EL CAMINO COLLEGE MAY 17, 2018 Follow us at @ECCUnion
THE UNION eccunion.com
Like us at /ElCaminoUnion
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
Send us an email at /eccunion@gmail.com
UNDER ONE ROOF
Jeremy Taylor/ Union Jaymin Austin, 21, from Colorado, relaxes in his room playing a few rounds of Fortnite. “Fifteen guys have come here…maybe it just wasn’t for them,” Austin said.
EC football players find brotherhood sharing apartment Jeremy Taylor Senior Staff Writer
@ECCUnionJeremyT
U
pon first entering the Torrance three bedroom apartment of five EC football players, it doesn’t look any different from your typical college dorm. There is a small kitchen, a bathroom and in each of the bedrooms there are two beds. In the large living room, there is an L-shaped couch with blankets and pillows strewn about. Jordan Williams sits in a sofa chair playing the popular multiplayer game, Fortnite, less than two feet away from an HDTV that rests atop a dresser. “It’s like we’re brothers. You know, having roommates, especially not being from here, you don’t have your friends that you have from back home,” said wide receiver Okwes Nwaelleh, a 20 year old business major from Ontario, Canada, “so were kinda each others automatic friends right away, that’s a blessing in itself.” If a student is one of the select high school athletes who receives an athletic scholarship, they have it have it pretty good. Their housing, meals and healthcare are all encompassed in your scholarship, leaving them to focus just on school and sports. However, if they aren’t offered a scholarship, community college is a path that offers a second chance for some, to earn one.
Scholarships and financial inducements for athletic participation aren’t allowed at the community college level in the state of California, according to California Community College Athletic Association’s constitution. The financial burden of school fees (in or out of state) and living expenses are the athlete’s responsibility. “The worst thing that could happen is a kid comes from out the area and not be prepared and not have support and be starving and not have a place to stay,” said head coach Gifford Lindheim, “How can a kid be successful under those circumstances?” Jaymin Austin, a 21-year-old linebacker from Colorado, has resided in the apartment the longest and he has seen his fair share of roommates come and go, “Fifteen guys have come here and they really…maybe it just wasn’t for them,” Austin said. “Guys who could’ve been really good too. Yeah, Mentality, mindset, discipline, perseverance, nothing here is guaranteed or handed to you. So when you come out here and you figure out that you’re not the starting guy, or you have rent to pay or you might have to find a job to sustain this life, a lot of people aren’t ready for that in life so far so I feel like people kind of move into this too soon. They really don’t have it planned out.” “Or the mental fortitude, the mental toughness to go through it, when the going gets tough,” Nwaelleh said.
continued on p. 6
EC STUDENT DESCRIBES STRUGGLE AFFORDING HOUSING IN SURROUNDING AREA
THE TRUE COST: HOW MUCH STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE TO PAY TO LIVE NEAR EL CAMINO
WARRIOR LIFE MAGAZINE TO FEATURE STUDENT MUSICIAN AND CRAFT BEER ENTHUSIAST
p. 5
p. 6
p. 3
NEWS
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 2
MAY 17, 2018
EVENT CALENDAR Emma DiMaggio Senior Staff Writer
@ECCUnionEmma
Associated Student Organization screening “Black Panther” at movie night ASO Movie Night will take place on Thursday, May 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. on the Library Lawn. Popcorn and sodas will be available for sale, as well at $2 burgers provided by In-N-Out food trucks. The event is free to all students
The annual Student Art Show open house will take place on Friday, May 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. Classrooms throughout the Art and Photography Department will fill their classes with student artworks and open their doors to the public. The pieces span over a variety of mediums, including works from a number of classes offered at El Camino.
Astrophysics Club to host Astronomy Night The Astronomy and Astrophysics Club will be hosting Astronomy Night on Friday, May 18, from 7 to 10 p.m. on the roof of the ITEC Building. The event will consist of star gazing and planetary viewing through telescopes, planetarium shows, and a tour of the solar system in virtual reality. The event is free and open to the public.
