Volume 124 Spring 2016 Roundup Issue 5

Hazardous material found at site Contamination at chemistry building halts construction

TANYA CASTANEDA & SAMANTHA BRAVO tcastaneda.roundupnews@gmail.com sbravo.roundupnews@gmail.com

Soil contaminated with toxic lead and mercury surrounding the old chemistry building, first discovered in the 1990s, continues to be an issue and has forced a delay in construction.

The problem is a result of improper disposal of chemicals over the years. A lack of knowledge led students and professors to pour chemicals, such as lead and mercury down the drain, according to Izzy Goodman, adjunct professor of Chemistry.

When the problem first surfaced in the 1990s, Pierce College replaced the pipes underneath the chemistry building but new tests show the chemicals still exist.

Pierce College President

Kathleen Burke said with projects taking place in the area, it is vital to completely get rid of the issue before they can finish construction. The college plans to remove the chemicals by vacuuming the soil.

“I mean both options are acceptable, both options are safe, vacuuming out the soil is an abundance of caution,” Burke said. “You take the soil away to a certain level, you vacuum it out to a certain level and then you take it away to toxic storage and that is the option we have planned on doing.”

Burke said the new building will open later than others due to vacuuming the soil.

According to A Citizen’s Guide to Solidification and Stabilization by the EPA published in September 2012, solidification is the use of materials such as cement to trap the soil into place while stabilization causes a

Godot finally arrives

Campus Lifestyle Editor kbradley.roundupnews@gmail.com

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is a classic play that has always been open to interpretation. Some think the play is about God, death, or even just about life in general.

Instead of worrying about meaning of the play, audiences should ask three questions: Does the meticulously crafted language sound natural? Does it feel as though things are happening? And most important of all, is it funny?

In the Pierce College production, which runs through April 3, the answer to all three is a hearty yes.

Waiting for Godot begins with two men on a barren road by a leafless tree.

Vladimir (Cole Cook) and Estragon (Vince Cusimano), who are also known

major who is in her sophomore year at Pierce College. However, those passing Gregory on the mall would not know that the petite blonde has been acting since she was 10 years old.

“At first, I didn’t want people [at school] to know that I act,” Gregory laughed. “I wanted to have a normal life outside of work. Only my close friends and a few professors know about it.”

Open House plans finalized Administration hopeful new event draws crowd

TANYA CASTANEDA & RANDI LOVE tcastaneda.roundupnews@gmail.com rlove.roundupnews@gmail.com

KIIS FM radio station will play music at the Pierce College Open House on Sunday, April 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rocky Young Park, which will include food, a petting zoo, pony rides for children and carnival games.

The Pierce College Council addressed the event on Thursday, March 24. There will be designated locations for each discipline, meaning club and department information tents nearby will be relevant to one another. Each tent will include a table and two chairs along with items of interest that representatives feel best portray their purpose.

Wearing a warm smile that reaches to the edges of her bright blue eyes, Oana Gregory, 20, greets her friends after leaving Broadcasting 1. Like a ritual, the women spill the details of their day before heading out to lunch. This is the usual for the business

Gregory, who recently ended her contract with the Disney Channel, started her career shortly after joining the International Models and Talents Association or IMTA. It was her mother, Mariana Grigorut who suggested that Gregory enroll with the organization.

The goal was to combat Gregory’s immense shyness.

“I went to what I thought was an etiquette school because my mom

as Didi and Gogo, are waiting for a man whose named Godot. During the entire play they can’t be sure if they’ve met Godot, if they’re waiting in the right place, if it is the right day, or even whether Godot is going to show up at all. While they wait, Vladimir and Estragon fill their time with a series of random activities and trivial fast paced conversations interspersed with more serious reflection.

The friends are soon interrupted by the arrival of Lucky (Bryan Hampton), a man/ servant/pet with a rope tied around his neck, and Pozzo (Joshua Celaya), his master, who is holding the other end of the long rope. The four men proceed to do together what Vladimir and Estragon did earlier by themselves, nothing.

Lucky and Pozzo then leave so that Vladimir and Estragon can go back to doing absolutely nothing by themselves.

The nothingness is quickly interrupted by the arrival of

the Boy (Giovanni Collins) who reports to Vladimir that Godot isn’t coming today but will be there tomorrow. Dubious, as Vladimir’s suggests that the Boy has said this before.

Estragon and Vladimir then continue to talk and then decide to leave, since it’s nightfall and they no longer have to wait for Godot. Of course, having resolved to leave, neither one of them moves, and the lights go out on Act I.

The lights come up for Act II, which is strangely similar to Act I. The men are still sitting around waiting for Godot and try to fill the idle hours in the meantime. Lucky and Pozzo show up again only this time Lucky has gone mute and Pozzo is blind.

Vladimir starts to gets poetic wondering if maybe he’s sleeping, agreeing with Pozzo’s claim that life is fleeting, and concluding that habit is the great deadener of life. Pozzo and Lucky leave again, just in time for the Boy to show up again and

tell Vladimir that Godot isn’t coming today either but will be there tomorrow.

Vladimir and Estragon then contemplate suicide, but have no rope. The men once again decide to leave since it’s nightfall and they no longer have to wait for Godot, but neither man moves and the theatre lights fade out. The play ends but I think everyone knows what happens next.

Overall, the cast of Waiting to Godot did a great job portraying each character in Beckett’s classic play with wonderful direction by Valorie Grear and amazing set design by Michael Gend. It’s something you shouldn’t miss. But be sure if you see this play to pay attention because it may be called Waiting for Godot but you definitely won’t be waiting long for a great performance.

