Summer 2016: Volume 59, Issue 7

A N AT I O N A L PA C E M A K E R AWA R D N E W S PA P E R Festival of Nations please see pg. A11

Volume 59, Issue 7

theswcsun.com

Summer Edition 2016

$100,000 Sony sponsorship rejected

By Cesar Hirsch Arts Editor

Negotiations between the Southwestern College Art Gallery and Sony Corporation for a sponsorship of $100,000 in exchange for three years of naming rights have come to a standstill nearly a year and half after the offer was first made.

Gallery Director Vallo Riberto said he had courted Sony in the hopes of

establishing a long-term collaboration.

Along with the donation, Riberto said Sony would have provided scholarships, internships, workshops and benefits for the college.

Dr. Donna Arnold, the former dean of the School of Ar ts and Communication, said at the time that she supported the deal, but wanted faculty support. It did not come.

In fall 2014, after a handful of faculty expressed concerns about

commercialization of the gallery, Riberto said the deal stalled.

“Initially (Sony) was going to give us a very generous gift for naming rights, which the administration was fine with,” Riberto said. “I introduced the idea to the faculty. We had a meeting here at the gallery and the faculty voted against it. The offer was so generous it was a shame to pass it up because we could’ve probably lived off the interest for a long time.”

For nearly 20 years the acclaimed gallery has operated on a budget of $1,000 or less. In December the college Faculty Hiring Prioritization Committee rejected a request to hire a full-time gallery director.

Professor of Photography Micajah Truitt said he attended the faculty meetings where the Sony proposal was discussed.

“The general consensus was that please see Sony pg. A3

New

face of the

ASO

Records request delayed

By Andrew Dyer Assistant News Editor

During the 2015-16 academic year, Southwestern College has been in violation of the California Public Records Act (CPRA) twice in response to requests

by The Sun. On another occasion, the college placed student journalists’ records requests on the “slow-track” to fulfillment, according to lawyers at the Student Press Law Center (SPLC), a Washington, D.C. First Amendment rights organization.

Every spring, during Sunshine Week, journalists across the United States are encouraged to test local public institutions for transparency and compliance with public records laws passed after the Watergate scandals of the 1970s.

On April 4, 2016, The Sun requested several public records from the college, including staff emails and travel expense reports. While the expense reports were produced in 10 days, the district asked for more time to produce the emails, citing exceptions in the law that allow for the redaction of certain information if “the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.”

“The District will produce all nonexempt and non-privileged documents please see CPRA pg. A4

David Hodges/Staff

A NEW MONA SMILE —Mona Dibas (above) was elected ASO President and Freda Hernandez (left) was elected Student Trustee for the 2016-17 academic year. Both ran unopposed. Dibas said she will work to decrease sexual assaults, provide healthy food options and increase club activities.

Voters elect separate president, student trustee for the first time

By Josh Navarro and Brelio Lozano Staff Writers

Mona Dibas was elected ASO President and Freda Hernandez was confirmed as the new SWC Student Trustee by voters in the 2016 student elections. Both ran unopposed.

Dibas, vice president of the Muslim Student Association, said she is excited by the opportunity to carry on the good works of the Melissa Rodriguez administration and to initiate new programs to serve students.

Hernandez will be the first person to

serve as student trustee since the ASO split the position off from the presidency.

She is a senator for the San Ysidro satellite campus.

Cynthia San Pedro will be the ASO’s next Executive Secretary. She was also unopposed.

Among the contested vice president positions, Jose Gutierrez won Executive Vice President over Alvin Cook and Luis Mora. Ivonne Meza, the youngest candidate at 18, prevailed over Jose Vera for Vice President of Finance.

Nada Dibas, Cierra Lamontagne and Yasmeen Obeid won uncontested

positions of Vice President of Public Relations, Vice President of Club Affairs and Social Vice President, respectively.

Senator seats were won by Esther Amolong, Roy Castillo, Jorge del Castillo, Jade Espina, Abelardo Felix, Yazmin Quinones, Andreana Noemi Vasquez and Venus Velasco.

Despite the ASO’s efforts to improve participation with online voting, only 364 students cast ballots in the election, one of the lowest turnouts in college history.

Election winners will assume office on June 1. please see Elections pg. A3

Two-year degrees most often take six

By Luz Aurora Aramburo News Editor

At Southwestern College six is the new two.

Only 40 percent of first-time students graduate with a degree or reach transfer level within a six-year period at SWC, according to state figures That means at least 60 percent of the original pool do not even reach transfer level. The state average is 47 percent.

Research shows that California community college students can get seriously bogged down. A “two-year degree” has largely become mythology.

California graduates 39 percent of its Associate’s students within six years, slightly lower than the national average of 39.8 percent. Among students who enter universities as freshmen, 39 percent graduate in four years.

Many variables go into student success (or failure) and experts argue about which of them is powering this national phenomenon. Many students blame math.

Elijah Hawley, 21, a mechanical engineering major, is in his third year at SWC, one more year than he had originally planned. Hawley said he took five AP classes in high school and had a 3.24 weighted GPA. “But since I hadn’t been in a math class for over an entire year, I was a little bit rusty (for the placement test),” he said.

Hawley is one of the 79 percent of students who do not pass the placement test when entering SWC and have to take remedial courses before they can take transferable credits in math or English.

Dr. Michael Odu, dean of the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, said he was concerned with the rate of students held back by math.

“If you come here and test into remedial, you need to take like four different (math)

courses before you can to get to transfer level courses,” he said. “If everything goes well, that is two years before (reaching) college level. How many of us have the resilience to want to hang around?”

According to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Student Success Scorecard, only 32.9 percent of SWC students placed into remedial math ever graduate or reach transfer level. Only half of students placed in remedial English graduate or reach transfer level.

Hawley took algebra his freshman year of high school, and algebra II and math analysis before graduating. Hawley is in elementary algebra, his second SWC math class. He needs two more before he can transfer.

“Everything that was presented to me, I already knew,” he said. “It felt like a waste

of time, a waste of money and I could have been doing something better. I show up like half the time for my math class, but I’m still one of the highest in the class.”

Apart from a warning to the whole class about being dropped for being absent, he said his instructor has never talked to him about his absences. He has missed class twice since the warning.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Kathy Tyner told the governing board that SWC needs to decrease the number of steps to transfer.

“Every time you go from one class to the next sequential class, there is a hole in the bucket and you lose students,” she said. “Even if they are successful in the previous class, when they go to the next

Let’s connect! Follow and like us at: TheSWCSun

please see Six Years pg. A2

Blackboard erased by the Senate

By Brelio Lozano Staff Writer

After an often-heated debate, the Academic Senate has voted to erase Blackboard and give faculty a new Canvas.

Canvas will replace Blackboard as the college’s Course Management System (CMS), software currently used by hundreds of SWC instructors and thousands of students. Canvas is also the CMS of the Sweetwater Union High School District, though SDSU uses Blackboard.

Tracy Shaelen is SWC’s distance education faculty coordinator and a member of the CMS Selection Committee. She said California C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e’s O n l i n e Education Initiative (OEI) selected Canvas after a careful evaluation process and reached a nearly unanimous vote on a basis of the software’s “intuitive student and instructor experience, exceptional faculty adoption rates, flexibility for students and increased student success and completion rates.”

Canvas will replace Blackboard at SWC in a phased-in 18-month migration period, Shaelen said, so faculty and students can make an easier transition. By summer 2018 all please see Canvas pg. A4

SPORTS Asthmatic swimmer breathes new life into team

B2 VIEWPOINTS Democrats and Republicans guilty of Hispandering

A6

A2

Six years: College taking much longer for local students Continued from pg. A1

class, not all of them register.”

This fall SWC will merge two of the remedial math courses and offer an alternative to algebra for students who are not science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) majors. Four sections of Math 57 will be offered, the first of two statistics courses known as gateway classes.

The changes are meant to shorten the time it takes students to transfer and to triple the success rate. The second course will be offered in Spring 2017. Other states have been adapting to this model for some years now, said Odu, but the UC system was a late adopter.

Hawley said he has been supporting himself since he graduated high school. He works part-time and balances 11 units. He said the ideal number of units he would take is 15, the amount required to graduate on time.

Dr. Jonathan King, dean of Counseling and Student Support Programs, said some community college students do not have the luxury of focusing soley on their studies because they have families to take care of, jobs or other distractions.

“Our students have a hard time, not only transferring, but trying to stay in college and even get to the point of transferring,” said King.

Hawley said he did not have any financial aid his first semester and paid for classes out of his own pocket. By the second semester he had heard about the Board of Governors Fee Waiver and used his money for other expenses. He now works part-time and takes more classes than he did at the beginning.

At SWC the average student attempts an average of 8.4 units per semester, but only completes an average of 6.3, according to state research. Hawley said admissions and counseling at SWC have not been helpful.

“My first semester was kind of hectic, just trying to figure it out all on your own and over time, through multiple people, instead of being directed the right way by the first person,” he said. “I feel like most of the staff should be better prepared to help students who don’t know what they are

Luz Aurora Aramburo, editor

NEWS

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: news@theswcsun.com

The Trouble with Transferring UC Los Angeles

University of San Diego Point Loma Nazarene University Art Institute of Caifornia 29%

San Diego State University 17%

California College San Diego 12%

CSU San Marcos Ashford University

4%

79% percent of SWC students are placed in a remedial course. Most never finish a degree.

Only 40% of SWC students graduate or transfer within 6 years

Source: CCC Student Success Scorecard

doing when they first get here. (They need) to be more helpful and lead students down the right path instead of saying, ‘Just go to Webadvisor, everything you need to know is there.’”

Odu agreed.

“We have this assumption that technology is everything,” he said. “It’s not everything.

I’m sorry. When you put a student in front of technology they just ‘click, click.’ When you give them someone — a person — they know you care about them, their future.

Have them come up with a plan so they know what is ahead. A lot of times students don’t have that opportunity. They make the assumption they know what do and they’re stuck here and they do not know what to do.”

Hawley took several courses in the past three years, but said he later realized that some of them were not necessary to transfer.

Even though an Associate’s degree requires 60 units, the average Associate’s degree graduate in the U.S. accumulates 81 credits in community college. Bachelor’s degree graduates, who require a standard of 120 credits, accumulate an average of 133 credits.

King said many of these students are the first of their family to go to college and do not understand the process.

saying I really don’t buy that,” said Odu. “It doesn’t make any sense. What happens to those students? It discourages the students 72 % from even moving on, because they are stuck here they have nowhere to go and they are 67% funding the (universities with their taxes).

There is no justification for that. They can 59% come up with whatever excuse they like, but 47% there really is no justification for that.”

In an effort to help local students, the Four-year university graduates California State University system began a National Average 39.8% campaign called “A Degree with a Guarantee” promising students who applied with an Associate’s Degree for Transfer (ADT) would be guaranteed a spot in the CSU system.

California increased the amount of ADTs from 735 to 6,901 within three years. SWC had the largest increase at 138 percent during 2014-15. Southwestern’s efforts will be recognized by the Campaign for College Opportunity in Sacramento on June 2.

In fall 2015, 180 ADT applicants were accepted into SDSU, but the remaining 297 that applied were redirected to other less-crowded CSU campuses across the state, most of which accept fewer out-of-state students.

Nicholas Nguyen, the SWC Transfer Center Coordinator, said he is concerned “There’s the business component of it we that four-year universities are not admitting don’t want to address,” he said. “Colleges are students from their service areas even if the now hiring business-minded vice presidents students fulfill the requirements. for their VPs, and their presidents are now “If you apply with a 3.9 GPA and are not often from the corporate world, not from accepted, it’s not your fault, you’ve done education world. They run the schools as a everything you can as a student and (SWC) business. The dynamic is changing. When as a school,” he said. “ I think what happens you start hiring these business experts, you is that when their students take longer to are telling us that this is a business model graduate and it created a trickle effect on now.” transfer students because if they were able to A critical state audit on the UC system graduate their students quickly, they would was released in March that accused the be able to accept more transfer students. Our system of violating its mission statement to students tend to be a lot more prepared, they serve the state by educating Californians. have completed more classes. They are doing UC President Janet Napolitano defended well, but as long as the university does not the increase in higher-paying out-of-state open up more spaces, the number of students students and foreign students. will not improve drastically.”

“UC took bold action to control costs, Odu said four-year universities have a big remain affordable to California residents, and advantage. protect quality during the biggest financial “(Universities) are doing a better job, crisis since the Great Depression,” she said. let’s be honest,” he said. “But the four-year In the last 10 years, foreign student colleges only admit the best because it is a enrollment has increased 228 percent, while competition. If you have the best, I expect local student enrollment has increased 32 you to be doing more.” percent. Some UC campuses are nearly 40 USD has the highest percentage of fourpercent non-Californians. year graduates in San Diego at 67 percent, Odu said the strategy is destructive. followed by PLNU at 59 percent, UCSD “If you need money, you have foundations at 57 percent, the Art Institute of SD at 47 and you have the state, but what they are percent and SDSU at 29 percent.

“Some come from households that don’t know what you need to know to navigate to stay in college, so they are up against a lot of different circumstances,” he said. “The most important thing for these kids is mentoring and more hands on with the counseling and faculty. That link with the counselors and the faculty is very important.”

With three semesters under his belt, Hawley made an appointment with a counselor. For personal reasons he had to cancel his appointment, he said, and never rescheduled. He said the counseling office did not reach out to him, so he bought the college catalog, went through it and found the courses he needed to take.

“I don’t need to talk to anyone anymore,” said Hawley. “I’ve helped myself more than they’ve helped me. I believe I am doing it the right way and if it ends up not being the right way, I can’t blame anyone but myself since there was no help there in the beginning.

After I figured it out, it has just been me and myself the remainder of the time.”

Once he passes all the courses he needs for transferring, other challenges await. Odu said local universities prioritize the admission of higher-paying out-of-state and international students to generate revenue.

Native American leader, Latina pioneer honored

By Andrew Dyer Assistant News Editor

Mary York/Staff

JAGUAR CREEK —Thousands of gallons of chlorinated water gush onto campus parking lots and roads as three pools were drained in preparation for their demolition this summer.

Pool drainage floods roads

By Mary York Managing Editor

Tens of thousands of gallons of swimming pool water careened down the inner campus road leading to the H Street exit recently, slicking sidewalks and splashing cars and pedestrians. No one was injured, but many students and employees complained that the torrent was wasteful.

It originated from the college’s pools, which are being emptied for demolition and the construction of the new math and science buildings this summer.

Michelle Valenzuela, 29, kinesiology, said the sight of the water bursting over hard concrete and running off was hard to watch.

“California is in a huge drought,” she said. “I’m from the (Central) Valley and they have no water. It kind of put a little knot in my stomach.”

Dean of Athletics Jim Spillers said there was a significant current of water.

“It looked like a small river running down all the way to that catch basin in front of the library,” he said. “It was probably a six to eight foot band of water and it ran for a good half a day.”

Draining stopped around noon when Director of Facilities Charlotte Zolezzi became aware of the situation.

“The past practice in this district, when the pool needed to be drained, was to do it in this method,” she said. “It’s not the correct method so when I saw it the other day I had it stopped to see what was going on.”

Zolezzi said the correct method is to pipe the water into the sewer where it can be treated or, if the water has an even pH balance, it can be laid over a large landscaping area to soak into the earth.

Zolezzi said EPA regulations make repurposing water on campus arduous.

“Now with the drought, they are a lot more flexible and they are repurposing rainwater runoff,” she said. “The process is a little easier, but still a process. For this one, being a pool, I don’t think we would have ever gotten a permit to repurpose it.”

SWC’s pools, which hold 660,000 gallons of water, have been effervescing for several weeks to allow some of the chlorine to evaporate from the water, but Spillers said SWC lacked a location to store or disperse it. Roughly one-third of the pool water will be saved to be utilized

in the demolition process to control the dust, he said.

“I think it would be so cool to conceptually figure out what you would need to pull that off,” he said.

Valenzuela said the school should look into more sustainable practices for water conservation, especially given the proenvironment message the college touts.

“Maybe pools should start going saltwater,” she said. “I’m spending money out of my own pocket to pay for school, so to treat the campus like this is not cool.

We need to get on the trend of taking care of our planet, but we need to take care of what’s at our back door before we conquer the world.”

A health and wellness center under construction is geared toward conserving water and using green energy, said Spillers.

So far, he said, it has met standards set by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for the construction industry.

“We have not been awarded yet,” he said, “but we are on pace to be awarded the LEED gold standard, which is the highest of their standards in this green technology and green construction.”

Southwestern College is awarding two honorary degrees during commencement. Honorees Adela C. Garcia and Hank Murphy have each served their communities during their careers and as board members of the Southwestern College Foundation.

Garcia was born in Mexico and moved to Logan Heights when she was 5. After graduating from high school she was offered a scholarship to San Diego State University, but her parents would not let her accept it due to the requirement that she live on campus.

At age 20 Garcia went to work at IBM as an entry-level secretary.

She rose through the ranks quickly.

In her career there she served in numerous management positions, and by the time she retired, after 38 years, she was a senior managing consultant.

She has also been active in the community. She broke racial barriers in 2000 when she joined the SWC Foundation Board, which at that time was all men and all white. She served two terms as board president.

“I was encouraged to join the board when there was an effort to diversify,” she said. “When I got in I saw the importance of all the work that was being done at Southwestern College.”

She has also been a member of MANA de San Diego for 27 years, serving as vice president of communications and as chair of the MANA de San Diego Latina Success-Mujeres de Exito Leadership Conference.

Garcia said she was thrilled to learn she was receiving an honorary degree.

“Of all the recognitions I have received in my life, this is the highest and most meaningful to me.”

Garcia said her job now, as a full-time grandma, is both the hardest and most rewarding in the world, but she still has time for her

Garcia

Murphy

favorite causes. “ I ’m s t i l l a c t i v e i n t h e community,” she said.

Murphy is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in the Korean War. He is a leader in the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation where he founded the tribal fire department and served as fire chief. He also founded the Sycuan Honor and Color Guards.

Murphy serves on the boards of the Chicano Federation and the SWC Foundation. He has helped raise more than $368,000 for scholarships during his time on the board.

Together with his wife Shirley, Murphy established the Southern Indian Health Council, which r a i s e s f u n d s f o r Gr o s s m o n t Hospital. He also founded the Kumeyaay Nation Education Alliance.

NEWS

The Southwestern College Sun

Sony : Arts faculty torpedo $100,000 corporate sponsorship Continued from pg. A1

everybody was cool with the idea of having a plaque inside the gallery that somehow showed that Sony had given a grant,” he said. “One of the issues that was discussed was that typically when you talk about naming rights for a building, it’s a lot larger amount of money than $100,000, so that was part of the discussion.”

Riberto said Sony rejected the terms put forth by faculty members.

Professor of Art Perr y Vasquez said he expressed concerns about

the commercial aspect of a Sony sponsorship and what its role would be with the gallery.

“I don’t know what the history of sponsorships is on Southwestern’s campus, so it’s new territory for us, but we were trying to discuss the pros and cons of their relationship,” he said. “We want the relationship, but we want it on terms that will be good for everyone. We would not be willing to accept their support if they were somehow expecting to have some kind of editorial control over the content.”

In September 2014 the galler y hosted the opening of “Pencils & Pixels,” a symposium that featured a panel of experts, including Sony executives, who discussed art, film and video games. It was initially conceived to announce Sony’s donation and

unveil the new name of the gallery, said Riberto.

“That was the idea,” he said, “to really make a splash with Sony here on campus, in the gallery and in Chula Vista.”

Arnold seemed to think that Sony and the college had a deal. In a letter from Arnold to Charles Connoy, Vice President of Global Platform for Sony Computer Entertainment America dated Aug. 22, 2014, she acknowledged the donation, but did not mention anything about naming rights. “ Thank you for your generous donation of $100,000 to sponsor ongoing activities and support for the Southwestern College Art Gallery,” Arnold wrote. “Southwestern College is proud to be a partner with Sony

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Corporation to implement innovate creative approaches to our education.

This liberal gift allows the visual program to operate the gallery, which will enhance suppor t to pay for exhibition cost, expand the ability to mount diverse shows. In consultation with the dean of the school of visual a r t s f a c u l t y, o t h e r c o s t m a y b e identified to support the students in our community in an exacting education series.”

“A s a re s u l t o f yo u r g e n e ro u s contribution, Southwestern College will publicize the donation through press releases on the website and at all exhibitions and educational series sponsored by this donation. Sony Online Entertainment, name and logo, would be prominently displayed on signage printed and electronic materials through 2014 and 2017.”

Connoy was contacted by The Sun, but has not replied to interview requests.

Linda Gilstrap, dean of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and director of the SWC Foundation at the time the deal with Sony was in the works, said that Arnold wanted to draft a letter to Sony, even though it was Gilstrap’s job.

“She felt that she should be the point of contact with Sony,” Gilstrap said.

Riberto said he felt constrained by Arnold and that she had mismanaged the deal.

Arnold was contacted for this story but refused to comment.

“The idea stayed on the table for

Sergio Esparza/Staff

CHAMPAGNE GALLERY, BEER BUDGET— Southwestern’s history-making art gallery operates on about $1,000 a year, yet arts faculty rejected a $100,000 naming rights offer from Sony.

Elections : Presidentelect promises to work for productive 2016-17 Continued from pg. A1

MONA DIBAS, President-Elect President-elect Mona Dibas said she is very happy to be next year’s ASO leader, but wishes she had not run unopposed. “(I was) very open to having someone run against me,” she said. “I was a little upset there was no challenge. I don’t want people to think I was handed this position. I do want people to feel like they want me here. I do want them to know I worked hard for this.”

Dibas is adamant about shedding light on the issue of sexual assault on campus.

“I know someone who was sexually assaulted,” she said. “(The ASO) had a huge talk about it last fall and brought in students to learn how to defend themselves and I think that’s really important to know on campus.”

Dibas also aimed to generate more buzz for the clubs.

“A lot of the times they have activities that a lot of students don’t know about,” she said. “Just this semester we had purchased a (bulletin board). It’s going to be in front of the Cesar Chavez. We’re definitely going to use that to promote more of the activities we have on campus.”

Healthy food at the school cafeteria is something that Dibas said needed to be more readily available for students. “(The cafeteria) has just brought in the Evolution Wraps, but from talking to students they are way too expensive to buy every day as a healthy option,” she said. “I have a lot of vegan friends and it really hits the bank when they have to buy an Evolution Wrap every day. I want to bring healthier options that are a lot cheaper on campus.”

As a vice president of the Muslim Student Association, Dibas proposed a meditation room on campus and planned to continue that concept as ASO President.

“We wanted to have the meditation room in the Health and Wellness Center, which is still being built,” she said. ”So we want to have an immediate solution to that by reserving a room that students can use until the room is completed and we got that process through.”

Dibas said she has been inspired by 201516 ASO President Melissa Rodriguez. She also said she learned a great deal during her time as a senator that will help her when she becomes president.

“I’m very grateful this year that I got to be a senator where I got to watch Melissa

work and I got to see everything she does,” she said. “She lets us be a part of the system and she’s very encouraging about it, so I got to see the type of work and effort.

Seeing how hard she works, how much she enjoys it and how passionate she is about it, I wanted to do what she does and be that encouragement and inspiration to others people, and that’s why I ran for president.”

FREDA HERNANDEZ, Student Trustee-Elect Freda Hernandez, 25, made it clear during the ASO Election Executive Candidates forum that students have a civic duty to vote in the ASO election and U.S. presidential election in November.

Hernandez said she hopes to lead by example during her term as ASO Student Trustee.

“The position of student trustee is very important because it gives our students a voice during our governing board meetings,” she said. “I know I can effectively convey the concerns that many of our students have and I want to work towards ensuring that these concerns are prioritized.”

Hernandez is a two-term ASO Senator for the National City satellite campus.

Transparency between the ASO and the student body is essential, she said. “[Being a senator] has provided me with the skills needed to effectively run meetings while remaining Brown Act compliant for the benefit of transparency amongst our students,” she said.

The Ralph M. Brown Public Meetings Act was passed by the California Legislature in 1953. It guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of all California legislative bodies.

Hernandez said she has had many accomplishments in student government.

“I’ve been the chair of our Student Center Planning Committee where I have been able to run meetings and ensure resolutions are created for Student Center improvements like the hydration stations and charging stations coming to (students) soon,” she said.

Hernandez said she longs to be a public servant.

“Not many people in college can say they know what they want to do for the rest of their lives,” she said. “Thankfully, thanks to the many great, and sometimes not so great experiences here at Southwestern College, I can finally proudly share that I know exactly what I want to do with my life after completing my education. I plan to stay in the realms of public service, with the intention of someday working in the field of education to continue helping students accomplish their goals in hopes of encouraging everyone to reach their fullest potentials.”

“The budget for the art gallery is insufficient for basic operation. As a result, the gallery director has had to go (off) campus to find funding.”

John Lewis

A3

quite a long time,” Riberto said.

“When (Arnold) left and I spoke with Vice President of Academic Affairs Kathy Tyner, she immediately thought that for that kind of money, why didn’t I go directly to her? We picked up the phone and we talked to Sony.”

Tyner sweetened the deal and offered Sony 10 years of naming rights, said Riberto. Tyner said she remembered the conversation differently.

“My conversation with Sony did not, as I recall, involve any money or naming rights whatsoever,” she said.

“There was a great deal of interest and respect for the college, and the door for potentially making a donation in the future was left wide open.”

Professor of Ceramics John Lewis said that it is unfortunate Southwestern does not allocate sufficient funds to operate the gallery.

“The college does not support the gallery,” he said. “They have taken away reassign time from faculty to run the gallery. The budget for the art gallery is insufficient for basic operation. As a result, the gallery director has had to go (off ) campus to find funding for something that should be funded by our campus.”

Riberto said he remains hopeful that a deal can be struck with Sony.

“The only reason there has still been discussion about the deal is because of my relationship with Charles (Connoy),” he said. “Charles was kind enough to say ‘Well, it’s on the table.’ That’s to say that when their new personnel comes in they are going to still consider the offer. And that is what he told Kathy Tyner when we had our phone conversation with Charles.”

Zaneta Salde Encarnacion, the new executive director of the Southwester College Foundation, said she is standing by to help Riberto.

“Having a staff person who is solely responsible for development, contributions, naming rights, any private donation to the college, when you have one staff person who’s dedicated to that, they can have one point of contact and it just minimizes the possibility of a lost communication and missing deadlines when people are juggling a million other things.”

New transit route may help students reach college faster

By Andrew Dyer Assistant News Editor

Grueling bus rides from the border may soon be no more than painful memories. Phase One of the South Bay Rapid project is underway.

Scheduled for completion in 2018, the dedicated bus lanes will connect the Otay Mesa border crossing to downtown San Diego. A study by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) predicts riders can expect a one-way, end-toend trip to take 85 minutes, rather than 3-4 hours. Otay Ranch Town Center to downtown San Diego will take 50-60 minutes. Only 12 stops dot the streamlined 26-mile route.

