The Pioneer, Vol. 52 Issue 1

Sept. 24, 2018 / Vol. 52, Issue 1 

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student news publication, Est. 1974 

Lost? 

Flip to the 

campus map 

pages 10-11 

Discover resources 

around the college 

page 14 

The story behind the 

new library artwork 

pages 8-9

THE 

Web: piercepioneernews.com 

Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu 

Facebook: piercepioneernews 

Twitter: @piercepioneer 

Phone:253-964-6604 

Room: CAS 323 

Editorial 

WELCOME TO 

PIERCE COLLEGE 

For some students, the choice of getting a college 

education was not a direct one. For others, the 

decision to come to college was easy. Some have 

come straight from high school and others are well 

into their careers with a need for higher education. 

Whatever the path, several thousand students will 

walk through the doors here at Pierce College. 

At first, college is hard. It may not be like anything 

you have experienced before; there are deadlines, 

workloads and projects that vary throughout 

the entire academic year. Each one carries its own 

challenge and professors always seem to think their 

assignment is the most important. Unexpected 

questions bring additional stress. What will you do 

when you are late to class? What will happen if you 

miss an assignment? 

There are techniques you will learn through the 

experience that will make education easier. Visit 

classrooms before the start of the quarter. Check 

the map when needed. Ask questions, even if they 

are the same ones. Use the people around you, they 

will become your network. 

A week of classes will pass by. Then two. Then a 

full quarter and what was once hard is now manageable 

with the help of professors and tutors who 

were more than happy to assist on the academic 

journey. 

And, yes, there will be times when an assignment 

gets missed. Getting to class on time may not always 

happen - if at all. These things are just a small 

portion of the college experience. Get back up and 

keep going. Keep your eye on the prize - that of 

walking across the stage at graduation. 

A college experience will happen once in a lifetime. 

Make it a memorable one. 

2 / piercepioneernews.com 

Editorial Manager 

Nick Nelson 

nnelson@pierce.ctc.edu 

Production Manager 

Carl Vincent Carallas 

ccarallas@pierce.ctc.edu 

Web Manager 

Alyssa Wilkins 

awilkins@pierce.ctc.edu 

Multimedia Coordinator 

Beatrix Cendana 

bcendana@pierce.ctc.edu 

Staff 

FIND VICTORIA: This 

year, Victoria will make an 

appearance in each of our 

cover photos. Can you find her 

in this one?* 

Nick Nelson / Staff Photo 

*Need help finding Victoria? Come down to the 

Pioneer office, and one of our staff members 

will help you out. 

Letters to The Editor 

Have an opinion on our articles or about campus events, policy? 

Write a letter to the editor and send to: 

pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu. 

We cannot publish letters that are anonymous. 

THE PIONEER MISSION STATEMENT 

Calvin Beekman 

Candee Bell 

Justin Ngo 

Karley Wise 

Insert name here_ 

This 

could 

be you! 

Interested in working for 

The Pioneer? Find out how 

to join us on page 15. 

The Pioneer is an official publication of the Associated Students of Pierce College and is 

sanctioned as such by the college’s Board of Trustees and funded primarily by student fees. It 

is a public forum for student expression since 1974. 

The Pioneer’s mission is: 

(1) to inform the student body of issues and events of interest, relevance and importance; 

(2) to provide students with a forum for discussion, opinion and expression; and 

(3) to provide the student body with editorial leadership. 

In carrying out this mission, The Pioneer will use as its ethical guide the Statement of 

Principles adopted by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Although it will strive to 

represent the diverse views and interests of the student body, The Pioneer is not responsible 

for representing, endorsing or promoting any person, group, organization or activity. 

September 24, 2018 / Vol. 52, Issue 1

CONTENTS 

HAPPENINGS 

What’s going on at Pierce College 

4 

Page layout: 


TEXT MESSAGING PROGRAM 

Sign up, and stay in the know 

STUDENT GOVERNMENT 

Meet the new team 

NEW ART AT THE LIBRARY 

Find out what the 

piece represents 

CAMPUS MAP 

Get familiar with your college 

RAIDER SPORTS 

Volleyball season 

is just beginning 

CAMPUS RESOURCES 

A list of what Pierce 

College has to offer 

5 

Page layout: 

Justin Ngo 

6-7 

Page layout: 

Beatrix Cendana 

8-9 

Page layout: 

Nick Nelson 

10-11 

Page layout: 

Carl Carallas 

12-13 

Page layout: 

Nick Nelson 

14 

Page layout: 

Calvin Beekman 

pages 6-7 

THE PIONEER IS HIRING 

Check out available positions 

USEFUL PHONE APPS 

A list of apps to help 

with homework 

COMMENTARY 

No longer on a 

road to nowhere 

15 

Page layout: 

Karley Wise 

16-17 

Page layout: 

Carl Carallas 

18-19 

Page layout: 

