The Pioneer, Vol. 53 Issue 4

February 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student news publication, Est. 1974
ENVIRONMENT AT RISK
AMIDST FIRES
PG. 12
2020 MET
WITH
POTENTIAL
WAR
WEINSTEIN
TRIALS
HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF
RESOURCES

THE
Web: piercepioneernews.com
Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu
Facebook: piercepioneernews
Twitter: @piercepioneer
Phone:253-964-6604
Room: CAS 323
Writers
Lizzy Rowe
Katie Kittlitz
Matthew Slater
Eben Johnson
Avathni Pathammavong
Monique Russell
Erjerimei Reed-Jones
* Your name here
Interested in writing?
Stop by our office
CAS 323
Podcasters
Tyler Grover
Quinti Mattson-Hayward
Daniel So
Staff
E-Team Leaders
Editorial
Taylor Riley
triley@pierce.ctc.edu
Production
Ciara Williams
cwilliams@pierce.ctc.edu
Web
Myra Fehling
mfehling@pierce.ctc.edu
Social Media
Kotone Ochiai
kochiai@pierce.ctc.edu
Office
Manuela Schneider
mschneider@pierce.ctc.edu
Copy Editor
Hennia Blackwell
hblackwell@pierce.ctc.edu
Designers
Abri Wilson
Darrell Kuntz
Jezreel Proo
Brianna Wu
Hunter Bungert
* Your name here
Interested in design?
Stop by our office
CAS 323
Photographers
Ty Phay
Kevin Collins
Jesus Contreras
Ben Meikle
February 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4
ABOUT THE COVER:
Illustrated by Abri Wilson
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student news publication, Est. 1974
ENVIRONMENT AT RISK
AMIDST FIRES
PG. 12
Wildlife, citizens, and the environment remain at risk amidist
the Australian Bushfires.
2020 MET
WITH
POTENTIAL
WAR
PG. 10
WEINSTEIN
TRIALS
HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF
RESOURCES
PG. 8-9
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
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.
02 / piercepioneernews.com
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

Campus
CONTENTS
6
Remembering Yochum
Our former school president.
Marcom / courtesy photo
News
8
10
Weinstein Trials
Campus resources for students
searching for support.
Tensions Begin 2020
Abri Wilson / Staff Illustration
What to know about the
Iran- US Conflict
12
Bushfires Affecting Environment
Pixabay / courtesy photo
The longterm affects and
what can be done to help
Commentary
14
Mordern Day Love
Abri Wilson / Staff Illustration
Features
16
Online dating and how
romance evolves
Dating Dealbreakers
What are yours?
Kotone Ochiai/ Staff Photo
18
Hidden Gems
Ciara Williams / Staff Illustration
More about Maker Space
and the Digital Design Studio
19
What Equality means to you
We surveyed about 100 students to
find out what equality means to
Pierce College
Jesus Conteras / Staff Photo
Feb. 2020/ Vol. 53, Issue 4 piercepioneernews.com / 03

PIERCE CLUBS
AND INFORMATION
T
Black Student Union
Bygone Times History Club
Coding Society
Decades of Media Club
Digital Design Club
Entertainment Foundation
Gaming and Yeet Club
Magic the Gathering Club
Music Appriciation Club
Muslim Student Association
Natural Healing Club
Pierce Anime Club
Queer Support
S.M.A.S.H. Club
Social Services and Mental Health
Taiko and Culture Club
For more information
scan the QR code
below or visit
Cascade Building,
Room 418 (across
from the cafeteria)
https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/
student-life-fs-clubs
04 / piercepioneernews.com
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

Traditionally Underrepresented Clubs
Voice Concerns, Ignite Change
Story update now available
By Matthew Slater, Staff Writer
And Taylor Riley, Editorial Manager
Check it out on piercepioneernews.com
piercepioneernews.com / 05

