Mountaineer Spring 2012 Issue 4

MT. SAC SPRING SPORTS END ON STRONG NOTE

Pg. 20

A First Amendment Newspaper of the Mt. San Antonio College Journalism Program Wednesday, June 6, 2012

www.mountiewire.com

Volume 77 Issue 4

STUCK AT MT. SAC NEW OBSTACLES ARISE FOR STUDENTS Pg. 5

OBAMA

PROGRESSING OR FLIP-FLOPPING?

Pg. 3

CONSTRUCTION

STUDENT REACTIONS, FUTURE PLANS Pg. 6

ART GALLERY

SHOWCASES STUDENT TALENT Pg. 10

IMMIGRANT STORIES STUDENTS PERSEVERE Pg. 8-9

2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Tuition increases affecting student enrollment !"#$%&$'()$* !"#$"%&'%()&*+$),During the Board of Trustees’ regular meeting at Founders Hall on Feb. 2, Dr. Bill Scroggins, president and CEO of Mt. SAC, reported that there will be a student fee increase from $36 to $46 per unit, along with “modifications to Cal Grants and Board of Governors (BOG) restrictions.”

Virginia R. Burley, the Vice President of Instruction, said that the reason the fee went up again is due to the state’s lack of revenue. “[The] state is short on revenue, even with the increase fee to $36.

Because so many students are [using the] Board of Governors waiver, [the state] did not get the revenue that [it] anticipated. So what we were told was that [because] 70 percent of students across the state are on BOG waivers, they are paying no fees [for] their courses, and the last report I heard was that 58 percent of students at Mt. SAC are on BOG waivers,” she said.

According to Scroggins’ report to the Board of Trustees on Feb. 29, “The biggest community college news last week was the revelation that the state budget has grossly underestimated the revenue that was projected to come to community colleges from both property taxed and student fees. This means another – but now unexpected – cut to our budget, and the total 2011 – 12 apportionment reductions to Mt. SAC this year is $14,082,097.

Xally Araujo, 21, nursing major, said that she does not understand the fee increase and is wondering where the money goes.

“I can’t believe they increased the fee again. The last fee increase was not too long ago—from $26 to $36.”

Others are misinformed about the exact purpose of the fees.

Burley said, “Students think that when they pay for their enrollment fees, they are paying for their education, but they are not.”

Kristina Allende, 41, English Department Chair, has the same understanding as Burley and said, “Fee increases are state decided, so if the fees increase for regular students, they would increase for all of the community colleges. From my understanding, when a student comes to a college in California, most of the fees are paid by the state.”

Allende added, “When a student pays $36 per unit, that’s not the cost of his or her education; it’s being supplemented by the state.

By increasing it to $46 a unit… my assumption is that the $46 will go towards the student and the state will have to back file less money for students.”

Araujo has been coming to Mt. SAC on and off for three years because of her financial situation.

She said, “This year I was accepted for the Board of Governors, and the AS scholarship, but it didn’t cover everything so I still had to pay some fees. But every other year I have been paying for all my classes on my own. I never receive help from FAFSA or [receive] financial aid, so it has been really hard.”

Araujo added, “It’s been difficult trying to save up to transfer to a

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4-year university and at the same time taking all the classes I need here, so I am really stressed out that I have to work and go to school at the same time because [working] takes time away from studying.”

Allende said that she understands students’ frustration.

“When I first began attending Mt. SAC, it was $11 per unit from 1990 – 1992. $11 to $46 is a huge increase,” she said.

Allende said that the issue of tuition at community colleges is a difficult one.

“On one hand, the California community college system is the most affordable college experience in the country. But on the other hand, when it was first instituted at the California community college system, it was meant to be free,” she said. “So we are going from a philosophical idea of [education] being free and that all students can take an advantage of the free education to settling increasing the fees.”

She added, “Even though it’s still the most affordable system in the country, that definitely has an impact on students.”

Araujo’s financial circumstances provide the risk that she may not be able to continue with completing her educational goals as planned.

“If they keep increasing it…I [might not] be able to save up to transfer fast enough and I [will] have

to take some time off from school,” she said. “This semester is the first time ever that I received the BOG waiver—what if I don’t receive any help from the government next year?”

Christine Arias, 23, merchandise and marketing major, is facing a similar situation to Araujo’s.

She said, “This is my third year at Mt. SAC, and the government pays for my tuition. But I pay for everything else on my own expense.

I pay for my textbooks, which cost about $200 - $300 per semester and parking, which costs $40, but I only make minimum wage of $8 an hour, which is about $80 a week.”

Arias continued, “So I think it’s ridiculous that they want to charge more, because everything else is already expensive. If a student just wants to take another class for $46 a unit, it’s like paying for a whole other textbook, or more like double the textbook price.”

Arias said that she would not be at school without government funds, because she has a minimum wage job and does not receive money from her family. “I can only imagine how much harder it is for those students who do not receive any help from the government and [whose families] can’t afford it.”

Even Arias’ current job is not enough to sustain her financial needs.

“I am so stressed out because

employment is not so great right now.

I have a part time job and am trying to find another job that is flexible with my schedule, but I can’t seem to get another. I have so many bills to pay. I need to help out for the family, pay for food, save up to transfer, and am also trying to save up for a car,” she said.

Allende has pointed out that the fee increases are indicative of problems present in the realm of higher education.

“I don’t think that college should be for people who are wealthy; it should be accessible to anyone. If we begin to get into an area of fee increase, which is not accessible for everyone, then I think it’s a huge societal issue that needs to be addressed,” she said.

Burley also agreed with Allende, and thinks that some students might get discouraged from continuing their education.

“It’s terrible that many students have to go through this. People get used to paying a certain amount and you already have a budget for it. Just like when the gas prices go up, unless you have a lot of money, if you are paying an extra $15 every time you pay to fill up your gas tank and you rely on your car…to support your life, it’s a horrible blow.”

See Tuition P. 16

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

3

STAFF Sarah Venezio- Editor-in-Chief Harmon Huynh - Layout & Design Editor Eugene Arellanes - Photo Editor Matthew Medina - News Editor Alex Fenn - Features Editor Jose De Castro - Sports Editor Mercedes Barba, Kathryn Banks - A&E Editors Christina Espin - Multiculture Editor Cynthia Perez - College Life Editor Adam Valenzuela, Christina Espin - Cartoonists Aida Ghorbani, Mikaela Zhao, Suzy Hernandez, Lizette Contreras - Mountiewire.com College Beat Editors Senior Staff Writers Eugene Arellanes, Philip Cao , Lee Ellis, Corey Esquivel, Libby Freeman, Alexander Kchouri, Scott Schetselaar, Josue Velasquez, Tianna Winters, Rich Yap Junior Staff Writers Vivian Aceves, Joseph Andrade, Biany Barrera, Criselle Cortes, Irene Cruz, Analisse Deleon, Valerie De La Puente, Catalina Diaz, Matthew Duran, Garland Dyer, Jose Escobar, Lecia Fox, Keri Fukui, Marie Guerrero, Miranda Hernandez, Martha Landeros, Echo Layton, Edilberto Lopez, Octavia Lopez, Squire Lujan, Edrina Martinez, , Deanna Meza, Sonam Mirpuri, Kevin Muro, Rebekah Penner, Edgar Peralta, Girtha Phillips, Cassandra Rivera, Hira Rizvi, Adolfo Tigerino, Brian Trinidad, Randy Vazquez, Sarah Veltman, Andy Wong, Daniel Woo Designers Beatrice Alcala, Harmon Huynh, Valerie De La Puente, Brandon Clark, Vanessa Paramo Photographers Eugene Arellanes, Ariel Carmona, Jose De Castro, Corey Esquivel, Libby Freeman, Mario Gomez, Eduardo Perez, Peter Roig Advertising Rep Veronica Grant Design Consultant James Choy Assistant to the Adviser Veronica Grant Adviser Toni Albertson

Cover Photo: Beatrice Alcala Mt. SAC student Susan Vannatta stands in front of Building 26.

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Students assess president’s gay marriage announcement 5),";-"4$'B;C"4 18#)$98#)8-%&*+$),On May 9, President Barack Obama became the first sitting president to announce his support of same-sex marriage. His announcement swept the country with mixed reviews and the focus of these reviews has been on the Latino and black communities. The shift from his 2008 stance on same-sex marriage raises the question of how his announcement has affected the opinions of these two communities.

In an MTV interview that aired on Nov. 3, 2008, Obama said he believed marriage was “between a man and a woman” and that he was not in favor of gay marriage. When asked how the president’s shift affected her opinion, Tulu Matele, kinesiology major said, “I honestly think that him switching is just a way to get votes. He’s confusing us by changing his stance and it makes it really hard to take him seriously.”

The fact that the president changed his position has affected some who see it as more of a political strategy rather than something genuine. “I probably won’t vote for him, just because he’s flip flopping,” said Leau Qu, kinesiology major.

Others feel that this move will hurt the president’s chances of getting re-elected and that his motivation was to bring over gay votes from the Republican side. Eliseo Funes, 29, criminal justice major said, “He fears Republicans are going to win and he went out on a limb to get Republican gays to vote for him. I personally don’t care if you’re a homosexual, we’re all human and that’s fine, but he’s going to lose a lot by trying to get a few.”

While others expressed that they did not believe that the president was going to be affected

negatively because of strong party loyalty. “Most gay people are Democrats, so he was trying to get their vote. I don’t think he’s going to lose the Latino and black vote just because they’re Democrats, too,” said Jovan Woods, 21, kinesiology major.

To gather a national view of what is taking place in the black and Latino communities, a Pew Research Center poll conducted between May 10 and May 13 shows that 16 percent of blacks felt more favorably towards Obama, 13 percent less favorably, and 68 percent said that it had no effect on their opinion of the president. There were

See Marriage P. 16

5*,,%7-"*4;'D'E%-,$7-"*4; !"#$%&#'(&)*+,-#*--,&#+.#$%&#/+,"$0*"&&(1#(&2&0-&3#+"#/04#51#0"#&3*$+(#603&#$%&#.+22+7*"8#&((+(9 The bullying article that was published read: “Hearing these stories only reminds me of my own painful past, a past in which I have been a victim of being bullied, especially because I am gay.”

The Mountaineer is a college newspaper published by the students in journalism classes at Mt. San Antonio College. The views expressed in this newspaper do not reflect the views of the adviser, administration or the Board of Trustees of the Mt. SAC district. The Mountaineer is a First Amendment publication.

Phone: 909-594-5611 ext. 6123 FAX: 909-468-4106 Building 26-D, Room 3220

'-("+,"&.#(-/01!234563**7

The correct version is: “Hearing these stories only reminds me of my own painful past, a past in which I have been a victim of being bullied, especially gay bullying.”

Summer school: The print edition of the article discussing summer intersession cuts had a headline saying that classes have been cut in half. Summer 2013 classes may be cut in half, but this is a possibility and not a guarantee.

Tattoos at Mt. SAC: The article credited Beatrice Alcala for all photographs. Mikaela Zhao also took photos of students’ tattoos.

4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

New smoking restrictions being finalized K"$44$'L"4-%,; ?)(>>&A-$)%Mt. SAC may soon have new restrictions on smoking starting on the upcoming fall semester.