South Bay Rapid includes a sixmile exclusive bus lane in the median of East Palomar Street from Interstate 805 to Eastlake Parkway. From there, it will turn south along the east

side of Otay Ranch Town Center before wrapping around the Millenia development and linking with State Route 125 to the border.

“I know a lot of people who come from the border and they have to go all the way to San Ysidro,” said Rocio Sandoval, a 22-year-old Psychology major and MTS bus rider. “I think it’s a good idea.”

K a r e n Pe ñ a , a n 1 8 - y e a r - o l d Montgomery High School senior, said the South Bay Rapid route would be an improvement over the current bus routes.

“It’s easier because you don’t make too many stops,” she said.

SANDAG Construction Manager Eric Adams said the route would alleviate congestion on Olympic Parkway and Telegraph Canyon Road.

“We expect the ridership is going to be very high,” he said.

SANDAG

MORE DIRECT ROUTE— A travel corridor for Otay bus routes significantly shortens travel time from the border to Chula Vista, making SWC more accessible to more students.

Construction of the first phase is already underway on East Palomar from Heritage to Olympic Parkway.

Adams said drivers should expect delays.

“There’ll be some traffic impacts from time to time,” he said. “We’re working cooperatively with the Chula Vista traffic department to make sure we minimize the amount of traffic impacts along that corridor.”

The next phase of construction is projected to begin in mid-2016, said Adams, and will run along Palomar from Olympic Parkway to the Otay Ranch Town Center. It includes construction of a dedicated overpass above SR 125.

“It’s quite an extensive project,” he said.

Another new overpass and freeway entrance ramp will be constructed at the intersection of East Palomar and I-805. An entrance ramp will drop directly into the I-805 carpool lanes. The overpass and entrance ramp will be accessible by South Bay Rapid buses, motorcycles and vehicles authorized to use carpool lanes, either by occupancy or certain zero and low-emission vehicles.

Nine transit stations line the southern end of the route from National City to the border, including park-and-ride options at East Plaza Boulevard, H Street, East Palomar and Otay Ranch Town Center.

“This is not your typical bus route, it’s not your typical bus station,” Adams said. “This is a service with a higher level of amenities to get you that trolley-like feel and comfort.”

Adams said the decision to build dedicated bus lanes instead of laying down trolley tracks was made years before he was involved with the project. “(There is) a process called alternative analysis and, through that process, it was determined that a bus route would be the most costeffective mode of transit to serve that community,” he said.

All sections of the South Bay Rapid project are slated to be open in 2018.

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CPRA : College exceeds time limit for public records Continued from pg. A1

that are responsive to your request,” read a letter signed by John Clark, former vice president for employee services, in an emailed response to the records request.

“However, the scope of your request requires additional time for the District to ascertain the size of this production and to evaluate any needs to redact or withhold documents as permitted under the CPRA.” The district’s initial response did not include a time frame under which the college would comply with its obligation under California law.

When pressed for a date that records would be made available to The Sun, another letter was sent electronically from the district, signed by Maggie Croft on behalf of the Interim Vice President for Human Resources Karl Sparks.

“Based on the scope of (the) request,” the letter stated, “the District estimates that it will have the requested documents available, on a rolling basis, starting on May 15, 2016.”

Public Information Officer Lillian Leopold said that Human Resources was in a transition period and that The Sun’s request encompassed more than 32,000 emails.

“We had to hire a consultant to review those,” she said. “We just don’t have the personnel to do that right now.”

In an email to President Melinda Nish, SPLC Executive Director Frank LoMonte said the college’s decision to delay the release of records for five weeks, if not for the purposes of stonewalling, was reflective of systemic problems in the administrative organization.

“Either the college is so disorganized in its recordkeeping that it is unable to find even the simplest documents without weeks of excavation work, which speaks to a culture of institutional incompetence and mismanagement,” said LoMonte, “or the college is purposely making (The Sun’s) request a low priority and devoting inadequate resources to its timely fulfillment.”

Because the documents will not begin to be made available until May 15, The Sun will not be able to publish news relating to them this academic year. “(There is) no legitimate basis for making The Sun wait weeks for the fulfillment of a simple records request needed for a time-sensitive news article,” LoMonte said in his email to Nish.

“Moreover, some of the exemptions cited by the college’s response letters— e.g.,

that the records must be inspected so as to withhold assessments of an agency’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks, a subject on which it’s doubtful that your athletic director has produced much correspondence— are so frivolous as to suggest purposeful evasion.”

Among the requested emails were some from the previous and current athletic directors, Terry Davis and his replacement Jim Spillers, who assumed the position in January.

“We’re not intentionally stonewalling,” Leopold said.

SWC released the first of eight sets of requested email records on May 13.

It was not the first time the college waited until the end of a semester to comply with a records request. Another public records request submitted Nov. 20, 2015 did not receive a reply until classes had already ended for the fall semester, 24 days later.

The Sun submitted another public records request on April 29, 2016 and did not receive the district’s response until May 13. While the 14-day delay shows improvement, it is still four days beyond what is required under the CPRA. California state law requires public agencies to respond to records requests within 10 days and that the time frame cannot be used to delay the release of records.

“(There is) no legitimate basis for making The Sun wait weeks for the fulfillment of a simple records request needed for a time-sensitive news article.”

Frank LoMonte “It’s the district’s intent to be transparent (and) comply with the public records act,” Leopold said.

“Sometimes there are limitations in personnel or the wrong door has been entered and that kind of delays things. It doesn’t mean it’s right and it’s something we’re looking into.”

SWC Governing Board Member Humberto Peraza said transparency was key to good governance.

“Generally, it’s everything,” he said.

“Openness and transparency is the most important thing. You have to do that to gain (the) trust of the community (and) constituent groups on campus.

Openness and transparency has to be

Luz Aurora Aramburo, editor

NEWS

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

one of the top things in any government entity.”

The district has a history of pushing the boundaries of the CPRA and defying the law.

In 2013 SWC Police Chief Michael Cash discharged his firearm in the college police station. The bullet traveled through a wall and into an office occupied by three district employees, narrowly missing them. Although a preliminary investigation by SWC Police Department leadership found Cash negligent, an outside investigator found the weapon discharge to be accidental and Cash was reinstated after a five-week suspension.

In 2013 The Sun attempted to obtain the investigator’s report via a CPRA request and was denied. When pressed to justify their denial, the college first cited Government Code section 6254(c).

When presented with case law that showed 6254(c) did not apply, district lawyers finally settled on the Peace Officers Bill of Rights (POBAR) as the justification.

LoMonte said POBAR does not apply to the Cash incident for many reasons.

The Sun reported in 2013 that the college forced witnesses to the incident sign non-disclosure agreements. Two employees went on paid stress leave and were paid for months before retiring. A third was threatened with suspension or termination by college administration for talking to The Sun. In April 2016 The Sun reported that the governing board had commissioned a poll of district homeowners in preparation for a potential $365 million bond vote in November. The last bond, Proposition R, which passed in November 2009, was derailed after a wide-ranging pay-to-play corruption scandal resulted in criminal indictments and the termination of construction contracts. Leopold said the district has come a long way from the widespread corruption of the Raj Chopra/Nicholas Alioto era.

“We hired an outside consultant to come in and review all of our contracts and procedures for bidding awards,” she said. “All (their recommendations) have been implemented on how to make us more transparent and make sure all of our contracts are awarded in an above the board manner. The district has done a very good job in addressing those issues.”

Peraza agreed.

“I think it’s significantly different than it was,” he said. “But does that mean we’re perfect and can’t do any better? No. I think with openness and transparency you’ve got to keep pushing the envelope.”

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: news@theswcsun.com

November 20­— CPRA request submitted by The Sun.

December 14— Received district reply denying release of records citing FERPA.

April 4— Nine requests submitted.

April 18— Sun email to VP of Human Resources to inform of legal obligation to provide date documents would be released.

Five campus restrooms have been redesignated as gender neutral to allow students and staff to use whichever bathroom they identify with regardless of their birth sex.

Southwestern is joining colleges across the state in compliance with Assembly Bill 1266, the “Co-Ed Bathroom Bill.” Gender-neutral restrooms are also an accreditation requirement for community colleges across the country under Title IX of the 1965 Higher Education Act that “protects any person from sex based discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived sex, gender identity, and/ or gender expression.”

SWC has recently fulfilled the requirement with five gender-neutral restrooms in each quadrant of campus that have been designated by Director of Facilities Charlotte Zolezzi.

They are located in the 550 building, 1400 building on the first floor, 620 LRC/Library second and third floors and 620 telemedia building, said Zolezzi. New signs were posted earlier this month.

Dr.Guadalupe Corona, director of Equity Diversity and Inclusion, said American culture is evolving.

“There’s a changing in society and its norms, about how we engage,” she said. “I think it’s important whenever we create an inclusive environment, that we also do the education behind it so that there is no misunderstanding of why it’s being done.”

Professor of History Laura Ryan said she believes the restroom located in the 550 building was poorly conceived.

Previous to being named a genderneutral restroom, it was a women’s staff bathroom.

“The bathroom in 550 A can’t handle the numbers of people going into it,” she said. “I had to constantly call our school secretary last year to have the bathroom fixed because it overflowed

continuously. At least once every two weeks the toilet got stuffed up and no one could use it.”

Ryan emailed Zolezzi with her concerns and suggested an alternative.

“The men’s staff bathroom next to 540A has a urinal and a toilet,” she said. “That bathroom is better suited to be gender-neutral.”

This restroom is in an area that receives more foot traffic and is next to vending machines, increasing visibility to staff and students, said Ryan.

Olajuwon Tatum, 22, a theater major, said restrooms are a safety issue.

“These bathrooms are a way to make our campus safe for everyone, because not everyone identifies as male or female,” he said. “They passed a law saying that if you identify as male or female then you can use that bathroom, but it still might be uncomfortable for some people. So if it is labeled genderneutral then it’s like ‘Okay I can use this bathroom because it’s safe.’”

Alan Luna, director of public relations for SWC’s Gay-Straight Alliance Club, said the administration has not reached out to the club regarding the existence or whereabouts of these restrooms.

“I don’t know of any specific gender-neutral bathrooms available on campus,” he said. “I feel like the school should make more of an effort to let people know that they’re there, because nobody knows.”

Ta t u m s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e administration and ASO work together to promote the gender-neutral restrooms to students and faculty.

“They could email us about something that is actually relevant to our lives,” Tatum said.

“They could put it on the school site. We are now a LGBTQ positive campus, you could find genderneutral bathrooms here, here and here.’ Especially for the students who are coming from the high school and don’t know anything about the campus.

It should be in the orientation.”

Cheryl Norton, an English Professor and GSA advisor, said the Safe Zone program being implemented at SWC should highlight the restrooms. Safe Zone is a recent program provided at SWC that provides a safe area for the LGBTQ population on campus.

This program provides training by The Gay Alliance to all who volunteer, on becoming an LGBTQ ally.

“There are these little stickers (staff) put in our office windows,” she said.

“People who have been through the training talked about putting that same

April 14— One request was fulfilled, documents collected.

April 20— Sun email to VP of Human Resources with notification of CPRA violation.

April 22— Received response from new VP o f Hu m a n R e s o u r c e s with projected date of compliance, May 15.

April 27— SPLC a t t o r n e y Fr a n k LoMonte emailed Nish expressing concern at district stonewalling. Nish did not respond.

April 29— Submitted another CPRA request.

May 13— Response received 14 days later, four days beyond what law allows.

May 13— Received only one of eight documents from April 4 requests. Seven are still outstanding.

Five gender-neutral bathrooms established

By Jeanette Sandoval Staff Writer

Ap r i l 1 4 — R e c e i v e d response that district would screen docs relating to 8 requests, citing nine examples of case law justifying redaction and withholding of documents.

sticker on our website with a link that says SWC is a Safe Zone. Meaning it’s LGBTQ friendly and there are genderneutral bathrooms on campus, when you see this sticker you can talk to this professor.”

Norton praised the establishment of the gender-neutral restrooms and the college’s support of its LGBTQ students.

“This is a way to make our campus more of a welcoming community for everyone,” said Norton. “Isn’t that what colleges should be?”

GENDER-NEUTRAL RESTROOMS—This map of SWC displays all five gender-neutral bathrooms, using black targets as identifiers. Three of the bathrooms share an identifying dot in the library. The other two are located in the Cesar Chavez building and the 550 building.

Canvas : Academic Senate selects new curriculum system Continued from pg. A1

courses will be in Canvas, she said.

SWC’s Academic Senate agreed with the state and approved Canvas over Blackboard Learn Ultra, an upgraded version of Blackboard.

L a r r y L a m b e r t , S WC ’s On l i n e E d u c a t i o n Su p p o r t Sp e c i a l i s t , insisted it was an unfair comparison because Blackboard Learn Ultra is still in development.

“Blackboard has a brand new version that’s coming out and it won’t be ready really until summer, possibly fall,” he said. “What the Academic Senate is going to compare with Canvas is ridiculous because that version is going to be gone shortly after they decide to make the decision. They’re going to try to make Blackboard command demo a system that’s not ready to be shown yet.”

Shaelen disagreed.

Canvas was the obvious choice for students and faculty, she said, and the vote was “unanimous as unanimous could be without being unanimous.”

“One of the things that is built into Canvas is the sharing between colleges,” said Shaelen. “Instructors will be able to connect with other instructors at other colleges and share resources (such as units, assignments, tests, quizzes and notes). An instructor can say hey, I’m proud of this, and if you want to use it in your class go ahead and download it and with one click they can. Sharing across the system is going to be very easy.”

C a n v a s f e a t u re s a n i n t u i t i v e interface for desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, Shaelen said.

“One problem that (our) CMS has had is that it is so difficult to use,” she said. “Students and faculty both are focusing on wrestling with the technology instead of teaching and learning.”

Summer Edition 2016— Volume 59, Issue 7

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

A5

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

The mission of the Southwestern College Sun is to serve its campuses and their communities by providing information, insights and stimulating discussions of news, activities and topics relevant to our readers. The staff strives to produce a newspaper that is timely, accurate, fair, interesting, visual and accessible to readers. Though the “Sun” is a student publication, staff members ascribe to the ethical and moral guidelines of professional journalists.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bianca Quilantan

ALYSSA PAJARILLO

Gender can be a very fluid situation

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jaime Pronoble MANAGING EDITOR

Mary York ONLINE

Mirella Lopez, editor NEWS

Luz Aurora Aramburo, editor Andrew Dyer, assistant Josh Navarro, assistant Victoria Gonzalez, assistant VIEWPOINTS

Alyssa Pajarillo, editor

Dan Cordero/staff

Dan Cordero, head cartoonist

editorial

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AWARDS/HONORS

Student Press Law Center National College Press Freedom Award, 2011 National Newspaper Association National College Newspaper of the Year, 2004-16 Associated Collegiate Press National College Newspaper of the Year National Newspaper Pacemaker Award, 2003-06, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012-2015 General Excellence Awards, 2001-16 Best of Show Awards, 2003-16 Columbia University Scholastic Press Association Gold Medal for Journalism Excellence, 2001-16 California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

California College Newspaper of the Year, 2013, 2015 Student Newspaper General Excellence, 2002-16 San Diego County Multicultural Heritage Award

Society of Professional Journalists National Mark of Excellence, 2001-16 First Amendment Award, 2002, 2005 San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards 1999-2015 Directors Award for Defense of Free Speech, 2012 Journalism Association of Community Colleges Pacesetter Award 2001-16 General Excellence Awards, 2000-16 American Scholastic Press Association Community College Newspaper of the Year San Diego County Fair Media Competition Best of Show 2001-03, 20052015

The Issue: Southwestern College needs another bond to complete modernization projects originally planned under Proposition R.

Our Position: District voters should approve the bond this November, but college must improve transparency.

District must improve transparency so voters can trust it with a new bond In November 2008 district taxpayers entrusted Southwestern College with Proposition R, a $389 million bond.

After 232 criminal charges and more than a dozen indictments, a new governing board was forced to pull the plug on all the dirty contracts and start over. This cost the taxpayers years of time and tens of millions of dollars. When construction resumed, inflation had eaten away at the college’s buying power, scaling back what was originally envisioned in Prop R. Now, with Prop R running dry, the district is poised to ask taxpayers for another bond, $365 million, to fulfill maintenance obligations and complete the college’s reconstruction master plan. Without new money the college is not able to move forward on many projects, most of which are academic.

The unfortunate fact is this bond is necessary.

SWC is 52 years old and in need of maintenance and new facilities. Our current governing board members are not the same crooks that became corrupted by contractor’s bribes and back-room deals. They have earned back taxpayer trust and would most likely do right by the district and its students.

But there are lessons yet to be learned. The culture of secrecy that plagued the Chopra era has been allowed to fester and thrive once again. Under President Melinda Nish, the college has become increasingly hostile to the press, especially regarding public records requests. After Chief of Police Michael Cash negligently (“accidentally”) discharged his firearm in the campus police station in 2013, he was suspended temporarily but did not lose his job, despite nearly killing his secretary and two others. An investigator’s report, a document of clear and vital interest to the taxpaying public, still has not been released. Nish and Co. speciously cited the Peace Officer’s Bill of Rights to justify the cover-up.

A current dean threatened to sue The Sun and its advisor over the publication of emails she herself sent and comments she herself made. Again, protected by Nish, she was reassigned, but remains safe and snug in her new high-paying job.

When The Sun requested documents from the SWC police last November, the district did not respond to the request until well beyond the legally

Online Comments Policy

mandated 10-day window, one day into winter break, all but guaranteeing The Sun would not be able to publish a story.

A similar public records request was made on April 4 during Sunshine Week, when the American news media tests public agencies on transparency and honesty.

Southwestern College failed its test. The district refused to release documents until confronted by a national First Amendment rights organization. Now it says it will comply on May 15, again, conveniently, well beyond the date the college newspaper could publish news relating to them.

This pattern of secrecy and defiance of public records law does little to instill confidence in the district’s willingness to be transparent or accountable with new bond money. At every turn the district has prioritized its public image over the public good. Every effort has been made to justify secrecy over open government. The cover-up culture that flourishes under President Nish is particularly troubling considering the potential for another $356 million in bond money. With that much money on the table, there is little standing in the way to prevent more fraud. The last batch of crooks got off without jail and given the district’s ongoing resistance to transparency, the conditions are ripe for further abuse. After all, Nish’s veil of secrecy is well ensconced in the college culture. Her adversarial attitude towards the press and public scrutiny pervades the district’s corridors of power.

If the college expects district taxpayers to support another round of tax increases, then it is reasonable for the public to expect the district to be forthcoming in the release of public records. The district should immediately release the investigator’s report into the Cash shooting. The district should immediately release all outstanding requested public records. The district should begin responding to records requests not with hostility and defiance, but in routine accordance with public records law.

Finally, the culture of secrecy and obfuscation toward student journalists working in the public interest— the same public now being asked to produce from their pockets the funds to make up for the crimes of past administrators— must come to an end.

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Instagram, Tumblr and YouTube and other social media giants are notorious for consuming millennials, attention and time, but in the right hands they are marvelous teaching tools. One recent lesson is that gender is a fluid spectrum that should not be restricted to archaic gender roles.

With the rise of social media and their stars, gender as society knows it is bound to become something of the past.

Instagram and YouTube stars like Jeffree Star and Ma n n y Mu a a re s h ow i n g millennials how to do their makeup, while smashing the gender norm.

With the rise of these stars and other men in makeup millennials have access to gender-bending role models.

They are no longer limited to seeing glimpses of drag queen pioneers like RuPaul on LGBT magazine covers and movies.

These new stars are easily available on phones, computers and in the pages of mainstream magazines like Allure.

RuPaul is bigger than ever. During his RuPaul’s Dr a g C o n i n Ma rc h , t h e convention was given its own Snapchat story to liveblog the event to 100 million daily users. More than 22,000 attended the convention.

Though these stars may each identify their gender as one way or another, their message is the same. Gender is a subjective spectrum.

Blogging and sharing websites like Tumblr have introduced more users to what it means to identify as non-binary. A non-binary or genderqueer person is someone who does not identify strictly with the feminine or masculine genders.

Information about genderqueer has spread so quickly in the last 10 years that a Massive Millennials Poll by Fusion reported that 57 percent of millennials believe that gender is not limited to female or male, but falls on a spectr um.

While some of their parents may be fighting to put a stop to gender-neutral bathrooms, people who are college age are more likely to see non-binary bathrooms, ID cards and campus housing.

As the gender-neutral generation grows and moves into positions of power, gender norms and restrictive policies are sure to fade away like whites-only drinking fountains and bans on gay teachers.

Alyssa may be reached at sexandthesun@theswcsun.com

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Alyssa Pajarillo, editor

VIEWPOINTS

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: viewpoints@theswcsun.com

E-sports are about to storm the playing field

Out

By Martin Loftin A perspective

One day soon we may see sports like football, soccer and baseball as antiquated as the death sports of the ancient Romans. In the age of electronic entertainment, the traditional sports industry might find itself becoming obsolete.

Electronic sports, or e-sports, should be recognized as equals to their non-electronic counterparts.

E-sports are multiplayer videogames of a competitive nature. Some games are played with one player facing another, such as the fighting games “Street Fighter” or “Super Smash Bros,” while other games require teams of players to work together, such as “World of Tanks” or “League of Legends.”

There are also games in which players compete against a clock or for a high score. For years gamers have competed to complete games as fast as possible, sometimes exploiting glitches in the software to skip levels.

A provocative documentary, “King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters,” tells the story of people throughout the United States each working to beat the world record for highest score for the arcade game “Donkey Kong.”

E-sports might seem too different to qualify as a sport, but it requires only a little thinking outside of the X-Box to understand why video games are sports.

Besides the Olympics there are the Paralympics and Special Olympics, which are designed so that people with physical or mental disabilities can compete and be celebrated for their strength, speed and dexterity.

E-sports allow people to compete against their fellow gamers, and while this stage is not as large as the Olympics, one day it could be. In the future it will become increasingly difficult for society to keep investing the amount of resources necessary to maintain thousands of billion dollar stadiums. Although sports can be an economic boom to some communities, others suffer from the huge amounts of money misspent on building and supporting stadiums. Besides the initial cost of building a sports stadium, the upkeep costs when it is not in use cost communities millions of dollars each year.

E-sports are widely becoming more popular thanks to the ever-increasing technological nature of our world. It is easier than ever to play video games with anyone in the world, as well as share videos of the gameplay to a receptive audience. E-sports have received coverage on ESPN, though the e-sport audience mostly relies on online streaming services like Twitch.tv to broadcast live video or YouTube to share individual videos. Video game tournaments usually take place in convention

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How do you feel about the minimum wage being raised?

“Less individuals are going to be benefiting from full-time company benefits as in healthcare and dental.”

Juan Quiroz, 23, Philosophy/Spanish

Marty Loftin/staff

centers and are usually free to watch online, with some featuring a pay-for-chat feature. The only cost to watch these online events is the occasional short advertisement.

This is a lot easier on consumers who would rather not waste money on stadium parking or overpriced snacks.

E-sports are nowhere near perfect. Unsportsmanlike conduct has long been a thorn in the gaming community’s heel and many gamers have begun to speak out about the abuse of Adderall and Ritalin to improve performance in tournaments. Many players have experienced their share of foul-mouthed gamers and women are too often harassed online. Fortunately, game companies and organizers are successfully tamping down abuse.

Developers continue designing games even after release in an attempt to be competitive and balanced.

This process can last for some time because games and the strategies involved continue to evolve over time.

Game developers can underestimate the effectiveness of certain aspects of their game and later “nerfed” those aspects by making them less useful.

Last month musician Lupe Fiasco and professional player Daigo Umehara faced off in an exhibition match to celebrate the release of “Street Fighter V” due to Fiasco tweeting fans about how much he respected

Pansexuals suffer from low numbers, misinformation

By Jessica Briseno A perspective

Michelle phillips/staff

Gay, bisexual and lesbian Americans have made so much progress this century and are slowly winning the understanding and respect of our country. Pansexuals, however, have work to do.

Pansexual is defined as a person who is sexually interested in people regardless of their sex. They are a minority in the LGBTQ community. Some deny that pansexuality is even

Letter to the Editor

Daigo’s talent. Fiasco managed to defeat Daigo.

Good video game players can come out of nowhere and impress fans. Mad Catz, a gaming accessory manufacturer, sponsors Daigo and different companies sponsor many other players. While the sponsorships do not pay as well as a full-time job, it helps professional gamers afloat financially between high-paying tournaments. Many of the larger gaming tournaments can pay from $1,000 to $1,000,000 in prize money.

Sponsorships usually pay from $3,000 to $5,000 a month.

Professional athletes are role models for people of all ages and professional gamers are becoming just as respected by their own audiences. These online personalities cultivate followings organically over the Internet and make their living posting videos online and surviving off advertising revenue and donations.

A Global Games Market Report by Newzoo predicts the video game industry will break $100 billion by 2017.

Why would someone watch a game that they could just play themselves? On the other hand, why would someone watch a sport when they could play it themselves?

Sometimes it is just more fun to watch.

a true sexual orientation.

Pansexual people can be attracted to males, females or people who do not fit the norm of binary genders. A pansexual person can be romantically involved with anyone they have an attraction to. Pansexuals focus more on other qualities of a person rather than their sex.

Pansexual people face prejudice and misconceptions, including the fallacy that they are attracted to anyone that walks and into fetisihes. This makes it extremely hard for young pansexuals looking for support. Exclusion by the LGBTQ community can lead to isolation, confusion, depression and anxiety since there is no way to talk to someone about this sexual orientation.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics found that 96.6 percent of U.S. adults identified as straight, 1.6 percent identified as gay or lesbian, 0.7 percent identified as bisexual. The remaining 1.1 percent were split 0.2 percent identified as something else, 0.4 percent selected “I don’t know” and the last 0.6 percent refused to answer. Pansexuals were not mentioned.

Gallup, however, reports that 3.8 percent of the American population self-identify as LGBT. This difference in percentages of the LBGT population is due to over exposure of LGBT people in pop culture and mainstream media where pansexuals, bisexual and trans were not mentioned.

The Williams Institute estimates that 3.5 percent of adults in the United States identify as LGB and estimates that 0.3 percent as transgender. Pansexuality is not mentioned.

There are many reasons why these numbers differ, one major reason is because sexuality is fluid. Another may be because the person is not comfortable sharing their sexuality. Short of that, unless we ask every single person, we are only able to work off of estimated numbers.

Pansexual people take pride in their sexuality, though most claim bisexual since it is much easier to explain. Unfortunately, some LGBTQ people are the harshest critics of pansexuals. Some consider anything outside the gay and bisexual binary genders to be “special snowflake syndrome.”

