C A L I F O R N I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y, L O S A N G E L E SOct. 20, 2014 Issue 207.4

UN I V E R S I T YT I M E S

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Guadalupe GarciaContributor

Photo Courtesy | lao.ca.gov

Your enrollmentmight be in danger!

As an incoming freshman or continuing Cal State LA stu-dent, many of us have come across the term remediation. But a lot of us are blindly un-aware of the fact that failure to complete any developmental courses within your first aca-demic year can result in your disenrollment from the univer-sity.

Remediation is common across all CSU campuses in-cluding ours. For instance, in Fall 2012, Cal State LA admit-ted 2,768 first-time freshmen, out of which, 77% needed remediation. The CSU Trust-ee Policy states that students must demonstrate proficiency in Math and English before they can enroll in college-lev-el courses of the subject. The way proficiency is obtained is through your performance in the CSU Entry Level Math (ELM) exam and the CSU En-glish Placement Test (EPT), unless you were otherwise ex-empt through the SAT/ACT, AP Test or your senior year experience.

But how exactly can you be disenrolled? Executive order 665 is a requirement from the Chancellor’s office that states first-time freshman must com-plete all developmental math-ematics and writing courses within their first year of enroll-ment or they will be stopped out the university. Basically, if you don’t finish your remedi-al classes by the end of spring quarter, you will no longer be able to enroll in any classes the following school year.

From the incoming class

You need to read this, especially if you are a freshman and never heard of the two words – ‘Remedial Courses’

of 2012 whom needed reme-diation, only 12% of them became disenrolled. Rene Montelongo, a former Cal State LA student, was one of the students that fell among this group. He stated his is-sues were finding remedial math courses that where open

and grasping the information he was being taught in class. He failed to complete Math 91 by the end of his first aca-demic year but was granted a year’s extension in which he would still be a Cal State LA student but may not enroll for any courses until he completes

his math sub collegiate course at a community college. This can become a bigger issue for many students. “Trying to find a remedial course in a com-munity college is the worst. They are always impacted,” said Rene who was attempting to add the course at Pasadena City College and was unsuc-cessful.

Disenrollment not only af-fects students but many orga-nizations on campus. Guill-ermo Cabrera, member of Gamma Zeta Alpha and a Tele-vision, Film and Media Stud-ies Major, said their fraternity doesn’t rush freshman because some of them may not be here the following year. “When we do get the freshman interest, it also presents the same fear when they have to go through a set of classes that might jeopardize their enrollment at the university,” said the TVF major. It becomes devastating for both students and organi-zations when they have to see a member go and not come back the following year.

But there is a silver lining. The CSU system recently enacted a policy known as “Early Start” requiring incoming students who do not demonstrate college readiness to begin remediation during the summer before coming to the CSU. It aims to better prepare their students in math and English before their first semester or quarter. “ I’ve heard good news and how it’s helped many students,” said Rodolfo Mata, Early Start Program Coordinator at Cal State Los Angeles. With this we’re hoping to see a reduction in the amount of students who become disenrolled.

Now that you have this in-formation at grasp, UT hopes you take the necessary pre-cautions to avoid any type of scenario that can place you at risk of becoming disenrolled. Because once a Golden Eagle, always a Golden Eagle.

Rescue Saga:

If you are struggling with a remedial class or fear not passing, here are some suggestions:

-Visit the Tutorial Center located at the South Palmer Wing of the library and request an appropriate tutor -Struggling to find a class? Contact the Math or English department and they'll notify you if a spot or a class opens

Alternatives if you don’t complete or pass your MATH 91 course the first year:

-You can take the exit exam at the Testing Center.

-Retake the ELM Exam. You may score higher and become exempt.

-Take the equivalent class at a community college. Keep in mind you only have one aca-demic year to complete this or you could become disenrolled.

2 University Times Oct. 20, 2014

CSULA Pubilc Affairs

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CALL 1-800-464-2367

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

Cal State L.A. Welcomes New Senior Staff Members

Raquel Beltrán has joined Cal State L.A. as the associate di-rector of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs (PBI).

Beltrán, a native of San Di-

ego, has more than 35 years of public administration and public policy experience in California. She has significant non-profit management expertise, recent-ly serving as the executive di-rector of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles. Beltrán

has received numerous recogni-tions over the years from local, state, and federal government, community-based and business organizations.

She received a bachelor's de-

gree in political science from Cal State Hayward (now Cal State East Bay) and her M.B.A from Cal State Dominguez Hills.

