02-22-2017

WEEKLY PRINT EDITION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017 VOLUME 103, ISSUE 24

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913

W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

Commuters cross the U.S.Mexico border WILL FRITZ SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________

Graduate transfer Valentine Izundu (45) finishes a dunk against UNLV Sunday, Feb. 19.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

Momentum drives hope for MW tourney ANTHONY RECLUSADO SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________ Despite missing out of on NCAA tournament last season for the first time in 6 years, the San Diego State men’s basketball team still captured its third Mountain West regular season title in as many years.

This season that streak is in jeopardy, as the Aztecs sit in fourth place in the MW standings as of Tuesday, Feb. 21, however, there is hope for the men of the Mesa.

SDSU sits only two games behind the trio of Colorado State and the University of

Nevada, Reno and Boise State with four games remaining.

The Aztecs are also one game ahead of the University of New Mexico, which has played two more games than them.

The Rams and Lobos are two of SDSU’s final four opponents and the other four programs play at least two teams in the top-six, with Fresno State falling to No. 6.

Aside from schedules, matchups and standings, the Aztecs best hope lies in their improved play.

“To be honest, I don’t even know where we are right now,” junior guard Trey Kell said.

“I don’t really care. It just

depends on if we keep getting better each game, each practice and right now I feel like we’re doing that and it’s starting to show.

“So, if we can start progressing and clicking by the (Mountain West) Tournament then we will be a scary team to play.”

It is safe to say the Aztecs, as of Feb. 21, have been “clicking” as they sit on a three-game winning streak, including a defensive dominant 70-56 win against UNR, and won five of their last six.

MBB continued, P7

Just 16 miles south of San Diego State’s main campus is one of the busiest border crossings in the world.

The San Ysidro Land Port of Entry records an average of 50,000 vehicles entering the United States everyday, on top of 25,000 northbound pedestrian crossings each day, according to U.S. General Services Administration statistics.

These numbers are on the upswing, too.

In 2014, a total of over 12 million vehicular crossings were recorded at San Ysidro, according to SANDAG. In 2015, the most recent year for which records are available, the number was over 14 million, although this number is not as high as 2004’s peak value of 17.7 million vehicular crossings.

Of these, many regular commuters are crossing the border, and some are SDSU students.

Business marketing freshman Ana Murabas braves the long lines daily on her commute from her family’s home in Tijuana to school.

“I have to wake up at 5 a.m.,” she said. “You never know how long waiting in line is going to be.”

Murabas is enrolled in the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspectionprogram, which speeds up processing for preapproved, low risk travelers, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

SENTRI applicants must undergo an exhaustive background check, a 10-fingerprint law enforcement check, as well as a personal interview with a CBP officer, before approval.

Even with a SENTRI pass, Murabas said she averages about 30 minutes spent sitting in line.

She said it can take her up to an hour and a half to get to school in the morning, and another 40 minutes for her return trip at night.

Murabas is not the only SDSU student whose daily commute takes her across the international border.

There are in fact many more students like her, although it is difficult to know exactly how many, said Chicana and

COMMUTERS cont., P3

Hermanos triunfan en el equipo de tenis ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR ____________________________ Para los hermanos de la Torre el carácter competitivo que formaron desde su niñez es lo que les ha ayudado a trascender con el equipo de tenis de San Diego State University.

Raul de la Torre, estudiante de segundo año, ha jugado el deporte por casi 12 años después de decidir que el quería jugar tenis igual que su padre.

Su hermano menor, Daniel de la Torre decidió jugar el mismo deporte que su hermano ya que ellos tenían la costumbre de hacer actividades juntos.

“Fue una experiencia de provecho ya que nuestras edades estaban tan cercas y teníamos los mismos intereses”, dijo Raul.

Estudiante de primer año,

Daniel, se rió y dijo que eran muy competitivos entre ellos mismos.

“Tratábamos de competir en todo, no solo tenis”, dijo Raul.

Daniel dijo que en el deporte de tenis es fácil enfocarse en vencer a tu oponente pero para él, su hermano Raul es un guía.

“Es una inspiración (jugar con su

hermano) porque puedo seguir sus pasos y a la misma vez hacer algo bueno

para el equipo”, dijo Daniel. “Y a la misma vez estoy tratando de escribir mi propia historia”.

Los hermanos conocieron el deporte de tenis a través de su padre, Sr. Raul de la Torre, quien ha jugado por más de 45 años. Sr. Raul dijo que el recuerda que cuando él jugaba tenis el deporte no era igual de competitivo a como lo es ahora.

La educación de Raul y Daniel era algo muy importante para su papá y él también tenía el deseo de que ellos jugaran tenis para una universidad de primera división.

“Es genial porque se están enfocados en su educación, sus carreras y en lo que aman”, dijo Sr. Raul.

Raul y Daniel ambos Raul de la Torre (izquierda) y su hermano Danny de la Torre (derecha) KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

jugaron tenis en Torrey Pines High School y ayudaron al equipo en ganar varios campeonatos como, CIF Open Division, CIF State y All American National Championship.

Daniel dijo que viendo los juegos de su hermano es algo que le ha enseñado sobre la importancia de la disciplina y paciencia.

“Cómo somos hermanos no nos gusta perder contra nosotros mismos así que eso no ha hecho más competitivos y mejores jugadores de tenis”, dijo Raul.

Raul dijo que le deben mucho de lo que tiene al trabajo de sus papás y es gracias a ellos que él y su hermano han logrado tanto.

El también está muy agradecido de tener a su hermano en su vida.

“El es alguien

muy trabajador”, dijo Raul.

“También puede ser un poco terco pero creo que eso es lo que le ha ayudado llegar aquí, y yo no creo que yo sería la misma persona si no tuviera a mi hermano.”

NEWS 3

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KAYLA JIMENEZ • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Professor researches black liberation

Assistant professor Antwanisha Alameen-Shavers shares passion for activism against oppression

Assistant professor Antwanisha Alameen-Shavers (far left) participates in a Black Panters Rally Oct. 21.

JOE KENDALL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

JOCELYN MORAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ From research and teaching to speaking at panels and events, San Diego State assistant professor Antwanisha AlameenShavers actively participates in activism against the oppression of other people.

On Feb. 15, Alameen-Shavers spoke to students in the Center of Intercultural Relations as part of “Untold Stories” about key parts of her life that have shaped who she is.

“When I think about who I am, I think about a strong, outspoken, resilient person who is black, who is a woman,” Alameen-Shavers said. “Someone who is really against the bullying of other human beings.”

English and Communications senior Arnelle Sambile said every month, depending on the heritage that corresponds with it, the Center of

Commuters: Students cross the U.S.-Mexico border Continued from P1 Chicano Studies professor Norma Iglesias-Prieto.

“But I know that it’s a significant number, especially for the universities or colleges near to the border,” she said.

“They are a very important community for our university.”

Psychology freshman Pauline Mainou is another trans-border commuter. Like Murabas, she also has a SENTRI pass, but still has to leave her house very early in the morning to make it to class by 8:30 a.a.

“I leave a lot earlier just in case there’s more traffic because sometimes the line could be an hour,” she said. “And then going from the line to SDSU would be more, so I just have a very big time buffer.”

Mainou, an international student, said if given the choice, she would prefer to live closer to school in the U.S. “Sometimes you get checked up, or sometimes there’s more lines, or sometimes they close a lot of lines, so there’s only two lines, so it’s very long,”

Intercultural Relations brings a faculty member to tell their story. AlameenShavers was invited as part of Black History Month.

“I asked students from the community about different role models they have,” Sambile said. “I looked at the list of people that are faculty members, and she was highly talked about.”

Alameen-Shavers graduated from SDSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies. She then earned her Master of Arts at Ohio State University and Ph.D. in African American Studies from Temple University.

Alameen-Shavers said when she was applying to college, she didn’t see anything that interested her until she saw Africana Studies.

“It was like a light,” she said. “OK, I’m gonna major in that.”