Waiting for Godot runs through April 3 in the Dow Arena Theatre

mother and father had secured visas and a home, Gregory and her older brother, Dorel Muresan joined them in Chicago, Illinois. Muresan, 28, remembers how his sister used to “play tough” when she was little. Though she was always chipper by days end, Gregory encountered numerous difficulties. Most apparent was the language barrier between her and the rest of the class.

“We didn’t speak any English when we came to Chicago,” Muresan said. “Oana used to get into fights with the boys at school because they would make fun of her. She was a little tomboy back then but she’s grown a lot since.”

Vice President of Administrative Services Rolf Schleicher said the goal is for everybody to have a great time and Pierce College is integrating what has been successful at other campuses into the Open House.

“They’re [open houses] great at infusing a community spirit and bringing people, not just for the disciplines but to understand what the college is about,” Schleicher said. “It makes your local community perspective on what’s going on at the college too. Sometimes they see it as a neighbor but they’re not engaged.”

Deputy Al Guerrero presented a new policy at PCC limiting the use of golf carts on campus to only those licensed to drive them, including for passengers. Exceptions are for cadets and injured athletes who are driven by their coaches.

Some faculty questioned the impact the restrictions will have on campus. Beth Benne, director of the Student Health Center, said she uses the golf carts to transport injured parties to the health center.

“The health center sometimes needs to pick up someone who is having a medical emergency and we don’t have access to the golf carts that can carry a gurney.” Benne said.

and father again. Gregory was six.

“It was a difficult transition going from our home [in Romania] to Chicago because we didn’t have any other family there,” Muresan said. “All of our friends and everyone we knew was somewhere else. So it was hard for Oana and I.”

This changed for Gregory soon after her enrollment with the IMTA.

Winning “Actress of the Year” in the preteens group and placing second for “Model of the Year” in the 2006 contest, Gregory fast became a beacon for Hollywood talent agencies. Within the year, 54 different agencies and managers had

[See Hollywood magic, pg.

wanted me to learn how to be like the other girls in my class,” Gregory said. “She noticed that I was having a hard time so she thought it would be a good way of learning how

things work here [in the US].”

Years earlier, her parents had left the town of Negresti Oas in Romania to begin a new life for the family in the United States. Once her

Growing up, the two lived with their grandparents in Romania until the time came for them to reunite with their parents. Muresan was 14 years old when he saw his mother

KELLAN BRADLEY

Calvin Alagot / Roundup

Cole Cook and Vince Cusimano on stage during a preview performance of “Waiting for Godot.”

STREET

Where is your favorite place you’ve travled to?

“New Delhi, India. I have family there and I was brought up there for 11 years, so I like that place a lot.”

-Sagar Rathee, 20, Senior, Business Management major

“Mayan ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. It was really fascinating just to see how they used to live back then and how things were is really interesting to me. I also got to see howler monkeys and a snake eating a frog, so that was pretty cool.”

-Marvin Vega, 18, Freshman, Marketing major

The Brahma wears nada

There is a growing number of high-value jobs being offered in a $1.2 trillion global industry that employs 1.9 million people in the United States, in which Pierce College does not offer classes. These high-paying jobs are in the fashion industry.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fashion industry continues to boom, with more than $250 billion spent annually on fashion in the United States.

In the past decade, there has been a 50 percent increase in fashion designers, who earn an average of $73,600 annually.

The market increase has paved the way for manufacturing jobs in the industry such as, marketing research analysts and specialist, computer professionals and apparel pattern makers, who all make over $50,000 annually. Los Angeles and New York have the largest fashion market, with over two-thirds of designers living there. California employs the most at 4,480, according to bls.gov. Nearly two in 10 manufacturing firms in Los Angeles are in the fashion business.

With such a lucrative market right here, why does Pierce not have a fashion program? With construction of the new classrooms set to be finished in the summer, it would be ideal to add a fashion class in the newly vacant classrooms.

“Yerevan, Armenia. It’s my motherland and also my friends are there.”

-Khajik Boghosian, 22, Sophomore, Political Science major

“New York City. I just love how vibrant it was, how crowded it was. I just like the fast pace. It makes it feel so unreal and very exciting and I just love like being in a

“San Francisco. I feel like the energy is different and I feel like that there’s a lot more places that you can go to. Things to see. I think it’s beautiful compared to the Valley.”

-Idania Saborio, 18, Freshman, Undecided

Corrections

Volume 124, Issue 4: Page 2: Jonathan Hintz’s email address is incorrect. His correct email address is jhintz.roundupnews@gmail.com

Page 8: The story, Here batter batter, was credited wrong. The author of the story is Paula Barrantes.

A strong way of incorporating a fashion program would be to start out with a minimal amount of classes like Fashion Design 101 or Fashion Marketing. From there, faculty could observe enrollment in the classes, student satisfaction and could pass out surveys to students and ask if they would further pursue this subject. If they receive positive results, this could allow a fashion program

to expand, making the college more appealing to aspiring fashionista’s and increase enrollment that has decreased this semester. Pierce could also experiment and have the classes in the summer or winter.

Fashion, would be part of the Arts Department. A way for Pierce to set up a class would be to remove one of the lower enrolled art classes and replace it with fashion.

The largest expense in adding a fashion design class would be the sewing machines. Students would be responsible for buying the necessary equipment needed, like in art classes. Students would just need the proper guidance to expand to an advanced

design class.

