GRADUATION
EDITION
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Let your voice shine
Woodland Hills, California
Volume 130 - Issue 14
Wednesday, April 29, 2019
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Dominic LeFort has been named spring 2019 Commencement Speaker JESSE BERTEL Reporter @JesseBertel
D
ominic LeFort didn’t have a role model when he needed one the most. Now, he does – it’s himself. LeFort, the Associated Student Organization (ASO) vice president, hopes use his commencement speech at graduation to share some of his story about how he overcame barriers that he faced many years ago. “I really struggled with a lot of bullying and harassment because of my LGBTQ status,” LeFort said. “As I got older someone told me that I should be the person I needed when I was growing up, which is sort of what led me down the path of starting a nonprofit that brings education to schools so that they can better support their LGBTQ students.” Dominic LeFort is 27 years old and describes himself as a nontraditional student. According to LeFort, his speech draws from overcoming challenges in his personal journey. “The theme for the speech is the power of perseverance, and I dealt with a lot of educational obstacles when I was in middle and high school,” LeFort said. “I want people to know that if ever there are points in your life where you don't have enough perseverance and maybe you're just letting obstacles stand in your way more than they should, it doesn't have to stay that way and you can take life back into your own hands.”
Dean of Student Engagement Juan Carlos Astorga explained that LeFort was chosen by the Selection Committee because his speech struck a chord. “Each year we have a different theme and each, each year we've selected an individual that can really resonate to the theme,” Astorga said. “Dominic is an amazing individual. He's very passionate and he has some really wonderful ideas.” In addition to being Vice President of ASO, he has also taken on the challenge of connecting the Pierce college community with the larger community outside the college through social media like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as chair of the ASO publicity committee. Astorga and the faculty have taken notice of his social media success. “Our imprint on social media has grown by leaps and bounds because of the expertise that Dominic brought to the position,” Astorga said. LeFort explained that he brought his work experience to the college. “I had taken some of what I've learned with my nonprofit work and was able to use the social media here on campus to see how I could impact students here,” LeFort said. We started with 200 students on the Aso Instagram page and now we're approaching 2000.” LeFort is in the process of transferring to a UC, possibly UC Riverside, where he will continue to pursue his passion. “I'm going to be pursuing a degree in gender and sexuality studies. I started a nonprofit
Astorga explained that budget constraints in recent years led the college to shift from contracted speakers to student speakers and the change has had a positive effect on student morale. “We had a little bit more money and in previous years they might've brought in a contracted speaker to come in and do a speech,” Astorga said. “Then we realized that we were having these flybys, people who showed up did their speech and left, but they really didn't have the personal connection to what Pierce meant to them, which is what we realized that our commencement student speakers do.” According to Astorga, LeFort was selected because his speech conveys a personal and relatable message. “Although Dominic is sharing his story and his message, the students that are graduating and participating in commencement can see their own story reflected back and what that means them so Chris Torres / Roundup that they can see how far they've Dominic LeFort, the ASO vice president, stands looking over Rocky Young Park at Pierce College come as well,” Astorga said. in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 28, 2019. He will be giving the 2019 commencement speech for Astorga wants students to graduation on June 4, 2019. take away from the speech a sense of the transformational about two years ago that brings really identified new priorities.” won't.’ So when I found out that power of education. LGBTQ education to middle Social and Cultural Committee they did, I was like, ‘I knew “I really am hoping he and high schools,” LeFort said. Chair Nicole Alfaro explained it.’ That speech was amazing.” conveys at the commencement According to LeFort, working that she never had any doubt that According to ASO Senator that whatever experiences and with an LGBTQ nonprofit LeFort would be chosen as the Jenni Severin, LeFort is the perfect roles have brought us to Pierce, organization gave him the student speaker at graduation. student speaker for the event. what we've collectively gained confidence to enroll at Pierce. “His speech, I heard it, I read “He's like the voice for Pierce from it is a sense of self that's “I probably would not have it and it was honestly amazing,” College kind of because he connected to believing that we gotten back into school if I Alfaro said. “It like gave me organizes everything,” Severin are more than what we will be, didn't find a reason that I was so chills and as soon as I heard said. “He's on social media, makes and that we can be better as a passionate about to push me to him practicing it, I was like, sure everybody knows about what's community, as a campus setting, enroll,” LeFort said. “Now that ‘they're going to choose you. I going on and he puts other people's but also as contributors to society.” I've gotten back into school I've know there's no way that they interest in front of his own.” jbertel.roundupnews@gmail.com
