Los Angeles Collegian - Issue 4 Spring 2014

Collegian

SPECIAL ISSUE

LACC

WEATHER FORECAST WEDNESDAY

71/55

THURSDAY

75/56

FRIDAY

72/56

SATURDAY

74/55

SUNDAY

66/54

MONDAY

65/55

TUESDAY

70/57

Los Angeles

The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Volume 172 Number 4

NEWS BRIEFS Compiled by Rashid Pineda

Travel to Cameroon Applications are available in Franklin Hall Office 219 for a scheduled trip to Cameroun with anthropology professor, Dr. Bartelt. The tentative dates are Dec. 20 through Jan. 10, 2015.

The dates are during the dry season when there are lots of festivals, death celebrations and juju dancing. Applications are due May 22, 2014. http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qLvYbpaANO0 (short film of 2011 Cameroon trip)

Demolition of Learning Resource Center Delayed Heavy demolition of the Learning Resource Center, the old MLK Building, has been rescheduled for April 28, or May 5. Once work begins, it will run from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Karin Gonzalez/Collegian Left: Orion, played by Raymond Romero, prepares his bow and arrow to hunt for animals in his quest to impress Artemis in the play "Greek Mythology: Stories Of The Stars". Right: Actress Fatima Alderete plays the role of the constellation Big Bear in the myth of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

1984 Discussions Begin Today Open discussions on George Orwell’s 1984 and the LACC’s theater production of the same name begin at 3 p.m. in AD 314. 3:00-4:30 p.m. in AD 314.

Tomorrow discussions begin at noon in the MLK Library, in Conference Room 330, and again in the Camino Theatre at 5 p.m. The sessions last 90 minutes.

Faculty Members to Perform, Raise Student Scholarships LACC Faculty Members will perform an array of musical genres in a bene�it concert to raise scholarships on May 9.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Student Union, in the Multipurpose Room.

Faculty members and mentors welcomed middle school students to the LACC campus for two days of instruction, creativity, practice and performance for the second year in a row.

Monday, April 14

Thursday, April 17

Thursday, May 8

Thursday, May 22 Students will be able to view their actual registration date and time via the student portal after April 2nd.

Summer school begins June 16th. The date is subject to change. The official summer school dates will be announced soon.

INDEX

News Scholarships Campus Life Bootcamp

2 3 4-5 6

Karin Gonzalez/Collegian Actor Mark Mendez plays the role of Zeus, king of the gods, wielding his thunderbolt.

A

By Svetlana Yurash

bout 40 students from Virgil Middle School and the New Open World Academy gathered to participate in a production of Greek mythology called “Stories of the Stars,” in the Camino Theatre for two days during spring break.

The Career Technical Education (CTE) Spring Boot Camp program gave students the opportunity to take part in different artistic disciplines such as cinema, acting, dancing, art, music, technical theatre, costume design and photography.

For the second year, CTE Dean Alex Davis organized the program with the assistance of program coordinator Piper Watkins. Johanna McKay returned to the boot camp in her role as arts theatre teaching artist for a second year in her role as producer of the play in collaboration with a federal program called “Gear Up 4 L.A.,” which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

“The way we got invited to this workshop was through the program called ‘Gear Up,’ which is following our students from 8th grade on, all the way to the graduation of high school,” said Bardo Baluyot, a theatre arts teacher at Virgil Middle School who says the purpose of the program is to encourage students to complete their education after high school. “Regardless [of] whether it’s college or vocational college or specialized training including the arts.”

Baluyot says the program exposes students to all of the disciplines in production and the skills involved in producing the show. He says this helps them understand that there is more to theatre than acting.

“So, I’m in hopes, that they will follow that career pattern or just open their hearts to all the possibilities out there for professions and even just self-expression,” Baluyot said.

Each day of the boot camp started with breakfast. All of the students received light blue T-shirts with LACC printed on them. Organizers divided the middle school students into smaller groups to help them learn new skills in selected fields under the guidance of LACC staff, faculty and student mentors. Faculty members spoke briefly about their disciplines and gave students a preview of a career in the arts.

“I think this is a great event, because we are bringing middle schools and showing them what we are doing, because this is what we want to pursue and [we are] passionate about it and it gives them a sense of this

maybe to get at high school or get into a good college and really do what they want to do,” said Moira McFadden, a student mentor and theatre major. “So, I’m excited hopefully to spark the inspiration in some of them.”

After welcome speeches, each group went to its designated area to prepare props, masks, costumes, shadow puppets, dance, and music. The actors practiced the performance for the play, “Stories of the Stars.”

The play was set in ancient Greece, where the Titan Cronus ruled the land. He was warned in a prophecy that his children would overthrow him, and he ate five of them as they were born. When his wife Rhea gave birth to a sixth child, she gave Cronus a stone instead of the child and her son on an island. His name was Zeus. When he grew up, he returned with his brothers and sisters, and they overthrew their father and became the Olympians.

The play also tells stories of constellations such as Orion, Artemis, Scorpio, Perseus, Andromeda, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, the Big Bear and the Little Bear.

