IMPACT Magazine Spring 2023

Exploring Mental Health and Campus Culture

Letter from the Editor A

s we rebound from the mess that was the past three years, Palomar is coming back to life, slowly but surely. Inperson classes are running again, and there is some movement on campus, but still less than there was before the pandemic.

What are we doing now? And how are we doing? This Spring, the IMPACT staff explored the culture here at Palomar. We chatted with students and professionals to learn about what things are driving us in the new era, what our struggles are, and what we do to overcome them.

It’s true, certain things probably won’t ever go back to how they were, but that’s how it's always been. We might’ve lost our minds a little bit, but we also gained new perspectives on who we are as people. The evolvement of things like technology, mental health and the ongoing human rights movement force us to constantly reevaluate ourselves and those around us.

So here we are, Palomar Community College, and here is our culture, a collection of our beliefs, our battles, and our biggest influences. I want to thank our writers, editors, and adviser for putting in so much work, and everyone who shared their experiences with us to bring together this issue of IMPACT magazine.

Signed, Trina McLeary

Trina McLeary, Editor-in-Chief

Diagnosis SelfThe Rise of

Could self-diagnosing be the first step to better mental health?

Story by Cyndi Cunningham Photos by Alex Tomeo

During the spring of 2020, many people stuck inside their homes took isolation as a chance to reflect on themselves. Some people turned to hobbies, others decided to travel across the states, and then some chose to look closer at their emotions to see if there was something more to what they were feeling. Chloe Saye fell into the last group.

Saye, a 23-year theater student at Palomar College, decided to do some research after feeling confused and frustrated with her mental health. She noticed she tended to get more upset with rejection than her peers, whether that was rejection during an argument with a sibling as a child or her first breakup during her teens. She questioned her selfworth and wanted to know if there was more to these emotions.

Saye talked to her friends diagnosed withADHD and autism and began to see similar symptoms and experiences between herself and those friends. She even took multiple online assessments, like theAdult Self-Report Scale (ASSR), which helps people identify the symptoms ofADHD.After putting all of these resources together, she felt confident to say that she hadADHD.

Chloe Saye had self-diagnosed.

Self-diagnosing is when people diagnose or identify medical conditions by themselves. They usually research the symptoms they are experiencing online. Those concerned about their health may research minor things, such as why they have headaches. Others may do more in-depth research on their mental health symptoms.

Self-diagnosing has been a growing trend on social media since 2020.Aleksandria Grabow, an assistant professor at Cal State San Marcos, specializes in the effects of social media on mental health and credits apps like TikTok for the rise in such a trend. These social media accounts have given teens and young adults a safe space to examine their mental health.

“I tend to notice that the younger generation, also the generation who tends to utilize social media more, are the ones who tend to cite a self-diagnosis at higher rates than other folks in the community,” Grabow said.

She also noted that education could impact the rise of selfdiagnosing. Students attend psychology classes in high school and college, allowing them to understand their own experiences better. She also suggests that it’s hard not to selfdiagnose when looking at learning resources like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Ahigh school psychology class ledAlcyone O’Marrie, a 20year Colorado State University student, to research her mental health experiences. Her family didn’t discuss mental health, which led her to keep it secret. It wasn’t until this class that she understood what she was going through. “At the time, I needed to have a word that would define what was going on with my head,” O’Marrie said. “I thought it was just a combination of stress and anxiety. But I just needed a word to define it so that I’d be able to say, ‘There’s a reason for this.’”

The need to define their experiences or symptoms leads most to self-diagnose. Like Saye, O’Marrie used a combination of stories on social media, online resources, and assessments to understand her mental health better. These resources can provide validation for those who may not be able to see a professional due to the stigma surrounding mental health within their family.

“Because there was such a stigma within my family… I didn’t have anyone that I could be like, ‘Hey, is this normal?’” O’Marrie said. “I just had to go on what I found online and what I have lived through.”

Cultural and familial beliefs are another factor that can lead someone to self-diagnosing. Cal State San Marcos Professor, Gerardo Gonzalez, has studied multicultural mental health issues and explained that the culture we are raised in impacts how we view our mental health. “Stigma is linked to culture because some traditional cultures are less likely to discuss mental health openly,” Gonzalez said. “Also, some communities may view the origins of mental health concerns based on traditional or family understanding, which may not necessarily be a scientific perspective.”

The high cost of therapy is another reason some choose to selfdiagnose. The average price to see a therapist ranges from $75 to $200 per visit, which can be a lot of money for a college student on a limited income.And even services like BetterHealth, which offer virtual therapy sessions, can cost a lot based on how often you use the service.Grabow said that the mental health industry is a flawed system. Expensive visits that drain bank accounts and long wait lists are some of the barriers many people face. However, climbing these barriers can be worth it if someone is motivated enough to get help.

“I hear that frustration. It’s hard to connect with a professional a lot of times,” Grabow said. “But I do think the more folks that know that this is something they want, the more we can connect with you. Because for folks in the mental health field, we absolutely want you to feel healed and connected.”

With so many barriers, it is easy to understand why some people self-diagnose. However, Grabow and Gonzalez address the risks of choosing to do so. “I think self-diagnosing can be empowering, and it can also be debilitating. It depends on the person,” Grabow said. “There’s no one-size-fits-all model to say whether it’s right or wrong for every single person.”

Diagnosing a mental illness isn’t easy, said Grabow and Gonzalez; it takes time and a lot of information. The DSM isn’t simple, and someone’s symptoms could be found under multiple diagnoses, which could lead to a misdiagnosis. “There

Dr. Aleksandria Grabow

Image by Cyndi Cunningham

are implications to diagnosing, for better or worse,” Grabow said. “It can have long-term effects. Someone who might have that training is able to see the bigger picture of what it means to diagnose someone with (something like) post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Another risk of self-diagnosis is not knowing what to do next, which could lead to feeling overwhelmed or helpless. It could also influence someone to internalize their self-diagnosis, amplifying negative thoughts about their condition. However, Grabow said that there are benefits of self-diagnosis. It can be the first step to better mental health by giving them self-empowerment and a name for their experience.

As a counselor, Grabow encountered many clients with varying levels of self-diagnosis. She advises that patients connect with a profession first, “even just to get through that first assessment.”

“Having self-diagnosis acknowledged by a professional can be super relieving,” Grabow said. “It can be helpful to have another human being there to hear (your symptoms) and process it, versus going to WebMD.”

Saye and O’Marrie both self-diagnosed before seeing a professional. This gave them the resources to understand their symptoms better and the words needed to describe those experiences. They both expressed that getting a second opinion from a professional was validating and gave them even more resources to help themselves.

“I say go for it,” Saye said. “Especially if you want that validation and you want to take that step towards getting an official diagnosis. Gather all the information you’re able to, go to a doctor or psychiatrist, and say, ‘I have all this evidence. I have all these symptoms. Do you think I have this?’”

Self-diagnosing gave Saye the validation she was looking for, and it helped her see herADHD more positively. “My favorite part about being neurodivergent is the hyper fixations,” she said. “Because when I do have fixations, they take up about 95% of my brain. I need to be consuming media about it at any given time.”

Saye’s hyper-fixation comes off as passion and excitement as she shares her current fixations: the FX series “Legion,” the book series Warrior Cats, and her current Dungeon and Dragons campaign. She also uses these fixations as an idea to create new accessories and jewelry. She crafts together jewelry, keychains, and purses using tiny, colorful beads.

“It’s a good hobby for me to do,” She said. “It keeps my hands busy because I need to be fidgeting 24/7.”

Saye is now taking steps to get a professional diagnosis for herADHD.Abarrier that she is still struggling with is her phone anxiety, which makes it difficult for her to reach out to a professional. But she’s hoping that seeing a therapist

Voices of TikTok

“I decided to self-diagnose because…”

Theodore Harding, 24: “I didn’t want to get a (professional) diagnosis because I was worried about how it was gonna affect my life. I was also worried about the stigma… Being aware of my mental health was always very important, but keeping it a secret was also important… I think it’s really important that people be aware of their own mental health and look into possibilities (like self-diagnosing) in order to better accommodate themselves and determine when it’s important to get professional help.”

Allison Masek, 25: “My mental health had crashed to the point of disabling me… So I took to the internet and scoured search engines and social media for help. That’s when I learned about ADHD and how it presents in women… Since self-diagnosing, I am able to approach tasks in new ways. I learned everything I could about the resources and strategies available to people with ADHD and applied them to my own life… I am now able to have productive conversations about my needs and accommodations with my employer, family, friends, and health care team.”

and getting the diagnosis will give her even more resources to help herself. Grabow and Gonzalez also know that therapy isn’t the only option. Hobbies, like Saye’s crafting, are a simple and fun way to practice self-care.And creating a support group and having people to talk with is another excellent way to feel validated in your experiences.

Saye also suggested that better acceptance in schools could benefit students’mental health struggles. This would include empathetic faculty members, so if someone is struggling with their mental health, they won’t hesitate to talk to someone.

Grabow also suggested more integration between mental health and education in a college setting but also in K-12. She hoped that seeing a change like this would provide a comprehensive education on mental health and reinforce the idea that counseling or therapy can be for smaller life events.

“Just normalizing it,” Grabow suggested. “Talking about it as much as possible in the various social contexts we’re in… The more we talk about it, the more destigmatization happens.And hopefully, it will lead to more folks who want to get into the field because we need more providers, too.” •

To Be the First

Mathprofessor

MarthaMartinezlendsahand tostrugglingLatinostudents

StoryByCarina Arenas

PhotosbySejaKerr

Throughout her personal life and her career at Palomar College, math professor Martha Martinez has been the first on many occasions. Born in Michoacan, Mexico, as the seventh child and the youngest daughter in her family, she lived there for 17 years before moving to the U.S. as a senior in high school. She began taking English Language Development classes at Palomar.After three years, she transferred to Cal State San Marcos where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics. She returned to Palomar and got a full-time job as an instructor in 1996.

“As a Latina, I value being close to my family, so lots of tios, tias, and cousins. I come from a big family of eight siblings, and six of them were living here in Escondido when I came, and I wanted to stay as close as possible to my parents and my siblings,” Martinez said.

When she first arrived in the U.S., her English was limited. She felt completely lost in her civics and history classes but understood the concepts that were being covered in her math classes. “I think it was Venn diagrams, and I was like, ‘I know that.’So even though I didn’t know the language, I knew the math that we were covering. So that kept me going in that direction. Even though my English skills were limited, I stayed with math.”

Many students that pass through Palomar are firstgeneration students, especially amongst Latino students. After Martinez became the first person in her family to graduate college, she was hired at Palomar as a math instructor, where she was the first and only Latina in the math department.

Martinez was also the first ever professor to teach a bilingual math course at Palomar more than 15 years ago. She said, “I was speaking in Spanish most of the time, I was also introducing the vocabulary in English just so that they could recognize it once they moved on to the next class. That class was awesome because my students were able to practice their Spanish, and they were able to relate and to have a nice social group, a little support group that they could rely on when they needed help, and It was one of my best classes.’’

According to Palomar’s 2022 Institutional Self-Evaluation review, 32 percent of students identify as Hispanic, but only 12.8 percent of the full-time faculty are Hispanic.

“The Mathematics Department is probably the largest department of Palomar, and for a while, I was the only Latina, so I felt like an outsider. I was not able to relate to other people in the department as well as, you know, if I had more Latino colleagues to talk to,” she said. “We are a very large department, and it's kind of interesting that we’re not very reflective of our student population. We have almost half of our students being Latinos.”

One of her colleagues since 2016, math professor Luis Guerrero said, “She’s involved in everything. She’s done a lot of work forALASS and for Tarde de Familia and many other projects. 2-3 years ago, actually, when the catalog of the school was still printed and sent out to students. She appeared

with one of her students on the cover, and I think that really shows her devotion to her students and wanting to help them and show them the help they need,” he said. “We need to clone her so there's more people like her in our department.”

Being the only other Hispanic math professor at Palomar, in Spanish, Guerrero stated in a telephone interview, “Palomar is a Hispanic serving institution, and 47 to 49 percent of students every semester are Latino, and all students need to take one or two math courses in order to get their diploma. So representation is super important. Palomar needs to invest more in hiring more Latino professors in STEM in general.”

He adds, “They could make more posters in Spanish and introduce more Hispanic icons in the sciences so that students can see that they can do it as well, and so they can see themselves reflected in high positions and with advanced titles rather than just technical careers.”