Memoriam
Marcom / courtesy photo
06 / piercepioneernews.com
REMEMBERING
DENISE YOCHUM
TAYLOR RILEY
Editorial Manager
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
mourns the death of Denise
Yochum, after a long battle with
cancer. On Jan. 13, chancellor Michele
Johnson announced the news of the
former college president’s passing, which
sparked commemorative responses from
the community she impacted.
Yochum served as Pierce College’s
president for 13 years before retiring last
January; she remained an active member
of the community even after, Johnson
stated in an email. Yochum oversaw the
expansion of many projects on Fort Steilacoom’s
campus, including making the
Science Dome interactive and renovating
classrooms and student services spaces.
“Denise’s commitment to student
success and her dedicated service to the
college was exemplary,” Johnson stated
in an email. “She has also been an active
and beloved member in the local community,
a state leader, and was a shining
example of leadership that was grounded
in integrity, skill, and courage.”
Not only was Yochum a leader, she was
also a friend to many. “Denise’s quick wit
has made us laugh, and we appreciated
her fun and free flowing ways,” Johnson
stated. “Denise’s thoughtful, caring,
outgoing personality and sharp mind has
endeared her to us now and long into the
future.”
For Daniel Dino-Slofer, Pierce College’s
media assistant, he admired Yochum’s
ability to inspire others. One of his favorite
memories of her was when he trained
with Student Life in 2015.
“She shared her inspiring experiences
with us on how she started her career
path that ultimately led her to be the
President of the Fort Steilacoom campus,”
said Dino-Slofer. “Her story gave us student
leaders a lot of encouragement on
how far your efforts and goals can take
you when you put your mind to it.”
Yochum will be remembered for her
leadership and service for the Pierce
College community. Yochum is survived
by her husband Eric, sons Eric and Kyle,
five grandchildren, and a large extended
family, Johnson stated in an email.
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom has held
a memorial for Yochum on Feb. 9, where
her memories could be shared by those
closest to her.
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

Are you looking for a new medium or genre for your students to compose in?
The pioneer is looking for student created audio story submissions year-round!
The theme is “The Struggle is Real”
Focus
Tell the story of one student or Pierce
County community member that take us
through a major struggle in their life. The
hurdle can range from a moment in their
childhood, adolescence, young adult or
adult life that shapes the person they've
become today. Take time to unpack their
origin story and key people in their lives
along the way.
More Info
Need help collaborating with other
English 101 professors? contact Jason
Loan
jloan@pierce.ctc.edu
or Adie Klechner
akleckner@pierce.ctc.edu
If your submission is chosen for publication,
your work will apper here:
https://piercepioneernews.com/
student-submissions-guide/?f-
bclid=IwAR1oejyCsB0Pz35iFFN-
d0RbzWEUwftiRzLHuKmNmcJ3N-
rftmX5ETRduzf68
Podcast Introduction: Must give a synopsis
of the story without giving away the whole
story to hook the listeners. Listen to the intro
from this podcast as an example: https://storycorps.org/podcast/i-always-meant-to-tellyou-this/
Length: 5-10 minutes
File Format: MP3
Rules
Number of voices: At least 2 voices, not including
the storyteller's narration
Number of story beats: At least 3
Additional Sound: At least 1 sound beyond a
voice
Music to weave the story: At least one in the
intro and one in the outro (Copyright free music
is available online)
Abriana Wilson/
Staff Illustrator
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4
piercepioneernews.com / 07

Campus
In light of the Harvey Weinstein trials, learn what you can do if
you feel unsafe on Campus
KATIE KITTLITZ
Staff Writer
ilms such as Scream, Pulp Fiction,
Django Unchained, and Shakespeare
in Love are just a few of the
movies that represent the filmworks of
an Academy, Tony, and Golden Globe
Award winner that was once seen as Hollywood’s
most powerful film producer.
Seeing Harvey Weinstein now, one
wouldn’t guess they were looking at
the person who once represented the
kind of fame and success all producers
strived to reach. However, since October
2017, more than 80 women have made
allegations of sexual abuse from Harvey
Weinstein.
Soon, he will be facing five felony
charges in court. A court date that was
once set for early September 2018 has
now been moved to January 2020, as a re
08 / piercepioneernews.com

