

The number of fatal accidents involving young people ages 15-20 in California ranges from 326 to 448 per year. This demographic is likely to be involved in car collisions due to their immaturity and high-risk tolerance. Factors that would exacerbate such accidents include speeding, driving under the influence, night driving and the presence of more passengers, leading to peer pressure.

In California, the party making the left turn is financially liable for most accidents. This could potentially place a heavy financial burden on someone living in Los Angeles County, especially those experiencing certain financial strains in college.

It’s time for members of the LACCD to petition the local government to change this intersection to prevent more collisions.

One of the easier ways to stop these imposters is a unified verification system that has already been implemented. ID.me is an internet security program that specializes in identity verification. New students will be some of the few who are familiar with the program because it is mandatory for all new California community college students.

Pierce College should be

In what other situation in the college setting does spending funds on a call-to-action campaign directly save the school more funds in wasted labor while simultaneously reducing the stress of its entire teaching staff and student body? The return on investment should be apparent.

But, information about “ID. me” has been scarce to nonexistent, not only on the college level but up to the California Community Colleges level, as well. Nothing could be clearly found on either site.

Presenting the information online would be a boon to the entire Pierce community.

A car and motorcycle accident occurred at the Pierce College Winnetka entrance on Nov. 4, 2022.

File photo by Benjamin Hanson / Roundup News

The gold Cadillac Escalade and green Jeep Cherokee sit on the corner of Winnetka Avenue and Brahma Drive after an accident on Aug. 30, 2017.

File photo / Roundup News

Does the U.S. do enough to prioritize bilingual education?

By Xavier Boyston Reporter

EElevating bilingual and foreign language standards in U.S. education

languages is not quite set higher for students to advance, which should change.

xploring a different language may be difficult in the beginning, and our education system in schools around the United States can always use new ways to elevate students’ learning.

Students may not be into adapting to another way of speech when they are comfortable only speaking English, but having an open mind to learn something new is important, and it can turn into building confidence over time.

In today’s society, being bilingual provides more opportunities for people to get a better job and makes it easier to adapt to a different country when traveling to different countries abroad. The standard in the U.S. education system learning more

By Violet Garcia Online Editor

SA report from The Century Foundation, “Ensuring Equitable Access to Dual-Language Immersion Programs: Supporting English Learners’ Emerging Bilingualism,” talks about the struggles English learners have with the difficult challenge of not receiving fair educational opportunities from dual-language immersion education.

“But without structures in place to protect equity, the linguistic integration that appears to be key to two-way DLI’s success can become colonization that eventually displaces ELs from these schools,” Williams said.

Things that limit furthering students’ education can cause a decrease in test scores, grades, exams, etc. The future of this education system has the

potential to crumble if students cannot learn a new language to advance and become better young adults towards other people in domestic or foreign countries for their native tongue.

In an article from the U.S. Department of Education press office, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona talked about the benefits of being bilingual as a great trait to have chances of becoming multilingual.

“As our nation continues to grow more diverse, and as our global economy becomes more interconnected, we cannot seize our nation’s full potential to compete and lead the world unless we raise the bar and provide all students with opportunities to become multilingual,” Cardona said.

Higher learning standards for students to succeed is a great

benefit for long-term growth so that students can be successful.

A story from The New York Post, “The Magic Of Bilingual Language,” talks about how being bilingual improves teachers’ communication with their students. Lili Kennington, who works at Great Falls Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va. as a Japanese immersion teacher, talked about her education in language.

“Learning English taught me important life skills,” Kennington said. “Communicating in another language is difficult. It requires patience, perseverance and creativity.”

Whether it be bilingual or foreign language learning standards in school, our education system should make this a higher priority.

U.S. bilingual education standards already do enough

panish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese and French are some of the most spoken languages in the United States, and it shows Americans are not shying away from learning, and growing up with, a variety of languages.

There are 76 million bilingual individuals in the United States, putting America at the top of the charts when compared to countries such as France or the United Kingdom, according to America the Bilingual. When comparing data, the United States scores far higher than even the runner up, Germany, which

has 23 million bilinguals.

Many individuals may learn from home, but with academic standards requiring most students to take a foreign language it has become increasingly common to learn a second one in school.