As associate director of the

Pat Brown Institute, Beltrán will report to PBI's executive director and will be responsi-ble for managing the day-to-day operations of the Institute and developing innovative new programs and projects.

Longtime Los Angeles po-litical aide and journalist Pe-ter Hong has joined Cal State L.A. as director of strategic initiatives and deputy chief of staff in the President's Office.

Hong comes to the Univer-

sity from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, where he served as a senior deputy since 2009. Prior to advising Ridley-Thomas, Hong was a reporter at the Los Angeles Times for 15 years, writing news, features and investiga-tive stories on higher educa-tion, economics, politics and Southern California culture. He previously worked for the Washington Post, Business-Week Magazine and the ABC News Washington bureau.

He holds a bachelor's de-

gree in politics from Occi-dental College, where he was awarded a Thomas J. Watson postgraduate fellowship for study in Poland and Korea. He later served on the Board of Trustees of Occidental College and was a national board member of the Asian American Journalists Asso-ciation.

As director of strategic

initiatives and deputy chief of staff, Hong will report to the senior vice president and chief operating officer. He will spearhead efforts to create and strengthen exist-ing community, civic and business partnerships, and to forge new networks to en-gage the city and region with the University.

Veteran journalist Robert Lo-pez has joined Cal State L.A. as the director for communications in the Office of Communica-tions and Public Affairs.

Lopez worked for 22 years

at the Los Angeles Times, first starting as a city news report-er in 1992. He has expertise in multimedia, digital and inves-tigative journalism, and has taught courses and workshops at the university level. Lopez was on the reporting teams award-ed the Pulitzer Prizes in 1994 for coverage of the Northridge

earthquake and in 2011 for ex-posing corruption in the city of Bell. He was recognized in 2013 by the California Chicano News Media Association with its Career Achievement Award and in 2014 he was honored by the Hispanic Public Relations Association as Journalist of the Year.

He has a bachelor's degree in

journalism from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, has taught journalism at the University of Southern California and has led workshops on media and jour-

nalism for university students, faculty and working journalists throughout the U.S. and in Par-aguay, the Bahamas and in the West Bank.

As director of communica-

tions, Lopez will serve as the University's spokesperson. Re-porting to the associate vice president for Communications and Public Affairs, Lopez will manage the strategic develop-ment, consistency and quality of written content in university communications.

Mario Perez has joined Cal State L.A. as the associate vice president for University Ad-vancement.

Perez has more than 18 years

of professional experience in marketing, public relations, de-velopment and fundraising. He comes to Cal State L.A. from Cal Poly Pomona, where he worked as the director of devel-opment, managing the Scolinos Baseball Stadium project, and playing a key role in the Uni-versity's $150 million compre-hensive fundraising campaign.

Perez has a bachelor's degree

in communications and a Doc-torate of Education in Organi-zational Leadership, both from the University of La Verne. An All-Conference offensive line-man, he began his career with the Los Angeles Raiders. He then became senior account su-pervisor at Hill and Knowlton, managing clients that included the State of California, TiVo, NHRA and Mazda. He served as senior director of major gifts for the University of La Verne's successful first-ever compre-

hensive capital campaign. As associate vice president for

University Advancement, Perez will report to the vice president for University Advancement and will lead the frontline fund-raising team of academic unit-based directors of development. His responsibilities will include coordinating corporate and foundation relations with the academic units as well as lead-ing the division with strategic fundraising initiatives identified by University leadership.

Jocelyn Stewart, an accom-plished journalist, has joined Cal State L.A. as the deputy director for communications in the Office for Communications and Public Affairs.

Stewart was a staff writer at

the Los Angeles Times for 19 years, covering such issues as crime, courts, city hall, housing and state news. After the 1992 civil unrest, Stewart helped el-evate the paper's coverage of South Los Angeles with hard news, investigative and feature stories that provided insight into a neglected area of the city. A graceful writer, her feature sto-ries also appeared in the Los An-geles Times Magazine. She left the Times to pursue work as an independent media consultant and journalist.

As a media consultant, Stew-

art has helped non-profit orga-nizations and small businesses enhance their messaging. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Time.com, Ra-leigh News & Observer, Life-script.com and Narratively.

Stewart holds a bachelor's

degree in development studies from UC Berkeley and a mas-ter's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and has been a recipient of the Alicia Patterson Foun-dation Fellowship and the Na-tional Press Foundation Span-ish Language Fellowship. The Wesleyan Writers Conference at Wesleyan University awarded her the Jon Davidoff Scholar-ship.