The Journal ofAdolescence, “The associations of maternal/ paternal modeling, self-efficacy, and ethnic fit on math/science achievement among Latinx students,” sites that “Latinx students are underrepresented in higher-level science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) coursework, in

high STEM achievement test scores and in STEM credentials earned and, only 7% of Latinx individuals are employed in STEM fields. These low numbers demarcate future individual and societal costs, such as reduced career opportunities and future earnings.”

They also cited that “Specifically, Latinx youth experience systemic barriers in their educational trajectories, including ethnic-racial discrimination and prejudicial social rhetoric.”

When asked about the challenges that her Latinos students face at Palomar and what she does to help them, Martinez said, “With my Latino students more often than with the rest of the students I know that they need the extra support. So I think it’s a cultural thing, but ‘also an age thing. And I think the only way that gets resolved is with time and experience. And then being able to see themselves reflected on their faculty, and I get that’s a big problem because we don’t have enough Latinos.”

One of her Latino students is Genaro Salazar, a tutor at the math center. In an interview, he said, “When I was struggling understanding the abstract concepts in Linear algebra, she was there to calm me down and reassure me that studying and reviewing can only help me persevere in the tougher courses. She is a very reassuring person, and I really respect that,” he said.“She is always open to help others and lend a hand in people's situations.”

The biggest challenge today, not only for students but the entire math department, is the introduction of the state law AB 1705 that prevents students from being taught remedial math courses.

“So we used to be able to teach pre-algebra, beginning algebra, intermediate algebra, and then college algebra. So most of our students coming out of high school, unfortunately, were placed into pre-algebra.And they had to take all these math classes to get to the transfer-level math classes that they needed.” she added. “But because we no longer offer those lower-level classes, everybody

has to start at the transfer level.And most of them are not ready.” Martinez said.

This means that for math professors, every semester is more challenging to teach at a level where 90 percent of students aren’t prepared. Although there are some solutions to work around, like counselors overwriting the math requirements to take statistics and quantitative reasoning for non-STEM majors, students are still simply overwhelmed. Martinez said, “Many of our students don’t hear that message from their counselors or even from us. It just doesn't register until they’re halfway through the semester and they’re failing.”

Martinez is involved in theAssociation of Latinos andAllies for Student Success (ALASS), one of the only groups at the Palomar campus dedicated to helping students succeed by holding events for not only students but also their parents. They work to create initiatives that can help support Latino students.

To the students that are struggling and need help, Martinez advises, “Ask tons of questions, get help, don’t be afraid to reach out and grab the hand of that person who’s been willing to help you all along and it’s always there for you.” •

Don’t be afraid to reach out and grab the hand of that person who’s been willing to help you all along and it’s always there for you

AI-generated using prompt “painting of many fists being raised in the air with a red, orange, yellow, and, green background”

UNITY

The Umoja club on cultural

representation & the values

of solidarity

Story by Trina McLeary

Defining a CommW

hat unites people at a community college? With so many people of different ages, backgrounds, and objectives, Palomar can feel somewhat isolating at times. On a typical day, there is not much commotion on campus, and people seem to keep to themselves for the most part.

We refer to them as ‘two-year’colleges since the idea is generally to get in and out as fast as possible in order to get to the next thing in life. Palomar College is cited by Community College Review as #11 on the list of largest community colleges in California, with an attendance rate of 21,141 to date.

The Porch Talk

So how can such a large and diverse place feel like a community? What if you’re part of an underrepresented minority?

Palomar’s Umoja Club shared with me the value of being part of a community and recognizing the people it’s composed of. Umoja, which is Swahili for unity, is a program dedicated to acknowledging and celebratingAfricanAmerican and other cultures.

“I personally don’t think there’s much representation, honestly, in San Marcos campuses in general,” said club president Eric ‘Trey’Russel. “When I go to OUSD district (Oceanside Unified School District), I’m seeing a lot more brown, and I’m seeing definitely a lot more Hispanic instructors.And I think that’s good for my Hispanic and Latino community because I think that’s something they need to see in the education community for sure, is people who look like them.”

The club meets once a week to discuss its goals and plan community-building events. They also host a bi-monthly Porch Talk, where students meet to discuss important and relevant issues in an informal setting.

TheirApril 5th porch talk began with a 30-minute mingling session.Astack of pizzas and breadsticks was delivered to the room.Afew students introduced themselves and informed me of the topic for the day: gun violence. Before the main discussion, the group chatted with me about cultural representation at Palomar and its importance.

Umoja Students Trey Russel (l) and Chanti Turner on Palomar campus. (Photo by Trina McLeary)

Photo by Aky Morales.

At Palomar College, about 46% of students identify as Hispanic, 35% as white, 7% asAsian, and 2% as Black, according to a College Factual Demographics Report. When a group is present in smaller numbers, it can feel particularly difficult to feel recognized. Member Jessica Villagomez said, “Alot of people are losing the origin

Some students feel that cultures and historic events are often taught inaccurately in schools, and with little regard for the people involved. “It annoys me when teachers don’t even think to listen or hear the student's point of view, especially if they’re part of that culture,” said member Lee Checa-Valdez. “There’s so much about certain things that have happened in the past, especially concerning natives and indigenous people that have been debunked and the truth has been told and they’re still teaching all this like, not true stuff.”

Professor Richard Carr teaches English at Palomar and is also the club’s coordinator. He shared his experience as part of a minority group and discussed the importance of engaging and being a mentor to his students. “I was always the one Black student. In my MFAprogram, I was the only black male in that program.And I remember thinking, ‘everybody’s gonna look at me as the one that represents Black people in this room’...so I always feel like I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders when I’m in those types of spaces, but I know our students feel the same way.”

Russell described how Professor Carr’s teaching style differs from that of other professors he's had. “I don't think it’s hard for him to do what he does… it’s more of a connection thing. It’s kind of like, ‘Oh, they might like these little games.’And we DO like those little games,” he exclaimed. Everyone chuckled in agreement. “He kind of knows what’s worked best for him as a former Black student, and what’s going to work for his future Black students.”

“Alot of times, us as professors can get comfortable with things, and in order to meet the needs of your students, you have to constantly be able to evolve as an instructor, as a coordinator, right, in these spaces, they’re not stagnant spaces,” said Carr.

of their culture because we’re all trying to fit into the, I guess, for lack of a better word, the ‘white norm.’”

Photo by Trina McLeary.

The Program

Umoja exists beyond Palomar. It’s a statewide community represented by over 70 community colleges, which seeks to promote cultural awareness and enhance the experience of college students.According to San Diego City College, the first Umoja program was established in 1988 at Chabot College in Hayward, CA, and was known then as the Daraja Project. “Daraja” is Swahili for bridge.

“The point of the program is to build student confidence so they feel like they can advocate for themselves,” said Carr, “we need students to come up and say ‘yeah, I’m not learning this way.And I need you to really do something like, if you’re going to try to teach me I need you to make some corrections. To meet me where I’m at.And that takes a lot of cojones, right?”

Since 1988, several colleges have developed similar programs designed to supportAfricanAmerican students. In 2007, all of the separate programs unified into one large UMOJAcommunity.

Aside from regular meetings and porch talks, the club also engages in various community service, career-building, and networking activities, such as blood drives and beach cleanups. They recently partnered with Mesa Rim Climbing Gym in San Marcos to host “Black Climb Nights: Climbing for Unity,” which will be a free monthly community event for anyone to get together and connect.

Chauntrell “Chanti” Turner, the club’s council representative, explained that the event will be open not only to Palomar students but students from other campuses as well as anyone who wants to be involved. “We just want to essentially let [students] know that even though you’re not going to be here next semester or you’re transferring that you're still in this community... and that’s going to be our way to catch up with them and meet up with them if anything after they graduate,” she said.

The club also participated in Palomar's 2023 Black Student Success Week, a series of skill shops and presentations to help students thrive. Turner, who is studyingArt Media Design in hopes of becoming an art therapist, hosted a workshop on the benefits of art therapy. She explained that “it’s a way to convey what you have gone through but without actually talking about it. That’s really important to somebody who has PTSD, or CPTSD or, you know, some other kind of disorder, and why it’s important.”

The workshop also featured an interactive exercise, “creating your own emotional monster,” where students choose an emotion from a provided selection and portray it in a drawing, which Turner then analyzes. She says that students are often shocked by how accurately she’s able to asses their feelings from the drawing alone.

On a broader scale, Umoja hosts its annual conference along with several seasonal events for Umoja programs across the regions to network with one another. “This is a chance for students to get together and talk about pressing issues, and how we can make our program better,” said Carr.

This spring, some Umoja students at Palomar got to attend the 2023 Regional Symposia, held at Orange Coast College, which featured workshops and career-planing exercises.

Photo by Trina McLeary.

Photo by Aky Morales.

Members of the Umoja club recognize the importance of celebrating and supporting one another. Villagomez, who is in her second semester at Palomar, shared that being a part of the Umoja club has helped her persevere through her classes. “I’m really happy that I'm here and I found my community,” she said.

Russel doesn’t feel a strong sense of community on campus outside of the Umoja club. “But I think that's just part of being a community college,” he added. “Honestly, everybody’s trying to just get to where they got to be, to get up outta here as fast as possible. I think when you really take your education seriously, it takes a certain level of maturity to be like, ‘Let me go find a community,’ because it’s hard doing this alone.”

Pictured from left to right: Professor Richard Carr, Diane “Redd” Moore, Lee Checa-Valdez, Janelle Harvey, Chantrelle “Chanti” Turner, Eric “Trey” Russel, Professor Kyle Owens, and Terry Perez at the 2023 Regional Symposia held at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif. (Photo by Lee-Checa Valdez)

Photo by Trina McLeary.

Life Through the Eyes of Student Athletes

Three Palomar student athletes share the challenges, struggles, and sacrifices to do the things they love.

Story by Chris Gallegos

Photos of Kryztian Walton by Bethany Palmer Photos of Craven and Halverson by Cara Heise

Student athletes go through stress, sacrifices, pressure, and more just to do what they truly love. But that did not stop Kryztain Walton of Palomar’s men’s basketball team from becoming who he is today. Walton grew up in a military family with his father being absent at times due to being deployed in the navy. While his dad was away serving this country, his mom was always there to help and be there for her family in any way she could. She became his role-model.

“She’s the strongest person I know, although her 5 '3" might fool you. Her spirit has always inspired me even while I was young,” said Walton.

Walton’s childhood consisted of a lot of basketball and football games. “We were always playing in pop warner and AAU leagues growing up, supporting one another,” said Khrystofer Walton, Kryztian’s older brother.Although Kryztian life was heavily involved in sports, he had a lot of doubts about playing sports beyond high school.

“I always loved basketball though, through high school I had a lot of skepticism about playing the sport just from the stress my body was accumulating,” said Walton. Because of the stress, he turned down an offer to play basketball at Sonoma State. He felt that he had lost the love for the sport; he just wanted to continue his education.

But after some thought, he regretted his decision to stop playing and decided to go back to play basketball at the next level. “This is why I have come to Palomar in hopes to redo my mistake to quit basketball and take back the student athlete life I want,” he said.

Walton earned First TeamAll-PCAC in his first year at Palomar, finishing with 192 points, 133 rebounds, 16 assists, nine steals, and 24 blocks as a freshman. He also led the conference with a 64.9 field goal percentage for the 2022-23 season. “It feels great to be namedAll-PCAC first team, it is reassurance to me that the hard work Coach Patterson, and Coach Buzz put me through is paying off.Also, it’s motivating for me to keep working just as hard if not harder moving forward,” said Walton.

Walton has two main goals in his life: one short, one long.

“Ashort term goal I have is becoming a Division I athlete and reaching my full potential as a collegiate basketball player.A long term goal I have is to eventually become a physical therapist as I want to be able to help athletes recover from injuries quicker and more efficiently.”

Walton grew up knowing that becoming the student athlete he wanted to be, it wasn’t going to be easy. There was going to be a lot of pain, stress, and sacrifices to get where he wants to be. One thing that keeps him going is to stick to a routine..

“First, I will make breakfast and take a shower every morning…. Then I will go to my classes [that] I have from Monday through Friday, both of them starting at 11 a.m.After the class, I will go to the gym on Monday and Wednesday for an hour and Tuesday and Thursday I will play basketball. Monday and Wednesday I will also go for a run after my 67:30 p.m. class just to keep my cardio up,” said Walton.

Khrystofer always reminds his younger brother that “it takes sacrifice to chase your dreams and in the end, you got to put the work in [that] others aren’t willing to in order to be great.”

