ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2015
FAMILY Connections CELEBRATING A GREAT YEAR AT RMU As the spring semester draws to a close, we look forward to the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many accomplishments and successes of the past year. As a campus community we have been committed to academic success, service to others, and engagement in many areas all across the university. Our annual Student Excellence Dinner, All Sports Banquet, Presidential Undergraduate Dinner, as well as various academic department and school specific recognition programs and events will be taking place over the next couple of weeks. Our students have worked hard and achieved much success over the past several months. It is the season for the RMU community to come together and celebrate our students. Our Athletics program finished the year strong. Our men’s and women’s basketball teams brought us excitement and a boost to our school pride and name recognition in the region with their success this year. The men made an NCAA tournament appearance again, our first since 2010. The women played on their home court for the Northeast Conference Championship in March, unfortunately coming up short to the St. Francis (Brooklyn) Terriers. Our men’s Division I club ice hockey team earned a spot in the American College
Hockey Association National Tournament earlier this semester and our men’s NCAA ice hockey team made a good run at a chance to play in their national tournament as well. Commencement planning is also now in full swing. We look forward to seeing the families of our graduating seniors on campus in May for the festivities. It is always a day we all can share in the accomplishments of our graduates. As you may already be aware, we will also bid farewell to our University President Gregory Dell’Omo at the end of this term as he and his wife Polly will be departing RMU and returning to their home state of New Jersey. Dr. Dell’Omo is set to begin his tenure as president of Rider University later this summer. The RMU community is gearing up for the leadership transition, and we look forward to welcoming a new president to the institution and the Colonial family in the near future. Enjoy your summer. We look forward to seeing many of you return to campus in August as your son or daughter returns for the upcoming fall semester. August is also an exciting time as we welcome the Class of 2019 and their families to RMU.
Family Connections is a publication designed for the parents and families of Robert Morris University students. It is compiled by the Office of Student Life and printed in cooperation with the Office of Public Relations and Marketing. Editions are printed in the fall, winter, and spring of each academic year. We are interested in your feedback about this publication. E-mail your comments and suggestions to studentlife@rmu.edu.
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY FAMILY CONNECTIONS
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SIBLINGS WEEKEND 2015 During the last week of February, the Office of Residence Life and the Residence Hall Association celebrated the thirteenth annual Little Siblings Weekend. All siblings, cousins, nieces or nephews ages eight to 17, were invited to spend a fun filled weekend at Robert Morris University with their RMU student. We are pleased to share that 143 participants were registered for the program.
The weekend kicked off with our annual Siblings Weekend Carnival. Students were able to play carnival games, enjoy traditional carnival snacks, and play on our carnival rides. Other highlights of the weekend were the transformation of Yorktown Ballroom into a laser tag arena and the Family Brunch at the close of the program on Sunday morning. Our visitors had a great time! Thank you to everyone who joined us this year.
SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING ON CAMPUS In this issue, we would like to highlight a special weekend program hosted by the Office of Residence Life in the spring semester. The Yorktown and Braddock Hall Community
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Advisors hosted a campus-wide volleyball tournament in February. Sixteen teams and over 100 students attended the event. This was the first year for this program.