unsure of who to go to for help.
Fortunately, Pierce College offers many
resources in helping people who feel
uncomfortable in school, the workplace,
and at home. Holly Gorski, District Coordinator
for Title IX and vice president
for Human Resources, is an important
contact in supporting students who need
help on campus.
Title IX was created to ensure that
nobody feels discriminated against, taken
advantage of, or left out based on their
gender. Gorski said, “We are really here
to be supportive and help students who
have these concerns that fall under the
big umbrella of Title IX.
“I want to encourage people to resolve
issues at the lowest level. If you feel like
you can talk to someone about something
that is happening, please do that. I
think that can be really effective.”
Of course, it also depends on the
situation. If you’re trying to resolve an
issue yourself when communication isn’t
an option, there is plenty of help and support
offered through different resources
at Pierce.
One place that may not be known to
many students is pierce.ctc.edu/complaint-process.
This site offers a place for
students to go if they have any kind of
issue on campus they wish to report, but
aren’t sure where to go for help. “We are
connecting students with resources, trying
to get them to the places they need,”
as Gorski said.
A report of concern can be in regards
to themselves or a friend. This can be
accessibility accommodations, a student
conduct violation, an accident, or just a
general complaint that doesn’t seem to fit
into any of these specific categories.
In addition, by searching “Pierce
College Get Help” [pierce.ctc.edu/help],
individuals are offered a complete page
of resources offered to students looking
for assistance in places such as food,
transportation, health, legal support, and
more. This can serve in providing help
and support to someone who needs it,
but doesn’t know where to look.
Allison Stewart, a student at Pierce
College, said, “The first step in helping
people on campus is to advertise that
they actually have programs.” Stewart
pointed out that she has never seen
anything advertised regarding student
support on campus. More effective support
can be given if these resources are
further publicized to the general school
population.
“IT CREATES A FORUM
FOR PEOPLE TO SAY ‘I
BELIEVE YOU’ AND ‘THIS
HAPPENED TO ME TOO’
AND MAKES YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU’RE A PART OF
SOMETHING.” ALLISON
STEWART, PIERCE
COLLEGE STUDENT
While students are able to report a
concern anonymously, the most fulfilling
assistance can be given in cases with the
most information provided. “Sometimes
students come to me with concerns and
they don’t want the college to do anything
or they don’t want the college to
use their name, and I provide support to
those students,” said Gorski. “But if I have
someone telling me not to do anything,
then whatever help I can provide to help
resolve the situation is really limited.”
It is understandable that giving school
officials details of a sensitive situation
could make a student nervous, but staff
members can aid students and connect
them with more help if they get all the
information they need.
Jasmine Ford, a student at Pierce, said
that one method that might offer help
to individuals is to have an anonymous
hotline available. While Pierce doesn’t
have it’s own emergency line to call,
there are plenty of numbers in the Pierce
County area that are available 7 days a
week. Many of these are listed on Pierce
College’s ‘Crisis Resource Page.’ [pierce.
ctc.edu/counseling-crisis-situation]
These resources at schools have become
more prominent as a result of the
#MeToo movement following the Harvey
Weinstein trials. Stewart said, “It creates
a forum for people to say ‘I believe you’
and ‘This happened to me too’ and makes
you feel like you’re a part of something.”
Abri Wilson
/Staff Illustrator
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4 piercepioneernews.com / 09

RISING TENSIONS IN 2020
Pixabay.com/
Photo Credit
Students and Professors on campus weigh in their personal
thoughts on the U.S.-Iran conflict
LIZZY ROWE
Staff Writer
Beginning 2020, President Donald
Trump authorized an airstrike
that killed Iran’s major general
Qassem Soleimani; an act not approved
by Congress. Iran responded by firing
missiles at bases in Iraq hosting United
States troops. No Americans or Iraqi people
were harmed in this attack.
Trump directed the immediate deployment
of troops to the Middle East a day
after the attack on Iran. While Trump
stated there would be no further attacks
after Iran’s strike, a number of Pierce
College students are still affected by this
news. Pierce College students who are
veterans or active - duty have differing
opinions with the ongoing conflict between
the U.S and Iran.
Julio Russell, an 11-year U.S. Army
veteran, knows how difficult it is to be
deployed, having served two tours in the
Middle East. “It takes a toll on soldiers,
being away,” said Russell. “You come back
10 / piercepioneernews.com
home and everything’s the same for you,
[but] not for us. They teach us how to go
to war, they don’t teach you how to come
back from war.”
Russell adds it doesn’t serve America’s
best interest to get into another conflict
with Iran. “There’s other conflicts and
other things that are more important
than Iran,” he said.
According to BBC News, the tense relationship
between the U.S. and Iran date
back over 60-years. The initial contact
with Iran was in 1953 when the U.S. and
the British intelligence staged a coup to
remove the citizen elected Prime Minister,
Mohammed Mossadeq. Within that
time, the relationship has been inconsistent,
with efforts from both sides having
been unsuccessful.
Pierce College American history
professor David Thomas, P.h.D., said the
Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979 and 9-11
are significant events impacting relations
that have vacillated over the last 7-years.
“To Iranians, we’re a bully who overthrew
[their] government,” he said. “To
Americans, they’re terrorist who kidnap
people.”
Even though the next steps for the U.S.
and Iran is unknown, people’s opinions
and assumptions come to light online.
Russell’s day-to-day wasn’t directly affected
other than the social media responses
from what he refers to as “Facebook
keyboard warriors.”
“Are you driving your kid to the
recruiter line right now,” said Russell. “If
they’re not there, boots-on-ground, don’t
tell me nothing. I’ve been there, I’ve done
that.”
Twitter sounded off after the attacks.
the potential of World War 3 was the topic
of all tweets, with politicians sending
out information and the American people
creating memes, hoping to soften the
blow. Furthermore, citizens were curious
if this would put Trump’s impeachment
trial on hold.
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