“I worked for a non-profit group and our theme here was about expanding the universe, and so I was looking to the stars for inspiration,” said McKay, who was also the narrator of the story. “The beginnings of all theatres started in Greece, so I’ve always wanted to sort of go back to the roots and expose children to what it was to be a Greek actor at that time … I thought Greek mythology would be a good way to do that and the constellations, many of them are named after the characters in the Greek mythological stories.”

While LACC actors and young talented middle school students worked together on the play, the group of musicians under the direction of professor Doug Dutton and student mentor Sofia Zorian prepared background music for the production.

“My favorite part was working with students, teaching them how to use various instruments,” Sofia Zorian said. “Music is my life. I don’t know how to live without it and it’s awesome to show these students how much it means to me and hopefully they get some inspiration from that.”

A group of dancers were taught Greek dance for the production led by dance artist and educator Diana Cummins. Mentor Carmen Macdonald did face painting before the performance. Young actors wore white Greek togas designed by the costume designers group. Glittery masks became the final touch in the Greek image of young actors. The show began with shadow puppeteers who made cardboard figures of five children who were swallowed by a huge Cronus head.

After shadow puppets overthrew Cronus, the figure of Zeus appeared on a screen.

See BOOT CAMP Page 6

2

News

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Los Angeles COLLEGIAN

$ Scholarship 90,000 Winner Vice president of Academic Affairs Dan Walden was among the �irst to congratulate LACC physics major John Niroula on being selected for the President’s Foundation/Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship award as LACC President Renee Martinez looked on. Niroula was all smiles when he stopped by the president’s of�ice last week to learn he will receive $30,000 and all expenses paid for three years at any fouryear institution.

From left, Ali Ahmad (Winston) and Emily Barnett (Julia) in a Theatre Academy rehearsal of "1984" at the Camino Theatre Saturday, April 19.

Inae Bloom/Collegian

GEORGE ORWELL’S 1984 TAKES STAGE

By Gloria K. Lee Manipulation, fear, betrayal and love are the underlying components of 1984. The play premiered at the El Camino Theatre on Tuesday, April 22. The show is a stage adaptation of George Orwell’s novel Nineteen EightyFour.

The play brings to life, the effects of a totalitarian government’s terrifying influence upon society.

Orwell wrote a book with a futuristic outlook on the relationship between the government and the governed. According to historians, the novel was published in 1949, an era familiar with J. Edgar Hoover and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s use of power and blackmail against U.S. citizens. Decades ago, the FBI spied on the U.S. as well as

other nations with wiretaps and satellites. Today’s headlines reflect that the National Security Agency (NSA) tracks and monitors the locations and identities of people by GPS and cameras.

“I’m just really honored to be in a play that is so relevant today – politically that is,” Emily Barnett, a theatre major said.

“George Orwell kind of predicted how society was going to turn out. In several ways it has come to that and it is both fascinating and frightening.”

The play is directed by LACC Theatre Academy professor Christopher Fairbanks.

“I hear good things. I’m excited for the director’s debut,” stage manager Victoria Chediak said. “It’s his first show with us.

We watch them work really hard on their accents and everything, so I’m just excited to see it all

come together.”

The world within the play consists of three major powers called “Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia.” The three nations are constantly at war with each other.

The protagonist is Winston Smith, a member of the middle class who works for the government of Oceania. His role as a government worker is to rewrite Oceania’s past history by editing photographs, records and documents.

Julia is Smith’s lover. She is a mechanic who repairs writing machines for the government.

They live in a society that lies to everyone and continually monitors every person’s movement.

Together they commit rebellious acts against the Party’s values and later they are caught by the “Thought Police.”

Big Brother is the tyrannical

leader of the Party. He may not even exist, but he is a symbol of a regime that dictates what each person must think and believe to be true. The Party monitors each thought, action, emotion and speech of society with hidden cameras and government spies.

The plot and storyline is rich with irony and imagination.

“I am grateful to the LACC Academy and my wonderful 1984 cast for the opportunity to explore man’s inhumanity to man,” Fairbanks said. “Let us aspire,” as Ellen DeGeneres says, “to be kind to one another.”

The play will be performed for one week only. General admission tickets are $12. The discounted price for students, seniors and veterans is $8. Tickets are available online at theatreacademy.lacitycollege.edu.

Pianist Loves ‘Engaging’ Audience at Campus Concerts

By Jaleen Wedlow

P

William Knudson/Collegian Pianist Susan Svercek often appears animated and expressive as she performs the music of contemporary composers, many of whom she knows personally. Svercek, who has perfomed at Carnegie Recital Hall and Walt Disney Hall performed for an LACC audience in the Student Union Multipurpose Room on March 27.

ianist Susan Svrcek has toured all over the world, but finds a special place in her heart for audiences at L.A. City College. The current chair of Piano at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, Svercek has performed at Carnegie Recital Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall.

In late March, Svrcek impressed a group of LACC music students with Hungarian folk, contemporary and classical music at the Student Union Multipurpose Room.

