Vol 70 issue 6

Page 1

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Student art show, P. 6

APRIL 28, 2016

THE UNION eccunion.com

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1946-2016

70th

Anniversary TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA

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G

Murdock stadium to be ready for graduation John Fordiani Staff Writer @ECCUnionJohn

Sue Hong / Union Riko Nashimoto, 21, cosmetology major, gets her hair dried in the cosmetology department salon on April 20. Riko hopes to become a traveling nail artist and work at fashion shows, movie sets, and weddings. Students in the El Camino cosmetology department have to log 1600 hours of work to complete the program and earn a certificate.

Just a little off the top

Campus salon offers discounted services as part of cosmetology department Sebastian Spencer Staff Writer @ECCUnionSpencer

Four cafes, a bookstore, a computer lab, a technology center and even a small gym are just a few things on campus available to El Camino students. But a hair salon is also available to students. Yes, a hair salon. EC’s cosmetology department offers their services Tuesday through Friday to students on campus and to anyone else who wants to get their hair styled. Cosmetology students have to log 1600 hours of service to finish the program, but after 500 hours they become “advanced” and are eligible to work with the general public, Steve Ellis, an adjunct instructor said.

Cosmetology department adviser Patricia Gebert is always trying to help her students get the most exposure possible. “The idea is to work more on the public, so they are ready to go and get hired at a salon upon completion of the program,” Gebert said. The salon also provides an ideal situation for those who are on campus all day. Full-time students, who aren’t always able to make it to a salon, can save time and money by going to the campus salon. While hair styling is the most requested, the cosmetology students go through full training that involves expertise in skin, makeup, nails, facials and manicures. The advanced stylists have over 500 hours of training on dollheads (with 100 percent human hair) and other student’s hair. Advanced stylist Alisha Williams (1200 hours) believes helping the public will eventually help her in the long run. “It’s a good way to rack up new clients and do hair events to get your work out there,” Williams said. The youth in the program is a

A campus full of stylish students Photo essay, P. 3

big factor as well. Many of the stylists are under the age of 30. Ruby Flores (Advanced/1515 hours), believes being on a college campus helps a lot. “Besides the cost, most stylists here are young, and sometimes it’s easier to talk with and understand someone your age,” Flores said. Students aren’t the only ones who can benefit, you don’t have to be a student here at EC to be a customer of the cosmetology program. The question is would people pay less for quality haircuts, styling and cosmetology services if they knew about it? Gardena resident Libby Smith seems to think so. Libby has been a customer of the EC cosmetology school for six years. “In a way they are better than salons and it’s not just about the price,” Smith said. “They’re better because they’re on trend, and they have a bigger urge to learn and get better.” The salon is located across from Café Camino going towards Manhattan Beach Boulevard.

After being torn down at the end of 2013, the new Murdock Stadium is set to be ready enough to host this year’s graduation, Director of Facilities, Tom Brown said. The $40 million new stadium will have a track and artificial turf field, which have both been installed already. The new stadium will also house athletic training rooms and will have seating for 8,000 people. “It won’t be totally complete,” Brown said. “We hope to have substantial completion by May.” Punch list items such as pouring concrete for sidewalks and installing lockers are some of the things that still need to be completed, Brown said. Brown also said that there is no official date for completion, but the bulk of the work will be completed by May. In the meantime, temporary asphalt will be put down in the area near the stadium entrance before construction begins on the new gym. The new gym will be on the south end of the stadium and there is no completion date for that project at the time, Brown said.

Lot F construction contiunes

Sue Hong / Union Saudi Grajeda, 19, cosmetology major, cuts hair for customer Thalia Villa, 2, on April 20 in the cosmetology department. Saudi gave Thalia new bangs and long layers.

Warriors drop close game to LBCC Sports, P. 7

Seismic retrofitting and construction in Lot F will continue to keep sections of the parking lot closed off until the middle of next year. Construction is being done in sections to reduce the impact on student parking, Director of Facilities, Tom Brown said. The middle section is currently under construction on both levels, and blocks thru traffic on the second level. “That project will not be completed until 2017,” Brown said. “We’re doing it in three sections.” The contractor, AMG associates, is also installing a fire sprinkler system in the ground level of the lot and will be resurfacing the upper level roadway, Brown said. The projected completion date is scheduled for May 2017.

Sprinter leaps hurdles in track and life Sports, P. 8


NEWS

APRIL 28, 2016

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 2

POLICE BEAT By: Sydnie Mills Editor-in-chief @ECCUnionSydnie

Suspicious student April 22, 2:12 p.m. Officers responded to the Music Building regarding a suspicious male subject who was following two female students. According to the report, officers contacted the man, who has not been a student since 2014, at the Music Building and it was noted that he told the officers earlier in the day that he attempted to stab himself. Officers did not find a knife or other weapons on the man. He told officers again that he felt like hurting himself and that he hears voices sometimes. Officers determined that he was a danger to himself and placed him into protective custody and he was then transported to a hospital for a psychological evaluation.

