Express, Volume 98 issue 12

SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE’S STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922

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VOLUME 98 ISSUE 12

MAY 6, 2014

EDITORIAL Demographics can lose sight of individual student

CITY TALK Educational Goal

Bell Curve of Success

Gabrielle Smith // Staff Photographer gsmithexpress@gmail.com

Average

Success

Why are you here and where are you going?

Start

Andrea Vallejo

Finish

A CITY COLLEGE STUDENT received faced by the college district’s students, the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke award, the audience went quiet. It was a knowing one of only 85 nationally to receive the silence that echoed through the center scholarship. A former RISE student when King discussed the challenges of earns her Ph.D. A student with a diseducating nontraditional students. ability holds an art show. These are just Using data compiled by the district, a few of the individual student success King outlined the demographics of the stories chronicled in this edition of the student body. He related the difficulties Express, the last issue of 2013-2014 of teaching students who face multiple academic year. burdens outside of the classroom with Throughout Loren Eisley’s “Star this semester and Thrower” essay through the history about a boy attemptof this college many ing to save thousimilar stories have sands of beached gone unreported. The Gladys Puente starfish one at a individual stories Somber nods Former City College student time. of the successes at and hushed sighs City College are vast followed from audiand would be impossible to cover in one ence members who were all too familiar campus paper. Likewise, graduation or with students’ family responsibilities, transfer rates and other data used to deacademic unpreparedness for college and termine if a community college is success- financial struggles. ful do not include individual triumphs or Sobering numbers highlighted durpersonal milestones of its students. ing the ceremony revealed that 60 perAt the beginning of the semester cent of the student body falls below the when City College held its convocafederal poverty line and that 60 percent tion, staff, faculty and a few students of students want to transfer but only 20 gathered to welcome new classified percent actually do. Writing in the April staff members and professors of vari22 Sacramento Bee, reporter Loretta ous departments to the seventh oldKalb reported more on disturbing staest community college in California. tistics relating to the area’s community The college’s administration, Los Rios’ college graduation and completion rates. chancellor and a board trustee offered Among six area community colleges, ininspirational messages about how best cluding the four Los Rios campuses, only to serve academically unprepared and City College at 51.9 percent had a gradufinancially disadvantaged students with ation/transfer rate above 50 percent. low matriculation and graduation rates.

It is important to remember that Cheers of approval greeted the mesdata can be factual and misleading. sages of hope or promise from various Though City College outperformed other speakers. To resounding applause and local colleges in completion rates, these whispers of relief, Chancellor Brian King numbers were still down by almost 10 announced that for a second year the percent from 2008, according to data The district would not cut any classes from Bee obtained from the state of Califorestablished schedules. nia’s new Community College Student But when the focus of his speech Success ScoreCard. turned to the disadvantages and obstacles However, as Kalb pointed out in her

“Your past doesn’t have to define your future.”

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

Selena Jackson “I want to go to college to better myself for me and my son, give us a life [and to] give us the ability to change the stereotypical look on teen mothers—on young mothers. I’m here to work for it and eventually be a role model for young mothers and my son. East Bay has my eye, but I’m not sure yet.”

Editor-in-Chief Will Ownbey Associate Editor Meg Masterson News Editor Daniel Wilson Features Editor Lygeia Andre Sports Editor Jake Patrick Donahue Photo Editor Alina Castillo Online Editor-in-Chief Teri Barth Online Photo Editor Tamara Knox Photographers: Emma Foley, Luisa Morco, Dianne Rose, Elizabeth Ramirez, Gabrielle Smith

article, the data from the scorecard did not explain that from 2008-2012 there was a significant economic downturn.

During that period a number of “casual students,” a term for students who take any classes they can get, enrolled in area colleges and attended only until employment opportunity could be found.

A community college has more than one role in the education system and the community it serves. While most students attend a community college with the intent of earning an associate’s degree or transferring to a university, there are many reasons and successes that cannot be measured or compiled.

Analyzing data, conducting surveys and looking for trends are necessary for planning and ensuring that a college provides the most useful curriculum and services to its students.

However, sometimes when that data reflects low completion rates, a disparity between institutions or its students, the multiple successes of the community college, its students and the contributions of its staff faculty, staff and administrators can be overlooked.

Data does not tell the story of the math professor who tirelessly works with a student after class. It cannot relate the pride a parent feels when their child is the first to graduate from college. Nor does it express the gratitude of the older students who have been given a later-inlife opportunity for higher education.

“Your past doesn’t have to define your future,” said Gladys Puente, a former City College student who is seeking her master’s degree at San Francisco State.

Her success story is featured along with other students in this issue.

City College is a place for us to start over. By walking in the door, by signing up for our first class, we take those first steps toward success. 

Mahalie Oshiro, Carl Phillips, Stephen Ruderman, April Saephan, Jonathan Taraya, Justin Valdez, Diane Wade, Ethel Watts, Harold Williams Design Editor Chris Piper Senior Designers Cody Drabble, Cyrus Reed Page Designers Geraldine Centinaje, Reginald Ento, Martin Gomez, Cody Kuenzli, Natalie Rios, Cory Walker, Andrea Vallejo

EDITORIAL POLICIES Views published in the Express do not reflect those of the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees, the Associate Student Government, City College, Journalism department, administration, student body, or faculty, unless otherwise stated.

MEMBERSHIPS Journalism Association of Community Colleges California Newspaper Publishers Association

Cover Design and Illustration Chris Piper Advisers Randy Allen, Jan Haag, Dianne Heimer, Rachel Leibrock, Kate Murphy

Writers: Kendall Bennett, Mari-Beth Browne, Jessica Daniel, Kristopher Hooks, Cody Kuenzli, Diana Lefort, Xochitl Orozco,

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Patrick Ito “I came here because I graduated high school and I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career. I wanted to come here try out a bunch of different classes, know what I love doing and what I want to—that’s my life.

This way I can kind of expand my horizons a little bit. Once I find something I want to major in, then I will look into other schools and see where I want to go.”

Monica Sepulveda “When I was telling my parents that I was going to community college, they were happy, but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I first thought psychology, then I thought business, then I thought economics, now I’m in communications. All I know is that I want to go to law school. I’m very interested in immigration law.”

Xeekial Lambert “The reason why I’m at SCC is because I’m taking a welding class. I want to get a certification in welding and start working. Our instructor was saying that you can make up to six figures doing it, but you make more money traveling. wherever the work is at, you go down there and start working.”

Shyloh Bealer “I’m trying to be a nurse and I was going to go through the program through City and then start working. I don’t really want to transfer, I’m going try to do everything I can to at least set myself to transfer if I want.”

NEWS

Traffic headaches around City College Fix50 construction project causes congestion, need for alternative routes Kendall Bennett Staff Writer // Kendall.bennett5@gmail.com

struction beginning May 22 through May 26. Keaton said the construction gap was specifically scheduled around Memorial Day weekend to accommodate additional travelers on the highway.

Trying not to impact major local events was not the only consideration in determining when the project should begin. According to Keaton, the condition of the highway was a major factor in the scheduling of the project.

“Heavy use and age has caused extensive deck cracking and deteriorated joint seals. Other issues include non-standard shoulder fit and a seismic retrofit that is needed,” said Keaton.

SOME OF CITY COLLEGE’S students may have needed to find a new route to school because of the Fix 50 project, which began April 22 and will last through June 25, consisting of construction on eastbound Highway 50 followed by construction on the westbound lanes.

“We notified faculty about the construction and made a special note to them to please be understanding as much as possible of students that are coming in from various areas in the Greater Sacramento area and to be aware that tardiness is a possibility due to this,” said Amanda Davis, City College’s Public Information Officer. “We’ve encouraged them to be understanding as appropriate.”

According to Fix50.

CALIFORNIA com, the stretch of highway, known as the W/X Viaduct, is undergoing four phases of construction—two phases for each direction. Drivers can expect scheduled lane closures, freeway connector detours and ramp closures through late June.

Public Information Illustration by Geraldine Centinaje Officer for Cal Trans Dennis Keaton provided detailed information He provided a photograph of a core on the W/X Viaduct project at a pubsample taken from the surface of the lic information meeting April 9 at the structure, and explained that it showed, Secretary of State building in downtown “in fact, [that] the deck is cracked all the Sacramento. way through. And that is the main pur“The eastbound side has two phases pose for the project to be done.” [lasting] through May 21,” Keaton said.

Keaton urged drivers to avoid the “The westbound side has two phases as traffic altogether by riding light rail, spewell, beginning May 27 through June 25. cifically if they are coming from Folsom, At least three lanes on the construction Rancho Cordova, South Sacramento or side will be open at all times. Traffic in Elk Grove. the opposite direction of construction “During the construction project, will be fully open as normal with no imthose [light rail] lines will not be interpact, but we still expect major delays.” fered with,” Keaton said. “They’ll have a According to Keaton, the scheduling straight shot into the greater downtown and timing of the construction took into area, and if you can accommodate, that consideration the impact on major local would probably be your best bet.” events. There is a scheduled break in conDavis also suggested using alternate

50

routes or methods of transportation.

“RT is an option,” said Davis. “We also will make sure to have a bicyclefriendly campus, so we have lots of bike racks, lots of easy access points to the campus by walking or by bicycle.”

Drivers shouldn’t assume that rain means a break in construction. According to Keaton, work was still underway during the rainfall April 25.

“Workers were able to put down quite a bit of steel—the rebar on the very top, which they would have had to do anyways,” said Keaton. “That work was able to continue and is actually still ongoing even [when it rains.]”

According to Keaton, the City of Sacramento is modifying their traffic signals and adding traffic officers. The intent of additional traffic officers is not to cite motorists for violations, but to support the flow of traffic on the city’s surface streets.

“We were told by the City of Sacramento that what they had planned [was] to put the majority of their affected traffic signals on automation versus sensors,” said Keaton. “They also have the backing of about 16 additional traffic police officers as well, and some additional parking officers to monitor the situation. “[If a traffic backup occurs, the officer] will call into the [command] center to let them know about problem areas to adjust the signals or to put that signal on a blinking red for the officer to go into the middle to start directing traffic to alleviate some of the backup,” Keaton said.

He added that drivers should visit Fix50.com for the most up-todate information on the construction project and follow the project’s social media updates on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

PROFESSOR TALK A Different Profession Gabrielle Smith Photographer // gsmithexpress@gmail.com What profession would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?

Carl Sjovold // History “A musician. Who wouldn’t want to be up there on stage with a Les Paul or a Stratocaster, or something like that, rocking the house like Keith Richards or you know, someone else? I mean that’d be really cool, so I’d love to be a musician. I just don’t have the discipline to learn an instrument, so it’s quite a commitment, and I made a choice, so here I am.”

Darreis Lucien // Nursing “I am a nurse, a registered nurse, and I would want to be working on the same mission and in the same field. It could be out of the country; it could be in the country. I love it.”

Regional Transit responds to Fix50

Light-rail schedules bolstered to cope with increased ridership during construction Xochitl Orozco Staff Writer // xochitlorozco92@hotmail.com SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT’S GOLD Line has added four additional trip routes to lessen the impact on commuters affected by the Fix50 construction project, which is a resurfacing of Highway 50 that will continue through June 25.

Seeking alternative transportation is recommended on the Fix50 informational website to “alleviate congestion and avoid traffic delays.” Regional Transit has added supplemental light rail trips on both the Blue Line (Meadowview and Watt/I-80) and the Gold Line (Folsom and Sunrise).

Fix50 is a major construction project that started April 22. The first phase is focused on eastbound lanes from the 16th Street entrance ramp to X Street. The construction has pushed all eastbound traffic into one lane.

INSIDE SCOOP

Though westbound construction doesn’t start until May 27, which is after the City College spring semester ends, construction will still affect a majority of people who work in downtown Sacramento and students attending summers classes starting June 9.

Many state workers, commuters and City College students are already feeling the affects of the project, including Samantha Harris, a state employee who makes her way down Highway 50 from Rancho Cordova to get to job, located off Freeport Boulevard.

“I’m not sure how to get to work once [construction] starts cutting off the onramps,” said Harris.

According to the Ride RT website, Sacramento RT has added two additional trips to the Blue Line. One departs the Meadowview station at 6:51 a.m. and arrives at the Marconi/Arcade station at 7:34 a.m. The other departs the

Watt/I-80 Station at 4:43 p.m. and arrives at the Meadowview Station at 5:31 p.m.

For the Gold Line there is another train departing the Sunrise station at 7:05 a.m. and arriving at the Sacramento Valley station at 7:51 a.m. An additional afternoon trip departs the Sacramento Valley station at 4:30 p.m. and arrives at the Sunrise station at 5:16 p.m.

Two evening trips have also been added, one departing at 6:53 p.m. and another departing at 7:23 p.m., heading eastbound.

RT security officer Noah Campbell shared a positive outlook for both the Fix50 project and the economic boost for RT. “I think the Fix50 project will help out commuters once it’s all done,” Campbell said. “And the extra people taking RT will help funds and operations.” 

Kevin Clark // Sign Language Studies “I’d still be a teacher in different ways, even on a personal level. I guess it’s in me.”

Mary James // Nursing “I would be a Life Light Nurse (flight nurse) because I truly enjoy working in critical care and on-scene.”

Need more news? Want to stay up-to-date with campus happenings? Get more information and exclusive content at saccityexpress.com.

SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

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NEWS EVENTS CALENDAR CITY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP RECEPTION TUESDAY, MAY 6, 6 P.M. CITY COLLEGE AUDITORIUM Celebrate the winners of the Sacramento City College Foundation scholarships for 2014.

CAREER DAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 CITY COLLEGE QUAD, 9 A.M.–1 P.M. Join several businesses and organizations for a chance to learn about employment and internship opportunities from company representatives.

CHICANA & LATINA RECOGNITION CEREMONY WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 5:30–8 P.M. PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Celebrate the accomplishments of Chicano/ Latino students and their successes in achieving their educational goals.

