The Collegian - Published May 8, 2026

GRAD TICKETS A HOT COMMODITY

Delta College eliminates two tickets for graduates, gives one back amid backlash, students decide not to participate amid whiplash of last-minute decisions

BY ANDREA BALTODANO Editor-in-Chief

A sudden reduction in commencement tickets at Delta College — followed by a partial reversal days later — has left students scrambling to adjust plans, raising questions about planning, capacity and whether the college was prepared for a surge in graduates.

The college announced April 21 that ticket allotments would be reduced from five to three per graduate for the May 14 ceremony at Adventist Health Arena, citing limited seating and a 144 percent increase in graduates planning to participate.

Two days later, after what officials described as a site walk-through and coordination with the venue, Delta increased the number to four tickets per graduate.

The rapid shift — from five tickets to three, then to four in less than a week — has drawn criticism from students who say the changes came too late to fairly accommodate their families.

“I told my husband I refuse to bother walking now if I have to choose which of my kids can go,” said Eileen Aschwanden, an arts, humanities and social sciences major who decided not to participate in the ceremony. “How can I choose between which of my children can go to celebrate their mom’s huge accomplishments?”

For Aschwanden, walking at commencement carried meaning far beyond the ceremony itself. A returning student who re-enrolled in 2025 after more than a decade away from school, she said graduating represents overcoming years of hardship.

She entered Delta College straight out of high school after emancipating from the foster system, but dropped out around 2014 while raising two young children without family support. Now a mother of four working full time in retail management, she returned to complete her degree while balancing school, work and parenting.

“I’ll be the first in my family to get any kind of a degree,” she said. “Walking is more than just going across the stage. It means breaking statistics, pushing through and showing my kids that anything is possible.”

Aschwanden said the initial five-ticket allotment would have allowed her husband and children to attend, but the sudden reduction to three forced her to reconsider entirely.

“It seemed pointless for me to walk if I couldn’t have them all there,” she said.

The dispute reflects what commencement can represent at a community college, where many students balance school with work, caregiving and financial pressure. In 2022–23, 35 percent of California Community Colleges students identified as first-generation, according to the Chancellor’s Office. A 2025

Public Policy Institute of California analysis found 52 percent of community college students work while enrolled.

College officials say the changes were driven by an unexpected spike in participation.

According to Delta, more than 1,020 students had confirmed plans to walk as of earlier this week, compared to 419 students at the same point last year. With the RSVP survey still open until May 1, the college now estimates between 1,200 and 1,400 graduates could participate this year.

Initial planning assumed roughly 1,200 graduates could be accommodated on the arena floor, where students are seated before walking across the stage, creating a logistical constraint that contributed to the decision to reduce tickets earlier this week

During Delta’s ceremony, graduates are seated on the arena floor before walking across the stage, while family members and guests are seated in the arena’s stands. Changes to floor layout, staging areas and seating configuration can influence how space is allocated between graduates and attendees.

Delta officials said the initial five-ticket estimate was based on the arena’s capacity and the number of graduates who typically choose to participate. Because the graduation application deadline falls in late March, the college sends an RSVP survey afterward to determine how many students intend to walk. As responses came in, officials said participation quickly exceeded expectations.

“It really is mostly a capacity issue,” said Alex Breitler, Delta College’s director of Marketing and Communications.

Delta has held commencement ceremonies at Stockton Arena for at least a decade, with archived college records showing the 2016 ceremony was held there. The ceremony returned to the arena in 2022 after pandemic-era disruptions.

Adventist Health Arena has a maximum capacity of about 12,000 for large events, though capacity varies depending on event configuration.

According to district records, Delta College con-

tracted with SMG, which manages the arena, for $37,750 to rent the facility for the May 14 commencement, with additional dates scheduled for setup and rehearsal on May 12–13.

The arena did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Breitler said the college worked with arena staff to reconfigure the ceremony layout in order to create additional space. That included tightening the seating arrangement on the arena floor, relocating staging areas where students typically gather before the ceremony, and opening sections of the venue that historically have not been used for guest seating.

Graduates participate in Delta College’s 2025 commencement ceremony. COURTESY OF DELTA COLLEGE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

The adjustments also included using club-level seating and areas behind the stage, as well as seating faculty on the arena floor, a change that frees additional space in the stands for guests.

Those changes allowed the college to increase the ticket limit from three to four. Still, demand continues to outpace supply.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 3,095 tickets had already been claimed at the campus bookstore, with the college anticipating distributing between 4,500 and 5,000 additional tickets under the new four-ticket limit. Officials noted the final number could increase depending on how many graduates ultimately choose to participate. Even at four tickets per graduate, total demand could approach or exceed available seating.

The situation has spilled onto social media, where students have flooded Delta-related Facebook groups requesting extra tickets, offering exchanges or attempting to purchase them despite warnings from the college.

A petition posted on Change.org the same night the three-ticket limit was announced had gathered more than 250 verified signatures as of publication time. The petition urges Delta College to reconsider the ticket reduction and proposes alternatives, including splitting the ceremony into multiple events to better accommodate graduates and their families.

