March 2016 Issue - Community College of Allegheny County
Transcription
March 2016 Issue - Community College of Allegheny County
the voice COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY – NORTH CAMPUS & WEST HILLS March 9, 2016 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Homelessness: The Community College Student Epidemic MARK HUMPHREY THE VOICE EDITOR There is an emergent issue affecting community college students: food and housing insecurity. Students’ academic performance, their mental state, and even their own residences are at risk. Hungry to Learn: Addressing Food & Housing Insecurity Among Undergraduates, the title of the study performed by The Wisconsin Hope Lab, indicates that half of all community college students are currently struggling with food or housing insecurities. These insecurities encompass hunger, homelessness, and various other factors relating to or influencing both. Of the 4,000 community college students surveyed for the study, 13 percent specified that they had experiences associated with homelessness in the last year. This would equate to about one out of every ten community college students delving into experiences with homelessness. These experiences include being kicked out of home, staying Illustration by Brian Wilson / CCAC North Homelessness among community college students is a hidden problem. in an abandoned building, eviction, and staying in a shelter. Homelessness, however, is not the most pervasive issue. Among the students surveyed, 52 percent reported that they were at least marginally food insecure. More than half of community college students are at risk of hunger. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), there were 7.3 million for-credit students attending community colleges in Fall 2014. This would result in about 3.65 million students being at least marginally food insecure. There are several programs available that can help alleviate the issues associated with hunger and homelessness. CCAC South Campus held a grand opening ceremony for the Campus Cupboard South Food Pantry on February 17. The food pantry will serve local students and families in an effort to combat growing food insecurity. Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reported CEO Lisa Scales as saying, “When one in seven adults and one in five children in our communities are struggling with hunger, it is a significant issue we all should be concerned about. Through key partnerships such as this one with CCAC, I am confident that hunger is a solvable issue…” There is an abundance of other programs and organizations including SNAP, Just Harvest, Allegheny Link, Community Human Services, Urban League, and North Hills Community Outreach. Each organization assists people with food, housing, and/or other services to help them become self-sufficient. “In my case, someone would call my office. Say for instance, if someone is to be evicted from their housing, we ask them what the situation is, if they can pay any amount of their rent to keep them from getting evicted,” says Jennifer Schlosser, Service Coordinator with North Hills Community Outreach. “We usually like to see the client pay a portion, and then we work with a committee to see how much funding we can secure for them. We also assist with applying for other government programs that are appropriate for their situation. It all comes down to funding, but we help them with as much as we can. Not only the crisis situation, but also developing selfsufficiency.” Whether the necessity be food or housing based, these organizations work tirelessly to provide assistance to those in need. Women Gain a Foothold in Gaming Creation JESSICA REA THE VOICE STAFF Despite years of being a maledominated industry, more women are joining the video game world. Still, women working in the world of computer and video games are vastly outnumbered. A C++ computer programming class in McMurray, Pennsylvania has only two women students enrolled in two classes. Lauren Stawartz, a technology and business teacher at the school, said she was surprised by the enrollment and says it may be because of stigma against women in gaming. “I think from a young age, [boys] are more involved in gaming and programming than girls,” Stawartz told WomensENews. com. “But once the girls are in the class, they are just as into it as the boys. We just need to get them into the class in the first place.” This imbalance mirrors the situation nationwide. According to Education Week, only 20 percent of U.S. high school students who took the AP Computer Science test were female in 2015. The numbers are important as it is predicated that computer science will have the highest job growth through 2020, resulting in an estimated 1.4 million jobs, according to the Department of Labor. But, Stawartz says, more girls need to take computer science classes early for them to be welcomed into the field. At CCAC North, the Multimedia Programming, Simulation, and Gaming programming is still relatively new but growing. Maria Harrington, a professor in the program, emphasizes how good the field is as people navigate the growing digital world. She encourages anyone interested in joining the program. “It is very important and significant that the best and brightest of any gender enters this field. Then you can play a part, a role in what forms our entire society and culture, it is a great mission and a vision with high impact.” Still, the Pew Research Center’s recent report on “Gaming and Gamers” indicates that women are just as likely to be playing video games as men. According to the report, 49 percent of Americans say they play video games – on computers, game consoles, or portable devices. More than that, the split by gender is relatively even: 50 percent of men and 48 percent of women are gamers. As these numbers grow, women are being recognized more and more in gaming, both as consumers and as creators. Brian Wilson / CCAC North Voice Yasemin Aysel is a student in CCAC North’s gaming program. 06 08 IN THIS ISSUE... 