Driving with drugs April 22, 10:15 p.m. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the 2900 block of Manhattan Beach Boulevard on a vehicle for expired registration. According to the report, the driver, who is not a student, was in possession of a small amount of cocaine and marijuana. He also had a suspended driver’s license. Officers issued him a citation and he was released.

Stop following me April 21, 9:25 a.m. An officer responded to the police lobby to speak to a female student who was approached by a suspicious male near Lot L. According to a report, the student said that the male subject, who is not a student, walked beside her to her car and stood on the passenger door as she entered her vehicle. Then she drove off campus. Officers were able to identify the subject and have had multiple contacts with him on and off campus. In addition, the report mentioned that the man is a transient who was served a restraining order by ECPD officers about a year ago.

Elena Perez / Union Construction on the new parking Lot C begins with framing for the elevator pit. The structure is expected to be completed in about a year, according to Tom Brown.

Ground broken, Lot C structure construction starts Construction project is expected to last a year to a year and a half John Fordiani Staff Writer @ECCUnionJohn Construction officially started April 18 on the new $26 million Lot C parking structure that will add 1,443 parking spots to the El Camino campus. Members of the board of trustees stood alongside EC president Dena Maloney and trustee Mary Combs as they shoveled dirt with

golden shovels, officially starting the $26 million construction project. The new parking structure is taking the place of the former Technical Arts Building that was demolished last semester to make way for the new lot. “This is really a milestone event; campus parking, no matter what campus you’re on is always the issue,” Maloney said. She added that the project is funded by Measure E, which is a facilities bond that passed in 2012, and some bonds from the facilities bond measure passed in 2002. The new structure will have four levels, and Director of Fa-

cilities Tom Brown said we could see the new structure within two years. “We’re hoping to have this (Lot C) completed within the next year (or) year and a half,” Brown said. To the east of Lot C will be a new Student Services Center, taking the place of the old Shops Building. Construction on that building has not yet started as the college does not have a contractor to build it. “We hope to go out to bid next month. We probably won’t start construction on this (Student Services Center) until August,” Brown said. The new Student Services

Center will also house the Special Resource Center, which will be more accessible to students with its close proximity to the new parking structure. Construction of the Student Services Building is expected to last two years if started on schedule in August, Brown said. Both projects will make a new entrance on the north side of campus. Traffic signal improvements will be made to Manhattan Beach Boulevard as part of the project, and Brown says the driveway into campus will be much wider than before. “It will be a much more predominate drive into this one,

Women’s studies major still waiting for approval

Student gov’t looking for volunteers

Alba Mejia Staff Writer @ECCUnionAlba

Alba Mejia Staff Writer @ECCUnionAlba The Associated Students Organization(ASO) announced they are looking for students to fill open positions for next year at their meeting Thursday afternoon. Students have already been elected for the positions of President, Vice President, Student Trustee and many other positions. There are very few positions available, but student trustee Eman Dalili says there will be open interviews available for all students and not just ASO members. The following are the dates for the open interviews: • April 27, 2016 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. • April 28, 2016 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. • June 21, 2016 from 2 to 4 p.m. • July 27, 2016 from 2 to 4 p.m. Applications can be picked up at the Activities Center in the Student Development office, Dalili said. The applications can also be found on the EC website. “Please be sure to fill out applications prior to attending an open interview,” Dalili said. “The interviews will all be held in the executive office located in the activities office.” The next and final ASO meeting of the semester is on Thursday, May 5 at 1 p.m. in the Alondra Room.

with a turn around with handicap drop-offs,” Brown said. “This will have two lanes and will be more conducive for students.” The new traffic pattern at Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Lemoli Avenue will be similar to the pattern at Lot H and Stadium Way. Board of trustees president Ken Brown spoke about how important it is to keep the community involved in projects like these. “It’s always important to do ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings because the community needs to know where their money is going,” Brown said.

Elena Perez/ Union Kimberly Nguyen, 22, business major, and John Escareno, 21, English major are both are members of Empower the Community (ETC), a non-profit humanitarian organization that aims to create a positive attitude towards social issues by spreading awareness.

