Apr 25, 2019 (50.7) by SFCC Communicator

The

Volume 50 Issue 7 April 25, 2019 - May 15, 2019

ommunicator Spokane Falls Community College

PIANO STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS FEATURES PAGE 10

CONTENTS

The Communicator · 04.25.2019 · Madison Pearson

Page 2

NEWS

3 CAREER PATHS 4 WELLNESS FAIR 5 HUMANS VS. ZOMBIES 6 CAMPUS CLIMATE SURVEY

FEATURES

8 BLOOMSDAY 10 PIANO SCHOLARSHIPS 14 MUKOGAWA

FLAVORS

CINCO DE MAYO

OPINION

15 Winnie Killingsworth | The Communicator Visual editor Holly Peters and Editor-in-Chief Madison Pearson pose at the Communicator's booth at the Wellness Fair held in the SUB on April 16. See more about the Wellness Fair on page 4. Visit communicator online.org

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CCS provides students career guidance

CCS helps students find educational path and choose career goals Holly Peters The Communicator

As one school year comes to a close, applications for the next are being submitted and many students have yet to choose a career path. “I would say the majority of students don’t know their career paths when they enroll,” said Cynthia Vigil, the interim dean of student services at SFCC. “ … Well, over 65% of them said they didn’t know,” she said in reference to a poll taken at an orientation earlier this academic year. Because most students don’t know their career paths when they enroll the associates of art direct transfer agreement is the most common degree for SFCC students due to the ability to continue to a fouryear school and postpone choosing a major. “The AA-DTA is the majority of our students, around 70% of them,” said Sally Jackson the director of planning, institutional effectiveness, and research at SFCC. CCS has many resources to help students choose the right career paths for them but not everyone knows about them. The quickest and easiest of these resources is Career Coach. It’s an online career test accessible through the Career and Transfer Center website. Another option open to students is to enroll in a student success course in winter or spring quarter of 2020. “We want to suggest all students take that student success course,” Vigil said. “ … there could be hundreds of student who don’t have that information and we want them to.” Another useful resource for students is the career center where

Holly Peters | The Communicator This graphic shows the degree paths chosen by students, out of the 7,511 students enrolled this academic year at SFCC.

students can meet with a career counselor. Although the career center was scheduled to open spring quarter of this year, it won’t be open until fall of 2019. However, they will offer career counseling in both group and one-on-one sessions if help is needed. In addition to career center resources available to undecided students, there is also a career fair at SFCC on Tuesday, May 14. Exploring the options and deciding on a career path is an important step to choose a degree. “I think it’s difficult when a student has a degree but they don’t have a job in mind,” Vigil said. “… Any of the areas you can get a job in, but the difficulty is with the student that doesn’t plan and thinks they’re going to get picked up automatically … They can, but they would have better opportunities if they had a specific job in mind.” For example, “If you go from wanting to be a teacher to deciding on an English major, that’s great, but the other way around, it gets more difficult.”

“I think it’s difficult when a student has a degree but they don’t have a job in mind.” -Cynthia Vigil Interim Dean of Student Services

CCS INFO AND CAREER GUIDANCE: Career Coach: Ccs-spokane.emsicc.com Career and Transfer Center: scc.spokane.edu (509)533-3545 Careers@sfcc.spokane. edu

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Job Fair: Tuesday, May 14, 10:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Building 17, SUB Lounge Business casual is suggested. Bring resumes.

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Editor: Madison Pearson sfcc.madison.pearson@gmail.com

Wellness fair at SFCC promotes health Wellness club hosts SFCC’s annual wellness fair to showcase healthy living Madison Pearson The Communicator On April 16, the SUB lounges were home to the Wellness Club’s annual wellness fair. Multiple vendors from all around Spokane participated in promoting healthy living on SFCC’s campus. Students, as well as a couple furry friends from the Spokane Humane Society walked in and out of the lounges from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. For more info on how you can promote wellness, complete the spring wellness challenge, or participate in wellness club events, contact the wellness club advisor Sheri Staudinger.

All photos by Winnie Killingsworth | The Communicator

Above: A student pays a visit to the sexual health booth at the wellness fair last Tuesday. Right: The acupuncture booth attracted many students at the wellness fair. Needles placed into specific points on the body are said to alleviate stress and pain over time. Left: Crowds gathering in the SUB lounges checking out what the wellness fair has to offer.