Other athletes share similar challenges as Walton. Freshman volleyball playerAshlynn Craven sacrificed many things everyday because she wants and loves to be a student athlete.

“One challenge I’ve struggled with as a student athlete is missing out on making core memories with my friends and family throughout my life,” said Craven. “I’ve always been a student athlete so I’ve had to face the fact that I’ve chosen my

priorities as an athlete, which means I have to miss out on some things.”

“The biggest struggle of being a student athlete is time management.” said Ian Halverson, a freshman baseball player at Palomar. “So many student-athletes struggle with mental health because of [it].”

The stress of managing your time in the correct way brings more undo stress and unwanted pressure to make sure you as a student athlete are doing everything correctly. However, time management can be a very stressful thing in a student athlete’s life that’s, not the only thing that can cause stress to an athlete.

“Student athletes are expected to take a full load of classes and make sufficient progress toward degree completion each year. Failure to meet satisfactory academic progress will result in loss of eligibility for sports participation.Although student‐athletes will experience challenges, it is critical for

Kryztian Walton looking at his planner for upcoming assignments at the Palomar library. Photo by Chris Gallegos.

student‐athletes to strike a balance among these three domains and avoid role engulfment,” said GAYLES, J. G.; BAKER,A. R. in the article Opportunities and Challenges for First-Year studentathletes Transitioning from High school to College.

Walton believes that one of the greatest challenges student athletes face is going to school while playing sports at a high level. “The wear and tear your body takes from being an athlete is exhausting,” he said. “Coming home from a big game or a tiring practice to automatically begin your homework that may be due that week is a process that is extremely tiring though very rewarding.”

What is Palomar College doing for its student athletes?

Daniel Lynds, Director of Athletes for Palomar College, wants to make sure all student athletes have the best possible collegiate experience. There are four things that he oversees daily:

Coaching: “The support that our coaches give the players, it’s the coach-player relationship where they are trying to make the player better but at the same time, they are hands-on with the academic side of things. They are there to improve everything in the student athlete whether it is on or off the court.”

Medical: “ We have last year’s state athletic trainer Flecicia Heise, our second trainer Dennis Greenhill, so we have elite level medical support in the room on a daily basis. Where the student athletes can get treatment for any injuries, preventative care, along with pre and post-season rehab. We try to provide them with everything they need for their bodies to be in the best possible condition so they can compete.”

Academics: “We have two academic counselors and one academic advisor, who monitor how the students are doing, grade checks, and make sure studentathletes are passing and staying on their academic course. They are providing everything that student athletes need to be successful.”

Administrative: “ Making sure all the student athletes are doing to correct paperwork while making sure they stay eligible to play… We also have our athletic equipment staff, the athletic equipment specialist John Hennessey, who oversees all uniforms…Also, Cara Heise who is our sports information specialist, she maintains all social media platforms and publicizes our student athletes to help them get promoted and get recruited.”

Hard work and sacrifices come with being a student athlete, whether it is missing out on core memories with family and friends or the wear and tear on your body.

“I believe in redefining my impossible, everyone likes to say certain attainable things are impossible to achieve whereas I believe I can control what’s impossible and possible,” said Walton. •

Athletic Director Daniel Lynds. Photo by Chris Gallegos

I believe in redefining my impossible… I believe I can control what’s impossible and possible.

Will Be Banned in U.S. Colleges?

Advancements of artificial intelligence and its impact on education.

Story by Alex Ortega

he term artificial intelligence (A.I.) has been floating around the world of technology and pop culture for decades now, but what was once speculation or science fiction is now a reality.

A.I. has rapidly progressed its capabilities and skill set and can perform tasks on a level that is human-like. With this rapid progress comes a growing concern from people in technology, education, and the general public. But the question now is, what exactly are people’s concerns withA.I. and are they valid?

The history

The eventual rise ofA.I. has been speculated and theorized since the 1950s following the invention of the computer. The development ofA.I. has been a long and strenuous journey, but now it has become commonplace in our everyday lives. Everything from the shows and movies that our favorite streaming service recommends to us, to the autofill text feature on our phones and computers is provided byA.I. But now, the capabilities ofA.I. are reaching a point that was previously only imaginable.

CurrentA.I. programs and tools can write a 1,000-word essay on just about any topic you can ask it and can create images so lifelike you’d think it was real at first glance.And this development has been a rapid one, which has caused some concern. Just recently, a letter was published calling for a 6-month pause of

A.I. development which was signed by leaders of the tech industry, such as Steve Wozniak and even Elon Musk.

Italy also recently banned the popular A.I. tool ChatGPT from processing Italian users’data.And now, it must be asked ifA.I. tools like ChatGPT will see any more bans in other countries or even in schools and universities.

Why the concern

Alot of the concern, coming from both people who work in the field of technology and from policy makers, could pose a possible threat to the development ofA.I. technology. Whether or not the concern on the matter is valid is still up for debate, as well as the reason why these people are calling for bans and restrictions.

“It’s very possible that this is the next computing revolution, so if you look at the Internet, then you look at mobile [phone], this could be the next one. It could be basically widespread highfunctioningA.I. or human interoperable tools,” said Professor Bryan Donyanavard, a computer science professor at San Diego State University. “I think whatever this category is ofA.I. tools definitely could be the next revolution. If the tech is legit, which it seems it definitely is, this won’t be the highest-impact application. This is like the source; this is like the kernel of what we’ll see over the next decade of people taking it and just running and doing stuff we haven’t even thought of yet.”

A screenshot of the A.I. tool Chat GPT responding to the prompt, “Tell us about yourself.”

Someone else who spoke on the matter was Mahyar Salek, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and cofounder of Deepcell, a biotech company based out of Menlo Park, Calif. Deepcell usesA.I. and machine learning in a microfluidics platform to image, identify and isolate cells to be researched and tested on. “So, my background is in computer science. I did my Ph.D. in algorithms, and that sort of morphed intoA.I. and machine learning when I realized that there’s a lot you could do more if you have access to data,” Salek explained on our Zoom call.

He discussed the possible reasons as to why there is so much concern about the state ofA.I. and why Italy banned ChatGPT., “I think what we are seeing right now is human nature, you know, this is a disruptive product or disruptiveAPI, and human nature when you are faced with something disruptive, one of the natural reactions would be avoiding it,” he said.

“I hope we come to a realization that whether we like it or not, we are at the point of no return. Meaning, this is a technology that now we have, and we better understand it, regulate it, and put guardrails around that rather than banning them.”

A.I. in academics

Another concern is whether anA.I. tool like ChatGPT should be allowed in schools and universities. Professor Donyanavard spoke on whether hethinks there should be any limits on how students useA.I. in schoolwork. “I think philosophically, from a teacher’s perspective, we should as a whole be thinking about what are we assessing,” he said. “Are we assessing skills and outcomes in the best way possible? Like, I don’t give exams in any of my classes, and that’s just because I don’t think that’s the best way to assess the skills.

“I think the best way to try to tackle this challenge of what's basically, you know, plagiarism, or cheating, or dishonesty using tools, I think we have to think the same way about, like maybe our methods need to change, right?”

Astudent’s perspective

Professor Donyanavard isn’t the only one who feels this way about the use ofA.I. tools in schools and universities. Ben andAlex, who requested to have their last names left out, are currently usingA.I. in their university studies. Ben, a student at UC San Diego is currently majoring in cognitive science.

“Definitely classwork, I would say like bigger assignments, I will use it as like a tool rather than as like, ‘just

“I hope we come to a realization that whether we like it or not, we are at the point of no return. This is a technology that now we have, and we better understand it, regulate it, and put guardrails around that rather than banning them.”

Professor Donyanavard (far left) stands outside one of the entrances to San Diego State’s Physical Sciences building.

(Photo by Di Huang)

CTO of Deepcell Mahyark Salek poses for a picture in the outdoors of Menlo Park. (Photo courtesy of Deepcell)

give me the answer,’” he said. “I feel likeA.I. is really good for helping you learn if you know how to use it correctly.And it’s just where you start to abuse it is where you get into hot water.”

It’s also important to understand what factors determine whether or not students useA.I. to help them.

“Whether it’s busy work or not, right? So, if it’s repeating an action, or if it’s something that takes a long time, but it’s not necessarily, like, a task that takes a lot of brainpower. So rather than just having to put a lot of time into it, I’ll useA.I. to kind of shorten it to minutes,” Ben said.

He also added when he will not use A.I. “Definitely essays, like, think straight up essays or big assignments. I think the simplest thing is just don’t cheat yourself out of improving yourself, whether that’s learning or whatever it is, like, it’s a slippery slope, and you got to know how to play it.”

Alex is a business administration major at Mt. San Jacinto College. Because of scheduling conflicts, he spoke over text. “I started to useA.I. tools in January. I use theseA.I. tools in my class work if I ever need little

help grasping a certain concept, and when it comes to my daily life I have asked it (ChatGPT) to write me an effective gym schedule based off my current goals and situation,” he texted.

When asked whether or not he thinks A.I. tools should be allowed in school settings, he responded, “I do personally believe that they should be allowed in school and universities to an extent, but if students will just use it to cheat and essentially not learn then my answer would be no but I do believe it can be used to help add to research.”

Salek also shared similar thoughts. “I don’t think there’s anything unethical about using the latest technology. It might look unethical for a while because not everybody knows about it and can access it,” he said. “But as soon as there is wide access, there is wide awareness of what this is and what this can do, it will be the status quo.” •

A screenshot of the DALL·E 2 program when given the prompt to make an art piece of “Student life in college.”

UCSD student Ben smiles at the camera while he works on his laptop before going to class.

(Photo by Griffin Norwood)

Navigating the Vast Area of Electronic Music

Creating a new world for musicians to grow and thrive in.

By Alexis Stegerman

Photos of Zeshaun Hassan by Belen Torralba

It’s a very few-and-far-between thing to know exactly who you are as an individual. Some people are lucky enough to know from the time they are young, and others may never know. Zeshaun Naveed Hassan, 31, is in the process of finding himself.

Through musical creation to a forevergrowing interest in the field of psychology, he is on the journey of self-discovery. When talking with Hassan, it’s hard not to notice that even though he is on a walk of his own in this life, he wants to help people discover who they are just as much.

Born and raised in California, Hassan first lived inAnaheim and then ended up in Menifee, where he attended Paloma Valley High School. Throughout his life, his parents were an influence on who he would shortly become—or rather—the passions he would pursue.

Hassan recalls how his father had a deep appreciation for music and how he grew up listening to a wide range of genres from opera to country. “I’m a country boy for sure,” Hassan said. From his mother, who is an elementary school teacher, Hassan was exposed to psychology when he was 11 years old. He can picture himself in his childhood basement, picking up the psychology book his mother had left out and being obsessed with it ever since.

Hassan began his academic career at Palomar in the year of 2012. For the last 11 years, he has been slowly working his way towards anAA-T in Psychology as well as anA.A. in Music, with an emphasis on composition and theory. Hassan also works in the computer music lab as the

music proctor, assisting students with any help they may need. Through all of this, Hassan has had one main goal in the back of his mind: Panoramix.

Growing up playing the piano, Hassan has had to navigate how to combine the different musical aspects of his life in order to keen into what he wants his sound to be. From there was the formation of the identity for

Panoramix. “Electronics is where I belong,” Hassan said.

Panoramix, his official artist name, is under the category of electronic music but works to combine a multitude of musical aspects in one. Featuring things, such as vocals and lyrical attributions, Panoramix is standing on his own level of creativity that many others haven’t before. One of the greatest aspects of creating music is the ability to have full control over the creative process, and Hassan is taking full advantage. There is room for anything, everything, and anyone within Panoramix’s music.

“I make music for people that were like me growing up. I want to create a place for people who feel like they have nowhere to go within themselves, it was an escape to a place no one else can go to besides me, and I want to create that safe haven of some sort,” said Hassan.

Image courtesy of Zeshaun Hassan.

Photo courtesy of Zeshaun Hassan.

Music is used by people as a tool to serve many different functions. Some use it to put themselves in an emotional state, some use it as a means of focus when studying. For Hassan, it’s an emotional connection that also serves as a means for artistical drive. “I would say that a lot of my music derives from a feeling of loneliness and kind of darkness in a way. I kind of thrive in that emotion. Sometimes I’ll put myself in a depressing place mentally just to get through the songs more,” he said.