Volunteering is a lifestyle for student humanitarians Kimberly Nguyen, John Escareno upport the community through their volunteer humanitarian work Trent Ledford Staff Writer @ECCUnionTrent For some people, playing games all the time is a good past time, for others working all the time while going to school is what they deal with. For Kimberly Nguyen and John Escareno they take their talents to volunteering for Empowering The Community (ETC). ETC is a nonprofit humanitarian group that is designed to promote a safe and positive attitude through social issues awareness. Some of the social issues

that ETC aims to help with is homelessness, bullying, and discrimation. Nguyen is a 22-year-old business major and the social media director of ETC. “I update the Instagram, I give viewers updates on what we are doing, any information they might need or just show them what we are doing,” Nguyen said. Escareno is a 21-year-old English major and is the volunteer coordinator for ETC. A thing that Escareno enjoys about volunteering the most is making others feel great. “The best about volunteering is knowing that you left a positive thing with someone, either if it was a feeling, or an act that you did that made them feel important,” Escareno said. Another member of ETC,

Melvi Perez, readers’ editor enjoys putting smiles on people faces. “The best part about volunteering is seeing the smiles on other people’s faces, knowing you were part of making a difference,” Perez said. ETC aims to support, create awareness, empower, educate and volunteer locally and globally. “Last year we did 24 hours of homelessness. We went into a mission and actually slept for twenty four hours as if we were homeless,” Nguyen said. Nguyen started doing volunteer work for ETC at the age of 20. She was introduced to ETC by a friend. “I feel like a lot of people in our generation, right now, have problems with themselves and in order to help others, you really have to help yourself first, and that’s what we are trying to focus

on also, empowering yourself in order to empower others. We are all humans, and we all should try to be better,” Nguyen said. “We all believe that love is the key that will help with all of this.” ETC is fundraising to travel to Guatemala for two weeks in June. “We are fundraising to go to Guatemala, so we could go over to speak about solar sustainability,” Escareno said. ETC hopes to make an impact to the world by leading for example so that others can become social influence leaders. “There are so many social issues going on right now, but everybody chooses to ignore it or the social media chooses to excludes them,” Nguyen said.

During the 19th Women’s History Month Luncheon on April 5, an El Camino professor announced that the school is in the process of adding a “women’s gender and sexuality studies major.” If the major is approved, EC would be the first-ever community college to have a women’s studies major with that specific title, professor Stacey Allen said in a phone interview. The process to get approved is as follows, according to Allen: First, the proposal goes to the Behavioral and Social Sciences Curriculum Committee. Once approved, it goes to the college’s curriculum committee. Then, the board of trustees has to approve the major. Finally, it goes through the California Community College chancellor’s office who makes it official. The degree will help prepare students who plan to pursue careers in a variety of fields including human services, counseling, non-profit organizations, business, politics, law, education, health, journalism, public relations, among many others, Allen said via email. There are currently 20 community colleges in California that offer associate degrees in women’s studies related fields, including Pierce, Santa Monica and Cerritos colleges. For more info, check out the full article on eccunion.com.


APRIL 28, 2016

PHOTO ESSAY

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3

Elena Perez/ Union Daria Mason, 18, fashion design major, and Katelyn Hardie, 19, fashion design major, modeling during a breack during Fashion 10/Clothing Construction class.

Stylin’

From simple and classy to exotic and sassy, everyone has their own way of expressing their own sense of fashion Phil Sidavong

Managing Editor @ECCUnionPhil

You walk around campus and a young woman with bright-red hair is walking around with a stylish-green dress, turning everyone’s head. Or you look at the man in the back of your class with the blue jeans and a T-shirt listening to music. Everyone has their own sense of style, and everyone has their own way to show it off. There’s always judgement, but who cares about other people’s opinions when you feel confident about yourself? Just like all places, El Camino has students full of bright ideas and different tastes in fashion. Here are some of the styles that can be found around campus: from the stylish women to the simple men and from the older to the younger, everyone can find their own style and space on and within themselves.

Prisca Akor, 18, nursing major. Nigeria exotic style, Akor strives for outgoing, colourful fashion pieces.

Elena Perez/ Union

Garret Williams, 20, business marketing major, his fashion inspirations are from Luca Fersko and Dylan Rieder. His favorite store to shop is Zara.

Sue Hong/ Union

Sue Hong/ Union Alden Flores, 19, undecided major, said his fashion style is chill, and easy going, with inspiration from the islanders. His favorite stores to shop are H&M, Forever 21, and Ross.