Alameen-Shavers was born and raised in Richmond, California. She said she characterizes her elementary school self

she said. “You have to take into account that many things that happen, (and) you can’t do anything about it.”

And with the election of President Donald Trump, who repeatedly said on the campaign trail he was going to force Mexico to pay for a border wall, crossing over to the United States could be even trickier.

“Depending on the U.S.-Mexican relations, the border crossing is a kind of a laboratory of the tensions between Mexico and the United States,” IglesiasPrieto said. “So as a border crosser, you never know how long (the lines are) going to be.”

Mainou said so far, she has noticed the lines are actually longer going back into Mexico.

Iglesias-Prieto said in her own estimation, anywhere from one-fourth to one-third of her students are what she calls trans-border commuters, students who commute from Tijuana to class at SDSU. However, Iglesias-Prieto said this is almost certainly not representative of the campus population, as she teaches classes about the U.S.-Mexican border.

A representative of the SDSU registrar’s office said the university does not keep records of trans-border students.

Even if they did, Iglesias-Prieto said some of them may officially reside in San Diego to avoid paying international student fees while actually living in Tijuana with family because of the cheaper cost of living.

She said this can make commuting across the border risky for some students.

“For example, some of the cross border students cross using their green cards,” she said. “With the residence card, you’re supposed to reside in San Diego to keep

as “a very sweet, loving girl.”

“I was under the impression that the world was good. Not to say it’s not, but it’s also bad,” she said. “That triggers me because you want the world to be good, but it’s not.”

Alameen-Shavers said she was bullied throughout elementary school. She said there was a girl in her class who would try to belittle her and put her in her place.

“I had a fear in my heart against (the bully). She’s similar to me but had a bigger mouth,” she said. “Think about the fear we all have in our hearts to stand up against something.”

She said she experienced a moment in the sixth grade that changed her life.

Alameen-Shavers’ best friend stood up against the bully and defended her.

“If my best friend took out this bully, I can take up for myself,” she said. “My mind just changed. I refuse to be bullied and let stuff happen in front of me that is problematic.”

She said God put her here for a reason: to speak against hate.

“Stop sitting back and allowing people to put their hate into action. Put your love into action. If I would have remained quiet, I would have been bullied all my life.”

Alameen-Shavers’ research covers topics such as the role of AfricanAmerican women in liberation movements in the U.S., the role of African women in African civilizations and black female and male embodiment.

In addition to her research, she spends a lot of her time doing service by having conversations with students about her experiences and the issues going on around them.

“I see (service) as activism because you talk to people to change minds and hearts,” Alameen-Shavers said. “That’s my job. I feel like that’s my calling.”

She said she feels she has had so much spiritual growth in the last two years and is beginning to understand how people internalize systems of oppression, and how all people contribute to the oppression of each other.

Center for Intercultural Relations Diversity Peer Educator Brie Hornig said events like these are significant because it is important to listen to people with different perspectives.

“Different experiences completely shape how someone views the world,” Hornig said. “By talking with people who have different experiences, you’re able to expand your perspective.”

Alameen-Shavers said in order to change people’s minds, one has to get to their heart, and the only way to do that is to be fueled by love.

“You can’t be dictated by the social parameters that are created. If you do that, you’re gonna be stuck. You’re gonna be silent,” she said.

“You only got one life. You might as well make it good. For me, I am going to continue to resist. Being fearless is one of my mottos.”

Sambile said she felt students of color needed to better identify faculty allies and see faculty of color who were succeeding at the university.

“I think the biggest thing I took away from it is she trusts students to back her,” she said. “We need to develop a sense of trust or find faculty we can trust. That relationship is really important.”

Sambile said the next speaker will relate to Women’s History Month.

The Commuter Resource Center provides a space for commuter students on-campus.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

the residence card. So that’s problematic, because they are putting at risk their document.”

However, some may not have a choice.

Many students choose to live in Tijuana because they cannot afford to live in San Diego, Iglesias-Prieto said.

Iglesias-Prieto said for a number of students, it is not a fixed condition.

“Sometimes they really live here with family,” she said. “And then, with an economic crisis they go back to Tijuana and they, being trans-border student for two years, then they go back to San Diego. So there’s a lot of fluidity in terms of residence in our community.”

Biology sophomore Daniela Ayala commuted daily from Tijuana her freshman year but lives in the U.S. fulltime this year.

Many of her classes last year started at 8 a.m., making the commute especially time-consuming, she said.

Ayala, who also has a SENTRI pass, said she often left her house at 5 a.m. to make it to school on time.

“I was almost late every day,” she said. “The days I had classes at 8 a.m., sometimes I would be falling asleep in class.”

Ayala said she also had to factor in time to plan out her meals since certain items can not be brought across the border.

“You can’t cross vegetables, even if they’re cooked ” she said. “I would have to make time to prepare food really early in the morning.”

Ayala said while she wouldn’t mind commuting from Tijuana if her classes were later in the day, trying to make it to 8 a.m. lectures from across the international border was too much.

“In a way it’s fun, because you get to, be in one country one moment and then be in another a hour later, but other than that I think it’s tough,” she said.

4 opinion

feb. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: Andrew Dyer • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

SoccerTown gets red card The issue: With the Chargers gone, Mission Valley is ready for redevelopment. FS Investors is among the first to present a proposal.

Our position: Redevelopment should be in the best interests of the city and university; not outside developers looking for retail profit.

Who’sWho? Editor In Chief Jacob Sisneros Managing Editor Jamie Ballard News Editor Kayla Jimenez asst. News Editor Adriana Millar Sports Editor Anthony Reclusado asst. sports Editor Austin Gayle Asst. sports editor, club sports Sydney Olmstead ARTS & culture Editor Christine Whitman

The Editorial Board _______________________________ On Monday, a La Jolla investment group trying to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to San Diego released plans for a massive redevelopment project at the Mission Valley site now occupied

by Qualcomm Stadium and an expansive, ugly parking lot.

FS Investors’ plan, in the form of artist renderings and a 300-page ballot initiative, includes a 30,000seat stadium for MLS and San Diego State football, along with housing and commercial development.

For SDSU and the community it serves, this proposal is a non-starter.

SDSU released a statement Monday that took issue with two facets of the initiative — First, that the proposed stadium is not expandable to 40,000 seats, and secondly that the university would not have “revenue or rights of ownership” of it.

While the university is right to take issue with these points, it is only the tip of the iceberg FS Investors is trying to steer San Diego voters into.

What appeared to be general consensus among many, that the site should be either donated or leased to SDSU for a campus expansion, has been supplanted by a plan for public land to be sold at bargain rates to developers.

Sure, FS Investors dressed up their proposal with promises of parks, sports facilities and “affordable” and “student-focused” housing, but what it is really is a massive, purely commercial development,

asst. ARTS & culture Editor Lilly Glenister Opinion Editor Andrew Dyer mundo azteca editor Andrea Lopez-Villafaña Asst. Mundo azteca editor José Guzmán-Quirino Photo Editor Kelly Smiley video producer Adriana Heldiz art director Emily Lewis Graphic Designer Aidan Prehatny COURTESY OF FS investors

guaranteed to line the pockets of investors at the expense of a public resource.

The proposal calls for a paltry 480 affordable housing units and 3,520 market-rate housing units.

More ambiguous is the ill-defined “student-focused” housing, slated for a laughable 800 units.

Just last year President Elliot Hirshman expressed in a blog post a vision of a low-to-medium density west campus for SDSU. SDSU has outgrown the mesa, and its growing pains reverberate throughout and are a strain on the College Area community. The university is breaking application records year after year. This year, SDSU received more than 83,000 applications for fall 2017, but only a fraction, about 13 percent, will be accepted.

An expanded campus at the

Qualcomm site makes the most sense for the community. Does every parcel of public space need to be divvied up, commoditized and sold for profit? There is still room — and public will —for big projects realized for public good in San Diego.