36th Annual Fashion Show to take place in East Dining Room The Tailor Made Fashion Club will be sponsoring their annual fashion show on Tuesday, May 29, at 7 p.m. in the East Dining Room. This year’s theme is “City of Lights.” The pieces in the show will be made up of the designs of eight designers who produce collections of five pieces each. There will also be a “mini hair show” by the Cosmetology Department within the event. Tickets for the event are $5 for faculty, staff members, and students with I.D. Adult presale tickets are $10 presale and $12 at the door.
Corrections In the May 3 issue of The Union, a headline stated that the ASB sticker will increase by 33 percent. The cost of the ASB sticker will be a 50 percent increase from $10 to $15. In the same issue, a photo of students in an ICC meeting was credited to Zach Hatakeyama, when Faith Petrie was the photographer of the image. The Union regrets these errors.
Zach Hatakeyama/ Union The Starbucks will be located on the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and 146th Street, across from Lot L and next to the Taco Bell.
Starbucks to open across from campus
The coffee shop is set to open in time for the fall semester Zach Hatakeyama Editor-in-Chief
A
@ECCUnionZachc
TO REDONDO BEACH BOULEVARD 146TH STREET
Annual Student Art Show debuts on campus
FUTURE STARBUCKS
CRENSHAW BOULEVARD
LOT L
TACO BELL
new Starbucks location is set to open on Crenshaw Boulevard, across the street from Lot L. The store plans on opening its doors this summer, in time for the fall semester to begin. “Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers,” a Starbucks spokesperson told The Union.
The location will be 880 square feet and will only contain a drivethru; however, it will offer a walk up window for customers as well. Victoria Petrova, 20, business management major, will take advantage of the new addition to Crenshaw Boulevard. “I think I would go there 100 percent,” Petrova said. Reference librarian Camilla Jenkin agrees. “I think it will provide a lot of options for faculty and staff to get a caffeine fix,” Jenkin said.
ASO approves 50% price increase for ASB sticker Additional money directly affects student programs, director of finance says Faith Petrie Managing Editor
@ECCUnionFaith
A
SO Director of finance Alex Ostrega explains the price increase and what effects it will have on students in a Q&A with The Union. Q: For those who do not know, where does the money from ASB sticker price increase directly affect? A: (The money) directly affects the students and their programs. Like I said before, athletics, fine arts, journalism, the Forensics Team, they all receive funding and if they were to come to ASB for special funding requests as in asking for money for projects or trips. For instance, fine arts recently came to ASB about two or three months ago asking for funding to their trip to Carnegie Hall because they’re going to be playing in Carnegie
Hall. In order to actually go through with this trip they needed extra funding in order to send however many students to Carnegie Hall. Without this increase that would not be possible, being able to have all of these students go there and experience this once in a life time experience in Carnegie Hall and play that’s something that ASB is going to be able to make happen with this increase as well. Q: Are there any extra benefits students would gain from the increase? A: Besides (things like the solar charging stations) we have many other ideas as well. For instance we’re building a garden right across from the Campus Deli. We’re using all of these funds that we’re getting from ASB to do good for the students. The ASB price increase will go into effect in the fall semester. For more information, visit eccunion.com
Ryan Guitare/ Union Director of finance Alex Ostrega shows off his ASB sticker. “We’re building a garden right in front of the Campus Deli.”
WANT TO WRITE FOR THE UNION OR WARRIOR LIFE? GET PUBLISHED • BUILD YOUR RESUME • GET REAL NEWSROOM EXPERIENCE
VISIT HUMANITIES ROOM 113 FOR AN APPLICATION
MAY 17, 2018
NEWS
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3
Darwyn Sanayoa/ Union Warrior Life profiles a member of the S.H.A.D.E.S. Club, which focuses on women empowerment and feminism. “I hope (students) are enlightened,” editor-in-chief Sarah Desmond said.