In a 2019 article featured in the Journal of Psychology of Music, it states, “Given the powerful emotional effects of music, people might want to use music to regulate their emotions in several possible ways. For example, some may want to increase positive emotionality, or use negative emotions in order to achieve a certain goal.”

While also offering an emotional response, Panoramix can serve a whole new purpose to the students of Palomar due to its genre of electronic. According to the European Journal of Physical Education and Sports Science, “Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is a kind of music that has a good influence on our mental functions. Studies have shown that students perform better when listening to serene music like EDM.”

Panoramix Productions, “an allencompassing sound experience,” is the future for many artists, even Hassan himself. It is a music production company with the

inspiration of helping others. Offering many different services, such as audio engineering, recording, mixing, mastering, editing, etc., the company is something Hassan wants to introduce and implement on the Palomar campus for fellow students, offering free services. Currently, the beginning of this will occur in the fall semester of 2023.

“The point of Panoramix Productions is to be very supportive of artists. I believe in music education. I want to be that foundation for people who need services. I want to be that guy that says, ‘Hey, you wanna do that? Let’s do it then.’” Hassan said. Limitations is not a word to be associated with Panoramix Productions. Desiree Hassan, the sister of Zeshaun, delights in her brother yet also connects to the true vision of his company.

“I’ve always told him, ‘You can do anything you want. You just have to start, and before you know it, you’re doing it,’” she said.

Hassan may have spent most of his time growing up in Menifee, but it wasn’t until he moved to San Marcos in 2012 that he began to establish who he was. Working as a server at Denny’s, Hassan met another artist, Maxine Madrone. Madrone and Hassan quickly formed a friendship that led to a musical connection. Madrone was present at the formation of not only Panoramix Productions, but Panoramix himself.

Hassan and Madrone worked closely on an album, titled “Bad Dreams,” which is set to release this summer. “We both learned a lot about ourselves as artists and what it takes to make an album,” Hassan said. The song “Bad Dreams,” featured on the album, is the first song Hassan ever recorded with the collaboration of another artist. Before this, he had been flying solo.

Panoramix has already released an EP and an album titled “Garden of Birds” on listening platforms, such as Spotify and SoundCloud. The album and EP were created seven years ago when Hassan had only basic skills and knowledge to utilize. With his upcoming works, Hassan shows the skills and concepts he has gained from his own personal teaching and the courses he has taken.

Image courtesy of Zeshaun Hassan.

“My first few works were kind of fill-in-the-blank, very structured. Now, I have more of a flowing vibe-like drawing a picture. I appreciate that I can see myself growing within my music as well,” he said. With this growth in mind, Hassan refers to the upcoming album as “my first real album.”

With inspiration from his mother, his job within the music lab, and who he is as a person, Hassan has many possibilities of the direction he could take for his future.Apart from the growth of Panoramix Productions being the ultimate goal, Hassan also has a drive for teaching, which stems from his want to help people. “I’ve always felt like a teacher,” Hassan stated. Within his two passions, Hassan could see himself ending up teaching music or psychology. But for right now, he is focused on growing his musical audience. “Having music out is one thing, but having people listen to it is another thing,” he said, referring to the beginning stages of Panoramix Productions.

But the true beginning of Panoramix Productions began when Hassan was 15 years old as a sophomore in high school, taking a Photoshop class. “This is one of my favorite stories, I think because it was really unexpected,” he said with a smile on his face. Within this class, he found the program “Garage Band” when playing around on the Mac computers. He then spent the entire year of class time building a song from the samples the program had available. From there, the rest is history.

No matter what Hassan decides to do, one thing that will remain is his music. “I can see that the music is just trapped inside him, and it’s going to come out one way or another,” Desiree said. •

Fashion Hour!

By Faith Conant

Fashion trends have evolved with the creation of social media influencers, online shopping, the rise of fast fashion, and the role of social media apps. In 2023, some old trends made a comeback, such as pearl jewelry and baggy-style pants! Social media helped fashion brands find new ways to market their products. Instead of relying on traditional advertising strategies like print media and magazines, brands now use social media influencers to promote their products to a wider audience faster.

Influencers are people with large followings online who use their platform to promote products and brands. People’s attention and interests are caught when they constantly see popular creators show off the same products and brands, which leads to them purchasing those products. Influencers play a large role in trending fashion because they persuade consumer behavior and spark trends that people want to copy.

“Social media is running fashion trends. If it is not posted on social media, it won’t become trendy. Influencers play a big role in promoting fashion trends and designs,” Rita Campos Griggs, Palomar’s Fashion Department Chair wrote.

Online shopping is a new tool that has impacted the world quickly, especially in the fashion industry. It is easier to purchase and find clothing than before the Internet because consumers are able to find what they are looking for in just a few clicks. They now have the new advantage of having access to a wider variety of fashion options at a cheaper cost.

How social media plays a role in fashion trends and “What’s hot this year!”

Photo by Emma Mings

“People who look up to celebrities for style inspiration want to dress similar to them,” Palomar fashion student Jonas Neal said. “Then take into account the mass amount of companies all doing the same thing, and it almost forced that style into becoming the latest trend.”

Neal also believes such trends have positive and negative influences on fashion. “I think it has really created a sort of fad and micro trend culture where something can be in and trending and be out of style even quicker,” he said. This has resulted in a lot of new fast fashion brands surfacing. However, Neal believes that on the plus side, more people are becoming aware of this issue and spreading awareness of the situation by informing others of the harmful effects of fast fashion.

Fast fashion is cheaper quality clothing that is designed to be quickly made and sold at low costs. Recently, it has been a huge part of today’s fashion industry because of the brands’ ability to quickly produce trendy clothing that is affordable for

buyers. However, the downside to fast fashion is because it’s made so quickly with cheaper materials, it does not last long. Fast fashion has also been under fire recently because of its negative impact on the environment and the exploitation of workers.

Since the craze of fast fashion has hit the industry, there have been millions of discarded clothing reported. Shein, one of the most popular fast fashion companies, has been a constant brand found in waste.

Shein has been constantly in the media for scandals. Channel 4, a U.K. public broadcasting company, reported that Shien violated China's Labor Laws with illegal working conditions. Workers in the factory were treated poorly by working long hours without breaks and were being underpaid.

“To be quite honest, I think social media has created a slightly negative impact on fashion, as it heavily promotes fast fashion,” Palomar fashion student Perla Nuñez said.

Platforms like Tiktok, Twitter, and Instagram have become major roles of fashion trends today. They have democratized fashion by including people of different backgrounds to participate in fashion culture and express their individuality through different styles. This has led to a larger variety in fashion choices and boundaries, with people mixing and matching styles from different cultures, time periods, and price points.

Instagram is the most influential social media platform for fashion, with 72% of users saying they have made fashionrelated purchases after seeing something promoted on the platform, Retail Drive reported.

“Social Media opens the doors to a variety of contacts not before used that the designers could potentially work with to showcase their designs,” Griggs wrote. She mentioned that social media has a huge role in promoting Palomar’s MODA fashion show.

Hashtags and search engines allow people to find products and brands of their personal style faster. This is called algorithms, where social media apps can recommend content based on users’ interests, likes and behavior. This has led to the rise of subcultures in fashion that would have been difficult to find or promote before social media’s existence.

Animoto’s survey found that social media has a great impact on buyer behavior, with 75% of buyers saying they use social media to influence and make decisions on consuming merchandise.

“Social media is a great way to get exposure. It’s also a great place to gain inspiration,” Nuñez said, who enjoys taking the opportunity to share her fashion projects on social media.

On Tiktok, if someone makes a video about their favorite makeup or clothing brand, it could easily go viral and be shared with millions. “Going viral” means when a video or post gets thousands or millions of views within a short time period. When certain products go viral, it makes them more desirable to

Photo by Emma Mings

people. This leads to people buying products shown, and once it’s gained a lot of attention, everyone else wants to have it too. Some may feel the need to have a viral product to fit in, or some may just be curious about all the buzz and want to see for themselves.

Pinterest is another social media platform that has a part in current fashion trends. The app is commonly used by people to find inspiration for their clothing styles, makeup products, and even home decor ideas.AGoogle survey mentioned that 60% of buyers said they use social media to find inspiration for their fashion purchases.

The fashion trends changed in a few drastic ways in just a few short years. In the 2010s, skinny jeans were widely popular with the public. However, now in the 2020’s oversized clothing is a fashion trend among teens and young adults—big and baggy pants and jeans are in style. Cargo pants are an example of a widely popular fashion item at the moment. While crop tops and tight-fitted shirts are still in style, many have turned to style their oversized bottoms with oversized and large shirts, graphic tees, blazers, sweaters, hoodies, coats and jackets.

There is a variety of trending fabrics used in today’s clothing, such as lace cut, cotton, silk, satin, sheer and fishnet. While denim has been trendy for many generations, jean on jean has also been seen making another comeback after being a trend in the ’80s and ’90s. Floral and intricate patterns are popular fashion trends as well. Outfits are often accessorized with popular pearl jewelry. While past fashion trends may have included chunkier jewelry, people now prefer thinner and daintier pieces. Other trendy fashion include mini and bodycon dresses, maxi and mini skirts, and two-piece outfits.

Although heels are still in style, they have been mostly replaced with sneakers and platforms.Air Jordan and Nike’s shoes are a huge craze among the younger generations as some of the prices can reach hundreds of dollars. Doc Martin boots, which were popular in the 1990s, have continued to stay a popular accessory in outfits today.

Nuñez shared that her favorite trends are the ’60s and ’70s styles. “I’ve been an advocate for buying second hand, so 60s/70s vintage trends appeal to me,” she said. One fashion item she must have everyday is her tote bag.

Neal shared that his favorite fashion trend piece is baggy pants. “I try not to focus too hard on what’s trending at the moment, but that’s the one that has an impact on my style right now,” he said. “One fashion Item I must have in my everyday outfit is something I’ve designed.”

Griggs shared that her favorite fashion trend is the oversized blazer jacket, which she described as giving outfits a very classic look. She also announced the upcoming MODAFashion Show, which will be held at the Student Union on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 7 p.m. The show’s theme is “Lights, Camera, Fashion.” Nine of Palomar’s fashion students will showcase their designs from their latest collections.

For more updates on Palomar’s fashion department, follow them on Instagram @palomarfashionprograms.

Photos by Jack Schaefer

Story By Mauricio Velazquez

The Creative Moneymaker

Exploring the past, present, and future of creative work and how you can monetize what you love.

As college students, there is one thing that is almost always on our minds: money. Whether you’re a part-time student working to pay for your education or a full-time student hoping to get a lucrative career out of your degree, finance is one of the biggest concerns you would face. This can be a stressful and exhausting experience.

Despite past stigmas, many students are turning to creative work as a way to supplement their incomes, build successful businesses and make money while fitting their schedules.

As a student, having a job often means you’re constantly on the go, balancing long shifts and late nights. Unsurprisingly, the desire for flexibility in the job market has increased. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, in which 5,000 people from around the world were surveyed, “59% of respondents reported that ‘flexibility’is more important to them than salary or other benefits…”

Art by Eva Soloff and Lydia Nguyen

Though this study targeted white-collar workers, the results do seem to reflect a general cultural shift as entry-level jobs are increasingly advertising “flexible” hours and scheduling.

The times have changed, and gone are the days of starving artists and deadbeat poets. Modern technology and societal shifts have made monetizing creative work both viable and accessible. It’s easier than ever to get your work out there and make money off of creative passion projects. Things that could previously only be done as hobbies can now be turned into profitable and sometimes even thriving businesses, whether you’re looking to make a career out of it or just make some money on the side.

As a student, you still need money, and you want to be able to make money in a way that fits your busy schedule and lifestyle. Some students have managed to create successful businesses by getting creative. Literally.

But what does it take to monetize your creative projects? Where do you start? How do you do it?And is it something that you should consider pursuing?

Profitable passions

First, what is creative work?And what does it mean to monetize it? While there isn’t any official definition, most sources generally label it as any kind of work that requires creative effort, whether it’s performance, fine art, design, music, filmmaking, or writing. To monetize it means to make money from doing it.Anything can be considered creative work, and it can be monetized: oil paintings, stop-motion animations, crafting unique and eye-catching wooden chairs.

Creative work is a broad category, and there are many ways you can make money. For those who prefer traditional fine art, Palomar College art professor Bo Kim has a few suggestions.