Mission Valley is already dense with housing, shopping and traffic.

Low-density student housing and a well-planned campus can be realized in the space developers are looking to loot. An MLS stadium and riverfront park can still be had, albeit through a different route.

The city and university must work together to realize Hirshman’s earlier vision.

The redevelopment of Qualcomm is a once-in-a-century opportunity for the region — one that shouldn’t be squandered on the first pretty rendering to come along.

Change takes more than protests

Kemi giwa staff columnist _____________________________________

San Diego State and colleges across the country erupted in outrage with protests all week after both the election of President Donald Trump and his Inauguration. More demonstrations took place after he signed an executive order prohibiting entry into the United States from seven Muslim majority countries.

Though commendable, did these protests have any impact?

For many individuals, marching through the streets and their campuses is the only way they know how to express their dissatisfaction with the political climate.

But,it is not the only form of action an enraged individual should be taking.

How many of the protestors, after putting down their bullhorns and picket signs, went home and called their representatives and senators? How many even know how their senators voted on the confirmations of Jeff Sessions and the

grossly inexperienced Betsy DeVos? What happens after the protest? The problem is, after a long day of protesting, many feel as if their deed is done.

Protesting creates a feel-good illusion that undermines real activism that affects change, such as getting in touch with the people in elected office.

Not to suggest that those protesting aren’t passionate about their causes, but protesting alone is ineffective. Racism, sexism and the rest of society’s woes will not be solved by marches and chants alone. It does allow people to channel their passion into something that gives them a sense of purpose and hopefulness, but the fervent political energy on the ground is disproportionate to the results.

Real change is realized only when people aren’t merely part-time activists who fall back into passivity once the hype of a situation dies down. Real change won’t be realized until affected communities come to view all societal issues with compassion, rather than focusing on only those ills that affect them personally.

For example, the historic women’s march late last month brought millions of women together. But where were these white women when New York City police choked Eric Garner to death, or when Muslim women across the country were getting their hijabs snatched off?

Nowhere.

While a particular issue may outrage some people, too many of those not personally impacted don’t see the need to invest time, energy or emotion into it.

This is precisely the problem.

White people should use their privilege on the front lines by marching to end statesanctioned violence against black people.

Black people should be marching alongside Muslims to fight against the Islamophobia that continues to rob them of their constitutional rights.

And we all should continue to resist efforts to further marginalize those communities targeted by the new administration.

Only by realizing the intersectionality of these struggles can a strong coalition form and have an impact affecting real — and lasting — change.

social media EDITOR Alex Piscatelli Copy Editor Brian del Carmen senior Staff writers Jasmine Bermudez Will Fritz Jocelyn Moran Sydney Sweeney Staff writers Emily Alvarenga Maya Carter Ahmad Dixon Danny Dyer Joe Faria Kemi Giwa Ceighlee Fennel Alex Hall Alex Noble Staff Photographer Kirby Crow Joe Kendall _____________________________________ Advertising Director John Weil Sales Manager Matthew Volk Account Executives Connor Brooke George Saridakis Peter Saridakis Kaylie Seacord Stephane Voitzwinkler Accounting & Contracts Tyler Burnett Kalie Christensen _____________________________________ General Manager/adviser Jay Harn Graphics Specialist Chris Blakemore _____________________________________ ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com editorial 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com Print The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition on Wednesdays.

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Feb. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: andrew dyer • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

opinion 5

Ivanka Trump brand out of fashion Sydney Sweeney Senior staff columnist ____________________________________ Suede ankle boots, dainty diamond bracelets, unmemorable women’s fragrances – these are the types of Ivanka Trump branded products that are vanishing from the shelves of luxury retailers Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus across the country this month. Such disappearances are happening to the dismay of Ivanka’s chattiest advocates in the White House, who could not help but publicly lament about the situation.

Succeeding Nordstrom’s February decision to drop Ivanka Trump’s eponymous fashion label, President Donald Trump quickly and unsurprisingly took to Twitter to complain.

“My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person – always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!” the President tweeted.

No one seriously expects Trump to sit back and watch his daughter’s presence in the fashion world diminish.

And maybe many outspoken parents would, like Trump, blame someone or something else for the failure of their child’s entrepreneurial endeavor. But regardless of whatever retail conspiracy Trump and his supporters have infatuated themselves with, Nordstrom’s decision to cut ties with

Ivanka Trump was not political – it was understandable, and it was just business.

Calling Ivanka Trump’s success in the retail industry “incredible” would be an overstatement. Described as a brand that “addressed the needs of the modern, professional woman,” with supposedly chic and accessibly priced fashion, Ivanka Trump is sold in department and online stores such as Zappos, Macy’s and Belk.

But previously widespread product availability was the brand’s sole impressive characteristic. In both design and price, Ivanka Trump garments – ironically made in China and Hong Kong – are ordinary and comparable to those of cheaper labels sold at Kohl’s or J.C. Penny. Even the brand’s #WomenWhoWork initiative is dated and unoriginal, as it treats the conceptual “working woman,” as not regular, but revolutionary.

Still, the flawed brand managed to generate $100 million in revenues during its last fiscal year, according to the company that manufactures and distributes Ivanka’s fashions, G-III Apparel Group. And it was not until the October launch of an anti-Trump boycott that things turned sour for the first daughter’s business.

The movement called #GrabYourWallet originated on Twitter and targeted dozens of companies and organizations that tied to the Trump family. By encouraging people to stop purchasing products from

retail giants like Amazon and Walmart, the boycott’s founders ambitiously hoped to see businesses end its relations with Trump.

So how effective has the #GrabYourWallet movement been in achieving its goals? Who knows?

“It’s difficult to attribute any direct causal relationship (between the boycott and a company’s decision to address conflict),” said School of Journalism and Media Studies professor and director Bey-Ling Sha. “Social media is an amplification tool, but it’s amplifying voices to people who would have already been hearing those messages anyway.”

However, even with the inherent bubble effect of social media, it’s safe to say that the internet-based boycott, to an extent, influenced the actions of some retailers, such as Shoes.com, which dropped Ivanka’s entire collection in November.

The Canadian website later tweeted, “We understand and your voices have been heard,” to #GrabYourWallet boycotters. And in the weeks leading up to Trump’s election, sales of Ivanka Trump apparel had dropped by 70 percent at Nordstrom alone.

In fact, it almost seemed a courtesy when Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus kept the piteous brand on their luxury rosters through the end of 2016, which is why Trump’s troll-ish arguing of his daughter’s “unfair treatment” – of which he can only blame himself for – is invalid.

Only a company run by Ivanka-infatuated hopefuls would continue selling the businesswoman’s increasingly unpopular product. Yet, the 45th President of the U.S. – a man who built an entire campaign on self-described entrepreneurial excellence – lacks the competency to distinguish “bullying” from an entirely sound business decision.

Aside from magnifying President Trump’s imprudence, the crippling of the Ivanka Trump brand has inadvertently illuminated White House adviser Kellyanne Conway’s complete disregard of a well-establish ethics law that bars federal employees from using their public office to tout products.

On a Feb. 8 Fox News broadcast, she repeatedly told the network’s viewers to buy Ivanka Trump merchandise – a move that even the first daughter herself reportedly condemned, according to Politico. For a second, a falter as bad as Conway’s may make one feel bad for Ivanka, who has never actually politicized her fashion line.

But after initially rallying for the success of the brand, Conway only reminded viewers precisely why Ivanka Trump does not deserve an ounce of compassion — she supports her father’s presidency. In the end, that fact alone is enough reason for any wallet-wielding, empowered woman to leave an Ivanka Trump dress in the fitting room. And if no one’s buying, then retailers cannot be blamed for bailing.

JMS students struggle with lack of options emily alvarenga staff columnist ____________________________________ Students who choose to come to San Diego State might think there would be plenty of classes to choose from, in an assortment of relevant topics pertaining to their majors.

