http://www.memphis.edu/acss/pdfs/Oct07Newsletter

Volume 5, Issue 1 The University of Memphis

Adult & Commuter Connection Volume 5, Issue 2

Off Campus Housing Listings Now Available at a Computer Near You!

Inside This Issue:

Student Spotlight Pg 2 Roommates

October 2007

Pg 3

Focus on Faculty Pg 4 Campus Voices

Pg 5

ASA Events

Pg 5

Homecoming!

Pg 6

CSA Events

Pg 6

What’s Happening Pg 6

On October 1st, we launched the Off Campus Housing Listing Website to a highly positive response. Students who used the database found that it was easy to navigate, and contained a variety of useful features.

Users stated that they were impressed by the number of listings available on the site.

They were also surprised by the amount of information contained in those property listings.

The message boards were another popular feature with users. These boards allow users to communicate with each other, post notices of events, advertise for roommates, furniture, find childcare services, tutoring and more.

The Resources section of the site provides users with plenty of useful information. You can find bus routes, nearby public schools, maps of Memphis, and traffic reports. It’s a good place to look when you take into account all of the factors that may impact your choice of where to live.

If you’re looking for a place to live, the Off Campus Housing Listings may be the only resource you need to find the place that’s right for you. The listings are easily accessible from the ACSS website, www.memphis.edu/acss.

On Tuesday, October 9th, the ACSS will host a training

seminar as part of the Terrific Tuesdays & Wild Wednesdays series. The seminar will give students hands-on experience with the new Off Campus Housing website. Included in the seminar will be topics such as how to perform a successful search, how to post a message, what to look for in the listings when looking for a potential place to live, and more.

The seminar will also feature Guest speaker, Michelle Harris from Crye-Leike Property Management. The event will be held in Dunn Hall (the math building), Room 234. It will take place between 9:40 am and 11:05 am, so don’t miss it.

Adult & Adult Commuter ConnectionConnection & Commuter

Student Spotlight: Gloria Anderson

Gloria Anderson is in the second year of her African and African American Studies major. She is married, mother of three children, treasurer for the ASA, and a natural storyteller. Gloria is looking forward to graduating this year, and interested in pursuing a career in education.

Editor (ed): You’ve lived in New York, California, and South Carolina. What brings you to Memphis?

Gloria (GA): My husband and I were living in South Carolina in a pretty bad neighborhood. The people there just weren’t very friendly. I had a niece who lived in Memphis who invited us to visit her. While we were staying with her, my husband got sick and had to go into the hospital. We were so impressed with the hospital service, and with how friendly everyone in Memphis was. I went back to South Carolina, packed everything up, and we moved here.

Ed: Just like that?

GA: Just like that.

Ed: What’s the most important thing you consider when you’re looking for a place to live?

GA: Security. I live in a great neighborhood in Northaven.

It’s a quiet street and the neighbors are great. They look out for each other. I like the community, and the security there.

I’ve been there for 9 years.

Ed: What made you decide to study at the University of Memphis?

GA: I wasn’t really thinking of going to school. I was 2

working at a casino, and I was tired of standing on my feet all day. I decided that I would go to school for a year, just to take a break. I’d never been to college before. When I started I was 59, and I thought I would just try it for a year and see what it was like.

That first semester I was miserable.

Everyone around me was so young, just out of high school. I didn’t fit in. I just went to class, but I didn’t meet anybody or talk to anybody. It was at the end of the semester that I found the Adult Student Association. I found out there were other people like me, going through the same things I was going through. The ASA inspired me to stay in school. If it weren’t for them, I’d have been gone a long time ago. They showed me that there was more to school than just going to class. I’m glad I’m in the ASA because now I’m a part of something instead of apart from something.

Ed: You’re now the treasurer of the ASA. What are your duties?

GA: I collect money, and membership applications. I deposit the funds in the bank, and take on any other duties assigned by the president. I’ve been with the ASA for 4 years now, but this is the first year I’ve held an executive position in any organization.

Ed: You recently went on a trip to Ghana. How did that come about?

GA: I was awarded a four thousand dollar scholarship from the African and African American Studies department to study abroad. I went there to learn about African culture, history, colonization, music, dance, all sorts of things. The best part was being able to mingle and interact with the people. You don’t get that in a textbook. The people were great. I really enjoyed it.

