I didn’t think I would ever have the chance to be called an “editor.” I’m not the strongest writer and I still make grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, but my writers have trusted and respected me.

This job isn’t easy. I wanted to pull my hair out and give up within the first few months, but something kept me going. Watching and helping my writers grow into journalists is one thing I’ll never forget. The news section is always a good place to start out for newbies. Sometimes their articles start out terribly, but there is always potential.

The news section is its own demon. My section needed to have enough content for the first two pages of every newspaper this year. That meant we needed at least four to five articles per day—20 articles a week. That’s a lot of articles! But our team managed it. There were a few times when stories wouldn’t come in on time and I didn’t have the energy to write the article. However, if I hadn’t done it, there would’ve been a blank space on the front-page. Knowing the newspaper and a team of 40 was depending on me made me always work hard.

Anyone can write, but it takes a certain kind of person to be a journalist. For those writers who stuck through my weekly meetings, millions of emails and constructive criticism, thank  you from the bottom of my heart. I’ve learned more from you than you’ve learned from me.

I have to thank Assistant News Editor Ana Ceballos for being my wingwoman throughout all the craziness. I could depend on her for writing deadline stories, handling meetings or just for the occasional rant when I was about to explode. She wasn’t an assistant; she was an equal, and above all, a friend.

I never made many friends throughout college, mostly acquaintances. But, coming into the newsroom and working with the team to troubleshoot all of the possible problems, there is absolutely no way that you won’t leave as either friends or enemies. Luckily, I can call all the editors my great friends and I know they will each make an impact in the journalism world one day.

This newspaper has single-handedly developed me as a journalist. It wasn’t classes or textbooks, it was being in the environment and learning among the other editors. With that, farewell and thank you. Hopefully you’ll see me on TV one day.

By Stacey Oparnica

It’s kind of funny, actually.

I look back on the past four years and I can’t seem to remember how eight semesters managed to sneak by me so quickly. At the same time, I feel like 10 years worth of experiences managed to squeeze themselves in, too—by far the best being my three years at The Daily Aztec. I’ve had some great times here. I distinctly remember sharing what felt like a cubicle with my roommate, Ashley, in the Olmeca Residence Hall during our freshman year, and sleeping with the lights on after watching the midnight premiere of “Paranormal Activity.” That same year, my diet consisted primarily of microwaveable burritos, hot fries and enough sunflower seeds to dent my front tooth. At least I managed to avoid the renown ramen college diet.

Of course, I’ve made some mistakes. I slept through one final, lost a few friends and, at one point, racked up more than $15 in late library book fees.

But I made dean’s list on several occasions, passed the grammar, spelling, punctuation test on my first try, learned a hell of a lot about everything from astronomy to social media, and was inspired by some of the university’s most open-minded and creative peers, lecturers and professors.

I also developed an obsession with memes. I made incredible, seriously hilarious friends. I fell in love.

The truth is, I am encompassed by a swell of emotions. On one hand, I am so ready to study for my last final ever. I’m excited to throw my cap in the air and am extremely grateful to have a job waiting for me after graduation. But I am also lost; lost because I’ve loved every minute of being a student—even the truly horrible and stressful parts—and I’m not sure how to cope with not being one anymore.

But whether I’m ready or not, here life comes. So here’s to my last day as a member of The Daily Aztec family. Here’s to four years as an Aztec, which are forever embedded in my heart.

But most of all, here’s to you SDSU students who still have a little time left. I hope it’s everything for you that it was for me.

By Paige Nelson

Honestly, San Diego State didn’t feel like home to me until I found The Daily Aztec. I was a lost little freshman looking for a place to belong and finally found solitude within the fortress of cubicles in the basement, located on a remote part of campus. I started out as a staff photographer, doe-eyed and willing to do anything to impress my editor—even if it meant getting thrown around at a metal concert and denting a lens (yes, that really happened). I didn’t have a clue what I was getting myself into when I stepped into the photo editor position last year. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the greatest people on campus and watching them grow. It’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.  Only a true DAztec could appreciate or understand the madness that is this newspaper. I’ve met some of the best friends of my life here, and for that, I am forever thankful.