The School of Journalism and Media Studies offers students the opportunity to major in journalism with four different emphases: journalism, advertising, public relations and media studies. This might seem promising, but those who simply major in journalism do not get what they bargained for.

Journalism is a broad field with numerous specialties, yet the variety in elective courses offered does not reflect that.

Journalism students are required to take at least four elective courses, like many other majors, but most semesters offer limited choices. There aren’t classes for entertainment journalism or for feature writing — classes that would be ideal for those who might want to go into the magazine industry. There isn’t even an editing class for students who would like to pursue a career as an editor, or who simply want to improve their writing.

With such limited options, journalism students often take on a minor or double major to broaden their exposure to

whatever specialty they’re pursuing.

Television, film and media (TFM), English, art and creative writing are common.

Journalism sophomore Sydney Hartman is minoring in art.

“SDSU has a great art program and an accredited journalism program, but why is it that they can’t integrate them or collaborate on a few select classes?” she said. “I took up an art minor after realizing that if I wanted to learn anything about designing a magazine or newspaper I’d have to look elsewhere.”

Hartman is one of many students who have found this frustrating and have looked to other departments to fill in the gap in their journalism training. Some have looked even farther, choosing to study abroad in the hopes of finding another school that offers better options.

Journalism senior Casey Cooper studied abroad in the Netherlands.

“I was able to take classes in magazine design, editing for print and feature writing,” she said. “In one semester abroad, I felt more prepared for my future career as a magazine journalist than in all my time at State combined.”

It’s not all bad in JMS. They have done a wonderful job keeping up with the technological advancements in the industry. They have created quite a few digital media courses, some of which have either been integrated into the major’s

required course load or entirely replaced outdated course material. Students now learn about social media, HTML and CSS coding. They are also taught how to create their own websites.

In today’s digital media world, skills like these are becoming more and more essential. There are more career paths to choose from than ever. With so many opportunities, JMS should provide courses that go beyond the typical curriculum of hard-hitting, long-form journalism.

Over the past 10 years, the journalism department has offered only two classes related to broadcast journalism: Television News Reporting and Producing and RadioTelevision News Writing and Editing.

Television news reporting and producing is offered once a year, in the spring. This 16-week course covers every aspect of broadcast journalism — from writing and producing to reporting and editing.

“Everything felt rushed,” Kyle Oldham, journalism junior, said. “The semester went by so fast. After taking the class, I don’t feel prepared to go into broadcast journalism after I graduate, which is not why I came to SDSU. I considered taking the class again until I realized that I couldn’t because of the course repeat policy.”

Other journalism related classes, such as sports, fashion and photojournalism have been offered as “advanced topics,” offered

once a year and not guaranteed to return.

Some are classified as “special topics,” meaning they are condensed courses that only meet three or four times a semester.

Most special topics courses require students to pay an additional fee and one is scheduled on weekends.

Journalism senior Jacob Sandoval said it was not enough to prepare him for a career in his field.

“I want to be a sports journalist, but I’ve only taken one class on it,” he said.

“Everything I learned and practiced was so tedious and repetitive that it has swayed me away from confidently entering the field.”

Although every school is different, other CSU schools give their students better opportunities. Cal State Fullerton, for example, gives students the chance to work in a professional broadcast studio.

Titan Communications, their digital media center, has fully-equipped radio and television studios so students can learn production hands-on.

While the journalism department has done a great job of integrating innovative digital media skills into course work, students are left in the dark and without the skills essential for careers in other fields of journalism. There’s more to journalism than just a news story, and it’s time SDSU gave their students more options.

Letter: Empty seats not much of a ‘Show’ As an SDSU alum (BA, MA) and season ticket holder since 1973, I’ve seen a lot of SDSU basketball and enormous changes in the program, attendance and enthusiasm at games. One of the most gratifying among these has been the growth of student participation and the dynamism that evolved into “The Show.”

The Show has gained notoriety as one of the best student sections in the nation and has helped spur the Aztecs

to many improbable victories at home.

Unfortunately, the last several games at Viejas have seen the demise of The Show. At his past Sunday’s contest versus the University of Nevada, arguably the best team in the Mountain West conference, more than half of the student section was empty. Little of The Show’s previous enthusiasm, originality and harassment of the visiting teams, coaches and players survived.

As a result, Viejas is no longer “the mad house on the Mesa” and The Show can no longer claim to be a significant contributor to a home court advantage.

True fans don’t abandon their team during a difficult stretch of the season, especially after years of success. That is a front-runner’s mentality. If The Show can’t reanimate itself and contribute to the basketball team’s efforts, it will mark an inglorious demise to what has been a remarkable period of students

enthusiastically motivating the players, coaches, and fans at Viejas Arena.

It will be a real pity to squander the years of hard work and dedication of the students that went before you in building up the reputation of SDSU on the national stage. Don’t let that legacy slip away because the Aztecs are struggling for the first time in a decade.

Isn’t SDSU’s motto “Leadership Starts Here?” Let’s get with it!

Christina Griffin, San Diego

6 MUNDO AZTECA

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA • MUNDOAZTECA@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Evento apoya la educación bilingüe ADRIANA HELDIZ EDITORA DE VIDEO ____________________________________ Durante su campaña presidencial, Donald Trump dijo que los Estados Unidos es una nación donde solamente se habla Ingles, pero el evento de Voice Your Language o Expresa Tu Lenguaje dirigido por el Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education demostró que el multilingüismo es algo que se debe de apreciar.

Estudiantes, maestros y miembros de la comunidad atendieron al evento que presentó personajes distinguidos de la literatura bilingüe como Reyna

Grande, Amada Irma Pérez y el músico 123Andres. Cada uno habló sobre la importancia de conectar con nuestras raíces culturales.

Pérez, quien escribió el famoso libro “My Diary from Here to There: Mi diario de aquí hasta allá”, habló del consejo que le dio su abuela.

“Ella dijo, ‘Mijita, que nunca se te olvide quien eres y de donde vienes.

Mantén siempre vivo en tu diario y tu corazón, tu lenguaje y tu cultura’”, dijo Pérez.

El tema de la educación bilingüe navegó la conversación durante todo el evento.

La Profesora Será Hernández de

123Andres toca música de su Grammy Award album para la audiencia.

ADRIANA HELDIZ, EDITORA DE VIDEO

Educación de SDSU explicó que es mucho más que el lenguaje.

“Cuando hablamos de la educación multilingüe, no nos podemos olvidar de los temas de inmigración, identidad, literatura y lenguaje”, dijo Será.

“Especialmente en estos tiempos tan políticos”.

En San Diego, 112,000 de los estudiantes en la educación pública están aprendiendo el Inglés como su segundo lenguaje y en muchas ocasiones ellos han tenido experiencias de inmigración en sus familias.

Este fue el enfoque de la Autora Reyna Grande que habló sobre su propia experiencia después de emigrar a los EE.UU. “Yo pensé que ya no habría más fronteras cuando llegue aquí”, dijo ella.

“No sabía que había más obstáculos para cruzar. Obstáculos culturales, obstáculos de lenguaje, obstáculos legales, de género y carrera”.

Pero aunque el número de inmigración a los EE.UU se ha disminuido los últimos tres años, el objetivo ahora es educar a los niños que ya están aquí.

El músico, 123Andres, se enfoca en educar a niños de todas la diferentes culturas y circunstancias migratorias con su música latina.

“Crecí con el conocimiento que había solo un continente llamado América y eso es un concepto muy bonito”, dijo el.

“Un niño de México se sentirá conectado a un niño de Argentina y ellos dos sentirán una amistad porque son del

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Amada Irma Pérez le de su libro.

ADRIANA HELDIZ, EDITORA DE VIDEO

mismo continente”.

Durante cada presentación, el auditorio tuvo la oportunidad de hacer preguntas y conocer más sobre los invitados. Muchos de ellos eran estudiantes de SDSU. Para Arturo Navarro, un estudiante de educación, el evento se trató de hablar de las cosas que nos afectan actualmente.