“For painters, really, there are two main ways to get financial security. Number one is teaching, it’s becoming more scarce, but it’s still out there. Number two is selling your work,” said Kim. Teaching remains a viable option for those worried about having a steady income, it’s also an option available to a variety of other creative fields, such as dance and theater. While it may not be as glamorous as selling your work, it is a tried and true way to ensure stability as a creative.

While selling your work can be more challenging, it has become a lot more accessible in recent years thanks to social media and a variety of online platforms. Palomar student Tyler Talboys has managed to build a reasonable income by selling her work on Etsy. She began her shop more than four years ago after receiving advice from a fellow artist at a convention. When she noticed her shop was beginning to gain traction, she decided to drop out and invest in expanding her business full-time. Now she is continuing her education while running her shop part-time, selling alternative apparel and commissioned artwork.

“For a long time it was casual, I would just sell things to my friends and stuff, but as time went on, a lot of people were interested so I decided to open an online store…” said Talboys.

Platforms like Etsy and Shopify have made starting an online business for your art a slightly more streamlined task, but it does require a substantial amount of effort. Creative work is still work.

“Keeping up with Etsy’s rules is the hardest thing, they’re very strict if you want to keep your star seller badge,” Talboys said. She explained that Etsy’s policies change frequently and maintaining “star seller” status is essential to succeeding on the platform. “Even a 4-star review could get you taken off the star seller list, because anything less than a 5 is treated the same as a 1-star,” Talboys added. Running her Etsy shop requires an active effort on her part: maintaining customer satisfaction, assuring quality and making sure her products get delivered are some of the primary responsibilities she is faced with on a daily basis.

Going with a more analog approach to selling your work is also still a reasonable option. Talboys often sells her products in person at events such as conventions and makers’markets. Kim suggested art galleries as a way to sell fine art, expressing that work consistency is important to selling successfully.

Palomar student Tyler Talboys shows off one of her artwork that she sells on Etsy. (Photo by Jordan Good)

“Even if they like your work, what they need to have is the productivity... a lot of times galleries are kind of like job sites, artists are always looking for galleries, and galleries are always looking for artists,” Kim said. He also emphasized that artists explore galleries and form relationships with the owners and operators.

However you choose to approach selling your work, consistency and commitment are key. You may need to invest a substantial amount of time or even money into achieving success. Just like more traditional businesses, success in creative work does not often come overnight.

Marketing is everything

For those looking to profit off their creativity, one of the biggest factors to success is marketing. Every business needs someone to buy. This is often one of the biggest challenges for students, in particular, when it comes to monetizing their creative work, according to Palomar marketing professor Mary Cassoni. “If it’s not awareness, meaning they don’t know you exist. Then the problem is they know you exist but don’t know what you are... many students genuinely already know this information,” said Cassoni. “Most of them have done the research. It’s just putting it together into a cohesive strategy is hard for them.”

Also, having a target demographic and connecting with them is a key factor to success. Every business needs buyers, and in the case of creative work, having a niche and building a strong, loyal customer base within that niche is something several sources acknowledged as a key factor.

“We all want to think that we’re selling to everyone, but in reality you have to understand that people have a variety of tastes and differences, especially when it comes to things that are creative,” added Cassoni. “For my students, I try to help them identify the right person; what are the challenges they’re facing? Where do they hang out? That sort of thing is important. In general social media, friends, and family are great places to start.”

Palomar alumni TimAngeles found his niche within his faith. Angeles recently launched his faith-based streetwear brand “Theis” with more fashion-conscious Christians in mind. “We looked at other Christian streetwear brands and many were interchangeable. You could change out the brand names and designs and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference,” he said. “We wanted to stand out within that niche and really create designs that were more unique.”

Several sources, includingAngeles and Cassoni, also mentioned the importance of social media. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are great ways for artists to get exposure

Professor Bo Kim displays one of his students art work. (Photo by Jordan Good)

and start expanding their customer base beyond their immediate proximity. However, word-of-mouth recommendation generally remains the most consistent way to build your audience.

Struggles and stigmas

Making a career off of creative work isn’t easy. Many students are still haunted by the ghost of an old stereotype—the starving artist. “It’s gotten better but I still see students, especially if they are pursuing painting, it scares them. I see some students turning away from it for fear of financial instability,” said Kim.

For years art and creative work have been unreliable career paths for a variety of reasons. Before the invention of the Internet, achieving success provided more of a challenge and even great artists could often fall into financial trouble due to lack of consistent payment or recognition.

“Ultimately, I cannot be responsible for their livelihood, I do my best to encourage their talent and assure they have what it takes to become a competitive artist, but it’s still their choice and you have to assume there might be a bumpy road,” said Kim.

Also, creative work can often be time-consuming, and not everyone has the time to commit to a side hustle. Palomar student Eva Soloff stopped taking commissions for her highly detailed paintings. “I work full time, so it definitely takes too long to do it as a side business,” she said.

Talboys also spends a significant amount of time investing in her Etsy business, between packaging and shipping orders as well as attending conventions where she sells her work. Angeles is taking a break from his studies in order to put more effort into his clothing brand.

There is also the issue of ownership. Palomar student and digital artist Lydia Nguyen talked about the potential struggles with people taking art and using it without permission. “People have legit, traced my art and reposted it. It was a small page, but if it was a bigger page, I wouldn’t have really been able to fight it because they have a larger audience,” said Nguyen. She added that artists need to be cautious when posting fan art of licensed properties. “Sometimes you have to be careful when making art of shows or things like that because if you use the actual name you could be potentially copyright striked on some platforms,” she said.

A.I. art is also a growing concern among several sources.A.I. art generates artwork by gathering information and often directly taking existing works to algorithmically create a new piece. This means that often artists’work is stolen for the use ofA.I. and because it is still a new technology there is currently little regulation for it.A.I. art is leaving many artists worried that their hours of labor can be replaced or replicated with the push of a button.

“AI will destroy us all,” said Kim jokingly.

Surely there’s a lot to be worried about as someone making their career in creative industries. Despite the struggles, the future may not be so bleak for creatives.

Silver linings: the future of creative work

Many creatives can find work through a variety of avenues, even aside from starting their own businesses. Resources like Upwork, a job site for freelancers, make finding work for creatives easier than ever. Social media and influencers have largely changed the landscape of how people can gain recognition online, expanding the potential for making money creatively. Though still present in the minds of many aspiring artists, the stigmas around creative careers are slowly clearing away.

As forA.I. art, Cassoni offered a more optimistic perspective on the emerging technology and artists. “I see there being a backlash to things like ChatGPT. One thing I've noticed in my students is that Gen Z is really down on things that are massproduced,” she said. “There is an increased desire for uniqueness. I thinkA.I. is just going to create more of a need for things that are genuine. Thanks to various platforms, selling has been democratized, and many younger people prefer thrifting and supporting small business to fast fashion. I think going forward human creativity and things that are humanmade will become a huge selling point.” •

Reviving Palomar

By Gunner Clark

The COVID-19 pandemic tried to kill campus life at Palomar but student government and officials are slowly bringing life back. Since the pandemic, things haven’t quite been the same around the San Marcos campus, in regards to socialization and recovery. While the campus may seem a little quiet at some points throughout the day, it is also quite lively at other times; booths are set up around campus on some days, and groups of people socializing can be seen all around campus. So why is it that many students say the campus feels “dead”?

“The campus just feels a bit…dead, like something is lacking around,” one student said, who didn’t give their name, told Impact Magazine. “It’s felt that way since COVID though, to be honest.”

It wasn’t just Palomar that was hurting with the lack of student participation during and post-COVID; this happened to schools nationwide. According to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), in 2021 65% of college freshmen took most of their courses online. This number has been on the rise since that year, and it is now at around 14%, with students slowly returning to campus. This is promising for Palomar and schools across the nation, as we look towards COVID recovery among students; we are also able to look towards an even greater shift than the one we have seen in online classes this year.

According to this same NSSE survey, there was a 17% loss in students attending campus activities and events in 2021. This accounts for sports games, performing arts events, club events, etc. Events at Palomar have already picked back up, and with plenty of ways to get involved around the campus, with sports games, club events, speaker sessions, and more, students have an easier time finding a way to rebuild and reignite that campus spark.

IMPACT Magazine caught up with the Student Life & Leadership Office at Palomar to discuss the question at hand and how students can participate more around campus. Student Life and Leadership Director Sherry Titus described how badly it hurt the campus. However, it didn’t stop business as usual for the office.

“We were still on site for the majority of the COVID years trying to ensure students had the resources they needed,” Titus said. “We had to provide services and resources in new ways to meet the needs of our students.”

The office provides services to students, such as student activity cards, employment opportunities, clubs,ASG, and more. This office is essential to all students around Palomar and is committed to the participation of students around campus, providing opportunities for students to get out, go to events and socialize, and aid them in everyday needs.

Palomar women’s basketball player Keisha Cox leads the crowd in cheer during the men’s basketball game against visiting Mt. San Jacinto on Feb. 11, 2015. Palomar College carries of a history of high-spirited participation in sports and campus activities. (Phillip Farry/The Telescope)

Sherry Titus in 2019.

Photos by Sonny Cavarlez/The Telescope

(Top) Palomar students participate in Cafe International by the World Language Department at the cafeteria on Oct. 29, 2019.

(Right) In nearly four months, the Palmoar College campus was nearly deserted in the first week of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 16, 2020.

(Adele Bautista/The Telescope )

How the student body is bringing life back to Palomar

“I believe we have many dedicated students engaging in opportunities to participate and share their student voices. Club activities are improving.” Titus added.

She said that ASG returned from advocacy conferences in Washington D.C. and Long Beach as well as a slew of other events. “Students are slowly returning to school from the pandemic years and we are well on our way to increasing student engagement and student energy around campus,” she said.

This increase in student activity around campus in 2023 means that students can collaborate more effectively and helps freshmen succeed in what can be a scary experience for some. According to the NSSE survey results over the past four years, freshmen who “prepared for exams by discussing or

working through course material with other students,” saw rates as low as 31% in 2021. While this rate is already back up to 40% in 2022, in 2020, these rates were at a significant 49%. With freshmen finding it rougher to succeed during these past couple of years because of a lack of campus involvement, rising numbers are only a green light to make college a bit more inviting than it has been recently.

ASG Vice-President of Communication

Kimberly De La Cruz highlighted some of the issues with Palomar’s student interaction and how we can repair this as students. “Not benefiting unless you’re on campus full time taking classes, but if you’re not in person for your classes, you won’t get the same responses from students,” she said. “Some students just don’t want to come to campus.”

De La Cruz made it apparent that the students who may only have one class in person instead of a complete three to four find it much more difficult to participate on campus and have a more challenging time finding out about events. “Teachers are often too busy with their things to let the students online know about oncampus events, and some of those students online don't care about coming to events,” she explained. “They would rather just get their work done online and not come to campus ever, which is fine.”

De La Cruz also stressed the importance of clubs and how the currentASG has been changing around policies that past ASG leaders left behind to make it easier to form a club and get support from the school. She said that people are often scared to create or join clubs when they shouldn’t be. While it’s hard to get much change done right now because of commencement, the fall semester is whenASG will look to implement changes to make the process easier for students to participate.

Amaris Gonzalez, the StudentActivities Coordinator at Palomar College, addressed where the lack of student involvement came from. “I think there are a lot of different factors that are associated with the lack of student involvement. One evident area has been returning from COVID-19 and how the pandemic shifted our campus culture,” she said. “While we do have many students engaged, most of the student body is disconnected from campus life. Other factors include the preference of remote/virtual learning and our non-traditional student population. While we try to provide as many involvement opportunities as possible, there are ways our area can also enhance efforts.”

ASG vice-president Kimberley De La Cruz stands proudly in front of the capitol building in Sacramento, Calif. (Photo by Atia Fairuz)

We often blame COVID for the lack of campus life and student participation. Students now prefer online classes over in-person classes more post-COVID.And as we shift further into a more online experience, this issue may not get an easy solution. While NSSE says that fewer students are taking online classes than during the pandemic, we are seeing more students be fully online than ever nationwide.

Gonzalez added how she can help improve student life. “One thing I have been focusing on is connecting with our students and identifying ways to improve student life,” she said. “Many students desire to be involved but sometimes don’t have the time, capacity, or push to do so.Also, seeking ways the institution can continue to grow and a resource plan that will provide more support to individual departments to expand efforts.”

Gonzalez is hopeful for the future and is trying to push Palomar in the right direction with her plan, but she won’t be able to do it alone. These thoughts of students being unable to commit enough time to come to events outside of the time they already spend in their personal lives seemed to be another recurring theme. Community college life is busy, as we don’t have on-campus housing like a four-year does or constant activities with a vast campus. Community college is often described as one for students “who are too busy for a real four-year college.”

