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...
Bread Crumbs Cafe
Tucked away between two office buildings in the parking lot of a medical center, the Bread Crumbs Cafe provides a convenient opportunity for a quick meal to those around. The small restaurant kitchen allows for approximately two people to sit inside and has outside seating for about six.
The smell of baked bread and grilled deli meat fill the air...
Pizzeria Factory
Clean and quaint, The Pizzaria Factory entertains your five senses with pretty sights, enticing smells, a carnival of textures, a rainbow of tastes and playful sounds that leave the patron in a state of high spirits or feeling a little devilish desiring more.
In a plaza, 0.8 miles away from Pierce College, where grocery stores, a CVS pharmacy and a...
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...
Coral Tree Cafe
In the middle of quite possibly the busiest boulevard in the San Fernando Valley, there is a rustic building that resembles an old wooden shack. Surrounded by freeways on all sides, the roads are filled with loud traffic every morning, but once inside, the hominess of a nostalgic western American cabin sets in.
Built with large open windows, the inside...
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...
CD Trader
Skimming swiftly through a box of records while Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” surrounds the room, puts one in the mood for a day of crate digging.
Located in sunny Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana, California, CD Trader has been the place for music enthusiasts to find new, used and even rare records.
With just a few steps inside the...
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...