October 2015 - Passaic County Community College

PCCC’s
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Volume XLVI
October 2015
VISIONS
October 2015
The Student Newspaper of Passaic County Community College, Paterson, NJ
Domesticity No Longer Docile
By: Naftaly Hiraldo
Domestic violence is no longer an issue that is just talked about
in hush whispers behind closed doors. This issue is making its way into
the spotlight both literally and
metaphorically.
On Thursday, Sept. 24,
notable figures from the community
gathered in the Passaic County
Community College Theater
for a presentation called “What
Happens After She Leaves?” in
which a panel of people affected
by or involved with the dealings
of domestic violence gathered to
talk about the consequences that
such an act have on women and children today.
Domestic violence is
penetrating mainstream media’s
limelight. Several years ago,
Rihanna’s battered features were
stamped across all mediums of the
press after being assaulted by her then boyfriend, Chris Brown. This is an
example of domestic violence in which has seen the light of day, unlike
many cases where the situation is often never addressed.
One of the presenters in attendance at the event was Carol Maraj,
founder of the Carol Maraj Foundation,
domestic violence survivor, and mother
to hip hop artist Nicki Minaj. Maraj
stated in her opening remarks that
the fear of starting over is what often
prevented her from leaving her batter. “Nicki would always wonder
if she would come home and find her
mother dead … [but] those days are
long gone for me,” stated Maraj’s.
With the Carol Maraj Foundation, she
hopes that “young men and women
may change their generation in their
daily lives by demonstrating the true
value of human life.”
Following Maraj’s opening
remarks was the panel of advocates for
putting a stop to domestic violence.
Moderating the panel was
WCBS News Anchor, Levon Putney. Putney asked the panelist a variety
of questions ranging from the root of domestic violence to the validity of
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Phi Theta Kappa Sponsors Playground
Building Project
By: Brian Gomez
On Saturday, September 12, Phi Theta Kappa sponsored a Day of
Service at Paterson Public School #25 located at 287 Trenton Ave. Many
clubs, organizations, and some public figures participated to help build a
new playground at the school.
At 8 a.m., everyone arrived to see nothing more than playground
equipment scattered across the field. Everyone was assigned a different
task depending on what sticker they had on their nametag. Each group
helped build the playground with already available tools and machinery
for a total of 6 hours.
Some of the clubs and organizations that volunteered that day
were PCCC’s Human Services Club, Student Government Association,
AESNJ, PTK, and Visions Newspaper staff. Some public figures included
City Councilman Andre Sayegh and Congressman Bill Pascrell.
There were over 200 hundred passionate volunteers. Most involv-
ing Chirag Patel, CEO of Amneal Pharmaceutical – which is a multinational company whose headquarters is located in Bridgewater New
Jersey, brought along 110 volunteers.
All who volunteered were given a shirt from Kaboom! who hosted this event. Kaboom! is a nationwide, non-profit organization that is
dedicated in helping communities build playgrounds for children. Kaboom! was founded in 1996. They served more than 7.4 million children
and helped build, open, and improve 16,300 playgrounds.
For nearly six years, Public School #25 did not have a playground
for their children. With the help of the community and PCCC students,
they can now enjoy one for years to come.
In this Issue
News ................................... Pages 1-6
Relaxion Techiques ............... Page 5
Game of Life Flier ............... Page 7
Features .......................... Pages 8-11
Sudoku Puzzle ........................ Page 9
Trump Editoral .................. Page 12
Page 2
News
Editor-in-Chief
Naftaly Hiraldo
Managing Editor
Jenice Brown
Production Editor
Tanisha McKinnon
Faculty Advisor
Christine Redman-Waldeyer
Layout Editing Manager
Brian Gomez
Layout Assissant
JanCarlos Gutierrez
Naftaly Hiraldo
Reporters
Naftaly Hiraldo
Brian Gomez
JanCarlos Gutierrez
Faison Peters
Thomas Feliciano
Jenice Brown
Contributing Writers
Mohammad Hoque
Josias I. Fraser
Alysarah Adorno DeJesus
Contact us at:
[email protected]
Awareness of Latino Heritage Month
By: JanCarlos Gutierrez
This fall, PCCC held their annual Latino Heritage Month in the
Paterson Room on Sept. 16, 2015. This event was meant to honor and
celebrate Latin American heritage as well as Latin American students at
PCCC.
Many different types of Latin dishes were served, giving students
at PCCC a taste of Latin culture. Such foods included white rice with black
beans, baked chicken, and empanadas with cheese, chicken, and beef inside. There were also drinks like Jarritos, Country Club, Inca Kola, and
Coco Rico.
A few PCCC students
read some poetry written by
famous Latin American people, such as Pablo Naruda,
Sandra Cisneros, and Julia Alvarez. Rebecca Hefelfinger,
president of the Real Artistic
Writers Club, read 5 different poems from Pablo Naruda. These poems spoke about
Pablo’s culture from Chile.
