Puppet-Show Politics

By Adelaja Obajimi, Editor in Chief

During my first semester as a student of Prince George’s Community College, I was excited about a lot of things but also naïve about many others. One thing I was naïve about was how student government works. During a television production class, we shot a debate for student leaders Kien Bui, Erika Scott, and a few others. Two PGCC staffers served as moderators for the debate. There was only one problem: the campaigners had no one debating or contesting against them. It wasn’t that their opponents didn’t show up; the problem was they didn’t exist in the first place.

When the so-called debate started, the “moderators” asked the leaders various questions, which from where I stood, looked like the answers had been prepared. The whole process looked like some kind of staged, puppet-show Q&A program, and my classmates and I couldn’t relate to the questions. I couldn’t help asking myself if my class had somehow been meant to represent the greater population of students on campus. Quite frankly, I was beyond disappointed, I felt like I’d been robbed. Even worse, my intelligence had been insulted. I’ve seen high schools with better electoral processes.

I wondered if the current leaders were elected or handpicked. It seems like all a student needed to do was fill out some paperwork and skate into a new position. I never saw any posters or ads anywhere around the school that said anything about student government re-elections. I didn’t see anyone else campaign and even when the final elections took place, I had no idea where and when it occurred. Had I failed to pay attention? Did I miss the ads in the newspaper?

The elections are coming up again and I’m willing to bet my next paycheck that this is news to you. I believe a lot more should be done to enhance student participation when it comes to school politics. Our school should be graduating students who are brave enough to reach for the sky and dream of becoming the next President Barack Obama or Justice Sonya Sotomayor. So riddle me this: how do we expect that to happen when the basic example of campus democracy is ignored and yet no one cries wolf. A robbery of our basic American rights went highly unnoticed and it most likely will happen again, a few weeks from now. The Caribbean Festival gets more promotion than the election of the Student Governance Board President who represents me in front of the PGCC Board of Trustees. And that’s just not right.

Hospitality Job Fair Offers Students a Myriad of Opportunities

By Elizabeth Borelli

In an economic climate that is often unkind to young job searchers, looking for the right job — or any job — can be incredibly stressful and disheartening. To make the process easier on PGCC students, the Hospitality and Tourism Institute and Career and Job Services teamed up on February 25 to hold a job fair specifically geared toward students interested in hospitality, seasonal, or culinary careers.

Companies represented included The Country Club at Woodmore, Wegman Food Markets, Peachez Café and Lounge, and even Six Flags. According to Step-Hi Hospitality Grant Director Vonzell Mattocks, many of the companies in attendance weren’t simply looking to employ students in desk jobs; some of them are hiring 400 to 500 positions including plumbers, servers, and cooks. The Ridgewell Catering Company, for example, is hiring for 400 positions as servers, cooks, planners, and coordinators.

“I find it inspiring that there are just so many opportunities, and it really is a learning experience just talking to all these people and seeing what’s available,” said PGCC student Lamarq Bailey. Statistically speaking, the hospitality industry is a good place to start. Annually, this industry pays more than $1.6 trillion in wages and creates 12.5 million new jobs, more than 1,000 of which could be applied for at the job fair. With such booming business, it’s no wonder the hospitality and culinary arts programs here at PGCC have taken a boost in enrollment.

Also in attendance were representatives for the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, promoting the One-Stop Career Center. This resource provides computers, resume help, and job postings for college students. PGCC student Wayne Toombs said that he found their attendance extremely helpful, because “I need a desk job — that kind of lifestyle. I don’t want to work in foods, and most of the other companies here are offering food-related jobs.” Well, the One-Stop Career Center can help him find that job. All you need is your resume and a can-do attitude.

Walk Your Path

By Candra Teshome and Ivie Okungbowa

In the midst of Dell Rhoden’s life, he found himself on the verge of realizing his dream of becoming a millionaire by the age of 30. Suddenly, his life took a turn with a divorce which awakened him to the realization of a simple question, “Am I happy?”

Hands neatly folded, a perfectly placed purple and white polka-dot bowtie adorning his neck, the Prince George’s Community College Media Professor talked about his life. Although Rhoden was raised Catholic, which is a Christian denomination, he practices a combination of Catholicism and Islam or Catholic-Islam. He wore a hat in observance of lent to cap his tall stature, but he also attends a mosque. He also learns and accepts the tenets of Christianity. He believes purpose defines us and that adhering to religion takes on many forms. He was happy to share some of the wisdom that he has learned.

“‘Are you happy’ is not an outer question,” Rhoden said. As students, we focus on earning our degrees. Although this is a crucial step in life, sometimes there is more. For some, searching for one’s own purpose including exploring religion is a step toward walking on a path to happiness. Whether the journey begins with a religious class, or spending time at the library, or sitting at your computer for an extra 10 minutes in search of other spiritualities, realizing self-importance does matter.

