Thursday, March 28, 2024

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...

A Nurses Life for Me

The maze of doors, desks and filing cabinets filled to the brim with paperwork that make up the Student Health Center, creates a cramped environment for the average person to wade through. However, Director of the Student Health Center Beth Benne, who stands above the clutter, finds the space easy to navigate to her office. Once at her desk, she...

Home is where the art is

The afternoon sun is high, the breeze strong, creating a scenic and relaxing atmosphere in the Fine Arts Plaza at Pierce College. Art history professor, Ramela Abbamontian, sits at a bench  in the middle of native Californian plants and metal sculptures, a mauve puffer jacket protecting her from the wind. Her eyes are bright, glancing around the plaza that...

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...

Knowledge lights the way

Perhaps you missed his office because it was obscured behind a brick wall with a sign reading Platform 9 3/4. Maybe you weren’t looking for a train station leading to a magical institution, but the entrance to English instructor Mickey Harrison’s office bears an uncanny resemblance to the place. Harrison has only been a full-time instructor at Pierce College for...

Coach to Cubs scout

Chicago native Bob Lofrano sits in his office in the North Gym, leisurely typing player reports for current and prospective MLB athletes. With his tan, leathery skin, and his small, wire framed glasses, Lofrano’s eyes are fixed on his computer. Chicago Cubs memorabilia adorn his office as he prepares himself for a busy day, jampacked with sporting activities. With flashbacks...

From the Tower of Babel

Professor Christine Ersig-Marcus has been teaching for 20 years, first in Switzerland, then in the United States. Ersig-Marcus was born in Switzerland and learned how to speak Swiss-German from birth. “I make a point of that because Swiss-German can only really be understood by Swiss-German speakers,” Ersig-Marcus said. “For a Swiss person this is a very strong identity marker because...

Media arts hires new instructional assistant

The sound of keys jingling in the keyhole of the door to the Roundup can be heard over the chaos and chatter of the newsroom. A tuft of dark brown hair and a pair of searching brown eyes survey the room to see if there’s a class in session. He sits at a computer and types for a few...

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 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...
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