04 CAMPUS CCAC North Campus celebrates a birthday ARTS & LIVING Netflix hits you right in the nostalgia with Fuller House. SPORTS A championship team in Pittsburgh you don’t know 12 COMICS A new student-created comic makes its debut 2 The Voice Physical textbooks are here to stay MAYA CARTER THE VOICE STAFF the voice MarySandra Do EDITOR IN CHIEF Brittany Kauer BUSINESS DIRECTOR Brian Wilson CREATIVE DIRECTOR OPEN COPY EDITOR Mark Humphrey NEWS EDITOR Carlis M. Spivey CAMPUS EDITOR Veronica DeAlmeida ARTS EDITOR Allison Roup SPORTS EDITOR STAFF Kaitlin Bigley Daniel Brazell Andrew Cardone Maya Carter Charles DeMore II Andrew Doyle Bryan T. Frauens Anna Germain Jessica Rea Jared Sawl Jennifer Weismantle Apryl Zaczek Melissa M. Zaffuto Rob Velella ADVISER • PUBLICATION INFORMATION The VOICE is the student-run newspaper of the Community College of Allegheny County North Campus and West Hills. Students are encouraged to join the staff and contribute. 1,000 copies will be distributed on one Wednesday each month, both at North and West. The VOICE provides a professional journalism experience while striving for excellence, completeness, accuracy, and high integrity; the organization shall produce a nonpartisan publication providing responsible, objective, and fair coverage of items of interest and importance to the CCAC North and West campus communities. CONTACT Room 1018, North Campus [email protected] 412-369-3698 Mailing Address: 8701 Perry Highway Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Member of: Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Despite our ever-technologicallyadvancing society, it seems that “eBooks” cannot hold a candle to the attachment that we, as a society, have to physical books. When it comes to textbooks, especially, readers everywhere prefer to read from physical textbooks as opposed to reading from a digital screen, such as via Kindle, iPad, or even iPhone, with the iPhone’s “iBooks” feature. In a study conducted by American University linguistics professor Naomi Baron, it was shown that 92% of the 300 students surveyed from the United States, Japan, Germany, and Slovakia found that it was a lot easier to concentrate with physical books. Reading from eBooks was more likely to induce “physical discomfort” on the head and eyes and made the reader more prone to distraction while reading. The population at CCAC North seems to reflect those numbers. “I was forced to get an eBook for a trig class,” student Tim McClain notes. “The page had trouble loading, and I just didn’t like it. It sounds nice because you don’t have to carry it around, but I like my physical copy much better.” However, students are not the only ones feeling disdain towards eBooks. Many professors on campus are concerned for the students’ sake when using certain textbooks for class. “What if your internet crashes in the middle of your reading?” Art professor Brian McDermott says, “You’re screwed.” Jess Davenport, the manager of the bookstore at the North Campus, claims that while the eBooks are an available option, they are not mandatory – and they certainly are not a popular choice. “Any nursing students that bought an eBook for their class came back and bought the physical textbook instead,” Davenport says. This shows that in demanding programs, such as nursing, where strict concentration is required in order to pass, it is best to have the copy of the physical book in order to focus better. Davenport also mentions that buying a physical textbook is much easier for the sake of all students than buying an eBook. Although the price is higher, the books can be bought back by the bookstore for up to 50% at the end of the semester. This way they are made available to rent to other students who need them in the future. Although everyone may have their own personal preference, when purchasing textbooks for a class, it is clear that physical textbooks are the better option in the long run, for CCAC and for the world. Andrew Cardone / CCAC North Voice Studies indicate that students prefer physical textbooks over ebooks. CCAC Receives Grants for STEM JESSICA REA THE VOICE STAFF Two programs at CCAC are making strides towards great achievements, the Biotechnology Workforce Collaborative and the Health Professions Opportunity: Pathway to Success. These groups have been awarded grants totaling to $13,754,803. Both grants will assist underrepresented groups in the health fields and the science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) fields. This will broaden the horizons for many underprivileged students with a thirst for knowledge and achievement. The Biotechnology Workforce Collaborative program has been awarded a $629,207 grant from the National Science Foundation while the Health Professions Opportunity: Pathway to Success has been awarded a $13,125,596 grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. Both grants will be in effect for the next five to six years. The current grant from the National Science Foundation is a generous expansion to the previous support awarded for the Biotechnology Workforce Collaborative. The original awarded funding was in effect from 2009 to 2015 and has now been added on to become funded until September 30, 2020. The BioMaS Workforce Collaborative Project will seek to bring out participation of the underrepresented groups in STEM, including veterans, minorities, and women. The BioMaS Workforce Collaborative Project has specific goals tailored to the students success. The Projects goals are looking to provide the value of 40 full scholarships while simultaneously providing onsite clinical social workers, a community experience, and tutoring. These services to the students will help them with internship and job opportunities, improving their retention and persistence, graduating, and future employment. We also have the funding awarded to the Health Professions Opportunity: Pathway to Success. This program specifically targets the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other low-income students who strive to be in health care professions. The goals of the Health Professions Opportunity: Pathway to Success program is simply to prepare and support roughly 1,860 underprivileged students while they stay in school and eventually graduate the health occupational program. The goal is also to have led the graduates into preparing a future for themselves in the Health Profession. With that being said, the Health Professions Opportunity: Pathway to Success Program will include various services to help the students help themselves achieve their goals. They will be assisting the program participants with child care, tuition and also transportation. These two programs support student success at CCAC. Further, these funded programs actually offer the tools students need to go into the real world and succeed. Mark Humphrey / CCAC North Voice CCAC has received substantial grants in support of science and health programs. 