San Diego State students rallied in solidarity to show their support against alleged racial profiling toward some University of Southern California students.

Late Saturday night, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a noise complaint coming from a party half a mile from USC.

The noise complaint called for more than 70 LAPD officers. Some arrived at the house party in full riot gear with batons, shields and masks, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Partygoers were primarily black and Latino students. The host, Nate Howard, said the intent of the party was to celebrate his four years at USC and to network.

“We had fun,” Howard told CBS Los Angeles. “We’re graduating, and we were having a good time. It was the last day of classes. We had sponsors here.”

Howard said he was arrested because of his race and that another party across the street with primarily Caucasian guests remained undisturbed.

An LAPD watch commander confirmed with CBS Los Angeles that the department did receive a noise complaint and said when officers arrived on the scene, the students refused to leave, and threw beer bottles at the officers.

Additional LAPD officers responded to an “officer needs help” call. Security from USC’s public safety department also arrived.

The LA Times reported that six people were arrested and one officer was injured that night.

Former San Diego State Afrikan Student Union President and Associated Students Executive Vice President Channelle McNutt encouraged students to attend a forum about racial profiling on Tuesday at USC.

“Everyone was passionate regardless of race and class because this is more than that,” McNutt said. “This is a human issue—and we needed a collaborative community to move forward with action.”

McNutt and 19 SDSU students drove to LA to show their support at the forum, but McNutt said the room had reached capacity and no more students were allowed in.

But efforts of SDSU students haven’t stopped there. SDSU’s National Association of the Advancement of Colored People President and psychology junior Esther Are gathered a group of students to wear black clothing and take a picture in front of Hepner Hall. They will post the picture on social media sites to show support for the movement to reduce racial profiling on college campuses. The hashtag that is trending to support the cause is #USchangemovement.

“We want to bring our community close together because there is a divide within our community, especially on our campus,” Are said. “Doing this, supporting the other campuses, will hopefully help us support one another on (our) campus.”

Last month, an incident at UC Irvine also received backlash for its racial profiling. Members of the Lambda Theta Delta fraternity posted a Youtube parody of the Justin Timberlake/Jay-Z song “Suit and Tie.” One of the fraternity members painted his face black, which upset the community.

SDSU’s A.S. Diversity Commissioner Washington Navarrete said all these incidents fueled the multi-campus movement.

“The main thing this movement wants to do is raise awareness of the realities that students of color face in universities,” Navarrete said. “Students of color have a different reality at campuses like UCI and USC—these students are facing harsh realities of discrimination.”

In a news release, California State Parks Deputy Director of Communications Roy Stearns described his experience driving through the park a week after the devastation occurred. He recalled driving past the charred houses and realizing more than trees had been lost during the previous week.

“We also drove by the home of State Park employees Shirley Jones and Laura Itagawa, both burned to the ground. No one spoke.  No one needed to. We all felt terrible for the loss of our fellow park workers … There are 10 of them,” Stearns wrote.

In 2007, the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Reforestation Project began to plant seeds in the hopes of restoring the abundance of conifer trees and bringing new life into the park.

After the fire occurred, non-native grasses and native chapparal shrubs replaced most of the land  initially inhabited by trees. The restoration project aims to ensure these conditions do not become permanent by planting seeds in 15 percent of the total acreage in the park. The program states these new trees will produce enough seeds to begin natural recovery that will restore the rest of the remaining acreage. All new seedlings will be grown with seeds from the few patches of trees remaining throughout the park after the fire. The majority of these surviving trees were mostly limited to one species, the Coulter pine.