EDITORIAL

4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

APRIL 28, 2016

It’s never too late to procrastinate Sydnie Mills

Editor-in-Chief @ECCUnionSydnie

Procrastination is a lifestyle good for some bad for others Procrastination is a choice. If you’re like me then you know all too well about the panic that sets in, the stress that builds and the relief that comes from finishing assignments or projects moments before they’re due. I call that the “procrastination panic.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to procrastinate means “to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it or to put off a task intentionally and habitually.” That definition couldn’t be more true. I am an avid procrastinator; I spend time on the things I want to do and l will often just save the rest for later. I’ve turned blank pages into completed assignments 15 minutes before they’re due, when I had weeks to work on them. I’ve written stories 30 minutes before my deadline. I’ve even applied to colleges one day before that deadline and I can’t tell you the last time I actually studied for a test that wasn’t right before it started. Procrastination is a lifestyle choice and it’s not for everyone. There’s this common misconception that people who procrastinate are lazy and I would like to point out that the definition of procrastination never mentions laziness. So, lets set the record straight: people who procrastinate are productive. Being able to turn out quality work hours or minutes before it needs to be done is a skill. Granted, not everyone who is a procrastinator can do this. There are two types of people in the world: planners and procrastinators. Planners are great organizers and are good at timemanagement. Whereas procrastinators like a deadline to serve as the ultimate motivator to get work done. The downside to being a procrastinator is the moment when everything catches up with you and explodes in your face. The unknown and unexpected is the downfall of procrastinators and in that moment when you feel like the world is crashing down, they wish they were planners. But they don’t sulk in the downfall of their decisions for too long, instead they find a solution. If people want to be procrastinators, let them. At the end of the day they are making decisions for their life. So wether you’re a planner or a procrastinator, do you. As a procrastinator, I know that I will continue to put things off because there’s always time later to do something. I’ve seriously considered changing my ways but I’ve never gotten around to it. I need to apologize to the Opinion Editor of The Union who was waiting for me to finally turn in this column. In case you were wondering: yes, I wrote this column an hour before it was due.

Letter to the editor “A diver and a dream” Issue 5, April 14

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say thanks for the great article in the paper! It looks awesome and I love the dive pic on the front page. So cool! Thanks again! Alex Mackey

Illustration by Eugene Chang/ Union

Warrior Pulse: Survey says... How soon do you finish your homework? (206 students were asked) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 • • • • • •

The day it’s assigned

Email: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329

Day before it’s due

Day it’s due

Doesn’t do it all

206 students were asked how soon they complete a homework assignment. 17 percent of students do it the day it is assigned. 28 percent of students do it 2-3 days before the homework is due. 36 percent of students do the homework the day before it is due. 16 percent of students complete it the day it is due. 2 students said they don’t do homework.

THE UNION

Vol. 70, No. 6 April 28, 2016

2-3 days before it’s due

Editor-in-Chief ����������������������������������������������������������������������������Sydnie Mills Managing Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Phil Sidavong News Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Roy Garza Opinion/Editorial Editor ���������������������������������������������������������� Jed Fernandez Arts Editor................................................................................... Grant Hermanns Sports Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������Eric Ramos Photo Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Jo Rankin Features Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Brenda Soriano Advertising Manager ������������������������������������������������������������������� Jack Mulkey Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kate McLaughlin Adviser ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Stefanie Frith Photo Adviser...................................................................................Gary Kohatsu

The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.

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OPINION

APRIL 28, 2016

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5

CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS By: Lauren Liddle @ECCUnionluren

Photos by: Jo Rankin @ECCUnionJo

Eric Ramos

Sports Editor @ECCUnionEricR

Are academics or athletics more important?

The balancing act I overheard a student on campus say “the struggle is real” after forgetting to ask for mayonnaise and mustard packets for the turkey sandwich he just purchased. For me, the struggle is real when you have two jobs, are a part-time college student, a member of the school’s newspaper and you have a 3 year old, a 5 year old and a wife waiting for you to spend time with them at home. How I balance the routine of working from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. at Herald Publications, then drive to school for classes until 3 p.m. and work from 4 p.m. to midnight at my valet job, is beyond me. I just wake up everyday and try my best. Three years ago I decided to embark on a journey to receive my journalism degree and build a brand in the Los Angeles sports media. My valet job wasn’t flourishing and I felt stuck in the mud with nowhere to go. I still remember telling an aunt at a family function, right before I was about to enroll at El Camino, that I was going back to school. She looked at me and laughed. I was shocked and a little distraught at her reply. My wife and I talked it over and she supported me 100 percent, so I became a 35-year-old college student chasing a dream. I said, screw my aunts condescending laugh, and went back to school. When I was growing up, I played all the main stream sports, however, I fell in love with football. The physical nature of the game enticed me. After my high school football playing days at University High School were over, I kept track of all the local players and I watched as many high school football games as possible. I always had this idea of creating a website and covering high school football in Southern California but I never acted on it. I wanted to give the local prep football players a platform were fans can read about their games; and it gives players a look into what it’s like to get interviewed and mentioned at a publication. After freelancing at a website and covering high school football for two years, I enrolled at El Camino in 2013. I started off slow, only taking one class but I felt it would take too long if I went that route so I cranked it up to three classes a semester. My weekends were taken over by homework and studying. The little spare time I did have was spent with my family. My wife has been my backbone throughout the whole process and has always made sure I had study time at home. The balancing act was rough at times, but it will all come to fruition when I graduate with an associate of arts degree in journalism. It can be done . I currently have a 2.9 GPA and I’m a semester away from graduating. My advice for back-to-school adults is, take all your general classes first and then focus on your major. You don’t want to have a Friday night where you have to finish your Political Science homework, study for an Algebra exam and meet a deadline for a story you are working on for the school newspaper. As my time at El Camino comes to an end, I will take with me the experience of a lifetime with great memories and lasting friendships. I’ve learned perseverance and a determination to finish what I started. It’s not just for me but for my family. I want to leave something behind my girls will be proud of. Yes, the struggle is real but like Frederick Douglass said, “if there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

Kevin Manzaneno, 19, physical education major “Students will get you farther than being an athlete.”

