The University of Toledo Division of Student Affairs
Real Life, Real Learning
Strategies for Success Support for graduation and beyond Student Union Renovations Being Successful: Students Dish
FALL 2014
Dear UT Students, Parents and Friends:
Welcome to a publication that celebrates the journey of which you’re all a part: the journey from first-year student to a proud graduate of The University of Toledo. We call this magazine RL for Real Life, Real Learning. It’s been created by the UT Division of Student Affairs to be for and about our students. What will you find in RL? Challenges, victories, setbacks and celebrations — they keep it real and you’ll probably experience them all. They’re the basis for the stories we’ll share with you through RL. This time we’re highlighting UT’s commitment to academic support with stories on just a few of the programs and services that are here to help you achieve your goal of graduation and launch you into a successful future. We’re also celebrating high achievements in our multicultural students. Three students from very diverse backgrounds were generous about sharing some of their challenges, and offering tips for UT Rockets on launching their own journey to greatness. Just remember: Aim high and define yourself by your possibilities, not by any limitations! There’s a lot to celebrate at UT, so we have our work cut out for us. We hope you’ll be part of the great things that continue to happen here — those challenges and celebrations that keep it RL.
Dr. Kaye Patten Wallace Senior Vice President for the Student Experience
p.s. RL is also online at utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/rl-magazine
Real Life, Real Learning Volume 2, Number 1 Fall 2014 Editor Cynthia Nowak
Get global
Contributing writer Cathy Zimmer Designer Anthony Tscherne
Live, learn and travel your education
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Principal photographer Daniel Miller
COVER STORY
Here for you
Videographer Cameron Norton RL (Real Life, Real Learning) is published in Fall Semester by the Division of Student Affairs.
Support to help you succeed
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Senior Vice President for the Student Experience Dr. Kaye Patten Wallace
Success awards
Office of the Senior VP for the Student Experience 3630 University Hall Phone: 419.530.2665
Multicultural students’ achievements celebrated
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Office for the Student Experience 2521 Student Union Phone: 419.530.5923
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Snapshotz
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Meet the Dean
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Platforms of Future
On the cover: Puzzle no more! Support services to help academic goals click into place
Shark Week. At the President’s BBQ, student Ahmad Al-Syoof pitted his strength against a Great White, while other students dance the afternoon away at the luau-themed event celebrating the start of fall semester, priming students to successfully ride term papers, pop quizzes and other challenges swimming in the academic sea.
Floor show. Guests show their moves at the “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar” Gala. The student-organized event, which honored UT programs and individuals as well as community groups, also showcased how quickly students develop impressive (and marketable) outreach abilities when they get involved in campus organizations.
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Tomorrow’s leaders today. Black History Month kicked off four weeks of events with the biggest turnout ever at a weekend lunch where students heard from national journalist and author Yanick Rice Lamb (in red) on how to develop their unique voices to realize their dreams and develop their leadership. The UT Gospel Choir provided the soundtrack for an afternoon that brought together students and current leaders from the local community.
Powder power. Nobody left Holi Toledo untouched by color! The campus celebration of the Indian holiday Holi allowed campus cultural and religious student organizations to share insights — and packets of colored powder. Dr. Jeanine Diller, director of the UT Center for Religious Understanding, said, “Holi reminds us of our shared humanity behind social differences because everybody ends up looking the same at the end of the day, covered with all the colors.”
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Music Fest on August 29. Crack open the semester right by being part of UT’s biggest annual music event! Music Fest stars the best in student-favored and emerging talent, and it’s all free! Action begins early with Rockets football coaches and players arriving for a pre-opener rally, then segues into on-stage entertainment that lasts well into the night. Some of the talent tagged from last year’s event: Josh Gracin, Reel Big Fish, The White Panda.
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Wag the stress. Thanks to the Division of Student Affairs and Student Government, Adopta-Pet fetched a new way for students to bust pre-exam stress this spring, with animals brought to campus by the Toledo Area Humane Society — because nothing takes the edge off that Calculus II final like a well-placed kiss from a new furred friend.
Sunshine and shadow. The Division of Student Affairs combined two important educational moments when the Clothesline Project and RAINN Day gave students the chance to understand the realities of sexual violence. The Clothesline Project is an initiative in which women affected by violence create shirts to be displayed as part of their healing process, while RAINN Day was instituted by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-violence organization. Here at UT, residence halls and student organizations embellished donated umbrellas with messages against violence. The event also included a chance to talk with professionals from the University Counseling Center. Students can always visit the Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Program (SAEPP) in Rocket Hall 1810 or call 419.530.3431 for more information on creating a campus community free of abuse, harassment and other forms of sexual violence.