With a fashion program becoming advanced, Pierce could have campus events such as a fashion show in The Theatre. Students could also sell their clothing designs at an open house campus event or at the Vintage Market. Pierce could experiment and have the classes in summer and winter.

There are an array of high-paying jobs within the fashion industry that an expanded fashion program would help students discover, including communication, graphic designing, marketing and international business.

For top fashion schools in Los Angeles, such as Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM),

in-state tuition rates are $28,965, while total tuition at Pierce is $2,436. Before making an expensive commitment to a fashion institution, it would be prudent to experiment and take basic level fashion classes at Pierce to see if the subject is something a student wants to pursue.

More than 200 schools in the U.S. offer fashion-related programs, according to fashion-schools.org. Currently, two out of nine colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District have a fashion program, Mission College and L.A. Trade-Tech College. Let’s add Pierce College to that list.

There are benefits and drawbacks to any decision a school makes. Adding a new policy is always a hard choice. However, some are necessary to maintain student health and safety. Drug dogs should perform random sweeps to reduce the presence of drugs and paraphernalia on campus.

Occasionally, college athletes or students are in the headlines for abusing drugs on campus. This may range from personal use to distribution amongst students.

KION channel 5 news reported on March 8 that six University of California Santa Cruz students were arrested during an alleged drug ring bust. It consisted of $100,000 worth of ecstasy, found in the homes of the 6 students.

Drug dogs would be a preventative measure for situations like this.

A 21-year-old UCLA student was murdered last September after a robbery gone wrong. She was first stabbed then burned in her apartment, which was one block from campus.

Investigators said it could have been linked to her recent prosecution on charges of possessing a variety of party drugs including meth and ecstasy.

Plain clothes officers with drug dogs should walk around campus to conduct random drug sweeps to help reduce the possibility of distribution or robbery.

Ecstasy is a common denominator in many cases but other drugs can be found on campus. Marijuana, Adderall, and dieting pills are three commonly used or distributed drugs.

Drug possession cases have happened a few times recently since the start of the school year. This could be reduced with

Photographers:

Ezzat Bekheet

the knowledge of random drug walks occurring.

Whether it’s an ounce of marijuana or a pound of cocaine, neither should be on campus. The school currently has a K-9 unit and those dogs should be trained to check for drugs and follow through with drug sweeps. Overdoses and violence toward students may be reduced by incorporating drug detecting dogs. Safety should be the biggest concern when it comes to drug reduction on campus.

In Florida at least three college football players at three different schools, have ended promising careers due to marijuana use.

Florida State University defensive back Greg Reid saw his dreams as a first round draft pick for the NFL dashed.

University of Florida defensive back J.C. Jackson would have been an elite playmaker for the Southeastern Conference had he avoided drugs. University of Central Florida running back, Will Stanback should have helped carry his team’s offense but instead they had a dismal season.

As unfortunate as it may be, with drug dogs on campus these could have been caught quicker than they were.

Pierce students are more likely to be recent high school graduates with their first sense of freedom. Random drug sweeps done by K9 units could help them to become aware of the potential consequences related to using or distributing drugs on campus. All students and athletes should feel safe and comfortable while at school. Drug dogs can be beneficial to providing a part of that safety.

Ahmadreza Rastegarrazi

Abdolreza Rastegarrazi

Dane Igharas

Taylor Arthur Travis Wesley

Alan Castro

Laura Chen

Brittany Stupar

Georgina Hernandez

Claren Flores

Pierce should not waste any effort in getting dogs on campus to search students for drugs. The population of Pierce is diverse and there is no certain way to know how many students are consuming drugs.

One thing that is certain is, those who do consume drugs will not be willing to blatantly tell others of their actions because it leads to consequences. Also, it depends on the type of drugs that are used.

It’s not like students are using heavy drugs such as cocaine or meth. Marijuana is the most common type of drug that young adults use recreationally. There is no point in bringing search dogs just for small amounts of marijuana on campus.

An aspect of this issue to consider is, how will administration decide to best use the dogs to their full advantage if dogs are brought in. It can’t be how it was back in high school, where they took a number of students out of class to search them.

Students are paying for classes. It is infuriating having to pay for an education to then be removed from class for a period of time because of a silly drug search. Class time is important and it should not be interrupted for trivial issues.

Administration could potentially set up dog searches as students walk around campus but yet again it would take time away from students and getting class. Many students have jobs or other responsibilities to attend to and do not have the time to spend waiting around.

Another idea might be stopping students from entering the library to let the dogs search them for contraband. Letting the dogs take time away from studying, researching and meeting deadlines for assignments. I’m sure there would be an uproar for that. I know I’d be angry.

Drug dogs are trained to use their sense of smells to identify illegal substances but their noses are not 100 percent accurate.

Athletes with sweaty gym clothes or a student carrying sweets would have dogs barking, calling attention to them.

Although, on campus students lose certain rights and are subjugated to campus regulations it’s embarrassing to have someone search your person and items for suspicion of possessing drugs thanks to a dog. Will the college have to pay for these dogs? There are many other projects that money should be spent on.

Many students are on campus for hours on end and yet the bathrooms on campus are inadequate. Money could be spent on hiring more Information Technology members to help with the technology situation occurring in most departments.

Before anything is done about anything else like the war on drugs, Pierce should do their best to find solutions for more prominent issues.

Don’t get me wrong, dogs are wonderful animals and I think it would be fantastic if Pierce brought dogs to help with stress during finals week but to use dogs to search students is incredibly time consuming and pointless.

as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.

Editorial Policy: The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.

Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup. The college newspaper is

published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.

