By Harriet Ramos @TheEtCetera Melinda Imthurn stood on the sidewalk outside of Carnegie Hall in New York City. She posed for a selfie beside a poster featuring the musical groups that were scheduled to perform that Saturday evening. Toward the bottom-right of the poster was a picture of the conductor...

By ANDREW WALTER @AndyWalterETC A baby’s cries for attention. The non-stop thud of feet trudging down the halls. The overpowering stench of cigarette smoke that permeates every room except the lobby, where the aroma of discount coffee brewing signals the start of another day. These are the sounds...

By ASHLEIGH AMBURGEY @TheEtCetera Congregated before a mirrored wall, several dancers pound to the ground, making bold jumps and leaps, powerful steps and precise turns as they learn their new post-modern routine. It only takes just a few repetitions of each combination before their individual...

By ANDREW WALTER @AndyWalterETC Computer programming professor David Kirk tells his students that they will receive 20 bonus points on their final project if they present it to the entire class. Computer science major David Townsend sits at his desk awaiting his chance to present his Star Wars-themed...

By SAMUEL FARLEY @SamFarleyETC The party Jacob Cuevas sits in front of 10-year-old Priscilla, relaxed in a big gray chair while his wife, Hermila Cuevas, prepares food for Priscilla’s 10th birthday party. His legs rest on a matching ottoman. He is tired, worn out by early morning classes and the long...

Copy editor Andrew Walter found three graduates who have left a mark on their college and community. Here's what they had to say about their Eastfield experience. — Compiled by Andrew Walter "Last year, in commemoration of my time at Eastfield, I got a bee tattoo on my forearm similar to the Harvester...

By JAMES HARTLEY @ByJamesHartley Positioned in a small shopping strip that looks like it might collapse if you lean against a wall too hard, Yia Yia’s House of Gyros’ unassuming exterior is deceiving. The restaurant’s outward aesthetic couldn’t be less representative of the authentic Greek...

Ashmi Patel, director of the Center for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity at Eastfield, sat down with News Editor Skye Seipp. She grew up in Garland and got her bachelor’s degree in religious studies from SMU and later got her master’s from Rutgers University. She is a practicing Hindu, which allowed...

By ARIA JONES @AriaJonesETC Comics and illustrations by female, queer, non-binary and transgender artists are on display in an exhibition titled “Sequential Self” in F-219C. Artist Christine Suggs visited the exhibition Monday to speak about her artwork featured in the gallery and draw journal...

To those of us who have come of age concurrently with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s almost cliche to point out how groundbreaking its journey has become. The first cinematic universe to successfully cross over multiple movie storylines, the MCU has had its share of great moments, copycats...

  By ANDREW WALTER @AndyWalterETC “Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream” by Joshua Davis tells the true story about four students who prove that raw talent can come from the humblest of beginnings. “Spare Parts” will be Eastfield’s...

Administrative assistant for the dean of student services, Isabel Lopez, sat down with reporter Lauryn Sierra. She shared her experience growing up in Dallas, being a first-generation college student and her view of the college as a staff member. Isabel Lopez is the administrative assistant for the dean...

By JAMES HARTLEY @ByJamesHartley Dia de los Tacos in Mesquite isn’t your everyday taco shop. It starts with the pristine environment at the front of the shop (the best taco shops are usually a hole-in-the-wall, but not this one) and continues back into the kitchen. That’s where Jessica Rodriguez,...

By ARIA JONES and DEZIREE ORTEGA @TheEtCetera Professor Liz Nichols remembers her first day at a new school. Her family left New York when she was 11 years old because her dad took a job in Westminster, California. She was enrolled in a public school for seventh grade, a contrast to the private...

By SARAH IVY @TheEtCetera An abandoned building, killer fried chicken and a porch swing are three elements Antonio Swad used to create Mesquite’s newest hotspot. Swad founded both Wingstop and Pizza Patron but went in a new direction when he opened Porch Swing on Feb. 18. Unlike his other restaurants,...

The Literary & Fine Arts Festival will kick off April 3 and continue throughout the month of April, celebrating music, fine arts, literature and communications across campus. This year, the festival includes a dance performance, the annual Jazz Under the Stars recital and a variety of artist lectures,...

Second-year automotive program student Kathryn Jaeger sat down with reporter Daniel Durrett. She was a certified nurse assistant when she enrolled in Eastfield’s automotive program. Her lack of trust in mechanics was her primary reason for enrolling. After two years, she now has a job as a technician...

By Anthony Lazon @Anthony Lazon As a long-term vegan, worrying about finding decent places to eat alongside friends and family has become a thing of the past. Local restaurants are swiftly jumping on the plant-based bandwagon and offering not only affordable but also delicious, well-thought-out meals....

The break is next week, March 11-15, and it’s not too late to make plans. Here are five ways to spend your five class-free days. —Compiled by Aria Jones. Illustrations by Manuel Guapo, Jackie Trevino and Roxana Santillan.  See some free art General admission to the Dallas Museum of Art is always...

While it may seem like craft beer is a man’s world, many women are powerhouses in the industry. Founder and CEO of Dallas’ Texas Ale Project Kat Thompson is one of them. Her brewery was the first to partner with Eastfield when the college launched its journeyman brewer certificate program. For...

Fat Tuesday, which took place March 5, may be famous for the wild celebrations in New Orleans, but its roots go deeper than that. The holiday is the last day to indulge before Lent, the Christianity tradition that calls for believers to fast from something, whether it be social media or a type of food,...

By Andrew Walter @AndyWalterETC Donnie Ray Albert takes off his gray suit jacket, sits on a wooden stool and rests his right hand on a Steinway & Sons grand piano. His black shoes shine under the dim recital room lights at Eastfield College. The Grammy award-winning baritone leans his head...