Quaker Campus Volume 24, Issue 12

QUAKER CAMPUS

Seniors Lose Their Seniority in the Real World

Paige Meyer-Draffen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One thing on everyone’s mind is the seemingly endless amount of ghost job listings, fruitless application processes, and the looming cloud of AI pushing entry-level employees into obsolescence.

As a result, the Quaker Campus polled 20 graduating seniors to find out what the road ahead will look like for them and if Whittier College put any gas in the tank.

A quarterly Gallup survey indicates that only 30 percent of workers believe now is a good time to find a job. According to the Los Angeles Times , United States adults overall found that college graduates’ optimism about the job market is the lowest it’s been since 2013.

But more data suggests that 16 percent of recent college graduates (within the last 10 years) with Bachelor’s degrees found employment within six months of graduation and 13 percent found work in two months or less. 42 percent of Bachelor’s degree respondents had a job waiting for them when they graduated.

The global climate is seeing international conflict, skyrocketing gas prices, and general civil unrest under a turbulent presidential administration. Young people are being overwhelmed with constant information about the state of the world while entering a transitional period into adulthood.

With the Whittier Works program being implemented as of this academic year, more experiential learning is being integrated into the College’s undergraduate programs. This can look like internships, fellowships, and off-campus partnerships. But with their last year quickly coming to an end, how is the Class of 2026 looking into their ninth semester?

Just as Gallup polling suggested about the national climate

surrounding the job market, many respondents indicated uncertainty as they transition out of undergraduate.

Students largely feel uncertain about the job market immediately after graduation, with 40 percent of respondents rating it a three out of five, with one being “Not at all confident” and five being “Confident.”

Confidence ranges from a female fourth-year enrolled since 2022 replying, “Everything is hectic right now, but I at least can still land a job in my field.”

Multiple students, all who enrolled in 2022, also responded saying they feel “scared and confused,” that the market is “abysmal,” adding that, “The current job market is terrible.

It is difficult to actually get a job, even with a degree. Jobs want those with three plus years of experience. Nowadays, to make it with a career is connections, networking from those you know.”

The oldest employment trick in the book is to know someone

“Sort Of.”

A female student who enrolled in 2022 responded, “The community at Whittier is unbeatable. You're not going to like everyone, but the relationship you build with faculty and staff is so curated and special. Additionally, the peers you actually become friends with and build a community with are some of the best I've ever had in my life.”

During this personal development as these students built their relationships, students were also developing a sense of direction for their lives. 16 respondents felt they knew what their callings, passions, and goals were after their time here at the College.

One female student who transferred here last year responded, “[The] only thing is you have to be the one to reach out and make the effort to make the connections and network and learn as much as you possibly can with the resources available! Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

“The community at Whittier is unbeatable. You are not going to like everyone, but the relationship you build with faculty and staff is so curated and special."

who knows someone. Networking on campus was largely recognized in societies, the Career Center, and faculty.

On the survery, 50 percent of respondentsagree or strongly agree that there were ample networking opportunities on campus, with 75 percent of respondents finding these opportunities in the Career Center, 65 percent with Faculty, and 40 percent within societies.

Outside of professional networking, respondents were asked if they felt they built a community, relationships, or a connection that will last after graduation, to which 80 percent said yes and 20 percent replied

Another respondent, a male student who enrolled in 2022, said, “I mostly know what I want now, but I have multiple paths that I'm interested in trying out and that I want to get experience with before I decide on the rest of my life. Whittier College helped me narrow it down, though.”

When asked if Whittier College helped these students make a plan after graduation, six replied "no" or "not really." Two female students who enrolled in 2022 and 2023 specifically credited their academic advisors with guidance about what to do right after graduation.

THE QUAKER CAMPUS STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paige Meyer-Draffen

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Most respondents reported having already built either some of a plan or a concrete plan for postgrad. 10 respondents responded “Yes,” nine responded “Sort of,” and only one said “No.”

Five respondents have secured some combination of a job, a fellowship, graduate schooling, and/ or an internship as of April 4. One respondent was still applying, and six respondents did not have any of the previous occupations set up. The remaining eight respondents have enrolled in either an internship or a graduate program.

Even though a majority of respondents have concrete plans or occupations lined up after graduation, the overarching fear of the job market as they continue to approach their careers remains at the forefront of these respondents’ minds.

Seven respondents indicated the College’s professional development programming, like hiring and graduate school fairs, left much to be desired when asked what they felt like they missed out on compared to other schools. Several other respondents mentioned missing out on parties and a more substantial social life.

70 percent of the respondents to the Quaker Campus survey spent all four years at the College. These Poets saw football and Men’s Lacrosse get cut and watched the administration of the College change multiple times.

In May of 2023, the President and Vice President of the college, Linda Oubré and Deanna MerinoContino, simultaneously stepped down. Many of these graduating students are no stranger to bureaucratic instability, and if nothing else, these Poets learned to be resilient during their time here.

Overall, it seems that students are uncertain about the everhostile job market rather than dissatisfied with their experience at the College. As transferable skills become paramount to employment, Liberal Arts colleges like ours are seeing it becoming increasingly important in curriculums rather than the traditional academically focused liberal arts track.

Perhaps now more than ever seniors are looking back at their undergraduate experience with employment-tinted glasses instead of the academic thinking caps they handed us at orientation.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Submissions may be emailed to qc@poets.whitttier.edu in .doc or .docx format. Submissions must include the author’s name and year of graduation or position at the college in the signature. Letters are due by Monday at 5 p.m. to make it into that week’s issue. Submissions should be no more than 500 words. Submissions will undergo the same editing process from our production pipeline if selected. All stories must follow the same journalistic standards.

Due to the high cost of publication, members of the Whittier College community are permitted three copies per issue. Additional copies may be purchased with prior apporval for 50 cents each by contacting the Quaker Campus. Newspaper theft is a crime, and those who violate the three copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution.

The Quaker Campus does not change material posted on online articles once they have been published in the paper — with the exception of an error being found. Only then will a correction be made to the online version. The Quaker Campus is a publication of Whittier College. Columns and Signed editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Whittier College or its affiliates.

The Next Steps for Luis Sandoval

Ethan Ramillano STAFF WRITER

For Psychology major Luis Sandoval, he remembers his first year at Whittier College being a race to leave campus as fast as possible.

As a commuter student, it was rather easy for him to head home after classes, particularly to take advantage of his new found freedom. But over time, he instead found himself wanting to get more involved in campus life, eager to meet more people and make new friends.

Four years later, Sandoval makes sure to keep himself busy on campus with a variety of clubs, particularly with Quaker Campus

“I have always been interested in doing media,” Sandoval explains, “I was even debating between either doing a Psych major here or going to Cal State LA for journalism […] but over here [on campus], I wanted to try Quaker Campus out to see if I still had it.”

While he does not fully recall what his first piece was about, he will never forget the excitement he felt when he saw the story printed, stunned to see his work published for everyone to see. This motivation moved Sandoval to continue growing his writing skills with various pieces over the years.

This all culminated when he had the opportunity to interview James Becerra, the then-mayoral

candidate in Whittier’s recent elections.

“Meeting someone that is very well known in the city, and actually sitting down and getting to talk to him […] then being able to write a piece on him, that really stood out to me.”

Sandoval's journey to keep venturing outside of his comfort zone has also taken him beyond the campus itself. In May 2025,

he traveled to London and Edinburgh for a two-week study abroad course under Professor Melanie Householder.

Besides the sightseeing, he particularly recalls the process of learning how to live on his own in a different country, which he

notes is a different experience to living independently back home.

As for the future, Sandoval says that he’s still figuring things

out, an all too familiar sentiment. He is currently awaiting responses from various graduate schools in Communications and Journalism, though he admits that there is still much uncertainty as he weighs his options.

“I am still anxious of thinking that ‘I don’t have a plan’, and then also […] I still don’t have a job yet …” But despite it all Sandoval is determined to “lock in,” and he’s confident in finding the path that best suits him.

Looking back at these transformative years at the College, Sandoval is proud of the skills he is developed, especially writing, but what he values the most is the small community he that he has built of friends, professors, and other people he has gotten to know.