PEOPLE’S DAY THURSDAY, MAY 8, ALL DAY CITY COLLEGE QUAD Celebrate the end of another semester with games, performances and food in the quad.

MESA RECEPTION FRIDAY, MAY 9, 7–9 P.M. CITY CAFÉ This MESA student-organized celebration allows students’ parents to meet instructors and other members of the college community who contribute to the success of students.

CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT FOR STUDENTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT FRIDAY, MAY 9 Celebrate City College students of African descent achieving and succeeding. For more information, contact Jon Harvey at (916) 558-2318 or Tony Davis at (916) 558-2460.

SUSURRUS ANNUAL READING SATURDAY, MAY 10, 6 P.M.–9 P.M. STUDENT CENTER The 2014 edition of Susurrus, the Sacramento City College Literary Journal, debuts with an evening reading. Visit www.sccsusurrus. com for details.

20TH ANNUAL ATHLETICS RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE CEREMONY MONDAY, MAY 12, 6–7:30 P.M. STUDENT CENTER Join the athletics department in a celebration of the hard work and achievements of City College’s student athletes.

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The results are in

Sandeep Singh wins second term as Student Associated Council president Mahalie Oshiro Student Writer // mahalieoshiroexpress@gmail.com CITY COLLEGE STUDENTS MADE their voices heard April 8–9, casting votes using eServices to determine which student candidates will govern the campus beginning July 1.

By majority vote, City College Student Associated Council incoming officers for fall 2014 are: • Sandeep Singh, president • Monica Sepulveda, vice president • Kimberly Le, senator •Lincoln Scott, secretary of public relations • Paige Schlict, Secretary of Sustainability Omba Kipuke (American River college) was elected student trustee for the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees, defeating City College candidate and residing Secretary of Public Relations Gavin Fielder.

The presidential election win came by default—Singh was the only contestant.

He said he is happy he will remain in his position as S.A.C. president, but he would have liked to have someone to run against.

“[Winning without any competition] wasn’t the most ecstatic feeling,” said Singh. “It was bittersweet, but I’m glad [to have won].”

Among the new officers interviewed, each had a specific goal he or she hopes to accomplish while in office. Council re-elects said their experiences in office have helped determine changes they envision for City College’s student body.

Specific goals include, among others, raising student involvement.

Gabrielle Smith // gsmithexpress@gmail.com “It sounds broad, but it’s im- Sandeep Singh will serve another term as City College’s Student portant,” said Singh. “The more Associated Council president. and more students get involved, the more and more students will get their The offers also hope to increase stuway.” dent body awareness and understanding According to Singh, empowering stu- of policy. dents with the necessary tools to make According to Singh, the coming year their voices heard is critical to raising gives S.A.C. a chance to revisit relevant student involvement. Such tools could matters over the past year that didn’t include a website page or campus sugges- receive the attention they deserved tion box to serve as a forum for student Additional reporting by Teri Barth. to inform the council of what is important to the campus community.

Setting up an iSEP

Educational Plan required for new students this fall, recommended for current students Jonathan Taraya Staff Writer // jonathantarayaexpress@gmail.com FOR FIRST-TIME CITY COLLEGE students starting this fall and spring Nov. 1 is the deadline to complete an Individual Student Educational Plan (iSEP) process to guarantee priority enrollment, according to City College Admissions and Records and counseling staff.

The iSEP is the third part of the new enrollment process, which also includes orientation and assessment, said City College counselor Kris Janssen.

To develop an iSEP, a student must make an appointment with a City College counselor. During this appointment the counselor can educate the student about general education courses, major requirements and degree-oriented electives, according to the iSEP page on the City College website.

The iSEP also lowers the risk for students to take unnecessary classes, said Janssen.

“Those of us that have been doing this a long time see students that come in and say, ‘I have just been randomly taking classes’ and ‘I have never seen a counselor before and I have been here four years,’ ” Janssen explained.

Even though currently enrolled City College students are not required to complete this process to retain priority enrollment this fall semester, the iSEP is an important tool every student should have, said City College Admissions and Records Supervisor Kim Goff.

“It’s essentially an electronic educational plan,” said Goff. “It’s important for all students to have an educational plan.

Meeting with a counselor gives them the benefit of that counseling knowledge and to enroll for classes that they really need, instead of wasting time.”

What makes the current iSEP more useful than its predecessors is its por-

GRADUATION CLASSES CLASSES

ISEP tability, said Goff. Students who have completed the iSEP can always reference it through their eservices page.

“It is always with you wherever you go,” said Goff.

Since the iSEP will be a requirement for priority enrollment in the upcoming months, the end of this semester might be the best time to complete an iSEP if current students haven’t already done so, said Janssen.

“There are a lot of challenges with it that we are trying to sort out in counseling,” said Janssen. “If every person came in for an iSEP, we couldn’t handle that capacity.”

Janssen said there are only about 16 counselors, but that for new students

there will be group counseling sessions that will use the academic planner in eservices to help meet the demand.

The best way to ensure a one-on-one counseling session is to make an appointment, said Janssen.

Students who only need to map out the next semester can drop by when the counseling office opens at 8 a.m. and let staff know they want to be seen as quickquestion students.

If a counselor is available, he or she will see quick-question students on a first-come, first-serve basis, said Janssen.

Goff said she is confident that students who set up an iSEP will have an easier time meeting their educational goals.

“It’s hard to navigate this [college] environment,” said Goff. “[With an iSEP] it’s a two fold thing: You get to know what you should be enrolling in, and you get to talk to someone about how to navigate the next steps.”

More information about iSEP can be found at: www.scc.losrios.edu/counseling/isep/ or by contacting a counselor.

Need more news? Want to stay up-to-date with campus happenings? Get more information and exclusive content at saccityexpress.com.

EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

NEWS

New building on schedule for completion Students Services and photography/journalism building to debut summer 2015 Daniel Wilson News Editor // dwilsonexpress@gmail.com IN JUNE 2013, A vintage City College building, known to students as the Student Services and Administration of Justice building, was torn down and a construction project to create a new student services building began.

According to City College Vice President of Administrative Services Robert Martinelli, the new two-story building, which will include 16,000 square feet of usable space, doubles the space of the original building, and is on schedule to meet its February 2015 completion goal, partly thanks to California’s recent dry weather.

“To California’s chagrin, we’ve had a very dry winter, so [the construction crew] didn’t use many weather days at all during the course of the winter,” said Martinelli. “We’re still working on our plan to move into the building, but basically, it’ll be ready for summer of 2015 in terms of a semester.”

The new building will house Student Services on the first floor and the top floor will be the new home of the photography and journalism departments, according to Martinelli.

In addition to the new building’s construction, the Lusk building is also undergoing a construction phase, also due to be completed in 2015. Following that, a revision, which Martinelli says is currently in design, to Rodda Hall North will be the next project.

“Rodda Hall’s third floor currently houses photography and electronics,” said Martinelli. “So when journalism and photography go to the new building, electronics is going to Lusk 11. Then we’ll be able to get in and do the Rodda North project.”

The next projects on tap, according to Martinelli, are rehabilitations of the Mohr Hall and Lillard Hall buildings. But Martinelli said these projects are held up because of a lack of funding.

“Those projects are dependent upon 50 percent, roughly, funding from the state,” said Martinelli. “Because of the budget crisis, the state hasn’t had a facil-

ity bond measure for several years. The next opportunity will be the fall of 2016.”

Martinelli said pending whether a measure for funding passes in 2016 or not, these projects would need to be reevaluated.

“What it would likely mean is we pull local money up to the Mohr project and fully fund that with local bond money,” said Martinelli. “That puts those later projects in kind of a precarious position.

That’s the action point that we’re waiting on, the state bond and what is going to happen.”

“It seems like it’s going to

be busting with activity. I wish it was done, ya know? I think journalism especially is looking forward to this because they’ve been in a temporary [building]. They’ve been camping out behind the baseball field for way too many years now.”

Paul Estabrook

PHOTOGRAPHY PROFESSOR

The next phase of the project, following Mohr and Lillard’s facelifts, which are both scheduled regardless of where funding will come from, would be to expand the West Sacramento and Davis outreach centers, Martinelli said.

For now, the focus is on the new student services building. Vice President of Student Services Michael Poindexter said that before the building began construction, student, faculty and staff opinions were taken into consideration in an effort to make an easier, more streamlined process for new and existing City College students.

From this feedback, the college began looking at how to best combine the offices into a space that would make them more easily navigable.

“The building is being built based on information we received from students

and pulling those pieces together to make sure that we have a welcoming front door for students that will be entering into the institution,” said Poindexter. “We’re really looking at the first floor of that building being the front door to the institution.”

Poindexter added that he feels the building’s design will cut down on student confusion and large crowds, especially during the first few weeks of the semesters and that overall, the new setup will provide better “customer service” to the students.

“I’m excited about it,” said Poindexter. “We’re going to have more of a welcoming feeling. We want a feeling as close as we can get, like a feeling when you walk into the Apple store. We’re going to have people available to talk with you as you enter into the building. There will be a reception area that students can stop in before getting into a line.”

Photography Professor Paul Estabrook got a chance to take an inside tour of the new building recently and said he’s excited to move into the new space soon.

Estabrook said in terms of construction, the best part is the openness of the building.

“The building is just great,” said Estabrook. “One thing across the board that people are going to be really excited about, it has a completely different feel than any other building on campus because when you walk in the front door, you can look up into photo journalism and [see examples of ] photography. Then on the second floor, you get this really unique perspective of the first floor, plus the campus because that whole front area is just glass.”

Estabrook shared Poindexter’s sentiments that the new building will be welcoming for students.

“It’s very warm, very inviting,” said Estabrook. “It seems like it’s going to be busting with activity. I wish it was done, ya know? I think journalism especially is looking forward to this because they’ve been in a temporary [building]. They’ve been camping out behind the baseball field for way too many years now.”  Additional reporting by Will Ownbey.

EVENTS CALENDAR SUMMER/FALL PRIORITY ENROLLMENT PRIORITY 1—THROUGH MAY 9; PRIORITY 2—MAY 12–14; PRIORITY 3—MAY 15–16 Start enrolling for summer and fall classes. General enrollment starts May 20.

Check your eservices account for specific enrollment dates.

FINAL EXAMS MAY 15 - 25 Be aware that finals are often held on different days and/or at different times than normally scheduled classes. Go to scc. losrios.edu for the exam schedule.

DENTAL HYGIENE GRADUATION MAY 17, 1–2 P.M. PERFORMING ARTS CENTER A special graduation ceremony for City College students who have completed the dental hygiene program.

SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FOOTBALL CLUB GAME SATURDAY, MAY 17 HUGHES STADIUM Join Sacramento’s official soccer team at Hughes Stadium. For student discounts on tickets, go to sacrepublicfc.com.

SUMMER/FALL CLASS OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS MAY 20 Start enrolling for summer and fall classes. General enrollment starts May 20.

Check your eservices account for specific enrollment dates.

SCC COMMENCEMENT WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 6:30 P.M. HUGHES STADIUM Get ready for celebration, as SCC students get ready to walk the stage and receive associates’ degrees. Go to scc.losrios.edu/ commencement for more information.

MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY MONDAY, MAY 26 The American holiday observed on the last Monday of May honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

START DATE FOR SUMMER CLASSES MONDAY, JUNE 9 Summer class instruction begins.

INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 4 Variously known as the Fourth of July.

Gabrielle Smith // gsmithexpress@gmail.com The new Student Services building nears completion and is set to open in 2015.

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END DATE FOR SUMMER CLASSES WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6 Summer classes come to an end.

Need more news? Want to stay up-to-date with campus happenings? Get more information and exclusive content at saccityexpress.com.

SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

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FEATURES

The master planner retires

Vice President Administrative Services Robert Martinelli to leave City College after 14 years Will Ownbey Editor in Chief // will.ownbeyexpress@gmail.com WITH THE ACADEMIC YEAR winding down, I once again sat across from his desk, reporter’s notebook in hand. Binders filled with years of budgets, proposals, plans and agendas still sat on the built-in shelves surrounding the room. There is something about sitting across from Vice President Administrative Services Robert Martinelli that inclines me to straighten my posture. This time the subject of my report was not about construction timelines or cafeteria contracts—my assignment was about him. After almost 14 years at City College, the master planner was set to retire.

The first question was a simple one: “What did you do before you came to City College?” Always prepared, Martinelli quietly slid me a two-page biography that highlighted a long and decorated Air Force career.

“Today April 30, this was the day I was supposed to retire,” he said after I had a chance to look over the biography.

“But they asked me to stay until July.”

If there was one plan he never quite got right—it was his own retirement.

When he, then-Colonel Martinelli, came to City College in September 2000, it was at the conclusion of a distinguished career in the Air Force.

“I was actually on terminal leave [equivalent to civilian vacation time],” he recalled. “I technically had two jobs for about six weeks.”

As he was preparing to retire from the military, a posting by the Los Rios Community College District piqued his interest.

“I was surprised at how similar the job description was to a base commander’s,” he said referring to the director of operations position. “It had the different mix of jobs and responsibilities and so forth that I had become familiar with as wing commander, vice commander and base commander.”

Though the management of equipment, personnel and facilities were similar to the duties he excelled at in the Air Force, he acknowledged that there is a difference in managing a civilian organization. According to Martinelli, when military officers are given an objective, the plan is discussed and argued, but when the course of action is decided upon, the discussion ends and the plan is executed.

In an educational institution like City Col-

Photo by Tamara M. Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com Robert Martinelli, vice president administrative services, goes back to work in his office after back to back meetings. He retires in July.

lege, the plan is often revisited and evaluated to ensure it fits the current needs of the institution and its students.

While explaining the differences between managing and planning in his civilian and military careers, Martinelli related an anecdote he often shared with colleagues.