3 The Voice CCAC’s Audio Project Collects 50 Years and One Million Stories MARYSANDRA DO THE VOICE EDITOR In honor of the Community College of Allegheny County’s 50th anniversary, the college’s Educational Foundation has started a project to share 1 million stories of current and former students and faculty. The Foundation is taking submissions through the project’s microsite (CCAC. edu/50). In approximately two weeks about 20 stories will be featured on the site and the site will continue featuring a new set of stories for each of the following months. As a service project, The Honor Society students plan to go once a month to each one the CCAC campuses and record students’ audio stories as well. “It’s opened to current employees, former employees, current students, former students- anybody that’s had any kind of affiliation with CCAC- to talk about their stories,” says Rose Ann Dicola, Chief Executive Officer of CCAC’s Educational Foundation. CCAC’s Educational Foundation focuses on cultivating relationships in the community as well as raising money for the college. Education has always been important to Dicola, who has been a part of the Foundation for over a decade. “It’s particularly rewarding because we’ve been able to raise money to try to increase our endowment, to try to build scholarships for students,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to be able to make a difference in the lives of students.” The idea to feature a total of 1 million stories was purposeful and the number is relative to the number of years that CCAC has been open. “When we developed the logo for the 50th anniversary, what we wanted to do was to show that’s the reason for the 1 million and we did check that number out by the way, back to 1966 when the college first started, so many students had actually come through the halls here so we do have over a million students that have attended CCAC in some way,” says Dicola. “What is your story? How did CCAC – essentially – change your life?” Dicola recalls discussing during the early stages of the project’s development. “It’s our 50th anniversary, it doesn’t happen very often. What do we want to occur as a result of this?” The telling of 1 million stories aims to connect all the individuals who are or have been a part of CCAC. It is also a way to remember past success stories as well as current ones. Many of the stories highlight the positive impact that CCAC has had on students who came from quite humble beginnings. “We have a number of alum who are really successful today but at the time CCAC was the only option for them to get into higher education,” says Dicola. Being a part of the Foundation for about 14 years, Dicola notes some positive changes, “CCAC’s name in the community is more recognized and I think that we’re more recognized in terms of the role that we play in work force training and also economic development in the area.” She also notes that companies, particularly healthcare institutions, depend on the school in terms of preparing workers to go directly into their fields. “I think the thing that intrigued me the most when I first came to CCAC was really the fact that we were training a workforce,” she says. She states that many people attended CCAC later in life but today, due to the resulted debt from the average four-year institution more students are looking at CCAC as being more suitable to spend their first two years of school. Many of the stories show the advantages of attending CCAC – seeing as there are so many alumni who have flourished professionally. “I think we want them to look at the successes that CCAC, the students and employees have had at CCAC and to look at the impact that we have in the community,” says Dicola. The Foundation hopes that this project will lead to more in the future, particularly involving alumni. There a few other projects in the works, in honor of the school’s anniversary. The college is going to honor 50 distinguished alumni and there is a campaign that will endow 50 students with 50 scholarships. Both the college and the Foundation encourages everybody to participate in some way or other in the 50the anniversary- to use it as an opportunity to share their story and also to share CCAC’s story amongst family, friends, and the community. “Our goal and our hope would be that this would become something very big and that would help to draw people closer to CCAC,” she says. “I think everybody’s story is important and significant.” To submit a personal story to be featured on the microsite, log onto to CCAC.edu/50 4 Campus The Voice North, West Hills welcome new Dean of Academic Affairs CARLIS M. SPIVEY THE VOICE EDITOR As the new Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jeffery Thomas has been responsible for all of the academic programming at CCAC North Campus and West Hills Center as of December of 2015. “That means that my office schedules all the classes, works with faculty to develop new develop new programs and improve existing programs, and represents the college and campus to the public.” says Thomas. He believes that the work done by CCAC for Allegheny County is wellknown, and he felt that he could add to the school’s legacy of accomplishment. Thomas says “The North Campus is a great place to be. The leadership is amazing and the faculty and staff truly care about the students attending here. In addition, Pittsburgh is consistently rated as one of the best cities to live in the US.” Thomas has a PhD in history from Texas Tech University, a Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Texas, and a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Eckerd