“I find his poems very eloquent and very well written,”
Hefelfinger said.
Some of PCCC’s very
own Latin American students
like Helelfinger and Miguel
De Jesus, the president of Phi
Theta Kappa, read some of
Miguel De Jesus, PTK President
their own original poetry.
De Jesus wrote poems about equality and the great Latino figures
that came from Paterson. “I just wanted to show that Paterson is a great
melting pot; many races and cultures [that] live here should all be celebrated,” De Jesus expressed.
“I chose to be a part of Latino Heritage Month because I am of
Latino decent, half Puerto Rican, and I just feel like our voices need to be
heard more,” De Jesus said. “I know that the majority of the students at
PCCC are Latino, and we only have this one-month to celebrate our heritage. Most countries have their Independence Day on different times over
the summer; this is really the only month we have to celebrate our heritage
and our different cultures in the Latino community.”
Hefelfinger wrote a poem about a bright time in her young life. In
the poem her mother becomes ill, causing the narrator’s life to become
darker than it once was.
“I think this event is very important because there are many Hispanic students at our school; so it’s important to have an awareness of this
heritage at our school,” Hefelfinger said.
The students had very positive reactions about this event. “I would
attend this event again because they celebrated the accomplishments that
my Latino community has achieved,” Chema Jassaw said. “The part that
stood out the most was the delicious food.”
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News
Constitution Day is Relevant
PCCC Student Body Should Be More Interested
By: Jenice Brown
Constitution Day or rather Citizenship Day is held on Sept. 17th
every year. It is an American federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S.
citizens. The Paterson room of our campus was decorated for the occasion
and even had a lunch spread set up. Unfortunately, the turnout was not as
expected.
“I don’t get it, we have these events and no one shows up,” said
Director of Student Activities, Maria Marte. “It’s not like students don’t
know about it. We sent out emails to all students; we have flyers posted all
over campus we had people passing out flyers this morning. “It shouldn’t
be this empty.”
Unbeknownst to the Director Marte, due to a flyer misprint, most
didn’t know when the event would take place.
“I did not know something was going on today.” Shadaisa McGriff,
a sophomore at PCCC stated. Like most of her surroundings at school,
McGriff ignored the posters advertising the event.
Mcgriff noted that typically her main focus would be to go to class, do
what she had to do, then go home. “I’m usually just focused on my next
move … not trying to hang around like everyone else.”
Although the attendance didn’t meet high expectations, Dr. Martha Brozyna, a history instructor at PCCC and the speaker of the event,
explained with great enthusiasm the Tug-of-War between Federal and
State Lawmakers. She informed the audience the importance of voting,
tuning into the world around us, and to not just turn a blind eye but get
involved.
When the event was over, students’ Limya Salman and her son
Hanny Salman approached Dr. Brozyna. They wanted her information because they deeply enjoyed the event and everything she had to say. Salman only heard about the event right before it started, but was
glad she showed up because she learned about a lot of stuff that she had
not known before.
Although there was little in attendance, the event was not a bust;
the few who were there did take away something from the event and
learned a lot while having a little fun.
Club Fair at PCCC
By: JanCarlos Gutierrez
On Sept. 10, Passaic County Community College had their annual
Club Fair, which took place in the Paterson Room. This event gives a
chance for students to get involved in campus life and encourage them
to be part of the community. With a variety of different clubs to choose
from, students will find it rather easy to find a club that best suits them.
Nursing Student Organization
For more information about each club and organization at PCCC,
please visit: http://pccc.edu/student-activities
American Sign Language Club
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News
Domestic Violence
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the system that deals with the families after the victim leaves the
batter.
Among the panelists was Richard Pompelio, Esq., a crime victim
lawyer and founder of the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center, which
does pro-bono representation of victims in the criminal justice system.
Having often dealt with victims of domestic violence, Pompelio had much
to say about the legal system and those who oversee and/or are a part of
the judicial proceedings for domestic violence cases.
Panelists:(from left to right) Levon Putney, Patrice Lenowitz,
Richard Pompelio, Esq, Barry Goldstein, Lundy Bancroft
“Unless you have a pro-bono system in place you’re going to find
that too many people who need lawyers can’t afford them.” He goes on to
describe how these cases are usually taken to family court where they are
dragged out.
When asked whether if it was the legal system or the people
using the system that are messed up, Pompelio replied by quoting
President Ronald Reagan, “Somewhere along the way the system began
to serve the lawyers and judges and defendants; treating the victims with
institutionalized disinterest.”
Lundy Bancroft, internationally recognized domestic violence
expert and author to the best-selling book Why He Does That? and
prizewinner The Batterer as Parent, shares Pompelio’s views on the legal
system but also finds that individuals are taking advantage of the system.