He hopes these friendships last for as long as they can following graduation. “That’s one of the benefits of going to such a small school. You’re getting an experience that almost really is like a little family, with everybody knowing each other.”

If Sandoval could travel back to his freshman year, he says for certain that he would make sure to get himself involved with campus on day one, rather than waiting around for as long as he did.

And yet with the time he has spent exploring what the College has to offer, Sandoval has truly made every moment count.

Hindsight is 20/20: Ethan Ramillano

Luis Sandoval STAFF WRITER

With graduation just weeks away, Ethan Ramillano is feeling conflicted about moving on from college.

“I’m kind of at a crossroads,” Ramillano shared, describing the uncertainty that comes with finishing his time at Whittier College.

As a fourth-year History and Political Science major, he is weighing his next steps, including the possibility of pursuing Law School after recently taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). But as he looks ahead, he cannot help but look back.

For much of his first two years, Ramillano’s college experience was limited. As a commuter student, he treated campus as a place to attend classes and leave. “Go to class […] maybe see some friends […] then head out as fast as possible.”

In hindsight, secluding himself was something he wishes he could undo. “It was definitely very detrimental to my college experience,” Ramillano admitted. “That [being involved on campus] is what I really regret not doing sooner.”

By the end of his third year, that mindset shifted. He started staying on campus after his classes, getting involved and trying new things. One of those steps was joining the Quaker Campus, something he had considered but never committed to. “I was like, might as well […] I will just try and see how it goes.”

Through his work with the paper, Ramillano found a new outlet for his

interest in writing.

One of the pieces he is most proud of reported on Governor Gavin Newsom’s public response to President Donald Trump, which required extensive research and covered complex socio-political dynamics between the two politicians.

He also highlighted a later piece on late-night host Jimmy Kimmel as a project that challenged him and pushed the boundaries of his reporting skills.

Outside of journalism, Ramillano is involved in choir, which to him stands out as one of his most meaningful experiences at the College.

He remembers a collaboration with choirs from the Claremont Colleges, where a full day of rehearsals led into a final performance.

“It was really nice to hang out with other choir members […] and meet students from other schools,” he reflected. “It was really fun and very

rewarding.”

Even with those experiences, Ramillano wishes he had taken advantage of opportunities earlier in his limited time as a college student.

As a commuter and one of three siblings, adjusting to independence was not easy.

“I was kind of alone for the first time in my life,” he added. “Maybe that contributed to me isolating myself.”

Over time, he began to develop skills that will carry beyond college, including building relationships and learning how to navigate new environments on his own.

“Learning how to be independent […] learning how to network and build relationships […] those are things I’m still working on,” he said.

Now, as graduation approaches, Ramillano finds that those lessons matter just as much as anything he learned in the classroom.

“If I could rewind back to freshman year,” he said, “it would be to get involved.” Still, his experience is not defined by regret.

From presentations in his major to conversations with classmates and professors, there are moments that made the work worth it.

As he prepares to walk across the graduation stage, Ramillano leaves with a clearer understanding of what he values and what he will do differently moving forward. For him, that reflection is part of the process.And even if some lessons came late, they are ones he plans to carry with him.

World Recap

On Tuesday, April 21, the United Kingdom’s parliament passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that makes it illegal for anyone born after Dec. 31, 2008 to purchase any tobacco products. The products include cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) and/or nicotine pouches, plus more.

This bill was highly supported by health advocacy groups that want to prevent death, disability and poor health within the younger generations to limit these outcomes. However, the bill needs approval from King Charles III before it takes full effect within the UK government.

“The end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain – it’s inevitable,” comments Hazel Cheeseman, a chief executive of Actions on Smoking and Health.

The bill in question will only affect tobacco sales and will not punish any person that buys, possesses or uses them regardless of age.

In addition, there will be bans across public and commercial buildings with e-cigs like vaping. Smoking will still be allowed in outdoor venues like pub gardens and open spaced areas.

A poll made by YouGo in 2024 for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shared that 78 percent supported the idea of a smoke-free generation in the UK, while 52 percent only supported raising the age of sale by one every year.

A statement from the poll: “The policy has broad cross-party support with 70 percent of those who voted Conservative in 2019, 74 percent who voted Labour, and 75 percent of those who voted Lib Dem. A majority of smokers also support raising the age of sale, more than double the proportion (24 percent) opposed.”

While the measure is supported by citizens in the UK, health officials, and the UK parliament, there are still others who strongly oppose it. One of them being the tobacco industries who profit off sales within any generation that buys these products.

House of Lords, Lord Naseby argued, “[This] does upset a great amount of people in that the industry [...] What we really need is a proper understanding of how we educate people not to take up smoking.”

What’s up,

Whittier?

Stay up to date on events! For further info, visit https://whittier. campuslabs.com/Engage/

Yearbook Signing Event

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 11 a.m.

• Campus Courtyard

2016 Day/Bottle Flip Challenge

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 12:30 p.m.

• Campus Courtyard

Poet Pantry

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 12:30 p.m.

• Campus Center - Room 141

Student Life Awards 2026

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 5 p.m.

• Villalobos Hall

Whittier Scholars Program Senior Symposia

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 5:30 p.m.

• Wardman Hall Lobby

Palestine Nights

• Thursday, Apr 23 at 6:30 p.m.

• Upper Quad Poet Musicale

• Friday, Apr 24 at 12 p.m.

• Memorial Chapel

"Keep Calm It's 2016" Dance

• Friday, Apr 24 at 8 p.m.

• Villalobos Hall

Instrumental Ensembles Concert

• Saturday, Apr 25 at 3 p.m.

• Memorial Chapel

Whittier College Choir End of Semester Concert

• Sunday, Apr 26 at 6 p.m.

• Ruth B. Shannon Center

Palmer Flowers & Affirmations

• Tuesday, Apr 28 at 12:30 p.m.

• The Rock

URSCA Internship Symposium

• Wednesday, Apr 29 at 10:30 a.m.

• Villalobos Hall

URSCA 2026

• Wednesday, Apr 29 at 8 a.m.

• Science & Learning Center

Brotherhood Leadership Program: End of the Year Celebration

• Thursday, Apr 30 at 5 p.m.

• Villalobos Hall

Whittier College Film Festival 2026

• Thursday, Apr 30 at 7 p.m.

• Ruth B. Shannon Center

Lavender Senior Celebration

• Wednesday, May 6 at 10 a.m.

• Villalobos Hall

Black Senior Celebration

• Wednesday, May 6 at 4 p.m.

• Villalobos Hall

APIDA Senior Celebration

• Thursday, May 7 at 9 a.m.

• Villalobos Hall

Latinx Senior Celebration

• Thursday, May 7 at 3 p.m.

• Ruth B. Shannon Center

Commencement 2026

• Friday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m.

• Harris Amphitheatre

CAMPUS LIFE

All Aboard The Whittfest Express!

Jamie Calderon STAFF WRITER

This year on April 10 Whittier College’s Program Board asked Poets to saddle up and mosey on down to The Wild Whittfest. The celebration was brought to life with a metaphorical horse and lasso. The College’s Upper Quad was transformed into a western festival for the night with haybales, hotdogs, goats, and games. Poets were brought into a rootin’ tootin’ festival of fun.

The event kicked off with a performance from the cheer team to get everyone into the hoedown spirit. They were followed by a pie eating competition where fourthyear Johnny Serbin took home the prize. And after, a hotdog eating competition that ended in an all around draw. All of the night's winners got to take home a pie and a shirt to commemorate the night.

In between the competitions, Poets could take a stroll down to the petting zoo and meet some furry friends. From alpacas to goats, calves to ponies, and bunnies to even a turkey. Also vendors came who offered free food for Poets who checked in at the Program Board Table. Attendees were able to

choose between burgers, hotdogs, cotton candy, popcorn, and freshly made smoothies.

Aside from the competitions and the companions, Wild Whittfest had plenty of games such as ring toss and tic-tac-toe. All free to play and with prizes to win! But if those games weren't quite your speed, Whittier's various clubs and organizations sat in the middle of it all with tons of fun activities and free goodies.