College. He stated “I taught history and anthropology for about ten years in Arizona at Northland Pioneer College. I first became a dean at Northland Community and Technical College in Minnesota, so I’m no stranger to cold weather! I was most recently a dean at Miami Dade College.” Andrew Cardone / CCAC North Voice Dean Jeffery Thomas began his role at CCAC North in December of 2015. In memorium: Danielle Kappeler The CCAC North Campus community mourns the loss of student Danielle Kappeler. Kappeler, who passed away in February, had been a student at CCAC North since fall of 2015, and spent a lot of time giving back to her community. She spent her time comforting the children awaiting transplants at Children’s Hospital, and volunteered at the Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department, a position she valued highly. She made it her goal to bring awareness to transplant donation and the transplant community. A Celebration of Life was held on February 21 at Bauerstown Volunteer Fire Department, where balloons were released in her Honor. Fly high, Danielle. On top of his multiple degrees, Thomas was also selected to represent US community colleges on a tour of colleges throughout Russia as a US Scholar through the Fulbright US Scholar Program. “The Fulbright experience was one of the best in my career.” he says. Thomas continued by saying “We were exposed to changes occurring in Russian higher education, as well as curiosity about community colleges, which don’t exist in Russia.” While it’s clear he has accomplished quite a lot in his career, Thomas says his proudest achievement is watching the students he has helped graduate. “…I feel pride. I went into this business to help students reach that outcome, and when I can help them get there I feel a sense of accomplishment.” In his time away from work and academics, Thomas seems to keep himself pretty busy! He says “I have 4 kids, so I spend a lot of my time driving to practices and rehearsals. I also like to hike and camp and spend time outdoors. I am looking forward to exploring the natural beauty of western Pennsylvania. I enjoy traveling to new places and exploring new areas and learning the history and culture of those areas.” When asked how he felt about the future of CCAC, Thomas says “CCAC will continue to be an educational leader in Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania. We will continue to offer new and innovative programs to meet the needs of students and the community.” Thomas says his favorite thing about North Campus is the hard work, dedication, and kindness of the faculty and staff. He says “Don’t be afraid to explore the opportunities the campus has to offer, to be engaged in clubs and activities and to learn all that you can.” He concludes by saying, “Also, don’t be a stranger! Say hello when you get a chance!” Financial aid adds a new self-service option CARLIS M. SPIVEY THE VOICE EDITOR Effective for the 2016-2017 academic year, CCAC will have one Federal School Code and one Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) School Code. Both codes will cover all of the CCAC center locations and campuses. When completing and applying for the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2016-2017 academic year, the Title IV Federal Code used, will be 003231. The PHEAA School Code, 014000 should be used for Pennsylvania State Grant purposes for the academic year. Financial aid self-service gives one the ability to not only print a copy of any award letters they may obtain, but it also allows one to request a student loan. One could also accept or deny Federal Workstudy. It also allows one to be able to check their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and whether or not you’re eligible for financial aid, as well as the status of subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and learn the differences between these two types of loans. To access and manage one’s financial aid with the self-service feature on my.ccac.edu by signing in with their NetID. If one doesn’t have a NetID, the self-service feature will not be available. To create a NetID, simply follow the onscreen directions on netid.ccac.edu. For questions regarding financial aid, please visit my.ccac.edu or your campus’ financial aid office. Changes for 201617 academic year: • All CCAC campuses and centers now have a single code • Students can manage financial aid throught the my.ccac.edu portal • Students can now accept or deny federal work study offers 5 The Voice CCAC North’s humble beginnings with a payphone at a mall shortly before the division was moved to Babcock Boulevard. According to the 1992 Annual Report, Curran said “When we were at Babcock, we felt completely isolated from the rest of the campus. That When John Kraft joined the effort to changed when we moved back to Pines establish a CCAC campus in the North two years later. This was when we felt like Hills area as dean in 1972, things were a we were a part of everything.” bit harder than one may imagine. For the The Report also says Curran felt the first week of his involvement, it is rumored two year transition time made the move to that Kraft kept his office supplies in the a new campus much easier. trunk of his car, and had to make phone “If we didn’t have those two years calls from a payphone at the Northway at Pines to get used to being a part of the Mall. system, it would have been a real culture The campus began as an idea amongst shock when we moved to the new campus. the five founders of North-Center. Their Things are really exciting right now primary focus was to establish a College because everything is changing,” says Center-North in the North Hills. Soon, Curran, as the Report stated. their idea was transformed into a trailer in “We had no space and old, dilapidated the Passavant Hospital parking lot known facilities. But, to be honest, we had the as “CCAC Center-North.” The school greatest morale at that time,” says Nina taught nursing students specifically. Lyons, who began as a work study at North “We actually had official meetings in in 1977 when the campus was still located the Northway Mall, near and among the in Pines Plaza. By 1980, Lyons had