Month: May 2019

A blast from the Hydro Flask at Pima Community College
Features

A blast from the Hydro Flask at Pima Community College

Story and photo by JOSH GRAY This $50 hunk of tin is popular.  The trend started last year (at least that’s when the trend hit Arizona), grew, peaked and has died quicker than it started. Hydro Flask isn’t talked about as much anymore, but they are still floating about college campuses across the country.  If you haven’t heard about the Bend, Oregon-based Hydro Flask, it’s a water bottle that keeps your beverage hot or cold for extended periods. This is done by the company’s innovative insulation technique trademarked as TempShield.  “TempShield is our double-wall, vacuum-insulated technology that guards the temperature of your drink,” according to the company’s website.  Similar and less expensive brands like Contigo also keep things cold and hot for longer periods of time. “We eng...
The case for community
Opinion

The case for community

By JOSH GRAY I had the perception that community college was for losers that couldn’t handle college and didn’t care about their lives.  I never knew what I wanted to do until two weeks ago, but in high school I knew that I would go to a four-year institution. I was not going to end up like all the others going to community college.  Obviously, life had other plans for me.  When I eventually made my decision, I knew I wanted to leave boring Pennsylvania and go somewhere new. That kind of move, however, comes with a price.  So I made the decision to come to Pima Community College, and then I planned to transfer to the University of Arizona. After spending about two years at Pima, I have changed my perception of community colleges. Community college was an excellent choice for multiple...
Preparing students for Pima’s ‘first year’
News

Preparing students for Pima’s ‘first year’

Photo and story by ALEXZANDRIA MARTINEZ  Pima Community College’s First Year Experience is an umbrella program, which means it offers several different options for every student.   Every student has different needs and interests and are in different areas of their lives. The program caters to students with at least 30 credits. At Pima, 30 credits classifies you as a freshman; 60 credits a sophomore.  The program, which was founded in 2017, is targeted toward students who are on track for a two-year graduation. In lots of cases, most students haven’t completed the 30 credits needed for the first year.  However, the First Year Experience has events that can benefit any student who is reaching or have first-year credits.  “The program is ‘new word’  to the college and is growing, but it...
Aztec Tennis teams both finish in second place
Sports

Aztec Tennis teams both finish in second place

By MONTY GANTT The Pima Community College Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams took part in two matches on April 4 and 9. The men’s team split the matches, winning one and losing one, while the women took victories in both outings. The following is a recap of the aforementioned matches. Men’s Tennis: April 9 vs. Paradise Valley CC (W 6-1) The Aztecs finished regular season play with a .500 record of 3-3 after defeating the Pumas 6-1. Sophomore Chris McDaniels won the No. 1 singles after beating Tyler Peters 6-0, 6-3. Freshman Oscar Aguilera defeated Jose Diaz in No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-3. Sophomore Beau Boyer defeated Alex Hernandez 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 3 singles match. McDaniels and Boyer lost a close No. 1 doubles match to Peters and Diaz 9-7. The Aztecs won the No. 2 singles and N...
News

Upcoming sabbaticals for Pima staff

By COSTA B. PAPPAS   Pima Community College has a way to give back to the hardworking staff through sabbaticals. A sabbatical is a paid leave granted by a university for the staff member to study as well as travel. The subjects of study range as do the locations necessary to complete them. Pima faculty members Jose Maria Menendez, Sandra Ley, Kris Swank and Lisa Wermer are asking for a sabbatical for the 2019-2020 school year.   Jose Maria Menendez, a mathematical instructor, is asking for a full-paid fall semester sabbatical to write a book for pre-calculus teachers at the college institution level. According to the BoardDoc’s meeting, the purpose of this book is to prepare instructors to teach this subject with an “equity, diversity, and social justice perspective.” Durin...
An Ode to Tucson
Opinion

An Ode to Tucson

By COSTA B. PAPPAS As my last few weeks at Pima Community College dwindle to an end, I have been reflecting on my semester living in Tucson. Every time I tell someone that I moved to Tucson from California they always gasp, having this shocked and slightly horrified look in their eyes that someone could possibly trade the ocean for a desert, celebrity sightings for University of Arizona basketball team sightings, and popular nightclubs for dive bars. But Tucson has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. If not for the great classes at Pima, my time has been well spent on a series of never-ending adventures and stories alongside some amazing people. With Tucson as the backdrop to this chapter of my life, a character of its own, I have come up with some of the top places...