The Arthurian Order of the Knights of Pendragon (AOKP) was tabling to recruit new travelers for their campaign. The Transgenger, Other Identified, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Allies for Diversity (TOBGLAD) members were giving out drawings of Poets as werewolves and telling fortunes. The Penns offered free face painting. The Metaphonian Society had a watering hole to cool down. The Art Club handed out free zines, and the Quaker Campus had an archery practice table.

As the sun went down, the Program Board began a karaoke showdown to be remembered. Various student organizations and Poets took to the stage for the chance to win the night’s big prize. With last year’s karaoke champions

We Are Not Your

Tralee Jacobs STAFF WRITER

The Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE) hosted its annual Intersectional Poetry Slam, continuing the student-driven tradition. Each year, the poetry slam’s theme emerges directly from student experiences and concerns.

Last year’s theme, “Beyond Borders,” examined identity across boundaries. This year’s, “Not Your Fantasy,” created by first-year student Cambria Davis, confronted the fetishization of queer women and invited deeper conversation about autonomy and identity.

The night started from the moment attendees entered Villalobos Hall, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Pride flags and banners lined the walls, and tables were topped with charming floral centerpieces. A collaborative playlist played throughout the space as students laughed, grabbed snacks, and settled into space. Off to the side, a raffle for LEGO flower sets added a playful, communal touch.

That sense of care extended beyond the room’s design and into the way people interacted throughout the evening. In her opening remarks, Davis grounded the event in its purpose, reminding performers: “Your voice is powerful. We are thankful for your courage to stand up and share your truth.”

The night continued with a surge of energy when fourth-year Trinity Delacruz stepped forward with a spontaneous rendition of Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun.” The performance broke through early nerves in the room and set up a

The Penns as the judges and hay bales rolled out for the crowd, the singers put their all into the music.

With 10 performances in total, it was definitely not an easy call. With high energy party songs to powerful ballads the competing Poets gave it their all for the top spot. And after much deliberation, the Penns declared the choir team as the winners. Their performance of “Black Sheep” sealed the deal

and rounded out a night of fun. Program Board worked hard over two semesters to bring the western spirit to life on the College’s campus for the annual Whittfest celebration. Their efforts were obvious in the atmosphere they built and the fun Poets had. There’s no better way to end the Spring semester than with free food, fun games, prizes, and exciting competitions.

Fantasy Poetry Slam

collective ease and connection. From there, the slam moved through a wide range of lived experiences. Ty Johnson, a secondyear student and the lead Gender Equity Center peer educator, helped introduce the event before later taking the stage with original poetry. His piece, “Queer Love,” reflected on the many forms love can take in the quiet, everyday moments of queer life.

Fourth-year Devin Tovar’s “Post Thrash” reflected on living with epilepsy, blending confusion, resilience, and the frustration of recurring uncertainty. Soon after fourth-year Almas Waseem delivered a piece grounded in anger, inviting the audience to sit with how her piece impacted them.

Second-year Jay Fuentes offered a shift in tone, opening

with, “It’s not necessarily a poem, I’m just grateful.” Read as a letter to the women in their life, the piece persisted in its simplicity and sincerity. One of the night’s most powerful moments came from second-year Darreiona “Darri” Roche, whose work centered on visibility and safety. In “A Place to Scream,” Roche shared, “I am a lesbian Black woman, and if I scream they will find my hiding place.”

For many in attendance, the poetry slam is not just an event but a meaningful tradition.

Fourth-year Sophia Evrard, who has been involved with the OIE for three years, shared that she always looks forward to the slam and experiences it as a genuinely welcoming space. That sense of belonging was evident in the way

the audience listened, responded, and held space for each performer. That collective attention reflects what Davis described as central to an intersectional poetry slam: the weaving together of multiple voices and lived experiences. At its core, this year’s theme asked that queer women be seen “as more than bodies, as real, complex people,” and it honored that complexity through poetry. In closing, Davis returned to a message that resonated throughout the night: “We stand with anyone whose humanity has been erased.” Through performances that moved between anger, gratitude, vulnerability, and reflection, “Not Your Fantasy” functioned as more than a showcase of work, becoming instead a gathering rooted in visibility, care, and shared presence.

CAMPUS LIFE

APIDA Grads Blossom Into Their Next Chapter

Ethan Ramillo STAFF WRITER

Tralee

Jacobs STAFF WRITER

Graduation is only two weeks away, and everyone’s swamped finishing up the semester with finals and last-minute projects. But for students in the Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA) Graduation Committee, they’ve been working hard to set up the cultural celebration for seniors in the APIDA community since last August. Committee Co-Chair and fourth-year Sophie Evrard says, “While the work’s been chaotic, it’s all worth it to ensure students and their families feel the community's strength and resilience.”

For this year’s APIDA graduation, the theme is “Flowers Ready to Pick, Ready to Bloom into a New Person.” Evrard hopes that the symbolism of the flower shows the students that, just like the flower, “You can blossom anywhere.

We come from our roots, ready to bloom thanks to the work of our families, and we are about to spread our knowledge throughout the world.”

She also adds, “Particularly with the turmoil that is happening around the world, we take that into account for how it applies to our APIDA grads, and the purity and resilience that the flower represents is something that our community really needs to hear right now.”

With the planning process having begun since the beginning of the academic year, Evrard recalls that the committee has been planning through bi-weekly meetings with other students of the APIDA community, the Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE), and their faculty advisors to carefully consider every little detail for the celebration. The planning behind these events asks more students to get involved in the planning of these cultural graduations.

“Even the drinks have

something to do with the graduation’s color palette; everything has a lot more significance than what the students expect. So when you show up to these events, just take a moment to really soak everything in!”

The choice of student speakers also reflects the immense diversity of different cultures and peoples within the wide pan-ethnic banner of APIDA.

“It speaks to the true culture of the community, especially considering that it’s basically everyone else from all over the world.”

With this being the third cultural graduation that Evrard has worked on, and the second she’s served as a Co-Chair, she’s most excited for seeing the decor on display at the ceremony. She says the APIDA celebrations always have the most unique decorations compared to the rest.

Along with the attention to detail, outstanding student speakers,

and distinctive decor, attendees can expect a culturally significant performance.

All the preparations are made in hopes the students and families feel the strength in the community and feel the resilience as well. The APIDA committee knows that the impact this event will have will make their intentionality worthwhile. It's a beautiful thing to be

able to celebrate both your culture and your academic achievements. Ending a long journey with a moment to sit with our cultures leaves a lasting impact.

The planning and execution of this event stands as a reminder to not forget your roots as you continue to bloom. APIDA Graduation will be taking place on Thursday, May 7 in Villalobos.

The QC Mushroom Majesty Bids Farewell

Jamie Calderon STAFF WRITER

I honestly haven’t known Nadia Miller for a long time. The first time I formally met Miller, I was gushing over their dress with a map pattern and they excitedly showed me the pockets it had. That’s when I knew I was gonna like them. But it wasn’t until I joined the Quaker Campus that I really got to get to know them. But to do them justice, I sat down with them in the, always hot Ettinger Lounge. The sun was shining in my eyes through the windows, but Miller’s energy was somehow brighter.

When they sat down with me, they had a refreshing presence that made me forget about why we were even meeting in the first place, we got sidetracked easily. Miller has that energy, they’re magnetic and have a way of making people feel welcomed. That’s some of the energy I think the College will miss the most.

Miller plans to return to their hometown of Thornton, Colorado after they graduate, leaving behind the never-ending hills and buildings

for the rocky mountains they love so dearly. They told me a lot about their time before Whittier College “I would go into downtown all the time. I basically watched the Union Station in downtown Denver be built from my dad’s old office building.”

Their original intent was to become a teacher, but Miller studied Creative Writing and Graphic Design after deciding they wanted to write and illustrate their own book. Miller credits that expedition in part to their eight-grade English teacher, “He would always say ‘Nadia, you’re gonna be an author and I’m gonna buy all your books’.”

And Miller has spent a lot of time honing their craft. Their senior project is a combination of their two studies, it’s a magazine of self-written poems and art pieces highlighting seven endangered sea creatures of the California coast. It’s a labor of love, the pieces connecting the animals to Miller and their family members.