As deputy director for com-

munications, Stewart will report to the director for communica-tions and will help to steer Cal State L.A.'s media outreach, public relations, and written communications.

Oct. 20, 2014 University Times 3

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AEROSPACE STE[A]M Fair Inspires Students

Angeline BernabeStaff Reporter

Space, high tech technology and Red Bull? STE[A]M brings them all together.

Last week, an AEROSPACE STE[A]M Fair took place on campus to promote research and studies in the STEM (sci-ence, technology, engineering, and math) field.

Presented by the Charter College of Education, ASI, and the College of Engineer-ing, Computer Science, and Technology, the STE[A]M Fair provided a hands-on ex-position for students with engineering machines that were built by Sage Cheshire Aerospace Tooling, and cam-era equipment from Flight-line Films that capture aircraft launches.

Jon Wells, Capsule Crew

Chief of Sage Cheshire Aero-space Tooling explained that Sage Cheshire builds capsules and science service to encour-age people to look into the engineering field, and Flight-line Films document those re-search expeditions.

In October 2012, Sage Cheshire provided the capsule that carried Austrian Skydiver, Felix Baumgartner, to space in the controversial Red Bull Stratos Jump. Flightline Films was able to capture the world record jump and since then, Sage Cheshire has pioneered new and innovative ways of aerospace and the private space industry.

At the STE[A]M Fair, a sim-ilar capsule used by Baumgar-ter in the Red Bull Stratos Jump was present, as well as similar high tech vehicles that captured the jump and students could sit inside to see how the technology worked.

With the amount of experi-ence that Sage Cheshire has built over the years, him and Wells, slong with team mem-

bers have travelled around the country to get students inter-ested in STEM-related sub-jects. Wells explained, “We go school to school, museums, airshows, and different events to speak.” In addition, Wells shared that he and his team flew a 45-foot paper airplane to inspire kids about Aero-space last year.

Mechanical Engineering major, Joshua Lopez-Alvalos, who was there to gather infor-mation about possible careers in the field and examine the machines, said the fair got him really interested in Aerospace. Alvalos said that he would love to be a hands-on engineer, and the Aerospace fair only encouraged him to pursue his dreams.

In regards to STEM subjects Avalos replied, “They [Sage Cheshire] are doing important work by reaching out to stu-dents to show them how awe-some aerospace is.”

STE[A]M Fair displays | Photos By Angeline Bernabe

4 Oct. 20, 2014University Times

Relatable and representa-tional – is the new age hip-hop going away from two of its core characteristics? Students came together at the event Black Talk to try and find a conclusion on the same.

Black Talk, held at the

U-SU’s Los Angeles room last week, discussed what’s the new face and sound of hip-hop. Shanique Davis, a Mechanical Engineer major, facilitated the discussion that focused on whether or not art-ists like Macklemore, Iggy Azalea, and Miley Cyrus are to be considered the new hip-hop. Davis made the point that Hip-hop began out of

poverty and that it’s used as a reactionary tool to voice the struggles of poor people in ur-ban communities. That doesn’t seem to be the case with hip-hop today, because it has be-come commercial and main-stream. The initial purpose of

hip-hop is not there anymore according to the discussion. Shanique Davis said, “I have no problem with today’s hip-hop, I just wish we could go back to its original purpose be-cause I find that more relatable coming from lower economic upbringing.”

Rachel Watkins, 25, ex-pressed concerns with the way women are depicted in hip-hop. Questions about the TV show Love & Hip Hop came up. Love & Hip Hop follows a group of women in the hip-hop world. The show has been crit-icized for the bad and aggres-sive behavior of the women.

The show was questioned on whether or not it’s a fair rep-resentation of the music. Most of the audience disagreed but some did confess to watching it anyway. Watkins added, “I hope that hip-hop was used to empower women.”

Dr. Melvin Armstrong, a Pan African Studies Lecturer at Cal State LA, hopes that it helps by making our self-con-scious broader and sparks conversations about serious is-sues.” When asked about KRS One, a hip-hop artist and activ-ist whose career is to enlighten people about the urban culture, Armstrong said, ”Personally I

don’t like KRS One because I don’t think he is all that.” This sparked another conversation among the group. Rhonda Mitchell, the event coordinator for the Cross Cultural Center said she was impressed by the reactions of the students who participated in the discussion. “I was hoping to have students think about hip-hop in a criti-cal Manner and that is exactly what happened today.”

