Fall semester festivities have begun

Here are some events students can mark their calendars for

By Jasmine Alejandre, Valley Life Editor

Each semester Valley College hosts a slew of activities that allow students to explore the campus and its resources. With so many upcoming events, students will find themselves meeting new people and experiencing new things all year long.

Students can look forward to events hosted by different departments, such as ASU, the Unity Center, The Media Arts department and more.

Students can look forward to the iconic Student Showcase hosted by The Media Arts department taking place on Oct. 27 in the Music Recital Hall. It will present students' work in photography, broadcasting, cinematography, and other projects. The showcase started out as a yearly event, but now happens twice a year, allowing students two opportunities to experience a tradition that has been around for over a score. The second date for the showcase is to be announced.

“The showcase allows us to demonstrate and share our student work with the public and foster a sense of community and sharing environment,” said Media Arts Department Chair Eric Swelstad. “All of these concepts are key to the success in this ever-changing business.”

Those part of the queer community and its allies should mark their calendar for National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, when The Rainbow Pride Center will be raising the pride flag during their open mic and fair. On the 19th, there will also be a workshop to bring awareness to domestic violence with guest speaker Vanessa Carlise. She is a former CSUN and USC professor who now teaches self-defense and last semester, Carlise led a three-part self-defense workshop at Valley. On Dec. 7, the center will also hold an LGBTQIA Holiday Mixer.

The Music Department’s free concert series began on Sep. 13 and will be ongoing for the rest of the semester. Upcoming concerts include the festive Wind Ensemble Concert on Dec. 4. This will be their second concert after a two-year and a half break taken due to the pandemic. The Dance Department will show off their skills on Dec. 7 at their annual Dance Showcase.

ASU has its calendar full of events including their Noche De Fiesta event that will be held on Oct. 5 to celebrate Latinx heritage and culture through dance and other activities. The Dream Resource Center and ASU will be co-hosting Mural Painting Day to advocate for undocumented students on Oct. 2. On Halloween, ASU is hosting a Carnival which will feature mazes, games and food.

“Hope,” a three-part play directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, is coming to Valley in collaboration with the Theater and Dance Departments, along with the Latino Theater Company. Four colleges from the LACCD district will come together to put on the show. The second part, held by Valley College, will be showcased in November and in January all the colleges involved will come together to showcase the play at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. Monarchs have already auditioned and rehearsals have begun.