The Long Way Dao-wn the Road
(Left to Right) Long Dao, mens tennis head coach, talks to Christian Ponce and Daniel Vinterfeld in the tennis courts at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif on Feb. 27, 2019. Photo by Chris Torres.
Beside the rusty metal fences surrounding the outdoor tennis courts stood a hooded figure dressed in a bright...
A Hero’s Journey
Story and photos by Ava Weintraub
Brain surgery couldn’t keep this dedicated teacher away
The diagnosis was dire. The doctors said he had about a week to live and to get his affairs in order.
It was a type of brain tumor called a “schwannoma,” a benign tumor that grows around the sheath of the cranial nerves. But this was a big...
Helping students transfer one step at a time
Wearing a warm smile framed by primly-styled sandy blonde hair, Norine Fine, 61, waits patiently behind the reception desk for early appointments.
Fine is a general counselor in the Transfer Center at Pierce College. Her job is not only to help students find their majors, but also to assist and advise them if they are considering alternative options.
“I connect students...
The Great Escape
Story By: Ashley Walton
For running back Joshua Mathis and defensive back Amir Muhammad this is more than just a quote from their head coach, it’s a promise to themselves.
Both hailing from Philadelphia one may think that they have been lifelong friends. Muhammad, originating from North Philadelphia, and Mathis from Olney merely 15 minutes away, could make this assumption more...
Simon says
There is a moment at the start of Greg Simon’s physical anthropology class when a spark goes off, as he finishes reminding students of deadlines and begins his lecture.
As the term “natural selection” leaves Simon’s lips, his eyes widen and the corners at his mouth turn up in excitement, while he begins to discuss his passion.
The Pierce College...
The Man Behind the Magic
Draped over the crushed red velvet chair with a soft smile playing across his lips, Michael Sande unwinds inside the Pierce Performing Arts Mainstage theater after a chaotic afternoon. As the managing director for the Performing Arts Department at Los Angeles Pierce College, it is his job to make sure that shows goes on without a hitch.
The Seattle native...
His infectious love for theater
A man stands with a group of students, informing them safety precautions about using a table saw in the workshop. His salt and pepper hair reflects some of the light overhead. His off-white facial hair scatter across his face, down to the underside of his chin as he speaks about what the table saw can do when it comes to making interesting...
A Stand-up Educator
Backlit by morning light, a figure sits at a desk in a modest office situated by a winding row of spanish-style bungalows. The muted grey and cream colors of the office walls contrast with the beaming smile hidden behind a black Dell computer monitor.
At 6 a.m. political science professor Denise Robb arrives each day to Pierce’s campus with...
Seeing Pierce through Varozian-colored glasses
It’s been said that some of the hardest workers one will ever find in a production are the ones working behind the scenes. The saying couldn’t be truer of Shant Varozian, who works as an administrative aide in Pierce College’s office of Academic Affairs.
Varozian first came to Pierce in 2004 as a student. He was taking general education courses...
In Focus: Las Fotos Project
Story By: Monica Salazar
A young woman’s voice floated through the screen door of a Boyle Heights house, grabbing the attention of several young girls, cameras in hand.
“What do you think of this photograph?” asked Claudia Marquez, a 23 year-old California State University, Fullerton student. “How do you think it was shot?“
The girls looked at the photographs in-depth, and silence...