The Los Angeles Loyolan, Volume 95, Issue 28 - April 26, 2017

www.LALOYOLAN.com ■л0ОАШаёШ> LOYOLAN EST. 1921 Hasan Pikertalks to us LMU baseball hosts about politics, Tomi Lahren USD with WCC title and more! implications. Page 7 Page 19 VOLUME 95 I ISSUE 28 The class of 2017 valedictorian Maria Diaz discusses her motivations for success at LMU as class of 2017’s valedictorian. Silvia Velasquez News Intern @LALoyolan Four years ago, Maria Augusta Diaz, an international student from Ecuador, never imagined that she would grow to become this year’s valedictorian. Growing up in Ecuador gave her a different perspective of the world that she came to know in the United States. Cultural differences, such as the need for personal space — which is less important in Ecuador — led Diaz to feel out of place in the beginning. Shaking hands was a weird, unfamiliar concept coming from a place where hugging and kissing on the cheek was the norm. However, the cultural changes were not all bad. “I didn’t know I was a feminist until I came here,” Diaz said. Seeing the ways in which women have broken cultural norms that are still widely accepted in her home country made her realize that she had always molded to the expectations of Ecuadorian society. Although Diaz grew up questioning why women had to adhere to these strictly drawn boundaries, she still accepted them as normal. Growing up around a family that was very women- centered gave Diaz a wider view of exemplary women to look up to. Diaz’s mother gave up her career to raise her, but Diaz did not see this as a weakness because it had been her mother’s choice to do so. She's seen women in her family who closely follow the roles society has made and has also been exposed to women who challenge these roles daily. Even her dad defied traditional gender roles by helping with household chores, including washing the dishes and cooking. Since coming to the United States, Diaz has developed a more progressive perspective regarding equality within society, which has given her a bit of trouble when she goes back home and faces more conservative views. “Going back and forth is a way of opening perspectives to see the downfalls in both places,” Diaz said. The experience has made her realize that there is still a long way to go when it comes to breaking societal constructs. “At the beginning, I didn’t know that much English and I was self conscious about my accent,” Diaz laughed. Her first time at The Lair was nerve-wracking because she was not able to communicate successfully enough to order a simple salad. But once Diaz started getting involved and meeting people who related to her experiences, she became more comfortable in her space. Her freshman roommate, who was enthusiastic in learning about other cultures, taught her that being different was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the differences Diaz sees in herself have made her develop a larger sense of patriotism for her home country. Being away via Maria Augusta Diaz International student and valedictorian Maria Diaz. Meet | Page 3 Pardon given to veterans Hector Barajas, a U.S. veteran deported in 2004, is given an official pardon. — Tor Marom Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan The evening before Easter, April 15, Gov. Jerry Brown granted 72 pardons and seven sentence commutations. Among his pardons was Hector Barajas, a United States veteran who was deported after his service. Barajas was recently featured in part two of the Loyolan’s three -part documentary, “City of Deportees.” Since being pardoned, Barajas now has a better chance of being granted U.S. citizenship. When asked about the progress of his application, he stated that he should find out by April 29, this Saturday. In addition to Barajas, Gov. Brown also issued pardons for two other deported U.S. veterans. One of these individuals, Erasmo Apodaca Mendizabal, served in the Marine Corps and was arrested in 1996 for burglary after breaking into his girlfriend’s apartment, according to CNN. He was deported in 1997 after serving a 10-month sentence. The other, Marco Antonio Chavez, was convicted of animal cruelty in 1998 after serving four years in the Marine Corps. See Governor | Page 2 Financial debt burdens the lives of students Graduating students find themselves struggling with massive amounts of debt. Justine Biondi Staff Writer @LALoyolan Student debt afflicts millions of U.S. college alumni every month, bombarding graduates with thousands of dollars in unpaid dues and rising interest rates. With lenders demanding monthly payments for up to twenty-five years after graduation, students are facing more debt now than ever before. President Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, withdrew two memos on Tuesday, April 11 set forth by the Obama administration intending to improve federal student loan programs. The Obama-era memos say that they will focus on “simplifying the repayment process, better protecting borrowers, and facilitating [the] oversight of servicing contractors.” Through this plan, Obama sought to improve overall customer protection for student loan borrowers and lessen the likelihood of default. DeVos withdrew the policies with the intention to “[increase] accountability and transparency for all borrowers, while also limiting the cost to taxpayers,” according to the official memo. Student loans are meant to alleviate the financial burdens associated with college finances. However, once See Student debt | Page 4 1 7 percent of borrowers are on their payments or defaulted According to College Board, the average 201 7 academic school year for private universities costs Л / According to a study conducted by student loan expert while the average public university costs the average debt for a 2016 grad student is for out-of-state students for in-state students According to a 201 6 survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, around wellg credit card and in the U.S. LMU’s full-time under¬ graduate tuition for the 2017-2018 school year is student debt $46,185 Including rooming, food, supplies, books or transportation. QTIIQrNT