So what do you think on it? Does today’s hip-hop fall into a specific category, is it com-mercialized or does it change with personal perceptions?

An Afternoon at Black Talk

Albert ReyesContributor

So are Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea the new hip-hop?

We often hear complains of our campus not being as happening as of some oth-er universities around. But is it just the matter of the lack of knowledge of what goes around the Cal State LA cam-pus? Because, all we can say is anyone who has ever got in-volved with the U-SU has nev-er felt that our campus is any less fun than the others.

For all those complaining out there, we have three names for you: ‘University Student Union’, ‘Xtreme Fitness Cen-ter’ and ‘The Pit’. These are not only your campus destina-tions for all the fun and games you are looking for, but what adds to the joy is that most of it is free of cost. From play-ing games, getting in shape to discussing culture or making friends – you get it all under one roof!

U-SU is the place where you’ll find something or the other to get involved with at any given time of the year. The Center for Student Involve-ment can connect you with above 20 fraternities and so-rorities of Cal State LA or can put you in touch with more than 35 student clubs and or-ganizations on the campus where you can find all the in-

The Party in the U-SU

Beatriz ConradoContributor

Life at Cal State LA is just as fun and games as anywhere else, given that you know where to look!

teresting activities you were looking for.

“A lot of students stay un-aware about several things we offer at Xtreme Fitness like the Olympic Lifting training in the back patio,” exclaims Calista Lyon, one of the employees of the gym of our school. The gym is open for student without having to pay any cost; all you need to do if you are an enrolled stu-dent is to fill out a form for enrollment. The gym offers a great selection of equipment for any type of workout that is desired to achieve personal fitness goals.

Marlyn Pheng, 22 express-es, “I enjoy the school’s gym because it allows me to work-out during my breaks. Yes, I wish the gym was bigger, but other than that I have no complaints.” A lot of us are unaware that among the free amenities that Xtreme Fitness offers, there is also a variety of personal fitness classes such as yoga, Wing Chun, boxing, aerobics, spinning, zumba, etc. A personal lock will also get you an access to the lockers to keep your belongings safe. There are staff members available at all times for any questions or ex-ercising tips for anyone who needs help.

The gym has recently ex-tended their hours of opera-tion, so there are no excuses not to go. Cesar Jimenez, 18 stated, “I find the gym to be pretty convenient since it is on campus. I don’t feel pres-sured. I don’t feel like ev-eryone is watching me. The equipment is kind of hard to figure out, but there are al-

ways people around who can help. The fitness classes are pretty fun, too.”

The Pit is another cool place located in the base-ment of the Student Union building. In simple words, it is ‘the’ hangout zone of the campus. Every Thursday, The Pit holds their Happy Hour that starts at 12pm where stu-dents can have free popcorn, play games, raffle prizes, en-joy great music or just social-ize.

Other activities offered at The Pit are billiards, Xbox, Ping-Pong, and foosball; these games are available at a low cost. If there is a sports game airing on television The Pit will have it live on their flat screens for you to enjoy. Jennifer Ramos a frequent visitor of the place expresses that this is one of those cool spaces of the campus, which not a lot of students take ad-vantage of. William Gonzaga, a sophomore majoring in Me-chanical Engineering says, “The Pit is a place where I can chill, hang out with friends, and just be by ourselves hav-ing a good time.”

So all we can say is, at any given day there is something fun this campus can offer! Keep up with the calendar of U-SU, watch out for the events, screenings, discus-sions and shows that hap-pen around the quarter, keep yourself in shape at the gym and hang out at The Pit – life at Cal State LA is all that and more.

Fun Factoids-The CSI can connect you with above 20 fraternities and

sororities or more than 35 student clubs and organizations on the campus.

-Among the free amenities that Xtreme Fitness offers, there’s also a variety of personal fitness classes like Yoga, Wing Chun, boxing, aerobics, spinning, Zumba, etc.

-The Pit offers games such as Billiards, Xbox, Ping-Pong, and Foosball at a minimum price.