Quotes gathered by Enrie Amezcua | Photos by Laura

Chen

crowded place with a lot of people.”

-Madelen Hem, 21, Sophomore, Environmental Science major

“Kern River. I get to be outdoors and you don’t really get that around here and I get to do my favorite hobby, which is fishing. And get to relax and get away from everything and just get time alone with family.”

-Steven Jara-Cooper, 20, Sophomore, Pre Veterinary major

Illustration by Nelson Simmons

chemical reaction to lessen the chances of the chemicals reaching the environment.

Solidification is a chemical cleanup method that poses no threats when properly done. It is also a relatively quick and low-cost solution to contamination.

“Because we’re taking this extra step, it will prevent us from opening the building with the other buildings because we will wait until the issue is completely and thoroughly resolved and then test the building again, get clearance from DTSC (Department of Toxic Substances Control) and then we can certify the building.”

With the help of the DTSC, Pierce College will receive reviews of the situation after the soil has already been tested, according to Burke.

Dr. Sara Harvey, Chemistry Department chair, has been working full-time at Pierce College since 2010 and noticed the delay in construction.

“There was a hold up in the 800 building because they needed a sample of the soil,” Harvey said. In 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

(RCRA) was passed. This meant that hazardous wastes, such as mercury wastes, must meet EPA’s treatment and recycling standards.

“I know that years ago we had leaky pipes,” Goodman said. “My recollection was that the pipes were corroded and they started leaking and so some of the stuff that was getting put down the drain was leaking

-Kathleen

through the pipes and to the soil.”

However, according to Goodman, the building was constructed around the 1960s, before the RCRA was enacted.

Lead poisoning can occur while inhaling a substance with lead in it such as dust. The lead can damage nearly every organ system. However, since effects are slow, those exposed do not realize how dangerous the chemical can be according to Web. MD.

HIV testing wraps up

The Student Health Center offered free testing

PAULA BARRANTES & GABY SORIANO Staff

Free HIV test for students were provided by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in front of the Student Service Building from March 21 to 24.

Director of the Student Health Center Beth Benne said she organized the testing in part to increase awareness and offer useful information.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for a free STI test, this

test is for HIV and AIDS, which are pretty important life changing diagnoses because they are not curable,” Benne said. Results are tested with a drop of blood from a finger prick and can also test for antibodies.

“We know that young people are having unprotected sex because they come in for STI testing all the time and they come in for pregnancy testing,” Benne said. “I think it is a matter of providing any opportunity I can for any free testing.”

Diseases like HIV and AIDS are life threatening and people may not be aware of the seriousness of these diseases and how they can affect not only their life, but their partner’s too.

“Early intervention is the biggest thing, also the safety of your partners, early intervention diagnosis leads to a more positive prognosis,” Benne said. Testing counselors were on site to

Incident Report

Alan Castro / Roundup

Construction on Pierce College's 800 building has been delayed due to soil surrounding the building contaminated by lead and mercury due to improper disposal. Photo taken in Woodland Hills, Calif on Friday, March 25, 2016.

Beginning symptoms of exposure to mercury include trembling hands and/or tingling or numbness of the lips, tongue, fingers, or toes, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

“The problem is that Mercury over time can vaporize, so we have very deep concerns about that,” Burke said. “There is two ways that that can be fixed. You can encapsulate it because something that is encapsulated can’t then

answer any students questions and concerns.

Miguel Ortiz was one of the testing counselors that was there to assist students.

“The prevalence is high for our youth. Youth meaning from 17 years old until late 20’s,” Ortiz said. “I think education is key. A lot of people don’t have access to care and we can provide it in a minute.”

The HIV testing counselors made sure it was easy for students to do but also made sure they felt comfortable and were well taken care of.

AHF HIV testing is free. The treatment and testing are free, according to Autumn Sinkford, a volunteer for the HIV testing truck.

"That's what we pride ourselves on," Sinkford said. "We provide a free HIV test, free STD testing and if an individual comes back positive for either one, we send the person to our clinic and the individual gets treated."

There are options for home HIV test kits, which are mostly cotton

vaporize and typically the way that’s done is to put a concrete slab over it. That was already done in one part of the building.”

Due to new research at the time, information showed just how harmful the chemicals are. Pierce then had to take immediate action in order to prevent any serious damage.

After the issue came to light, the school changed the pipes underneath the area as well as taking a solidation/ stabilization approach to

swab tests, but they are never as accurate as doing a blood test, According to Sinkford.

March 21 - March 29

Sinkford explained what the process is for an individual who wants to get checked. A confidential form is filled out with their name and birthdate, the same as the person would do at their clinic. Then the individual goes inside the truck and the tester explains the test to the person that the window period for their test is two weeks to three months and that it's an antibody count test.

"If a person is infected on the

the problem.

“The pipes were changed out,” Goodman said. “New pipes were put in and I think what they did is they sealed it with concrete, if I'm not mistaken, to seal the rest of those contaminants from the rest of the building. The soil was going to remain underneath the concrete, underneath the building and it would not be a danger to anybody there. That was my recollection."

day they have sexual intercourse the body would not have been able to produce enough antibodies to detect if the person is HIV positive or not," Sinkford said. "So, the body would need at least two weeks to develop antibodies depending on the individual's body."

Therefore, AHF's test detects as early as two weeks to three months. On average people don't develop until the third month, according to Sinkford.

Sinkford said they cannot test for anybody under 13 years old.

"It's better to know than not know," Sinkford said. "If you are positive not only are you spreading it to people that you love but you have to get checked for yourself to maintain your health and get the treatment necessary.”