gone potted palms at the Center-North office,” on to be a part-time employee. Finally, in says Kraft according to the 1992 CCAC 1985, Lyons had applied for and obtained a Annual Report which celebrated the full-time position at CCAC North. campus’s 20 year anniversary. At the time, “To do Student Life in an old strip only two official campuses were up and mall with no room wasn’t easy,” said running: Boyce and Allegheny. Lyons. “The big hardship was no space. The trailer soon became a “Center” I took all programming off campus... My housed in Pines Plaza. The center had motto has always been, The County is our very little space, minimal resources, and campus!” roughly 600 students, and a very small The organization was young, yet library. Through all of the hardships continuously expanding. though, the faculty and students pulled While the campus began to grow, through. people still had their doubts and some felt Elizabeth Curran had been a secretary that this area could not support a campus. for Community Services since 1976, Finding a spot to build also proved to be quite difficult. After trying multiple locations such as North Park, and McIntyre Center to no avail, the dream of a CCAC North Campus seemed to be diminishing. “I never thought we’d see a campus” says Lyons. “To build support, we all joined local boards and worked endless hours in the community volunteering. I put in so much time, but at that point in my life, I loved it. I felt like I had a mission to make this campus happen,” she adds. “I am pretty proud to say I was a member of that pioneer CCAC team. We really did change a lot of lives. It’s why I still love this organization,” Lyons said. Dr. Fred Bartok started working for North in 1983 as Dean of Instruction. By 1984, he was promoted to Executive Dean. In accordance with the Report, Bartok said, “Key to our success is the fact that the campus has been fortunate enough to have assembled a cadre of dedicated, creative, and talented faculty, staff, and administration.” Per the Report, Bartok also stated, “The people of North have worked together to positively change the perceptions of Photos from CCAC archives the North Hills community Top: The interior of North Campus decorated with about North Campus. It took hard work and was colorful banners. sometimes discouraging, Below: Students at Pines Plaza. Right: Advertising for the opening of the new CCAC but we did it together.” The CCAC North North building. CARLIS M. SPIVEY THE VOICE EDITOR Campus has grown in tremendous ways since the organization’s conception in 1972. If not for the past and current hard work and dedication of the CCAC North faculty, staff, and administration, the campus may well have remained nothing more than simply… an idea. 6 Arts & Living The Voice Full House just got fuller VERONICA DeALMEIDA THE VOICE EDITOR The classic TV sitcom Full House is now even fuller on Netflix with its new spinoff sequel show. A Netflix Original, Fuller House was recently released on February 26, 2016 to eager fans nation-wide. The new show features the original actors playing their given characters in the same setting. Fresh additions to the cast and a modern day backdrop help keep the legacy alive in its updated plot. As detailed on IMDb, Full House ran from 1987 to 1995. Its original storyline began after the sudden death of Danny Tanner’s wife. As a young father (played by Bob Saget) who enlists the help of his rock musician brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and his comedian best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier) to help him raise his three young girls, D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). Fuller House is a continuation of the TV sitcom Full House, picking up about 20 years after its finale. The show keeps true to the present day, where recently widowed D.J. is now a single mother of three young boys. D.J.’s sister Stephanie, her best friend Kimmy, and Kimmy’s teenage daughter all move into the “Full House” to help her raise her sons. Cameo appearances of previous main characters occur throughout the season. This show is for the fans, the truest of which having long begged for such a Full House reunion. Smartly, Netflix knew its audience to be dedicated enough to make their investment worthwhile. Even this early in the game, the rising success of Fuller House and its 13 episodes has prompted Netflix to start planning, already promising a second season. Reviving Full House means continuing to tell its endearing story through its darling characters and traditions. Keeping in mind what makes it unique, the new show focuses on its original heart, and the Full House familiarity. The point is to connect the old with the new, and in this, Fuller House is successful. However, the show has already received mixed reviews. Unfortunately, the nay-sayers have valid points, like how the two shows are too similar with almost parallel plots. Courtesy of YouTube & Netflix (above) and tvgcdn.net (below) With that said, Fuller House does try to bring something new to the table, with the help of its present-day setting and The cast of Fuller House (above) features both familiar actors from the original Full House (below) and also new faces joining the spin-off show. new characters. The similarities that can be found between the shows are both its greatest and weakest aspects. Yet this is an epic reunion that has almost everyone on board (except for the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who remain absent). Twenty-five years after the premier of this classic American sitcom, Netflix has revived Full House’s old plot and cast, creating a new show even fuller than the last. Attention, CCAC North Campus Students! Your Student Government Association will be hosting its first annual Art competition. We are encouraging students to submit their own individiual works of Art with the theme of “Campus Life”. You may submit paintings, drawing, sculptures, and photography. This is an opportunity designed to bring to light all the work that our own CCAC artists can do as well as to decorate our campus in student works of Art. This activity is designed to bring students together and showcase what the student