The current ban prohibits smoking inside any building on campus and if a student, faculty or staff member wants to smoke a cigarette, it must be 20 feet away from a building entrance.

“It is part of a national effort to have healthy practices on campus, and that includes a variety of initiatives. Certainly encouraging people not to smoke, to be healthier, is one of them,” said school president Bill Scroggins.

The new plan proposes getting rid of the 20-foot rule completely and replacing them with designated areas for smokers. Any student, staff or faculty member caught violating the rule could be subject to a $35 fine for the first citation and $70 for the second. “It is sending a message,” Scroggins said. “It lets everyone know this is not an acceptable social practice. An educated person has the knowledge to recognize that. We are encouraging behavioral change to go along with educated decisions.”

The chair of the committee drafting the revisions to smoking regulations is Sandra Samples, director of health services. “This is a nice compromise. Those who smoke would have a place to go. And those who don’t smoke will have less exposure (to secondhand smoke),” Samples said.

Jess Lopez, 20, environmental studies major,

disagrees. “I think that having the designated smoking areas sucks. I follow the rules and I don’t smoke next to the buildings, ” he said.

Lopez also said that forcing people to smoke in specific smoking areas is unfair. “If you have a certain amount of time between classes and you want to smoke a cigarette, you have to find a designated area,” he said. “What if there isn’t enough time? I don’t think people will follow the rule anyways.”

Some students do not understand why the school has decided to change the ban. “Are we trying to clean up the campus or are we trying to tell people what they should be putting in their bodies?” said Julie Lovich, 22, art major and a nonsmoker.

Others feel that the potential restrictions on smoking areas are unfair to students who smoke.

“I feel like they’re going after smokers a lot more these days, especially with the new smoking ban,” said Matt Bissontz, 21. “I see how it benefits nonsmokers, but for smokers, we’re kinda getting tossed out.”

Bissontz added that the current rules are contradictory. “Right now they want you to smoke 20 feet away from an entrance but yet they put the ashtrays right next to the building entrance. Move them 20 feet away. No biggie.”

Christian Estrada, 23, business major approves of the possible changes. “I think smoking is disgusting and I don’t like the smell of smoke in the classroom. I think the fines and designated areas are perfect.”

Jose Montiago, 20, psychology major thinks the fines are too harsh of a punishment. “Money is already hard enough and they’re already raising class fees,” he said. “To get a ticket for smoking when nobody is around is not fair.”

Montiago finds the current rules to be fair, even though he has admitted to not always following them. “I usually follow the 20 foot rule but when I have a class on the third floor of a building I don’t see why I have to go all the way down to smoke a cigarette,” he said. “I usually smoke around the corner and make sure nobody is around. It isn’t like I’m blowing it in their face.”

Anthony Rodriguez, 18, psychology major agrees and thinks that smokers are getting a bad rap. “Smokers aren’t bad people. There are a lot more problems the school should focus on than where people should smoke,” he said. It wasn’t too long ago that everyone was smoking.”

The new restrictions will not go into effect until fall semester. There are many details that still need to be worked out, like how the faculty will get the message out to students, who will be handing out the citations and where these designated areas will be. The current plan calls for installing 12-16 designated areas for anyone on campus who wishes to smoke a cigarette.

If approved, Mt. SAC plans on having an information campaign to let students and faculty know and prepare for the new changes.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

5

Students face fee hikes, priority changes and repeatability problems ?&%M'N%442'!"#$%&$'()$* B%()8-%<&*+$),-C&!"#$"%&'%()&*+$),Over the past few years, a statewide budget crisis, cut classes, and students competing for limited space have hampered attendees of California community colleges.

Things already have been hard enough for students and now they can add more obstacles to that long list of problems - changes in priority registration and repeatability policies, and the continuing fee hikes.

The first possible change headed students’ way is a change in priority registration.

The current system determines a student’s registration date and time based on units earned and GPA, along with other factors.

With this system, however, it has become a concern that incoming freshmen are not getting the appropriate access to classes that they need.

“The California state legislators have been concerned that incoming freshmen are not getting fair access to seats in classrooms and therefore not getting a fair access to education in the community college system,” said Virginia Burley, vice president of instruction.

“They believe that because community college students repeat classes multiple times without successfully completing them that something needs to be done to limit repeats to continuing students and to open the door to the new students.”

Many students seem to disagree with this potential new policy of giving incoming freshmen priority registration.

“I don’t like the idea of giving freshmen first day priority registration, and I think that priority registration should be given to those who have more accumulated units,” said Aimee Ibarra, 20, sociology and international relations major. “Very few freshmen have an idea as to what they want to major in, so having them have first pick of limited classes would prevent those who are sure of their major to get classes they really need.”

Stephanie Stopani, 21, business major, agrees with Ibarra. “It is unfair for students who have been investing their time at school longer than freshman to not be able to get better registration,” she said. “If this happens, students will have a lower incentive to continue school because it will get more difficult as semesters go by.”

Burley ensures students that even if the school had to make changes to priority registration [and they have not yet], most students will be able to maintain their priority for registration that is pretty similar to what it is now.

“I strongly believe our students have a fair chance to access classes they need if they are able to be f lexible about the time of day they are willing to take classes,” Burley said.

Students also feel that giving freshman students priority registration will slow down students’ transfer rate. “I think giving freshmen first day registration will most definitely slow down the transfer process in general, and I think it should be given to people with more units and good GPA’s,” said Hai Hoang, 22, psychology major.

Burley understands students’ frustration, but understands that the state has very limited resources.

“At a time like this, I would expect some students to become angry, some to feel confused, and many to feel discouraged and powerless,” Burley said. “I personally feel great concern about the series of changes our students are facing. It’s like the rules of the game keep changing while the game is going

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on.”

Burley added, “But I can also understand that the state has very limited resources and is giving us the message that an education should be available to students at all stages of their educational process.”

Besides the possibility of changes in priority registration, there are new changes coming to repeatability policies.

Currently Mt. SAC offers a variety of courses that students are allowed to repeat.

Some of these courses include classes in dance, journalism, speech, and music disciplines.

Classes listed as repeatable currently have different regulations, depending on the class, controlling how many times a student can repeat the course. For courses in which a student has failed, received a D, F, or W, they may repeat the class up to two more times, totaling in three enrollments.

Under new policies repeatable classes and classes repeated due to a failing grade may be grouped together. This meaning that if a student fails a repeatable course and chooses to retake that class to make up that grade, it would count as one of their available repeats.

“It looks like not only would there be four enrollments allowed, but repetitions…probably would count in [those] four enrollments,” Rich Cameron, member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC), said after attending a regional curriculum update conference on May 12. “If a student drops or fails the course the number of times a student could earn passing grades would be reduced,” Cameron said.

These changes to repeatability could be coming soon too. According to Cameron journalism will lose repeatability and that change is likely to go into effect by Fall 2013.

Other courses affected will likely fall under the same time frame.

Amy Nakamura, dance department chair, said that beginning in 2014, students will only be able to take ballet fundamentals for one semester. Currently students can take classes with the word “ballet” in it for up to four times.

Nakamura said that in order to be completely successful in dance classes, it requires lots of repetition. “In most disciplines like a biology class…you typically don’t take that class twice,” Nakamura said, “[However]

with our core classes, ballet, modern, jazz, our students need to keep honing those talents.

Even professional company talents… take classes everyday. Not just to learn new skills, but to keep honing the body.”

Anthony Languren, 21, dance major, agrees with Nakamura. “Cutting the amount of times someone can repeat a dance course inhibits students from reaching their fullest potential, even potential they did not know they have,” Languren said.

Besides dance, the other disciplines that are sure to be affected, such as speech, music, and journalism require the same repeatability. “I feel that the ability to repeat classes is one of the biggest learning tools available,” Julio Regalado, 20, music major, said. “The experience gained in the amount of hours put into the course ref lects greatly on performance in the subject.”

“Dance, journalism, speech, it is not a video game, where you level up and [do not need to] repeat a level unless you fail.” Ashley Díaz, 20, language arts major, said, “Those subjects are like machinery, something we need to use to make sure it does not break down, maintenance, and constant updating to make sure it stay on top.”

The new repeatability policies are coming as an effort to help students move on, graduate or transfer out. Many feel, however, that the new policy could actually hinder the process.

“The cutting of dance classes will most definitely slow down the process of transferring,” Rebecca Rey, 20, dance major, said. To be accepted to a university or private dance school a student must audition to prove how strong their dancing ability is. “This is almost impossible to attain without proper and consistent training. Having fewer classes will not give the dancers the proper technique that they need in order to transfer on,” Rey said.

In response to the demand of cutting repeatability in dance, Nakamura said that students should make the most out of it from the dance classes they are able to take at Mt. SAC. It is possible that some classes may be

See Repeatability P. 16

6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Construction projects add to traffic, stress

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R*;%'O%'5$;-,*2'S%%'B&&"; ?E,-)<&*+$),-C&?%"$,-&?)(>>&A-$)%Horns, red lights, and students running to class. It may seem like a typical finals week, but it is due to the construction surrounding the campus on Temple Avenue.

Most students have noticed the construction on Temple; some have adjusted, some have not.

Construction notifications were mailed and posted all over the campus on Feb. 12.

Students such as Josh Sordo, animal science major, still had some difficulties getting to class even with the notifications that were given out.

“I saw the sign down Grand Avenue and on Temple Avenue but I didn’t know that it was gonna be that much of an inconvenience,” said Sordo. “It’s so hard to get around and there’s several different kinds of traffic coming from all ways, so there’s usually a pretty good amount of wait.”

The construction comes in at a bad time with finals approaching, as it may add some frustration for students.

Howard Holman, project manager for Mt. SAC, said that the money that was used for the construction had to be spent prior to the deadline or else the funding would be lost if the construction was not completed.

“What happens is that the city was given a certain amount of time to spend money,” said Holman. “So instead of being able to wait until the summer when there might have been less students on campus, the money had to be spent prior to the June deadline and that’s why the project began as it did.”

According to Steve Loriso, project manager for RKA Consulting Group, the project will be funded through Proposition C (local sales tax increment), STP-L

(federal fund administered through Caltrans), a rubberized pavement grant from CalRecycle, and Walnut’s city funds.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1.5 million, with a $124,771 contingency fee and a $206,250 for professional services.

The city has more than $1.8 million available; the bulk of the money is coming from the Proposition C funds.

Some students such as Justin Bethea, kinesiology major, said that the construction should have been done at a time that’s more convenient for the students.

“I feel like they should’ve done it during the break time, either between winter and spring or fall and winter,” said Bethea. He added that doing it during one of those breaks would have been perfect since it would be less congested.

The purpose of the construction on Temple was to widen lanes for better access into and out of the campus, which will help relieve some of the congestions that the campus receives.

The construction also includes changes to the median at the intersection of Temple and Bonita Avenues.

For now, the construction has caused some students to be late for class or had to find other ways to get to class while other students have showed their frustration.

“I had to catch a bus since my class was in building 26 and I went to the bus stop,” said Roderick Arrant, 22, business major. “It was closed, so I had to walk all the way down past the Chevron up the hill to catch the bus; it sucks.”

Arrant said the construction will not help alleviate the congestion and traffic around the school.

