afederoff
alext1626
katzb
lambertk
liberalartsduq
michaelminnock
minnockm
Matt Kasznel
Dave
x3erica1037Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013, Duquesne News | Tags: freshmen, move in
Though it is my second year on campus, I once again got to experience move-in from a freshmen’s perspective. I was all ready for St. Ann’s move in day on Tuesday, nervous and excited, very much like last year. However, I already had my stuff unpacked and situated in my room on the first floor… let me explain. As I mentioned last semester, I have been granted the privilege to be a Resident Assistant (a.k.a. RA) for this upcoming school year.
So, after a week and a half of intensive training, move-in day was our big day. We all reported to the lobby about 11:00 A.M. in our matching maroon polos, exhausted yet excited. Our GA assigned jobs hourly for the entire day, quite intimidating. The jobs varied between checking people in, handing out room keys, and just “floating” around the building, looking for anyone who needed help. As I circulated the building, I popped my head into a room just to check in. When I introduced myself, I was welcomed warmly into the good-humored family by a jest, “Hey, it’s the sheriff.”
Though I was in no way insulted by this comment, it is the perfect opportunity to dispel such rumors. While part of being an RA does involve duty and enforcing dormitory rules, it is not nearly the only aspect of the job. Instead, RAs design bulletin boards, facilitate floor programs and truly care about the well being of their residents. Bulletin boards take a lot of time and effort, as well as planning. (It truly is a slap in the face when the letters are rearranged or ripped off totally.) Similarly, floor programs take a lot of effort and can be very rewarding. With topics ranging from faculty to service, they can offer a fun and fresh way to meet new people. So, my first floor social will be bracelet making and ice cream. However, this is just an example of the variety of activities you can do at floor programs.
Value your RA, they can be a great resource and supply of insight.
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013, Uncategorized | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, exam, finals, freshman, freshmen, learning communities, liberal arts, narratio, Pittsburgh, Strong Women Strong Girls, summer
After twenty-four full hours of totems, charisma (as in “deep truth revealed by cosmic order, recognized by social adherence”), and modernity, I thought I would officially commence the summer with one last blog as a freshman at Duquesne University. Finals sucked, I’m not going to lie. Luckily, I only had four finals (instead of the dreaded five) and I think I did well on all of them. My classes were awesome, my professors helpful, and my experience wonderful!
Let me tie up some odds and ends:
I think I’ve finally decided on a major… sort of. I entered Duquesne as a journalism major, enrolled in the Narratio learning community. Although I have decided to not pursue a career in the journalism field, I could not be happier with the path I took. Besides the obvious elements (such as making great friends, having awesome professors, and fun opportunities…like blogging!), I have found many of the classes I have taken this past year will be helpful in building my future curriculum. For example, Media and Society has been a great stepping-stone to future classes I will be taking. So, without further ado, I have decided to make my own major. The liberal arts college offers this incredible program in which a student literally makes a major of their own. With the help of my adviser, I decided this was the best path for me because of my future goals (to go to NYU and get a MSW/JD). If you have your heart set on Duquesne, but the liberal arts college does not have the exact major you are looking for, I would suggest looking into the program. In order to do this, I must compose my curriculum plan to our dean along with my reasoning for this course of study (major summer project). What do I plan on studying exactly? I like to call it a degree in feminism… it will be a unique combination of media studies, sociology, women studies, and conflict resolution.
That brings me to my next point: you’re never too new to get involved. Though countless advisors, interviewers, and peers have told me I am way ahead of the game, I think I am just trying to stay on the right path, following my passions. So, as my summer plans shape up, I will be working for an OB/GYN Monday through Thursday, and Fridays and Saturdays will be devoted to my internship, the first exciting leap into my career path. I briefly mentioned it before, but since it began in January, I have hardly had the time to blog about it. Anyway, I will be an intern for Ms. Courtney Martin, feminist activist and author. The Women’s Center Therapy Institute, in NYC, has asked to be the frontrunner for their international campaign against distorters of body image. The campaign, entitled Endangered Species: Preserving the Female Body, is scheduled to occur in March of 2011 and I am ecstatic to announce that I have currently been working on the guest list!