Academic standards have been set in place to ensure maximum effectiveness for students honing new language skills, and with 76 million bilinguals it is safe to say these guidelines are successful as is.

Several states, such as Washington and the Illinois State Board of Education, adopted their standards from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

The ACTFL has published its own set of guidelines titled the

“I speak English, and a little bit of Spanish. I’m trying to learn Portuguese and Spanish as much as I can.”

Gisselle Skarseth - Nursing major

“Just English. I’m not learning one, but if I were to choose one it would either be Japanese or Russian.”

Christopher Rubinstein - Film major

“Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century,” and the “World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.” The World-Readiness Standards lay out a set of rules called the “Fives C’s”, made for instructors from kindergarten through four-year universities to adhere to.

The living document has gone through several revisions since 1996 and is backed by research from educators, business leaders and government, according to the ACTFL. It is a consensus created to clarify timely checkpoints for language learners.

The goal areas are communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities.

These existing goals help

students succeed academically. According to an article in EdSource, students who are bilingual do better on standardized tests.

According to a study by Adoracion Vargas Berry for the University of Memphis, the standards proved helpful to both faculty and students, as “Results suggest faculty believed the ACTFL Standards were important and beneficial with regards to providing guidelines for teaching a foreign language, preparing students as global citizens and introducing cultures.”

These national standards are fit to encourage and aid students in developing foreign language skills as they are.

“My native language is Spanish. When I went to high school, I took French one through four. I need to learn Portuguese—my husband’s Brazilian, so when I visit Brazil, I like to be able to communicate with others.”

Pierce Interim President Ara Aguiar

“My native language is Tagalog, which is from the Philippines. When I was in high school, I took four years of Spanish, and so I would love to continue to be more fluent in Spanish—right now, it’s very conversational. English is my second language, and I ended up in communications because it just happened to be an interest of mine.”

Pierce Director of Marketing Imee Perius

What is your native language, and what languages do you speak now?

“My native language is Spanish and I mainly just speak Spanish and English, but I’m trying to learn Korean and Mandarin. I chose Korean and Mandarin because I wanted to challenge myself.”

Karen Rosales - Studio art major

“My native language is English, but I also speak Russian. I was born to Ukrainian parents and it was kind of just passed on to me, so I just speak Russian with my family.”

Nikita Lebenkov - Student Services receptionist

“My native language is Spanish. I know Spanish and English and I’m learning Nahuatl, which is Mayan, and the reason I’m learning that language is because I’m trying to decolonize myself.”

Daniel Moran - Horticulture major

Quotes gathered by Raiden Vazquez and Raquel G. Frohlich. Photos by Karla Delgado.

Exploring identities and sharing stories

Pierce hosts fourth annual Multicultural Day

By Delilah Brumer News Editor

The task was daunting, emotionally draining and complicated— economically quantifying how slavery and its aftermath hindered the prosperity of African Americans. When Pierce College Economics Department Chair Kaycea Campbell was asked to serve as a consultant to the California Reparations Task Force, she took on this challenge.

“Part of the reason why I decided to teach was I wanted to have an impact and I also wanted to use the tools I had in economics to enact policy,” Campbell said. “I wanted it to be real. I wanted to see it in print. I wanted it to have some sort of impact on our social framework.”

Campbell shared her knowledge of the reparations calculation process and worked to educate the students about inequality in California at the fourth annual Pierce College Multicultural Day on April 17.

The California Reparations Task Force launched in 2021 and published a report in 2023 recommending hundreds of millions of dollars in monetary reparations, as well as a formal apology for the systemic injustices Black Californians have faced, according to CalMatters.

“Slavery itself is an institution,” Campbell said. “This is about understanding the economic story of slavery and how pervasive the effects are over a long time period.”

Multicultural Day featured more than 15 workshops and events, ranging from an Aztec dance workshop to a presentation about representation and empathy in literature.

“It’s important for students of other cultures to be seen and feel heard,” said Alfredo Sanchez, a Multicultural Day attendee and automotive industrial technology major. “American society hasn’t always been that inviting to other cultures and this helps with the community.”