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Platforms of the Future You Spoke, We Listened An initiative of the Division of Student Affairs, “You Spoke, We Listened” uses the power of student input to help keep UT responsive, flexible and focused on meeting students’ needs for today and for the future.
With “You Spoke, We Listened” students have more opportunities than ever to share ideas — concerns — suggestions. Town Hall meetings with the UT leadership team are scheduled throughout the academic year.
Student Affairs and other departments conduct surveys on every aspect of the student experience. Participating is an important (and easy!) way to make a difference. Students can use Ask Rocky to share input — in person, over the phone, via texting or email. Details at utoledo.edu/ askrocky. Thanks to “You Spoke, We Listened,” student input already sparked big changes across campus: • More dining options: new dining venues, expanded choices on meal plans • Renovations to the Student Union — see some on Page 28! • Expansion of services for commuter students, including the Commuter Student Lounge in the Student Union
Photo by Crystal Hand
Your ideas have power. You speak and we’ll listen.
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• Rec Center upgrades Remember: Great ideas can begin with you! Keep sharing — we’ll keep asking!
Counseling Center geared for service The team is unified and motivated, the new programs are showing results, but Dr. Stan Edwards, director of the University Counseling Center, isn’t resting on any laurels. “We’re ready for our newest students as well as for our returning Rockets,” he says. “Each student has his or her own needs when they come to the Counseling Center, and it’s our constant challenge to meet each student at the point of that need.” With free services available to all enrolled UT students, the center added two new programs: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Prevention (ATOD), and Sexual Assault Education and Prevention (SAEPP). Students can get the most current information on alcohol — by far the drug most abused, Edwards notes — as well as on the many substances that can be encountered today. With UT now a tobacco-free campus, the Counseling Center is beefing up its smoking cessation programs. A campus community that’s free of abuse, harassment and other forms
of sexual and intimate partner violence is a goal of SAEPP, he says, adding that the University’s trained staff advocates give students an extra layer of support. “In both programs, we work to educate our students and the University community,” Edwards says. “Our educational programs and events are really useful venues to meet informally with our staff.” Often, he notes, students who come to the events become more comfortable with the idea of counseling, and set up an appointment to meet with one of the center’s trained and certified counselors. “Especially for first-year students, college can be an adjustment, and we help them understand that the stress is normal — and that there’s no stigma attached to getting help if they need it,” he says. Edwards has become a well-known figure among students because of
Stan Edwards
his presence at Counseling Center events, says Dr. Will Pecsok, a clinical counselor and the center’s associate director: “He’s at every event, whether it‘s in the evening or on the weekend. “He champions the center and has really created a unity here. He set a high bar and pulled us up, and Stan’s model allows us to support each other as we support the students.” Is there a final message for students as the year begins? Edwards is quick to share it: “Any student who needs help can find it here.” Full details at utoledo.edu/ studentaffairs/counseling.
Family assets Revamped, expanded and at your fingertips, the Parents and Family webpage is helping UT parents and families stay as engaged and informed as their students — and maybe even a little bit more! Find critical information and answers you can share as family members of Rocket Nation: utoledo.edu/parent
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CISP/
Study Abroad Change your world, one international experience at a time Want to create better global understanding? Or a more peaceful world? How about enriching your own life? That’s what the Center for International Studies and Programs (CISP) is all about. Established in 2011, the Center for International Studies and Programs is the campus connection to UT’s international efforts. CISP works to help UT students explore their world through opportunities in study abroad, National Student Exchange, Camp Adventure, Washington Center Internships, Global Health program and more. Information sessions are held regularly during the fall and spring semester, where students can learn about various options and how to get started on a journey of a lifetime. CISP works with American students interested in studying and living in other parts of the world and helps UT’s international students make the transition to life at UT and in the United States. CISP’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services serves as a resource for orientation, visa requirements, on-campus and off-campus housing, banking, international student health insurance
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and other matters vital for our international students. International students can also utilize the American Language Institute (ALI), which offers intensive English language instruction necessary for academic study, for personal or professional reasons. The ALI also evaluates the oral proficiency of international graduate teaching assistants and provides training for those who need it. Many ALI students seek a college degree and enroll at UT upon completion of the program. Another unique feature in CISP is UT’s Confucius Institute, which supports, promotes and develops Chinese Mandarin language and cultural education in the Toledo community. If you’re looking for personal guidance and online resources to help you get ready to travel abroad, plan for emergencies and identify insurance needs, CISP’s global assistance resources can help you create a study/travel abroad plan of action. Since obtaining a passport is one of the first steps in exploring
your world, CISP is also an official passport acceptance facility, helping the UT community obtain passport photos and processing their passport applications.