In terms of getting involved on campus and in Pittsburgh, I would encourage new freshmen to step out of the comfort zone and just try everything. Organizations I have become heavily involved with are CONTACT Pittsburgh, Strong Women Strong Girls, the Liberal Art blog, and Residence Life, as well as Phi Eta Sigma (the freshmen honors fraternity) and Lambda Sigma (the sophomore honors fraternity). Becoming involved was one of the best decisions I have made all year. Sure, it took guts to attend all those initial meetings, but luckily I have them. J If you don’t, please, please take me up on this offer: email me, comment me, ask me questions etc. Being involved is key, especially as a Duquesne student!
Thinking back to high school, I still don’t enjoy being a freshman a.k.a. “fresh meat” and the like. But at Duquesne, faculty and peer leaders somehow manage to make it less scary then James Caldwell High School did. In fact, it’s not the kind of scary where you want to go home or eat lunch in the bathroom; it’s more like scary before a performance, a date, or a speech. Oh wait… I think the word for that is excitement.
Happy summer, see you all in August!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: busy, Strong Women Strong Girls
Ok, I know I’m a bad blogger… I haven’t written in two weeks! Show mercy: here’s why.
Since returning to Pittsburgh from Easter, I have been bombarded with work. In fact, even before that. My entire Easter Break was spent reading GenX Religion an (300 page) anecdotal analysis on Generation X and the religion they practice. Ok, so yeah, we were assigned books on the syllabus with hopes to end unit three with book reviews of several different views on religion. The assignment was twofold: part one was a three-page book report, incorporating how the book applied to the material through out the course. The second part was a fifty-minute presentation in which you educated the rest of the class on the book – obviously not the assignment to postpone. I also have been struggling with a film review on the Matrix and how it approaches religion and modernity. Oh right, and that’s just one class. Other classes have been going the same way, as I’m sure everyone can attest to.
Yesterday, I visited Roosevelt Elementary for Strong Women Strong Girls for the last time this semester. Unfortunately, our programming there only encompasses fifth graders, who leave the school for middle school this summer. So it was goodbye. However, seeing their progress was incredible. For example, seating was always an issue for us, so we would lay out name cards every week in a random order. Yesterday, though, we let them sit where they wanted, and to our surprise, there were no issues and the split themselves up evenly at the tables. Although I will miss them, I am very excited to meet a new set of girls next fall.
As I run off to class, the computer lab, the library, class, the ice cream sale, and back to the library, the best thing I can offer is a little ice cream – Strong Women Strong Girls will have an ice cream stand on the third floor of the union: for one dollar, you get a scoop and a topping. Additional scoops and toppings are twenty-five cents. It’s a great deal, a great study break, and a great cause.
Hope to see you there,
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, Pittsburgh, service, Strong Women Strong Girls, time management
I happen to know for a fact that my RA is on duty on Tuesday nights. (Yet, this is to be expected after doing rounds with her.) So, last Tuesday, right before Easter Break, I had a bunch of floor mates over to hang out before we all headed to our respective homes. When Hailey, my RA, knocked on the door to do her post freshmen involvement forms, I was surprised by what I heard.
As she went around the room asking each of my friends what they had become involved with, I was impressed by how these girls manage their time. Every person in the room had become involved with any programs, clubs, or sororities Duquesne has offered. As time goes on, I am finding this is not uncommon for the Duquesne University student. Many organizations are very welcoming to freshmen, and our students seem to want to be involved.
However, as I listed all the things I have planned for next year, I became increasingly overwhelmed. Here is the list I spewed out to Hailey:
Strong Women Strong Girls: I’m sure everyone knows my now I am a mentor for Strong Women Strong Girls and I love it! This is an awesome organization to be a part of, especially if you plan on going into education, gender studies, or PR. The sense of community established among Duquesne mentors is welcoming, but because the organization is in many cities, the feeling of being part of a tri-city volunteer organization is very powerful.
Resident Assistant: I was accepted to be a resident assistant. Of course, there are many benefits to this job, but I hear it is very time consuming. Nonetheless, I am very excited for all aspects of the job. In fact, I find out where I will be living next year tonight.