Multicultural Day was organized by the LAPC Diversity Committee and the theme was “I AM: A Celebration of Identity at Pierce College.”

“Students need to see that there are other identities, allowing them to become part of a cooperative,” said English Professor Maria Bates, a member of the LAPC Diversity Committee. “It’s really impactful for them to see that they have a place and a community that they belong to.”

David Suh, a portrait photographer and content creator with millions of followers on social media, was the Multicultural Day keynote

speaker. According to the LAPC Diversity Committee, Suh’s “passion is to show ordinary people that they can be as beautiful as any celebrity on a magazine cover.”

“I’m really passionate about helping people feel confident in their body and their identity,” Suh said. “Through my photos, people see the reflection of themselves, of who they want to see.”

Several students participated in Multicultural Day not only as audience members, but also as volunteers and discussion panelists. Business major Ana Abaza, an international student from Peru, spoke about her experiences with audience members at a session moderated by History and Humanities Department Chair Christopher Strickland.

“I like sharing my culture with my friends,” Abaza said. “At Pierce I’ve met amazing people. They’ve been able to share part of who they are with me, too.”

This year’s Multicultural Day took a year to plan and Bates said she looks forward to preparing for next year.

“I’m really thankful for everyone who got involved and gave their time,” Bates said. “It really inspires me to see students here and reinforces my desire to continuously become a better professor.”

Soledad Gomez (center), who is also a custodian for Pierce College, performs with Sewa Valencia (R) as part of a performance by Sisters of the One Drum during the fourth annual Multicultural Day event in Building 600 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024.

Myraneli Fabian / Roundup News

Professor Kaycea Campbell talks with attendees about the “Equity Reckoning: Unveiling California’s Reparations Calculations” during the fourth annual Multicultural Day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

Students begin to stretch during the T’ai Chi Ch’uan event as part of the fourth annual Multicultural Day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024.

Karla Delgado / Roundup News

MSA Sisters Coordinator Nida Yar-Khan (L) puts a hijab on MSA Vice President Nahyan Noor (R) as Haulah Kisingo (center) watches during the fourth annual Multicultural Day event at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024.

Myraneli Fabian / Roundup News

Finalists for Pierce College President selected

Four finalists for the position of president have been selected by the Search Committee for Los Angeles Pierce College

President: Interim President Aracely Aguiar, Carlos Cortez, Nathaniel Jones and Wei Zhou were recommended to LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez for further consideration, according to a search update.

The finalists are expected to be interviewed in April and the LACCD Board of Trustees is expected to announce the selected candidate in early June.

Finalistas seleccionados para presidente de Pierce College

El Comité de Búsqueda para presidente de Los Angeles Pierce College ha seleccionado cuatro finalistas para el puesto de presidente de Pierce. Aracely Aguiar, Carlos Cortez, Nathaniel Jones y Wei Zhou fueron recomendados al canciller de LACCD, Francisco Rodríguez, para su consideración, según una actualización de búsqueda. Los finalistas serán entrevistados en abril y se espera que la Junta Directiva de LACCD anuncie el candidato seleccionado a principios de junio. En español

Student elections

Students can vote online for their 2024-25 Student Government and the LACCD Student Trustee using their student portal, from Monday, April 29, at 8 a.m. until Sunday, May 5, at 11:59 p.m., according to an email from LACCD.

Instructions on how to vote will be emailed to students on April 29.

Women’s basketball sanctioned

The Pierce College women’s basketball team has been sanctioned by the California Community College Athletic Association, according to an update given by Interim President Ara Aguiar to the Academic Senate on Monday. Due to the sanction, the team cannot compete for two years.

Aguiar said the reasons behind the sanction are confidential, but Pierce will continue to update the Pierce community about the women’s basketball situation. Aguiar said she hopes to partner with a nearby college until the sanction period is over, in order for the women’s basketball team to continue playing.

New professor, big ideas

Anthropology professor works to develop a Native American studies program

By Delilah Brumer News Editor

An accomplished powwow dancer and singer who grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. An esteemed professor who attended Harvard University and UCLA. Vincent Whipple combines these two identities as an educator, sharing his Native American culture with students both in the classroom and beyond.