Campus magazine to hit stands this semester Warrior Life magazine features student musician, craft beer enthusiast Zach Hatakeyama Editor-In-Chief
@ECCUnionZach
El Camino’s campus magazine, Warrior Life, is set to debut their 2018 issue this semester. The magazine is set to include features on various EC students, faculty and staff. “My favorite part of making this magazine was the journey. What this magazine represents is the journey,” Warrior Life editorin-chief Sarah Desmond said. Desmond hopes that the El Camino community relates with Warrior Life. “I hope they’re enlightened and that they find enjoyment,” Desmond said. “I hope they can relate to it. It’s not only for students, although it is a student-run publication, it’s for faculty and anyone else who works at El Camino and anyone who stops by El Camino. We talk about important issues like women empowerment but we also have some pieces that are lighter like a singer-songwriter.” The magazine took one year to produce and includes 72 pages. “I like (all the stories). They’re all unique in their own way. I can’t decide what I like most.” Desmond said. “I am grateful that the sources were willing to open up to us and trust us to tell their stories.”
The magazine features a student, Dani Lindeman, and her service dog Luca. The issue will be released later this semester.
Warrior Life profiles top four coffee shops in the area. The magazine also includes top five burgers, record stores and bars near El Camino.
Jack Kan/ Union
Sarah Desmond/ Union
NEWS
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 4
A chance at higher education
MAY 17, 2018
A look at some of the ways undocumented students can apply for financial aid Selvin Rodas
Special to The Union @selvinrodas
A
reli Fernandez Perez was only four years old when her parents decided that she would have more opportunities in the United States than in Mexico. Years later, Fernandez Perez was ready to graduate from Torrance High School and wanted to seek a higher education. However, her parents didn’t have the money to pay for her college expenses. Fernandez Perez, 19, a sociology and criminal law major is one of 837 California Assembly Bill 540 (AB540) students who pay in-state tuition and apply for financial aid, among other things that allow them to keep coming to El Camino College. Under AB840, certain nonresident students are eligible to pay in-state tuition and undocumented students are included in this group, according to the California Legislative website. “I did the California Dream Act Application and I also applied for EOPS and FYE,” Perez said. Since Donald Trump took office, more than 41,000 suspected undocumented people have been deported to their home countries, according to a BBC news article. Despite all the threats Trump has made against the immigrant community saying that he is going to deport them, there are still institutions that protect them. EC is one of them. According to officials, all the information that students provide to them are protected and they do not share it with anyone outside campus. For this reason, officials encourage undocumented students to apply to a college or university and to apply for financial aid because they are safe on campuses. The California Dream Act Application (CADAA) is a statesponsored financial aid source for undocumented students, much
like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but for documented students. “Students who complete the California Dream Act for the current academic year can get their tuition paid by using the Board of Governors’ (BOG) Fee Waiver, which will now be called the California College Promise Grant starting in the fall,” student services adviser Lizet Salazar said. Salazar said that students who enroll in 12 or more units can get $1,104, which covers spring, summer, fall and winter tuition. Additionally, full-time students may be eligible for Cal Grant B. Cal Grant B provides funds to students to pay for their education materials such as living expenses, transportation, books and supplies, according to the California Student Aid Commission website, a state agency that has been responsible for managing financial aid programs for students in California since 1955. “They could get $1,672,” Salazar said. “Students will get half in fall and half in spring, which will be mailed to their home address.” Students who are eligible for Cal Grant B and who also continue their full-time enrollment can also get the “Full-time Student Success Grant” of $1,000, which is also divided in two for the whole year. According to the CA Student Aid Commission website, in order for undocumented students to apply for financial aid, they need to be AB540, have a U-Visa or be a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipient. Also, they need to live in the state of California and have or be on track to earn a high school diploma or a GED. On the other hand, EC offers scholarships to students and they can get up to $5,000 in scholarship money to use for their education to pay for enrollment and school supplies. The El Camino College Foundation gives over 600 scholarships every year, but this year it’s providing more than 700 scholarships. “Most of the scholarships are $1,000, that’s the average
Jaimie Woods/ Union Areli Fernandez-Perez gets help from an EOPS tutor for her math homework. Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) helps with tutoring and provides book vouchers.