“I enjoy coming to Los Angeles City College to perform,” Svrcek said.

“The audiences are always engaged when I play.”

Svrcek made short biography presentations to the audience about some of the lesser-known composers’ music she performed. Students who attended shared their thoughts on the concert by the pianist who has been a faculty member at Cal State Fullerton and Scripps College.

“I like it a lot, it looks like the performer was really concentrating on the piece she was playing,” said Edgar Perdomo, a music major. “It looks like she has a really abstract

mind and a creative mind too.”

Students say they are accustomed to mainstream classical themes and that Svrcek surprised the audience with another world of classical music. She is a founding member of “Piano Spheres,” a group that performs new and unusual music.

“It was interesting to see how inspiring [atonal] music could be because … usually you’re not used to hearing it, it’s difficult to really see the point,” said Jakob Sandmeier, a music major.

Svrcek engages the audience with her facial expressions and reactions to the music when she performs, from a piece with soft tones, to the most intense piece.

“She really gets people into the music. She gave people a pretty mellow ride in one song and with great force; startled banging on the keys. I saw a few people jump in their seats,” said music major Melody Ruiz, After the concert was over, loud applause and claps echoed throughout the entire Multipurpose Room for Svrcek. Before the artist concluded her performance, she shared a few parting words with the audience.

“I always loved music,” Svrcek said.

“Apparently I always respond to it.”

Recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Work Together to Prevent the Next

By Luisa Hagopian Every year on April 24, I take part in a march with thousands of other Armenians in Hollywood and protest for recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Like many Armenians here

at LACC, I have grown up hearing horrifying stories about how 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

This April marks 99 years of denial of the genocide. There is a lack of awareness about it, and it is important for students to know they can help by participating in protests or even using their social media sites to create awareness. It has been said that after 100 years, it will no longer be considered a genocide, but why would we want to reach 100 years when we can do everything we can this year to get the Armenian Geno-

cide recognized?

I remember seeing articles in the newspaper and the news channels reporting on the genocide protests, but that kind of recognition lasts for a day. It is a shame that students my age do not take part in these events.

I want to look back at my life and tell my grandchildren one day that I helped get the Armenian Genocide recognized; I worked with organizations, protested in front of the Turkish Embassy, and helped raise awareness of the traumatizing genocide.

How long are we Armenians going to wait for a genocide that happened 99 years ago to get recognized? It has been too long. While many are just learning about the event, it upsets me that few are aware of the second Armenian Genocide occurring right now in a small Christian town in Kessab, Syria. #SaveKessab has been trending on many social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

It has helped many spread the word about the attack that was launched on March 21, including support

Honors Program Promotes Research for Community College Students

By Rocio Flores Huaringa When we think about research, we think about four-year universities, especially the UCs. Usually community colleges are not involved in research, because of lack of resources and because in most cases, community colleges prepare students to either transfer or get an associate degree in the least time possible.

This leaves no time for research.

Before coming to LACC, I had never performed any type of research. After a friend told me about the LACC Honors Program, I started to look for more information.

The Ralph Bunche Scholars (RBS) Program prepares students to do different types of research.

As a requisite for completing the program, students must submit a research project that can be presented in honors research conferences in California. Students get access to professors who mentor them to write university-level research papers.

I was scared before applying to the Honors Program, because I thought the workload was going to be too much, and the research project seemed daunting. However, since the moment I applied, all these fears disappeared. I received guidance on transfer preparation, and through my honors professors, I learned how to write a research paper.

Last semester, I applied for two honors research conferences, and thanks to the preparation I received in the program and my mentor, professor Gary Colombo, I was accepted into both of them.

Both conferences are very competitive. They are the Honors Trans-

fer Council of California (HTCC), the Research Conference at the University of California Irvine and the Bay Honors Consortium Honors Research Symposium at the University of California, Berkeley.

A total of 12 LACC students, including me, were accepted into the UCI conference and two into Berkeley, which is much more competitive. For the Berkeley Symposium, 184 proposals were received and only 85 were accepted. The conference at UCI was on April 5, and the one in Berkeley will be on May 3.

The students who were accepted into the HTCC Conference were Fariah Alam, Josh Barnhart, Vanessa Bronson, Daniel Ciarfalia, Carol Dance, Bora Hwang, Elisabeth Larson, Marnee McClellan, John Niroula, Kimberly Schiazza and Shant Tokatyan. John Niroula recently received the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship, and was also accepted into the symposium at Berkeley.

It is great having LACC students doing research and presenting their work in front of other scholars from all over California. The opportunity to succeed helped by the Honors Program is amazing. It is also important to recognize the effort of the students.

Being able to do research is definitely one of the great benefits of the Honors Program. However, there are other benefits, such as forming a closer relationship with faculty members, receiving academic advising, increasing the chance to transfer, having library privileges at UCLA, and participating in special meetings and seminars for members.

To join the RBS program, students need to have completed at least 12 units at LACC or another District Campus with a 3.0 GPA. The director of the program, Danielle Muller may be contacted via email at RBScholars@lacitycollege.edu or in her office in AD., Room 205C.

from Kim Kardashian, Cher and Travis Barker.