The Public Policy Institute of California reported that California community colleges enroll more than 2 million students each year. “While most of these students intend to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree, fewer than a third of

transfer-intending students transfer to a four-year college after six years,” it stated.

“Honestly, stepping out of myASG role and responding as a student, it’s a mental toll to learn how to balance school postpandemic,” De La Cruz said. “It can be tough for professors as well since some classes aren’t structured the same as they were previously. It can be very tough to find time to attend events with everything going on in students’lives, and it can be very stressful to attempt to make more time than we have.”

Getting a student’s point of view on an issue like this is essential, as students are the prominent people affected by the issue at hand. The change must start with the students who have the time to commit to being more involved, joining or forming a club, attending publicASG meetings to see what’s going on around campus, and bringing up issues that we see as a community at Palomar College.

Check the Palomar College social media platforms. These include theASG Instagram (@palomarcollege.asg) and the Palomar Instagram (@palomarcollege). You can find out about events on the school website and direct calendar.

Students with the time must be involved around campus and help to fully make the shift back from COVID.As we all adjust to post-pandemic life, it’s important to remember that we as students are not alone. Look for a club that interests you, or better yet, start a new one! •

Students explore the services that the ASB and Palomar College offer on the first week of Spring 2020 on Jan. 27, 2020. (Nick Ng/The Telescope)

Sacred Aunties

If you want to change your world, be an activist.

All people have regrets. You could have been smarter, kinder, better. Or when thinking about loved ones, “How can I take on their pain and lessen their suffering?” What about the fates of people you don’t know? What about the future? Lorraine Boyce thinks about the future. Sometimes, the only way that change or justice can be had is to wring it out with your own bare hands. Impact Magazine spoke with four individuals who are compelled to act to effect positive change.

Originally from LosAngeles, Boyce and her husband came to Escondido in 1954. She’s been a public servant for all her adult life. From being a surgical nurse to a city council member to the first woman mayor of Escondido. She has always been working to make things better. She was able to preserve Kit Carson Park as a public park. She made sure the female lifeguards earned the same pay as the male lifeguards.

When she was mayor, four women came before the council asking for help with child care. The four men on the council with her told her that they take care of the roads and the water but not the residents. She and Ruth Clothier, a Palomar College child development professor whom she met on a flight, got the money and resources to establish a daycare facility now known as the Escondido Community Child Development Center (ECCDC).

“Right now, I’m working for women’s rights,” she said. “I don’t care how anybody feels about abortion, but that is a part of reproductive rights that women should have.”

By Lisa Burke

Photos by

Prior to Roe V. Wade, the decision where the Supreme Court recognized the right to abortion in 1973, Boyce was a student nurse at LosAngeles County Hospital. She spent time in the infected OB ward. Forty beds were filled with women who had obtained illegal abortions. This was before penicillin was available. “We had nothing to treat them.And they died of infection. Jesus,” she said, “I will always support women so that they have good medical care, reproductive care.”

Also advocating for women and families, the North County Equity Justice Coalition holds demonstrations in San Diego and Riverside Counties to bring attention to the deaths of people held in police custody. One was held at

the Sheriff's Office in San Diego on March 30, 2023.

People held by the state have constitutional rights such as due process, religious freedom, equal protection, and access to the parole process.Also, under the EighthAmendment, they have protection against cruel and unusual punishment.Among these are humane living conditions, proper medical care, and protection from violence. Guilty or innocent, they shouldn’t be dying when in the custody of the state.

Shawn Mills, sister of Kevin Mills, said, “We can’t even talk about Kevin. My dad actually drove himself sick trying to get answers ‘til today to what happened to my brother. It’s impacting the

families. I would not want what happened to my brother to happen to their sons...or anyone else’s son.”

According to Mills, the court entered the wrong birthdate for her brother. Because of a clerical error, Kevin Mills didn’t get to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino. “The judge said he was supposed to get sent to Patton,” she said. “They didn't give him medical treatment. We found something that said he had swollen legs...they couldn’t find him in the system. But they were able to find us to tell us he died.”

“My brother was in a mental crisis,” Mills continued. She recounts how her brother was deemed unfit to stand trial. And that he would not get the

The North County Equity Justice Coalition holds demonstrations in San Diego and Riverside Counties to bring attention to the deaths of people held in police custody. (Photo by Joe Orellana)

appropriate medical physical and mental treatment in jail. “My brother ended up dying November the 11, 2022.”

Gina Burns, who co-founded Moms Against Torture with Cheryl Canson and other mothers, was also at the demonstration. “My two sons suffered with mental illness inside prison,” Burns said. She is the mother of Jeremy Smith and Bernard Graham. No one answered her calls when she tried to gain information on her son’s status. “It could be fatal when they are in a mental health crisis.”

She explains that prisons and jails only worsen the condition of people with poor mental health. Punishment like solitary confinement hastens mental decline. “It’s nothing but the almighty dollar for these people. They are warehousing him for money, and a lot of them are dying, and who cares?” Burns said.

She notes that treatment is cheaper than incarceration. California spends $106,000 per year per inmate, according to the LegislativeAnalyst’s Office. “We lead the world in mass incarceration, past China. This is insane,” she said. The Prison Policy Initiative confirms this.

Burns carried a poster board with photos of her son. “You see my son here in chains. This is nothing but modern-day

slavery. You see my son here in a cage.”

Demonstrations can be steps along the way to change and progress. Changing the law is a clear metric of progress. Dr. Juana Majel-Dixon is a formidable woman. She was key in getting protections for Indigenous people in the ViolenceAgainst WomenAct (VAWA) and the Tribal Law and OrderAct into law. She chaired the TribalActions Leadership Council. She holds a joint doctorate in U.S. policy and education and a master’s in behavioral science and psychology. She is a member, and was an officer, of the National Congress ofAmerican Indians. She serves on her tribe’s council and is a citizen of the PaumaYuima Band of Luiseno Indians, a traditional leader and a healer.

“I remember standing before the attorney general (Eric Holder), and he came with a file this big,” she said,

indicating a height of almost a foot. “So you found my file.And he laughed. ‘How’d you know?’” This meeting was held in 2013 when the local tribes put a stop to a dump being placed in Gregory Canyon. She said, have you come here to shoot me, to kill me in person? He’s the attorney general. Right?And he goes, ‘No. You are exonerated.’”

Miajel-Dixon began her activism as a young college student. “We were there in ‘69, ‘70, ‘71. You had theAmerican Indian Movement, the Farm Workers Movement, Black Panthers, as those movements (are) occurring, they take us up toAlcatraz,” she said. “We met with traditional elders (from Pine Ridge) at that time.” She said the attention of the foreign press reduced the abuse the federal authorities inflicted on the activists.

Later, when California failed to comply with the Indian Child WelfareAct (ICWA) of 1978,

“Right now, I’m working for women’s rights. I don’t care how anybody feels about abortion, but that is a part of reproductive rights that women should have,” said Lorraine Boyce, who was the first female mayor of Escondido from 1975 to 1976.

(Photo by Nicole Downey)

Dr. .Juana Maiel-Dixon played a key role in securing the Indigenous people in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Tribal Law and Order Act into law in 2003 and in 2013, respectively. (Photo by Lisa Burke)

“That lit a fire under me,” Dixon said. Most egregiously, California removed the Native identification of children and called the testimony in the court of tribes and families, indicating the political status of Native children “hearsay,” causing difficulty in the implementation of the act.

The provisions of ICWAare considered the “gold standard” in child welfare, according to child development experts.Also, forcibly transferring children from one group and placing them with another with the resulting loss of language, culture, and familial bonds is genocide, according to the United Nations Genocide Convention.

“We had to look collectively to effect the changes (so) that we could survive. That meant Indian Health, that meant job corps, and that meant other things that would benefit the tribes,” she said. “We agree to have sovereign-tosovereign relationships.And we agree on the core principles of what was sacred, of what was traditional, what was custom is a matter in which you celebrate both the sacred and traditions.

“You have to understand, all women are sacred.”

“We are not finished,” Dixon said, “We have more to do.And let us take the leadership (of) the women of our

nations who birthed us, who raised us, who protect us, and die with the whisper on their lips of their love for us. Let us take what they have taught us every generation. If it had not been for them, we would not be a ‘we.’”

So what can be done and where to start? Educate yourself. Read, listen, and question. Take the opportunity in meeting Palomar College’s breadth requirements to explore topics. Join clubs and community organizations— political and otherwise—campus are clubs that focus on the environment, or gender equality. Rallies are fun. You

can make friends or at least know you are among allies.

Volunteer, or if you have the luxury of choosing the kind of job you do, choose meaningful work. The Palomar College Office of Student Life and Leadership has many opportunities to volunteer.

Make art and tell stories because we need to communicate with each other. You better get on it because no one can do it alone, and you may find our very survival depends on it. •

“You have to understand, all women are sacred.”

Yusef Miller from the North County Equity & Justice coalitions speaks during the protest. (Photo by Joe Orellana)

Moms Against Torture demonstratesto bring attention to the deaths of people held in police custody. (Photo by Joe Orellana)

N N

avigating the ew ormal

The drastic shift from going online raised students anxiety and stress. Not only that but it also changed the way students were used to learning. Since most classes were online during the COVID-19 pandemic, students missed out on connecting with professors and classmates on campus.After the pandemic, students are able to return to campus and would rather attend classes on campus opposed to being online.

Palomar student Gianna Bournazos said she has experienced both online and in-person classes at Palomar College. If she had the choice, she would prefer to learn in person.

Story by Taylor Leonard

Photos byArturo Ramos

“I feel like being in person, you could be more hands-on and interact with people, whereas online, you just have an assignment due at 11:59 p.m., and that’s it,” said Bournazos.

Throughout universities, college students struggled mentally during the pandemic since classes were online. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported, “approximately 560,000 undergraduate students that enrolled in the fall of 2020 dropped out of school.”

In a research report by the United States Department of Education, community colleges “were also hit hard, with enrollment among 2020 high school graduates down slightly in fall 2020.”

Dr. Tina Recalde, who is the assistant superintendent and vice president of Instruction at Palomar College, mentioned in an email that, “Considering the Fall 2019 course success rate and the most current Fall term, we have noticed a slight increase above ‘pre-pandemic level’in course success rate.”

Bournazos described that her experience with online has been mostly positive. “I feel like I’m relatively lucky, I haven’t had anything significantly impact me before like a challenge that I would have to overcome,” she said.”Other than just maybe I feel like since I’m an only child just the pressure of wanting to make my parents proud and wanting to succeed in order to make them happy since I’m the only child.”

She also has some advice for those who are struggling mentally. “Sometimes you feel like you’re alone, but you’re never alone. There is always someone that you could talk to, whether it’s a friend of yours, a teacher, or a classmate,” she said. “Besides my parents motivating me, I would say that overall I want to do well in school for myself and make the people around me happy as well.”

Another student, KylieAnda, mentioned her struggle with the transition online to in-person.

“It was difficult for me at first because everyone was so cautious about masking, but I’ve definitely lost some work habits for sure because online I was able to procrastinate and didn't learn as well online as I did in person,” she said. “I feel like being seclude like I didn’t see anyone for so long because honestly my community is what’s helped me through study groups and learning together helping each other out and it felt kinda weird not seeing anyone.”helped me through study groups and learning together helping each out and it felt kinda weird not seeing anyone. I would go on Discord calls everyday with my friends to try to keep up with them and catch up with them.”

On campus, the staff and faculty are helpful to students that need support through their challenges in classes.

“Palomar College offers extensive tutoring and counseling services to assist students in achieving their goals.” Dr. Recalde also explained, “In addition, our behavioral health counseling services provide individual, couples, and group counseling services, consultation, outreach, and psychological services to support Palomar College students.”

Dr. Recalde’s vision is to “provide students with the wraparound support services including financial aid, counseling, behavioral health counseling, tutoring and learning services, and disability-related resources and accommodations.”

“I would like all our students to know that our faculty, staff, and administrators are here to support our students in their journey,” she said.

Gianna Bournazos during an interview at Palomar College. Photo byArturo Ramos.

Dr. Tina Recalde. Photo courtesy of Palomar College.

Being online was hard on students, especially since professors weren’t prepared. According to a research report by the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Allied Science, author Nisreen Daffa Allah Omer Hajedris, “Students also reported many challenges to online education including concerns related to COVID19 pandemic, use of technology tools, online experience, student assessment, communication, and technologyrelated phobia.”