There is no wrong or right way to feel about someone’s sexuality, but it is wrong to judge him or her based on it. It is fine for someone to change labels for themselves, especially if they are still growing and finding themselves.

Intolerance can be avoided or at least lessened by educating people. We need therapists, counselors, doctors, help lines and advocates in the LGBTQ community to acknowledge and support pansexuality. We need a support system for teens and adults who are struggling with their sexuality. We need support from loved ones and close friends. We should all celebrate Pan Pride Day on Dec. 8.

No matter what, it is always important to treat people with respect.

which some feel should be the basis of representation for a diversity committee. I have not stated that I support this approach.

The EDI committee is a committee of the Shared Consultation Council, therefore the committee membership is based on constituency representation from the faculty, student, classified, and management the college leadership team. But I would employee units, not race, ethnicity, gender, like to be very clear that at no time did I disability, sexual orientation, or the myriad say I thought there were too many African of other factors that we identify with as Americans on the EDI committee. I human beings and individuals. We could exposed the rumor and stated that I was have an engaging debate as to what basis of deeply concerned but I did not agree with the committee membership would be “better” idea of “too many”. I apologized to anyone but at this time all standing committees of the that was upset due the discussion at that SCC follow the constituency representation meeting. You have stated that I was thinking model. “statistically” about the diversity committee.

I fully support the work that InPartnership I do not believe this is a direct quote. I is doing as does every member of the believe by “statistically” you are referring leadership team. We have an opportunity to to the demographics of our community move out of the tension of the past and into

President denies saying EDI committee had too many African-Americans Dear Editor: I would like to write in response to the recent article regarding InPartnership and “racial tension” at Southwestern. Your article states that there has been underlying racial tension for 25 years. I cannot personally attest to the veracity of that comment but I have heard the same and was informed of a perception of bias against African American employees by the African American Alliance when I first arrived in 2012.

I did bring what I felt was a very divisive rumor about committee representation to

?

Thinking

an authentic appreciation of diversity and the richness it brings to our college and our community. We need to understand that equity is fairness, not “equal-ness.” We are not the same and we need to embrace all that makes us different in an appreciation of our shared humanity.

Thank you to the Sun for your commitment to free speech. The work of changing an organization’s culture is lengthy and often difficult. I hope that your future articles might serve as markers of progress being made as this College openly, bravely, and with determination confronts and understands our tension and ultimately resolves it with appreciation, acceptance, and admiration.

Melinda Nish Superintendent/President Southwestern College

“Many students will not have much reason to be in school if they get more money at work.”

Amir Zuniga, 19, History

“I think it’s going to help my parents out, especially my mom. It will help her pay all the bills even more.”

Jorge Del Castillo, 20, Political Science

“I feel that the longterm problem will be that it may cause an inflation in the economy.”

Abelardo Felix, 19, Political Science

“Just keep it like it is.

Raise taxes, but also use those taxes to help people with low income.”

Cesar Rivas, 21, Kinisiology

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Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

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2016 Presidential candidates are guilty of Hispandering Victoria Gonzalez A perspective

as Clinton, but still created an emotional campaign ad for Univision’s Spanish-speaking audience where he highlighted his concerns about economic inequality by showing the case of an immigrant woman agricultural worker’s struggles.

Republican Donald Trump, a man who identifies Mexican immigrants as rapists and murderers, whose main objective as president would be to build a wall between Mexico and the United States, depends greatly on inexpensive labor provided by immigrants to run his companies. Even he has started to see how crucial the Latino vote is so he managed to find a Latina willing to scream at people about how much she supported him. On Cinco de Mayo, in an obvious Hispandering attempt, Trump tweeted a picture of himself eating a not-very-Latino burrito bowl on twitter, with the caption, “I love Hispanics!”

Even some conservatives seem to agree, Hispandering leads nowhere.

In CQ (Congressional Quarterly) Researcher, an international affairs database, Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration, a conservative group that advocates for immigration reduction, said he did not expect any change with regards to immigration reform in the upcoming elections because “both Republicans and Democrats will continue their Hispandering.”

In a perfect world Hispandering would be considered positive if it somehow compelled politicians and those in power to actually do something about the issues Latinos care about. Unfortunately, it has been a neverending cycle of failed promises by both parties that take advantage of Latino traditions and values to better format their lies so they can succeed in misleading the public, taking into account the 55 million Hispanics in the United States who, as the nation’s largest ethnic minority, have definite power to sway elections with their votes and wallets.

It is easy to place the blame for all this Hispandering on opportunistic politicians, but Latinos themselves are partly to blame as well because many believe the fabulous and fatuous promises politicians make.

Latinos need to become better informed.

Only then will they be able to sort out the realidad from the mentira.

Latinos are finally getting some love from presidential candidates.

Sort of.

Politicians hit taco shops and Cuban cafecitos, butcher Spanish and urge their kids onstage to utter “hola” to adoring crowds to prove how much they care about Hispanics, who total about 27 million eligible voters.

“Hispandering” has existed for a decade, and both Democrats and Republicans are Hispanderers.

Some have even donned green, white and red sombreros on Cinco de Mayo without even knowing what the day is about.

It commemorates the Battle of Puebla, in which Mexico won against France, not Mexican Independence, as many believe. Rather than appearing empathetic, politicians often look ridiculous.

Hispandering is defined by Duke University’s American Speech Journal as “pandering by elected officials or candidates seeking to win over Hispanic voters.”

It originated in the early 2000s when politicians tried to win Hispanic support by feigning interest in their issues like paths to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Unfortunately for Hispanderers, a Pew Research Center poll shows Latinos’ main concerns are education, jobs, the economy and healthcare. Immigration reform is at the very bottom of the list.

Our current crop of presidential hopefuls has taken Hispandering to outrageous heights.

On the Democratic side, both candidates are Hispandering for votes.

In Hillary Clinton’s case, by making a point of flinging in phrases in Spanish wherever possible during her speeches as well as publishing a list proclaiming the seven ways that she is just like a Latino grandmother or abuela. She mentioned things that Latinos relate to, like the value they place on respect to elders, which is true, but she resorted to silly gifs and Spanish phrases to illustrate her points in way that seemed slightly sad and mocking rather than funny.

Bernie Sanders has not been so overt Dan Cordero/staff

Speaking up about sex assault is essential

By Mary York A perspective

When The Sun staff began working on the Sexual Assault Special Edition, published this month, I did not plan to be a contributor. Time came to share our personal experiences with harassment, assault, abuse and rape and I did nothing.

I was too embarrassed to pen my own testimonial.

My experience was not as traumatic as many of those written about by my colleagues. In fact, for many years I did not even realize that it counted as sexual assault. It was so normalized.

Laughable, even.

Literally, people laughed.

Every time I sat down to write my story, I would find a more pressing task to take care of. But the truth is that I am afraid of being judged by those who might think I am overreacting or being dramatic. I am hesitant to share something with friends, colleagues, future employers and anonymous peers that I have not even shared with my family. I am embarrassed that something that happened to me so many years ago still lingers in the back of my head.

And I am still humiliated at the thought of the memory.

Unlike the picture I was given as a girl, my assault did not happen alone in a dark alley with a stranger. It was at school, in the middle of the day, in front of all my friends.

As a joke, a female classmate grabbed me inappropriately. I was so surprised and embarrassed I said and did nothing. Goaded on by the chuckles of our friends, she made a pass at my groin. This time, I managed to slap her hand away. Now the chuckles were aimed at my reaction and the color rising in my face. No one, I truly believe, meant me any harm, but I left the classroom quickly to hide my humiliation and avoid further contact. It was not the first time she had pushed my personal boundaries and it was not the last, though I learned to stay out of her way.

And that was it. I assumed it was a normal facet of living in a sexualized society and I moved on with my day

and my life.

It has been several years and time has cleared up a few things for me.

What happened to me was indeed a byproduct of the society we have been raised in, which has both numbed us to sexual aggression and failed to educate us on the issue of consent.

What happened to me was also wrong.

In hindsight, I wonder how much of the OCD and “personal space” anxiety I struggle with today were aggravated and worsened because of encounters like that.

I do not bear that girl, who I still see from time to time, any ill will. She is just as much a victim of this “cultural norm” as I am, and in our own ways we are both perpetuators. I wish someone had told me back then that I was justified in feeling violated. I wish someone had told her that what she did was not okay. And I dearly wish those friends of ours who witnessed it had not laughed, but had spoken up on my behalf. But no one did.

So that is why I am writing this testimony. It is a little late, but I no longer want to be the person who does nothing. I want people to know that just because an action does not have a sexual intention, does not mean it is not violating. I want people to know that just because someone is your friend or partner or sibling does not mean they have free access to your person. And I want people to know that it is okay to say, “No, this is my space.”

I also want people to know that it is good to speak up. It is good because it is the first step in defying the normality of assault culture. It is the first step in healing. It is the first real step in moving forward. And it is something we need to do together.

I want the men and women who shared their stories in the sexual assault edition to know that their words made a difference. If the purpose in creating that edition was to bring awareness to this issue and empower individuals who have been affected by it, then you have accomplished your mission. I would not be writing this if you had not written first.

Michelle Phillips/staff

Low turnout, lack of candidates diminish 2016 ASO elections, weaken student govt

By Andrew Dyer A perspective

With a mere two percent (362 of 20,000) of students voting in the recent ASO elections, the running joke that is student government elections at SWC have sputtered, stumbled and failed.

While it might be tempting to point to the students of this commuter campus for being apathetic in shirking their democratic responsibilities, the blame for this latest electoral debacle rests squarely upon the shoulders of the current ASO administration.

This was not an election. It was a coronation.

Of the top executive positions in the ASO — student trustee, president, executive vice president, vice president of club affairs, vice president of public relations, social vice president and executive secretary — only two (executive V.P. and V.P of finance) were competitive. The rest had one candidate each. The down ballot senate race also boasted a choice of one for each seat. With a dearth of options on the ballot, it is no wonder the election was so poorly promoted and only a handful of campaign signs went up.

The lack of electoral options reflects poorly on the ASO and strikes at the very legitimacy of the organization. Who can blame voters for being apathetic when the winners were predetermined?

This is not to say those elected are not competent or qualified for their new positions. Incoming Student Trustee Freda Hernandez did an admirable job lobbying for a signaled

crosswalk at HEC San Ysidro. On the whole, the incoming ASO officers were all outstanding candidates who had no control over who else would throw their hat in the ring. That would be the current ASO. As a collegiate government body, the ASO should not operate like a high school clique. It is not doing all it can to promote an inclusive environment open to outsiders.

Where was the promotion leading up to the election? It is not enough for the ASO to push WebAdvisor spam emails and hang a couple notices up around campus. It could have been engaging the student body year-round and could have done more to encourage students to get involved.

There is a meeting of the Inter-Club Council (ICC) every Monday, a prime opportunity to promote the election and solicit candidates. Club officers are one step removed from the larger administration already and with more encouragement might be motivated to pursue higher offices.

Melissa Rodriquez has done an exemplary job both as president and student trustee, but it is going to take even more to motivate and engage more students at SWC to step up and get involved.

I challenge the incoming trustee and president to learn from this feckless and dysfunctional democratic exercise, and prioritize inclusiveness and participation from a wider pool of students next year.

While it must have been nice running unopposed for two of the most powerful positions for students on campus, it is imperative to make the election of 2016 an aberration, not the norm.

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Summer Edition 2016 — Volume 59, Issue 7

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

Some rude men just lack good makeup

Mary York/staff

Samantha Ojeda A perspective Michelle phillips/staff

editorial The Issue: Our college has many serious challenges that keep the institution and its students from reaching their potential.

Our Position: Our ASO did a great job this year launching some meaningful innovations. Next year’s student leaders must carry on.

Student leaders need to lead fight against sexual assault, hunger, counselor shortage Dear ASO Leaders:

probably not the reason you signed up for the position, but it is part of A job — arguably the First of all, congratulations! You’ve been most important part. elected by your peers and that is a great Try to balance the big picture and the small accomplishment. It is also a great responsibility. details. It is hard to do, but they are both As the ASO, you are the voice of students. important. For example, the ASO 2015-16 You represent the student body to our opened up an online textbook swap page. This administrators and governing board. This gives is an innovative and highly-effective way to help you the potential to make serious changes to out students with textbook prices. Well done. the campus, both physically and culturally.

Now take a step back and realize that only Never underestimate the power of the position 39 percent of SWC students are graduating you have been elected to. within six years. The goal should be 100 Our ASO is commonly associated with percent within two years. Our ASO needs to get club fairs and activities that promote cultural involved. awareness. Recently it has also tackled more Get out of the ASO building once in awhile substantive issues by starting a food pantry and make it a point to walk around and talk to for low-income students and working with the the students. Learn the different aspects of the administration to have the first SWC activestudent body and what the problems are. shooter drill. Our ASO leaders explored ways One neglected problem is sexual assault. to provide transportation between San Ysidro Southwestern previously had a Women’s and the main campus. This project, like many Resource Center that was the safe haven to others, will take more than just one ASO many women who had nowhere to turn. Even administration’s hard work, you will need to though sexual assault lurks in the shadows, it is carry on. prevalent. Urge the administration to bring the As the voice of the students, remember to Women’s Resource Center back. Join the It’s On listen to their needs before you begin to speak Us Movement to fight sexual assault on college for them. Prioritize the needs of students. Yes, campuses. fun activities are an important contribution Our college needs more crisis counselors. by the ASO, but they should not overshadow Our Health Services and Personal Wellness serious topics such as sexual harassment and Services department consists of Dr. Clarence campus safety where we have serious problems. Amaral, the only full-time employee, a part-time ASO 2015-16 began a food pantry for employee and a couple of interns. These are students who cannot afford to buy food not enough people to tackle the problems of everyday. Keep it stocked. more than 18,000 students. Amaral cannot do it Fight for student success and stick to it. ASO alone, though he sure tries.

2014-15 pledged to support the adjunct rally We need counselors specialized in acute and then backed out at the last minute. Help trauma. Our generation deals with many crises. adjuncts, because it is in the students’ best SWC needs to provide specialists to help interest that you do so. students deal with suicidal thoughts, financial When you are given a seat on the Shared stress, loss, abuse and assault.

Consultation Council (SCC), please show up.

Push for what you believe will help students.

This seat is a privilege. The administration is Look at the pros and cons of previous giving you a seat at the big table and is ready administrations and learn from them. Have fun to listen to what you have to say. When the in 2016-17, but do not treat this position as SCC voted for the smoking ban last year, the another bullet point on your resume. Make your ASO representatives did not vote on it. This mark. Think big and act big. Make us proud issue directly affected students and it was like Melissa Rodriguez and her team did. They disregarded. Sitting through long meetings was made a difference. You can, too.

Two pictures sit side by side. One, a gorgeous, flawless girl with crisp brows and berry lips. The other, a sickly-looking girl with undereye circles and acne scars. Two different faces, same girl. The caption reads, “This is why you take her swimming on the first date.”

The meme spread like wildfire and so did the unwarranted self-victimization of men.

Though the meme was first introduced on Reddit, it soon spread to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

“Women get up every day and one of the first things they do before they even leave the house is put on a face that lies to the world,” Reddit user oni-anthony wrote. “The majority of women even refuse to be seen in public without their liars face on.”

On another online forum a user who called himself kazimiera posted 15 pictures comparing women of various ethnicities with and without makeup.

“Makeup isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” he wrote. “It can be used as an artistic expression, but sometimes it can also be used as a tool of deception.”

One can only imagine the image of women these men possess. A wicked, malicious woman applying and blending out her eyeshadow cackling, “this will surely trick that boy into loving me!”

Megan Dong, a storyboard artist for Nickelodeon, said men place undue pressure on women.

“I don’t think (men) realize that their expectations of women are unrealistic and unfair and that the idea that women only wear makeup for the benefit of men is presumptuous,” she said.

Dong created a series of comics that make fun of some men’s irrational phobia that women wear makeup to fool them.

“I think that most men who prefer the ‘natural’ look don’t realize that most women wear makeup to achieve it,” she wrote.

If women do not wear makeup to trick men, then why do they?

One possible suggestion is proposed by research published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

“Results suggest that women are likely wearing cosmetics to appeal to the mistaken preferences of others,” the study said.

A survey conducted by the Renfrew Center Foundation, a non-profit that studies eating disorders, found that 48 percent of women wear makeup because they prefer the way they look with it on.

Makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, author of “Face Paint: The Story of Makeup,” agreed.

“After 20 years of working as a makeup artist I can say quite confidently that women wear makeup for themselves,” she said. “There are many different roles makeup can play in a woman’s life. There’s the playful and creative aspect. Who doesn’t enjoy swirling a brush in a palette of color? Then there’s the confidencebuilding aspect. Why not cover a huge red blemish on your nose if you can? Makeup can make you feel more powerful and ready to face any situation.”

YouTube makeup guru NikkieTutorials expressed the same sentiment in her viral video “The Power of Makeup.”

“Girls have been almost ashamed to say that they like makeup because nowadays when they say that they like makeup you do it because you either wanna look good for boys, you do it because you’re insecure or you do it because you don’t love yourself,” she said. “I just want people to know that makeup is fun and there are no rules to makeup.”

Getting a woman to go swimming on the first date might get her makeup off, but it will not wash away the fact that his motivation swims in the shallow end. “(The meme is) basically saying that women are ugly without makeup, (but) also vilifying them for wearing it,” Reddit user fortytwoturtles said in a comment.

What are women selling? Their face? Their bodies? To whom? Why? Are women so devoid of humanity that all they are is a product to be consumed?

Is “natural beauty” more important than character?

“How can you say that we are fake when you don’t even have the decency to find out what’s inside our heads before finding out what’s behind our contour,” user rvoke said on Tumblr.

Holly Riordan commented on TheBolde, a social lifestyle website, that beauty is more than skin deep.

“Sure, we might look a little different when we wipe it all off for the night, but our personality doesn’t change with our mascara,” she said. “If men really liked us for who we are instead of for superficial reasons, then the ‘false-advertisement’ complaint would be moot.”

Adrienne Ressler, the national training director for the Renfrew Center Foundation, said that makeup is deeply embedded in our culture.

“Wearing makeup to enhance one’s appearance is normal in our society and often a rite of passage for young women,” she said.

Despite criticism from men, women should continue to use makeup as they please. Beauty and makeup communities on the Internet are comforting places of refuge from snarky male condemnation.

Ironically, women can benefit from this meme. They now know that any man who agrees, retweets, reblogs or shares the meme is someone that should be avoided.

In a video viewed more than 29 million times on NikkieTutorials, makeup is presented as a tool of empowerment for women.

“Makeup is there for days when you wanna look hella good and that’s why I love the power of makeup.”

Summer Edition 2016 — Volume 59, Issue 7

The Southwestern College Sun

CAMPUS

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FEVERISH FOR FESTIVALS Students trek to the desert or anywhere a weekend music gathering is rocking

By Eliza Cana and Henry Gentile Staff Writers

“We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon and we have to get ourselves back to the garden.”

From “Woodstock” by Crosby, Stills & Nash “I am bright as the sun/ You are as high as a kite. We are daughters, sons, brothers and sisters tonight at Coachella.”

From “Coachella” by Brooke Fraser Woodstock, the concert to end all concerts, was only the beginning. Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Creedance Clearwater Revival and Santana were merely warm-up acts.

More than 32 million people in the U.S. attended at least one music festival in the year 2015, 14.7 million of which were under 35 years old. Somewhere Janis Joplin is smiling.

Woodstock was “organized” in 1969 as a “gathering of peace, love, music and the celebration of life.” For three glorious (if muddy) days, music legends created magic and epic traffic. Warts and all, Woodstock became a model for ambitious festivals.

Besides great music, these festivals allow people an opportunity to step out from social normalcy. Southwestern College students attend concerts to relax and get away from day-to-day pressures.

“It’s like a place where we can leave society for a while and actually live,” said SWC math major Roy Cajusay, 21, who has been to Coachella, FYF Fest, Summer Ends Festival and other mega concerts. “Society has built such a standard on our age. Education gets harder and school is actually testing us more than previous generations. Festivals are a time to sort of just let go and be free.”

Kristine Jensen, 21, a nursing major, said

she has been to at least 10 music festivals.

“The year (at my first Electric Daisy Carnival) I was going through a lot of identity crisis with growing up and figuring myself out,” she said. “The first EDC was a milestone in my personal life, so experiencing that helped me figure out more of who I was and who I want to be.”

Strangers help strangers at music festivals, Jensen said, and the scene is “loving.” People share water and food, and respect the buddy system so nobody gets lost when one person leaves the crowd for a bathroom break.

Jensen said music festivals brought her out of her shell.

“Before, I’d never used to dance or anything like that,” she said. “That opened me up to be more comfortable with myself and not be scared of what people thought about me.”

Stephen Villanueva, 20, an SDSU physical therapy major, said he is new to the festival scene.

“At first I was one of those people that were kind of like why would you pay so much money?” he said. “My friends finally convinced me to go to my first one, which was Life in Color. It was an experience that you can’t replicate anywhere else other than a music festival.”

Social media fuels music festivals. About 3.5 million tweets were generated the first weekend of Coachella in 2015. During festival season, social media is flooded with photos and videos celebrating festival fashions. Whatever outfits Kylie Jenner and Vanessa Hudgens are wearing to Coachella become summer staples among their Instagram followers. Festivals allow people to wear what they normally would not.

“Before I go to festivals I plan out my outfits,” said Cajusay. “I try to buy things that I feel people won’t have and will make me stand out.”

Villanueva said concerts are times to cut loose with clothes.

“You don’t have to be afraid of someone looking at you funny or judging you for what you’re acting like or what you wear,” he said.

Raffi Rillo, 20, a kinesiology major, has been to Coachella, Hard Summer and Summer Ends Festival. He said he plans on going to a lot more because he enjoys time with friends, unique experiences and sharable moments.

“Live music is something you can’t even describe,” he said. “It’s just a whole lifechanging experience. When you see a song live and then you play it again later in your car, it takes you back to that moment when you were at that concert or festival.”

June’s Summer Trip Festival is the greatest lineup of talent ever. Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Neil Young and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd promise three days of living legends playing rock’s greatest hits under a blue desert sky. Larcenous ticket prices will prevent most Southwestern College students from attending, though some are determined to get in one way or another.

“My friends and I are going to go there and crash the gate,” said Constance Hill, 19, a business major. “Maybe we’ll get in, maybe we’ll get caught, but we’re going.”

Maybe Hill and her friends will get lucky and McCartney will say “let ‘em in!” or Dylan will croak “come in, she said, I’ll give you shelter from the storm.”

Or maybe not. It’s a festival though, and magic awaits.

Courtesy Photo (top), Henry Gentile/Staff

GOOD LORDE— (top) Teenage rock star Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) sings her hit “Magnets” at Coachella. (above) Guns N’ Roses guitar hero Slash shreds on his double-neck Gibson electric. G N R headlined Coachella.

Marine’s courageous sacrifice has not been forgotten

By Netzai Sanchez Staff Writer

Peralta

“June 16, 2015 was proclaimed Sergeant Rafael Peralta Day in the city of Chula Vista.”

Sgt. Rafael Peralta is gone, but because of his remarkable courage, his U.S Marine comrades are still alive. Now the surviving members of his squad want him to receive America’s highest military medal, although military leaders have denied him.

Peralta, an alumnus of the Southwestern College Police Academy, pulled a grenade into his chest during an Iraq war fire fight.

He was killed by the explosion, but his selfless and brave decision saved several Marines who were mere feet away.

Fellow Marines have called Peralta the bravest Marine they have ever seen, but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates rejected the Marine Corps recommendation that he receive a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Peralta was instead awarded the Navy Cross, the nation’s second highest military honor.

Peralta’s fateful moment came the night of November 14, 2004 when he volunteered to stand guard so the other Marines could rest. Robert Reynolds, his comrade, said he remembers the evening well.

“I think about this every day,” he said.

“If it was not for him, I would not be here nor would my two daughters.”

Reynolds said he was standing 18 inches

away from Peralta when he died and is convinced the decision to deny him the Medal of Honor is unjust. A Department of Defense investigation said that Peralta was severely injured and not aware of what he was doing.

Reynolds said the board has it all wrong.

“What he did was not involuntary,” Reynolds said. “He did pull that grenade to the center of his chest. Many of us saw that happen. This decision makes no sence to me. The board did not see what happened.

It is very hard for me because of what he did to save us. Many of us are here today because of Peralta.”

Reynolds said he and his fellow Marines are enormously grateful and deeply admire Peralta.

“When the autopsy was made there was a piece of grenade incrusted in his chest,” Reynolds said. “That grenade did not get there on its own, he put it there because that is the type of Marine he was. He was a Marine’s Marine. He took care of his solders. Not just anyone can do what he did. He hugged that grenade so his brothers could come home.”

Peralta’s heroism effected many profoundly, including his younger brother Ricardo, who was so inspired he enlisted in the Marines to replace his brother. He

was not alone.

“I met many people who told me that they enlisted because of my brother,” said Ricardo Peralta. “They heard his story and felt inspired.”

Rosa Peralta, their mother, said she was not happy about Ricardo’s decision.

“I didn’t give him permission,” she said.

“I was scared to lose another son.”

Rosa Peralta said Rafael had a premonition.

“Before passing away, Rafael called me and told me to not blame anyone if anything were to happen to him,” she said.

“He was doing what he wanted.”

Even tough Rosa had suffered the loss of one son, she said she always admired those who serve.

“They have a very strong heart,” she said. “ I admire all they do. Whatever it is that they fight for, they all suffer the same, fighting for what they believe in, whether it’s oil, or whatever it is, no one can take away what they go through. They are looking out for us.”

Rafael Peralta was born April 7, 1979 in Mexico City. His family moved to Tijuana where he lived for 15 years before immigrating to the U.S. Peralta’s father died in 2001, leaving him to look after his mother, sisters Icela and Karen, and brother

Ricardo.

Rosa Peralta said her family’s story is like many others.

“We came with just a passport like many other Latino families,” she said. “We did not have the residency yet and that made it hard for Rafael to enlist as a Marine.

He went to enlist without having all the documents and he was not allowed. That day he told the recruiter that he would be back and he was going to be a Marine.”

Peralta kept his word.

“The day he received his green card he enlisted as a Marine,” she said. “He gave his life for this country. This is an example of how us Latinos accomplish dreams.”

After 11 years it was determined that the Peralta family would receive the Navy Cross for Rafael. Then Congressman Bob Filner protested and insisted that Peralta deserved the Medal of Honor. His mother agreed.

“Although he did not obtain the Medal of Honor, to me, he has all the medals in the world,” he said.

In 2012 a U.S Navy destroyer was named for Rafael Peralta, making him the second Latino to have a ship named after him.

The first was Cesar Chavez. His adopted hometown of Chula Vista also honored him. June 16, 2015 was Sergeant Rafael Peralta Day.