Map your future with CISP!
CISP’s Global Voices international speaker program provides a roster of international speakers for classroom or panel discussions. In short, CISP’s resources are truly global — but you can access them right here on campus.
Live. Learn. Travel. UT students can study abroad in more than 40 countries! Learn more: utoledo.edu/cisp
Education abroad: go global!
Weekends free to travel
UT students can earn college credit and experience global living and learning as a study abroad student. You can choose from summer, semester or yearlong programs. Internships, service learning and research opportunities are also available overseas. Via direct exchange programs, you can study for a semester or for a year at the following universities: University of Salford (England), University of Hertfordshire (England), University of Tübingen (Germany), Aichi University and Kagawa University (Japan). For shorter study periods, facultyled programs provide an excellent opportunity to experience the world with your UT professor and classmates. Programs options vary year to year and are offered during winter or spring break, or during the summer sessions. CISP also partners with the following organizations in offering worldwide learning opportunities: University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), Semester at Sea, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, and International Studies Abroad (ISA). With programs in more than 40 countries, students have the opportunity to enhance their resume, experience new cultures and people, and learn to speak another language. Study abroad opportunities are excellent ways to enrich your academic program, investigate personal interests, capitalize on research efforts, and develop a strong skill set for future career and academic ventures.
Information systems major Amanda Bleasdale spent the fall semester of her sophomore year studying in Torino, Italy, at the University of Turin School of Management. “Each class met once a week and I had weekends free to travel and see the different parts of Europe,” says Amanda. Her classroom setting was similar to UT’s and her professor Amanda spoke English. As part of class, students were able to tour a Fiat factory. “Fiat was created in Torino. I love cars, so seeing the assembly line and learning about cars from an operations management perspective was really cool,” she says. Her weekend travels took her to Paris, to Florence in Italy and to Roman ruins in Greece. She feels that the experience “helped me to become more outgoing and more positive about life.
“It is so worth it to learn so much about the world and yourself, to make so many new friends, to see so many incredible things.” AMANDA ONLINE!
Check out the experiences of a few recent study abroad alumni.
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The French connection Sarah Egziabher studied in Paris to perfect her French language skills and to pick up Parisian culture. She found it interesting to compare the learning styles of UT with those of the Institute Catholique de Paris, where she studied.
Nora, at left, with new friends
A political science major, she especially enjoyed the close proximity of other countries as she travelled in her free time. “The whole experience was memorable. Everything just came to life, and I learn so much about French history and culture. It opened my eyes to a lot of different things.” She calls it “by
Immersion in host family’s life
far the best decision I’ve ever made in my life, and I strongly advise everyone to do it.” NORA ONLINE!
Spanish and economics major Nora Vondermeulen studied at Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. Nora chose to live with a host family while in Spain instead of a residence hall: “I connected with my host family, where the wife would let me watch her cook, and she would help me write down the recipes.” Her host family did not speak English, and the small city where she lived had few English-speaking people,
“so the challenge to speak Spanish in my everyday life made me get out of my comfort zone.” At Universidad de Salamanca, she found that the classes were not too difficult, leaving time to travel through Spain, Italy and Portugal. How did the experience change her? Nora says, “It made me more open-minded, allowed me to adapt and learn new things. It is one experience that will be with me the rest of my life.” SARAH ONLINE!
Sarah
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Downhill racers. Ready for another run at Alpine Valley Resort.
Daniel
Fulfilling general ed requirements in Costa Rica Daniel Andrews was completing some of his general education courses while studying at Universidad de Costa Rica en Puntarenas. (General education courses generally transfer easily to a student’s program of study.) The experience proved to be a life-changer. He says, “Costa Rica changed me by giving me a better understanding about a culture that was unfamiliar to me. As an international business undergraduate, I saw a lot of potential business in both Central and South America, and travel abroad allowed me to understand what was going on there, and to meet new people.”
“There was a huge party in the streets, the whole town gathered together, dancing and singing, a really good atmosphere.” His advice? “Simply just do it. You are going to gain a better understanding of the world around you, the people, culture, and might learn a new language. You will appreciate the diversity we have here in the United States, too.” DANIEL ONLINE!