For those who couldn’t make it to the HIV testing trucks, students can make an appointment at the Student Health Center and get test for a fee of $14 and receive results within 24 hours.

Reported by: Samantha Bravo

3/24 - Burglary

An unknown suspect broke into a locker and stole miscellaneous items from the women's locker room in the North Gym at 11:07 a.m.

3/24 - Battery

Two male students were fighting at the art quad at 8:45 p.m. No charges were made.

3/26 - Burglary

An unknown suspect stole an overhead projector in room 1512 in Botanical Garden. It was found in the bushes between building 1500 and 1600 in a large plastic bag, inside a small trash bin at 7:17 p.m.

“It's better to know than not know”

-Autumn Sinkford Volunteer

“ Mercury over time can vaporize, so we have very deep concerns about that.”

Burke Pierce College President

Champions of CHeer

On campus, the Pierce College cheer team shouts positive words of spirit and encouragement for the school’s sports teams. However, late night practice hours and hard work is what makes Pierce cheer successful. At the Aloha National Competition March 6, the team competed against 200 teams and rivaled USC as an Advanced Division 6 team. Pierce beat USC 70.83 to 60.13.

Practice is a collaborative effort. Stunts and lifts require focus and teamwork. If one element is missing, the the classic pyramid can crash and holding together a solid routine can be difficult.

However, the Pierce cheer team is quick to learn, adapting to new choreography and helping each other with difficult positions is not a problem. Practice results in successful holds and overcoming missteps in their goal to win future competitions as well as provide school spirit to fellow Brahmas.

With the help and direction of Pierce coach Jenny Ghiglia and Cheerforce facilities coach, Zach Harris, the team has managed to pull together a strong routine that will hopefully bring them success in their upcoming national competition in early April.

“I’m sure we will be competing against USC on April 16 at the [California] Finale in Bakersfield, Rabobank Arena, where USC won last year,” said Ghiglia in an email. “Let’s see if we can ‘Keep Our Horns UP!’ Go Brahmas!”

Copy and Photos by Taylor Arthur

Left: Jorden Lett, Summer Barlow and Sierra Kurt, hold up fellow teammate Madison Means at cheer practice on March 20, 2016 at Cheerforce in Simi Valley, Calif.

Bottom Left: Maddison Means holds Lena Lenz, flyer, at cheer practice Sunday March 20, 2016 at Cheerforce in Simi Valley, Calif.

Middle Left: Mauricio Penate and Serena Baltazar laugh as they work together to fine tune the choreography of their cheer routine at the Cheerforce facility in Simi Valley, Calif. March 20, 2016.

Far Right: Teammates hold the foot of flyer Lena Lenz as she prepares to do a lift at the Cheerforce facility in Simi Valley, Calif. during cheer practice on March 20, 2016.

KELLAN BRADLEY

Lifestyle Editor

Mysteries of the Collection is a researchoriented exhibition, featuring five prints from Pierce College's permanent collection. This exhibition, which begins March 17, 2016, increases students’ opportunities to utilize this unique group.

Pierce College President, Kathleen Burke, attended the opening night of the gallery

“These kinds of exhibitions give students a sense of what it’s like to manage works of art,” said Burke, “Also it helps students learn how to conserve pieces of art and also to look for the origins of art pieces, that’s really the point of art history.”

This exhibition is also a way to increase knowledge about the different types of art featured, art history, as well as museum preparation and conservation techniques.

Katherine Wiacek, 28, is an art major who is specializing in animation and 3D design.

“I tend to go of the subject matter of a painting when I’m analyzing a piece that I’m not familiar with. This whole experience is about, it’s about people thinking outside the box. The point is the more

Mysterious with Art History

#PopPierce

information everybody gives the closer we can get finding out the origin of a piece,” Wiacek said Gallery assistant and Interior Design major Zohrech Ganji did a lot of the research on the pieces in the gallery.

“These are old pieces from various artist that have no signature or very little information, so we are holding this gallery to find out more information about these amazing pieces of art.” Ganji said.

“Since we do not know

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very much about each of these highlighted works of art and some of them are in need of conservation, the exhibition is also an opportunity for visitors to further improve their research skills,” Assistant Professor of Art, Monika Del Bosque said.

The five featured pieces are a variety of paintings, an etching and a temple rubbing/transfer from Cambodia.

“They span a roughly 200-year time period from the 1700s to the mid-1900s,” Del Bosque said

“The gallery provides just enough information for visitors to go on a journey of exploration to learn more about their history, how they’re made, and in the process, help us learn more about the pieces themselves,”Del Bosque said.

The exhibition will be open through April 17 for the College’s Open House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The art department will feature interactive activities and gallery passports for visitors on that day.

"My goal is just to help further the field of American rocketry and aerospace industry, it's been on a decline over the last couple of years so, and with Obama recently canceling the constellation program, it's even more on a decline now."

Robert E. Moffett, Mechanical Engineering

Quote gathered by Tiffany Berwager | Photo by Laura Chen

The devil’s in the (small) details “Waiting for Godot” set designer gets real about the world beyond the stage

JONATHAN HINTZ Staff jhintz.roundupnews@gmail.com

After working for six weeks creating the set for the play

“Waiting for Godot”, Vanessa Stewart, 31, enjoys the hard earned fruits of her labor.

Stewart is one of the four student designers that worked around the clock to build the complex set. At its center is a massive metal tree that was assembled and welded together bit by bit.

“Creating the tree for the play was kind of intense, but I enjoyed doing it,” Stewart said.