“During the week, I’m teaching, and on the weekends, I’m just so involved in Native communities, through my practice of the traditions and dance,” said Whipple, who is Navajo and Sioux. “I’m immersed in what’s going on in the tribes and I try to incorporate that into my focus on academics.”

Whipple started teaching at Pierce College this semester, in the anthropology department— but his ambitions span much further than his existing classes.

Currently, Whipple is working to develop a Native American studies program at Pierce, going through the steps of an extensive process that includes writing syllabi, requesting state and district approvals and conducting outreach with local tribes. The program is on track to be up and running by the Fall 2025 semester.

Anthropology Department Chair Erin Hayes said she is excited for the new program.

“It’s an important part of a well-rounded education to be aware of Native history and Native culture, particularly in our own area, but also across the United States,” Hayes said. “It’s a shame we don’t have [a Native American studies] program already. We’re lucky to have [Whipple] here to start it.”

The program will cover topics including Native American history, culture, arts and contemporary issues. These classes will count as options

for ethnic studies, which is a requirement for most students who plan to transfer to four-year public universities.

“We certainly want to build enough options,” Interim President Ara Aguiar said. “We really are trying to enrich our curriculum and the experience that our students have in the ethnic studies area.”

Aguiar said professors and administrators are working to tie together and expand on course offerings at Pierce, including Chicano studies and African American studies.

“Build it and they will come is the concept, and there’s a lot of interest by our students to have Native American studies,” Aguiar said. “We’re creating that transfer pathway to it, and it’s harmonious with our other areas that we’re building.”

Spurred by his commitment to connect Pierce with Los Angelesarea indigenous communities, such as the Tongva and Tataviam, Whipple is also organizing several on-campus events.

These events are planned to start near the end of this semester and continue into the fall, and Whipple said they will tentatively include an indigenous speaker series, a basket weaving workshop and a powwow.

“Native communities are so spread out and community events are one way that we reconnect,” Whipple said. “It’s a way to get together and help keep the culture alive.”

Hosting a powwow at Pierce will allow Whipple to show students his creative side. For more than 30 years, Whipple has run a Native American dance company with his wife. Donning colorful attire, he performs traditional dances such as the Hoop Dance and the Eagle Dance, in the same way his family and ancestors have done for centuries.

Beyond educating current Pierce students through academics and events, Whipple

Veronica Rosas / Roundup News Anthropology Professor Vincent Whipple in his classroom at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 16, 2024.

and Hayes both said they want the Native American studies program to also attract new students, especially those with indigenous heritage.

“We want to develop our Native student population, and having a Native American studies program can be a draw for those students,” Hayes said. “It can make them feel more comfortable and welcome.”

Brahma Jobs Fair

Whipple said he looks forward to continuing his time at Pierce and expanding the college’s Native American community.

“I’m trying to spread the word that we’re starting Native American studies, and that we as Native people are here and connected,” Whipple said. “We’re doing the work and we’re building this program.”

LEFT: Sociology major Carin Aspinall visits the LAUSD booth at the Brahma Jobs Fair at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024. Veronica Rosas / Roundup News

RIGHT: Students talk with a U.S. Army Officer at the Brahma Jobs Fair at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 17, 2024.

Veronica Rosas / Roundup News

Copy by Raquel G. Frohlich and Delilah Brumer. Translation by Delilah Brumer.

A romantic comedy, 400 years in the making

LAPC Theatre previews Spring 2024 production of “Shakespeare in Love”

By Delilah Brumer News Editor

Featuring dramatic sword flourishes, intricate Elizabethan-style costumes, lively drum beats and comedic allusions to several classic plays, “Shakespeare in Love” isn’t subtle—and it’s not supposed to be.

“It really is a love letter to theater itself,” said acting major Farbod Farrokh, who plays Rose Theatre owner Philip Henslowe. “I hope that people enjoy seeing us on stage making theater together and they fall in love with the play like we did.”

LAPC Theatre’s performance of “Shakespeare in Love,” directed by Theater Professor Shaheen Vaaz, will run from May 3 to 12. “Shakespeare in Love” is based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, and was adapted for the stage by Lee Hall. The play offers the audience a humorous glimpse of famed playwright William Shakespeare’s life in 1593, as he navigates romance, conflict and the creative process of writing “Romeo and Juliet.”