amount,” Executive Director of the EC Foundation, Andrea Sala said. Sala said that there is a scholarship for everyone but they need to apply for a chance to get one. AB540 students also are eligible to apply for scholarships through the foundation, which can help students to cover enrollment fees and school supplies like books or even a computer, Sala said. Salazar agrees with Sala that undocumented students should not be afraid because a lot of colleges and universities are creating a safe environment for them, so they can get a better education for free. “The schools always have a career center, and ask for help and be honest and don’t be afraid and don’t be shy,” Salazar said. “Talk to someone you trust and tell them you’re undocumented and how they can support you.” Like Fernandez Perez, many other students do not know about
Selvin Rodas/ Union Information courtesy of Lizet Salazar, student services adviser. how they can apply for financial aid and that’s why she encourages them to do research because there are so many ways that undocumented students can afford to go to a community college or a four-year university. Another way that AB540
“Before not knowing all this, students can get financial aid is I was thinking about (coming to through the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), school) because I didn’t have the money to pay tuition,” Perez said. where they can get help with “Besides, you have to think about tutoring and book vouchers; all the extra money you need to students can also use the computer put in order to come to school.” lab to do their school work and print.
WHERE TO APPLY California Assembly Dream Act Bill 540 Application •
•
•
Selvin Rodas/ Union Students can use the computer labs to gain more information and apply for financial aid.
The California Dream Act is the name given to Assembly Bill 130 and 131, which allow some undocumented students to apply for and receive state-based financial aid and institutional scholarships. Summit the California Dream Act Application and Non-SSN GPA Verification Form by March 2nd every year at dream.csac.ca.gov AB540 students can get up to $836 per semester.
•
The Assembly Bill 540 or also known as AB540 is a law that allows students who have attend high school for 3 or more years to pay instate tuition when they transfer to an university or a community college, according to the California Legislative website.
EC Scholarship Foundation • • •
Students can apply for any scholarship that EC offers to its students. Applications opens during the fall semester of every year. Potention recipients can get up to $1,000 to cover their school expenses, according to the executive director of EC Foundation, Andrea Sala.
OPINION/EDITORIAL
MAY 17, 2018
Editorial:
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5
Community Corner:
Rent hikes make it difficult for students to continue with their education A month or two ago, I came home to a wooden post outside my house advertising its sale. “Call for inquiries.” I had a lot of those. Would we have to move? Where? Can we afford any other place? As the days and weeks passed, each family member carried on with his/her daily routine and, just as unexpectedly as the sign went up, we were soon notified of a rent increase of $500 a month from our new landlord. Renovations to the exterior of our home started immediately, and interior alterations are soon to come. I, like many of my student peers, chose El Camino College because of financial reasons. While my financial aid and work-study help me support myself, a rent increase is difficult for my family to withstand. My only parent’s business has not been doing well, and I am about to graduate from El Camino and transfer to a much more expensive institution. It is an important time for me, but if necessary, I considered taking a gap year or finding a second
job, foregoing all my prior plans just to support my family. It is a period where every single family member must be mature and make sacrifices to make ends meet. We have to support one another and support my mom especially. A couple months ago on campus, I walked passed a table where someone was collecting signatures petitioning rent hikes in LA County. At the time, I was indifferent because I thought it wouldn’t happen to me. But now I feel the impacts firsthand and even see it happening to my close friends. My best friend’s family just moved into a cramped, oneroom apartment for their fourmember household. It’s unfortunate that we have to compromise the trajectory of our educational plans just to ensure that we have basic shelter. In this time of anxiety, it seems to me that there’s not much we can do except make financial adjustments and support one another. Charlotte Vo, 19, international studies major
Community Corner: Jose Tobar/ Union
No place like home?