The Associated Students of San Joaquin Delta College said in an April 24 Instagram post that it is aware of student concerns over commencement ticket

availability and is working on a formal letter of recommendation to the college president’s office. The student government group said it aims to collaborate with organizers to provide input on this year’s ceremony while also proposing solutions to prevent similar issues in the future.

Delta officials said they have observed an increase in scams in recent years, including posts from individuals claiming to sell tickets they do not possess. The college discourages buying or selling tickets but acknowledged it has no formal enforcement mechanism in place.

“There’s been suspicious activity … from individuals who are clearly not students offering to sell tickets that they clearly do not have,” Breitler said.

The college said additional tickets may be distributed at rehearsal if extras are available, though officials cautioned that students should not rely on that possibility. For those unable to attend in person, a livestream of the ceremony will be provided and posted afterward on the college’s commencement webpage.

For some students, the increase to four tickets has helped alleviate concerns, but not entirely.

Joe DeMasi, a journalism major and former Collegian sports editor, said he initially hoped to bring four family members, including one traveling from out of state.

“Now that it’s four, it really hasn’t affected my plans,” DeMasi said. “But I feel the decision really isn’t fair, especially to people who have bigger families.”

DeMasi questioned whether a venue the size of Adventist Health Arena should require such limitations.

“If capacity is an issue, have two separate ceremonies,” he said.

Nearby Modesto Junior College, located about 30 miles southeast of Stockton, holds its commencement at Pirates Stadium on its East Campus and issued six tickets per graduate for its 2026 ceremony after hosting nearly 900 graduates and about 7,000 guests last year, according to their website.

The impact of capacity constraints has extended beyond the main commencement ceremony. La Raza Educators Association’s graduation celebration at Delta College also reduced guest access due to capacity limits. In a message to participants, organizers said ticket allotments were cut from 15 per student to six after the Atherton Auditorium reached maximum capacity, citing fire marshal regulations and the need to ensure fairness among graduates.

Delta officials said a range of alternatives were considered, but with the ceremony just weeks away, expanding ticket availability within the existing structure was the most feasible option.

“After this year’s ceremony, we will evaluate what we might be able to do differently in 2027,” Breitler said.

For students like Aschwanden, that evaluation may come too late.

“Walking was supposed to be for my kids,” she said. “If they can’t all be there, it doesn’t feel the same.”

DELTA’S BIGGEST CLASS DESERVED BIGGER PLAN

Thisyear’s commencement should have been a victory lap for Delta College.

The college is preparing to graduate its largest class, a milestone worth celebrating not just because of the number itself, but because of what it represents: students staying, finishing and finally making it to the stage. At a community college, that is never a small thing. Delta students are often earning degrees while working jobs, raising children, helping their families, carrying grief, managing bills and trying to build a future without putting the rest of their lives on pause.

Instead of feeling like a celebration, this year’s commencement has been overshadowed by the fight over guest tickets.

Students went from expecting five tickets, to being told they would only receive three, to later being told they would receive four. Somewhere in the middle of all that, what should have been joy turned into math. Who gets to come? Who gets left out? Which parent matters more? Which

sibling stays home? Does the grandparent who prayed for this moment get a seat, or does the partner who carried you through the semester?

That’s a cruel position to put graduates in, even if it wasn’t intended to be. This is why the frustration is bigger than tickets. It is about what the tickets represent.

AND COMMUNICATIONS

For many Delta students, graduation is not an individual accomplishment. It belongs to whole families. It belongs to the mother who waited in the parking lot after night classes, the child who watched their parent study at the kitchen table, the friend who gave rides, the partner who covered bills, the teacher

The Collegian

The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester.

As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence.

We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.

who said “keep going” when quitting felt easier.

Community college students do not always get glamorous milestones.

Many don’t have the luxury of making college their whole life. So when they get to walk across that stage, it matters who is in the room.

That is why some students deciding not to walk should not be dismissed as an overreaction. It should be treated as a warning.

Delta cannot celebrate having its biggest graduating class and then act surprised when its biggest graduating class needs space. Growth is not just something to put in a press release. Growth has to show up in planning, communication and sys-

tems can adapt before students are forced to pay the emotional cost.

Capacity limits are real. Safety matters. No one is saying the college should ignore fire codes or pretend seats exist when they do not. But this did not happen overnight. A larger graduating class should have triggered larger planning much earlier, whether that meant more ceremonies, a different venue, a better ticket request system, overflow options or clearer communication from the start.

Instead, students got uncertainty at the exact moment they deserved dignity.

This graduating class should have been remembered only as a historic one. Instead, part of the memory now includes confusion, disappointment and people wondering whether the ceremony is worth attending at all.

A historic graduating class deserves more than last-minute adjustments and apologies after the damage is done. It deserves planning that treats student success not as a surprise, but as the goal.