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Students infected with zombie virus

ASG event turns students into zombies in a campuswide game of tag Kortnei Davis

The Communicator Last week there were people running around campus trying desperately not to get tagged or throwing socks at each other wanting to be the last human on campus. This was the campus wide game of Humans Versus Zombies. Humans Versus Zombies is a tag game that is played over the course of a week, ASG said they knew that it would be a fun way to bring students together when they decided to play the game after hearing about it from other schools. In the fall, there were roughly 200 people that played. “I don’t think we have had anywhere near that many people play in the last few years, if ever,” Robert Belgarde, ASG club leader, said.. The game starts with one zombie who is patient zero. “Don’t worry, the first zombie gets a prize as soon as they were chosen to be patient zero,” Belgarde said. This player gets a call after they sign up for the game, letting them know that they are the first zombie. After that, their job is to tag other people creating a zombie army; “killing” all the humans by tagging them. During the week, players get special power-ups that can do things like bringing a zombie back from the dead, which is named “the antidote”, or stunning a zombie so they can’t tag other humans for a certain amount of time. Charlie Erickson, a second-year student at SFCC, said he got a spitball, a power-up that lets a zombie turn a human by throwing something at them rather than tagging them. However, he doesn’t plan on using it, saying, “I used it once and

Kortnei Davis | The Communicator

Zombies participating in the game smile for a group photo. From left to right are SFCC students Christian Deleon, Gabe Gwyn and Charlie Erickson.

missed!” There are multiple winners at the end of the week that range from most people tagged to the last human standing. The prizes also get handed out during the week to the people or zombies playing, and players could get anything from a Barnes and Noble gift card to a venus fly trap plant. People play this game for a wide variety of reasons, but Gabe Gwyn said he did it for the exercise, while Christian Deleon decided to join because he wanted to make friends. There were rarely humans or zombies hanging out alone. One player proved this when four zombies grouped up on him to turn

him into a zombie, and their efforts worked: He got “infected,” After a long week of running away or toward other students, the participants were rewarded with a “zombie bash” where there is food, fun and more prizes for the players. “We need more players,” Gwyn and Deleon said about future Humans vs. Zombie events. Belgarde agreed: “Going into the fall, I think that is really important that more people should play. If you want to play again next year, go into the ASG office and be vocal about how fun it is and how you would want to join or play again next year.”

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FOR MORE INFORMATION: To request Humans vs. Zombies next year, visit the ASG office, which is located in room 135 in the Student Union Building (Bldg. 17) .

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Editor: Madison Pearson sfcc.madison.pearson@gmail.com

Dean speaks on campus climate survey SFCC conducts first survey since 2013 with aim to hear minority voices on campus Madison Pearson The Communicator With the election of a new president and students graduating this spring, SFCC is conducting its first campus climate survey since 2013. Bonnie Brunt, dean of visual and performing arts and chair of the core theme four committee, took on the challenge of conducting another campus climate survey in 2019. The Core Theme Four Committee, otherwise known as the Committee for Diversity, Equality, and Global Awareness, recently “felt a bit frustrated” since SFCC stopped conducting the surveys. “We haven’t had a way to systematically ‘take the pulse’ of how students are experiencing our campus environment,” Brunt said. “And in (Core Theme Four Committee’s) case, it’s of particular interest.” Brunt and the rest of the committee encouraged the administration to conduct another survey. “Normally no committees are involved,” Brunt said. “But, our committee (is) involved because we cared so much about getting good data.” The specific survey being used is straight out of the University of California Los Angeles. Last spring, administration sent a small cohort of faculty and staff to UCLA’s diversity research institute. “(The survey) is called ‘Diverse Learning Environments,’ ” Brunt said. “UCLA is one of the leading research institutions on campus climate, and in particular, they have a really strong diversity and equity bent in theirs.” The group came back from UCLA with in-depth knowledge about the survey and were ready to start marketing for it on campus.

Madison Pearson | The Communicator Dean of Visual and Performing Arts, Bonnie Brunt, poses with two of the 1,000 buttons made to market the campus climate survey that was sent to thousands of students on campus on Monday, April 22.

“I’ve never done marketing before,” Brunt said. “So I called up our marketing director at the district office and she was really excited about working with me on the project.” The marketing team has created 1,000 buttons that read “I spoke up!” for all students who complete the survey, as well as buttons for faculty and staff that read “Have you spoken up yet?” which are made to encourage students to take the survey. “When we approached the president and vice presidents to ask for money to do this, they said yes,” Brunt said. “We were really happy about it because that meant more turn-out for the survey.” Some students have already received an email from SFCC’s interim president, Nancy Fair-Szofran, and the incoming president, Kimberlee Messina. In order to have received this email, students must fit into the following criteria:

-Be 18 or older. -Have 24 or more credits completed at SFCC. “We want students that have been going here long enough to have a good feel for the college,” Brunt said. After plenty of research, the committee found that the DLE survey fit the committee’s checklist. “As we were looking at different surveys, we chose one that is administered online,” Brunt said. “Knowing that we wanted to hear from minority groups, we figured online was the best option rather than a cross section being chosen from a classroom-based survey.” In an email that qualified students received from Fair-Szofran and Messina, the survey is said to have questions pertaining to student’s classes, interactions with faculty and peers, participation in campus activities and use of campus services. Brunt and her committee