Hajedris also emphasized students’concerns regarding being online and desired learning in a classroom rather than online. “Students reported feeling more engaged and receiving more immediate feedback than online,” Hajedris reported.

However, Hajedris explained how being online enhanced students’ability to learn. “During the pandemic, going online improved students overall skills, skills of discussion as well as improvement in their performance.”

During COVID-19, students with disabilities at universities struggled because of the lack of accommodations.According to the National Library of Medicine, authors Carla D. Chugani andAmy Houtrow wrote, “Although the transition to virtual education has increased accessibility, it also has created new challenges for college students with disabilities.”

Chungi and Houthrow stressed the importance of students with disabilities being cautious when returning to campus. They both noted that students with disabilities, “Have a higher likelihood of adverse outcomes from COVID-19.” They referred to a report by TheAssociation on Higher Education and Disability that students with disabilities are “experiencing a wide range of challenges in the rapid transition to online learning, with almost all these challenges being more prevalent for students with disabilities.” Challenges that students with disabilities faced were accessing the equipment and Wi-Fi along with a lack of communication from professors and classmates.

Chugani and Houtrow also highlighted that students with disabilities are struggling with standing up for themselves. The authors wrote that, “In essence, very little concrete guidance protecting the rights of college students with disabilities was provided.”

“I feel like being in person, you could be more hands-on and interact with people, whereas online, you just have an assignment due at 11:59 p.m., and that’s it,” said Bournazos. •

Gianna Bournazos during an interview at Palomar College. Photo byArturo Ramos.

Who Runs Palomar’s Health Center?

Learn

By Erica Howell

Student culture thrives on reliable, helpful and safe spaces to seek help and support. Palomar College is fortunate to offer an array of health services to students. The Student Health Center, located at the HC & NB buildings, provides both physical and behavioral health services, everything from STI testing, monthly vaccination events and counseling services.

With the COVID-19 three-year anniversary making its way this year, the majority of Palomar students has experienced an impact in their daily lives, whether it be domestic abuse, substance abuse and any variation of mental health decline. It’s important that they are informed about the wonderful privilege we have to access these services on campus.

In 2022, the National Library of Medicine published a systematic review of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health among adolescents and college students as well as health care workers. The researchers pooled the data from January 2020 to July 2021 and found that their five studies on children and 16 studies on college students “found that both groups reported feeling more anxious, depressed, fatigued, and distressed than prior to the pandemic.’’

Palomar student Esteban Marin is one among many students who uses the resources offered at Palomar to help with his mental health.

Impact: How was the COVID-19 pandemic taken a toll on your mental health?

Esteban: “I think in general, COVID made me a more anxious person. I had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder a couple months prior to lockdown, and being stuck indoors definitely didn’t help. I think COVID really affected my ability to interact with people and make new friends.”

Impact: How did you come about using the Student Health Services on campus?

Esteban: “I have used the Behavioral Health Services to get therapy through school. I had a pretty rough start to my year, and a friend of mine told me about the therapy resources available at Palomar. So I then looked into it, and since traditional therapy can be very expensive and I was having trouble trying to see one in a timely manner, it was really a great resource for me and has been essential to maintaining my mental health.”

Meet Dr. Patrick Savaiano

This department has taken great responsibility and passion to provide amazing resources that are here to support the students of Palomar. The Behavioral Health Counseling Services run by lead Psychologist Patrick J. Savaiano and mental health practitioner, Lenka Schalkle, as well as the administrative staff of the department. Students of all backgrounds, orientations, genders, creeds, etc. can benefit from these resources, whether it isAlcohol Anonymous meetings, mindfulness seminars, or support groups provided with an eclectic variety of resources.

Savaiano is the only full-time licensed professional at the San Marcos campus, occasionally making his rounds to the Fallbrook Education Center. Originally from Chicago, Ill., he completed his undergraduate work at the University of Notre Dame and earned his Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from Adler University. He completed his Predoctoral Internship at San José State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services and his Postdoctoral Residency at Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara. Prior to joining the team at Palomar College in 2019, he worked as a staff psychologist for UC San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services.

Impact Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Patrick Savaiano to speak about the Behavioral Health Counseling Services (BHCS) as well as his observations as a licensed professional working here at Palomar.

Impact:What kind of aid does the Student Health Services offer?

Savaiano: “What’s great about the Student Health Center and Behavioral Health Center is that we offer many services to our students nearly on every campus site, primarily San Marcos being the hot spot of it all. We have a full-time nurse practitioner as well as a medical doctor. Where they can prescribe some medications. They offer some or most STD testing, women’s health treatments, vaccinations, physicals and such. So you know, a cool range of basic health services for the students.And so for the mental health services, obviously there’s academic counseling. But now, for some time there’s been student behavioral counseling services.

Image by Erica Howell

Photo by Esteban Marin

“When you think of the student health centers, the department is kind of in three areas. You have the student health centers, which is essentially the medical side.And then there’s the behavioral health counseling services, which is mental health.And then there’s health promotion, which is our outreach in our student peer mentors and stuff like that.”

Impact: “Are you the only licensed professional on campus?

Savaiano: “We have a number of therapists licensed like myself, five of them part-time, most bilingual who have a variety of identity, background and expert layers of expertise. All sources of aid can be provided once the student health fee is paid.”

Impact: “How much is this fee?”

Savaiano: “That ranges from $23, however, it will increase within the year to $26. But once that fee is paid during the beginning of the semester, the student has access to the resources here at the Student Health Center, including the Behavioral Health Center.”

Impact: “Would you say Palomar’s Behavioral Health center is a safe place for minority groups?”

Savaiano: “Yes. “We do our best to reflect our student body. So whenever we’re hiring, we look at topics of diversity, social justice, multicultural psychology and different areas of expertise that can benefit our students.”

Impact: How has the pandemic affected students? Were there any increase of students coming forth post pandemic seeking assistance?

Savaiano: “Oh yes, I mean the challenges from the pandemic, I think we’re still not fully realizing or seeing the residual effects of how the pandemic has impacted students here. I’d say easily that certain folks, and even certain populations of folk were severely impacted by being stuck at home. If you’re thinking about our students, many of whom came to campus, got out of their homes to escape challenging home environments. The risk of DV (domestic violence) goes way up.

“And even when it comes to those who struggle with anxiety. The shelter in place protocols definitely creates struggles for those with anxiety disorders. Part of the treatment plan here at Palomar for social anxiety is to go desensitized and get some of those social encounters, but of course being isolated would be made worse and even reinforces the anxiety.”

Impact: “How would you elaborate your professional observation regarding these residual effects that the COVID19 pandemic has left?”

Savaiano: “ I feel like it is finally coming back together, I’ve noticed more fear in people, perhaps not trusting others. Not believing that others have the best intentions, you know, sure, that could be the case, certainly there are people out there like that. But I think there are still good, in fact great people out there. I don’t think people have all of a sudden, like as a society, become fearful. Of course, news and media could have a strong place in creating that narrative.”

Impact: “How can students reach out and ask for services?”

Savaiano: “So they can walk into our main office here in San Marcos, in the HC building, that is where the medical services are. Then in the NB building, next door is where the Behavior Health services are offered. It can be done in person, of course over the phone and online. By visiting the patient portal on the Behavioral Health Counseling Services website. Fortunately, Telehealth services are offered, too, for students who only attend Palomar virtually. So no one can be excluded from our resources. From there, you’ll find the fairly platform to navigate regards to whatever health and wellness needs a student may have.”

Impact: “Any specific services or resources you believe more students should be aware of?”

Savaiano: “There is a relatively new internship program at our Behavioral Health Counseling Center, which brings graduate students who are pursuing their degree and licenses, working under the license of our own therapists here on campus, which obviously gives us the opportunity to see and help more students.”

“As well as a workshop series on coping skills with anxiety, depression, stress and of course self compassion.All coordinated by Lenka Schalkle. We also have our Student WellnessAdvocacy Group (SWAG), they’ve been around for awhile. These are students of Palomar who have formulated support groups of their own, the goal being to reduce stigma and barriers regarding mental health in students of all avenues of life. Those are all being improved and continued.”

Overall, it is certain to say that Palomar College is more than efficient when it comes to the vast variety of resources, programs, and services that the Student Health Services has to offer. Now that mental health is becoming a common, controversial topic, taking rank in the limelight more and more every day, we students at Palomar have the opportunities to seek support and help almost effortlessly— thanks to the remarkable students and staff of the Student Health Services Department. •

WhatTo Really KnowAbout Online Therapy

By Chloé Maxedon

Therapy is such a sticky subject that many feel uncomfortable talking about it. So let’s share it.

Online therapy did, in fact, exist before the COVID-19 pandemic, but it skyrocketed once society was forced to stay home. There were a few instances where you might’ve heard about it, but the popularity of it was borderline unheard of. However, when COVID hit in 2020 and people were ruled into staying indoors, left their jobs, and raided grocery stores, terms such as etherapy, teletherapy, telepsychology, or online counseling became very common.

College students are very busy in their day-to-day lives with school and work and limited social life, so when it comes to needing therapy, they want unbiased opinions from people who are professionals instead of family members.

Photo byAlex Ortega

In a review published in the Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing in 2022, authors Sajal Dhillon and Gobind Verma stated, “Increased accessibility, higher level of comfort as well as convenience, and less expensiveness are some of the prime advantages of online mode therapy.”

With students already spending so much money on student loans, parking permits, food, bills, and more, they don’t want not only to travel to see someone for help but also don’t want to pay an expensive amount that everyone deserves. With online therapy, students can access aid and support from the comfort of their own homes or wherever they may be at the time of their appointment without spending money on gas.

In an interview with Dr. Patrick Savaiano, who is the director of Palomar’s Behavioral Health Counseling Services, he discussed the importance and benefits that the online therapy services Palomar College provides. Palomar therapy services are already paid for when you pay the $23 at the beginning of the semester. It also has an online therapy service—called “telehealth” —that can be either over the phone or a video call, depending on what the student prefers. Therefore,

whether you have classes on campus or online lectures on Zoom or asynchronous, you always have that option available, no matter the situation.

“We were in the process of starting out Tele-Health services that same semester that COVID happened. I had taken a course for the service about the consideration ethical and legal that we needed to keep in mind when implementing what we would need for telehealth,” Dr. Savaiano said, “Funny thing, that is when COVID happened, and that whole process for our online therapy service was accelerated.”

Dr. Savaiano used examples like being sick and not being able to come to campus, exclusively taking online classes, or having work shifts the day of your appointment. “I’m happy that we are still able to move forward in the treatment plan and assist students with their personal wellness goals,” he said. You can also convert your in-person appointment to a virtual one if something were to come up, and vice versa if you realize that you are more comfortable with seeing someone face-to-face on campus.

Photo by Erica Howell

Though there are many benefits, there are some pros and cons with telehealth. However, it was new to Palomar and the faculty had to learn about it quickly when the world went on a lockdown. “There are certain safety precautions, legal, and ethical implications we have to think through now that the student isn’t directly in front of us,” Dr. Savaiano said, “One of them being where are they?Are they in a safe space during this virtual appointment? We won’t engage in TeleHealth until we know where the individual is physically so we can ensure safety to the best of our ability. Our licenses allow us to provide these services to individuals in the state of California, but if they’re outside of it, we would have to get a resource that is local to them.”

He explained that it becomes complicated when someone who might seek to harm themselves is on a virtual appointment in an area where the faculty can’t locate them. In these cases, having the therapy appointment in-person on campus becomes the safest option.

And while in-person therapy sessions are still popular, the flexibility that online services provide has allowed more people to access the help they need. In the previously mentioned article, Dillhon and Verma stated that “Online therapy has emerged to be as fruitful as traditional in-person therapy for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” There are some studies that say virtual appointments are more popular with youth and young adults because they feel

more comfortable talking to a screen in a space that is familiar to them than going in person.

In some cases, having a working phone or computer is still asking for a lot, which leaves some students needing inperson guidance. However, with today’s rising numbers on necessary expenses like “housing, transportation, and gas prices, all those factors can lead to students being able to access us and connect with one of our providers without having to spend extra money to physically come to see us.”

Dr. Savaiano said that Palomar College provides both options to students, so it can be the most beneficial for the students. He elaborated that the popularity between both services is roughly 50/50, and it really depends on what works for the student by their lifestyle and the accessibility they have to either the campus or an electronic device.