Stewart was involved in an accident with a taxi, which injured her for an unspecified amount of time while living in San Francisco.

During the time she spent recovering Stewart was tried to figure out how she could use her degree. The idea then came to her to pursue a career in performing arts.

When Stewart moved to Los Angeles, she put her decision into motion by continuing her education at Pierce in performing arts as a costume designer. While working with costumes for plays, she realized that she found her niche.

Though much of Stewart’s work has been on campus, she has done some side work outside of the theater department. However, most of the jobs she takes are minor since Stewart wants to concentrate on her education.

“The majority of my work has been at Pierce but I take small jobs such as commercials, because I want to focus on school,” Stewart said.

Spinning some Hollywood magic

said. “Now we do everything together. The only time that we miss hanging out is if one of us is sick or working.”

Stewart was promoted from assisting actors in changing costumes during the plays in her first year, to a set designer in her final year at Pierce. The first play she was involved in was “Caberet” as a dresser.

hours designing the set, costumes, and lights,” Stewart said.

The managing director of “Waiting for Godot,” Michael Sande, said it is very rare to have an all student designer crew.

“This is the first time since

bid for the chance to represent her.

Following the success with IMTA, Gregory landed her first leading role as Loosie Goosie in the indie musical comedy “Spork.” The 2010 film went of to win three film festival awards, a CineKid award, and a nomination nod from the British Film Institute.

The momentum garnered by Spork and other acting roles lead to Gregory’s contract with the Disney Channel. Yet despite her success, Gregory remains humbled.

“I never try to take myself

Muresan often visits Gregory while she is on set.

While she has grown and matured, Muresan still sees the little sister he that was so prone to “getting into trouble.”

“Oana is always laughing and smiling,” Muresan said.

“She’s silly and jokes around.

That’s her. That’s who she is.”

In the time between jobs Gregory spends her days with family and friends. Whether it be catching up on her studies or hitting the gym she remains in a constant active state.

Of the various ways she stays busy, Gregory takes pleasure in frequenting the beach or her favorite yoga studio with her close friends

Mkryan, who is also an actress majoring in business at Pierce College, has her sights set on attending the University of Southern California. Between school, work, and designing her own cosmetics collection, Mkryan struggles to find time for herself.

When the pressure becomes too great Mkryan calls on Gregory to relieve stress.

“I always go to Oana when I need help or if I am in a panic,” Mkryan said. “There are times when I call her at one in the morning freaking out and she will stay up with me until I’m okay. That’s the kind of friend she is.”

Apart from acting and their deep connections with their families, Mkryan and Gregory plan to move up in the entertainment industry. For Gregory, she is set on production.

“Producers play such a large role in the filmmaking process but few people see the work they put in,” Gregory said. “I’ve always liked that aspect though, of working behind the scenes.”

“At first, I was an assistant in costume designing and dressing actors in between scenes. Now I am a set designer,” Stewart said.

Stewart credits Adjunct Professor of Theater Arts in the Performing Arts Department, Eileen Gizienski, for helping mold and mentor her as a costume designer for the play “Cheese.” It was the second production Stewart worked on.

Gizienski was impressed with Stewart’s speedy transition from an assistant costume designer to creating her first set as a set designer.

“She is extremely creative and has an excellent work ethic,” Gizienski said. “Vanessa can work well in either costume or set design areas. She’s got a great eye for what works in the theatrical way.”

“Waiting for Godot” is the first play that has all student designers in more than 13 years. Stewart is proud of that as she felt that the directors of the play showed confidence in the student’s work and knowledge of how to design their show in all aspects.

“All of the students have worked really hard, spending countless

I have been here that we’ve had an all student designer crew,” Sande said. “We just reached a point in where all the students are incredibly talented and excelled at what they did, particularly Vanessa. For a student to do both costume and set designing is rare. I’ve seen professionals do both, but for a student to do it is rare.”

Stewart has taken a set design class in the past, and the Theater of Arts Department, Michael Sande felt that she was strong enough to be the set designer of this semester’s play.

This semester’s theater structure is what is called a “black box” structure. The seats are placed in a circular form, which makes designing the set a difficult task. It gave Stewart much less room to design the set for the play. It is the first time in 15 years that it was done this way, and the seating is on all four sides of the theater.

One of Stewart’s strongest traits is her work ethic and dedication to the team.

too seriously,” Gregory said. “I don’t get upset when I don’t get a part because there’s always the next audition. It’s my job and I want to do well but I also want to enjoy myself.”

While Gregory approaches each role with the same professionalism and diligence, she still indulges in light hearted humor and pranks.

Dianna Mkryan, 19, has known Gregory for more than four years. Mkryan feels that their bond is “the kind of connection that sisters have.” It is routine for the two young women to spend their afternoons together unless either one is working.

“We first met in Art 101 and just instantly clicked,” Mkryan

While producing is the end goal, Gregory still harbors an unwavering passion for acting. Now that her contract with the Disney Channel has ended Gregory is ready for a challenge.

“I want to take on deeper characters that are outside my comfort zone,” Gregory said.

“I want something that will really change me as an actor and encourage me to grow as a person.”

“Oana is always laughing and smiling. She’s silly and jokes around. That’s her. That’s who she is.”

-Dorel Muresan Gregory’s brother

Taylor Arthur/ Roundup

Actress Oana Gregory poses for a portrait in the Botanical Gardens at Los Angeles Pierce College on Friday March 18, 2016. Gregory is a student at Pierce as well as an actress who is best known for her roles in Disney’s ‘Kicken’ it,’ ‘Lab Rats’ and ‘Crash & Bernstein.’ Woodland Hills, Calif.