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reached out to minority groups on campus such as the Latinos Unidos club, the Black Student Union, the Alliance Club and the Red Nations Club. “We wanted to reach out to all the groups that are historically marginalized,” Brunt said. “We really wanted to hear from you.” The main purpose of the survey is to get an understanding of what goes on at SFCC, how students feel while on campus and the overall work that needs to be done in certain areas on campus. “When we hear about incidents that happen on campus, we think, ‘well, that’s awful,’ ” Brunt said. “What should we do about it?” Brunt said that administration and faculty want to make sure they are pinpointing the correct issues.

SURVEY

Continued on next page

Editor: Madison Pearson sfcc.madison.pearson@gmail.com

SURVEY

Continued from page 6 “If some egregious, racist incident happens on campus, we want to know about it,” Brunt said. “And when we only hear about these things by coincidence, we start to think about all of the other incidents we aren’t hearing about.” After the survey is conducted and all of the data is received, the administration will be able to compare SFCC’s data to other institutions and see where the campus measures up. Messina is slated to start in June. Brunt said the committee kept that in mind when thinking about when to conduct the survey. “She’ll come in with all her goals and everything,” Brunt said. “At her presidential open forum, she talked so much about diversity and equity, it seems like that is something important to her. What great timing.” In order to get the data they need, Brunt is hoping that within the qualified set of students, 30 percent will complete the survey. That’s 1,100 students. “Anyone who has ever done a survey by email thinks we are ridiculous to set our goals that high,” Brunt said. “Even 25 percent is really good, really healthy.” But don’t fret, student’s hard work on completing the 30-minute survey isn’t going to waste. “We have provided some great incentives for completing the survey,” Brunt said. “Not a lot of people have 30 extra minutes to sit down and do something just to help us out.” After completing the survey, students are prompted to either screenshot or print out their completion page as proof of taking the survey. Students will then take their proof to the bookstore and fill out a raffle ticket. “The bookstore donated some prizes and we purchased others,” Brunt said. “It was important that there be something in it for the students.” Daily and weekly raffles will occur from April 22 to May 7.

Features In an email sent from the desk of the president and the incoming president, the prizes are listed as follows: -The first 100 students to complete the survey are eligible for a prize. -All students who complete the survey can pick up a complimentary SFCC folder and a button that you can proudly wear, proclaiming, “I spoke up.” -All students who complete the survey are eligible to enter the drawing for five daily prizes ($10 value) and 15 weekly prizes ($20 value), as well as the grand prize – a 10-in Acer Tablet ($159.99 value). When signing up for the raffle, students are asked which clubs they are a part of on campus. Whichever club gets the most members to take the survey, receives a pizza party at the end of the survey period. An email was sent out Monday, April 22, from Sally Jackson, SFCC’s director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, inviting students to participate. “We’ve worked really hard to make sure everyone knows about it,” Brunt said. “So I hope that we hear from students and can learn from what they have to say.”

The Communicator 04.25.2019

For more information about the Campus Climate Survey: An email containing the link to take the survey will come from Sally Jackson. Requirements to participate in the survey: -Be 18 or older -Have completed at least 24 credits at the SFCC campus. How to claim your prizes: Screenshot the ‘thank you’ screen after you have completed the survey and show it to the SFCC bookstore. Direct any questions about the survey to survey@sfcc.spokane.edu. Survey opens on April 22 and closes May 7.

Wear your ‘I SPOKE UP!’

buttons after completing the

survey!

As of 7:30 a.m. April 24,

the campus climate survey has

received 393 student responses.

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History of Spokane’s Bloomsday race The history of Bloomsday and a Q and A with the creator, Don Kardong Kortnei Davis The Communicator Bloomsday, it’s a race that all Spokane natives have heard about, but have you ever wondered how it came to be? The first Bloomsday race took place on May 1, 1977. But the race had been in the making long before that. At 27 years old, Don Kardong was the man with the plan for this race. He had been competing in other small-town races, like the Peachtree Road Race in Georgia, and he decided that Spokane needed one too. He said he never expected how big it would get. What started off as a suggestion from an Olympic runner grew to something people from all over travel here to compete in. Kardong came up with the idea for the race in the fall of 1976 but they didn’t start organizing it until early in 1977. “We put it together in only three or four months,” Kardong said. The Bloomsday organization realized then that they needed more time for how big it was growing, it is now a year long process. Kardong thought it would be as big as the Peachtree Road Race, which had about 2,000 runners at the time. However, it was a lot bigger than anyone expected. For the first 10 years, Bloomsday grew by about 5,000 people per year. \ “It was way, way beyond what any of us involved could’ve anticipated at the beginning,” Kardong said. Both the male and female overall winners of the race are award $7,000 each., The top 15 people also get prize money. Everyone competing in the 12-kilometer race receives a