“This is kinda my last goodbye to California, in a sense[. . .]yeah this is my last hurrah and my goodbye to California.”

Though Miller has done more at the College than just study. During their time here they were a member of The Arthurian Order of the Knights of Pendragon (AOKP), the string ensemble, and Quaker Campus. In fact, what they’ll miss most Whittier is their participation in these organizations. “But it’s mostly like the people and getting to interact with other people’s stories.”

Miller and I shared a lot of laughs and stories in our interview to make this article happen. And although I’ve only really known them for a month, they’ve left their mark on me. The Quaker Campus won’t quite be the same, losing a section head and graphic designer. But Whittier’s community will also feel a little less whimsical without them.

If you get the chance to sit and chat with Miller as they sit in the Spot and crochet in between classes, as they always do when they have free time. You may get some interesting stories about their time here at the College, their adventures with AOKP, or you may just be lucky enough to share some good laughs.

OPINIONS

His Stories Take The Air-ada Your Lungs

Angelica Hennessy OPINONS EDITOR

You likely know him from his job working the Wardman Library circulation desk, or his showstopping performance of "Mr. Brightside" at this year's Whittfest.

You may recognize him by his deadpan cadence, the same two Superman shirts he cycles through, or his luscious long hair.

You may occasionally see him as the victim of constant harassment from his friends, particularly from the Opinions Editor, Angelica Hennessy. If you don’t know fourth-year Ethan Airada, then do you even go here?

Graduating this May, Airada is leaving Whittier College with a desire to make an impact on the world with his creative writing. Always dreaming of pursuing a career as a writer, Airada believed attending the College would be a great place to start his journey—a decision he does not regret.

Writing for the Quaker Campus (QC) and being published in The Greenleaf Review, Airada is incredibly grateful for what he has learned here as well as the friendships he has made along the way.

He discussed how during his time at the College, he has put a lot

of effort into pushing himself out of his comfort zone, getting more involved on campus, and having a blast talking to new people.

One such method was joining the QC, which he feels has not only given him invaluable writing experience, but has also allowed him to gain confidence and a large number of good friends he fears he may have not made otherwise.

Airada is a fiction, video game, and Berserk enthusiast who loves good storytelling above all else. Airada expresses how his love for writing stories comes partly from the feeling that his own life has not been exciting enough.

Writing fiction has become an outlet to express himself and write about the fantastical situations he can’t get out of his mind. Many of his stories are based on dreams he’s had, or dramatic reimaginings of his own experiences.

When asked about his writing process, Airada responded, “I write like jazz, I guess. A lot of it’s just in the moment, whatever I feel.” Airada’s dry humor bleeds into his writing, as seen in the many articles he has written for the QC, which you can just feel the simultaneous passion and sarcasm in.

He does not shy away from making his opinion known, oftentimes through a whirlwind of

metaphors and hyperbole. Whether it be in his fictional or journalistic pieces, Airada loves to build up a story “Until at the end, you feel what I want you to feel.”

he is currently considering getting a Masters degree in Creative Writing, although he says that probably won’t happen for a while.

Airada is both excited and fearful of life after graduation, not yet completely sure what the future has in store for him. He says that he just wants to to enjoy his time at the College while it lasts, trying not to get paralyzed thinking about the passage of time and the world of “real adult responsibilities” he will soon be stepping into.

Airada’s primary goal remains getting his fiction published, and

According to Airada, he’s just getting started. There’s a whole world of new places, new things, and new stories that Airada can’t wait to explore and be inspired by. He wants his fiction to have a lasting impact, to resonate with people, while also remaining authentic to himself.

In the words of poet Percy Shelley, Airada jokes that he wants others to “Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.”

Cataloguing the Life of a Sapphic Writer

Ethan Airada COPY EDITOR

All she wants to do is go home, read Batman comics, and maybe, finally work on the hundreds of story drafts she’s procrastinated finishing. But unfortunately, she has countless assignments to finish and a million Quaker Campus (QC) pieces written by Ethan Airada to edit. She is Angelica Hennessy, a third-year early graduate majoring in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing and a minor in Gender Studies.

Hennessy in particular is an avid reader of Detective Comics (DC) and is a bonafide local expert on Batman, more specifically the character Tim Drake (the third Robin created for the franchise) as well as Kon-El (Superboy).

Her love for DC is evident as you walk into any of her frequented locations. For example, her section of the office at the QC is clad in pictures of her favorite comic characters, two textbook-thick omnibuses of the 1998 Young Justice series are on her desk, and humorous depictions of those characters going to the chain restaurant Tommy's (her favorite restaurant) are on the wall. She even created an independent study with Professor Sean Morris to study the evolution of comic book storytelling.

Hennessy has been writing fiction her entire life. Even noting that she was "the kind of kid that would stay in the classroom during recess, reading books and writing stories. Because I was a nerd like that.” She still is, and it’s certainly done her favors, as she

will be receiving a medal at Honors Convocation due to her prowess.

Her talent for writing goes hand in hand with her minor in Gender Studies, since queer representation is one of her most dedicated causes.

She writes both for herself and for a mission based on properly representing the queer community, especially as someone identifying as queer.

“I am the lesbian of Whittier College,” she jokingly declares. "Sapphic representation is incredibly important to me."

Her primary genre is horror, a genre that has historically been used to dehumanize queer people. This is why she finds it so important to tell compelling queer horror stories. Specifically those that avoid falling into harmful stereotypes, centering writing stories about queer women—whose existences tend to go ignored or oversexualized in the horror genre as a whole.

Most of all, however, Hennessy simply loves writing and telling stories for the sake of it. “I became an English major because, at my core, I love literature, I love writing stories, I love analysis, and I just have so much to say.”

Becoming the Opinions Editor of the QC was never part of her plan, but she is thankful everyday that she eventually gave into the urging of club advisor Professor Joe Donnelly and other QC members to join the organization.

At first, she had neither time nor interest in journalistic writing, but has since developed a greater appreciation for it. “Journalism is important and you need to have a voice because the universe wants to silence you,” says Hennessy. Her work at the QC greatly challenged her and her skills, and she believes it has made her a significantly better writer and communicator.

Despite holding on to her

dream of publishing fiction, Hennessy acknowledges that it is not a very reliable source of income. But luckily, she has found an additional passion. Hennessy remarks that one of her best experiences at the College was the time she spent as the Scott Digital Archive intern at the Wardman Library archive, which ignited her interest in becoming an archivist.

Hennessy states, “I think the preservation of history and stories is so incredibly important, especially in our current political moment.

If I can’t make a career through publishing fiction, then I’ll gladly do so through archival work. I can prioritize telling the stories of real people, saving documents, creating exhibits, and making an impact in that way."

After graduation, Hennessy will begin a Master’s Degree in Library Science program at San Jose State University. She particularly is hoping to eventually work in a queer history archive. Her love of history, writing, and doing justice for the queer community all combine in this role.

In a final message, she encourages everyone at the campus to join organizations or other clubs because it allows people to find what they’re truly passionate about and because it gives them a community of like-minded people.

Hennessy will walk during commencement on May 8 as a great writer all around. She goes forth to finally commence her mission and to introduce herself to the world. Just don’t get on her bad side; you might find yourself a villain in a story of hers.

Dear Poets, As the end of the year comes closer, I’m still wondering what to do to celebrate the fact I’m finally graduating. Do you have any ideas of what I should do?

- A Graduating Poet

Jane:

YOLOSHAD! You Only Live Once (So Have a Drink!) Go out and party! Go drink with your friends and have fun! Don’t hook up with a guy you made eye contact with at the club and then test positive on a pregnancy test the next day…

Jo:

First of all, congratulations! Graduating is no simple feat, and after years of hard work you pulled through. Celebrating your graduation can be tricky, whether it’s because you don’t know who you want or don’t want to celebrate with, because you don’t wanna break the bank, etc. I like smaller events that come over time. I’m a very shy person and can only tolerate so much praise for myself.

My family and I usually plan for dinner, with my tíos and tías all contributing various entrees and sweet treats. The next couple of days, I will be spending quality time with my recently-graduated friends, making sure to soak up all the time I have with them before they return home.

