Rampagemagazine

The Rampage Spring 2016

Fresno City College

Legacy of Historical Architecture Page 6-14

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Contents 3.

A Day at The White House

6.

Historical Architecture

Year of 15. Transition The New 18. WonderWoman

Magazine Staff Editor:

Reporters: Photos: Adviser:

25. Athletic

Performances

Anatomy of 30. Champions

34. Super Students 36. Fun in Fresno 2

Patrick Forrest Destinee Lopez Amrita Aulakh Aedan Juvet David Chavez Ashleigh Panoo Keaundrey Clark Michael Ford Tammi Nott George Garnica Ram Reyes Daisy Rodriguez Larry Valenzuela Matt Hackney Dympna Ugwu-Oju

Letter from the Editor

The Power of 21. Two

28. Fashion

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado

Dear reader, As you pick up our limited edition of the Rampage Magazine, I hope that you do it with intent to learn from a committed group of students who have taken the time to share this to you.

It wasn’t easy putting this work together.

Our reporters took time out of their busy work

and class schedules, among other things, and dedicated what little energy a student may have at the end of the semester to bring you this work.

As you read through, I hope that you allow yourself to be inspired. At the Rampage, we build a team of students who serve as a support group for each other.

We all want to be professionals one day, but as Rampage students -- as young journalists -- we get to experience our profession first-hand every day.

In pursuit of stories to keep our community informed, we make phone

calls, send tons of emails and even knock on doors. The Rampage staff ask the tought questions so you know what is happening around you.

For this magazine project, our writers worked a little harder to bring you something that you can be proud of. I hope you continue to support our efforts to bring you information you need as a part of the Fresno City College community.

Enjoy the read and check out more at therampageonline. com.

Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado Editor-in-Chief

‘Mr. President’: A Day at The White House

BY PATRICK FORREST

Guest Writer pforrest@therampageonline.com

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participated in the first ever College Reporter Day with about 50 other college reporters from across the nation.

Right after President Obama’s trip to

Fresno to discuss the drought in February 2014, I signed up to receive emails from the White House regarding stories that affect college students, or the state of California.

So for the past two years, I felt that, in a way, I had become a White House correspondent and had seen the pinnacle of my chosen profession. But being able to be in the

White House and see those who are at the pinnacle, is difficult to put into words. I felt on top of the world.

For me, one of the highlights of this special day was meeting

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(From Left to right) Toluse Olorunnipa, Bloomberg News; Jon Karl, ABC News; Christi Parsons, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune; Carolyn Kaster an Associated Press photographer; Scott Horsley, NPR; Jennifer Bendery, Huffington Post. Photo/Patrick Forrest

and asking questions of select members of the White House Press Corps -- Scott Horsley of NPR, Toluse Olorunnipa of Bloomberg News, Christi Parsons of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, Carolyn Kaster a photographer for the Associated Press, Jon Karl of ABC News and Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post.

Not only were they helpful in giving us advice for how to advance our futures as journalists, but shared with us tales about climbing the media ladder, and an idea of what to expect as we attempted to do the same.

Speaking to them and receiving advice and encouragement from professionals living my dream was invaluable.

Throughout the day, we were briefed on the “It’s On Us” sexual assault campaign, college affordability, the Supreme Court nomination and national

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service.

The last event on our itinerary was the briefing with Josh Earnest, during which we would get a chance to ask him any questions we could think of, and he would give an offi-

cial response from the administration.

As we were being led into the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, I realized that we were going to get the opportunity to, if only for about an hour, replace

those professional reporters who had answered our questions earlier in the day.

For two weeks before the trip, I studied the press briefings. I wanted to learn how the professionals

President Barack Obama replaces White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest during a press briefing on College Reporters Day at the White House on April 28, 2016. Photo/Paul Hoston

was preparing to do.

“People can ask whatever they want, and the whole thing takes place on the record, for everybody to see, on camera, and it is an important part of our democracy,” Earnest Said. “I’m glad that we’ll be able to do it in a way that all of you can participate.”

Then, for about half an hour, he answered our questions, topics ranged from the cost of college to how Earnest sees his role as the press secretary.

While the press secretary answered a question asked by Jacob Solis of the University of Nevada, Reno, about the Pay-as-YouEarn program set up by the administration, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Hey everybody,” President Obama greeted.

President Barack Obama. Photo/Josh Zytkiewics (The Clarion) An audible gasp asked questions, what of nerves but fought came from the stukind of issues they to not let anyone see dents, and every phone went up to capture the asked about and what them. kind of answers EarBeing only one of a moment in pictures. nest gave. handful of the college President Obama stood

Standing in the reporters from a com- right in front of all of briefing room with munity college, I felt us.

He explained a litprofessional journal- an added pressure to ists all around, an NBC make sure that I was tle bit more about the cameraman gave those able to hold my own goals he had laid out of us standing in the the entire day, and for his administration back of the room some prove to myself that I on college issues, and tidbits about the press deserved to be invited. then gave us all an opsecretary. He told us When the press sec- portunity to do someEarnest is regular- retary finally came out thing that even some ly late, and we should and took his place be- professionals in the use the extra time to hind the podium, there room have not been deal with our nerves. was a bit of a hush as able to do, the chance I certainly had a lot he explained what he to ask a question di-

rectly of the president of the United States of America.

I was privileged to ask the president the final question of the evening; it was a question regarding a recent poll by Reuters showing that a majority of Americans believe that the process used to select the American president is “rigged”, and nearly 7 out of 10 people want to see that process changed.

The president’s response was lengthy, but he spoke about gerrymandering, money in politics and the importance of the youth vote.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Republican, Democratic, Independent, whether you’re conservative on some issues, liberal on others,” Obama said.

“If you participate, and you take the time to be informed about the issues, and you actually turn out, and your peers turn out, you change the country.”

Once his answer was completed and he had left, we all stuck around and took as many pictures as we could to memorize the moment that had just passed. Being able to stand behind the podium that the president of the United States had just left, capped off the most exhilarating time that this young reporter’s career.

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7 Drone Photo/Matt Hackney

OAB 100 Years Later -- Grace, Elegance and History

BY GEORGE GARNICA

Multimedia Editor ggarnica@therampageonline.com

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he Fresno-State Normal School building, which we now know as the Old Administration Building, was first built on the original 15-acre campus at the cost of $370,000. The building opened and was dedicated on Nov. 17, 1916 and helped establish Fresno Junior College, (now Fresno City College) the first community college in California, and the second in the nation.

This year, the historic edifice will celebrate 100 years of its existence, an amazing feat for a building which was boarded up and closed in 1976. Its resurrection resulted from support of taxpayers in the 2002 bond measure, according to Ernie Garcia, educational adviser.

Garcia said that the State Center Community College District closed the building in 1976 because it did not meet the standards of what was called the field act.

“They feared that if an earthquake hit,

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the whole thing could crumble, so the district had no choice but to close it,” Garcia said.

“It was boarded up and fell into complete disrepair for about 35 years until it reopened again for students in 2011.”

