A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION Woodland Hills, California Volume 137 - Issue 6
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Wednesday, October 26, 2022
School celebrates 75 years of service
Festivities included the grand opening of new auto building
BY FABIOLA CARRIZOSA
Bull Magazine Editor-in-Chief
I
n 1947, Clarence W. Pierce School of Agriculture opened its doors to the first group of male agriculture students. Fast forward to 2022—75 years later. Now known as Los Angeles Pierce College, the Hispanic-serving institution offers 145 disciplines and 85 academic degree programs, and it is looking to the future with an expansion of a new building for the Automotive Service Technology (AST) majors. Pierce celebrated its 75th year of serving the community on Thursday with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Advanced Automotive Technology building and with a car show. The anniversary celebration began with speeches in the new building. President of the Academic Senate Barbara Anderson introduced the speakers, including Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District Francisco Rodriguez. Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Pierce College alum, gave one of the opening speeches where he talked about how Pierce College has helped people to work their way into the middle class. “Pierce College is one of the jewels of my assembly district,” Gabriel said. “It is one of the jewels of the San Fernando Valley. It is creating so much economic opportunity.”
Photo by Daniela Raymundo
LACCD Board of Trustees member Andra Hoffman plays with the ribbon while Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel claps at the 75th anniversary ceremony at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 20, 2022.
Surrounded by politicians and Pierce administration, Chancellor Rodriguez cut the red ribbon in front of the archway leading into the new autotech laboratories. The car show featured rows of cars from different eras, countries
and styles, from the past to the present, from muscle cars to a VW bus. Guests at the event included local car dealerships and former Pierce faculty. AST students mingled and
explored the new facilities, and they will begin to take classes in the new building starting next semester. “This is a huge upgrade compared to the classrooms that we have now,” said AST major Rafael Velezmoro. “Seeing this building really makes
you want to start taking classes here.” This new automotive expansion facility will enable the professors and students to have a dedicated space for electronic systems training and advanced diagnostics.
Professor of Automotive Technology Alex Villalta said that while it is fine for students to want to work on hot rods and classic cars, technology is transitioning quickly. Even the professors will have to expand their training. "Our main goal is to prepare the students to work in the industry with what is relevant,” Villalta said. “What is going to make them money is working on Teslas, Rivians, Honda Claritys or any other electric car.” Starting next semester, the new and the old building will be used in tandem. Tom Rosdahl, an adjunct professor in Automotive, said that one of the benefits of the new building is its extra parking area. Rosdal said that with the original building, cars had to be moved in and out to accommodate different classes. “One of the problems the auto building has had in recent times is where do you park all the cars,” Rosdahl said. “These labs are set up similarly to what factory training centers do. With the labs like this, the cars are already in the lab set up for the training for that particular class.” A second new Automotive Technology building is set to break ground in 2024. Once that one is completed, the original 1967 building will be demolished.
fcarrizosa.roundupnews@gmail.com
Preview: "Clue" to premiere this weekend Play based on board game and film; tickets can be purchased online BY BENJAMIN HANSON Managing Editor
W
as it Colonel Mustard in the library with a candlestick? Or was it Mrs. White in the lounge with a knife? Get a clue and find out who killed who when “Clue” opens at the Pierce College Theatre on Oct. 28. The murder mystery, based on the board game and 1985 film, is set in a mansion where six guests are invited under suspicious circumstances. "Bodies start popping up and everything,” said theater professor Shaheen Vaaz, who is directing the show. “Everyone suspects everyone of the murders." Vaaz said the biggest challenge of getting this play together was the enormous amount of detail. "Props being moved from one place to the other, the bloody knife, the unbloody knife, what's in the purse, what's not in the purse, all of that has been kind of excruciating to work on," Vaaz said. She added that the play has a lot of silly physical humor. "Clue" features eight actors who never leave the stage during the
entire production. Vaaz said the audience can expect the actors to fully embody their characters. "The actors love this material," Vaaz said. "They really grooved on the writing of it. They find it funny." Costume designer Sarah Birke created bright costumes to match each actor's intensity. With colors based on the character's pseudonyms, the audience will be able to easily tell who is who. "Everyone's screaming, everyone's running around," Birke said. "So I wanted the costumes to be big and bright to match that kind of crazy energy." Birke landed the job at the end of the Spring 2022 semester. Birke dedicated her time out of Pierce planning for the show. "I started designing at the end of the last semester," Birke said. "Once I heard that I got the job, I pretty much just spent the entire summer sketching and doing random things." Actress Laura Lyles was inspired by a famous Disney villain in portraying her character, Mrs. White. "[Mrs. White is] obsessed with death and she's very dark," Lyles said. "I envisioned how Cruella De Ville kind of talks, so that's how I got it."
"I definitely think that people will love this play. Because it's funny. It's outrageous in a very cool, comedic way and you have a lot to explore." Actor Itzhak Matos landed the role of Wadsworth, the butler who keeps the plot moving. "It's been a challenge to play all these different colors," Matos said. "First he's a very calm, well spoken, confident character and as the play progresses, you see his other colors come out in sort of extreme circumstances." Matos said each character has something special. "Each character is so unique, and each one of [the actors] is given a great challenge to put on these wacky characters," Matos said. "They all have their little quirks and the way they move and the way they talk." Matos said one of the deeper meanings behind 'Clue' is a light-hearted look at the fear of McCarthyism and communism. "Although that's a serious topic, we play off with that in a very comedic way," Matos said. "Constantly questioning each other and suspicious movements and interactions and banter between characters. I think it's the idea of blaming the other person or being
Photo by David Pashaee
Theater students perform during a dress rehearsal of “Clue” on the Performing Arts Mainstage at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 20, 2022.
suspicious of another person because you don't fully understand why they are the way that they are." "It's a wild ride," Vaaz said. "It's crazy and madcap and very silly. I think it's very appropriate for
Pierce and CSUN bands perform together [see LA Life on pg. 6]
Halloween." “Clue” runs from Friday, Oct. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 30. The shows on Friday and Saturday are at 8 p.m., while on Sunday it begins at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at
https://cluelapctheatre.bpt.me. Note: David Pashaee contributed to the story. bhanson.roundupnews@gmail.com
Opinions...................................2 News/Sports.............................3 Photo Essay.......................4 & 5 LA Life......................................6