I also try to pay special attention to myself. After all, I did just go through college. I will sleep in, treat myself to a shopping spree, lay in my bed to doom scroll, and just take the time to do things I wanna do. I haven’t been able to really take care of myself, and I think we both would be doing ourselves a favor if we just indulged for just a bit after graduation.

Johnny:

Even though I am not graduating yet, I can pass the perfect plan. The first idea is silly, but hey it’s smart, go to a place like In-n-Out and chow down on a Double Double with animal style fries as you stare at your diploma. Sometimes, eating a good meal makes the experience humbling and lets you decompress what's happened now that it’s all over.

Another idea is to gather some friends over and just do a small hang out, crack open some beers and play some board games, soak in your last few minutes of freedom before the horrible work industry sucks your soul.

- The Poets

Charlie Lyu Sings in the Keys of Life

fun and success. While reminiscing on the feeling of a live audience, he recounts what roped him into the entertainer lifestyle.

Charlie Lyu, performer and history lover, awaited me on a bench in the Business Lounge in Hoover Hall. Introductions came and went, until I asked him to spell out his last name, where I then found myself receiving an engaging philology lecture.

Lyu began tracing the connections between his last name's sound and its spelling. He brought the German alphabet and Chinese letters together to discuss sounds that cannot be formed in the latter, but instead are created perfectly through the German alphabet.

His passion for taking someone through cultural tidbits is infectious. Lyu’s storytelling offers a window to some of the experiences which brought him to Whittier College.

Born with what he describes as his “eye situation,” referencing his blindness, Lyu discovered his appreciation for music and performance in Hangzhou. This “beautiful city” can be found just outside Shanghai, China.

“I didn’t have any other outside school activities to do, so I just stayed in my room, played the radio or listened to CDs or tapes,” Lyu says. “My parents saw, ‘Oh,’ I really like music, and they sent me to a choir group.”

The group instructor suggested that he try solo singing after a few weeks of working together. From this transition, he only found more

“I went to some mini performances when I was in elementary school,” Lyu says. “I realized ‘Oh, I really enjoy those occasions—people clapping for you, shouting, and you become more proud or confident about your singing skills.’”

One country later and with 10 years of singing under his belt, Lyu has found his role in music at the College as a part of the school’s choir as well as with debut roles in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Communication Arts’ musical production of RENT

Across Philadelphia Street in Performing Arts classes, he met his best friend and fellow performer, Kevin Padilla. They have spent the semester exchanging stories while on cherished walks from place to place on campus.

From one entertainer to another, Padilla admires his creative process—enjoying a front row seat to Lyu’s narrative offerings.

“In Intro to Acting, we were assigned a scene together,” Padilla says. “Our scene was a bunch of weird words that we had to come up with meanings for […] Charlie turned what seemed to be meaningless words into something like a big story.”

As Padilla can attest, Lyu’s ties to performing for an audience mean more to him than just how he feels once the curtains drop and he goes back to his “ordinary life."

He is also entranced by the ways storytelling’s expression can move its listener.

“I tried to watch some of those [...] musical shows and I saw, ‘Oh,’ they are really dramatic and really talented in storytelling, even when I cannot see the views, but I can hear their sound,” Lyu says.

Engaging with sound as deeply as he does, a story comes to mind. One hot October afternoon on the Campus Inn deck, Lyu and I were some tables apart having lunch.

To my surprise, I had my attention pulled from my plate by the sound of crying from his direction. Concerned, as a member of the community and a card-carrying metiche, I got up to check on him.

The closer I got, I could make

out songs from a professional production of RENT between his sobs. The play is a devastating tale of a group of friends navigating New York’s East Village amidst the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

So, it all started to make sense after that. Especially when my inquiry on how he was feeling was met with his partial confusion as well as a nonchalant, “Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

Lyu’s dedication to his craft of drama through the emotional aspects tangible to him also reflects his interest in museums.

Going to a museum is like pulling back the curtain on culture. They help us keep the stories of everyday life. As an avid traveler, the first thing Lyu wants to do when landing in a new place is discover what lies behind its

appearances– its history.

“It is hard to see the surrounding world, so I really like to go to museums when I travel to different areas. I borrow an audio describer speaker to listen to the guidance [about] that area’s culture,” Lyu says. “I really want to know about what is different between each country and culture to make a better view of the whole world.”

Lyu has made the College into a training ground for all things performance. With his acting career just beginning, he intends to find a home in the entertainment industry once his time on campus comes to an end.

Make sure to stay up to date with future theatre and choir shows starring Lyu, seize the chance to witness his talent in person.

Poet’s Sports Schedule:

Baseball vs. Occidental College

Location: Whittier, CA

• 3 PM

• April 24

Softball vs. California Lutheran University

Location: Whittier, CA

• 3 PM

• April 24

Women’s Tennis vs. Claremont Mudd Scripps

Location: Whittier, CA

• 3 PM

• April 24

Men’s Tennis @ Chapman University

Location: Orange, CA

• 10 AM

• April 25

Baseball @ Occidental College

Location: Los Angeles, CA

• 11 AM & 2:30 PM

• April 25

Softball @ California

Lutheran University

Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

• 12 PM & 2 PM

• April 25

Women’s Tennis @ Chapman University

Location: Orange, CA

• 3 PM

• April 25

Baseball @ Pacific University

Location: Forest Grove, OR

• 2 PM & 5 PM

• May 1

Softball @ Chapman University

Location: Orange, CA

• 3 PM

• May 1

Men’s and Women’s Track & Field vs. SCIAC Championships

Location: Eagle Rock, CA

• All Day

• May 2

Baseball @ Pacific University

Location: Forest Grove, OR

• 11 AM

• May 2

Softball vs. Chapman

University

Location: Whittier, CA

• 12 & 2 PM

• May 2

Men’s and Women’s Track & Field vs. SCIAC Championships

Location: Eagle Rock, CA

• All Day

• May 3

Visit wcpoets.com/calendar for the full sports schedule!

SPORTS Southern California Sports Round Up

Maia Chaidez SPORTS EDITOR

As April turns into May, fans are packing their team’s stadium to root for their team while players are rising to the occasion. With the last sports report for this semester upon us, how is every SoCal team fairing?

Los Angeles Dodgers & Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MLB):

Coming off of their back-toback World Series championship wins, no one forsees the Dodgers taking a step back. And they haven’t. With their lead foot putting weight on that accelerator, they opened up their season with a clean three-game sweep against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and haven’t slowed down since.

They are ranked first in onbase plus slugging (.857), batting average (.289), total bases (354), home runs (37), batting average against (.206), total bases allowed (232), and least amount of errors (5).

Their other stats, runs and runs allowed (121 and 73, respectively), are ranked second in all of the MLB. With a current record of 15-6, sitting in a competitive first place in the National League standings, the Dodgers are looking like another “World Series or bust” team yet again.

Now the Angels… where do I even begin? For better or for worse, I was born into an Angels household. And every year, they give you some hope that they might actually do it—they might actually make playoffs. And every year, just around the All-

Star break, they remind you that they’re still the Angels, and end up missing the postseason by three to five games.

Their offensive and defensive stats sit pretty middle of the pack, with their total home runs (34), being second just behind their cross-town rivals, the Dodgers. With a record of 12-14, and 1.5 games back from a playoff spot, will this team actually do something this year? My magic 8 ball says “Don’t count on it.” Mike Trout and Jo Adell stand to prove me wrong, however.

Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks (NHL):

The Pacific Division in the NHL, where our SoCal teams reside, may have been one of the weakest divisions in the history of the league. Still, the Kings and the Ducks, forever at odds, found ways to sneak into the playoffs at the end of the regular season.

The Kings don’t look good, and their stats back that up.

Their power play percentage is 17 percent, ranking 28th in the league. Their penalty kill sits at 74.6 percent, 30th in the league. Their most standout stat is goals allowed per game, where they sit 7th in the league with 2.90 goals allowed per game.

Many critical viewers, myself included, call this team’s style of play boring, and with their first round match-up against the unstoppable force known as the Colorado Avalanche, I doubt the Kings make it past game four, and losing game two of the seven game series doesn’t do them any favors.