“I don’t think the construction is going to help at all; the road was fine and there were no complaints,” said Arrant. “I didn’t

see any accidents on the streets or complaints about how the road quality was bad at all.”

Some students have shown their displeasure and are giving the construction workers a hard time.

“That’s pretty typical with a lot of construction, it’s an inconvenience for a lot of people, especially the first week or two,” said Holman. “You have to give the people a day or two to understand; we have given an advance notice of 30 days to the people, letting them know that construction is going to take place at certain times and dates.”

He said that as the construction went on, people found their way in and out of the congestion and that they have worked through it.

Jesus Magallon, 28, graphic design major, said that parking in a different location has helped him be on time to his classes.

“I’m actually parking in different spots to be earlier,” said Magallon.

Angel Lujuan, department head chair of counseling, suggested students leave early to avoid all of the congestion.

“I tend to leave early enough from home that I get to work usually without being late and that’s probably the advice that I would give any students is to give yourself some lee time as you leave home so you don’t run late to class,” said Lujan.

The school has worked with city committee members in trying to make sure that the congestions are not as heavy during certain periods.

“We just had our relays; we wanted to make sure that everything was cleared off and we could get people in and out easily,” said Holman, “We worked with public safety to provide us with different various routes for everyone to access into the campus and off the campus.”

Holman added that there have

not been any real hiccups as far as the construction schedule and that the construction is ahead of schedule.

With all of the notifications that were sent out warning of inconveniences, Loriso said that this project has been successful.

“With every construction project, there are inconveniences.

This project has experienced some as well,” said Loriso. “However with all of the planning and coordination that went into this project with Mt. SAC, the advance notice campus wide of the upcoming project, traffic control signs posted in advance of the project to warn motorists to use alternate routes, this project has been a great success.”

Future construction plans are in negotiations with Loriso’s group, as RKA Consultants are working with the school to work on three different intersections, Bonita Drive and Temple Avenue, Bonita Drive and Walnut Drive, and San Jose Hills Road and Grand Avenue.

“What we’re going to be doing is widening, striping, and [adding] new signals that will be located in those areas and that to will also help relieve some of the campus restrictions that we have with some of the flow of traffic, so we’re in hopes of that will go smoothly,” said Holman. “We’re trying to get that work done during the summer.”

Holman said that they would like to get these planned construction projects done during the summer.

“We would like to really be able to concentrate that in the summer when we have fewer students and faculty on campus,” said Holman.

“Nothing is concrete right now, but it’s in the design and planning stages.”

Holman said that the construction will continue on through the summer and that he hopes to have it finished before the start of the fall semester.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

7

Our right to open doors !"#$%&'()*$+"% !"#$"%&'%()&*+$),Ladies, it is time for a counterrevolution. Men, it is time for you to change.

Yeah, yeah. I know what you are thinking: “Great.

Another member of the female population telling me to change.” And to that I say: “Wow, what a typical male, making everything a self-pity party.”

Ladies everywhere, grab your pitchforks, your torches, your 5-inch heels.

We are going to assassinate chivalry. Because the chivalrous acts need to stop.

A lot of us will be hesitant to do so. And I understand. Trust me when I say that it was not easy for me to hit the realization that we can do better. But chivalry is doing more harm to us than anything else. No, seriously! Just bear with me.

It is the 21st century.

The age of technology, limitless knowledge at, literally, the palm of our hands, and an expanding world. We are lucky enough to be living in the United States, where we are used to such privileges as the freedom to speech and expression. But it would be a tragedy to forget that only 100 years ago, we could not vote- the government didn’t deem our voices worthy enough. But it’s worthy to note that the United States is not even the worst culprit in the women’s suffrage movement. Good ol’ Lady Liberty granted women the right to vote in 1920 (ironic, isn’t it?).

But what about others?

The United Kingdom: 1928.

France: 1945. Switzerland: 1971. Saudi Arabia: 2015.

Yeah, over there, it is only proposed.

What do all these implicate? Well, it is not like we come from a long history of freedom. So to dismiss that which we do have in the present age would be a slap across Jesus’ face. Then he’d turn the other cheek.

And, really, why stop at only one?

Many today often forget the efforts of their predecessors. We act as if we have had these privileges forever, that we do not care for them. And chivalry allows for such a mentality to live on. Women are weak, it says, so men must do those small things for them. I am sorry, but I am capable of opening my own door. Chivalry feeds the men’s instinct to dominate and take care and the girls’ desire to be nurtured and taken care of.

Sure, it is mannered.

But have you considered the place it originates?

Every time a guy opens a door for me, I find myself thinking, “Why?” And the answer seems to be right there. Guys really only do anything for one reason and one reason only: to impress women. And why impress them? Because it gets them laid. Men seem to be conditioned to have such manners. They do not realize why they do what they do. Has any guy stopped to think why they open doors for girls? And

why not guys?

I don’t have a problem with manners! As long as they are genuine and thought about.

I want a guy to open the door for me as long as he has realized while doing it and thereafter that I myself am perfectly capable of doing it myself. He should only pay if I covered him the previous time.

Chivalry as it stands right now is stupid and should be reserved for only those that are just as such.

It sends a biting pain down my spine every time I see the girl who acts dumb to get the guys around her.

She is so unaware of the girls around the world fighting to get an education or the girls before her who endlessly pinpointed their every move to avoid being labeled anything inferior to men. And here she is: the epitome of sexism. So, yeah, she deserves chivalry.

Because a girl weak enough to dismiss her intelligence and self-worth to act stupid for a couple of maleadorning minutes is weak enough to have to have a guy open doors, pay, and hold her stuff. But she lives with the continuation of a weak label. She will always be “whatever” and never the strong woman. She will never be independent, never be taken seriously. But if she can live with that….

That being said, chivalry should be for everyone- it is not reserved as a strictly male-to-female concept. We live in the 21st century. We are all equal today under

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the law. So it is time that we integrate equality into our culture. De jure equality has not meant de facto.

I am not asking for drastic change. This is not a

feminist call to stop shaving and start burning bras. No. Girls: keep doing what you

See Chivalry P. 16

Shove it up your gas hole ,-(..%,-'/.0/1$$)% :)(;;&<-$)%Sustainability is not just a pipe dream, it is a necessity; and if we plan on making it through this century, we will have to make it our way of life.

I have been pumping gas into a car for about 10 years now and like many others, I have noticed that gas prices have doubled in that time period. It was not until recently that I started to look closer to see what could be done to curb my cost at the pump when I realized the grim reality: there was nothing.

There is nothing we can do to lower gas prices and in fact, they will continue to rise until we can no longer afford them at all.

The simple fact that we have known for years is that our oil resources are finite, and our demand now exceeds our ability to produce. The model of oil production that has proven true was proposed back in 1956 by renowned

geophysicist Marion King Hubbert.

Hubbert’s prediction was scoffed at until it was proven true in 1970 when the United States entered a decline in oil production for the first time ever. Americans felt the sting of foreign oil dependency for the first time in 1973 when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) stopped all shipments to the United States, sparking an energy crisis.

One of the biggest misconceptions I had before I did any research was that our dependence on oil could be reduced by simply making cars that ran more efficiently or making them run off of alternative fuels like ethanol or electricity. While these would definitely help, they would only postpone the inevitable.

Corn, used to produce ethanol, has been proven to be unsustainable.

Ecologist David Pimantel of Cornell University, in his March 2005 paper to the National Resources Research Journal, has calculated that it takes 29 percent more energy in the form

of fossil fuels to produce ethanol than it can in turn provide.

It is also a common misconception that electric cars do not use fossil fuels. In fact, electricity is not a power source; it is simply a means for transporting energy from one place to another.

According to a paper in the Harvard Business Review by John B. Hess, hydrocarbons supply approximately 85 percent of the world’s energy; so when you plug your electric car into the wall, you are in fact still using unsustainable energy.

Another thing I discovered while doing research was an article by Richard Gibson in the Butte Weekly from Dec. 21 & 28, 2005 on how much oil was used by our cars and how unsustainably produced the cars themselves were.

I investigated further and found that Gibson has a book out as well.

In the book, entitled “What Things are Made Of,” Gibson shows how just about everything we come into contact with has used oil in its

production. What I began to realize was that not only could we not sustain a fuel supply for the cars we drive, but we could not even sustain production.

It is not just the gas we pump into the tank that is the problem, but also the oil we have to pump into everything else. Uncovering this idea that cars are produced so unsustainably led me to look elsewhere. Practically everything we use can be tied back to oil. I looked around my home and saw that everything had oil in it. Even the wood items had to be sawed down by a chainsaw and transported on trucks. Similar stories could be told about almost everything. What happens when all of the oil is gone?

We cannot just drill more wells because the easiest oil to get at has already been gotten. According to the United States Department of the Interior, as of 2010 we have 3500 off-shore drilling operations; it is

See Gas Hole P. 16

8

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Student’s ambition conquers struggles

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6.+*%7.80. <0=(+'%!"#$$%&'(")' Undocumented – to many that word and the status it brings with it

equates to humiliation and shamefulness. To Seleny Rodriguez, however, it means love, courage and resilience.

Rodriguez, a 20-year-old ethnic studies major, is a Student of Distinction this year for personal achievement.

Each year Mt. SAC chooses students who excel in four different categories – academic achievement, service achievement, competitive achievement, and personal achievement.

Rodriguez said she received this award because of the challenges she faces being an undocumented student and how she has used education to combat them.

She immigrated to the United States at the age of three with her parents and has faced a lot of difficulty since then, especially regarding higher education.

“As an undocumented student, first generation and low-income it is very difficult to pursue a higher education when resources are limited and the fear of being deported and separation of your family is an everyday reality that myself and immigrant communities go through,” Rodriguez said.

Jesse Perez, a 20-year-old ethnic studies major, agreed.

“The struggle for undocumented students to stay in school is something that I see with a lot of people because they can’t apply for FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and other aid.”

Rodriguez also recalled a time when she was separated from her parents when she was 11 years old.

She and her family were apprehended by border patrol officers and sent back to Mexico.

Rodriguez, however, has three younger siblings that are United States citizens and her parents crossed the border once again to take care of them, leaving Rodriguez behind because she was so young.

She stayed in Mexico with her grandma for three months and experienced a lot of pain and trauma by being separated from her family.

However, Rodriguez has refused to let these challenges stop her from doing what she believes and helping her community.

“I have used community organizing and my role as an activist in my community to empower myself and my community so that we can create

change together and receive the dignity and respect that we deserve as human beings,” Rodriguez said.

She said that receiving this award is another step in that struggle, as her peers realize that they too can win this award, regardless of the obstacles they face.

Samantha Sarwar, an 18-yearold psychology major agreed and said that Rodriguez’ story and courage affects everyone, even if they are not undocumented students themselves.

“Seleny is such an inspiration to everyone who has their own struggles to deal with because she shows us that no matter what you are going through you can still achieve great things,” Sarwar said.

Rodriguez said that living as an undocumented immigrant can be harsh, and that she wants to see less hostility toward immigrants in society.