The initial Measure E bond allocated approximately $25 million for the repair of the building. By the time the bidding started, materials and labor costs had risen, resulting in an overall cost of $ 65 million, according to Garcia.

By the time it was re-dedicated and reopened in January 2011, the size of the FCC campus had grown to 103 acres. An extension to the building added 10 new classrooms, 6 faculty offices, 7 administrative offices, a community room (former library), Auditorium, and the Gary Soto Literary Museum.

Garcia said that the OAB is important because of the countless generations of students that went through it, whether they went here when it

was the original Fresno Normal School, Fresno State, Fresno Junior College, or now, Fresno City College.

He said the OAB holds a great amount of history.

So much history that it was placed on the National Historic Register in 1974, which Garcia thinks is the one thing that saved it from being demolished after it was closed.

“The main goal when they redid the building was to do it as historically accurate as possible,” Garcia said.

Garcia invites those who have not recieved a tour of the building to do so. “You will not find any building like this especially not in Fresno, and maybe not even in the Central Valley,” Garcia said.

“The closest you’ll get to see a beautiful historical building like this is Stanford, UCLA or some of those old schools.”

When walking through the courtyards or hallways of the revenant Roman tapestry brick building, one is transported

to another time.

From the elegant arches in the courtyard to the distinct waterfalls in the middle of green pastures and benches, the character of all the hard work that went into building this now historical building is unmatched.

“The first thing they notice is the beautiful brick facade and the Spanish renaissance style,” Garcia said. “If you walk around the building you’ll notice that when they redid the building they tried not to add new brick to it because it wouldn’t match the color of the old brick.”

The college tried to preserve as much as of the original building as possible so that it would maintain its character. They wanted to stay as historically accurate as possible.

“All of the roof tiles are original; they were taken down one by one, and those that could be restored were restored,” Garcia said.

“So most of the roof tile is original, and the glass panes in the windows are original.”

The building is an amazing architectural work of art that has housed many generations of students, professors, staff and ad-

ministrators.

This restored historical building houses several generations of historically significant memories.

For the video story, scan the QR code.

Video/George Garnica

(Top) An empty Old Administration Building during reconstruction. Photo/Public Information Office (Bottom) A revitalized Old Administration Building at Fresno City College. Drone Photo/ Matt Hackney.

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10 Drone Photo/Matt Hackney

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Fresno City College Library -- Embodiment of Elegance, History and Grandeur

BY GEORGE GARNICA

Multimedia Editor ggarnica@therampageonline.com

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ost students at Fresno City College walk by the library everyday without noticing its grandeur. The library is a staple of history and is an example of a great architectural achievement.

The detail and architecture are Romanesque, reminiscent of a different time, when intricate patterns and precision were pivotal.

According to Bibliographic Instruction Librarian Donna Chandler, the library was built in the early 1930s and designed to match the style of the Old Administration Building, also Romanesque. It cost $260,000 to build and furnish the library, most of the original furniture such as the solid oak tables and chairs that are so heavy that moving them are nearly impossible.

“Some of the things we like to point out to the visitors are that 100,000 bricks were used to build the library, and there are six different shades of reds in the brick,”

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Chandler said. “Things were done very ordinate, like the columns out in the front that have three different patterns making up eight different columns.”

The details make the library on campus unique. The reference room, which is the main room in the library, features leather doors with port hole type windows that have real leather and real hot nails that give it character.

As you continue to walk in the reference room, you see all the wooden shelves stacked up on top of each other filled with over 100,000 books that date back to the 1800s.

light shining down from 12 solid bell-shaped brass chandeliers, which hang from dark brown chains giving the room a perfect tint of even light.

The ceiling in the reference room, which is 30 feet high, is dark purple and made of burlap wallpaper, which has artwork and designs painted by a Dutch immigrant artist named Anthony B. Heinsbergen. The artist painted the images

A Latin quote chiseled over reference room door states, “There is no past, so long as books shall live.” The quote is meant to inspire students as they sit and study in the library. Another Latin quote engraved in another area over the conference room states, “Enter good, leave better.”

The reference room, which is 107 feet long and 50 feet wide, has majestic lighting, which is created by the arched windows shining natural rays of light onto the students as they study, read, and tap away on their laptops. There is also

onto the canvas which was then was put up onto the ceiling in sections. Some of the images on the ceiling have great historical meaning behind them.

“Because of Fresno City College’s origin of being a Normal school (a school that produced teachers), you’ll see this beautiful ceiling that has eight portraits of people that are famous in the field of education,” Chandler said.

“For example, one of them is the one who decided to first start teaching other languages other than Latin; another is the person who invented Kindergarten,” Chandler said. “Another is the person who thought it would be a good idea to teach girls. That is why they are worthy to be up there.”

Chandler added that the library has has been extended twice since it was first built. Once in 1976 when additions were made to the east end of the building, which now houses the tutorial center and financial aid office. Also in 1996, the size of the library was doubled by adding what is called the West Wing and the Law Room on the Far East side of the building.

The cement bulldog peeking out of the brick wall overlooks another part of the outside of library called the peace garden, which was added about 10 years ago, said chandler.

The idea was to give students a place to go when tragic or overwhelming things occur in

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the world. The garden has two 8-10 foot white peace poles with eight different languages on each pole. The poles have “Let Peace Prevail on Earth,” in the 16 different languages that were picked because they are common among the students that come here, so you can see “Let Peace Prevail on Earth” in those languages on the poles.

This area is currently temporarily closed due to staffing, but Chandler said the college is working on making it available so that it can be open for students in times of discord.

Fresno City College Bibliographic Instruction Librarian, Donna Chandler gives a tour of the library. Chandler stands in front of the college’s peace garden, which sits below a bulldog head on the library wall. Photos/George Garnica

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The outside of the library building also has some hidden secrets that if you didn’t look hard enough, you would miss. On one of the outer walls, there is a cement bulldog face coming out of the wall, which goes back to when FCC was Fresno State.

“When Fresno City College took it over, they obviously couldn’t take the bulldog face with them, so it is still out, and it is kind of a highlight of some of the elementary school tours,” Chandler said. “We make sure the students see the bulldog, and they think it is kind of cool.”

For the video story, scan the QR code.

Video/George Garnica

From left to right: Interim Vice-President of Student Services, Rojelio Vasquez, Interim President, Cynthia Azari, Marketing and Communications Director, Cris Monahan Bremer, Vice-President of Administrative Services, Cheryl Sullivan, Interim Vice-President of Instruction, Don Lopez, Director of Institutional Research, Lijuan Zhai, Interim Director of Technology Harry Zahlis. Photo/Destinee Lopez

Interim Positions Now a Permanent State of the College

BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ DELGADO Editor-in-Chief crodriguezdelgado@therampageonline.com

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istory often repeats itself, and that is why when seven out of nine positions in Fresno City College’s administration are held by interim appointees; no surprises there.

Interim positions have become a permanent state of FCC. The State Center Commu-

nity College District Chancellor, Paul Parnell, just selected Cheryl Sullivan, vice-president of administrative services, to fill the latest interim position --the presidency of the college.