“ After 44 years it’s time,

time to spend my life with my bride, maybe do some travel, see my grandson and hit a bucket of balls” - Robert Martinelli

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES “I used to kid when I started this job that I was responsible for 25 acres [and] three runways on a military base, and with this job I was responsible for 75 acres and a football stadium—and this job was harder.”

After he assumed the director of operations position at City College, Martinelli said he planned to only work

five years.

“After 30 years in the Air Force I thought I was ready to retire,” he said with a chuckle. “I guess, after 14 years here [at City College] that shows how good at planning I really am.”

In 2005 Martinelli missed his retirement mark again after he applied for and was promoted into the newly created Vice President Administrative Services position at the college. The new responsibilities expanded his oversight at City College. In addition to maintenance, rental activity, risk management, safety and emergency management, he was managing classified employees and serving on the president of the college’s executive staff.

“Bob [Martinelli] has a unique talent for long-term planning,” said Kathryn Jeffrey, president of City College in an earlier interview. “He is able to look at all the variables and come up with a plan that works, even though the project may be scheduled for completion years in the future.”

While his retirement plans may not have been executed with precision, Martinelli’s military and civilian résumés detail the experience of a veteran leader with

strong organizational skills.

Martinelli, who began his military career flying combat missions over Vietnam, later served in various command and administrative postings, including an assignment at the Pentagon. In the ’90s, with the Cold War over and Saddam Hussein defeated for the first time, the military began to downsize. During that time Martinelli oversaw a $200 million expansion of one base to accommodate the relocation of troops and equipment.

Locally, he later supervised drawdown and eventual closings of both Mather and McClellan Air Force Bases.

With his years of planning and organizing for the Air Force, the job at City College was a natural fit for Colonel Martinelli, who would play a key role in developing the college’s master plan for renovation and expansion. Projects like the renovation of the Performing Arts Center, the construction of the new Student Services building and the parking garage are all part of the master plan he helped to develop, according to Jeffery.

When I asked what he liked most about his job at City College, Martinelli said it was the planning and completion of a project.

“In the military you were stationed at a base for a year and a half or two years, so you were always planning a project for someone else to complete or completing someone else’s project.”

He quickly followed my question with another statement, “But if you ask what I am most proud of, it is my VPA [vice president of administration] staff. They do their jobs so well that sometimes I just sit around and feel like a potted plant.”

As our interview concluded, I had one final question, “Why retire now?”

Martinelli said he decided that the time was right with the school’s accreditation coming up in 2016. He felt it was an important process for his successor to go through. However, more importantly, he was ready to spend time with his family.

Through Vietnam, numerous transfers and postings, Martinelli said, his wife waited patiently and raised their son during his long absences. Today his son, daughter-in-law and grandson live on the East coast and the twice-a-year visits during academic breaks are too infrequent.

“After 44 years it’s time, time to spend my life with my bride, maybe do some travel, see my grandson and hit a bucket of balls.” 

Retiring class of 2014 bids farewell Outgoing faculty and staff members honored with retirement reception, make future plans Daniel Wilson News Editor // dwilsonexpress@gmail.com THE RETIRING FACULTY AND staff members for 2014 were honored at a retirement reception April 30 at City College.

During the event, all outgoing staff and faculty members were congratulated on their retirements, according to the official flyer for the event.

Among the retirees was Admissions and Records evaluator Rosie Vevea, who said that while she will miss the people and students of City College, she’s look-

INSIDE SCOOP 6

ing forward to hitting the open road to see America in her motorhome.

“I can’t wait to get out and relax,” said Vevea. “[I want to be remembered] as a hard worker and sweet woman.”

Also honored at the ceremony, Coordinator of the Learning Skills and Tutoring Center Kakwasi Somadhi said she will miss interacting with students and wants to be remembered as, “someone who loved her job and performed it well.”

Somadhi added that despite missing her daily work, she is excited for the future.

“I am looking forward to the freedom being retired brings,” said Somadhi. “I plan to spend my time writing, traveling, and being active in the community.”

For a full list of retirees, see below.

• Robert N. Bickley • Elizabeth A Chape • Richard J. Erlich • Anna L. Joy • Gloria M. Lopez • Karen L. Lukenbill • Kit Sodergren • Kakwasi Somadhi

• Sharon D. Terry • George R. Fleming • Gloria M. Galloway • Virginia G. Gessford • Charlotte Humphries • John A. James • Robert J. Martinelli • Margaret McLaughlin-Jordan • Harry E. Outlaw • Donald T. Silva • Rosie Vevea • Sandra K. Warmington • Marlene R. Watson • Niefia R. Zupancic

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

FEATURES

New captain on campus

Day brings new perspective years of experience to policing at City College Mari-Beth Browne Staff Writer // mbtbrowne@gmail.com CITY COLLEGE’S NEW POLICE captain, Chris Day, has transferred from American River College with 20 years of experience under his belt. “The job is the same; the responsibility of campus safety is the same. It’s just a new location,” said Day. Day isn’t the only one making a move. Currently, the Los Rios police captains are being rotated for professional development. “[It’s] so that we know each others’ campuses, staffing and administration for safety concerns and emergencies,” Day explained.

Day has worked for Los Rios since July 1994, when he was hired as an officer at Consumnes River College.

From there, he was promoted to sergeant and eventually to captain at American River College in 1999.

Day is a native of the Bay Area, and moved to Sacramento to attend California State University, Sacramento.

“I started off as a business major,” says Day. “[But] it was not something that kept my interest.”

He had a meeting with his academic counselor to discuss what he might be interested in pursuing for a career. After being handed a description of potential occupations, a career listing for Fish and Game Warden caught his eye.

Day switched his major. His grades improved and he received a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.

In the early 1990s, during his final semester at CSUS, Day got an internship with the Department of Fish and Game.

It didn’t translate to a job, however, because the DFG was in a hiring freeze, and those few who landed jobs were being asked to relocate to southern California.

At the time, Day said, he did not want to move and chose to stay in Sacramento where he worked various jobs—security at Arco Arena, park ranger for Fulton El Camino Parks and Rec. and park ranger assistant for the

county parks district—before being hired at Consumnes River College as an officer.

“And I thought that be a cool job to have,” says Day. “Come in work with students. See people all the way through [and] their growing process to get their education.”

Police Corporal Andrew Robison says Day will be a positive influence, on not only the police department, but on City College.

“Students shouldn’t be afraid of him,” said Robison, about Day. “[He’s] an all-around good guy. He’s a pretty easy going boss.”

Robison says, Day is still adjusting to the feel of City College and making his contacts on campus, but getting it all squared away. “[City College] staff, administration, everyone has been extremely supportive, knowledgeable, informative and helpful,” says Day. “The staff out here has been great; showing me around, introducing me to folks. I’ve been out walking and getting familiar with the campus procedures, policies and day to day activities.”

Day describes himself as a face-to-face kind of person, and has been making a point to personally meet with people, attend committee meetings, and talk to people.

In addition to his duties on City College’s main campus, Day is in charge of the West Sacramento and Davis branches of the school.

Day says petty theft is the biggest crime districtwide, but that this semester has been fairly quiet. “[For officers] I’m encouraging high visibility, lots of foot patrol, getting out and being seen; heading problems off before they become a bigger problem,” says Day. Day said knowledge of campus safety procedures is a priority. He aims to make sure that all classrooms are outfitted with emergency procedure charts, that safety information is readily available and that all police officers are equipped with mandatory active shooter training and crisis intervention training.

Teri Barth // express.teri.barth@gmail.com Captain Chris Day of the Los Rios Police Department stands watch over City College.

Day has made it a point of having a police presence on every committee so the committees have input from the policedepartment on safety concerns, said Day. “We’re working to put together a video of campus safety items that we can post on our website. We also want to add the Run Hide Fight video, with information on active shooter [situations]said Day."

City College patrol sergeant has seen it all

Jinky-Jay Lampano began his career in the military, now helps make changes in students’ lives Aisha Shah Guest Writer // aisha1257@hotmail.com JINKYJAY LAMPANO, A CITY College patrol sergeant and watch commander, says he has seen every crime from domestic violence to carrying firearms on campus. He says working for the Los Rios Police Department has changed his life, and the lives of others as well.

Lampano was hired in 2006, and he says it felt like his calling when he initially applied for the job eight years ago.

“I figure this is the easiest way to see if you’re making changes or not, because you’re working in a smaller environment and population,” says Lampano.

“At the same time, you can actually see changes, or have helped in making changes in students’ lives because you see them on a daily basis—and I mean daily basis,” he says.

Lampano, who is in his 40s, describes how gratifying it is to witness improvements on campus and in the daily lives of students, especially for students he’s had previous encounters with.

In terms of making Photo //Teri Barth express.teri.barth@gmail.com arrests, Lampano says Officer Jinky-Jay Lampano of the Los Rios Police Department is committed his officers “clean up our own mess” by completto serving City College’s campus community.

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ing the booking and paperwork, and submitting it to the district attorney’s office or attending court to testify in a case. He says they make sure those who are arrested receive the necessary punishment for their actions.

“I know officer Lampano because he comes through the Student Services building to make his rounds,” says Laura Reyes-Quillin, City College Admissions and records clerk. “He made it a point to introduce himself to everybody. He’s a very friendly guy.”

Lampano moved at 17 to the United States from the Philippines with his parents, where his father had been a police officer. When Lampano was 31, he joined the U.S. Air Force.

“I wasn’t born here,” Lampano says.

“I thought, as a person who was given the opportunity to live in this country, it was my duty and responsibility to serve the country that gave me shelter.”

With a sense of humor, but with an understanding of the American dream, Lamano says, “I’m the poor, tired masses they talk about on the Statue of Liberty.

That would be me. I’m tired most of the time, and poor too.”

Lampano served in the military for 12 years, yet he says working for the U.S. Air Force was more docile than working for the campus police.

“It helped me to focus more, and at the same time it allowed me to understand what it’s like to work in a stressful environment,” Lampano says of his time in the military.

Lampano has seen many crimes on

campus, with varying degrees of unlawfulness. Yet in his opinion, the worst case he was asked to deal with was during his first year as a City College police officer.

“The worst one I’ve seen was this person watching child pornography on his computer in the library,” says Lampano, with a look of utter revulsion on his face. “The people being victimized can’t even defend themselves.”

Lampano and his team were able to arrest the man and take him to jail, where he awaited trial for his offense and is now currently a registered sex offender.

Part of being a sergeant requires Lampano to be on call at least once a month. These calls are sent from dispatchers on campus who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Despite the stress and frequent injuries, Lampano says he still loves his job and is very passionate when he comes to work every day. During his days off, he takes time to relax with his daughter, walk his dog, Bear, and work off stress from work by going to the gym or the shooting range.

Natalie Lopez, a receptionist and clerk at the campus Police Department, describes her boss Lampano as a “pretty cool guy” who works very hard.

“He’s very strict, but he cares about all of his workers a lot,” says Lopez. “He looks out for them but also expects them to do their job properly. He’s always there for you if you need him.” 

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SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

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FEATURES

Cultural Awareness Center

FEATURES

All photos by Tamara Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com

CITY COLLEGE’S CULTURAL AWARENESS Center hosts events celebrating Sacramento’s diverse cultural heritage throughout the year. From panel discussions to art exhibitions to performances, the CAC’s calendar is full of enriching and interesting events. Here are photo highlights from spring semester.

(Clockwise from top) Recipients of City College’s “Outstanding Women Student Awards” celebrate in the Performing Arts Center.

In celebration of the New Year (Year of the Horse), Sacramento Taiko Dan Drumming performs on the Quad stage for students during lunchtime.

Traditional Chinese lion dancers celebrate the new year at the Davis Center.

Sista Charlotte O’Neal, former Black Panther, poet, musician and co-founder of the United African Alliance Community, recites poetry for Professor Gerri Scott’s Umoja (Unity) course.

A panel of experts in hair care from the community discuss the art of embracing one’s hair in the Student Center.

Spoken word artist Fong Tran performs at the Cultural Awareness Center.

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

FEATURES

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation honors City College student Student immigrant earns prestigious scholarship with hard work and dedication Jonathan Taraya Staff Writer // jonathantarayaexpress@gmail.com FRANCIS BACON WROTE: “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” One would be hard pressed to find a wiser student at City College than Xinyu Liu, according to his mentors and professors.

Since the 22-year-old computer science major first arrived at City College three years ago, he has knocked on as many doors as possible in search of opportunity.

Behind one of those doors Liu procured up to $30,000 a year for the next three years to help pay for his college education.

This year the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded Liu its 2014 Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

“This scholarship I heard of last year,” says Liu. “There’s a girl who won this scholarship last year from [American River College], so I figured I’d give it a shot.”

The scholarship program was started in 2002 to help the nation’s best lowincome community college students seeking to complete bachelor’s degrees, according to the foundation’s website.

Only 85 students nationwide were given the award this year, and Liu is the first City College student to receive it.

Students who have looked for tutoring help in the Math Lab or through MESA might recognize Liu with his jet black hair frizzed into an Einstein-like bulb and his inquisitive eyes peering through thin-framed, black-rimmed glasses.

Liu came to the United States with

his parents in 2011 from Jinan, the anything I can do to prepare myself for capital of Shandong province in Eastern the upcoming semester?’ And I thought, China. Known as “Jason” on campus, Liu ‘Wow.’” says he chose his American name on a Schutte gave Liu some problem sets to work on. whim.

“It sounds good,” he says.

“He came back in two weeks Liu learned to speak and basically said, ‘I did them English at City College, spendall,’” says Schutte. “It was obing four months in the ESL vious from my initial meeting program and then in regular with him that he was going to English courses. His grasp of be a unique individual.”

English was good enough by his As a boy in Jinan, Liu says second semester that he began he remembers always trying to tutoring his fellow students in learn how things worked. math and science, subjects “When I was child, he has excelled at I played with the electronics, the since childhood. remote cars,” says “A couple Liu. “I would tear times during class I would them apart and present one of put them back. the topics,” says That’s how I mathematics got started. and statistics Then I got into Professor Matprogramming. thew Schutte.