“This is a play for people who love Shakespeare, but it’s also just a really good and fun play,” Vaaz said. “I don’t want people to be daunted by something that says Shakespeare, because it’s a play that everyone

can be immersed in and get a lot out of.”

The play includes 23 actors, making it one of Pierce’s largest ever casts, according to Vaaz.

“This is a huge cast, so a big part of the process is just handling a lot of people,” Vaaz said. “There’s never a dull moment, since it’s always about choreography and staging and managing every single person.”

This is Stage Manager Sasha Santa Cruz’s fifth play at Pierce, but she has never dealt with a cast this large. She said she’s challenged herself to use the production to “grow and make it better and more organized than I’ve ever been before.”

“It’s a lot of new people and we’re being patient and showing them the ropes of how to do it,” Santa Cruz said. “They’re doing a fantastic job.”

The play isn’t only unique for the amount of actors involved, but also for its costumes. From deep green fabrics to traditional trousers to billowing dresses, Pierce’s production of “Shakespeare in Love” features nearly 80 costumes. Most actors change at least twice throughout the play.

“The costumes are very important in this show because they help portray the journey that the characters go on within the Elizabethan period,” Costume

Designer Eileen Gizienski said. “I think that without having them established in the Elizabethan period, it would take away from the story.”

Acting major Dale Van Slyke, who plays the cruel moneylender Fennyman, said that audience members should look forward to the many hidden jokes in the play.

“If you’re a Shakespeare nerd or a language nerd, you’ll notice there are so many Easter eggs from all his other plays,” Van Slyke said. “Either way, if you’re into Shakespeare or not, it’s going to be super fun, super funny and have lots of humor.”

The play will open at the LAPC Performing Arts Mainstage on the Pierce campus on Friday, May 3 and continue through Sunday, May 12. Performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Students and seniors can buy tickets for $15 and general admission tickets cost $20. Free parking is located in Lot 6, next to the Performing Arts Building.

For additional information or to purchase tickets, call (818) 719-6488, or visit lapctheatre.org to purchase tickets online.

A scientific search of the skies

Astronomy professor Dale Fields hosts Planetarium Show, Telescope Night for STEM Week

By Brian Khoury Copy Editor

Agroup of students and visitors sat in reclining chairs and stared in awe of the world as we know it—and this was only the beginning.

Astronomy professor Dale Fields hosted a Planetarium Show on April 16 at the Center for the Sciences (CFS). Pierce College has held the planetarium shows for many years—every semester—and the timing of the event was significant. The show was followed by Telescope Night on Thursday at 8 p.m. on the second floor balcony of the CFS.

A group of about 40 astronomy buffs attended this free outdoor community event on a clear, cool night.

“This is STEM week,” Fields said. “We wanted to make sure that people got a chance to see

a more science-oriented kind of program.”

Fields started the show by directing the audience’s attention to astrological signs. Projected onto the ceiling were the constellations, as well as different stars.

The view of the stars was shown at different times of the evening, ranging from sundown to the middle of night.

Fields narrated the display as they guided the audience through the space beyond Earth.

“I wanted them to see how amazing the Universe is and the wonder we can find just from looking at all of these things that are magnificent,” Fields said. Fields went on to describe other components of the Universe such as galaxies, planets, stars and comets.

Aside from the fascination with what lies beyond Earth, the

study of astronomy is important to understanding how it affects people’s lives.

According to Dartmouth University, “Even though astronomy and physics are intimately co-mingled, they are not quite the same. Astronomy, in contrast, is concerned with a particular object which we find— the Universe—and everything in it.”

Taylor Phillip, a member of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, shared his fascination with astronomy. “Astronomy has been in my family for almost 300 years. I was born into it,” Phillip said. “I’ve attended thousands of these. They [Dale Fields] are one of the best lecturers.”

Attendee Eric McKenny is also an avid follower of planetary studies and has organized similar events in the past, and was

impressed with this exhibit.

“The change of scale from the cosmic all the way to the planetary scale was phenomenal,” McKenny said.

The audience ranged from young children to adults, and attendees took turns looking through advanced telescopes focused on the Moon and a nebula.