The cost of seedlings, along with the cost of removing unwanted vegetation from 11 percent of the park acreage, makes the restoration in Cuyamaca Rancho Park one of the most expensive restoration projects. Funding for the project initially came from a  $2.8 million legal settlement with the Conoco Phillips Company. The Walt Disney Company has also contributed $2.9 million to the project as part of its longstanding history with nature conservation. Disney and corporations, such as the Coca-Cola and Stater Bros., donated to the project as a way to contribute to the reduction of atmospheric carbon levels.

A recent visit to the park brought the extent of the decade-old inferno into full realization. All that was left of the once-towering trees were scorched skeletons reaching skyward from patches of dry grass. Their charred silhouettes were a stark reminder of the calamitous events that devastated an entire region of California nearly 10 years ago. The seedlings growing beneath them, however, brought the promise that the park may one day resemble its former splendor.

The San Diego State Police Department responded to concerned calls from a student’s professors and group members Monday afternoon. The student in question had not been to any classes throughout the last three weeks. SDSUPD performed a welfare check on the student. No further action was taken once the student’s status had been confirmed.

Pedestrian Arrested

A pedestrian was detained and arrested late Sunday evening by SDSUPD. The non-SDSU student was stopped by a police officer at approximately 9:30 p.m. in front of Sterling Alvarado Apartments on Alvarado Road. The subject was transported to Las Colinas Detention Facility for possession of a controlled substance.

Vandalism

A vehicle was vandalized in Lot Q on Hardy Avenue Sunday afternoon. SDSUPD arrived on the scene to take a report when the subject called it in just after 8 p.m. Sunday evening. The rear windshield wiper had been broken and both front and back license plate frames had been ripped off. The incident occurred between approximately 4 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. that day.

The library staff chose the logo designed by art student Lauren Fickling, according to SDSU NewsCenter.

Ten students, enrolled in the graphic design class Art 541 taught by instructor Min Choy, were invited by the library to assist in the redesign by creating three logos each.

The process began in spring 2012, when the art students met with SDPL officials Mel Katz and Jay Hill to discuss a new logo and branding system for the library.

The students toured the Central Library building downtown and consulted with the architect, Rob Quigley, to learn about his visions for the building.

The new logo will feature the colors teal and orange, as well as the Central Library’s characteristic architecture. The orange in the logo symbolizes San Diego’s sunsets and sunny hills and the teal will represent ocean waves from the city’s beaches, according to a press release.

“Our move to this new building also represents a rebirth for the entire SDPL system; the new logo and rebranding efforts reflect that mindset,” SDPL library director Deborah Barrow told SDSU NewsCenter.

The old logo, which has been used since the 1980s, will be retired.

“It’s an exciting time for the new Central Library, which is set to open later this year,” anthropology senior and SDPL employee Jorge Rosas said. “It’s a new era for the library and the new logo reflects that.”

The grand opening of the Central Library is set for Sept. 28.

However, there are mixed feelings among students about whether these classes offer the most effective style.

Finance sophomore Otto Lange said six months of language immersion is necessary for fluency, and three weeks is not long enough to absorb the material.

“If you are self-motivated and diligent in your study habits, the three-week language class could be an effective way of completing two college semesters of a language,” Lange said. “However, I think it would be unreasonable to expect fluency at the end of the class, and if you bomb the class, it could significantly impact your GPA.”

Gerontology senior Victoria Owens wants to become fluent in another language and said the intensive course would help her reach that goal.

“The only way you can learn it is by being immersed in it and forced to talk,” Owens said. “You don’t get that by meeting twice a week for four hours with kids who don’t really care if they learn it or not. So in an intensive course, you know the people there want to learn.”

Spanish and Portuguese graduate teaching assistant Anaid Stere-Lugo has seen students excel as well as struggle in intensive classes. He said having the courses in the summer allows students to focus on all aspects of the language, including listening, writing, reading and speaking.