UT Explorers: experience new adventures and meet new friends Skimming the slopes at Alpine Valley, chrome and glitz at the North American Car Show, sawdust and thrills at the Zenobia Shrine Circus: that’s a sample of the fun planned by the Center for International Programs and Studies’ UT Explorers. Faculty, staff and students plan a variety of events and activities to bring together international and American students in a relaxed setting. Working closely with the Office of Student Involvement, the UT Explorer team works to improve linguistic abilities, cultural knowledge and global citizenship by opening their events to all UT students. Visit utoledo.edu/cisp/utexplorers/ index.html to learn more.
One of his most memorable times abroad was when the United States and Costa Rica qualified for the World Cup at the same time:
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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS Help is Here.
Successfully navigating the road to graduation doesn’t come without its bumps, potholes and detours. For every obstacle, though, UT has created guidance, opportunities and direction — a kind of academic GPS — to keep students on track and more determined than ever to reach their destination. A sampling of programs will give you a taste of what’s available.
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Success Coach Jose Rosales and UT student Luis Silva meet regularly to discuss serious goals and occasionally to share the authentic tamales that Luis’ mother sends from Chicago. Luis, the first in his family to attend college, is thinking of studying medicine.
Success Coaches One of the biggest innovations in academic support came with Fall Semester 2013. UT’s Success Coaches are trained professionals who help students navigate their way to graduation. The program matches each new and transfer student with a success coach who acts as a personal resource from admission through graduation. Success coaches are the single point of contact to assist students with any question, problem or concern they have related to their UT experience. To help keep members of Rocket Nation on track academically, coaches remind students about upcoming academic deadlines and keep them connected with resources like tutoring, the Writing Center and the Math Lab. As partners in the effort to launch students into a high-achieving future, Success Coaches work closely with academic advisers and staff in services areas like Rocket Solution Central. So what makes a success coach? Shawna Babula, working with students in YouCollege, previously helped high schoolers in Denver prepare for college; she finds success coaching a perfect fit. “College access is my passion,” Shawna says. “Working with UT students who may not have been fully prepared for college is something I really care about.
“I tell students, ‘You developed skills that brought you to college, right? Let’s fine-tune those
same skills to focus on successful graduation.’ We talk about what smart goals are, and how to craft them to decide on their career plans and goals.” One of the very early skills she pushes is how to take notes in class: “At first it’s a hard sell, but after that first test, they all want note-taking skills!” Success coaches receive weekly reports on potential problem areas such as financial issues, or if students aren’t attending classes. “If there are behavior issues affecting their performance, we want to address those early,” Shawna says. “We get them in here and talk about how to get them back on track. “It’s another opportunity to single out students who are still struggling with the transition from high school to college.”
and the conversation takes off. We go from there.” That’s how he connected with first-year student Luis Silva. “I was struggling,” Luis says. “I’m from Chicago and being a Latino, I sent Jose a text asking, ‘Can we meet?’ And he’d ask about my academic progress, or what was the next step for me.” Jose gives him good advice, Luis says: “Like make sure I sit in the front row in class, use my professors’ office hours to meet with them. I used to be afraid to show! But Jose pushed me and you know, you meet with [faculty] and they’re good people, they’ll help you, so I lost that fear.”
Shawna Babula’s office is equally busy.
For success coach Jose Rosales, mutual trust makes that transition go more smoothly.
A year into the program, UT’s Success Coaches are hitting their mark. Parents can help reinforce their “It’s finding a way to connect,” he says. message of achievement, Jose adds: “It’s me showing you rather than telling “Don’t wait until midterms to talk with you. Each student will have a different your student about school, because by then it might be too late. point of connection. I’m fortunate in having had a lot of experiences: as “It’s a group effort. When parents care traditional student, as a returning and students care and I care, that’s student, as college athlete, a firstthe best situation!” generation student, and someone Learn more about Success Coaches from low socio-economic status. at utoledo.edu/successcoach “So I just wait. Sooner or later, something triggers a connection, 13 | FALL 2014
TRiO Student Support Services Not every student enters college with the same background and experiences. Some circumstances — like being the first in your family to attend college — can create more challenges for new students. TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) works to turn those challenges into personal victories for first-generation students, as well as those with disabilities, from lowincome backgrounds or with any issues that might keep them reaching from their full potential. “In SSS, we’re a family, and we regard our students the same way a family regards a child: we want them to be successful,” says SSS program director Robin Stone. “To achieve that, we’re highly proactive. We work to anticipate every problem or issue that may arise with individual students before each semester starts.” With nearly 50 years as a national program and more than a decade at UT, TRiO has plenty of experience addressing those issues, offering everything from private tutoring to life-skills workshops to opportunities for leadership and employment. “We dispel the mystery of college, especially for firstyear students,” Stone says. “We begin every year with a welcoming party where we talk with new students
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about things happening on campus. We walk them to the computer labs, watch them navigate the MyUT portal, make sure they have the skills they need.” Since necessary skills change, SSS stays flexible, Stone adds: “Because we design our own program based on the needs of the students, we’re very fluid. What we did three years ago we don’t do anymore if it doesn’t work. “We can create a response to an individual student’s problem within a month, if necessary.”