In criminal court, the defendant and the plaintiff have lawyers to
fight their case, whereas in family court, there are no lawyers to present
your case for you. Both parties are responsible for presenting their own
evidence to the judge who makes the final decision without the use of a
jury.
Typically this decision is centered on trying to maintain the
unification of the family, despite the consequences this could have
on not only the victim, but also the children involved as well. Patrice
Lenowitz, a domestic violence survivor – as both a child and an adult –
and founder of the Nurtured Parent support group which co-sponsored
the presentation commented that “to keep a family together you’re
causing the child to get sick ... you’re causing them long-term health care
problems for the rest of their lives.”
“That’s what happens after she leaves. She goes to family court
and she’s bankrupted, [she] cannot protect her children, [she] cannot
provide, she cannot function, because the system is forcing this unit to
stay together,” said Lenowitz.
As the presentation unfolded, several thought provoking
questions arose: one of which being “What’s at the root of Domestic
Violence?”
Barry Goldstein, domestic violence speaker, author and Director
of Research for the Stop Abuse Campaign, said that “domestic violence
is pattern of coercive and controlling tactics, which mostly men use, to
maintain power and control over their partners … what’s needed for
abusers is accountability.” Goldstein’s response elicited discussion on the
differences between assault charges for partners and assault charges for
strangers.
It was mentioned that despite both cases being assault, only one
of the cases would go to criminal court, that being the case with the
stranger. “Why do we lose our rights if it was a boyfriend, husband, or
constituent,” said Lenowitz.
In an effort, to combat such a thing, Passaic County Community
College has received a grant of $299,644 to be split over 3 years for a
program that will work towards ending partner violence in colleges.
The grant would allow the school to hire 3 project coordinators to assist
with the program at each PCCC campus. The program would train
in awareness and prevention of domestic violence, and is set to begin
October 1st, just in time for Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Cuisine Culture
By: Naftaly Hiraldo
In honor of Latin American Heritage Month, the Lions Club hosted Taste of Latin America at the Passaic Academic Center. The event featured signature dishes and beverages from various parts of Latin America, a presentation on the Lions Club, and a reading of the Proclamation
of Hispanic Heritage Month by the Vice President of PAC, Josephine
Hernandez.
When asked about the significance of the event, Patricia Medeiros, Coordinator of Enrollment Services at PAC, said that “it brings
people from all over together ... we want them to see our heritage, our
food, and our culture.”
Aside from the great food served throughout the event, students
were told about the importance of being Latino. Lizbeth Marinez,
Lions Club President, commented, “In [the United States] there’s so
many [Latinos], and we have to unite with one another in order to have
that voice in our country.”
“The universal language with every country is food ...What better
way to get [a] perspective on someone else’s culture, then through food,”
says Marinez.
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News
Reducing Stress: 2015 Wellness Kickoff
By: Faison Peters
On Jan. 24, PCCC held its first annual
Wellness Kickoff. The event, which was geared
towards helping students reduce stress caused
by daily responsibilities, featured questions that
a panel of four had to answer among several
students. The panel, which consisted of students involved in different clubs within PCCC,
gave advice on an array of questions, including
tips on how to balance their involvement with
school and heavy course loads.
“I’ve learned to say no to attend some
events because school is my top priority,” said
Michelle Hernandez. Hernandez, who is the
President of the Human Services Club, says
she has a planner that she lives by which keeps
her up to date on upcoming events at PCCC. “I
look online to see what events are being offered
around the campus, that way I can schedule my
classes around them. Afterwards, I list everything in my planner,” Hernandez added.
Students Kenya Torres, Secretary of the
RAW Club, and Sahony Caba, President of the
Student Programming Committee, gave their
input on the question as well.
“I base everything around my school
schedule, that way I don’t overwhelm myself
by trying to do too much,” said Caba. “I keep a
calendar handy and when I don’t have it, I utilize my iPhone where I write everything down.
All students should take advantage of technology,” Caba disclosed.
In agreeance with both Caba and Her-
nandez’s tactics, Torres expressed her thoughts
on how to maintain balance.
“For me, I quickly realized that I had to
look at things in terms of order of importance.
Hands down that order is class, work, and then
activities. Students should also set goals for
themselves and be aware of their timing,” said
Torres.
Responsibilities outside of the classroom force students to study at different timeframes. Hernandez says she knows all about
this since her days are usually jammed with
fulfilling duties.
“Sometimes it is really difficult for me.
I am a mother, I work full-time, and I am a fulltime student. I study a lot at work and don’t really get that much time to study at home unless
it is at night. I also study in the library, preferably for four hours. I know they say it’s not a
good thing to study for so long but that method
works best for me personally,” said Hernandez
jokingly.