When Sullivan assumes the presidency, the top four positions in the college -- the

president, vice president of instruction, vice president of student services and vice president of administrative services will be held by interims.

Before Parnell’s announcement, six top administrators were interims; now, it would soon be seven.

Interims are noth-

ing new at FCC. In 2012, the district also faced a real problem when the accrediting commission for junior colleges found that changes in administration were bringing “instability”.

The Rampage reported in February 2012 that the evaluation report left by the

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Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges insisted that the frequent changes in administration, and essentially the amount of interims, “resulted in uneven and ineffective starts and stops” in integrated planning.

Fast forwarding to four years later, the college is in a similar position, with an accreditation report nearing.

Chancellor Parnell said the accreditation should reach the district by 2018. But, if 2012 is any indication, the district must limit the number of interim positions before any report is issued.

Parnell, along with other administrators, insists that there’s nothing to worry about.

Cynthia Azari, current interim president, will vacate her position at the end of the spring semester, handing her position over to Sullivan. Sullivan’s replacement remains unknown.

The spring of 2015 saw its greatest transition when Tony Cantu, who held the position since 2012, suddenly died during Easter weekend in 2015.

Sullivan was immediately elevated as acting president following the tragic news.

She remained in the

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position for a few days until George Railey, vice chancellor of educational services and institutional effectiveness, was appointed until the selection of a long-serving interim.

“We had to keep moving ahead,” Cris Bremer, marketing and communications director said. “We still had deadlines, we still had other projects that we were doing; we had to keep moving along.”

As the college recovered from the sudden loss, normalcy returned -- stronger this time.

Railey served until speculations started that a former president of the college could be returning.

As commencement and other end-of-theyear-events quickly approached, the college was anxious, speculating on who the new leader would be.

Information soon started pouring in that the first female president would soon return, based on a recommendation that would be made at a board of trustee’s meeting.

Several college faculty yearned for the “dynamic” leader, and Azari would strut her way back into the president’s chair, officially on May 28, 2015, this time, as interim. She had served as presi-

“We still had deadlines; we still had other projects that we were doing; we had to keep moving along.

-Cris Monahan Bremer Marketing and Communications Director dent at Riverside Community College.

With the former leader back in the hands of the state’s premier community college, “The campus as a whole, really came

together last year,” Bremer said.

But as the college returned to some kind of normalcy, an unforeseen turn of events would soon take effect in the college. Months

“One of the drivers for me to do this was to continue the continuity of the position; I think the continuity is important.”

-Don Lopez Interim Vice-President of Instruction

later, almost left and right, vice-presidents and deans would begin to drop out.

It began in fall 2015, when the Vice-President of Instruction, Tim Woods, allegedly sought to be transferred to another center within the college.

Chris Villa, vice-president of student services, soon announced he also would leave FCC for a similar job at East Los Angeles College.

Already, two top level administration roles were left for interims.

Soon, Don Lopez, former director of technology, would assume Wood’s former role, and Harry Zahlis, took on Lopez’ position

as an interim.

“It’s a different scope,” Lopez said.

“There are different things that need to be done; the skill set is not all that very much different.”

Lopez said he had been a faculty member for about 10 years before going into his new position which he believes actually helps keep FCC running since someone who is familiar with the college can take on the tasks of the position.

“One of the drivers for me to do this, was to continue the continuity of the position,” Lopez said. “I think the continuity is important.”

Zahlis thinks the

“We know that once we leave this room, when we walk out the door, we made a decision [and] that we are all going to live [by] that decision and make it work.”

-Cynthia Azari Interim President

same thing.

“You put the interims in front of us, but for all intents and purposes, the continuity is the same,” Zahlis said.

“We didn’t lose a step, we keep continuing to move on.”

Lopez and Zahlis had been working together for about 10 years, Lopez said and continuing to work together gives them and the college, a greater sense of consistency, they both said. “[If] you put somebody new on the job like that, they’ve got to learn for the first six months how everything works and who to call and how to get things done and what are the processes,” Lopez said.

Villa’s position was filled up by Rojelio Vasquez, who said different people at the college, including Lopez and Zahlis, had recommended that he take up the position.

Sullivan has seen the transitions as they came, but said that because of the familiarity that everyone has with each other, it doesn’t prove to be a difficult transition.

“Everybody works very well with each other,” Sullivan said.

“We are very responsive to one another.”

Lopez said, “We’ve all been working together for 10 years now, in one way or the other.”

Azari also said that,

even as an interim herself, there is nothing that has stopped them from accomplishing anything.

“I think we put together an incredible team,” Azari said. “ We work very well together; we are respectful of each other.”

Azari added that, even through disagreements, the administrators, interim or not, are committed to doing their job.

Azari however admitted that when she was recommended to the board of trustees to return to FCC, she didn’t have “lofty” goals of things she would like to accomplish and that everything was moving so fast.

“What I wanted to do was bring the college forward [and] improve communication channels, formal and informal, but also to improve morale,” Azari said.

When Azari leaves in May, Sullivan steps in as interim president and the current interim appointments will remain, even adding another to replace Sullivan’s current seat.

But one thing is for sure, even after yet another transition.

“We know that once we leave this room,” Azari said, “when we walk out the door, we made a decision [and] that we are all going to live [by] that decision and make it work.”

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Photo/Ram Reyes

Juggling School, Work and Parenting -the Making of the New Super Woman

BY ASHLEIGH PANOO

Reporter apanoo@therampageonline.com

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t’s likely that when you think of Wonder Woman, your mind turns to a fictional character from a comic book, or even the latest box-office hit.

Yet, all around the Fresno City College campus, there are women just as worthy of the title.

Like the Wonder Woman of the comics, they hold a secret identity that cannot be identified just by their appearance alone. They possess powerful motivation and great compassion. What is their secret identity?

Motherhood.

These non-traditional students have had to choose homework over playtime and bedtime stories over nights out.

They have had to miss class over babysitter bails, sick days, foggy days and everything in between.

These women have tried to do it all, and while they’ve sometimes felt hopeless, they have also felt immense joy over their academic accomplishments.

These student par-

ents are trying to strike the balance between motherhood and college.

They have come to accept the reality that college life as a parent is often chaotic and stressful, yet according to Fresno City College student and mother of three, Patricia Granados, extremely rewarding.

“One of the biggest rewards of having children while finishing college for me is the motivation,” she said.

“When you have children, giving up isn’t an option.”

Although women like Granados, whose children are ages 4, 3 and 1, have perhaps felt alone in their struggles at one point or another, is parenthood all that uncommon during college?

According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, it’s not. Over a quarter of students nationwide are parents.

These 4.8 million parents are struggling with things like child care and time manage-

ment, while performing the juggling act that is parenting and attending college.

Even more eye-opening is the fact that 71 percent of student parents are women, with 43 percent of those women being single mothers.

This means that roughly 2 million women are juggling college with raising children all by themselves.

Single student fathers only make up about 11 percent of the student parent population, according to the IWPR study.

A portion of these parents also hold a job.

