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Roundup: What are some highlights or goals you met this semester?

Ara Aguiar: I think that one of the biggest goals that we met this semester was the fact that we were really able to analyze a lot of our programs, a lot of our budgets and we were able to braid some of the funding from categorical programs that were allowable for part of the projects, really look at each program, really analyze to make sure that we were balancing each budget, that we were really staying on task and really getting behind that whole idea of preparing ourselves for next year. 

Next year is going to be more difficult, at least that’s what is being projected, and just overcoming the uncertainty of how the state financial situation is going to impact us. So it’s really looking at all these factors. Some of them are internal. Those are a lot easier to manage. It’s those external factors that may have an influence on us that make it uncertain. So working with the district, working with the other presidents, the other colleges, really having a team effort here, having a good team here that really can brainstorm and really tap into their experience and then the work of the the faculty, faculty union, the staff union and the staff so it’s getting the team to be understanding of the changes and being able to get a positive outcome. 

We are now projecting more than likely, we’re going to break even so we’re not going to be in a deficit which has been the goal of the college, which is my primary responsibility. So having fulfilled that and then being able to work with the team to get that goal achieved has been the most significant because I can sit back and allow the faculty to take care of the students at this time because it’s so important that we’re fiscally stable so that we can continue to provide the kinds of services and needs that our students need.

Roundup: What are some goals you didn’t quite meet?

Aguiar: Some of our infrastructure really needs help. I wish we had more funds to be able to fix it. We will, I think it’s in the budget, but it’s going to be like two to three years from now. Also, shade structures for our students and more trees. We used to be a tree friendly campus. There’s awards that you get if you have a certain percentage based on the acreage—number of trees ratio to the acreage. We lost that a few years back, not a few but I would say maybe between seven and ten years ago, we lost many trees due to an infestation of some kind of beetle, and we lost a lot of trees, so with Rocky Young Park we were hoping that we could this year that we would be able to use some funds that we have allocated for Rocky Young Park. 

We were hoping that we could fix it for our  commencement this year and as you can see we’re having it in the stadium instead of Rocky Young Park and it’s because there’s a big project planned due to some large pipes that are underground right smack in the middle of the park. So to invest money in fixing it and then in a few months from now go back and destroy it to do some kind of work on those pipes would just not be the right thing to do with taxpayer dollars. I wouldn’t do it with my own dollars. It would just not be the right thing to do so we have to postpone it.

Roundup: What were some unexpected challenges faced this year?

Aguiar: By far bots because it creates so much chaos and also it adds so much time and effort on the college team to get rid of the bots. Fortunately the number of bots has drastically reduced. As a district we are implementing a lot of different steps and to try to overcome it. I think this is a challenge that everyone is experiencing and the state is trying to do it, all the other colleges are also dealing with it. The district has been working really hard on circumventing it, in terms of preventing it, trying to be proactive on authenticating and validating students.

Answers were edited for clarity.

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Faculty and student collaboration fulfilled a long-time wish of Juan Gomez, Pierce College’s custodian, as he has been working on it for more than eight years.

Industrial Technology Department’s Chair Alex Villata said Gomez’s dedication toward the community led them to help fix his car.

“He was servicing our department for many years and actually did a really good job maintaining our facility,” Villata said. “He’s a very hardworking person with an excellent work ethic. Ultimately, the faculty ended up helping him out, volunteering to put his car back together in a way.”

Gomez expressed how he felt when he got his dream car.

“I don’t have any words, but thanks because it makes my dream come true,” Gomez said. 

Initially, Gomez went to fix his light, but the department ended up fixing the engine.

“Alex started helping me with the lights because that was the primary purpose,” Gomez said. However, everything started falling apart, including the brakes. They checked and suggested fixing it and said don’t worry, we want to help you.”

Villata discussed the issue with the car in more detail.

“When we started working on the vehicle project, the car did not have a running engine, and the transmission also needed to be rebuilt. These were the main issues that the school collaborated on in regards to getting his powertrain back to running condition,” Villata said. 

Villata also discussed why it is essential for students to have hands-on experience with a project similar to Gomez’s case. 

“When students have the opportunity to work on these projects, they must engage in those types of repairs so that they can do everything not only to gain hands-on experience but also to develop a great deal of confidence in the field and discover their potential,” Villata said. 

Automotive Technician major Miguel Quintanilla spoke highly of the faculty for being accommodating when students want to work on live cars instead of lab cars.