Illustration by Eugene Chang/ Union

UP FOR DEBATE

Are academics or athletics more important? Grades over games As a student athlete from a young age, I found that quitting softball increased my grades and focus by a landslide. The game of choice tends to take over your life. Although being a part of a sports team gives some students structure, discipline and often times priority registration, there is the other side where struggles about life after the game without a degree, the possible injury mishaps and not being good enough to make it can Madison Brady occur. Kobe Bryant, being the topic of everyone’s Staff Writer @ECCUnionMaddie conversation nowadays with his retirement, is getting even more questions about what he is going to do now. Kobe does not have a college degree because he was drafted straight out of high school. “‘I think it’s going to be difficult for him,’ TNT analyst Charles Barkley said Thursday in an interview with Sporting News and another reporter. ‘Kobe doesn’t have a college degree, and you can only go to so many business meetings,’” according to an article by sportingnews.com. Students need to prioritize and focus on receiving a degree before they think about going professional, because something can always change the path. Besides retirement, another reason to leave the game is getting injured and being forced to. Athletes are taught to push their limits and work hard every practice and game whatever the sport may be. But what happens when the athlete pushes themselves too hard past their limit? Getting injured as a professional athlete and not having a degree to fall back on is not ideal. “A young athlete can be enlisted on the promise of an education, get injured on the field, and lose his or her only source of medical insurance precisely when he or she needs it most,” according to an article in theatlantic.com. Athletics are to be second in line after academics. Nothing is guaranteed with athletics and students need a degree they can fall back on if they were to unfortunately go through something like these basketball players have.

Nayeli Topete, 19, communications major. “Athlete’s seem more of a skill with education. You can build with the equal opportunity with education. Whereas athletes, you either have it or you don’t.”

Athletes strive to be the best Star athletes who play at an elite level, grow up playing sports at a very young age and will do anything to become the best at their craft. They don’t spend summers at science camps, they’re at football, baseball and basketball camps, breathing, eating and living the sport they love. However, with so much focus on honing their skills, athletes don’t spend a lot of time on academics. Getting an education is important but when you spend your nights Eric Ramos Sports Editor practicing instead of doing homework, an @ECCUnionEricR education falls by the waist side. Numerous football and basketball players came to the University of North Carolina with academic histories that showed them incapable of doing college-level work, according to the The News & Observer website. While top-level athletes like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James and Kevin Garnett can skip college and go straight to the NBA because they were confident in their ability to compete at the next level, athletes at the community college level are there to improve their skills and earn a shot to sign with a four-year university. El Camino sophomore defensive lineman Austin Vaimili committed to Fresno State in December and will get a shot to continue his football career with the help of coaches like Director of Football Operations Jose Erickson. Erickson said the work that is poured into being the best is undeniable. The workouts everyday, the diet and developing your skills while maintaining fundamentals is truly a grind. “It’s knowing mentally what the schemes and plays are, on top of being productive in the classroom,” Erickson said. “You have to truly love this game to put yourself through the everyday lifestyle that this game and college demands.” We can’t dismiss the notion that academics are important, however when was the last time 8,000 people showed up to see the debate team? The $40 million stadium being built on campus has a capacity of 8,000 and boast state-of-the-art facilities.

Ezequiel Paez, 21, anthropology major. “School is more important to me because I can concentrate better than if I were an athlete.”

Zianja Arias, 21, biology major “Personally, being an athlete before was distracting. So I choose school over being an athlete.”

Editors’ thoughts We like that Commencement Ceremony is going to be in Murdock Stadium for the first time since 2013. We dislike the online MyECC mobile website. It is difficult for students to access it and use it on a mobile device. Illustration by Eugene Chang

Hector Hinojos, 20, public administration major “I’ve always been an athlete my whole life. So I’d pick that over being a student.”