This added responsibility can prove stressful, but there are a few positive aspects.

Eighteen- to 34-year-

old parents actually have a 20 percent lower unemployment rate (8.4 percent) than their peers without children (10.3 percent), according to Young Invincibles, a national organization that represents the interests of 18-34 year-olds.

This could be due to the motivation having a child gives parents, like Granados suggests.

That parent has a new sense of responsibility to hold onto a job, and also to get a better education.

Like Granados, a child development major, said, “My children are looking up to me and watching [me] get through it all.”

According to an article published in the research journal So-

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cial Science Quarterly, in degree completion among students who are equal in all aspects other than having children, parents are 50 percent less likely to finish their degree.

This contradicts the feelings of students such as Granados, but it makes sense when studies have shown that student parents are less likely to attend college full-time and attending part-time makes it more likely that the student will drop out.

Some parents find that taking non-traditionally scheduled classes might be the key to success.

According to the IWPR study, night classes are more important to non-traditional students, with parents taking night classes between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. at a rate that is seven times higher than traditional students.

Even study times dramatically differ between parents and non-parents.

According to the Young Invincibles study, parents’ study time dramatically decreases between the hours of 4 p.m and 8 p.m. while non-parents’ study time increases and peaks at around 8 p.m.

Parents also see a spike in study time between midnight and 2 a.m. while non-parents study time continues

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Patricia Granados with her husband, Jesse Granados and her three children, (from left to right) Azaria Granados, Hadassah Granados and Josiah Granados.

Photo/Ram Reyes.

on a slow decrease.

With all these added responsibilities, student parents can feel like they have little time left out of their day for leisure.

According to the 2013 American Time Use Survey that uses data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, student mothers spend almost four times the amount of time that non-parents do on household chores each day.

This is an average of four hours a day spent on cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. This is on top of the time that is spent caring for household members which also doubles for student mothers.

Yet, according to the study, the amount of time student mothers spend on other activities such as sleeping, eating and education is relatively close to what students without children spend.

This means that student mothers are packing in more activities during their day than their childless counterparts, potentially leaving them exhausted and stretched for time.

Mothers like Granados understand the pressure that is put on them to find ways to succeed despite their mountain of other responsibilities.

Granados believes that where there’s a

will, there’s a way. “I usually have to study in-between naps and movie time or stay at the college to study,” Granados said.

Student parents often rely on supportive family and friends to get them through the week.

Granados said she is lucky that she lives with her parents and her mom is able to help with childcare.

“It’s been so important,” Granados said. “It would not have been possible without the support of my family.”

Although she is married, her husband works a rotating shift and can’t always be counted on to help.

“The big[gest] challenge is just having the energy to do it all,” said Granados.

Despite the obstacles the student mothers at Fresno City College have to overcome, these women wield an immeasurable power that drives them to succeed.

The only thing setting them apart from the Wonder Woman of the DC universe is a tiara and a fancy costume.

Like wonder woman Granados said, “There is no circumstance too big to keep someone from an education.”

Granados admits there is sometimes only one thing keeping her holding on.

She said, “Sometimes it’s just willpower.”

Photo/ Ram Reyes

The Power of Two: Julie & Mike Dana

BY AMRITA AULAKH & AEDAN JUVET

Reporters media@therampageonline.com

T

he hot April sun bore down as Mike and Julie Dana -- husband and wife, who also happen to be teaching in the music department

at Fresno City College -- arrived for their interview.

The two settle, handin-hand, underneath the shade of a tree as quiet background music began to play – nothing could be more fitting than the soothing acoustic of a guitar

-- how seamlessly the music fits into the topic of conversation: the power of two and the power of music.

In the interview that ensued, the Danas, who have known each other for 17 years and married for 13 years, spoke about their close bond,

their mutual love for music, their take on today’s music and their advice for couples who hope to work together or are already working together in the same workplace.

Julie and Mike Dana’s first meeting is the plot of a romantic

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film. Mike was the new department chair of music at FCC and was interviewing for a new choral Director – cue the arrival of Julie.

Julie was the first person Mike interviewed for the job.

Mike says she was a shoo-in, despite the early morning interview and how tired she was on top of that.

The two then began to work together, and the relationship grew from there.

“I don’t remember meeting him because I was too nervous about the interview, honestly,” Julie jokes.

They fell in love soon after starting to work together, but the two remained careful to avoid misunderstandings at the workplace.

This did not stop Mike from setting up a first date between the two.

“I remember our first date, I asked her to go to the Philharmonic concert because I thought, if it worked out, then it would be a date,” Mike said. “If it didn’t, then it’s just two people who work together going to a concert.”

Julie said she was not sure if the night was an actual date or if Mike was just showing her the Fresno Philharmonic.

Mike added that he liked to keep the mystery. Later in the date, the two discovered one more thing they had in common, other than their shared love for music.

“We went for dinner at the Daily Planet, back when the Daily Planet was still there, and he got out of the car and asked me if this name meant anything to me,” Julie said.

“It was a really dear friend of mine from high school that he [Mike] met in college as music majors and they were really super good friends.”

This mutual friend would later become Mike’s best man at their wedding. This discovery of a mutual friend helped ease whatever concerns both had and they quickly became comfortable around each other.

Anyone who knows the Danas know they share an immense love for music. The question, however, is if their music tastes align.

Julie said that while Mike’s background is in Jazz, hers is in choral, but that over the span of their 17 years together, their music tastes have merged.

“We each expanded each other’s listen-

Julie Dana conducts a choral performance. Photo Courtesy/Julie Dana

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ing and perspectives,” Mike said. Julie added that the two made compilation CDs of their favorite music for a trip. She also took a Jazz Theory class along with Jazz Piano in order to further her knowledge of the genre. The two now team-teach a vocal jazz group at Fresno City College.

Even though Julie is not the biggest fan of punk rock, she accompanied Mike to a friend’s punk rock concert. She believes in trying out new music genres instead of dismissing them right off the bat.

“We’re trying to teach our students to have this passion for something that I have passion for for,” she said. “You’ve got to step into all the different worlds to experi-

ence it. It may not be something I want to do all the time, but at least I have gone there instead of saying, ‘I don’t like punk rock, bleh’.”

In the midst of talking about music, Julie described how the events of Sept. 11, 2001 ushered Mike into her choral world.

She had taken her City Singers to New York in

Mike Dana conducts the jazz ensemble during a performance at Fresno City College. Photo/ Larry Valenzuela

May of 2001, and one of her student’s uncle happened to be working at the World Trade Center. Thankfully, he was unscathed, but the emotions of that moment led Mike to a decision.

“He did this really beautiful arrangement of ‘America the Beau-

tiful’ for the City singers, and we have done it quite a bit,” Julie said.

“He kind of stepped into our world to kind of express those emotions that we were all kind of dealing with.”

Mike and Julie broached the subject of contemporary music. Julie watches “The

Voice” religiously and spoke her appreciation for Lady Gaga, despite not being her biggest fan.

“She [Lady Gaga] is a brilliant woman.