The results are impressive, with 75 percent of TRiO SSS students in good academic standing. Students participate as needed, some staying active throughout their academic journey and others coming back periodically. Stone identifies an early start as key: “We help students understand potential problems even before they encounter them. “The point of our programs is to help students understand what they don’t know — then help them master what they need to know.” Details at utoledo.edu/success/trio
Learning Enhancement Center If someone were to design a one-stop academic support resource, it would probably look a lot like UT’s Learning Enhancement Center (LEC), located in the basement of Carlson Library. If someone were to compile comments from very satisfied customers of such a resource, they would probably sound a lot like what students have said about the LEC.
I love it here. They really help you out.” “ The LEC is a very positive place to be. I think all students should see what they have to offer.” “I wish I had been coming from the beginning. The free services include walkin tutoring in multiple disciplines: science, math, business and foreign languages. Online tutoring is available in math, statistics, biology and accounting. As well, students who need help with time management or test-taking skills can find one-on-one support from professionals like Julie Radwanski, LEC academic services coordinator. “Our student-tutors are very skilled and represent a diverse background,” Julie notes. “Many speak multiple languages, which better serves our ESL students.” With chemistry and math the support areas most often targeted by students, LEC partners with
the Department of Mathematics and Statistics to provide graduate assistants for expert tutoring. LEC, though, is more than a place to get assistance from their tutors, Julie notes: “Students build relationships and friendships by forming their own study groups that meet here. Commuter students can find a sense of community here, too — even if they just use LEC as a quiet place to study.”
“Once students find us and understand what we have to offer, they come back over and over.” Details at utoledo.edu/success/lec
Once they see firsthand what LEC can do for their academic success, she says, students often become motivated to enter UT’s more demanding programs. “Before, they may have thought that they wouldn’t be able to master the science for programs like PharmD, medicine and nursing — where we’re also a valuable resource.
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Undergraduate research Uchenna Anene spends a lot of time with fruit flies — but she’s not complaining. In fact, the experience of working in a biology lab has been a game-changer for her. “I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology but I was always interested in science, so I decided to come back and take a few classes to see where it would lead,” she explains. “Last summer, I saw a poster for ’authentic research.’ It was a summer course, so I wanted to see what research would be like. The course was mostly genetics, a background I didn’t have, but I picked it up through the lecture portion of the class. Then we spent some time in the lab, crossing the genotypes of certain fruit flies.”
centrosomal proteins. We’re not sure what they do, and the best way to determine that is to get the gene from the protein, mutate it, put it into a fly and see what the result is.” Avidor-Reiss adds, “Uche was very fortunate to participate in what was our pilot for a new type of course, which is now part of the regular curriculum — a chance to experience science. Most students don’t really know what research is. If they have any interest, though, they should approach their faculty on the first day of school!” For herself, Uche has no doubts: “I feel like this goes beyond lectures and makes everything come together. After I’d take an exam, I’d forget the material, but here, when you work with it hands-on, it stays with you.
Her interest sparked, she approached “Working here just made it more Dr. Tomer Avidor-Reiss, associate certain that anything I eventually do professor of biological sciences, to will include research. I don’t know ask about options for undergraduate where I would be now if I had never research. She’s been working in his seen that poster!” lab ever since. Poised above a dish of writhing fruit fly embryos, she says, “I’m investigating the interaction of two 16 | REAL LIFE, REAL LEARNING
Watch her video here!
Student Mentoring When it comes to first-hand advice about the ins and outs of college, there’s nothing like a peer. For years, students have been mentoring students in a number of academic programs, including those in the College of Engineering. These student mentors don’t take the place of the more formal advice students receive from advisers, faculty and success coaches — but they do have a lot more of “I lived through this, too” experiences to share.
In the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, the FIG (Freshmen Interest Groups) program runs during the first semester. Students are organized into groups of five to eight members, with two upperclassmen FIG leaders, trained in working one-onone with their peers. “The leaders are volunteers who want to pay it forward because they had their own great experiences in their FIG groups,” explains Chanda Raine, program adviser.