I learned how “And Jason to program in would ask to elementary come up to the school and high board and try to school.”

Tamara M. Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com explain it the way Liu’s aptitude he understood Jason Liu, computer science major, was awarded a Jack Kent for the sciences it. I would give Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer scholarship. and his dedicahim the chalk and say, ‘Sure.’” tion to his education is one of the main Schutte says Liu was impressive from reasons his parents moved to the United the moment they met.

States.

“Jason approached me during office RISE counselor Keith Muraki says hours one day and introduced himself,” Liu’s story is common among immisays Schutte. “He said, ‘My name is Jason grants. Liu attributes a large portion of Liu, and I’ll be taking your calculus course his success at City College to Muraki and next semester.’ This was one month the RISE program. prior to the start. And he said, ‘Is there “Parents give up everything—I mean,

everything—to come here for their kids,” says Muraki “And in Jason’s case, really it was just for him.”

Muraki says Liu took on a huge amount of responsibility. “[Liu] had to find out how to rent an apartment, how to find a job,” says Muraki. “He was thrown into the adult world right away. And I think the unique and amazing part is how well he did.”

To help make ends meet, Liu works multiple part-time jobs at City College—at the Learning Skills and Tutoring Center, Math Lab, MESA and CIS computer lab—all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Liu took advantage of every type of assistance available for lower-income students.

“Sac City has plenty of resources [for students] to accomplish their educational goals,” says Liu. “I just figured to ask the right people for help. That’s basically what I did.”

Muraki says what makes Liu special is what Liu wants to do with his education.

“He wants to help people,” says Muraki. “That’s what makes his story comprehensive—how it comes full circle.”

In his scholarship application Liu wrote, “I strongly believe that knowledge has the power to change a person’s life, so I am willing to help others learn as much as they can.”

Liu will be attending University of California, Berkeley, this fall. With the scholarship money, Liu hopes to research artificial intelligence and become a computer engineer.

But he adds that he will miss City College. “It has been a wonderful journey,” says Liu. 

Students RISE to the occasion Program supports students with tutoring, academic counseling, college tours and family atmosphere Meg Masterson Associate Editor // m3masterson@gmail.com THE RISE ROOM BUSTLES with activity. Students and staff sit around a large table or work on computers that border the room.

The “wall of fame” to the left of the door is full of photographs of students who have passed through the RISE program at City College.

“They are the core of RISE. That’s what makes us effective. It’s built upon the values, the spirit, the fight of these students,” says counselor Keith Muraki in his small office across the hall where he has his own “wall of fame.” Photos of students with caps, gowns and diplomas smile down from their places next to graduation announcements and thank you notes.

Each of these successes spent time in RISE. RISE—which stands for Respect, Integrity, Self-determination, Education—is a City College support program that aims to help all students, but emphasizes aid for first-generation students and minorities. It offers personal and academic counseling, tutoring, a book loan program and a computer lab. RISE also organizes college tours for students looking to transfer to universities.

“It’s hard to describe at times, to encompass everything that the program

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does. We are part of Student Services, Sacramento. Then she completed her but we pretty much serve as a home away master’s degree at Columbia University. from home here,” says RISE student perShe is now pursuing her doctorate in sonnel assistant Valerie Moore. clinical social work at the University of “RISE just has this energy,” Moore Pennsylvania. adds. “If I could bottle it up and sell it or give it to every student on campus, I would.”

“It all came from the students,” says Muraki. “It came out of need. It was demanded.”

Muraki calls attention to the program’s highly Tamara M. Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com successful alumni Marcus Graves, business marketing major, types up a paper due for his Natural like Mary NickelNguy. She was a part History Course with the assistance of Valerie Moore in the RISE program. of RISE when she “I think that programs like RISE at attended City College in 2000 and 2001. community colleges are very important She was told to join RISE when she was for fostering students and propelling placed on academic probation. them to different levels,” says Nickel“I had a 0.67 GPA,” she says with a Nguy. “This program changed my life wry smile. completely.”

Nickel-Nguy was a first-generation Another former RISE student, Gladys college student who grew up in a singlePuente, came into the program in 2004 parent household in the Sacramento projwhen one of her friends told her about an ects. Her mother died when Nickel-Nguy upcoming college tour. was young, and she had only her father to “They actually take you to these look after her. college campuses so you can see what With the support of RISE, Nickelthey’re like,” says Puente. “It opened up Nguy pulled up her GPA and finished her your eyes to a whole other world.” bachelor’s degree in social work at CSU,

Puente came to call RISE her home at school. “More than anything, I feel like RISE is a place where you can really be yourself, get the support you need, and move on to whatever you’re going to do— whatever your future is.”

After transferring from City College, Puente graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and ethnic studies. She is currently working on her master’s degree at San Francisco State in ethnic studies.

The RISE family is close-knit, she says. “It’s like a lifelong mentorship,” Puente says with a smile.

Jesus Limon, a student personnel assistant with RISE, also considers the students who come through the program family.

“The family environment that is created here is relaxed to a point that we can all be comfortable with each other, but the accountability level is still very high,” says Limon. “There’s lots of love.”

“I think sometimes in higher education, we’re either trained or our own experiences come from this hierarchy,” says Muraki. “We think everything needs to come from the top. Well, I think those days are over. It’s just the way that society has changed with how information travels that we need to believe in the next generation much more. We need to have faith. We really need to support and nurture. That is the key.” 

Catch up on the latest campus events at saccityexpress.com.

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FEATURES

FEATURES

SCC The Nontraditional Student

The diversity at City College is reflected not only with its growing ethnic minority populations, but also in the various social, financial and academic backgrounds of its students.

For years, community colleges and universities were the domain of the traditional student—a student who lived at home or received financial support from his or her parents or a student who entered college right out of high school.

At one point in time, the nontraditional student—students who work full or part-time, older students returning after a long hiatus, or the single parent—was considered an enigma on the college campus.

Now, with 63 percent of City College students considered nontraditional, the diversity across our campus mirrors the demographics of campuses across America.

From a returning student to a community advocate, from a single mother to an artist with physical challenges, here we highlight City College’s nontraditional students.

Vaneesha King-Jordan

SCC The Nontraditional Student

Photo Courtesy of Gabrielle Smith

Marianna Sousa Will Ownbey Editor in Chief //will.ownbeyexpress@gmail.com

Bryan Beaudoin April Saephan Staff Writer //saephan.april@gmail.com

G

rowing up in an environment that didn’t prioritize book smarts, Bryan Beaudoin, 28, took a different path for his future. In fact, Beaudoin, who is at City College completing his general education in hopes of an eventual transfer, didn’t even graduate from high school.

“I just didn’t care,” said Beaudoin.

Beaudoin was a young runaway at 13 or 14 years old, he said. He fell into an unstable environment, struggling with addictions, and being out on his own. After several years living in unpredictable environments and working unsatisfying jobs, Beaudoin said he decided he couldn’t continue down that path anymore.

“I wanted to be able to live my life without just getting by. Living a food to mouth life just wasn’t enough anymore.”

Beaudoin made the decision to attend City College in spring of 2011 when he was 26. and now, Beaudoin said, hisview on school is different.

He came in with a very positive attitude, Beaudoin said of returning to school.

“I was feeling good about going back but just a little scared,” said Beaudoin.

Now he is less than two semesters away from being able transfer or graduate with an associate’s degree.

“It was the best thing to do for my future,” says Beaudoin.

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

D

ynamic, outspoken and proud are among the many words one could use to describe City College student and communications major Marianna Sousa. With her bright smile and tastefully highlighted blue hair, she exudes confidence as she relates her story.

Sousa is a single mother who works as a natural hair care specialist for African American and ethnic women.

She came to City College during a transitional period in her career. After a number of years in professional hair care, she began to experience chronic pain in her hands.

“I have been caring and educating woman on natural hair care for a number of years,” Sousa says, “And it was time to expand on the other things I do well.”

Caring for the hair of young women lead her to another calling—mentor and motivational speaker.

Her career in natural hair care lead Sousa into the natural role of motivational speaker and community advocate.

“Because of the role hair plays with self-identity, I begin to naturally bridge the two together,” Sousa says.

According to Sousa, many young girls have problem with confidence and what beauty is. “I started with a natural hair care workshop, and it has evolved into a series of motivational speaking engagements and community based workshops.”

Sousa, who recently taught a workshop at Sacramento Area Youth Speaks Summit (SAYS), held at the University of California, Davis, is also a spoken word and hip-hop artist.

She says she hopes her education at City College will give her the additional tools to educate the community about the often mixed messages young women in the community receive from the media.

“For me the goal of getting a communications degree here [at City College] is to be limitless on the subjects I speak on.”

Jessica Daniel Staff Writer //Danieljessica1992@gmail.com

S

ometimes, the hardest lesson to learn at community college is how to be a student again, especially when adulthood has added so many layers to life. 29-year-old City College student Vaneesha King-Jordan is a wife, mother of three kids and a full-time student who has had to learn to juggle all of those responsibilities.

“The most difficult thing for me is my time management— making sure I give my children the attention they need and giving my husband the attention he needs, taking care of my household as well as getting my schoolwork done,” says Jordan.

“In between all of that, I still have to find time to rest,” she adds with a laugh.

Jordan started City College in the fall of 2011 and said her goal was to earn an associate’s degree in community studies.

Originally Jordan majored in sociology, but she focused on community studies to pursue her goal of working as a mentor for troubled youth.

“I want to be able to help troubled youth maybe in juvenile centers, foster care, group homes and give them guidance and help them become successful in life,” says Jordan. “I realized community studies was a better fit for me for what I want to do with my profession.”

When Jordan first started attending City College, she says she was intimidated by how many students in her classes were just out of high school.

I felt a little out of place at first [being an older student], but education has no time frame. I choose to do what I have to do. But it is intimidating at times, because when you’re fresh out of high school everything is still fresh in your mind, and I graduated 10 years ago.”

Jordan says she encourages older college students and parents not to be discouraged but to keep going in their education. “[If you have kids] don’t overload yourself with too much of a heavy course load. Take what you can handle.”

SCC The Nontraditional Student

Photo Courtesy of Tamara Knox

Joanne Roberson Will Ownbey Editor in Chief //will.ownbeyexpress@gmail.com

“C

ome on, Joanne, come on,” her grandfather called as the 3-year-old girl took her first uneasy steps toward his open arms and a lifetime of independence.

“And away I went,” says City College student and artist Joanne Roberson 56, with a shy laugh and big smile.

Learning to walk is a difficult task for any toddler. For Roberson, who was born with no arms and one leg shorter than the other, those first wobbly steps were more than a milestone for childhood development—they were steps of confidence leading to a rich life as a mother and artist.

Like many non-traditional students, Roberson’s path was long and winding. She originally attended City College as an engineering major in the early ’80s and later transferred to California State University, Sacramento.

After a semester and half at CSUS and moving out of her parents’ home, Roberson dropped out of school to live on her own. That’s when she met and fell in love with her husband, Leroy Flowers.

After raising two children with Flowers, Roberson read a story in a local paper about a 30-year-old woman returning to college, which inspired Roberson to do the same and explore her love for the arts.

“My children were grown, and I thought—you know I can do that,” she chuckles. “Why can’t I do that?”

That was always her philosophy. As a child, Roberson naturally adapted, using her feet in place of hands. She expressed herself artistically by drawing and making her own paper dolls and dresses.

Today she is fulfilling her dreams to be an artist as the owner of Resident 9 Gallery, an online art gallery featuring her works along with those of her husband and son.

After recently concluding a solo gallery exhibit of her paintings and digital artwork on the third floor of the Learning Resource Center. Roberson is set to receive a degree in another artistic passion, Film and Media Studies at Cosumnes River College and expects to receive her degree in fine arts at City College in 2015.

See expanded coverage online at saccityexpress.com

See expanded coverage online at saccityexpress.com

CAMPUS SCENE

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FEATURES

Making movie magic

City College student’s facination with magic leads to an interest in filmmaking and editing Arik Ruiz Guest Writer // arikruiz@yahoo.com SOME PEOPLE SAY MAKING movies is magic, but what happens when a magician makes a movie?

City College student Adrian Ehlman is an aspiring film director. Ehlman got his start in filmmaking after performing magic when he was younger. He watched magician DVDs. He was captivated by the editing and quality of magicians' products. An interest in magic eventually led to an interest in filmmaking.

Ehlman became interested in magic when he was just 5 years old. His dad did a coin trick, took the coin in his hand, blew on it and made it vanish. Ehlman swears he just saw a coin disappear into thin air, and it blew him away.

“I asked him how he did it, and he said it was magic,” Ehlman says. “Then he made the coin reappear right after that. I told him I wanted to be a magician when I grew up, and it's been like that ever since. I learned that there are secrets to it. So I practiced and I loved the art and that piqued my interest.”

Ehlman got into film and editing when he was 14 years old. One of his friends from high school, Luke Sauser, recently helped him make his first short film, “The Other Ben” (in which the writer of this article appears). It was filmed in Land Park and downtown Sacramento.

“He did all of his film editing using Final Cut Pro, and it amazed me how fast he was able to make this film,” Sauser says. “I think it took him five to six days to complete this entire project.”

(To see the film, go to vimeo.com/85628740) But magic came first. Growing up in Sacramento and Woodland has definitely helped Ehlman because there was not much to do.

“Sacramento is very sheltered, and it has

allowed me to focus and not be distracted by a lot of things. That's the only reason I've been able to do magic,” says the 22-year-old City College student. “If I was somewhere else by the beach or just a better location, everything would've been different.”

Ehlman started to network more and kept meeting new people. He got hang out with Wayne Houchin, the Chico-raised magician who starred on the Discovery Channel series "Breaking Magic" and who has been a consultant for superstar magician Criss Angel. Ehlman went to a BBQ at Houchin's house, showed him tricks and picked his brain on what programs Houchin used.