El Camino College needs to provide assistance to students, staff and faculty with affordable housing in order to supply an inclusive environment As students graduate from high school and move on to college, some don’t have the money to go straight to a four year, let alone live on their own. Sometimes, an athlete wants a chance to get an offer from a four year college, but wasn’t offered a scholarship straight out of high school. What about a teacher who wants the job but can’t afford to live in the area of the school they were offered the job at? For these people, housing is an issue. For international students who want the best education possible, or athletes who want the best opportunity on a full-ride to a school for sports, or a teacher who wants a job to support themselves, or their family, the housing prices in the area are too expensive. Because of the rising prices
at the university level, more and more students are choosing the community college route because it is less expensive, but most community colleges don’t offer housing for students. According to the California Community College System Chancellor’s Office, of the state’s 112 campuses, 11 offer housing. The Dorms of Torrance, a building that offers housing for students in apartment-like dorms located in Old Town Torrance, is a solution for some El Camino College students. Other schools like Santa Monica College do not offer student housing, but do offer tips on how to find housing in the area. According to Santa Monica College’s official website in their housing information for the school, “the college makes
Follow us! El Camino College Union The Union @ECCUnion @eccunion
THE UNION Vol. 73, No. 5 May 17, 2018
E -mail: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329
no representation as to the condition or suitability of any of the listed resources, nor does it assume responsibility for their condition or reliability, or for any agreements you enter into with them.” Although most community colleges don’t offer housing for students, one college is trying to change that. “Orange Coast College aims to build and open dorms by fall 2019 as part of a larger project that could make the school the only community college in Southern California to provide on-campus student housing,” written in an article in the Orange County Register. Orange Coast is one of the first Southern California community colleges to push for students living on campus.
The housing issue is not just for students. Faculty and staff still face the same issues. Faculty and staff members travel from surrounding cities and drive a good distance to work everyday because the cost of living in the area of El Camino is too expensive for some to afford a house. One way we can fix this issue is to help new staff or faculty members who are coming to the school with finding affordable housing near campus and a stipend to help with the cost for living in that area. For student athletes, international students, or out-of-state students, there could be affordable housing in the apartments near campus.
How does the ASB sticker price increase affect you? My name is Alex Ostrega and I’m the director of finance for Associated Students Organization (ASO). As some of you may know or are just finding out, our Auxiliary Services Board (ASB) sticker is increasing by 50% next year and, as representatives of El Camino students, ASO and I are here to inform you why. The funds collected from our sticker goes towards ASB, who then contributes 35% to ASO and Inter-Club Council (ICC). It’s been ASB, ASO, and ICC’s (InterClub Council) ongoing mission to increase the sticker price for a multitude of reasons I’ll outline in this column. I’m sure many of you are curious as to why the sticker price is going up and why you shouldn’t optout. Programs funded by ASB, including athletics, journalism, and fine arts will receive budget cuts which will not only affect you and your programs, but the programs your friends are involved
Online this week
Read more opinion stories about President Donald Trump’s stance on immigrants in America, watch videos about the new Starbucks opening on Crenshaw Boulevard and the El Camino librarian who has worked at EC for four and a half years.
Editor-in-Chief.........................................................................Zach Hatakeyama News Editor..............................................................................Zach Hatakeyama Opinion Editor....................................................................................Faith Petrie Arts Editor..........................................................................................Faith Petrie Sports Editor....................................................................................Ryan Guitare Photo Editor.....................................................................................Ryan Guitare Features Editor..........................................................................Zach Hatakeyama Social Media Manager........................................................................Faith Petrie Advertising Manager.........................................................................Jack Mulkey Adviser.............................................................................................Stefanie Frith Photo Adviser.......................................................................................Luis Sinco
The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.
Alex Ostrega, director of finance for ASO
with as well. With our percentage of funding from ASB, we’ve been able to purchase and install those bright blue water refill stations you see on campus called FloWater, conserving +20,000 water bottles per month and serving hundreds of students daily. We also fund Warrior Pantry, a food pantry for EC students with food insecurities, that has collectively fed +1,000 ECC students and their families. These ongoing initiatives are possible with your support by purchasing the ASB sticker. If all of these hugely impactful initiatives are possible with the limited budget we have now, imagine what we’ll be able to accomplish with our increased funds and zero budget cuts next school year. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding how the funds will be used, please contact ASO at ecc.aso.pr@gmail.com. Alex Ostrega, 21, business administration-marketing major
Editor’s note: The thoughts and opinions expressed in the “Community Corner” are not affiliated with The Union newspaper. Do you want to submit a community corner or letter to the editor? Send us an email at eccunion@gmail.com with the subject “Community Corner” or “Letter to the editor.”