Special Events at The PitThe Couples/BFF Game: Oct. 21Name That Tune: Nov. 5Fall Quarter Recreation Tournament:

Nov. 21Karaoke: Dec. 2

The Extreme Fitness Center HoursMonday-Thursday: 7am-9.30pmFriday & Saturday: 7am-7pmSunday: Closed

5Oct. 20, 2014 University Times

Trick-or-Treat

Are you tired of last year’s Halloween events? Your op-tions are somewhat limited if you live in the great city of Los Angeles. During this time of the season, every ma-jor theme park dedicates itself to transforming into a terrify-ing, shrieking house of hor-rors. However, even that is old news because the horror be-comes boring and predictable. What happens if you don’t want to visit the transformed

theme parks or the haunted mazes? Try staying indoors and consider these alternative suggestions.

Let’s bring the ‘80’s back and try hosting your own Hal-loween party that includes shrilling music, bone-chilling games, and tasty make believe rotten food. The dark deco-rations would be fun to put around your house, giving it an Addams Family touch. You could make ectoplasm drinks simply by putting water and food coloring. For entertain-ment, you could set up an ap-ple bobbing station and give the winners their own bucket of candy.

As a complementary activi-ty that would both help deco-rate the party and entice your guests is making a jack-o-lan-tern. There are infinite designs that would amuse the chil-dren and adults who visit your house. If you are feeling in

the spirit, you could make the headless horseman, a random meme, or a superhero.

Another option is the sim-plest way to relaxing on Hal-loween night. You could stay home and deliver candy to trick or treaters. That may sound a bit tame, but as an added bonus you could watch a horror movie marathon. There are various television networks like AMC or FX pledged to show “The Night-mare on Elm Steet” series or other slasher films.

Be that as it may, there are still some outdoor activities one might do for the scariest night of the year. Instead of going to popular destinations that will be packed with long lines and the ever-amount of loud squealing kids, you could visit these other less frequent-ed attractions.

The famous Haunted Hay-

Gerardo AmezquitaStaff Reporter

Halloween theme parks can get so overrated but don't worry, we've got your alternatives covered.

ride this year has the theme of “Echoes from the Rift” and is comfortably located in Griffith Park near the Old LA Zoo. It has some new installa-tions such as the ‘House of the Horsemen,’ in which you walk through an insane asylum that has been overtaken by its for-mer occupants and its apoca-lyptic monsters: War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. Also included is a stage show called ‘Seven Sins Sideshow’, a dark maze, and of course, the hay-ride itself.

If you are looking for some-thing closer to home, Alham-bra resident Duane Aamot dedicates himself to garnish-ing his home into a haunted house. That may not sound like much, but his occupation as a set designer for the Amer-ican Film Institute adds some weight into his work. The house is located in 911 North Electric Avenue and is open to the public on Halloween night.

Every year near Fullerton there is a spooky maze that has increased in populari-ty because of its impressive track record in delivering those screams. Sinister Pointe hosts an elaborate maze full of crawling fiends ready to pounce on every one of your nightmares. Their theme this year is “Beyond the Mirror: A Bloody Mary Tale” which holds interactive activities for the people that acts as a kind of bloodcurdling stages.

All these events are but a few of what Los Angeles has to offer. If you want more information on any of these events it could all be found on the web, including ticket price and schedule. So do not be afraid to walk the streets on Halloween night as you see the monsters and ghouls running amok. You should embrace the frightening tales of horror and have a Happy Halloween.

6 Oct. 20, 2014University Times

Gerardo AmezquitaStaff Reporter

From Greece to England, the Study Abroad Fair introduced an international viewpoint to many.

The Study Abroad Fair de-buted on the corner of the University Library on Thurs-day, October 16. There were many local and international organizations in attendance supplying information to stu-dents who wish to either study, intern, or volunteer in another country. Imagine those mus-ing fantasies of relaxing on a warm, luminous day while the waves of the Mediterranean ocean could become a reality.

One particular program in participation is the CSU spon-

sored International Programs (IP). They are committed in assisting students through the application process to meet the eligibility criteria each country holds. Following their admis-sibility advice, IP simplifies the financial process many students see as a deterrent for studying abroad.

Outside of IP, there are oth-er study abroad programs that students can look into.

World Endeavors is an inter-national program devoted to

Opportunities Shown at Study Abroad Fair

motivating students becoming ‘global citizens’, who garner a broader understanding of global culture. In their pro-gram they embolden you to volunte,er in another countries like Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and many more. They also hold affordable pro-grams that students could ap-ply to study or intern for the summer, semester, or a whole academic year.

