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Articles by John Michael Uba
Conversation partners strike up chats with foreign exchange students
It starts slowly with a couple of students shyly hesitating to come through the doors. Minutes later everyone shuffles to their seats, breaks up into groups and the conversations begin. The Conversation Partner Program hosted by the English Language Institute allows foreign exchange students the chance to meet with volunteers and practice both verbal and auditory English language skills. Foreign exchange students talk with permanent students in an effort to improve English language skills.
Soul Music Ensemble concert pays tribute to legends
Legends and their legacies were the main event for the Department of Music’s Kellogg Soul Music Ensemble concert, “A Fallen Legends Tribute.” The concert took place in the Music Recital Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 20 and was directed by Professor J. Michael O’Neal. The band of musicians primarily played a series of cover songs of popular soul and R&B musical artists, with a hint of other musical styles as well such as jazz and rock.
CEIS alumna becomes Macy’s model
In a new commercial released by Macy’s featuring its fall collection as part of its “Find the Remarkable You” campaign, Macy’s recognized six different real-life women from six different impressive professions. One of them is Vanessa Beckman, a Cal Poly Pomona alumna, and current CPP graduate student who is a fourth-grade teacher in the Bonita Unified School District.
Combating Islamophobia through ‘Meet a Muslim Day’
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted “Meet a Muslim Day” at University Park on Tuesday, Nov. 20. The event was intended to inform students about the value of their Islamic culture and religion. “The number one reason there is Islamophobia is that people have never actually met a Muslim,” said Hadi Nasr, a third-year urban regional planning student and president of the Muslim Student Association.
Ela Gandhi urges students to fight for peace and equality
A crowd of students got the opportunity to see Ela Gandhi give a speech in the Orion Suite of the Bronco Student Center on Nov. 20. The granddaughter of Mohandas (Mahatma) Karamchand Gandhi, who fought for India’s independence through peaceful means, Ela Gandhi is a well-respected social activist and political figure in her own right. She is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest awards given to a civilian by the government of India.
Parasitic wasps may help citrus survive
Usually the thought of a wasp laying its eggs into a host vessel is enough to incite fear, but professors and students from the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture are breeding around 22,000 of these insects to protect California’s citrus industry. The campus has partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in breeding Tamarixia radiata, a type of parasitic wasp, in order to combat the invasive Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP).
Grant aids archiving efforts
The University Library’s Special Collections and Archives department recently received a $96,328 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), which is dedicated to the preservation of the United States’ documentary heritage.
Malibu High grad reflects on fire’s damage
The Woolsey Fire, one of the biggest wildfires to hit Southern California in modern times, burned over 96,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. One of the places that was greatly affected was Malibu. It destroyed so many homes on Pacific Coast Highway and in Point Dume, which is about one mile away from my alma mater, Malibu High School. I graduated from MHS in 2016, and a lot of my classmates had their homes destroyed in the fire. It is devastating to see their childhood homes turn to ash.
Semester system has its upsides
Despite its bad reputation among Cal Poly Pomona students, the semester system isn’t as horrible as everyone claims it to be; it does have its upsides. For one, the semester system has shorter classes. While it can be argued that shorter classes seem less meaningful, a lot of students tend to feel antsy or unmotivated in 2 to 3-hour-long classes where the professor just lectures and expects students to keep their eyes glued to a PowerPoint for hours.
Kellogg Chamber Singers host Thanksgiving show
The Kellogg Chamber Singers hosted a Thanksgiving-themed concert for the full-house audience members at the Music Recital Hall last Thursday, as the upcoming holiday is around the corner. Just like the upcoming holiday, it was a “thank you for today” kind of concert that showcased that concept with a series of themed songs alongside the special guests, the Diamond Ranch High School Stylus Singers, which was the first time they collaborated onstage together.
Broncos return to final four
The men’s soccer team is on its way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to compete in the NCAA Division II Semifinals after an exciting weekend in Azusa. The Broncos headed to Azusa Pacific University on Thursday to compete against the Cougars for the West Regional Title. Hundreds of energetic fans flooded the sidelines and cheered, as the intense match remained scoreless for the whole first half and a majority of the second.