body can accomplish. Works of Art will be judged by the student body in a penny ballot fashion. The top three works of art will be on presentation at a date to be determined. Be as creative as possible, and we look forward to seeing your submissions! The Voice 7 More than one little Pittsburghee goes to Market Square MARYSANDRA DO THE VOICE EDITOR Market Square, located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, is not only a popular spot to dine and shop but also a historical district. It is one of the oldest areas in the city and first took shape in the late 1700s when it was originally a plan of lots and streets known as “The Diamond,” laid out by George Woods and Thomas Vickroy. Later, the first Allegheny County Courthouse was built in the western half of the property while the eastern half was occupied by vendor stalls. In 1841, the new courthouse was finished on Grant Street and the area went back to serving its initial purpose as a public marketplace. Several years later, there was a fire that took out one third of downtown and the wooden market buildings were taken out to make room for two brick buildings, both of which covered half of the Square and became the Diamond Market Houses. 1914 welcomed the New Diamond Market public marketplace but was later demolished in 1961. That open space then served as a public park and meeting place and in 1972, Market Square was labeled by Pittsburgh as its first historic district. Over the years new businesses have taken up spaces in the downtown hotspot. While the Square includes various popular chains like Starbucks and Subway, there are also some businesses that set up shop only in, or in very few places other than Market Square. Nola on the Square, for example, is a New Orleans themed Jazz Brasserie that serves authentic Creole cuisine. There are also live jazz and blues performances at the restaurant. Right next to Nola’s is Nicholas Coffee Co., which has been around since 1919. The shop sells coffees, boxed and loose teas, chocolates, and the like. It’s a fitting place for any tea or coffee connoisseur. Various businesses also exist within the narrow streets that extend from the Square. A newer one is the Market Street Grocery. Within the store is a little Gaby & Jules Patisserie that sells French pastries. The Wine Room at Market St. Grocery with Collefrisio wines and a full coffee bar featuring La Colombe are the other two parts of the place. Aside from shops and dining, the area also hosts events and has live bands play in the summer. The Irish Fair in the Square is set to take place on Saturday, March 12. MarySandra Do / CCAC North Market Square in Pittsburgh is home to a wide variety of shops and restaurants. 8 Sports The Voice Pittsburgh Passion: The City’s Other Champions ALLISON ROUP THE VOICE EDITOR When you hear three time undefeated champions from Pittsburgh the immediate thought is the Steelers or Penguins. But, no, we’re not talking about the Steelers or the Penguins, in fact we are referring to the Pittsburgh Passion all female player football team. Founded in 2002 the Pittsburgh Passion have worked extremely hard to achieve this high performance level, and even more so to obtain the recognition they have thus far received. The Passion have won the Independent Women’s Football League Championship in 2014, and 2015. These women play hard and train hard currently practices are held Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights between 8 and 11 at night. The late practices just show the pure passion these women have that they are willing to go to work, or school and come out and practice with their football family. The hard work is not for nothing as the past championship wins prove these End of an Era: Heath Miller retires BRYAN T. FRAUENS THE VOICE STAFF Last month, Heath Miller announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Steelers. After 11 seasons with the team, the famous and talented tight end has decided to take off the pads for good. Over the course of Miller’s NFL career – which was played entirely in the city of Pittsburgh – he has amassed some pretty impressive statistics. The first stat that should be noticed is that out of 168 regular season games Heath has started 167. The dedication it takes to stay healthy and to do whatever it takes to make sure your always ready is tremendous. This is why he was able to achieve so many milestones. Among those milestones: in the 2015 season alone, he became the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns for any tight end ever to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heath Miller was and is not only a great football player but a great man on and off the field. On the field he was never the type to over celebrate or to get a personal foul. He treated everyone with respect and stayed focused on playing his own game. Off the field Heath was involved in multiple charities such as the Glimmer of Hope Foundation and took time for local youth. Kevin Colbert, General Manager of the Steelers, said, “Heath Miller was as great a combination of character and football player as I have ever been around.” On the field, the loss of Heath Miller is a great tragedy for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. With the defense lacking in the past few seasons, the offense has been carrying the team the majority of the time. Now with a section of the Steelers offense no longer available it will be easier for opposing teams to predict and prepare for the Steelers offense. With Miller out the team will lean more towards a spread style where they were previously versatile enough to play both the spread and pro style offense which utilized the four most powerful weapons the Steelers had. With Heath gone young Jesse James will step up and try to make his way in the NFL at tight end. James will likely serve more as a receiving tight end than a blocking tight end. Good luck to him. He has some big shoes to fill. women leave all they really have to say on the field. The Voice received a very warm welcome to the Passion practice from players and coaches, among the whistles and thud of pads hitting pads. This reporter got a chance to talk with Co-owner and Cohead coach