Ed: Is there any advice you have on balancing school and home life?

GA: Balancing is hard work. One thing is trying to make my husband realize that I’m in work mode, and that he can’t disturb me. If he breaks my concentration, who knows when it’ll be back again? It’s important to have a quiet space of my own where I can study peacefully. For me, that’s outside in the yard, at least until the weather turns cold. It’s quiet there, and I can get a lot of work done.

Adult & Commuter Connection Volume 5, Issue 2

October, 2007

Roommates: A Love/Hate Relationship Looking for a place to Live? Sharing a two bedroom apartment can be cheaper per person than getting a one bedroom apartment alone, just in terms of paying rent, not to mention bills. Household responsibilities can be split between two people, making chores easier to accomplish. Yes, getting a roommate can make life pretty easy… or very difficult.

When choosing a room mate, you need to be careful about who you select to live with you. Even best friends can make terrible roommates. There are several things that you should take into consideration when assessing your compatibility.

Cleanliness: This can be the biggest cause of stress for roommates. You don’t want to live with a disgusting slob who leaves food rotting in odd places. At the same time, you don’t want to live with a neat-freak who will turn into an industrialstrength scrubbing machine at the merest crumb out of place.

It’s important to match your level of cleanliness.

Quiet: Your roommate should be able to respect that you need to sleep and/or study sometimes. At that time they should keep the noise down. Some people won’t be happy if you crank up the Led Zeppelin on the stereo at three in the morning, just so you can show off your air guitar skills to twenty strangers you met on campus some time that afternoon. At the same time, nothing kills a party like a cranky roommate complaining about the noise, and demanding to know where all these strange people came from?

Good Roommates.

Money: Let’s face it, some people (or their parents) are just better off than others. Usually it’s not a problem, but if your roommate wants to waste a lot of money buying frivolous things for the house that you can’t afford, you’re going to run into trouble. On the other hand, if your roommate is tight with money, and lays a guilt trip on you every time you spend a penny more than absolutely necessary, it will create a lot of unnecessary tension.

Bad roommates.

Sex: Co-ed roommates have co-ed issues. If you’re attracted to your roommate and he/she doesn’t reciprocate your advances then things will get awkward very quickly. If you do have a relationship, and then break up, do you still want to be tied into a lease with that person? This isn’t to say that members of the attractive sex (whatever that may mean to you) can’t cohabitate successfully, but you shouldn’t live with someone just because you think they’re ‘hot’.

Communication: This is a must. You need to be able to talk to your roommate, and you need to trust your roommate to talk to you. You also need to listen to what your roommate is saying, so that you can work towards a compromise. Things may not always go your way, but when everyone is on the same wavelength, life will run much more smoothly. Most issues in a roommate relationship can be resolved through open and honest communication, mutual respect and understanding when it comes from both sides.

Reliability: You need to find someone you can trust. This really does not require much explanation. People who will skip out on paying bills, steal your stuff, try to sleep with your boy/ girlfriend, lie about everything, cheat you out of your money, manipulate you into doing all the work, or who are just plain flat broke all the time do not make good roommates.

You may have noticed a pattern. In order to have a good living arrangement, you need to find someone who matches your standards of living. You should be able to respect your roommate and be respected by them. Before you make the decision, ask yourself, ‘is this someone I can spend a year living with in close quarters?’

If you’re looking for a roommate, a great place to find one is on the message board of the Off Campus Housing Listings at http://saweb.memphis.edu/offcampushousing/.

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Adult & Adult Commuter ConnectionConnection & Commuter

Focus On Faculty and Staff: Interview with Patrick Perry Patrick Perry is the Associate Director of Financial Aid for Scholarships. He co-ordinates the awarding of undergraduate state funded scholarships as well as departmental, college, private and outside scholarships. Mr. Perry will be presenting this month at the Adult Student Association workshop entitled, “Scholarship Searching�.

Ed: What choices or events in your life led you to your current position?

PP: I was fortunate enough to work in the University Honors Program from 1996 to 2003. I was asked by two colleagues to apply for this position and although I thoroughly enjoyed my work with the Honors Program, this position offered me the opportunity to learn about an entirely different area of the university. It has been a very exciting four years and I am very thankful to God for blessing me with this opportunity.

Ed: Your name comes up in association with the National Student Exchange Program. Could you explain what that program is, and what benefits students would receive?