In regards to dealing with difficult classes due to subject matter or a professor’s teaching style, the panel had much to say, including
Miguel De Jesus who is the president of Phi
Theta Kappa.
“I live by the syllabus,” said De Jesus. “I staple mine to my notebook that way
if something is not easy to grasp, I just refer
back to it. I read the chapters and highlight
the most important things. For me, I have no
Professor Michael D’Arcangelo and Jimena Nunez
Human Services Club
problem teaching myself coursework that I do
not understand, but if I find it difficult to follow an instructor’s teaching style, I speak to
that instructor directly as well. Who knows, me
talking to he/she may help another student who
is having the same struggle.”
Utilizing one of the school’s biggest
resources – the tutoring lab – is key to Torres
whenever she struggles with coursework.
“I spend an extensive amount of time in
the tutoring lab. I used to think people would
laugh at me if I went but ever since I entered
college, I recognized its importance,” said Torres.
The event closed with a final question
regarding tips on how to avoid procrastination,
in which collectively, all four members of the
panel pleaded students should prevent doing.
“It is going to be your worst enemy and
will not get you far. If you can get out of the
habit now, then you will be set for university
life,” said Hernandez.
Following the Wellness Kickoff event
was a seminar in which Professor D’Arcangelo
offered students some relaxation techniques.
Due to the success of the Wellness Kickoff, the
Human Services department plans on arranging
one for next year as well.
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News
Poets Hirsch and Stern at PCCC
By: Thomas Feliciano
Many students are unaware of the Hamilton Club and what
purpose it serves Passaic County Community College. Among other
things, the historic building is home to PCCC’s Poetry Center, run by the
esteemed Dr. Maria Mazziotti Gillan. The Poetry Center gives poets a
chance to learn their craft in the presence of successful writers via workshops and readings. One such reading took place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 1
p.m. This reading, the first of the season, featured such honored poets as
Dr. Edward Hirsch and Gerald Stern.
In the midst of a supposed hurricane, the Saturday afternoon in
Paterson was chilly and gray. This did not deter the turnout, however,
as there were several dozen guests in attendance to share in the love
of poetry. Before the event began, there was a brief introduction to Dr.
Gillan done by the audio/visual coordinator. He spoke about his 30 year
involvement with the Center and how he’d seen faces age and ripen with
the seasons. Next, Dr. Gillan hit the podium to give the attendees a brief
rundown of the day’s schedule.
Dr. Gillan introduced herself as the head of the Poetry Center. She
broke the silence with jokes about her inability to read the notes she’d
written. She then introduced Dr. Hirsch, who replaced her at the podium
for the start of his reading. She informed the audience of his acclaim and
recognition, including the Pablo Naruda Award for poets.
Dr. Hirsch began with a joke about how difficult it would be for
him to follow such a powerful introduction. He asked the audience not
to be disappointed if he doesn’t live up to the list of awards read off by
Dr. Gillan. He then spoke about his relationship with Stern. Stern was
one of his early mentors who not only taught him about the art of poetry,
but also education and how to get the most from his students. Reading
for about 30 minutes, the poems of Dr. Hirsch ran the gamut from humor-filled remembrances to teary-eyed soliloquies, ending with poems
about his own relationship with God.
The majority of his reading came from his 2014 book titled
“Gabriel: A Poem.” This poem in book form is an elegy to Dr. Hirsch’s
dead son. Going through various selections, he gave the audience insight
into his son’s life and also how the author dealt with the loss. The New
York Times called the book “a masterpiece of sorrow.” That is not to say
humor is lost on the work. Several of the selections were vibrant and
humorous introspections into real situations and interactions.
The last few poems spoke to the poet’s despair and quest to find his Maker. A topic not uncommon in times of severe trauma.
After a sounding applause, Dr. Gillan once again rose to the podium to introduce the next reader. Stern was once the Poet Laurette of New
Jersey, so it stands to reason that his career was closely watched by the
poets of the Greater New York Area.
Stern’s approach on stage was slow and calculated. Now in his
90th year, the great poet can no longer move freely on his own accord. As
he fumbled through his shoulder bag to produce the books from which
he’d read, Stern informed the audience that his readings would come
from his last three books, two published and one recently submitted to his
editor.
The seasoned poet filled the air with his nostalgia and good humor. He took the crowd to Chicago, Iowa, Paris, Pennsylvania, and back
home to New Jersey. The most memorable piece told the story of an older
time when the signs above a store read such ignorance as: “No Dogs or
Jews Allowed.” He joked, “I could understand the second part, but who
dislikes dogs?” The poem ridiculed those who disfavor dogs, claiming
they lack compassion.
Another powerful poem recalled a relationship with his former
colleague and close friend, America’s leading Russian translator. The
audience also sat with Stern on the bench of his local Methodist church in
search for inspiration in the beauty of nature.