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Domonique Scott, editor

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Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: campus@theswcsun.com

Cristofer Garcia/Staff

PROTECTOR DEL BARRIO— Jerónimo Blánco, former national commander of the Brown Berets, remains dedicated to the protection of the Chicano landmark.

Cumpleaños celebration lights up proud Chicano Park

By Domonique Scott Campus Editor

Sergio Esparza/Staff

BREAK THE CHAINS OF THE INDIFFERENT— A member of the feminist group Las Mujeres en Resistencia (Women in Resistance) performed during Chicano Park Day. By dancing, group members say they feel they are able to demonstrate strength in their community as Chicanas.

Beneath the Coronado Bridge, in Barrio Logan, vibrant murals sizzle upon pillars and walls, which seem to have grown from the earth. These murals showcase brown faces of Chicano leaders and natives who identify themselves as the people of the Atzalán.

These 7.9 acres are known as Chicano park and was saved by its community from being bulldozed to make room for a highway patrol station on April 22, 1970, said Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez, known as the singer of the barrio. Musician, cultural leader and activist, Sanchez said the area’s community has always felt a duty to protect and maintain the park.

“Chicano Park has always been protected. Whether it be from the cultural activists activists, the Brown Berets or the wise ones who claim to be ancestors of the first settlers to this land. The park was meant to be a place for our sons and daughters and future generations to have a safe place to grow and play. It’s a place for families, good food, music and just life. I sing because of my culture, and Chicano Park is because of the same thing, the culture.”

Today Chicano Park is historic land, one of the largest outdoor art museums and a symbol of the Chicano rights movement in San Diego.

Chicano Park Day marks a day of celebration to the community and is held April 22 to remember the day the people of the Atzalán were able to preserve an emblem of their culture.

SWC english and education professor Michael Wickert said attending Chicano Park Day is a tradition

for him and his family.

“I’ve gone every year for the last 20 years,” he said.

“I have seen how it’s grown. One time it looked like it was going to fade away into nothing but by the 25th anniversary it was back again and maintained. This year it just exploded. A lot of people who would have never gone to the festival before, are now going. It was a really multicultural group of people who were at the festival which was very cool.”

Anibal Antonio, SWC film production major, said she identified herself as a Chicana and was happy to discover the event as well as community behind it.

“As a Chicano myself I have always been in between cultures,” she said. “My family were immigrants from Mexico and I grew up in the U.S. so I never really fit in.

I was kind of stuck in the middle. I’m pretty glad that I found a place here in the city that represents both sides.”

Wickert said that many of the newer generations of Chicanos have problems with cultural identity.

“A lot of people who call themselves Chicano are the children and the grandchildren of farm workers who moved into the cities,” Wickert said. “These people who are really rural people understand the idea of connection to the soil. With roots to ones culture there is a sense of soil and longing and land.”

Amongst the day’s festivities various aspects of Aztec culture is displayed. Antonio said she immensely enjoyed the clothing and dancing.

“I like the traditional dances and a lot of the Aztec clothing was really rad to look at,” she said. “The designs looked like they worked hours on them. Definitely handmade. They were so beautiful, I loved them.”

Francisco Gomez, psychology major, said he took interest in the lowrider cars and car murals the festival offered.

“They went so in-depth into Chicano culture you never get to see that anymore,” he said. “Everything was beautiful but my favorite part was all the cars. It’s amazing how much work they put into them. It was a great experience.”

Wickert said much like the food, dancing, and Aztec culture, low-riders were another part of Chicano lifestyle.

“When you look at the murals and see the cars you see history,” he said. “They took cars that were thrown away and made them into classics. Today there will be a ,’92 Sentra, a ‘55 Chevy, a ‘62 Impala and in one point in time those were throw away cars but this is what people could afford and we made them look nice and low-rider culture started.”

Wickert said one of his favorite parts of the day is seeing old neighborhood friends.

“I get to see a lot of old friends,” he said. “Chicano Park Day is run by a lot of people who are from those neighborhoods that have now moved out and disbursed.

Now once a year this day gives people the chance to sort of come back together.”

Chicano Park’s community has grown and Wickert says he is confident that it will remain.

“Overtime its really kind of moved into this interesting space, its becoming intertwined, entrelazado, with the city. It’s the roots in the tree but its not just the roots, it’s the shape, the breeze, the birds, the kids climbing the tree and then this one day a year it just really comes to life.”

Activist fought for SWC students, transformed Transfer Center

By Cristofer Garcia Assistant Campus Editor

It was time for a happy warrior to be happy.

All eyes were on Norma Cazares as she danced the night away with her husband, Roger, while a live band filled the room with a cover of Los Alacranes Mojados’ “Linda Chicana.”

“I love to dance,” said Norma Cazares, former coordinator and counselor of the Southwestern College Transfer Center. “I can dance all night long and I have been known to do that.”

A retirement party for one of SWC’s most respected employees was attended by co-workers, family members and prominent Chula Vista residents, including Mayor Mary Casillas Salas.

“I want to really honor and appreciate Norma, not just for the educational side, but for what she’s done for our community through her activism and her civic engagement,” said Casillas Salas.

Cazares is preternaturally friendly, but a fierce fighter for justice, fairness and the underdog. Recently she has been an outspoken critic of the UCSD decision to take more out-of-state students and fewer community college transfers.

Her SWC journey started when she was an employee for the Chula Vista office of California Employment Development Department (EDD).

“Our office and Southwestern College had an agreement where staff from EDD would be stationed at Southwestern College to help graduates (of the office information system program) find employment,” she said. “(They) asked me if I’d be interested to help place those students in jobs, I said, ‘heck yeah.’”

It was during her time there that she decided to go back to college, a decision she

called “a smart move.”

“It was (during) that experience when I found myself on campus that I really, really realized this is where I want to be,” she said.

“People that worked at the college that saw how I worked with students said, ‘you ought to think about working here.’ I asked ‘doing what?’ They said ‘well, you’re like a counselor, to be a counselor.’ That’s when I found out I needed a Master’s and that’s when I went back (to college).”

Cazares earned her Master’s in counseling education at San Diego State University and resigned from EDD to work at SWC in 1989.

She started her 26 years as an SWC employee in the San Ysidro Higher Education Center, where she worked for seven years.

“I got to develop pretty much the whole program there,” she said. “I used to go to every classroom to talk to students every semester.”

She helped students transfer, fostering clubs like Improving Dreams, Equity, Access and Success (IDEAS) and programs like Puente (Bridge), which she said was an answer to the low number of transfers for Latino students.

“Puente is wonderful,” she said. “It was going to be like a familia and you work together. Basically the goal had to be transferring to a university to get a Bachelor’s degree.”

Guadalupe De Jesus is a former IDEAS member.

“In 2012-2013 IDEAS, my team and I were looking for an advisor that could represent leadership, somebody who could empathize, understand and guide a group of students who wanted to bring awareness about the struggles undocumented students suffered,” said De Jesus. “As an advisor, transfer college counselor, mentor and friend,

Norma Cazares always supported me. I like her honesty, dedication and her welcoming and supporting attitude.”

Cazares said students saw her as a mentor and there is beauty in the way they stay in contact and ask for her advice.

“That’s a life commitment that I have to them,” said Cazares.

Cazares is a born-and-raised San Diegan.

She grew up as one of seven children.

“We were a family of nine living in a one-bedroom rented home,” she said.

“Sometimes my dad had a car, sometimes we didn’t have a car.”

At 15 years old, she said, she was too poor to organize a quinceañera. Instead, Cazares started organizing her community. “(It started) on 42nd and Market, which is Southeast San Diego, 15 years old,” she said. “An African-American male in the community seemed to want to get the community involved and get the streets paved and stuff like that because nobody paid attention to us back in those days. I couldn’t register people to vote because I wasn’t of age, but I was registering people to vote.”

That man was future San Diego city council member George “Chaka” Stevens.

As a self-identified Chicana, Cazares has been involved in various social issues since then. Growing up in her era, she said, provided the perfect environment for the “young and wide-eyed” activist.

“Everything happened in the ‘60s,” she said. “Everything.”

Cazares advocated Vietnam protests, led walkouts at Lincoln High School to push education reform and protected Chicano Park from destruction.

“Word got out that CalTrans was going to try to take over Chicano Park,” she said. “I remember we left (SDSU) and a bunch of

Cristofer Garcia/Staff

LINDA CHICANA—Former SWC Transfer Center Director Norma Cazares dances with her husband, Roger, at her retirement party held at Bread & Salt.

us went down there,” she said. “Bulldozers and everything were ready to get in there and we basically held that project up. Those were exciting times. It can be dangerous but long story short, we have Chicano Park today.”

She is now a proud mother of three and grandmother of two and has been married to her husband for 42 years. She said retired life is very busy but she likes it that way as

she will “continue doing the work that needs to be done.” was hesitant said certain “You never know where life is going to take you. That little experience, when they asked me (to be an SWC counselor), I could’ve said no and I would’ve never had this experience that I have 26 years later. It was very fortunate.”

CAMPUS

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016 — Volume 59, Issue 7

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Festival of Nations

celebrates cultural richness

r Se o gi p Es ar ff ta /S za

Andrew Dyer/Staff

DANCING FOR THE OLD ONES — Diane Martinez of Toltecas Aztlan leads her group in the Mother Earth Dance. (r) Elda Carrillo and David Cueva demonstrate ballet folklorico.

By Domonique Scott Campus Editor

S

tudents went around the world in 80 minutes at the annual Festival of Nations without checking a bag or being frisked by TSA. Hosted by the Associated Student Organization on the Mayan Hall patio, the festival is a celebration of the college’s tremendous diversity.

Two first place winners were awarded $250 for their booths and displays. The Muslim Student Association (MSA), represented Palestine, while the San Ysidro Child Development Club honored Mexico.

MSA’s ICC Representative Neda Dibas said she was pleased her club was chosen.

“We picked Palestine to represent back home,” she said. “That culture holds a lot of religious value to us since we are Palestinian.

We had traditional clothing, a lot of hand crafting, jewelry boxes and ashtrays.”

Dibas said many students flocked towards the lively festival because of all the different music and food options.

“It was absolutely amazing to see everyone out there, it was something you don’t typically see,” she said. “Everyone was happy and just dancing and talking and there was good food which brings everyone together.”

Dibas said MSA served meals of falafel, baba ganoush, hummus and tabula rice. This was one of the reasons they were able to score a first place prize with the judges.

She said this event was unlike any other and she was delighted

to see so many cultures represented at SWC. “Everyone was understanding of one another and the different cultures, and people that are out there,” said Dibas.

“Your race is not the only one and there is so much more to learn and a lot more exists. There are so many different cultures here at Southwestern College but you don’t really get to see them. This festival was an opportunity for people to put their cultures out there on display to see what exists on this campus.”

San Ysidro Child Development Club advisor Professor Edna Reynoso Marquez said her club was dedicated to the festival because its edict is to remind students of their ancestry.

“It is part of our culture, our objective is for the students to learn this culture so they can be proud of their background,” she said.

Julia Martinez, ICC Representative for the Child Development Club and a dancer for the group Toltecas Aztlán, said her club showcased pre-Columbian Mexico.

“Toltecas Aztlán has been active since the early 1970s and were artists and community workers that were part of the Chicano movement to bring positive identity for Mexican American Chicanos,” she said. “To bring that

awareness to students today is our goal. Cultural identity gives us strength because it connects you to the past and gives you the drive to continue.”

Martinez said her club c h o s e p re - C o l u mb i a n Mexico to represent all civilizations that helped to mold what is Aztec culture.

“Aztecs borrowed a lot from all of the cultures, the Mayans, the Toltecs and the Olmecs,” she said. “They took from those cultures and modified it. We call it Aztec dancing, but it has a lot of those histories.”

Martinez said students benefit from these types of festivals.

Understanding divergent cultures make us stronger, she said.

“I think it’s important that we all have those moments to share and exchange cultures,” she said. “At Festival of Nations there were so many different cultures from this college. I think the more SWC does events like these, it’s going to see more students have success. When it’s not relatable it’s hard, but when its something you have a connection to you will find it much easier to learn and be motivated and inspired.”

l l a e w t a h e t g n t a n h a c t x r e o p d m i n a s i e ’ r t i a h k nts to s n i h t I " “ hose mome ltures.”" cu Martinez have t — Julia Photos by Sergio Esparaza/Staff

Sergio Esparza/Staff

HOP, SKIP, JUMP— (above) Jared Alcantara and the Pagkakaisa Club enjoy a round of Tinikling during Festival of Nations. Tinikling is a traditional dance from the Phillipines involving bamboo poles. (r) Realm Between Realities Club represented Japan. Its booth displayed modern animated characters and comics as well as snacks offered in Japan.

Members also held lessons in Japanese calligraphy.

Melody Davalos/Staff Andrew Dyer/Staff

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Summer Edition 2016 — Volume 59, Issue 7

Page Design By Mary York

BACKPAGE

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: web@theswcsun.com

Love has no Borders Story and Photos by Cristofer Garcia and Mary York

N

ine years and one very large wall have separated Jannet Castaño from her mother. Then, for three magical minutes, the wall opened.

Under the watchful eyes of U.S. Border Patrol and a scrum international media, they melted into a tearful embrace.

Exactly 180 seconds later they kissed each other goodbye.

Castaño does not know when they will meet again.

For just the third time in history, the rusty, dusty gate at Border Field State Park cracked open, barely a sliver. Six families had the opportunity millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States dream of.

“I can imagine it wasn’t just six families, it must be thousands of families that want to do that and I was one in six families that could.”

Jannet Castaño

LOVE EXCEEDS MAN’S MIGHT—(above) Rosario Vargas Flores sobs as she holds her daughter and granddaughter in her arms for the first time in nine years. They were one of five families able to see loved ones living on the other side of the U.S.-Mexico border. (below-l) Congressman Juan Vargas helps U.S. Border Patrol lift the rusty latch to open the gate of Border Field State Park for just the third time in history. (below-r) Gabriela Esparza meets her nephew for the first time as her son and her sister Susanna Del Carmen Esparza Flores look on during their three-minute visit at the gate. (bottom) Border Patrol agents open the hulking gate at Friendship Park beneath the gaze of spectators and media.

To volunteer with the Border Angels or to learn more, visit www.borderangels.org

Organized by Border Angels, a non-profit organization for immigration reform and human rights, “Opening the Door of Hope” was a binational celebration of Dia del Niño, providing the opportunity to unite children with their families still living south of la frontera and proof that love does not have borders.

Droves of news media flocked in from two vast nations to witness small people walk through the ominous metallic monolith that seals off the two neighbors. Each party was granted three minutes to embrace before being escorted back across the patch of no-man’s land.

There were few dry eyes. Even stoic Border Patrol agents brushed away tears as they stood erect several yards away.

Castaño was one of the lucky ones to win what was a virtual lottery pick.

“When (Border Angels) told me I was going to be one of the families that was going to get to hug their family for three minutes, I started crying with emotion,” said Castaño, who was there with her daughter, Yvette. “I can imagine it wasn’t just six families, it must be thousands of families who wanted to do this and I was one in six families that could.”

Dulce Aguirre, 22, a child development major at Southwestern College and Programs Manager for Border Angels, said opening the doors was a huge moment for those families.

“I wish we could do more, but I know those three minutes really affected a lot of people who haven’t seen their families and could actually hug,” she said. “Through the fence you can barely touch fingers. But with the door you can see them without just the shadows and the lights.”

Aguirre is one of the leading forces behind the local action of the Border Angels, working alongside founder Enrique Morones. She said she was able to be the coordinating voice between the families and the Border Patrol.

“Enrique did the Friendship Park, but I contacted the families, got their information and sent it to the Border Patrol,” she said.

One of those families was the Martinez’s. After traveling from Los Angeles, Salvador Martinez and his son Diego approached the half-open door, allowing rays of sunshine and glimpses of faces to show through from the other side.

Waiting for them were his parents and three sisters from Zacatecas, Mexico.

“They looked different,” said Martinez. “Sometimes you see them in pictures or such, but being present there you can see the difference. You can see what they’re like in all ways, be it physical or personality. It’s very different. It’s not the same as photos.”

Martinez came to the U.S. when he was 14, he said. His parents had work visas, which were later cancelled. When they returned to Mexico, he stayed in the U.S., Martinez said. He has been working in landscaping for 14 years.

“I don’t have permission to travel to Mexico at the moment,” he said. “I only have the permit to be here in the United States. My kids are able to travel there, but there is no one to take them there right now.”

Martinez said it had been six years since he saw his parents, and 12 since he saw his sisters.

“I felt very happy that I got the opportunity to hug my parents, even if it was for a short time,” he said. “After six years, three minutes doesn’t feel like much, but it was something very significant to me, something very important. One could say it was an accomplishment for someone like me, a victory.”

SWC psychology student Myrna Hernandez, 24, said witnessing the reunion was stirring.

“It was precious and I felt very appreciative for what we do have,” she said. “It’s unfortunate for the families who cannot see their families day-to-day and I see that many of us take that for granted.”

Hernandez said the time was too short.

“Once a year? Three minutes? That’s insane,” she said.

“That’s like being confined in a prison cell. You can say that love has no borders, but there’s this wall here. Something needs to be done.”

Aguirre agreed.

“There are never enough minutes we could do,” she said.

“Even if we did 30 or an hour, it’s still going to feel short.

The ideal would be that they would be able to live together.”

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

SPORTS

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Hall of Fame brings back SWC’s best

Mary York/Staff

ALWAYS OUT FRONT—Crosscountry and track state record holder Aminat Olowora was named SWC Female Athlete of the Year and shared the Academic Team Award with cross- country teammate Oluwabukola Pereirafor.

King of the Cort Photo Illustration by David Hodges

Brooklyn swingman a towering Jaguar presence

By Henry Gentile Assistant Sports Editor

In college basketball terms, sophomore forward Marlon Cort is not a big man.

Standing 6’5”, the athletic wing appeared to be a natural fit as a shooting guard or a small forward in a traditional roster.

This season, however, Southwestern College did not have a traditional roster.

Injuries forced the Jaguars to fight for a playoff spot without a player taller than 6’5”. Cort played out of position in most games, but his versatility was essential to the small-ball approach.

He said playing as a kid in Brooklyn toughened him.

“Basketball is crazy out there, you gotta fight, man,” the 23-year-old said.

“Even if you’re good, nothing is given to you. I think every New York kid goes through that experience, growing up at the park and just bringing it and showing your heart out there. It gets

physical, it gets intense.”

Cort’s motivation to pursue basketball was born from a little-known fact.

“My mom told me, ‘You know, Michael Jordan was born in Brooklyn.’

I said, ‘He’s from North Carolina though,’ but she told me he was born in Brooklyn.”

Averaging 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, both marks second on the team, Cort was the only Jaguar named first team all-conference, awarded to eight of the top players in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. Sophomore Marcus Gladden was named second team, and freshman Damian Elam was listed honorable mention.

Cort said he dedicated each game to a lost loved one.

“I wear number 14 because in late July, just before this season, I lost my grandmother,” he said. “She had lived with me for 14 years so I was like, I’m going to dedicate this season to her and

I’m gonna wear number 14 for the rest of the time that I play basketball.”

Prior to the season, Cort survived a massive car accident when his car flipped off the freeway and rolled over multiple times. He came to in the hospital with only a scar on his left hand. He said the experience impacted him greatly.

“When I woke up in the hospital with just a scar, it is amazing and it’s a blessing,” he said.

He pays tribute to his grandmother

“I wear number 14 because in late July, just before this season, I lost my grandmother. “ Marlon Cort

by praying at the five-minute mark of each game, he said, a reference to the time that she would watch her favorite television show.

Cort tries to model his game after Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green.

“I like his game, I feel like he plays with a lot of intensity,” he said. “He has passion for the game and I just try to implement that as well.”

Cort said Green plays undersized, which inspires him.

The undersized Jaguars may have lacked height, but they showed big heart in a nail-biter loss to San Diego City College with the playoffs on the line. City College outrebounded the Jags 43-25, though Cort and Gladden combined for 20.

“Against some of the bigger teams we tried to use like a Golden State Warriors type of mantra, and just play quicker than them,” Cort said. “A lot of teams

please see Cort pg. B5

Mary York Managing Editor

Two-time California Cross-Country Champion Aminat Olowara was honored as Female Athlete of the Year at the 2016 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.

Her own Hall of Fame induction will have to wait until after the Rio De Janiero Olympics, where the sophomore super athlete hopes to run for Nigeria.

Basketball standout Marcus Gladden was named Male Athlete of the Year.

Michele Flynn and Kyle Bedsole were awarded Academic Athletes of the Year. Flynn, a member of the Lady Jaguars basketball team, had a 3.85 GPA with 40 units. Bedsole, a starting pitcher on the baseball team, had a 3.53 GPA with 69 units.

“At first it was just being able to play and be a part of sports,” Bedsole said of his achievements as a student athlete. “Then it became a challenge to see what I could accomplish academically.”

Dr. Duro Agbede’s men’s and women’s cross-country squads won the Academic Team Award.

Tonie Campbell and Cem Tont were named best coaches of the year for women’s track & field and men’s soccer, and Adam Henderson was named best assistant for track & field.

Six SWC athletic legends were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Honorees were volleyball and softball player Melanie Culuko, former Chargers tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo, basketball and baseball please see HOF pg. B5

Jaguar swimming star Karina Reynoso races her way to PCAC gold

By Mary York Managing Editor

Mary York/Staff

GOLD MEDAL FOR JAGUARS’ GOLDEN GIRL—Karina Reynoso swims the breaststroke at the PCAC Swimming Championship where she won the 200-yard individual medley.

Southwestern College sophomore swimmer Karina Reynoso finished with a splash by capturing the women’s 200-yard individual medley at the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.

She shaved eight seconds off her prelim time, finishing at 2:20.36 and taking home SWC’s only win of the weekend.

Coach Matt Ustaszewski said Reynoso delivered a clutch performance.

“It was remarkable,” he said. “It was a fantastic swim. She was seeded third, so the win was really impressive.

It was a pretty epic performance.”

Reynoso said she enjoyed the competition and camaraderie as much as the medal.

“We are all having such a great time,” she said. “It was really fun swimming against the girl who was next to me. I just kept thinking, we can do it! We can do it!”

Reynoso was the only Jag to win a gold, but many of her Jag teammates qualified to swim for final heats.

“It’s always the goal to final and

compete against the best swimmers in the conference,” said Ustaszewski.

“Some of them are the best swimmers in the state.”

Cheerleader-turned-swimmer

“She was seeded third so the win was really impressive. It was a pretty epic performance.”

Coach Matt Ustaszewski Sandra Valdez said she joined swim for the exercise after a little friendly pressure from Reynoso. The coaches, team and atmosphere were wonderful to be a part of, she said.

“My friend Karina has been into it since she was little,” she said. “Since I’m not a swimmer and I want to do this again, I think that says a lot about the program.”

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SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

JUST KEEP SWIMMING—Sandra Valdez, asthmatic swimmer and cheerleader, pushes through a pool using breathing tactics she has practiced and perfected.

Cristofer Garcia/Staff

Courageous asthmatic swimmer is a breath of fresh air

By Diego Gómez Staff Writer

Sandra Valdez is a nurturing spirit who is always cheering for others. As a cheerleader that is part of her job.

Now she has a legion of classmates cheering for her.

Valdez is a two-sport athlete who fights asthma.

It flaired during her first appearance on the Jaguars’ swimming and diving team. Her 100yard freestyle debut turned into a scary rescue when an asthma attack shut down her airways.

Valdez was saved by her teammate Mario Medina, a sophomore swimmer for the Jags and a lifeguard in the city of San Diego.

“She looked up and said, I can’t breathe,” he said. “She took two more strokes and went into a vertical position. As a lifeguard I know that means she is a distressed swimmer.”

Medina dove in and pulled Valdez to safety.

“I took off everything that was dragging me and jumped in the water,” he said. “I had to get Sandra out of the water. I used my instinct and then I had help from two other lifeguards that came in. We managed to get her breathing back

3.0 GPA

to normal.”

Though they were both members of the same team, Valdez and Medina had yet not met. The episode forged a close friendship.

Medina said he likes to support everyone on his team and he was glad he could help Valdez.

“It just ended up being that I was there for her,” he said. ¨I did not know much of anyone on the team before then. Sandra is very nice, very funny, open, super joyous and always there for everyone.”

Valdez said she has always had difficulty breathing.

“I have had it since I was little,” she said. “My doctors told me it will not go away. In my physical for the swim team I was recommended to get an inhaler, but sometimes I still have trouble breathing. It is just because of my asthma.”

Swim coach Matt Ustaszewski said he values Valdez’s determination in the pool, especially given that she is new to the sport.

“She overcame her fears and she loves it now,” he said. “She is a good athlete and a big part of this team. It is pretty unique for a college team to have an inexperienced athlete who has never done this before. Even though she is new to the sport, she digs it now.”

“She overcame her fears and she loves it now. She is a good athlete and a big part of this team.”

Coach Matt Ustaszewski Karina Reynoso, a sophomore swimmer for the Jaguars, recruited her athletic friend, even though Valdez had never swam competitively.

Reynoso said her friendship with Valdez started at Hilltop High and is very special.

“We are very close friends,” she said. “It is a blast being across the pool with her. She makes it very fun. I crack up every day with her.”

Valdez said that if it was not for Reynoso, she would have never gotten into swimming.

“My friend Karina has been into swimming since she was little,” she said. “She was talking to please see Valdez pg. B4

ANGEL IN THE INFIELD

17 Walks

.459 SLG

By Mary York Managing Editor

40 Hits 22 Runs Photo Illustration by Alberto Calderon

Angel Estrada is a force on offense, slick on defense

“Vamos, Angel! Relajado! Macanea!”

Tijuana baseball slang bursts from the dugout as the Jaguars show support for their slugging second baseman, Angel Estrada.

From the stands, Estrada looks like any other community college baseball player.

His helmet is pulled low over his steady eyes, his nimble fingers grasping his bat, ready for the pitch.

Estrada took the Jaguar’s season by storm, keeping pace with the most seasoned sophomores with 22 runs and 17 walks. He has a .341 conference batting average and 23 RBIs for the season, third best in the lineup. His conference slugging percentage is .489. SWC’s pivot man is beloved by coaches and teammates alike.

Although he seems to be in his natural element on the field, Estrada’s journey to SWC’s beisbol diamond has been anything but typical.

Estrada began playing baseball at nine in Tijuana where his family lives. He played in Tijuana until he was 16. Baseball changed everything.

“In 2010 I was on a team in TJ and we played at a Sweetwater Little League tournament,” he said. “I remember playing in the tournament and we did really well.”

After the game Estrada said a coach from an out-of-state team approached him and told him he should consider moving to the U.S. to expand his opportunities. Alfonso and Sandra Rivas, family friends residing in the Eastlake, spoke to his parents about letting Estrada stay with them. His parents agreed.

please see Angel pg. B3

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

B3

Jaguars go down swinging to end a tough season

By Mary York Managing Editor

was a perplexing season for a team that seemed to have everything going for it.