“We always go up to the teacher and ask for approval of a small project that we want to work on,” Quintanilla said. “They always tell us, ‘Bring it in,’ and always ask us to feel free to suggest working on a live car instead of lab cars.”

Villata said it makes him happy to serve the Pierce College community.

“It’s a pleasure to serve our Pierce College employees and staff and, ultimately, help them when they need it,” Villata said. “It’s worth knowing that for big projects like this, it works well.” 

Gomez added now that his car is running, he is able to bond with family over it.

“I have always dreamed of a car like that, and now that I have one, I enjoy it even more, especially since my granddaughter says, ‘She doesn’t want to get out of the car.”

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At the Pierce College spring dance show from May 30 to June 1, there were multiple performances ranging from high school teams to student-choreographed pieces. Friends and family were asked to view the showcase and support the students.

The show ranged from many different genres of dance such as hip-pop, cultural, contemporary and salsa. Each dance made a statement or made the audience have to find the deeper meaning of the performance. Students were also given merit awards at the end of the show to celebrate their accomplishments.

Professor Brian Moe said the preparation of the performances took a lot of work and hours for everyone involved. Auditions occured at the beginning of the semester and rehearsals were intensive.

”They basically say I want to choreograph a piece and she kind of works with them, finds time for them to choreograph,” Moe said. “Every week, we rehearse, hours and hours and then the combination is just a concert. It’s amazing to see how far the dancers grow and how these dances come to life. It’s really special.”

Moe added that high school students from Charter High of the Arts Multimedia and Performing (CHAMPS) were invited to participate through an articulation program that gave the students a chance to perform. Moe expressed the importance of providing a creative space for students and performers and how it is needed to allow for self-expression, storytelling and community building. 

“We invite them to perform with us, and they bring a lot of energy and a lot,” Moe said. “As humans, as artists, we love to play in our humanity. We can tell stories, and we can share visions and feelings and express what words can always express as a way to inspire others, to comfort others, to build a sense of unity and community among a larger group, to watch it.”

Dance choreography student Miriam Gregorian said that she graduated from Cal State University Northridge but came to Pierce in order to be a part of the dance community once again.

“I just feel so incredibly blessed to have this space in general. Like, not everybody has it, you know?”  Gregorian said. “I’m just beyond overjoyed to have it. I can come here and I can just put my all into myself, my dancers, my friends and everything and it’s a whole community, so I love it.”

Film major Zoe Cantu shared that having the dance team helped in making her feel more confident and inspired her to possibly pursue a minor in dance.

“Some people can struggle with the expression, so it’s a really good place to let go, be free. Someone said that in their family no one else dances, so it’s a new thing for them,” Cantu said. “I struggle with confidence a lot, but the people around me make me feel safe. I think everyone brings out the good sides of each other.”

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The Veteran Club organized a fundraising event to provide support for veterans, featuring a barbecue, games and music on Thursday, May 29, on the Pierce College Mall.

 Veterans Club Vice President Katie Hirahoka discussed the importance of hosting this event around Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day, for a lot of veterans, is pretty hard,” Hirahoka said. “I’ve lost many friends. We wanted to plan the event around something that held meaning for us, which was recognizing veteran students and honoring those who have passed.”

Veterans Club President Julissa Gomez spoke about her experience as a veteran who served in the Marine Corps for four years in Hawaii.

“I’m a Marine Corps veteran myself who served four years in Hawaii,” Gomez said. “When veterans come out of the military, they have a hard time adjusting. This event conveys the sense that we can be ordinary civilians and lead our everyday lives.”

Psychology and Statistics Professor Maria Percer expressed her support at the veterans’ fundraising barbecue event.

“I feel very strongly about supporting our veterans,” Percer said. “My son is currently serving in the U.S. Navy in Norfolk, Virginia. It’s not easy being in the military. We want to ensure that veterans feel supported on our campus and that they know we care.” 

Secretary for the Sciences Sharen Jacobs stated that it is essential to support fundraising efforts that benefit veterans. 

“They protect our rights to attend school, and showing people that you care is vital for their well-being and a way to show support, even on our campus, even in a non-war zone,” Jacobs said. “Just be grateful and appreciate them, and if you can afford to buy them lunch, buy it.”

Hirahoka said that the primary goal of the event is to help the veteran community.

“We’re trying to network, bring people together and provide them with resources and other forms of support,” Hirahoka said. “The event is pretty good because it provides us with tools and resources, which will help our club grow by bringing new opportunities and connecting us with other colleges and similar organizations.”