I think she is a really amazing example for women,” Julie said. “‘It’s a man’s world’ and that if you can, if you use your brain, and you go for it, look what can happen.”

Despite acknowledging some great talent in today’s music, Mike and Julie said they prefer artists such as Paul McCartney and artists similar to him.

“We just went to see Paul McCartney, and I think that, that’s from our era, and yet you look at the music and how long that music has lasted, and for me, an artist, that makes an impact,” Julie said.

“You’re going to be singing that music forever.”

Julie and Mike Dana during a class session. Photo/Ram Reyes

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Julie explained that the music industry is more competitive today than it used to be.

Mike said Julie and he like honest music -music that stems from your heart and soul.

“I think the main thing is that anybody who creates music not to be commercially successful, but because that’s honestly what they are passionate about; I think you have to respect that,” said Mike.

Working together goes along with creative differences; both Mike and Julie agree they have little or no conf lict because they understand each other so well. Whether it is extra rehearsals or being worn out from a long day, both understand each other’s emotions and thoughts quite well -- because they have worked the same schedules and know the stress that comes with it.

They handle any type of conf lict in a very mature manner and say their students have noticed and told them they not only appreciate them as individuals but appreciate them for setting an example of what marriage should be like.

The two agree that Mike is “the funny one” and Julie is “the straight man”, pretty much confirming how the two balance each other out.

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Julie Dana speaks at the Winter Concert at Fresno City College on Dec. 4, 2015. Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

Mike Dana after a performance at Fresno City College on Oct. 13, 2015. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

Julie and Mike stated there are no negatives to working together. Rather, all they see are major positives -- the ability to learn from each other.

As far as the vocal jazz group goes, Mike says he feels pretty confident in his ability to teach Jazz performance to students, but because he is not a vocalist, he is not confident in vowel place-

ment and vocal instrument. It’s here, in his not strong areas, that Julie steps in. It is her area of expertise, and Mike gains confidence in Julie’s presence and in her knowledge and power.

They say they continue to learn from one another and seek counsel from each other when one needs guidance.

“If you have an

on-going give-andtake relationship with somebody, then it’s like you don’t have to win every discussion and it’s not like, ‘I have to win, and you have to lose’ and vice versa,” Mike said. “We both want to have a good sounding product and a good concert/festival performance or whatever we do.”

A big part of Mike and Julie’s worlds are their students, who are family to them.

The couple frequently has BBQ’s and get togethers at their home where their students are comfortable enough and at home.

Mike joked that some students do not hesitate to head straight for their fridge the minute they enter the house.

One of the most significant discussions of the interview was what advice the couple would give to other couples who work together or wish to work together in the future.

“Remember to get each other’s back.

You know they’ve got your back, you need to get their back,” Julie said. “Sometimes that means it’s inconvenient for you because you’re working on this and this and this.”

Mike echoed, “You don’t have to win. It’s not a competitive situation, and don’t keep score.”

Athletic Teams’ Stellar Performances

BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

Women’s Basketball

The Rams finished the season 29-4 overall and 12-0 in the Central Valley Conference. The team won the CVC title for the seventh time in eight seasons.

They finished ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 9 in NorCal, the seventh straight year they’ve finishing in the top 25 in the state and top 10 in NorCal.

Jasmine Black, who led the Rams in scoring with just over 10 points per game, was named CVC player of the year. Head Coach Brian Tessler was named Head Coach of the Year.

Natalie Avadis, Madison Barnes and Erin Pallesi were named First Team All-Conference Sara Vasquez, Jordan Whitfield, Toni Edwards and Heaven Lee

were named Second Team All-Conference.

Men’s Basketball

FCC men’s basketball team dominated this season, finishing with a 28-7 overall record.

The team went 11-1 in the CVC, winning 24 of their last 25 games.

They captured their 15th straight CVC title.

They were led by sophomore guard BJ

Shelton who averaged for each game -- 15.5 points, 4.8 rebounds per game -- and was named Central Valley Conference player of the year. Sophomore Guard Nick Hilton was named All-Conference; he averaged 10.4 points and 1.4 steals per game. He was also named to All-Defense.

Sophomore Mike Crawley who came back to City after a two year absence

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was named First Team All-Conference. Sophomore Forward D’Angelo Ashley was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

The Rams finished the season ranked No.1 in NorCal and No. 6 overall in the state, they lost 66-61 in overtime to Saddleback College in the CCCAA Semifinals.

Head coach Ed Madec was named coach of the year by the CCCAA. Baseball FCC baseball had another excellent season, going 24-10. The team won the Central Valley Conference Title going 19-3 in conference play and finished the season ranked eighth in NorCal. The team was terrific at home, going 10-5 and hoping to use that advantage as they host the CCCAA Championships at Euless Park. Sophomore Logan Poisall was outstanding this year and has a great chance of being named conference MVP; he hit for a

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.321 batting average, recorded 44 hits with 27 RBIs, with 5 home runs.

Sophomore pitcher Justin Heskett was terrific pitching for the Rams this year, after going 6-0 with a 2.83 ERA; he pitched 82.2 innings and had 54 strikeouts.

In his 27th season and career record of 940 -336, Scott had the challenge of getting everyone to play as a group and realize that they are all equal and all needed to pull their own weight.

Track and Field In the NorCal women’s heptathlon, FCC Teammates Moesha Davidson and Melody Harris finished first and second. With 4, 774 points for Davidson and 4,555 for Harris. Davidson started the two-day event with a victory in the long jump (5.44 meters), while Harris moved up from fourth after day one to finish in the silver medal position.

Men’s Tennis The FCC Men’s Tennis Team came off of a

season that saw them finish second in the Big 8. Going 6-1 in conference behind Modesto College. They also finished No.6 in the state.

Kyle Rae, Tom Arias, and Jayke Ancheta finished the season ranked seventh, eighth and 25th in the state respectively.

Women’s Tennis FCC women’s tennis had another excellent season. They finished the season 13-3, going 7-0 in the CVC conference. FCC finished first in the conference, winning the conference title. The Rams were ranked third in the state this season.

Milah Ryland, Marifer Ochoa, and Raquel Gonzalez finished the season ranked fifth, sixth and ninth in the state respectively.

Swimming The Fresno City College women’s swimming team enjoyed success in its inaugural season. They came out strong and won their first swim meet at the Fresno City College invitational on March 19,

while also having some breakout athletes like Killey Gill, Rachel Greenmyer and Genevieve Ortiz on their roster.

The Rams were on a learning curve as they figured all of the things it took to build a successful program.

Since this was the first season for the program there wasn’t a risk in trying new things.

Head coach Gianna Rossi took this season as a learning process in every way for to constantly do better from the start of the season to the end of the season. Gill competed in the freestyle event and is ranked No. 18 in the state, two spots shy of being invited to the state championships.

Softball Under the guidance Rhonda Williams, head coach for the softball team for 21 years. The 2016 version of Rams softball had a truly historic season. Ranked No. 1 in the state, the team won an 24 games in a row, dating back to a Feb. 20 loss to San Mateo.