Stern’s reading lasted about 40 minutes. After which, the audience dispersed for snacks and to take part in a book signing with the two poets.
An open reading for all concluded the evening.
If one claims poetry is a lost art, it is sure they have not entered
the Hamilton Building at PCCC. Dr. Gillan is dedicated to keeping the
love of poetry alive in Paterson.
Stay tuned for upcoming events at the Poetry Center, open to all
PCCC students.
Dr. Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Director of the Poetry Center
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Game of Life Flier
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Features
College 101: Staying Sharp in Stale Lectures
By: Josias I. Fraser
Time to answer a wide-known issue: boring lectures! College students all over can’t stand them! Five minutes in, and they’re already on
their phones dying to leave. So, as a school committed to student success,
how do we address this problem?
The most popular type of class many college students tend to take
is a lecture class. In those classes, students take a more passive role by
sitting and listening to the professor as he or she puts information they
deem relevant to the student’s learning up on the board, or speaks it to
the class for them to write down.
How interesting is that? “It happens almost every day. When I
walk in, the teacher starts talking, and I instantly start getting bored,”
says Miguelangel Rosa, graphic arts major. He and others like him across
the college find themselves fighting back snores and yawns, regardless
of personal sleeping habits, due to the sheer boredom flowing out of the
lecture.
Why would he get bored in class, you may ask? Is it monotony?
“If there’s no student interaction and the professor is just standing there
talking, I instantly stop paying attention,” Rosa says. The same thing carries over in his personal life, saying that “interactions with people with
no emotion bores me to death.”
So, how does he stay focused? How can he glean information
from such tediousness? “I try to find areas in the subject matter that catch
my attention and jot that
down. Also, I look for areas
that I actually get involved
in. It also helps that the
teacher talks with us and not
at us.” From this, we can
make the judgment that lecture delivery can contribute
to reducing boredom.
Teachers can be
guilty of such monotony in
their delivery. “Sometimes I
notice that the teacher looks
bored, which tunes me out
of what they’re saying. No
image from:http://www.misslanna.
com/2015/05/16/boredom-inspiration/
emotion, no benefit for me,” Rosa notes. This is a common trait among
a lot of students; we not being engaged leads to boredom and lack of
enthusiasm.
“I get bored more when the class lacks hands-on learning,”
says Jordyn Davey, physics major. “If the professor is just standing in
one place talking, I zone out.” This plays into the monotony that Rosa
brought up earlier. “I like to actively be engaged in class, doing things to
get me involved in what’s being taught.”
For some students, the issue could be internal rather than external.
Davey explains this from her perspective, saying “my lack of attention
“It happens almost every day. When I walk in, the
teacher starts talking, and I instantly start
getting bored”
in class actually comes mostly from chronic anxiety, depression, and
ADHD. It’s just hard for me to sit and focus on one thing without wanting to tune out.”
How does someone with a disability combat the inevitable urge
to zone out? Perhaps a seating change, like Davey suggests. “I change
my seat in classes where I know I’m going to get bored—it opens up an
opportunity to be more active, as professors’ call on the people who look
alive.” Davey also agrees with Rosa’s earlier statement, where “opportunities for hands-on learning make for more interesting classes.”
At times, the lectures could grow stale entirely based upon the
materials used. Pahola Cordero-Sime, music technology major, explains
this saying that she “gets very bored when the professor just talks right
out of the textbook. It’s so hard to focus because it even sounds boring!”
Oftentimes lectures follow that pattern, but it can contribute to boredom.
Talking out of the textbook again ties back into lack of emotion and engagement in students. Cordero-Sime agrees, voicing her discontent with
that class dynamic. “Sometimes you can just hear the boredom in their
voices. If you’re bored, why should I listen?”
Even some teachers notice the lectures getting stale at times.
Professor James Wallace, an instructor at Passaic County Community
College’s CIS 101 course, says “When I taught face to face, I did notice
the blank stares and the sideway glances at the clock, doing anything to
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(Continued From Page 8)
get out of the class quicker.”
Professor Wallace understands where
the students are coming from, noticing that
“A good deal of lectures that I saw over the
years were of just professors standing and
talking at their students and over half looked
like they were asleep already.” He claims it
could have been the times the classes were
held, but actually it more points to the lecture material.
Interestingly, Wallace polled his
students on how they wanted to be lectured;
they chose the standard “I talk, you listen”
dynamic in favor of more hands-on learning
or more interactive lessons. “It’s the strangest thing,” Wallace notes, “that students
claim to be bored in a standard lecture, yet
when they’re offered more hands-on approaches, they turn them down.” Well, if this
is the case, how do you win? How do teachers make lectures more interesting?
Professor of Sociology and Academic
Coordinator of the Gateway Center of Academic Achievement Doreen Pierce suggests
chewing minty gum or something fresh, or
Features
even doodling helps stay focused.