News
“NOT ALL AMERICANS
ARE GOING TO TREAT
[IRAN] THE SAME WAY
AS THEY DID IN THE
PAST AND VICE VERSA.”
— JOSEF KASPRZAK,
13-YEAR AIR FORCE
VETERAN
According to CNN, in December 2019,
the House of Representatives passed both
articles of impeachment: abuse of power
and obstruction of Congress. Nancy
Pelosi, Speaker of the House, has held off
pressure to send the articles to the Senate.
Tony Rondone, a 26-year Air Force
veteran, said he expects the conflict to be
contained in the region. “[Iran] did what
they were gonna do to save face because
they don’t want a war with the U.S.,” said
Rondone. “Keeping that in mind, we
shouldn’t be provoking them, but you do
what you have to.”
Thomas said there’s a chance that it
erupts into a further war in the Middle
East. “It’s unlikely for a world war to happen
because many other countries would
be wary of getting involved.”
Along with this, provoking Iran sends
a message to the world about how America
operates. “I worry what it looks like
assassinating an official from another
country when we’re not at war,” said
Thomas.
Iran has been active since Soleimani’s
death, with protesters in the streets and
their military on guard. The destruction
of a Ukraine commercial airplane, killing
176 passengers with many of the victims
being Iranian and Canadian, brought
even more protesters out. This leaves the
U.S. in a difficult position, attempting to
find a way to possibly resolve this battle.
Although they were not an option in
the past, Josef Kasprzak, a 13-year Air
Force veteran, said a peaceful talk may be
a solution to get down to the root cause.
“Not all Americans are going to treat
[Iran] the same way as they did in the
past and vice versa,” he said.
Thomas finds a solution to this to be
unlikely, with Trump unwilling to abide
by the Iran Nuclear Agreement President
Barack Obama signed. “I think it was a
mistake to back out of the nuclear treaty
to begin with,” he said. “So ideally, we
could return to that sort of relationship
or agreement.”
There is uncertainty among the Pierce
College community whether this dispute
will be resolved, if at all. Nevertheless,
the history and tension between the two
countries will leave a lasting memory on
Americans and Iranians alike.
Darrell Kuntz/staff
illustration
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4 piercepioneernews.com / 11