Broncos win in overtime
Women’s basketball secured their second win of the season in an overtime thriller against Tarleton State on Saturday afternoon at Kellogg Arena. “We were really frustrated at halftime, but we came back and responded well after,” head coach Danelle Bishop said. “I’m pleased with the overall effort and the way we fought back, and I liked their grit.” Crystal Malveaux had 21 points and 10 rebounds in win.
Season ends in second round loss
Volleyball’s season came to an end Friday evening as Cal Poly Pomona fell 3-0 to No. 2 ranked Western Washington in the NCAA Division II West Regional Volleyball semifinals in Bellingham, Washington. The tournament started on Thursday evening for Cal Poly as it faced Azusa Pacific in the West Region quarterfinals. Broncos won the five-set thriller (22-25, 26-24, 19-25, 30-28, 18-16) to advance to the semifinals.
Men place fourth at regionals
In every race this season, the men’s cross country team has placed in the top five. Going into Saturday’s West Region Championships, the team’s previous success would have been for nothing if the Broncos did not continue the strong performances in Billings, Montana. The men did just that, finishing fourth overall and all but securing their place in the NCAA Division II Championships on Dec. 1 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “On the guys’ side we ran really well,” associate head coach Wes Ashford said.
Men get first win in blowout
Men’s basketball opened the 2018-19 season at home with a blowout win against Saint Catherine Wednesday evening, Nov. 14. Bronco fans were finally able to get a glimpse of this year’s team as Cal Poly took the floor in dominating fashion, beating the Firebirds 91-61. Contributions came from all players as four Broncos scored in double figures, led by junior guard William Christmas, who put up 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. “I was just trying to be aggressive,” Christmas said.
New Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Interim Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Bernardo J. Dargan started his new position at Cal Poly Pomona Sept. 10. Dargan was the assistant dean of graduate students and global engagement at Clemson University in South Carolina and has 20 years of experience in both K-12 and higher education administration.
University Theatre presents ‘Twelfth Night’
Dost thou knoweth William Shakespeare? If not and might hath an interest, taketh thine time to knoweth Shakespeare as the Department of Theatre and New Dance did its own rendition of his classic comedy, “Twelfth Night.” The show played the evenings of Oct. 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27, as well as a matinee show on Oct 28 at the University Theater Main Stage, and gave audiences a rendition of Shakespeare’s famous love-triangle comedies.
Men’s soccer wins back-to-back CCAA titles
After a tough loss to Cal State Los Angeles on Thursday night, the men’s soccer team regrouped and defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday afternoon. The Broncos traveled to CSULA Thursday evening to take on the Golden Eagles. After surrendering two goals in the first half and another two in the second, the Broncos lost 4-0. After the loss, the Broncos fell to second place, one point behind CSULA.
World leaders should take stronger stance against Saudi Arabia
On Oct. 2, Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey in hopes of fixing paperwork to prove he had the legal right to marry his Turkish fiancée. It was at the doors of the consulate that he was last seen alive. His disappearance has shaken the world as the United States and other world leaders scrambled to find their responses — or lack thereof — and memorized their lines to engage in this global, political show.
Injuries plague women’s soccer
After coming off four consecutive trips to the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the Broncos women’s soccer team looked to make a deep run and make a trip to the NCAA tournament. But injuries plagued the Broncos’ season like none other in recent memory. The Broncos started the season 4-2 heading into CCAA play, looking to have a promising season. But injuries to key players thwarted their hopes.
Volleyball extend win streak to seven
Kellogg Arena was rocking on Friday night as women’s volleyball upset No. 9 Cal State L.A. in a four-set thriller (25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23). Getting the first set against its opponent has been an important part of this team’s game plan all season, and the Broncos were successful once again in Friday’s matchup. Cal Poly came out with high energy as the team completely dominated the opening set.
CPP finishes bottom of conference
The Broncos finished the season 5-9-4 as they dropped Friday’s game versus Cal State L.A. 1-0 and tied Cal State Dominguez Hills at 0 Saturday afternoon. Scoring troubles continued for the Broncos as they outshot the Eagles 16-4 in the game, with eight of the Broncos’ shots on goal. “We were unfortunate with a couple of injuries this year and had a couple of young players who had to come in and step up,” head coach Jay Mason said.