College Media Association Newspaper of the Year Award 2015, 2016 (2nd) Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California Newspaper Publishers Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014
FEATURES
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 6
MAY 17, 2018 continued from front “Or the mental fortitude, the mental toughness to go through it, when the going gets tough,” Nwaelleh said. The players all pay their own share of the rent separately online, but utilities are paid collectively. “Our electricity bill is a little high because I mean it’s five of us in here so it gets a little expensive,”Austin said, “I’d say close to like $150 to $200 a month, we all manage to make it work.” These athletes are like brothers on and off the field and just like siblings, there can be the occasional disagreement. “Sometimes you might argue a little bit, fight a little but, it never gets physical,” Nwaelleh said,”but you know, it’s just like brothers, brothers fight. At the end of the day, we’re always good like brothers, we go through it together, it makes it easier.”
“It’s like we’re brothers. You know, having roommates, especially not being from here, you don’t have your friends that you have from back home.”
THE TRUE COST
Jeremy Taylor/ Union A look into one of the three bedrooms the EC football players share. “Our electricity bill is a little high because I mean it’s five of us in here so it gets a little expensive,”Jaymin Austin, 21, linebacker from Boulder, Colorado, said.
— Okwes Nwaelleh, 20, business major, from Ontario, Canada
MEDIAN RENT IN SURROUNDING CITIES DATA RETRIEVED FROM TRULIA.COM’S MAY 2018 REAL ESTATE OVERVIEW
61 108 HOURS THE AVERAGE PARTTIME FACULTY OR STAFF MEMBER AT EC WOULD HAVE TO WORK IN ORDER TO TO AFFORD THE AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT OF SURROUNDING CITIES
HOURS THE MINIMUM WAGE WORKER WOULD HAVE TO WORK IN ORDER TO SHARE THE MONTHLY AVERAGE RENT WITH THREE PEOPLE IN THE CITIES SURROUNDING EL CAMINO
ARTS
MAY 17, 2018
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 7
STEPPING OUT: Faith Petrie, Managing Editor,
@ECCUnionFaith
Everything you need to know about the photo gallery ‘Step Outside the Everyday’
Photography professor Darilyn Rowan has taught at El Camino College for 29 years. She spoke with The Union about the Schauerman Library’s newest photography exhibition “Step Outside the Everyday,” an exhibition containing art taken by members of the South Bay Camera Club (SBCC). What initially sparked your interest in photography? ROWAN: My interest in photography actually began as a high school journalist. I was the managing editor of my high school newspaper and I wrote for my high school newspaper and I developed a real passion for journalism, I took journalism in high school but I began as a writer. I also had an interest in all areas of the arts, visual arts and art history as well as studio art and visual art and I took a class in photography when I was in college and right away knew that it was something I wanted to pursue. What is your affiliation with the South Bay Camera Club? ROWAN: In the spring of 1992 I organized the first annual student photography exhibition here at El Camino College. I began a tradition of a yearly exhibition of student photographs in the lobby of the college library and several of my students were members of the SBCC. The SBCC is one of
Jack Kan/ Union “Watermelon Legs” was shot by Linda Detwiler Burns, who is the curator and has been the club president of the South Bay Camera Club for the past two years.