Phi Eta Sigma: This is a freshmen honors society. I think about 250 freshmen students are members. Commitments include bi-weekly meetings.
Lambda Sigma: This is a sophomore honors society. Only 50 students are accepted into this fraternity, which fosters leadership, scholarship, fellowship and the spirit of service. I am very excited to be a member of this organization. Requirements are weekly meetings and 13 hours of community service a semester.
CONTACT Pittsburgh: Contact is an incredible organization: it is a 24-hour crisis hotline. After many hours of training (50+!), I am now a volunteer. This is not a very big time commitment (after training, that is) but it is a cause that I wholeheartedly support. It very rewarding work, and while challenging at times, I am very happy to be involved.
Gwen’s Girls: Gwen’s Girl is a group home for girls ages 8 to 18 who are underprivileged. There are many different opportunities to get involved in this organization – I had planned on tutoring after school and peer mentoring. The only downfall to volunteering at Gwen’s Girls is the location: it is difficult and dangerous to get to without a car.
Internship: I have mentioned before I will be working for Courtney E. Martin, author and activist, through out the next year. We are working on an international campaign against the distortion of body image, the thing I am most passionate about! This is a great opportunity and I am hoping it will provide an irreplaceable learning experience and also open future doors. I would highly advice anyone and everyone to look for an internship
…And of course, blogging!
With such a long list, it is hard to believe in August, I entered the Duquesne community, completely uninvolved and a little lost. Therefore, if anyone is interested or unsure about in getting involved, whether it is in any of these organizations or other organizations on campus, please, please feel free to talk to me. Also, any questions on time management… I’m your girl!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, freshmen, learning communities, liberal arts, narratio, Pittsburgh
Just about this time last year, I was attempting to choose a learning community for my freshmen year. I know I was a little unsure of how much weight this held, how it would mold my year, and how to decide. Let me try to remedy that:
First and foremost, let me say that Duquesne’s Liberal Arts learning communities are awesome! They all really help integrate students into the Duquesne community instead a blunt transition. For this reason, you are “safe” picking any learning community offered. Basically, being a member of this community entails a couple things – you will have four core classes with these students (three first semester and one second), you will work on a service project with them through out these semesters, and you will live on the same floor as these people. Each community features different classes and a unique service project. These range from organizing organ/blood donation to publishing a book for senior citizens of Pittsburgh.
There are several ways you can choose your learning community.
- By Location: Each community lives on a specific floor in a specific building. I know there are many rumors about the two buildings, Martin’s and Ann’s, and some students pick their learning community based on these locations. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS because it is not guaranteed the community will reside in the same location.
- By Professor/Director: If you have met a compelling professor featured in a specific learning community, you may be interested in joining that community. Before picking this community, however, speak with the professor about the community: they will have a lot of great insight to offer you!
- By Curriculum: While I would not solely choose your learning community based on curriculum, it is important to look at the classes each community requires: in reality, this is where a large amount of your time will be spent. I would encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone if there is a class you have never taken or do not fully understand, but if one class appears totally boring to you, that is something to consider.
- By Goal: Each learning community features several nouns and a catchphrase summarizing what will be achieved in this community. For example, as a member of Narratio, my phrase is “Create a story about your community”. This is what appealed to me, and as I continued to read about the courses and Dr. Sora on ratemyprofessors.com, I realized this was the right community for me.
- By Others: I know that some people are afraid of not knowing anyone in their learning community and band together with friends or acquaintances in order to prevent this. I would highly advise against this – first, there is no need to worry about being alone; chances are most people will be in the same place as you. Second, the curriculum and service project will take up a majority of your time. If you are not particularly interested in these requirements, the learning community experience will not be as fun and beneficial!
Here is a quick synopsis of each learning community (you can find more information here: http://www.duq.edu/liberalarts/undergraduate/learning-communities/index.cfm)
RATIO (RAH’-TEE-OH) reckoning, reason, judgment, method
Improve your analytical thinking skills.
Director: Dr. Michael Irwin, Department of Sociology
POPULUS (POE’-POO-LOOS) people, crowd, multitude
Explore the dynamics of cultures and societies, masses and movements.