News
Firefighters from around the world join Australian firefighters in a battle against a
series of Bushfires threatening the lives of Australians and Wildlife
MATT SLATER
Staff Writer
ver thirty people
have been killed
in the Australian
bushfires since September
2019. The states of
New South Wales and
Queensland officially declared
a state of emergency,
with other countries,
including the United
States, Canada, and New
Zealand, having sent
firefighters and military
personnel to help
control these fires.
Bushfires are not new
to Australia. However,
according to the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation,
they are becoming
more frequent, especially in
New South Wales, Victoria, and
Tasmania. “A century ago, such conflagrations
hit Victoria every 15- years, the
article states “since 2000 that interval has
shrunk to between one and 5-years.”
These fires have slowly begun to
subside, though their effects on the
environment remain. People are working
to help the animals, with rescue workers,
civilians, and even trained dogs helping
wildlife affected by the fires.
Organizations, such as the Australian
Red Cross and St. Vincent de Paul
Society, are in need of donations and
have been assisting firefighting, rescue,
and relief efforts. WIRES, RSPCA,
World Wildlife Fund, and the Port
Macquarie Koala Hospital have also
been taking monetary donations for the
cause. Supplies can also be sent to the
Brisbane-based Rescue Collective or the
Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild.
So what caused these fires? That is a
complex answer since there are multiple,
separate bushfires. Arson is one contributing
factor.
Newsweek reports that 24 people have
been charged with arson as of Jan. 7.
Police have taken action against people
who weren’t complying with a total fire
ban. Another factor is the conditions in
Australia. Newsweek states, “Unseasonably
high temperatures and drought over
the last three months have contributed to
the conditions that have allowed the fires
to proliferate.”
As the weather gets warmer in Australia,
the plant life becomes drier, creating
more fuel for fires. Lightning is also a
weather-based factor, responsible for a
number of fires in Victoria.
Beth Norman, an environmental science
and geology professor at Pierce College,
said windy conditions are causing
the fires to spread faster. “It’s differences
in pressure that actually drive the wind,”
said Norman. “So, if you’ve got bigger
differences in pressure between one area
and another, that means you have stronger
winds; and the stronger the wind is,
the worse the fires tend to be.”
Norman notes that the weather can
also help control the fire. When temperatures
start to cool off, the evaporation
caused by the hot weather comes back
down as rain. The fire will then slow
down, helping fire firefighters put the
flames out more easily.
More than one billion mammals, birds,
and reptiles have been affected by the
fire, according to the University of Sydney,
as reported by the Washington Post,
with many at risk of extinction. Australia
is home to many animals unique to the
country, including koalas, kangaroos,
wallabies, and platypi. As the fires burn
down their habitats, they are in critical
danger.
“Some of these areas are eucalyptus,
and the koala only eats eucalyptus,” said
Norman. “So, if you’ve got organisms that
only eat a specific plant, and there’s only
limited areas of the world that have that
plant and that animal, and that area gets
destroyed, then basically, an extinction
has been created.”
The fires aren’t just affecting Australia.
According to Readers Digest, smoke is
making it to New Zealand, which is 1,000
miles away. The fires are also releasing
soot and CO2 into the air. However,
Norman said, “Compared to a volcanic
eruption, fires generally have smaller
impacts than a volcanic eruption would
have.”
As firefighters work to control the fire,
Australians face poor air conditions, and
fires have been getting into human-populated
areas. Australians and tourists are
being evacuated from areas in danger,
including Kangaroo Island, a popular
wildlife tourism destination in South
Australia. A third of Kangaroo Island,
home to a number of endangered species,
has burned down.
Australia is facing a large-scale disaster.
The fires and smoke are creating health
and safety risks for people and animals.
But as firefighting and rescue operations
continue, aid and donations from around
the world can help Australia get through
this.
a
M
M
T
12 / piercepioneernews.com
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

Here Is The Way To Be The Ideal Candidate For
A Stable Career You Love!
Every Industry And Organization Seeks People With The Knowledge, Skills and
Abilities You Will Gain Through Taking Pierce College Applied Business
and Management Courses
Pierce College offers Specialized Business Certificates,
Associate Degrees and Bachelor’s Degrees.
Enroll now for SPRING 2020:
BUS&101: Introduction to Business
BUS 240: Human Relations
MNGT 130: Customer Relationship Management
MNGT 186: Professional Development
MNGT 284: Small Business Planning (Entrepreneurship)
MNGT 296: Current Trends in Human Resources
Contact Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt, PhD:
PHONE: 253-964-6429
EMAIL: pgerhardt@pierce.ctc.edu
There is no better time to start than now.
Or visit our website at:
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/business

Commentary
Modern-Day
Love Story
Online dating and the modern day
view of dating and romance
Written By
Taylor Riley
Editorial Manager
Kotone Ochiai/ Social Media Manager /Photo Illustration
14 / piercepioneernews.com
February. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