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NEW CAREER CENTER COURSE RECEIVES HIGH MARKS In the Fall of 2014, the Career Center offered a new course entitled, FYSP1011: Transitioning from College to Career. The course is geared toward upper-class students who are preparing for the job search and life after college. Lectures were presented by Career Center staff members, regional employers, and university partners, such as PNC Bank. The course guided students through the job search process and how to effectively market themselves to employers. It also provided information and resources to help students make wise decisions as they embark on their professional career. Topics included the following: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Resumes Cover Letters Thank You Letters References Interviewing The World of Work & State of the Job Market ColonialTRAK (Career Center’s job posting database) Social Media Job Search Strategies Creating Your Job Search Plan Networking Strategies Employer Research Salary Research Financial Literacy Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace Surviving the First 180 Days in the Workplace Soft Skills Development Professional Etiquette
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Grades were based on attendance and a variety of practical assignments. Students were asked to create a resume, cover letter, reference page, 30-second infomercial (elevator speech), thank you letter, and a LinkedIn account. Students conducted in an informational interview with a professional in their field of interest, created a job search portfolio, attended a job fair and/or networking event, and completed a financial literacy success plan. A total of 20 students completed Transitioning from College to Career in the fall and were asked to evaluate the topics and overall value of the course. The evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. 100% of the students rated the course topics as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.” Regarding the overall evaluation of the course, 93% of the students indicated a rating of “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.” A selection of the student comments includes the following: • “I enjoyed all of the guest speakers that came in and talked with us.” • “The course assignments were helpful.” • “I thought the class was enriching.” Kishma DeCastro-Sallis, director of the Career Center and Lead Instructor for the course, stated, “The new course was an excellent partnership between the Career Center and regional employers. The RMU Board of Trustees Chair also participated. We are very pleased with the students’ accomplishments during the class as well as their positive feedback. We look forward to working with more students in the future through this unique learning experience.” The course will be offered again during the second eight-week term of the Fall 2015 semester.
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TRI-STATE CONSORTIUM AWARDS RMU STAFF MEMBER WITH PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
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Tara Monahan, RMU Financial Aid Counselor and an Act 101 program* alumna, was selected to receive the Tri-State Consortium of Opportunity Programs in Higher Education Alumni Award for 2015.
volunteers at the different Silver Ring Thing shows. In September 2010 she was hired as a Financial Aid Counselor at RMU, bringing her back to her first place of employment in higher education.
Tara entered Robert Morris University as a shy first-year student from Wilkes-Barre, PA, and graduated an outgoing student leader. A corporate communication major, her undergraduate years were devoted to activities such as performing with the Colonial Theatre, serving as the president of Lambda Pi Eta, and working her on-campus position in the Financial Aid Office and later as a resident assistant. An active member of the Act 101 program, Tara traveled on several Act 101 spring break trips, attended the Act 101 Student Leadership Conference in Gettysburg where she presented to other student leaders on non-verbal communication and job searching, and attended the Student Lobby Day in Harrisburg. Upon graduating, she parlayed her internship at the Silver Ring Thing into a full-time position as a registration coordinator and follow-up director, where she organized, trained, and directed 3,700
Tara completed her Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership from RMU in May 2014. An active member of her church community, Tara has volunteered as both a Young Adults Leadership Coordinator and as a Kids Church volunteer. In addition to her community involvement, Tara has been an active member of RMU’s Act 101 Advisory Board since April 2012, proving that Act 101’s influence does not end on the graduation date. *Act 101 is a state funded grant program that is overseen by PHEAA. It is part of the Tri-State Consortium, a consortium of opportunity programs throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The Act 101 program at RMU is coordinated under the Center for Student Success and its director, Cassandra Oden.
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STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE REMINDER FOR 2015-16 !
Robert Morris University requires that all traditional undergraduate students, both full and part-time, carry health insurance coverage comparable to the established RMU plan. Additionally, graduate students who are residential students, international students, nursing and nuclear medicine students, intercollegiate athletes and club sport participants are also required to carry health insurance coverage. Coverage can be provided by the university sponsored plan or through the students' own comparable insurance coverage. Students who do not provide health insurance information via the RMU website by the posted deadline will be automatically enrolled in the university sponsored plan which will be provided by Highmark. The annual cost of the coverage ($1,992) will be applied to their RMU Student Account.
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If your student has their own comparable health insurance coverage, follow these steps now to enter the information for the 2015-16 academic year. 1. Visit rmu.edu/studentinsurance 2. Click on the words Student Insurance 3. You are now in eServices--sign on with the student's username and password 4. Scroll down the page until you see Academic Year 2015-2016 and the word Add or Update-then click on it 5. This will bring you to the insurance screen. Enter all fields that are required including the effective date--if there is not one provided enter (08012015). The information will be automatically sent to the RMU Student Health Services Office. Information regarding the university’s health insurance requirement and the optional insurance plan being offered by RMU for 2015-16 will be sent to all new and continuing students in early summer. Feel free to contact Student Health Services by phone at 412-397-6221 if you have any questions.