“Offering advanced second language courses during an intensive summer session allows students to have more time to focus on the language class than in a semester class, where the students take four or more classes,” Stere-Lugo said.

Tuition starts at $219 per unit and classes begin May 29. For more information on class schedules, visit the Language Acquisition Resource Center website at larc.sdsu.edu/events/summer-institutes/

Fourteen San Diego State students and faculty members received Fulbright scholarships and will be making an impact overseas in research and education.

The Fulbright scholars will have an opportunity to learn and teach internationally in countries as far as India, Colombia and Russia. Eleven of the 14 scholars are SDSU students, consisting of undergraduates, grad students, recent alumni and Ph.D. students.

The three faculty members who received Fulbright scholarships are geography department chair Stuart Aitken, traveling to Slovenia; professor emeritus Bonnie Scott headed to Pakistan; and journalism and media studies professor Noah Arceneaux, who will travel to India, according to SDSU NewsCenter.

Arceneaux will utilize the grant to conduct research about cellular services offered, the cost of mobile phone use and regional limitations of phone services in India. He said the experience will benefit his research and help develop his theories.

“This particular research project is a chance to go outside my comfort zone, and to broaden my horizons personally and academically,” Arceneaux said. “I’m also hoping  that more individuals will now be exposed to my research, and that my findings will be of value to others.”

President Elliot Hirshman told SDSU NewsCenter the scholarship provides opportunities for students and faculty to advance their studies as well as their careers.

“For our students, their year as a Fulbright scholar will be a transformational experience,” Hirshman told NewsCenter. “For our faculty members, the fellowship will be an extraordinary opportunity to advance their research programs.”

The scholars will represent SDSU on four different continents for the 2013-14 school year. The names and locations above have been compiled by NewsCenter.

SDSU campus Fulbright adviser Patricia Huckle said the program is very competitive, but SDSU faculty is constantly encouraging strong student applicants.

“Fulbright receives about 6,000 applications each year, and sends about 1,600 students to more than 150 countries,” Huckle said. “Our students are strong and enthusiastic about the opportunity.”

Huckle also said it’s important for students to understand the global economy and be culturally aware, and the Fulbright program is a prime opportunity because it provides students an advantage once they begin their careers.

“The Fulbright also carries over to their careers, as employers and graduate schools know that a Fulbright grantee has gone through stiff competition, demonstrated imagination and initiative which will carry over to a career,” Huckle said.

The death of a star can lead to several outcomes: the formation of a dense white dwarf star, a neutron star, or the birth of a black hole. Black holes form when a star collapses under the pull of its own gravity. This results in an object so dense its gravitational force is inescapable by any particle in the universe—even light.  Researchers at the California Institute of Technology now claim these dying stars may produce a distinct flash that could help predict whether or not a black hole will be created.

Caltech’s claim goes against previous predictions about how black holes form. These theories claim that when a star dies, it would create an event called an “unnova,” producing no flash or explosion, which are characteristics of a supernova. The star simply disappears from existence.

Caltech postdoctoral fellow Tony Piro said this opposing theory may not be the only method of black hole formation. When a star dies, its gravitational field begins to collapse, which creates a shock wave that can penetrate the outer gaseous layers of the star at speeds as fast as two million miles per hour. The collision of the shock wave and the outer gas layers results in a bright flash. The results of Piro’s study shows the flash is 10 to 100 times brighter than previously thought and would be a promising signal for the birth of a black hole.

Though not as bright as a supernova, the black hole flashes would still be observable by astronomical surveyors for as long as 10 days. Previous surveys have not yet seen a signal resembling a black hole flash. A decadelong survey by the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will begin this year and may aid in providing evidence to prove or disprove Caltech’s theory.

Researchers map bird flu risk in eastern China

The bird flu H7N9 that has infected 127 people in China and killed 27 has generated fear of an epidemic outbreak. Researchers at the Hong Kong Baptist University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong created a map of H7N9 risk in eastern China.