On the other side of the I-5, unless you were a dedicated fan, it’s easy to write off the Ducks’ playoff appearance as a surprise or an outlier in the grand scheme of things. But looking deeper, this team is a playoff team. With a young and skillful core coupled with older and more experienced players, this team has the potential to go far, but they’ll have to defeat one of the best players in hockey right now: Connor McDavid,

captain of the Edmonton Oilers. A win last night in Edmonton ties the series up 1-1, with the Ducks hosting the next two games at the Pond.

Los Angeles Lakers (NBA):

With the Clippers failing to make the playoffs, it’s up to the Lakers to bring the Larry O’Brien championship trophy home to L.A. In what could be Lebron James’ final season not just as a Laker, but in the league, fans and sports writers alike are hoping he’s able to walk away from the game, championship trophy in hand.

The Lakers’ matchup against the Houston Rockets should be a series to be watched closely, as the Lakers finished ahead of them in the standings by just one win. However, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out with injuries, Lebron and the Lakers’ path to the finals seems to just get even more difficult.

The team, similar to the Angels, are pretty mid to back of the pack when it comes to important statistics, with their most outstanding being ranked fist in field goal percentage. Could the team find themselves making a championship run? I think so. But, Lebron would have to channel his inner 2016 Cavaliers if they want to guarantee a championship. I also know not nearly enough about basketball to make an informed estimate on this.

The Dodgers are saying they can make it three in a row and win another championship while the other teams are fighting uphill battles on their way to bring either the Larry O’Brien or the Stanley Cup back to Southern California.

SPORTS

Change is Not Out of Bounds for Monze

Tim Mead FOR THE QC

Sometimes the most interesting student stories aren’t ones that begin with a clear plan. They’re the ones that start somewhere in the middle, with uncertainty, and evolve from there. Such is the case of Monze Meraz-Lerma.

When she arrived at Whittier College, Meraz-Lerma wasn’t chasing a dream school or following a five-year plan. In fact, she’ll tell you she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted.

“I didn’t really have many options,” she says. “I had good grades, I had extracurriculars, but I just didn’t apply to many schools. It was more about staying close to home and what was financially realistic.”

The College wasn’t necessarily the destination she had envisioned. It was, however, the opportunity that made sense. A strong financial aid package, paired with a supportive music scholarship, made the decision practical and right.

Music, specifically piano, had been part of her life for as long as she can remember.

“I would play for hours,” she says. “My mom would have to pull me off the piano!”

By high school, Meraz-Lerma had already reached the highest levels of formal piano training, finishing two years ahead of schedule. For many, that would feel like a mission accomplished. For her, it raised a different

question: What comes next?

That question followed her into college.

At the College, she started as an English major, influenced in part by her mother, an English professor and the first in her family to attend college. Meraz-Lerma reflected on her mother’s impact in three important areas: discipline, expectation, and a deep respect for education.

“She’s always been on me about working hard,” Monze says. “Even now, she’ll ask what homework I have the moment I get home.”

English made sense. It was something she enjoyed and was good at. But it wasn’t a clear destination.

“I knew I liked it,” she says, “but I didn’t know if it was what I wanted to do.”

So instead of standing still, she kept moving.

In addition to pursuing degrees in Business and Spanish, she worked constantly. Tutoring, working various on-campus jobs, and handling extracirriculars, all while balancing academics and athletics.

“I would go from class to tutoring, then to work, then to practice, then back to tutoring,” she recalls. “It was just constant.”

Her experience as a member of the tennis team added another layer with a difficult initial season The new environment, higher level of competition, and different personalities created challenges.

“It was a tough experience,” she says. “But it taught me a lot

about people.”

During her sophomore campaign, things improved. Relationships grew stronger, a comfort level was attained, and her experience became more enjoyable. But stability didn’t last. Coaching changes, teammates transferring, and before her junior year, an unexpected health issue arose, shifting everything again.

After undergoing major surgery on her abdomen, she made the difficult decision to step away from tennis shortly before her senior year.

“It came down to my health,” she says. “I was in pain all the time. That forced me to ask, ‘What am I going to do now?’”

The answer wasn’t obvious— but it came quickly. She decided to be the Sports Editor for the Quaker Campus.

This was not a position she would have initially anticipated, but one that made sense given her growing involvement in Poet Athletics through game management. She understood the environment and the people. What she hadn’t done yet was tell their stories.

“I was nervous,” she says. “I had never done anything like it before. But I wanted to do it well.”

A willingness to step into something unfamiliar and commit to it is where growth tends to happen. As Sports Editor for the Quaker Campus, Monze found a new way to stay connected to athletics. Not as a competitor, but as a storyteller.

“I’m not trying to be

investigative,” she explains. “I want to highlight what’s worth reading, what’s inspiring.”

Having been part of a team that faced challenges, she understands the importance of how stories are told.

“I’ve been on a team that struggled,” she says. “So, when I see success, or even effort and growth, I want to highlight that.”

Over the course of the year, she produced roughly 20 stories. That meant multiple interviews each week, long hours reviewing material, and consistent deadlines.

“It’s a lot,” she says. “But when I finish a piece, it’s really fulfilling.”

If Meraz-Lerma’s time as a Poet has been defined by uncertainty, one area of consistency has been the support of family. From her mom’s editing assistance with initial drafts, her dad waiting

outside for her no matter how late she arrived home, or her brother offering help with even the smallest everyday needs, they have provided support throughout.

Presently, as graduation approaches, she finds herself in a familiar place: the unknown, though, now, there are options: Graduate school in Business Management, or sports journalism. Game management. Each path has its own appeal.

“I know I like sports. I know I like writing. I know I like managing,” she says. “It’s just figuring out how that all comes together.”

That uncertainty could feel overwhelming. But in MerazLerma’s case, it doesn’t.

“It’s a privilege to have options,” she says. “Even if it’s hard to choose.”

Kelly Nutter Does the Hard Things Better

Monze

Meraz-Lerma SPORTS EDITOR

When Kelly Nutter steps up to every at bat, her eyes stay squinted and steady with her jaw stern and locked. The graduate-student softball player faces the pitcher as though ready to face a storm, just as her walk-up song, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” by Luke Combs, suggests. Yet, she brings the storm to her opponents as one of the team leaders in triples, home runs, and slugging percentages.

“A lot of things had to go right in order for me to be here, and it did,” Nutter says.

She attended Cal State San Marcos in 2020, transferred to Palomar College in Spring 2022, and joined Whittier College in Fall 2023.

Nutter gained extra eligibility years from COVID-19, redshirting from breaking her hand diving into home base, and a strategic decision to maintain parttime status, making it possible for her to play two seasons as a Poet undergraduate and now one more as a graduate student.

Nutter drives to campus in her red Ram 1500, which can be found at Palmer Field as early as 5:30 a.m. for softball practice. On her busiest days, she and her truck rush from an early weightlifting session, to a K-8 school for

required observations as part of her Master’s in Education, then to the field for a three-hour practice, and finally, she attends a threehour evening class.

After this back-to-back day, Nutter heads to her off-campus home, which she shares with her boyfriend and four other baseball players. She finishes the day working for her two jobs remotely as a Program Coordinator for the Mitchell Thorp Foundation and as an Equipment Specialist for her father’s landscaping company.

The Mitchell Thorp Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps children with life-threatening diseases and disorders. It nominates players from the community’s youth sports organization that demonstrate strong leadership.

In 2014, Nutter was picked, becoming the first female to receive the recognition. She has continued her involvement with the foundation for the past five years, and now works as a Champion Day Lead.

“I have deals with the San Diego Seals, the Clippers, whatever it is, and I’ll send kids to a day where they can just enjoy the day rather than worry about medical bills or the fact that they might not see tomorrow,” Nutter says.

While home in San Diego, Nutter works as a Hilton server,

but last year, she felt antsy to take on more. Her father put her to work for his landscaping company sorting through a garage full of equipment, which she created an efficient organization system for.

When she’s at Whittier, she does the company’s administration work and takes calls, sometimes even past midnight due to her busy schedule. She admits the experience in this field hasn’t always been easy.