“Voice Your Language no es solamente sobre la educación y los educadores”, dijo Navarro. “Para mi tiene un mensaje más general que yo pienso es más global, especialmente con toda la xenofobia en el mundo y la mentalidad que es ‘nosotros contra ellos.”

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FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANTHONY RECLUSADO • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Basketball: Aztecs’ grind their way to victory Continued from P1

Individually, the backcourt duo of Kell and sophomore guard Jeremy Hemsley and junior forward Malik Pope are the standard bearers for the Scarlet and Black.

Pope is averaging 11.7 points on 57.7 percent shooting and eight rebounds in the last three contests. On a broader scale, in his last seven games, he has averaged 12.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals.

Hemsley, who saw a slump during the middle of conference play, has found his offensive game. With a reliance on driving to the basket, but with the ability to shoot from range, he is averaging 14.7 points in the last three matches.

However, the central factor in the trio of players is Kell. Like Hemsley, Kell is averaging 14.7 points on 47 percent shooting and seven rebounds during the three-game span.

He has also dished out an average of 3.67 assists, including a career-high seven assists against UNLV. Offensively, SDSU has averaged 71 points at a 46.8 percent from the floor in the last three games.

Not surprisingly with head coach Steve Fisher’s guidance, SDSU remains

a top-ranked defensive unit within the conference. It is No. 1 in the MW in scoring defense at 63.5, which is four points better than No. 2 CSU. The Aztecs are also No. 1 in the MW in field-goal percentage defense holding opponents to .392 from the floor.

In their last three games, the Aztecs have held their opponents to an average of 60.7 points on a 37.1 percent clip.

A slightly deeper look and SDSU has limited its opponents to the third least shot attempts and the least shots made in the MW. Those numbers are aided by forcing teams to play deep into the shot clock and being No. 2 in the MW in blocked shots per game (4.8) and steals (7.2).

While only averaging 3.7 blocks in the last three games, the Aztecs’ fingers became stickier with 8.3 steals.

Playing its best basketball in conference play on both ends of the court, the Scarlet and Black are cleaning up nagging issues, specifically one: blown double-digit leads.

SDSU saw a double-digit lead vanish and wound up on the wrong end of the final score against UNM, Boise State, Air Force Academy and Colorado State in the first half of the season.

Despite still losing double-digit leads, the Aztecs have learned how to grind out their mistakes. In its matches against the University of Wyoming, FSU, Utah State and UNLV, the team saw its lead fall to at least a two-score game but came out with the win.

The next two matches for SDSU are on Wednesday, Feb. 22, against the Bulldogs in Viejas and a road matchup on Saturday, Feb. 25, with the Rams in Fort Collins, Colorado.

SPORTS 7

Sophomore Zylan Cheatham dunks against UNLV Sunday Feb. 19. Cheatam finished with nine points.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

Senior Matt Shrigley lays the ball in against UNLV Sunday, Feb. 19. Shrigley finished with 16 points.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

8 SPORTS

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANTHONY RECLUSADO • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Four Aztecs head to NFL combine AUSTIN GAYLE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________ Four San Diego State football players will represent the Scarlet and Black in Indianapolis at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine from Feb. 28 through March 6, as announced by the NFL on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Attending what is often called the initial interview for the NFL, SDSU’s Donnel Pumphrey, Damontae Kazee, Nico Siragusa and Daniel Brunskill will have one of their first opportunities to impress NFL personnel through a series of onfield drills and interviews.

SDSU is tied for the 11th most in the nation and tied with Temple for the most among non-Power 5 schools with four combine invitees. The Aztecs were also the only Mountain West program to send more than two players to the combine.

Headlining the group, Pumphrey carried the ball 349 times for 2,133 yards (6.1 yards per carry) in his senior season at SDSU, passing former Wisconsin back Ron Dayne as the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher with 6,405 career rushing yards.

He also added a school-record 62 rushing touchdowns throughout his four-year career on the Mesa.

With said efforts, Pumphrey was a two-time MW Offensive Player of the Year (2015-16) and a three-time first-team allMW selection (2014-16).

After weighing in at 5-foot-8, 169

pounds at the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl, Pumphrey will face his strongest critics on the scale if he fails to add more weight to his frame before the combine. However, if he can wow scouts with his time in the 40-yard dash, he won’t need to do much more to prove he’s worth the weight. (You like that, Anthony!!?)

Paving the way for Pumphrey, SDSU’s Siragusa captained the Aztecs’ offense from the trenches at left guard. He is highly regarded for his run-blocking ability, as he helped the Scarlet and Black set school records in rushing yards (3,680), rushing touchdowns (34) and rushing yards per carry (5.8).

Additionally, Siragusa allowed pressure on just 1.2 percent of dropbacks in 2016, 2.6 percent less than the league average, according to Josh Liskiewirz of Pro Football Focus.

Siragusa is currently training in Carlsbad, California with EXOS, a highly respected company geared to prepare NFL draft prospects for the combine.

Despite having injured his thumb at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, he expects to be 100 percent for the NFL Scouting Combine.

Brunskill, a former tight end with SDSU, joined Siragusa in the trenches at right tackle in 2016, a position switch that resulted in high praise from both the MW conference and his fellow Aztecs.

He earned second-team all-MW honors at right tackle and was named the team’s offensive player of the year in 2016.

Brunskill also played in 54 games over

Damontae Kazee and his former teammates hope to impress at NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

his four-year career at SDSU, tying with Pumphrey and Siragusa for the most in school history.

Kazee, the only member of the Aztecs’ highly regarded defense to be invited to Indianapolis, totaled 65 combined tackles (45 solo), seven interceptions and eight pass breakups in 2016. He finished his career at SDSU with a school-record 17 interceptions.

Kazee was a two-time MW Defensive player of the Year and a three-time

all-MW selection (first team in 2015-16, second team in 2014) with SDSU. In Indianapolis, Kazee said he plans to impress NFL personnel with his speed, as he expects to run the 40-yard dash in “at least 4.50 [seconds] or under.”

Kazee and company will all have an opportunity to increase their draft stock significantly with strong performances at the combine, but most importantly, the group will continue to shine the spotlight on SDSU’s rising football program.

Swim and dive falls short to reigning Broncos JOE FARIA STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Every February, deep in the heart of Texas, the best swimmers and divers of the Mountain West compete for a championship. One school achieves this goal following an exhausting four-day battle.

This year, San Diego State came up short against newly crowned MW champions Boise State.

The Aztecs finished in second with 1,139 points and the Broncos won with 1,390 points. Defending champions University of Nevada, Reno came in third with 1,089.5 points and the University of Wyoming placed fourth with 1,004 points.

The meet opened on Wednesday, Feb. 15 seeing SDSU end in a tie for third place (166 points) with Wyoming behind UNR and BSU. It began with the 200-yard medley relay, where the foursome of senior Kate Santilena, junior Summer Harrison and freshmen Morganne McKennan and Alma Thormalm captured third place with a time of 1:39.17.

In the 1-meter dive, junior Alexandra Caplan advanced to finals where she took fourth place with a score of 319.25.

Four other athletes competed in the prelims of the 1-meter springboard, but none were able to advance.

On Thursday, the 200 free relay kicked off the day. The quartet of freshmen Peyton Wilson, Thormalm, Harrison and senior Samantha Guttmacher captured second place with a time of 1:30.63.

In the 3-meter dive, Caplan added to her fourth-place showing on the 1-meter board the previous day with a second-place finish in the finals that came courtesy of a school-record score of 359.65. That score trumped the former

record of 355.60 set by Kristen Meyer in January 2012.

Next came the 500 freestyle, where freshman McKenna Meyer was the Aztecs’ top finisher as she took fourth with a time of 4:47.34.

Junior Corinn Casper added points for SDSU with a seventh-place finish (4:54.78) while freshman Kassidy Henson also scored by placing eighth (5:02.74).