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NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION: AN EXCELLENT ADVENTURE! What do these three organizations have in common: a faith-based health center serving our neediest neighbors, a storefront selling recycled craft supplies, and a philanthropic foundation worth billions? No, this is not a trick question! These are but three of the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organizations that Robert Morris University students visited during the Nonprofit Leadership course offered over spring break. While it might be hard to believe, 10 students from diverse majors and class years chose this four-day engaged learning experience over the traditional spring break vacation. They were not disappointed! Led by professional staff from RMU’s Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management and the Office of Student Civic Engagement, the students spent six to seven hours each day, Monday through Thursday, traveling around the city of Pittsburgh from the Northside to Downtown to the East End, scoping out the wide variety of missions, programs and leaders who make up Pittsburgh’s vast and diverse nonprofit sector. The four-day immersion experience included touring the art studios and job training programs at Manchester Bidwell Corporation, which now replicates its program model in cities across the country and around the world; visiting the cats and dogs at the
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Animal Rescue League (ARL) while learning about the need for such shelters and its plans to build a new state-of-the-art facility next year; and catching the vision for community redevelopment and sustainability at the Kingsley Association, which is at the forefront of building new housing and greenspace to replace urban blight and strengthen the inner city. Whether exploring the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum or taking a walking tour of public art, students were surprised to discover the many different types of nonprofits doing “really cool stuff” all across the city. They also were greatly inspired by the passionate and dedicated professionals, including RMU graduates, who led these organizations. As one student put it at the end of the four days, “I had no idea….” That was just the reaction we were going for when Robert Morris University created the Nonprofit Leadership Association Certificate Program, which this course is a part of. If your student is passionate about giving back to the community and would like to explore career opportunities in the nonprofit sector, please encourage him or her to be in touch with Donna Anderson, director, Student Civic Engagement at andersond@rmu.edu for more information.
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FORTY-FIVE STUDENTS EARN AMBASSADOR OF EQUALITY AWARD IN SPRING 2015 The Ambassador of Equality is an award program that gives students the necessary tools to aid the Office of Multicultural Student Services in creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and inclusion on the campus. Earning the Ambassador of Equality distinction demonstrates a person’s want, willingness and dedication to make the Robert Morris University community more inclusive. Upon completion of the award requirements, a student will receive recognition at the annual Student Excellence Dinner, a special designation at graduation, and credit on his/her Student Engagement Transcript for the Global Experience category.
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Working towards the Ambassador of Equality distinction is a great way to get involved on campus and meet people from all different cultures. Furthermore, it looks great on a student’s resume, as employers are looking for employees that have been trained to employ cultural sensitivity and have participated in diversity training. If you have a student returning to RMU in the fall, please encourage him/her to consider this for next year.
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STUDENT LIFE Robert Morris University 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, PA 15108 RMU.EDU
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UPCOMING EVENTS Visit rmu.edu for the university’s full calendar of events. APRIL 19-25
Spirit Week (various events planned)
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Earth Day
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RMU Jazz Band Spring Concert – 7:30 p.m., Massey Hall Theater
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Last Day of Classes Cram Jam, 9 a.m – 9 p.m., Center for Student Success
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Almost Midnight Breakfast, 10 p.m.–Midnight, PNC Colonial Café
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Final Exams
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Study Break sponsored by Campus Ministry, 8–10 p.m., PNC Colonial Café
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Pittsburgh Speakers Series presents Micho Kaku, 8 p.m., Heinz Hall
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Senior Week (various events planned)
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Graduate Commencement Ceremony, Sewall Center Arena
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Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, Sewall Center Arena