PAC Student Media

By Beverley Garcia Pulse Staff Reporter  Throughout American history, we did not always have an uncompromised representative government. This is because many citizens did not have the right to vote, including women, African Americans and other races. Our elected leaders pass laws and make decisions on where budget money should be spent, if and when…

By Fernanda Sanchez Pulse Staff Reporter After obtaining a job interview, so many emotions are going through your head because you want to be noticed more than the other applicants. When you’re looking for a job, you have to research the company before you apply, have good communication skills and know how to dress professionally.…

By Peter Maciel Pulse Staff Reporter Phone apps are an essential tool in life, and some create an opportunity to invest in yourself every day. For college students, this could mean financial stability. Students have many expenses, which can cause stress, but with these three apps, saving money has never been so easy and accessible.…

By Isidro Medina Pulse Staff Reporter Palo Alto College students use on-campus resources to help defray the out-of-pocket cost of college, which can add up. Kytheranialynn Fambrough-Brown, a sophomore and the current Palo Alto College Student Government Association president, said, “As a STEM major, I’ve been getting the T-STEM scholarship. So, that’s something I’ve been…

By Jasmine Treviño Pulse Staff Reporter Palo Alto College is home to a very diverse student body. Our students not only consist of young adults, but 2 percent of them are returning adults who are over the age of 65. Mary Lance, a 75-year-old student at PAC, described her experience in the continuing education program…

By Kevin M. Johnson Pulse Staff Reporter The student ID gives students many benefits that they can use on and off campus during their college careers. All Palo Alto students should obtain their student ID as soon as they enroll in their first semester. The card contains the student’s picture and their Banner ID. Students…

By José Valenzuela Pulse Staff Reporter Every semester, students have to face the decision whether to buy or rent their textbooks. Even though each has its benefits, downsides also come along with each option. Despite rumors of a proposal by district to include a $75 e-book fee for each course in addition to tuition and…

By Katelynn Garcia Pulse Staff Reporter Many citizens have diverse views on the 2014 plan put in place for reforming the American health care system. For the Palo Alto community, it is no different. The Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, is a health care plan aimed at creating a better and more affordable health…

By Katharina Guttenberg Pulse Staff Reporter Let’s go back 30 years. Elizabeth Aguilar-Villarreal, the first student to enroll in Palo Alto College, was just finishing up her first semester at the temporary campus near Kelly Air Force Base. She was the first person in her family attend college. Fast forward to now. She has a…

By Victoria Uribe Pulse Staff Reporter As gun violence on college campuses hits an all-time high, students, faculty and campus police throughout the United States make plans for worst-case scenarios that they hope to never use. In early October of this year, Christopher Harper-Mercer rampaged through Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, killing eight students,…

By Alexandro Luna Pulse Staff Reporter Many students and staff at Palo Alto College expressed dismay over the Alamo Colleges’ Board of Trustees decision to do away with majors. The Board, which oversees the administration of the Alamo Colleges, passed the policy on Oct. 27 in a unanimous vote of 9-0. The direction of the…

By Yajaira Santillan Pulse Staff Reporter Graduating high school is an accomplishment, but graduating from college is an even bigger accomplishment for first-generation college students. First-generation college students are students whose parents have not attended college or earned a four-year degree. Research shows that these students encounter more struggles financially, academically and professionally than students…

By Heather Orchard Pulse Staff Reporter Free college!? The current presidential debate has brought this topic to everyone’s mind. However, free college already exists on the Palo Alto campus for a fortunate few who are currently enrolled in the Frank L. Madla Early College High School program. Jeffrey Flores, principal of Madla ECHS, explained that…

By Monica Reuter Pulse Staff Reporter Palo Alto College is the only public college that offers a Cosmetology program in Bexar County at a third of the cost of private programs. The Cosmetology Learning Studio opened its doors to the public on June 17, 2015. The state-of-the-art 3,800-square-foot facility is located on the second floor…

By Angelica Avila Pulse Staff Reporter Palo Alto College is giving away money. All you have to do is be enrolled full time and have a 2.0 GPA. Between $250 to $1,000 is awarded to Palo Alto students from scholarships. “Over 50 percent of students get money,” said Leticia Inocencio, senior coordinator of Alumni and Scholarships.…

By Stephen Ratliff Pulse Staff Reporter Palo Alto students may use the results from the 2015 Community College Survey of Student Engagement or CCSSE to determine how their college compares to the other Alamo Colleges. The CCSSE is an in-class pencil-and-paper survey designed in 2001. It was created to effectively measure students’ college experience, student engagement…

By Jessica Martinez Pulse Staff Reporter Transferring to another college can be stressful, especially if you are unsure the process. Universities have all the information you need on their websites for you to make the right decision. “From my perspective, the most important thing to consider in selecting a university is ‘fit,’” said Sam Gonzales,…