The 200 individual medley saw junior Frida Berggren capture third place in 2:00.42 while sophomore Rachael Kelch placed in fifth (2:04.79).

The last event of the evening was the 50 freestyle, and Thormalm finished first with a time of 22.67 seconds.

The Aztecs remained in third at the end of the day with 437 points, trailing the Wolf Pack (490 points) and Broncos (605.5 points).

Friday Feb. 17 was when BSU solidified its grip on first place in the standings with 972 points as it pulled away from the field by over 200 points.

SDSU moved ahead of UNR and into second place with 769 points.

The Wolf Pack held a score of 748 points. Wyoming claimed the fourth spot with 669 points.

During the day, however, Meyer captured first place in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:12.54, which ranks as the third-fastest in program history.

In the 100 butterfly, Harrison finished second in 52.68 seconds and in the process broke her own school record by .04 second. Guttmacher placed seventh with a time of 54.74 seconds.

Additionally, McKennan advanced to the final of the 100 breaststroke and captured eighth with a time of 1:03.06.

In the evening, the Aztecs’ 400 medley relay team of senior Andrea VanderMey, freshman Caitlin Delany, Harrison and

Freshman Peyton Wilson helped her team capture second place in the 200-yard free relay.

COURTESY OF SDSU MEDIA ATHLETICS

Thormalm went 3:39.89 to take fifth place.

Finally, Saturday concluded the meet with the award ceremony recognizing the Broncos’ second conference title in the past four seasons.

The Aztecs’ Meyer earned the 2017 Freshman of the Meet award for her rookie performance at the championships. She placed in the topfive in three individual events, including a win in the 400 individual medley on Friday night.

She finished fourth in the 500-free and fifth in the 1,650-free. She was also the leadoff leg for the 800 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay races.

Based off their performance at the MW Tournament, 12 players were selected to the All-Mountain West team.

To be given the accolade, an athlete must finish in the top eight in the finals

of an event or the top three finishers in a relay race.

Ten swimmers and divers were placed on the all-conference team on their individual events. All three of SDSU’s relay teams earned the MW honor as well.

Berggren and Meyer received their AllMW honor in three events, including the 400 individual relay.

Caplan also earned three All-MW honors for her finishes in 1- and 3-meter springboard and platform.

Next up for diving is the Zone E Diving Championships in Flagstaff, Arizona, which will be from March 6-8.

Swimming will wait to see who is selected to compete in the NCAA Championships, which is set to take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, from March 15 to 18.

SPORTS 9

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: ANTHONY RECLUSADO • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Tennis brothers have edge on court ANDREA LOPEZ-VILLAFAÑA MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR ____________________________________ Sibling rivalry is all about competition and for the de la Torre brothers it has molded them into the San Diego State tennis players they are today.

Sophomore Raul de la Torre and freshmen Daniel de la Torre began playing tennis at a young age under some coaching from their father, who played tennis for more than 45 years.

Raul said growing with Daniel was a rewarding experience because their age gap was so close they had similar interests and wanted to do everything together.

“Since we are brothers, we don’t like

losing against each other so I think that has made us even more competitive and better tennis players,” Raul said. “I don’t see it as an obstacle, I see it as something great for us.”

Daniel said he admires Raul because he is hardworking and he inspires him to follow in his footsteps but also make his own story.

“There is a lot of discipline in us both, but sometimes when I see his mistakes I try to improve on myself,” Daniel said.

“There’s also a lot of good things I see in his games so I just try to emulate what he does. Not everything can go the way we want to on the court, so I admire his patience.”

For their father, Raul Sr., it was

Sophomore Raul de la Torre uses sibling rivalry to build a competitive edge on the tennis court.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

important that both of his sons pursued a higher education and attended a university with a division 1 tennis team.

“Having them both in San Diego State playing division 1 tennis is just so awesome because they are taking care of their education and their career and they are doing what we love,” Raul Sr. said.

Their father said that Daniel is a strong player and has one of the strongest forehands on the team because when he was little he always wanted to beat his older brother.

“His older brother would train more because here’s the younger brother trying to catch up and the younger one playing harder so that he could catch up,” Raul Sr. said. “It’s been very helpful for both because this competitiveness has taken them to a higher level.”

Raul and Daniel attribute their success not only to their competitive edge but to their father’s support.

Daniel said his father did not have the same education opportunities and that sometimes he would be up at 5 a.m. getting ready for work.

“He’s definitely proud of where we are and what we have achieved,” Raul said. “I thank my parents for where we are.”

The brothers are from Mexicali, Mexico and later moved to Calexico, California.

Both played for their high school team of Torrey Pines helping the team win a CIF Open Division, CIF State and All American National Championship.

The brothers trained in Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club where they heard of SDSU’s

His brother motivates Daniel de la Torre to improve.

KELLY SMILEY, PHOTO EDITOR

program.

Daniel said that if his brother wasn’t playing tennis he would most likely be trying to play for his favorite soccer team, Real Madrid. Raul said Daniel would be a DJ or a scientist.

Both brothers agreed their competitivess would follow them outside the court.

“Daniel is a hardworking guy, he might be stubborn but I think that has helped him get to where he is now,” Raul said. “I don’t think I would be myself if I didn’t have my brother.”

Aztec rugby triumphs over No. 10 Arizona San Diego State Rugby shut down what would have been a four-game winning streak for University of Arizona in a match Saturday, Feb. 18. The Aztecs came out on top with a 30-12 win against the No. 10 team in the nation.

Through strong defense and resilient offense, SDSU was able to hold back most offensive attempts from the Wildcats.

“We’re happy with the result,” head coach Alex Lichtig said. “Anytime you’re able to compete with a team like University of Arizona and get the result,

it’s a good weekend. From here we’ll take a look back at the areas we lacked in the match and get ready for next week’s game against UCSB.” The season has had its ups and downs for the team as it has been trying to find its play style and identity on the field.

Three years ago, the club was made up of mostly freshmen, eager to make a statement. This year, the goal is to prove that SDSU Rugby is one of the top teams in the nation.

After three years of playing together, the team chemistry is exceptionally strong and helps the players’ work ethic and morale stay up throughout the game.

“Knowing that your teammates will be there to support you at every breakdown

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or scoring opportunity plays a huge role when it comes to successful rugby clubs,” team captain Austin Switzer said.

“We’ve struggled in the past to achieve the status we wish to attain, but this win signifies that we’ve finally peeled back those layers holding us back, and are now ready to propel ourselves into a serious playoff-contending role.”

A 64-12 victory over Sacramento State in early February pushed the team to No. 19 in D1A rugby going into last weekend’s match against Arizona.

SDSU has been able to embrace offensive tenacity and hard work ethic throughout its 80-minute matches.

“At times we lacked in our decisionmaking and ability to finish,” Lichtig said. “In the end, our defensive effort

held strong and our resiliency in attack eventually paid off.”

Relentless defensive effort and aggressive offense pushed the Aztecs to victory with three successful tries to Arizona’s one try and two conversions.

The strong, dominating team culture embraced by the club will be key in the push for playoffs.

“Our culture revolves around the phrase ‘State Hits,’ which means to be the most physical team anybody plays against,” Switzer said. “We constantly want to physically dominate every match, a reputation we upheld against Arizona.”

The Aztecs hit the road this weekend to face off against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.

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• Knowledge of day-to-day radio station operations, the National Association of Broadcasters standards of practice and broadcasting ethics • One year of radio station experience or the equivalent; one semester of this experience must be with KCR Radio • 60 or more units of completed coursework; minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 • Must be currently enrolled at San Diego State University, taking a minimum of 6 units

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DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS IS FRIDAY, 2/24/17 @ NOON

10 ARTS & CULTURE

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

A fun reflection on coming of age DANNY DYER CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ For more than five days, the Experimental Theater at San Diego State ventured back to the Edo age of ancient Japan in a whimsical stage-telling of the folktale The Matsuyama Mirror.