Business major and working actress Oana Gregory opens up about her long journey

“She’s got a great eye for what works in the theatrical way.”

-Eileen Gizienski Adjunct professor of theater arts

Taylor Arthur/ Roundup

Set designer Vanessa Stewart poses on the tree she helped design for the play on March 23, 2016 at Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Love for tennis and cinema

Athlete

Lucas Wiggins Staff

uses tennis as a road to his passion of directing film

University of Illinois.”

“I watched him play and I was like ‘hey, I want to do what he’s doing,’” Dev said. “He definitely inspired me to pick up the racket.”

college that has a tennis team,” Dev said. “I was looking around all over Southern California and Pierce was the only junior college that had a tennis team.”

SCHEDULE

March 30- April 13

Softball

Thursday, March 31 vs. Moorpark 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 2 vs. Barstow 12 pm. and 2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 5 @ Oxnard 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Wednesday, April 6 vs. El Camino Torrance 3 p.m.

Thursday, April 7 @ Santa Barbara 2:30 p.m.

Swim and Dive

WSC #3 @ LA Valley 10:30 a.m.

Men’s Volleyball

Wednesday, March 30 vs El Camino 6 p.m.

Student athletes often dream of making it as a professional athlete, which would catapult them into a lifestyle worthy of an MTV Cribs episode. However, Kiran Dev is using his tennis talent to send him in a different direction.

Dev has his goal set to become a film director.

“If you look at becoming a pro tennis player versus becoming an actor or director in the film industry, only a small percentage of people in the world can do it,” Dev said.

Dev is originally from Chicago and started his tennis career at a young age.

“I started playing tennis when I was in 7th grade,” Dev said. “I was getting a little bit too chubby, so I stepped out on court as a way of getting a workout.”

Dev’s passion for the sport stretched beyond a weight loss program after being inspired to take his performance to the next level by one of his early mentors.

“Because of one coach, I actually fell in love with the game and I started competing in Chicago,” Dev said. “His name is Austin Solis, he played [Division 1] tennis for the

Along with the inspiration found from his prior coach, Dev also had family who inspired him to take to the court.

“My cousin was in the top five in India for tennis, so I guess you could say tennis runs in the family,” Dev said. “He was a lot better than me and he’s also one of my inspirations.”

“His name is Mangal, he played for the University of Hawaii at Hilo, he played division two tennis here,” Dev said Dev, knowing that his potential to become a professional tennis player was limited, sought to take his talents into the film industry.

“Every kid who starts playing sports, they want to play professional, which I couldn’t do,” Dev said. “By the end of my senior year in high school I realized my calling was film, so I wanted to concentrate on film and that’s why I picked Los Angeles.”

Deciding Los Angeles would be the location to start a career in film, Dev looked to increase his opportunities for success in Los Angeles by seeking a school who, along with film, also offered a program in tennis.

“When I picked Los Angeles, I said I might as well find a junior

“It was one of the best decisions ever,” Dev said.

Along with finding an appreciation for the school, playing tennis and studying film at the college has helped Dev distinguish the difference in sports and the film industry.

“One thing about sports is, if you’re successful you’re going to climb the ranks and you’re going to become professional,” Dev said. “In film you can be the greatest actor or greatest director but if you don’t have the right context it doesn’t mean anything, you’re not going to get the chance to perform.”

Reflecting on his time as an athlete at the college, Dev expressed his gratitude for the relationships he has built.

“This is my last season of tennis and I’m very fortunate to have worked with two great coaches,” Dev said.

“He’s our motivator,” teammate Nick Kerhulas said. “He’s our Captain America.”

Comparing his coach from last season, Rajeev Datt and his current coach, Long Dao, Dev can see the strong contrast in the coaching styles.

“Dao is the exact opposite of Rajeev. Rajeev has got that drill

sergeant mentality, I like to call him fire, and I like to call Long, ice,” Dev said. “Long is very cool and he’s very simple. He likes to keep things very short, and he tells us what we need to do on court to win, so he’s a great coach.”

“One thing I have to mention about Long is he is a great role model for all of us,” Dev said. “Because he’s working full time, he’s coaching at Pierce and he’s getting his masters degree at California State University Long Beach.”

The tennis team practices at the Warner Center tennis facility due to eroded courts at the college, according to Dev.

“I wish they could do something about the courts, because the condition of the courts is terrible,” Dev said. “It’s very bad, we cannot play. It has gotten to the point where if somebody plays on those courts they could get injured.”

Bob Lofrano, the director of athletics for the school recognizes the need for repair of the tennis courts on campus.

“Repair is definitely needed,” Lofrano said. “At one time repair was supposed to be three courts every year.”

A lack of funds required to repair the courts is what is holding back the completion of a much needed overhaul, according to Lofrano.

“I think the only thing that’s going to save those courts is if we

get another bond passed,” Lofrano said. “When you have a crack in the surface and you’re not looking because you’re looking at the ball, that’s dangerous.”

Dao, also recognizing the need for repairs to the courts, aspires to upgrade and update all courts on campus.

“The courts definitely need some work. I know it’s been over 10 years since any court had been resurfaced,” Dev said. “I would love to have all nine courts redone with additional renovations to ensure their longevity.”

Friday, April 1 @ Long Beach 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 6 @ Santa Monica 6 p.m.

Friday, April 8 vs. Moorpark 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 13 vs LA TradeTech 6 p.m.