“I’ve observed that giving the mind
a break or two during lectures actually helps
improve concentration, even if it looks like
the students aren’t paying attention,” Pierce
said. As long as it’s not constant, and incredibly distracting, like a cell phone.
So students, what have we learned?
Boredom strikes us all! It’s a commonplace
thing, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have its
ways to overcome. Some people have disabilities to contribute to zoning out, some can’t
stand monotony, and some just die when the
teachers talk out of the book. What do you
do?
Follow the advisements of the students interviewed—find an area of the subject matter that appeals to you. If you can’t,
actively engage in the professor’s teaching,
move yourself, do something to keep your
energy up. If you must, distract yourself, but
only for a little while.
Boredom hits us all, but it’s not impossible! “Stay Sharp, and no falling asleep in
class!”
Hoffmann’s Hospitality
By: Naftaly Hiraldo
Although we are well into the school
year, there are several students who are still content from their summer break.
Among the aforementioned story tellers
is Burcu Hoffmann, Business Administration
major – Hospitality Management option, at Passaic County Community College. Following her
school-issued summer internship, Hoffmann
was able to attain a full time position at the Hilton Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights.
When asked about how she initially got
involved with the internship, Hoffmann said
that she heard about it in her Sanitation and
Safety class with Professor James Alan, who is
also the coordinator of the internship program.
Unlike some of the other internships
offered at PCCC, which require letters of recommendation, credit requirements, and other
academic requirements, the hospitality management internship requirements are not as extensive. All that is needed is the completion of two
hospitality courses and one management course.
When Hoffmann first arrived at the Hilton earlier this summer, she, like most on their
first day of work, asked herself “‘how am I going
to fit in?’ I kept wondering ‘How are they going
to treat me? Would I be able to do this sort of
Burcu Hoffmann, Business Administration Hospitality Option
get a feel of the different aspects that goes into
managing a hotel.
Hoffmann also said that she would “absolutely” recommend the internship to her fellow PCCC students. “Give it a shot. It gets your
foot through the door,” which proved true for
During closeout session at the end of
Hoffmann’s time at the Hilton, Professor Cox
noticed several things about the relationship
between Hoffmann and management at the hotel. “They loved her. I distinctly remember one
of the managers saying that ‘she was a breath of
Professor Cox also mentioned that in order to attain
a position where you intern, like Hoffmann did, “you
have to prove that you’re invaluable”
job?’”
However her first day jitters eventually
melted away as she grew used to her position.
When asked about what she would change
about her time spent at the Hilton, Hoffmann
responded, “[to] make it longer. One more week
would [be great].”
The hospitality management internship
is a total of 135 hours, approximately 6 weeks.
Every week, Hoffmann would work with a
different department within the Hilton Hotel to
Hoffmann, who was offered a full time position
with the hotel.
For students interested in participating a
hospitality management internship, the business
department exclusively operates with Hilton in
Hasbrouck Heights as well as the Marriott in
Newark. “Internships today are valuable. They
are essential today and we are the only ones
working with [these hotels],” mentioned chair
of the business department, Professor Thomas
Cox.
fresh air.”’ Professor Cox also mentioned that in
order to attain a position where you intern, like
Hoffmann did, “you have to prove that you’re
invaluable.”
When asked about the difference between students with associate degrees in hospitality as opposed to students with bachelor
degrees in the program, Professor Cox said that
“the General Manager at the Hilton was actually more interested in hiring associate degree
students rather than baccalaureate, because
Page 10
Features
(Continued From Page 9)
bachelor students don’t want to get dirty.”
“They come in and they expect a corner office, they aren’t necessarily willing to do the legwork. We tell our students don’t expect a corner
office. Associate students do the legwork and get their hands dirty. They
take the time to work with all there is to offer,” Professor Cox said.
College Campuses
A Breeding Ground for Eating Disorders
By: Alysarah Adorno DeJesus
It is common knowledge that one of the most talked about topics
when beginning college is the highly notorious freshman 15 – that pesky
15 extra pounds that many students seem to gain due to lack of physical
activity and dramatic changes in one’s eating and sleeping habits.
According to researchers Heidi J. Wengreen and Cara Moncur,
from the department of nutrition and food sciences at Utah State University, one out of four college freshmen gain at least 5 percent of their body
weight which is an average of 10 pounds during their first semester.
But is the crazy talk of the freshmen 15 subconsciously steering students
into developing eating disorders? If so, does that apply to the life of
university resident students do. So commuter students aren’t overeating
simply because it is too expensive.
“I don’t think that colleges like ours deal with too many eating
disorders the way universities might. Quite frankly I think that us students here at PCCC being commuters have too many other things on our
plate to be concerned with rather than thinking about our caloric intake
or ‘skipping out on meals to go out drinking every night at the local frat
houses’,” said Richard Colon, 19, criminal justice major.
