Pam Fiorito

Student

“I’d encourage people coming to SMC to get involved and know their teachers. Take advantage of what there is, because there is an awful lot here for you.”

Pam Fiorito has been at SMC full time since last fall. And there were three semesters of night classes in general education before then. But now her direction is moving smoothly into a concentration on anthropology.

“The primary reason I’m in anthropology,” says the Chicago area native, “is that I like its message; that diversity is good.” After arriving here five years ago, Pam admits to a little initial disappointment. “I’d always heard that Los Angeles was so progressive,” she says. “But I’ve found that it’s a town that’s grown up too fast to accommodate all its changes.” But she finds that the city itself provides its own fascinating challenges as a field of study.

“This city offers a role for anthropologists,” she says. “And that’s trying to help the immigrant population fit in. Or at least to make our system responsive enough to help them on their way.”

Pam will soon be transferring to a four-year school, possibly for further study with her anthropologist husband. “Who knows?” she says. “We may very well find ourselves digging in Africa at some point.” But working in the Learning Resource Center, tutoring others in anthropology, has her thoroughly occupied. And she’s in no hurry to leave SMC. “I’m going to stick around another year,” says Pam, “to take advantage of the Study Aboard program in England.”

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