The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Programs

  • Criminal Justice Dialogue

    Criminal Justice Dialogue

    By | Iridian Casarez

    When Vanessa Vrtiak started volunteering at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, she noticed that the inmates didn’t have many resources needed for success after release.

    Vrtiak is a graduate sociology student at HSU. Vrtiak coordinated and organized the Criminal Justice Dialogue. The dialogue centered on discussing and identifying challenges and resources related to currently and formerly incarcerated people. (jump)

    “I organized the event because there is a need for support services for people impacted by the criminal justice system,” Vrtiak said. “It’s supposed to be a correctional facility meaning we’re going to help you.”

    Hector Verdugo speaking to correctional officers and law-enforcement at the Criminal Justice Dialogue. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Vrtiak.
    Hector Verdugo speaking to correctional officers and law-enforcement at the Criminal Justice Dialogue. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Vrtiak.

    Vrtiak now works at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility as the programs coordinator for reintegration work. She helps incarcerated people get the resources they need to succeed while they are in jail. She helps them find a ride home when they are released, a job, and housing. According to Vrtiak, people who have gone to jail often have trouble finding work and housing when they are released. A study by Urban Institute found that only 45 percent of formerly incarcerated men are employed eight months after they are released from prison.

    “When people go to jail they are forgotten about and when they get out they’re still being punished,” Vrtiak said. “These are people who deserve second chances.”

    Vrtiak said that incarcerated people are a part of the community. If the community invests in them they improve the community as a whole.

    “I’m a firm believer in helping incarcerated people get better,” Vrtiak said.

    Vrtiak worked alongside other sociology students and the Sociology, Criminology and Social Justice club to organize the event.
    Ian Kochinski is a sociology major at HSU and the president of the Sociology, Criminology and Social Justice club at HSU. Kochinski was approached by Vrtiak to help organize the dialogue. Kochinski had been interested in helping with the dialogue since day one.

    “Prisoners are locked in a hole and we hardly ever see them so it’s hard to empathize with them and address the inequalities they face,” Kochinski said. “I think they are deserving of a little more attention.”

    The dialogue was a week long discussion filled with guest speakers who were impacted by the justice system. Hector Verdugo is part of Homeboy Industries, a gang intervention program centered in Los Angeles. Verdugo came to HSU to speak at one of the discussions. He spoke about what life was like as a gang member in Los Angeles and the trauma he faced.

    The housing reentry roundtable talking about housing facilities in Humboldt county. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Vrtiak.
    The housing reentry roundtable talking about housing facilities in Humboldt county. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Vrtiak.

    “I saw a lot of things that went on in my house like overdoses and people getting shot,” Verdugo said. “I was scared but I had to act tough.”

    Verdugo said he met the founder of Homeboy Industries as a gang member ready to change his life.

    “I want to give an understanding that gang members are people that just need to heal,” Verdugo said.

  • International Education Week at HSU

    International Education Week at HSU

    • Free food, films, and lectures from professors working internationally.

    By Morgan Brizee

    International Education Week is back at HSU. During International Education Week students, staff, and the community can listen to speakers address what is going on around the world from those doing research and work across the globe.

    The International Education Week events are being held Feb. 13 through 17 from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. in room 209 in the library fishbowl (unless otherwise noted on the schedule).

    Ariana Hendren, a 22-year-old HSU International Studies major, is the president of the Global Connections Club at HSU and is responsible for managing the volunteers that work at each event.

    “The lectures of International Education Week are both motivational and helpful for those who are interested in gaining more information about traveling and working abroad or studying international issues,” Hendren said.

    Most of the speakers of the event are professors who work at HSU and do international research. Other speakers who are not HSU professors are the key note speaker which is Dr. Marga Gual Soler who is the project director at the Center for Science Diplomacy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dorothy Ngutter who is a diplomat in residence, Erik Jens who is an instructor at the Department of Defense, and Sarah Sedlack who is an HSU alum and founder of a sex education program in Kenya called “What’s Not Said”.

    Dr. Alison Holmes, HSU assistant professor of politics and program leader of the international studies department, said that school usually gets the guest speakers by anyone who is interested usually because it is hard to get people who are available to come up to HSU.

    “Who we can get is often the first criteria,” Holmes said. “I’ve been working hard in the last two or three years to ensure CPS [College of Professional Studies] and CNRS[College of Natural Resources ] also have speakers and are engaged and having the keynote seemed like a good way to make sure that our colleagues in CNRS were also really involved in International Education Week.”

    Holmes is also speaking during International Education Week on Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. in room 209 in the library fishbowl. Her lecture is called Global Diplomacy: Upside Down and Backwards.

    International Education Week this year will have a different impact than past years because of President Donald Trump’s “Muslim” ban.

    Mathew Derrick, HSU assistant professor of geography and co-organizer of the International Education week, said that international education is of most importance now because of what is going on politically.

    ““International education is always important, but it is especially important at this point in time,” Derrick said. “In short, it is critical that HSU students–and the broader citizenry–develop higher levels of geographic-global literacy.”

    The definition of geographic-global literacy from National Geographic is the ability to use geographic and global understanding and reasoning to understand far-reaching decisions.

    During International Education Week students can enjoy food, music, and films from around the world to fully submerse themselves into learning about the different cultures.

    Celicia McLean, a 22-year-old HSU International Studies major, said that she is going to go abroad for work after she graduates in May so she is excited to listen to related speeches.

    “International Education Week has a wide variety of discussions on issues and other aspects about our world presented by incredibly knowledgeable and experienced scholars,” McLean said. “The evening events are especially great locations for cultural exchanges through food, film, and music and are a must for a culture enthusiast, like myself.”

    Even after graduating HSU, some students still feel connected and feel a want and need to give back to the school in some way. Sarah Sedlack graduated from HSU in 2013 with a BA in Psychology and was excited to be able to share her progress of the campaign, What’s Not Said, with the school during International Education Week. She will be giving her lecture on Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. in room 209 in the library fishbowl. Her lecture is called Let’s Talk Sex (In Kenya). Her lecture is talking about her campaign with teaching people to normalize talking about relationships and sexual health.

    “It also feels amazing to be sharing a passion project and receive so much positive feedback from the community here, both on and off campus,” Sedlack said. “Because when communities benefit from international prevention efforts in the face of major sexualized violence and public health issues, all communities everywhere, benefit because we are all connected.”

    Whether students are wanting to travel abroad for fun, work, school or just want to learn about what is going on around the globe, International Education Week will go over all of these and more.

    Christiana Frye, HSU coordinator at the International Center, said that students should choose a couple of interesting lectures that are being given whether it be educational or just for fun.

    “There’s all different kinds of things from all over the world, information about Africa, information about food justice, teaching abroad,” Frye said. “I also encourage people to attend one of the fun things in the evening because there is free food, on Monday night, there is good international food.”