ON THE FRONT:

DELTA NEEDS CONSISTENT AI POLICIES

BY HARMAN KAUR Staff Writer

AsArtificial Intelligence (AI) advancements increase and makes it’s way into school classrooms, Delta has yet to create campus wide AI policies for both students and staff in 2026.

Although the use of AI in classwork is something to be regulated, both students and teachers should be bound by AI policies. During the beginning of every class students are provided a syllabus, which contain rules and regulations about how the specific classroom runs as well as policies of AI. There is nothing that holds teachers accountable for their actions especially when it comes to the use of AI.

“In my opinion, I think when they use AI it lacks a sense of human touch, which makes images in lectures not feel as personal and does not convey a certain effort or passion. There is also always the question of if the AI images or information are actually accurate compared to what a human can capture,” said Nevaeh Chavez, a second-year Delta student.

creating teaching material.

Policies regarding the use of AI in classes are being developed at Delta, but have not yet been adopted.

The idea of AI policies at Delta is not new, a Collegian story from early 2025 ‘AI forces teachers to adjust their lesson plans’ by Zackary Kirk-Newton discusses how Delta has created an AI task force in fall of 2024 that are currently looking into AI but have yet to create AI policies in 2026.

The Digital Education Council, a global organization committed to sustainable AI adoption in higher education and the workforce. DEC conducted a survey from 52 higher education institutions, spanning 28 countries on global AI faculty use in 2025. It was found that 61 percent of faculty have used AI in teaching, with 75 percent of that 61 using it for

“So although there aren’t AI policies in place yet, we’re working on drafting and recommending a procedure that would go through the policies and procedures committee here at Delta. So everyone, faculty, staff, administrators, students will get a chance to take a look at the procedure and be able to weigh in on it, make comments on it before it’s potentially adopted,” said Alex Breitler, Delta College’s director of Marketing and Communications.

Breitler also said that although Delta doesn’t have AI policies at the moment it is investing time in other AI programs.

“But I will also say that we are doing other things

to address AI in general. We have a professional development center on campus. Where an entire office that is in charge of making sure that employees are getting the training they need whether it’s faculty or staff to be able to do their jobs better,” Breitler said. ”They’ve been offering a pretty robust series of training on helping employees understand how AI can be used effectively in teaching and just in their sort of their daily work and the tasks that they have. We also have what we call an AI learning lab which introduces folks to some of the AI tools that we’re all becoming more familiar with now like Copilot and ChatGPT.”

AI use in extracurricular material is evident on many bulletin boards on campus, and although it may seem like an easy and quick way to finish work, some students find the end result off-putting rather than encouraging.

“In my opinion, I think when they use AI it lacks a sense of human touch, which makes images in lectures not feel as personal and does not convey a certain effort or passion. There is also always the question of if the AI images or information are actually accurate compared to what a human can capture,” said Nevaeh Chavez, a second year Delta student.

“It’s taking away opportunities from those who can do art and could get experience and connections. It’s hypocritical when professors get upset that students are using AI, when professors are doing the same thing to create their lectures and grade assignments,” said Marie Fuentes, a second year Delta student.

Trump presidency brings hope to new lows

BY ELIJAH PROSSER Senior Staff Writer

Somepeople at this point are tired of the things that are going on in this world during President Donald J. Trump’s second term so far, such as high gas prices, higher inflation, and more.

Right now, for some people, it’s hard to think about the future of this economy since in the present time it isn’t looking too good for the people of this country, especially since this is led by an egotistical and narcissistic felon.

Is hope really a possibility at this point?

Some people are starting to not care about certain social issues due to many factors, including a lot of stress, information overload and numbing to the brink of exhaustion.

But with how many negative effects this has, a lot of people still believe that there’s hope that is still alive in some people.

“I feel like it’s always good to have hope in the world, no matter what kind of crisis it is, and to make it better, we just have to learn from our mistakes. I mean, that’s what history class is kinda for, to learn from mistakes and not to make the mistakes again, even though they're still being made,” said Delta student Edith Her.

Right now, it seems to be very hopeless, right now, but it’s important to stay strong in times like this because if nobody has hope, then all the things that we strive for mean nothing.

But I feel like having a little bit of hope can still make a difference in this country, without truly losing sight of certain things that are going on in your life, no matter how bad they are at this moment.

Giving up isn’t really an option, but knowing that you still have a bit of faith could go a long way in this chaos.

Currently, since the Iran war is still going on, it is putting a huge target on America’s back. It feels

like we’re running out of time in America for change under this administration.

As of right now, the war between the U.S. and Iran isn’t over, but on April 26, Trump mentioned that he is under no pressure to reach a deal, but this selfishness affects all of us, including high-stakes brinkmanship, global strain and other things that are costly for America.

Delta student Angeliah Vargas offers an indicator of what would bring more peace to the world.

“I think the world needs more peace for it to be less violence so people can come together and work together as a community to create peace instead of making it more dangerous for people,” said Vargas

As we live every day of our lives, sometimes with regret, fear, or even anger, it’s best to remember that working together is better than staying isolated from one another. We all have to stay strong for this country to become better in the future, not just for us but for the generations after us.