Armenians in the U.S. want government to assist and save their families in Syria. Sadly, history is repeating itself: While the first Armenian Genocide has yet to be recognized, another is taking place.

On April 10, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted the Armenian Genocide Resolution, which will help restore Armenia’s history. This is a start. Maybe now President Obama can keep the promise that he made in 2008: "As President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide," he said. This is-

sue has been going on far too long, and it is about time that Armenians get recognition for their ancestors who were killed in 1915.

We cannot move forward until we get what we have been protesting for. We should take action and do everything in our power to help raise awareness. Since LACC is diverse, I think our school should come together to make history.

There are many Armenians on campus, and maybe not everyone is as into fighting for their family’s country and history as I am, but it’s time to step up, be a leader, and help one another out.

Scholarships

Los Angeles COLLEGIAN

Scholarships Information Compiled by Rocio Flores Huaringa For more information on how to apply to these scholarships, visit their websites.

Got Chosen Drawing Award: $1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years old or older. They must fill out a form to enter the drawing.

This scholarships doesn't require a minimum GPA or an essay.

Deadline: Last day of every month.

Next deadline is on April 30.

Visit gotchosen.com/en/monthlyscholarship TG's Milton G. Wright Scholarship Drawing Award: $1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be 13 years old or older. They must be high school graduate, and be enrolled at least half time in an undergraduate degree or certificate program. Students must not be TG employees or a dependant of a TG employee. Applicants must also be eligible to receive federal student aid funding.

Deadline: Last day of every month.

Next deadline is on April 30.

Visit aie.org/milt-wright-scholarship/ Directron.com Scholarship Award: $200-$800 Eligibility: College bound high school seniors and current college students in the U.S. Applicants must submit an essay with a topic that is related to computer technology.

Deadline: May 1, 2014.

Visit directron.com/scholarship.html DutchCrafters Amish Furniture Scholarship Award: $500 Eligibility: Undergraduate students who draw upon their cultural heritage to shape their vocational aspirations, add creative value to their future employers, and serve their communities. Participants must

be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited four-year undergraduate institution located in the United States. They must be U.S. citizens or maintain legal residency within the United States. They must have achieved a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 and must have applied for federal financial aid in 2013.

Deadline: May 1, 2014 Visit dutchcrafters.com/heritagescholarship

Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited high school, college, or university in the U.S. and be 16 years or older. They must carry a status of “good standing” and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. They must submit a visual poem about overcoming a personal challenge. The poem must be presented on a 8.5 by 11 inches piece of paper.

Deadline: May 15, 2014 Visit 1800wheelchair.com/scholarship/

Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship Award: $3,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be fulltime undergraduate degree-seeking students at an accredited college or university. They must be pursuing a major and a career in the performing arts. They must demonstrate talent or potential in your chosen art and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. They must exhibit leadership ability and participate in community service activities.

Deadline: May 1, 2014 at 5 p.m.

Visit cbcfinc.org/cbcs-pa

The Heinlein Society Scholarship Award: $750 Eligibility: Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees. Their major must be science fiction as literature or engineering, math or physical sciences. Open to residents of any country. Applicants must write a 500 – 1,000 word essay on a selected topic.

Deadline: May 15, 2014 Visit heinleinsociety.org/scholarship-program/

Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship Award: $3,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be a full-time undergraduate degreeseeking student at an accredited college or university. They must be pursuing a major in the visual arts (such as, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts) and demonstrate talent or potential in your chosen art. They must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and exhibit leadership ability and participate in community service activities.

Deadline: May 1, 2014 at 5 p.m.

Visit cbcfinc.org/cbcs-va 1800wheelchair Scholarship Award: $500

National Collegiate Cancer Foundation Scholarship Award: $1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be a cancer survivor or current patient.

They must be between the ages of 18-35. They must be U.S. citizens and permanent residents and must be attending or planning to attend an accredited college, university or vocational institution.

Deadline: May 15, 2014 Visit collegiatecancer.org/scholarships ThanksUSA Scholarship Award: $3,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be dependents (age 24 and under) or spouses of U.S. military service personnel. Theymust be enrolled in undergraduate study at an accredited two or four-year college or university or vocational-technical school for the entire 2014-15 aca-

demic year. They must have a 2.0 GPA or higher.

Deadline: May 15, 2014 Visit scholarshipamerica.org/ thanksusa/ Jane Austen Society of North America Scholarship Award: $250-$1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in at least six credit hours of course work at a junior college, college, or university. Applicants must write an essay on the following question, “What do we learn from the silences of Mansfield Park?”

Deadline: May 15, 2014 Visit jasna.org/essaycontest/ Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Award: In exchange for a minimum 2-year service commitment at a critical shortage facility located in a health professional shortage area, the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program pays for tuition, books and school-related expenses and gives a monthly stipend of $1,302.

Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), nationals or lawful permanent residents. They must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a professional nursing degree program.

They must be free from any federal judgment liens and free from existing service commitments. Applicants must not be delinquents on a federal debt.