“I feel like it was kind of out of our control,” he said. “It wasn’t that we didn’t work hard enough at practice. It wasn’t that our coaches didn’t push us.

All of those pieces were there.”

Talent was most certainly there, but timing was not, said freshman outfielder Nicholas Alcoser.

“I thought we were going to do better than we did,” he said. “Honestly, I think our record didn’t reflect our talent. We had a lot of stuff, it just didn’t happen all at once.”

That talent included sophomore Codie Simmons, who had the fifth best batting average in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, .383, and third most stolen bases, 11. He finished with 54 hits, 27 runs, 11 doubles, three triples and a homer.

Simmons, one of just eight sophomores on the roster this season, said the year has been a good one, despite the record.

His freshman teammates, he said, have a bright future at The Junction.

“I think they need to learn how to win and how to bring that competitive spirit into the game,” he said. “I think they’re just young right now, but they’ll get it. They’re due for a big comeback Mary York/Staff next year.”

Quietly, the Jaguars raked the dirt around home plate, covered the dusty mound and rounded up stray balls following their final home game of the season, a 5-3 loss to San Diego Mesa College. Chatter was soft and morale low, as it has been for much of Southwestern College’s frustrating baseball season.

A loss on home turf was one of three in the series against Mesa, leaving them with a 11-13 conference record and 15-21 overall.

“It was very disappointing,” said head coach Jay Martel. “This is probably the worst record ever in the history of Southwestern College.”

Martel shouldered the blame.

“It starts at the top,” he said. “It starts with the coaches. Maybe we didn’t prepare them the right way. Maybe we didn’t have the right players in the right spots. Maybe it was bad luck. But from the beginning we haven’t been able to put all three things together, pitching, hitting and defense.”

A final loss at Mesa, 14-3, was a disappointing way to finish the year, said sophomore shortstop Steven Sherwood.

“It was a grind,” he said. “We had higher hopes for the season and they weren’t met, but that’s baseball, I guess. We have down seasons and up seasons.”

Jaguar winning streaks were short. They won only five of their last 15 games.

Freshman first baseman Luke Ramirez said it I GOT IT!— Outfielder Ray Peterson holds onto a catch as he spills over the foul line in a game against San Diego Mesa.

Angel: Adapting to a new school, a new language and new life continued from pg. B2

“I moved to Eastlake for my freshman year of high school,” he said. “I was by myself in high school living with the Rivas’.”

Estrada is part of a generation of U.S. citizens who were born in the U.S. to migrant parents, but grew up in Mexico. Until moving to Eastlake, he had little exposure to American culture.

“I moved to Tijuana when I was four years old because neither of my parents have papers,” said Estrada. “My older brother and I were born here and my two younger brothers were born in TJ.” On weekends, Estrada said, he was able to go back to Tijuana to visit his family, a trip he continues to make five years later. Half the week he goes to school, the other half of the week he spends in Mexico.

“I knew that it was going to be hard,” he said. “I registered at Eastlake in ninth grade in 2011. It was a surprise because I was expecting to be in Tijuana for two more months. I knew I was going to spend most of my week here and it would only be on the weekends that I could go back to see my friends and family.”

Estrada quickly made a good impression on the field at Eastlake and made the varsity team his freshman year.

“I was very excited because I was a freshman and for me that was like the next level,” he said.

“I had a really good season and it gave me the opportunity to get to know my teachers and make other friends.”

Baseball was easier than earning an education in a foreign language, said Estrada. Because of the language barrier and the pacing of the school system, he said he struggled to keep up.

“I’m honestly not that good at school, but I do put in the effort,” he said. “In Mexico, in middle school, I mostly just hung out with friends and I didn’t really try as much. When I came over here, school was very hard and I knew that to be here in the USA and to be with these people and to be part of the game, I needed to get really good grades, so I had to put in a lot of effort.”

Estrada said he spent the first two weeks of school mostly by himself because he did not speak English and he did not begin making friends until baseball season started.

“That was a tough year,” he said. “I started working harder for my classes in high school.

I made it but it was really hard.”

Estrada stayed with Jose and Rosa Godoy for his last three years of high school. Now he lives with Jaguar infielder and former Eastlake teammate Luke Ramirez.

“I went to high school with Angel,” he said.

“We’ve been really good friends and he’s gotten to know my family. When we both got (to SWC) together, he was still living across the border in Tijuana where his parents live. He had asked me if it would be okay to stay at my house, just to make it easier when we have practices and when he has classes early in the morning. Of course we said yes.”

Ramirez said Estrada fits right into the family.

“My family loves Angel,” he said. “He’s very studious. He gets his homework done and goes to bed pretty early, too. He’s a really focused kid when it comes to school and making sure he gets his rest. That being said, we do love to play video games like any normal teenage kids.”

Ramirez said he is astounded by Estrada’s drive.

“Even though English is his second language, just helping him out with his classes, it’s amazing to me how quickly he learned the language from his freshman year of high school to now,” he said. “And not just the language, but doing math and trying to write essays just like students who speak English do. All the challenges he’s overcome and to still be able to play the game at the level that he does is really special.”

Jaguar Head Coach Jay Martel said Estrada is one of the sharpest players he has ever coached.

“Estrada is phenomenal,” he said. “He’s got great hands, a good glove. He’s a highly intelligent baseball player. He knows situations as a defensive and an offensive player. He knows when he needs to take a pitch, when he needs to throw the ball hard, and when he needs to charge it or turn it.”

Some might say that Estrada has a unique flair when he plays, but Martel said he is just demonstrating baseball done right.

“He makes things look easy,” said Martel.

“He fields the ball easily. He’s never in a rush.

He’s got soft hands. He knows when he needs to throw the ball, when he can throw it softly.

And his range is good. He reads the ball well off the bat. I don’t think it’s anything unique, I think it’s just much smoother than most people do it.”

Ramirez said he and Estrada played infield together at Eastlake, but Estrada played shortstop in high school. Ramirez said the change to second base has worked out well.

“It’s taken a little pressure off him defensively,” said Ramirez. “He can focus on his at-bats a little bit more and try to be a bigger part of the line up which has helped us to this point offensively.”

His background as a shortstop may be part of what has made Estrada so good at second base, said Ramirez.

“He does a good job getting to the ball,” he said. “He has shortstop range and a shortstop arm playing second base. He as a lot of confidence to get to any ball that is hit to his side.”

Estrada is a wonder off the field as well, exhibiting sportsmanship and quiet patience that has earned him the respect of his teammates and mentors.

“He has great character,” said Martel. “He always has a smile on his face even if things are going badly. Every day he comes to practice and he comes to practice hard.”

Sophomore infielder Codie Simmons said Estrada is a great teammate.

“I love working with him,” said Simmons.

“He is a hard worker who gets the job done.”

Estrada is more modest, brimming with gratitude for a program he said loves.

“I am very proud to play for the coaches and with my teammates,” he said. “They always support me in everything. It’s a good team.

From what I can tell, I like everyone and they all like me.”

Estrada is majoring in Spanish and hopes to teach at a high school in the U.S. someday.

“My dream is to go to a university for a year and have a career and move forward,” he said.

Estrada said he will not forget the people who have helped him along this six-year journey por el amor al juego.

“I think that my principle feeling is gratefulness to the Rivas’ and Godoys,” he said. “A lot of people have helped support me, including my coaches at Eastlake and Southwestern. It is thanks to them that I am here.”

please see Baseball pg. B5

Photos by David Hodges

XOLO FAR, XOLO GOOD—Juan Antonio Verano left his family to become a soccer player and landed at the Xolos academy at SWC.

Soccer phemon running with big dogs Talented young soccer whiz camped out on a sidewalk at Hilltop High for a chance to try out for Xoloitzcuintles

By Netzai Sanchez Staff Writer

Juan Antonio Verano had no place to stay, no money and no one to help him when he left Los Angeles for Chula Vista to try out for the Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles soccer team.

No problem.

He slept on the ground outside of Hilltop High School the night bofore his big break. His persistence paid off. Verano, 18, plays for the Xolos U-19 Academy, one step from the big time.

Based at Southwestern College, the academy trains future players for La Liga MX “It was a little funny,” he said. “I didn’t know that tryouts were going to last two or three days. I didn’t go back to L.A, so I got my stuff and slept outside of the school. (Xolos coach) Rene Ortiz asked me how I came back and I told him what I did. He thought it was interesting.”

For two months he lived in a downtown Tijuana hotel, but crossed every day to attend Chula Vista High School.

“Leaving my friends and family behind was hard,” he said. “Everything I know I left behind. Being new to school and not knowing anyone was also hard. I tried to adapt fast to not feel stressed out or sad.”

Verano said he hopes to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Francisco Verano, who played for Mexico’s U-17 national men’s soccer team in 2011.

Francisco is one is his biggest supporters, he said.

It has been more than a year since Verano joined the Academy and his dream remains strong, he said. Academy Director Rafael Palacios said he admires Verano’s ambition and tenacity.

“He comes from a humble backround, but he has done everything possible to fulfill his dream,” Palacios said.

Verano is a senior at Chula Vista High and working towards a spot on Club Tijuana’s U-19 team.

“All I ask for is a tryout,” he said.

B4

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

Queen of Diamonds is Ace of Clubs Softball legend is a successful coach and author of “Between the Lines” who teaches on the science of hitting

By Kenslow Smith Assistant Arts Editor

T

here are those the game changes and there are those who change the game.

She interviewed more than a dozen Division IA softball players at top programs about their apBefore Southwestern College softball coach Yasmin Mossadeghi led the Lady Jaguars proaches to hitting a softball. to their first playoff appearance in 25 years, produced NCAA transfers for five “I greatly enjoyed the interview process because I was able to absorb their experiences consecutive years and was awarded Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the and understand what it took to be successful,” she said.

Year, she literally wrote the book on softball.

Results of these interviews were compiled into “Between the Lines,” pub“Between the Lines: The Mental Skills of Hitting for Softball” is written lished in 2007 by Wish Publishing and sold on Amazon.com. One review for softball players by a great softball player. Mossadeghi gives athletes a said, “Just recently read ‘Between the Lines’ and I was very pleased with quick series of in-depth and relatable hitting experiences from star softball how easy it was to read along with how useful the material was in players. the book.” Another said, “I wish I had read this book when I was a player, but now that I have it as a coach, I make all my players On her field “confidence is everything,” she said. read it! I really have seen great improvements, especially from “I’m the type of person that likes to be in charge of things because my players who tend to lose confidence in their abilities easily.”

I know I can garner success.”

Mossadeghi said she is pleased with the feedback.

At 5’11” Mossadeghi’s stature speaks confidence, her eyes exude “Everyone has said how relatable it is and how easy to read passion and her silence shouts louder than her words. She describes it is, and that’s what I wanted it to be,” she said. her coaching style as aggressive and problem solving.

Confident and secure, Mossadeghi considers herself prag“I like to make the other team react to what we do,” she said. matic.

“If there is something we struggle with, I enjoy the process of “Do your best with what you have now,” she said, “meaning finding a solution.” don’t focus on the things you don’t have. Focus on what you Mossadeghi was a softball prodigy. At age five she was moved do have and make the most of it.” from the girl’s league to the boy’s league because of her skill and Her philosophy, adopted from mentor Ken Revizza, has competitive nature. She grew up into a Division IA scholarship athproven efficient. In 2016 she led the Lady Jaguars to the playoffs lete at CSU Fullerton and a professional softball player in Germany. with 14 freshmen and one sophomore.

She is one of the greatest players in CSUF history, but the road “I think you can’t battle the instability,” she said. “I think was not easy. Mossadeghi said she felt overlooked in high school and community college is one of the most unstable places to coach. college, and when she lost coaching jobs to less-experienced applicants.

If it’s going to be unstable, then my number one goal is to get the “If it’s never going to be easy for me, then I better make sure I gave it kids out to a four-year whether it’s after the first year, or second year.” everything I got so when I don’t get it, I’m okay with it,” she said.

This season Mossadeghi and her staff transferred their only two After re-writing softball record books at CSUF, Mossadeghi continued her pitchers. authorship at CSUF with her graduate project essay turned book, “Between “I’m really proud of our staff,” she said. “If other programs lose big players the Lines.” As she studied for a sports psychology Master’s at Fullerton she found like that they’re usually not in the running for playoffs.” a lack of softball representation in her texts.

Mossadeghi also coaches her players on life skills.

“I wished there was something (softball players) could relate to,” she said. “An easy-to“The one thing I always want them to leave with is to take advantage of opportunities,” read book from an actual athlete.”

Illustration by Mary York she said. “And if they don’t have opportunities, what can they do to create opportunities for Doctors that never played sports wrote most sports psychology textbooks, she said. and Alejandro Duran themselves?”

“They haven’t really been in the thick of it, they’ve only heard from athletes being in the thick SWC’s game changer said she does not plan to change locations. of it,” she said.

“I have coaches currently that I absolutely love,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed what we’ve created here at Mossadeghi became the bridge between doctor and player, interpreting physician language and converting Southwestern and I think this program is at the highest level that it has been in a long time.” it into athlete language.

Technology spurs improved sports gear for a new generation of athletes

By Diego Gómez Staff Writer

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Alex Torres turned baseball into a hardhat profession in June 2014 when he became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to wear the isoBlox protective padded cap.

Now he has company at Southwestern College.

Pitchers have 0.42 seconds to react to a baseball hit at 98 miles per hour at a distance of 55 feet away from the batter’s bat to the pitcher’s glove. They are in constant danger of being struck by a line drive, which can lead to a serious head injury.

Southwestern College is embracing the new headwear, albeit reluctantly.

Sophomore pitcher Kyle Bedsole said the padded cap was something he would not consider wearing unless it became mandatory.

“Torres had previous head trauma,” Bedsole said. “Some bad things do happen to athletes. I really do not see myself wearing that unless I had previous head trauma like he had.”

Head coach Jay Martel said baseball players have benefited from the growth of safer equipment in sports.

“Everything is for the betterment of the game,” he said.

“Base coaches have to wear skull hats now. Gear for catchers has also come a long way. There are helmets for different speeds and Little League helmets. Baseball bats are safer and technology has made this happen.”

Baseball bats have been modified to keep players from harm and college baseball has adopted this adjustment. Aluminum bats were placed aside to bring lighter wood bats, according to Martel.

“We only use wood bats like the professionals,” he said.

“Metal bats had a wall where you could really whip the ball.

Wood bats clearly help for safety, but there are still guys that can hit pretty hard with them. The idea was to make line drives slower to protect athletes.”

Head football coach Ed Carberry said equipment has changed markedly since he played high school football.

“We had 130 players and only about 110 helmets,” Carberry said. “Twenty guys exchanged helmets, the equipment kept rotating. Safety was not as big of an emphasis as it is today.”

Helmets have expiration dates, according to Carberry.

“Helmets are tested to pass recommendations at a certain level,” he said. “They have a date to be used by, just like your average gallon of milk. A helmet can only be used for about seven years.”

Football players are three times more likely to die from brain diseases than non-players, according to the American Journal of Neurology. Football impacts that lead to concussions are worse than a head-on collision between a Honda Civic and a Chevrolet cargo van at 60 mph.

Innovative helmets designed to reduce concussions made their debut in January 2011 during the Bowl Championship Series game when University of Oregon running back LaMichael James wore the first Riddel 360 Helmet. This inspired the need for more protective and experimental gear in different sports.

Head basketball coach John Cosentino said that his team tries to recycle their gear, but still emphasizes safety.

“Ten years ago everybody had the same gear, today it does not work that way,” he said. “Gear material has gotten lighter with dri-fit technology and we try to make it safer with arm sleeves for the players. There is not much you can do with the basketball uniform since the change from baggy pants to the modern shorts we wear today.”

Head softball coach Yasmin Mossadeghi said the biggest innovation for the Jaguars´s gear is found in softball.

“Here we have sublimated uniforms,” she said. “This is something I requested for my sport just this year. They last longer, they do not have any sewing and it makes the uniforms lighter. It is definitely cost worthy because there is no way a sublimated jersey can get ruined. It is one of a kind.”

Sublimated uniforms are 100 percent polyester and cost $65 per jersey. SWC athletic uniforms and equipment are rotated every three years, according to Athletic Director Jim Spillers. Safety is the primary consideration that drives changes in sports equipment, he said.

“New safety technology is coming,” said Spillers, a 30-year veteran of intercollegiate sports. “We will be seeing it first with the younger athletes and then if the pros like what they see, it works its way up.”

More than 1.35 million youths have serious sports injuries each year, according to 2013 data from the U.S. Safety Injury Surveillance System. Most common are concussions, fractures and strains in sports such as football, baseball, basketball and soccer, the top four sports played by 46.5 million young athletes ages 7 to 15.

Spillers said change is more likely to occur at the lower levels because the athletes are not so set in their ways.

“We care about the safety of the youth,” he said. “Once athletes reach the professional level they become more accountable for themselves. They are adults and they should know the risk, but at our college level we still must accept responsibility to take care of our athletes.”

Although safe equipment is Ed Carberry a v a i l a b l e , m a n y athletes have resisted SWC football coach c h a n g e . Pl a ye r s demand comfort and worry about their appearance, said Spillers and Carberry.

Spillers said the evolution of equipment helps athletes perform better.

“This present generation really cares about how they look and place value in that and I believe that with all my heart,” he said. “They have a tendency to play how they feel. If players feel good and they feel like they look good, they have the tendency to play well.”

Carberry said athletes feel confident while wearing today’s technologically enhanced gear.

“Everybody will adjust,” he said. “Just by having that Nike swoosh on that shoe, players can feel invincible.”

Since the London 2012 Olympic games tracksuits for competing sprinters were made of recycled water bottles, according to Slate website.

Adidas, Nike and Under Armour have invested in cutting edge technology according to The Wall Street Journal, but safety and fashion in sports apparel still has a long way to go.

“Twenty different guys exchanged helmets, the equipment kept rotating. Safety was not as big of an emphasis as today.”

Cristofer Garcia/Staff

TAKING THE PLUNGE—Sandra Valdez swims with the Jaguars despite a life-long struggle with asthma.

Valdez: SWC student,

cheerleader, swimmer breathes new life into team

Continued from pg. B2

me about it and I was like, I would do it, but I’m not good at it. She said a lot of people join and they get good.”

Reynoso said she was happy to convince Valdez to join.

“I just kept telling her how fun it would be to be in the swim team,” she said.

“She asked me, Should I do it Karina? and I was like, Yeah, just go for it. She was here the very first day of practice, ready. She ended up knowing everybody on the swim team and it is pretty cool to be with her.”

Valdez has been a cheerleader since high school and is a cornerstone for the Lady Jags.

She is a double major in psychology and nursing.

“I like competing and I like cheering,” she said. “I am learning how to control my breathing better. I know I get tired

easily, but I am still working on that.”

Valdez said she hopes to keep improving as an athlete.

“I want to keep getting good,” she said.

“I will probably do both sports next year too. I always count my breaths and I always have my inhaler now.”

Reynoso said she was worried by her friend’s mid-race asthma attack.

“It happened so fast I was scared,” she said. “I was cooling down when I got out I saw a bunch of people running towards the pool. That was when I saw she was on the floor with Mario. I ran over there, but at the point she was feeling better.”

Medina said his new friendship with Valdez is one for the storybooks.

“She is a great swimmer and a very kind person,” he said. “I hope we can continue swimming for a long time.”

Valdez said she is looking forward to a bright future.

“All I can say is that when I have a family and a career, I want to give my family everything I did not get,” she said. “My mom has always taught me that no matter how people treat you, you have to always be there if someone needs you. I always want to be that good person. I see myself always working hard in everything I do.”

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

B5

HANDS DOWN— (l) Freshman Freddy Walker slides safely into third and loses a glove during a game against Grossmont College. The Jags lost, 7-1. (below) Outfielder Ray Peterson makes a stunning catch against San Diego Mesa College. SWC lost 5-3.

Their season record was a disappointing 15-21. It is the first time in 20 years the Jaguars have not made the playoffs.

Photos by Mary York

Baseball: Jaguars endure a rare losing season despite many talented star players continued from pg. B3

Martel said his priority is to recruit arms.

“We have got to find pitching,” he said.

“Pitching will shut down most good teams.

We need guys who can pound the zone and want to compete. And from there we need to find a little more heart, dig a little deeper.”

Freshman pitcher Brandon Teichman said the staff was under a lot of pressure this season.

“There were times when I pitched when games were close and I didn’t do as well,” he said. “When I gave up a run it felt like I lost those games for us.”

Teichman, who was one of six conference pitchers with a sub-3 ERA and more than five wins, said the Jaguars pitchers gave their best.

“I believe we handled it pretty well,” he said. “The pitching staff, they did their jobs.

Everybody’s young, it’s a learning experience.”

Watching the sophomore pitchers enriched that experience, said Teichman.

“One of the sophomore pitchers, Kyle Bedsole, helped me out,” he said. “I saw him go out onto the mound and dominate every time. That gave me an attitude that each game

is mine and I want to win.”

Next year’s sophomores are preparing to step into the leadership roles that await them, said Alcoser.

“I feel like I could play that role, but I want other people to play that role too,” he said.

“I think next year is going to be different because we have something to prove.”

Early transfers and the MLB draft could siphon off some of the best frosh.

“Ever yone who shows up, they have aspirations to play at the next level, but as far as ultimate goals, they are like me knowing that every game could be their last,” said Ramirez, who has plans to transfer to CSU Long Beach in the fall. “They might have bigger goals up ahead, but I don’t think that takes away from their work effort or their performance at junior college.”

Star of the Chula Vista Blue Bombers 2009 Little League Champs, Ramirez said he is selling his glove and saying goodbye to the game, but that he has no regrets about his time in baseball. “(CSU Long Beach) just sounds more and more exciting to me every day and I’m looking forward to going up there and being a student,” he said. “As a player, I can always look back and say there’s always so much more I could have done better. But looking at the amount of fun I had this season, it’s okay. It was still worth it, just playing the season and being with this group of guys.”

HOF: SWC celebrates outstanding athletes from storied past Continued from pg. B1

Mary York/Staff

BIG IMPACT—Former Jaguar and Chargers tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo is honored at the annual SWC Sports Hall of Fame Banquet.

player Ken Ohlendorf, softball player and coach Pamela Kay Stone and football player Gary Ficacci.

Ficacci was a fullback and wingback on the football team from 1980-82.

He said he was touched to be included in the 2015-16 class.

“It was completely unexpected, but such a humbling experience,” he said.

“I never thought of myself in the hall of fame for anything.”

Ficacci and Culuko served on the Chula Vista Police Department together before Ficacci’s retirement.

Stone thanked her mentors and players.

“I got to watch some incredible women learn to become empowered and special and go on to do amazing things, and I got to be a part of their lives,” she said.

Stone won more than 120 games for the Jags and was named Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Softball Coach of the Year three times.

“I was a young kid right out of college and Southwestern needed a coach and I applied and thought, there’s no way they’re going to hire me,” she said. “But they did and they started me on a journey that I will be

forever grateful for.”

Dr. Frank Giardina, the former dean of athletics, said the Hall of Fame has improved substantially since it began in 2005. That year 14 people were inducted, including former SWC President Chester DeVore and Chicago Bears Coach John Fox. That event lasted until nearly 1 a.m.

“The people in the back were sending out for pizza,” said Giardina.

Athletic Director James Spillers said he was amazed by this year’s inductees.

“They started me on a journey that I will be forever grateful for.”

Pamela Kay Stone Former Softball Coach “This is an incredible class,” he said.

“It’s incredibly representative of the things the college has done so well.”

President Dr. Melinda Nish agreed.

“This is my fifth Hall of Fame event, and every single year I am amazed to hear the stories of the present and the past,” she said. “It is really such a pleasure to get to know this Southwestern family more and more.”

Cort: SWC student, cheerleader and now swimmer races on Continued from pg. B1

couldn’t keep up with us.”

If the team was healthy, Cort said, it would be playing postseason games.

“Honestly, if we had the whole squad, we would be playing right now.

In my opinion I think we’d be playing right now.”

Jags coach John Cosentino said Cort improved during the season.

“We used him all over the place,” he said. “He came here as a shooter and that was his strong suit and he pretty much made himself into a complete player.”

Cosentino said he saw potential in Cort.

“It’s just that we had to get it out of him,” he said. “I don’t think anybody had ever made him play defense. He was always probably the best shooter on any team he ever played on and they were okay with that. But at this level, it’s a different story.”

After graduating this month, Cort still hopes to pursue basketball, possibly as a university walk-on.

“I definitely want to pursue basketball,” he said. “I’m able to see a lot of things that I’ve never seen before, so I want to continue playing and just take my talents to wherever they may end up.”