Flaunting a convincing cast handin-hand with a cleverly modernized script by acclaimed playwright Velina Hasu Houston, this retelling tackles the concepts of human hardships, change and above all growing up with imaginative grace.

Framed around a family living in Japan during an era of rigid social order and strict gender roles, Aiko and her older sister Tooriko find themselves handling the natural transition into womanhood in very different ways.

From sewing lessons with their mother to discussing the dreaded process they call, “the stomach war,” Aiko is stubborn to accept these forthcoming responsibilities at every turn.

All she ever wants to do is play.

Upon the tragic death of her mother, Aiko seeks refuge from reality in a gift bestowed to her by her father, a mirror.

What follows is a bizarrely pleasant journey into a realm of fantasy.

Kokeshi dolls hobble up and down the theater aisles hilariously squawking about how it is, “time to play.”

A supernatural being who goes by the name of the Grand Mistress of Matsuyama

makes an extravagant appearance.

By the wacky voyages conclusion, Aiko has grown, matured into a young woman of deeper understanding.

An understanding not only about life’s changes, but also why such changes occur.

With a stage sparse of glamorous props and needless décor, the play leans heavily on the stage-presence of its actors, a strategy which proves to be successful for Director Peter Cirino and his cast.

Steering the audience through the majority of the scenes is Stephanie Kwik’s exuberant portrayal as Aiko.

Picture a fun mixture of Boo from Monsters Inc. armed with a Peter Pan mentality of never growing up.

With each animated smile and head-drooped scowl comes a realistic complexion of childhood wonderment.

“Stephanie has this quality of being able to be grown up and at the same time be childlike,” Cirino said. “And that’s one of the things with Aiko, she’s a tweener. She’s getting to that point where she’s coming of age.”

Christina LaMar staples her personality onto the stage just as well, playing the fiercely stern Tooriko.

Her cold mannerisms and stiff posture clash wondrously with Aiko’s carefree attitude, making for a catalogue of amusing back-and-forth engagements between the likable pair.

But what pierces even further is their sense of connectivity.

No matter what kind of hair-tugging battle or name-calling brawl they get into,

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The final showing of The Matsuyama Mirror is Feb. 26 in the Experimental Theatre.

COURTESY OF KEN JACQUES

their chemistry gives this silent assurance to the viewer that they truly do care for one another.

“We were friends before the show but working on Matsuyama has definitely brought us closer.” Kwik said. “We actually auditioned together and I remember how easy it was to just be her sister. No pretending necessary.”

This flooding level of affection is equally matched in Summer Cuyjet’s portrayal as the tender Okaasan.

Whether she is speaking wise words atop a cloudy podium within the mirrorworld as the Grand Mistress, or teaching her daughters of womanly obligations as the mother, Cuyjet instills a convincing

sense of maternal warmth in her performance.

This makes her abrupt passing all the more emotionally gut-wrenching, especially bringing the audience to tears when Aiko describes her mother through whimpers as, “A soldier of the soul.”

Topped off with show-stealing energy by Paul Scott, Brian Ting and Matt Tornero as the humanized Kokeshi play dolls, this re-imagined folklore explodes with life at the hands of its cast.

The final showing of The Matsuyama Mirror is Feb. 26, which means the upcoming weekend is the final opportunity to join Aiko on this charming adventure.

Not a relic of the past ALEX NOBLE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Thursday, Feb. 16 marked San Diego State’s first participation in National Anthropology Day. Congress recently declared the third Thursday of February a day for annual celebration of the field.

The team behind the event was composed of faculty, graduate students and undergraduatestudents alike.

The Association of Anthropology Students, the Anthropology Graduate Student Association, the Department of Anthropology and the American Anthropological Association sponsored the event.

“Anthropology is such a diverse discipline,” Frederick Conway, associate professor and department chair, said.

“With this event, we wanted to bring these various subfields together as well as engage the community.”

Anthropology Day proved to be a full day of equal parts education and socializing. It began with a campuswide scavenger hunt that was followed by a raffle.

“We figured that we could kill two birds with one stone by getting everyone acquainted with SDSU and also teaching some archaeological facts.” James Turner, president of the Anthropology Graduate Student Organization and a key organizer of the event said. “All while having fun too!”

Much of the day included valuable time spent in laboratory open houses.

The labs provided a look into an average day in each subfield and a platform for students to promote their hard-earned accomplishments. AGSA vice president Shelby Jenkins’ believes that prospective students can greatly benefit from this opportunity.

“It’s one-on-one interaction between the students within and outside the major, ” Jenkins said, “These could one day be your future colleagues so it’s important to get to know them and understand their research interests.”

A mixer was held for social networking as well as a Q&A with current students.

The organizers said they felt a sense of rapport was essential in order for both the department and community at large to learn something from one another.

“We want to get everyone together,” Jenkins said. “Get everyone talking.”

Various films focused on cultural anthropology were also screened throughout the day.

Notably, the film Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’l played in conjunction with a Q&A with its director, Zoila Mendoza.

Anthropology Day wasn’t only a celebration but a clarification of the purpose of what is often a misunderstood subject.

The Department of Anthropology enables students to better understand human biological and cultural diversity through the lenses of physiology, culture, archaeology and linguistics.

“Mere exposure can clear up the misconceptions about what anthropology even is,” Turner said.

“For instance there’s always that old misconception that we dig up dinosaurs when that’s not remotely what we do.”

In fact, anthropology isn’t so much a relic of the past but a window into the future.

“Anthropology is always relevant to the world,” Dr. Conway said. “A lot of it is using our knowledge of the past to help solve the problems of today and tomorrow.

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

ARTS AND CULTURE

11

Students win big at open mic night CEIGHLEE FENNEL STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Talent can show up in the most interesting of places and San Diego State open mic nights just happen to be one of those places.

The Aztec Student Union Board collaborated with their Aztec Pride, music and entertainment committees to create and host two events simultaneously, an open mic night and an event called Snapshots of State.

These events were held in the Aztec Student Union on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“This event is a place where students can come out of their comfort zone and where there is not a lot of pressure,” said Austin Kennedy, marketing junior and chair of the Music and Entertainment Committee.

The open mic had multiple performers with a variety of singer-songwriters, comedians, rappers and beatboxers.

There were four judges who evaluated the performances on overall performance, stage performance, talent and skill.

Communications junior Daniel Perez III was the host of the event.

His job was to get different talents involved with the show, as well as act as the emcee in-between acts, including his own.

First place was awarded to Tomoya Kuwabara who beat-boxed and sang.

Second place was awarded to Jack Bailey, a singer-songwriter who played the guitar while singing.

Third place was awarded to comedian Ryan Doyle, a.k.a. the Doyler.

Each student won varying amounts of

money on gift cards to the on-campus bookstore and dining services.

“I think the event was cool, but I probably wouldn’t have gone up without the support from my JSA (Japanese Student Association) friends,” said Tomoya Kuwabara, a sophomore foreign exchange student from Japan. “The event had really good microphones and I was really happy to make this great memory from open mic while I was here at State because I go back to Japan in a month.”

Competing in an open mic event was also on Kuwabara’s bucket list and he ended up winning a $25 gift card.

He performed as a beatboxer and singer.

There will be two more open mics this semester and the winners of all the different open mics perform in the Battle of the Bands.

The winner of Battle of the Bands then gets a gig in the concert Greenfest puts on later in March.

They open for the famous opener and then the main event finishes off the event. Therefore, open mic nights act as a student’s first step to perform in front of a larger audience on campus.

“Our goal as the music and entertainment committee is to have more students involved and to make these events into a bigger prescence on campus,” Kennedy said. “I want all the spots for open mic to be filled up a week in advance and the ultimate is to use these events to bring people together.”

Kennedy continued to say how much of a presence Greek life has on our campus, but that it is more of a dividing force and separates people.