For more information on eating disorders effecting colleges visit:
“...college students in fact are one of the most vulnerable
groups of people to develop eating disorders –overeating
and/or under-eating – and body image problems...”
commuter students or just the lives of students residing on a university
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/CollegiateSurveyProject
campus?
After much research, there is a common factor among the countless articles stating that college students in fact are one of the most vulnerable groups of people to develop eating disorders – overeating and/or
under-eating – and body image problems.
According to the Nation Institute of Mental Health, 25 percent of
all college students struggle from an eating disorder; a 2013 study by the
National Eating Disorders Association shows eating disorders have increased on college campuses.
Leah Cordova, 21, human services major at Kean University
believes that “eating disorders are becoming so common because they’re
being normalized; allowing for students to become desensitized. I know
so many students that are doing things such as binge drinking, binge eating, skipping meals, and/or sleeping off their hunger.”
“These kids are doing that all so that they can live the movie
screen life of a college student while trying to avoid the notorious freshman 15,” said Cordova.
The normalization of these non-mainstream eating disorders is
the factor that many believe is blindsiding students into a downward
image: https://northwesterndining.wordpress.com/tag/eat-healthy/
spiral.
According to National Institute of Mental Health, a large scale
survey concluded that male body image concerns have dramatically
increased over the past three decades from 15 percent to 43 percent of
college men being dissatisfied with their bodies; rates that are comparable
to those found in women.
Kevin Stevens, 21, athletic training at Kean University feels that
“eating disorders go unnoticed in men because people generally look for
the symptoms in women instead. Being a guy who’s constantly in the gym
and constantly around other guys, you can definitely tell when someone
is struggling, but I never thought of calling it out as an eating disorder.
Especially because guys hardly talk about losing weight the way girls do.”
Stevens also stated that many young men in college are obsessively concerned with gaining weight, causing them to abuse supplements and overuse protein mixes.
Both Cordova and Stevens had similar views on eating disorders
on college campuses, however students at PCCC notably felt otherwise.
“Commuter students and resident students are polar opposites. They live
in two different worlds and they experience very different things,” said
Norma Martinez, 21, early childhood education major. Martinez said that
students at PCCC are not really concerned with steering away from the
freshmen 15.
She believes that students here are more concerned with their
commute time between work and school while avoiding traffic and
looking for a parking spot while maintaining their personal life outside of
school.
Martinez goes on to explain how students at commuter schools
like PCCC don’t have food plans with unlimited eating the way many
Page 11
Features
PCCC EOF Program Helps Freshmen’s Get Ahead
By: Mohammad Hoque
As a member, I know that EOF starts
science, English, and more.
continuing students. “EOF has been my support
freshmen students off with a mandatory six
“The EOF support services do a really
in college. When I entered college, my math and
week summer program. During this program,
good job at what they do. They have helped me
English skills were poor but with the help of
students get a head start on two general college
learn a lot during the summer program and
EOF, I have overcome that and now I tutor other
course classes – English and math. EOF also
they are very helpful and available when I need
students in math,” said Brandon Veal, 22-yearprovide workshops and informational sessions
them. They give me that extra motivation,” said
old junior and engineering major.
to help students learn about college obstacles.
Christian Zavaleta, 19-year-old freshman and
When asked about recommending EOF
EOF is a state funded program that pro- engineering major. Zavaleta is so good in math
to anyone who is starting off college, Ramirez
vides financial assistance and support services
that he became a math tutor for the EOF lab as a stated, “I would recommend the EOF program
like tutoring and counseling. Most colleges in
freshmen.
to anyone who is eligible! It’s such a great opNew Jersey have this program and the students
One thing I think all college students go portunity; students who are eligible should take
do take advantage of the services they offer.
through is paying tuition. “The EOF program
full advantage of this program. For sure they’ll
How does this program transition is designed for students with low income which give you all the support you need through your
students into college? I asked the students at
means that students receive extra grants from
transition in college.”
PCCC to see how this program helps them
EOF to help pay for school, books, supplies,
All these students said they will continue
through their transition in college.
transportation, and much more,” according to
being an EOF student when they transfer to a
“The EOF support services do a really good job at what they do. They have helped me learn a
lot during the summer program and they are very helpful and available when I need them. They
give me that extra motivation”
“EOF has helped me get a head start in
the NJ Secretary of Higher Education.
four year university so they can continue getting
college in the summer, compared to regular stu- “This program helps students from
the support they need in college.
dents, which made me advance to composition
educationally and economically disadvantaged
In conclusion, the EOF program is doing
two in my first semester. Now I can be ahead
backgrounds in New Jersey. It helps me maina good job helping college students succeed by
and graduate on time,” said Evalisse Carrero,
tain my 4.0 GPA that I earned over the summer; offering support services, financial help, and so
18-year-old freshman.
the extra EOF grants helped me pay for my
much more. This program is a great opportunity
EOF offers support services that are
books,” said Kimberly Ramirez, 17-year-old
to get a head start in college.
available to students who struggle academically. freshman.