PP: I am the coordinator for National Student Exchange (NSE) at The University of Memphis. NSE provides students the opportunity to exchange to campuses all over

Patrick Perry Associate Director of Financial Aid for Scholarships.

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the country. There are currently over 175 participating schools in NSE. This academic year, University of Memphis students are attending University of North Carolina at Asheville; University of North Carolina at Wilmington; California State University, Chico; Texas A & M University; Boise State University; University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

I hold information sessions about the NSE program in fall and early spring and students are placed at their host schools in March. Although there is much planning for students who wish to participate, the benefits of the program are incredible. Exchange students are able to access different courses, experience living in a different part of the country and are able to make professional and graduate school connections while on exchange. Students pay in-state tuition while on exchange and they may use their scholarships and financial aid during participation.

The minimum required grade point average for participants is a 2.5 but our students far exceed that minimum and we have noticed that our students are above the norm in terms of having a successful exchange experience. If someone is interested, they can go to www.enrollment.memphis.edu/ scholarships and click on National Student Exchange for more information.

Ed: Could you tell me about some of the scholarships offered by the University of Memphis?

PP: The main group of scholarships that are offered by my office are for first-time freshmen. However, we do have scholarships that are specifically for community college transfer students, adult students and continuing U of M students. I highly recommend that students who have a high grade point average go to our web site and visit our office for information about these opportunities.

Ed: As Scholarship Coordinator, do you have any advice to offer to students who would like to apply for a scholarship?

PP: Scholarships are for students who excel academically so if you have good grades then, make sure you have checked not only with my office but also with the department and college of your major. I also recommend that students make connections with their employers as well as employers of family members for possible scholarship opportunities. Our scholarship application period runs from around November through March 1st.

March 1st is an important date because that is the application deadline for most of our scholarships. Students who miss the deadline will pretty much have to wait until the next cycle (next year) to apply for many of our scholarships so make sure that you apply by MARCH 1st.

Adult & Commuter Connection Volume 5, Issue 2

October, 2007

Campus Voices: Why do you live where you live?

Genida Ross: Space was really important when I was looking for a place. I needed a lot of space. Also I wanted to know I was living in a good community, that was safe and quiet. And I wanted somewhere where I could park close to the building and I didn’t have to walk at night. Oh yeah, and it had to have a washer and dryer included. That was important.

Sam Hatch: My biggest factor was cost. I’m living in Mississippi now, because it was the cheapest place I could find. It was alright when I was only coming to school a couple of days a week. Now I’m coming here almost everyday, so I’m looking for somewhere closer. I’ll definitely look at the Off-Campus Housing Listings.

Michelle Scott: The first thing I look for is price. It has to be cheap. Then it also has to be in a good location, you know, like safe and quiet. The other cool thing about where I live is that I can get to work in like thirty seconds. Seriously, I live right next to where I work which is great.

Lane Wilkins: I just moved up on Highland. I like it because it’s close to the school. One thing, though, that I’d like to see is more clean yards around the university, maybe in a five mile radius. People come to look at the school, and we want them to have a good impression, and when they look around where the grass hasn’t been cut and there’s stuff all over, you know, it leaves a bad impression. The city should do something about that.

Paul Bryant: I grew up in Midtown, so I’m familiar with the area. I love the community there, and I don’t

want to say the night life, but… the social scene, I guess. It’s really cool. The thing that I look for in a place to live is the integrity of the house. It has to be kept up. I don’t want to live somewhere where there were a bunch of drunks or something living before. It’s got to be clean.

Adult Student Association Events September was a busy month for the Adult Student Association. The monthly ASA meeting was held as usual on the first Thursday of the month on the fifth floor of Wilder Tower.

The next day they hosted a pizza party in conjunction with the Commuter Student Association for members of both groups.

On Friday, September 21st, the Adult Student Association presented a seminar entitled “How to get an A”. Dr. Barbara Bekis gave helpful advice on studying and time management.

There was a great turn-out, and students had nothing but good things to say about Dr. Bekis, who was an engaging and entertaining speaker.

If you missed the “How to Get an A” workshop, the Adult Student Association will be hosting another on October 26th called “Scholarship Searching” with Patrick Perry from 1:00pm until 2:00pm. The location is to be announced. The workshop will assist students in finding and applying for scholarships from the University of Memphis. Food and refreshments will be provided. If you are interested in attending the seminar, please contact either the Vice President, Michelle Wieland, at mtolston@memphis.edu, or the President Joan Rayman, at jrrayman@memphis.edu for details.