Football The Fresno City College Rams football team finished the year with a 6-5 record.

Quarterback Christian Rossi finished the year with with 2,801 yards, 29 touchdowns and completed 63 percent of his passes.

Schools such as Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Indiana, San Diego State, Utah, Tulsa, Fresno State and Arizona State have shown interest in the quarterback. Freshman Running Back Nate Jones rushed for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Freshman Kailon Carter was Rossi’s goto-guy this season with 991 yards and 10 touchdowns. He ranked top 10 in the state in both categories.

Sophomore James Whitfield was solid all year with 50 receptions for 776 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Sophomore Safety Tajhe Moore was one of the best in the state with three interceptions

Wrestling The Rams will head into the playoffs ranked No. 2 two in the state and looking to win a state title. They have blown out nearly every match they’ve been in. Adrian Camposano (125), Jonas Gaytan (133), Bailey Gutiérrez (141), Martine Sandoval (149), Isaiah Alva (149), Joshua Annis (157), Sebastian Suikowsky (165), Mo Nasser (174), and Casey Jones (285) are all ranked in the top 10 in their respective weight classes.

The team was 13-1 overall and 4-0 in the Coast Conference.

They lost to Mt. San Antonio in the CCCAA State Dual Meet Team Championships.

Volleyball Fresno City College volleyball team made it to the NorCal regional finals where they lost a four-set match to Foothill. The Rams finished with a 22-5 record. They extended their home conference

winning streak to 62 games.

Their last loss coming in 2011 to Reedley College. They have won the CVC title nine years in a row. Outside hitter Niyesha Brown led the Rams in kills with 223.

All- American Malerie Crenshaw was second with 204.

Freshman Jenna Goldsberry was third on the team with 187.

Head Coach Tracy Ainger-Schulte is 20545 in her nine years at FCC. Freshman Alexis Ceja, Goldsberry, Sydney Rigby and Breanne Dubberke led the Rams in digs with a combined 809 total.

Men’s Soccer The Rams had an excellent season. The Fresno City College men’s soccer team finished the season 13-64. They won the Central Valley Conference.

The Rams also got great play from their goalkeeper Jon Pulido, who recorded 13 wins on the season.

Freshman Jose Ramirez led the Rams in scoring this year. He

scored 10 goals and had 22 points overall.

“As a team we were pretty close so we accomplished a bond, a brotherhood that will last for a very long time,” said sophomore midfielder Jonathan Navarro.

Golf Rams Jenna Scrivner won the Central Valley Conference individual title. The Rams finished 2nd to Reedley for the conference title. Rams Sara Scheidt, Sami Flynn and Amanda Scheidt all took home a medal for the Rams. Scrivner also took home league MVP Honors. Sara and Amanda Scheidt were named to the All-Conference team.

Cross Country Fresno City College Women’s and Men’s Cross Country teams finished fourth and fifth respectively at the NorCal Championships. Victoria Arevalo finished 22nd for the Rams and Kevin Chavira finished fifth.

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28 Showstepper Fashion Exhibit displayed in the The Diamond Fresno City College Library. Photo/Ram Reyes

Fashion: Letting Your Style Do the Talking

BY DESTINEE LOPEZ

Reporter dlopez@therampageonline.com

I

magine the world, where everyone wore the same outfits -boring right?

We would not see the bright and unique clothing we had today.

Many students on campus sport different “looks”, ranging from crop-tops to graphic T-shirts.

Often, people think that fashion is for the popular and rich, but fashion is much more than that. What we choose to wear and present to others is a ref lection of who we are and what we say about ourselves.

Fashion is an art and like all art, there is an artist behind it.

According to Emma De Zubiria, majoring in fashion, “Fashion is more than just the most expensive clothes. It is a secret message you send to

every person you pass.

Your wardrobe is full of first impressions.”

According to P s yc h o l o g y To d ay. com, a study of over 300 adults, both males and females, revealed that people make a “snap judgement” in a 3-second gap. In that exposure gap, people judged the people who are dressed more fashionably as better.

“Fashion is a way to tell a person what your personality is before you even speak because of what you are wearing,” Tasha Macias, a fashion student on campus, said. Life is filled with moments of people trying to impress others or trying to hide who they are to the world. Whether it is the color of the shirt you are wearing or the style of pants, everything you wear

or don’t wear, says something about who you are to the public eye.

Here on campus, fashion is everywhere we look.

Every students gets up in the morning and dresses for their day at school.

Albert Garcia, a visual merchandiser, says, “Fashion is a do-whatyou-want, and go-asyou-make. You do you; be creative.”

A large percentage of students on campus are millennials -people born in the 1980s and 1990s -- and we are challenging the ideas in the world of fashion and with the help of social media which is allowing us to show the world what we are wearing.

Oftentimes, people are posting #OOTD, or outfit of the day, to display the style they are currently wearing.

Fashion, in other words, is a big part of our community, both at school and at home.

“Fashion is how we express yourselves.

For me, it isn’t really fashion that I enjoy, it is more of the style that is important,” business major, Melissa Cruz, said.

Classes in Fashion cover subjects, ranging from how the fabric is placed together to how it is manufactured.

The students then can choose out of the thousands of jobs the fashion industry holds.

The classes also teach students more than which colors go well together.

Professor Pamela Hutton said, “There is this A-Z, which covers everything in fashion.

We broadly cover everything in the fashion world.”

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BY MICHAEL FORD

Sports Editor mford@therampageonline.com

C

onference championships.

State Championships.

What comes to mind when you read those words in regards to Fresno’s collegiate athletic programs?

Fresno State?

Well that’s a good answer, but incorrect.

Many do not realize those words also apply to Fresno City College athletics. Established in 1949, Fresno CIty College sports program has been a stallworth of collegiate athletics at the junior college level in the entire nation.

“I think FCC athletics have always had a winning tradition, which draws the attention of great athletes,” said Tracy Ainger-Schulte, all time leader for coaching for wins women’s volleyball at Fresno City.

Schulte recently accepted the same position at Fresno Pacific University.

FCC runs an athletics program that features the best the community college sports has to offer.

The Rams have a more than stellar reputation as a program that has always been exceptional in nearly every sport, and that success still continues today.

The question most ponder is how long Fresno City College athletics can keep up such a high level of success? The answer can be found in these three areas: leadership, funding and a family atmosphere.

Anatomy of a Winning Athletic Program

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Leadership is Key

W

oody Wilk, the coll e g e ’ s sports publicist from 1984-2009, is a walking encyclopedia of Fresno City College sports history and has seen firsthand some of the seminal moments in the history of the storied program.

Being around a program that has remained successful for such an extended period has allowed Wilk to observe what makes a great athletics department.

“In many ways, it's all about leadership -- the president, the coach and his or her staff and the captains of the teams,” ” Wilk said. “You have to have all of these things coming together.”

Leadership comes from many places, and it begins at the top with athletic director Eric Swain. As a longtime former coach at the high school level, Swain has seen firsthand the importance of having a leader to guide a team, or, in his case, an athletic department. He has taken those skills learned as coach to his new job.