Because the virtual services provided not only at Palomar but around the world for everyone has become so popular and continues to rise with popularity, Dr. Savaiano sees this electronic option to help with mental health to last a lot longer than this time period where COVID is still so actively involved with our day-to-day lives. “I think that online therapy is here to stay,” he said. •

Photo byAlex Ortega

Why Should

Photo by Vicki Wang

A Philosophical and Pragmatic Perspective

By Jason Pache

Everywhere you go in society today you can see people reading. Heads bowed in cars texting at stop lights, figures hunched over laptops in coffee shops, fixated gazes riveted on social media in the classroom—these are the frequent figures of the digital age.

Palomar is expediting the learning of effective reading through reading classes, in hopes of helping students in college and beyond. In line with this goal, the college seeks to provide instruction in reading aimed at enhancing written and interpersonal communication, helping students to think critically about their beliefs while increasing their empathy for others.

Reading facilitates communication

Professor Erin Feld at Palomar believes reading helps with both written and interpersonal communication. One way to improve these skills is to become familiar with viewpoints other than one’s own through wide reading. That is because reading widely gives oneself familiarity with an array of perspectives, which Feld believes can then be used as models of writing and speaking.

“If you are reading about people who are different than you, then you can learn more. Generally, the more we know about someone, the more we can put ourself in their shoes, as they say, so then we can have more of an understanding of why they might think the way they do or do things the way they do, she said. “With reading, we can learn things about all kinds of people, situations, experiences, etc. that we can bring with us as we meet and interact with new people.”

Feld believes that by becoming aware of others' viewpoints, we have an idea of how to communicate—both interpersonally and in writing—with those who hold these points of view. We learn how to approach the arguments that they would be willing to listen to.

“If you meet somebody with different viewpoints, and you’ve already read them, then it’s not like, ‘Wait, how could you believe that?’ as your initial reaction,” she said. “So just that exposure potentially before you’re in situations with people, or if you’ve not heard about a particular viewpoint but at least been exposed to, you’re aware that people are going to disagree with you in the world, and that’s not a startling moment.”

Reading can also help the reader by providing verbal resources for communication. The reader can learn new words through being exposed to them in print. Wide reading exposes the reader to multifarious genres of writing. Each of these genres possesses a language unique to itself, Feld said.

Delving into a diverse range of subjects produces mental associations from this wide range of writing styles. Feld believes that language used in these mental associations tends to register and stay. Seeing words in the context in which they are used gives examples to which learned words can apply.

Habitual reading accustoms the reader to an array of thought processes that authors use in their writing. Since language is the medium in which human thought is expressed in writing, the reader can develop a clear use of language through reading because writers usually take pains to express themselves with clarity.

We Read?

Photo courtesy of Howard Goldstein.

How studying philosophy helps with critical thinking

In an interview with The Telescope, William Leslie, Professor of Philosophy at Palomar College, stated that he believes studying philosophy can help one to think critically.

“Most importantly, to think like a philosopher,” he said. “This means, on any important issue or controversy, to exercise all the reasons supporting different answers to it from all relevant perspectives, including the criticisms of those answers and rebuttals of those criticisms, always using logic and avoiding fallacies.”

Leslie believes that thinking like a philosopher helps us to develop our values. Through thinking philosophically, we can critically examine the values we have inherited. “Most people mimic, uncritically, the values of the family, religion, society they were born into and had no choice in,” Leslie said.

Critical thinking is not always a societal luxury.And if the critical faculty is not exercised on a regular basis, it can atrophy. Fortunately, educational movements have increased the availability of classes like philosophy that provide the opportunity to practice critical thinking.

“With its emphasis on thinking through all possible answers (and their criticisms) to questions of values (good vs. evil, virtue),” Leslie said, “thinking philosophically about our values takes us a long way towards realizing our maximum potential.”

Palomar College Professor of Philosophy

Jeffrey Epstein also holds that studying philosophy helps with critical thinking. He believes that to think critically we must also be willing to be open to entertaining perspectives other than our own. “Reading philosophy builds our critical thinking muscles. We must cultivate reason and logical analysis to make sense of arguments,” he said. “We must cultivate an emotional and affective orientation to others which allows for the interpretative generosity such that we are able to hear and make sense of the arguments and ideas of those who are different from us. Critical thinking is an orientation not just a skill, and philosophical reading engenders this in those willing to jump in.”

Critical thinking is thus not the only component necessary for analyzing arguments. We must first be able to receive the perspective on which those arguments are based.And this requires empathy.

Reading stories increases empathy

Reading non-fiction argumentation may help the reader to develop critical thinking skills by obtaining factual information, but doing so does not tell us how others experience emotions. To not only understand the point of view of others but also see how they subjectively experience their point of view is vital to seeing the legitimacy of another’s viewpoint.

Reading stories is a great way to see the world through the consciousness of others as they see and feel about their own viewpoint and core beliefs. This type of perspective taking can develop into a habit of mind that disposes one to have empathy toward others. When people read stories about other people’s lives, it helps them develop the ability to understand the world through the lens of another person’s perspective.

Identifying with characters while reading stories by becoming emotionally involved with them vicariously is the key element to cultivating empathy toward others through reading stories, where empathy is defined as the cognitive ability to both discern the emotions of other individuals and to show responsive concern for unfortunate others’emotions.

One of the ends of philosophy, according to Epstein, “is to sharpen and deepen one’s ability to generously receive the arguments of others. This requires not only critical thinking and flexibility of thought but also an empathetic openness and willingness to be vulnerable by allowing one’s own foundational beliefs and ideas to be questioned.”

The ability to recognize emotions through reading stories was demonstrated in a 2013 Harvard study. Participants in the study were assigned to read either literary fiction (such as “Corrie” byAlice Munro), popular fiction (such as “Space Jockey” by Robert Heinlein), nonfiction (such as “How the Potato Changed the World” by Charles Mann), or nothing. Across five experiments, readers assigned to read literary fiction were better able to predict ways in which characters would act as well as identify emotions visible in facial expressions.

Photo courtesy of Joe Dusel Photography.

“

The human mind is like a garden in which thoughts are similar to seeds planted at an early age that come to fruition later in life.

To be able to recognize emotions through perspective-taking is an ability that enables a person to appreciate complexity.

journalism are dying—especially daily newspapers, and to a lesser degree, established network TV news,” he said. “At the same time, new forms of mass communication are being created, powered by the potential of instantaneous and ubiquitous online transmission. What remains a constant is the need for people to know, and the importance of journalists to continue to interpret and explain the information available in the vast marketplace of news.”

The rapid transmission of the news today makes the Internet the easiest, and sometimes only, place to obtain breaking news. The language of the news itself is evolving with changes in news delivery. As a result, the nuances of the news consumer’s linguistic repertoire are subject to modification under the operation of the Internet.

As intensive a reader asAbraham Lincoln expressed this idea when he said, “Acapacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.”

The human mind is like a garden in which thoughts are similar to seeds planted at an early age that come to fruition later in life. But if the soil of the mind is left fallow, it will lack potential for producing the nourishment of intellectual thought that a cultivated field of ideas can yield. That’s why it’s all the more important to encourage activities like intensive reading at an early age so the habitual reader can experience the progressively self-actualizing fecundity of a well-planted garden of the mind.

“If we engage with characters who are nuanced, unpredictable, and difficult to understand, then I think we’re more likely to approach people in the real world with an interest and humility necessary for dealing with complex individuals,” said the study lead author David Kidd, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Familiarity with complexity helps readers in relating to others. As Leanne Maunu, Professor of English at Palomar College, explained, “Research that came out many years ago suggests that reading fiction develops our ability to relate to other people. When we read literature and encounter different points of view and experiences other than our own, we can then apply that sense of empathy to others in the real world. We can also become more socially aware. It’s part of the transformational power of literature—that it can help us better understand the world around us, our place in it, and our connection to others, both past and present.”

How reading the news enhances communication

In an interview with The Telescope, Palomar Professor of Journalism Chuck Buxton characterized the nature of current news. “We have entered an Internet era when traditional forms of

Neologisms can be found in reading the news.As the news develops, new words are used to describe it with the passage of time. Neologisms are coined in response to changes in social life and culture that occur as time passes.According to a 2016 article in The Guardian, English speakers are inventing words that make it into common usage at a rate of approximately 1,000 per year. Most of these words first appeared on the Internet.

The easiest, and sometimes only, way to obtain world news is to search online. When news is obtained through the Internet, the neologisms created there make it into our minds and become habitual aspects of cognition. Consequently, reading the news introduces readers to new words as ways of cognizing social life and culture.

Reading and the college experience

Reading teaches us that we are not alone. Whether reading books or the news, we can see that there are others, existing in the past or in the present, who may not be part of our everyday life but who have lived in a way with which we can identify. This awareness can validate us, empowering us to transcend our own cultural conditioning when we discover the ideals conveyed in the writing of authors we admire, which we can then adopt as our own.

“College can be one of the most important experiences in one’s life,” Epstein concluded. “It can transform you personally, professionally, socially, etc. Reading is at the heart of this transformation because it allows us to value learning for its own sake and to cultivate critical lenses through which we view and rewrite the world. The stories we tell and the ideas we come up with will define the world for the foreseeable future, and this world is yours. Reading allows you to step into this creative and meaningful act of existence.” •

Photo courtesy of Dr. Leanne Maunu.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Chuck Buxton.

Who loves Palomar faculty? We do!

Story and photos by C.J.Arteaga

In a time where teachers are feeling as undervalued as ever, it’s important we take the opportunity to recognize any and all faculty members that have helped us reach our goals, face our fears or just put a smile on our faces.

Impact Magazine went around the Palomar San Marcos campus inApril to ask all types of different students who their favorite faculty member is and why. Looking at faces light up when asked about their favorite faculty shows the enthusiasm and love we students have for the faculty of this school. Teachers is worth understanding and appreciating, even if you don’t always think so.

Katherine Regalado, Art major

“My favorite teacher is my English 200 teacher, because he was very approachable. He always wanted to help always giving out extra credit. He would also go to ground zero if you needed it. He was always real and had a great attitude and he sounded like Batman which is my favorite part.”

Josh Miranda, Film Media and TV major

“My favorite teacher is Lisa Cecere. she’s a great teacher and always made the class interesting. There was always a reason to go, like you didn’t want to miss out on what’s gonna happen in Ms.Cecere’s class.”

Owen Wilson, 19, Business major

“My favorite professor is Sean Figg, a geology professor. He’s a super nice guy, super passionate, really cares about like making sure students enjoy what they’re learning. I’m a Business major and it’s just a genetics class but it’s probably my favorite class right now.”

“My favorite teacher is BobAlidaee. He’s really helpful and makes the class super fun!”

“My favorite faculty member would be the offensive coordinator for the Palomar football team Dan Early. He has great leadership skills and also played on Palomar football. He’s a great role model for any young athlete. He understands what it’s like to struggle and how to look past it.”

“My favorite teacher is Barbara Hammond, she’s a child development teacher. She is just the nicest person I have ever met in my life, she just cares about us so much, very funny, and very relatable. Just a very sweet, sweet human being.”

“My favorite teacher is Mr. Bobby Oliver. He’s my favorite teacher because he’s just super relatable and has a really good way of kind of helping kids engage. He’s my avid teacher as well as an English teacher and whenever I have questions with my English, I would go to him because he gave me good ideas.”

“My favorite teacher is BobAlidaee. He’s just super helpful. He makes the class fun and entertaining and he really cares about the students.”

“My favorite faculty member isAlex Gomez, he teaches Chicano Studies 101. He loves what he’s teaching and teaches it right. He also just respects everyone’s opinion.”

Jesse Polag, Tech and Photography major

Humberto Bernal, undecided

Isaiah Davis, Economics major

Ash Holcroft, no major; just taking a class

Eowyn Fitzpatrick, Child Development major

Jovanni Rodriguez, 19, Science major

IMPACT Magazine needs you next semester!

We are looking for writers, editors, photographers and designers for Impact Magazine and The Telescope newspaper.

Palomar’s Journalism Program will train you how to research, report, write, edit and produce multimedia and social media content for Impact Magazine (https://www.palomar.edu/ impactmagazine/) and The Telescope Newspaper (the-telescope.com).

These are both independent, student-run publications that produced in journalism courses.

We offer journalism classes every semester in 4-week, 8-week and 16-week formats online and in person. Learn more by emailing Journalism Professor Erin Hiro at ehiro@palomar.edu