“That was the most valuable thing,” Ehlman says. “I didn't know any programs, and I asked them what programs they were using, what camera they were using, and

how they learned. I learned that from these guys.”

Ehlman started getting to know other magicians like Dan and Dave in Los Angeles. Ehlman, who was no one, would shoot emails to those guys and say, “Hey, I'm going to L.A., and I really like your guys’ work. I've been doing this for a long time, and I would like to hang out with you guys and learn more.”

“It was a shot in the dark, but once in a while they would get back to me, and I got a reply from them and got to hang out in their condo off Hollywood Boulevard,” Ehlman says. “It was a half a million dollar condo, and these guys are 23. I was amazed how much these magicians accomplished at such a young age. It made me realize magicians have this eye for magic and giving a message for someone to watch, showing something for an audience to keep them hooked. They take you through a story, and the transition was from magic to film.”

Ehlman's girlfriend, Lauren Ficarelli, has been with him since 2011.

“It's funny when we first met, he had a lot of passion in his creativity,” Ficarelli says. “He had just bought his Mac computer, and he became familiar with it because he was taking computer classes at the time. He has definitely grown as an artist and magician from when we first met to now.”

Ehlman has been interested in creativity in some shape or form his entire life.

“I'm just going to use everything I can and as much as my own work to continue to do film or magic or photography, some kind of creative interest and not be bound by any one thing,” Ehlman says. 

Staff Photographer // Luisa Morco

Adrian Elhman performing a card spring with his deck of cards.

The way the cookie crumbles

City College student and recreation administration major believes hospitality begins with gourmet baked goods Erica Kwong Guest Writer // ealexis411@yahoo.com THE KITCHEN COUNTERS ARE covered with baking supplies. There are broken eggshells and empty food coloring bottles in the trash, as well as sugar scattered throughout the table and floors. Krista Colteaux is exhausted from trying what she thought would be fun, yet it has failed for the fifth time. Who knew it would be so difficult to make the ever-popular confectionary, a macaron?

Colteaux loves to cook, and as of recently has been dipping her hand into the mixing bowl of baked goods— literally. Everyone likes cookies and cupcakes, so she has been baking sweet treats for birthdays, events, and just to satisfy a craving. It seems as though almost overnight, the macaron is at the top of everyone’s ‘to taste’ list. So she decided to give them a try. As any confectionary connoisseur would know, making a macaron is a feat in itself. But Colteaux’s desire guides her determination.

“The macaron has all of a sudden become so popular,” Colteaux says. “I would love to be able to just make them on demand, but it’s not as easy to make as a macaroon would be.”

A macaroon (mack-ah-roon) is a soft cookie made with egg white, sugar, shredded dried coconut, and often dipped in chocolate. The more sophisticated macaron (mack-ah-rohn) is a meringue-based confectionary made with egg whites, sugar, ground almonds and food coloring. The treat is characterized by its smooth, domed top and flat base.

Colteaux, 22, is a City College student, majoring in recreation administration, with a concentration in commercial hospitality. She believes that one universal activity enjoyed by many is eating. Whether it’s a hearty home-cooked meal or a gourmet baked good, everyone bonds over food.

Colteaux started watching the Food Network and

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Staff Photographer // Emily Foley Krista Colteaux hopes to become a corporate event planner in the future and has found a passion for baking.

cooking channels when she was younger, and not long after, she started trying out recipes herself. Even back then, she would always try to put her own twist on whatever she created.

The macaron, however, is a completely different story. Colteaux just wants to be able to make it, plain and simple, and for it to come out how it’s supposed to.

She is determined.

She grew up in Pleasanton, where she lived a quiet life with her parents and older sister, Jena. When Colteaux is not at school or studying, she spends a lot of time with her friends and family.

“As a mother, I know my way around a kitchen,” Colteaux’s mother, Donna Colteaux, says. “But I certainly did not expect it to be so difficult to make this macaron

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

Krista mentioned. You really do have to get every little thing just right.”

One day, after realizing she was often spending money on buying macarons, Krista decided to try baking them. It takes a minimum of 30 minutes prep time, and a short 10 minutes of actual cook time, yet the treat is not ready for at least 2 1/2 hours.

To create a successful batch of macarons, proper kitchen equipment is needed: silicon baking mat and a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.

First, beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Then, beat in white sugar and continue until egg whites are the right consistency. Then you sift confectioners' sugar and ground almonds in a separate bowl, and quickly fold the almond mixture into the egg whites.

The next step is to spoon a small amount of batter into a plastic bag with a small corner cut off and pipe a test disk of batter, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, onto prepared baking sheet.

When the batter is mixed enough to flatten immediately into an even disk, spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe the batter onto the baking sheet in rounds, leaving space between the disks. Let the piped cookies sit out until they form a hard skin on top, after about an hour. Then, and only then, are you ready to put them into the oven for the final step.

“I have seen Krista try to make macarons, and she is determined,” Colteaux’s good friend Corina Cost says.

“She’s failed a few times, but I’m not one to complain considering I’m the friend that gets to eat these deformed macarons that actually still taste pretty good.”

Krista has yet to successfully make a batch of macarons. She describes how each batch failed because of something different. First, she didn’t have the proper equipment. Then her batter wasn’t the perfect consistency. Another time, she rushed into the wrong step. The list goes on. She quotes from one of her favorite movies, “Bruce Almighty” and laughs.

“And that’s the way the cookie crumbles,” she says. 

PROFILES

Living the dream

Despite adversity City College student finds her calling in the practice of teaching art Cheryl Singh Guest Writer // singhcheryl@hotmail.com

and decided she wanted to attended law school.

“I had all these people telling me I need to do this and I need to do that, so I figured I guess I should, since I wasn’t sure what I wanted,” says Tabba.

Tabba spent a year at Lincoln Law School, but she despised it because it did not spark her interest.

By this time she had been in two major accidents, which made it impossible for her to work. Surgery was required, which prevented her from attending school. These accidents also changed her view on life and where she was headed.

With a fire in her belly, she wanted to see what her true passion was, so she attended City College and obtained two Associates of Arts degrees in liberal arts and social studies.

“There’s something so positive about her,” says Raul Barajas, a former co-worker and friend. “She always gets her work done, but finds ways to do what she really wants.”

Through all her challenges, she kept working on her art. Her blog was just one way she kept close to her creative roots while she was on disability leave, and she really found joy in it.

“I love doing features because now I have an excuse to talk to artists I’ve really admired,” writes Tabba on her blog. “I like to see where other artists get their inspiration, so maybe I can try it.”

Her blog helps her find new ways to continue practicing art.

There is a new art movement called art abandoning, where one leaves art with a note at a

THE ROOM WAS OPAQUE, filled with the unique aroma of incense and burning sage. After a final stroke of her brush she emerged from behind the canvas. Her shirt was splattered with paint, and her hands were stained with the colors of her final product.

Artist Yasmin Tabba is a risk-taker.

She greets visitors with a sparkling smile and a warm embrace. She has found her own unique path to happiness against all odds.

“When she sets her mind to something she dives in head first, and nothing can stop her,” says Jonelle Simunich, Tabba’s childhood friend and co-founder of their blog, Bicoastal State of Mind.

Twenty-seven-year-old Tabba, a City College student, has been in seven nearfatal car accidents and was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has started her own successful blog, which features art, chefs and musicians of a city that would normally be overlooked.

Tabba fell in love with art when she took an art history course with professor Kenneth Magri at American River College. As a new artist she never thought about pursuing a career in the discipline because of her lack of stability and experience.

Like many students today, Tabba did not know what she wanted to pursue as a lifelong career. She Gabrielle Smith // gsmithexpress@gmail.com had many people telling her what to Student artist Yasmin Tabba hopes to become an art history professor in her future. do, so she took a leap of faith

random spot for someone to find.

“It’s like a little piece of yourself you’re giving to someone,” says Tabba on her art abandoning.

Tabba continues taking college courses at City College, but she always catches herself immersed in art somehow.

“When she sets her mind to

something she dives in head first, and nothing can stop her” Jonelle Simunich

Co-founder of the blog, Bicoastal State of Mind

“I think that one class with professor Magri really changed my view on the whole art thing. I love his teaching method, and I would love to retake his class just to experience it again,” says Tabba.

She decided to channel her passion into becoming an art history teacher.

“It’s a stable career, and I’ll be doing what I love,” says Tabba on her decision to become an art professor.

Even after finding out she has multiple sclerosis, she talks about everything with warmth and joy.

“I know I have this problem, but I don’t want it to stop me from succeeding, and it puts a fire under my ass to actually get started, because as cliche as it sounds, life really is too short,” says Tabba. 

I walked with the president Kathryn Jeffery’s ‘Come Walk With Me’ program has been both a personal and community activity Stephen Ruderman Staff Writer // stephenruderman.express@gmail.com IT ONLY TOOK ME six months to go from being overweight and out of shape to being in great condition because of exercise, so when I heard that City College President Kathryn Jeffery started a campaign called “Come Walk with Me,” I immediately jumped on the opportunity to walk and share the experience with her.

Two and a half years ago, I weighed 240 pounds, and

I started walking one to two hours

that story,” said Jeffery after I told her my about my exercise routine.

I had joined one of her walks earlier this semester.

That day’s crowd at Hughes Stadium was smaller than expected. Other than Jeffery, the only other people walking were classified faculty Christine DeCamp, Express photographer Gabrielle Smith and me, making for an overall attendance of four. Initially, about 20 people participated in the walks, but the decrease in attendance has not discouraged Jeffery.

“I would like to see more people, but that doesn’t

every day. I lost 60 pounds and got into tremendous physical shape in just five months.

Stephen Ruderman STAFF WRITER

I was the poster boy for how to be overweight and out of shape. I overate and spent almost all of my time indoors.

As well as I got along with people in high school, it was still embarrassing to be around people who were physically fit while I was a bucket of grease. Toward the end of my freshman year, my entire class of over 100 people was tested to see how long we could run five laps.

I finished dead last.

Two years ago in my senior year, I found myself in need of P.E. credits, so I was told to go out and get eight hours of exercise per week. From then on, I started walking one to two hours every day. I lost 60 pounds and got into tremendous physical shape in just five months.

So Jeffery’s walking program resonates deeply with me.

“Well, you’re going to be my encouragement with

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DeCamp explained why she has taken part in the president’s walk.

“I need to start a regular exercise program. It’s a wonderful opportunity you provide for the staff,” DeCamp said to Jeffery.

Before the walks start, the walkers go through a series of stretches, and I found that I could actually touch my toes, something I could not come close to doing twoand-a-half years ago.

The day was a great day for a slow-paced walk; the sky was clear, and there was a gentle breeze. Jeffery said she had wanted to start this campaign early in the year while the weather was still cold. I had started walking in similar conditions at the same time of the year. I built strength in the winter, so I could go out and get in my hour of walking, even on 100-degree days.

It made me feel better, and walking has improved the president’s health, too.

“I had some back issues, and since I’ve started walk-

“We’re a small group, but as a group, knowing others are going to be there, you feel accountable.”

Kathryn Jeffery

CITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT Gabrielle Smith // Staff Photographer President Kathryn Jeffery and Classified Faculty member Christine DeCamp take steps to relax while getting fit by walking a mile during this dry winter season at Hughes Stadium.

change my experience in any way,” said Jeffery. “We’re a small group, but as a group, knowing others are going to be there, you feel accountable.”

ing, my back has felt better,” said Jeffery. “I feel energized for hours.”

Jeffery is also walking for other therapeutic reasons, just as I do. Walking has been a great way to clear my mind whenever I’m stressed out. Generally, when I start walking I find a million thoughts in my mind, and they are gone by the end. 

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SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

13

FEATURES

Biology professor takes hands on approach

Wyatt expands his practical knowledge conducting research in the field of the mammals he knows best Kristopher Hooks Staff Writer //khooks3825@gmail.com A SMALL CONVOY OF four vehicles that carried nine people, climbed through the protected land of the eroded volcanic lava domes of the Sutter Buttes, and passed through several locked gates before it reached its destination.

David Wyatt, a City College field ecology professor, led the convoy. Every quarter mile or so, Wyatt gets out of the car to unlock each gate allowing the drivers through.

“This part of the land is owned by sheep herders,” Wyatt says after passing through the first two gates. “Be on the lookout for Fluffy. He might run up to the car at any moment.”

Fluffy a Great Pyrenees mountain dog, is one of the land’s caretakers: the dog protects the sheep as if it were part of the flock. If out and about, it would run up to any passing vehicle in order to protect it’s own, according to Wyatt.

Before he began teaching at City College in 1998 and before his decade-long stint as a biologist for the State of California, Wyatt studied at American River College and said he had intentions of going into law enforcement. Wyatt had always been interested in biology, so he decided to take a natural history course. That course changed his career path entirely.

“It’s sort of funny,” Wyatt says. “Those classes that turned me into what I am professionally, are what I got to teach.”

After passing the next couple of gates without an appearance from Fluffy, Wyatt pulls over to the side of the road to allow the others in the convoy to convene and get ready for the trek.

The previous day, Wyatt and another group of students from City College came and set 24 traps in various areas of the eastern portion of the Dean’s Ranch of the Sut-

ter Buttes in hopes of over night trapping of ringtails, a raccoon-like mammal native to North America. The purpose of capturing of ringtails is simple: track them, study their routines, and study their den sites.

The mission for the day: hike through the buttes and check the traps for ringtails. If she’s been trapped, one of the main priorities is to take a radio collar off of Sally, a ringtail that Wyatt has tracked for almost two years Wyatt has studied ringtails since 1987 and used his research for his thesis to get his master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento. After some years of studying the ringtails in the Sutter Buttes, he came in contact with Sally.

Since then, Wyatt has studied her den sites, her offspring, and her everyday life.

“It’s sort of weird and I have mixed feelings about this,” said Wyatt to the group. “ I just love how I’ve been able to learn about Sally’s life and I’ve got to admit, I’m really attached to her.”