Oscar Rodriguez, a student veteran, spoke about what this event means to veterans and the Pierce community. 

“It is super important, and we honor the dead, but these veterans, they’re here now,” Rodriguez said. “It’s great that the community and the school support them, as they are part of the community. We appreciate it when students, teachers, and faculty come out and are nice to us and help us.”

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Pierce College’s Department of Physics and Planetary Sciences hosted a Telescope Night on Monday, June 2 at the Center for Sciences for students and members of the community to view the night sky through their lenses.

The Physics and Planetary Science Department has been hosting Telescope Night for more than 10 years and hosts one each semester to explore the different elements of the night sky.

This event is not only encouraged for students, but also for family and friends, as well as the community to come out and join in on the views of the universe.

Physics and Planetary Department Professor Dale Fields shared the objective of having an event like Telescope Night.

“It’s for people to actually connect and see the kind of things that our ancestors would just see each night looking up at the sky,” Fields said. “Enjoying a little bit of the night sky and to maybe see things they’ve never seen before.”

Emily Peraldi, a resident of Woodland Hills, explained how she heard about the event despite not being a student at Pierce.

“I always search up events in the community and since I’m a local to this area it popped up,” Peraldi said. “I’ve always been into looking into the stars and when I was in college I took an astronomy class so I just wanted to see what type of telescopes there were.” 

Throughout the night, it was planned for attendees to see the moon and its different craters and structures, planetary targets, star clusters and at least one galaxy. Each telescope had a different set up at various angles for attendees to view different perspectives.

Biology Major Mia Gil attended multiple science events this semester and shared why this one in particular sparked her interest, as well as her reaction to looking into the telescopes.

“A lot of the other events I saw were just presentations and then this was more hands-on where you can look into the telescopes and physically see the moon,” Gil said. “It’s kind of weird to see, it’s just amazing how that little telescope can see that far.” 

Fields expressed the importance of having nights like Telescope Night on campus.

“A big reason is that we are a community college, and therefore we need to serve the community,” Fields said. “We need to let the community know that they can come in and see things and expand themselves and see the purpose of having Pierce College. We’re nothing without the people around us.”

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With 67% of Los Angeles Community College District students facing housing insecurity, Pierce College and the district are working to provide solutions. In March, the LACCD put out a request for proposals for housing providers, moving closer to offering low-cost housing to homeless and housing insecure students. 

“Stable housing is fundamental to student success. This is one of many major investments in our students, fulfilling our commitment to addressing housing challenges,” said LACCD Chancellor Alberto J. Román in a statement. “The housing program takes a flexible, strategic approach to meet student needs while maintaining the District’s long-term financial health.”

The Brahma Bodega and the Basic Needs Program provide students with food and housing resources, with other student services available. Additionally, Pierce is making efforts to offer housing on or around the campus for students. 

Pierce President Ara Aguiar shared that the college is looking to partner with institutions such as California State University, Northridge, due to its proximity to Pierce.

 “What we’re doing is other alternative things and even talking to CSUN about how we could work, because they know how to do student housing at CSUN, and even having students stay in the dorms at CSUN, what could be something that a partnership that we can establish,” Aguiar said. “A lot of colleges have done that. I think Compton College did with Dominguez Hills, and so we can do the same thing with CSUN.” 

There are different ways Pierce could partner with CSUN. Aguiar mentioned they can discuss finding a way for students to use the facilities and housing at CSUN. One of the ideas she mentioned was a partnership allowing Pierce students to be dual-enrolled to give students access to the housing and facilities. 

Brahma Bodega Coordinator Geremy Mason explained how students’ needs are met by Pierce’s programs.

“We actually have a housing navigator that works with a specific demographic of students,” Mason said. “If the students meet the demographic requirements for working with that agency, we always refer out to them first, because they’re a direct partnership that we have.” 

According to Mason, students with housing concerns are referred to LA Family Housing and Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, which are both services that provide housing for those in need. LA Family Housing is more specific to students who are parents and have families, while Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission is for students who are over 18 with no dependents. 

Public Health major Emma Rose Merino-Garcia shared her thoughts on how housing for students is important. 

“Having the proper help, like housing, will drastically change to fully focus on their education, giving them one less thing to worry about,” Merino-Garcia said. “I believe everyone deserves an equal chance to thrive in a higher education.”