“Successful coaches work very hard to get better everyday. Successful coaches try to get the best athletes that they can and it’s the same thing as an ad-

ministrator,” Swain said.

“You have to try and learn and get better and you have to surround yourself with really good people.”

He expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to run such a great program, especially because this is his first athletic director position at the college level. Swain compares being hired to getting a brand new car.

“This is a obviously a Cadillac. You’re not often given the keys of your first car and I was.

I didn’t have to drive a beat up car around,”Swain said. They let me have the keys to a luxury car right out of the shoot and I feel very blessed to be here,” he added.

Swain is responsible for a list of tasks that is endless, but he said that the budget has the most impact on the quality of the product on the field. Swain works with other members of the college administration, including the now the president, to distribute an allotment of money given by the state to each sport.

“We sit down, me and the dean. There is a budget process where we look at what we have given the teams in the past years, how that money has been spent and then we come up with a plan,” Swain said.

Money is distributed to teams based on their projected expenses, like

how much the team travels and the needed equipment.

“We just finished up recently putting together our budget for next year for the individual sports, whether it has to do with travel, hotels, meals, expenses that go along with the season, tournaments, officials and those type of things,” Swain added.

The coaches have the responsibility of spending the money in the budget on whatever they may need, including traveling, food or equipment.

More money for one sport means less for another; often what each receives isn’t enough for what they need, and the teams make up what they need with fundraisers.

The Rams women’s basketball team organizes a dinner dance to raise money for their program and the football program hosts the highly successful annual Rams Wall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony.

Things are turning around financially, however. As the economy continues to recover, FCC is gradually receiving more money to fund the athletic programs, according to Swain.

“I really appreciate what Dr. Azari and Cheryl Sullivan and some of our administrators and what they have done to support the athletic department,” Swain said.

Central Valley Conference Championships in 2015

- Men’s Basketball - Women’s Basketball - Men’s Soccer - Women’s Soccer - Football - Men’s Tennis - Women’s Tennis - Softball - Baseball - Wrestling - Volleyball

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Wide Reciever James Whitfield storms through rivals during a match at Ratcliffe Stadium. Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

Coaches and Players -- the Secret to Athletic Success

A

s important as the athletic department administration is, the accolades wouldn’t exist without the players and coaches. They are the ones putting in the effort out on the field to make their college proud.

The college has been fortunate to have had some great players and coaches, some of whom have had great success in upper level college and professional sports.

Wilk has been around some of these very successful players who turned professional in their sports. He remembers Ted Lilly, a former major league baseball

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pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs “I have a recollection of Ted; it was a final four game and I’m watching him pitch and he is in full extension and he is delivering a pitch, and then I saw another picture of him later after he had signed with the Dodgers and was in their minor league system with the same full extension in magazines, there was no difference,” he added.

Hall of Fame Major League Baseball pitcher and Fresno’s own Tom Seaver pitched in Euless park for the Rams in 1960 before going to pitch for USC and then in the majors, racking up more than 300 wins in his stellar career.

It is no wonder that Rams baseball has cap-

tured five state championships and 34 Central Valley Conference titles, also never finishing lower than third in the conference since 1989.

Football at Fresno City has also been highly successful throughout the school’s history. The program has captured 26 CVC championships and four state championships.

One of the greatest players in the school history, Maurice Morris, played running back in 1999 and Wilk raved about his skills on the gridiron. “[Morris] was just a phenomenal player. He could come out of the backfield and catch it, go through the hole and knock people down. He was just an amazing player who made people miss,” Wilk said.

Morris went on to

play in the NFL for eight seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions.

Recruiting all of this talent to FCC can be challenging because of the number of schools competing for student athletes, particularly the better ones.

Chantel Wiggins has been the Rams men’s and women’s tennis coach for the past two seasons, and she has already been very successful, leading her squad into the state playoffs before losing in the semifinal.

Wiggins said that the success that the Rams have is self perpetuating.

“It's because of the reputation,” Wiggins said.

She said that because the school excels in all sports, athletes are at-

tracted.

Additionally, the college has “a bunch of local high schools to pick athletes from.”

“I walk past the basketball gym and glance to my left, on my way to the weight room, and see all the trophies, plaques and awards that the student-athletes have worked so hard to achieve,” Wiggins said.

“I think that is an amazing thing for recruits to see.”

Recruits alone aren’t enough, and

Sophomore JJ Santa Cruz pitches the first inning against Taft College, Saturday, April 16, 2016.

Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

according to Wilk, “It comes down to hard work by the coaches, and our coaches are quite outstanding about bird-dogging the talent.”

Track and field head coach, Jesus Reyes, said the reason athletes want to come play at FCC has a lot to do with how the students are treated as people, not just “prizes” for coaches to win.

Reyes said he is extremely proud of what his coaching staff are capable of, and that in the end, good coaching only prov i d e s benefits for the athletes.

“I've always said it and I will continue to say it, I will put my coaching staff up against any other in the state -- USC or UCLA -- you give us the same athlete, and we will give them a better product,” Reyes playfully bragged.

“I'm a homer, they are not going to get me to change that,” he added.

The tight knit nature of the interactions between coaches, players and recruits is what makes

student athletes comfortable when they visit their coaches at the school or off campus.

“I think that they have a sense of family, a sense of belonging, a sense of importance, that they are important to us,” Reyes said. “No matter how good you are on that scale, we are going to treat you all the same, we're going to try to love you all the same.”

He credits the coaching staff and “the fun that we have here, the relationships that we establish.” He said the athletes would be long gone otherwise.

Rams’ star baseball pitcher JJ Santa Cruz spoke about how close he and his teammates are and how that affects what goes on on the field during games.

“We are close as a team; we have group messages and things like that, always talking to each other,” Santa Cruz said. “On the field, we are always picking each other up. If I’m doing bad, Logan will call time and he will pick me up, and if someone makes an error, I tell them that I will get them the ball again.”

Sophomore Melody Harris, star track and field athlete and No.1 ranked women’s javelin thrower in the state said she couldn’t be happier as a Rams athlete.

“I can go to each and every single one of these coaches and

they are like a mother and father to me,” she said. “I can go to any of my teammates and talk about life; I can talk about whatever with them; we're like brothers and sisters, it's a definite family feel.”

Wilk says the dedication of the players and coaches make all the difference.

“It comes down to hard work and by the coaches and our coaches are quite outstanding about bird-dogging the talent,” Wilk said. “It really shows the results of hard work when you get the kind of success does Fresno City College has had.”

He isn’t lying; the players do work very hard to improve. At all times of the day, athletes are working out or practicing their sports at Ratcliffe Stadium or the fieldhouse right next to the stadium, the weight room or the gym.

Even though Harris had opportunities to go elsewhere, her choice to come to FCC is one that has proven to be the best situation for her. She expressed what undoubtedly is felt by many of the student athletes who have played here. There isn’t a better endorsement of an athletic program than what Harris said.

“I wouldn't choose any other school over Fresno City College.”