Once ready, Wyatt takes the group up and down the buttes to check the traps “Look out for rattlesnakes,” Wyatt called to the group as they took the first steps throughout the lush green land.

According to Wyatt, he would come across one or two ringtails on each trip he took through the Buttes. The same outcome was the case for this day. After walking up to the first four traps, realizing they had been untouched, some in the group thought there wouldn’t be any ringtails at all.

As luck would have it, the fifth and seventh traps, set the night before, had ringtails in them. One contained Walt, a ringtail that has troubled Wyatt in past encounters and that has actually bitten him on their first encounter.,Wyatt’s favorite subject, Sally, was found in the other trap.

Wyatt’s wife and colleague, Kathy Norton—who works as an ecologist and

Emily Foley // emmajfoley@gmail.com City College biology professor David Wyatt keeps a his pet snake, Mr. Big, in his lab.

project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is an essential assistant in Wyatt’s studies, according to Wyatt. Norton, who calls herself the “keeper of the data,” records everything for Wyatt, including the measurements of the animals, the location of where they were found, their various markings, and many other things.

“I also ensure both before and after we have ‘worked’ the ringtails, that they are safe,” said Norton. “I ensure that they are kept in the shade and in a quiet area where they can rest and experience as less stress for them as possible.”

After setting the ringtails down in the shade, Wyatt prepared to take them out to gather data. He sat down a blue tarp on the grass. On top of it, he layed out his equipment: scissors, tweezers, neosporin, white gloves, needles with small amounts of ketamine, and a box filled with miscellaneous items.

The ketamine, as he explained, is a harmless drug when used in small

amounts. He uses it so that the ringtails don’t bite or attack when data is being collected.

While the ringtails are relaxed and tranquil from the ketamine, Wyatt begins to pick fleas off of their ears, then proceeds to wipe Neosporin on the ears and any cuts they may have.

After Wyatt and the group take Sally and Walt to their respective den areas for release, more traps are set in separate areas of the buttes in hopes to study more the next day.

One member of the convoy, and a current biology student of Wyatt’s, Andrew Lozano has had the pleasure to go on many trips with Wyatt and explained that Wyatt is well respected amongst his students because of his wealth of knowledge.

“I think what grabs people is his passion for the natural world, for science, and for teaching,” Lozano said. “It’s not work for him, it’s a calling. It’s simply life.” 

Communications professor emphasizes connection Patti Redmond finds passion in human interaction and enriching the community through awareness Duyen Huynh Guest Writer // llxhuynh@yahoo.com A WORD CAN CONVEY different meanings to different people. However, the language of human interaction is one that cannot be defined. Instead, it is fueled by action that sparks growth, change and understanding.

For City College communication studies professor Patti Redmond, the use of language and communication is an integral part of connecting with others and enriching her community.

“There is a bumper sticker that says, ‘The quality of your life is a direct reflection of the quality of your communication,’” says Redmond, 52, who has been teaching at City College for 26 years and is chair of the Communication Studies Department.

Redmond says that helping others and interacting with people is her greatest passion and believes that awareness is the most important quality for an effective communicator to have. Redmond herself has always been deeply involved in the school and in her community.

“Patti is extremely thoughtful and dedicated to students,” says Jared Anderson, a City College communication professor. “She spends time bettering the school

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with scholarships and awards, among many other things.”

When she is not teaching, Redmond is immersed in extracurricular activities for her two daughters: sports, horse shows and Future Farmers of America.

“I think it’s important to practice what I preach in terms of communication,” she says. “Helping out people who are helping your kids to learn, helping out the community, and just being a part of it, instead of an outside observer.”

Despite her hectic schedule, Redmond says that one of the hardest words for her to say is “no.” Though it is very tempting to multitask, Redmond says that saying “no” can sometimes save a lot of stress and negativity.

“It’s hard because you see things that you get excited about, and you’d love to participate in, but there’s the reality check of how many hours you have in a day,” she says. “If you spread yourself too thin, either one ball is going to drop, or you begin to diminish your effectiveness.”

Redmond grew up in a quiet farming town in California’s Imperial Valley, a region she describes as mainly crops, convicts and cattle. But despite the isolation of a small town, Redmond had a rich upbringing. She was involved in her community, in

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

sports and in school programs. There was a sense of community in the close-knit arena that shaped her outlook on life.

“I had some really phenomenal high school teachers,” says Redmond. “They were engaged, they would challenge us. They made learning something really positive.”

These positive connections with teachers in her community eventually led Redmond into teaching.

She received her bachelor’s degree in speech and psychology from Long Beach State University and went on to complete her master’s in communication at Pepperdine University, which she finished in just a year.

Redmond began teaching at Pepperdine; however, she says that she enjoys the versatility required to teach at a community college, where the student body is more educationally diverse. She usually goes into each semester not knowing exactly what to expect, and as a result, reshapes the curriculum to fit the needs of her students.

“She is really good at making the subject interesting,” says Patrick Guerra, a student in Redmond’s Intercultural Communication class. “She makes it easy for us to grasp the concepts in her lectures.”

If she was not teaching, Redmond says that she would probably go into animal

therapy and use animals to help people interact with others.

Redmond believes there are huge benefits, as well as huge drawbacks, in the rise of technology and social media in communication. She describes how during 2011 Egypt’s Arab Spring, the revolution for democracy, was a direct result of quick sharing of information enabled by media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. However, she believes that social media have also created a negative veil, allowing anyone with a computer to hide behind a screen and post negative comments and hate messages.

Redmond confesses to being a cell phone addict, but she prefers the old-fashioned, face-to-face method of communicating most.

“She is the best at communicating out of all the professors I’ve had,” says Meagan Murray about Redmond’s lectures. “It’s like she’s talking to you.”

As Redmond says, awareness is one of the key elements of an effective communicator. Her advice to anyone going into the communication field is to keep an open mind, because communication is really about connecting with another human being. Understand one’s surroundings. Learn from others. Grow. 

Aeronautics professor began career at City College Phil Cypret combines passion for flight with love for teaching, encyclopedic knowledge of aircraft Michael McGough staff writer // mykemcgo@gmail.com

Cypret had fallen in love with the skies and had no intention of coming back down to Earth.

So Cypret came to the City College campus in 1970 to study aeronautics. He earned his airframe and powerplant license and worked as an aircraft mechanic and part-time flight instructor before becoming a cargo pilot for then-new UPS Airlines. He was happy in all three jobs.

But entwined with his lifelong passion for aviation and a desire to be in the air was a love for teaching. In Vietnam he was surrounded by mentors: pilots who had fought in World War II. Just as those early war fighters had taught him, Cypret hoped that he could someday pass along his knowledge and expertise to students who shared his love of aircraft.

Cypret is a man who knows what he wants and gets it. So when he heard that there was an open teaching position available, he did not hesitate.

He quit UPS Airlines to come back to City College. His career came full circle, landing in the same place it took off years prior: the school’s aeronautics department. He remains thoroughly satisfied with his career as a professor, a role he has played for the past 30 years.

IT’S A COMMON CLICHÉ that principals, teachers, professors and other educators often recite: I want my students to soar.

Only a lucky few get to turn that metaphor into reality.

City College’s Phillip Cypret, aeronautics professor and lifelong pilot, has spent almost 50 years pursuing his life’s passion for flight, never staying grounded for long.

This semester, Cypret teaches a full-time schedule of evening classes. He lectures on turbine engines, large aircraft systems and other topics on the technical end of the spectrum.

“The guy is like an encyclopedia,” says Adam Buelow, one of Cypret’s students, waiting in an airplane hangar at the McClellan Park off-campus center for his Advanced Airframe and Powerplant Inspection class to begin. “He knows everything.”

But by no means has Cypret’s knowledge or technical focus kept him earthbound. He still flies regularly at age 66, giving private flying lessons in the mornings. On a good week, he has his head in the clouds six days out of seven.

Whether he is flying solo or with a student, Cypret’s lifelong appreciation of aircraft always has him smiling on takeoff. More than a job, aviation is his identity.

But his experience goes deeper than morning flight lessons.

Cypret’s first foray into flight came with intensity in the Vietnam War. Fresh out of high school, he served as a crew chief and door gunner for the U.S. Army, manning machine guns on the doors of attack helicopters in one of the deadliest conflicts of the 20th century.

“It couldn’t have been better,” says Cypret, who grew up near Los Angeles. “An 18-year-old with an M60 machine gun. What more could one ask for? It was an adventure.”

Staff Photographer // Luisa Morco@luisamorco.express@gmail.com Adventures in the Army would take him all over Professor Phil Cypret teaches aeronautics off campus at McClellan Park.

Europe, Asia and Africa. After finishing his service,

“It was a very good decision for me,” Cypret says.

“I’ve enjoyed every year I’ve been here.”

In 50 years, Cypret’s life goal to live and breathe by aviation has never escaped him. Whether flying for commercial or educational purposes, he has always been exactly where he wanted to be. The thought of working in any other field has never even crossed his mind.

“You’ve only got one life,” Cypret says. “And the biggest tragedy in life is wasting it in a job you don’t enjoy.”

And enjoy it he has. Cypret has experienced the alltoo-rare pleasure of holding down a stable career in a field he loves for his entire adult life. He has been in the sky since Vietnam, and he has treasured every minute of it.

If that wasn’t enough, Cypret’s history also gives him plenty to talk about with his students.

“He tells a lot of stories,” says Gabriel Lanthier, another student in the hangar. “But that’s what makes him so good. He’ll have a story for every situation.”

For Cypret, aviation is not a job but a lifestyle that blossomed out of childhood dreams. He grew up in the age of the silver screen, a time when John Wayne movies drove audiences to look to the skies with a sense of adventure. Cypret was inspired by Wayne’s “The High and the Mighty”. He was drawn in, mesmerized by any film that involved flight.

“As a little kid, 9 or 10 years old, I said, ‘That’s what I want to do for a living,’” Cypret says.

Passion has always been key. Cypret’s story is one of a lifelong passion fulfilled. In fact, it is still being fulfilled, sometimes as many as six days a week.

On the ground or in the clouds, in the classroom or the cockpit—Cypret’s aviation history, spanning nearly half a century, is a textbook entry in the anthology of the American Dream. His story sits in the clause of that dream that tells one not to settle for less, but to seize one’s opportunities and do what one is truly passionate about.

And, above all else, to keep one’s head in the clouds. 

Up for discussion

City College’s communication and former debate coach brings out the talent in students Jocelynn Rubi Guest Writer // jarubi.91@gmail.com ENCOURAGING YOUNG INEXPERI ENCED STUDENTS to dip their frantic feet in the water, Jared Anderson has been a debater since his early years in our own backyard as a City College student himself.

“It will change your life,” chuckles Anderson, a City College communication studies professor and until recently, the Los Rios debate coach. He is now the debate coach at Sacramento State University.

For many years Anderson, 38, has helped students who struggle in all walks of life—students who come from poverty to students who come from stable homes—to succeed in public speaking.

He believes being on the debate team helps students succeed and get over their fear of public speaking, in addition to other benefits.

“You get to hang around a bunch of nerds who all love the same thing,” he says.

He wishes to bring out the potential his students never thought to possess.

“I’ve had a lot of talented, brilliant students who’ve gone through the program,” he says.

Aside from working with students of various educational and experience levels, Anderson made strides to ensure the debate team was a healthy and welcoming

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atmosphere for all his students. reached the preteen age of 12, Anderson “Working under Jared was a great and his parents settled in the humble experience because he always fostered an city of Sacramento. Satisfied, the future atmosphere of teamwork,” says Sara Beth debater stayed in Sacramento where he Brookes, a former student of Anderson’s. would develop his career.

“As a person he cares deeply about the Anderson opened the doors to his success of his students, both now and in destiny at age 22 at City College. Debate the future.” was not the only subject that captured his eye’s interest, but the speech team as Anderson also made efforts to see his students succeeded in school and life, well. Speech, or “interp” as many refer to preparing them for the future to it, is a series of categories including walk the yellow brick road to poetry and drama, as well as writsuccess. ing speeches and competing orally.

“Being on Jared’s team During his early years of dewas absolutely life-changing,” bate, Anderson rubbed elbows with says Kate Schmits, a former the rich and famous as he competed debate student. “Los Rios Dealongside and against then unknown bate taught me how Academy Award-nominated to be intelligent, actress Jessica Chastain, not just smart.” who also honored the halls Anderson of City College with her was born in presence and charisma.

Maine. His Chastain grew up and parents travattended high school eled across in the Sacramento the country area before attendwith baby ing City College Anderson and eventually safely tucked making her way to in his mothHollywood. er’s arms.

“It was a surreal By the experience,” says the time he debate coach, as he Staff Photographer // Teri Barth Communications adjunct Professor Jared Anderson makes use of his office hours preparing for COM 311 Argumentation and Debate.

runs his hand through his hair.

He admits that Chastain was quite the competitor and dominated the interp tournaments.

“You wouldn’t want her in your round!” he continued to laugh.

Throughout his early years, Anderson too has taken many awards for his superior skills in competition. And now, as a coach, he makes certain his students and protégés strive for the same goals he had as a young competitor “Jared is a friend to all his students,” Schmits says. “Jared pushes his students to achieve the best.”

Many of Anderson’s students who walk a similar path have won awards themselves, going as far as nationals and competing across the country.

“They may not always win awards, but they win and achieve something within themselves,” Anderson says.

Unfortunately, Anderson’s days in the exciting world of City College’s speech and debate team have come to a close since moving on to coach debate at Sacramento State. Anderson still continues as a parttime City College communication professor. He also assists former speech and debate students preparing competition.

But for now, he will pass on the torch of coaching the debate team to another privileged soul who will carry on his legacy.

Catch up on the latest campus events at saccityexpress.com.

SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014 15

FEATURES

Acting out

Professor and professional actor shares his experience and love of theater with students Jonathan Plon Guest Writer // pbjmanster@gmail.com STANDING IN THE SPOTLIGHT and speaking in front of a crowd of spectators can be terrifying, but Matt Miller is wellrehearsed for performing in front of an audience at any venue.