Photos by Kortnei Davis| The Communicator

A plaque in honor of Bloomsday located next to the infamous running statues in Riverfront Park in Spokane.

unique Bloomsday T-shirt. As the design is kept a secret every year, no one knows for sure what is in store this time around. Kardong and 82 others have run every single race, adding up to 42 races. They are called the Perennials. There is also a run for the younger population of Spokane called Jr Bloomsday, which took place April 20. This was not the idea of anyone in the Bloomsday office. It was just something schools did around Spokane. This year is the first year Bloomsday has taken it under their wing and now as an actual Bloomsday event. After this year’s race, Kardong will be stepping down from his role as director and handing the reins to Jon Neill. Neill has been with Bloomsday since he graduated law school, and before that he was an intern for Kardong when he was an undergrad at Gonzaga University.

BLOOMSDAY Continued on next page

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Sculpture by artist David Govedare shows the variety of all the runners who participate in Bloomsday.

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BLOOMSDAY Continued from page 8

“He has been president of the board of directors,” Kardong said. “He has been a major part of almost every part of Bloomsday so he is the perfect person to take over.” Don Kardong recently sat down and answered some questions that we had about him and Bloomsday which is this year on May 5. 1. What made you become a runner? I started running in high school, I had done a little track and field before then, but basketball was my main sport. The coach one day came to me and said, ‘what are you doing to stay in shape for basketball?’ I asked what I should be doing, and he said I should turn out for cross country. That sounded like a fine idea, so I turned out for cross country my sophomore year and found out I could run distance pretty well. 2. Where was your first big race? Well I ran races in the fall of 1964 (sophomore year) and I kind of didn’t know what I was doing but by the end of that season when we had our conference meet I won that, it was the first big meet I won, it was in Seattle. Before that I had run races but that was the first big meet I had even won. 3. How do you feel about how big Bloomsday has gotten? Oh, I think it’s fabulous. It is probably the most surprising thing that has happened in my life, I think watching all those people come down to the start every year and watching them finish is the most gratifying thing. Before we started Bloomsday, there was nothing like that in Spokane and at that time there was really nothing like it in the world, so it’s been very gratifying to see all those people show up. 4. Who came up with the idea for the running statues by artist David Govedare? I used to see him (the artist)

Bloomsday statues depict runners in motion, inspired by Don Kardong.

at the YMCA, which at the time was at Riverfront Park pretty close to where the statues are located. I was coming back from a run and he watched me come in and he said it was interesting watching the flow of someone running. He said he would like to do a sculpture like that for Bloomsday and I said well if you want to do a statue like that it has to be more than one person. So, I made that much of a suggestion, but he took it from there and made it work. It wasn’t my idea, but I was there when he came up with the idea for the statues. 5. Did you have any input for making the ice cream dedicated to you at Sweet Peaks? Some of our organization team wanted me to have an ice cream, so we went down to Sweet Peaks and talked about different options. They asked what I’d like it to be and I said I would love to have a huckleberry ice cream with chocolate in it and they took it from there. So yeah those are the flavors that I picked out.

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Photos by Kortnei Davis | The Communicator

Sign of Don Kardong and one of his most famous quotes inside the Sweet Peaks ice cream shop, where his custom ice cream “Darkness and Chaos” is sold.

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Editor: Winnie Killingsworth sfcc.winnie.killingsworth@gmail.com

Music students awarded scholarships

Two pianists will attend Whitworth with the largest amount ever given to SFCC music students Winnie Killingsworth The Communicator A universal language that people from every walk of life and corner of the world speaks is what two SFCC students are building a future with. For Danny Cordero and Zawng Lum, music is a way of life. Both fell in love with the piano and have worked hard to reach where they are. Their talent, hard work and love of music has opened doors for them. Cordero and Lum have both been awarded scholarships from Whitworth University. Cordero’s goal is to study in the piano performance degree program with a minor in composition. Piano performance is the highest piano level one can study. He’s also considering pursuing piano pedagogy, which is geared to teaching and composition. Lum is focusing on a major in classical piano performance and a minor in jazz music. Whitworth has always been Lum’s aspiration. He first heard about the school when students from Whitworth came to Myanmar to teach English. The plans don’t end with Whitworth. Lum wants to return to Myanmar and teach music to college students. He sees it as a salvation from the turmoil that is prevalent in the country. Coming to the United States last year to study, Lum believes that without music, his life would look very different. “I could be drug user, if I did not find my passion,“ he said. Even with his scholarship, Lum still has a ways to go to meet the financial requirements for studying at Whitworth. He’s unable to work and his family can’t afford to send much to support him. This hasn’t deterred Lum from fighting to make his dreams a reality.