Carl Carallas 

pages 8-9 

COFFEE BREAK 

Student cartoons 

& selfie challenge 

20 

Page layout: 


pages 12-13 

pages 18-19 

September 24, 2018 / Vol. 52, Issue 1 piercepioneernews.com / 3

HAPPENINGS 

Sept. 24-25 Sept. 26 Sept. 27 

Fall Welcome Daze 

7:30am, 11:30am, 

5:00pm 

Where: Cascade, 

Rainier, and Olympic 

buildings 

Sept. 28 Sept. 28 

Oct. 2 

Emerging Leaders 

Academy 

12:00-1:00pm 

Every other Friday 

Where: Cascade 526 

Women’s Volleyball 

7:00pm 

Every Wednesday 

through October 

Where: Raider’s 

Home Court 

Multicultural 

Leadership Institute 

12:00-1:00pm 

Every other Friday 

Where: Cascade 526 

Clubs 101 

12:00-1:00pm 

Where: 

Cascade 530 

Constitution Day 

9:00am-1:00pm 

Where: Student 

Life Lobby 

Sept. 27 

Student Government 

Meeting 

1:00pm 

Every other Thursday 


Life Lobby 

Oct. 3 

Game Day 

11:00am-2:00pm 

Where: Performance 

& Fireside Lounge 

Oct. 3-4 

Oct. 5 

Oct. 6, 20, & 24 

Oct. 9 

Clubs Rush 

11:00am-2:00pm 


Life Lobby 

Jurassic Pierce 

Showtimes: 10:00am 

& 12:30pm 

Where: 

Performance Lounge 

Men’s Soccer 

Saturdays: 2:15pm 

Wednesday: 4:15pm 


Home Field 

Breast Cancer 

Awareness 

“Think Pink” 

10:00am-2:00pm 


Life Lobby 

Oct. 10, 17, 20 

Oct. 15 & 17 

Oct. 17 

Oct. 17 & 31 

Women’s Soccer 

Wednesdays: 3:00pm 

Saturday: 12:00pm 


Home Field 

Cascade Blood Drive 

9:00am-3:00pm 

Where: 

Outside Commons 

Autumn Art Day 

10:00am-2:00pm 


Life Lobby 

Clubs Council 

Meetings 

1:00pm-2:00pm 

Where: 

Cascade 528 

Oct. 26 

Oct. 31 

Nov. 5 

Nov. 1-16 

Family Movie Night: 

“Hotel Transylvania 3” 

Doors open: 5:30pm 

Showtime: 6:00pm 

Where: 

Performance Lounge 

Boo! Palooza 

5:30pm-8:00pm 

Where: Performance 

& Fireside Lounge 

Java & Jazz 

11:00am-1:00pm 

Where: 

Fireside Lounge 

Pierce College FS 

Food Pantry Drive 

Bring non-perishable 

donations to the 

Student Life Office. 



STAY IN THE KNOW: NEW FEATURE 

FOR STUDENT COMMUNICATION 

Campus 

A new text message system is now in place 

BY CALVIN BEEKMAN 

Staff Writer 

STARTING THIS FALL, Pierce College 

will begin using a new text messaging 

system to relay important information to 

students electronically. In addition to the 

emergency text system, students will be 

able to receive campus information to their 

cell phone. Students will need to update 

their contact info through their MyPierce 

student portal (my.pierce.ctc.edu). 

Anne White, one of the Pierce staff 

members who helped get the system 

started, said why it was introduced. “We 

want to have multiple ways to get ahold 

of students when it comes to valuable 

and important information. It is one of 

the many ways we can communicate with 

students.” 

Pierce College got the idea to use the 

student text system from other colleges 

that have successfully used this form of 

communication. It is ideal for students, 

as almost all students on campus have a 

cell phone. It is especially helpful because 

students do not always check their student 

email and may miss important information. 

In order to receive the text messages, 

students can go to their MyPierce webpages, 

click on the “SchoolMessenger Update” 

link and enter their cell phone numbers. 

Set-up is necessary to be able to use the 

system because it is separate from the text 

messaging used for emergencies. “We are 

going through a different vendor than the 

one we use for the emergency text system 

so that we are not confusing the students 

and also to get students’ attention,” White 

said. 

This feature is completely optional. Students 

should not feel they have to opt in 

for it, especially if they are worried about 

their standard text messaging rates. For 

those who do not check their Pierce student 

email accounts on a regular basis, this 

may be the best way to stay in the know 

about what is happening on campus. Like 

all other programs and services on campus, 

student feedback is always welcome. 

Some students have may have already 

started receiving text messages. Emails and 

test texts were sent out during the spring 

and summer quarters to introduce the system, 

but this fall is the official first quarter 

of the system. 

“Being that this is a new system, it will 

first be used by student services such as the 

welcome center, registration and student 

programs. As time goes by, other services 

will be able to use the system,” White said. 