the oldest continuously operating camera clubs in the country. It meets twice a month at the Torrance Airport Administration Center. They actually have a website that you can look up. Several of my students at El Camino College in my early years of teaching were members of the SBCC and officers in it. I was invited during my first few years (of teaching) to lecture at the SBCC. I went as a part of community outreach and I went and did a critique of members work so over the years, about every two or three years I would go and give a critique or lecture to the SBCC and encourage our students to participate. I would always notify the camera club about our spring exhibitions and some of them came to our receptions. I began to encourage them to have an exhibition of their own here. About four years ago, I went to the camera club and made an announcement about that the library was accepting applications for exhibitions for the following year. I brought an application for them and they submitted it and they were awarded their first show here. Every spring or summer they have an exhibition of member’s work that involve everything from black and white to color, there have been film photographs, digital photographs. But my affiliations was really as a professor here to support the organization and
to encourage our students to participate. My affiliation was really as a representative of the college encouraging community participation. Do you know an overall concept of what the artist wanted the audience to see with their photography? ROWAN: I think the exhibition reflects the idea that learning photography can teach you to see without a camera and that the process of photography can encourage a person to explore the beauty and mystery in our everyday lives. I think the title reflects the goal of the photographers to take a look at the beauty and mystery of the natural world that we all live in everyday and I think they have done it brilliantly. In particular there are photographs that reflect close up details of the natural world so it’s not the way we normally see that object. A dandelion appears very large in a close up of it so we see the detail and the beauty and the mystery of that. One of my favorite pieces is the photograph by Roberto Reid (“Egret with reflection beauty”). That photograph stands out to me because even though it’s in color it’s very monochromatic with the white of the bird against that dark mysterious background and the beautiful reflection of the bird in the water. There are many beautiful pieces but that one stood out to me in particular.
The exhibition “Step Outside the Everyday” will end on Friday, June 1 and is available for viewing in the Schauerman Library’s lobby.
WALK, WALK FASHION BABY
Tailor Made Fashion Club to host 36th annual fashion show Jack Kan
Special to The Union @ECCUnionJackK
On Tuesday, May 29 the Tailor Made Fashion Club sponsored 36th annual fashion show will kick off at 7 p.m. in the East Dining Room above the El Camino College Bookstore. This year’s theme is “City of Lights.” The event will be hosted by EC lecturer Gayle Baizer, who is a costume designer and stylist in her own right. The show will also feature a “Mini Hair Show” by the EC Cosmetology Department. This event is the culmination of the Fashion 44 class “Fashion Show Production”, taught by professor
Vera Bruce Ashley of the EC Fashion Department. The show is run by fashion student committees. Eight designers are set to design and produce a full collection of five pieces each. These collections will be shown by more than twenty models. The models were selected through an exhaustive process consisting of two model calls which took place at the Students Activities Center on Thursday, March 29 and on Tuesday, April 3. The casting calls were open to the public at large, as candidates of all ages, shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and experience levels were sought. For example, Ashley said that the “plus size” segment of the fashion
apparel market is becoming increasingly important nowadays. Cross-dressing performance artist Malik Smith was on hand to help the model candidates with tips on how to move on the catwalk. The fashion industry is known to be LGBTQ-friendly, and the model application form and contract featured an explicit non-discrimination policy. Los Angeles is now widely recognized as the epicenter of the mass market fashion industry in the country. For further questions about the event contact Vera Bruce Ashley at 310 660-3593, ext. 3346, or email vbruce@elcamino.edu.
Jack Kan/ Union Candidate DaMoryei Lathan auditions in front of the fashion show model selection student committee in the Student Activities Center on Thursday, March 29.
Jack Kan/ Union Professor Vera Bruce Ashley, who teaches the Fashion 44 class, stands among the dress forms in her classroom.
Jack Kan/ Union Stage performer Malik Smith and fashion show student committee member Jorge Garcia give pointers to model candidates on how to walk on stage during the model call held in the Student Activities Center on Tuesday, April 3.
SPORTS
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 8
MAY 17, 2018
BUSINESS from the
PRESS BOX
Rafael Guerrero looks for the perfect shot at the CCCAA Regional Playoffs Softball game against Santiago Canyon, May 12, at El Camino College. Samuel Hill
Staff Writer @ECCUnionSam
B
Mari Inagaki / Union Rafael Guerrero talking to the umpire for a stats update at the CCCAA Regional Playoffs Softball game against Santiago Canyon, May 12.