“It’s difficult living like that everyday, living in fear and being constantly reminded that we are not wanted here when we are called ‘illegal’ or ‘alien,’” she said. “We are human beings like anyone else; therefore, we have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Student transcends borders to find calling !"#$$%!"&'$(')**+ !"#$$%&'(")' It had been a three day ride in the dirtcaked, camper-shelled, bed of a GMC truck belonging to her uncle and they were at the most critical point: The Tijuana/San Diego border crossing. They had started their journey in the small town of Tonala – outside of Guadalajara, Mexico – and now four year-old Paola Padilla, along with her brother and her mother were about to take a step that would change everything, it was a step into the United States.

This 28-year-old Mt. SAC student has been everything from a waitress to a runway model – but one thing she has never been like, is just like any other. Today she studies linguistics with an emphasis on Italian and hopes to transfer to UCLA. When asked about her decision to pursue this major, Padilla said, “After seeing my family’s roots in Mexico, it gave me a newfound reassurance that I wasn’t a product of the antisocial throng of Los Angeles.

But not having grown up there, I knew I wasn’t all Mexican either.” A close friend, Cesy Johnston said, “She has Latin blood, but she is an international.” She has been back to Mexico several times and going back there has given her a lot of respect for the amenities.

“Having seen it every day, this became my norm, and as a kid being four years old, I didn’t have a set opinion of how the way I grew up here was different from the way I had grown up in Mexico, but going back to Mexico was a real eye opening experience,” said Padilla.

She described how much of a luxury having a reliable water heater and large store like Target or Wal-Mart close by could be. Despite it all, both her and her brothers agreed that they were missing out on a lot of the more important aspects of life in Mexico.

She got to see the way people interacted and how different people treated each other; not by appearances, but on the content of character, and the strength of action.

The idea that she had no real homeland had been a recurring theme in her life since she was younger, but it had been reinforced with a

trip she had made to Europe after high school.

“Being in Europe opened up my eyes and my life to languages and cultures I never could have seen before; making that trip shaped what I wanted to do with my life, the career I wanted to pursue, and more specifically linguistics as a major,” said Padilla. After the trip to Europe she began to see herself as a citizen of the world and would find her true calling.

Today, Padilla is an esthetician at a spa and laser center in San Dimas. While going to school to become an esthetician she worked as a cashier and also did some freelance modeling for a friend’s “Chopped Up Cherries” clothing line. Although she had many jobs while going to school, she did not lose sight of her academic goals. “Paola is the kind of person who works to go to school, not goes to school to work,” Johnston said.

Padilla has always maintained a high grade point average and in high school was in the Advanced Placement, or AP program. “AP classes completely exposed me to what regular curriculums don’t go into depth with. I was able to take things like AP European History and it immersed me into the full scope of the subject,” she said.

Padilla added that she was interested in international history and how different nations operate and interact with one another. “Aspects of world wars from other parts of the world, AP Econ and AP Government, AP Statistics, they were all things that I was able to really study in detail. More in depth critical thinking and analyzing broadened my horizons as to where my education and where my learning was.”

There were many hardships over the years and one of the earliest was the language barrier.

After coming to the United States, Padilla was admitted into kindergarten, and her brother into first grade, but a few hours of every day was spent with a tutor named Ms. Rojas learning the English language. After being tutored for a couple months, the school realized that their education was up to date, and they were bumped up into their age-appropriate grade levels.

While going to school, her parents worked to make ends meet. After crossing the border

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with borrowed paperwork and two small children, they would have to work hard to etch out a living in the United States.

Her father, who had been working in a shoe factory prior to the rest of the family’s arrival, was able to support the family back in Mexico, but now that they were here the cost of living was higher. Her mother would have to take on a full time job as well. She took up caretaking and was able to find work caring for an elderly couple. This profession served her well and she would find work with several elderly people over the years.

Responsibilities were given to Padilla around the house but she took it in stride, and as friend Krista Priore says, “Growing up fast has been a motivating factor for her [and] her upbringing has fueled her desire to succeed.”

While the road has been long and rocky, it is the path that was laid before her that has made her what she is today, and Padilla continues to live by the words she hears whispering in the wind, “Never stop listening to yourself.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

9

Hong Kong student takes on New York

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7'#/6*A'#6#"/" !"#$%&'()*++',&$)-&' “Manny Ngan is a machine. He puts his head down, his earphones on, and the next thing you know he’s in your office with the project, done, completed and sealed with his big grin,” said Julie Dong, the 32-year-old manager who supervised Ngan during his fresh-out-of-college-job at the major auditing firm KPMG. At the age of 26, the former Mt. SAC student and Entrepreneur Club founder, has already worked with two of the big four auditing firms. He secured an internship with KPMG the summer of 2008, during his undergrad at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. That internship landed him a four month gig at KPMG’s Shanghai office that led to a full time position.

Now a senior analyst at Ernst & Young’s Complex Securities and Evaluation Group, Manny works in an always illuminated skyscraper overlooking Manhattan’s Times Square.

But jet-setting and experiencing mega cities in

his early 20s from the Bay Area to Shanghai then to New York on exciting corporate evaluations was a life Manny could not imagine a mere eight years ago.

A Hong Kong native, Ngan moved to La Puente in 2003 at age 16 to finish high school in the predominantly Hispanic La Puente High. “I hated the idea of leaving all my friends in Hong Kong behind and unlike other Asian parents who move into Asian communities, my parents could only afford La Puente—I had to learn English right away, that or Spanish to survive.”

Ngan’s parents saw the spark in their son when he dominated high achievement exams in Hong Kong. “If you can make it in Hong Kong, then you can make it in America,” said Ngan’s dad who took a low wage job at a Chinese restaurant to help his son reach the American dream.

Between other odd jobs by Ngan, his mom and sister, the family was able to afford a 1,110 square foot matchbox of a home near a busy four-lane road. It was the kind of neighborhood where the houses had unruly long, tan-colored grass and cracked cement driveways. All the houses were in various states of disrepair and Ngan’s was not an exception. The lime green exterior paint was chipping off in possibly toxic chunks.

Although a top student at his high school, Ngan immediately began at Mt. SAC after high school.

“I messed up,” said Ngan, because he didn’t know how to apply to good four-year colleges fresh out of high school. He found out, however, that being unable to attend more prestigious universities did not necessarily mean that he failed in his academic goals.

“Just because it’s a community college doesn’t mean that there are no smart professors or smart people,” Ngan said. “In fact, Mt. SAC was where I met the most important friends of my life.”

He added that the school provided him with great life experience as a result of meeting proficient professors and close friends.

“It was through the transfer to a better university experience that up until today; I’m still in contact with my Mt. SAC friends,” he said.

But Ngan made it a point to never be in a position of not knowing.

Once at Mt. SAC he founded the Entrepre-

neurs club, which served as a liaison between students and Walnut’s rich import minded business people; he graduated suma cum laude from Phi Theta Kappa honor society; was a consistent, 20-hour a week teller at Bank of America; and was known to be the go-to person in crafting personalized academic schedules.

Most notable of all, Ngan did all of this in two years. While at Berkeley, he continued in his quest of never having an “I didn’t know” excuse by relying on his more senior peers within the business school.

Larry Rosales, a 38-year-old paramedic who went to Haas said, “Having worked in an actual career several years before going to college, Manny would always pick my brain and take my pragmatic business advice.”

But Ngan’s proactive approach to being a self-motivated student and professional ultimately came at a price. “Sometimes Berkeley became my self-created hell with all the competition and pressure, I felt so burnt out always outputting at 100 percent effort.”

Ngan maintained a herculean workload at UC Berkeley but can now say in hindsight that the way he pushed himself at that time resulted in difficult experiences for him.

“My balance at Mt. SAC was just right,” he said. “I was working while not losing my goal of transferring to a great college. While having fun, I never lost sight of my academic perspective and the work experience that my field favors.”

Ngan said that he could have been less serious while he was attending community college. “Given how easy junior college was, I wish I would have partied more,” he said.

But he can rest at ease now. Ngan admitted that coming to America was not crucial to earning success in Hong Kong, but doing so has broadened his global perspective and has only opened doors.

As for his parents, Ngan’s success has permanently closed the revolving door of hungry Chinese restaurant patrons.

Ngan’s parents are back in Hong Kong now, having realized that their hunch about Manny was right and that in times of economic recessions, the American dream still exists. Even that matchbox house near that major road is now a small cash cow.

Engineering bug drives student to success !"#$%&'()*+),&!"#$%&'()*++',&$)-& Raul Mostajo, a 31-year-old engineering major, arrived at LAX seven years ago with only a hiking backpack and $100 in his pocket.

Now he is a shipping manager at a Madix Inc. warehouse in Ontario and attends Mt. SAC part-time striving to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona to become a civil engineer.

The engineering bug came from his older sister Nicole. She received an engineering degree in Bolivia and now lives in Barcelona, Spain with her husband.

“I remember when I was a kid she used to come with these big drawings about designing structures. So, I always had that in mind,” he said.

Wanting to follow in his older sister’s footsteps, but adding his own flair, he left Bolivia before getting a degree.

Mostajo had one advantage when he arrived to the U.S. He was born in Miami, Florida. When he was three his family moved

back to Bolivia. Having a social security card made it easier to get a job when he made his return to the U.S. Mostajo was 24 when he arrived here. He stayed with his parents’ friends in Ontario for three months before finding a place of his own. After getting a warehouse position through a job agency and having a place of his own the next step was to assimilate himself in the U.S. by improving his English beyond what he had learned in high school.

In 2004 he attended Mt. SAC to take the ESL program. A year later he decided to take regular college courses to continue toward his goal. Chaffey Community College was his next step.

In the fall of 2005 he began attending Chaffey as a part-time student. He chose that school instead of Mt. SAC because of it’s proximity to where he lived.

He has made some friends and had different jobs through the years. Once he worked for a Mexican reality show filmed in Los Angeles. He drove the cast back

and forth from the set to their hotel.

Mostajo’s priority is still school, he has applied to Cal Poly Pomona for Fall 2012. He knows it is taking him a long time to get a bachelor’s degree, but Cal Poly will be the next significant step towards his goal.

Bessie, his girlfriend of two years, believes that he can achieve his goal. “He’s really smart,” she said.

“I came to try to look for a better life. Of course this is not really easy and fast,” Mostajo said.

“I’m here by myself. Dealing with life by myself.”

In January of this year he visited Bolivia for the first time in eight years. He said that his twoweek stay felt more like four days.

The joy of being back home with family and old friends has made him decide to visit again later this year.

With Cal Poly Pomona within his grasp, Mostajo is excited that the career he has wanted since he was a boy in Bolivia is near to fruition.

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10

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Bringing student creativity to life

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Mt. SAC is hosting the 64th Annual Student Art Exhibition. The exhibit opened on May 10 and will run through June 7 in the Mt. SAC Art Gallery located in building 1B/C. It is open to the public and is free.

The annual exhibit is a juried event and showcases the best original work by Mt. SAC art, photography, and animation students.

Gallery hours are Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Evening hours are held on Tuesdays 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information, call the Art Gallery at (909) 274-4328.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

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Fashion student’s designs make it on display

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Before she could sew, Michelle Hébert has always expressed her love of fashion through what she wore. In spring of 2006, Seventeen Magazine put together a contest: to find the 17 best-dressed girls in America.

At the time Hébert was a sophomore in high school and decided to apply for the contest.