“It’s a male-dominated area, and you have to be really strong and thick skinned to be in that industry,” Nutter says. “When I first came in, I had some hiccups with some of the male managers when they were like, ‘What the hell are you doing here?’”

Instead of submitting to these doubts, Nutter thought to herself, “Just you wait,” knowing her capabilities. Her headstrong attitude and comfort in her adrenaline-filled days make it no surprise that she plans to become a part of law enforcement.

As Nutter comes from a family involved in the military and law enforcement, this passion naturally became solidified by the time she was in high school. However, having her own personal experience with police in a recent encounter is what has since confirmed her want to enter that field.

“I was in an abusive relationsip,

and I hid it for a long time,” Nutter says. “It actually came out at a JUCO practice where my coach [noticed] something was wrong […] They ended up taking me from practice to the department and going through the interview process. It was hard.” This difficulty was magnified when Nutter couldn’t speak to any female officers because the department only had male officers. She clarifies that she had no issue speaking with a male officer until she was asked, “What did you do for him to hit you?”

Nutter prides herself on being able to fulfill that gender gap within departments in the future.

In the mean time, she plans to start out as a harbor police officer to

combine her love for boating and the need to continue to “compete every day.”

”It’s scary to think about not having college softball anymore, and I’d be able to fill that void with law enforcement,” Nutter says. “You have to be on all of the time. You can’t have an off-day because someone can die.”

Nutter is finishing the last few weeks of her softball collegiate career, but she will continue to finish her two-year Master’s degree. In the thick of a tough season, a rigorous degree, three timeconsuming jobs, and the allabsorbing factors that come with life, Nutter continues to stick to her team’s motto: “Do the hard things better.”

The QC Staff

Suggests:

Jamie Calderon STAFF WRITER

Want to know what our Staff Writer recommends this week?

Movie: Kokuho: It came out last year but only got a theatrical release in the states this year. It's like three hours of guys who do kabuki and form a beautiful brotherhood and rivalry. It covers themes of obligations and prestige, passion and hubris. It's beautiful, I cried and laughed and I wanted to go see a real kabuki performance after.

Music:

There's not a single song or album from Fujii Kaze that I don't like, love even. But prema is his most recent passion project, I actually cry at least once in every listen through. Hachikō is my favorite song, is it cause he dresses as a dog in the music video? who knows?

Book:

Concrete Rose - Angie Thomas: The prequel to The Hate U Give, I cry my eyes out every time. I love a story that can destroy my soul and I think this one does. I recommend it to literally anyone who will listen.

are the best snack to ever be made, I don't take constructive criticism on this. I don't care what anyone else says, I could sit in one of those gallon cartons for hours, it's a magical snack.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

And Yet, Clover Morales Remains

A Journey of Self-Discovery Amidst Uncertainty

Emma Galvan DEPUTY EDITOR

During a normal production week, you can find QC’s Head Copy Editor, Clover Morales in the corner of the room watching the chaos unfold with her usual grin. The rather small area is practical for her. If she gets overwhelmed she can easily slip into the Deputy Editor’s office right next to her, and that’s where she is currently sitting.

“Listen, we have an hour, let’s do this.” She giggles, wanting to stay as serious as possible before going into another fit of laughter, which often doesn’t take long. Fresh out of her class, Morales is relaxing in the room, sipping from her purple water bottle taken out of her backpack covered in Hatsune Miku trinkets and leaning backwards to get some form of rest.

Even before college, Morales always found a comfort in the famous Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku. Laughing and grabbing one of the trinkets on her backpack, Morales says "It's something that's been able to resonate with me a lot throughout my years." And her love still remains all these years later, gaining close friends in the Vocaloid community who's creative works inspired her own.

Morales has also grown a fascination for Kasane Teto, another Vocaloid. "She started as an April Fools' joke who has really risen to fame, she's just an underdog." Although, she isn't an underdog in the QC office, with numerous photos of her plastered on the wall in the corner that Morales works at.

"She's my goat, it's what she deserves." Though in reality, she explains that she resonates a lot with Teto and the character's personal struggles that she eventually will overcome.

At the age of 25, Morales has led a long, stressful, yet rewarding life so far. Born and raised here in Whittier, she first attended college at Rio Hondo before COVID-19 hit. Unlike the various students on campus, Morales was affected on a college level rather than high school.

“Honestly, COVID fucked up a lot of what I was gonna do for school,” she explains with her eyes shut, trying to picture exactly where and how she was those years ago.

“I was kind of talked out of doing college for a bit and I had to […]” she begins before stuttering and laughing, “I had to take like a two-year gap, if that’s how you say it, to figure myself out. I felt like I was doing college for no reason.”

Struggling to find her purpose again, Morales started searching for possible jobs to help rebuild what she had lost and form some sort of pathway, career-wise.

Eventually, she stumbled upon the idea of tutoring. Morales says she wanted to inspire others to do and be at their absolute best. Her first job was one that she remembers fondly, smiling widely at the memories of her first gig teaching math online for elementary school students. “I felt like I couldn’t get them to pay attention,” she remarks. She eventually figured out that if she used a digital drawing board

at the end of class as a motivator, she could get the students to participate.

At her second tutoring job, there was one particular student that she recalls. “I remember a kid who was feeling really ostracized from the rest of his peers.” Taking a sip from her water bottle, Morales continues, “Even though that was a really stressful day, I still made the time to accommodate that kid, talk to him, like ‘hey, is everything okay?’”

She stuck with the child the whole time, popping in and being by his side to assure that he was okay the entire time she was there. Ultimately, witnessing the impact she had on students who wanted to learn from her was the push she needed to get back into college.

After two years, Morales eventually found herself at Whittier College’s front steps. Soon, she started hearing about the Quaker Campus from past and current members during her first semester. She’s one of the few

“And Yet, I Remain,” wasn’t something Morales had originally considered when planning her senior project. Rising from her seat, she explains how she intended to present stories about being a proud Mexican woman before it evolved into her overall life.

“The three works [that I wrote] embody my presentation. I want to show how trans people can create and claim that part of themselves and rebuild themselves in a way that is authentically theirs.” Though, Morales notes that there truly is never a universal trans experience, “Everyone has their own different way of how transness defines them,” Morales ellaborates.

year gap and was the topic of the first story she wrote for her senior project.

“They just wanted me in a way that I wasn’t comfortable with,” she confides, “I was taken advantage of and that was a big factor into why I wanted to explore myself more.”

For the second story of her presentation, Morales focused on the religious aspects that she describes as “being forced into, even when [she] was trying to explore [her] own identity and values.” Her third and final piece centered around the realization of everything that’s happened to her— the feeling of being out of control and having nothing she could do about it.

“The three works [that I wrote] embody my presentation. I want to show how trans people can create and claim that part of themselves and rebuild themselves in a way that is authentically theirs.”

who can say they were not pressured or sought out frequently to join, it was something that truly called to her.

Morales told herself that she needed to take that risk of jumping into journalism, despite no prior experience. “I felt like, especially this academic year, I’ve grown a strong community of friends. When I initially came to this college, I was expecting to not engage with anyone. But, I think if I didn’t take that risk to meet the team, I wouldn’t be in my position as Head Copy Editor.”

However, her job isn’t short of struggles. “I kind of recognized that copy editing was more intuitive than I thought, there’s a lot more details that goes into it. If anything, I think my copy editing has really come around since I first started,” she assures, looking at the ground before nodding to herself. Although she agrees that she sometimes lets things slip by, the experience has helped her point out mistakes in even her own creative writing.

Morales is pursuing an English degree, driven by her desire for creativity and expression. “I think it's built into me,” Morales explains after taking a few moments to think, “it’s like having a greater desire to just create something for myself more than anything […] kind of capturing my experience.”

As a queer trans Latina, she feels like her life, just like everyone else's, is unique and she feels she is able to “inject a lot more of who I am as a person into my writing.”

This was the main motivation for her senior project: “And Yet, I Remain,” the embodiment of Morales’ experience as a transgender female Latina.

“But for me, I think it’s really just embodying the kind of things that have happened my in life personally and exploring how everything in my life created me, even if those things happen to be really painful or traumatic moments in my life.”