The Aztec Students Union Board has the ability to bring people together and

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS 1 Spot for an AirPod 4 Chowder morsel 8 Moscow currency 13 Slept like __ 15 Color in a Spanish rainbow 16 Religion of Basra 17 Corn Belt tower 18 Latin I verb 19 Riyadh resident 20 *Fictional road material 23 Bookshelf bracket shape 24 Of a battery terminal 25 Necessity for a game of Ultimate 27 History class assignment 30 Elec. or water

31 __ a clue 34 Slangy pounds 36 Financial help 39 End __ 40 Tomato product 41 Preference indicator 42 Religious prefix 43 Grub 44 Brought about 45 Tenerife, por ejemplo 47 Take the helm 49 Surface layers 52 Clogs from France 56 Neurologist’s order, briefly 57 *Cola flavor 60 Pop-up foul-up 62 Stereotypical family spoiler 63 Pulitzer-winning novelist Jennifer

Abby Sage displays her talents at the past open mic night at the Aztec Student Union.

KIRBY CROW, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

they strive for that all the time, Kennedy said.

Simultaneously during the open mic night, there was also the event Snapshots of State. The event was arranged by Aztec Pride and consisted of photography from students around the campus.

The event was a contest as well as a showcase for the art. The winner has yet to be announced.

Refreshments were served during the event at the student union including a chocolate fountain with varying foods to dip into it.

There were also other tables for different groups that attended the event.

As part of the Aztec Student Union Board, Greenfest was present at the

event advertising presale tickets for their upcoming concert in March. KCR, the on-campus student-run radio station, was also present and recorded different segments of the event. Bassmnt had a table at the event as well.

Aztec Student Union Board’s purpose is to enrich campus life, to educate and to bring people together which they try to achieve through different events targeted at social, education and entertainment activities.

The other two open mic nights will be held on March 9 and April 20 at the same time.

Both events will be held in the Aztec Student Union. If you want to sign up, you can email the Aztec Student Union Board at asub.musicent@gmail.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

64 Renaissance painter __ della Francesca 65 Minute quantity 66 Fish __ 67 Family car 68 __-Coburg: former Bavarian duchy 69 Homer’s neighbor DOWN 1 Class requiring little effort 2 Distant and then some 3 Pal of Nancy, in comics 4 Barely advances 5 Big name in vision care 6 Slightly open 7 Recurring theme 8 Go out on a limb

9 Stars and Stripes land: Abbr.

10 *One with noble lineage 11 Crock-Pot server 12 French novelist Zola 14 *Floral papal ornament 21 Brewery kiln 22 Input for a refinery 26 *Chard, by another name 28 Marine shade 29 Portable Mongolian dwellings 31 Simple dwelling 32 Shade of gray 33 Angrily ignoring the first half of the answers to starred clues?

35 Luck, pluck or duck ending 37 Part of D.A.: Abbr.

38 Prefix with con 40 Shade of gray 44 Jacob’s wife before Rachel 46 James with three NBA titles 48 Tunnel out, maybe 49 Many future presidents, as it turned out 50 Like “Stranger Things,” e.g.

51 Metaphorical moments of time 53 Skin, but not bones 54 Kind of evidence 55 Ecclesiastical council 58 Word of amore 59 Fort with billions in bullion 61 “... man __ mouse?”

Help Wanted Administrative Assistant Undergraduate or graduate student for admin, organization, Microsoft Office, and Blog entries on health-related topics.

Professional environment. NonSmoker.

Email Realpeace5@gmail.com

PLEASE NOTE: The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section. To place an ad in the Classifieds section, please visit thedailyaztec.com/classifieds ______________________________ The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec. Comments? Email us at letters@thedailyaztec.com

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12THE BACK PAGE

FEB. 22 - 28, 2017 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: CHRISTINE WHITMAN • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Your newest editor-in-chief, maybe AHMAD DIXON STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ If you read this paper then you must know that the Daily Aztec is looking for a new Editor-in-Chief.

After much soul searching I have decided to throw my name in the hat to be considered for the position.

Yes, it may be a bit unorthodox for a freshman staff writer, but after you read my argument you will definitely be convinced that I, Ahmad Alexander Dixon, am the best man for the job.

Reason One: I don’t care about grammar or spelling.

On the surface this may seem like something that would instantly disqualify me for the position, but on the contrary, this could take The Daily Aztec to new heights.

When no longer bogged down by silly things like basic coherence, our writers are free to express themselves without limit.

If we no longer have to spend many wasted hours making sure we are copy editing correctly and using the correct “their,” “there,” or “they’re,” we can put out an issue daily instead of weekly.

Why is this paper called The "Daily” Aztec again?

Editor's Note: We publish content online daily.

Reason Two: The staff loves me.

I don’t want to brag I am probably the most popular person in the office.

There is even a picture of me on the wall!

I’m still not sure why it's over a dartboard, but hey, it is a true honor nonetheless.

Many staff members have even

given me cute nicknames like, “that rat bastard" and “that jerk who doesn’t show up to meetings but still gets a whole page to himself every week.”

Editor's Note: We have not had any meetings this semester.

They even sent me a dead skunk in my mailbox once, which was really sweet of them.

Never before have I encountered a more caring and talented group of individuals.

Reason Three: I have the journalist outfit down.

suspenders that you must pull on at the end of the day to signify a job well done.

Cigar is optional, but recommended, so you can blow smoke into your secretary's face and have that oldtimey, gravely, "journalist voice."

Editor's Note: Yes, The Daily Aztec newsroom is exactly like Mad Men. Reason Four: I will personally give all those involved with this decision a foot massage.

I am ready and willing to massage the feet of all those who must sign off on my promotion.

I HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS AND HAVE BEEN OFFERED A PERMANENT POSITION AT THE NEW YORK TIMES, WHICH I TURNED DOWN TO CONTINUE WITH THE DAILY AZTEC, THE FAR SUPERIOR PAPER. As you may or may not know, the only way you qualify as a journalist is if you have perfected the outfit.

I will lay it out for you, first you need a brown fedora with a little card that says press in the ribbon.

Then you must have a tan overcoat, because it gets cold and rainy when investigating stories.

Editor's Note: You will also need that overcoat for the summer when you are working in our offices, located in the basement, which are freezing.

Next you must wear a pair of hornrimmed glasses so the public doesn’t realize that you’re actually Superman.

Then finally, you need a pair of

DASNAPSHOTS

Photo

Whether it be the current editor-inchief or the president of Associated students.

I guarantee that no other candidate has the ability to swallow their pride and rub some appendages.

My total lack of pride and ego makes me the ideal head of any organization because I know, that I know nothing.

Reason Five: Experience.

Out of all the staff writers and contributors I have the most journalistic experience.

I’ve interviewed more foreign dignitaries more than anyone else, I’ve traveled to natural disasters to get people's reactions on the ground and I

have visited literal war zones in order to get the truth.

I have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize on numerous occasions and have been offered a permanent position at the New York Times, which I turned down to continue with The Daily Aztec, the far superior paper.

I’ve written stories that have taken down corrupt governments and I’ve come close to death at least three times.

I deserve this more than anyone else in the running.

All that is a lie, but in this age of fake news, lies and facts are more or less interchangeable.

Actually, let us call everything I have written so far an "alternative fact," then part of our country may actually believe it.

I might as well tell interesting lies instead of boring truths and actualities, because there is nothing more fun than fairy tales and alternate realities.

If I am given the position, expect a lot more interesting lies, similar to the current president. Although, I don't think those lies are exactly interesting.

Those are the five, completely logical reasons I think I am most qualified to be the new editor-in-chief of The Daily Aztec.

I am submitting my resume and transcript as soon as I’m done typing this up and I will be sure to mention that I have the unanimous support of our organization, San Diego State and the people of the United States of America behind me.

Seeing as this institution has been a platform for student journalism for more than100 years, I think it’s time for a professional liar like myself to become head of it.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

1/4

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CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN

Photo editor Kelly Smiley snapped this photo while hiking Mt. Laguna.