Teresa Conn “We set a culture that is very building…we play because we love the game we’re not in it for a business we’re here because we love the game this isn’t a business to us this is a passion.” Lauren Ferragonio former CCAC Boyce student and current criminal justice student at La Roche College, and caretaker for her grandparents said, “You gain a sisterhood it’s just like a big family I’ve gained a lot of self-confidence playing on a team helps you in so many more aspects other than a sport in your career in your family it just helps you work well with others.” “We just want to show young girls and women everywhere that they can do anything they can put their mind to. Come out and watch us play in April.” Allison Roup / CCAC Voice Members of the Pittsburgh Passion line up for practice last month. FURY RINK: Pittsburgh’s thriving roller derby scene ALLISON ROUP THE VOICE EDITOR The smell of burnt rubber. The screech of wheeled heels. Women determined to score and others determined to stop them. Inside the roller rink called the Romp n’ Roll in Glenshaw Pennsylvania on a February Sunday night the screeching of skates, and cheers can be heard. Cheers for names likes of “Poppin fresh, Thrasher, Loraxe, Daley Dose” are just the few that ring out over the crowd as they cheer on the Mon Mosters and Allegheny Avengers two of the teams of the Steel City Roller Derby. As of last month the two teams battled it out on the track to decide the challenger of the Penn Bruisers in the Burgh Championship game. The victor being the Allegheny Avengers by a score of 165 to 142. For those of you who have never heard of Roller Derby or have just seen the movie Whip It, Roller derby is alive and thriving in Pittsburgh. Being an embracing sports fanatic city roller derby has found a home here. Ranked 28th out of 247 in the world according to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association The Steel City Roller Derby may not be a name you have heard of before but the league will be celebrating ten years of roller derby in the city of Pittsburgh. To mark this decade of dedication the Steel City Roller Derby would like to welcome fans and new fans to come out March 19th at the Romp n’ Roll in Glenshaw as the Avengers and Allison Roup / CCAC Voice Pittsburgh is home to an active roller derby scene. Brusiers face off in the Championship game. To add to the excitement the leagues two traveling teams the Steel Hurtin and Steel Beamers will be around mixing it up with teammates and fans. Tara Zirkel a.k.a. Tina Fray who is director of admissions at CCAC South Campus and a Roller Derby player had this to say “Roller derby is really diverse our current age range of players is18-48 we have parents, teachers, people that do all kinds of different jobs have all different skill sets really is unique and that it really is for everyone.” Simple Rules of Roller Derby As interesting a sport as Roller Derby is getting used to the rules to understand and enjoy the game is difficult at first. To put it simply roller derby shares many similarities to ice hockey, there are penalties and a penalty “box” to serve the sentence in. Only one player from each team is able to score points this position is called the Jammer who’s objective is the pass as many opposing players as possible gaining a point for each person they pass. The Jammer is usually the easiest to spot sporting a star on their helmet and is followed by a Jam referee to track points and penalties. The Pivot is a blocker who plays at the front of the pack, and usually is the last line of defense to block a Jammer from scoring more points or becoming Lead Jammer for that play. And then there are three other players called blockers who will play offense or defense at any given time most likely to switch frequently. All of these positions lead to the two teams having five players each on the rink during play. With some basics down go out support our local Steel City Derby and have a good time. 10 Opinions The Voice E D I T O R I A L : Letter Cultural Appropriation North students take leadership to new levels Why has it become so commonplace? Cultural appropriation by definition is the act of taking customs, practices and/or traditions from one culture (usually by a member of a dominant culture) either to mock or simplify the meaning or significance of that piece of culture. This is especially seen in the media, so much that it’s almost commonplace. Viewers don’t seem to give two cents when they see a music artist or celebrity embodying the stereotypical image of another culture. Some examples? Katy Perry performed at the 2013 VMA’s dressed as a geisha. What’s worse is that she performed the song, “Unconditional” which lent itself to the stereotype that Asian women are so servile and permissive that they will always endure abuse and mistreatment essentially “unconditional love”. What was meant as an act of honoring another culture instead served as a prime example of “yellowface”. The same year, Selena Gomez wore a bindi in an MTV video music awards performance. The bindi is symbolic of the Hindu faith and it represents the third eye and the flame. Members of the religion were not happy that Ms. Gomez used this as a prop and essentially stripped the bindi of its religious significance. Bits and pieces from other cultures are integrated into pop culture as a way to appear edgy. These symbols are adopted with little to zero knowledge of their true origin or meaning. This is exploitative and robs minority groups of the credit they deserve. And nobody bats an eye. Nobody wants to call out Beyoncé for dressing like a hypersexualized Bollywood actress in her collaboration with Coldplay and nobody wants to admit that some other well-recognized faces in the world are completely in the wrong for reducing certain ethnicities to stage props. Many times we see marginalized cultures being worn as costumes. Why are individuals wearing Native American headdresses and scantily clad versions of sacred ensembles on Halloween? Why aren’t those individuals, instead, addressing the horrible atrocities brought upon an entire people when Columbus “discovered” this land? Why is “Indians” considered an appropriate name