I
met my husband on Tinder.
It excited me that an app
allowed me to be picky without
judgement. I practically lived on
Tinder when I was 18-years-old, and
fresh out of high school, especially
since I’d never been in a relationship
before. When I came across my
soon-to-be husband, I almost didn’t
even give him the time of day. But
something compelled me to give him
a shot.
After going on a few dates with
him, I soon found out that my husband
had been lying to his friends
about us. Rather than telling his
friends and family that we met on
Tinder, he instead told people we met
at a mall.
The way he describes our fake
meeting makes it almost sound like a
cheesy Rom-Com. “I saw her sitting
by herself in the mall when I decided
to strike a conversation with her,” he
said. “Soon after, we hit it off.”
At the time, I found this reveal to
be funny. I never found it a big deal
telling people, “Yeah, we met on Tinder.”
I could see why he felt the need
to lie about it however. Very rarely
do I hear success stories involving
Tinder, or any dating platforms for
that matter which do a disservice to
the apps themselves.
For awhile, stigmas circled around
online dating, which painted these
apps in a bad light. Pewresearch.
org once conducted a survey, where
23 percent of Americans said that
people who use online dating sites
are desperate. From my own experiences,
I can say that without online
dating I’m not sure I would have been
able to find a relationship. It’s easy
to come to this conclusion however,
with just how accessible dating apps
can be.
Alongside, SwipeLife wrote about
how some people believe that relationships
that start from apps don’t
last long. Part of this stims from the
belief that people can’t make an authentic
relationship with one another
without that first initial connection
that’s made in person. Online relationships,
whether friendly, or romantic,
are still fairly new, and thus still
create doubt amongst those new to
the idea.
Part of the reason I believe these
stigmas exist is because of the aura
of mystery that still lingers around
online dating and strangers online.
Shows like MTV’s Catfish have proven
that you should never 100 percent
trust who you meet online, no matter
how much you may hope that they’re
indeed that person you’re talking to.
Stigmas like this keep some people
from admitting they’ve met someone
they like on these apps. Nonetheless,
in today’s age of technology and
speed dating, I’ve found that you’re
less likely to meet someone in the
classic Rom-Com way than by just
connecting with someone via an app.
According to eHarmony’s 10 Online
Dating Statistics, around 40 percent
of Americans currently use online
dating, with 52 percent of these users
being male. That’s almost half of
America participating in this trend of
online dating.
Fact:
A survey from Pewresearch
revealed that 59 percent of
Americans now believe that
online dating is a good way to
meet people, as opposed to its
44 percent in 2005.
Online dating became a reality in
1995, after Gary Kremen created
a site known as Match.com. At the
time, sites like this were for a more
niche audience, the idea of finding
a potential spouse via the internet
being widely judged by the public.
Online dating has changed the way
people go about dating. Before the
2010s, it wasn’t uncommon for someone
to say they met their significant
other through friends or while they
were out. That was the norm; and
while many people still do this, that
norm is slowly beginning to change.
As a woman, I hated being approached
by strangers at the bar,
even despite some being attractive. I
could hold a conversation, but I could
never shake away the idea that this
person could potentially have bad
intentions for the night. After all, how
should I know if this guy I’m talking to
isn’t the next Ted Budny?
Online dating has allowed me to
chat with the people I’m interested
in digitally, before meeting in person.
That way, if I don’t like them I
could just block them and move on.
Online dating had also made it easy
for me to pick a location to meet, as
opposed to being caught off guard
in person. But most importantly, it
provided me the option to safely say
no if I wanted to.
As Valentine’s Day approaches,
if you’re still thinking twice about
whether or not you should download
a dating app and meet someone,
I’d say go for it. As long as it’s safe
and you trust who you’re meeting. So
what else do you have to lose?
Art By Ciara Williams/
Production Manager
February. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4 piercepioneernews.com / 15

Features
Dating Deal-Breakers
BY LIZZY ROWE
Staff Writer
Hallway Hassel Question:
What are your dating preferences and deal-breakers?
Jesus Contreras/
Staff Photos
“They need to have a good attitude
and be positive when we are out
together.”
— Rodrigo Torres —
“If they talk too much. You are having a
conversation and you are not able to give your
side because they are constantly talking.”
— Christine Krysiak —
“Motivation to succeed, just don’t be lazy.
It’s a no-go.”
— Ben Murrell —
“They need to have table manners
and not [be] indecisive.”
— Matthew Soeum —
“You can’t be clingy. I like my independence,
so if we’re in a relationship obviously I will give
up some of that for you; but you can’t hang onto
me all the time. Be reliable, not clingy.”
— Charles Johnson —
“If they’re on their phone too much
on a date. That’s a bad one.”
— Richard Soeum —
16 / piercepioneernews.com
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