“Most students in a single group have at least three “Incoming freshmen are less intimidated by fellow classmen a year or two ahead of them,” says Lisa Patrisso, classes together. It’s great for study groups. We encourage students to meet with their FIG one hour adviser for the mentoring program in the Department of every week. Nine times out of ten, they meet more often.” Bioengineering. “Peer mentoring was created to increase Faculty have long been strong supporters of the programs. retention in the first semester, and it’s been successful, as As well, student mentoring often includes a social well as in creating a bond between student cohorts.” component paid for by the participating departments She notes that participating students gain many skills and especially valued by out-of-town students. Trips to transferable to jobs: curriculum preparation, public Mudhens baseball games, the Imagination Station and speaking and learning how to run meetings. traveling science exhibits are often on the agenda. During required classes, peer mentors cover topics that Notes Chanda, “The friendships that develop in the include time management, ethics, learning styles, conflict groups are amazing, lasting long after the first semester. resolution, diversity and many others. “We focus more Many graduates of the college are still friends with their on topics to support the successful transition from high group members.” school to college,” says Lisa.
Residence-hall living can reflect professional interests as well as kick-back preferences. These students enjoying an afternoon picnic on the Flatlands are part of the Engineering Living/Learning Community in Carter West, allowing them to live with other students taking the same classes. Peer mentors from the College of Engineering offer support to first-year residents. Programming is offered in conjunction with the college, and students have opportunities to interact with faculty and staff inside the residence hall. Additionally, residents have advising hours and student support office hours on their floor.
Learn more!
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Internships To gain valuable experiences that complement and strengthen the academic journey, internships can’t be beat — and some can take students into the Beltway. The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC) offers UT students the opportunity to work in private, public and nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C.
organize activities for them during the day or half-day when students are not at their internships. Students earn college credit for their participation in the program, which provides a 16-week session during the spring and fall, and a 10-week summer session. Federal finance aid and scholarships are available, and some internships are paid.
It sounded like a fit to Adekemi Ademuyewo, a senior in health sciences: “I wanted to do the study abroad option when I came to college. While going to a different country is amazing — I’ve been to England and Nigeria — I thought it would be great for me to have professional development as well. The Washington Center was perfect. Because it was away from campus, it gave me the opportunity to meet other people and expand myself.” After interviews with various organizations and corporations, Kemi was placed with N Street Village, a community group for low-income women, where her work in fundraising included a Help Homeless walk that raised more than $200,000. She calls it a great experience: “I lived about 20 minutes away from D.C., commuting every day. It gave me a chance to experience what the job field is going to be after I graduate, and how to network, how to develop interview skills, and brush up on my interpersonal and communication skills.” TWC provides professional supervisors who counsel, place, supervise and help evaluate students, as well as
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Adekemi
“Be sure to speak up during the interview process and share the kind of experiences you’re looking for,” Kemi advises. “What I learned was that I see myself in the future working right in the communities — directly with homeless women, for example.”
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Experiential Learning Every college at The University of Toledo offers hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Of those involving community outreach, Sketchbox Toledo has to be the most creative — and certainly the only one featuring tipsy birdhouses.
Performance Art course, taught by associate professor Barbara Miner. It grew organically, she says, out of an earlier class, Fundamentals of Form, in which students create artist-inspired birdhouses.
Temporary art installations were erected at several locations around the city, with each house form containing small sketchbooks and colored pencils. Passersby were encouraged to become “part of the art” by contributing their own doodles, writing or observations. Weekly collections of the results showed up on the class Facebook page, and a public reception at semester’s end pulled it all together. Conceived as a way to connect everyday citizens to art, Sketchbox Toledo was organized by the students in the Department of Art’s Installation and
Students celebrating a successful installation in downtown Toledo.
“For Sketchbox Toledo, we wanted to build a sense of community through an artistic, expressive experience,” Miner says. “It was also a way to build community within the class. The hardest thing about this project was everyone needing to develop a group ethos — artists being notoriously individualistic. However, everyone put aside egos and the results were gratifying for everyone. “This is the first time one of my classes has jelled to this extent.” Crystal Terry, a first-year transfer student, adds, “It just blossomed. It’s become bigger than we ever expected.” All images contributed are being digitized and archived as a community testimony to the power of creativity. Miner would like to see the project go viral in real life: “From Cleveland to New York City! It would be guerilla art — next stop, the Library of Congress!”
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Want to succeed?