THE ROAD TO COMMENCEMENT

Three graduates reflect on grief, growth and finding their path at Delta

BY ANDREA BALTODANO Editor-in-Chief

When students arrive at Delta College, many come with a plan.

Some come for a degree. Some come for a certificate. Some come because Delta is close to home, affordable or familiar. Others arrive as first-generation students trying to navigate a system no one in their family has walked through before.

But somewhere between the first class and the final semester, plans change. Students lose people they love. They question whether they are good enough. They discover talents they did not know could become careers. They find mentors, programs, classmates and professors who remind them to keep going.

This year’s commencement comes as Delta prepares for a significantly larger graduating class. According to college data, the number of graduates increased by 144 percent, giving this year’s ceremony a larger sense of scale as students prepare to close one chapter and begin another.

For graduating students Alexandria Jackson, Angelica Cabonios and Estefy Picon, Delta became more than a campus. It became the place where they learned to survive uncertainty, trust themselves and imagine futures that did not always look like the ones they had planned.

Jackson, a Psychology major, said her time at Delta has been shaped by opportunities, resources and support from programs such as Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, known as EOPS, and CARE. But her final year changed in October, when she lost her husband under circumstances she said remain the subject of a legal battle.

Six months later, Jackson is still moving through grief that has reshaped not only her daily life, but also the future she once imagined for herself.

“I have no idea what my plan is anymore,” Jackson said. “I used to want to be a drug counselor, but now with my husband’s death, I have no idea.”

For Jackson, graduating while grieving has meant trying to finish school while carrying the weight of a loss that does not fit neatly around deadlines, assignments or commencement dates.

She said her professors responded with understanding, giving her extra time and checking in on her personally. One professor, Heather Bradford, stood out.

“My professors were absolutely great with understanding what I’ve been going through and giving me extra time, as well as personally checking in on me, especially Mrs. Bradford,” Jackson said.

Cabonios, a Culinary Arts major, started at Delta in August 2023. She described her experience simply, but with the kind of certainty that comes from surprise.

“It was everything I never imagined,” Cabonios said.

For her, Delta became the place where a personal passion turned into a professional path. After her first year in the program, Cabonios was offered an internship through the program, an opportunity she said changed her life.

“My biggest accomplishment in my time here is being offered the internship more than once,” Cabonios said. “To be offered an amazing opportunity once is everything, but to have it offered more than once was out of this world.”

Even as doors opened, Cabonios said some of the hardest challenges she faced were internal. She questioned herself, her skills and whether she was good enough to be where she was.

“My challenges were more personal — constantly questioning myself and my skills, if I was good enough to be where I was,” Cabonios said.

What helped her stay was not one person, but a community. Her classmates, head chef, close friends and co-workers in the Artisan Bakery pushed her forward when she felt like giving up.

Now, Cabonios is employed at Ruby’s Bakery in Lodi,

one of her dream bakeries. After graduation, she plans to continue working there while building toward a bigger dream: opening a place of her own someday.

As graduation approaches, Cabonios said she feels both excited and nervous.

“It almost doesn’t feel real,” she said.

and Early

Angelica Cabonios, a Culinary Arts major, works in the Artisan Bakery. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANGELICA CABONIOS

Her advice to future Delta students is to treat college as more than a checklist of classes.

“Go to the hangouts, events, pop-ups, shows, everything. You’re not just here to learn and get your degree — you’re here to grow as a person overall.”

For Picon, Delta became the place where she learned that the “safe” path was not the only path. She started at Delta in fall 2020, right after high school. As a first-generation Latina college student, she said she entered college with limited resources and little access to people who understood what it meant to want more while not knowing how to get there.

At first, Picon said she followed the path others had encouraged her to take. Since she had already taken related courses in high school, counselors suggested she pursue early childhood education and become an elementary school teacher.

But even then, she knew something else was calling her.

“I knew in my heart my passion was somewhere else, in media, but I never thought or believed it could be a career,” Picon said.

As she moved through Early Childhood Education,

Picon said she felt lost. Then she met Celina Navarro, an adjunct counselor at Delta, who introduced her to media classes and encouraged her to try them.

“My life changed forever,” Picon said.

In Delta’s Digital Media space, Picon said she found more than a subject. She found a place where she was welcomed, challenged and encouraged to become the best version of herself.

She went on to earn an associate degree in digital media with a 4.0 GPA, an associate degree in interdisciplinary studies, arts, humanities and social sciences, and Digital Media certificates with emphasis in video and audio. She also received an Outstanding Student Award.

In the 2025-26 school year, she finished both an associate of science and associate of arts in early childhood education.

She applied to transfer for a bachelor’s degree in media and was accepted to every CSU she applied to, including Sacramento State, San Jose State, San Francisco State and Stanislaus State. She was also accepted to UC Santa Cruz.

“My plans after graduation are to choose my university and enjoy my time there, soak in every moment because only I know how this dream is made a reality,” Picon said.