After performing various roles on the theatrical stage at local and national venues, Miller now inhabits the role of a professor at the venue of City College.

When he is not playing characters like Ebenezer Scrooge or Friar Lawrence, Miller has been lecturing since summer 2013 on the “Introduction to Theater 300” class on campus.

Robbie Klaxton, a student from Miller’s class, notes that Miller has a very engaging presence in the classroom theater. Miller’s balances his command of the room with a warm persona that invites audience participation during his lectures.

“Everyone feels like you can talk to him,” Klaxton says.

Before he began his run at the college last summer, Miller acted for eight years in several plays for Sacramento Theatre Company.

Inside the City College production office, Miller, 54, remembers being drawn toward the limelight at a young age.

“Around age 10, I knew I wanted to be an entertainer of some kind,” Miller says.

It wasn’t until a drama class he took during his junior year of high school in

Tucson, Ariz., when Miller was pushed into the spotlight. The teacher encouraged Miller to take the advanced drama class his senior year.

“It was great to hear that encouragement,” Miller says.

Miller performed three shows his senior year in high school, and since has embodied the role of stage actor.

After earning his bachelor’s in theatre, according to Miller, he spent the next few years in Chicago acting on stage.

He expanded his role from stage to TV actor when he played a part in a television commercial for McDonald’s.

In Los Angeles, Miller auditioned and earned a part in the English language voice-over for the Japanese animated series “Tenchi Muyo.” Miller provided the English voice from 1993 to 2004 and embodied the lead character, Tenchi.

Miller recalled that he spent many hours alone in a recording booth, trying to synchronize his voice to the character’s mouth movements.

In the first episode of the series, 15-year-old Tenchi outruns an ancient demon he accidentally releases from her imprisonment. The demon reigns down hell and fury on hapless Tenchi, and all he can do is scream.

“My first day was pretty much me screaming for eight hours,” Miller says.

Miller preferred the experience of performing to a live audience on stage.

“You get that immediate gratification of the audience response in the

theater as opposed to other mediums,” Miller says.

City college drama professor Christine Nicholson, director of City Theatre’s “Cannery Row,” had seen Miller in a number of plays in Sacramento, and she was very eager to work with him on stage.

“He was wonderful—inventive, solid, dependable, a giving actor,” Nicholson says.

Nicholson finally got to direct Miller on stage last year in March in the Sacramento Theatre Company’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

During his time in Sacramento, Miller has also taught master classes in acting, worked as a private acting coach, and directed plays for the Sacramento Theatre Company.

According to Miller, he wanted to convey the things he learned about theater to a wider audience.

He applied to teach at City College to have more opportunities to share his knowledge. As luck would have it, Nicholson and her colleagues were looking for a new addition to the college faculty.

“All of the qualities that make him the excellent actor that he is are the same qualities that I thought would make him a wonderful professor,” Nicholson says.

Miller enjoys watching his students get excited and passionate about theater.

He describes it as opening up whole new worlds and creating new adventures.

For Miller, teaching theater to college students is another venue to perform for a captive audience. 

Susurrus—not just a whisper of City College’s artistic output School’s literary journal set for release Saturday, May 10 in Student Center Meg Masterson Associate Editor // m3masterson@gmail.com THE CLASS MEETS IN one of City College’s aging, weathered, and not so temporary buildings that’s located across from Hughes Stadium. Inside, the wooden instructor’s table substitutes as a snack bar, and desks that once sat in uniform rows are now haphazardly arranged around the perimeter. Student staff members bustle about, catching up and talking about upcoming open mic events.

Still, even in this scene of controlled chaos, the focus is on Dr. Steve Cirrone, who is perched on a desk across the room.

Before the business of running a student publication begins, he checks in making sure his students are on track, tackling each issue in turn before releasing the students to the business at hand. This is the home of Susurrus, City College’s literary journal.

The journal is written and edited by City College students and each issue is produced over the span of two semesters.

Each year the student-run journal publishes a collection of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry written by City College students and alumni. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication, the name of which means “a whispering or rustling sound,” according to the MerriamWebster dictionary.

The first semester involves the selection and editing of submitted works. “[In the fall] all the submissions are read by everyone in class,” explains Cirrone. “They have a discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of each indi-

CAMPUS SCENE 16

vidual piece.

The class then votes on the pieces to determine if they’re going to be accepted into the publication.

“If there are problematic votes—split votes—the class talks about them as a whole,” says Cirrone. “And that’s when the conversations are very interesting.”

Back in the classroom, the students mill about. The adjacent computer lab is packed with page designers and students drafting up social media posts to boost the Susurrus signal.

Design editor and journalism major Emily Huerte lays out type in Adobe In Design as she explains that each page requires something different or special.

“There’s poetry. And poetry has its own layout. Every poem has its own structure. Then there’s fiction, and fiction has its own layout. So it makes laying it out a little bit difficult,” she points to her screen, indicating a page in progress.

“But I find that with every crazy situation winds up having its own rewards,” Heurte adds with a smile.

According to Cirrone, the fall and spring semesters dedicated to producing the book each have a different focus. “[ENGCW] 450 and 451, the two classes that create Susurrus, are very, very different from each other,” Cirrone says.

The submissions are reviewed and revised in the fall, while the spring is focused on designing, producing, and marketing the book, he explains.

“The two classes together allow students to go through the entire process of gathering the materials for a book to producing and marketing it,” says Cir-

Catch up on the latest campus events at saccityexpress.com.

EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

rone. “It’s one series, but it’s two different experiences.”

Throughout Cirrone’s three-year tenure as Susurrus’ adviser, he established a hierarchy of editors for the journal to help make the publication process run more smoothly.

“I found that having a multi-layered structure of editors was more efficient, and definitively made students more accountable,” he explains.

One of those student editors is 23-year-old liberal arts major Derek Tollefson, who currently serves as the journal’s editor-in-chief.

Tollefson says he has loved the experience and his very close-knit staff, which spent hours together inside and outside class to ensure the quality of this year’s journal.

“The conversations were all about writing, about art. And a lot of very personal stuff comes out in that kind of situation. People got to know each other really well,” he says of the experience of working so closely with other students throughout the academic year.

Back in the chaotic classroom, English major Kay Barnes offers out snacks. She smiles and says, “It’s hard to put in one or two sentences what the best part of Susurrus is. It’s so much more than just a class.

“It’s so much more than just a book of poetry and short stories. Susurrus is…”

Here, she pauses for a moment, searching for the right word, then says, “Susurrus is Susurrus.” Susurrus release party will be on Saturday, May 10, 6-9 p.m., in the Student Center.

CITY SCENE The front page headline of the April 28 Sacramento Bee boldly claimed, “Sacramento performing arts center could be next big-ticket item for city.” The article, by Hudson Sangree and Edward Ortiz, describes the debate over renovating the Community Center Theater, a tremendous and ugly cement block of a building at 13th and L streets, or starting fresh and constructing a new, state-of-the-art performing arts center.

The existing theater needs about $11 million in renovations to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. An accompanying facelift for the theater has been proposed for $52 million.

According to The Bee’s article, a new theater could cost “from $100 million to $300 million.”

Considering the estimated $63 million it would take to make the Community Center up-to-snuff between the ADA renovations and the “facelift,” adding another $37 million to reach the low-side benchmark for a new, modern theater seems a reasonable expense.

California Musical Theatre’s “Broadway Sacramento” series calls the Community Center home and brings touring companies of big-name musicals to Sacramento audiences. For years, this was the only place to catch touring productions unless you wanted to travel to San Francisco. CMT’s Executive Director Richard Lewis says that a theater with fewer than 2,200 seats would not serve the group’s needs, according to The Bee. However, at Folsom Lake College, one of our very own Los Rios campuses, we have the Harris Center for the Arts.

Its largest stage—it has three stages inside the beautifully-designed complex—seats 850 and has booked shows as marquee as any at the Community Center. In fact, it’s becoming common to see shows appearing on both theaters’ season calendars—“Shrek the Musical,” “RAIN,” “Memphis” and “Rock of Ages,” to name a few.

Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen recently appeared on Capitol Public Radio’s “Insight” to discuss plans for the Community Center.

“People love to hate it,” said Hansen during his April 17 interview .

And hate it people do.

I detest the Community Center.

The acoustics in the building are dreadful. Lyrics have been unintelligible for nearly every production I’ve seen there.

The seats in the balcony feel so far away from the stage that you might as well be watching the production from Yolo County.

Seeing shows at the beautiful, new Harris Center—which only had a price tag of about $50 million, by the way— is an absolute treat and makes seeing productions at the Community Center pale in comparison.

With more attractive performance venues around Sacramento, the city needs to build a new theater to remain relevant in the region’s arts community.

—Meg Masterson

SPORTS

Baseball is in his blood

City College first baseman exhibits all-around talent Brad Cornelius Guest Writer // bradleycornelius23@gmail.com TINK! TINK! TINK! THE sound of a metal bat hitting a baseball over and over again. The smell of fresh cut grass. The sound of baseballs hitting mitts repeatedly. The sun overhead. This is where Robert Link feels his passion.

Link, 20, is a City College baseball player. He is the archetypal college athlete and represents the program here at Sac City the way it should be.

That all comes easy for Link, baseball is in his blood.

“He is an excellent example of what community college student-athletes should strive to be,” says City College head baseball coach Derek Sullivan. “His future is bright.”

Link is a little over 6 feet tall. He has broad shoulders that come from swinging a bat his entire life. Fresh out of class, he wears a baseball cap and a City College baseball shirt.

Link’s teammates have high praise for him. His passion, work ethic and attitude show on and off the field.

“Great guy, great teammate,” says Jerrod Bravo, one of Link’s fellow baseball players. “He would do anything for the team. That’s what kind of guy he is. He would do a lot for you.”

Link doesn’t argue with Bravo’s assessment.

“I always want to do my best to help out the team,” says Link. The only thing that makes him nervous is “letting people down.”

Link’s lust for baseball is embedded within him. His dad played baseball, his older brother played baseball, and his

cousin Vance Worley was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005 and now plays in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

“I don’t even remember when I first started,” says Link.

Link was born and raised in Sacramento. His baseball path has roots at City College. As a kid, he attended baseball camps at the college. He played baseball at Christian Brothers High School where he exceled at pitching and hitting. At the college level he made the choice to strictly become a pitcher.

“I was thinking both pitching and hitting wouldn’t work,” says Link, though his decision to become a pitcher didn’t pan out. “I pretty much wasn’t good enough.”

He struggled pitching his first year and had to transition back to a position player, which was no simple task. Despite having baseball in his DNA, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Link’s natural talent and hard work overcame this transition.

“I don’t expect things to be given to me,” Link says. “You have to work for it.”

Link’s typical day consists of weight training at 6:15 a.m., followed by class until 10:30 a.m. Then he hits the field for some batting practice, eats, followed by more hitting and then tries to get in a little relaxation before team practice. For mental aspects of the game, Link calls on Worley for advice.

“He’ll tell me straight up what I need to do,” Link says. “He’ll help me through any situation.”

Having a baseball-rich bloodline has helped Link throughout his life, but all of the natural ability in the world can’t

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com Robby Link, City College sophomore first baseman, at bat during the home game against Solano College at Union Stadium on March 1.

replace Link’s biggest inspiration, his mother, Laura Link. His mother was diagnosed with colon cancer when Link was a sophomore in high school, and she has been battling it ever since.

“She’s been through a lot,” Link says. “It went away, and then came back recently and she has never stopped fighting. She still comes to my games.”

Having a baseball family demanded a lot of time from Link’s parents. Whenever his father was busy playing baseball with his older brother, his mother would make sure Link got practice in.

“She’d always be there playing catch with me,” Link says. “She’s always been there for me.”

Link’s time at City College is coming to a close. This is his third and final season as a Panther. Link plans to transfer to a four-year college, but doesn’t know where and doesn’t know what he wants to get a degree in. Despite the uncertainties, he knows one thing: he wants baseball to be a part of it.

“I want to play at the next level,” Link says. “I’m going to go as far as baseball takes me.” 

Pitching staff leads Panthers City College baseball sees young talent, leadership on the mound Justin Valdez Staff Writer // justinvaldezexpress@gmail.com A COMBINATION OF YOUNG freshman and veteran leadership has catapulted the Panthers’ pitching staff to the top of the rankings in for California community colleges.

The Panthers had three starting pitchers post a sub 2.50 ERA this season, and the team’s 2.30 overall ERA is the seventh best in the state.

Sophomore Gabe Araj, the team’s only left-handed starter, made 11 starts for the Panthers posting an ERA of 2.30 in 54.2 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts and a record of 5-3.

Panthers head coach Derek Sullivan says the team’s consistent pitching was the key to their success this season. “We can really pitch, that’s the most important thing in baseball and we’ve really done that well this year from start to finish,” said Panthers head coach Derek Sullivan.

This is Araj’s only season pitching for the Panthers. Last year he pitched for the University of Pacific, but said he decided it wasn’t working out there. This year he made the move to City College and said he has strived to be a leader since his arrival.

Once the season is finished, Araj said he wants to continue playing at the next level.

“It was a little tough coming in here

GAME ON

and trying to be a leader because I didn’t good, but I didn’t think they would be as [attend City College] last year, but as the good as they are,” said Panthers pitching fall went on and into the spring and I coach Deskaheh Bomberry. “I’m not comstarted doing well, I started to understand pletely shocked, but I don’t think anyone the program and began to lead by example,” expected it.” said Araj.

Early in the season the Panthers veterAraj said he believes it’s a combination an pitcher Nate Berumen went down with of coaching and team chemistry that has an injury and the team looked to Smart, led to the team’s success on the mound this who had previously been a long reliever, to season. step up in the starting rotation, according “The biggest to Sullivan. thing is the coachWhile baseing and also the coball may not carry hesiveness we have some of the risks as a team and as a inherent in more pitching staff,” said contact-oriented Araj. “Being a good sports, ergonomic pitching staff is a lot injuries are comabout picking each accordGabe Araj monplace, other up.” ing to ESPN.com.