Do the Bio Blitz Mahalo, Buckley Life Science Department gave tours of the wildlife at Pierce BELEN HERNANDEZ Campus Life Editor @RoundupNews
Nature can be breathtaking, yet most of the time it goes unnoticed. The first Biological Diversity event (Bio Blitz) was hosted by the Life Science Department on May 22. The goal for this event was to make students aware of nature and the wildlife that inhabit Pierce College. Life Science Professor Brandon Jones said that it's important to admire the wildlife that is at Pierce. “What we're trying to do is to get people to understand there's a lot of life here, and there's a lot of different kinds of life and to kind of appreciate it,” Jones said. The all-day event had faculty taking students on a tour of different locations around campus. Jones said that it is this event
shows the importance of taking the time to live in the moment. “A lot of times we get stuck in kind of a rut and we see, things in front of us, but not necessarily the things around us” Jones said. “We see trees, we see people, we see cars, we see concrete. But when you look a little closer you can see the variety. The idea is to find the diversity that we can actually see here on campus”. Students met with faculty and staff at Building 600 where they had displays of the different types of birds, insects, plants and other animals that are in campus. They also showed pond water from the botanical garden and used a microscope to take a closer look. Life Science Chair Shannon DeVaney said that the this also educated students on the different types of creatures. “We hope to get everybody on the campus involved and
we'd like to keep doing this in future years” DeVaney said. Assistant Professor of Anatomy Teak Lee said this is event is crucial because it’s informative. “This event is important because it gives the campus in general an idea of biology, it exposes the students to the different diversity that's found on campus in terms of plants, animals, insects and just different organisms that exist,” Lee said. Lee said the the tours give students a guide of what to look for if they where to go to a specific area by themselves. “To kind of give the individuals that are participating in this event a specific guided toward these, these walks give them insights into specific parts of the campus,” Lee said. bhernandez.roundupnews@gmail.com
Chelsea Westman / Roundup Brandon Notosubagyo uses binoculars to birdwatch at the Arboretum during the first BioBlitz at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 22, 2019.
NATALIE MIRANDA Editor-In- Chief @RoundupNews
I nter im President Lar r y Buck ley joined Pierce College Aug. 6, 2018, and since then many facult y and ad minist ration said he has embodied the essence of “Aloha Spir it ” th rough his by cultivating a deep sense war mth and affection within the campus com mu nit y as he gover ned. Ju ne 30, 2019, will be the end of his duties as acting inter im. Buck ley said mak ing new con nections and lear ning in a new environ ment shaped the best moments du r ing his jou r ney at Pierce. “I've had over 30 years of exper ience – in many places, a couple of different st ates. A nd you thin k you've seen it all and k now ever ybody,” Buck ley said. “It's g reat when you come across something tot ally new and different and people su r pr ise you and inspire you. I had a lot of that.” Executive Assist ant to the President Malina Koani said their mut ual fond ness for their Hawaiian cult u re fostered a sense of familiar it y bet ween them. “Because we are f rom – and have st rong ties to – the same place, work ing with Dr. Buck ley has been li ke work ing with someone I al ready k new — someone I was comfor t able with
File Photo by Katya Castillo/ Roundup
f rom day one,” Koani said. She said many of her favor ite memor ies with Buck ley revolve arou nd the or igin of their roots. “My favor ite moments all have to do with ou r con nection to Hawai’i — places, people, food music,” Koani said. “Lit tle k now n fact, he li kes to blast Island / Hawaiian music in his off ice, and he’s always testing my k nowledge to see if I can recog nize a voice or song. I don’t thin k he’s st u mped me yet — at least not on that topic.” Koani said Buck ley led with an open ear.
“He’s ver y approachable and willing to listen and collaborate,” Koani said. “Du r ing his entire time at Pierce, he’s never t u r ned dow n a request for a meeting with anyone whether they be facult y, st aff, or st udent.” On May 20, 2018 the Academic Senate honored Buck ley with a special resolution, which according to Academic Senate President and Professor of Sociolog y A n na Br u zzese, was the f irst time, to her memor y, that it has been done. [see JUMP on pg. 3]