ADVENTIST HEALTH ARENA IN DOWNTOWN

THE CEREMONY WILL CELEBRATE STUDENTS EARNING AA AND AS DEGREES. A LIVESTREAM WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH DELTA’S COMMENCEMENT PAGE. THIS YEAR’S CEREMONY COMES AS DELTA REPORTS A 144 PERCENT INCREASE IN GRADUATES, MARKING ONE OF THE COLLEGE’S LARGEST GRADUATING CLASSES. MORE INFORMATION AT DELTACOLLEGE.EDU/COMMENCEMENT.

REMOVAL OF LGBTQIA+ ARTWORK TAKEN ‘SERIOUSLY’

BY GUADALUPE FARFAN Staff Writer

On April 27, students noticed posters supporting LGBTQIA+ populations around Budd Center had been taken down and one poster in Shima had been ripped off, crumpled, and left on a railing nearby.

The poster depicted various people wearing a variety of bras, binders and having top surgery scars. They are surrounded by florals, smiling and in bubble letters on the top left reading “Protect Queer Lives.”

All that was left on the board was one corner of the poster that read “Protect Que-.”

The posters were part of a grant funded project instructed by local artist Shanna Strauss and organized by L.H. Horton Gallery Coordinator Jan Marlese, Photography Professor Kirstyn Russell, gallery student assistant Schaz Colón, and Pride Center student program specialist Jasmin Arroyo.

In the days since, more posters have been torn down and thrown away. A campus walk on the morning of Friday, May 1 found a LGBTQIA+ affirming poster openly crumpled in a trash can in the Holt Center.

The posters had gone up on April 22 as part of the California Teachers Association (CTA) LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant. The grant provided $1,250 for advocacy of queer student safety, and the funds were matched by the San Joaquin Delta College Teachers Association (SJDCTA) and the San Joaquin Delta College Horton Gallery.

The posters featured a variety of illustrations from 10 student artists of queer and trans people to spread awareness about their struggles. One of the posters taken down in Budd was from Colón, depicting a crowd of queer families waving a Progressive Pride Flag that had writing under the crowd simply stating “Love Wins.”

Other posters showcased other queer struggles. One, “God’s Creation,” was a close up of someone with the burning heart of Jesus praying the rosary on fire with writing that read “Lord, why is their love pure while mine is a sin?”

“I feel like it was very disrespectful, not only to us as an artist and to the people who are part of this event, but also to the LGBT community. We have these posters up to bring awareness. And for them to be taken down kinda solidifies the reason why we’re doing

this,” Colón said.

Three of the original posters taken down were related to LGBTQIA+ issues and one related to farmworkers. And on April 28, two more were removed near Shima according to Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler.

“It hurts to have something so personal to us, something we have put so much work, heart, sweat, and even tears into to be defaced and destroyed by some faceless loser,” said Katie Graham, a student artist who participated in the project. “But on the other hand, I feel vindicated. It’s proof that we are being heard and it’s actively moving in the world. Making the hateful, bigoted and willfully ignorant people uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that they can’t just walk past it and move on to the rest of their day, but they have to tear it down and hide it in the trash.”

When the posters first went up, the organizers were aware of the risk of tampering and vandalism, since they have had previous issues with signs in support of trans students in previous semesters. In Fall 2025, lawn signs in support of trans athlete participation in sports were removed from campus, according to a confirmed tip to the Collegian.

In response to the tip, Collegian filed a public records request on Jan. 29. The request is still being fulfilled by Delta College. Emails received so far indicate anxieties around the removal of signs amid national restrictions on LGBTQIA+ rights.

“So how much trouble am I going to get into if we sent this out to collect the lawn signs?,” reads a Jan. 30 email from then-Director of Facilities and Management Stacy Pinola in response to a draft memo regarding the cleanup of signs posted around campus. The email is one of several related to campus signage and the Fall 2025 removal.

“I think it is really upsetting…I think there’s a vulnerability when you put your artwork out onto the world and we all thought something might happen given the history of signage being thrown away on this campus, but we didn’t expect it to happen so quickly and feel so targeted,” Russell said.

Russell reported this situation to campus police and police are now investigating this issue. Russell made it clear that the students did their best to make sure their posters went through

A sign LGBTQIA+ rights that had been posted in the Holt building sits in a trash can on the morning of May 1. The sign is one of several that have been removed from the Delta College campus in recent weeks. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLEGIAN

the right channels and got approved for an extension for 60 days on display rather than the 30 days usually allowed.

“The College and the Police Department take all such situations seriously, and police are combing through video and looking at other investigative leads,” Breitler said.

Breitler also said that Delta stands with Delta College Board of Trustees resolution from last year that “every individual has the fundamental right to their identity, including gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation as these are essential aspects of a person’s being.”

Delta unveils new plaque at Campesino Forum

BY MOISES GLORIA Staff Writer

On April 30, the Campesino Forum at the Delta College campus was formally rededicated honoring earth, labor and comunidad.