Director: Dr. Charles Hanna
PERSONAE (PER-SOH’-NYE) parts, roles, characters, personalities
Consider how individuals and groups shape one another.
Director: Dr. Leswin Laubscher, Department of Psychology
ORBIS (OR’-BESE) circle, the world, the earth
Study other lands, cultures, and states.
Director: Dr. Mark Frisch, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
NARRATIO (NAH-RAH’-TEE-OH) telling relating, narrative, story
Create a story about your community.
Director: Dr. Joseph Sora, Department of Journalism and Multimedia Arts
LITTERAE (LEE’-TER-AYE) letters, literature
Explore literature and society.
Director: Dr. Stuart Kurland, Department of English
JUDICIUM (YOU-DEE’KEE-OOM) trial, legal investigation, judgment, decision
Search for truth and justice through evidence in the public sphere.
Director: Dr. Ronald Arnett, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies
FIDES (FEE’-DES) trust, confidence, belief, faith
Challenge and strengthen your most important beliefs.
Director: Dr. Jotham Parsons, Department of History
FIDES (FEE’-DES) trust, confidence, belief, faith
Challenge and strengthen your most important beliefs.
Director: Dr. Jotham Parsons, Department of History
CIVITAS (KEE’-WEE-TOSS) state, citizenship, city-state
Prepare to make a difference in community and governance.
Director: Dr. Tsekani Browne, Department of History
Good luck,
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: classes, liberal arts, schedule, sophomore
In high school, our schedules were basically made for us. Oh sure, we were able to choose an elective… sort of. At my school, it was “pick a fine art elective” which consisted of drawing, ceramics or the musical arts of chorus, orchestra or band. We also were required to take a “hands-on elective” and I somehow ended up with Woodshop. I was the only girl in the class, and of course, just the year before someone apparently got their finger flown completely across the room by the band saw. And while, of course there are requirements to achieve a liberal arts degree, but I’m pretty sure none of them involve flying extremities.
First semester of freshmen year, I found that my schedule was already made for me. I’m still not really sure how this happened, but it seemed to be geared toward my interests and I had no complaints. Second semester, I quickly made my schedule with my advisor, much like I did in high school. We sat down together and looked through the course catalog until I devised a schedule that was fitting to my needs.
This semester, I am more independent. As a sophomore, I just submitted a tentative course schedule to my advisor online. I picked out all of the classes myself, and made a morning friendly schedule. Hopefully, I did a good job and I get the ok to register for them!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: service, service project, Strong Women Strong Girls
Roosevelt’s Strong Women Strong Girls service project has been fine-tuned! I think I can speak for my fellow mentors in saying we are extremely proud of the design. The background of the project includes an educational portion: for the past few weeks, the girls have been reading announcements on the loudspeaker about the perks and utter importance of recycling (which their school does not do). They have assumed their roles as educators, an exciting position, and have been doing a great job. Then, as far as the actual service projects goes, the overall plan is a three-part model in which the girls will transform a dead, weedy garden into a friendly, bright atmosphere to relax in during recess. Although the girls are graduating to middle school this summer, our hope is that this garden will flourish and return every spring (especially considering our choice of annuals). However, besides the actual experience of building a garden, there are many lessons we hope to transfer. For one, many of these girls doubt their abilities and power, either because of their social status, race, or gender. Transforming an entire garden using only Girl Power should definitely prove this untrue. This is an empowering opportunity. Also, the importance of planting a garden is not solely for aesthetics, but also to improve environment conditions; in general terms, make the world a better place.
Here is the step-by-step process: (excluding the planning steps… which were definitely vital.)
Week One: Pinecone Bird Feeders
The girls spoke about an interest in having butterflies inhabit the garden. Although this would certainly be beautiful, such a task is difficult to achieve. We did consider the type of plants butterflies are attracted to, but creating a butterfly garden on a budget is near impossible. However, we decided to bring another form of life into the garden – birds! Pinecone bird feeders are a great way to remain environmentally friendly while helping out our flying friends. If you have never made them before, the only supplies you need are peanut butter, pinecones, and birdseed. The process is simple but fun, especially if you start to see results! After spreading a pretty thick layer of peanut butter on the pinecones, roll them in birdseed and hang them in a garden or other outdoor area. The only complication: carrying a 20lb bag of birdseed around campus for three hours. 