PANTHERS STARTING PITCHER Freshmen A major concern in pitchers Zach Smart and Ben Ritchey were baseball is the outbreak of Ulnar Collateral unexpected surprises, according to the Ligament injuries among pitchers, in which Panthers’ coaching staff. Smart started a ligament in the elbow becomes torn due nine games, had an ERA of 2.00 in 63 IP, to overuse. throwing 42 strikeouts and recording a 4-0 According to ESPN.com, since 2012 record. In 10 starts Ritchey had an ERA of over 70 MLB players have had Tommy John 1.71 over 68.1 IP with 44 strikeouts and a surgery—a UCL repair procedure named 5-1 record. for the first pitcher to receive it. So far this Both Smart and Ritchey were chosen season there have been 16 players who have for the All Big 8 Conference Team. Ritchey required the surgery. Smart said the team garnered a first team selection while Smart does everything possible to prevent any was selected to the second team. form of injury.

“I knew they had a chance to be pretty “We throw long toss every day, we do

“I knew they had a chance

to be pretty good, but I didn’t think they would be as good as they are,”

pull downs, ice our arms after throwing to keep down the inflammation—just everything we can to condition our arms and avoid injury,” said Smart.

Because community college athletes can only play for two years, 12 of this year’s players will be moving on next season.

Smart said he looks forward to giving advice and leadership to incoming recruits and freshmen.

“I will do my best to be a leader and teach the Panther way,” said Smart.

Going into next season, Ritchey said he plans on improving himself and feeding off the success of this season.

“I can improve a ton,” said Ritchey. “I need to get stronger and just keep working at it. You can’t get satisfied with doing well, now you have to think what’s next.”

For incoming freshmen who plan to pitch for the Panthers next season, Araj said he looks forward to helping them be successful. He has advice ready to offer those players.

“Start off from day one like you’re going to win a state championship because it goes by so fast and every single day is so precious,” said Araj. 

Get the latest game updates, schedules & exclusive interviews at saccityexpress.com SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

17

SPORTS

Baseball sees success, disapointment

Panthers end winning season with playoff series loss to Cabrillo College Hawks Justin Valdez Staff Writer // justinvaldezexpress@gmail.com CITY COLLEGE BASEBALL FINISHED the 2014 regular season with an overall record of 24-11, and its players found themselves matched up with the Cabrillo College Hawks in the first round of the CCCAA Nor-Cal Regional Playoffs.

After dropping the first game of the best-of-three series (6-1) to the Hawks Friday night, the Panthers won a dramatic game two the next day in the 13th inning when infielder Nolan Ryan hit a walk-off single against Hawks pitcher Eddy Puga to drive in Matt Caselli and win the game 6-5 for City College.

Then, in the final and deciding game of the series Saturday, Hawks pitcher Ryan Capozza threw a complete game against the Panthers, allowing just two runs and securing the 4-2 win for Cabrillo College.

While the season ended prematurely for the Panthers, who had hopes of competing for a state championship, the team’s 24-11 record—12-9 in the Big 8 Conference—is its best regular season since 2011 and was good enough to place the team in a three-way tie for third place in the Big 8.

“We’re probably more talented than we’ve been the past couple of years, and we have some really rock solid guys that are playing every day,” said Panthers head coach Derrek Sullivan. “[We have] thirdyear players, sophomores, and we’re an older group for our level. And that really helps—a lot of experience and a lot of battle-tested guys that really care about the program.”

As the Panthers headed into the final game of the season, the team was in a fourway tie for first place, and with a win they would have been guaranteed at least a share

of the Big 8 title.

But City College lost its final game and the chance to host a first-round playoff series.

“If you look back at the big picture, as far as the regular season I think we’ve learned a lot about ourselves. We’ve taken care of business a lot, beat most of the teams we should beat. And in our conference if you make mistakes, you pay for them, and we’ve had to do that, which is a good learning experience,” said Sullivan.

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com “Playoffs aren’t a bonus; they’re what Jerrod Bravo steals second base in the fifth inning against American River College at Union Stadium on Mar. 13. City College won 7-3. we play for.”

Jerrod Bravo, “The past two seasons that I’ve been Both James and Bravo will not be Jared James and Ben Ritchey were standhere… there was a lot of arguing and returning next year. James says after the outs for the Panthers this season, according bickering between teammates, but not this season he will transfer to Long Beach State to Sullivan, as all three made the All Big 8 year,” said Bravo. “Even when we would find and plans to play for the Healdsburg Prune Conference First Team and one player, Zach ourselves losing a couple of games, there Packers, part of the Golden State Collegiate Smart, made the Second Team. James and was never anything like that we were always Baseball League, during the summer. Bravo Bravo, both sophomores, put up the teams picking each other up.” will transfer to Cal State Fullerton to play best offensive numbers. James had a .358 James attributes his success this seafor the Titans. batting average, three home-runs, 21 RBIs, son to settling in at City College.

Sullivan said Bravo and James are the 34 runs, and 12 stolen bases. Bravo hit for a “I give credit to just really getting com- kind of players who are hard to replace. .359 batting average, 28 RBIs, 27 runs, and fortable in my situation at Sac City,” said “These are seasoned guys. They didn’t 12 stolen bases.

James. “Last year was a big change from just step in—they weren’t that good last According to Bravo, the Panthers’ high school to college and getting to know year—it took them a while to get to the successes this year were not only a result the system, but now I have my experience point they are now, so you hope the recruits of strong individual play but of good team with the system and a better relationship and freshmen that come in get a lot better,” chemistry. with the coaching staff.” said Sullivan. 

Panthers advance to Super Regionals City College Softball wraps up season, looks toward championship Kristopher Hooks Staff Writer // Khooks3825@gmail.com THE PANTHER’S CAME INTO the season with lofty expectations from the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association with a ranking of sixth in the state and third in Northern California.

Despite a flurry of injuries, City College softball wrapped up their regular season with a 28-12 record, good enough for a playoff birth and the fourth seed in the Northern California rankings.

“We had a pretty good season so far,” said Head Coach Tim Kiernan. “We didn’t accomplish all of our goals, but we accomplished some.”

After defeating Reedley College in a best-of-three game series May 3 and May 4 in the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers still have hopes of making it to the State Championships.

The Panthers needed only two games to defeat Reedley College. In the first game, City College had one of their best hitting performances of the season with 17 hits, defeating Reedley 11-3. The second game

GAME ON 18

EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

ended in the fifth inning on an eight-run rule with a score of 11-0.

Their next task will be the Northern California Super Regional Playoffs.

The Super Regional is a double-elimination style tournament held May 9-11 at College of San Mateo. There, the Panthers will face Ohlone College, College of San Mateo, and San Joaquin Delta College.

Coming into the season, the Panthers had 2013 standout Mickey Loveridge returning. Loveridge, who only played 26 games this season due to injuries, won Co-MVP of Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com the Big-8 conference and Morgan Green, City College sophomore infielder, at bat during playoff received the All-Northern game against Reedley College at The Yard on May 4th. City College won California award. Lovin the bottom of the fifth inning 11-0, and continued in the playoffs. eridge had a .444 batting average, seven homeruns, 35 RBI’s, and 11 stolen bases on the season. homeruns with 8, had a .429 batting averShe was also a threat on defense with a .906 age, and 36 RBI’s on the season. fielding percentage, and turned nine double Panthers’ ace pitcher Ashten Welch plays. looked to carry her dominant 2013 season Freshaman designated player Noelani in to 2014. Despite injuries, Welch recorded Kaklia was also selected to the All-Northern a 17-5 record with 97 K’s and a 2.00 ERA. California team. Kakalia led the team in With her stats and record, she received All-

Get the latest game updates, schedules & exclusive interviews at saccityexpress.com

Big-8 Conference award.

In total, the team saw five of their players receive first team All-Big 8 Conference selections: Asthen Welch, Mickey Loveridge, Noelani Kakalia, Taylor Martinez and Megan Winton.

Allie Cheetham and Morgan Green received second team selections, and Meghan Wantz and Stephanie Bagwell received honorable mentions.

City College Athletic Director Mitch Campbell has had high hopes for the softball team both on and off the field. With this year’s Recognition of Excellence Ceremony for City College athletics coming up, the softball team has four or five student athletes winning awards for academics, according to Campbell.

“That speaks volumes about how seriously they take their academics,” said Campbell. “All of our teams do.”

The Panthers came up short this season of winning back-to-back conference championships by coming in second place to Sierra College. The main objective of the season, however, is still in reach: the California State Championship.

“That’s always been our goal, all year,” said Kiernan. “The state tournament.”

The next stop after the Super Regional playoffs is the State Championships and will be held in Bakersfield May 17-19. 

SPORTS

Sacramento Republic FC comes to City College Professional soccer brings increased visibility, additional revenue

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com Fans cheer in support of the Sacramento Republic FC in the season opener at Hughes Stadium.

Kristopher Hooks Staff Writer // Khooks3825@gmail.com

for the event.

With roughly 5,000 parking spaces on campus and additional spaces in PetroA SOLD-OUT CROWD OF more than vich lot, the revenue generated by three 20,000 fans took to Charles C. Hughes expected sell out games at $10 per car, is Stadium to watch Sacramento’s first profes- expected to give a substantial boost to the sional outdoor soccer team take the field in athletic department and the teams that their first home game. work the events. Proceeds from the first Despite the losing score (2–1) disgame are expected to be substantial, accordplayed on the scoreboard at the end of the ing to school officials.

90-minute match, the Sacramento Republic The benefits, however, reach far Football Club’s inaugural home game was a beyond profit for the college. The first game sure success and did more for City College held a record-setting number of spectathan any one major sporting event has tors for a USLPro league regular season done in years, according to campus officials. game and was just 600 people short of the Republic FC was founded in 2012 and league’s all-time attendance record set in became an expansion team for the United Orlando for the 2013 USLPro ChampionSoccer Leagues Proship match, accordfessional Division ing to the USLPro (USLPro), a division website. three American soc“To see our cer league. The team stadium packed like made its debut in that was great,” said 2014 against the LA Campbell. “And it JANG-HA OH Galaxy II team at the really, really showed CITY COLLEGE SOCCER COACH StubHub center in itself well.”

Carson, Calif.

For City College soccer coach Jang-Ha With Bonney Field—the team’s perma- Oh, the match was a way to showcase not nent home—currently under construction only the stadium, but the school as well. at Cal Expo, the Republic will play their first According to Oh, the match and resulting three home games at City College’s Hughes media coverage have brought much needed Stadium. visibility to Sacramento City College and With a sell-out crowd April 26, and its soccer facilities—something he says is over 17,000 people at the May 3 win (2-1), often a major recruiting hurdle for prospecteam executives are hoping to have an aver- tive City College soccer players. age of close to 17,000 fans over the three “Because of the game, because of game-span at Hughes Stadium. media coverage and those other kinds of City College Athletic Director Mitch things, people now know Sacramento City Campbell and Vice President of AdminisCollege,” said Oh. “They saw the stadium. trative Affairs Bob Martinelli brokered a They saw the field.” deal with Republic owner Warren Smith With high school girls’ soccer currently that allows for the team to play at Hughes in season and City College soccer beginning Stadium in return for City College receiving in the fall, the game was a great way for 50 percent of the parking revenue. local soccer players to see what Sacramento “Football, wrestling and soccer teams City College has to offer, according to Oh. worked the event,” said Campbell. “So part Sacramento Republic FC will play one of the revenue goes back to them directly, more match at Hughes Stadium May 17 and then part of it goes back into the debefore moving to Bonney Field. However, if partment budget.” construction of Bonney Field is not finished Despite the size of the crowd, the park- in time, there is a possibility of extending ing went smoothly, according to Campbell. the team’s stay at Hughes Stadium.

In addition to City College parking, the “It’s just a great event for us,” said Oh. team was able to open up Petrovich lot— “Not only for the soccer team, but for the the empty field adjacent to the City College school, too.”  light rail station—to expand the parking

“It’s just a great event for

us. Not only for the soccer team, but for the school, too.”

GAME ON

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com Gilberto Dos Santos Souza Jr. points towards the goal as he attempts to score late in the second half of the Republic soccer game at Hughes Stadium on April 26. The Republic lost 2 -1.

Get the latest game updates, schedules & exclusive interviews at saccityexpress.com SACCITYEXPRESS.COM // MAY 6, 2014

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Tamara M. Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com (Clockwise from top left) Biology major Aaron Penrose looks through a microscope at slides of various muscle types during his BIO 430 class in Lillard Hall March 19 to identify their different characteristics.

Emma Foley // emmajfoley@gmail.com

Malcolm Moore attempts to jump in the air with his skateboard outside the Performing Arts Center April 2.

City College neuroscience major Dasha Masalitina does a warm-up lap April 2 in Hoos Pool.

HAIRitage explores the culture of barbershops, a rich history of community building, using print, photography, poetry and art in this Fine Art and Photo Exhibition.

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com

Tamara M. Knox // tmrknox@gmail.com

Photo of the Day captures a glimpse of City College

Elizabeth Ramirez // elizabethramirezexpress@gmail.com

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com (Clockwise from top left) Kayla Souza does side-lift planks March 25 during FITNS 331.

Stephanie Bagwell, City College infielder, leads the women’s softball team out to high-five visiting Feather River team players after the season home opener win Feb. 18 at The Yard.

City College’s panther gets a new look April 3 when pranksters yarn-bomb the statue.

Garrett Siscel, sophomore discus thrower, practices March 10 at Hughes Stadium.

(See more Photos of the Day at www.saccityexpress.com.)

Dianne Rose // dianne.rose.express@gmail.com

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EXPRESS // MAY 6, 2014

Gabrielle Smith // gsmith@gmail.com