If you’re interested, here are details for what Lum needs and how you can support him. Cordero also has experienced the serenity of music. Adopted at the age of 6, it became his place of peace. He hopes to transfer to University of Oregon to earn a masters degree in future music. It’s an interdisciplinary program that pairs music and psychology. His aim is to understand how music can be used to uplift society. He currently plays at least once a quarter in the Spokane bus plaza. It’s part of a citywide initiative that runs on the idea that when live music is there, violent crimes and aggravation drop. Cordero has been thanked hundreds of times by those who enjoy his music. Both have studied with Rosi Guerrero, a piano and theory instructor at SFCC who is affectionately called Dr. G. “She teaches me every day that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and to work hard, be persistent and have a winners attitude in life. She is my hero and makes me stay positive throughout my journey here,” Lum said. Both credit her with helping them get to where they are and where they will be in the future. “She never allowed me to quit on myself,” Cordero said. Guerrero is why Cordero chose to study at SFCC. “It’s important when you’re a musician, you pick a professor, it’s someone that’s going to shape the sound you make,” Cordero said. “They’re shaping literally they way that you view music your passion that’s a massive amount of trust. A lot of people are like ‘Oh, it’s community college.’ They don’t see the value in this program.” Guerrero had high praise for her students as well as encouragement for dreaming big. “These two are exceptional,” she said. “They are great beings

Madison Pearson | The Communicator

Zawng Lum (left) and Danny Cordero (right) with Rosi Guerrero (center) in the piano practice room in the SFCC music building where they honed their piano skills for the last two years.

and can be even better by applying themselves. There’s never a small enough goal for you to reach and you can always reach beyond what you think is possible.” Music is their way of life, but Lum and Cordero have favorite elements. When asked if he did, Lum’s response was “Oh yeah.” He loves classical composers like Beethoven and Chopin. Cordero’s preferences include contemporary composers who work in the classical vein, like Philip Glass and Rachmaninoff. The musical journey is far

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from over for both Cordero and Lum. “Music is like a different language that you need to understand to be able to communicate and so getting those words off the page and into the piano, into your hands that’s a whole process of translation that takes time,” Cordero said.

PIANO SCHOLARSHIPS Continued on next page

Editor: Winnie Killingsworth sfcc.winnie.killingsworth@gmail.com

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Piano student’s hardwork opened doors Student pursuing masters in future music tells story in his own words Essay by Danny Cordero

This isn’t a story of one student’s success; it’s the story of an entire community dedicated to student success and advocacy. It’s the story of David Larsen talking to his symphonic students until 10 PM about his favorite jazz artists, reminding us that even after we become professors we can still be passionate and nerdy about the things we love. It requires people like Dr. Krumbholz hand-writing marches while talking about post-tonal Scriabin well past his office hours. Success stories stem from Deans like Bonnie Brunt who invest time and interest in every student they come across. And of course, no SFCC Music success story would be complete without Dr. Rosi Guerrero’s influence. Dr. G is one of the most driven instructors that I’ve encountered, and one of the most adept at turning raw talent into disciplined musicianship. By choosing the Falls, I picked the absolute best possible educational route for myself. My success as a music student is an organic result of this incredible department and community. Talent alone can start this journey, but discipline will finish it. When I first contacted Dr. G to apply as one of her private piano students, I was talented. I knew how to noodle my way through all kinds of songs by ear, and I already worked in the field as a Music Director for a church. Chords were no problem, and I was adept at electronic composition and production. But when it came to discipline, I had no daily schedule. I had no tangible goals. I let inspiration wash over me and guide me, but like a wave on a beach, I was tossed between inspiration and dry land. I didn’t know how to read music well. I definitely was not skilled in sight reading. And I hadn’t studied classical piano since, well, ever. It would’ve been easy

Madison Pearson | The Communicator

for Dr. G to say I wasn’t qualified to be one of her students. But instead, she took a risk on me. She saw my talent, and she knew that through discipline, I could achieve my musical goals. Those goals were not achieved without hard conversations in Dr. G’s office about practice schedules, scales, and overall commitment to school and to myself. It took long hours of practice inside and outside of the studio, and it took cancelling my Netflix and Hulu subscriptions to increase my free time (for more practice). It took waking up four hours before my first morning class to begin the day with the instrument I love, even though I’m in no way a morning person. My goals demanded sacrifice, and it took a year of private piano instruction and coaching before I felt like I was making progress. As a person who has always played the piano every single day, it was frustrating to know an instrument so intimately, yet to have it feel so foreign. Dr. G gave me the tools I needed for classical translation by graciously coaching me through the darkest times of rehearsal. She never allowed me to quit on myself. And because of her, and the rest of