Deadline: May 22, 2014 Visit hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/ scholarships/nursing/ B. Davis Scholarship Award: $1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be currently registered in any postsecondary institution or must be high school juniors or seniors. Applicants must pick a controversial problem on high school, college or university campuses and suggest a solution in an essay of less than 1,000 words.

Deadline: May 26, 2014 Visit studentawardsearch.com/

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

scholarships Design-A-Sign Scholarship Award: $100-$1,000 Eligibility: Participants must be able to provide proof of high school, university, college, or trade school enrollment or the equivalent if registered with another schooling program. Entrants will digitally design a graduation sign and submit their designs online at Signazon. com.

Deadline: May 29, 2014 Visit signazon.com/contest/ grad2014/ Launch Your Dreams Scholarship Competition Award: $2,500 Eligibility: Applicant must be a U.S. veteran, spouse, or child of a U.S. veteran and currently enrolled in or planning to enroll in continuing education and must be a legal resident of the U.S. Applicants must write in 300 words or less how $2,500 will help them accomplish their dreams.

Deadline: May 30, 2014 Visit govetsfoundation.org/scholarship.php Abercrombie & Fitch Future Leaders Scholarship Award: $1,000 Eligibility: Applicants must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors in a college and/or university by fall 2014. They must be business majors and have and maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must maintain full-time enrollment status for the duration of the scholarship.

Deadline: May 30, 2014 Visit adelantefund.org Fraser Institute Scholarship Award: $500-$1,500 Eligibility: Applicants must be students in the 2013-2014 academic year. Students must write a 1,0001,500 words essay on “The rise of crony capitalism: how government and business gain at the taxpayers’ expense”

3

Deadline: May 30, 2014 Visit fraserinstitute.org/educationprograms/students/essay-contest. aspx MyBookBuyer.com Textbooks For a Year Scholarship Award: $250-$1,250 Eligibility: Applicants must be college or university students 18 and older who are legal residents of the United States. Applicants must write a tip to share with college student in a 1,000-1,500 words essay.

Deadline: May 31, 2014 Visit mybookbuyer.com/mybookbuyer-scholarship/ Yes! Grace Rocks, Inc. Scholarship Award: $500 Eligibility: The student must have completed a minimum of two years of undergraduate work at an accredited institution of higher learning, earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and be matriculated for a bachelor's degree or post-graduate degree in speech, physical, or occupational therapy, special education, or nursing. The scholarship will recognize students who are most distinguished in their field of study and who have made contributions to the field through extracurricular activities.

Deadline: May 31, 2014 Visit yesgracerocks.com/scholarship_application.pdf

Did you win a scholarship?

Do you have a scholarship to share?

Tell us about it!

Write to losangeles. collegian@gmail.com

4

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Campus Life

Los Angeles COLLEGIAN

How to Meet With a Guidance Counselor

By Gloria K. Lee

Inae Bloom/COLLEGIAN

Paleolithic Games. Eduardo Carreon blows on a slowly smoking pile of kindling after using the bow fire starter during the Anthropology department's "Paleolithic Games" in the Quad April 3. Seconds later, it burst into flames.

Students can save time and money by meeting with a guidance counselor. This crucial appointment can ensure that students do not take unnecessary classes. By the time a student completes 60 units, the college sends an email out, prompting the student to make an appointment with a guidance counselor.

The services of guidance counselors are easier to access at a community college, than at a university where there are more students. In the community college setting, students also have an opportunity to build a rapport with their guidance counselor.

LACC counselor Mely Belviz advises students to take this important step.

“We really want them to make an appointment with us to make sure that the requirements are completed, so that there are no surprises and to update them on new changes to the requirements,” Belviz said.

“We’re here to answer questions on applications, graduation or transfer plans and to give them tips and hints on what to do to be successful in their application process.”

Belviz says that it is important that students are properly guided as to which courses they should study to achieve their career goals.

Students who have been at LACC for several semesters are advised to meet with counselors each semester, so that they do not take unnecessary classes.

“We do our best to help them because we want everyone to suc-

ceed,” Belviz said. “If they succeed, it’s like I succeed.”

Students who do not intend to transfer may not need to meet with a guidance counselor.

“I’m not going on to another degree. I’m here for my enjoyment, so I don’t see that I need a guidance counselor. But I’m retired. I’m not a regular student,” said Jack Hunter, a cinema major. “I’m only here to take photography and film classes, so I know which office to walk into if I have questions.”

Assistant Professor of Counseling Kamale Gray provides information through a website called Assist.org. She asks questions pertaining to the major area of study and gives information on which universities offer a particular major.

Five Steps to Meet a Guidance Counselor Here are five easy steps and additional information on how to meet with a counselor on campus:

1

Go to the first floor of the Cesar Chavez Administration Building to the Counseling Department and check in with a staff member. Be prepared to give your student identification number. Students are then directed to Room 103, and to “follow the green line” to get there.

2 3 4 5

Students will then pass the Admissions Office and take a left turn past the Student Assistance Center. Right across from two vending machines is Room 103, the Matriculation and Assessment Office.