eing an athlete at El Camino College is not an easy job. They must learn to manage time between school, sports and whatever else may be in their life. Thanks to Rafael Guerrero, EC’s full-time sports information specialist, the Warriors have well kept and updated stats, along with player information and sports news. “I’m basically in charge of keeping stats for the majority of our sports,” Guerrero said. “I also maintain the athletics website with headshots, roster information, writing news releases and getting media coverage with the Daily Breeze and local media, on top of other things.” Guerrero is also responsible for all media inquiries regarding the athletics program at EC, along with online statistics and content for eccwarriors.com. After graduating from CSU Dominguez Hills with a degree in mass communications, Guerrero utilized his writing ability by working as a newsroom reporter at the Orange County Register. “The OC Register helped me a lot, it’s real-
world experience,” Guerrero said. “With the Register, it was with the sports I really wanted to cover, which gave me a great deal of handson experience.” Prior to working at EC, Guerrero also worked as the assistant sports media director for CSU Northridge which is a division one school. Despite EC being a highly-populated school, there are some aspects that are “not as accessible” compared to being at a large university, which Guerrero said was “difficult at first.” “Here, you don’t always have the same amenities you would have [at a larger school],” Guerrero said. “Sometimes you don’t have a press box, so you really have to learn to use what you have.” Despite not being a large four-year university, EC does have an athletics website similar to ones owned and used by universities around the nation. “Our sports website is so easy to use,”Jason Gordon, 21, kinesiology major said. “If I ever want to see a friend’s stats or check game scores, the website has what I need on time.” The athletics website is not solely ran by Guerrero, even though he is a large part of it. “It is my main responsibility but I do have help, obviously,” Guerrero said. “The athletic
Mari Inagaki / Union
department helps out a lot with the videos and livestreams that connect with the website for the games and put in a lot of work to do so.” With game statistics and the website on your hands it might be difficult to change up the agenda from time to time and talk about new things, but that is exactly what Guerrero had to do when some athletes at EC controversially knelt during the playing of the national anthem during the fall of 2017. “That particular situation was interesting because it happened on so many levels around the nation,” Guerrero said. “You talk to the team and coaches and figure out a strategy to get their thoughts out on why they were doing it and what they believe it will accomplish.” Guerrero’s proactivity has not only been appreciated by students, faculty and staff, but respected by his peers and the people that work with him every day. “He’s a big part of our athletic department,” Athletic Specialist Jeff Miera said. “He does a really good job with our social media accounts and keeping our fans engaged. It’s definitely good to have him onboard.”
Warriors bounce back from an early loss to advance to the state playoffs Jeremy Taylor
Staff Writer @ECCUnionJeremyT
T
Mari Inagaki / Union Warriors softball celebrates a victory over Santiago Canyon in the CCCAA Regional Playoffs, taking them to the CCCAA Softball State Championships, Saturday, May 12.
he Warriors softball team advanced for the first time ever to the California Community College State Championships after winning back to back games, of a best of 3 series, beating Santiago Canyon College 5-0 and 10-6 Saturday afternoon. In a best of 3 series there is little room for error, and even less if you lose the first game. The odds aren’t exactly in your favor. “I just felt like one team has to win two games anyways and we might as well win them both on the same day,” said head coach Jessica Rapoza, “I always think the most important game of a three game series is the second game, game two.” The Warriors were shutout the day before in game one, losing 3-0 against Santiago Canyon, making Saturdays games a must win situation. Frosh pitcher Clarissa Chiquete faced the undaunting task of pitching in both games. Chiquete went the distance pitching 7.0 innings in game one and then pitching 5.0 innings in game two. “I’m always nervous but today was like jitters, I was excited but
nervous, but it’s more of excitement, like I know we’re going to do good,” Chiquete said. The Warriors cruised to a 5-0 win in game one, setting up the winner-take-all scenario for game three. The Warriors jumped out early leading game three, taking 6-1 lead going into the second inning. “I think we just came out and our bats were on (today),” said sophomore center fielder Karla Calderon, “Yesterday we obviously had a rough start and we couldn’t just get our bats going, so our bats is what won us the game, base running was very key and we just came out ready.” The Warriors were definitely ready and their hot bats continued to sizzle, driving in four more runs over the next three innings. Defensively the Warriors managed to forestall a late comeback by Santiago to close out the game 10-6. EC will continue their momentum heading into the CCCAA State Championships that are scheduled to begin this Thursday, May 17 at Mount San Antonio College against San Mateo.