Please feel free to contact Anne White 

in the student services department at 

awhite@pierce.ctc.edu if you have any 

questions. 

Example of how the school’s 

messaging program will work. 

Carl Vincent Carallas/Staff Photo 

Karley Wise/Staff Illustration 


Campus 

STUDENT GOVERNMENT 

Introducing new members of Student Government 

By MARJI HARRIS 

Staff Writer 

STUDENT GOVERNMENT FOR 

PIERCE COLLEGE (FS) has a new set 

of faces. They represent and support the 

student body in a variety of ways. They 

review spending requests such as a trip 

for a group or club and listen to student 

concerns. Meetings are open to anyone and 

are held in the Student Life Lobby, located 

on the fourth floor of the Cascade building 

on every other Thursday. Meetings will be 

scheduled from Sept. 27. To make a suggestion 

or raise concerns, students can stop 

by the Student Life office. 

RAYMOND POWER 

PRESIDENT 

“I am a father of 5, a husband, an actor 

and a social worker. I also work with 

at-risk youth in my community. I am family-oriented, 

self-motivated and ready to 

serve the students of Pierce College. This is 

a special place to me because it has helped 

me discover my passion in life. Pierce College 

has boosted my confidence and shown 

me that anything is possible. I can’t wait to 

give back to an institution that has already 

given me so much.” 

CALEB BROMLEY 

VICE PRESIDENT 

“I am a non-traditional student attending 

Pierce College to complete a DTA-AA 

with a focus on Social Sciences. After 

graduating, I plan on transferring to a 

four-year university before attending law 

school. Pierce College has empowered me 

to dream big and believe those dreams are 

possible. I hope to help as many students 

feel this kind of inspiration as I can, by 

supporting the students in ways that help 

them progress toward their goals.” 

“PIERCE COLLEGE 

HAS EMPOWERED 

ME TO DREAM 

BIG AND BELIEVE 

THOSE DREAMS 

ARE POSSIBLE. I 

HOPE TO HELP AS 

MANY STUDENTS 

FEEL THIS KIND OF 

INSPIRATION...” 

— CALEB BROMLEY 

CONNOR FREDERICKS 

ADMINISTRATIVE SENATOR 

“I am a sophomore studying Business 

and Economics and hope to transfer to a 

four-year university after I graduate. I am 

excited to serve the Pierce College students 

and community in hopes of fostering positive 

and lasting change for students of the 

present and future. I hope everyone has a 

great year! Please stop by the Student Life 

Office in the Cascade building if you have 

any questions or are in need of assistance.” 

“I HOPE EVERYONE 

HAS A GREAT YEAR! 

PLEASE STOP BY 

STUDENT LIFE 

OFFICE IN THE 

CASCADE BUILDING 

IF YOU HAVE ANY 

QUESTIONS OR 

ARE IN NEED OF 

ASSISTANCE.” 

— CONNOR 

FREDERICKS 

6/ piercepioneernews.com 


Campus 

DERRICK BRIGGE 

LEGISLATIVE SENATOR 

“As the Legislative Senator, I’m interested 

in spreading awareness about students’ 

Civil Rights. In particular, my experience 

as a computer science student drives me 

to point attention to emerging concerns 

about civil liberties in the digital age. I 

am very excited to help serve the Pierce 

College student body this year.” 

“IN PARTICULAR, MY 

EXPERIENCE AS A 

COMPUTER SCIENCE 

STUDENT DRIVES ME 

TO POINT ATTENTION 

TO EMERGING 

CONCERNS...” 

— DERRICK BRIGGE 

HALLE WALKER 

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATION 

SENATOR 

“I am starting out my second academic 

school year here at Pierce College. I hope 

to enter the education field after graduation. 

As I look toward my future, I am 

excited to serve the students and assist the 

community of clubs on our campus.” 

“AS I LOOK TOWARD 

MY FUTURE, I AM 

EXCITED TO SERVE 

THE STUDENTS 

AND ASSIST THE 

COMMUNITY OF 

CLUBS ON OUR 

CAMPUS.” 

— HALLE WALKER 

CHARLES CHO 

STUDENT CULTURAL AND 

AFFAIRS SENATOR: 

“I am a veteran of the Marine Corp and 

your current Student and Cultural Affairs 

Senator. Throughout my experience in the 

military, I have encountered a variety of 

situations with my peers and those under 

me. With these past experiences under my 

belt, I am hoping to help many people and 

encourage a brighter future.” 

For more on student government 

visit our website: 

piercepioneernews.com 

Further information on Fort 

Steilacoom Student Life services at 

https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/studentlife-fs 

NICHOLAS PECACHE 

ENGAGEMENT SENATOR 

“I am a Business major looking towards 

Business Law for my career. My goals as 

the Engagement Senator are to aid the students, 

encourage student engagement, and 

recruit students for the Emerging Leaders 

Academy.” 