The Adult Student Association provides representation for

The executive board members of the Adult Student Association, from left to right: Karol Benfield, Gloria Anderson, Joan Rayman, Michelle Wieland, and Heidi Basinger

The Adult Student Association provides representation for non-traditional aged students as well as a place to socialize.

They meet on the first Thursday of every month on the fifth Wilder Tower in the Adult and Commuter Student Services office. The next meeting is scheduled for November 1st at 4:00pm. All adult students are welcome to attend.

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Adult & Commuter Connection

The University of Memphis

Homecoming Week Two! Four! Six! Eight!

Who do we appreciate?

It’s Homecoming week again. The entire campus will break out in blue and gray with school spirit fever. SAC has a lot of great events planned for the week leading up to the big game against East Carolina on November 3rd at 1:00 pm.

The official kick off begins on October 28th at 6:00pm on Patterson Lawn. On the 29th, there will be an Up Til Dawn letter writing party all day in the Rose Theatre, as well as sumo wrestling taking place between noon and 3:00 pm in the student plaza. Come back to the Rose Theatre on October 30th between 7:00 and 9:00 pm for a game of laser tag. There will be a costume contest held in the Tiger Den on Halloween at 12:30 pm, and a step show on November 1st at 3:00 pm in the Rose Theatre. On November second there will be a homecoming parade around campus beginning at 5:30. The parade will be followed by the homecoming cadre party starting at 9:00 pm.

It’s a week packed full of exciting events you won’t want to miss. And don’t forget to come out to the game and support your Memphis Tigers.

What’s Happening on Campus October: 10/09: Terrific Tuesdays!: Using Technology to Find Suitable Living. 9:40 am, Dunn Hall, Room 234.

10/10: World Mental Health Day. Let’s Go Crazy like it’s 1999, and you’re driving a Little Red Corvette in the Purple Rain.

10/11: National Coming Out Day. Don’t walk a straight line today.

10/11: Davis Mallory. 7:00 pm, Psych Auditorium.

10/11-13: Hedda Gabler, A Modern Drama by Henrik Ibsen. 8:00 pm, CCFA Auditorium 10/13: Tiger Football vs Middle Tennessee. Liberty Bowl, 7:00pm 10/17-19: Independent film festival. 8:00 pm, Psych Auditorium.

10/26: ASA workshop: “Scholarship searching.”

1:00pm, location TBA. 10/28-11/03: Homecoming Week. Kickoff at 6:00 pm on 10/28 on the FBC lawn.

10/29: Sumo Wrestling. 12:00 pm, Student Plaza.

10/30: Laser Tag. 7:00 pm, Rose Theatre.

10/31: Halloween Costume Contest. 12:30 pm, Tiger Den.

November: 11/01: Homecoming step show. 3:00 pm, Rose Theatre.

11/02: Graduate and Professional School Preview Day. 9:00 am, check-in at 11:30 am, Rose Theatre.

11/02: Homecoming Parade.

5:30 pm.

11/02: Homecoming Party.

9:00 pm, Cadre Building 11/03: Homecoming game.

1:00pm, Liberty Bowl.

Commuter Student Association Events The Commuter Student Association presents Commuter Mondays. Members of the CSA will be at the Tiger Den every Monday between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, for lunch, and lively conversation. This Monday they’ll be encouraging students to sign up for Tiger Texting. You’re invited to connect with them, and sit at the coolest table in the cafeteria.

The next CSA meeting is scheduled for October 11th at 3:00 pm in the Adult & Commuter Student Services lounge on the 5th Floor of Wilder Tower. Come to the ACSS office to discover how you can get involved.

The University of Memphis Adult & Commuter Student Services 500 Wilder Tower Memphis, TN 38152-3460 Phone: 901-678-2995/901-678-2644 Fax: 901-678-4894

http://www.memphis.edu/acss 6

Members of the CSA in the Tiger Den for Commuter Mondays.

The mission of the Adult and Commuter Student Services Office is to provide a supportive environment for non-traditional and commuter students that promotes intellectual, social and academic growth and development through services and programs that foster lifelong learning.