Winning streak extended to nine games
Cal Poly senior midfielder Patricio Yrizar blasted in a ball after it bounced off the Cal State Monterey Bay’s goalkeeper, winning the match for the Broncos, 1-0, in a tough match on Friday night. “I was very concerned about Monterey Bay, they are at home and they scored 11 goals in their last three games, but I thought the guys did a great job not falling into the trap,” head coach Adam Reeves said.
Night of jazz at the Music Recital Hall
Jazz talks, jazz swings and jazz chops were the main event with the three-ensemble show entitled ‘Jazz’ that performed for a sold-out concert on the night of Oct. 18 at the Music Recital Hall. Polytonix (vocal jazz), the Jazz Combo and the Jazz Band were directed by Kendra Vuk, Jeff Miley and Dave Kopplin respectively. Fourth-year biology major Matt Martino was one of the performers of the show with Jazz Combo providing the saxophone.
The high cost of eating on campus
Buying food on campus can be difficult when food prices are so high. Although some restaurants on campus are more affordable than others, individual items and meals can be pricier compared to similar products off-campus. At the Subway inside the Bronco Student Center, a steak and cheese footlong sub can be purchased for $9.79, while outside of campus the same thing, with a drink included, costs $7.75. That is a $2.02 difference.
Brown vetoes medical abortions bill for public universities
Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill on Sept. 30 that would have required all California public universities to provide abortion pills through campus health centers starting in 2022. The Assembly and Senate both passed the bill Aug. 30, 2018. The bill proposed that each California State University and University of California campus provide abortion pills in campus health centers.
Scammers trying to steal student money with fraudulent checks
Anonymous individuals are posing as university professors or other professionals and are trying to steal money from students under the guise of research or job opportunities. These individuals write fraudulent checks as a form of payment to students who do tasks for them. Cal Poly Federal Credit Union Vice President Joy Tafarella said there were four students who fell victim to these attempts in the last month.
Hua new Title IX officer
With the departure of Linda Hoos, Cal Poly Pomona’s current Title IX Coordinator, Susan Hua, Director of Equity and Diversity at California State University, Northridge took her place Oct. 22, 2018. Hua said the positions are nearly identical in regards to duties, so she was happy that the transition should be fairly smooth.
Vaping faces no consequences
This policy includes vaping, the act of smoking e-cigarettes. However, that has not halted the rise of vaping on campus, where students manage to vape without facing punishment or consequences. Although intended to be a safer alternative to cigarettes, vaping still raises health concerns because the vapor is not as harmless as it seems. Electronic cigarettes, or vapes, are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol to form vapor.
Broncos win fifth straight game
Women’s volleyball had another successful weekend at home and went 2-0, defeating Cal State East Bay and San Francisco State. The 19th-ranked Broncos took down San Francisco State in four sets Saturday on “Dig For a Cure Night.” Senior outside hitter Andrea Bosnic had another double-double and set a career-high 22 kills to go along with 13 digs. “I just want to keep demanding more and more of myself,” Bosnic said.
The public transportation experience
The noise of loose change and rattling windows are common sounds on public buses; sometimes that is all you hear. Hopefully, a “hello” or a “thank you” to the bus driver breaks the silence, but other than that what do riders say or do on the bus? Commuters are mostly glued to their phones with headphones in, completely focused on their flat, handheld digital world.
Men win third race of the season in Indiana
A 2,000-mile trip could not stop the men’s cross country team from earning another team victory while the women’s placed second overall. “Overall they ran about where we would like them to be right now,” coach Wes Ashford said. For the third time this season, men’s cross country placed first overall with junior Eamon Smythe leading the way for the Broncos in third place with a time of 25 minutes, 35 seconds. Freshman Tristan Sylva and sophomore Jeremiah Suzara joined Smythe in the top 10.
Overtime goal gives soccer first CCAA win
Two second-half goals by Ambria Pogue and Ally LaCarra-Platt helped the Broncos secure a 2-2 tie Friday afternoon against Cal State Monterey Bay. It has been the same story for the Broncos all season, as they continue to outshoot their opponents by a large margin but are unable to take advantage of their chances. “We started really well, we put them under pressure for the first thirty minutes,” head coach Jay Mason said. “They countered us and it was a good counter.