B6

COMMENCEMENT

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Graduates—Fall 2015—Associate in Arts:

Maria Guevara—Grisel Guijarro—Bersain Gutierrez—Josefina Gutierrez—Ashly Guzman—Karen Guzman—Pamela Guzman—Jimmie Haas—Jayla Hadley—Melanie Ham—Stephanie Harrington—Kristy Heckel—Lisset Hernandez—Myrna Hernandez—Oscar Hernandez Calderon—David Herrera—Patricia Herrera—Brandy Hill—Angelica Hoyo—Alma Hurtado—Celina Ibarra—Clara Incleto—Jennifer Ingram—Aldo Iturrios—Roxanne Aegie Jamorabon—Vanessa Jimenez— Mallory Johnson—Johari Jones—Jadene Juanitas—Elizabeth Kahline— Valin Kattoula—Evelina Kean—Levan Korganashvili—Jennifer Labrada Valencia—Julaine Lapacik—James Edzard Laroza—Areum Lee—Mychal Lee—Donna Legaspi—Huijun Lin—Sarah Lizardo—Adam Lopez— Armani Lopez—Jessica Lopez—John Loughrey—Michael Lozada—Inez Lozano—Johanna Lucas—Sophia Lugo—Elaine Joy Lunasin—Rebecca Lundy—Rysselle Mayjoy Mabeza—Patricia Madamba—Juan Malacara— Earvin Mananasla—Cristina Manzano Santillan—Lizeth Marquez— Paige Marshall—Cecilia Martinez-Rivera—Jaime Martinez—Julian Martinez—Daisha McBath—Sean McConkey—Michael McDonald— Michele McIrvin—Alix Medina—Maria Medina—Isaac Mendez— Daiana Meneses—Abrahan Mercado—Aisha Metivier—Lizbeth Meza— Maria Meza—Liz Milar—Maria Bianca Millena—Jenina Molina—Angel Montalvo—Priscilla Munoz—Yareli Munoz Jose—Briana Muro—Nanzi Muro—Steven Myers—Kean Nicole Nagui—Leah Nelson—Sylvia Nelson—Kristine Nguyen—Diego Nicasio—Kianna Nickson—Kalilah

Nueske—Angela Odom—Jamie Oram—Illiana Ordaz—Marygrace Orencia—Andres Orozco—Melissa Osorio—Carmen Pacheco— Erick Parra—Mauricio Pavon—Karen Perez—Marie Phee—Matthew Phillips—Peter Phu—Carlos Pintado—Genesis Plascencia—Jessica Plascencia—Rosemary Puente—Elie Puffelis—Jessenia Quintero—Eva Rabadan—Daisy Ramirez—Emelina Ramirez—Marilia Ramirez—Ivan Ramos—Roxanna Renderos—Gabriel Reyes—Zaira Rios—Christina Robinson—Sharon Robles—Daniela Rodriguez—Christopher Ruel—Maria Ruiz Arteaga—Omar Ruiz-Medellin—Audria Ruscitti— Janelle Salcido—Karina Salcido—Edison Salmeron—Kimberly Ann San Andres—Larissa San Pedro—Naomi Sanchez—Luis SanchezKennedy—Leticia Sandoval—Ciara Santos—Marco Santoscoy—Michael Sanvictores—Lorena Sarabia—Holly Schuck—Lilia Serrano—Maria Serrano—Amanda Shelton—Lucas Shepley—Amber Smith—Maritza Soria—Kelly Stuckey—Phoebe Anne Surel—Andrew Ternal—Christina Torres—Dora Torres—Maria Trigueros—Margie Trout—Chelsea Tuano—Matthew Tyson—Briana Urias—Samantha Uribe—Josephine Genevieve Urrete—Milagros Valdez—Ariane Valdovinos-Gutierrez— Maria Valladolid—Karen Valles—Jorge Varela—Jesus Vargas—Grant Veenstra—Marilyn Veerasammy—Silvia Vega—Ian Velez—Marisol Vergara—Isabel Villa—Riley Wallerstein—Ryan Weems—Ceirra White—Samuel Williams—Julia Woock—Joshua Ysip—Alexandra Zamaro—Marcela Zambrana—Chujun Zhang

Graduates—Fall 2015—Associate in Science:

Erik Felix—Karla Flores—Marioly Garcia—Michael Garcia—Irma Gomez—Luis Gonzalez-Marin—Hasan Gull—Carlos Gutierrez—Fatin Hanna—Wyatt Hayes—Patricia Herrera—Heky Hong—Vanessa Jauregui—Phillip Kyler—David Leal—Robin Leon—Daniel Lizarraga— Roman Lizarraga—Jose Lopezlopez Jr.—Patricia Madamba—Christopher Manaois—Maribel Mancilla-Alcala—Anthony Martinez—Jessica Martinez—Sean McConkey—Aisha Metivier—Maria Meza—Lyndsey Miller—John Mina—Christine Lou Miranda—Lizbeth Morales—Monica Moreno—Rafael Munoz—Andra Nguyen—Dalena Nguyen—Marisol

Nunez—Lionel Olmos—Luis Ortega—Rosemarie Osada—Francisco Partida—Wilson Pascual—Maria-Angelica Pedriquez—Ryan Nicolai Pena—Alonzo Perez—Kassandra Perez—Karen Ponce—Hector Quintanar—Jeremy Rodriguez—Kirk Rodriguez—Alejandro Rosas— Norma Rosas—Christopher Ruel—Meigan Ruiz—Sergio Ruiz—Janett Salinas—Rodolfo Santillan—Lauren Shafer—Diane Soriano—Hector Sosa—Sabrina Sperry-Johnson—Carl Sporleder—Rosemary Stanley— Jazmine Tejeda-Galindo—Ranjeet Thind—John Allan Torres—Annie Tu—Carlos Villa—Joshua Zaragoza—Julio Zarate

Graduates—Fall 2015—Certificate of Achievement:

Pablo Garcia—Victoria Garcia—Irma Gomez—Grace Gonzales— Mayra Gonzalez—Norma Gonzalez—Michael Goodwin—Bien Paul Gutierrez—Jose Gutierrez—Rovy June Hallares—Melanie Ham—Wyatt Hayes—Arlene Hernandez—Cory Higbee—Joyce Hsiao—Guadalupe Huizar—Ivan Ibarra—Johari Jones—Tai-Lynia Jones—David Koester—Levan Korganashvili—Airan Kunz—Jeremey Lee—Daniel Leyva—Franco Lopez—Jose Lopezlopez Jr.—Zyanya Lozano Berry—Sonia Marentes—Jessica Martinez—Chase Mashburn— Je f f re y Me r r i l l — A i s h a Me t i v i e r — Ma r i a d m e Me z a — Mo n i c a Moreno—Eduardo Morfin—Sylvia Nelson—Dalena Nguyen—Juliet Norris—Chris Nough—Kalilah Nueske—Andres Orozco—Felipe

Ortega—Luis Ortega—Ruben Ortega—Leah Osuna—Diana Pacheco Jacinto—Joshua Patrick—Norman Patron—Alonzo Perez—Wendy Plata—Amarion Pollard—Erick Pompa—Analaura Poppert—Elie Puffelis—Mayra Pulido—Jennifer Quainton—Ivan Ramos—Rea Raymundo—Joshua Rees—Manuel Ruiz—Brady Ruysschaert—Natalia Rzeslawski-Gamboa—Lionel Salcido—Maria Salinas—Dominic Samson—Rodolfo Santillan—Blueberry Sayson—Rene Soler—Celine Mae Solis—Shannon Kimberly Soriano—Luke Timerson—Claudia Tirado—Hiram Torres Ramos—Lisa Trimm—Anthony Villanueva— Genesis Villela—Kyle Weinrich—John Welter—Clinnan Williams— Joshua Zaragoza—Adan Zavala—Mason Zepeda—Chujun Zhang

Candidates—Spring 2016—Associate in Arts:

Esmeralda Garcia—Isabel Garcia—Jamie Garcia—Jeanette Garcia—Judith Garcia— Kassandra Garcia—Katherine Garcia—Ladie Garcia —Madelynn Garcia—Martha Garcia—Orlando Garcia Jr.—Sandra Garcia—Jasmine Garibay—Omar Garibay— Colleen Gatchalian—Edward Gaza—Jacqueline Gelskey—Dominique Gibson— Karina Gigear—Ashley Gilliland—Andrew Gines—Alicia Godinez—Hyrami Godoy—Alan Gomez—Diana Gomez—Diego Gomez—Cecilia Gomez Del Rio— Andres Gomez- Rosales—Margarette Anne Gonzales—Richard Gonzales—Angel Gonzalez—Armando Gonzalez—Janellle Gonzalez—Jesse Gonzalez—Joey Gonzalez— Katya Gonzalez—Kisai Gonzalez—Laura Gonzalez—Mayelin Gonzalez—Melissa Gonzalez—Naissa Gonzalez—Paola Gonzalez—Ricardo Gonzalez—Sean Gonzalez— Teresa Gonzalez—Stefania Gorski—Esteban Gracia—Yenia Grada—Alex Gradwohl— Elizabeth Graham—Candace Gray—Patricia Gregorio—Michael Guedea—Armando Guerrero—Karla Guerrero—Krista Guerrero—Monica Guerrero—Ambar Guido— Evert Guizar—Amy Gutierrez—Ashley Gutierrez—Jyllian Gutierrez—Ashley Guzman—Claudia Guzman—Fernando Guzman—Shiva Habibagahi—Jordan Hagadone—Mona Halis—James Hansen—Stuart Hansen—Jonathan Hardesty— Debra Harris—Ricki Harris—Jasiri Harrison—Yensi Hart—Omar Hassoun—Tere Hau—Timeka Hawkins—Cathy Head—Brittany Henderson—Caleb Henderson— Giselle Heranandez—Alexandra Hernandez—Andrea Hernandez—Carlos Hernandez—Christian Hernandez—Cynthia Hernandez—Eric Hernandez—Evelyng Hernandez—Marco Hernandez—Noah Hernandez—Omar Hernandez—Oscar Hernandez Calderon—Raul Hernandez Castillo—Karina Herrera—Laura Herrera— Roberto Herrera—Delia Hewett—Shalesha Hicks—David Hodges—Xiomara Hodgson—Desiree Hoffer—Jesus Holguin—Erica Houseman—Shiree Houston— Ivett Huizar—Maria Huizar—Nicole Hunnicutt—Bryant Hunter—Marcia Hunter— Arturo Hurtado—Jose Ibarra—Monica Ibarra—Raemon Ilagan—Raul Infante—Julian Isaac—Angelica Ivey—Kyleigh Jackson—Christina Jacobo—Johan Jacobo—Stephanie Jacobo—Monica Jacome—Alexa Jacquez—Diana Jacquez—Ysabel Jaimes—Rebecca James—Roxanne Aegie Jamorabon—Mayra Jaramillo—Richard Jeffers—Elsie Jenkins—George Jeries—Blanca Jimenez—John Jimenez—Merrienne Jimenez— Priscilla Jimenez—Desiree Johnson—James-Anthony Johnson III—Jana Johnson— Patricia Johnson—Branisha Jones—Lakeith Jones—Bianca Joya—Edgar Juarez—Myra Jurado—Marian Kamimura—Christal Katt—Michelle Kaufman—Curtis Kelley— Frieda Kerr—Soyoung Kim—Malik’ Kimbrough—Michael King—Sherrie Kolb— Katherine Kou—Zachary Kozlik—Jesse Kuneff—Trisha Labaco—Vincent Labor— Erika Laforcada—Katherine Lagos—Carl Ryan Lagula—Gerard Langit—Melissa Languren—Julaine Lapacik—Alexander Lara—Ivette Larios—William Lau—Roberto Lauderbaugh Pagan—Kevin Leach—Alfredo Leano—Luis Lebron—Vianni Ledesma— Areum Lee—Robert Legaspi—Maria Lennon—Aisha Lewis—Anita Lewis—Mariah Lewis—Marshall Liberato—Liliana Licona—Zayra Liera-Sanchez—Lorena Limon— Guadalupe Linares—Terrin Linderman—Samantha Lindstrom—Antonella Lionide— Lucio Lira—Alina Liriano—Fatima Lizarraga—Jorge Llamas—Lisette Llerenas—Aljon Loberia—Khaalid Lockett—Andrea Lopez—Aydan Lopez—Christopher Lopez— Dorothy Lopez—Elizabeth Lopez—Karla Lopez—Mark Lopez—Mayte Lopez—Renee Lopez—Steven Lopez—Viridiana Lopez—Ylissa Lopez—Jose Lopez-Burgos—Kyle Lord—Charles Lowe—Gloria Loza—Miriam Lozano—Nicole Luansing—Juan Gabriel Lubao—Johanna Lucas—Christian Luna—Ruben Luna—Marlon Luna De La Fuente—Robert Lunt—Ritchie Lutharion—Lynn Ly—Kaitlyn Lyons—Yumika Lyons—Christopher Macias—Rigoberto Maciel Jr.—Tyler Macilvaine—Cyrill Kim Maclan—Ana Madrigal—Iveth Madrigal—Kristin Mahaffey—Tahlia Malachi—Ciara Maldonado—Daneth Maldonado—Emmanuel Maldonado—Miriam MaldonadoNaranjo—Alyanna Maliksi—Erin Manaig—Patrick Manaig—Clarissa Mancilla— Alyssa Mancillas—Leanne Maniwang—Victoria Manriquez—Matthew Manuel—Ellia Manzo—Athena Marcos—Antonio Marine—Luis Marmol-Marquez—Brian Marquez—Jocelyn Marquez—Marco Marron—Alexis Marshall—Ivan Marta—Andrea Martin—Natalie Martin—Laura Martin Del Campo—Ayari Martinez—Bianca Martinez—David Martinez—Janelle Martinez—Jose Martinez—Maria Martinez— Michelle Martinez—Rosa Martinez—Sebastian Martinez—Jessica Mascareno—Jazmin Mason—Baruc Mayer—Maritsa McCoy—Alix Medina—Laura Medina—Marlene Medina—Yazmin Medina Alcantar—Katie Meeker—Fernando Mejia—Jasmine Mejia—Viviana Mejia—Chanel Mejos—Brandon Melgoza—Edgar Mellado— Kimberly Melo—Aubriana Mendez—Alicia Mendoza—Alex Mendoza—Estefania Mendoza—Jaime Mendoza—Priscilla Mendoza—Brady Mendoza-Geitz—Emmanuel Mercado—Maria Meza—Monserrat Meza—Yvette Mier—Basil Mikha—Charis Miley—Serena Miller—Veronica Milligan—Jeremy Milling—Sarika Mimura— Analilia Mino—Livier Miranda—Alejandra Miranda-Gomez—Adriana Molina— Alejandra Molina—Camille Molina—Enrique Montalvo—Daniel Montiel—Shasta Montiel—Berna Monzon-Bauer—Brian Moody—Thomas Moore—Brenda Mora— Victoria Mora—Alan Morales—Darwin Morales—Jacqueline Morales—Justin Morales—Margarita Morales—Priscilla Morales—Ramiro Morales—Gerardo Morales Ledesma—Isabel Moreno—Jessica Moreno—Patrick Moreno—Melissa MorenoContreras—Daniel Morfin—Dominic Morgan—Andres Morineau—Jujen Ellysha Morta—Alex Mortensen—Levi Moua—Andrea Munoz—Cynthia Munoz—Ivan Munoz—Stephanie Munoz —Yvette Munoz—Mauricio Munoz Espino—Yareli Munoz Jose—Clyde Munsell—Alberto Murillo—Allison Naui—Edward Nava—Adriana Navallez—Beatriz Navarrete—Salvador Navarro—Andre Negron—Sylvia Nelson— Wesley Nepomuceno—Ezequiel Nevarez-Mejia—Danalyn Ngo—Dalena Nguyen— Sidney Nguyen—Geraldine Ysabel Nicdao—Shannon Nickson—Nicole Nkwizire— Samantha Nogales—James Noriega—Raquel Noriega—Tiffany North—Chris

Nough—Ari Nunez—Emiliano Nunez—Milagro O’Briant—Carla Ocampo—Dina Ocampo—Diana Ocampo—Hannah Ocampo—Theresa Oceguera—Martha OchoaVazquez—Abraham Ojeda—Genesis Ojeda—Maria Ojeda—Guadalupe Olguin Covarrubias—Stephanie Olimon—Jemimah Olivar—Jaqueline Olivares—Melissa Olivares—Courtney Oliver—Abdirahman Omar—Patricia O’Mara—Noel Ornelas— Ana Oropeza—Candy Orozco—Sonia Orozco—Ruben Ortega—Matthew Ortiz— Samantha Ortiz—Ashley Ortiz—Ricardo Ortiz —Ruben Ortiz—Patricia Oseguera— Iridiana Osuna—Faruq Oyekan—Cesar Padilla—Isabel Padilla—Stephen Gabriel Padilla—Minerva Padilla Vidrio—Sylvia Padro—Cesar Paez—Elizabeth Pajoohesh— Ambar Palacio—Valentina Pallares—Jade Palm—Kimberly Pan—Bianca Panado— Erika Pangilinan—Tresilla Pangelinan—Sandy Pantoja—Michael Paraan—Luciano Paredes—Yuriko Patino—Isabel Payan—Julia Payne—Anthony Paz—Amerika Peacher—Grover Pearson—Fabiola Pena—Carlos Penny—Esteban Peralta—Liza Peralta—Oluwabukola Pereira—Virginia Perez-Gonzalez—Zedric Perona—Son Pham—David Phelps—Matthew Phillips—Michelle Phillips—Ryan Philpot—Giselle Pimentel—Carlos Pintado—Jenna Poblete—Lucia Polanco—Mario Ponce—Jacob Porras—Tanisha Pratt—Louis Pre—Nayeli Preciado—Elena Prieto—Bryan Pua— Patrick Pugeda—Mayra Pulido—Miriam Pulido—Cinthia Quezada—Stephanie Quijas—Bianca Quilantan—Samuel Quinones—Hector Quintero—Paulina Quintero—Nalle Quiroz—Adrian Ramirez—Daisy Ramirez—Eduardo Ramirez— Felix Ramirez—Laura Ramirez—Luke Ramirez—Isaac Ramirez—Ramiro Ramirez— Vanessa Ramirez—Gabriela Ramirez Aguirre—Patricia Ramirez-Martinez—Jessica Ramos—Nidia Ramos—Yesenia Ramos—Reiko Ratcliffe—Bonnie Ratliff—Amanda Ray—Henry Raygoza—Ana Raymundo—John Paul Rayo—Astrid Rea—Marika Reboja—Christian Reed—John Reed—Michelle Repinski—Andrea Revilla—Daniel Reyes—Ian Jeron Reyes—Maritza Reyes—Matthew Reyes—Mia Vianey Reyes—Davin Reynolds—Heolbare Reynoso—Cynthia Ricasa—Richter Mark Rimando—Grecia Rivas—Alejandro Rivera—Jeffrey Rivero—Paloma Rivero—Ibtehal Rizzo—Oswaldo Roa—Britney Roberson—Isabella Robles—Joshua Robles—Leslie Robles—Maria Robles—Rogelio Robles—Esther Rocha—Adrian Rodas—Alejandro Rodriguez— Andrew Rodriguez—Donna Rodriguez—Jennifer Rodriguez—Jessica Rodriguez— Jesus Rodriguez—Jose Rodriguez—Melissa Rodriguez—Paola Rodriguez—Sandra Rodriguez—Sara Rodriguez—Shannon Rodriguez—Irma Rojas—Jennifer Rojas—Lily Roldan—Jose Roman—April Romero—Emilio Romero—Katia Romero—Geovana Rosales—Eduardo Rubio—Lizette Rubio—Yael Ruelas—Kennelyn Gezelle Ruelos— Kimberly Gezelle Ruelos—Andrea Ruiz—Hermelinda Ruiz—Jazmine Ruiz—Miguel Ruiz—Irma Ruiz Guerrero—Audria Ruscitti—Carlos Ruvalcaba—Kenia Ruvalcaba— Monzerrat Ruvalcaba—Angelina Ruvalcaba-Zarate—Jacob Sadan—Shabnam Sakandar—Lluvia Salas-Huerta—Noelly Salas-Montiel—Oscar Salazar—Yarali SalceMorales—Angela Salcido—Maribel Salcido—Daniel Salinas—Vincent Salinas— Edison Salmeron—Brandi Sanchez—Emilio Sanchez—James Sanchez—Lesly Sanchez—Lyzelly Sanchez—Monique Sanchez—Paola Sanchez—Raniel Sanchez— Ruby Sanchez—Reinaldo Sanchez Jr.—Laura Sanchez Lopez—Luis SanchezKennedy—Myra Sanchez-Vazquez—Adriana Sandoval—Leticia Sandoval—Monica Sandoval—Stephanie Sandoval—Celina Santana—Marcos Santana—Chris Larenz Santarin—David Santillan Partida—Ana Santini—Kassandra Santos—Jesus Santoyo— Lerner Sarno—Victoria Sarquiz—Blueberry Sayson—Christina Schultz—Glynis Scott—Hayley Screeton—Nicole Sendt—Samir Serhan—Kathryn Serrano—Renalyn Mae Serrano—Cesar Sevilla—Jasmine Shannon—Amanda Shelton—Jordan Shimell— Anna Shipley—Aaron Shuttleworth—Devon Siler—Angelica Simiano—Christian Sitz—Rhiannon Sitz—Bailey Skeet—David Slayton—Micah Smith—Scott Smith— Arelis Snyder—Mandy Sohacki—Angelica Solano—Bryan Solis—Celine Mae Solis— Pamela Sosa—Justin Sparby—Sabrina Sperry-Johnson—Katrina St. Aubin—Kimberly St. Aubin—Ryan Stanzione—Michelle Stein—Robert Stewart—Beverly Stretch— Karen Suarez—Karla Suarez—Mynn Glaiza Sulapat—Jessica Sumbingco-Alba— Christine Sutehall—Romu Svoboda—Shannon Talaoc—Megan-Nicole Tamayo— Valeria Tamez—Lovelyjoy Tan—Angelina Tasem—Stefanie Tellez—Araceli Tellez Munoz—Alexis Tirado—Bruno Tirado—Andrew Todd—Charles Torok—Alex Torres—Amaya Torres—Liza Torres—Gabriela Torres Cueva—Yamilet Torres Leon— Stephany Torres Noriega—Ramon Toscano—Marissa Tostado—Alex Tovar—Reamelo Trapp—Vanessa Trejo—Victor Trejo—Mayra Triana—Maria Trigueros—Lisa Trimm— Celia Tuvera—Ana Unibe—Beth Upton—Sofia Urban—Briana Urias—Daniel Uribe—Fabian Urista—Josephine Genevieve Urrete—Mark Urrutia—Brittani Uybungco—Tami Valadez—Tania Valadez—Roberto Valdez—Zachery Valdez— Bruno Simon Valdez—Andrea Valdez Urzua—Ana Valencia—Hector Valenzuela— Jeremiah Valenzuela—Viviann Valenzuela—Kaitlin Vallin—Anel Vargas—Angel Varela—Delia Vargas—Jasmine Vasquez—Jessica Vargas—Jorge Vasquez—Sonya Vargas—Yadira Vargas—Francisco Javier Vargas—Stephanie Vasquez—Denzel Vaughn—Christopher Vazquez-Hayton—Jesus Vega—Maricela Vega—Monique Velarde—Esteban Velasco—Joaquin Velasco—Diana Velasquez—Michael Velazquez— Amethyst Velez—Marisol Vergara—Mary Vicman—Rachel Victa—Alicia Villa— Ariana Villafana—Gabriela Villa—Alyssa Villalva—Sabrina Villalva—Brenda Villarreal—Denise Villasenor—Diego Villegas—Jonathon Virgen—Jacob Vivas— Jennifer Vivas—Arianna Vizcarra—Michael Wallace—Amber Ward—Sean Watkins— Ryan Weems—Pierre West—Robert Wilkening—Fragrance Williams—Krystal Williams—Johnsee Williams—Melinda Williams—Angelina Williamson—Christina Willingham—Austin Wolfe—Caitlin Worthington—Akoua Yegbe—Joan Stephanie Yngson—Joshua Zamora—Flor Zamudio—Sophia Zapata—Gustavo Zarate— Mohamad Zeidan—Valeria Zepeda—Michele Zumarraga—Karla Zuniga

Mar Abencerraje—Carlos Acero III—Karen-Alleluia Agbuya—Julianne Ahumada—Crystal Alarid—Alfredo Angulo—Allison Antonio—Ernesto Arciniega—Dennis Arreola—Arturo Arroyo—Nadia Avila Espinoza— Jonathan Ayala—Ashley Azuma—Brian Badel—Alexis Baez—Alejandro Barajas—Jovana Becerra—Lydia Beltran—Eduardo Benitez—Cherame Biteng—Aedriel Blanco—Nadia Briceno—Leilani Brown—Bridget Buggs—Priscilla Bustamante—Brianne Butcher—Sheena Camacho— Stephanie Campos—Maximo Campuzano—Diane Canilang—Camille Cariaga—Sarali Carreon—Ortencia Casillas—Linda Castaneda—Ashley Castillo—Kim Castillo—Christian Cayabyab—Marion Jean Centeno— Chrocket Cervantes—David Chavez—David Collins Jr.—Steven Cordova—Carminia Coronado—Nydia Coronel—Jelisa Corpuz— Joceline Corrales—Briana Cosio—Roldan Del Fierro—Alejandra Del Rio—Mario Deleon—Maria Delos Santos—Allyza Delosreyes—Gitalia Di Ferretti—Jocelyn Diego—Rosario Dilayre—Kim Dinh—Jenniffer Dominguez—Zeliha Dukes—Noemi Dumaplin—Eva Echeverria—Nada El Masri—Raul Elizondo—Jose Estrada—Melissa Estrada—Joseph Fasano—Ronald Allan Ferrer—Rosa Flanagan—Diana Flores—Ruby Fong-Gamez—Grethel Gahbler—Armondo Garcia—Jeny Garcia— Judith Garcia—Matilde Garcia—Michael Garcia—Sandra Garcia— Steven Garcia—Jacqueline Gelskey—Grace Gonzales—Alma Gonzalez— Jesse Gonzalez—Joaquin Gonzalez—Mayra Gonzalez—Sara Guerena—

Candidates—Spring 2016—Associate in Science:

The Southwestern College Sun

B7

Gallanosa—Joshua Gallardo—Michelle Galura-Arandia—Karen Galvez—Lynzi Gamlinda—Cindy Garcia—Edward Garcia—Erik Garcia—Jocelyn Garcia—Kevin Garcia—Kristian Garcia—Ladie Garcia —Leeann Garcia—Meleah Garcia— Moises Garcia—John Garlow—Erich Gemballa—Marcelo Girondo—Jason Glover—Jaime Godina—Breanna Gomes—Filiberto Gomez—Luis Gomez— Vincent Gonsalves—Allen Gonzales—Aleksei Gonzalez—Brenda Gonzalez—Erick Gonzalez—Gabriela Gonzalez—Sebastian Gonzalez—Yvonne Gonzalez— Cheyenne Gould—Daniela Granillo—Jennifer Green—Brittney Greene—Juan Gudino—Tania Guedea—Saray Guerrero—Antonio Gutierrez—Marcos Guzman—Rovy June Hallares—Mercedes Hammond—May Madi Han—Vilma Handog—Joel Harina—Robert Hawes—Kelly-Noelle Henry—Alphonso Hernandez—Andrea Hernandez—Brian Hernandez—Bryant Hernandez—Ernesto Hernandez—Jacob Hernandez—Jasmine Hernandez—Luis Hernandez—Alan Hernandez Aleman—Gerard Hernz—Alfonso Herrera—David Herrera—Gilbert Herrera—Jazmin Herrera—Manuel Herrera—Eleazar Herrera Gonzalez—Christian Higuera—Graciela Hinojosa—Charlene Hinton—David Hodges—Kathleen Hoh—Olivia Huizar—Jessica Hunter—Tranng Huynh—Amer Jabbar—Kevin Jackson—Eric Jaggars—Aaron Jimenez—Alejandro Jimenez—Javier Jimenez— Martha Jimenez—Amy Johnson—Dessie Johnson—Shontelle Johnson—Edgar Juarez—Kassandra Juarez—Lizette Juarez—Perla Juarez—Kevin Kamanu—Tommy Kan—Donna Karlicek—Shawna Karmes—Michael King—Lara Kraus—Brian Kruise—Vincent Labor—Liza Lamberton—Cierra Lamontagne—Barbara Landfair—Kevin Leach—Vianni Ledesma—Robert Legaspi—Francisco Leon— Anita Lewis—Antonella Lionide—Maichao Liu—Jorge Llamas—Christian Lopez—Daisy Lopez—Franco Lopez—Michelle Lopez—Raul Lopez—Rocio Lopez—Samantha Lopez—Mariel Lorini—Rebecca Lujambio—Robert Lunt— Yumika Lyons—Ariana Macedo—Christopher Macias—Albert Madriaga—Ana Madrigal—Jay-Ar Maestro—Daniel Magana—Angelic Magno—Randall Magno— Tina Mai—Gabriela Maldonado—Andrew Malmstead—Maribel MancillaAlcala—Theresa Mao—Liliana Marmolejo—Luis Marmol-Marquez—Paige Marshall—Natalie Martin—David Martinez—Douglas Martinez—Katherine Martinez—Noel Martinez—Richard Martinez—Chase Mashburn—Marisol Mateos—Patricia Matthew—Leonardo Mazutti—Leticia Mccoy—Shanna Mccravey—Jorge Medina—Jaime Mejia—Jasmine Mejia—Andrea Melgoza Montenegro—Luis Mendez Izabal—Trace Mendler—Angel Mendoza—Denisse Mendoza—Manuel Meraz—Abrahan Mercado—Brianna Mercado—Ume Merchant—Alvaro Merigo Morales—Maria Meza—Bryan Mielke—Brenda Miguel—Renz Miguel—Elizabeth Millard—Kenneth Miller—Shelby Miller— Brock Moellenberndt—Danielle Moher—Joanalyn Mojica—Camille Molina— Minda Molina—Daniel Montiel—Victor Montoya—Jose Morales—Diego Moreno—Monica Moreno—Melissa Moreno-Contreras—Anisa Moshfeghi—Levi Moua—Dannyra Munoz—Israel Murillo—Anthony Najera—David Najera— Beatriz Navarrete—Royallan Neugent—Sidney Nguyen—Miguel Nicanor— Matthew Nugent—Martha Ochoa-Vazquez—Devin Odenthal—Jemimah Olivar—Lizeth Olivas—Andrea Olmos—Alexander Olson—Eliabeth Orozco— Jessica Orozco—Natalie Orozco—Felipe Ortega—Matthew Ortiz—Rosemarie