the incredible faculty in the Music Department of SFCC, I was able to achieve what I felt was previously impossible: playing Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Prelude in C# Minor.” When Dr. G assigned me the Rachmaninoff prelude, I felt intimidated. I’d never played something so complex, so demanding. But I also felt grateful to be assigned such a difficult piece, because I knew that Dr. G and I had reached a certain level of trust in our student-mentor relationship. She trusted me to honor the song by playing it to the fullest of my abilities, and I intended to do so. I spent 125 hours in one month honing this piece: listening to others play the piece, adjusting my pace and momentum and tone, refocusing. This piece became a narrative that strung through my head constantly; my very own classical theme song. And this piece, along with Dr. G’s guidance, was what gave me the confidence to apply for my next step: Whitworth University. And though the audition process was nerve-wracking, SFCC gave me plenty of experience through their quarterly juries for music students. Before, during and after the audition, I kept telling myself that

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those butterflies in my stomach were ones of excitement rather than anxiety. Dr. G’s texts of encouragement also helped. And it was comforting to know my fellow SFCC student and friend, Zawng Lum, would audition for Whitworth directly after me. Without relaying the details of the audition minute by minute, or the agonizing wait for an answer thereafter, let’s just say both Zawng and I have been blessed with a generous music scholarship of $40,000 each to attend Whitworth in the fall, and that is a direct result of our time spent preparing at Spokane Falls. Zawng and I are just two stories that speak to the excellent legacy that Spokane Falls will leave in this community. Yet for our lives, SFCC was the first step towards greatness. It’s easy as a student to feel that our time isn’t valuable, our energy isn’t valuable, and our story isn’t valuable. But let stories like these stand as testaments. One student’s willingness to change his life can change his community, can change his city, and can change the world. These are the seeds of leadership that SFCC sows. These are the fruits of leadership that we are just beginning to taste.

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Editor: Winnie Killingsworth sfcc.winnie.killingsworth@gmail.com

Classical piano student success story Lum explains his journey through the world of music in his own words Essay by Zawng Lum

I am an international college student from Myanmar, South Asia, and in the midst of completing my 2nd year at SFCC. I come from one of the poorest countries in the world. Myanmar is currently under military dictatorship and involved in the longest on-going civil war for the past 60 years. Individuals like myself who come from Myanmar, face many challenges financially to study abroad. However, with the financial support of my uncle last year, I was able to attend SFCC full-time as a freshman. Since then, my uncle suffered tremendous financial difficulties and sadly, could not support me further. My father’s monthly salary as a Baptist pastor is only $300 (US currency) so it is impossible for my family to support me financially in higher education. Also worthy to mention is that 74% of the 54 million people that live in Myanmar are Buddhist. However, I am Christian and only a small population of 4% in my county follow this faith. I wanted to come to the United States and study at SFCC to eventually transfer to a Christian-based university like Whitworth to earn my Bachelor of Music Degree in piano. As an international student in the United States, I have had to overcome many obstacles. I am not permitted to work off campus and have not had the opportunity to receive employment through workstudy grants. As I entered my 2nd year at SFCC last fall, I was desperately in need of funds, otherwise I knew I would have to return to Myanmar. I limited my food costs to $50/month and sometimes ate very little so I could ration my portions. Fortunately, I was able to receive the gracious support of the Shadle Park Presbyterian Church ministry house to subsidize my housing. In the summer of 2018, my SFCC piano

instructor Dr. Rosi Guerrero worked together with the CCS Scholarship Foundation and I was awarded a $4000 CCS Touch the Future Scholarship to continue my education at SFCC. I also received a SFCC Music Scholarship given to outstanding students and leaders that demonstrate musical talent, academic excellence and show the greatest potential. My success story doesn’t end here. I will earn an Associates of Fine Arts Degree in Music at SFCC this coming June, and have made what seemed like the impossible, actually possible. I am very excited to announce that I will transfer to Whitworth University this fall, my dream college, to complete my Bachelor Degree in Piano Performance with a $40,000 scholarship! Dr. Rosi Guerrero is not only the most important mentor in my life, but has been the best piano instructor I could have ever asked for. She teaches me every day that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and to work hard, be persistent and have a winner-attitude in life. She is my hero and makes me stay positive throughout my journey here. I want to be just like her one day. I will remember her and every-

thing that she has given and taught me for the rest of my life. When I was in the midst of financial trial, she was compassionate and fought for me. She is 100% committed to all her students, and myself included, and makes me believe in myself, and that the American dream exists in all of us. The Lord is and also has been my absolute and faithful in life. I understand that it takes a village of individuals to assist students like myself in order to succeed. I want to empower others and inspire them through my own story, that no matter how many hardships and difficulties you may endure, never give up on your goals and dreams, and always believe that with every tomorrow brings new opportunities and hope. The Lord has brought me faithfully through different seasons in my life, and I realize that whichever direction I choose, it must be Christ-centered and subservient to the Holy Spirit’s lead. I am grateful and humbled to become a Whitworth University transfer student from SFCC. I eagerly await this new chapter of life with anticipation and hope.