Baseball

Thursday, March 31 vs. Oxnard 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 2 @ Oxnard 1 p.m.

Tuesday, April 5 @ Moorpark 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 7 vs. Moorpark 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 9 vs. Hancock 1 p.m.

Tuesday, April 12 @ Hancock 2:30 p.m.

Women's Beach Volleyball

Friday, April 1 vs. Antelope Valley and Ventura @ Ventura 10 a.m.

Friday, April 8 vs. Rio Hondo and El Camino @ El Camino 10 a.m.

“My cousin was in the top five in India for tennis, so I guess you could say tennis runs in the family. He was a lot better than me and he’s also one of my inspirations.”

-Kiran Dev Tennis player

Travis Wesley / Roundup

Kiran Dev frames a scene at the tennis courts at Pierce College on Friday, March 25 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Dev is a film major and plans to spend a year in India to pursue filmmaking.

Salvador Fariaz Sports Editor

Pierce College’s athletics for the Spring semester has been a disappointment for many of the players, coaches and for those who go out and support the different teams game after game.

But though there are the faithful few who show up to these games, the crowd turnout has been dismal. The tennis games have a handful of people watching and even our more watched sports like baseball and men’s volleyball have less filled seats than its competitors.

So where is Pierce College’s school spirit?

Pierce needs to be reawoken. The college should have a pep rally or events to promote students and faculty to attend games. Sports teams usually play better when they are home but the home court advantage doesn’t work properly without a crowd behind the team.

Half player, half coach

As he walks onto the tennis court, a 3-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl, both dressed in workout clothes and holding rackets, ran toward their coach Daniel Barrera.

Known as Danny by his friends, Barrera is a student athlete at Pierce who plays for the tennis team. Outside of Pierce, he coaches tennis at Match Tough Tennis Academy in Encino. The 24-year-old music major and

tennis player was also the former head coach of tennis team at Birmingham High School.

At the age of 13, Barrera started playing tennis, motivated by his sister’s jokes toward him. This is his second season playing for the team, with his first being in 2010.

“My sister had asked me if I wanted to play and I said no because that’s kind of weird because I’m more competitive and she’s not. She said, ‘It’s probably too hard for you anyways’ so that kind of pushed me in a way that had me thinking that I would prove her wrong,” Barrera said.

Working as a coach at the Match Tough Tennis Academy in Encino for five years and only

playing for the Pierce’s tennis team for two seasons, Barrera was able to connect to the players and his students at the same time.

To head coach Long Dao, Barrera is different from other players.

Barrera is a solid player and has outstanding skills in doubles, which is uncommon for the players on the team, according to Dao.

For Barrera’s teammates, he is someone who lightens up the team’s mood.

Kiran Dev, 20, says that Barrera is a smart player and his position gave him an advantage in playing.

“He’s a very smart player because he’s a coach. He knows the game. Since he’s a coach, he’s able to see the game in a different perspective,” Dev said.

Although he is a tennis coach off campus, Barrera said he doesn’t let this become a source of conflict between himself and Dao.

“My biggest problem is when he’s telling me a strategy, I have to go with it. Because if he tells me that maybe I should try a different strategy, I know as a coach, I’m thinking I know what’s better for me. But he is my coach so I have to listen and that’s always been the hardest thing for me. As a player, I think I know what I should be doing but since he’s watching me, he figures that I should be doing something different,” Barrera said.

“A lot of times I set the schedule out and I tell him that he needs to be here at a certain time and he needs to work his way,” Dao added.

Dao is also open to the idea of Barrera becoming the future head coach of the tennis team, years from now.

“He can possibly be become the future head coach of the team like me. You never know what happens in the future. One day down the road, when I’m not here anymore, whoever steps in, possibly Danny, hopefully they will like it as much as I do,” Dao said.

Faculty and staff should also take pride in their college and should help to promote the sports teams. When colleges have winning sports teams, it helps grow enrollment and fills classrooms which in turn benefits teachers. It would do no harm for a teacher to just write on their whiteboard in their classroom when the next baseball game is. Departments need to be open to help promote other departments. We are all one body.

Sports briefs

Baseball

Baseball blows big lead, then rallies in the 9th inning to give the Brahmas a win against the L.A. Harbor Seahawks at home on Wednesday, March 23.

The Brahmas came out strong early, to give the team a 5-0 lead after the 3rd inning, but after a 7-1 scoring run by the Seahawks, in which they led 6-5 at the end of the top of the 9th, the Brahmas would score twice to win 7-6.

Women's Vollyball

Women’s volleyball left Bakersfield with a win on March 25. Pierce has now won two games and lost six, as their only wins of the season coming against Bakersfield. The final scores were identical as Pierce won three out of the five sets. The team would lose its second match of a doubleheader against Santa Barbara 5-0.

We have openings for the following full and part-time positions: Call center/collections, administrative, customer service

Flexible hours

Day/Evening/Sat shifts

Ideal for students looking for consistent hours

Send resume to: hr@caine-weiner.com

Fax: 866.538.3793

http://www.caine-weiner.com/

Laura Chen / Roundup

Third year music major student, Daniel Barrera, 24, teaches tennis lesson to Aila Farkhan, 5, at Balboa Sport Center on Monday, March 28.

Pierce athlete takes time to teach the game he loves

DONNA ROBLES Staff

Drobles.roundupnews@gmail.com

“[My sister] said, ‘it’s probably too hard for you anyways.’ So that kind of pushed me in a way that had me thinking that I would prove her wrong,,”

-Daniel Barrera Tennis player