Morales had to discover a lot about herself to get to where she was atwhile navigating these turbulent times as a trans woman. More specifically, “the objectification, the commodification of transness,” Morales begins before taking a deep and shaky breath. She discusses how an unfortunate incident in Atlanta impacted her journey in a way that furthered her into her two-

She concluded it with the theme of finding the past version of yourself and having the strength to say that it was okay to grieve what had happened, and things were going to be okay. Even after it all, she was still standing, still creating, even after it all, “I’m still here. And yet, I remain.”

Now, it’s time for Morales to figure out what to do next. “I think my main goal is just working for a bit, building finances to move out,” she explains, now lying back down.

As she had been in Whittier for all of her life, Morales wanted to set her roots somewhere else, and instead travel around like she has been doing recently. To her, it feels like the right thing to do, it was time for her to move on to new things and find new people that she could be herself with.

“I wouldn’t mind staying in California, it’s one of the places I have considered along with Atlanta, Chicago, and Pennsylvania, specifically Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.”

Wherever she finds herself staying, Morales aims to either teach or return to the Journalism field. She isn’t quite sure yet, but like she’s done all her life, it’ll be something she’ll figure out eventually.

But now, all she wants to do is live, laugh, and love.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Write About Me, I'm Dying to Analyze You

The Future Therapist Takes on Life After Whittier

Douglas Manuel II FOR THE QC

Peering into the hum and lowlit glow of the Quaker Campus office, you might first notice the quiet before you notice him clad in his jean shorts that reach his ankles, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival hoodie, and grass-green Adidas. Not silence exactly, but a kind of steadiness.

A presence that does not rush to fill the room, yet somehow holds it together, just as his many rings circle his fingers. In this space, of this space, dressed in this manner you will find Elias Loya. Not loud. Not performative. But deeply there.

Listening, thinking, absorbing, and then, when the moment is right, offering something precise, generous, and real, always real, always keeping in a Buck 100! Or in other words, simply put, Loya is cooler than a polar bear’s toenail, to Big Boi from Outkast!

Loya did not arrive at Whittier College with a fixed script. Like so many of the best stories, his unfolded through pressure, through questioning, through a willingness to change direction when something no longer felt true.

Originally moving through an Engineering track in high school, he found himself, especially during the isolating conditions of COVID, confronting something more urgent than technical

mastery. He began to notice the fractures. The way distance reshaped relationships, and the way mental health, often discussed abstractly, became immediate and undeniable. That noticing became a turning point.

It was not spectacle, but instead recognition, and from that recognition came a shift toward psychology, toward care, toward the kind of listening that does not try to fix people but understands them.

That same ethos carries through everything Loya does. Whether in the classroom, in rehearsal spaces, or in the newsroom, he operates with what can only be described as ethical attentiveness. He speaks when he has something to say, and when he does, people listen. Not because he demands it, but because he has earned it.

As he himself reflects, one of the most valuable lessons from his time here has been simple but profound: talk to people. Reach out. Build connection. Not as performance, but as practice.

His time with the QC embodies that principle fully. What began as a hesitant step into student journalism quickly became a sustained commitment.

From his first article on the Oasis reunion tour, to a deep portfolio of music writing.

Loya carved out a space where culture, feeling, and analysis meet. He did not chase attention. He followed his interest, wrote about what mattered to him,

and, in doing so, made it matter to others. As the Arts and Entertainment Editor, he brought music back to the center of coverage, reminding us that sound is not just background. It is structure and how people process, survive, and understand the world.

And yet, what makes Loya exceptional is not simply what he produces, but how he moves through difficulty. He will tell you about the solo that did not go as planned, the public moment where things fell apart. And then he will tell you what he learned.

Not in the language of defeat, but in the language of growth. This maturity shows that he knows how to take a loss, to hold it, and to continue anyway. He has that discipline and knows what staying is and how crucial and fundamental it is.

Music itself has been one of his deepest grounding forces. From years of playing clarinet and guitar to the immersive, almost meditative state of rehearsal, Loya understands what it means to disappear into craft.

To lose track of time not because it is wasted, but because it is fully inhabited. Listening, too, has shaped him. He appreciates all genres from hip hop to alternative to indie, to punk, to funk, to any artists who articulate interior struggle and social awareness. He’s here for it.

And all of this has expanded not just his taste but his empathy.

As Loya prepares to leave Whittier, he does so with both clarity and openness. His path forward points toward therapy, toward becoming a practitioner who can offer others the same kind of grounding and insight that once helped him.

Whether through Marriage and Family Therapy or a doctoral

route in Psychology, his direction is clear even as the details remain in motion. And that is exactly right.

Not rushing. Not forcing. Just staying cool, calm, and collected, like a well-placed guitar riff or a well-played clarinet solo.

Loya will be where he needs to be and get where he needs to go, rocking a fresh fit, with his fingers full of rings.

Whittier College's RENT Has Been Paid in Full

Angelica Hennessey OPINIONS EDITOR

The Whittier College Theatre Department’s production of RENT ran from April 9 to April 19, and it was an electric, emotionally charged showcase of some of the best talent Whittier College has to offer.

Depicting a group of struggling artists living in New York City during the HIV/AIDS crisis, RENT tells a tale of finding human connection and hope even in the face of death.

This production featured a phenomenal main and ensemble cast that brilliantly managed to capture the show's themes of grief, complicated relationships, the struggle to survive, and a desire to leave a lasting impact on the world.

RENT follows Marc (peformed by third-year Maia Longhenry), an aspiring filmmaker, and her roommate Roger (First-year Christian Galindo), an HIV-positive rock musician. They are struggling to make ends meet as they are blindsighted by their former roommate turned landlord Benny (played by third-year Calvin Morgenstern) threatening the

pair with eviction. Roger meets their neighbor Mimi (played by fourth-year Carly Mandell), a young woman struggling with a drug addiction, and the two are immediately attracted to one another.

Roger, still grieving the death of his girlfriend April, whom he had contracted AIDS from, is initially hesitant to enter a relationship with Mimi, until he learns that she is also HIV positive.

The show also has a focus on the relationship between Collins (performed by third-year Emmanuel Cevallos), a friend of Marc and Roger, and Angel (played by fourth-year Meredith Lee), a drag queen and street musician. Collins is found by Angel in the aftermath of a mugging and the two quickly fall in love.

The other two main characters are Marc’s ex-girlfriend Maureen (portrayed by second-year Johnna Gaines), a performance artist advocating on behalf of a homeless community being evicted from their encampment, and her girlfriend Joanne (fourthyear Cielo Valenzuela-Lara), who is struggling to maintain their relationship despite their growing lack of trust in each other.

Despite their differences,

these characters all find community among one another.

The show follows the group as tensions escalate and their romantic and platonic relationships begin to fall apart in the face of the AIDS crisis.

Most of the group are infected, and they are forced to grapple with accepting the eventual loss of each other and their own inevitable deaths.

Each member of the cast gave an incredibly memorable and compelling performance. Galindo’s portrayal of Roger was excellent, his powerful punk rock style vocals perfectly suiting Roger as a character.

He did a great job of capturing Roger’s conflicted feelings regarding Mimi, as well

as his desperation to complete a song that the world would remember him by before his illness kills him.

Mandell shined, especially in her more emotional moments, brilliantly portraying Mimi’s pain and leaving much of the audience tearful by the finale. Longhenry perfectly embodied the complicated character of Marc, making her fear of being the only one left as her friends continued to die feel tangible.

Fourth-year Cielo ValenzuelaLara gave a showstopping performance as Joanne, with steady, beautiful vocals and expertly acted out frustration regarding her relationship with Maureen.

As Maureen, Johnna Gaines’ entire performance was on point,

her comedic acting during songs like "Over The Moon" being especially entertaining. Meredith Lee gave an incredibly fun, vibrant, yet also emotional performance as Angel.

Both Lee and Emmanuel Cevallos giving a devastating performance in the background of "Without Me," as Collins wordlessly comforts Angel leading up to her death. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the College’s production of RENT

The entire cast were excellent, as were the sets and lighting.

They brilliantly captured the spirit of the show, and I feel extremely sorry for anyone that didn’t get to experience this show for themselves.