Marji Harris/Staff Photos 


Campus 

PIERCE COLLEGE COMMISSIONS ARTIST 

TO HONOR FORMER LIBRARY EMPLOYEE 

Fort Steilacoom library will feature an artist’s work at the start of the fall quarter 

By NICK NELSON 

Staff Writer 

CHERYL KNEALE SERVED for nearly 

20 years as a library serials technician here 

at the Fort Steilacoom campus. She passed 

away a little over three years ago in August, 

2014. In honor of her exceptional service, 

on Nov. 15, 2016, a Pierce committee sent 

out a Request For Proposal (RFP) on the 

College Art Association website and at 

ArtShow.com. 

“The purpose of this call for art is find 

artwork to display permanently within 

the Library in memory of the late library 

staff member Cheryl Kneale … Not only 

was (Cheryl) devoted to libraries, she even 

raised a librarian, her daughter Ruth,” the 

RFP stated. 

In the RFP, the committee asked artists 

in the community for their artwork to be 

displayed in the library in honor of Kneale. 

The committee chose one out of the 35 that 

responded. 

Susan Russell Hall, an artist whose 

studio is located in Lakewood, felt a connection 

when she saw the request. “This 

proposal is very personal to me, having 

just lost my own mother, also an artist, on 

December 23rd, 2016,” she wrote. 

Although the RFP asked for completed 

works or works in progress, Hall presented 

a different idea to the committee. Her 

piece would consist of tea bags collected 

from the campus that would be flattened, 

ironed and formed into a “quilt” on a 

canvas. In Hall’s proposal, she wrote, “Tea 

bags, to me, represent the time we spend 

sharing individual stories.” 

“The whole committee came to the 

studio,” said Christie Flynn, dean of the library 

and Call for Art committee member. 

“The student (in the committee) said, ‘This 

is the one; it’s about all of us.’ ” 

“I think this resonated with the student 

because it resonates community and connection,” 

Hall said. 

In Hall’s piece, there is an estimated 300 

tea bags. They are all adhered to the canvas 

with three pieces of string dividing each 

of them horizontally. The string is not tied 

at the ends. Hall described these as the 

“Threads of Connection.” 

“The top of the string represents an 

Art work was created using 

hundreds of tea bags. 



open heart and an open mind. The bottom 

is open hands,” Hall said. “There’s one 

string for my story, one for yours and the 

story between us.” 

“Also, the thread reminds me of book 

binding,” Hall said, in reference to a library 

setting. They also represent Kneale’s embroidery 

hobby. 

Flynn explained where the tea bags for 

the piece came from. 

Every third Thursday, Pierce staff is 

invited to have tea in the library at 3 p.m. 

“We provide a big pot of water and people 

bring tea bags and snacks,” Flynn said. 

Not only did they collect teabags from 

these events, called “T33,” but multiple 

tea bags came from anonymous donors. A 

number of bags also came from Cheryl’s 

husband, as well as the donor who made 

the commission possible. 

“The Pierce College Foundation received 

a donation for the purpose of commissioning 

artwork in memory of a former 

library employee,” said Deidre Soileau, 

executive director of the Foundation. 

Money for the project also came from 

additional fundraising and an account 

the Foundation has that is specific to the 

library. 

“I wanted to use (the money) for art,” 

Flynn said. 

Part of the art piece will be displayed in 

the library outside of the library offices. 

The largest part will be hung on the wall 

outside of the silent study rooms. The tea 

bags will all be sealed onto the canvas. 

“I wanted it to be accessible; nothing 

between the viewer and the art,” Hall said. 

“I want it to be real… This is a real thing.” 

“Our students deserve the finest. 

They deserve real art,” Flynn 

added. 

Hall also stressed 

more meaning behind 

her piece: mindfulness, 

being present 

of what we are 

doing and slowing 

down. 

“My mom had 

just passed when I 

put in this proposal. 

It’s important 

to represent those 

who have passed and 

to take that time and 

think about how lucky 

we were to have that person 

in our lives,” Hall said. 

THE ART IS 

SCHEDULED TO 

BE UNVEILED IN 

THE LIBRARY 

ON SEPT. 26. 

Matthew Wuscher/Contributing Photos 

Campus 


SNR 

Campus 

GET FAMILIAR 

PLACES TO KNOW AT PIERCE COLLEGE 

Fort Steilacoom Campus 

WELCOME 

CENTER 

01 

COMPUTER LAB 

08 

OLY 

WORK IT OUT 

Open on weekends. Now with 

comfy conversation seeting 

available. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

A 

5 

6 

F I R E 

L A N E 

NO P 

Pod A 

08 

INT’L HOUSE 

07 

IH 

IN THE HOUSE 

The Homeland Security/Emergency 

Management office and 

one of the international 

coordination offices. 