Volleyball remains undefeated at home with statement win
CPP women’s volleyball pulled off an upset against No. 1 ranked Cal State San Bernardino Friday evening in a four-set thriller. This was the second meet-up between the two teams, and the Broncos were looking to get redemption as the eclectic crowd in Kellogg Arena cheered them on. Cal Poly was led by Kristen Hamlin, who had 17 kills and hit .571. Andrea Bosnic let her presence be felt with her eighth double-double (16 kills and 14 digs).
Beating the odds at Machu Picchu
Marysol Cuadrado, a fourth-year sociology major, learned this summer that she is able to achieve whatever she sets her mind to and refuses to let her disabilities get in the way of her living life to the fullest. Cuadrado traveled to Peru this summer for nine days through Cal Poly Pomona’s study abroad program, based out of the International Center. During her time in Peru, Cuadrado achieved one of her life-long dreams — successfully climbing the famous stairs of Machu Picchu.
Cal Poly Pomona co-sponsors LA Escena, the first-ever Hispanic classical theater festival
This September, “Diversifying the Classics,” an initiative directed by Barbara Fuchs at UCLA, brought LA Escena, the first Hispanic classical theater festival. The festival ran for three days, Sept. 21-23, at the Greenway Court Theater in Los Angeles thanks to the support of UCLA, UC Riverside and USC. It was also co-sponsored by Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS). It featured six plays that were adapted or modeled upon 17th century Spanish works.
“Lucent Shifts”: A glimmering new installation at University Library
Korean American artist Olga Lah’s “Lucent Shifts” has introduced her glittering art instillation at the Don B. Huntley Gallery, the library’s fourth floor art exhibit for residing library visitors to see. Debuting on Oct. 6, Lah’s individual piece specializes on silver reflective plastic that is both incandescent upon first glance and closer scanning. “I think of art as like very stable, but this is more free flowing which is cool,” said Jessica Elisa Dickerson, a gallery assistant of the show.
Federal grant awards CEIS $1.1 million for special education teachers
The Department of Education has given the College of Education and Integrative Studies a grant worth $1.1 million for students wishing to study special education. Thanks to the grant, the Special Educators of Excellence in Diverse Settings (SEEDS) scholarship was created. SEEDS offers funding for students to earn both their teaching credential and a master’s degree.
Police will ticket illegal crossers at South Campus Drive
Students who live in the University Village now have to pay more attention to where and when they cross the streets. A few weeks ago, the University Village sent an email to students living in the village stating that University Police will now ticket students who are seen illegally crossing South Campus Drive, the street leading to the Farm Store. The email urged students who live in the village to use sidewalks and designated crosswalks to get to campus.
Deadline for voter registration is Oct. 22
This year’s midterm elections are only a few weeks away and there is a lot at stake. Come Nov. 6, you will have the responsibility to decide who belongs in the House of Representatives, the Senate and either Democrat Gavin Newsom or Republican John Cox in California’s state capitol as governor. There are also 12 statewide propositions on the ballot on everything from approval of affordable housing bonds to changes in the daylight savings time period.
A first look at the new Student Services Building
With construction near completion, the Student Services Building (SSB) is expected to be open for the first day of the spring 2019 semester, Jan. 19. With 140 people working on the building on a daily basis, the construction phase of the building is complete and project workers are currently putting together the final touches. These details include installing electrical light fixtures, cable lines, finishing outside amphitheater-like seating, carpeting and other minor details.
Time heals early season wounds
Don’t look now, but men’s soccer has found its form again and looks poised for another run deep into the fall. After reaching the NCAA tournament semifinal and as a result, being ranked No. 4 in the nation in the preseason rankings, men’s soccer got off to a 2-4 start that saw them drop out of the top 25 and raise doubts about a team that had lost key contributors such top scorer Sergi Monso, goalkeeper Jason Trejos and others.
Students need to register to vote
Voting is our chance to make a change and let our voices be heard, but the largest group of potential voters are the ones who are not participating – college students.
Broncos push winning streak to seven
Junior left-back Ori Kenett wheeled away in celebration arms spread wide as teammates mobbed him on the left touchline. Kenett had just deposited a left-footed blast into the top right corner from just outside the box on the left flank, putting the Broncos up 3-0 rounding off a near-perfect first-half display and sending the Broncos on their way to a 4-1 win over Cal State San Marcos.
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