As a student you could have the chance to study in Greeze through the Paideia Thessa-loniki program, who hold great emphasis in the arts, archaeol-ogy, and business. Greece is a country rich in history, culture, and geography. It was the birth place of democracy and oth-er great philosophers. Today, it remains unchanged with its ideal beauty of sapphire oceans, a brazen sun, and an-cient ruins of those great in-fluences before us. Part of the Paideia Thessaloniki program is that they include excursions to travel around Greece to de-velop a local consensus of its diverse history and culture.

The University of Kent is one of the United Kingdom’s finest institutions, located just an hour away of London. Its rural environment adds to the studious and charming image of this public research cam-pus. The University of Kent is devoted to the undergraduate and graduate study of the Hu-manities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences.

Many more organizations were present at the Study

Abroad Fair, some exclusive to one part of the country while others would travel aboard a ship to many diverse locations around the continents. How-ever, there is always this one important issue that restricts students from participating in the study abroad programs: the concern of how to finance your trip.

Cassidy Zimmerman, ad-visor for National and Inter-national Scholarships and Fellowship programs, has outlined various opportuni-ties students have access to by just simply applying. Each scholarship may hold different specifications depending on your major, but the list of open scholarships is boundless. Many of deadlines are fast approaching so if you want to complete your dream of trav-eling to your desired country, apply promptly.

The process of applying and financing may seem compli-cated enough, but the outcome will be very much worth it. It is like Lao Tzu once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

The Study Abroad Office is also holding various informa-tion sessions starting October 21st till November 18th in King Hall B1018 at 3:15PM. If you have any further ques-tions or seek advisement their office is located in the Golden Eagle building, room 217.

As many international stu-dents are getting acquainted with their new campus, the International Office team is helping them mingle and wel-come them into their home away from home.

On Tuesday, October 14, the International Office held its first International Coffee Chat for the 2014-2015 school year. The event was held in order to get international students more acquainted with their new campus, honor student volunteers and spend some time socializing over savory refreshments.

One of the event’s honorees,

was Sabeen Khan, an Interna-tional and Electrical Engineer-ing grad student from India, who volunteered for two days at the International Students Orientation. She says, “Being an international student at Cal State LA myself, I wanted to volunteer to welcome our new international students and help them settle down in this whole new world. Being honored for volunteering is just a bonus! I am happy we have events like the Global Coffee Chat because it gives students a chance to mingle with differ-ent people and expand their social circle.”

Pradyumna Shembekar, an International student from In-dia, praised the event for be-ing, “a really good way to meet students from other countries, and even some from your own who you didn’t know came to the same school.” He added, “I like that we get a Rewards Card that we can get stamped, and if we come to three or more Coffee Chats, we’re en-tered in a grand prize draw-ing.”

While the Coffee Chat con-

tinues to attract the presence of International Students, Aayushi Hingle, coordinator for the event, says that the Global Coffee Chat traces back 7 years. “We would in-vite students to come out and chat with us at the Internation-al Office about themselves and their experiences. However, since then, Coffee Chat has now become a huge event.”

Hingle also says that, “It is a neat way to interact with students in an informal setting and get to learn more about them, but also to make them feel welcomed. I love listen-ing to their experiences on our beautifully diverse campus. It is that energy that keeps me going in my work and dai-ly life. Just knowing that so many students appreciate what you do for them and also en-joy these kind of events, that is my favorite part of doing what I do.”

As the event continues to expand and grow, it seems that the skies or should we say ‘in-ternational skies’ are the limit for our students.

AcrossA Lot Can Happen Over a Cup of Coffee

Samir RamirezContributor

As students flocked to the International Coffee Chat last week, some found new friends and some more comfort on campus.

Photo By | Javier Maltonado

7Oct. 20, 2014 University Times

Now Open in SALAZAR HALL

Monday-Thursday7:30AM-2:00PM

Sandwiches, Salads, Coffee, Burritos, and More!

The University Café

The Globe

Alicia Soto in Morocco | Photo Courtesy of Alicia's Facebook

CSULA student Yzzy Gonzalez joins other international students in Hong Kong | Photo By Timmy Truong

CSULA students in Xi'an, China (Timmy Truong, Andreina Martin, Yzzy Gonzalez, Mariana Jin, Marina Molina)

CSULA Study Abroad Fair | Javier Maltonado

CSULA Study Abroad Fair | Javier Maltonado

8 Oct. 20, 2014University Times

Roxana HernandezColumnist

FADS President Rachel Masters tells the UT what led her to take on a fashion career.