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Madison Pearson | The Communicator

Interested in taking a music class?

Editor: Winnie Killingsworth sfcc.winnie.killingsworth@gmail.com

Flavors

The Communicator 04.25.2019

Cinco de Mayo history and food tips

A bit of background for the holiday in May and then ways to enjoy it Winnie Killingsworth The Communicator

Who knew that the Irish and Mexicans would have holidays bigger in the states than in their place of origin. “When I first arrived here and heard that 5 de mayo (Cinco de Mayo) was a big deal I was a little confused,” said Erika Gallegos, an SCC Spanish instructor who moved to the states from Mexico. “Besides a small parade held in Puebla and maybe some people getting the day off, nothing much happens. There are not really parties or anything big.” Historically, Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico’s victory over the French in Puebla, Mexico, in 1862. Similarly to St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo has become an event that everyone loves to celebrate, even if they have no connection to it. “It is a way to celebrate your heritage and have a great time,” said Kimberlee Messina, SFCC’s incumbent president who has a master’s degree in Spanish. “(It’s) also a great marketing tool for Corona beer and tequila makers.” Wanting to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Here are tips on how to do so with some delectable dishes. Tacos and Carne Asada are favorites and can be made at home or purchased at a local restaurant. Messina says for college students especially, a party/potluck with a taco bar is the way to go. You can have a variety of meats (meat substitutes for those who prefer that option) and salsas. The more variety, the better! If cooking’s not your thing or you don’t have the opportunity, there are plenty of places locally to go enjoy some delicious food. The

All photos by Winnie Killingsworth | The Communicator Pulled pork taco meal from De Leon Foods comes with two tacos on corn tortillas and accompanied by rice and beans.

Inlander’s annual Best of the Inland Northwest readers poll was recently released, and for best Mexican food, De Leon Foods holds the gold. “If you’re looking for some authentic, delicious dishes inspired south of the border (Mexico, not Oregon), you need to take the advice of Inlander readers and find the closest De Leon Food,” the Inlander’s Dan Nailen wrote. A grocery store, restaurant and bakery all rolled into one, De Leon Foods currently has two locations in Spokane with more on the way. Regardless of where you celebrate, Gallegos said, “Pico de gallo, guacamole y salsas are a must in Mexican events.” So dig in and enjoy Mexico’s victory over the French!

De Leon Foods quesadilla meal topped with pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream.

Scan the QR codes to check out a couple taco recipes suggested by the incoming president for people to try. www.communicatoronline.org

Editor: Nicholas Jackson sfcc.nicholas.jackson@gmail.com

Features

The Communicator 04.25.2019

All photos by Nicholas Jackson | The Communicator Top: A large stone sign at the entrance to Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute. Bottom: Akikiro Nakahara, the vice president of the Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute.

Spokane Falls’ neighbor

Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute is an all women’s college directly next to SFCC Nicholas Jackson The Communicator

Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute was founded in 1990 by Akira Kusaka, who created an American counterpart to the existing campus in Japan. The campus had previously been a military outpost called Fort George Wright before being purchased and turned into a four-year liberal arts college under the Sisters of the Holy names. The all-womens school’s goals are to increase English competency and cultural understanding of its students. The Mukogawa Institute has been a fixture in the community since its construction and admittance of students. “The students who put in the most time, get the most out of the program,” said Akihiro Nakahara, vice president of Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute. “We try to give them the best tools to succeed.” The students who attend are all

English majors and take part in a four-month long ESL course while they are here. They also have many opportunities to converse with American college students at Eastern Washington University, Gonzaga University and SFCC. The school takes its attempts at engaging the students with English seriously, which is why the library of Mukogawa contains only English-based texts. Most of the staff on campus is also primarily filled by English-speaking teachers. Seven of the original 13 teachers hired are still teaching at the school. It is also possible for the students to opt into an extension of their program at Mukogawa. Typically the students who go for extension are the ones who go out and interact with the community more. Since it’s opening, Mukogawa has had more than 10,000