The move comes after a New York Times investigation launched in March found accusations of sexual abuse perpetrated by late labor leader Cesar Chavez, who was quoted in the original plaque for the forum.

“For too long, people of color, women, laborers and other marginalized groups have been ignored in the spaces that shape our understanding of history. We have named buildings on this campus after great men, governors, sheriffs, business locals. These namings say to our communities invoke blatant and subtle ways that these are the only folks whose history matters. But we are a college that welcomes everyone to our campus. And yet, the names on our buildings do not reflect this diverse community,” said Dr. Sarah Seekatz, chairperson of the Cultural Awareness Program and Latinx Heritage Month Committee.

The celebration for the Campesino Forum Plaque started with orations from faculty members associated with Chicanx/ Latine Faculty (CLF). The event started by speakers informing the attendees who the Campes-

inos were and the history of the land the college stood on.

“While many people assume that campesinos are all Latine, our diverse campus, community, and district tells us otherwise,” said Seekatz.

After the attendees were given a brief retelling of the history of campesinos, Art Professor Mario Moreno was recognized by the college and La Raza Club for his work in helping establish the Dreamer’s Success Center, forming the Ethnic Studies department and working to get Indigenous People’s Day celebrated on campus. His retirement was also announced.

“We are on sacred land and we should never forget that. Today punctuates a great day, but the work continues. That plaque is a symbol and I hope you all take a moment to read it. And what it means and what it says. All of these buildings before we named the Campecino Center, were named after people of power, wealth and privilege. And for the very first time, as though they were invisible, we began to see them,” said Moreno.

Digital Media Professor Adriana Brogger led the crowd to the front of Campesino forum from the quad to see a performance by Spanish Professor Ricardo Aguilar Rodriguez’s family. After the performance, the new plaque was revealed with Moreno reading it out loud for the crowd.

Saddleback College names Student Services VP Cordova as president

BY RYCKIE HEREDIA Sports Editor

Dr. Lonita Cordova, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services at Delta College, was named president of Saddleback College on April 21.

Saddleback College has been actively seeking a new president since early January. The South Orange County Community College District revealed four contenders in late March, with the next president set to start on July 1, 2026. This is the second time in three weeks

she’s been publicly named a finalist for a president position. Mt. San Jacinto College, a community college in with locations throughout Riverside County, named Cordova as one of four candidates for its president position. MSJC selected Dr. Tawny Dotson.

Saddleback College noted that it was looking for a new president, and characterized its candidate preference as a visionary and student-focused leader, to further its “Inspire 2035” strategic initiative, according to documentation for the role.

The “Inspire 2035” initiative is a de-

cade-long strategic and facilities framework designed to steer Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College, Advanced Technology & Education Park (ATEP), and district services toward student success, equity, economic mobility, and innovation, and to guide upcoming academic and physical campus advancements.

An email to Cordova for comment was sent on Wednesday, April 22. She has not responded.

Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler said it’s too early in the process for next steps related

to replacing Cordova, but noted what those steps could be.

“My understanding is that although the selection has been made, it still requires formal Board approval at Saddleback. Should Dr. Cordova be approved, Delta College would then move forward with an in internal search for an interim VPSS and a full search for a permanent VPSS,” said Breitler. “The bottom line is it’s a bit early to get very specific about the particulars, but we’re prepared to move forward at the appropriate time.”

Waterparks single ‘PROWLER’ touches on stan culture

BY DANI CARMACK Staff Writer

Houston-based

pop rock band Waterparks, has released “PROWLER,” the fourth single from its upcoming sixth album on April 17. The full album, “JINX,” is set to be released on July 24.

Lead vocalist and frontman Awsten Knight has openly talked about his mental health, including being in a band that quickly grew its fanbase online, and being in the music industry in general has affected his mental health.

“I wrote ‘PROWLER’ at a time I felt the most isolated last year. I really hate change, and for the first time since anyone knew who Waterparks was, we separated from (almost) all of our old team and our record label,” said Knight in an interview with Alternative Press. “It felt like losing almost everyone I knew, even tangential friends, while also feeling like career-wise the floor was falling out from under me,” said Knight.

Looking deeper in the lyrics behind “PROWLER,” the lyrics reflect Knight’s story of isolation, sudden change and pressure to keep pushing forward as an artist like nothing happened.

The first verse of the song starts with the lyrics: “I lost every father figure that I had in LA this year/I tried to rewind, but life is unkind to the sincere, so f*ck it up/ Like I’m Princess Diana, they don’t understand you.”

The first line directly touches on Waterparks’ separation from its old team and record label. The last line in this stanza mentions Diana, Princess of Wales who died in 1997 in a car crash while her driver was fleeing paparazzi. This line is Knight expressing the stress he’s put under as an artist under the public eye, and him talking about not feeling like he’ll be understood and not treated as a normal person because he’s in the public eye.

The pre-chorus follows with the lyrics “I’m not the one, one to follow/They left me hollow,” which ties into the first two lines of the chorus, “I’m a singer, not a savior/Better learn that now than later.”