The third step is to set up an appointment to meet with a guidance counselor. A staff member in Room 103 will ask for a student ID number. At that point, students can set a date and time for the meeting.

Arrive on time for the appointment. One form that counselors will go over is the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). It is a checklist of courses required to transfer to a university.

Meet with a counselor in the University Transfer Center for information about where to transfer. The counselor will ask questions to pinpoint whether students want to go out-of-state, attend a UC, Cal State, or private school.

An alternative method is to schedule an appointment with a counselor online at the LACC website: esars.lacitycollege.edu/sars/counseling. The site requires a student ID number and birthdate. The next step is to click continue, follow the prompts and set the appontment.

Students can visit lacitycollege.edu/services/counsel/counsel.html for additional information.

Finish Your Bachelor’s Degree at Azusa Pacific University

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Azusa Pacific’s accelerated programs can help you complete your bachelor’s degree and advance your career. Take classes in a streamlined sequence as you progress toward graduation day with a community of peers.

Illustration by Jaleen Wedlow /COLLEGIAN

Peer-to-Peer Offers Pathway for Networking on Campus

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First-year students may experience a smoother transition to college life through mentoring in the Peer-to-Peer Program.

The program partners mentees with two to three mentors. They share information about their majors and goals during bi-weekly meetings on Fridays, on the second floor of the Student Union.

Mentees and mentors also discuss career paths and involvement in school activities.

Peer-to-Peer mentors help mentees become familiar with resources available at LACC, and they provide mentoring that can help students become more focused.

Lynda Doo mentored other students for two years on how to achieve their goals as college stu-

dents. She is now the Peer-to-Peer program coordinator. “ I joined the Peer-to-Peer program because I wanted to get involved and develop as a leader while balancing academics and volunteer work,” Doo said.

To become a program mentor, a student must attend LACC full time for one year and maintain a G.P.A of 3.0 or higher. Mentors must understand the role of a leader and be able to handle responsibility.

“I wanted to challenge myself to excel and stay on track with school,” Doo said.

Freshmen are still welcome to inquire about the program at the biweekly meetings. Mentors are still available for this semester. Students who are no longer freshmen are also welcome at the meetings to network and learn about the many resources available on campus.

Police Wire

Compiled by Lorenzo Quintana April 1, 2014, 9 a.m.: Staff member requested a report on an incident with a student in the Student Union.

April 1, 2014, 9:40 a.m.: Student reported incident while in Parking Lot 1. Unknown male was yelling profanity. Report taken.

April 2, 2014, 2:15 p.m.: Staff member injured his back on the third floor of the Administration Building. Paramedics responded and transported employee to Kaiser Permanente.

April 2, 2014, 3:30-5:30 p.m.: Student reported wallet lost in Franklin Hall.

Campus Life

Los Angeles COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

5

Denim Day: Then and Now April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the Office of Student Life is making sure students become aware of sexual abuse by endorsing Denim day on campus and holding a performance of the “Vagina Monologues” tomorrow, April 24, on the third floor of the Student Union Building from 7-9 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the Business Office for $10.

By Byron Umana Bermudez and Richard Martinez She was excited for her first driving lesson.

The instructor drove to her house, as he would have done with any new student. She came out of the house dressed like any normal young adult, wearing her favorite pair of jeans. She stepped in the car and greeted her instructor with a handshake. Everything seemed normal, until it no longer was. She began to panic when her instructor touched her thigh. She tried to get out the car, but he locked it before she could try.

After he raped her, he had her drive him back into town, but not before he threatened to kill her should she tell someone of the attack.

This story may seem unreal, but it is the true story of the rape of an 18-year-old Italian woman who made international headlines in the ’90s.

The Denim Day USA website chronicles how what could have been a run-of-the-mill driving lesson turned horribly wrong as the young woman’s driving instructor took her to an isolated area, raped her and followed his assault with a death threat. She later pressed charges and he was convicted of rape and sentenced to jail.

He went on to appeal the conviction and the case made its way to the Italian Supreme Court, which overturned the conviction; according to the Chief Judge on the grounds that “Because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”

Then, according to the Denim Day website, in response to the court’s ruling, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work as an act of protest. The California Senate and Assembly soon followed. Then, in April 1999, Patricia Giggans, executive director at Peace Over Violence, established Denim Day in Los Angeles, a tradition observed to this day.

Denim Day brings light to the victims, but also encourages others to take action, and every year since its inception, LACC’s campus community has participated in recognizing the movement. “[Denim Day] allows people to change their views on what consensual sex is. This campaign was created to spread the word and raise awareness of what sexual abuse is,” said Ronnise Simmons, a student worker at the Office of Student Life. “Hopefully we can empower students to break the silence.”

According to the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties, someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes. In the Italian case, the victim’s compliance to her rapist’s demands was seen as consent. What the court failed to recognize was that many victims of rape feel powerless during the moments leading to, during and even after the assault.

According to StatisticsBrain. com, 60 percent of all rape instances and 90 percent of college rapes are not reported to the authorities.