Fields enjoys sharing their passion with students and community members alike.

“We’re a community college,” Fields said. “Pierce should be connected to the neighborhoods and the people that live around us.”

ADVISORY: Vehicle break-ins have occurred in the surrounding area off-campus on Victory Boulevard and Winnetka Avenue, which is in LAPD jurisdiction.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages students and staff to conceal valuable items in their cars as a precautionary measure.

“Please take your items with you or put backpacks, laptop cases, wallets, airpods, cell phones in your trunk, out of plain sight. Always park in a well-lit area and be aware of your surroundings,” the Sheriff’s Office advised.

LAPC Sheriffs are conducting extra patrols in the area and have been in contact with LAPD in an attempt to deter more break-ins.

En español

AVISO: El allanamiento de autos ha ocurrido en el área rodando el colegio por Victory Blvd y Winnetka Ave, que está bajo la jurisdicción del Departamento de Policía de Los Ángeles.

La oficina del Sheriff sugiere que estudiantes y personal escondan artículos de valor en sus auto como medida precautoria.

“Por favor lleven todos sus artículos con ustedes o pongan mochilas, maletas de computadora, billeteras, audífonos, celulares en su baúl y fuera de vista. Siempre hagan cargo de estacionarse en área bien alumbrada y estén conscientes de su alrededores, [traducido de inglés a español]”, la oficina del Sheriff aviso.

El Sheriff de LAPC están aumentando el número de patrullas en el área y están en comunicación con el LAPD para reducir allanamientos de autos.

Translation

by Gerardo Escobar.

Owen Meza-Vandermeer / Roundup News

Theater major Sylan Coogan (L) and pre-veterinary student Ryan Snyders (R) have a sword fight during a rehearsal of a scene from “Shakespeare in Love” in the Performing Arts Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 18, 2024.

Haven Hills Health Fair for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Haven Hills, a nonprofit organization that provides help for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, brought a health fair to the Pierce College campus on Sunday. Sexual Assault Awareness Month was first observed in April 2001.

Along with resources and a mobile health clinic, there were activities, food and music for attendees.

Copy by Kyle Camacho.

A look into the archives: 70 years of the Roundup

On this day 24 years ago, Roundup photographer Michael Nadeau photographed the L.A. Jazz Choir in the fourth Annual Pierce College Jazz Festival, which ran in an eightpage issue published on May 5, 1982.

Staff writer Karen Osborne reported that Pierce students were advocating for more essay tests to be assigned from their professor. Students expressed concerns that students

at Pierce are leaving not knowing how to write an essay, and they wanted to make it known to the faculty that the lack of essay tests are a problem that should be fixed.

Staff writer Jeff Copsey reported that Pierce had acquired three video game machines to place in the cafeteria. The faculty had mixed emotions on the video game machines, including students may find it obnoxious to eat food while the others are screaming while

playing video games. Other faculty believed that the school should capitalize on the video game machines and that it would not pose a problem.

Assistant opinion editor Kathryn Montgomery reported on a lecture by Representative for the Volunteer League of San Fernando Valley C.J. O’Malley, who explained that pregnant women indulging in alcohol can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). O’Malley ended the presentation with, “If there is some way to prevent it, do it.”

Staff writer Marla Feldman reported that LACCD had a motion that, if passed, would get rid of mandatory P.E. The Pierce woman’s P.E. department was in favor of having voluntary P.E classes as they believe students would respond better with that opportunity.

Copy by Alfonso Vargas.

Sophie Lotterstein / Roundup News Event attendee Ezequiel Martinez looks through a survivors’ art exhibit during the Haven Hills Health Fair at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 21, 2024.

A May 5, 1982, archived issue of the Roundup in the newsroom at Pierce College on Dec. 19, 2023. Photo by Raquel G. Frohlich.

Kyle Camacho / Roundup News

A crowd gathers at the Haven Hills Sexual Assualt Awareness Month Health Fair at Rocky Young Park at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 21, 2024.

Kyle Camacho / Roundup News UCLA volunteers Alexis Gayton and Chris Archigan provide information about the UCLA Health Rape Treatment Center during the Haven Hills Health Fair at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 21, 2024.