for mascots? There’d be uproar if “Negroes” was a high school mascot. It’s the same thing. Native Americans are not subhuman and their history and culture should be respected just like the next group. Adopting the clothing and the slang and the physical features of a minority group when they’re only appreciated on the majority is also something that is seen far too often. Society appreciates full lips and dreadlocks on Kylie Jenner but Zendaya was shamed for her dreadlocks on the red carpet when the hairdo actually coincides with her ethnicity. Society ignores the struggles minority groups face and shame them for their cultural ways. Then they proceed to borrow those same aspects of these cultures and add them into a melting pot and label them trends or high fashion or edgy. There is something seriously wrong with that. Someone can’t chastise black people for using their vernacular, and then write a song sprinkled with the same slang and call it art. Likewise, an individual cannot put on a Native American headdress and claim it’s in honor of the culture. So many mistake cultural appropriation for cultural appreciation. There is a difference and in many instances cultural appropriation is unintentional. However, that does not make it okay. When one gets close to crossing such a blurry line, it’s best to take three steps back and admire from a distance rather than try to copy the ways of another people. All these minority groups want is the same cultural respect that is given to members of the majority. the voice LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor represent the opinion of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Voice, its staff, or CCAC. All members of the CCAC community – including students, faculty, staff, and alumni – are welcome to submit a letter to the to the NATALIE HOOEVER CCAC NORTH STUDENT Three students at CCAC North Campus took leadership to new levels during the month of November. The students--Sandra DeLorenze, Jeremy Hinnebusch, and Natalie Hoover— gathered together an accumulation of resources to create a book drive and a pajama drive. The North Campus team involved utilizing the members of Student Life, Phi Theta Kappa, and The World Cultures Club in this promotional drive. The two organizations the team supported were The Pajama Project and Highland Elementary School. The team hosted new books and pajamas drive for The Pajama Project. They also raised eighty dollars to buy new books from Barnes and Noble for the Pajama Project. The Pajama Project was provided with two boxes of new books and two boxes of new pajamas to children in need. In addition, a new and gently used book drive was hosted for Highland Elementary School. The team collected ten boxes of books for Highland Elementary School. These items provide the children with the supports Editor: they need and promote an interest in reading. Over the week of November 10 to 13, the team scattered posters around North Campus and to students to inform them about the upcoming book and pajama drive and how to participate. Student Life at the North Campus location created a large sign of the team’s promotional poster which was placed at the front doors to create awareness. Sandra, Natalie, and Jeremy set up a designated table from 12-noon to 2pm every day from November 16th to 19th. During this time, the members from Phi Theta Kappa and The World Cultures Club, volunteered to sit at the table and promote the drive. They continually showed support for the charities the drive was meant for. The leaders—Jeremy, Sandra, and Natalie—also sat at the table along with their volunteers to demonstrate their support and belief in their chosen charitable organizations. This group demonstrated true leadership skills and innovation with their service projects. They also garnered great results. With people like Sandra, Jeremy, and Natalie leading the way, North Campus will become an even better, more compassionate, giving school. Have an opinion? All members of the CCAC community – including students, faculty, staff, and alumni – are welcome to submit a letter to the editor. Any letter intended for publication must include the writer’s name, contact information, and college affiliation. No anonymous letters will be accepted. All submissions are subject to editing. The Voice reserves the right to refuse publication. Please limit submissions to 500 words. Email Rob Velella, sdviser, at rvelella@ccac editor. Any letter intended for publication must include the writer’s name, contact information, and college affiliation. No anonymous letters will be accepted. All submissions are subject to editing. The Voice reserves the right to refuse publication. Please limit submissions to 500 words. CONTACT Rob Velella, Adviser Room 1018, North Campus [email protected] 412-369-3698 Deadline is one week before publication. The Voice 11 Voice staff wins Keystone Press Awards Members of the 2015 staff of The Voice, the student newspaper at CCAC North, were nominated for 16 Keystone Student Press Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Ultimately, the staff won two honorable mention awards (Mark Humphrey), and four first place awards (MarySandra Do, Veronica DeAlmeida, and Brian Wilson). The Voice competed against student newspapers at community colleges throughout Pennsylvania in categories ranging from photography and design to news writing, editorials, and personality profiles. The entire staff was honored with a breakfast on campus last month attended by several deans and the campus president. Recipients will accept their awards in person at an awards luncheon in Hershey, Pennsylvania next month. 12 The Voice Voices of CCAC North What are you doing for Spring Break? Are you a cartoonist? The Voice is looking to fill this back page with student-created comics every month! Contact [email protected] for information. ONE SHOTS by Jared Sawl Paul Colose “Staying home.” Chris Kagle “Working... nothing special.” Bayley Fields “Visiting colleges.” Fabrice Deuchein “Visit a friend in Michigan and going hiking.” THE ROUTINE by Andrew Doyle Compiled by Charles DeMore II and Daniel Brazell / The VOICE Staff BAD JOKES by Charles DeMore II BINNY by Kaitlin Bigley