These lines directly tie into each other and raise awareness on how Knight wants to be seen. He doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal, he wants to be seen as a regular person with a job just like everyone else.

The following lines in the chorus “Have you read the paper?/Caught the headline/Saw they played you,” reference an integral part in the band’s fictional storyline as well as real life experiences.

Last November through this March, Waterparks embarked on “The Prowler Tour” across North America and Europe. Throughout the tour, fans were given the chance to buy a fictional newspaper titled “The Parx Times” which was also posted on the band’s social media that references inside jokes within the Waterparks fandom.

An obituary for Knight’s character “SOULSUCKER” from the lore behind the previous album “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY” was published in the Houston Chronicle in 2024 following the cancellation of the album “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 2: LOST IN THE PROPERTY,” which this also references. These lines also reference the very real reality of stress put on artists while interacting with the press in some cases.

Going onto the second verse, the lines in this verse include: “People say that pressure makes a diamond/But at this rate I’ll be crushed before I’m shining/I navigate this sh*t with both my eyes closed/Lost my team, my friends, it’s way too much to handle.” This ties the song directly back to Knight’s isolation following Waterparks separating from the band’s former record label and team.

The diamond metaphor is usually told to uplift those experiencing stress, with the implication that the band will come out of their situation stronger after being under pressure.

Towards the end of the second repetition of the chorus, we hear a deep disembodied voice that says “Bro, get in the f*cking Prowler,” that follows into the

bridge with the lines “Everyone’s gonna love you/Just go out there and do what you do/We’re gonna take care of everything/Don’t even worry about it/Trust in the universe/You will be loved, loved/Just trust me.”

This once again reinforces the themes of pressure and immense stress with an interesting technique that’s seen throughout Waterparks discography, another voice usually addressing Knight in the second person. This voice is telling Knight to not put so much pressure on himself.

Finally the chorus repeats itself again, reminding the listener that Knight is “a singer, not a savior.”

‘PROWLER’ is an emotional rollercoaster showcasing anger, panic, despair, and offers a commentary on stan culture and what it’s like to be a musician in the public eye through an energetic sound and catastrophically beautiful lyrics.

Fans split over new ‘Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender’ movie

BY LEVI GOERZEN Editor-in-Chief

Thenew “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” film was leaked multiple times in early April. An initial short clip posted to Twitter on April 11 drew 30 million views, while thousands are estimated to have watched the entire film that was posted to Twitter on April 12.

Paramount launched an investigation into the leak according to Variety, determining that the leak did not come from within their studio.

According to an April 24, report from Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times, the hacker has now been arrested by authorities in Singapore, where they seized electronic devices that had a copy of the movie on them.

The animated movie, set to release Oct. 9 on Paramount+, is the second film in the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” franchise, alongside a live action Netflix

show adaptation and two animated series. The movie cast big names such as former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista, Oscar winning actor Ke Huy Quan and walk of fame star Dr. Ken Jeong.

The movie was initially planned for a theatrical release, however in December of 2025 Nickelodeon announced that they would be pulling the theatrical release in favor of releasing the movie on Paramount+.

“We worked on the Aang movie for years with the expectation that’d we’d get to celebrate all of our hard work in theaters,” said animator Julia Schoel in an April 14 twitter post. “Just to see people unceremoniously leak the film and pass our shots around on Twitter like candy.”

Many members of the fandom are less upset about the leak and more upset about the lack of a theatrical release. A Change.org petition currently has more than 93,000 signatures to put the movie back into theaters.

Among the fans requesting a theatrical release for

the film are 2005 show voice actresses Olivia Hack, who voiced Ty Lee, and Michaela Jill Murphy, who voiced Toph Beifong.

According to Collider, Hack admitted to “skimming” the film during a Supanova Melbourne.

“I’ve skimmed it. The art looks beautiful. Here’s my thing. If it was going to be the actual release, right, it’d be like, ‘don’t watch it, because it takes away from the box office.’ Paramount has my nickel. I already subscribed,” said Hack. “So I skimmed it, and the art looks gorgeous. And I haven’t watched it yet. Release it in theaters. That’s what I’m saying. And when you do watch it, you can see. I mean, it’s really spectacular. The artwork is gorgeous, and so, yeah.”

Both actresses stated that they would not be indulging themselves in the film until it releases in October. Murphy took to TikTok on April 14, saying “If you wanna be respectful and if you want to know how I feel, stop sharing it, stop consuming it, stop talking about it, and watch it when it comes out.”

HUNTER ENDING SOFTBALL SEASON STRONG

BY ELIJAH PROSSER Senior Staff Writer

Women’s utility softball player Daniella Hunter is having herself a incredible last season with the Mustangs. The team is currently sitting at a win/loss record at 28-13 with a spot in the regionals.

Hunter is currently averaging 8 home runs, 23 runs, 36 runs batted in, 44 hits, 115 at bats and a batting average of .383.

Hunter has played in all of 38 games and it provides the Mustangs a valuable asset and momentum moving forward in the big important games.