To her surprise she won and became one of the 17 best-dressed girls in America.

Seventeen Magazine gave her a section inside the magazine for her to display her sense of fashion.

“It was one of the biggest achievements I had, even though I didn’t make something, it was me expressing how I loved fashion.” said Hébert, a 21-year-old fashion design student. She added that at first her parents weren’t supportive of her interest in fashion and the arts but after she won the contest they realized she had something great inside of her.

Born Jan 23, 1991 in Glendora, it seemed that Hébert was destined to be a creative thinker, an imaginative creator, and an expressive innovator. As a child, her love for the arts were a passion, drawing came second nature to her.

“I always liked to draw, I would think of something in my head and think it could be beautiful and just do it,” said Hébert.

The idea that one day she would design clothes rather than become an artist did not register with her at that point.

“I didn’t even want to be a fashion designer until I was 10 or 11 years-old. Up until that point I wanted to be an artist” said Hébert.

Hébert added that when she became aware that she wanted to become a fashion designer, she thought she would be better at it, rather than becoming an artist.

After high school she came to Mt. SAC to pursue her love for fashion. She learned the art and craft of how to design clothes while takes fashion classes. Now in her third year she has completed her level II fashion design certificate. She will graduate with her associate degree in fashion design and merchandising this summer. She has thought about transferring to either The Academy of Art in San Francisco or Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, however for her there is no rush to transfer quite yet.

Flowers from nature and organic shapes are what inspire Hébert to create her garments.

“When I’m designing clothes I like to be really careful about the placement of certain shapes and lines, for me that’s really what makes a garment,” said Hébert.

She added that when looking at outfits she usually critiques the outfit at a standpoint, and in her mind she thinks to herself whether or not it is aesthetically appealing and if it accentuates the body.

She likes to create on organic elements, and has a strong appreciation for texture in apparel. Classic and elegant are words that good friend Elizabeth Oh, a 21 year-old biochemistry major at UCLA, used to describe her fashion designs.

“As she progresses as a fashion designer she’s paying attention to detail,” said Oh. She added that her overall designs are elegant and that is due to the detail in her clothing. Hébert has displayed her fashion in numerous of shows throughout the local area and her garments she displays out on the catwalk are usually eveningwear pieces.

“They always put her at the end of a show, I think they put her at the end for a reason because her style is different, classic, and Victorian,” said Oh. Close friend Sasha Garcia, a 20-Year-old media studies major at UC Berkeley, said, “She was one of those kids who always knew what she wanted to be. She draws her own sketches and her quality of work she puts out there, is up there with the top fashion designers.”

She added that her clothing is never casual, usually makes a bold statement, and her dresses are always flowing and elegant.

Garcia said, “Michelle never turns off her mind for inspiration: art, drawing, and fashion is what makes Michelle.”

Although most of her time is dedicated to designing clothes, when she does have free time she likes to hang out with her friends to catch up. She said that although she does not get to see her friends often, when she does she makes the most of it.

She likes to read fiction and non-fiction books and enjoys listening to rock, and alternative music, but loves Queen and David Bowie. Some of her favorite designers are Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen, but she has really gotten into Avant-Garde designers.

As a fashion designer Hébert enjoys being creative and doesn’t mind designing for people who seek her assistance to create a garment, however one thing that bothers her as a designer is quantity versus quality.

“Sometimes I don’t think people appreciate how much work goes into an outfit, I think that’s a big disadvantage,” said Hébert. “People are so use to buying items from H&M or Forever 21 for cheap, they assume all clothes are easy and cheap to make.” She adds that designing items take time and effort to create, and aren’t so easy to create right away, it takes long hours at a time.

Hébert said she knows that a career in fashion can be daunting and hard to achieve, but she genuinely loves and enjoys it, which makes her happy and gives her a purpose.

“It’s very difficult to get into the industry as a designer, but I think it’s difficult in any creative industry,” said Hébert.

She added that it’s a cutthroat industry and the stress and despair that comes with being a fashion designer is the loss of time.

However, she said that her favorite part of being a fashion designer is the finished product.

“I care about making people look good, that’s what people want,” said Hébert.

Her endeavors don’t stop there, as she wants to get into Internet marketing so that she is able to sell her garments online. Even though her pieces are mostly evening wear and may be too much for everyday wear, she wants to make more casual clothes and wants to appeal to the everyday girl.

She also hopes to one-day design clothes for guys as well. She recently won a $500 scholarship from the California Fashion Foundation called TALA (Textile Association of Los Angeles) for a white ivory chiffon wedding dress she created.

The best piece of advice she ever received was from her father, “Never give up your art.”

Hébert is dedicated to fashion and doesn’t intend to give up her art of designing.

She hopes to make it into the fashion industry and hopes she can give back one day. For more on her work visit facebook. com/michellehebertfashion, go to her website MichelleHebert.com, or follow her on her blog: theseamstressdiaries.com.

Helping you balance work, life and school For over 30 years, University of Phoenix has been committed to helping college students like you reach their educational goals. We understand you need a class schedule that fits your lifestyle. That’s why we have over 20 degree programs, both online and at over 200 locations nationwide.

Contact our bilingual team at the Diamond Bar Campus, and discover how University of Phoenix can help you enhance your career with the flexibility you need.

Join us for free workshops: Diamond Bar Campus 1370 S. Valley Vista Dr. Diamond Bar, CA 91765-3921 Resumé Workshop – April 12, 6 – 8 pm – May 10, 6 – 8 pm Interviewing Workshop – April 25, 6 – 8 pm – May 22, 6 – 8 pm

Committed to your success Contigo en tu éxito All course materials and instruction are provided in English.

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit official documentation with an appropriate score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) or Berlitz Online English Proficiency Exam at the time of application and admission granted before beginning a program. © 2012 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Tina Becerra Community Relations Specialist

phoenix.edu/contigo )9''9&'888:;'%8<+

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

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Club assists undocumented students *%+,-%&!%./"+(0 !"#$$%&'(")' She remembered her aunt and uncle telling her, “From now on, until we get home, we’re your mom and dad.” As a child, the topic of immigration didn’t make a lot of sense to Francel Resendiz, 20, a fashion merchandise major and president of the Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success political organization, also known as I.D.E.A.S. I.D.E.A.S. is a place where students can find a helping hand to navigate through all of the particular requirements of laws like AB 540 and recently AB 131, better known as part two of the California Dream Act. Students can also find information about workshops with immigration attorneys, application adjustments and expungement workshops. “It has been a great deal of help,” said Manuel Castaneda, 21, mechanical engineering student attending one of the club meetings.

According to an article in the Los Angeles

Times, “Beginning in 2013, illegal immigrants accepted by state universities may receive assistance from Cal-Grants, a public program that last year provided aid to more than 370,000 low-income students.”

The article also reported that undocumented students who attended high school in California for at least three years, have proof that they are attempting to go through the process of legalizing their immigration status and are enrolled in either the University of California or Cal State University systems would be eligible for institutional grants. Undocumented students in community colleges would be eligible for fee waivers.

As a political organization, informing students about current laws and workshops is one of I.D.E.A.S. priorities, though it isn’t all they do. One undocumented student, who asked not to be named, talked about the fear felt by many illegal immigrants. “From the moment you are little, like in elementary school, you

are taught to be scared and you are taught to hide being undocumented by your parents, and it carries on in high school and it carries on in college, and many students at the moment at Mt. SAC still live with that fear.”

“We want everyone to know we are a safe space,” said Elmer Rodriguez adviser of I.D.E.A.S. and high school outreach specialist.

Students in the group have a rule where they do not say who is and is not undocumented.

I.D.E.A.S. is a group open to all students interested in social justice, undocumented or not.

I.D.E.A.S. is a place to learn and grow.

“It’s almost like a small community within a community,” said Rodriguez. They have their own little library where they donate and checkout used textbooks for others in the group to use. In one of their past meetings they watched the movie “A Better Life.” They have plans of painting a movable mural depicting their ideals artistically, which should be ready to display in the fall.

Navy man turned businessman lives with rare disease !"#$%&'() !"#$$%&'(")' Walking upright, dog tags shining in the sun, with a smile on his face and a cane in his left hand Ladon Johnson is anything but ordinary.

Johnson, a 28-year-old business major at Mt.SAC, is the first from his family in 38 years to graduate high school and pursue a college degree. Johnson is a former Navy electrical technician, aspiring businessman and motivator. “ [Johnson] Displays a constant desire to learn…flexible and unselfish,” said Reporting Senior Officer Tucker, DJ. With all of these qualities and accomplishments it may seem like Johnson has led a charmed life but that would be a misled assumption.

Growing up in a poor area in Cleveland, Ohio and raised by his mother and grandmother, Johnson and his six siblings struggled to make ends meet. As a child, Johnson was often bullied for being “too light skinned,” making him feel segregated and different from the black community. “It’s hard dealing with that growing up…I didn’t see life like everybody else and my worst fear was to die at an early age,” said Johnson.

Knowing he had to make a change Johnson joined the Navy in 2001. During his time in the Navy Johnson received a degree as an electrical technician and was deployed to Iraq in September of 2007. In regards to his deployment Johnson said, “We are the first ones in; we specialize in defense. My main goal was to make sure the soldiers had power and that the quality of life was better. I would give my life for the people of my country.”

Johnson remained in the Navy up until November 2007 when he was once again sideswiped by life. For reasons unknown Johnson had contracted a rare disease called Crohns and experienced a violent flare up. He was honorably discharged from the Navy and sent to recover in Landstuhl, Germany. Here Johnson was bedridden for 3 weeks where doctors explained that he had one of the most severe cases of Crohn’s disease they had ever seen.

Once back in the States, Johnson would face even more obstacles. He was prescribed steroids for the Crohn’s disease from 20052011, which unbeknownst to him began deteriorating his bones, leaving him impaired on his left hip, hence his cane. “There are so many things I continuously go through everyday that I don’t show so people won’t ask questions,” said Johnson. “I don’t want

to be pitied or treated differently due to my condition.”

Even still Johnson prevailed. He is now pursuing a degree here at Mt.SAC in business and plans to start an electrical business and even open an agency/school to help youth better themselves in the Arts. Johnson and his godfather, Tim Roberts were a part of and helped create a similar ideology with the B.R.I.C.K program in Cleveland, which stands for Brotherhood, Respect, Intelligence, Conduct and Knowledge. Their website claims that “The Mission of the Brick program is to save lives in the inner-city by teaching young men how to think critically and solve problems through respecting self, others and the environment, while creating a healthy long term support system.” During his time spent touring with the program, Johnson had the honor of meeting the one and only Rosa Parks, who he said took a liking to him and even shared some knowledge on what he should do in life. “I feel like I could change and help other kids lives because of my experiences,” he said.

Johnson has two children who he says give him life. He spends his time educating them on how to be good people and the important things in life. No matter what challenges are to come, it is safe to say Ladon Johnson will take them with a grin on his face and an open mind.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

14

Review: Depression, The Musical 9,),6&:"%";$* 78(",'9:69;+()$ When I first saw the flyer, yellow and glaring at me from the bulletin board and read the title, one thing ran through my mind: “A one-man musical? By a…comedian?