1 

2 

3 

Employee 

B 

ONE WA 

Y 

Employee 

Visitor 

ECE 

OLY 

03 

Entrance 

05 

Bookstore 

Entrance 

02 

CAS 

F I R E L A N 

01 

4 

07 

Inter 

ernati 

rnationa 

nal 

House 

Child Care 

Parking 

SCIENCE DOME 

06 

RAI 

EXPERIENCE 

The Science Dome is the South 

Sound’s digital Planetarium and 

is located on the second floor of 

the Ranier Building. 

This is only the tip of the iceberg of what Pierce College has to offer at the Fort Steilacoom campus. 

Be sure to take some time to explore the campus. Experience all that it has to offer. From the architecture, 

to the social gatherings, to the sporting events and all the amenities that have been created 

to make your experience as a student at Pierce College an enjoyable and educational journey. 

1 

2 

C 



START HERE 

The Welcome Center, located at the entrance 

of the Cascade Building, helps students find 

the specific resources they require and can 

connect students to an advisor. 

BOOKSTORE 

02 

STUDY IN STYLE 

CAS 

With everything you need 

to stay on top of your studying 

and styles for you to represent 

your pride in our school, the 

bookstore has you covered. 

06 

02 

Campus 

ARKING 

06 

Rainier RAI 

Pod B 

E 

Loading Dock 

F 

E 

RESEARCH 

Make sure to 

get acquainted 

LIBRARY 

03 

CAS 

with the library and all the 

research tools available to 

students. 

03 

04 

Health 

Educatio 

HEC 

CAFETERIA 

05 

CAS 

STUDY FUEL 

Feed your stomach as well as 

your brain. The cafeteria has 

four choices of menus every 

day with delicious food fresh off 

the grill. 

WORK IT OUT 

The Health Education Center 

(HEC) features a 14,000 square 

foot gymnasium with equipment, 

trainers, and a range 

of classes. The gym is open to 

students and 

the community. 

HEALTH 

EDUCATION 

CENTER 

04 

HEC 

Carl Vincent Carallas/ 

Staff Photos 

05 


Campus 

RAIDER VOLLEYBALL 

RULES COURT 

Offense delivers quick attacks while defense holds strong 

By MARJI HARRIS 

Staff Writer 

IT IS A NEW SCHOOL YEAR, and 

a fresh start for Raider athletics. Sept. 4 

was their first preseason home game and 

the sets gave a glimpse of what the season 

could be like. From the start of the first 

game against the Shoreline Community 

College Dolphins, the Raiders showed they 

came intending to win. 

The Raiders owned the court in the first 

and second games. The Dolphins tried 

attack after attack, only to be met by a 

strong Raider defense and the offense was 

relentless. The second game was the most 

brutal, ending 13-4. 

The third game started differently. The 

Dolphins fought hard to go home with at 

least one win. However, the offense struggled 

to come together and the defense did 

not fare much better. Once they can focus 

their power and strength, they will be a 

force to be reckoned with in the regular 

season. 

Outside hitter No. 16 Ryleigh Burdik is 

part of the competitive team spirit. Last 

November she helped take the team to the 

Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC). 

At the end of the season she ranked No. 3 

with 389 kills and No. 2 in attacks at 1,167. 

If the preseason games are any indication, 

there is a good chance that she will 

finish her year at Pierce with another high 

ranking. 

Another strong returning player is No. 

1 Kenzi Seitz, defensive specialist. An 

NWAC All-Star in 2017, she was also part 

of the team that won the west division in 

the NWAC and played in the championship 

tournament. She ranked No. 2 in 

spikes last year and this year it is likely that 

she could hold the same rank. 

The next game set was against Skagit 

Valley College and the Raiders showed 

no signs of backing down. The Fighting 

Cardinals fought hard, but could not find 

enough holes in the Raider defense. The 

first game was the closest, ending 25-20. 

At the end of the third game, the Raiders 

finished another set with nothing but wins. 

Saturday, Sept. 8 against the Lower Columbia 

River Hawks was more of the same, 

with the Raiders again taking over the 

court. For the eighth time they sent a team 

home without even one win. 

The regular season starts Sept. 21 with 

the first game at TCC. The first home 

game, Back To School night, is Sept. 26 

against Green River. Students get in free 

with student I.D., non-students are $5. 

2018 Raider volleyball women are team-focused on another tournament goal. 

Marji Harris/Staff Photos 



HOME GAME 

SCHEDULE 

Wednesday, Sept. 26 

vs. Green River 

Wednesday, Oct. 3 

vs. Centralia 


vs. Lower Columbia 


vs. Tacoma 


vs. Grays Harbor 


vs. South Puget Sound 

Wednesday, Nov. 7 

vs. Highline Sound 

TEAM ROSTER 

16 RYLEIGH BURDICK 22 KARLEE LEWIS 

7 HEIDI CRANFORD 11 CARLIE RITTEL 

14 PEYTON FOSTER 1 KENZIE SEITZ 

8 SIDNEY GOODALL 2 HATTEY SMITH 

13 JOCELYN HILLYER 3 HALEY WILLIAMS 

5 

4 

ABBIE VANMARTER 

KATIE YORKE 

Campus 

Top: No. 16 sets up for a 

power shot. 