ARTS

6 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

APRIL 28, 2016

Art Gallery presents ‘Student Show 2016’ “Student Show” features array of artwork varrying from ceramics to photography Lauren Liddle

Staff Writer @eccunionluren

A blue and silver robot, a woman dressed in red, adorned with a gold headpiece. These are the first two things you see the second you step into the “Student Show” here on campus. It’s like stepping into the world of contemporary art, seeing all of the different, interesting paintings, sculptures, and drawings that hang on the walls or sit on pedestals. Altogether, there are three rooms. To the right, is a small room with drawings and paintings hanging on a wall. To the left, there is a large room with a row of artworks on pedestals, displaying different sculptures and paintings all around the walls. Another smaller room, holds a hallway of sculptures and a shelf of shoes all sitting in their own cubbies, hanging against the wall. Elijah Hicks, 41, photography major, has his photo on display in the “Student Show.” “It’s awesome when people are able to see your work in the gallery,” Hicks said. “Especially when you’re standing right next to them looking at it as well and they have no idea you’re the creator.” Angie Gutierrez sees the art at

Jo Rankin/ Union Bryan Chavez, 19, psychology major (left), with Dianelly Santos, 20, sociology major, examine the art piece “Steven Seagull” by Clara Hana Kwon in the Art Gallery on April 18. the show as a hipster, younger art show. “It’s like stepping into a smaller version of the Los Angeles City Museum of Arts,” Gutierrez, 18, art major, who attended the art show for extra credit, said. This once a year event occurs at the close of the spring semester and

has been established since 1971. Susanna Meiers, the curator of the gallery, explains that, “the work is selected by the instructors of the studio art classes and each instructor is given two selection slips for each studio class they teach.” “Shows are selected for a variety of reasons,” Meiers said, “the most

important, being that the work of professional artists can serve as a teaching tool (to the students).” Both in terms of craftsmanship and subject matter, this art gallery serves as a teaching lab/tool for the art department and as a focal point for discussion for classes all over the campus, Meiers said.

“Looking at some of the sculptures sitting here, it makes me wonder what made the artist pick a piece of a plastic as this monsters tooth and what the name of the art piece even means,” Bianca Chacon, 28, English major. Chacon attended because she saw the sign from outside the doors

and thought it would be interesting to see what was inside. “Although I’m not an art major, I still enjoy what art has to show and the different meanings behind not only the artist, but the viewer as well,” Chacon said.

DOERS DO CSULB 2016

Summer Sessions Two 6-Week Sessions May 23–July 1 (S1S) July 5–August 12 (S3S)

Jo Rankin/ Union

The Fine Arts Division Open House hosted an exhibition showcasing hand-made jewelry on Friday, April 22.

One 12-Week Session May 23–August 12 (SSD)

Open House for Fine Arts Division displays arts students’ all-around talent Sebastian Spencer

Staff Writer @ECCUnionSpencer

Photography, musical performances, ceramics and short films are a some works that were on display for people to enjoy courtesy of the Fine Arts Division Open House event held on Friday, April 22. One could hear the music from the staff parking lot, as DJ Tony Jr. played jazzy, hip-hop and rhythmic music on his turntables with speakers set up on the Library Lawn. The energy was high on Friday evening at El Camino, as people parked their cars and walked to check-in tables for the Open House event. The Open House showed a variety of talent by EC students in different areas of the Fine Arts Division. The Open House consisted of seven stations where a combination of the arts offered at EC was showcased by the students who are learning in these programs. Station No. 1 featured the “Student Show” in the Art Gallery, where attendees could view the artwork of students enrolled in various art classes on campus. Displayed in the gallery were various pieces of photography and ceramic work. The maze-like layout of the gallery makes it easy to get lost while looking at the pieces. The Art Gallery was the most

crowded station, and people seemed to really be enjoying it as they walked through. Erika Guzman, 19, math major, said that the Art Gallery is the most memorable for her. “I’ve been to different art galleries and I have to say this is my favorite one that I have attended,” Guzman said. “It’s great knowing students did all this wonderful work.” Station No. 2 took place in the Robert Haag Recital Hall where Applied Music Jury Honor students performed and showed their musical talent. Annie Chow, 19, music major, was one of the performers at this station. “I was really nervous, but it was fun at the same time being able to play in front of people because this is what I want to do,” Chow said. Station No. 3 was a short backstage tour of the Campus Theatre production of “Into the Woods.” There was also a meet-and-greet, where the cast was able to interact with attendees. At Station No. 4, the award-winning Forensics Team performed a demo debate where students argued with opposing terms on different topics. Station No. 5 was an Open Editing Lab, where students of editing and film classes learned to edit and make short films. Walking in the classroom, each computer showed a short video made by the students

prepared for Open House. After going through all seven stations, Taiwo Adeshina, 19, undecided major, was impressed by the work. “Getting to see different types of art forms like video and dance is something I didn’t know this school had to offer, and then it’s just amazing to see what people can do,” Adeshina said. Station No. 6 was all about dance, where students performed dance choreography and musical pieces, as well as short dance routines in the Black Box Theatre. Station No. 7 was a photography demonstration showing how students make photos come to life while using different techniques with any camera if necessary. Gaius Roberts, 32, photography major, was stoked about the opportunity to grow and have his work seen by people in the art gallery. “I was extremely excited when I found out my photos would be in the gallery next to my peers and people who I actually work with, (it) makes me want to work that much harder,” Roberts said. While dedicating the night to students in art, there was also a giveaway opportunity drawing for attendees that visited five out of seven stations. The giveaway included movie tickets, two tickets to the campus play “Into the Woods” and a Apple iPad.