About depression? This can only be ridiculous.” But the sheer nonsensicality of the concept was what got me walking through the doors of the Student Life Center on May 22, and I tried my hardest to leave my prejudgment at the door.

And I’m glad I did. Because not only was San Jose native and comedian Brian Wetzel entertaining, he also provided a useful insight into the world of clinical depression that can be utilized by people with depression or those who are struggling to deal with depressed loved ones.

The list of “Things NOT to Say to a Depressed Person” will prove especially valuable to the audience.

At the top of the list were “Snap out of it” and “You’re thinking too much about it.” As someone with many depressed people in my life, I can agree that, yes, those are probably the two worst things that could be said to them. If there is one thing a depressed person cannot stand, it is to have someone try to undermine their pain by making them feel like it is nothing.

While his knowledge was valuable, of course, it was his stage presence and unabashed honesty that made Wetzel’s presentation

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shine. He described how he got through 25 years of being depressed and the battle that he would fight on a daily basis; the same battle that made him turn to, and get addicted to, marijuana. A particularly moving story revolved around his first suicide attempt as a teen, describing in detail how he intentionally kept the car running in the garage while he closed the door and inhaled deeply, waiting for the carbon monoxide to kill him. It is not often that you get the chance to hear about a botched suicide attempt from the person in question, especially one in such detail. I found it gripping; too often we hear the stories of successful attempts and very few about those who overcame the urge to die. It would seem that the latter would be the more beneficial to hear, of the two.

It would be inaccurate to call it a “musical,” since it was really just a guy onstage pressing a button and singing along to one of his prerecorded jingles, all cleverly themed around the various symptoms of depression. “Sea of Pills” and “My friend, Sleep” were a couple of my personal favorites.

“Sea of Pills” perfectly described the over-medicating that occurs when mental health patients are not completely honest with their doctors, resulting in misdiagnosis and a cocktail of pills to take each morning to stay sane. “My Friend, Sleep” told the story of a man who finds refuge in his dreams, and thus spends 14 hours a day in bed because he has no energy to go about his day. The jazz-piano ballad “The Paperwork Blues,” was amusingly accurate in the portrayal of the absurd amount of paperwork it takes to sign into a hospital for a mental health issue, and how many people just give up halfway through the lengthy packet. “Overanalyzer” was about the chronically depressed who constantly have to ask themselves “What if it all goes

wrong?” It was among the catchier tunes to be played, sporting a retro bass line and, much to my dismay, getting stuck in my head for several hours after the show had ended.

However, a couple of the songs were just too much to take.

“D-preshun,” his attempt at comical rapping, just annoyed me to no end. The plastic bling and sideways hat didn’t help him much in that regard. The rasta-style “Limbic Limbo” was almost cringe-worthy in its cheesiness, both lyrically and stylistically (he kept going back and forth between a Jamaican and French accent that even he had to make fun of). I understand that it was all in the name of comedy, but those two in particular just fell flat. But, hey, two out of a full set of songs is not enough to mar the entire show.

In all, Brian Wetzel made quite the impression with “Depression, The Musical: An Off-Broadway Play.” He entertained and educated, all at once. And when someone can make depression a less difficult topic to discuss, it means they are doing something really special.

Local band breaks into hardcore scene !"#$%&'()* !"#$$%&'(")' In a garage in West Covina, noise comes from the walls and into the streets of hardcore sounds and music.

Josh Ramsdell, 22-year-old social science major at Mt. SAC plays keyboards and synthesizer with the band Alive with the Fallen.

Ramsdell described his experience with the band he has been playing with for almost three years. “This has been the most living I have done my entire life playing this band,” he said.

The band has played shows everywhere from The Key Club in Hollywood to the Slide Bar in Fullerton.

Ramsdell grew up listening to country music with influences from Neil McCoy and Johnny Cash and got into the rock music scene when he entered high school. Ramsdell attended Ontario Christian High School and coaches the Mock Trial Organization at Ontario Christian. Even though his beliefs have changed over the years in regards to his faith with music, he still considers himself religious.

“I want to become a teacher after I finish college at Mt. SAC for my lower division classes then on

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to Cal Poly Pomona for my upper division classes and eventually get my teaching credentials to teach high school history and economics, even though everybody hated that subject,” Ramsdell said while testing the keyboards during a sound check.

Having a band brings on many problems, especially with dealing with band mates as drummer Kyle Dwyer, 21, describes.

“It is pretty amazing playing with Josh and the rest of the group when we have a full band together because of the issues of past singers,” Dwyer said. Alive with the Fallen has had three different singers in the past three years and recently the singer was thinking of calling it quits, Dwyer added.

Kyle Dwyer has been playing drums for nine years, and for future

plans he said he will always play music. “I will be a musician for the rest of my entire life and hopefully make it a career,” Dwyer said.

Friendship and talent is mixed in between the group. “It’s a lot easier to be in a band with people that you are friends with, but there is also a level of talent that comes into play with people that you are friends with, and it is hard to progress more if they don’t have the chops and also the right mix in as well,” Ramsdell said.

The mixture of the group is influenced from Metallica to Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace, as both Ramsdell and Dwyer said.

As the day progressed, Josh Ramsdell started to play some songs on his keyboard while Kyle Dwyer was playing video games. They both were waiting on their other band mates to arrive.

The next gig is undetermined for the issues regarding the singer.

“We have a strong following on Twitter and Facebook, some are people from different countries and all through the U.S. that love our music,” Ramsdell said.

For further insight on Alive with the Fallen, follow them on twitter @alivewiththefallen and facebook.com/alivewiththefallen.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

15

Student walks path to priesthood “They wanted me to go to college and try to be successful,” Orante said. “Filipino parents

!"#$%&'(%##%#) !"#$$%&'(")' Former Mt. SAC student Christopher Orante, who goes by “Topher”, is a 27-year-old youth ministry leader at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Rowland Heights. He is also an aspiring Catholic priest.

Orante has been accepted to the seminary at the Marians of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and will leave for Washington, DC in mid-July.

As a leader in his youth ministry, Orante carries out a number of responsibilities.

“My role in youth ministry is to assist our youth minister. I help him form our leaders.

I also plan our retreats and events, from the scheduling to the logistics for the event,” Orante said. Orante recently planned and directed a youth rally, which took place on April 28. At least 500 youth and young adults attend this event each year.

Alyssa Dollentas, 19, worked closely with Orante when she was a youth ministry leader in 2009.

“He knew the right balance between being a friend and being a leader,” Dollentas said.

“With his motivation, I was able to serve in ministry in the best way I could and enjoy doing it, too.”

At one point, Orante’s plans were not geared towards the priesthood.

“Not graduating college was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” he said.

While studying at Cal Poly Pomona, he experimented with different majors, including philosophy, liberal arts, gender, ethnicities, and multicultural studies. “While I was a philosophy major and enjoying my political science classes, I thought about being a lawyer.

I like knowing the ins and outs of what is right and wrong and trying to fight for the truth,” Orante said. “I also enjoy debating and discussing things with people and convincing them that I am right. I knew me as a lawyer was just a fun idea, but anyone can dream,

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right?”

Orante also considered a profession in teaching. However, even with those options in mind, he could not ignore the lingering possibility of an unorthodox future. “I would say that on some level I have always known I wanted to pursue the priesthood. At a very young age I loved being an altar boy and assisting the priest at Mass,” Orante said. “As I got older the desire and pursuit may not have been that clear, but it never left me either.”

The ordination of his friend, Father James Cervantes was a turning point in his life.

“It was like seeing everything I’ve ever dreamed of played out right in front of my face,” he said. “From that moment, I knew I was going to apply and it reinforced the idea that I want to be a Catholic priest.”

Although Orante’s parents are now supportive of his plans, they initially were not.

*+,'")-.%+$%*/'(-"+0/)'%1'#2") tend to encourage their children to look into the medical field.”

After being on the brink of academic probation at Cal Poly Pomona, Orante said that he had a difficult time.

“I would think about all the different things I would have to sacrifice, like the idea of a family,’ Orante said. “I’ve only been able to get through all this through God’s grace and mercy, and faith and prayer.”

Orante said that he is experiencing feelings of both excitement and fear. “I am excited because I finally feel like I am going to do what God has called me to do in life,” he said.

Dollentas said, “Simply by joining him in prayer, I can sense in his words and how he expresses those words that his devotion to God is incomparable to many and that he is truly called to be a priest.”

Cheap convenience equals unhealthy choices *+),-)&.$/%#$0) !"#$$%&'(")' Chips, candy bars, and pastries are the first things Mt. SAC students see upon entering a dining area on campus. They are bombarded with junk and fried foods. The healthier options, such as sandwiches, yogurt and salads, are found in the far back. Most of these dining areas do not have fresh fruit. The only place that has fresh fruit available is Subversions.

“Fruit was not selling,” said Michael Jackson, the general manager and director of dining services. “I have to keep the products moving; if it’s going to waste, I have to take it off the shelves. There’s nothing I can do.”

Jackson said he would like to have a student committee help facilitate what types of food should be on campus. He added that there was a student committee a few semesters ago, but it has disappeared.

Sodexo, the company that runs food services at Mt. SAC, conducts surveys every semester on the Mt. SAC portal. Each survey shows that students are more interested in different types of fried food or chips over healthier options. However, there has been an increasing number of students wanting kosher food. Jackson is looking into making it available for students. He has organized a meeting for the upcoming week with Halal, an organization for kosher food.

Christopher Colley, 20, animation major

said, “Whatever is cheaper, I will buy.” He eats on campus about four times a week. He said he finds eating healthier to be more expensive and added that he would eat healthier if he saw it as a viable option. He said that he gets a spicy chicken at Carl’s Jr. for one dollar and a milkshake to appease his sweet tooth. He said he would buy fruit, but that it was too expensive.

While some students are concerned about cost, others do not worry about their health.

“When it comes to food, I only think if it’s going to be enjoyable or not” said Bryan Sos, 20, a mechanical engineering major. Every other day he eats on campus. He finds that he prefers tastier food over healthier options.

He does occasionally indulge in salads, but consumes no fruit.

Students can look at other options for healthy eating. Sandra Weatherilt, a nutrition professor at Mt. SAC said, “When it comes to healthy eating, preparing food from home is always a healthier and cost saving choice.”

Students during class breaks and after class go to these dining areas. Amongst the various locations they often go in and choose what is more convenient, not fully analyzing what is a healthier choice or choosing what is cheaper.

Weatherilt quoted Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby, “Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, may sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

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16

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012 Cont. from Fees P. 2

Burley added, “I suspect that over time, certain people who get so discouraged because they cannot afford it…won’t even try. That’s what I am most worried about, because it’s already hard enough for some people to even think about coming to college. It [education] could become cost prohibited and there won’t even be an option [for students] anymore.”

However, despite their hardships, both Araujo and Arias have not been discouraged and still plan to pursue their goals.

Araujo ultimately wants to transfer to Cal State Los Angeles to earn her bachelor’s degree in nursing and comfort children at hospitals.

Arias’ goal is to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona from Mt. SAC in a year, and get a bachelor’s degree in merchandise and marketing before ultimately attending the University of Southern California to earn her master’s degree in business administration.

“When I am done getting my degree, I want to move to New York and work for Vera Wang,” she

said.