Science
Dome
South Sound’s only planetarium!
1910 TM
ALL AGES SHOWS
$6 for ages 3 and up | FREE for Pierce College students with I.D.
Includes a half hour live astronomy presentation and half hour fulldome video
Fridays at 7:15 p.m.
Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.
lazy.
CHILDREN’S SHOWS
$6 for children | Adults FREE
Interactive live presentations
Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Pierce College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal in its programs and activities. For inquiries regarding compliance contact the
Pierce College District Title IX Coordinator, 253-964-6519 | 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood WA 98498.
Pierce College is committed to equal access to all college sponsored events. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations or who have questions about physical access provided should
contact Access & Disability Services, 253-964-6468 or ADS@pierce.ctc.edu. Requests can be served most effectively if notice is provided at least 2 weeks before the event.
piercecollegedome.com | 253-964-6440
uch
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
Rainier Building, 263
9401 Farwest Dr SW
Lakewood, WA 98498

Features
EXPANDING YOUR CREATIVE HORIZONS
Pierce College’s Digital Design Studio and the Maker Space provides
students with new creative opportunities
EBEN JOHNSON
Staff Writer
Jesus Contreras/
Staff Photos
Pierce College’s 3D printer on the ground level of the Olympic Building,
room O104
Pierce College is full of useful
resources and commodities put
in place in order to help students
succeed. Many of these outlets, such as
the library and tutoring center, are widely
known about, and regularly give needed
aid to a multitude of students.
However, there are some resources the
college has to offer that are not quite as
recognized as others, and many students
would be astounded to find the tools
they’re missing out on. Made available
mainly for students studying design at
Pierce, although any student can use
equipment and software, are the tools
found in both the Digital Design Studio
and the Maker Space.
Located in CAS 405, right next to the
classroom in the library, the Digital Design
Studio looks like a normal computer
lab at first glance. Look further into the
creative space however, and you’ll find it
to be much more.
The computers in the lab, besides
featuring massive curved monitors, are
equipped with a host of Adobe programs
that cannot be found on most other
computers on campus. Students wishing
to try their hand at Photoshop or After
Effects have complete eligibility to do
so at any time the studio is open, which
18 / piercepioneernews.com
should be for the majority any weekday.
This resource can, has and will save
students much time and money, as these
programs can be quite pricey when
purchased personally, even for students.
Josseline Benitez, a student who works
in the STAT department said, “A lot of
people do use the resources, and they
want to do some side projects, which is
completely fine.”
On the ground level of the Olympic
building is a space filled with colorful
tables, chairs, and room for almost any
activity. Many students see this area
as just another place to study, but this
largely unrecognized area has much
more potential. This is the Maker Space,
an area where students can not only use
equipment like a 3D printer or laser cutter
to create whatever their imaginations
can devise, but also a space for games
and art.
Design student, Diane Russel, works
in the Maker Space and has used its
resources for many of her own projects.
“I would say we’re a pretty valuable
resource,” said Russel. “The tables in the
front are usually pretty full, people come
to study and do homework.”
Russel notes that while the space is
often packed with students, few know
of and utilize the actual equipment they
have available. “I wish I had known about
the 3D printer when I was taking my 3D
class, I think that would have been fun
and would have helped me understand
the spatial aspects more.”
“I would like to see more people use
the Maker Space, using the 3D printer
and laser cutter for projects, and to
expand their knowledge of the programs,
and to use the skills they have in different,
hands on ways. I think that would
be a great thing.” Russel noted in a recent
interview.
These two useful resource centers,
although widely neglected, have the
potential to be much more of a help to
students than they currently are, simply
because of how few students know
they exist. Dion Jacobs, another STAT
employee and student who sees the small
number of students who use these assets
said, “I think if there was more word on
where this stuff was at, there would be a
lot more students here, and it would help
them with their classes, and give them a
better experience here at Pierce.”
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4

What does it mean
to be equal?
Features
es
We asked this question to 100 students.
on Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s campus.
Here are the most said words and phrases answered with students
/
Feb. 2020 / Vol. 53, Issue 4 piercepioneernews.com / 19

Watch your
email inbox
Exciting changes are coming that will make the way you
access your Pierce College information online more
user-friendly, more comprehensive and more connected
to the college community.
Stay tuned for details coming soon!
Offices will remain open during "virtual construction," but please watch your
college email, website and social media for any temporary closures.
Pierce College is an equal opportunity institution. Learn more at: www.pierce.ctc.edu/policy.
2001 DH