Using the migratory patterns of birds, meteorological data of the migration period and the distributional data of potentially infected poultry, the map generated risk levels in cities such as Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

As more research is conducted on the source and method of transmission of H7N9, researchers will be able to create a more precise figure to aid in quelling further transmission.

So far, no evidence has shown any prolonged human-to-human transmission that could lead to an epidemic. However, recent research shows the virus has begun to exhibit the ability to infect mammals and birds.

On April 25, Janssen announced he would donate a portion of his estate to the institution where he dedicated 60 years of his life. The contribution is part of the Campaign for SDSU, a movement to raise $500 million to ensure SDSU’s role as a leading public research university.

According to the Campaign for SDSU website, the funds raised will be divided to support the campaign’s four initiatives: engaging the region, leading innovation and discovery, competing globally and fueling potential. The campaign has raised $385 million as of March.

“The Campaign for (SDSU)” has the power to transform our university by increasing access and educational opportunities, strengthening our ties with the San Diego community and supporting our life-changing research,” SDSU President Elliot Hirshman said in a message to the public on the campaign’s website.

During a time when most universities are limiting enrollment and cutting class variety and size, Janssen’s donation will aid the Honors College by increasing enrollment and offering courses that will benefit the university as a whole.

“I owe SDSU more for the life I’ve had than I can ever repay,” Janssen told SDSU NewsCenter.

Janssen has been a longtime supporter of SDSU’s Honors College as an adviser on the Honor’s Council, which is comprised of student representatives from each of SDSU’s multidisciplinary honor societies.

Janssen’s donation will provide more scholarships for honor students, increase the availability of student positions on the honors advisory council and create support for honors program faculty members.

“One of the things of which I am most proud is my ability to bring together past and present students,” Janssen said. “It is an astonishing network of relationships that is not Henry-dependent … and they will continue to stay connected … to each other as friends, but also to the SDSU bond that ties them together in my absence.”

According to the San Diego State Commencement website, the number of tickets available to each student is contingent on the number of students graduating from individual SDSU colleges. This year’s ticket availability by college includes eight for Health and Human Services, seven for Business Administration and Sciences, six for Professional Studies and Fine Arts and Arts and Letters, and 12 for Education and Undergraduate Studies and Engineering.

Public relations graduating senior David Rozul said because of the limited amount of tickets available to each student, it’s a selling frenzy among peers within the individual colleges to obtain more. While Rozul understands the university’s need to must limit the amount of tickets each student receives, he suggests future graduations be moved to other locations such as the Aztec Bowl or Qualcomm Stadium.

“Despite how hard it is to get tickets, I understand why the university does it,” Rozul said. “Viejas Arena can only hold so many people, and this gives everyone in their respective college the equal opportunity to bring their family members and friends.”

While some students struggle to find more tickets, others have looked to get rid of theirs. Communications senior Alexa Johnson sold her six tickets for the PSFA commencement ceremony for $140. Johnson said at one point she had seven people interested in buying her tickets and while she could have sold them for more, she didn’t want the stress of waiting until the last minute.

“Overall I’m very happy with my decision to sell my tickets. Instead of spending money on graduation, I’ve made money,” Johnson said. “I’ll be using that money toward my trip to Europe.”

Computer science senior Saif Alsharifi used SDSU’s “Class of 2013” Facebook page to find extra tickets for the College of Sciences commencement ceremony and noted in his post that he was willing to pay. While he was able to purchase extra tickets, he said many people have overcharged their tickets, which made it difficult.

“There are plenty of extra tickets being sold on Craigslist, the only problem I have experienced is sellers overpricing their tickets,” Alsharifi said. “I was able to find almost all the tickets I needed for a reasonable price.”

The first college commencement ceremony will take place Friday, May 17 at the Viejas Area with the College of Health and Human Services. For a complete list of commencement ceremony dates and times visit go.sdsu.edu/commencement.