Burley encourages students to make sure every dollar they spend is spent wisely, only sign up for classes that they really need and take them seriously, make educational plans with counselors, and know what their goals are.

“I would encourage students to think more about their goals and to be positive in terms of their attitude and make best of the environment that we live in. It won’t stay like this forever. Don’t give up,” said Burley.

Cont. from Marriage P. 3 insufficient Hispanic respondents to report on reliably. “I would still vote for him,” said Angel Marno, 21, pre-med dental major. Marno also said that the president’s announcement would not affect his opinion of him.

The numbers read differently when looking at Mt. SAC students. In a poll of 60 Black and Latino students conducted on campus, when asked if they believed if Obama would lose the votes from the both of these communities, 26 said that he would not lose any. Steven Almazon, 20, undecided major said, “I think he just wanted more votes, but I don’t feel like he’ll lose any for saying what he said.”

On the other side 34 students said that he would lose those votes, and of those 34 that said he would, 11 stated that he would be losing them

not because of his stance on gay marriage but because of failures in other aspects of his presidency. “He really hasn’t done what he said he was going to do, I get that everything takes time, but it feels like things have gotten worse not better,” said Esmeralda Martinez, 21, undecided.

Some students expressed that the issue of gay marriage was not of consequence to them, and that they believed that attention was being taken away from what they believe to be more important topics that should be affecting the election. Kyle Hunter, 22, undecided major said, “I’m going to vote for Obama regardless; this doesn’t change my opinion of him. To be honest, there are more important issues like gas prices that matter to me more.”

Cont. from Chivalry P. 7

Cont. from Repeatability P. 5

are doing, but do it yourself. It is time that the world realizes that we no longer need men to do our things. Sure, it is nice once in a while, if genuine.

But who are we if not strong, independent, and capable of everything that is bestowed upon us? Playing dumb is over. Smart, independent, and strong is and has always been the new sexy.

safe from the change in repeatability. Classes where students practice for competition, such as speech classes connected to the forensics program, may be able to keep their current rules.

Kylie Grace Martinez, 21, communications major, agrees with this loophole in the policy.

“I think by capping its repeatability, students will have a harder time with forensics and it should be made an exception to the rule since it is an extracurricular activity,” she said.

Disciplines, such as journalism, involve competition, but that competition is not necessarily safe from the repeatability changes.

Cameron said, “Our courses [journalism] would not qualify because competition is not integral to our courses, like forensics.”

Not all students feel that removing repeatability is a bad thing.

Joanna Tartaglini, 19, marine biology major, said, “I can see that [cutting repeatability] making sense only if the demand is so great and those that are taking it again deny new students the opportunity to take the class.”

A change that students are continually facing is that of fee hikes.

Mt. SAC’s fee per unit has been increasing over the years.

“When I first began attending Mt. SAC I was a student, and it was $11 per unit, from 1990 to 1992,” Kristina Allende, 41, English department chair, said.

“Now a unit is going to cost students $46, so that is a huge increase and I think students would be very upset by it.”

Students are under a lot of pressure trying to pay off the expense required to attend school.

“My salary at my job pays me minimum wage which is $8 an hour, and that is not enough because there are other bills to pay and helping out with the family,” said Xally Araujo, 21, nursing major. “If they [the state] keep increasing it [fee per unit], that means, maybe, I won’t be able to save up to transfer fast enough, and I may have to take some time off to save up money.”

With all the obstacles students are facing in order to be successful in college, Burley said that it is very important for students to keep coming to school.

“It is important to keep your goal in mind and realize that every person will face challenges, delays, and frustration. Times are tougher than they used to be, but that does not mean that students cannot be successful in this environment.”

Burley added, “I would strongly support students to really establish a focus on education. Plan your time around class requirements, homework, and projects instead of around maintaining a social life.”

Cont. from Gas Hole P. 7 reasonable to say that we would not be drilling offshore, where it is hard, if we still had supplies on-shore, where it is easy.

Will we be able to develop the technologies needed to sustain ourselves?

We are running out of time to change our lifestyle and if we do nothing, we will soon have to resort to drastic measures.

On the current track we will collapse, so we need to start seriously investing money in alternative energy research

so that when oil becomes too expensive to drill for, we will still be able to function.

We need to school our populations on the conservation of energy, so that they do not take what we have left for granted.

Every single person can make a difference, and if we want to continue expanding as a species, we will have to work together.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

17

Trembling hands, shaky knees

Public speaking, a necessity in many aspects of life, can cause many to enter a state of panic !"#$%&'(%##%#) !"#$$%&'(")' Trembling hands, perspiration, shaky knees. These are only a few symptoms that the average person experiences when put in the position of being the object of everyone’s attention.

Public speaking anxiety triggers numerous reactions. According to the Chair of the Communication Department, Liesel Reinhart, symptoms include trembling, sweating, vomiting, and even fainting.

She recalled a moment when one of her students fainted during a speech.

“She went to the front of the room and I could see the color leave her cheeks,” Reinhart said. “One of the people in the front row was able to jump up and let her fall into him.”

Reinhart’s student was also suffering from hypoglycemia and sleep deprivation.

Reinhart added that most of the debilitating issues with speech anxiety are linked to something else, like low selfesteem.

“If someone isn’t feeling good about who they are, it’s magnified when they step in front of an audience,” Reinhart said.

Reinhart said that the most common symptom that her students report experiencing is an increased heart rate.

She compared speech to an extreme sport because of the adrenaline reaction shared between athletes and public speakers. “It’s

the same hormone that athletes consider highly beneficial and speakers sometimes consider quite debilitating,” Reinhart said.

“One of the first things that we try and get students to do is to re-label it in their mind; that their body is preparing them to do something that’s challenging, and important, and exciting,” Reinhart said.

“Maybe speech is an extreme sport if it creates an adrenaline reaction, right? It will be the new X Games.”

For Clarisse Panis, 20, pre-nursing major, public speaking does more than thump her heart out of her chest.

“I fidget, my throat gets dry, my legs shake uncontrollably,” Panis said. “And sometimes when it’s almost my turn, my teeth chatter as if I’m really cold.”

Reinhart explained that it may not be the best idea to imagine your audience naked, contrary to popular belief.

“I really think it’s bad to imagine your audience naked; that dismisses your audience. I always think you should see your audience in a burning house or dangling from a cliff,” Reinhart said. “Imagine your audience in a place where they need your help, your information, your assistance.”

According to Communication Quarterly of February 2006, public speaking is ranked high on the list of people’s greatest fears.

That means that for the average person, public speaking is dreadful, more often than not. Yet, the Speech 1A course is required for the majority of students, specifically those who plan to transfer to a four year

university.

So why is speech necessary? According to Reinhart, public speaking comes into play not only in job interviews and sales presentations, but also in the structure of our nation. She said that it is essential in “the right to defend yourself in a court of law, the right to free speech, the idea of social justice and protest movements that have shaped the fabric of our nation, and the ability to become entrepreneurial.”

Panis said, “As a nurse, I would have to be able to talk to doctors, colleagues, patients and their families,” she said. “If I can’t speak without anxiety, how can I really become a nurse?”

Kyle Lin, 19, urban and regional planning major, said that by the end of his argumentation and debate class, he hopes to become well-informed about politics and controversial topics.

“Assuming that I will be in the field of urban planning and that we’ll be doing a lot of group projects and team work, my public speaking will help me enforce my ideas and not be belittled by competition,” he said.

“I’ll be able to stand out.”

Does all the fright go away with practice? Reinhart said that she still sometimes experiences the rapid heartbeat, but has learned to consider it as her friend.

“I think the best speakers feel the same way,” Reinhart said. “If Obama and Romney don’t feel that way before they walk out for their presidential debates later this year, I would be concerned.”

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Play it & Hate it -.*/(01%23+& .,/))&0-(,$Please read my article! I beg you! I know it’s not that interesting but hear me out!

I know you guys are into that YouTube crap like watching a pretty girl with chic nerd glasses eating a brownie to show you that she doesn’t care about her figure, even though she obviously exercises and eats right most of the time.

I’m tired of writing dumb things like midgets kicking some guy in the junk.

Nobody comments on my column because it’s a piece of crap and I wouldn’t be surprised if only three people viewed it (me, myself and I).

But seriously, each and every one of you who did read this article, I would like to thank you for this wonderful year. Thanks to you, I’m now living the American dream, being enrolled in classes only to do absolutely nothing at all.

This felt like a vacation with a few homework assignments. You should try this sometime; it’s kind of like high school all over again but without annoying people to deal with.

I could bring you guys something better but I’m being honest. I’m lazy and I love it; something of a broken nature brings me to this next game.

Before the popularity boom of Halo 2 on Xbox Live in 2004 about 20 years before that, to be exact - people played in arcades.

The social interaction of challenging a random person was the thing that made the arcade the place to be; you could also challenge a random person in prison but that usually leads to rape. In most cases, console adaptations were unable to emulate Arcade classics like Sega’s Space Harrier, Golden Axe, Super Hang On, and Capcom’s Street Fighter... (record scratch) Wait a second…Street Fighter II is considered the granddaddy of modern fighting games and yet nobody talks about the original.

People always say that the original of any great series is one of the greatest games. Some originals are far from being perfect and that’s okay; flaws at times give the game character (now that’s love).

For example, Resident Evil for PS1 had cheesecore acting and distorted graphics that were fixed by the lack of lighting, on the other hand, being unable to speedily recognize god-awful creatures from furniture makes the game even scarier.

Let’s talk about Street Fighter (1987). Street Fighter I was Godawful (like this column).

Sure, the game allowed you to challenge another player and on top of that, it was one of the first modern fighting games. However, the game feels broken (just like my column).

I don’t seem to believe how something like this could have been released (once again, like my column). The game still feels

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as though it’s still in beta stage with clunky controls, and an underdeveloped heads up display.

For example, the problem with the timer being all the way at the left bottom corner of the screen is that when you’re fighting, you’ll be focusing on the health bar to make sure you don’t die but when you don’t focus on the time, you’ll lose and wonder why (hehe a rhyme).

The game has about 10 unplayable opponents, but despite this, Ryu (player one) and Ken (player two) are the only ones playable. Clunky game mechanics that lack consistency make special moves nearly impossible to perform, so being able to play as different characters wouldn’t really matter that much.

Each fighter floats when they jump. Capcom should have renamed this title “Moon Fighter” and developed it for NASA. I mean, I know that Capcom was up to something great. They developed this game due to a simple fighting game plot, maps showing you where Ryu is fighting, and mini games; but the game had so many flaws that I would go as far as considering Street Fighter virtually underdeveloped (for the last time, like this column).

I couldn’t play this title for more than 10 minutes because the end result of this experience was a bore fest.

Later on down the line, Capcom released Final Fight (1989) two years later. This was originally supposed to be a sequel to Street Fighter but it became a beat-em’ up instead.

This game takes place in fictional Metro City where Haggar, a retired wrestling champion who’s now the city’s mayor (sound familiar in a smaller scale?) had her daughter kidnapped by Mad Gear, a powerful street gang. It’s up to Haggar, Cody (a balanced fighter and blonde pretty boy), and Guy (some fast... guy) to rescue her.

The gameplay felt so much better.

I never thought that pressing a button to punch a gangbanger in the stomach could feel so satisfying.