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(Left) A student plays the piano during a concert in the Old Administration Building. Photo/Larry Valenzuela (Right) Jeanna Denae Coons reads from a book at The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California. Photo/Tammi Nott

Becoming A Super Student

BY TAMMI NOTT

Reporter tnott@therampageonline.com

B

uilding “Super Students” is about giving a voice to students’ dreams; empowering students to believe in their best selves by removing obstacles that impede success, and providing opportunities to stretch individual possibilities.

What is a “super student?”

Ask around and you might get all kinds of responses. Is a “super student” the person that has their nose buried in a book all the time, and never has any fun? The student who does all of

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his work and not just the minimum to get by?

What about a straight A student? Surely the valedictorian is a “super student.” The student you’re picturing in your head has a secret.

ATTITUDE. They are having fun.

They believe that they can learn about themselves, and their dreams, in every class they take.

Involvement in activities fuels a “super students” passions and connects them to their education and their peers.

Every student is unique, and we all want to feel successful. Own your journey, be excited about organizing, engage in with your

college community and persevere.

Being the best student you can is about knowing who you are, making goals, and not giving up on yourself when the going gets tough. I guarantee that the person you think is a “super student” is fighting their own battles to pursue their dreams in college.

What is your dream?

You are attending college to explore your interests and to decide what you want to be when you grow up.

Every day you get to make choices. Own the choices that you make, Other people are not responsible for what you choose. The truth is that

if you really want something, you will make it happen.

Are you learning because you are committed to yourself, or because someone else said you should? Hint: your education is about getting what you want.

Discover your learning style. There are all kinds of learning styles -- visual, auditory, verbal, tactile, structured students, or an imaginative student. Do you work well with others in groups, or do you prefer to work alone?

A person who learns visually may learn best by constructing visual aids like picture.

Are you a good listener? Do you absorb what

you hear better than what you see? You may be an auditory learner.

Verbal students talk to themselves. No they are not crazy. These students should read aloud to check their papers, read textbooks out loud and talk about the material with their peers and professors.

Tactile based learners are our hands-on students. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, you are here to learn.

The more ways you absorb a single piece of information the easier it will be to remember.

Now that you have identified your learning style, you need to be organized. You can’t be prepared to learn if you’re not prepared, and life can be crazy. Time management, the right books, school supplies, and transportation can all be major contributing factors to accomplishing your educational goals.

Remember getting ready for your very first day of school? As a kid, the preparation for school may have included shopping for new clothes and school supplies. Did you get to choose the backpack you wanted, or the cool new shoes. If you didn’t get to make those choices a kid guess what?

You get to make those choices for yourself now, so own it.

Do you want inspirational notebooks or that really cool book bag?

Choosing supplies that inspire you to organize stimulate the desire to use those tools. Paper, pencils and folders any other time of year seem mundane, but it is an opportunity to build your identity.

Most students’ identities include more than just being a student. Students are parents, sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, and employees.

Taking care of each of these relationships and the responsibilities that come with them requires a close look at your priorities, excellent time management skills and support from those around you. “Super students” share their school experiences with their loved ones.

Parents, remember, your children are watching you. They see when you work hard, when you learn something new and when you give up. Make them proud of you, and they will want to follow in your footsteps.

If you decide that you can’t do something because of someone else, you are turning your back on your dreams.

What is important to you? set your boundaries and stick to them.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day.

Fresno City College is set up to help you achieve your goals.

You just have to figure out what your dream is. Professors are pas-

He Guiping rehearsing for the City Dance Fall Workshop.

Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

A print making instructor works on a project in the main fountain area at Fresno City College on March 17, 2016.

Photo/Tammi Nott

sionate about what they teach, and want you to feel impassioned too.

Take advantage of programs available for every student at FCC. These programs provide financial aid, aca-

demic counseling, personal counseling, career guidance, mentoring, vocational internships, and time management assistance among other benefits.

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Fresno Offers Entertainme

BY DAVID CHAVEZ

Managing Editor dchavez@therampageonline.com

C

hances are this question has come up in a conversation before, and many Fresnans are simply unable to pro-

vide an answer. Fresno has a reputation which drives many fun-seeking young people away.

Thoughts of Fresno conjure up images of farms and ranches and miles and miles of vineyards. Now that isn’t

necessarily bad thing.

Yes, the Central Valley is rich in agriculture, and as the heart of California, Fresno provides so much.

But think again.

Fresno is much more than about farms and

1. Save Mart Center

Located on the campus of Fresno State, Save Mart Center hosts both men’s and women’s basketball and the women’s volleyball teams.

Many big name artists and attractions have come through the Save Mart Center and have

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agriculture. This area offers so much more than most people know -- entertainment that rivals what large cities have. Yes, Fresno has places where people could experience life to the fullest.

placed Fresno on the map. The venue opened on Nov. 27, 2003 and has

featured artists such Sir Paul McCartney, Luke Bryan, Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jay Z and Drake, just to name a few.

(Right) Luke Bryan performs at the Savemart Center in Fresno, Calif. on April 30, 2016. Photo/David Chavez.

(Left) Paul McCartney performs at the Savemart Center in Fresno, Calif. on April 14, 2016. Photo/Ram Reyes

ent for All Ages and Tastes

2. Chuckchansi Park

Chukchansi Park opened in 2002 and is home of the the Fresno Grizzlies, the triple A affiliate for the Houston Astros. The Grizzlies are the 2015 Triple A National Champions, and the team

has produced many top athletes who have gone on to become high caliber players like Carlos Correa and Tim Lincecum. Chukchansi Park hosts more than the Grizzlies though. It is also home

to the Fresno Fuego and hosts Mexican league soccer teams at least once a year for exhibition matches. The stadium occasionally provides concerts such as its annual Grizzly Fest.

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3. Chaffee Zoo

The Chaffee Zoo has been a vital part of Fresno. The history of the Zoo goes all the way back to the 1920’s.

The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has over 700 individual animals. African Adventure opened on October 15, 2015 and has been extremely popular amongst local residents as well as visitors from out of town.

It’s a 13-acre expansion, funded by Measure Z, that includes cheetahs, giraffe, lions, rhinos, meerkats, wildebeest and African elephants. In addition,

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there’s a new restaurant called the Kopje Lodge which offers breakfast items such as scones, doughnuts and coffee and even pizza, gourmet mac n’ cheese, fresh salads and a daily soup.

Fresno Chaffee Zoo is a fun, affordable adventure for people of all ages. Between enjoying the Winged Wonders Bird Show, the new African Adventure exhibit, or the award winning Sea Lion Cove exhibit, there’s something for everyone to see.

GET AHEAD THIS SUMMER May 23–June 17

June 6–July 29

May 23–July 29

June 20–July 29

4-week Session

10-week Session

8-week Session

6-week Session

(559) 442-8273 www.fresnocitycollege.edu/summersession State Center Community College District

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The Magazine Class is Back at FCC

Join Us This Fall!

(Journ 6) Magazine Production: Wed 6-7:50 p.m.

(Journ 14) Multimedia Reporting: Wed 10-11:50 a.m.

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