Left: Both sides end up in a 

heated contest to score. 

Right: Coach Finel encourages 

the team to keep up the energy. 


Campus 

CAMPUS RESOURCES 

ACCESS AND 

DISABILITY SERVICES 

Pierce College proves a range of 

services for students with physical, 

learning or invisible disabilities 

and mental health diagnoses. Fort 

Steilacoom’s services can be reached 

by phone at 253-964-6526 (voice) 

or 253-964-6228 (TTY) or email at 

dssaccess@pierce.ctc.edu. 

DENTAL HYGIENE 

SERVICES 

The Pierce College Dental Hygiene 

program offers free and low cost 

services on campus. They offer free 

dental exams, low cost cleanings, 

X-rays, fillings and sealants. General 

questions can be sent to dhclinic@ 

pierce.ctc.edu or you can call the 

clinic at 253-964-6695. 

TUTORING CENTER 

Fort Steilacoom’s tutoring center, 

located on the fifth floor of the Cascade 

building, offers help on class 

work. Tutors for biology, chemistry, 

Math 50-98, 141-142, 146, 151-153 

and physics are available for drop-in 

on certain days. If your subject is not 

listed, you can schedule an appointment. 

Drop-in hours are Monday 

- Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 

Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. 

LIBRARY 

The library on campus offers a 

wide selection of resources. There 

are computers to work from, silent 

and group study rooms, a design 

center and more. Students can 

check out electronics like cameras, 

camcorders, recording equipment, 

lighting, Chromebooks, calculators, 

headsets and Wi-Fi hotspots. 

MENTAL HEALTH 

COUNSELING 

Pierce College offers mental health 

counseling on campus. Fort Steilacoom’s 

counselor is Megan Irby, who 

can be reached at 253-864-3115. 

FOOD PANTRY 

The Food Pantry is Located outside 

the Student Life office on the 

fourth floor of the Cascade building. 

The food pantry always welcomes 

donations and is open to students. 

WELCOME CENTER 

The Welcome Center has all of the 

college information you need. It sits 

right inside the front doors of the 

Cascade building, next to Campus 

Security (where you get your parking 

pass). The welcome center is open 

from 7:30 a.m to 6 p.m on the first 

two days of the quarter. Regular 

hours are Mon-Thurs from 8 a.m to 

5 p.m and Friday 8 a.m to 3 p.m 

HEALTH EDUCATION 

CENTER 

The Fort Steilacoom campus 

gym is inside the Health Education 

Center, which sits between the C and 

E parking lots. The HEC has fitness 

professionals to help you with your 

workout routine. Workout options 

include Pilates, yoga or kickboxing 

classes. Rates start at $15 per quarter 

for tuition-paying students. The 

HEC also has a 14,000-square-foot 

gymnasium for athletes. 

STUDENT LIFE 

The Student Life office is located 

across the cafeteria on the fourth 

floor of the Cascade building. 

Student Life offers club and campus 

event information. Additionally, 

students can receive their Student 

I.D.s in the office, read campus postings, 

add suggestions to the student 

suggestion box, checkout recreational 

equipment, receive health and 

wellness information and more. 



THE 

PIONEER 

Job Descriptions 

All positions are required to attend weekly story meetings, unless in class. 

Writers 

Skill requirements: Strong written skills/ 

voice; will train for journalism writing. 

COME WORK 

WITH US! 

Photographers 

Skill requirements: Knowledge of 

composition (rule of thirds, head room, etc.), 

familiar with a camera, knows how to get 

good in-focus shots. 

Illustrators 

Skill requirements: Artist eye and skill with 

the medium being used. Required to attend 

design meetings. 

Photo/Video Editor 

Skill Requirements: Familiar with 

Photoshop or Lightroom and Premier Pro or 

Final Cut. 

Social Media 

Skill requirements: Personable, articulate, 

uses appropriate hashtags and covers entire 

event. 

Podcasters 

Skill requirements: Personable, articulate 

and trained on Adobe Audition to edit audio 

tracks. 

Layout Designers 

Skill requirements: Graphic design, Adobe 

InDesign. Required to attend design meetings and 

be in the office during production week with the 

design team. 

Why Work With Us? 

The Pioneer offers students paid part time positions, 

opportunities for internship hours, work study awards, and 

advancements within the workplace. 

By creating an inclusive work environment, rest 

assured you will feel welcome! 