Osada—Breonna Osborne—Cesar Padilla—Glenda Padro—James Pak—Monina Palanca—Dania Palma—Corazon Panado—Tresilla Pangelinan—Matthew Parra— Walter Parra—Jasper Pascual—Joshua Patrick—Nicole Payment—Julia Payne— Jacqueline Pedrero—Alejandra Pedroza—Jovanna Pena—Mayra Pena—Vannia Pena—Victoria Pena—Ryan Nicolai Pena—Rosa Penuelas—Edlin Perez—Elizar Perez—Laura Perez—Luis Perez—Jessica Perez—Nereyda Perez—Felipe Perez Leon I—Armando Pesigan—Ray Peterson—Alan Phillips—Apolonia Pina—Krystal Plandor—Karen Ponce—Hyve Rose Porcioncula—Jacob Porras—Marianne Porras—Kassandra Portillo—Ashley Prado—Christian Pre—Terriana Propes— Shianne Prosser-Quinones—Russell Pryor Sr.—Mayra Pulido—Humberto Quintero—Zayra Quintero—Daisy Ramirez—Grace Ramirez—Isabel Ramirez— Jorge Ramirez—Luis Ramirez—Oscar Ramirez—Raquel Ramirez—Rona Ramirez—Wendy Ramirez—Nidia Ramos—Clara Rangel—Angela Rayl—Rea Raymundo—German Razo—Ricardo Real—Mark Rensink—Paul Resurreccion— Ian Jeron Reyes—Santiago Reyes-Carrillo—Aldair Reynoso—Jared Reynoso— Laura Richter—Natalia Rico—Leah Riggs—Roxanne Rincon—Amabelle Rishah— Ibtehal Rizzo—Bridget Robinson—Leslie Robles—Esther Rocha—Denzel Rodil—Alberto Rodriguez—Edgar Rodriguez—Edwin Rodriguez—Eulises Rodriguez—Jesus Rodriguez—Karla Rodriguez—Lauren Rodriguez—Mayte Rodriguez—Salvador Rodriguez—Ixtlaccihuatl Rogowski—Alfredo Rojas— Cristian Rojo—Jason Paul Roman—Alejandro Romero—Danielle Romero— Hector Romero—Michael Romero—Brenda Rosales—Daniel Ruggirello— Trinidad Ruiz—Irma Ruiz Guerrero—Azelle Sabino—John Salvadore Sabio— Shabnam Sakandar—Emmanuel Salazar—Mary Anne Saldaen—Genaro Salido— Vincent Salinas—Frances Mari Sambilay—Edgar Sanchez—Esther Sanchez— Marcos Sanchez—Veronica Sanchez—Laura Sanchez Lopez—Amelia Sandoval— Monica Sandoval—Tanya Sandoval—Jessica Santos—Heralyn Santos—Jeannie Sawyer—Camille Sazon—Cynthia Scheid—Ernst Schettini—Jennifer Schmidt— Brandon Scott—Angela Seeger—Andrew Sepulveda—Stephanie Serhan—Kathleen Sieracki—Harris Simmons—Richard Simon—Sergey Sinin—Maverick Sison— Michael Sitz—Arelis Snyder—Carlos Solis—Celine Mae Solis—Omar Somo— Giovani Soto Elizarraraz—Young Sparkman—Sabrina Sperry-Johnson—Edna Stewart—Lara Stewart—Patrick Stingl—Douglas Strauss—Beverly Stretch—Aaron Strickland—Karen Suarez—Michael Swingle—Aireen Tantiangco—Robert Tarr— Raul Teran—Ismael Topete—Brandon Torio—Ariana Torres—Diana Torres— Jeanny Torres—Sara Torres—Yesenia Torres—Veronica Tovar—Cindy Trejo— Francis Turkson—Shon Tyson—Berenice Urrea—Jesus Valenzuela—Maria Valladolid—Grecia Valle—Jonathan Van Deusen—Vanessa Varela—Arianna Vargas—Jorge Vasquez—Denzel Vaughn—Maximiliano Vazquez Canett—Jose Vega—Derek Velasquez—Lizeth Velazquez—Ian Velez—Christian Vences Calvillo—Alberto Verdugo—Rachel Viernes—Gabriela Vilchis—Veronica Villanueva—Monica Louise Villanueva—Christian Villasenor —Scott Vinson II—Adrianni Vital—Alexandra Waclawski—Courtney Wahl—Elliott Watson— Zachery Webb—Erin Wells—James Welsh—Adam Wilkinson—Theresa Wirth— Paul Wunsch—Martha Yanez—Esteban Ybarra—Cynthia Yepez—Hanan Younis— Alexandra Zamorano—Sofia Zapari—Alex Zapata—Priscilla Zepeda

Candidates—Spring 2016—Certificate of Achievement:

Galvez—Mariah Gamalinda—Abner Garcia—Cynthia Garcia—Elaine Garcia—David Garcia—Alejandra Garcia—Judith Garcia—Kassandra Garcia—Diana Garcia—Belcia Garcia—Jasmine Garibay—Edward Gaza—Jacqueline Gelskey—Alyssa Gibson—Jason Glover—Richard Goldsberry—Diego Gomez—Sherleenda Gonzalez—Alfredo Gonzalez— Teresa Gonzalez—Yvonne Gonzalez—Melissa Gonzalez—Cynthia Gonzalez—Janellle Gonzalez—Sebastian Gonzalez—Armando Gonzalez— Heber Guajardo—Juan Gudino—Tania Guedea—Isabel Guerra—Brianna Guerrero—Armando Guerrero—Mark Gustafson—Jessica-Meaghan Gutierrez—Shiva Habibagahi—Mona Halis—May Madi Han—Allen Hananel—Ricki Harris—Jasiri Harrison—Caleb Henderson—Andrea Hernandez—Nikolai Hernandez—Noah Hernandez—Christian Hernandez—Carlos Hernandez—Jessica Hernandez—Jacob Hernandez— Alan Hernandez Aleman—David Herrera—Graciela Hinojosa—David Hodges—Jose Gustavo Holguin—Renee Holmes—Shiree Houston— Olivia Huizar—Maria Huizar—Jessica Hunter—Eric Isenagle—Kevin Jackson—Melissa Jacobo—Christina Jacobo—Ysabel Jaimes—Rebecca James—George Jeries—Luzelia Jimenez—Vanessa Jimenez—Aaron Jimenez—Martha Jimenez—Guadalupe Johnson—Khaliah Jones—Stein Jorgensen—Lizette Juarez—Marian Kamimura—Christal Katt—Michael King—David Koester—Zachary Kozlik—Chad Kruse—Vincent Labor— Erika Laforcada—Irene Laforteza—Roberto Lauderbaugh Pagan—Olga Lavenant—Vianni Ledesma—Francisco Leon—Arham Leyva—Arnold Leyva—Liliana Licona—Katrina Limson—Lucio Lira—Fatima Lizarraga— Jorge Llamas—Mayte Lopez—Sarai Lopez—Juan Gabriel Lubao—Ruben Luna—Kaitlyn Lyons—Tyler Macilvaine—Ana Madrigal—Randall Magno—Vanessa Mahrou—Alyanna Maliksi—Ellyza Manalaysay—Rose Mancilla—Victoria Manriquez—Alexis Marquez—Marco Marron— Andrea Martin—Alejandro Martin Del Campo—Mica Martinez—Joseph Martinez—Patricia Matthew—Leonardo Mazutti—Sean Mcginty—Yazmin Medina Alcantar—Andrew Melendez—Brenda Melendrez—Denisse Mendoza—Estefania Mendoza—Angel Mendoza—Manuel Meraz—Alvaro Merigo Morales—Mariadme Meza—Serena Miller—Scott Miller—Jeremy Milling—Gyasai Mohammed—Camille Molina—Ramon Montano— Jacqueline Morales—Darwin Morales—Isabel Moreno—Melissa MorenoContreras—Levi Moua—Marty Munday—Carlos Munguia—Ivan Munoz—Yvette Munoz—Mauricio Munoz Espino—Anthony Najera— Edward Nava—Francisco Nava—Beatriz Navarrete—Ricardo Negrete

Jr.—Sylvia Nelson—Royallan Neugent—Sidney Nguyen—Aureliano Noguez—Emiliano Nunez—Ari Nunez—Diana Ocampo—Elizabeth Ochoa Cantera—Jemimah Olivar—Fernando Ontiveros—Eliabeth Orozco—Jessica Orozco—Andres Orozco—Felipe Ortega—Matthew Ortiz—Samantha Ortiz—Ruben Ortiz—Martha Ortiz—Esmeralda Osuna—Erick Padilla—Ambar Palacio—Dania Palma—Kimberly Pan— Korina Pardenilla—Luciano Paredes—Matthew Parra—Isabel Payan—Ryan Nicolai Pena—Vannia Pena—Carlos Penny—Jesus Perez Cuarenta—Felipe Perez Leon I—Virginia Perez-Gonzalez—David Phelps—Mark Piland— Carlos Pintado—Jacob Porras—Kassandra Portillo—Tanisha Pratt— Christian Pre—Louis Pre—Maria Preston—Gabriela Quiros—Adrian Ramirez—Eduardo Ramirez—Magasma Ramirez—Justin Randolph— Reiko Ratcliffe—Amanda Ray—Luis Real—Kela Reece—Christian Reed— Ian Jeron Reyes—Ramon Reyes—Matthew Reyes—Amabelle Rishah— Devonte Roberts—Elizabeth Robinson—Bridget Robinson—Esther Rocha—Alejandro Rodriguez—Alberto Rodriguez—Lizette Rodriguez— Lillibeth Rodriguez—Mayte Rodriguez—Priscila Rodriguez—Glorissa Rodriguez-Corona—Alfredo Rojas—Crystal Rojo—Lily Roldan—Laura Romo—Geovana Rosales—Alejandro Rosas—William Rothert—Irma Ruiz Guerrero—Kenia Ruvalcaba—Jacob Sadan—Emmanuel Salazar—Edison Salmeron—Brandi Sanchez—Veronica Sanchez—Edgar Sanchez—Lesly Sanchez—Monique Sanchez—Laura Sanchez Lopez—Nicole Sanders— Monica Sandoval—Amelia Sandoval—Lina Sandoval—Kassey Sarte— Francisco Sastre—Angela Seeger—Catherine Segura—Renalyn Mae Serrano—Kathryn Serrano—Jiheng Shao—Michael Sitz—Jaime Solano Vargas—Diego Soria—Giovani Soto Elizarraraz—Sabrina Sperry-Johnson— Michelle Stein—Alisa Stevens—Karen Suarez—Mynn Glaiza Sulapat— Shogo Suzuki—Aireen Tantiangco—Bruno Tirado—Alan Tornel—Marissa Tostado—Emilia Traviesa—Vanessa Trejo—Martha Tufele—Araceli Urias— Briana Urias—Berenice Urrea—Arianne Urrea—Airam Urrea—Zachery Valdez—Edgar Valenzuela—Maria Valladolid—Kaitlin Vallin—Ginger Van Houten—Vanessa Varela—Delia Vargas—Maricela Vega—Esteban Velasco—Diana Velasquez—Michelle Vergara—Victor Viesca—Gabriela Villa—Marcos Villalva—Monica Louise Villanueva—Denise Villasenor— Christian Villasenor —Jennifer Viramontes—Amber Ward—Ronald Williams—Austin Wolfe—Alex Yambao—Martha Yanez—Ja Rim Yang— Graciela Youngling—Jake Yuhas—Jesse Yuhas—Elizabeth Zamudio— Priscilla Zepeda—Valeria Zepeda

Candidates—Summer 2016—Associate in Arts:

Garcia—Travis Gardner—Danielle Garrett—Abraham Gertz—Benjamin Gess—Amanda Gidron—Stephen Gonzales—Richard Gonzales—Zaira Gonzalez—Armando Gonzalez—Roman Gonzalez—Michael Guedea— Yurilia Guerrero—Najib Gull—Kaan Gultoprak—Amy Gutierrez—Jose Gutierrez—Esteban Guzman Jaimes—Marquis Haggerty—David Harris—Giselle Heranandez—Catherine Hernandez—Ramses Hernandez—Freda Hernandez—Andrea Huerta—Andres Ibarra—Diana Jacquez—Rudy Jaimes—Ariadna Jimenez—Desiree Johnson—Jesse Kuneff—Alyssa Marie Lagasca—Elsa Ledezma—Ron Lee—Zachary Lemusu—Liceth Licea—Zayra Liera-Sanchez—Diana Lin—Jasmine Lloyd—Khaalid Lockett—Mirella Lopez—Sandy Lopez—Ylissa Lopez—Pablo Lucero—Loren Madrid—Lori Mael—Jocelyne Marin— Brian Marquez—Alexis Marquez—Trena Marshall—Ian Marshman— Henr y Martin—Maria Martinez—Joseph Martinez—Monique Matthews—Vivien Mayo—Laura Medina—Oscar Mendoza—Yvette Mier—J Michael Molina—Naomi Monforte—Alexis Morales—Justin Morales—Nanzi Muro—Russ Nagtalon—Rosangel Naranjo-Silva—

Jonathan Navarro—Samantha Neely—Ricardo Negrete Jr.—Sylvia Nelson—Danalyn Ngo—Abdirahman Omar—Sonia Orozco—Jeannette Padilla—Alejandro Palado—Michelle Parkhill—Julia Payne—Angelica Peralta—Cinthya Perez—Carla Perez—Michelle Phillips—Nayeli Preciado—Elaine Quiambao—Ashley Quirk—Beatriz Quiroga—Alina Radashkevich—Vanessa Ramirez—Maria Ramos—Jamil RaymoreSiegmund—Rea Raymundo—Sabrina Real—John Reed—Leonard Reuben—Zaira Rios—Jessica Rodriguez—Stephanie Rodriguez—Kenia Ruvalcaba—Nancy Sagrero—Araceli Saldana—Marcel Saldana—Lyzelly Sanchez—Christian Sanchez—Christina Schultz—Hayley Screeton— Emmanuel Serrano—Aika Shimmyo—Alexandros Sklavenitis—Jamol Smith—Nicole Soriano—Kelsey Soto—Mariana Tec Quintero—Ryan Torres—Stephany Torres Noriega—Kathleen Tripp—Zachariah Trujillo—Veronica Urista—Wendy Valdez—Janine Venturina—Mario Vera—Marisela Villarruel—Travis Waller—Pierre West—Ronald Williams—Twyla Williams—Martha Yanez—Yoanna Yslas—Elizabeth Zamudio

Candidates—Summer 2016—Associate in Science:

Matthew Gamache—Aaron Garcia—Erik Garcia—Khandi Gary—Matthew Geiss—Maryam Ghahramani Shahneshin—Laura Gomez Pintor—Vincent Gonsalves—Roman Gonzalez—Daniela Guerra—Jassiel Hernandez—Sonjia Hernandez—Manuel Herrera—Perla Juarez—Maria Labbe—Luis LopezSerrano—Jesse Macias—Randall Magno—Abelardo Mancilla Jr—Alexis Marquez—Andrea Melgoza Montenegro—Abrahan Mercado—Alvaro Merigo Morales—Marlon Montano—Ratera Montgomery—Princess Narvasa—Viviana Ontiveros—Natalie Orozco—Erick Padilla—Walter

Parra—Mauricio Pavon—Julia Payne—Carlos Pena—Ray Peterson—Clara Rangel—Edward Rendon—Christopher Rice—Brianna Rios—Leslie Robles—Karla Rodriguez—Izaak Rodriguez—Zulma Rodriguez— Alfredo Rojas—Evelyn Rosales—Henry Rue—Arturo Sanchez—Jeannie Sawyer—Aika Shimmyo—Priscilla Soto—Michael Tarango—Mariana Tec Quintero—Jeanette Torres—Zachariah Trujillo—Eliana Uretsky—Andrea Van Wagner—Nicholas Vistro—Chase Weide—Erin Wells—Zaki Zadah— Caleb Zamora—Adan Zavala

Candidates—Summer 2015—Certificate of Achievement:

Michael Garcia—Rafael Garcia—Tiffine George—Irma Gomez—Laura Gomez Pintor—Roman Gonzalez—Stefania Gorski—Najib Gull— Jyllian Gutierrez—Esteban Guzman Jaimes—Allen Hananel—Paola Hernandez—Eric Hernandez—Josiel Herradura—Gilbert Herrera— Alfonso Herrera—Andrea Huerta—Douglas Kelly—Karina Krogman— Liceth Licea—Shaira Lim—Jorge Lopez—Jacob Maciel—Randall Magno—Ciara Maldonado—Narissa Mariano—Maria Martinez— Michelle Martinez—Martha Matta—Cindy Meharg—Abrahan Mercado—Alvaro Merigo Morales—Alejandra Miranda—Martha

Mondragon—Levi Moua—Mathew Muhumuza—Cynthia Munoz— Nanzi Muro—Sylvia Nelson—Maria Pineda—Ashley Quirk—Gabriela Quiros—Edward Rendon—Leslie Robles—Adrian Rodas—Lauren Rodriguez—Zulma Rodriguez—Manuel Rodriguez—Alfredo Rojas— Henry Rue—Monzerrat Ruvalcaba—Arturo Sanchez—Jeannie Sawyer— Angela Soberanes—Claudia Soto-Alfaro—Stefanie Tellez—Angela Tomlinson—Ismael Topete—Alan Tornel—Thuy-Duong Tran—Mario Velasco Jacquez—Abigail Villela—Alexandra Wacla wski—Chase

Amerika Aboujaoude—Hugo Aburto—Roberto Acevedo—Desiree Acio—Cesar Acosta—Jesse Acosta—Timothy Adams—Jade Adkins—Jessica Agost—Gabriela Aguila—Arianna Aguilar—Luis Aguilar—Alexa Aguinaldo—Eduardo Aguirre— Julianne Ahumada—Jesus Aispuro—Hassan Al Jaber—Alexis Alarid—Juan Pablo Aldana—Mayra Aldrete—Kassandra Alejandre—Patrick Alexander—Stephen Allen—Omar Almaraz—Bridgette Alvarado—Josephine Alvarez—Bernard Amog—Perla Anaya—Keith Anderson—Perla Anguiano—Anabell Antwan— Michelle Appelgate—Denise Aquino—Rickey Archangel—Emily Archuleta— Isabella Arcia—Eddie Arevalo—Joy Arevalo—Ana Arguello-Salcido—Felipe Armenta—Linda Arriaga—Itzel Arriaga Leal—Mirna Arvizu—Sonia Arzola— Timothy Askew—Leizle Aspili—Paulette Avelar-Montano—Angelica Avila— Arthur Ayala—David Ayala—Armando Ayon—Danniela Barajas—Miguel Barrera—Isabel Barreto—Julie Barrios—Christina Batiz—Arnesto Bautista— Denisse Bautista Ibarra—Joshua Becerra—Ronnie Beckett—Farrah Bedolla—Leidy Bedoya—Kyle Bedsole—Jasmin Bejarano—Asnakew Belachew—Alejandra Beltran—Richard Beltran—Marcelo Benitez—Virgil Benitez—Jenny Benito— Tiffany Booth—Christa Borellini—Kristopher Bourbois—Leilani Brown—Dexter Cabral—Edwin Cabrales—Maria Cabrera—Priscilla Cacho—Keley Cain—Fatima Nina Caluya—Jorge Camacho—Ricardo Camberos—Carla-Paola Camou-Sainz— Antoinette Campa—John Campbell—Jacquelyn Cano-Maldonado—Ruben Carasa—Dominque Cardenas—Christopher Carman—Sylvia Carmona— Guillermo Caro—Stephanie Caro—Ruby Carr—Ashley Carreno Caro—Alondra Carreon-Andrade—Christopher Carrillo—Elsie Carrillo—Fernando Carrillo— Elijah Caruana—Francisco Carvajal—Elizabeth Carvalho—Jennifer Casiano— Jaclyn Castaneda—Francisco Castillo—Javier Castro—Yvette Castro—Lizbeth Castruita—Rudy Celaya—Isabel Cendejas—Lorenzo Cervantes—Johanna Chan—Robyn Channell—Candace Chavers—Alexis Chavez—Carlos Chavez— Gisel Chavez-Vega—Nam Cho—Sonia Cleveland—Thaddeus Como—Cristina Conde—Aileen Contreras—Carlos Contreras—Jennifer Contreras—Sergio Contreras—Pierce Corcoran—Kristine Cordero—Ivonne Cordoba—John Cormode—Michael Cornel—Jacqueline Corrales—Khristian Cortez—Corey Cournoyer—Alyssa Cox—Joshua Cruz—Roberto Cruz—Krizette Custodio— Michelle Ann Custodio—Abigail Dano—Maria Davis—Lisa De Dios—Gabrielle De Guzman—Patrick De La Garza—Juan De Leon—Edward Del Rio—Michael Delfin—Gabriel Delgado—Shiela Delmundo—Cristina Demers—Michele Denoyer—Cynthia Diaz—Roslyn Diaz-Agagas—Jocelyn Diego—Tien Dinh— Eros Dominguez—Matthew Dubnicka—Terrence Dugay—Daniel Egert— Marinela Elane—Amairani Equihua—Lidia Erwin—Crystal Escalante—Christine Eser—Jasmine Esliter—Jose Esparza—Brianna Espinoza—Juan Espinoza—Mary Espinoza—Juan Andres Espinoza Ulloa—Bryan Jay Estepa—Anthony Estrada— Shantinae Evans—Mark Ewest—Kyle Fairley—Jannia Fajer—Michelle Farha— Patrick Farnham—Matthew Faulk—Martha Felix—Antonio Fernandez—Haley Ferrer—Renee Fierro—Marcodante Filoteo—Carlos Andres Fletes—Alannah Flores—Kristin Flores—Erika Forget—David Frabis—Macy Frazer—Anne Frigillana—Lisa Fuchs—Brianna Fuentes—Patricia Furriel—Arlene Galarza—Sierra

Congratulations Felicidades

Desiree Abad—Carlos Aguirre—Silvia Aguirre—John-Glenn Antoniszyn—Geovanni Arreola—Vasthi Barragan—Jesse Bojorquez— Benneth John Bunag—Alba Cabral—Airi Cao—Lorell Casillas—Marty Castillo—Claudia Chavez—Edwin Ching—Michelle Chiu—Megan Cihonski—Kyle Cowles—Christopher Cruz—Maria Cuyugan— Emmanuel David—Rene Delgado—Ricardo Diaz—Reginald Dichoso— Eros Dominguez—Salomon Dominguez—Florencio Emperador Jr.—Emmel Esguerra—Gelli Beth Esmele—Roger Espe—Jannia Fajer— Je re m y A g t a r a p — Si l v i a A g u i r re — Er i c h A l l m a n — Mi c h e l l e Armendariz—Arturo Arroyo—Rose Ashley—Nadia Avila Espinoza— Jonathan Ayala—Ramiro Barajas—Luis Bautista—Diana Bravo— Au s t i n Brow n — Ro b e r t Bu t l e r — St e p h a n i e C a m p o s — Ma r t i n Castaneda—Mariana Castro—Chrocket Cervantes—Alma Chacon— Andrew Chavez—Jay Marc De Castro—Rene Delgado—Jocelyn Diego—Jessica Dozier—Matthew Dubnicka—Arturo Echeverria— Fl o re n c i o E m p e r a d o r J r. — K a r i n a E n r i q u e z — C a r l o s E s c o t o Casas—Jasmine Esliter—Erik Felix—Giorgiodante Filoteo—Ernest Flint—Karla Flores—Paola Gale—Elaine Garcia—Michael Garcia—