“Everyone has to find his or her own path,” Rhoden stated. The idea of subscribing to a religion turns many away. Some view religion as an ideology that smothers life with rules and requirements. A powerful technique for cultivating purpose, religion serves those who seek guidance. Religion empowers us and brings us vitality.

“An individual journey should have teachers,” said Rhoden. Discovering your inner faith may require that you explore beyond mainstream ideas. “Practice in an open-minded fashion,” Rhoden expounds as he advises those seeking structure to research several religious texts. An individual and powerful journey of defining your purpose and discovering your faith is necessary. Otherwise, as professor Rhoden asked, “Why do we exist?”

Stand Up and Be Counted in the U.S. Census

By Brandon Lee Smith

Our nation has the honor of being one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse in the world. Although we have a long road ahead of us toward racial equality, we can take pride that America continues to move forward toward the goals of creating a unique, yet unified nation. As we enter the year 2010, we can look back and see how much we have already accomplished, as well as how much further we still have to go.

In our attempts to better understand our cultural diversity, the federal government embarks on an epic undertaking in the form of a national survey called the U.S. Census. On April 1, National Census Day occurs as implemented by the U.S. Constitution. Once every 10 years, the federal government must count every person that lives in the United States, whether a citizen or not.

The 2010 census has only 10 questions and should be filled out completely in order to obtain an accurate count of the U.S. population. The questions on the census will ask the following of each person in every household in America: Name, Gender, Age, Race, Ethnicity, and Relationship to head of household and whether the householder owns or rents the home. The census is completely anonymous and answers cannot be shared or distributed by the federal government, under penalty of the law.

The U.S. Census is safe, simple, and significantly important to our nation. It helps the federal government allocate more than $400 billion to the funding of countless programs including hospitals, schools and universities like PGCC, public works, community centers, emergency efforts, health care, and social security. Not only does the census help determine where federal spending is most needed, it is also a crucial factor in making sure that all states are fairly and equally represented in Congress.

Without question, the U.S. Census is continually the most important questionnaire in U.S. history. It has been aiding our country since 1790 as the most efficient way to have a clear understanding of our country and its future.

PGCC Reaches Out to Victims of Haiti Disaster

By Marquis Morris

Not long after devastating earthquakes rocked the island nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010, Prince George’s Community College began looking for ways to help the nearly four dozen Haitian students attending school here.
PGCC put together a team of faculty, staff, and students to develop a school-wide effort to help the people of this distraught nation. The earthquakes caused as many as 230,000 deaths, 300,000 injuries and left an estimated 1,000,000 people homeless in Haiti.

PGCC Vice President for Student services Dr. Tyjaun A. Lee said the college has provided financial and personal support to the 43 Haitian students affected by this tragedy. The PGCC effort is a three phase program to provide necessities for those living on the island as well as financial or emotional support to help students remain in school.

Phase 1 included a 45-60 day monetary donation drive that started only eight days after the earthquake. Donations are being raised through the Heart for Haiti Drive and from proceeds from the upcoming Spring Formal. Phase 2 or “Hope for Haiti Kids” will be from March 1st – April 15th and will be responsible for the collection of hygienic items including deodorant, soap, and feminine products, etc. to be sent to the Haitian Embassy. The final phase of this Haiti relief effort will be the collection of books and baby items to be sent to Haiti. The Nursing Department and Hospitality Club will help collect these important resources. For more information on Haiti relief efforts, call the Office of College Life Services at 301-322-0853.

Photos from the Third Multi-Cultural Artists' Exhibition

Photography by Adelaja Obajimi

Artwork by Michael Spears:


"Players"


"Comforting Proposition"

Artwork by Henry Bazemore:


"Fancy Dancer II"



"Run and Vault"

Artwork by Sharon A. Keyser-Jackson:


"Glam Girls"



"Madly...Deeply"



"Tribal"

Reel to Real: Edge of Darkness

By Arlisha Jackson

Finding out deep, destructible, dark secrets can put you right on the edge. This is the scenario in the movie “Edge of Darkness,” starring Mel Gibson. Trying to uncover the truth, Thomas Craven (Gibson), a homicide detective, is faced with a special and very different type of case that is very close to his heart. Throughout the movie, Craven is more than determined to reveal the truth by any means necessary and to finally put an end to the case.

Edge of Darkness is a modern day film that takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, and if you take a close look at the film you will notice at least one familiar face. Craven has a lone daughter Emma, played by Serbian actress Bojana Novakovic, who recently starred in the horror film “Drag Me to Hell”.

Edge of Darkness is not one of those movies where you notice that the plot is unrealistic or even horrible. This movie avoids all that; it ebbs and flows together very well. With the excellent sequence of events, you will never find yourself wondering what is going on. But, you will be trying very hard to figure out what is coming next. The best part of this movie is the ending, and I won’t spoil it for you.

This is a great movie to watch if you are very interested in homicide- and detective-themed stories. Even if you’re not that type of person, you may like that this movie is filled with entertaining, action-packed features that are out of this world.