Teamwork 

STOP BY OUR OFFICE 

AND APPLY TODAY! 

Karley Wise/Staff Illustrations 

For questions regarding positions: 

The Pioneer 

Cascade 323 

Phone: 253-964-6604 

Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu 

We’re 

Hiring! 


Features 

USEFUL PHONE APPS FOR 

COLLEGE STUDENTS 

By BEATRIX CENDANA 

Staff Writer 

NOWADAYS, PHONES, TABLETS, 

LAPTOPS AND PCS, are convenient 

tools that people use to bring more flexibility 

into their lives. Shopping is no longer 

limited to going to a store. Customers can 

find almost anything online at websites 

such as Amazon, eBay and more. In a similar 

way, technology also benefits students 

who do not have time to study face-to-face 

with a professor. Instead, they can learn 

on their own with advanced applications 

(apps), such as math, coding, business and 

physics. These apps can be installed on 

Android or iOS, making it easy for college 

students to have access to additional study 

support tools. 

Essential Anatomy 

and Visual Anatomy Free 

This app is a guide of anatomy for 

students who are interested in learning 

nursing or medical studies that require 

anatomy as a basic part of their major. 

Essential Anatomy creates male and female 

organs including 3D sections that make 

it easy for students to learn. Every section 

has a different body part or organ for 

students so they can choose where to go. 

After learning the anatomy, students can 

test their knowledge by taking a quiz. 

Photomath and iMathematics 

When students hear the word “math”, 

most will say it can be very difficult and 

confusing. Photomath is an app that can be 

helpful to solve simple problems like algebraic 

equations or arithmetical questions 

by taking a picture of the handwritten 

problems. Sometimes it cannot identify 

handwritten equations. It is better to take a 

picture of the problem from the textbook. 

The disadvantage of this app is that Photomath 

can’t solve complicated problems 

like advanced calculus. 

iMathematics is different because it does 

not include picture technology. Students 

have to manually enter the equations that 

they want to solve and let iMathematics 

solve the problems for them. The paid 

version has additional help for students to 

solve longer equations or problems. The 

advantage is that iMathematics does more 

than Photomath in solving complicated 

problems such as graphics or geometry. 

chemistry, calculus and economics. The 

app offers a wide variety of videos that are 

supported by all formats, either Android 

or iOS and the topics are divided into 

chapters. If students sign up for a new 

account with Khan Academy, they can 

see their accomplishments through their 

profile because it awards them points and 

badges for their progress. The advantage is 

that the app keeps track of their progress . 

Duolingo 

If students want to improve their language, 

Duolingo is a perfect language tool. 

There are many languages that are provided 

by Duolingo including French, Russian, 

German, Chinese, Korean, Dutch, Italian, 

and more. And the good thing is that the 

app is free.Duolingo begins with the basics 

and as students continue to improve, they 

can move on to more difficult exercises 

including an introduction to food, phrases, 

animals, and how to talk to family and 

people. There are clubs created by other 

users that also. Students can join clubs and 

participate in conversations with other 

users. 


Carl Vincent Carallas/ 

Staff Illustration 

Khan Academy 

Khan Academy has many subjects 

for learning, including biology, physics, 


Solo Learn and W3Schools 

If students are interested in learning 

code or want to become a programmer, 

Solo Learn is a good place to start. This 

app has many kinds of programming 

languages, like Python, Javascript, Java, 

C++, and more. Solo Learn is similar to 

Code Academy because it teaches from the 

beginning and there are comment sections 

for every chapter. Students can create Q 

and A discussions if are having difficulty 

solving a code. There are also competitions 

for each student to test their skill of 

coding. 

WolframAlpha 

This app covers science, music, engineering, 

math, chemistry, and even colors. 

It is similar to Khan Academy but provides 

more subjects. The app uses algorithms 

and data to compute answers and is supported 

by Siri Assistant. This app is not 

free but many students find that the $3.00 

price to install the app is worth the benefits 

it provides. 

However, not all of the books 

are free. Wattpad is an online 

e-book community. Wattpad provides 

novels, poetry, and essays 

written by bestselling authors. 

It is a free free app but does not 

provide as many books as Kindle. 

Features 

W3Schools is different because its 

interface is user-friendly. This can help 

beginner to start learning even students 

have no basic in programming language. 

And also, the theory is so clear because it is 

explained step by step. 

Udemy for Business 

For students studying business there 

are many apps to choose from. Udemy for 

Business works with both Android and 

iOS devices. This app is designed to teach 

practical skills like leadership or business 

management through videos, audio courses, 

presentations, and articles. Students 

can view these offline after saving their 

progress. 

Kindle and Wattpad 

For students who love reading e-books, 

Kindle and Wattpad are good options. 

Both apps provide many bestsellers. 

Students with Amazon accounts pay about 

$10 a month to access Kindle and download 

books. 