Passion

While many of us began to pinpoint our professional paths when we attended col-lege, others found their call-ing before university. Having displayed an early artistic in-clination, senior Rachel Mas-ters, Fashion Design major, combined her love of art and her intrigue in self-identity to pursue a career in fashion.

When Masters was 13 years old she began sketching and knitting, slowly initiating the feeling of comfort and pas-sion. Soon enough, a self-taught designer was born. Her inspiration is drawn from the basic senses. “I would say my senses influence me the most, I draw a lot of my inspira-tion from shapes and colors. The details in textures really inspire me as well,” Masters stated.

While Masters sees a direct

correlation between art and fashion design, it is not the main reason why she chose the path of fashion. “I just think it’s really cool how fash-ion is the most basic form of self-expression, even if you’re not an artist you can still ex-press yourself in a creative way,” Masters enthusiastically explained. “As much as I en-joy the aesthetic side of fash-ion, that’s really not the reason why I’m in fashion. I think it is such a basic part of our life--we have to wear clothes every day! But we need to be more conscientious about how we wear them and I want to be able to make a change and create sustainable options of self-expression.”

When asked where she sees herself in five years, Masters answered that she would like to keep her purpose in fashion intact. “In five years I want to already be working for a com-pany. I really want to work for Patagonia, as a business they encourage their custom-ers to buy less and are still a successful company,” Masters said. Patagonia is a company that uses business in order to implement solutions to the en-vironmental crisis and grow in popularity every year.

Masters’s work now is not far from what she ultimately wants to do in the future. Last

spring, Masters launched a small line for an undergraduate research project about corpo-rate takeover of the communi-ty. This small line was debuted at Storying Wyvernwood, or-ganized by the CSULA Under-graduate Department in June.

Since then, Masters’s work has become more focused and refined. While at CSULA, Masters has had the oppor-tunity to work in preserving, growing, and pressing on all her creativity and potential she has. Masters expressed the great environment of the Fashion and Textiles Program saying, “My work has gotten more focused, and I’ve defi-nitely gotten better through the critiques from my classmates and my professors. I’ve been able to find a direction, the program has really helped.” She believes the program to be thorough, and all her classes to be helpful as professors are always pushing students to be more creative and think out-side the box.

Besides studying Fashion Design, Masters embarks on her first quarter as President of the Fashion Association of De-sign Students (FADS). With hopes to bring students togeth-er as a community, she will be focusing on creating more activities and discovering new aspects of fashion with others.

This position has allowed her to be part of a small commu-nity that brings in people who love the same things together. “It’s cool to hear everyone’s design inspirations, and why they are doing what they are doing,” Masters mentioned.

This month FADS will be working on making hats for cancer patients. “We’re look-ing into certain donation cen-ters at hospitals,” Masters an-nounced. With countless hours of dedication and preparation, this team is sure to make an impact on their work as well as the community.

It may all seem peachy but truth of the matter is that fash-ion students continually have to live through the miscon-ceptions that others have. One common misconception that really bothers Masters is that people think fashion students or people from the fashion world are dumb. “I have got-ten it a few times. I’m in the Honors College, and when I tell other students that I’m a Fashion Design major, their immediate reaction is clear through their face ‘what is she doing here?’—That is proba-bly the biggest misconception that really bothers me,” said Masters explaining her ex-perience. “We’re also not all shallow, sure fashion can be superficial, but that’s not all it

is. It can be sustainable, envi-ronmentally friendly, a way of self-expression.”

Master’s emphasis on self-expression was apparent so when asked about her per-sonal style, she described her-self as having an androgynous style. “My style is comfort-able,” Masters comments. She continues, “and actually quite random. I don’t know, honest-ly I’ve been trying to figure out my style for years, and I have really random stuff in my clos-et that could really fit into so many different styles. So it’s still experimental.” Though you will never see this design-er wearing pink, short shorts, short skirts, or animal print. Given that the designer rides a motorcycle, Master’s degree of options are limited but she has no problem with the limits at all.

The energy and creativity in Rachel Masters’s life will con-tinue to guide her and inspire her every day. What started as merely a personal project has expanded into a career full of aspiration and certainly more success to come.

If you are interested in join-ing FADS for their next meet-ing, make sure to visit FADS on Wednesday at 3:15PM in room FA 239.

CSULA Designer Spotlight:

Rachel Masters

Photo By | Roxana HernandezPhoto By | Rachel Masters