Lindsy Abundez-Dominguez—Gustavo Aburto—Hugo Aburto—Angelika Achoy— David Achoy—Cesar Acosta—Diane Acosta—Jodette Acosta—John Agonoy—Araceli Aguayo—Lourdes Aguilar—Michael Aguilar—Miguel Aguilar—Yahaira Aguilar— Dulce Aguirre—Noemi Aguirre—Rockaela Aguirre—Christian Agustin—Samena Akberzie—Pedro Alarid—Jeslie Alba—Rebecca Alcazar—Jillian Alegre—Miren Algorri—Lauren Allen—Omar Almaraz—Jenia Alonso—Jeffrey Alvarado—Laura Alvarado—Karen Alvarado-Barajas—Alycia Alvarez—Elizabeth Alvarez—Fabiola Alvarez—Karenina Alvarez—Nadia Alvarez Arriaga—Karen Alviso—Paulina Amador—Adrianna Amanonce—Richard Amanonce—Gloria Anaya—Heather Anderson—Kristin Anderson—Irene Andico—Julio Andrade—Marla Andrade— Anayanci Anguiano—Salina Apacible—Adriana Aparicio—Denise Aquino—Martha Aquino—Alejandro Arana—Beatriz Arballo—Sergio Arce—Vivianna Arevalo—Diego Arias Lopez—Austin Arnold—Jaime Arredondo—Erika Arreola—Federico Arroyo— Roshelle Han Asoy-Daniel—Roberto Avelar—Arielle Jo Avelino—Eve Avila—Nidia Avila Espinoza—Christian Aviles—Alejandra Avina—Muriel Ayaz—Anthony Babida—Monecar Badilla—Chinabelle Badol—Carla Baez—Chris Anne Bagamano— Daniel Bahena—Anthony Baldwin—Nicole Ballez—Nicholas Baltz—Jia Francelle Baluyot—Cloretta Banks—Karina Barahona—Danniela Barajas—Quito Barajas— Ramon Barber Jr.—David Barragan—Jesus Barrera—Miguel Barrera—Isabel Barreto—Julie Barrios—Mariana Barrios—Arturo Barroso-Iriarte—Jamie Bastide— Christina Batiz—Arnesto Bautista—Elliot Bautista—Priscilla Bautista—Francesca Beaird—Jnai Beard—Johana Beas—Vanessa Beatie—Jorge Becerra—Jovana Becerra— Dennis Becerral—Madison Beck—Ryan Beck—Alejandra Beltran—Lydia Beltran— Cynthia Beltran-Islas—Marcelo Benitez—Gichelle Bernal—Liam Beyerle—Nicole Biddlecom—Sarah Bier—Kassandra Billiet—Dena Bolden—Deborah Bon—Criszel Bona—Crystal Bonilla—Jessica Bonilla—Denise Branes—Mauricio Briseno—Mayra Briseno—Aaron Brown—Cashiera Brown—Krystal Brown—Leilani Brown—Justine Lourdes Buenaventura—Krishna Buenfil—Jeremy Buenviaje—Anna Therese Bugarin—Joel Burdeos—Andres Burgoin—Kaitlen Burnom—Robert Butler— Ronnielen Cabales—Allen Caballero—Christine Cabaluna—Patricia Cabradilla— Edwin Cabrales—Samantha Cabrera—Priscilla Cacho—Anjanette Calderon—Francis Camacho—Martha Camacho—Mauricio Camarena—Emilia Camargo—Deedee Cameron—Roberto Campos-Mcdonald—Eliza Cana—Diane Canilang—Francia Cao-Romero—Ruben Carasa—Irene Carlin—Savanah Carlin—Scarlett Caro— Josemaria Carranza—Luz Carranza—Ana Carrasco—Ivy Carrillo—Mario Carrillo— Noe Carrillo—Nick Carrion—Elizabeth Carvalho—Alana Casillas—Ricardo Castaneda—Javier Castellanos—Daniel Castillo—Gabriel Castillo—Jael Castillo— Karina Castillo—Lynette Castillo—Selene Castillo—Claudia Castro—Edward Castro—Jaime Castro—Javier Castro—Nataly Castro—Rebecca Catt—Samantha Ceballos—Nayely Ceballos-Mancilla—Leann Cecotti—Maria Ceja—Arellano Celina—Alexandrea Cepeda—Ricardo Cerda-Manzo—Carina Cervantes—Julio Cervera—Mariela Chaidez—Nicole Ivan Chan—Zenia Chapa—Joshua Chase—Iris Chavarria—Adela Chavez—Alexandra Chavez—Daniela Chavez—Susana Chavez— Gisel Chavez-Vega—Nam Cho—Miso Choi—Phillip Chung—Estevan Cisneros— Christopher Clegg—Astrid Coba—Carmen Cobian—Thaddeus Como—Cristina Conchas—Kevin Coniff—Andrew Connolly—Alexandra Contreras—Andrea Contreras—Christian Contreras—Francisco Contreras—Roberto Contreras—Sergio Contreras—Yazmin Contreras—Gilberto Contreras Jr.—Kristine Cordero—Hector Cordova—Natasa Cordova—David Coreas—Maria Luisa Coria—Rikishia Cormier— Edward Cormode—John Cormode—Giovanna Corona—Christian Coronado— Viridiana Coronel—Jacqueline Corrales—Joceline Corrales—Karla Correa—Diana Cortes—Mary Cortez—Dalila Covarrubias—Diana Covarrubias—Jennifer Covarrubias—Vanesa Cox—Daisha Crutcher-Currence—Amy Cruz—David Cruz— Maridel Cruz—Nancy Cruz—Rocelle Cruz—Erika Cuevas—Melissa Cuevas—Barbara Cullingford—Meshella Damo—Alexandra Daniels—Rafael Davila—Brianna Davis— Alelene Anila De Guia—Diana De La Garza—Ana De Pablos—Heather Dela Pena— Linda Delatoba—Rayito Deleon—Ilene Delgadillo—Barbara Delgado—Denise Delgado—Erika Delgado—Gabriel Delgado—Erika Delos Reyes—Allyza Delosreyes—Yoselin Delrazo—Jina Deutsch—Christopher Devereaux—Kathrine Devine Organ—Lorise Diamond—Brenda Diaz—Paola Diaz—Patricia Diaz—Jezyle Deo Diez—Irene Directo—Denise Dizon—Jonathan Dolojan—Mae Domingo—Erick Domogma—Giancarlo Dongo—Graciela Duenas—Carl Dungca—Carlos Duran— Paul Dutkiewicz—Andrew Dyer—Jennifer Ebba—Gabriel Edrozo—Lennin Edusada—David Eguiza Jr.—Marissa Eldridge—Viviana Elias—Cynthia Enciso Castro—Jesica Eng—Joel Enriquez-Cazarez—Sergio Erdmann—Yliana Escamilla— Loujhereleen Esmende—Jose Esparza—Elena Espinosa—Yaresly Espinosa—Carina Espinoza—Humberto Espinoza—Juan Andres Espinoza Ulloa—Emmylou Estandian—Allison Estaris—Eric Estrada—Luis Estrada—Melissa Estrada—Irma Estrada Dickinson—Isabelle Estrella—Melissa Estrella—Mark Ewest—Jannia Fajer— Michelle Farha—Christopher Farrell—Alejandra Favela—Genie Fernandez—Rendell Fernandez—Kristof Fernando—Chelsea Ferrer—John Fierro—Erik Figueroa—Mary Jane Figueroa—Yesenia Figueroa—Rosa Flanagan—Annabella Flores—Elmer Flores— Marygrace Flores—Michele Flynn—Ruby Fong-Gamez—Jonathan Francis—Alma Franco—Brianna Fuentes—Andres Galindo—Elba Galindo—Ryan Gallagher—Natali Gallardo—Christine Galvan—Karen Galvez—William Galvez—Mariah Gamalinda— Jennifer Gama-Serwitz—Andres Gamboa—Laura Gamby—Rosa Gamino—Gilberto Garate—Abner Garcia—Adriana Garcia—Alejandra Garcia—Ashley Garcia—Belcia Garcia—Christopher Garcia—Cristofer Garcia—David Garcia—Diana Garcia—

Stephanie Bernal—Hugo Aburto—Roberto Ackerman—Towan Adams—Karen-Alleluia Agbuya—Araceli Aguayo—Luis Aguilar—Yahaira Aguilar—Rockaela Aguirre—Noemi Aguirre—Jesus Aispuro—Miren Algorri—Omar Almaraz—Karen Alvarado-Barajas—Fabiola Alvarez— Paulina Amador—Julio Andrade—Alejandro Anguiano—Denise Aquino—Patrick Arabaca—Katlyn Aragon—Joy Arevalo—Matthew Armstrong—Mirna Arvizu—Erika Asuncion—Paulette Avelar-Montano— Marcos Avila—Nidia Avila Espinoza—David Ayala—Muriel Ayaz—Ashley Azarraga—Anthony Babida—Juan Balderas—Manuel Baluyot—Ramiro Barajas—Danniela Barajas—Julie Barrios—Mariana Barrios—Arnesto Bautista—Jorge Becerra—Ronnie Beckett—Michael Beers—Jorge Belendez de la Torre—Alejandra Beltran—Roshelle Bennett—Ana Bermudez—Lisa Bernabe—Kassandra Billiet—Criszel Bona—Jessica Bonilla—Elizabeth Bosdet—James Boulware—Michael Brass—Cashiera Brown—Kaitlen Burnom—Brianne Butcher—Emilia Camargo—Andrea Campbell—Eliza Cana—Maria Cantu—Francia Cao-Romero—Dominque Cardenas— Scarlett Caro—Josemaria Carranza—Ashley Carreno Caro—Mario Carrillo—Fernando Carrillo—Sarah Castaneda—Richard Castro— Lizbeth Castruita—Isabel Cendejas—Edgar Centella—Ricardo CerdaManzo—Lorenzo Cervantes—Arturo Cesena—Carlos Chavez—Joseph Chavez—Gisel Chavez-Vega—Eddie Chavira—Kevin Choularton—Phillip Chung—Kevin Coniff—Andrea Contreras—Christian Contreras—Sergio Contreras—Samantha Cook—Hector Cordova—Edward Cormode—John Cormode—Michael Cornel—Angelicajoy Corpuz—Diana Corrales— Jacqueline Corrales—Alfredo Correa—Corey Cournoyer—Roberto Cruz—Erika Cuevas—Abigail Dano—Rafael Davila—Patrick De La Garza—Alma De Sucre—Barbara Delgado—Erika Delgado—Erika De los Reyes—Kristen Dennis—Victor Diaz—Brenda Diaz—Jezyle Deo Diez— Tien Dinh—Graciela Duenas—Mirna Duenez—Itzel Dunn—Carlos Duran—Erick El Belle—Marinela Elane—Garrett Elkins—Lidia Erwin— Marc-Ryan Escalona—Jasmine Esliter—Jose Esparza—Carina Espinoza— Juan Andres Espinoza Ulloa—Brenda Esquerra—Allison Estaris—Mandel Estepa—Melissa Estrella—Isabelle Estrella—Alexandria Evans—Mark Ewest—Michelle Farha—Sofia Fialko—John Fierro—Renee Fierro— Giorgiodante Filoteo—Hector Flores—Guillermo Flores—Annabella Flores—Alannah Flores—Ruby Fong-Gamez—Alma Franco—Jezabel Franco—Conrad Fuller—Nickolas Furr—Aurora Gallegos—William Roberto Acevedo—Arturo Adame—Abdullah Alasfar—Jillian Alegre— Arlyn Amor—Perla Anguiano—Itzel Aranda—Brianna Arellano—Celina Arellano—Ashley Arpallan—Austin Austria—Anthony Babida—Priscilla Bautista—Lydia Beltran—Cherame Biteng—Criszel Bona—Tamathia Bowen—Andres Burgoin—Daphne Cabrera—Priscilla Cacho—Martha Camacho—Razel Candare—Rachel Cantor—Biancalili Carrion—Jesus Castorena—Yvette Castro—Jessica Chavez—David Chavez—Azucena Coleman—Christian Cosme—Beatriz Cowardin—Mario Croce—Adam Cruz—Latasha Davis—Sydney Dela Cruz—Heather Dela Pena— Christopher Delgado—Jonathan Diaz—Nydia Diaz Robledo—Ivy Dichoso—Eva Echeverria—Marissa Eldridge—Cynthia Enciso Castro— Emmylou Estandian—Karen Estrada—Christopher Farrell—Alejandra Favela—Stephan Felix—Yesenia Figueroa—Yaremi Flores—Hector Flores—Andrea Floyd—Camille Conchita Galang—Natalia Galata— Andrea Gallo Palafox—Matthew Gamache—Isabel Garcia—Eunice Garcia—Feonamae Garcia—Valerie Garcia—Adrian Garcia—Cosme Abdullah Alasfar—Karla Anaya-Aldrete—Alejandro Arana—Joy Arevalo—Carl Bailey—Jasmin Bejarano—Luis Berumen—Hiram Cardoza—Isai Castillo—Lizbeth Castruita—Jubeth Catalma—Phillip Chavez-Coudurier—Adriana Colazo—Omar Comonfort—Xennia Contreras—Michael Cook—Sydney De La Cruz—Jonathan Diaz—Brandon Dorsey—Margarita Duarte—Jasmine Esliter—Cameron Espinosa—Kyle Fairley—Scott Felix—Jesus Figueroa—Karen Fonseca—Sierra Gallanosa— Justin-Michael Agustin—Jillian Alegre—Lydia Alvarez—Alejandro Arana—Deborah Bon—Tamathia Bowen—Priscilla Cacho—Paola Camacho—Yvette Castro—Jubeth Catalma—Alma Chacon—Ashlie Cochren—Natasa Cordova—Diana De La Garza—Ana De Pablos— Sydney De La Cruz—Lorise Diamond—Jonathan Diaz—Nydia Diaz Robledo—Robby Dimalanta—Margarita Duarte—Sandra Enriquez— Joel Enriquez-Cazarez—Mario Esquivies—Jesus Figueroa—Rebekah Fowler—Sierra Gallanosa—Matthew Gamache—Aaron Garcia—

Weide—Twyla Williams

List of graduates provided by the Office of Communications, Community and Govt. Relations

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The Southwestern College Sun

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Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

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Business is bubbling for beer-inspired merchandise entrepreneur It is a sweltering spring afternoon at the CityBeat Festival of Beers. Nestled between brewery booths pouring libations, a bearded man in a flat-billed cap and sleeveless shirt talks to potential customers perusing his art.

In just a few years artist Rudy Pollorena Jr’s company, Craft Beerd, has become synonymous with San Diego County’s booming brewing industry. Drawing inspiration from the beers and breweries he enjoys, Pollorena has created a diverse line of beer-inspired merchandise, including t-shirts, caps, hoodies, coasters, bottle openers and glassware.

A Hilltop High School graduate, Pollorena attended San Diego State for one year before enrolling at Southwestern College in 1998 to study art and graphic design.

“I never saw myself with any artistic ability,” he said.

“Everything I learned was refreshing and fun.”

He spent the next 10 years as a video game developer working out of Atlanta. What he learned at SWC helped him in that career as well, he said.

“I remember collaborating with other people in class when we had team projects,” he said. “I began my career in video games, which was heavy in team-based environments.”

After spending so much time away from San Diego County, Pollorena was looking for a way to get back home.

“There weren’t any game jobs here,” he said, “so I decided to leave the games industry and come back home to do freelance graphic design.”

His big break came after he created “San Diego Beer Matrix,” a poster that named every local brewery in a crossword puzzle-like design.

“I shared that on Facebook to every brewery that was on the matrix,” he said, “and then people started sharing it, then the breweries started sharing it.”

Pollorena launched Craft Beerd in March, 2013, not long

after his Beer Matrix design took off. He began to do custom designs for local breweries and eventually created his own line of brew-themed merchandise.

“2015 was the first year I took it seriously as a business,” he said. “The two years prior it was more about having fun and making money off my art.”

With help from his wife, Amy, he said that in 2015 he started focusing more on balancing online sales with working beer festivals to be more efficient.

“Last year we did well because I put more effort than I did in the past,” he said. “We did about 75 trade shows.”

He said his unusual education path was pivotal to his success as an artist.

“Going ‘backwards’ from SDSU to SWC sparked (a) nomadic spirit,” he said. “The freedom to explore and experiment is an aspect I still carry in my current career with Craft Beerd.”

Po l l o r e n a d r a w s inspiration from the beer culture in San Diego, visiting the bars and breweries.

“It all starts with beer, the love of beer,” he said. “You feel like everyone’s your friend.”

As for finding a career in the arts, he recommends that SWC artists experiment.

“I never knew I wanted to pursue a career in video games,” he said, “I stumbled on it through curiosity and exploration.”

Going from game design to art and fashion is not a common career transition, but to work as an artist, flexibility is essential.

“I honestly believe there is no set path for any one person,” he said. “It’s up to you to dabble in various interests and something will call to you.”

SOUVENIRS ON TAP — Rudy Pollorena Jr. (left) entertains customers with his vast selection of Craft Beerd merchandise at the CityBeat Festival of Beers.

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HOPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH — Between 2010 and 2016, craft beer presence in San Diego County has increased significantly, with 91 brewhouses opening. The industry’s growth made possible the success of beer culture merchandise such as Pollorena’s.

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The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

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Mining laughs from Hamlet and Trotsky is a bumpy road Evening of one-act plays is humorous, biting but confusing

> REVIEW

By Priscilla Gallardo Staff Writer

Timing was everything for the series of one-act performances “All in the Timing.”

Some were well-timed, some needed a little more time.

First up was “Sure Thing” and the words “sure thing” were repeated throughout the improvisational theatre exercise. When a bell rang, scenarios changed. Bill (Jordan Holguin) conversed with Betty (Mariah Cooper) while she read in a cafe. Holguin was strong, but Cooper rushed her lines as nervous young actors often do.

“The Universal Language” was the most confusing piece. Dawn (Michelle Kaufman) and Don (Holguin) played an instructor that struggled to teach a new language, but it was extremely difficult to understand what either character was saying. This act was too desperate to be humorous, despite the actors’ best efforts.

“The Philadelphia” was the most entertaining act. Amanda O’Rourke played Allie, a flustered woman having a bad day until her friend Marsha (Cecilia DiMiro) points out that she is simply in a “Philadelphia,” a black hole in the time continuum. Alyssa Castillo ended the scene by

taking a seat next to DiMiro and explaining how lucky she was to be in a Philadelphia and not a Cleveland.

“It’s like death without the benefits,” said Castillo with the perfect sprinkle of irony.

“Everybody’s got to be somewhere.”

“A Variation of the Death of Trotsky,” like “Sure Thing,” was a classic theatre exercise. There were some heady jokes for those who caught them, including a skewering of psychologist Sigmund Freud. Daniel Salinas played Ramon, the gardener who clumsily smashed an axe through the buried skull of Trotsky, who was cleverly resurrected by Castillo. Salinas had a brief but humorous appearance, but the highlight was Veronica McFarland’s anachronistic twerking to “Work” by Rihanna.

“Words, Words, Words” was a parody of “Hamlet” and the Infinite Monkey Theorem that insists a chimp could eventually write “Hamlet” randomly if left to pound on the keys long enough.

As the final of the five acts, it should have carried more of a punch. There were some clever jokes making fun of animal testing and reverse classical conditional from a chimpanzee’s point of view. “Hamlet” collides with the principle of the three wise monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Alas, poor Yorik, a fellow of infinite jest, could not make sense of it.

Sergio Esparza/Staff

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Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

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The Southwestern College Sun

Storytellers dazzle crowds on the road

By Andrew Perez Staff Writer

Andrea Aliseda/Staff

BREAKING FROM THE HERD— Southwestern College telemedia instructor Scott Richison and his team have landed their new music program “Unherd” on KGTV Channel 10, San Diego County’s ABC affiliate.

Instructor sells music program to ABC TV Innovative new show celebrates local music and performing artists

Music television is back.

SWC telemedia instructor, Scott Richison is the reason why. His new show “Unherd” is now airing on ABC. “Unherd” is a hip, personable and updated version of MTV’s golden era Total Request Live (TRL) with a cast of established San Diego-area journalists who have promised to spoon out jam-worthy gems from the flood of content streaming services provide.

“The goal of ‘Unherd’ is pretty simple, to turn people onto music they otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to,” said Richison.

“Unherd” unpacks the best of new, classic and underground music released through the phalanx of giant streaming services that constantly unleash a tsunami of new music to drowning listeners.

“Streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal really changed consumption patterns,” said Richison. “Having access to the world’s largest catalogue of music for a few bucks a month can be kind of overwhelming.”

Richison’s “Unherd” team promises to calm frazzled modern music mavens with pop culture and music news, spotlights on local artists and throwbacks to voices tucked away on dusty vinyl.

“I don’t think we will actively try to strike a balance,” said Richison. “Much of the content is going to depend on what is released that week or who is coming to town. If a pop artist releases an album and it’s good, then we’ll cover it.

The same holds true for indie artists. So it’s

not so much about being intentional or equal in our coverage in terms of genres as it is about offering all artists an equal footing.”

Richison carefully curated his team of seasoned music aficionados.

Alex Zaragoza, best known for her San Diego CityBeat column, There She Goz, hosts the show and news segment.

“The show is not pretentious, it’s fun, funny and genuinely something I would like to watch,” she said.

Zaragoza said she hopes to establish a laidback but enthusiastic tone.

“It’s like when you find out you’re watching the same Netflix show as someone and you just want to talk about it and nerd out, that’s how I want the show to feel,” she said. Zaragoza said she will offer a feminist perspective of the music scene.

“Feminism, women’s issues, the way women are presented in the media, I want this show to align with my beliefs on those topics,” she said.

Jeff Terich, known for his work as music editor of San Diego CityBeat and underground music blog Treblezine, will highlight the best of the San Diego music scene, suggesting events and top picks for viewers.

91X DJ Michael Holloran will guide viewers through with weekly music history lessons.

“I approached each of them because of their tastes and expertise,” Richison said.

“They have total control and final say in what they cover. I want their voice and the show as a whole to be absolutely authentic.”

Richison brought in former Southwestern College students Mark Liwanag and Lito

Buendia. Liwanag is a production supervisor and Buendia is an editor.

To work for the two-time Emmy Awardwinning instructor, students have to be finishers, he said.

“Even if you’re taking an entry-level class (I look for the people who are) still going to finish and want to get perfect grades,” he said. “People who want to be the best or expect to turn in best work at all times.”

Both of his SWC hires, he noted, were selftaught before entering his class.

“I know I can hand them a problem or issue and they will have genuine curiosity to go figure it out and strive to do their best and be their best,” he said.

Richison shot the pilot during winter break.

“Unherd” was picked up by ABC earlier this year and is airing locally for San Diego audiences, but he has bigger plans.

“We’re hoping to take the localized segments and have other media personalities host them in markets elsewhere,” he said. “But for now, it’s just on in San Diego and we’re very excited about that.”

“Unherd” has a mission to un-herd music listeners and help them hear the unheard.

“What we listen to has a lot to do with our social groups and the manner in which we were raised,” he said. “There is kind of an inherent herd mentality in our music consumption. So if we can encourage you to get away from your herd and that mentality by exposing you to something different, then we’ve succeeded.”

“Unherd” airs Saturdays on KGTV at 11:45 p.m.

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By Andrea Aliseda Staff Writer

376 Center St, Chula Vista CA 91910 More details and pictures upon request

(619) 699-9162 rosytaboada152@gmail.com

It is crowded inside the Whistle Stop Bar tonight and if there’s one thing I hate, it is crowds.

“I’m still surprised by how packed it gets on VAMP night,” the bartender told me as I ordered my drink. It’s called the “Societe, The Harlot.”

The ale tasted refreshing, subduing the anxious butterflies in my stomach.

I was there for VAMP, a monthly event held at The Whistle Stop Bar put on by So Say We All, a non-profit organization that hosts writing workshops and has a publishing imprint that gives people from all walks of life the chance to tell their stories in a safe environment.

I turned to look at the throng of loud, laughing inebriated people. Suddenly my crippling social anxiety kicked in, my mind started to reel and I felt the immense need to get the hell out. I took a couple big gulps of “The Harlot” for encouragement, offered a little prayer to a picture of The Artist Once Again Known As Prince and wade into the madness.

The stage was bare. A bright spotlight highlighted a lone microphone set to the left of a projector screen. The lights dimmed and the stories begin.

Ken Grimes, a thin man with a quaint British accent, talked of his adventure one summer in the ‘70s when he flew from the UK to the U.S. with no money, but plenty of gumption. He had dreams of going to San Francisco, joining the counter culture movement in Haight-Ashbury and getting majorly stoned. Audience members found that last fact particularly funny and I laughed right alongside them. He told of how he did everything from working as an ice cream truck driver to doing a short stint as a rail yard tramp just to get that sweet smell of California air.

Seth Combs took the stage. His bearded, bespectacled face, long hair and lanky frame made him a dead ringer for Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker. His story, about getting a job as a Pharmacy Technician in the South and becoming Douglas County’s leading supplier of illegal pharmaceuticals, was hilarious, full of dark humor reminiscent of Scottish author Irvine Welsh.

I laughed quietly throughout the whole piece.

Some stories were amusing, such as Annemarie Houghtailing’s story about the hazards of taking freelance photography jobs, which for her included a dubious encounter with Coco-T in which she found herself rubbing baby oil onto the shapely model’s thighs, and Allison Gauss’ tale about moving to the South and working at a Rent-A-Center with a cast of colorful characters.

As I looked around the bar seemed more crowded than earlier and my anxiety skyrocketed.

There were too many people there. I felt ill.

Giddiness and fortitude the ale had given me earlier were gone, replaced by sheer panic.

I have been to numerous literary readings before, even gotten the courage to get up and read some of my own pieces. The concept is unique. People getting together just to hear others talk, to hear stories being told. It feels almost primal, like gathering around a campfire and regaling each other with tales of adventure, tragedy and heartbreak.

Some deal with sensitive issues like Esther Woodman’s disturbing story about dealing with an obscene crank caller while she worked as a waitress at a Ruby’s Diner and Cecile Estelle’s politically-charged tale about her time working as a teacher’s aide to a homophobic high school coach who would routinely berate his students and call them “fags.”

Then there’s Patricia Dwyer’s tale about a memorable Christmas Eve waiting tables at an On The Border restaurant, which was in a category all its own.

She told of a lone young woman who entered the establishment. The woman was quiet and melancholy and orders nothing but three rounds of Pacifica. When she finished, Dwyer gave her the bill and left her to pay.

“When I come back she’s gone,” Dwyer says.

“No money, just the bill I left her. On the back of the bill she wrote, ‘The love of my life just committed suicide. I just can’t handle this right now. I’m sorry.’”

The bar went silent.

That was my favorite story of the night. Dwyer was a particularly deft storyteller and the tale felt like a punch to the gut.

When all the stories were told the lights turned back on. Everyone awakened from their trances and clapped one last time for the seven brave readers who dared to bare their hearts and souls.

The bar patrons shambled about. Some stayed to chat with friends, have another couple of rounds. Others, like myself, stepped out into the slightly chilly night air and head home.

As I waited for my ride, I watched all the people milling about on the sidewalk. I wondered which one of them had a story to tell, which one had experienced something that no one else had.

Then I remembered that I had my own story to write, my own experience to share, which you have just finished reading. Ironic, isn’t?

The Southwestern College Sun

Summer Edition 2016—Vol. 59, Issue 7

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Summer Edition 2016 — Vol. 59, Issue 7

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: news@theswcsun.com

Denisse Bautista Ibarra

Melissa Belen-Gonzalez

Deborah Bon

James Centeno

Aileen Contreras

Cecelia Di Mino

Chrystian Gonzalez

Andrew Lerch

Lucio Lira

Rafael Mancera

Shanna McCravey

Alex Mendoza

Cynthia Ochoa

Matthew Isaiah Ortiz

Monserrat Meza

20SODAS Melissa Rodriguez

Bruno Tirado

YelitzaValdez

Jose Antonio Vera II

Yousra Yassein

2016 Student of D i s t i n c t i o n Aw a r d recipients S o u t h w e s t e r n C o l l e g e’s highest student recognition

Photos courtesy of José Islas