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No one should have to wake up before sunrise to celebrate one of the biggest milestones of their life. 

This year, Pierce students will likely have to stumble out of their beds in the early morning, rush through their routines, iron gowns, and beat the morning rush hour to make it on time for the ceremony that begins before they’re fully awake. 

Graduation should take place later in the afternoon, when students are well rested and families are ready for the next few hours of celebration.  

After years of waking up early for school, students should enjoy sleeping in on the day of their graduation. Many stay up the night before to make last minute arrangements before the big day. 

A later ceremony allows them to show up energized, not half awake in their cap and gown.

According to the National Library of Medicine, college students have reported sleeping at later times and attending classes before they’ve obtained adequate sleep, but sleep deprivation isn’t the only reason students are tired. 

In fall 2023, Amy Dipierro and Michael Burke reported in EdSource that 14,000 international students were enrolled in California community colleges.

For international students who may have family flying in from different time zones, and are still adjusting to local time, asking them to attend a morning ceremony can add a layer of unnecessary stress on what should be a celebratory day. 

A later ceremony not only allows them to adjust, but it lets families relax and be present during their loved one’s commencement. By that time of day, the sun has begun to lower and the atmosphere feels calmer.

Driving accommodations may be particularly difficult when attending ceremonies during the morning rush hour. 

In a study published by Blair Ramirez Law, data analyzing Los Angeles traffic showed that weekdays, with the exception of Mondays, experienced the heaviest congestion.  

“The implications are significant: even if you manage to have a decent start to your day, the return trip could be fraught with delays.” 

After years of early morning and academic demands, students deserve a ceremony that reflects the significance of the occasion, not one rushed through half awake. 

Pierce should return to its tradition of evening start times for commencement that allows graduates to arrive rested, prepared and ready to celebrate the milestone with the attention it deserves when the temperature has started cooling.

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If things go according to her plan, the commencement for this year’s graduation will some day work for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to help end world hunger. 

That is the dream of Ashley Vicera, who on June 10, Pierce College graduates of 2025 will receive a goodbye speech from at the 77th Commencement Ceremony that will take place on campus at Shepard Stadium at 8 a.m.  

Initially, Vicera applied for the commencement speaker contest when her friend, Joean Tongson, forwarded the Instagram story to her. Vicera wrote the first draft of her speech overnight but has continued to make revisions for graduation day. 

Tongson said Vicera has a natural stage presence and powerful voice.

“What makes her speech unique is the way she brings words to life. She has a flair for the dramatic and a poetic touch that turns ordinary phrases into something truly inspiring,” Tongson said. “She will not only proudly and powerfully represent the Asian community, but she’ll also leave a lasting impression on everyone who hears her speak.”

As an economics major, Vicera immigrated from the Philippines four years ago and started her Pierce journey in spring of 2023.  It was difficult to build friendships outside of highschool which is why Vicera formed the Asian Pacific Island Club at Pierce College. She found community and support where she worked as a student worker in the Welcome Center and registration assistant at Admissions and Records.

Vicera said it’s an honor to be able to give the speech.

“This is going to  be my first time speaking to thousands of people,” Vicera said. “I am scared and nervous, but it’s like my love letter to Pierce and saying goodbye to my peers. Pierce has been a wonderful community for me.”

Vicera’s speech will include her immigrant story and what motivated her to pursue education despite hardships. She will also include the importance of finding the right community of people and perfect timing. 

“Pierce has been a really pivotal part of my life, and especially since I moved here four years ago from the Philippines,” Vicera said. “Pierce has been really important to me, it has a special place in my heart. As someone who came from a foreign country, it’s nice to be surrounded by a good community.” 

Every year communication faculty members volunteer to assist graduation speakers to strengthen their speech. This year, communications professor Jennifer Rosenberg has been guiding Vicera in revising her speech with grammar corrections, and building a foundation for the speech.

“Ashley has a wonderful, authentic speaking style, and it is truly a pleasure to work with her,” Rosenberg said. “I truly believe that many students will be able to relate to her experience and perspective.”

Vicera is working toward a bachelor’s degree in economics with an emphasis in pre-law. She plans on transferring to the University of Southern California in the fall of 2025, and aspires to work in government public policy or UNICEF to do humanitarian works for economical or financial departments

Vicera wants to tell students that it’s never too late to follow their dreams.

“No matter how old you are, no matter how financially broke you are, there’s always ways that you can get that education if you wish to do so,” Vicera said.

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