They offer services like counseling, mentoring,
Now, the EOF program is not only for
and an EOF lab that gives tutoring in math,
freshmen students, it also offers services for
Page 12
Editoral
THANK YOU, TRUMP
By:Thomas Feliciano
Imagine a world where the President
of the United States stands at the podium for
his inaugural State of the Union Address. He
begins: “My fellow Americans, I’ll make this
short and to the point. Immigration, you’re
fired. Muslims, you’re fired. Foreign Policy?
FIRED!”
The above is an example
of a hyperbole, sure. Exaggeration or not, these statements
reflect some of Donald Trump’s
positions in the current bid
for Presidential nomination.
The only thing missing are the
comments on President Barack
Obama’s religion and country of
origin. To this day, Trump simply
refuses to accept that President
Obama is a Christian American.
But that’s beside the point. In
Trump’s world, he’s speaking
the truth. That’s one reason he
deserves to be thanked.
What Trump has done
these past few months is expose
the framework of the current
American political system; one
that relies more on celebrity than on precedent,
on perspective more than fact. In a world where
$5 billion speaks louder than even the sharpest
political diatribe and the number of followers
on Twitter is reflective of your worth to society,
Trump is the perfect candidate. Who cares if
what he says is true? It doesn’t need to be.
The goal isn’t to prove to the American
populous that he’s the image of Plato’s “Philosopher King.” The goal is to get people speaking. To him, about him, positive, negative; it’s
all relative. What matters is that Trump is on
the tongue, on the screen, and on the page. He’s
not speaking to source-checking, self-sufficient
American scholars. He’s preaching to the choir
of his niche, a fringe on the outskirts of American thought. If the opposition finds him crazy,
good. That means they’ll mention his name
more than the other candidates. Who else is running, anyway?
The GOP is not short of candidates for
the Republican nomination in the 2016 Pres-
idential election. Among potentials who’ve
entered the race are: Jeb Bush, Dr. Ben Carson,
Governor Chris Christie, Senator Ted Cruz,
Carly Fiorina, Senator Lindsey Graham, Mike
Huckabee, Governor Bobby Jindal, Governor
John Kasich, Senator Rand Paul, Senator Marco
Rubio, Rick Santorum, and the aforementioned
Donald Trump. Is it a mere happenstance of
alphabetical order that Trump is lucky number
13?
The most current polls show Trump
continues to lead in New Hampshire. Fiorina is
closing in at second with Rubio on her heels.
The rest of the pack is an open race. Carson,
Bush, and Kasich are all making their stand
somewhere in the distance. The other candidates are mentioned briefly, if it all, and seen
even less. Gov. Christie of New Jersey echoed
his dissatisfaction on the Tonight Show with
Jimmy Fallon. On the program, Gov. Christie
told the host he wanted to flail his arms in the
air to draw attention to himself during a recent
debate.
Such late night television talk shows
have proven important campaigning tools. The
serious contenders make the rounds, and Trump
is an instant ratings booster for any program.
His celebrity status, his pattern for making
ridiculous off-the-cuff remarks, and the overall
controversy that surrounds him all guarantee
viewers. Stephen Colbert, the former host of
the Colbert Report and current host of the Late
Show on CBS, poked fun at Trump on quite a
few occasions since the debut of his new show.
Trump thought it was appropriate to appear on the program
and speak for himself.
Colbert began the interview by thanking Trump for
running for President saying,
“I’m not going to say this stuff
writes itself, but…” To which
Trump only chuckled. As their
conversation progressed, Colbert told Trump that he was not
surprised by his lead because,
“…the Republican Party’s been
a big pusher of the idea that
money is speech. And you’re a
ten billion dollar mouth!”
Therein lies the problem:
Trump’s money gives him a
freedom not afforded to other
politicians. Instead of going
through lobbyists and getting
the Party’s approval, Trump is financing his entire campaign out of pocket. In the scenario that
Trump is not successful in his quest for nomination on the Republican ticket, he has the money
to run as an independent and split the voter’s
opinion, allowing the Democratic nominee an
easy victory.
At this stage, the Democrats have only
two candidates on the ticket, Hilary Clinton
and Senator Bernie Sanders. Vice President Joe
Biden has time to announce his candidacy, as
expected.
Imagine again, a world where Donald
Trump is the President of the United States. A
man quoted as saying, “Sadly, the overwhelming
amount of violent crime in our major cities is
committed by Blacks and Hispanics - a tough
subject - must be discussed.” American political
system: YOU’RE FIRED!