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH COLLEGE OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION SS_Elcamino2V_Ad2_S16.indd 1

3/17/16 Lorinda Owens Ad size: 5.92 in x 10.75 in. El Camino College District Pub Date: 4/28

10:39 AM


SPORTS

APRIL 14, 2016

Warriors lose first game in season finale

EL CAMINO COLLEGE 7

Men’s volleyball team ousted in first round of playoffs Phil Sidavong

Managing Editor @ECCUnionPhil

Beach volleyball team finishes the regular season 15-1 and 7-0 in conference. Phil Sidavong

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Managing Editor @ECCUnionPhil

ven though the swirling winds of last Friday’s match may have been more difficult, the team was on foreign ground, and after plowing through its first opponent, the Warriors would fall at the hands of the Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros. The Warriors (15-1, 6-0) were not too distraught by the loss heading into the postseason, and sophomores Laynie Thompson and Sadie Fraker were making jokes as they walked away from a loss. Fraker expressed her discontent with one of her opponent’s today, but declined to go into detail. “We had lack of ball control at times,” coach Le Valley Pattison said. “Our (No. 5 and No. 3) pairs played great, we just have to rally and get one other team, firing at the right time.” El Camino will host the first and second round of individual playoffs beginning this Wednesday, and Pattison said that all five of the pairs have made it and are the No. 1 conference seed. “It’s exciting that we’re No. 1 and we get to host,” Thompson said. “It’s been fun.” Thompson and Fraker also get a bye-week in the first round. “It’s nice,” Fraker said. “It feels good to be No. 1, I think we deserve a bye.”

Phil Sidavong/Union The El Camino beach volleyball team finished undefeated in the Western State Conference and are the No. 1 seed going into playoffs. The Warriors played against Bakersfield College right before the matches against Santa Barbara began and the Warriors swept through the Renegades in quick fashion. Although the team lost today, the No. 5 pair of Brooklyn Rubio and Jewel Yandall are the final pair to not be defeated by any community college opponent for the Warriors.

“I think that’s perfect, because we’re ranked really high,” Yandall said. “In the beginning it was rough, but I’m happy that we’re the only team that’s left that’s undefeated. So I’m really grateful.” Four pairs played in the first round of the playoffs yesterday. See more at: eccuinion.com

Elena Perez/Union El Camino freshman pitcher Cassius Hamm throws a pitch during a home game against Long Beach City College, April 26. The Warriors lost to the Vikings, 4-2.

Warriors drop fourth straight in loss to Long Beach City College Baseball team needs to win next two games to remain in playoff contention Tayler Dahm

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Staff Writer @ECCUnionTayler

he baseball game was tied up at one as Long Beach City College had two on in the fifth inning. The visitors put on a successful hit and run, scoring one run and putting two in scoring position on an RBI double by the Vikings left fielder Tristin Chamberlain. The Vikings ( 23-11,15-4 SCC) went on to score two in the fifth inning which was the difference as Long Beach went on to beat El

Camino (23-11, 12-7 SCC) by the final of 4-2 on Tuesday. “They capitalized on mistakes,” Fernley said. “And that fifth inning where they end up scoring two they did a good job of hit and running, but it really comes down to their pitcher making pitches all day long and getting out of jams.” The top two teams in each conference automatically make the playoffs. After the loss Tuesday, the Warriors were unable to gain any ground on the top two teams in the South Coast Conference (SCC,) with just two games left in the regular season. Long Beach and Cerritos College hold the top two spots in the SCC as El Camino sits behind them at third. “If you finish third or below in conference you go into the at large pool and there are six teams that get a bid,” Fernley said. “I believe if we win the next two games we’ll get in.” Vikings’ starting pitcher Daniel

Rocha went eight innings, giving up two runs on six hits and struck out nine batters on the day. Rocha is now 7-2 on the season with a 2.04 era. On the other end, Warriors’ freshman starting pitcher Cassius Hamm went seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and struck out six batters. “I felt really good, it was a low scoring game we were in there the whole time,” Hamm said. “All of my stuff was working and I threw a lot of strikes, but they came out on top today.” The offense for the Warriors responded early in the game being down by one in the second inning when freshman second baseman and number nine hitter Kyle Henmi tied up the game on a RBI single up the middle. “I just try and take good at bats,” Henmi said. “I try and get on and turn over that line up for the top guys to get me in.”