Week Two: Cement Stepping-Stones
When we went to inspect it, Roosevelt’s dilapidated garden area had three random stepping-stones miscellaneously placed… we knew we had to do something about this. Therefore, when we came across this possibility, we were very excited; it is an all around great project to do with the girls and it is CHEAP! The idea is to mix your own cement and make stepping-stones out of it. “Quickcrete” is the best option out there: it is about three dollars for a 60lb bag (which I refuse to carry!!). After mixing the powder with water, you basically pretend you are making a cake – we plan to use 15 aluminum pie plans, differing in shape. While the cement is still wet, you can put other pebbles into it or make handprints etc. We bought a bag of goldfish pebbles, pink of course, to spell out SWSG. This aspect of the project allows the girls to leave their “legacy” behind. The stepping-stones will be there for years, and they will have made them. 
Week Three: Weeding
This will probably be the most difficult part of the process: not only will the girls hate doing it, but we will too! However, hopefully the explanation of the importance will be enough to convince the girls to just get through it.
Week Four: Planting
To recover for the morbid and boring reaping from the week before, we will be planting! The mentors met for about two hours to discuss the types of plants we should plant. We had a lot to consider: skill level, difficulty, life span, and growth period (since the girls will not be there for July and August). We were lucky to find a secret gardener was among us – her guidance was fundamental in our choices. We decided on several easy seeds, like wildflowers, which are both pretty and low maintenance. We also wanted to be sure the girls would see results, so we purchased several bulbs as well as bushes. Hopefully the weather permits, and everything grows and flourishes into a garden as strong as it’s parents.
Alyssa
I have to say, I honestly did not realize how exciting St. Patrick’s Day would be in Pittsburgh. However, by the time I woke up on Saturday morning, there were tons of green students outside. I looked out my window to see green everything. Now when I say green, I mean clothes, hair, body paint: the works. Later, as I went to Towers brunch at about 11:30, students were just returning from the parade. They were chanting, making noise, and having fun. Everyone was wearing green still, except me of course. It seems like the parade was a great gathering for Duquesne and Pittsburgh.
in 2008, Hilary came!
I did not quite make it to the parade, so if you did, let me know how it was!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, resident assistant, spiritan
the Spirit of Duquesne ...so THAT's what that thing is!!
After much deliberation, I am ready to publically announce that I am going to be a Resident Assistant next year. I had been afraid of “jinxing” myself etc. which I know was silly, but still not worth the risk. Let me quickly fill you in on the background events. The application process began in early January, December even, for some. For me, it was a last minute decision. I quickly filled out the application and asked around for recommendations. I turned it in the day it was due (which is very unlike me – I am usually way ahead of the game) and hoped for the best. I had to schedule a half hour interview, which I nearly puked before I was so nervous, and attended a “Group Process”.
As the Group Process begun, the Resident Directors asked up to write our names on a dry erase board and pose with it for a photo. (This is probably as close as I will ever get to American Idol auditions.) At that time, I really began to doubt my chances. As I glanced around the room and tried to count how many others had applied for the same exact position as me, I was pretty sure that I would not be chosen to fill one of 82 positions. I sat there and tried to convince myself that living in Towers with other sophomores would be more fun anyway. At the end of the Group Process, the director of Res Life explained we could pick up our official letters in five days. There were three possible responses: Yes, No, and maybe. That Friday, I opened my letter with my best friend. I was ecstatic to see that my letter began with the word “Congratulations”.
Since that telling day at Group Process, I have found that there are many benefits of being a Resident Assistant, more than I had realized at first. Next year, I will have my own room with my own bathroom, which is great, but there is so much more this position will offer me, and I don’t mean on a resume. This position will truly help me grow and develop unique skills. I am also meeting a new peer group, a community of students, which is diverse but wonderful. I have begun training for next year and not only am I learning valuable information about community and diversity, but about Duquesne University as well. For example, I recall someone saying Duquesne is the only Spiritan university in the world!
Learn about our culture, foundation, and past:
http://www.spiritans.org/index2.html
Alyssa
liberalartsduq.wordpress.com 