Photos Courtesy of Peace over Violence and Wikimedia Commons

Star Sightings on Campus

Consumer Alert, Map to Stars May be Inaccurate!

By Jessica Brecker

Many people have purchased a map to the stars’ homes and have been dismayed to find the star has moved.

The same could be said of the stars in the sky.

The Babylonians are credited with inventing astrology about 2000 years ago. The zodiac itself is believed to have been an invention of the ancient Egyptians. Since then, the 12 signs designating earth’s position in relation to the sun have changed, gradually. Not only that, but a 13th sign has been left out of the zodiac altogether!

A person born today, April 23, probably believes they are a Taurus. But the sun is not in Taurus right now, it is in Aries!

Parke Kunkle, professor of astronomy at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, claims the chart Americans use has not kept up with changes in Earth’s alignment.

Earth’s position in relation to the sun has changed.

“This is not new news, astronomers have known about this since 130 B.C.,” Professor Kunkle said to Associated Press in 2011. “The sun has been going through Ophiuchus for thousands of years. “ The moon’s gravitational pull has made earth shift on its axis, creating one month’s shift in the star’s alignment.

“When astrologers say the sun is in Pisces, it’s not really in Pisces,” Kunkle said.

A Hindu system of astrology based on the actual locations of the Earth, Stars and Sun, Sidereal astrology, has made an adjustment for precession of the vernal equinox.

Precession means a change has occurred in the direction of the axis of a rotating object. Sidereal astrology also takes into account the 13th astrological sign, Ophiuchus. This of course changes many birth signs by as much as a month and for anyone born from Nov. 29, to Dec 17, the 13th sign, Ophiuchus, the snake charmer.

“I’m not worried about what sign I could be,” said Ayame Vest, music major who was born on Dec. 10. “The point of astrology is that we can decide the meaning we want it to have.”

Those born under Ophiuchus are said to have lofty ideals, are inventive and will enjoy longevity. The snake Ophiuchus holds, Serpens, is found on the symbol of medicine worldwide, the Caduceus. This is because Ophiuchus is associated with Aesculapius, an ancient physician able to restore the dead to life! Zeus, the god of thunder, destroyed him with a thunderbolt for this act that was decidedly against the natural order of things.

Astrology is a business and so many astrologers have claimed that the chart is based on the four seasons, or some other fixed factor. This would mean the zodiac used in astrology has little to do with the actual zodiac. For many this just doesn’t make sense.

Astrology may be a pseudo-science but it does claim to be based on fact, the location of the Sun and in some cases the Moon, at the date of Jaleen Wedlow /COLLEGIAN a person’s birth.

The boundaries of the Sidereal zodiac are plain to see. If one goes to Stellarium, they can observe the sun’s progression through the zodiac for themselves.

Today the sun, which will be setting at about 7:20 p.m., is in Aries, not Taurus. Mercury is also in Aries and can be seen as a bright star to the southwest.

Jupiter is to the west and overhead in Gemini. Mars is the big red glowing object to the southeast, in Virgo.

It is advised to not make jokes about Sirius, the bright blue star to the south.

The much more accurate Sidereal chart is as follows: • Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16 • Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11 • Pisces: March 11- April 18 • Aries: April 18 - May 13 • Taurus: May 13 - June 21 • Gemini: June 21 - July 20 • Cancer: July 20 - Aug. 10 • Leo: Aug. 10 - Sept. 16 • Virgo: Sept. 16 - Oct. 30 • Libra: Oct. 30 - Nov. 23 • Scorpio: Nov. 23 - Nov. 29 • Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17 • Sagittarius: Dec. 17 - Jan. 19 For accurate information of the location of the stars and zodiac go to stellarium.org.

Jessica Brecker /COLLEGIAN Popularly known as a “blood moon” due to its crimson appearance, a total lunar eclipse (when the moon enters the earth’s shadow) was visible to all Northern American states on Monday, April 14, at 12 a.m. PST. This was the first of a string of upcoming total lunar eclipses that will occur next on Oct. 8, 2014, then Apr. 4, 2015, and finally Sept. 28, 2015.

Spica can be seen next to the moon. Mars was visible just to the top right of it, and was visibly brighter on April 14, due to the fact that it was only 57 million miles (92 million kilometers) away from the earth this month, closer than it will be for another two years.

Danni Connor /COLLEGIAN

Students line up at Harry's food truck located outside the Communication building for a mixof snacks, drink and prepared food items.

Food Choices Limited On Campus

By Lorenzo Quintana Food options for students at LACC are limited to Tully’s and a few food trucks scattered across campus. Harry’s food truck is located near the Communications Building, but the trucks outside of the Student Union vary from week to week.

Off-campus, there are several fast food restaurants, gas stations and small shops, yet most LACC students say that the time between classes is not enough to venture to those locations. Students say they would like more quick and easy options on campus that are both accessible and healthy.

A food court with vendors at the Student Union is planned, but is still up in the air.

LACC student Kimi Keen relies on the food trucks and outside restaurants for her lunch, but says she would like another alternative.