Hunter gave a brief explanation on her mindset in each game the Mustangs are playing.

“My mindset I would say just me personally to play the best I can play anyway I can help my team to win is what I want to do absolutely I want to win so anything I can do to help my team win and as a team I would just say battle,” said Hunter.

As for the mindset heading towards regionals, Hunter said they had to keep working bit by bit.

“We know how to play, we made it this far for a reason so absolutely just keep doing what we’re doing, keep working as a team and just take it one day at a time,” she said.

As a team the Mustangs produced 226 runs, 17 home runs, 124 strike outs, .434 slugging percentage, .319 batting average and .408 on base percentage.

Hunter hopes to be remembered as a leader after her time at Delta is done.

“I want to make an impact on the younger players and besides softball I want to be known as a good hearted person,” she said.

Hunter’s teammate Elisha Galli described how she is both on and off the softball field.

“Dani is a sweet and caring soul. She’s so outgoing and cares about all of her friends. I think I value most about all of her friends. I think I value most about how protective she is as a person. How much she protects herself, her team, and, mostly, her close friends. This year, I gained not only a great teammate who can smack but a lifelong friend, which I will cherish,” said Galli.

Mustangs start winning streak against American River

BY AZRIEL DRUMHELLER Staff Writer

Delta’s baseball team has been playing hard this May, winning six of its eight games before facing American River College on April 22. This game was close as Delta won 5-4, after a defensive early game, the score was 2-2 before the eighth inning.

The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, getting postponed to the next day. “Yeah, the rain postponed the game, but I don’t think it will affect us today,” said Coach Harmen Sidhu prior to the start of the rescheduled game.

Delta broke through the stalemate in the eighth inning, with Beau Blake hitting a double and Benji O’Rourke walking.

A wild pitch let Blake and O’Rourke advance to third and second, and with Trent Keys getting a single Blake ran home and scored. Next, Tyler Antwine doubled, and O’Rourke scored.

American River College put Jose Vega to pitch, but the momentum carried forward as Tyson Reis walked and Aiden Hall hit a sacrifice fly down center field, letting Trent Keys score the third run of the inning. In the ninth inning American River only scored one run, ending the game with Delta College winning 5-4. Delta went on to sweep American River 3-0 for the season.

Mustangs beat American River for the third time

BY RYCKIE HEREDIA Senior Staff Writer

On April 24, San Joaquin Delta College defeated American River 6-4 in the third game of the week. The Mustangs won 5-4 at home on April 22, then played on American River’s turf on April 23, winning 9-6, finally returning to our home turf to defeat them for the third time.

Both American River and the Mustangs struggled to get the game going in the opening two innings. The Mustangs got two on base in the bottom of the third inning, and utility player No. 3, Trent Keys, comes up to bat, hitting a three-run homer, also known as a three-run shot, which allowed Delta to score three runs in total. The Mustangs then scored on a triple to end the third inning 4-0.

Keys said after the game that he could read some of the plays from the other team, and how it helped his team during the game.

“They kind of stick to their same plan, and I felt like that really helped us during the game,” he said.

But his mindset was what really set the mood of the game for him

“It’s a really special thing that we have here. You know, we always pick each other up no matter what. So honestly, really nothing was going through my mind because I just have so much confidence in our boys,” said Keys. “I mean, that’s what we do. We practice, we practice, we practice, until we’re perfect at everything, cause that’s the expectation here at Delta.”

Mustangs maintained their defense in the fourth inning, while coming up to bat for infield No. 34, Maximiliano Garcia, hit an RBI, most frequently known as Runs Batted In, bringing in utility player No. 11, Beau Blake, and ending the inning with a

5-0 score.

With no runs from either side in the fifth or sixth innings, the Mustangs led 6-0 after scoring once in the seventh.

Delta struggled with defense and pitching in the top of the eighth inning. After American River hit a double, the Mustangs changed pitchers from No. 35 Vance Haskins to No. 36 Jack Karst. American River scores one run to finish the eighth inning 6-1.

With nothing occurring in the ninth inning, top of the tenth due to some hits on their pitch, the Mustangs changed their pitch again from No. 36 Jack Karst to No. 20 Jason Olvera.

Finally, the Mustangs are able to conclude the game when American River scores three runs in the last inning, putting the score at 6-4.

After the game, Associate Head Coach Anthony D’albora emphasized the team’s coordination.

“I think that what we saw, not even just with them, but with everyone we played this year, we know that when we are clean in the things that we can control, when we throw strikes and we play defence, we’re gonna be in a good position,” said D’albora. “So I think we knew coming in, if we didn’t make mistakes, we were gonna be in a good position to win, and, obviously, we did a pretty good job of that early today especially, and took a lead because of it.”

D’albora spoke ahead of the team headed for the RD1 Regionals.

“Next week, going into the playoffs, we know that it’s only gonna get harder. So seeing them handle that pressure this week is important for us to know that we can do the same thing moving forward,” said D’albora.