Nov. 23, 2011 – Fourth-year economics student José Angel Manaiza Jr. reflects on what he’s learned over the years from Toastmasters, a global organization focused on teaching communication and leadership skills through public speaking. UCLA Bruin Toastmasters is a certified President’s Distinguished Club, which is the highest level of excellence that a Toastmasters club can achieve.

[5:51]

Nov. 21, 2011 – Bruins for Israel and the Armenian Students’ Association co-hosted an ethnic cultural exchange on Nov. 16. The event, “Shalom Aper,” draws its name from the Jewish word Shalom, which means "hello," and the Armenian word Aper, which means "brother." [3:22]

Note: Razmig Sarkissian is a third-year english student. Molly Cornfield is a fourth-year environmental science student.

Nov. 18, 2011 – Sex and Cookies is a program run by medical, public health and social work students at UCLA that aims to teach undergraduate residents about safe sex. The “cookies” aspect ties in by creating a fun atmosphere for discussion about relationships and sexuality. A group of graduate students started Sex and Cookies in 2009 with help from David Gere, an associate professor in the world arts and culture program, and Dr. Gail Wyatt, a professor in the psychiatry and biobehavioral science program. Sex and Cookies has since expanded to include more than one hundred members who meet with undergraduates four or five times per quarter. [4:42]

Nov. 17 – A newly formed student group may soon give UCLA dining halls some competition. The UCLA food cooperative group is in the planning stages of providing access to affordable healthy foods on campus. [3:48]

Nov. 15, 2011 – In the city's third annual UCLA v. USC Fight Night, students from both schools step toe-to-toe with one another hoping to retain bragging rights in front of a crowd at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. UCLA fighter Joseph LaSalle prepares for a rematch against Francisco Montenegro of USC in the main event and for a shot at glory. For LaSalle, the fight starts weeks before the actual event, in the gym.

To see more photos from Fight Night, click here.

To see video from Fight Night, click here.

[3:28]

Nov. 15 – Recent negotiation sessions have ended without a new deal between the NBA players’ union and the team owners, and with the NBA lockout still in effect, two former UCLA students are out of work. Last year, then-sophomore Tyler Honeycutt and then-junior Malcolm Lee each decided to take their talents to the NBA and entered the draft with hopes of being first-round picks. Not only did they slip to the second round, and out of the guaranteed money zone, they entered an NBA that is in the midst of a collective bargaining dispute.

Games in November have already been canceled, and the rest of the season is in jeopardy. Honeycutt and Lee cannot even set foot in the gyms of their new teams. Although they can't come back to school and play for UCLA ever again, their former teammates still show them support and have nothing but gratitude for these two former Bruins who used to call Westwood home.

[2:22]