Did you know? 

Both Apple and Android 

App Stores feature other 

useful apps every week. 

Not only will you find 

these apps we listed 

most useful, but you can 

explore to find even more 

apps that can be useful to 

you and your peers. 

If you do find useful 

apps, please share with 

us on our social media 

sites: 

Facebook: The Pioneer 

Twitter: @piercepioneer 

Official website: 

piercepioneernews.com 

Nick Nelson/Staff Illustrations 


Commentary 

NO LONGER ON 

A ROAD TO NOWHERE 

By CANDEE BELL 

Contributing writer 

YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK on 

a journey of a lifetime. You have a sack 

of books slung over your shoulder, letter 

of acceptance tucked away in your pants 

pocket and pencil at the ready. Family and 

friends wipe away a proud tear as they 

wave goodbye behind you. You wave back 

as you trek along the road of uncertainty 

with the hope of ending somewhere at the 

top of the world. 

You did not think you would survive 

this long. Your plans for the future never 

really took priority, but here you are at the 

crossroads of your life where the sky is the 

limit. You ask yourself, “What do I want to 


be when I grow up?” 

Maybe you already know the answer, but 

if you don’t, try not to panic. Many people 

struggle with this question, myself included. 

Ask me what I want to do with my life 

and I will most likely give you a different 

answer every hour. I’m one of those people 

that have a wide variety of interests. 

Not only do I want to make money doing 

what I love, I also want to be excellent 

at it. 

As an artist, for me, college is an opportunity 

to collaborate with other talents 

because I rarely get a chance to work with 

people outside of my own work. Some 

career choices are a lonely endeavor, so it 

Nick Nelson/Staff Illustrations 

is important to know what you are getting 

into. Start by asking yourself, “What do I 

enjoy doing?” 

Often people look for a career that 

will bring them the most money with no 

regard to their happiness. Can I make 

money doing what I love? Yes, I strongly 

believe that with enough practice, people 

can do just about anything they set their 

mind to. 

Although, if you choose the pathway to 

becoming a brain surgeon and you are not 

very good at math, you might find yourself 

trudging up the side of a mountain during 

a blizzard. Halfway up the mountain you 

might decide that path was not what you 


Bottom line, it is never too late to pursue your passions or change 

your course. I was comfortable in my misery 

for seventeen years. 

David Bowie, one of my idols, said the worst thing an 

artist can be is comfortable. Change doesn’t happen when 

people are comfortable. 

I am telling you all this because you, too, might 

be feeling overwhelmed or scared because change 

is around the corner. You left the comfort of your 

home ready to take on a world of strangers in a 

strange land. 

Your past does not have to define or dictate what 

you will do with your future. You oversee your 

own destiny. It will not be easy. It never is. 

Here at Pierce College, you have joined a 

community of thinkers, inventors, entrepreneurs, 

and problem solvers who want to 

shape the world for a better tomorrow. 

Welcome to your new home. 

Commentary 

expected. 

Have no 

fear; nothing is 

ever set in stone. 

Even tattoos are 

removable. Sit down 

with an advisor so 

they can help you find 

a different career path if 

you change your mind. This 

is your journey through life, 

so it is okay to reconsider your 

options if something is not working 

out for you. 

When you envision your future self, 

who do you see? I wanted to be a limousine 

driver when I was a kid. The idea of wearing 

a cool hat and driving important people around 

town seemed like a cool profession. 

No one told me that I could get a job working in the 

arts. In fact, it was discouraged. I was told to take lots of 

math so I would have a variety of jobs to choose from. I am 

not good at math. In fact, I had to take the math test twice 

before I could graduate from high school. 

So, when I got out of high school, I got a cleaning job working 

for the school district. I was able to buy a car and pay my 

bills, but deep down I knew I was not happy. A coworker saw my 

artwork and asked me what the hell I was doing with my life. 

After seeing the puzzled look on my face, she explained that I was 

actually quite good at this art thing. She told me to consider going 

back to school because I was wasting perfectly good talent. 

I went home and had a long stare into the mirror. The 30-year-old 

staring back at me agreed with her, but I was scared to make a drastic 

change that could potentially put me out on the streets. My mind 

raced with a series of negative “what ifs.” 

It was then that I realized that I was living my life in defeat. I 

chose to give up before I even tried. I let fear take me hostage. 


Coffee Break 

YOUR PICTURE COULD BE FEATURED! 

Starting on Oct. 1, The Pioneer will have Victoria set up in a 

photo booth outside our office (CAS 323). We invite you to 

come take a selfie with her and post it on Instagram, 

Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #pioneerselfie. On 

Oct. 24, the Pioneer staff will choose four of 

the best selfies to be featured in our 

next print issue! 

“COLLEGE WOES” 

by Carl Carallas 

Staff Illustrator

The Pioneer, Vol. 52 Issue 1

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