Today’s student leaders tell you how
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Congratulations to those honored in the 8th Annual Multicultural Student Leadership awards ceremony in April! From left to right, the winners are: Jacob Torres (Distinguished Multicultural Student Leader Award); Lance Price Jr. (Community Spotlight Award); Victor Aberdeen (Advocate Award); Basmery Martinez (Defying the Odds Award); Destiny Washington (Emerging Leader Award). Not pictured: Claudia Romero (Excel Award).
Jacob Torres A junior majoring in geography, Jacob plans to become a meteorologist. (He admits to following Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore on Twitter.) He was surprised by his award — “I honestly didn’t think I’d have a chance after seeing who the other nominees were” — but is happy to share his insights about leadership. “I became president of the Latino Student Union in May of 2013, and my term just ended. I knew we needed to re-brand our organization, and I knew that making personal connections would be one way to do it. “I am a take-charge kind of guy, but I learned how to delegate during my presidency, because working together on any kind of project makes things go a lot more smoothly.
“Students who come to our recruitment table might not be interested in joining our organization, but I tell them that getting involved with any organization is honestly the segueway to your professional life. I’ve grown so much professionally this past year, had meetings with people like the UT President. Just by getting active on campus, you can have opportunities like that. Getting involved is the key to success. “In your first year, just making connections with your professors is good. If you live in a residence hall, connect with people on your floor. If you’re a commuter, connect with the people in your classes. Having ties on campus will make you feel more at home. Just taking little steps is a good place to start. “Keep your eyes open. There are 250 organizations on campus; I’m sure at least one will pique your interest. “I always promote UT Success Coaches with freshmen I meet because they’re a resource I wish I had when I was a first-year student. They can advise you on opportunities where you can grow as a person and as a future professional. In fact, our adviser for Latino Student Union is Jose Rosales [meet him on page 13], who’s a success coach. I work a lot with him and with other coaches.”
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Basmery Martinez boss and the other people here at the office [of Excellence A freshman from and Multicultural Student Success]. My dad told me the Dominican that I had two choices: go back to Columbus or back to Republic, the Dominican Republic. I really don’t want to leave my Basmery came studies because I’ve come this far. to the United States when she “My mom is back in the Dominican Republic and she’s was 8, first living there to motivate me. That’s what really motives me now: in New York, ‘Yeah, you’re going to bring her to the United States.’ It’s then moving to what I think of when I wake up every morning. I see me Columbus, Ohio. and my mom and my sisters here in a big house, and me She’s paying for working. That’s my dream. her education “My first step was to finish high school, then go to college, herself. “I wanted because I can’t bring my mom here until I’m 21 and to go to college working a job, so I’m trying to work two jobs this summer. because it’s an opportunity none of my family had,” she says. A paralegal “Some days I don’t make it into work because I have so much to think about and try to work through. Other days studies major, she talks about the tough challenges she I know I have to put it behind me and work through it. faces daily — and plans to overcome. “College has been good, but hard, with lots of bumps. Like financial aid has been a process, with waiting for the money to come back for this semester. My dad can no longer help me and now I’m on my own.
“I stress when my grades aren’t as good as I want. In high school I was a 4.0 student. In English class here, though, I cried. But I brought my grade up, so it’s OK now. I want to get on the Dean’s List this semester.
“I’m 18. Sometimes it’s scary. I’m OK, but there are times I don’t want to leave my room because I just don’t know what to do next. A lot of people have helped me, like my
“I’ll get where I want to be eventually if I work hard enough!”
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Victor Aberdeen A junior majoring in English and communication, Victor is serving as president of the African People’s Association, an organization he’s been involved with since his first year at UT, helping to organize and increase attendance for events that included the AIDS Awareness Gala. He plans on going to law school next. “With the African People’s Association, I was kind of quiet at the beginning. I went to one or two meetings, and was involved in the fashion show that year. I enjoyed it, so I got more involved and was vice president in my second year. I got to network, to meet a lot of new people and grow as a leader — and help the organization grow.
“I think a lot of students don’t understand that administrators want to see students succeed and that they’re extremely helpful. A lot of faculty, too, will bend over backwards to help you; it’s just a matter of asking.