Special moves are easy to perform with grabs and takedowns. You could also find an entire roast beef in a trash can, refilling your health which, by the way, is just like real life; especially in America (have

you gone dumpster diving lately, for starters, you should try places like KFC and Taco Bell). The sounds of grunts, shattered glass, and an 80s style fighting soundtrack gets me so pumped up, I feel like grabbing a baseball bat so I could slam the screen, but than I realized something… I’ll no longer be able to play Final Fight if I did.

I mentioned this game for two reasons: not only did I like it, but Street Fighter II (1991) was modeled after Final Fight. Street Fighter II mixes the competitive nature of the original with the fluidity of Final Fight beautifully.

The game is highly balanced; each character brings something different to the table. In fact, if you play most of today’s fighting games, most are modeled after this true original. The only downside about Street Fighter II is that the game’s popularity allowed Capcom to release so many different iterations of the same game.

Buying upgraded versions of Street Fighter II is a must in my opinion for collection purposes but at the same time, a tad bit confusing. Super Street Fighter II Turbo is considered one of the finest versions with the greatest number of characters and the most balanced mechanics.

I chose not to go into Street Fighter II in great depth because let’s face it, what’s there to say about this legendary title that hasn’t been said before? I will say this, however: no wonder why nobody talks about the first Street Fighter.

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Graduation ceremony taking place on June 15 !"#$%&'()*+*, !"##$%$&'()$&*+(,"The graduation will take place on Friday, June 15, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The ceremony is open to all guests of the graduates and no tickets are necessary. The stadium gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and early arrival is recommended.

Guests who need special assistance should contact Disabled Student Programs & Services at (909) 274-4290 no later than Monday, June 11.

Parking is available to guests in lots F, H, R, and S. The commencement ceremony booklet will include notations next to the names of the graduates who earned academic honors.

Those include Academic Distinction, Scholastic Honors, Honors, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Phi Theta Kappa, and Mt. SAC Honors Program Scholars.

No outside food or ice chests are allowed; however, refreshments will be available for purchase.

Flowers will be sold at the ceremony, which include roses, orchid leis, and various bouquets, and prices will range between $10-$30.

Professional photographers will take photos before and during the ceremony and a complimentary proof of the photo will be mailed to each graduate after the ceremony with instructions on how to order.

The bookstore will sell a DVD of the ceremony for $25, which will be available for purchase about 4-6 weeks after graduation.

For any additional information call (909) 274-4415 or e-mail: pmontoya@mtsac.edu.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

Salvador and tennis go hand in hand !"#$%&'$()"* !"#$$%&'(")' South Korea. Flash-forward eight years to America. Division 1 tennis. Full-ride. Flash-forward another six years to college coach.

Tennis was never the intention but it was just so determined to lead Sophie Salvador’s life, the women’s tennis head coach at Mt. SAC. Growing up in South Korea at the age of 10, Salvador began her tennis career playing after school Monday through Saturday following a random tennis tryout for young children that her father had her go to in hopes that it would improve her health. After completing the fourth grade, she started playing tennis all day. “If you played a sport it was all you did in Korea. The system was different than in America,” said Salvador. Throughout her time in Korea, Salvador played numerous tournaments and on a traveling team in addition to practicing every day.

“I hated tennis then. I practiced because I had to, not because I wanted to and my dad pushed me,” said Salvador.

Upon completing high school, with help from her high school principal and his wife, Salvador moved to America in 1995 by herself at the age of 18, where she lived with a couple who helped her with school and finances.

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“I started to enjoy tennis once I was in America. It is completely different here than in Korea.”

In 1997, Salvador began her first year at Rio Hondo College taking general education courses and practicing her English. The following spring in 1998, she began her first year playing for the school’s women’s tennis team as their number one player in the women’s community college doubles and became the finalist in the singles. She ended the season by winning The Ojai Tournament, a very popular and renowned college tennis tournament.

“My proudest moment throughout

tennis was when I won The Ojai; I didn’t know how big it was until a few years later,” said Salvador.

In the coming weeks Salvador became the finalist in the women’s singles tennis state championship for California. Salvador played her second year for Rio Hondo College during the spring of 1999 and then transferred to California State University, Long Beach as a physical education and kinesiology major emphasizing in kinesiotherapy.

On a full ride at CSULB, Salvador once again impressed through her tennis skills and for the first time in CSULB, the women’s tennis team made it to the

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finals of the Big West Conference Championships where they lost to Boise State.

Upon completing her four years of college tennis, Salvador intended to never pick up a racket again.

“I was burned out so I didn’t want to play,” said Salvador.Less than a year after her time at Long Beach, Salvador picked up her racket again. Soon tennis once again played a dominant role in her life.

Salvador has now completed her sixth year as the tennis women’s head coach for Mt. SAC. “I enjoy her positive teachings and how she is able to teach me and tell me what I need to improve on,” said Alyssa Penner, 19, child development major and fifth starter for the team.

With Salvador as their coach, the women’s tennis team won their third conference title.

“She just pushes our team to be the best we can be every time,” said Penner.

In addition to coaching the tennis team at Mt. SAC, Salvador plays for USTA Women’s and Mixed Doubles Leagues during the year.

Together Salvador and husband, Paul Salvador, just recently began managing the Upland Tennis Club where they run camps and clinics as well as teach private lessons.

For Salvador tennis is a little more than a hobby. What was once a hated sport on another continent at the young age of 10 is now a passion and a way of life in America.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2012

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Spring sports at Mt. SAC wraps up on high note It was another great season in spring sports for the Mt. SAC athletic program as they captured many accolades, awards and titles. Four of the eight programs won the South Coast Conference Championships (SCC) in their respective sports and continued their seasons through the playoffs. Mt. SAC’s Athletic Department was named the 2011-12 South Coast Conference Supremacy Award Winner for the third consecutive year. !"#$%&$%'(#)*"% 45#)$%&672$#) SWIMMING The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams ended their seasons with a strong finish at the State Championships where the men finished 17th place while the women finished 27th.

The women’s swimming team finished 2nd overall in the SCC while the men’s swimming won the SCC title.

Sophomore swimmer Taylor Kneisley was named the 2012 SCC Co-Swimmer of the Year and captured the SCC titles in the 100yard freestyle (46.43), 100yard breaststroke (56.24) and lead the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:24.78) with the help of freshmen Jason Nichols, Quinn Brewton and Ruben Carillo.

Kneisley was the only individual champion for the Mounties.

For the women’s side, the sole SCC championship came from the 800-yard freestyle relay team of freshmen Olivia Stump, Lilliana Delgadillo and sophomores Danielle Tenney and Melissa Pryor with a time of 8:13.07.

SOFTBALL The softball team exceeded last season’s homerun record (72) with a state-leading total of 74 homeruns this season.

The team breezed through their conference with a 17-game winning streak with only a lost to their conference rival

Cerritos College, 9-8.

The team headed to the post-season for the tenth straight year with a 37-10 (19-2) record.

The No. 4 seeded Mounties faced off against No. 13 seed Santa Ana College in which they defeated them in a three game series.

They eventually moved on to the Super Regional where they faced No. 1 seed Cypress College, No. 6 seed Bakersfield College and No. 7 seed Glendale College in a double elimination tournament.

They ended their season beating Bakersfield, 10-5, Glendale, 3-2 and losing to Cypress 5-2 and 1-13.

Sophomore shortstop Cody Arends and freshman pitcher Natalie Sanchez were awarded All-State Team.

Arends and Sanchez were also awarded All-SCC First Team with sophomore outfielder Diana Gutierrez, freshman third basewoman Devin Vanderhoff and catcher Kelly Williams.

Sophomore outfielder Lauren Moreno and freshman first basewoman Charlotte Foster were awarded to the All-SCC Second Team.

TENNIS For the 2011 SCC champions, the women’s tennis team continued their dominance by finishing 14-2 this season and becoming conference dual-meet champions.

This season, the Mounties held the Team Championship match at home for their first time in

school history.

Head coach Sophie Salvador was awarded SCC Coach of the Year for the third time. For men’s tennis, the team was not as successful as their counterpart, as they finished the season with a dismal 3-12 record.

BASEBALL Unranked last season, the baseball team compiled 15 more victories than last season 16-20 (10-11).

The Mounties recorded a 31-10 (17-4) in which they took home the South Coast Conference Championship.

Their first title in 16 years, the Mounties captured the SCC Championship for the first time since being co-champions with Long Beach City College.

This was their first title as the sole SCC Champions. The team racked up many awards as head coach Stacey Parker received the SCC Coach of the Year, sophomore pitcher Taylor Jimenez received the SCC MVP and sophomore outfielder Jacob Shirley received the SCC Offensive Player of the Year.

Three players were awarded ALL-SCC First Team as sophomore catcher, Jake Bailey, pitcher Ken Kissell and outfielder Dwight Tardy received those honors.

Sophomore designated hitter Derek Goodwin, utility player Aaron Orona and freshman second baseman Robert Mier were awarded to the All-SCC Second Team.

All-SCC Honorable

Mention went to freshman first baseman Adrian Franco, third baseman Marcos Flores and sophomore pitcher Phil Gonzalez.

Throughout the season the Mounties longest losing streak was four, but when they entered conference play, the Mounties racked up 10 consecutive victories.

During that span the Mounties played against Pasadena City College in which they dominated them in a 31-1 victory.

The team entered the post-season in the Regionals where they faced off against No. 13 seed Golden West (18-181) in which they won in a 3-game series.

The season ended for the Mounties at the Super Regionals where they faced No. 5 seed Glendale Community College in a 7-2 victory and a 2-9 lost and No. 1 seed Orange Coast College (35-4-4) in a 0-5 lost.

Sophomore outfielder Jacob Shirley and freshman first baseman Adrian Franco led the team in RBI with 22 apiece while Shirley led the team in SLG with a .549 average.

Freshman outfielder Dwight Tardy lead the team with 20 steals as sophomore pitcher Taylor Jimenez led the pitchers with 8 victories.

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TRACK AND FIELD The track and field teams continued their dominance as they won their twentythird and sixteenth SCC Championships respectively.

With a successful Mt. SAC Relays in which they finished in the top five in 21 of the 39 events the team brought 31 men and 18 women to the SCC Preliminaries.

The team captured five individual event state championships, which included the 4x400m relay team of sophomores Andres Beccerra, Robertino Salgado, Jordin Andrade and freshman Robert Sanchez with a time of (3:11.92).

Sophomore runner Jordin Andrade was the 400m hurdles champion, which is a provisional qualifying mark for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trails.

Sophomore Cameron Van Dieren (pole vault – 15’10”), Ryan Sanders (triple jump – 47’08”) and Tomek Czerwinski (Decathlon – 6888 points) all won their respective events.

Leading the way for the women’s team was this year’s SCC Track Athlete of the Year, sophomore Ke’Nya Hardge, who captured the 100m hurdles in a California Community College Athletic Association State Championship record of 13.65, defeating defending state champion Lauren Rose (Laney College) by .17 seconds (13.82).

Hardge was also part of the 4x400m relay team, which included sophomores Shantelle Fall, Dominique Flournoy and freshman Ariel Burch. The team finished second in their event and scored 26 of the Mounties 32 points in the competition.