PLAYOFF BOUND -The Warriors hosted the first round of individual playoffs yesterday. -14 total matches were played - For game stories and results go to eccunion.com

A kill banged on the floor in favor of the home team, then an error for visiting El Camino followed suit. The No. 2 seeded Golden West College Rustlers were not having any of that. Back-to-back aces were reeled off, and then a kill, and eventually the Warriors fell 25-14 in the fourth and the teams were tied 2-2 in sets. El Camino’s men’s volleyball team (10-10 overall, 7-5 in the Western State Conference) were eliminated from the 2016 California Community College Atheletic Association playoffs after a fiveset loss (27-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-25, 15-9) against Golden West College on Friday night. “We’ve been (in a deficit) before,” Golden West coach Paul Munoz said. “We know how to be in those situations, and I told the (guys) to be more aggressive.” The Rustlers came back from being down 1-2 in sets to win it overall. “We’re ready,” he said. “We’ve been ready to (play Long Beach) and our focus is one match at a time, but we’re here to win a state championship.” While the Rustlers are moving on, the Warriors are done for the year. “We played real well,” Blount said. “We made little mistakes, they played better than we did, they just out did us. All credit to them.” Although things were tough in the beginning of the season, sophomores Peter Nordel, Josh Riblett and Nehemiah Iosia; along with freshman Chris Phanngam were named All-Conference players, coach Dick Blount said. “It’s hard work,” Phanngam said. “I have to give credit to my team for helping me out. We need to work hard (going into the future).”


SPORTS

8 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

APRIL 28, 2016

Jo Rankin/ Union Freshman hurdler Justin Alexander looks up as he is about to take off at North High School Friday, Aprill 22. Alexander is number one in state for 400-meter hurdles and is number one for community college

Hurdling his way through life Justin Alexander has qualified for the USA track and field Junior National Championships and remains undefeated in the men’s 400-meter hurdles

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Jed Fernandez

Opinion Editor @ECCUnionJed

e walks to the starting block in the zone after listening to his teammate’s music; he is ready to handle business. He places his feet at the starting block in his ready position. He waits for the gun to fire off in anticipation. Runners, set and BANG the sound of the gun echoes through the air. He shoots off like a rocket with no signs of him slowing down. Pass the finish line he finishes first, but he already knew he won before the race began. El Camino freshman hurdler Justin Alexander is no stranger to winning. He has a perfect undefeated record in the men’s 400-meter hurdles for junior colleges. “The feeling from the sound of

the gun going off is such a rush,” Alexander said. “I just tell myself to go fast, go hard and win the day.” Alexander started hurdling in high school. He attended Crenshaw High School and was a top prospect, placing top ten in California. Alexander said his brother told him to try out for the track team as a joke but then he ended up falling in love with the sport. Alexander had a lot of attention coming out of high school, being one of the top hurdlers in the state. “We knew when we recruited him he had a lot of talent and that we could help him develop the tools he has at his disposal,” hurdles coach John Hall said. “If he gets it done in the classroom he will be set to go to whatever university he chooses.” Alexander has accolades all across the board. He is number one in state for the 400-meter hurdles for community colleges and is number six for under-20 in the U.S. “Alexander has been doing well all season,” track coach Dean Lofgren said. “He has already qualified

for the USA track and field Junior National Championships.” Alexander’s drive and competitiveness are very contagious to his team and all those who are around him. His teammates always look to him for inspiration. “His competitive nature makes me want to do better,” freshman teammate Maurice Jones said. “I wanna make Nationals just like him.” But for Alexander to succeed on the track he knows his studies are important. “One of my biggest obstacles in life was always school,” Alexander said. “So I just gotta take it one day at a time.” Alexander hopes to transfer to Baylor University and one day make team U.S.A and compete in the Olympics. “There will always be someone faster,” Alexander said. “When I see that, it makes me more motivated to get faster and work harder.”

Alexnder’s goal is to transfer te Baylor University and make the U.S. Olympic team.

WARRIORS SCHEDULE BEACH VOLLEYBALL Friday vs Round Two Playoffs 1 p.m. SOFTBALL Palyoffs TBD

TRACK AND FIELD Friday vs. L.ong Beach City College TBD BASEBALL Today at Long Beach City College 2:30 p.m.

Jo Rankin/ Union

Follow our sports writers on Twitter: @ECCUnionPhil @ECCUnionMatthew @ECCUnionEricR @ECCUnionTayler

WARRIORS SCOREBOARD BASEBALL Warriors 2, Long Beach City College 4 WOMEN’S BADMINTON: Warriors 1, Pasadena City College 20

SOFTBALL Warriors 13, El Camino-Compton Center 2

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CHECK OUT ECCUNION.COM @ECCUnion @ECCUnionSports


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