“I don’t think there’s one specific way or textbook definition of “My advice for freshmen? Use the how to network. It’s how you feel opportunity of being here to do things most comfortable interacting with that you never thought would be people. I just started going to other possible for you. As a high schooler, organizations’ meetings and being I wasn’t the most sociable or vocal open and friendly. Since a lot of person, but now I don’t have any the groups have the same goal — problem speaking in front of a large to empower our members, and crowd. Enhance yourself — the more grow — groups like Student African American Brotherhood, Black Student involved you become, you grow more. Union and 4AW [Association for the “Find something you’re Advancement of African American passionate about, then Women] just kind of got on good work hard at it — that’s terms with each other. We’ve done collaborative events, which makes our the best way to make goals a lot easier. an impact.” “As other people help you, you become a resource for other people. You don’t have to be the center of attention or know every single person to be good at networking.
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Here for you:
faces behind the services Today: Tamika Mitchell, Dean of Students Tamika works in the Office for the Student Experience (Student Union Room 2521). She investigates student and family concerns, working with faculty and staff to resolve them. Her focus is on building a culture of student centeredness by being responsive to students’ needs. Tamika received her B.A. and M.A. from Western Kentucky University, and her M.Ed. from The University of Toledo.
how to access financial resources for school, and how their kids are doing in class. Many parents want to have access to their students’ grades and other records, but can’t because of the FERPA confidentiality laws. If that’s the case, we’ll work with the parents to help them understand the procedures. Parents will also call our office about meal plans, parking and student activities.
You work with parents as well as with students?
Sounds like parents ask the same questions students do.
Yes, our office talks with many parents, who of course want the best for their kids, just as we do. The parental concerns we hear about most often are campus safety,
Definitely — except that students usually don’t ask questions until they absolutely have to. Parents want to know early.
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How can students and parents be proactive about the information they need? First-year students who have gone through Orientation already have an amazing resource: the Orientation folder. Everything they need to know is there. I always recommend that they read through all the materials in that folder, maybe making notes about your questions and concerns. The tendency is to go home after Orientation thinking that everything is done and taken care of, but you’re really at the point when you need to understand how things work. Then when you reach out to us at the Office for the Student Experience, you have a base knowledge; we can add to it and personalize it to your situation. So if you receive a mock bill, go through it carefully, look at the due dates, how financial aid may be applied to it, versus what your out-of-pocket expenses are likely to be. Make sure you know who your UT Success Coach is, and who your adviser is. It’s a prime opportunity to establish that relationship in the early days of the academic year.
Campus Resources Ask Rocky: located right in the Student Union, also online at utoledo.edu/askrocky or via email: askrocky@utoledo.edu. Rocket Rapid Response: Have comments, complaints or want to share your satisfaction? utoledo.edu/feedback MyUT Mobile App: Students have the entire University at their fingertips with the free myUT Mobile app, available for iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. Instantaneously access bus routes, job opportunities, events, campus maps, even walking directions to your classrooms! UT Success Coaches: utoledo.edu/successcoach Check with your college if you have not yet connected!
I’m now on campus as a new Rocket! What do I do if I have questions? Ask! No question should go unanswered, definitely not here at UT! We field questions on getting in touch with your professors, the best places to eat on campus, or questions about the off-campus community. Basically everything. Just about any UT staff person can give you answers about the excellent resources at UT, but this office specializes in providing that information, to make sure your student experience is the best of the best.
Final advice? Enjoy this time in your life, and become an active part of Rocket Nation, because you’re a Rocket! We can help you, but when it comes down to it, you determine the path you travel here. So use the UT website — get to know your individual college — explore all the learning opportunities available through experiential learning, co-ops and internships. This is your home for the next few years! Work at making it your best experience and it will be the best. Ask Rocky, centrally located in the Student Union
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Student Union makeover
Office of Student Involvement
Ask Rocky
Commuter Student Lounge
New look means stronger services To create a Student Union that’s even more inviting, accessible and attractive, the Division of Student Affairs took the lead in initiating physical changes that resulted in an enlarged and enhanced Commuter Student Lounge, a headquarters for the newly launched Ask Rocky service, a Student Resource Room for UT’s many student organizations, a new home for the Office of Student Involvement, and an updated Rocket Conference Room with more seating and the latest technological enhancements.
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Thanks, students! Student Appreciation Day is the loud and proud “Thank you!” that’s written all over the hearts and minds that fill Centennial Mall for this annual late-spring event. It’s hosted by the Office of the Senior Vice President for the Student Experience and features free food, entertainment, challenges and more than a few surprises.
Student Appreciation Day 2014
You spoke.
“More meal plan options.”
We listened.
New for Fall 2014:
Meal plans with more choices! Do you eat every meal on campus? Just grab a bite now and then? NEW options give you value, variety and convenience!
And we keep listening. Check out what else is new: • Student Union renovations • Strengthening of Commuter Services • Rec Center upgrades • More to come!