“I wish there was more selection, and the food from the trucks and McDonald’s isn’t really healthy,” Keen said.

Feedback from students and customers waiting outside of the food trucks has been mostly positive.

Film students Cesar Kailani and Jenny Bacon visit Harry’s food truck often because it is next to the theater department.

“It’s really greasy sometimes, but it’s cheap and right here so we always come here,” Kailani said.

Harry Hatikyan owns the food truck located near the Communications Building. The truck has received a grade “A” rating from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in the years it has been open.

Hatikyan showed Collegian reporters where food is kept and how it is prepared. According to Hatikyan, he and his team cook using conventional vegetable oil, fresh produce

and meats. The produce is kept in a refrigerator underneath the cutting board and the bread is kept in a cabinet right above it.

“The food we cook is purchased in the morning and brought here.

Nothing is frozen,” Hatikyan said.

“We cook all of the food to order and nothing is pre-cooked.”

Along with his featured menu, Harry also offers vegetarian choices such as veggie burgers, veggie wraps and veggie quesadillas.

Modifications to the food can also be made upon request.

Students can make healthier choices by asking for grilled rather than fried meat, holding mayo and dressings or getting them on the side, and drinking water instead of soda.

The food trucks outside of the Student Union are only here on Wednesdays. Harry’s food truck is on campus Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

6

Boot Camp

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Los Angeles COLLEGIAN

I think it's an intensive two-day opportunity for children to see real actors, real stage craft and to be able to be a part of that.”

Collegian

Boot Camp From Page 1 The music “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Richard Strauss, played in the dark as four dancers began to rise from the floor with a large piece of white textile.

Lights faded up to reveal silhouettes of the actors onstage. The show began. The narrator started the story with the help of four college mentor actors as the middle school students performed in the play.

“I think that it’s an intensive two-day opportunity for children to see real actors, real stage craft and be able to be a part of that,” said Nancy Scher, a coordinator from “Gear Up 4 L.A.” at Virgil Middle School. “They just get little pieces sometimes, but here they are getting

to see the entire package and that’s pretty cool.”

Middle school students described the boot camp as an unforgettable and fun experience. The audience of parents, relatives and friends enthusiastically embraced the production, which was full of humor, action and mythology. They reacted to the play with a storm of applause.

“It was perfect. I really loved it.

I enjoyed it,” said Juanita Santos, a sister of one of the dancers. “It has a little bit of comedy and it was really funny. I loved the dancers … It was wonderful. It was my first time experience and my kids had fun. It’s a good experience.”

MEDIA ARTS DEPARTMENT, CHEMISTRY 207 Los Angeles City College 855 N. Wermont Ave. Los Angeles CA 90029

Editor-in-Chief Inae Bloom Rocio Flores Huaringa Multimedia Producer Dave Martin Graphic Designers Beatrice Alcala Rocio Flores Huaringa Illustrator Jaleen Wedlow Photographers Jessica Brecker Danni Conner Karin Gonzalez Bill Knudson Dave Martin Inae Bloom Abel Zarate Jr. Reporters Jessica Brecker Gloria Lee Richard Martinez Rashid Pineda Lorenzo Quintana Byron Umana Bermudez Jaleen Wedlow Svelatna Yurash Copy Editor Richard Martinez Advertising Staff Clinton Cameron Inae Bloom Advisers Rhonda Guess Robin Guess

Deadline Schedule NEXT ISSUE: March 12, 2014 Editorial deadline: March 5, 2014 For all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity releases send materials to Collegian office: Chemistry 207 losangeles.collegian@gmail.com For all insertion orders and advertising questions.

Email: pr.collegian@gmail.com

Karin Gonzalez and Abel Zarate Jr./Collegian (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) Student Kaniah Chapman works with her mentor creating a sculpture for the head of the Greek monster, Medusa, that was displayed on a table in the entrance of the theatre.

Karla Castillo, a student from Now Academy, plays Hera, goddess of marriage and wife of Zeus. She sits on the left side of the stage observing the characters' story-telling and protesting whenever she does not like them.

Queen Casseopeia, played by Fatima Sandoval, forces her husband King Cepheus, played

by Muhammad Abdullah, to agree that she is the most beautiful goddess in the world. With resignation, King Cepheus agrees to her request.

Sofia Zorian and Douglas Dutton mentor students in sound production. Zoria was the sound director in the play guiding students on when to hit the right notes.

Johanna McKay, producer of the play, narrates the introduction to "Stories of the Stars."

The goddess of the hunt, Artemis, played by Wendy Garcia, prepared her bow and arrow next to Orion, the god's greatest hunter of Ancient Greece, played by actor Raymond Romero.

Ana Amaya, Angela Lagsit, Norling Galang, and Emily Trujillo play the role of the lovely daughters of Poseidon, god of the sea.

To view the final performance of "Stories of the Stars," scan this QR code, or follow the link below. youtu.be/vVUGyX3MzR0 Subscribe to CollegianWired on YouTube.

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Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles City College, or any officer or employee thereof.

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