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students. While in Spokane, the students can go out and see around town. They also take trips to the East Coast and Southwest United States. The students also take classes in the afternoon regarding American culture and history. Mukogawa furthers the engagement with its many host families, some of whom have been hosting students for going on 20 years. On Bloomsday all of the students participate. Many of the students attending Mukogawa wish to become English teachers and through their school they have a multitude of chances to volunteer to work in an elementary school with young students. Mukogawa houses all of its students instead of with host families on campus. It employs 18 resident advisers from many of the schools and universities in and around Spokane. Being that it is

an all women’s college, the RA’s are all women as well. The advisers fill the role of assisting the students in their daily lives, as well as planning activities for the students. Four nights a week the advisers will hold informal tutorials that are meant to compliment what the students have learned in their classes. If the students are feeling homesick, the teachers can give advice to the students about overcoming some of the cultural differences. There is also a Japanese Cultural Center on campus. It is the only place on campus where both SFCC students and Mukogawa students can go. The center has many Japanese cultural objects, ranging from dolls to artwork, as well as more current attractions, be it magazines, manga or movies. “We welcome (SFCC) students to JCC,” Nakahara said.

Editor: Winnie Killingsworth sfcc.winnie.killingsworth@gmail.com

Opinion

The Communicator 04.25.2019

Celebrating Earth Day year round

Ways to make a change and fight for our planet’s future which is also ours Winnie Killingsworth The Communicator

Whales starving with food all around them. Masses believed to be at least the size of Texas floating in the ocean. These have a common denominator. Plastic and garbage made for and used by us. Studies say that by 2050, the amount of plastic will likely outweigh the fish in the sea. Man-made issues such as these are becoming a concern to more and more people. A way those who are aware and worried have started to protest the results and how they came to be is Earth Day. Celebrated every year on April 22, it was started in the spring of 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to “show the political leadership of the Nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement”. By the end that same year, the Environmental Protection Agency was authorized by Congress to be created. The idea of changing the planet’s future is daunting. It’s hard to know where to start. Jeffrey Henriksen, SCC’s dean of health and environmental sciences, has suggestions that are “important and simplistic”. These include turning off the lights when you leave a room or unplugging chargers when not using them. Recycling is another one. CCS has containers at SFCC and SCC to help reuse plastic and other recyclable materials. But many people throw the reusable items in the garbage instead. “Being mindful of depositing recyclables into the correct containers is obviously an outstanding idea,” Henriksen said. Henriksen is not the only one with tips for how to be mindful in our everyday lives. Professors at

Photos by Winnie Killingsworth | The Communicator

both campuses encourage students in their classrooms to find simple ways to fight for Planet Earth. Vance Youmans, a social sciences professor at SFCC, promotes purchasing reusable produce and grocery bags to replace the plastic that comes home with shoppers from the market every day. For more tips from Youmans, see the end of this article. Methea Sapp, a science professor at SCC, takes time in her oceanography class to highlights the numerous ways we can each fight for change from supporting sustainable fishing to reducing using plastic a single time or eliminating it from our lives as much as possible. These might not seem like ways to actually change anything but when millions of people use an item it adds up quickly. If millions stop using items like straws that don’t break down and aren’t recyclable, that turns into millions of items not ending up in the ocean for birds and aquatic animals to eat or that pollute environments they call home and we call paradise.

Sticker from Avista on SFCC’s campus to remind people to kill the lights when they leave.

Youman’s recommendations for a greenier lifestyle:

-LESS PLASTIC! -Pick up litter -Share a ride -Consume less -Be nice to animals and their habitats -Do NOT use bottled water -Plant gardens, not lawns

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-Kill weeds with vinegar, not chemicals -Be sure your vehicle is tuned up -BREATHE DEEP – Feel that? -Also, people don’t usually eliminate their waste in their living rooms or bedrooms – so why do it in our collective home…?

The Communicator 04.25.2019

Arts

Madison Pearson| The Communicator Last spring, SFCC lost one of its seasoned art professors, Cynthia Wilson. Since then, a great effort has been made to keep her name and legacy alive. From April 10 to May 17 there is a print exchange in honor of Cyndy in the Fine Arts gallery on campus. A silent auction of lithographs and other prints will also be held during those times. A full feature on the print exchange will be in issue 50.8 of The Communicator. “Cyndy Wilson taught drawing and printmaking at SFCC from 1990 - 2018. Her dedication to students, her passion for art and calming presence in the department is truly missed.”

YOU ARE WORTH IT. TRANSFER TO WHITWORTH

And the credits you’ve earned are worth keeping, too! Whitworth’s generous transfer programs were created for you; both A.A. and most A.A.S. degrees are accepted, so you can save time and money by keeping more of the credits you’ve already earned. And with evening and hybrid-online courses, earning your degree at Whitworth has never been more convenient. Enroll now. whitworth.edu/evening

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Editor: Madison Pearson sfcc.madison.pearson@gmail.com